sliders
Memorial Day weekend officially kicks off the beginning of summer, and with it as comes the start of cookout season. When preparing food for an outdoor gathering, keeping children’s selective palates in mind can sometimes make choosing what dishes to grill or bake a bit tricky, and especially if you are trying to keep your family’s meals as nutritious as possible. Below are a few kid-tested and parent-approved delicious, healthy recipes to help your family celebrate the start of summer, adapted from the Food Network.
Chicken and Pineapple Skewers
Ingredients
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 whole garlic cloves
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 fresh pineapple
- 16 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a saucepan over medium heat, add the ketchup, soy sauce, honey, mustard, sugar, garlic, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook gently until thickened, about 10 minutes. Set aside and cool.
Heat an outdoor grill or a grill pan. Cut each chicken thigh into 2 pieces. Peel the pineapple and cut it into 1 1/2-inch chunks. Alternating between the chicken and pineapple, thread the pieces onto the skewers. Brush them with olive oil and season them with salt and pepper. Remove the garlic cloves from the barbecue sauce and discard; put about half the sauce into a small bowl for later. Brush skewers with some of the sauce. Cook them on the grill, basting regularly with the barbecue sauce, until cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with reserved barbecue sauce on the side for dipping.
Beef and Black Bean Sliders
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cooked black beans or canned black beans
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 8 mini-hamburger buns
Directions
Preheat the grill. In a medium bowl, mash the black beans, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and garlic powder with a potato masher or fork until very creamy. Gently mix the black bean mixture with the ground beef. Season the mixture liberally with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 8 equally portioned thin patties. Using a pastry brush, lightly coat the outside of the patties with mustard. Lightly brush the grill with the oil and place the burgers on the hot grill. Cook the burgers until a golden crust is formed, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Slice the mini buns in half and brush with the remaining oil. Place the buns on the grill until nicely toasted with grill marks. Serve the sliders on the toasted hamburger buns, topped with coleslaw.
Strawberry Oat Jam Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole oats (not quick cooking)
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup flaxseed
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup low-sugar jam or fruit spread
- 1/3 cup dried fruit, such as cranberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 13 x 9 pan. In a large bowl, combine everything EXCEPT the jam and cranberries and use your hands to knead everything into a big ball (kids can help here). Set aside about a cup of the oat mixture. Pour the rest onto your prepared pan and push it down to the edges and everywhere so you have a flat layer of oat mixture covering the bottom of the pan completely. Bake for 10 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Then smear the strawberry jam on top, coating the oats completely. Sprinkle on dried cranberries. Finish by breaking up the remaining oat mixture into little chunks and distribute evenly. (Don’t worry about making it a full layer. The jam and cranberries should peek through.) Bake for 25 minutes. Allow to cool and then cut into bars.
