By Zoe BullockPosted on February 23, 2015
As parents, our hope is to deliver health-supportive, nourishing meals to our loved ones, using the limited time and space thatNew York City life provides. Enter the food processor. Many of us already have one sitting in the cupboard. In these colder months, we may especially appreciate the smooth and nostalgic texture of pureed foods, which remind us of grandma’s mashed potatoes or the baby food we made for our infants. Around cold and flu season, we may also find ourselves hoping to take advantage of immunity-supporting power foods. The addition of garlic, honey, coconut, yogurt, zinc-rich steak, sweet potatoes, ginger, avocados, and the rainbow of phytonutrients in vegetables to our family’s diets adds variety, while packing an extra immune system-supporting punch. Include these fast, easy, and kid-friendly recipes in your kitchen repertoire for main dishes, condiments, and desserts, most of which can be prepared in under five minutes.
Roasted Garlic Hummus
Everyone loves hummus, and parents love the antimicrobial properties of garlic. Make it part of your weeknight meal in this quick food processor recipe. Serve it with pita chips and vegetables, for a dose of extra phytochemicals. Kids and adults alike will enjoy dipping into this traditional Lebanese recipe from healthyseasonalrecipes.com.
Steak Gaucho-Style with Argentinian Chimichurri Sauce
This traditional Argentinian main meal highlights greens and garlic (which can be prepped in the food processor), over zinc-rich steak. Try it for a weeknight meal that your family will love. Recipe via foodnetwork.com.
Blueberry Buttermilk Scones
For a southern breakfast treat or a sweet anytime snack, try these blueberry buttermilk scones. Combining the ingredients in a food processor speeds up prep and cleaning, while ensuring a fluffy texture. Recipe via about.com.
Sweet Potato Puree
Serve this Martha Stewart sweet potato puree as a side dish to your main course, or add it to muffins, pies, and soups. Sweet potatoes are a fantastic addition to your family’s diet and appeal to kids of all ages for their sweet taste and velvety texture. They are also a good source of vitamin A, which helps support your skin, an important protective organ for immunity.
Pesto
For another versatile greens and garlic sauce, try this traditional Italian pesto recipe from Ina Garten. Delicious over pasta, chicken, eggs, and soups, pesto is a perfect five minute condiment to make in your food processor this winter season.
Vegan Pesto
Try this allergy-friendly, vegan pesto recipe from Food52 as an alternative to the tradition recipe. You'll hardly be able to distinguish it from the real thing. Hint: try sea salt or another type of seasoning salt for variations in flavor.
Herbed Yogurt Dip
For a kid-friendly way to add more vegetables to your diet, wash and chop colorful vegetables for a plate of crudités. Everyone is a winner with this protein-packed Greek yogurt dip, ready in under five minutes in your food processor.
Chocolate Avocado Mousse
Renee Loux makes chocolate avocado mousse effortless, and in under five minutes. Her website has a video to prove it. The best part of this dish, other than that healthy fats like avocados support adrenal function and hormone production, is that the kids will never know that they are eating a green vegetable. This mousse can be dressed up for an elegant grown up dinner party or dressed down for a health support family weeknight desert.
Restaurant-style Salsa
Skip the take-out and enjoy the benefits of tomatoes, onions, cilantro, garlic, and lime at home. Serve with tortilla chips for a dish that will please a crowd. Hint: Omit the jalapeño pepper and cut down on the onions if you don't like too much spice. Recipe via cookingclassy.com.
Strawberry Frozen Yogurt
We love the color of this strawberry frozen yogurt! This recipe from justataste.com, ready in under five minutes, makes a perfect dessert. Combining the antioxidants of strawberries with the probiotics of yogurt, this is a treat for your family’s taste buds and eyes. Hint: try a mixture of frozen berries for different tastes and colors.
Coconut Snowballs
This no-bake and allergy-friendly recipe makes for a fun family project. Showcase coconut’s antimicrobial properties and flavor with these easy-to-make and fun-to-roll coconut snowballs. Recipe via thekitchn.com.
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