Jarden Consumer Solutions Shares Trends That Inspire Cooking at Home in 2016

by Jenn

The New Year is a time for resolutions. A time to get back on track and build a healthier, more active, more serene lifestyle. From the food you eat—and don’t eat—to the colors you use in your kitchen, the latest trends point to 2016 being the year of the at-home cook. Whether you’re an established at-home cook or a newcomer to the world of Crock-Pot® dump dinners, kitchen gadgets, green smoothies and blended soups, these three trends will help you spice up your time spent in the kitchen this new year:

Get Kids Excited About Eating Healthy Meals

This year, gather the family and dedicate at least one night a week to cooking healthy meals at home. According to the National Restaurant Association’s What’s Hot in 2016 culinary forecast, 73 percent of respondents stated they’re looking for healthy kids’ meals to serve in the New Year.[1] Use Creative themes like ‘Meatless Monday’ or ‘Taco Tuesday’ to get kids excited about healthy eating with wholesome recipes and robust flavors that make weeknight meals a little more enjoyable.

With hundreds of recipes tailored to 30 minutes or less of prep time, the Crock-Pot® brand makes it easy to plan healthy meals at home, any night of the week. Just prep your ingredients, drop them in your Crock-Pot® slow cooker, and get back to work as it cooks your healthy meal throughout the day. And, with Wi-Fi®, the Crock-Pot® 6-Quart. Smart Slow Cooker with WeMo® makes it easier to control and cook your meal, so it’s ready when you get home. Try the meatless Mexican Casserole recipe below for Meatless Monday or Taco Tuesday!

Mexican Casserole

Crockpot Mexican Casserole

Mexican Casserole

Rating: 5.0/5
( 1 voted )
Serves: 8 Prep Time: Cooking Time: Nutrition facts: 500 calories 10 fat

Ingredients

  • 28 oz. canned crushed tomatoes with juice
  • 14 1/2 oz. salsa
  • 6 oz. tomato paste
  • 30 oz. canned black beans, rinsed, drained
  • 15 1/4 oz. canned sweet corn, drained
  • 2 Chili peppers, sliced
  • 1 Teaspoon paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon garlic powder
  • 8 Medium mushrooms
  • 1 Yellow pepper
  • 1 Orange pepper
  • 1 Red pepper
  • 1/2 Cup shredded cheese, your choice
  • 5 Tortilla shells

Instructions

  1. Combine ingredients in a bowl except tortillas.
  2. Place approximately 1 cup of this mixture in the bottom of the Crock-Pot® slow cooker and spread evenly.
  3. Top this with one tortilla and cut it to fit if necessary. Spread with 1/3 of the remaining mixture.
  4. Repeat these layers, ending when there is no liquid mixture left.*
  5. Cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours or 2 to 3 hours.
  6. The tortillas will be doughy, so if you like, you can skip the layering and just cook the filling

Combat Food Waste

Make a difference this year by joining the increasingly popular ‘waste not, want not’ movement.  Recent research shows that Americans are throwing away nearly $165 billion worth of food each year[2], costing the average American family up to $2,200. [3] As a result, increased attention is being paid to retail and consumer food waste and the different ways to minimize it.One way to get the most out of your meals and minimize waste is to start ‘scrap cooking’ with your leftovers. Often times, leftovers like chicken trimmings or vegetable stalks are worth saving and can be ideal ingredients to start a whole new meal. To prepare the perfect soup, add Homemade stock[4] as a base for hearty Ying Yang Soup[5] this winter.

Incorporate Pantone Into Your Home This Spring

Looking for easy ways to incorporate the hottest colors of the season into your home? According to Pantone, designers this season have gravitated towards a palette that is calming and pays homage to the beauty of natural resources.[6] The Oster® Brand offers a variety of blenders in trendy hues that match the new hot spring colors. The Oster® Fresh+Blend’N Go™ Mason Jar Blender in light blue is the perfect chic, retro piece to transform your kitchen into a hip, serene environment. Looking for something a little more daring? It also comes in a red and silver combo that is strikingly similar to the popular “Fiesta” red color that Pantone describes as “a strong and fiery, yellow-based red,” which provides a stark contrast to the calming, softer nature of this season’s palette.

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0 comment

lisa February 21, 2016 - 4:31 pm

I keep seeing tv ads for dump cakes and other meals. I haven’t tried any of it because I was unsure if the meals would turn out.

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