Eat Archives - Popsicle Blog

8/5/20

Not Very Scary Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. Recipes with Dole

This is a sponsored post. I am an official ambassador for Dole. Dole provided me with compensation for my time. As always, all opinions expressed in this post are mine.

Dole Food Company has called upon Mike, Sulley and the rest of the gang from Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University, to help kids (and their parents) learn more about fruits and veggies that they still find scary. Dole’s “Fruit and Veggies Don’t Have to Be Scary” initiative includes 10 exciting, character themed original recipes using fruits and veggies that may look scary to some. Brussels sprouts, artichokes, horned melon, dragon fruit, star fruit, kiwi, plantains and a host of other commonly misunderstood fruits and veggies are the stars of these recipes.

Read to the end for a super fun GIVEAWAY!!!!

Plus, right now, shoppers can find images of Mike Wazowski and James P. “Sulley” Sullivan from Pixar’s Monsters, Inc., on millions of DOLE® Bananas and Pineapples in supermarkets throughout North America!

Dole new character recipes that incorporate “scary” produce are not only super fun, but yummy too! My kids and I made the Mike Wazowski Fruit Stack recipe – Mike is one of our favorite Monsters, Inc. employees. He came alive on the plate thanks to DOLE® Kiwi and Pineapple slices arranged with horned and honey dew melon. Dragon fruit and a dried blueberry become Mike’s eye.

We really enjoyed making this recipe together. The kids especially liked tasting new fruits that they’ve never had before. Lets just say they gobbled down the dragon fruit!

Check out this fun little video on how to make your own Mike Wazowski Fruit Snack!

Yummy Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. Recipes

Here are some more of the Dole original, Not-Very-Scary recipes inspired by Pixar’s Monsters Inc. and Monsters University characters. Although, all 10 look great, these ones especially caught my eye.

Chicken Stuffed Roz Heads – Create the face of the iconic Monsters, Inc. receptionist by topping DOLE® Avocado halves stuffed with lean chicken breast, DOLE® Green Grapes, DOLE® Celery and nonfat Greek yogurt with pretzel twists and sticks, and DOLE® Strawberry and Blueberry slices.

Green Slimesicles – Dessert time takes an icky-but-tasty turn with these healthy frozen popsicles made from DOLE® Spinach, Bananas and Pineapple.

Monstropolis Waffles – Mornings will never be the same with these scary-good monster versions of the breakfast classic made with DOLE®Green Plantains, Kiwi and Blueberries.

Sulley Banana Dip – DOLE® Green Apples and Red and Green Grapes are dipped in a blend of DOLE® Bananas, natural peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, dried berries and natural teal gel food coloring to give it that unmistakable Sulley hue.

Oodles of Monster Swoodles – DOLE® Sweet Potatoes or Broccoli Stems are way more fun when they are spiralized and mixed with garlic, olive oil and cherry tomatoes for a little shock value.

Don’t these recipes look great?!! I can’t wait to make them all. For more original recipes and other information about “Not-Very-Scary” fruits and veggies go to www.dole.com/Disney.

Dole’s “Not-Very-Scary Monster Inc. Games and Crafts

PLUS, not only has Dole created these great Monsters, Inc. and Monsters University themed recipes, right now you can also find themed digital downloads and other family activities on Dole’s Website. Downloads such as fun printable to make your own monsters with fruits and veggies that you have at home. Get creative (peanut butter?) and stick the silly parts to the item, and then have fun eating them. Just don’t forget to remove the faces first. Who says you can’t play with your food?

Or improve your memory and have fun learning about some exotic or misunderstood fruits and vegetables with this flip game. Cut out each square and put them face down to start the game. Take turns flipping each square matching the characters and the whole fruit or vegetable with its sliced-up version. Most matched pairs wins!

