News Moms Need

This summer my kids and I have been really into popsicles.  It has been so hot that we seem to be craving something that is a little lighter than ice cream.   And lately the fruit has been really delicious.  Here are a few of our favorite recipes:

Strawberry sunrise
Orange juice
Plain Greek yogurt (non-fat or2%)
Strawberries (fresh or frozen)

That’s it.  Just blend them together and put into molds.  You can vary amounts and ingredients to your liking.  I have been thinking that using peaches would be delicious.  I always just eyeball the amounts, depending on how many I want to make.  And I often enlist my little taste-testers to tell me what they think.  Fortunately for me, they are always brutally honest!  Also a little secret—I have actually served these for breakfast.  The kids think it is great and the popsicles are pretty healthy.

Another yummy one we tried recently was blackberry popsicles:
Blackberries (again fresh or frozen will work)
Raw sugar
Lime juice

Into the blender and then the molds.  These were really good and my kids loved them.  You can decide how much sugar based on how tart the fruit is and how sweet you like them.  Next I am going to try a raspberry-lime variation.  Also, fruit that may be past its prime (maybe a little too mushy to eat) is really good for these treats. 

If you don’t have any fancy popsicle molds around don’t worry.  Ice cube trays or those small paper cups work really well too.

Of course, frozen bananas are always good.  And you can even melt some chocolate chips, dip them, and then freeze if you want to be really decadent.

Looks like this summer is going to continue to be a scorcher, so stay cool!

Memorial Day is the traditional start of summer. What are your plans? Beach? Pool? Family BBQ? With all the parties and BBQs going on this weekend, I want to highlight some of the things we need to think about whether we are hosting or being a guest. For starters: not all foods are safe for pregnant women. You know this already. But think about it in terms of a BBQ. Potato, macaroni or other mayonnaise based salads need to be kept cold. If you are eating outside put out small quantities and keep it on ice. Keep cold things cold. Meats should be cooked as they are needed and eaten piping hot from the grill. Eat hot things hot. Do not eat any meat raw, rare or even medium. You need to cook it long enough to kill the bacteria. If you are one of those people that need to measure things, hamburger should be cooked until a meat thermometer reads 160F. No raw or lightly cooked eggs in dressings such as Caesar either. Leave no food out for more than 4 hours. After that it should be thrown out. If you are offering a green salad, make sure to wash all the vegetable and fruits before assembly. Try to get domestic produce if possible. Imported produce often has higher levels of pesticides than that grown in the US.

If you are pregnant, no alcohol for you and limit you soda intake too. I am sure there will be juices and water in the beverage tub.

I hope to have a barbecue if the rain holds off. One of my guests is newly pregnant and another is a new mom. To make sure they enjoy the meal along with everyone else, I am planning on grilled veggies, Indonesian beef skewers, a rice salad and some fresh fruit and sorbet.  Sound yummy?

Whether you are eating exotic cuisine or burgers and potato salad it is important to keep it safe.  What are you doing this weekend?