by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Feb 16, 2026 | Holidays and Special Events
Are Passover and Easter Related?
Based on a quick internet search I did last week, many people ask the question, “Are Passover and Easter Related?” My answer is a resounding, “Yes!” In the sense of referring to Easter as Celebration Sunday or Resurrection Day, Passover and Easter are related.
A quick study of the Old Testament account of the Israelites' first Passover reveals striking similarities between “Easter” and Passover.
Many people picture pretty pink bunnies and eggs, yellow chicks, and chocolate, when they think of Easter. But Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.
Many Christians call it “Resurrection Sunday.”
This is because Christians are celebrating that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week (Sunday).
Some people worry that Easter has Pagan origins, and that we shouldn't celebrate this special day. But what many people don't realize is that the death and resurrection of Jesus and the Passover celebration are related.
How Are Passover and Easter Related?
Amazing fulfilled prophecies by Jesus were foreshadowed by the Passover and fulfilled by his Death and Resurrection.
Passover and Easter Parallels
- Passover marked the beginning of months and the beginning of years. It was to be a reminder of how Israel was allowed to start fresh when they left Egypt.
- In Exodus 12, The Passover was instituted by God to the Israelites.
The first Passover occurred before they were set free from slavery to Egypt.
- Passover was a time to repent and get right with God.
- 2 Chronicles 30:15, “They slaughtered the Passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the temple of God.”
- In the same way, when a new believer comes to faith in Jesus Christ, he or she experiences a new beginning. The slate is wiped clean. The person becomes a new creation.
- 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come, the old has gone, the new is here.”
- Galatians 6:15, “Neither circumcision or uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.”
- At the last supper, Jesus instituted the Communion celebration, another similarity to the Passover celebrated by Israel.
- Matthew 26:28, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for you, for the forgiveness of sins.”
- Mark 1:4, “And so John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”
- Luke 24:47, “and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”
- Acts 2:38, “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”
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The setting free from slavery of the Israelites is a picture of a new believer in Christ being “set free” from slavery to sin.
- When a person believes in Jesus Christ and trusts Him to save them, he or she obtains new freedom.
- 2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
- John 8:36, “So, if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”
- Galatians 5:1, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
The Process of Passover
God gave the Israelites specific directions regarding the Sacrifice of the lamb and what they were to do prior to the tenth plague of Egypt. Passover occurred just before they were set free by Egypt. Persons who were in the house where the blood was applied were “passed over” by the angel of death.
Requirements of Lamb
- Male unblemished (Exodus 12:5)
- One (1) year old (Exodus 12:5)
- Could come from sheep or goats (Exodus 12:5).
- No broken bones (Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12)
Compare to Jesus
- Born to a virgin
- Conceived by Holy Spirit
- Sinless
- Crucified on Passover
- Just before the Sabbath
- No broken bones, John 19:36, “These things happened so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘Not one of His bones will be broken.”
- Those who put their trust in him are “passed over.”
- Our sins are forgiven and they start anew – One of the last things Jesus said before He died was, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34
Timing of crucifixion
The Old Testament Sabbath was the day of rest given to the Israelites as part of the Ten Commandments. The Sabbath rest was a shadow of our rest in Christ. Thus, it was no accident or coincidence that Jesus died just as the Sabbath began.
The last thing Jesus said before he died was, “it is finished.” The temple veil was torn in two. (Mark 15:51)
Charles Spurgeon
“We commence, first of all, with the victim—the lamb. How fine a picture of Christ. No other creature could so well have typified him who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. Being also the emblem of sacrifice, it most sweetly portrayed our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
Jesus the Lamb of God
- John 1:29, “The next day, John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
- John 1:36, “When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look the Lamb of God!”
I hope this little teaching encourages you. If you like this article, please share it with your friends.
