I DON'T EAT GREEN STUFF!!!!

Favorite words of our 4 year old little boy, which pretty much means almost ALL vegetables…ESPECIALLY the green ones.  There have been several battles of wills attempting to make him at least TRY them (how can you say you don’t like something you have never tried it right?).  Although we were frazzled from dinner time being held hostage by an extremely stubborn child...WE DO NOT NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS!  What is a parent to do?   I don't know if we actually won or lost those battles, but everyone involved was drained.  He can’t go his entire childhood without eating vegetables, but NO ONE wanted to repeat the broccoli debacle of 2013!  How could we make sure he ate healthy AND keep our sanity? Turns out we just needed to be sneaky.  Let the covert operations commence!

Our kids love smoothies.  Yes they like the kind you buy at the store made with yogurt and TONS of sugar, but since I choose to limit their sugar intake as much as possible that was not an option.  Sugar makes my already energetic son bounce off the walls and listen even less than the average headstrong 5 year old, which in turn gives me a migraine (this is a balance of my sanity and their health).  We opt for natural and homemade as often as we can and the smoothies were no exception. The ones I make are all fruit and vegetable with no dairy (they eat plenty of that already).  I discovered I could mix kale, broccoli, squash, zucchini and even spinach all together as long as I blended in some fruit to add to the taste and mask the suspicious GREEN color.  Pineapple chunks and apples add a bit of sweet to it and strawberries or blueberries are great to add a fruity taste while making it a bright color.  If you need a little more liquid pineapple juice or even a little water do the trick. The Vitamix we have now works wonders, but the 25 year old blender I had prior to that worked just as well.

My son had NO IDEA he was eating vegetables…much less GREEN ONES!  Score one for Mom! Victory at last!  I didn't bother to mention the fact they were in there until a week or two later when he asked for more smoothies.  I giggled to myself and revealed to him he did in fact like and eat GREEN VEGETABLES.  At first he turned up his nose in disbelief…were there really vegetables in there?  Then he became quite proud of himself…He ate BROCCOLI!  “Ok Mom, but I’ll only eat them if you make me a smoothie.”

Great! I've figured out how to get him the nutrients he needs without screaming, crying, protesting, pouting…hooray!  But who wants to drag out the blender and deal with all the ingredients on a daily basis… especially at 6 pm after a long day at work while cooking the actual dinner?  NO ONE!  Convenience is one of the reasons the pre-made ones at the store are such a hit.  However, thanks to a creative idea (yes from Pinterest), I was able to find a much easier way to get around that…ICE CUBE TRAYS!  

On the weekend I would make up a batch or two of smoothies, pour them in the trays and stick them in the freezer, the next day pop them out and stick them in a gallon size freezer bag and you can use them as you need them by popping them in the microwave for about 45 seconds. Usually 3 or 4 cubes at a time do the trick.  

Fresh fruit and vegetables are much preferred over the canned ones because they have more nutrients without the added sugar, but they aren’t always cost effective or convenient.  Many times I use both frozen fruit and vegetables.  We harvested both kale and spinach from our garden in early summer and sometimes pick up a big bag of either from the store and I freeze them.  Not too good to use for a salad after being frozen, but perfect for smoothies.  Frozen broccoli is easily found and afforded at any store.   We also save the cores from fresh pineapple when we get them and freeze them until the next batch of smoothies are made.  Frozen strawberries, blueberries or peaches are relatively inexpensive as well.  There are so many little tricks that can be used to incorporate fresh foods while not breaking the bank.  The leaves off of the broccoli we grew also made a great addition to the smoothies.  Once washed, I stuck them in a freezer bag and saved them for later use.  ¼ of a lime wedge (rind and all) is also a tasty additive to cover the taste of the vegetables.  I use that for my own smoothies which have a much higher ratio of vegetables. 

There is no specific recipe for the kids.  I pretty much just use whatever I have on hand.  I started off with a 50/50 fruit to vegetable ratio and then as the kids got used to having them slowly added more veggies and less fruit each time.  I have not yet made a batch the kids didn't love.

The parent-child battles are numerous, exhausting and dynamic. Bedtime tantrums turn into curfew controversies.  Yes you have to take a bath will one day become "For the love of ...will you get OUT of the shower!"  The idea of choosing your battles wisely is absolutely applicable to parenting, and I am thrilled to have circumvented the impending vegetable crisis!  Today GREEN VEGETABLES...tomorrow listening when I speak!  Okay, maybe the vegetables are easier.

