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How To Roast/Steam Corn On The Cob In The Oven–No Shucking Mess!

how to roast corn in the oven, no shucking mess.

I am tickled about finding this super great trick to roast and steam corn at the same time. It is now the main way I make corn on the cob.

Why?

Because I DO NOT like the mess of shucking corn. Not at all. Blech.

This ‘steam in the husks while in the oven’ way to make corn is by far my favorite way! It is fool proof, fast, and mess free. The steaming process makes the stings super limp, so once the corn cools a bit and you husk it, they come right off! So much better than husking before cooking the corn!

The only prep you have to do is cut off the tassel part of the corn. Be careful not to cut too far down into the corn, as you want the husks to envelop the corn in order to steam it while it roasts.

Place on a cookie sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Let sit a few minutes before removing husks and be careful. There is steam in there. Cool enough to handle comfortably, husk and enjoy!

Oven Roasted Corn On The Cob
courtesy of Tyler Florence on Food 911

4-6 ears of corn

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut off tassel part of the corn, making sure you do not cut too far down into the corn, as you want the husks to envelop the corn in order to steam it. Roast for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly. Peel down the husks, can use as a handle to eat the corn.

FAMILY/ Healthy Eating/ How-Tos/ Parenting/ RECIPES

12 Ways To Get Kids To Eat Their Fruits And Vegetables

*a repost from the archives

I have had much success in getting my kids to eat their fruits and vegetables.

How?

By appealing to the things they love!

~Kids love COLOR

~Kids love GAMES

~Kids love LEARNING
~Kids love feeling “GROWN UP”

Below are some tips that appeal to these very things:

1. Keep It Fun & Playful, Like A Game

We try to “eat the rainbow” every day in our home. We talk often about the importance of getting some of each color, everyday. It is 1:00 p.m. and I just asked my 8 year old a question I ask often, “How many colors have you had today?” Her answer, “Blue blueberries in my oatmeal for breakfast, orange orange juice, yellow banana with my lunch, green asparagus with lunch, red apple with lunch, green kale for snack, blended up in my fruit- smoothie popsicle.

2. Take Advantage Of Kids Natural Desire To Learn
Why do we need to eat our fruits and vegetables? When kids understand the reason for doing something they are much more likely to cooperate. Learn together what “free radicals” are and why we don’t want them in our bodies. Teach what “antioxidants” are what they do to help our bodies. Learn the different nutrients and vitamins in each fruit and vegetable, and how they benefit the body. “Nutrition For Dummies” is a great resource for teaching simple nutrition lessons.

3. Shop The Rainbow
This can be fun and easily turned into a game. In the car on the way to the grocery store, talk about how you are going to “shop the rainbow.” Ask the kids for their help. Ask them to name as many “red” fruits and vegetables as they can. When they can’t think of anymore, ask them to name the “yellows.” You could even have one make a list of all the vegetables you come up with under each color category, then vote in the car what you should buy in each category. Circle those items, take it into the store with you as your grocery list.

4. Take Advantage Of Color
Comment on the natural beauty of fruits and vegetables. Talk about all the different, beautiful hues. The deep purple of eggplant, the bright red of strawberries the bright green of broccoli. While you are admiring the colors also notice all the beautiful shapes and textures. We use mason jars in our home for food storage. I have many reasons, but my favorite reason is that you can easily see what is in the jar. There is nothing better than opening the refrigerator and seeing jars full of shredded orange carrots, bright green peas, yellow pepper strips, or balls of pink watermelon. My kids know that if they are still hungry after a “salty” or “sweet” snack that they can go to the refrigerator and help themselves to the vegetables in mason jars. I love seeing them grab a jar, grab the dip, and munch away!

5. Keep Your Power
It is important to keep healthful eating lighthearted and playful, but there will also be times when it is not, and we will have to be the parent. If your kids need medicine it is your job to make them take it. Good food is just as important. We look at fruits and vegetables as medicine in our home, “Nature’s Pharmacy.” My kids know that eating their fruits and vegetables is not an option. They know it is a necessity and it is expected.

6. Implement This Simple Rule
To keep power struggles to a minimum, especially at the dinner table, our rule is “no eating your main dish until your vegetable is gone.” This is very effective. They come to the table very hungry, smelling the spaghetti and garlic bread. They are sitting there face to face with their desires. They eventually give in and eat their vegetable. It is a great strategy which takes advantage of the fact that everything tastes better when you are hungry! This rule was needed when they were younger, but we rarely use it anymore as our expectations are now known.

