2013 Gratitude Challenge!

I have done this in the past. And Momma Jorje is right, it is time to do it again. Without further ado:

Frozen Green Dream

Welcome to the Festival of Food Carnival. This month, we celebrate Smoothies and Mocktails!  Hosted by Diary of a First Child and Hybrid Rasta Mama, you're welcome to join us next time, or if you have a previously published recipe you'd like to share, add it to the linky below.

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Smoothie season! When it is too warm for that bowl of oatmeal and just want something cool and filling to start the day. Well, I am here to share our favorite tip for making smoothies and our basic concoction.

We start with a handful or two of greens. Doesn't matter what kind. Spinach, chard, kale, bok choy, if it is in my fridge it goes in the blender. Herbs can be good, too. Basil, mint, and lavender have been favorites.

Then some yogurt. I usually get honey greek in the tub. About 2 heaping tablespoons.

Then fruit. Whatever you like. Fresh kiwis, frozen berries, whatever you have. Even avocados can help pull together a creamy smoothie.

This is where the trick (from my sister, in case it seems like I am taking credit for it) comes in. Fresh and even frozen fruit can be expensive. Canned fruit is pretty cheap. Keep a couple cans of your favorites (especially off season) in the freezer. You can take the time to put them in freezer bags, but we just put the cans right in. Then when we are ready, run the edges in warm water and carefully use a knife to carve it out. Our favorite is pineapple, as it is particularly delicious and one of the easiest to find in it's own juices.

Then just blend, blend, blend. Every so often, depending on fruits used, I need to add some liquid. Coconut milk keeps it lighter, but sometimes some good raw milk really bulks it out right.

Pretty basic, huh? The things I have really taken away from jumping into the green smoothie world: it is hard to mess it up when you stick to flavors you enjoy, greens are almost never the forefront of the flavor so don't be afraid to really use them, and always pour half of what you think you might drink until you get used to them. They can fill you up faster than you may think.

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Please take a moment to visit the blogs of our other Festival of Food participants. The links in this list will be live by the end of the day, as participants are all in different time zones.

• Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares 5 "Real Food" Style Simple Syrup Recipes For Mocktails! This collection of homemade simple syrups includes fresh ingredients and no refined sugars. You will fall in love with them all!  You can also find Jennifer on Facebook.
• Luschka at Keeper of the Kitchen shares a wonderful Summer Mint Cordial. What is more refreshing than mint in summer? This mint cordial is sure to bring some cool to your summery afternoons. You can also find Luschka on Facebook.
• Sam at Hobo Mama offers a vegan, dairy-free, sweetener-free smoothie with just four natural ingredients that's sure to refresh both kids and adults. You can also follow Hobo Mama on Facebook.
• Bianca at The Pierogie Mama shares a few delicious smoothies that use avocado as an ingredient. They are toddler friendly too! You can also find Bianca on Facebook.
• Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy shares Frozen Green Dream which includes her favorite trick for a quick, satisfying smoothie your kids will run for a cup of! You can also find Jennifer on Facebook.
• Lindy at Poppy Soap Company shares an energizing and refreshing morning grapefruit smoothie. You can also find Lindy on Facebook.

Stay connected! Be sure to "Like" the Festival of Food Carnival Facebook page.

Spice Up That Pumpkin!

Welcome to the Festival of Food Carnival. In celebration of autumn and Halloween, we're sharing recipe ideas for healthy treats, or anything you would enjoy this time of year. Hosted by Diary of a First Child and Hybrid Rasta Mama, you're welcome to join us next time, or if you have a previously published recipe you'd like to share, add it to the linky below.


That time of year has come again. Crisp air. Gorgeous leaf colors. Pumpkin EVERYTHING. Seriously. I love pumpkin. Lattes, scones, muffins, breads, doughnuts, chai... Oh so many sweet, sweet treats to indulge my love of pumpkin. Boy was I excited to come across this tasty dish. I tweeked it a bit, and tried a few things (including leaving out the mango nectar. Don't do that.) and now it is a perfect gluten and dairy free dinner for those blustery nights. You can even leave out the chicken for a vegan option that is every bit as good.


