7 Yummy Summer Snacks

I'm in NYC right now, and all I can think about during these warm days of filming is a cool, refreshing snack. So I decided to share a few of my favorites. We all know that when the weather heats up, your appetite doesn't always follow.  We often crave things that are light and refreshing, cool and light, and several things come to mind that are yummy and easy prepare. Here is my happy list…

7 Summer Snacks for the whole family

  
1. Frozen fruit. Almost anything can go into the freezer and suddenly become more exciting. (Well except avocado…learned that the hard way.) Fruit takes on an exciting new face once frozen. I just did this with Cherries and the kids had a field day! Other great ones are grapes, blueberries and peaches. You can even add these to a regular fruit salad and it immediately more refreshing. 
2. Smoothie. If I could live at Jamba Juice in the summertime, it would be perfect, but until they give me the key, I’ve got my blender. Adding ice to almost anything in a blender makes it taste magical. You can also add boosts or things to brighten up any meal with fruits and veggies, like Vitamix (a favorite of my husbands). Add kale, beets, pineapple, mango, dates, anything you like that packs a punch and get lots of vitamins into your family’s diet.
3. Skewers. This snack is not only fun to eat but also fun to assemble. It’s a great treat that the kids can help create. Add any fruit, veggie, or precooked meat you can get your hands on and simply skewer away. There can be sweet, savory or any combination of this perfect BBQ addition. You can even sprinkle with coconut or drizzle with chocolate and turn them into a dessert.
4. Yogurt pops. If you have popsicle trays, simply replace the juice with yogurt! Any yogurt works, even Greek. The yogurt packs a powerful punch when it comes to energy (yay protein.) 
5. Peanut butter/coconut balls. There are many recipes on the web so choose the one that you or your kids’ will love, and make a double batch! They’re small and yummy and protein packed. You can use peanut, almond or sunflower seed butter, accommodating any taste. (And of course, you can keep them in the fridge for a more refreshing bite!) 
6. Dried Fruit. Fruit in any form is refreshing, included the dried variety. Add dried fruit to any salad and it suddenly feels like summer Again, strawberries, raspberries and peaches are a great option with a refreshing vinaigrette.
7. Homemade ice cream sandwiches. Obviously this doesn’t fall into the “healthy” category, but it sure does fall into the “happy” category! These are so easy to make and the impact on the party is HUGE! I use the bag mix for cookies and make sure to under cook them slightly. Then, I wait until they cool and scoop in a generous helping of ice cream. Finally, I individually wrap them in cellophane. Get creative with cookie type and ice cream flavor!

Hope these yummy treats just hit the spot this summer. Enjoy!

My time on Celebrity Cook-Off

Now that the show is over and the Super Bowl has passed, I've had a chance to reflect on my experience with Rachael v. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off so I thought I'd share.

In all honesty, reality shows freak me out a bit, both watching them and being on the them. It feels like you never know what you are going to see or what people might say about you. It's like the worst version of high school back to haunt you. But when the opportunity to appear on the Food Network came up and I had a chance to compete for Right To Play, I had faith that it was going to be less about the drama and more about the food. It turns out, the food brought the drama!

When they were casting for the show, they asked me if I cooked. My response was "Every single day! For my family." But I made sure they knew that my "clientele's" average age was 4 and that mild, healthy and colorful were my general guidelines :)

The experience as a whole was phenomenal! I couldn't say this before the show aired, but Lou, Coolio and Cheech were BY FAR the best cooks in the kitchen. They were chef-like. I think that's why I was blown away when my steak beat cheech...thank you daddy for the bloody mary butter! But I learned a ton...like...how to hold a knife properly, to never move a piece of meat when it first meets the heat, how to feel whether a steak is done by comparing it to the meaty part of the palm of your hand, that infused butter is SUPER EASY to make, and that a little love goes a LONG way when it comes to food.

We shot the entire show in 10 days over the summer in NYC. My kids came along, and we made the whole experience an adventure. Thank you Food Network, Guy and Rachael…what a ride! And congratulations LDP! You were amazing.

Teaching my son to cook is a priority!

I love when guys can cook. You know, really cook. When you walk into your house and the dinner is already made for you and your family, that is a dream. I used to feel a lot of anxiety from cooking. Wondering what I was going to make for dinner or if I had enough to scrounge together a decent meal. Now, I feel pretty confident.

My dad has come a long way as well. My mom and he divorced when I was 7 years old. Before the divorce the only thing my dad could make was a bowl of cereal. Seriously, he had no clue in the kitchen, nor did he have any desire to learn. That all changed when he had to cook, not only for himself but for his two growing children.(our custody arrangement was 6 months with him and 6 months with my mom)

I remember his first meal. He made us eggs and hotdogs. I am pretty sure my mom was mortified but we actually thought it was pretty awesome. He quickly learned about the freezer section and the various pre-made meals from Stouffers and other companies. We soon began to list off some favorites like his goulash.

A few years later...ok, maybe about 10 years later, he started to really get the hang of it. He threw together a killer stir fry, Italian chicken and steak Diane. But for me, my favorite is his spaghetti. It is super tasty and always leaves me beyond full. Coming home from swim practice at 7 pm, I remember devouring several plates in my day.

Well, my dad and his girlfriend, Cathy came out to visit for the Thanksgiving weekend. On his last day here, he offered to make dinner. I quickly suggested spaghetti and away we went. It was such a pleasure to not only have a favorite meal made for me, but I realized how much I love "having a meal made for me", period! It was truly a gift to sit back and watch some football while my dad made dinner. It doesn't happen that often, not because my hubby doesn't know how to cook but because my hubby is too busy.

Realizing how much I love this feeling made me understand how important it is for us moms to teach our kids to cook. With special emphasis on our sons. Our fellas need the basics so they can take their skills out into the world and make other girls happy. We need to spread the love that is felt when you have a meal made for you. It is our duty! Who knows, maybe they will make a meal for us someday!