7. Keep Portions Small
Especially when introducing a new vegetable! Give them time to acclimate to new textures and tastes. Broccoli is not my girls favorite vegetable so we started with one small broccoli floret, and worked our way to almost a full serving. Gradually work the serving size up to at least a 1/2 cup.

8. Appeal To Kids Desire To Feel “Grown-Up”
One of the most simple strategies we have used is saying (as they are chewing with scrunched up noses), “Oh, you don’t like that vegetable? Your taste buds must not be old enough for that one yet. Maybe next time you taste it, it will be different.” This creates a positive goal in our home, being old enough and having a “mature enough palate” to like all types of vegetables.

9. Talk About Palates
We watch “Top Chef” as a family. It has been very educational when it comes to different types of foods. We comment on how the judges have such mature palates. When my kids like something healthy I will say, “Wow, you have such a healthy palate!” We have even talked about how eating just a bite or two of a new taste and texture can help train our palates to appreciate all types of food. This appeals to kids desire to feel “grown-up” and also keeps things lighthearted and fun, like a game.

10. Teach About Texture
Again, the show “Top Chef” has been helpful in this area. The judges are always talking about how a certain dish needs more “texture.” For the longest time my kids would complain about lettuce and tomatoes on their tacos. It would frustrate me because it turned a healthful meal into a “meat and cheese” meal. Not what I wanted. So, one night when having tacos, I casually said, “I bet the “Top Chef” judges would say your tacos need more texture.” I saw this sparked their curiosity and continued, “Lettuce gives a type of crispy crunch and tomatoes are soft and cool down the spice of the meat. Wow, the textures of the food work and taste beautifully together!” It worked. They tried it and agreed. Yes!

11. Make It A Game
Hang a chart on the refrigerator to keep track of “who ate the most colors that day”. If it is over 5 servings give a sticker! Or make a matching game- match the color of fruit or vegetable with the main nutrient it provides. This is a great way for adults to learn too!

12. Grow Them
The last two years, we have had much fun with our Square Foot Garden. {link-https://www.amynewnostalgia.com/time-to-garden/} When my kids watch something grow from a seed they squished into the dirt they are very eager to eat the reward.

{wrapped lettuce photo here}

Simple Ways We Eat Fruits And Vegetables

~Frozen berries in cold cereal

~Frozen berries in oatmeal

~A bowl of frozen berries thawed to perfection during dinner in time for dessert

~Apple slices almond butter
{link-https://www.amynewnostalgia.com/my-favorite-healthy-snack/}

~Bananas sliced on bran flakes for breakfast

~Banana slices on whole wheat peanut butter bagel

~Celery and peanut butter or cream cheese

~Pepper strips and hummus

~Cucumber slices and dip

~Frozen grapes-so refreshing!

~A 6 cup muffin tin full of different colors for snack

~Clementine slices on our salads

~Frozen mango chunks in a bowl

~Edamame with sea salt-my kids favorite

~Fruit smoothies made green by blending in spinach

~Eggplant in place of beef in our spaghetti sauce

~Fruit kabobs-so pretty and fun

~Fresh berries in pancakes

~Homemade, no- cook berry jam
{link-https://www.amynewnostalgia.com/strawberry-freezer-jam/}

~Sliced berries on ice cream

~Spinach salad with mason jars full of vegetable toppings to add themselves

~Make our own fresh vegetable and fruit juices using our juicer.

FAMILY/ How-Tos/ Meals/ Parenting/ RECIPES

Saucy Asian Meatballs & Getting Your Kids To Help In The Kitchen

I will get to this awesome recipe of Saucy Asian Meatballs in just a minute. It made my whole family VERY happy and I enjoyed the sauce with veggies and rice. But first let me tell you how it came about that this recipe even made it into our family favorites.

I am reading a book on parenting (whose title I will share with you soon when I remember it…I am sitting in a coffee shop and it is at home). Anyway…it is an awesome book that has my wheels turning when it comes to parenting and what I expect out of my kids.

It has challenged me to challenge my kids. To expect more out of them and to encourage them to do things they don’t think they can or don’t want to do.