Pixar Monster Inc. and Dole Prize Giveaway

Excited for the Pixar’s Monster, Inc. Recipes? I have a FUN giveaway to celebrate! One lucky reader will win a Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. Not-Very-Scary Prize bundle featuring – a Pixar Crock Pot and more! (Retail value of $100)

Just enter via Rafflecopter below! Giveaway ends September 6, 2020. Open to U.S. residents only. Good luck!!! *This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Disney or Dole. The giveaway is solely owned, administered, solicited and operated by me.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More Dole X Disney Recipes!

Want to check out some more Dole Disney inspired recipes? Check out this post I wrote here!

Dole Recipes to Celebrate Disney Mickey Mouse’s 90th Anniversary

Dole Recipes to Celebrate Disney’s Frozen II

Dole Recipes to Celebrate Disney’s The Lion King

Posted by Jill | 8/5/20
Filed Under: Eat

37 Comments

8/4/20

Interactive S’more Menu Free Printable

One of our family’s favorite things to do during the month of August, is going camping at our local State Park. We look forward to this trip every year as the ending of our summer adventures. Of course, campfires and s’mores happen nightly! We make all sorts of s’mores…from original with just chocolate, grahams and marshmallows, to candy bar stuffed s’mores. And have you ever had a peaches n’ Cream s’more?

To celebrate all things s’mores and the end of summer, I am sharing this fun Interactive S’more Menu. I have included a free printable pdf that you can download here, that has all the makings of a s’more and beyond.

The printable has this fun menu below that has 6 columns for kids (and adults) to create their own unique s’mores. You can write in a name for your s’more in the white boxes the bottom of each column.

Then there are three more sheets that have a bunch of different s’more ingredients. Cut out all the ingredients and stack them up in the menu columns to make 6 fun s’more recipes. You can use the first photo in the post as an example.

You could even purchase a bunch of these ingredients and have a s’more party where everyone creates a flight of s’more to enjoy. Or you could create a s’more menu at the beginning of the week and make a new s’more recipe each night. The options are endless!

Click here to download the Free S’more Menu Printables

You don’t even have to make real s’mores to enjoy these printables. Toddlers could have a lot of fun stacking the ingredients on the menu and making pretend s’mores. My daughter always wants to play the “s’more game.”

I hope you have a fun time with this printable as my family has. Now it’s time for your kids to have some s’mores fun!

Click here to download the Free S’more Menu Printables

Posted by Jill | 8/4/20
Filed Under: Printables, Smores

5 Comments

2/18/20

Why Buying Girl Scout Cookies is More than Just Eating Cookies

This post is sponsored by Girl Scouts of Orange County.

I was a Girl Scout for seven years, and the thing I remember most about it was selling cookies door-to-door out of my little red wagon. I also remember my mom buying cases of cookies and filling up our freezer so we would be stocked up with cookies months after cookie sales ended. If we had any left once summer came, we would make s’mores with them. YUM! Those were the days! I can’t wait to make those same kind of memories with my little girl.

(Make sure to read to the end to enter to win some Girl Scout Cookies!!!)

Good news! Girl Scout Cookie season is in full swing here in Orange County – you’ve probably seen a cute Girl Scout or two selling them either door to door, or at your local grocery store. So if you have been craving a box (or two or three!) then you better hurry and stock up now, because cookie sales end March 8th!

Why You Should By Girl Scout Cookies.

Buying Girl Scout cookies goes beyond yummy cookies in your tummy. The Girl Scout Cookie Program®, is the world’s largest girl-led entrepreneurship program. Nine in ten Girl Scouts say the cookie program has built their entrepreneurship skills and their interest in pursuing entrepreneurship as a career path! How cool is that. Every cookie purchase is an investment in the world-changing business leaders of tomorrow.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program helps girls to develop five essential life skills – Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills, and Business Ethics.

Girl Scouts all over the Unites States are busy selling Girl Scout cookies to raise money for their troops to do fun learning and enrichment activities! Each individual troops works together to decide how their troop’s proceeds will be spent. Plus, when you purchase cookies within the OC, all that revenue stays within Orange County to support life-changing programs for nearly 20,000 girls.

The Deets Girl Scout Cookies!