Thai-Style Pumpkin Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
6 chicken breasts - cubed
3 garlic cloves - minced
1 tbsp ginger
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2-4 stalks celery - diced
2-4 carrots - diced
2c pumpkin
1/2c peanut butter
6c stock
1/2c mango nectar
1/2c lime juice
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2c cilantro - divided
1 can of coconut milk
1 tbsp cornstarch
2-4c rice
3 green onions - minced
1/2c peanuts - chopped

Cook chicken, garlic, ginger, and red pepper in skillet. Transfer to crock pot, add celery, carrot, pumpkin, peanut butter, stock, mango nectar, lime juice, rice vinegar, and 1/4c cilantro on HIGH. In separate bowl, combine cornstarch and coconut cream, add to soup and simmer on high until thickened. When ready to eat, ladle around rice, top with cilantro and peanuts.Please take a moment to visit the blogs of our other Festival of Food participants. The links in this list will be live by the end of the day, as participants are all in different time zones.

• Jessica from Delicious Obsessions shares her recipe for Lemon Coconut Blueberry Macadamia Nut Muffins, a low-carb, low-sugar treat that won't leave you feeling guilty. You can also find Jessica on Facebook.
• Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares a recipe for Unsweetened Cinnamon Applesauce in the slow cooker, a yummy treat that also makes the house smell amazing. You can also find Abbie on Facebook.
• Lulastic of Lulastic and the Hippy Shake shares a story of urban foraging, and the delicious recipe for the Fruit Leathers she made with the harvest! You can also find Lulastic on Facebook.
• Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares a super easy, fix it and forget about it Crock Pot Pumpkin Custard that tastes like warm pumpkin pie filling without the sugar and grains! You can also find Jennifer on Facebook.
• Bianca at the Pierogie Mama justifies why she guards her homemade applesauce from 'unauthorized' uses.  You can also find Bianca on Facebook.
• Jennifer from True Confessions of a Real Mommy helps you take your love of all things pumpkin to the dinner table! A gluten free, dairy free, and vegan if you like Thai Pumpkin Soup to warm you up! You can also find Jennifer on Facebook.
• Crackerdog Sam guest posts at Hobo Mama with a slightly sweet, stove-popped Cracker Jack alternative. You can also find Hobo Mama talking about Crackerdog Sam on Facebook.
• Luschka at Diary of a First Child shares her foundation recipe for 'milkshakes' - coloured green smoothies - that her toddler loves to have with 'chocolate' date balls and banana 'ice cream'. You can also fine Luschka on Facebook.
• Amy at Anktangle shares a wholesome version of a decadent treat: Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bars. They have a classic, no-bake cookie flavor while being gluten-free, sugar-free, and vegan. Nut-free substitutions included! You can also find Amy on Facebook.

Stay connected! Be sure to "Like" the 

Festival of Food Carnival Facebook page.

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Meal Plan Monday: October 15th, 2012

It is my BIRTHDAY!

But, I still have to make dinner. A mommy's job is never done.

Vegetarian Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes

Roasted Cauliflower Gratin with Butternut Squash

Shrimp Fried Rice and Stir Fry

Kielbasa with Garlic, Rosemary & Lemon Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

Chicken and French Fries

Italian Sausage & White Bean Soup 

Olive oil 

1 lb. ground Italian sausage or veggie sausage

4 garlic cloves

1 diced yellow onion

2-3 celery stalks; diced

2-3 carrots; diced

4 cups chicken or veggie stock

3 cups of soaked & cooked Great Northern white beans (about two 15oz. cans, rinsed)

1 tsp salt

smattering of "italian" like herbs (oregano, thyme, rosemary, basil, whatever you like)

pepper

4 cups kale

Parmesan cheese

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, brown sausage. Drain, move to a bowl and set aside.

Reheat stockpot over medium heat, add olive oil, garlic, onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté until veggies are tender. Add the sausage (any juices) back to the stockpot, two cups of water, the stock, beans, herbs, salt, pepper and a handful of parmesan cheese. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 8-10 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Stir in kale. Cover to allow spinach to wilt a few minutes. Ladle soup into bowls and top with more parmesan.

Meal Plan Monday: September 17th, 2012

Baked Ziti

Lentils and Braised Winter Greens with Lemon Ginger Vinaigrette (From The Northwest Vegetarian Cookbook)

Chicken and French Fries

Cumin Laced Chickpea Soup

Rice, Roasted Red Pepper and Green Bean Casserole

Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese

Tomato Masala with Homemade Paneer

That's right! This week we are trying our hand at cheese making! This is real as simple as it gets, as far as cheese making goes, so I am excited to see how it goes. And being that paneer tends to cost close to $10 a lb, the idea that I can make it from a gallon of milk, making the cost a quarter of that, just floats my boat.