My oldest who will be 13 in a month, REALLY does not like to cook. At least I thought she didn’t like to cook. Every time I would try to pull her in the kitchen, she would shuffle, moan, groan & we would end up frustrated with each other. I have decided that learning to cook is a non-negotiable in our home, as I want them prepared as possible to run a home of their own someday, so I have been trying to come up with a way to make cooking less of a drudgery for my oldest.

Enter Pinterest. I have watched my daughter slowly build a following on Pinterest as she has super great taste and an eye for beauty. She loves pinning things, and I noticed one of her boards was named “Get In My Belly.” I checked out the recipes she pinned, and noticed that many of them were cheesy and full of sugar, so I cringed when I found myself saying to her, “Hey, how about you pick a recipe from your ‘Get In My Belly‘ boards to make for dinner. I will let you pick what you want, I will buy the ingredients, but you have to make it.”

She immediately went to her boards and I was pleased with what she chose. I was happy it was not deep fried or oozing with cheese and cream of something soup. She chose Saucy Asian Meatballs.

I was interested to see if she would follow through with no complaining, and she did just that. I sat in with her at the table, but I was very careful not do anything but guide her with my words. She did all the chopping, shaping and baking. I was amazed and very proud of my non-cook, cooking!

It took a few minutes to get her to use her hands to mix the raw meat mixture (can you blame her?) But, she gave in and we laughed about her dramatic facial expressions as she mixed by hand. Blech.

Here she is with her finished dinner. I showed her how to prepare rice in our rice cooker & make a side of frozen vegetables. Her dinner got rave reviews from her sisters and her dad, who loves great flavor & “mmm’ed” all through dinner.

{Wanna pin it? She would be thrilled. Pin button down by the comments}

I was proud and so was she. I’m eager to see if this will work again with her. I sure hope so. I totally enjoyed being with her in the kitchen and I loved seeing how empowered she felt by working hard and producing an entire meal by herself!

Want to follow her on Pinterest? I know she would be thrilled to see her numbers grow.

Click here if so!

________________

Saucy Asian Meatballs Recipe

*we doubled the sauce to make sure we had enough for my rice & veggies

{from Give Me Some Oven, click through for amazing photos of this recipe! She also talks about the flavor & how they won a taste testing contest by her friends after making numerous meatball recipes}

Ingredients:

Meatball Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground pork or ground beef (we used beef, local & grass fed)
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 cup Panko or breadcrumbs (we used regular breadcrumbs)
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 eggs
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions
optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds, sliced scallions

Asian Sauce Ingredients:

2/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. ground ginger

Method:

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large bowl, mix together meatball ingredients until well-combined. Shape into balls (I made mine about 1.5 inches, which yielded about 35 meatballs, but 1 inch is probably standard), and place on a greased baking sheet or in a 9×13 baking dish. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until meatballs are golden on the outside and no longer pink on the inside.

While the meatballs are baking, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until blended. Once meatballs have finished cooking, you can either dip each meatball individually (using a toothpick) in the sauce mixture. Or you can pour the sauce over the meatballs and gently stir them until covered.

GF, Vegan & Raw/ Healthy Eating/ How-Tos/ RECIPES

How A Sip Of Soda Impacts Your Health

I’m a visual person, so when this came up in my Facebook feed, it caught my eye. We all know soda is bad for you, but this image helped me understand why it is bad.

I was at the pool with my kids when I first saw this, and they asked for a pop, and this image was enough for me to say NO! I gave them ice water, they gulped it up & jumped back into the pool.

If your reaction is “but it TASTES good” and you are one that loves fizz, then try this recipe:

Fresh Lime Soda

This recipe is easy, and will not spike your blood sugar! Even my kids love it.

How-Tos/ RECIPES

Q & A, part one

“You mentioned on your page that you make strawberry bread – this sounds so interesting – can you share your recipe. Thanks.” – Sandy R.

The strawberry bread I mentioned in the post “Hulling Strawberries With A Straw“is a recipe from my childhood. I used to make mini loaves when I was 11 or 12 and sell them at my mom’s craft boutiques. I loved how it made the house smell, and they sold like crazy! This recipe from T aste and Tell is the same one I used as a child. If I were to make it today, I would use coconut oil, whole wheat flour, and maybe a sugar substitute.

“On your post on May 9 (Simplifying My Morning Routine) you posted a picture of a white bench and shelf (I am guessing in your entryway). Can I ask where you got them? I need those things exactly! Thank you,” Carol H.