Now that you are probably in the mood for some Girl Scout Cookies, you probably want to know what kinds are available and how much! Girl Scout cookies in Orange County run $5.00 per package. The gluten-free are $6.00 per package.

This year you can get all your favorite flavors. Regular flavors include Caramel Delights, Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Sandwich. Vegan cookie flavors include Lemonades, Thanks-A-Lot, Thin Mints, Peanut Butter Patties & S’mores. The gluten-Free are Caramel Chocolate Chip cookies and a limited in availability.

Can’t Eat Cookies? You Can Donate Them…what?!!!!

Did you know that Girl Scouts has a Cookie Share option? If you don’t eat them, treat them! Customers can buy and donate cookies that are then distributed to our nation’s military and local food banks. Just let the Girl Scout know that you want to purchase for a charitable cause and they can help you right there at the cookie booth.

I think that the Girl Scout program is super awesome and really wanted to help support these girls during cookie season. So that is why I wrote a whole post on just Girl Scout Cookie sales. Plus, we really LOVE Girl Scout Cookies! Our favorites are the Caramel Delights and Thin Mints.

If you are having trouble locating cookies, use the Cookie locator to locate a Girl Scout selling cookies near you. You can also have a chance to win a Girl Scout Cookie Prize Package below…

Girl Scout Cookie GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!!

Here is your chance to win a Girl Scout Cookie Prize Package!!! Just enter via Rafflecopter below or on Facebook and you could win a box of all the Girl Scout Cookies available in Orange County. Contest ends February 24th at 11:59pm. Winner will be chosen randomly and must be 18 years or older and a resident of the United States. Good luck!!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Posted by Jill | 2/18/20
Filed Under: Eat

6 Comments

1/21/20

Easy Vegan Curried Vegetable and Lentil Soup Recipe

This easy Vegan Curried Vegetable and Lentil Soup is full of veggies and packed with a lot of flavor. Living in Southern California, it’s easy to forget that soup makes a great meal. It doesn’t get very cold here, and usually you think of making soup when it’s cold. But it’s been cold and a little drizzly lately…the perfect time to make all the soup. Because we all know it’s not going to stay cold very long. So here’s a new soup recipe to add to your list.

You only need one pot to make this comforting healthy vegetable lentil curry soup. It’s a vegan soup that even meat eaters will enjoy. It’s an easy, hearty and satisfying soup with a mild curry flavor. The great thing about this recipe is that the prep time is only about ten minutes. Then you put it on the stove to cook and simmer for about an hour and half.

To begin making this recipe, you will need olive oil, onion, curry powder, cumin, tomato paste, vegetable stock, green lentils, broccoli, carrots, parsnip, celery, parsley.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion, curry powder and cumin for about 4 minutes or until onion softens. If you prefer spicier dishes, more curry powder can be used.

Stir in the tomato paste and vegetable stock and bring to a boil stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat to low and add the lentils. Cover the pot and simmer for 40 minutes.

For the finally cooking period. add the broccoli, carrots, parsnip and celery.

Cover and cook 30 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.

Finally, stir in some fresh parsley. This adds a pop of fresh and makes the flavors so vibrant. Now you can serve it up! Just add a side of crusty bread and you will have a warm and hearty dinner the whole family will love.

Best of all, if you have leftovers, you can store this soup in the fridge for up to 5 days. It tastes great..maybe even bet reheated. Make sure to add a dash of fresh parsley…because YUM!

Easy Curried Vegetable and Lentil Soup

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 teaspoons curry powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon tomato paste
6 cups vegetable stock
2/3 cup green lentils
3 cups broccoli flowerettes
2 carrots peeled and chopped
1 parsnip peeled and chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Cook the onion, curry powder and cumin for about 4 minutes or until onion softens.
Stir in the tomato paste and vegetable stock and bring to a boil stirring occasionally.
Reduce the heat to low and add the lentils.
Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
Add the broccoli, carrots, parsnip and celery.
Cover and cook 30 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.
Stir in parsley and serve.

Notes

This is an easy, hearty and satisfying soup with a mild curry flavour.