Blessings,
Debbie
Want to learn more about the Biblical Holidays? Click here for, A Family Guide to Biblical Holidays.”
https://answersingenesis.org/education/spurgeon-sermons/54-christ-our-passover/
https://answersingenesis.org/holidays/easter/are-the-symbols-and-customs-of-easter-of-pagan-origin/
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Dec 30, 2024 | Holidays and Special Events
I have always wondered about St. Valentine and who he was. I've heard some good things and some bad things. So, this year I decided to find out more about this mysterious person that is the inspiration for our February 14 celebration of Valentine's Day. Below are 10 surprising facts about St. Valentine.
Who was St. Valentine?
Well, that depends on who you ask, apparently. For example, according to History.com, there are about a dozen St. Valentines, one of which was a woman (Valentina). One of the main reasons there are so many St. Valentines is probably because the term “Valentinus” comes from the Latin for “worthy, strong and powerful.”
According to Wikipedia, we celebrate two different Saints' Lives on February 14. However, they are probably the same man.
- St. Valentine was a widely recognized 3rd-century Roman saint from the High Middle Ages, and his Saints' Day is associated with a tradition of courtly love.
- Saint Valentine was also a clergyman and he was probably either a priest or a bishop.
Some history sources state that St. Valentine lived in the Roman Empire and ministered to persecuted Christians. He was martyred and buried at a Christian cemetery on the Via Flaminia, which was close to the Ponte Milvio to the north of Rome.
The reason we celebrate on February 14 is because he was martyred on this day. St. Valentines Day is also known as “The Feast of Saint Valentine,” and has been celebrated since 496 AD.
Below are a few of the “Valentines” that can be celebrated throughout the year:
- According to history.com, the saint we celebrate on February 14th is known officially as “St. Valentine of Rome.” This Valentine is rumored to have been martyred by beheading by Pope Claudius II on 2/14/269 or 270 for marrying Christian couples.
- The Most “Beatified” of the St. Valentines was St. Valentine Berrio-Ochoa. Ochoa was a Spaniard of the Dominican order who lived and died in Vietnam in 1861. He died by beheading and was canonized by Pope John Paul II in 1988.
- Pope Valentine, served for 40 days around A.D. 827.
- St. Valentine of Viterbo is celebrated on November 3. Catholic sources state he was martyred in 304 by Emperor Diocletian under the influence of Galerius.
- St. Valentine of Raetia can be celebrated on January 7. According to Catholic sources, Raetia was a bishop Christened “Valentine” in the 5th Century, who lived in the city of Raetia, Italy.
- St. Valentine (Valentina) was a virgin and was martyred in Palestine on July 25, A.D. 308.
- The Eastern Orthodox Church officially celebrates St. Valentine twice, once as an elder of the church on July 6 and once as a martyr on July 30.
References
History Channel This Day in History
History Channel – 6 Surprising Facts about St. Valentine
Wikipedia – St. Valentine
Other things you might be interested in:
Valentines Day Cards
Valentines Day Bookmarks
Who Was St. Patrick?
Who Was St. Patrick Activity Pack
St. Patrick's Day Recipe Cards for Kids
St. Patrick's Day Social Skills Activities
July 4th Activities Pack
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Oct 20, 2024 | Cooking Tips, Holidays and Special Events, Homeschooling
I knew that by naming my new fall product, “Halloween Math and Food Science,” I'd be getting controversial because of the word “Halloween.” However, let me just say up front, this is not truly a “Halloween” project in the sense of the word “scary,” dressing up or any of that. (Post may contain affiliate links). This is Halloween Food Science Experiments with a twist.
My intention when creating this fun project was to give your kids something they could play with that would help them wrap their minds around the reality of what the candy of the season is all about. And also to work in some fun (and challenging) math and food science into the mix.
In order to help you know what is in it, and also, if you have already purchased this Halloween Food Science Experiments unit study, I wanted to give you a better idea of how to use it. I've decided to post about our own experiences the past couple of weeks in using this awesome (even if I do say so myself) Halloween Food Science Experiments Unit Study.
Halloween Food Science Experiments
I created this Unit Study to be as hands-on as possible. There are a few questions that have to be answered, however. For example, I required my son to fill out the first page on his own. (If you know my son, you would know this in itself is a major accomplishment).