The white bench and shelf are from this article at Women’s Day.com. Its a great look, isn’t it?

“What does the banana do? Could I leave it out? I’m allergic to latex and bananas are a cross species or something…so fresh bananas make me react.” – Halle

The banana in Chocolate Almond Chia Oats really acts as a thickening agent and to add substance and creaminess to the recipe. I’m not sure what else you could use. Maybe some pureed strawberries? In smoothies I substitute peaches for bananas because they both add good bulk to the recipe, but chocolate and peach doesn’t sound appealing to me for this recipe. Try strawberries.

“I have a large bottle of concentrated lemon juice in my fridge and use that. Easy, quick, and no mess, no fuss. Is there a reason I should not be using that?” – anonymous

Hi there! Thanks for your question. The fresh squeezed lemon juice in my 5 Reasons to Drink Lemon Water in the Morning post is in my opinion very important. Fresh is best. I’ve read in many juicing books that the minute juice hits air it starts to lose nutrients, so the sooner you can drink juice after it is squeezed, the better, which is why I am a big fan of freshly juiced juices! Bottled also contains preservatives-sulfates I believe-so another reason to stick with fresh.

“What brand is your antique juicer?” – Cindy

Funny what I learn from my commenter’s. I thought this was antique, until I wrote the post and asked for help in finding another from my readers. In the comments, I found that this is a older model from Crate and Barrel. Whoops! They don’t sell them anymore, but there is one very similar at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

“How much chicken do u use?!” – anonymous

In my Crockpot Fajitas-A Fix and Forget Recipe, the recipe calls for 1 1/2 lbs of chicken, but as you can see in the picture in the post, I used a little less. It is a forgiving recipe.

“Hi! What are the muffin looking things in this photo (from the sponsor page)? They look so neat!” – konacupcake

That is a picture of my Oatmeal Freezer Pucks. I make a big pan of steel cut oats, then freeze in large muffin cups. Pop them out, store in the freezer, and have awesome, fresh tasting steel cut oats in minutes in the morning!

“This is a beautiful article in tribute to one of my favourite things, esp. since I grew up drinking it fresh squeezed, in season. How does one get to write a sponsored ad and what is the compensation? If it was 100% Florida orange juice (which is so expensive for our huge family that I only buy it on special occasions), I wish I had kept up with my blogging better!” – michelle mad docks

I am so glad you enjoyed the article featuring Florida orange juice in my Chilled Melon & Citrus Soup with Kiwi Salsa. I work with a company called Social Spark. They hook up advertisers and writers. Social Spark sends me offers from different companies, and I chose which ones would be a good fit for New Nostalgia. The compensation is a sliding scale based on how many page views a blog receives each month. It has been a blessing to our family to be able to write some occasional paid posts. Note that any paid posts starts out with acknowledgement that it is one. Also know I will never promote anything I don’t support here on New Nostalgia. For more information, visit Social Spark.

“I was wondering what kind of taste the ginger adds. I don’t like ginger, but don’t know how much of it you can feel. I watched the movie too and really wanted to do it, but then went on the website and saw ginger and my mind just shut it off. I know….excuses, excuses, but still…if I left the ginger out would the juices taste yucky? Could I replace it with something else?” – Luliana

I don’t think it is “excuses, excuses!” I get that your brain would say no if I kept seeing an ingredient I didn’t like pop up in juice recipes. Yes, you can taste the ginger, depending on how much you use. You don’t have to use the ginger in any of the recipes in the post, Juice Cleanse Day 3, especially if you don’t like the taste. For people who do like the taste, it adds a freshness and helps mask the taste of some of the greens. It also has great health properties, BUT no problem if you want to skip it. You could add another half of lemon instead..or just skip it all together.

“I was on your blog site awhile ago and thought that I found a list of about 10 leg exercises ( simple planks, wall sitting etc.) and it was called the “sexy leg workout”. I recently searched your site and I can not find it. Is it still on your site somewhere?” – Diana

That was from my post Simple Workout Inspirations. I was not sure where that was located, either, so I used the search box in my sidebar and searched the word “workout.” FYI if you ever need to find something else on the blog…or, just leave another comment! 🙂

“Would it make a difference if I left out the cranberries?” – Libby

Hi Libby. No, it would not make a difference. You could substitute dried cherries if you like them, or just leave them out all together. These Chewy Granola bars are so awesome, I may have to go make some now!

