Back to School Recipes by Chef Kayla

Are you a parent who has just taken on the role of teacher? Life during COVID has gotten a little complicated, but feeding your kids doesn’t have to be. In fact, why not use this as an opportunity to empower your kids to feed themselves (or at least help you with the process)? ​

Here are 3 simple ideas that your kids will love, and it might just save you some time and bring peace of mind in the process.
 
1.     Smoothies!
Smoothies are a great way to get good nutrition fast, especially when planned out. Each child can make their own smoothie packs with their favorite fruits (and maybe some vegetables) ahead of time. A simple recipe they might love is banana, mixed frozen berries, orange, and coconut juice. Just cut the banana and orange, add half cup of berries, throw it in a ziplock bag and put it in the freezer. In the morning, all they have to do is pop it in the blender with some water or juice, and you have a fast, nutritious breakfast. You could do a whole week of smoothies in advance.
 
2.     Turkey and Cheese Pinwheels with a side of carrots
This is another one the kids can help make, or even make on their own. All you need is 1 flour tortilla, 2 slices of turkey, 1 tbls mayo, 2 slices of cheese, and a few leaves of spinach. Spread the tortilla with mayo, then layer the turkey, cheese, and spinach. Roll up and cut into slices. These can be made in a big batch and eaten for a few days to save yourself some time.
 
3.     Crockpot ANYTHING
In these times, a crockpot might just be your best friend. It allows you to time to attend all those zoom meetings, and your family while it does the labor or preparing dinner.
 
My favorite recipe is this crockpot chicken and rice.
1 cup long-grain brown rice 
2 medium carrots diced
2 stocks celery, small dice
1 small shallot, small dice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts - (or chicken thighs)
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/2–3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Chopped fresh parsley - optional for serving
 
Just throw everything in the crockpot, set a timer for 2 hours and do your thing!