Moving on, Nathan had to choose 3 of his favorite candies from the list at the bottom of the worksheet. He also had to purchase them at the local grocery store. His favorites are candy corn, Sour Patch Kids, and Peeps.
My son was also required to research if any of his chosen candies contained ingredients suspected of causing allergies or behavioral problems in children.
So, Nathan purchased the candies, brought them home, and read the ingredient list. He was surprised to discover that two out of the three candies (Sour Patch Kids and Peeps) contained Red Dye Number 40. This particular artificial color is associated with allergies and behavioral problems in sensitive children. Red 40 is also associated with cancer.
The candy corn was purchased at a specialty store, and was more expensive. Though it wasn't declared to be natural only, it was Jelly Belly brand. It's interesting to note that the Jelly Belly brand candy corn did not contain Red 40. It did have other artificial colors, however.
Natural Versus Artificially Colored Candies
The artificial colors in the three regular candies also include Yellow 5 Lake, Yellow 6 Lake, Red 3, Yellow 5, Blue 1 Lake, Blue 1, and Blue 2 Lake. (List not exhaustive). Some of these colors are in the Skittles and M&Ms we also purchased for the math part of the unit study.
There are four factors most people consider when they purchase candy: Availability, Cost, Look, and Taste. . The first thing we came across was how difficult it was to find a natural version of just one candy: Candy Corn.
Availability
My husband first brought my son to the regular grocery store where we shop. We live in an Urban Metropolitan area, so this will drive the point of how difficult it can be to find a natural substitute product such as candy.
So, the regular grocery store, despite that it has a natural foods section, did not carry naturally colored candy corn. As a result of this, my husband and Nathan went to a nearby store called, “Natural Grocers.” They did not have natural candy corn in stock either. However, we did discover that Natural Grocers carries the Yum Earth candy corn in some of its stores throughout the U.S.
Halloween Math
Before I compare cost, I would like to provide a short economics lesson. (That's right, economics is math)!
You may have noticed that candy is less expensive at this time of year. This is a basic law in economics: The Law of Supply and Demand.
Here's how it works. First of all, candy manufacturers expect that people will buy larger amounts of candy. As a result, they manufacture larger amounts of candy in anticipation of the greater demand for candy. Second of all, grocery stores also anticipate a greater demand. As a result of this, most grocery stores purchase candy in larger quantities. The grocery stores get a better deal when they purchase larger quantities from the food manufacturers. The food manufacturers have a large enough supply to offer them a larger amount and a better price. Thus, the savings is passed down to the consumer (customer).
This can be seen at many other times of the year as well. For example, during the summer, picnic items such as paper plates, napkins, ketchup, mustard, and soda pop are usually available at a much lower price. Also, Super Bowl Sunday is another time when you can stock up on cheap snacks. And you can probably think of a lot of other examples.
Cost
The second factor we came up against was the cost. For comparison, we priced the regular “Brach” candy corn at our grocery store. For 8 ounces, the price was $3.00. The specialty candy corn that didn't have the RED 40 was $3.69 for 3 ounces.
Natural Grocers was selling its Yum Earth Product for $5.49 for 5 ounces. I ended up purchasing the same brand from an online natural candy website: https://www.naturalcandystore.com/.
The cost of the candy corn at the Natural Candy Store was $5.99 for 5 ounces.
I got a 15% discount. However, I had to pay for shipping, which was about $6.00. Because I really needed this candy for the experiment, I bought a few extra things, including a few suckers and some natural food dye, to make it worth my while. At any rate, if all you bought was the one package of candy, it would cost about $12.00. OH BROTHER!
So, that's $3.00 for 8 ounces of regular Brach candy corn versus $12.00 for 5 ounces of Yum Earth natural candy corn. If you want to compare cost for cost, take the total amount of the package and divide it up by the number of ounces. For example, 3.00 divided by 8 = 37.5 cents an ounce for the regular candy corn. For the Yum Earth, including shipping, $11.99 divided by 5 = $2.40 per ounce! If you can find it at a Natural Grocers near you, the cost is $5.49 for 5 ounces. 5.49 divided by 5 = $1.10 per ounce. Obviously, that's a HUGE cost difference!
