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Toddler Treat: Snappy Pea & Pineapple Salad
by Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers

Kids love sugar snap peas for the same reason adults do - they're crunchy, sweet and fun to eat! This is a delicious salad that's sure to be a hit at the dinner table or in the lunchbox. To bring out the incredible green color of the sugar snap peas, blanch them first. Blanching is simple cooking technique that adds eye-popping visual appeal to your veggies.

Ingredients:
8 ounces fresh sugar snap peas
½ cup fresh pineapple, diced

Dressing:
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons store-bought teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Directions:
To blanch sugar snap peas: Place them in pan of boiling water for 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon, move them to a bowl of cold water and ice. Drain the peas when they are completely cold.

Make the dressing by whisking the sesame oil, brown sugar, vegetable oil, teriyaki sauce, and rice vinegar together. Combine the peas and pineapple in a salad bowl. Just before serving, toss with the dressing.

Variation: Add 1/2 cup cubed firm tofu or cooked chicken for a great lunch or light dinner.

About the authors:
Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children and founders of Fresh Baby. Creators of products that include the So Easy Baby Food Kit and Good Clean Fun Placemats; Fresh Baby offers parents convenient and practical support in raising healthy children. Visit them online at www.FreshBaby.com and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits! Fresh Baby products are available at many fine specialty stores and national chains including Target, Wild Oats, and Whole Foods Markets.