Sunday, April 15, 2012

baseball, mashed potatoes, and country crock...

 

This post is sponsored by Country Crock. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

We LOVE baseball in our house!  My husband played baseball from the time he could play tee ball until he got the opportunity to travel to Cuba (twice!) to play the game with a USA team.  So, from the time we found out we were expecting a baby boy, almost 5 years ago, I knew that baseball would be a big part of our family. Grayson has been “playing” baseball since he was big enough to hold a bat.   

 Grayson, age 2

Naturally,  when I saw this “Out of the Park Baseballs” recipe in the Clare Crespo Cookbook, I knew it would be a great way to encourage my non-veggie-loving boy to try some vegetables.




 
The recipe is super simple, probably similar to most of the mashed potato recipes that you’re used to using, except it includes Country Crock spread and a small bit of sour cream!  I don't know about you, but I'm sure to love any recipe that includes sour cream!

Once you cook and mash the potato mixture, you simply scoop it out using an ice cream scoop and add the bell pepper "laces".  Wouldn’t these “Out of the Park Baseballs” be fun to serve for a family dinner or summer barbecue with friends?


I have to admit that I felt a little like a food stylist while arranging the potatoes on the plate and placing the bell pepper "laces" on the potato "baseballs." :)  Served alongside some chicken tenders, this a great kid-friendly meal.

Clare Crespo’s cookbook, A Very Veggie World: A Delicious Rainbow of 25 Recipes Your Family Will Love, is filled with other fun recipes that help parents to incorporate more vegetables in their kids’ diet, but in a fun way.   I love what Clare says in the introduction to this free cookbook:

“Now that I’m a mom, I know the importance of nutritious meals, but I also still believe nutritious food should be fun to eat. That’s why I’ve partnered with Country Crock® to create this quirky collection of good-for-you dishes spotlighting the colorful and delicious world of vegetables. They found out that eight out of ten kids think that vegetables with Country Crock® are delicious.”
Many of the recipes in Clare Crespo’s book would be great for your kids to help you fix! In the book you’ll find Pizza Flags, Veggie Pets, Mt. Veggie Volcanoes, and Hash Brains.  Some of the recipes are a little more entailed, but there are at least a few steps in each recipe that your kiddo can help you with…starting with picking out the veggies at the grocery store!

What tips or tricks do you have for encouraging your kiddos to eat vegetables or for serving balanced, nutritious meals to your family?  Please share in the comments!


Are you looking for quick and simple tips and recipes to make serving veggies more fun? Download the free Clare Crespo Cookbook here for fun and whimsical recipes your family is sure to love!

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