Unfortunately, part of the problem is related to the economic law of supply and demand as well. Because there are so few people who are either educated, motivated, or even interested in natural candy, the demand is low. Not only that, but it is apparently a lot harder to make a satisfactory tasting and looking product using only natural ingredients. Plus it is more expensive to do this as well.
So, as the consumer, we can become more educated on the cost and benefits of buying natural versus artificial colored candies. Unfortunately, the natural candies are still candy, and still have lots of sugar. So, there's also that, right?
But at least when you make your decisions, they are informed decisions! For example, if you have children who have allergies, it might be worth it once or twice a year, to splurge and buy the healthier alternatives. But that is a personal decision that each family must make.
Taste and Look
We just got the natural candy corn in the mail on Saturday. So we taste tested them. Personally, I liked the regular candy corn better, though they were both acceptable. However, Nathan didn't notice a difference. The look was slightly different however. See picture to the right. Can you tell which one is the natural version? Hint: there are two regular and three natural. 😉
This coming week, Nathan will be researching the parsnips he purchased this weekend. This is the unfamiliar vegetable he chose to learn more about.
The fruit or vegetable research project is also part of the “Halloween Food Science Experiments and Math” unit study. Click here to learn more.
Paleontology Dinosaurs Kids Unit Study
Turkey Recipe and Cooking Time
Nutrition Fun for Kids
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Feb 1, 2024 | Holidays and Special Events
10 Irresistible Valentine's Day Appetizers
As a Registered Dietitian who has a love for new recipes, I am excited to share with you some irresistible, healthy appetizer recipes I have found. Below are some hand-picked recipes from my favorite recipe websites. These recipes are sure to please! (None of the recipe sites are affiliates).
10 Irresistible Valentine's Day Appetizers
The key to delicious AND healthy is to find recipes that contain a fruit or vegetable. Also, recipes that contain nuts and lean meats, as well as poultry and fish, are good choices because they are sources of protein.
Taste of Home has simple, delicious, and oftentimes healthy recipes. Plus, they utilize everyday ingredients you're more likely to already have in your kitchen pantry. I receive regular emails from Taste of Home. I pick and choose recipes, depending on my needs and my mood. Though I haven't tried this recipe, I can imagine it in my mouth, and I have no doubt that I would like it.
If you like strawberries and cheese this is a no miss. Click to see the recipe here.
Of course, you don't have to use the same cheese that is in the recipe.
For example, I might switch out the blue cheese for feta cheese because I like feta cheese much more. Plus, feta cheese is likely to be less expensive. Not only that, but feta cheese can be used in other recipes you like.
For example, one of my favorite salad recipes includes black olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice dressings (with some basil, garlic and parsley) mixed with feta cheese.* YUMMY!
*By the way, you don't really need a recipe for this salad. Just mix equal amounts cucumbers and tomatoes, and add black olives to taste. For the dressing, just mix about 1/4 cup olive oil, 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 to 1 garlic clove, 1 teaspoon fresh or dried parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon dried (or 1/2 teaspoon fresh) basil, stir and mix with the vegetables. Add 4 ounces of feta cheese (plain or herbed or tomato basil are all delicious), mix again. Chill and serve.
One of the things I like the most about this “Greek Salad” recipe is that it has no lettuce, and thus doesn't wilt. So, it can keep in the refrigerator for several days and it will still taste good.
You also don't need to use the exact nut mentioned. Personally, I prefer pecans, which is what the recipe calls for. However, you can use walnuts or even remove the nuts completely, if you are concerned about allergies.
Some nut substitutions you could try are:
Pumpkin (unshelled are known as “pepitas”) or sunflower seeds; dried fruit such as apricots (amazing source of potassium) or mangos, cut up into little bits.
Be creative! 🙂
I found this recipe on allrecipes.com. If you like marinated artichoke hearts, you're going to love this one! And it's ridiculously simple!
