Several years ago, my family resolved to eat less meat. Though we didn’t want to become vegetarians, we were interested in cutting back on meat for both health and environmental reasons. At first I was nervous about how to feed my family…
Valentine's Day is all about sweets for your sweets, but while conversation hearts and chocolates are classic go-to's, I'm thinking that fruit is a good way to have a few healthy Valentine's Day treats in our collective back pockets. Or …
My kids could easily eat pizza for all three meals (and probably have, on a bad day). Since it's such a favorite, I'm always looking for ways to make pizza a little bit healthier, and homemade is the way to go. This weekend we put a fun …
Frozen shrimp is among the most underused sources of protein in the family kitchen. Not only are shrimp nutritionally dense—according to the World’s Healthiest Foods, shrimp are a great source of vitamins D and B12, iron, omega-3 fatty a…
My younger son's birthday is in mid-October and the older one's is on January 5th. That means that I go from birthday to Halloween to Thanksgiving to Hanukkah and Christmas to New Year's Eve. And when it's finally over for everyone else,…
I'm a big advocate of maintaining a good stash of healthy soup recipes when you've got kids to cook for. Whenever I’m stirring a big pot of soup, my girls start to weave around my legs like purring kittens. They know the inviting smell o…
Healthy may not be the first word that comes to mind when thinking about chili, but there are countless lightened-up versions that make this my favorite one-pot family meal. With or without meat, chili makes a hearty dinner chock-full of…
You won’t hear us talking much about hangover remedies because, well, even those of us who enjoy drinking don’t do much of it. Pesky children, early mornings, and things like school lunch duty get in the way. But every once and a while, …
Three-ingredient cocktail party recipes are one of those staples you need to always have on hand. I mean, if you've got festive New Year's Eve cocktails and mocktails ready to go, you can't forget the food right? You can either plan a fu…
Champagne is the most common way to toast the new year but—believe it or not—there are some who aren't fans of bubbly. I happen to like it but, even for me, one glass is enough before I move on to another cocktail or mocktail. So whether…
Over the last few weeks it feels like every time I turn around, my kids show up with another candy cane. Even the referees at their basketball games were handing them out. To say that we have more than we could ever eat is an understatem…
Every year there is a Christmas tradition at which I totally fail: making cookies for Santa. I never think about a treat for the big guy until my kids happily exclaim, "Let's make cookies for Santa!" on Christmas Eve night. Sigh. Instead…
You have enough on your plate finishing up Christmas shopping and planning your holiday meals. If you're also doing elf on the shelf, we tip our hats to you. And all while the kids are home from school! We know it's a busy time and want …
If you ever need a reminder of what the holidays are about, watch a child on Christmas morning. The excitement is palpable and the magic is real. I just want to soak it all in, but I also want a top-notch brunch to kick off the holiday. …
We're realists here at Cool Mom Eats. No matter how delicious a recipe looks, we're not going to suggest it if it has a thousand steps or requires special equipment that needs to be shipped from a fancy specialty store. Unless, of course…
It's the middle of December and the weather outside (at least in the Northeast) has been far from frightful. Actually, the weekend was downright spring-ish. But unseasonably warm weather or no, who can resist delicious hot chocolate reci…
Some nights—okay, a lot of them—I go to bed dreaming about what I want for breakfast. Usually, it’s pancakes. But, alas, morning comes and reality sets in. I’m slow to get up, I waste twenty minutes negotiating an outfit for my toddler, …
You just got invited to a cookie swap and you really want to go, because cookies. But you are also crazy busy (and maybe a little stressed out?) with work, kids’ parties, holiday gatherings, gift shopping and, oh, you know, all the other…
This Thanksgiving I want to add some desserts to the table that my kids will be thankful for, too, because, sadly, their palates just aren't sophisticated enough to appreciate the amazing Brûléed Bourbon-Maple Pumpkin Pie recipe that we …
There's still plenty of time to get ahead of your holiday cooking (our Thanksgiving cooking schedule can help!) but, let's be honest, no matter how well you prep, cooking a Thanksgiving meal can be stressful the day of. The more you can …
Gravy. It’s pretty much the best part of Thanksgiving or, at least, the best parts aren't the best without it. Since gravy is so beloved, there’s a lot of pressure to make it good and in quantity. Of course, making good gravy can get a l…
You may think the only question related to Thanksgiving stuffing is, “To stuff or not to stuff?” There are, however, many other pressing questions to be answered: Add meat or keep it vegetarian? What kind of bread to use? Use interesting…
I admit it: There’s something kind of naughty and appealing about the jellied cranberry sauce from my youth. The imprinted ridges and the way it slides so easily from the can—it conjures up serious Thanksgiving nostalgia. But when it com…
Our Thanksgiving meal tends to be dominated by white foods, from the turkey and mashed potatoes to the rolls. Though I wouldn't have it any other way, I've decided to brighten things up just a little with one of these colorful fall salad…