1/4 c water
1 gallon of whole milk
1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
1/3 c white vinegar
cheesecloth

Pour water into a large, heavy-bottomed pan. Then slowly pour in the entire gallon of milk. Stir in the sugar. Turn on the heat to medium and bring the milk to a boil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keel from scorching. Watch constantly, and when the surface begins to foam up, but before it over flows, pour in the vinegar and remove from the heat. The foaming will subside and solids will separate from the liquid. Wait 5 minutes, until the liquid has completely separated from the solids.

Line a colander with triple-layered cheesecloth. Place the colander in the sink and carefully pour in the entire contents of the pan. Let stand about 5 minutes to drain. Wrap the cheesecloth around the paneer in a ball shape and tie in a double knot.Place the ball of paneer, still wrapped in cheesecloth, on a large plate (on a counter or in the sink) and place in a 2-quart pan filled with water on top of the paneer. This will flatten the paneer to about 2 inches thick and press out more water, making the cheese firmer. After about 30 minutes, remove the pan of water (For firmer paneer, let it remain under the pan of water for 1 hour. This would be best for the Tomato Masala use.) Unwrap the paneer, carefully scraping off with a spoon any that adheres to the cheesecloth, and place it on another plate.

Meal Plan Monday: September 3rd, 2012

Enchilada Casserole

Coq au Vin

Sloppy Lennys

Baked Bean Stew

Fish Tacos

Spaghetti

Curried Cauliflower (From Cast Iron Skillet Big Flavors: 90 Recipes for the Best Pan in Your Kitchen )

1 head of cauliflower
4 tbsp unsalted butter; melted
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, roll the cauliflower in the melted butter until evenly coated. Blend the sugar, curry powder, turmeric  paprika, and salt; sprinkle over the butter-coated cauliflower. Stir to evenly coat. Spread out evenly in a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the cauliflower pieces with a spatula. Return to the oven and cook until the cauliflower is tender and golden, 10 minutes more. Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm.

Meal Plan Monday: August 27th, 2012

Roast Beef  (So excited for this one! Grass-fed beef and veggies from my own garden!)

Enchilada Casserole

French Dip (Leftover Roast Beef!)

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Lentil Helper

Hamburgers

Nachos

Beyond the Farm

Welcome to the August 2012 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Farmer's Markets
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have written about something new they've learned about their local farmers.

Farmer's markets are some of our favorite places to visit. My calendar is marked Wednesday through Sunday with local markets. We have always gone with our children and found great things to eat. Our boys love picking out honey, berries, apples, sugar snap peas, and all kinds of deliciousness.

Some market peaches I canned with vanilla. Mmm.

But, did you know there is more than food at most farmer's markets? Artisans, crafters, and musicians! The newest goal my boys have is to SMELL the farmer's market. They target the soap makers. We had a wonderful experience with the gal from Snohomish Soap Company. L1 saw her basket of travel size bars and wanted to smell. He very politely pointed to each one and asked me if he could smell. The vendor was very polite and didn't take long to pick up that HE was the customer and treated as such. When he made it though the whole basket, he chose one called Milk and Honey, paid his dollar, put it in his hand basket and ran off to show everyone what he bought. 

And this wasn't the end of it. He showed L2 and they shared. Then, at the next market we went to (you know, because two in one week is normal, right?) they didn't head straight for the honey sticks or blueberries. They wanted to find the smelly soaps. And they did; they found Cedar Mountain Botanicals. Again, a great experience where they talked to the vendors, introduced themselves, and did what they could to help my boys really have a good experience.

Food is easy to love. Sweet treats and bright foods; those things were easy to get my family interested in what the market had to offer. Now I am glad to see there is still more for us to explore and love. More great, local people to get to know and ways to keep our money supporting our community.

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Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon August 14 with all the carnival links.)

10 Simple Ways to Make the Farmer's Market More Fun for Kids — Lorie at Reading Confetti shares ideas and books to help kids get the most from the farmers market experience.

10 Things I Want To Teach My Daughter About The Importance of Shopping at the Farmer’s Market — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares the ten lessons she hopes to impart to her daughter about the importance of shopping at local farmers markets.

Charmed by Two Small Town Markets — Shannon at GrowingSlower was charmed by two small-town farmers markets while on vacation.

The Olympia Farmer's Market (and a giveaway!) — Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes and family took a trip to their state capitol to experience a new market. See what they saw, and enter to win a book written about that very market.

— Exploring the farmers market by Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy writing at Natural Parents Network — with a scavenger hunt!