This one calls for Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese which is one of my absolute favorites! (Can you tell I love cheese)?! However, if you are concerned about the cost, or you can't find this type of cheese in your local store, you can always use basic Parmesan or Romano cheese.
It is true that cheese is high in saturated fat and calories. 🙁
However, when you use strong flavored cheeses, such as blue cheese, feta cheese, and hard cheeses, such as Parmesan, Asiago, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or Romano Pecorino (another one of my favorites), a little goes a long way. For example, it usually only takes about 1/2 as much to give the cheesy flavor usually sought after when using cheese in a recipe.
As the saying goes, if you are able to tolerate dairy, then you can have your cheese and eat it too–or was that cake–oh well, you know what I mean! 😉
By the way, if you have a problem with dairy products or are casein-intolerant, you can use a casein free cheese such as the one here.
Click to take a look at this recipe here.
This one looks absolutely delicious as well! And dark chocolate, which is the type of chocolate recommended in the recipe, is good for you! Click here to read about the benefits of dark chocolate.
This is another recipe from AllRecipes.com. I find so many good recipes on this site! Anyway, what I like about this recipe, health-wise, is that it is made with dark chocolate.
Dark chocolate is high in antioxidants and is lower in sugar than milk chocolate.
What I also like about this recipe is that it is simple and only requires 4 ingredients. It is also kid-friendly. Get the full recipe here.
This recipe is from Cooking Light.com, one of my all-time favorite recipe sites. One of the things I like about Cooking Light is that the recipes are lightened–but not enough to ruin the taste–usually. Also, Cooking Light employees Registered Dietitians and has tons of sound nutrition advice to offer. The only thing I don't like about Cooking Light.com's recipes is that oftentimes they call for odd or uncommon ingredients such as cherry extract (see Recipe 5 below). These types of ingredients are often hard to find. However, it is a great way to learn about new ingredients you may not have heard of before, which is a big plus!
Click to see the “100-Calorie Italian Soda Floats for Two” recipe here.
Also from CookingLight.com. Ladies, this is a perfect romantic dessert that you can share with your hubbies!
I bet they will just love these! (And you can be confident that you're not offering a dessert that's too high fat and calories). The only downside of this recipe is that it calls for cherry extract. I did a quick search on Amazon because I've never actually purchased cherry extract before. The good new is that Amazon has cherry extract for sale at a reasonable price.
We use Amazon.com all of the time in our house. It is so convenient, prices are often lower than our local stores, and if you have Amazon Prime, you get two-day FREE shipping with most orders!
So, from the convenience of your own home, you can order what you need, save money, time AND energy!
Of course, you can always check your local grocery store as well. But I think this recipe just might be worth the extra effort (and possibly cost) for a unique dessert for two for Valentine's Day. What do you think???? =)
By the way, you can also double, triple, or quadruple the recipe for a larger group, if you prefer! And forego the cherries, if no fresh cherries are available in your area, and you don't want to use maraschino cherries.
Click here for the “Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes” for Two recipe.
Okay, so these aren't all appetizers per se. But, let's face it, Valentine's Day is meant to be romantic. So, if you are feeling romantic and want to bless your other half, this salad will fit the bill just fine. This recipe also came from MyRecipes.com.
By the way, one of the REALLY COOL things about MyRecipes.com is that you can add your own ingredients and then do a search and to find recipes that match the ingredients you want to use.
I love simple, easy recipes, especially when they are healthy too! And this is exactly what I was looking for when I started searching for these 10 irresistible appetizers for Valentine's Day.
This delicious Tuscan Steak Salad recipe is just that too–simple, easy, and healthy!
All you need is strip steak (or another steak you prefer), a little fresh garlic and rosemary, Balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and Parmesan cheese. (Some of the other cheeses I mentioned above will work too)! Oh, and of course, your favorite salad greens.
Click here for the recipe.
One of the areas I often adjust when following recipes for salads is the type of salad greens I use. For example, I prefer baby spring greens. This recipe calls for Italian-Blend salad greens. And they might be just fine for you. However, pretty much any kind of greens will work for a recipe like this. So, even if your family prefers iceberg lettuce (hopefully not, because it's not high in nutrients), then you can even use that.
