Strawberry-Avocado Salsa

serves 4

1 cup chopped strawberries
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/2 small jalapeno pepper minced
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1/4 cup lime juice
1 medium avocado chopped

combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. gently toss until well mixed. adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Strawberries

If you like strawberries, they probably taste good to you at any time of the year, but if you love strawberries, then you know that nothing compares to a strawberry fresh off vine. Low in calories and bursting with vitamin C, potassium, fiber, folate indulge while they're in season.

Select: buy organic whenever possible to avoid high pesticide residues. the redder the better; they don't ripen after picking.

Store: to keep fresh, spread in a single layer on a shallow plate, cover with a paper towel and a plastic wrap, refrigerate for two or four days. wash just before using. Alternatively use a Rubbermaid strawberry box which contains a dripping tray to separate the juice from the fruit to keep fresh.

Serve: for breakfast, combine chopped strawberries with nuts on a bowl of cereal or cooked oats. Add for any meal in a salad bowl or a shake or garnish a platter. to get more decadent serve, sliced berries a top polenta cake with a dollop of vanilla yogurt drizzled with honey or chocolate or maple syrup.

For nutrition data check this link:

Edible marshmallow playdoh

  
  

Playdoh is a favorite playtime for most kids who like to be messy. But most of the time playdoh are not edible which poses a threat to toddlers or a supervised time for adults. Here is a way to enjoy with your kids making fun shapes while actually enjoying a snack.

How to make the playdoh:

Its otherwise called as marshmallow fondant by all the bakers. MMF is a edible playdoh to kids where you can make anything out of it.

Colored marshmallows, few spoons of water, icing sugar(prefd) or white sugar, vegetable shortening.

Separate marshmallows by colors place them in microwave safe bowl add a spoon of water heat in microwave for 30 sec. Take out the bowl & stir the mix and continue heating and stirring until the marshmallows are well dissolved. Then place them in a work area nicely coated with shortening start kneading in to a dough with sugar or in a kitchen aid. you will reach to consistency where the dough is dry & rolls to a ball. Its time for fun apply shortening to the dough and knead for a min & you are good to go. You can also save this playdoh in fridge for several weeks or use at once.

Tip: if using colored marshmallow pack you will get 5-6 colors at once or tint the food colors to it when its hot liquid out of the oven.

You can also add some food flavoring to that if preferred or if given to big kids then use some essential oils to spread the scent in the house.

this is much cheaper & easy to make stuff than buying a regular playdoh from the store.

"happy playing"

Marshmallow activity

Marshmallow activity is a fun way of helping kids to keep them busy while learning numbers & colors.

You can also frame a much diferent varities of activities using your imagination or kids'. 

What you need?

A multicolored pack of marshmallows

A large bowl or few small bowls.

Activity: Place the marshmallows in the large bowl and ask your kids to separate them in to smaller bowls by colors or counting numbers. If more kids participate to do this activity then share the marshmallows as their snack or save it for later use. Don't forget to spell out the colors or call the numbers and their spelling. It can be a half hour activity or much longer if you prefer.

Marshmallow fondant

This simple fondant recipe uses ingredients which are probably already in your pantry. It's softer than our standard fondant recipe with a very sweet taste that kids love. MMF is better than most store bought stuff so you would definitely get a satisfaction of doing a quality icing which is edible and looks attractive. It is also much cheaper in cost when doing a larger quantity or small. It need not be a messy tiring work when used a blender also time saving. 

Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 ounces) white mini marshmallows (use a good quality brand)
• 2-5 tablespoons water
• 2 pounds (about 8 cups) sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening

Makes: About 2 pounds marshmallow fondant.

Method:  To make marshmallow fondant, place marshmallows and 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 30 seconds on high; stir until mixed well. Continue microwaving 30 seconds more; stir again. Continue until melted (about 2 1/2 minutes).

Place 3/4 of the confectioners' sugar on top of the melted marshmallow mixture. Fold sugar into marshmallow mixture. Flavoring can be added at this point if desired. Place solid vegetable shortening in easily accessed bowl so you can reach into it with fingers as you are working. Grease hands and counter GENEROUSLY; turn marshmallow mixture onto counter. Start kneading like you would dough. Continue kneading, adding additional confectioners' sugar and re-greasing hands and counter so the fondant doesn't stick. If the marshmallow fondant is tearing easily, it is too dry; add water (about 1/2 tablespoon at a time) kneading until fondant forms a firm, smooth elastic ball that will stretch without tearing, about 8 minutes.

It's best to allow Marshmallow Fondant to sit, double-wrapped, overnight. Prepare the fondant for storing by coating with a thin layer of solid vegetable shortening, wrap in plastic wrap and then place in resealable bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. Marshmallow Fondant will keep well in refrigerator for several weeks.

When not working with fondant, make sure to keep it covered with plastic wrap or in a bag to prevent it from drying out. When ready to use, knead fondant until smooth. Roll out fondant 1/8 in. thick.

To color fondant: If you need to tint the entire batch of fondant, add a little icing color to the melted marshmallow mixture before adding confectioners' sugar. For smaller amounts of tinted fondant, add icing color to portions of fondant as needed.Alternatively you can also use colored marshmallows itself which gives a well blended color and a fine quality texture. 

Marshmallow fondant can be used to make figurines like animals, birds, toy shapes etc. It comes out super soft and pliable like a playdoh so easy to work with.

Tips: 1) Apply a nice even coating of vegetable shortening or butter or ghee to the microwaveable bowl.

2) To knead the paste in to a fine fondant you can use your kitchen aid or any blender that avoids messy process, tiring hands and also time saving.

3) But you might have to coat the blender bowl with the shortening fully well then cleaning is easier & quick.

4) There is a fun activity involved while using a colored marshmallows that keeps the kids helping you and busy as well.