If you prefer spicier dishes more curry powder can be used. If you have leftovers store this soup in the fridge for up to 5 days – it tastes great reheated!

Posted by Jill | 1/21/20
Filed Under: Recipe

1 Comment

11/15/19

Fun Disney’s Frozen 2 Recipes with Dole

This is a sponsored post. I am an official ambassador for Dole. Dole provided me with compensation for my time. As always, all opinions expressed in this post are mine.

It might look like I am holding just a regular delivery pizza, but what if I told you this is a healthier pizza that I made?!!! Last month, I was able to attend the Dole Fall Blogger Summit and was able to try out some of their new nutritious…and super yummy recipes. I also got to learn more about how Dole and Disney have come together for “Powering the Hero Within” initiative.

The Powering the Hero Within initiative pairs the excitement of Disney characters with Dole produce to help parents encourage no-worry nutrition in their families. It’s all about including and adopting a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, plus, working with its registered dietitian, Dole has created family-friendly recipes themed to Disney movies. How fun is that? And if you’ve ever tried any of Dole’s themed recipes, then you know how yummy and fresh they taste! Whenever I make one of these AH-mazing recipes for my family, my children rave about it.

As you may know, Disney’s Frozen 2 is coming to theaters November 22, so the theme of the Dole Fall Blogger Summit was Disney Frozen 2.

I’ve loved working with Dole for many years and am impressed with the great steps they have taken to make eating healthy easier for families. So I couldn’t be more excited to be working with Dole again, this time sharing that their next set of recipes are Disney Frozen 2-themed!!!

We go to preview a few of the Disney Frozen 2-themed recipes. Check these out…

Make-Ahead Frozen Brr-eakfast Sandwiches

Sven Sleigh-Pulling Power Smoothies

Olaf Carrot Smoothie Bowls

we made our own Dole Snow-flower Pizzas! These pizzas are jam packed with fresh roasted veggies on top of a cauliflower crust. When you are using fresh Dole products, this is what your cooking experience looks like. So healthy, so good, and it taste is so fresh.

And what about dessert? Dole has you covered. Check out the Frozen Banana Split Cups we made. These were so simple and would make a simple treat your kids and friends will love.

All these recipes and more are available on the Dole website. Currently there are 11 Disney Frozen 2 inspired recipes, and 11 more are coming soon. A total of 22. Just in time for the holidays! (hint…they have a holiday twist.)

As I mentioned, Dole also has added Disney’s Frozen 2 to some of their produce. I just recently wrote a post about DOLE® Bananas and Pineapples featuring images of Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Sven and Kristoff. They are currently available in the produce departments of supermarkets throughout the U.S. and Canada. There are 20 different DOLE® Banana tags as well as a Dole® Pineapple tag featuring Frozen 2. Disney and Dole fans can participate in the DOLE^® Banana Sticker Peel and Play Game by downloading the official activity sheet on www.dole.com/Disney. You can collect the entire blizzard of 20 Disney’s Frozen 2-inspired stickers on DOLE Bananas across North America.

Dole’s specially branded fruit and activity sheet are part of “Empowering the Hero Within, a three-month healthy-lifestyle celebration of Disney’s Frozen 2 which will continue through January 2020. So be sure to head over to the Dole website and check out the flurry of healthy family fun including exclusive Dole recipes inspired by Disney’s Frozen 2!

And be on the lookout for another fun Dole and Disney Frozen 2 recipe post coming from me! It’s in the works and will feature more Dole recipes and health tips inspired by Disney’s Frozen 2.

Disney Frozen II Prize Giveaway

Excited for Disney Frozen 2? I have a FUN giveaway to celebrate! One lucky reader win a Disney Frozen 2 prize bundle (Retail value of over $200). Just enter via Rafflecopter below! Giveaway ends November 23, 2019. Open to U.S. residents only. Good luck!!!

*This giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Disneyor Dole. The giveaway is solely owned, administered solicited and operated by me.

a Rafflecopter giveaway