If you make separate salads for everyone, you can put different types of greens on each plate as well.
The point I'm trying to make is this: Salad recipes can easily be adjusted for amounts of ingredients without sacrificing taste. So, like I said before–be creative!!!
Click here for the Tuscan Steak Salad recipe.
I just adore salmon! Unfortunately, my hubby doesn't like it at all. So when we do serve fish, we usually serve a couple different kinds. Hubby prefers halibut. However, he also likes cod, which is significantly less expensive, so we usually cook both cod and salmon.
And the good news is that Nathan, our son, also likes fish! (In fact he likes octopus and squid, clams, crab, and pretty much any seafood he can get his hands on)! Did I mention that he's a picky eater?
Back to the recipe. This is a super simple recipe, and also only requires a few ingredients: spinach (fresh preferred but not absolutely necessary because it will be cooked), grape or cherry tomatoes (or cut-up Roma, or or even canned tomatoes will work), fresh garlic (again you can substitute garlic powder or jarred minced garlic, if you don't have fresh available), a little oil, salt and pepper, and voila!
As far as buying salmon goes. We prefer to buy our salmon vacuum-packed (click here to find out why frozen fish is oftentimes better than fresh). Also, if at all possible, I recommend that you buy Wild-Caught Salmon, as opposed to farm-raised. I know on the surface it may sound like the latter is more healthy, but the Wild-Caught is significantly better for you.
Unfortunately, wild-caught salmon is significantly more expensive as well. So you will have to decide based on your budget and family needs. We buy our salmon at Costco. And one thing is for sure, it is WAY cheaper than going to a restaurant to eat it!
Get the Salmon with Wilted Spinach recipe here.
These look so delicious! And they utilize already made biscuit dough, which can be found in the refrigerator section of your grocery store. This makes them low-stress, since the pastry part of appetizers tends to be the most difficult. I don't make a habit of recommending this sort of thing because I prefer homemade and natural over processed foods due to all of the additives in processed food.
However, if you know me, you know that I like to be balanced when it comes to diet. I'm not an “all or nothing” kind of girl. So, I think that for the special occasion of Valentine's Day, having the shortcut will make creating the appetizers much more fun and much less time consuming.
Did I mention that there are only five ingredients?
- Tomatoes
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Basil Pesto
- Refrigerated Tender Layer or Buttermilk Biscuit Dough
- Parmesan Cheese
- By the way, if you'd rather make the dough from scratch, go for it!!
Check out the Tomato Pesto Appetizers recipe here.
This is TOTAL Kid and Family Project waiting to happen! And I think you might be a little bit surprised to find out that a heart shaped pizza is way easier to make than you think!
I just checked out this website and discovered that all you have to do is buy a round Boboli shell and cut the circle with kitchen shears to create the heart shaped pizza. SO EASY!!!
And then you and your kids can pick your favorite ingredients and have a blast!
This would be a great way to use up some of the leftovers from the other recipes on this list as well. For example, the cheeses, tomatoes, and artichokes (artichokes are yummy on pizza)! Also, spinach and garlic are tasty on pizza as well. The garlic, in particular, will add a lot of flavor to the sauce you choose (which can be marinara or white or no sauce at all).
Check out this “How to Make Heart Shaped Pizzas” article for some other ideas.
I just HAD to include a Mexican dish to this list because besides Italian/Mediterranean food, my favorite is Mexican food. I did a quick search and came up with this adorable and original idea. And I think this is an awesome way to end my list of 10 Irresistible Valentine's Day Appetizers.
The only thing that will be truly challenging about making this recipe is finding the 4 inch springform pans that the Chicken Enchilada Hearts recipe calls for. However, I was able to find some on Amazon. And the really cool thing is that once you buy them, you can use them again and again!
Check out the springform pans here.
So, there you are: 10 Irresistible Valentine's Day Appetizers. I hope you enjoy them and that they inspire you to try some new and unique recipes of your own!
