I've never been particularly shy about using butter, sugar, and eggs in my baked goods, but with the holiday baking season upon us, I figure a few healthy baking substitutes might be useful. No, I'm not talking about using birdseed, caro…
Roasting is the easiest way to prepare veggies this time of year (especially if you use our foolproof method for roasting vegetables ), but all alone, they can seem a little pedestrian for the holiday table. Which is why I use a secret w…
Roasting vegetables is my favorite way to cook fall and winter veggies because it is, hands down, the best way to coax out big flavor from hearty produce. And then there’s the fact that roasting is dead easy. Sure, it takes a little time…
With temperatures dropping, my kids are asking for hot breakfasts which, of course, take more time—which, of course, I don't have on busy weekday mornings. I love that they enjoy oatmeal, but have always thought that I had to make the sl…
I hate the feeling of reaching into the refrigerator to discover a tomato that's sunken and bruised, a head of kale that's wilted beyond use, or an onion that's given up on being eaten and has decided to sprout fresh green stalks instead…
Now that I've finished the first trimester of pregnancy, I've said good riddance to morning sickness (well, for the most part) and hello to a lot more energy and a bigger appetite. Which is great, since I can finally focus on (i.e, stoma…
A recent and somewhat controversial article, " Here's Why You Should Pay Your Children to Eat Their Vegetables," at The Wall Street Journal has been causing a bit of chatter among the Cool Mom team. The article highlights a recent study …
We're in the middle of pumpkin spice season and everything from my coffee to my cookies are now laden with sugary pumpkin flavor. But let's not forget the savory side of pumpkin, which is arguably yummier and (obviously) healthier too. O…
For those of you parenting kids with food sensitivities, oh boy do we get it. The time spent examining food labels alone is overwhelming. So when we find a fantastic alternative for sensitive tummies, we're happy to share it. Our newest …
Is there any busy parent who isn't looking for cooking shortcuts for busy family weeknights? I'm going to say no. Even here on the Cool Mom team, where we have a pretty diverse range of relationships with cooking; on one end of the spect…
My boys have recently come to discover a truth of life: Everything tastes better fried. And I've recently had to tell them another truth of life—a much harder one: Deep fried golden deliciousness is not great for our bodies. So imagine h…
I personally love cruciferous vegetables, but some days I feel like I'm the only one. My husband typically groans when I unload a fresh head of cauliflower from my grocery haul, probably because he's remembering the steamed, completely u…
I'm quite excited to welcome fall in a week or so, but in the meantime, whoa the back to school schedule. I've hardly been able to make it to the grocery store, never mind find time to meal plan. If you're in the same boat, these flavorf…
Eating out isn't what it used to be, you know, before parenthood, especially when your kids are likely to eat chicken fingers. . . again. Or maybe worse, demand a full-sized meal that costs upwards of $20 only to take two bites. If you'r…
Yes, I love avocado toast as much as the next person—and so do my kids—but anything can get old. So I've been topping my toast in these new ways and saving avocados for more creative uses. These 12 unexpected ways to eat an avocado are e…
I am not a morning person. At all. So, as much as the idea of waking up early and scrambling eggs, frying bacon, and whipping up a batch of biscuits for my kids sounds lovely, history has shown that it just isn't going to happen. But tha…
Whether your child's school has a nut-free classroom or cafeteria, or you're hosting a birthday party want to be extra cautious, we want to do our part to ensure that all kids get through the school day and playdates safely. For that rea…
Who doesn’t want to bottle up the essence of summer and put it in a jar? You may not be able to pack away the sunshine or lazy holiday afternoons, but you can still savor that juicy peach or perfectly ripe blueberry with one of our 5 eas…
One of the great joys of raising older kids is being able to hand over tasks or, uh, sharing responsibilities with them. And I'm not just talking about tweens. Given an age appropriate cooking task, kids as young as 4 and 5 can assist in…
I can't believe that we're already thinking back-to-school, and that in some parts of the country kids are already in their classrooms. Whoa! Those early morning wake-ups are going to be brutal, and my kids are going to need all the ener…
Every family cook has their go-to ingredients, the ones that they know how to use in all different ways to save dinner. Well, if you pack school lunch for your kids, it's important to have those go-to ingredients for school lunch too. Th…
Yes, I've finally given into meal planning apps after much resistance. I confess, sometimes, just making it to the grocery store feels like a victory. And while I'd love to spend hours browsing my favorite cookbooks and food blogs before…
Unless you've been living under a rock (AKA you have a lot more self-discipline when it comes to social media than I do), you've probably heard about the miraculous properties of coconut oil. From the kitchen to the makeup bag, and even …
I love coffee like the rest of the Cool Mom team, but honestly, I'm fine with my homemade cold brew coffee . The problem is that all of the money I save by skipping Starbucks goes straight to my juice bar addiction, because if you ask me…