HEALTH/ How-Tos/ Natural Products/ RECIPES

Incredibly Easy Homemade Disinfectant

I can’t tell you how great it has been to no longer choke as I am cleaning from the fumes of harsh chemical cleaners! I love that I can assign my daughters different jobs around the house and not worry about handing over bottles of cleaners to them. It just is a good feeling.

This homemade disinfectant can’t get any more simple. It just uses hydrogen peroxide and a few drops of essential oils for scent, which is optional.

For heavy duty disinfectant jobs, like raw chicken, I’ve read all over the Internet about a this study, which uses a hydrogen peroxide and vinegar, in two separate spray bottles.

“It doesn’t matter which you use first – you can spray with the vinegar then
the hydrogen peroxide, or with the hydrogen peroxide followed by the vinegar.
You won’t get any lingering taste of vinegar or hydrogen peroxide, and neither
is toxic to you if a small amount remains on the produce. As a bonus: The paired
sprays work exceptionally well in sanitizing counters and other food preparation
surfaces — including wood cutting boards. In tests run at Virginia Polytechnic
Institute and State University, pairing the two mists killed virtually all

Salmonella, Shigella, or E. coli bacteria on heavily contaminated food and
surfaces when used in this fashion, making this spray combination more effective
at killing these potentially lethal bacteria than chlorine bleach or any
commercially available kitchen cleaner. “

Homemade Disinfectant

Hydrogen Peroxide

10-15 drops of essential oil (optional–for scent)

Spray bottle

I chose Lemon essential oil as my scent. I LOVE any citrus scent! You can order the oil I used here on Amazon.

I am on a roll in making homemade cleaners as I am tired of paying the prices of organic cleaners. I wanted an easy way to label them, so I got my daughters alphabet stamp kit out and made a bunch of labels. You can find links to more of my cleaning recipes below!

Between my cancer history and my daughters asthma issues, I am passionate about getting as many chemicals out of our home as possible. Making my own cleaners is a super easy way to make a HUGE difference in cleaning up the air in our home.

Homemade Glass Cleaner That Smells Great

Awesome Homemade All Purpose Cleaner

Under The Kitchen Sink Cleaner Organization

*update-an opaque bottle is a must for hydrogen peroxide. Guess I will have to go shopping. I’ve read that a small spray bottle top can fit right onto the bottle that the hydrogen peroxide is sold in, so that is my plan!

HEALTH/ How-Tos/ RECIPES

Easy Homemade Glass Cleaner That Smells Awesome!

I’ve made homemade glass cleaner before, which consisted of just water and vinegar. It worked well, but I found myself missing a good scent when I cleaned. I looked around Pinterest for a homemade glass cleaner and found this one. It appealed to me because it uses essential oil to add scent. I also liked that it used a drop of dish detergent, which I think adds a bit of shine to the glass compared to just using vinegar and water alone.

Homemade Glass Cleaner

1 cup distilled white vinegar

2 cups water

1/2 tsp dish soap

15 drops essential oils

Put all in a spray bottle and shake.

I chose Grapefruit essential oil as my scent. I LOVE any citrus scent, especially grapefruit. I got mine at my local health food store, but next time I will be ordering it from Organic Mountain Rose Herbs, where the price is much better!

I started making my own glass cleaner a couple years ago. I have 2 glass tables, one in the dining room which is centrally located in our home, and one in the kitchen. My youngest was struggling with asthma and allergies, and I read a book on how a mother got rid of spray chemical cleaners and it made a world of difference with her daughter’s allergies. At that time I was the queen of the blue spray glass cleaner, spraying it numerous times a day in our home to get rid of fingerprints on our glass tables. Little did I know that it was going right into my little ones sensitive lungs and causing an asthmatic reaction. When I switched to organic cleaners, her asthma immediately got better. She still struggles with it if she gets a cold or during spring allergies, but she is no longer on inhalers year round. I was amazed at what a difference switching up cleaners made in her health!

Between my cancer history and my daughter’s health issues, I am passionate about getting as many chemicals out of our home as possible. Making my own cleaners is a super easy way to make a HUGE difference in cleaning up the air in our home.

What about you? Have you ever made your own cleaners? Would you ever consider it? Do chemicals in your home environment concern you?

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