Whatever you do this Valentine's day, whether it's eating out or staying in, I hope that you have an awesome time. And I also hope that you will let me know what you think by emailing me at: debbiesuerd@homeschoolingdietititianmom.com or commenting below.
Thanks for reading and Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Check out these adorable coloring valentines here.
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10 Surprising Facts about St. Valentine
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Nov 14, 2023 | Holidays and Special Events
Let me first explain what I mean when I say, “Healthy Christmas Recipes for Kids.”
I know that some of you will look at the ingredient list and your first thought will be, “All of that butter! That's way too much fat to be healthy.” Others might say, “Look at all that sugar, that can't be healthy!” You will be thinking, “Those aren't healthy Christmas recipes for kids.”
Oh But they are!
Let's talk a little a bit about each of the recipes, and why I consider them healthy.
First Healthy Christmas Recipe for Kids
One of the BIGGEST reasons why this recipe is healthy is because it is homemade. Anytime you make a recipe from scratch, you are using fresh ingredients you know and trust. Plus, you aren't using additives or preservatives. There is nothing hidden. There are no long, weird sounding, or unknown ingredients. Thus, homemade, from scratch cooking is ALWAYS more healthy than store-bought, already prepared, processed foods.
Another reason this recipe is healthy is because it's made with whole wheat flour. When you use the whole grain to cook something, you are automatically increasing the fiber content, the magnesium, the vitamin B6, and a whole slew of other good wholesome vitamins and minerals.
So give yourself a hand if you are already using whole grains in your baking products at least SOME of the time!
A third reason why this recipe is a healthy Christmas recipe for kids is because it contains molasses. Molasses is made when cane sugar is processed. Molasses retains all of the nutrients in the original plant. Thus, many people consider molasses to be a superfood.
I'm not sure I'd consider molasses to be a superfood. However, I do know that it is rich in iron, calcium, selenium and a bunch of other good stuff. This is a fact that hardly anyone realizes. Now, you are one of the select few!
A fourth reason this cookie recipe is a healthy Christmas recipe for kids is because you need some fat in your diet. Butter is a source of saturated fat. You need saturated fat for various processes in your body. Thus, unless you are regularly eating excessive amounts of saturated fat (recommendation is <10% total calories average), this should not be a big concern.
Also, contrary to some of the latest trends, carbohydrates are extremely important to good health. The main thing is to try to make half of your carbohydrates come from whole grains. Making homemade, wholesome, from scratch cookies using whole grains is helping you to achieve this.
If you follow the recipe and use the recommended ingredients, you can feel good that you are offering a healthy Christmas recipe for your kids.
2nd Healthy Christmas Recipe for Kids
I'm just going to briefly mention why this is a BIG improvement health-wise compared to ordinary French toast. Adding bananas to this recipe increases fiber, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin B6. When you swap out the traditional white bread for whole wheat in this recipe, this increases the fiber, magnesium and B6 even more. When you use maple syrup instead of regular pancake syrup, this will increase the calcium and iron.
Overall, a tasty and healthy Christmas recipe for kids!
And last, but not least:
This one is quick and easy. The cheese is high in protein and calcium. This little snack only has about 40 calories per serving (per reindeer), if you use one wedge of Laughing Cow reduced fat Swiss cheese, two small pretzel twists, 1 small piece of red bell pepper, one slice of olive.
Adding red bell pepper slices on the side will give this tasty treat a HUGE boost of vitamin C. This is because bell pepper is one of the best sources of vitamin C you will find in a vegetable. Red bell peppers are not bitter like green peppers, and they are a tad sweet. I think they're delicious!
For those of you who are on gluten restrictions, here is a link for a chart on replacements you can use when baking with gluten free flours. This site has all sorts of pretty charts that will be useful for baking.
Also, I just discovered a flour from Bob's Red Mill that replaces gluten flour without having to add any of the other ingredients often necessary to make gluten-free baked foods taste and act like their glutenous cousins. Bob's is local to our area (Milwaukie, Oregon), and I trust their products. You can also purchase this at Amazon.