Exploring the Market ... Alphabet Style — That Mama Gretchen is in the midst of creating a learning tool for her toddler and it's all about the market!

Unschooling at the Farmers Market — Megz at Aspen Mama loves building memories as a vendor at the Market.

Montessori-Inspired Vegetable Unit — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares links to Montessori-inspired vegetable printables and activities to help your family get the most out of a trip to the farmer’s market.

Markets — How sustainable mum has fitted a monthly farmers market into a weekly food shop.

The Farmers Market In Under An Hour ("Carl Style") — Andrea and family at Tales of Goodness adapt their farmers marketing approach to make everyone happy.

Tales Of a Troubled Gardener — Sam at Love Parenting writes about her dream of self-sufficiency and her lack of gardening skills!

A Few {Of The Many} Reasons Why I Love Our Farmer’s Market — Even though the experience can sometimes be less than peaceful, MomeeeZen shares why she enjoys taking her family to the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings.

Experiencing the Farmer's Market from a Different Perspective — Emily at S.A.H.M. i AM had a great time letting her toddler lead the way at the farmer's market...

Ask A Farmer's Daughter — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter answers questions about her life growing up on a small family farm in New England.

Giving Up the Grocery Store — Kerry at City Kids Homeschooling shares her family's summertime challenge to eliminate trips to the grocery store and rely almost exclusively on local, farm-fresh foods.

Urban farming and fresh food in the city — Lauren at Hobo Mama takes trips to farms, gardens, and markets within reach of a big city.

Market Tip: Get to Know Your Farmers — Justine at The Lone Home Ranger finally gets up the guts to talk to her farmers and learns she is among ardent food lovers.

New Farmer's Market Find — Kellie at Our Mindful Life is excited to make a new find at her new farmers market.

"The Real World" Grassroots Edition — jessica at instead of institution takes some time out to write a love note.

9 Insider Tips for Farmer's Market Newbies — Dionna at Code Name: Mama chatted with a few farmers to bring you some insider information on how to get the most out of your local farmer's market.

The Place Where I Can Say "Yes!" — Erica at ChildOrganics gives you a tour of her favorite vendors at her local farmers market and discusses the benefits of creating community through the market.

Raw Local Milk — Jorje shares her family's field trip to a local dairy. Learn what you can appreciate from a small town farm at Momma Jorje.com.

Italian Secret Vegetable Soup Recipe — Alinka at Baby Web convinces an Italian Farmer & Cook to reveal a precious minestrone recipe and shares it with her readers.

Where do our eggs come from? A visit to Sucellus Farms. — Carli at One Fit Mom takes her family to meet the chickens that have been providing their daily eggs.

Beyond the Farm — Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy and her family enjoy looking beyond the food at the local farmer's market to see the wares of the over vendors.

Magic at the Market — Do you ever take time to really look at the food you eat? Amy at Anktangle enjoys marveling at the beauty (and the utility) of the foods and goods available at the farmers' market.

Farmer's Market Discoveries — Laura from Pug in the Kitchen reminisces about the discoveries she's made at the Farmer's Market throughout the years.

Are You Getting the Most out of Your Farmers' Market? (My List of Not-So-Common "Musts") — Sheila at A Living Family shares some uncommon ways to squeeze even more joy and connection (and yumminess!) from your local farmers' market experience.

Pick Your Own And Eat It — Luschka from Diary of a First Child shares their trip to a PYO farm and the journey from picking to eating her favourite food

Meal Plan Monday: August 13th, 2012

Pork Schnitzel

Spring Rolls

Polish Dogs

Enchilada Casserole

Mandarin Chicken Salad

Pizza

Grilled Chicken and French Fries

Jammin'!

Since my lovely friend Georgia showed us how easy it is to make jam and jar it for later, we have been so excited to try more and more. We did plum jam, green tomato sauce (it just wasn't warm enough for our garden!), and home fermented sauerkraut. This we are kicking into gear again!

My first attempt this year was the strawberry jam. I have "fixed" it by reboiling it as I open a new jar; so I don't have to reprocess the jars.

Then I made blueberry jam, and it was PERFECT. My boys have a new word: "Its de-li-ciou-sis, Mommy!"

With homemade gluten free bread!

Today was lemon curd, using a recipe from Alton Brown.

Oh, and just for good measure: Blueberry Vodka.

