Mother's Day Recipes
Quick Brunch Recipes - Yogourt Dippers, Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
Apr 20, 2009
Attention all fathers. Calling all kids. Mother’s Day is just three weeks away. With May 10th fast approaching, kids, dads and partners across the country are looking for fun and unique ways to celebrate the most important woman in their lives – Mom!
This Mother’s Day start Mom’s day off right by serving her a healthy and delicious breakfast in bed cooked with love by the whole family. The addition of nutritious ingredients to breakfast recipes, such as fresh strawberries, can boost the flavour and wow factor of Mom’s favourites while adding greater nutritional value.
To help kids and dads create a breakfast menu for Mom that is both nutritious and delicious, kid’s cooking instructor, nutritionist and California Strawberry Commission spokesperson, Natasha MacLean, has created three kid-friendly recipes that are simple and easy to follow. From strawberry cheesecake stuffed French toast to a refreshing berry smoothie, these scrumptious recipes will impress Mom on her special day and give Dad and the kids a fun activity they can do together...and enjoy eating too!
Strawberry Yogurt Dippers
Ingredients:
- 3 California strawberries, mashed
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 15 California strawberries, hulled
- 2 cups plain yogurt (3.5% milk fat), strained
- ¼ cup light cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, optional
- 1 cup watermelon, cubed
- 1 large mango, cubed or 2 cups of a combination of any other cubed fruit (e.g. honeydew, cantaloupe, pineapple)
- Skewers
Directions:
- To strain yogurt, line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth or paper towel and set strainer over a bowl. Scrape yogurt into the cheesecloth-lined strainer and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight allowing the liquid to drain off. Note that 2 cups of unstrained plain yogurt will yield 1 cup of thick yogurt.
- Wash, dry and remove the tops from 3 strawberries. In a medium-sized bowl, mash the strawberries then add sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest. Set aside.
- In another bowl, cream together the strained yogurt and light cream cheese. Add vanilla extract, if using.
- Add the strawberry mixture to the yogurt mixture. Mix well.
- Thread the remaining strawberries and other cubed fruit onto skewers. Serve strawberry skewers with a dish of the yogurt dip.
Serves 4 - Nutritional Information: about 210 cal, 7 g pro,8 g total fat, 31 g carb, 4g fibre, 8 mg chol, 77 mg sodium.
Strawberry Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast
Ingredients:
Simple Strawberry Syrup:
- 1 cup California strawberries, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
French Toast:
- 2 large California strawberries, mashed
- ½ cup light cream cheese, softened
- 1 tsp powdered sugar
- 8 slices egg bread, or other loaf bread (preferably a day or two old), sliced ½ inch thick
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup milk
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp butter
- sliced almonds, optional
Directions:
Simple Strawberry Syrup:
- In a small mixing bowl, sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar over chopped strawberries. Add lemon zest and lemon juice. Mix with a fork and set aside.
French Toast:
- With a serrated knife, slice bread into pieces ½ inch thick.
- Mix together mashed strawberries, light cream cheese, powdered sugar and 2 tbsp of the strawberry syrup. Spread 4 slices of bread with 2 tbsp of the strawberry cream cheese mixture. Cover with the remaining 4 slices of bread to make 4 sandwiches.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Dip bread into the egg mixture, gently flipping to allow egg mixture to soak in. Melt butter in the skillet, spreading the melted butter to evenly coat the bottom of the pan.
- Cook French toast for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through.
- Place French toast onto plates and top with a few tablespoons of the strawberry syrup. Dust with powdered sugar and sprinkle with sliced almonds if desired.
- Serve immediately.
Serves 4 - Nutritional Information: about 551 cal, 19 g pro, 22 g total fat, 69 g carb, 3.4g fibre, 243 mg chol, 898 mg sodium.
Strawberry Swirl Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1cup California strawberries, quartered
- ¾ cup quick oats, blended into a coarse powder
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 cups milk
- 12 ice cubes
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, optional
- juice from 1 lemon, preferably Meyer lemon
- juice from 1 lime
Directions:
- Place the quick oats in a blender and blend for about 1 minute, stopping occasionally to stir oats. Add the remaining ingredients and blend for 1 more minute or until the shake is smooth.
- Serve in wine glasses.
Serves 4 - Nutritional Information (per serving): about 90 cal, 4.5 g pro, 1.25g total fat, 16 g carb, 1 g fibre, 6 mg chol, 62 mg sodium.
Recipes developed by nutritionist and kid’s cooking instructor Natasha MacLean, on behalf of the California Strawberry Commission.