Also click here to find information on which foods have gluten.
One easy thing you can do if you are dairy-free is to substitute any regular milk with soy, almond, cashew or coconut. I don't recommend using fat free or reduced fat on the cookies. For the butter, you can use vegetable oil based margarine. Look for one that says, “gluten free” on the label.
I didn't add any decorating recipe or how to with the Molasses Gingerbread. This is because many kids have intolerances or reactions to artificial colors. If you have concerns and/or would like information on natural food colors. Here is a link to help with that.
There also inexpensive products on the market you can use that are free of dyes. Keep in mind when using natural colors that you might not end up with a vibrant red, for example, like you do with artificial colors.
Christmas Treats Kids Love
Benefits of Dark Chocolate
What's so Special About Magnesium?
Reduced Fat Alfredo Sauce
Paleontologist Kids Activity Book
Whole Grain Pumpkin Blueberry Spice Pancakes
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by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Nov 7, 2023 | Holidays and Special Events
I love to read! This is one reason why I never have too many printable Christmas bookmarks.
Even though I use my Kindle for much of what I read, I still have lots of hard copy books to read as well. Plus, I usually have several books going at the same time. As a result, I’m always looking for cute printable bookmarks to use.
Even though I’m a Registered Dietitian by training, I am also a creative soul at heart. Since It seems like I can never find a bookmark to use when I need one, I decided to make my own printable Christmas bookmarks to use and to share.
I also have some digital Christmas cards in the store. See below for those.
I created these printable bookmarks especially for my readers which is why they are free.
In case you are concerned about how much ink you will use printing these bookmarks. I have printed several different bookmarks and a couple of Christmas cards, and I still have not needed to change the ink in our printer.
We have a Hewlett Packer printer. HP has an awesome printer service that we use. Previously, we had to spend $15-$20 per ink cartridge every single time we had to replace a cartridge. Since getting our HP printer, and subscribing to InstantInk.com, we only spend $4.99 a month for up to 100 pages.
Any pages we don’t print in the current month are rolled over to the next month. For example, we currently have 7 rollover pages in addition to the 100 for this month. If we have a lot of printing to do that month, or if we go over, we simply upgrade to whatever plan fits.
Plans range from $2.99 to $9.99 per month, and it’s super easy to switch back and forth as needed. If you need support, they are there to help. They send you ink automatically, and it does not cost extra for the ink.
We have saved A LOT of money and stress with this plan. Of course, the only limitation is that you own a HP printer, since the ink cartridges only work for HP printers.
Instructions for Printing and Making the Printable Christmas Bookmarks
1. Print bookmarks on white card stock, using the Highest or Best Quality setting on your printer. (See Pictures below)
2. If you want a two-sided bookmark, cut around the outside of the bookmark.
3a. Fold in half using a bone folder so that the ends line up.
3b. Dab glue on inside part and put together.
NOTE: (On the darker colored ones, if you don’t want the white to show, you can cut the inside white off and simply glue the two sides together, back-to-back).
4. If you want a ribbon on your bookmark, punch a hole into the top middle of the bookmark. Make sure the hole is big enough for the ribbon to fit through.
5. Cut ribbon, place through hole, tie twice for a knot. Add a bow if you prefer. You can get even fancier by using more than one ribbon, adding buttons or other fun gadgets.
6. Have Fun with your printable Christmas bookmarks!
Here are some pics showing a sample bookmark I made:
Click here for free printable Christmas bookmarks
Cute saying from Debbie Hanyon
SUPER BUNDLE of Cards and Bookmarks
Here are my Autumn Themed Bookmarks
A Healthy Christmas Recipe for Kids
Check out my Subscriber Only Freebie Page Here for lots of cool goodies.
Free Christmas Cards
Printable Easter Cards
*Snowman Reindeer image courtesy of My Cute Graphics
declared to be natural only, it was Jelly Belly brand. It's interesting to note that the Jelly Belly brand candy corn did not contain Red 40. It did have other artificial colors, however.