1qt Vodka

1 cup Blueberries

2 tablespoons sugar

Put in mason jar, muddle blueberries a bit, and give a shake twice a day for a few weeks. I can't wait to see how it turns out!

Meal Plan Monday: July 22nd, 2012

Swedish Meatballs

Paneer

Chicken with asparagus in ham in a green pesto sauce

Spaghetti

Honey Marsala Pork Loin

Superfood Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette (minus pomegranates, they are not in season now!)

Garden Salad! (Literally, from MY garden!)

Meal Plan Monday: July 16th, 2012

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Breakfast for Dinner

Mini Pizzas

Taco Salad and Nachos

Biscuts and Gravy

Lentil Helper

Salmon Caesar Salad

Meal Plan Monday: July 9th, 2012

Tacos

Quinoa Pasta Salad with Roasted Artichokes and Pesto

Pork Roast

Polish Dogs and Mac 'n Cheese

Pesto Rice & Beans

Strawberry, Chicken, and Poppy-seed Dressing Salad

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

2 cups chickpeas (garbanzo beans), cooked and rinsed
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 cucumbers,  chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, finely chopped
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

1. In a large prep bowl, combine the first six ingredients.
2. Add the lemon juice and olive oil and toss together to combine and coat thoroughly.
3. Season to taste with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Strawberry Preserves!

LOOK! I made strawberry jam syrup all by myself!

This was only my 3rd attempt at canning, second making jam, and first by myself. It tastes delicious, but just hasn't set right. I am reading that strawberries are particularly temperamental, and I goofed a bit on when to add the sugar and pectin, so I don't feel too bad about it.  

Do you have any tips to share? Recipes that call for strawberry syrup? I'm all ears!

Meal Plan Monday: July 2nd, 2012

Easy Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

Broccoli, Chik'n, and Rice Casserole

Tahini quinoa bowl with beets, kale and chickpeas

Spring rolls

Oven Fried Pork Chops with Mashed Potatoes

Chili Cheese Fries

My Little Chefs

My husband wrote this for Natural Parents Network last fall. It pretty much says so much about what makes him an amazing dad, that I thought I would share it here. Happy Father's Day!

Growing up, being asked what we wanted for dinner meant picking a restaurant. My first word was "Fry!" as we passed a McD's. When I moved out and had to cook I burnt minute rice, ruined ramen, and would set fire to microwave dinners. But, I loved food. My girlfriend (and now wife) kept us from going hungry (more than that really, she's pretty dang good. Especially with creating something nothing, which was not unusual for a couple just starting out) but I really wanted to know how to cook and create the foods we loved for myself. So, I went to culinary school. It took two and a half years, during which we also got married and had our first son. L1 was 3 months old when I graduated.

Graduation December 2007

Since then I have wanted my boys to know how to cook. I would wear them in a carrier while I cooked. We encouraged them to help with the grocery shopping, exploring new foods. And now that they are getting big enough, I try to welcome them to help me cook whenever possible. Even if it is just scrubbing potatoes, I want them to be a part of feeding themselves and our family.

There is always SOME job they can help with.

I never expected kids to like foods like salad, brussell sprouts, salmon, or anything with flavor. I though all kids ate plain tasting foods: chicken nuggets, mac n' cheese, french fries. But, the more my kids are involved in the process, the more things they are willing to try. I want to encourage that to continue. For them to know there are no bad foods, just bad ways of making them. So, the trick is to find the good way to make them. We might try three or four different recipes before working out how some ingredients are best served.

Never give up, never surrender. Even the brussel sprout was defeated and devoured!

I love my boys (and the new baby on the way) and like any parent, I want for them everything I didn't have. There isn't much, but a good knowledge of food and cooking is near the top of the list, and I am so happy I have some skills I can pass on to them in that area. We are learning together, and not just about food. It takes a good amount of patience and trust to work with kids in the kitchen. Sometimes it does get to be too much and I have to find something else to occupy them so I can just get dinner served. But, every little bit matters, and there is always another chance to invite them to help later. It is a lesson I have been able to take to other parts of our lives to work at being a better dad for them. See, we all win.

Eat Cookies, Boost Supply

Sometimes milk supply could use a boost. When L3 started teething, she was consuming more and I was pumping less. I figured a little treat couldn't hurt!

