Recipes
Honey Sweet Potatoes!
Looking to mix up your usual marshmallow-topped sweet potatoes this Thanksgiving? Try this spicy and sweet take on taters, which uses fresh peppers and honey for an updated, elevated take on the classic.
Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies!
If you loved the Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Cookies we recently shared, you have to try this Pumpkin version! Our food contributor Kathleen Ashmore has seriously done it again with these Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. They have chocolate chips (read: kid-friendly), are full of pumpkin (so they feel all festive for Fall) and happen to be gluten, dairy and refined sugar free. Don’t have coconut sugar? Regular brown and white will work, too.
Halloween Breakfast Smoothie – Thank you Lauren Braun Costello!
Halloween night is all about costumes and candy, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t start the day with something healthy and wholesome. Enter a delicious breakfast smoothie, made either with frozen strawberries or bananas, milk of your choice, and your favorite protein powder (chocolate pictured). Bring the Halloween theme to life with a chocolate-covered strawberry goblin or an adorable banana ghost. If you don’t have frozen fruit on hand, just use fresh fruit and a fistful of ice. These smoothies are so easy to make that even the kids can make one for YOU!
Easy Pumpkin Chili Recipe!
This pumpkin chili recipe from Chef Debra Ponzek is a classic fall dish, full of seasonal flavors like pumpkin and butternut squash. Like all chilis, it’s versatile and can be made ahead and frozen, making it a go-to for busy autumn nights.
Spooky Non-Candy Halloween Treats!
Looking for some candy-free options for Halloween this year? Whether your child’s school doesn’t allow candy, you want to offer kids (and parents) a healthier option or want to participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project (allergy-free options in a blue pumpkin), we have you covered. From savory eats to fun toys, here is a shortlist to start with. The best part? They’re all available on Amazon Prime!
Spooky Snack Mix!
Halloween is almost here and we’re adding this Spooky Snack Mix from The BakerMama to our shortlist of fun treats to make. It has all the things we love in a holiday snack—sweet, salty, festive and a healthy dose of nostalgia.
Roast Chicken Recipe for The Holidays (or any night!!)
Happy Holidays to anyone celebrating! This Roast Chicken with Thyme and Honey, from Leah Koenig’s The Jewish Cookbook, is one of those go-to meals that works as well for holiday dinners as it does for family meals all Fall long. Says Leah: “Flavored with sweet honey and an herbaceous hit of thyme, this roast chicken dish is simple enough to make for a weeknight, and special enough to sit center stage on your holiday table. Don’t sleep on all the veggies underneath – they get coated with savory chicken juices during cooking, and are truly delicious!”
Summer Citurs Salad – Your Welcome!
This recipe from sisters Barbara and Carolina of Host to Perfection is, well, close to perfection. On hot summer nights, we’re always looking for recipes that don’t require us to turn on an oven—and this Summer Citrus Salad hits the spot. A nice alternative to a green salad, it’s full of immunity-boosting vitamin C. This simple and delicious salad is perfect because it’s not only refreshing and full of flavor but also looks beautiful, colorful and eye-catching!
Portabella Pizzas- YUMMMM!
These Portobello Mushroom Pizzas are a kid-friendly choice for meatless Monday, and a great way to get kids to eat more veggies any day of the week. Experts say that putting new ingredients into familiar shapes or dishes (for instance, making mushrooms the base for “pizza”) can help even the pickiest eaters try something the first time. Worth a try, right?!
Mexican Street Corn Salad Recipe!!
This Mexican Street Corn Salad is the perfect summer dish to serve at a backyard BBQ. You can pre-make the mayo mixture so when the corn is cooled, it’ll be ready to serve quickly. Thank you to our food contributor Kathleen Ashmore of Cat with a K Cooks for sharing another of her amazing recipes!
Summer Salad for alllll those BBQs!!
