Cooking is fun but when only you must slog in the kitchen to make festive feasts for friends and family, some frustration is justified. Spending hours in the kitchen makes you lose out on quality time with loved ones. Not anymore! This holiday season, make cooking a family affair and get your whole family to cook some fresh and easy festive delights. Involving kids in the kitchen is a great way to enjoy some family time and teach them important skills that last a lifetime. Check out these quick and easy holiday recipes that you could make with your entire family.
Popeye breads
Making breakfast with your little ones is a great idea during Christmas holidays. You could make healthy meals that can help them learn the benefits of healthy eating and nutrition. What’s best, they wouldn’t be picky about eating what they spent time making. Toast some spinach bread and help your kids understand the goodness of embracing spinach at breakfast time. After all their favorite hero Popeye knew what he was doing. Popeye breads are easy to make. Toast breads and blend a batter of cherry tomatoes, ham, eggs and spinach. Add the mixture between the toasted breads and let it grill. Once grilled, serve with some fried eggs and enjoy!
Choco porridge
Porridge is a great breakfast item and has all the makings of a wholesome meal. With Christmas and kids around, playing a bit with this staple food wouldn’t hurt. Get your troupe to make porridge with some cocoa powder, toasted hazelnut and orange zest and see how your little ones enjoy devouring this heavenly potion.
Christmas Tree Cupcakes
Since it’s Christmas why not get your little ones bake a super cool Christmas tree. Get your family to make tasty mini vanilla almond cupcakes and assemble the divine dessert in the shape of a Christmas tree. Dust some green sprinklers and jimmies over the assembled tree and embellish it with edible red and golden jellies and ribbons. How cool is that!
Heavenly thanksgiving leftover sandwich
If you have a fridge full of leftovers from last night’s thanksgiving dinner, make quick and easy turkey sandwiches. Making these sandwiches with leftovers will not only reduce your family’s prep time, it would also teach your kiddos resourcefulness. Make some comfort sandwich with turkey, cream cheese and cherry tomatoes. If you also have some cranberry relish left from the dinner, use that to give your sandwich that extra punch!
We are a coffee-drinking nation and every form of the beverage – decaf, regular, expresso, latte, cappuccino, macchiato and ristretto is consumed everyday by millions of us. It’s the first thing we need in the morning and the last (for some) after dessert. Black, with cream, with sugar, no sugar, flavored, each of us has a preference with regard to strength. Nespresso’s taken heed of this and given us a gift in a pod with the Nespresso capsules. Available in the regular Arabica and Robusta capsules, they have some amazing seasonal flavors as well.
Nespresso capsules are hermetically sealed in a capsule that holds 5-7 gms of coffee – enough for one serving of coffee. They offer five ranges in Ristretto (25ml), Espresso (40 ml), Lungo (110 ml), Decaffeinated (40 ml and 110 ml) or Flavored (40 ml).
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Ristretto range are:
Ristretto Origin – Made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has toasted flavors with cocoa notes and woody undertones.
Ristretto Origin India – A blend of the finest Arabicas with a smidgen of Robusta from Southern India, this full-bodied coffee has hints of spices.
Ristretto Intenso – A strong blend of South and Central American Robustas and Arabicas, the Ristretto Intenso is a full-bodied coffee with a creamy texture and peppery notes.
The variations in Nespresso coffee capsules Espresso range are:
Espresso Origin Brazil: A pure Arabica coffee, it has a mild sweet flavor.
Espresso Leggero: A blend of South American Arabicas and Robusta, it has smooth notes of cocoa and cereal.
Espresso Forte: Exclusively made from South and Central American Arabicas, it has an intensely roasted balance of espresso and fruity notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Lungo range are:
Lungo Leggero: Lightly roasted East African, South and Central American Arabicas, with mild notes of jasmine is what makes up this delicious brew.
Lungo Forte: A complex mix of South and Central American Arabicas, this coffee has heavy roasted notes with a slight hint of fruit.
Lungo Origin Guatemala: A mix of Arabica and washed Gourmet Robusta coffee, Lungo Origin Guatemala is smooth and well balanced with dry and malty cereal notes.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules in the Decaffeinated range are:
Espresso Decaffeinato: Dark roasted South American Arabicas with a touch of Robusta enhances the cocoa flavors and roasted cereal undertones of this decaffeinated espresso.
Lungo Decaffeinato: This is a slightly more complex blend of separately roasted South American and East African Arabicas. It includes toasted cereal and sweet notes with subtle and floral hints of East African Arabicas.
The variations of Nespresso coffee capsules Flavored range are:
Espresso Vanilla: This silky-flavored coffee is the result of a base of Espresso Forte, which is a complex and heavily-roasted blend of South and Central American Arabicas and a slightly caramelized aroma of vanilla. Espresso Caramel: On a base of Espresso Forte, this complex and intensely roasted blend made from South and Central American Arabicas has the sweetness of caramel.
Here are a few easy and healthy recipe ideas that are both quick to make and light to digest on hot summer days. With very few ingredients, the preparation of these recipes is a breeze. So go on, enjoy these easy, healthy recipes that are brimming with nutrition and taste heavenly too!
Greek Cucumber Rolls
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
This is popular among easy and healthy recipes. Slice cucumber into thin flat strips using a vegetable peeler and arrange them in slices of two on a clean tray. Smear the hummus on top of each slice, then toss some feta cheese, black olives and cut tomatoes on each of the cucumber strips. Squeeze a little lemon juice and sprinkle some finely chopped dill and cilantro. Finally, roll the strips, serve the Greek cucumber rolls and see them being gobbled up by the young and old alike!
Flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Directions
Cook the fettuccine pasta according to the directions on the label. In a thick bottomed pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the chopped garlic and shallots. After about a minute or so, add the other vegetables along with salt and toss them gently for a few minutes. The vegetables must cook and be crunchy at the same time. When they are done, add the cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese, and some freshly ground black pepper to it and mix well. Serve this flavorful fettuccine pasta with vegetables for lunch or dinner as a filling, yet light meal.
Sunshine juice
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Direction
Squeeze juice from the oranges and blend the strawberries in a juicer. Then in a pitcher, take the orange juice, strawberry juice, and chilled water together and mix well. Refresh yourself with this yummy sunshine juice with ice cubes on a hot day.