I adapted my recipe from That Mama Gretchen


1 C butter (or substitute)
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar, packed

1 T fenugreek
4 T brewed fenugreek tea
2 T flaxseed meal (I had flaxseeds and ground them in my coffee grinder)
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 C Gluten Free all-purpose flour (I use Jules)
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
4 C oats
1 C dried cranberries
1/2 C chopped/sliced almonds
4 T brewer's yeast

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Brew fenugreek in 8 oz of hot water until grains are soft.
Mix flaxseed and 4 T fenugreek tea and let sit for 3-5 minutes. Drink the rest, reserve the grains!
Beat butter and sugars.
Add eggs and mix well.
Add flaxseed mix, fenugreek grains and vanilla, mix.
Add flour, brewer's yeast, baking soda, and salt.
Mix in oats, cranberries and nuts.
Round off a large tablespoon of dough and place on cookie sheet.
Bake for 15-18 minutes.
Let cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.

Meal Plan Monday: June 11th, 2012

Vegetarian Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Enchilada Casserole (This recipe, but layered instead of rolled)

Palak Paneer

Mini Pizzas

Masaman Curry and Yellow Chickpea Curry

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches


Gourmet O's and Grown-Up Grilled Cheese
This is a crazy easy recipe. Enjoy.

Gourmet O's

1 box (32fl oz) Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup (I used Trader Joe's or Pacific Foods)

1 cup quinoa

Boil 2 cups of water. Add quinoa, lower temp to simmer until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Add soup, heat through. 

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese

Bread

Pesto

Cheddar Cheese

Ripe Tomato

Spread pesto on bread, top with cheese and tomato. Coat outside of bread with butter. Grill until golden brown and melty. I have done several at a time under the oven broiler.

Farmer's Markets are for Kids Too!

This was originally posted last year for Natural Parents Network. Thought it was time for another go around, with Market Season getting underway!




We love food. We like to talk with other people who like food. My boys are learning this as well. Where do they learn about food, and how it gets from farm to table? The farmer's market.

Before we even get to the parking spot, there is talk about what items we need for our grocery list, what we are hoping to find, and the required reminders about limits: hold a hand, use walking feet, ask before touching anything.

They each get some money to spend. We supplement their amount, since they aren't aware of the value of money yet, they see it as a trade. When they have used their money, they are done. Right now that means one trade. Later, it will mean learning about money value and the math involved.

When making their "deal" they ask about the food. L1's favorite right now is bread. He asks for bread based on the meal he wants it with. "I want toast," "For spaghetti," or "I eat it now." The baker we visit makes the suggestion and tells them what is in it. L2's favorite thing is fruit. And right now, berries. I swear he has one particular market gal bewitched. He is just sooo darn cute, and she loves such a little boy asking for "boo berry," "tawberry" or just "THAT ONE!" and she is always good at addressing him and listening.

I love that my children are gaining this opportunity to start talking about their food this way. I am glad to have a place to teach them about product value (and soon, about money). To learn courtesy and conversation skills. To have a place where more often than not the people treat my children as "real people" whose needs and wants are just as valid as the next customer.

I also love the FOOD we get! And the lovely recipes that come from our pickings.



Filling
1/2 c raspberries
1/2 c blueberries
2 peaches, cut into chunks
2tsp nutmeg
2tbsp cinnamon
2c sugar
2c water
5tbsp cornstarch

Crumble
2c Jules Gluten Free or other all-purpose flour
1/2c shortening or unsalted butter
1/2c sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
1/8tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 c milk or milk substitute (might vary, use enough until it just holds together)


Cook peaches and berries over medium high heat to start juice release. Add water and sugar, bring to boil. Let boil about 4 minutes.

In separate cup use equal parts cornstarch and water to create slurry. Add to fruit and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour into casserole dish and place in fridge to cool.

In mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Cube butter, add a couple at a time while mixing at low speed. Slowly drizzle milk until crumbs form. Chill in fridge.

When chilled, sprinkle crumbs over fruit mixture and bake at 425 until browned, about 10 minutes.

To see what deliciousness we had for dinner before this lovely desert, head on over to True Confessions of a Real Mommy.

Meal Plan Monday: May, 29th, 2012

So, it is NOT Monday, but it was a holiday! So here it is!

Oven Fried Chicken and Cornbread

Spinach, Chick'n, and Pasta Bake (subbing Quorn Chik'n)

Pork Ribs and Rice

Mughlai Vegetable Biryani 

Bratwurst

Spaghetti with Homemade Gluten Free Garlic and Herb Bread

Tahini quinoa bowl with beets, kale and chickpeas

Don't forget to share what you are making this week. Meal Plans and Recipes welcome, and feel free to grab my button from the sidebar!