With July 4th weekend just behind us, we are totally in the swing of summer! There are so many backyard BBQs and outdoor dining days to attend! Instead of a traditional pasta salad, try this recipe next time you host or visit friends for a meal. Quinoa is...
Meet Lauren (from It’s Lauren of Course!)
Many people know Lauren for her incredible recipes, unique style of cooking, and her charismatic personality which has stolen the heart of millions on talk shows, cooking shows, and social media! What many don’t know is she is a Westport mom of two boys who left Wall Street for culinary school after her then-boyfriend-now-husband dared her to quit her job and go to cooking school! Since graduating from the French Culinary Institute. Shortly after, she launched her own catering company, while simultaneously working as a private chef, teaching cooking classes, and pursuing her passion for food styling on live television. During the pandemic, she brought joy – and delicious meals – to so many via her Instagram, It’s Lauren of Course, doing 100 live shows! She couldn’t live without smoked fish, is a self-proclaimed night owl, and loves nothing more than a vacation in France! If you are looking for yummy food, some new inspiration, or just someone to make you smile (all the time), Lauren is your girl!!
Summer Chicken Milanese from “It’s Lauren Of Course”
Any combination of farmer’s market lettuces and tomatoes will work with this Milanese. The simplicity of quality ingredients is what makes this dish shine! People often don’t think of Milanese as seasonal, but I surely do. Vine-ripened colorful tomatoes, basil, and tender, fresh lettuces from the farmer’s market . . . these are summer staples. ENJOY!
YUM!! Sheet Pan S’mores
If you love making s’mores but want to skip the mess of roasting marshmallows, keep things toddler safe and make a lot at once, try these Sheet Pan S’mores from Maria Provanzano of From Scratch with Maria. The best part? You can enjoy them this way well after summer has gone.
60 Second Coleslaw!!
This take on coleslaw from Cat with a K Cooks uses pre-shredded coleslaw so it comes together in just under a minute. Plus, it can be made ahead so it’s the perfect summer party (or busy weeknight) side!
Easy Summer Cocktail – Pineapple, Lime and Mint Sparkler!!
Thank you to The Local Moms Network contributor Maria Provenzano of From Scratch with Maria for sharing this delicious recipe! It’s really the perfect summer sip—refreshing, special, and able to be prepped ahead of time. Make a batch of the mint simple syrup on Sunday as part of your “meal prep” and you can whip up individual cocktails during the week without taking much more time than pouring a glass of wine!
4th of July Popsicles!
Celebrate the 4th of July with these festive red, white and blue popsicles! Not only are they adorable, but they’re made with protein-packed green yogurt and fiber rich blueberries and strawberries. Thank you to Sound Shore Moms for sharing!
Easy Dinner – One Pan Skillet Spaghetti Recipe!
There’s a time and place for cooking an elaborate meal, and it’s not during the week. Especially in the fun but frenetic weeks between school finishing up and camp beginning. This one-pan skillet spaghetti recipe from Kathleen, the mom behind CatwithaK Cooks, is more of a technique than a rigid recipe, because it’s so easily adapted to your family’s tastes and dietary restrictions/allergies. “I learned this method when I worked for Martha Stewart. She was doing a one-pan pasta way before Tik Tok!” says Kathleen.
Taco Tuesday! Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with Avocado Crema!
Thank you to our food contributor CatwithaK Cooks for sharing this delicious plant-based taco recipe with us. Introducing new vegetables (like cauliflower) to kids can be tricky. Experts recommend serving it in a form they are familiar with (in this case, tacos). Try it for Taco Tuesday, or anytime you need a quick, nutritious meal.
Chocolate Cherry Smoothies to Start the Day!
This refreshing smoothie from Elizabeth Lim, the talented mom behind Beach Cities Moms, is an antioxidant and inflammatory powerhouse. Filled with superfoods like cherries and cacao, it can be made with any kind of milk and different types of nut butter. The best part? It tastes like chocolate covered cherries!