IN PRAISE OF THE CAIPIRINHA

The what? Say it with me… Caipirinha: Kai-Peh-Reen-Ya. 

Odd yes, but with this exotic word comes a whole lot of wonderful and our favorite summer drink this year. Sweet and tart at the same time…strong but not overpowering, the Caipirinha is perfect to sip while lounging pool-side on a hot summer day or as we have often done, while cooking up the latest harvest from the garden.

The word caipirinha is a variation of the word caipira, which refers to someone from the countryside…or what we Americans would refer to as a “hillbilly”. Although the stories of the caipirinha's origin vary, the most popular originates in 1918, in the state of São Paulo. Starting as a beverage made with lemon, garlic and honey, its medicinal purpose was to treat patients of Spanish flu and today is still used to treat small colds. Distilled spirits were not an uncommon “home remedy”. Eventually the garlic and honey were replaced by sugar and ice and the national cocktail of Brazil was born…a not so well kept secret these days. Our introduction to this marvelous concoction came via Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown (a great show for those who love to watch good food and great travels).

Like a lot of our favorite recipes, it is simple but flavorful. The liquor for this tasteful wonder is Cachaca… What? Cachaça: Ken-Shah-Suh. Formerly known as Brazilian Rum, there are more than two thousand words to refer to the Brazilian national distillate. Some of these nicknames are: abre-coração (heart-opener), água-benta (holy water), bafo-de-tigre (tiger breath), and limpa-olho (eye-wash).

Unlike rum that is distilled with Molasses, Cachaca is distilled from sugar cane juice.
Beware though, not all brands of Cachaca are equal. The type you want to use is White Cachaca and is usually bottled immediately after distillation and tends to be cheaper. Our favorite by far is Pitu.

Here are the necessary ingredients:

1/2 lime
2 ounces of cachaça
sugar to taste (about 1 TBSP)
ice cubes

Place lime wedges and sugar in a rocks glass. With a muddler press down and twist the limes to release the juice (and the oils in the peel). Add the cachaça and stir the drink, fill up with ice and sit back and enjoy you hillbilly!

The Great Outdoors - Get Up and Get Out

Not every day has to be spent expending energy in a productive manner from dusk til dawn (although if you ask Scott and the kids, they might say I think otherwise). There is quite a bit of enjoyment in having the rare occasion to NOT DO ANYTHING.

My favorite place for that is a hammock in the middle of the woods but a rainy day lounging at home is nice too, especially in the winter with the fireplace going!

Like most parents, our days are spent going from before the sun rises to well after it sets, but I couldn't love it any more. Monday through Friday it is the day to day grind of alarm clocks (not a big fan those!), desk jobs or school, homework, cooking, bath time, bedtime, etc. There are also the mundane but necessary chores of grocery and other shopping, dishes, laundry, and other general household requirements that necessitate our spending yet more time inside...even on the weekends. However, any time we have the opportunity you can pretty much find our family outside....somewhere.

Sometimes it is just out in the yard tending to the garden while the kids help (or play if they have their druthers) and sometimes we hop in the car and take off to explore. We have been fortunate enough to visit quite a few amazing places over the last two years...Laurel Snow Pocket Wilderness, pieces of the Cumberland Trail, Benton Falls, Keown Falls, Fall Creek Falls, a dozen waterfalls and trails in the North Georgia mountains and tons of local trails throughout the mountains surrounding the beautiful city of Chattanooga.

The kids occasionally require a little encouragement to get up and out the door to our latest destination, but they do enjoy themselves when they get there. We always pack plenty of water and healthy snacks (lots of food is a requirement for our youngest...a boy who may eventually need a small farm to sustain). A picnic with a scenic view is usually a great mid-point destination for our hikes. A creek with a swimming hole makes for a refreshing place to cool off whether just on a short hike or on an overnight backpacking trip.

We are already planning new destinations for the next weekend camping trips and backpacking destinations for the fall and day hiking for the winter months.
If you would like to start making your own memories in the woods here are a few tips.

1. Start small.- You don't need to start out doing a section of the Appalachian Trail. Even a hike of less than a half mile can be a rewarding experience. One of our first trips was to a 100 foot waterfall. The trail was flat and less than 300 yards long.  The view was spectacular and because it was at a waterfall of that size the kids were excited to be there.

2. Have a target in mind-  When hiking with kids, (or even on your own for that matter) have a destination in mind. Something with a stopping point that gives a view or a activity that can be seen as a high point of the trip. This will take   minimum of research on your part.  Our family started out by collecting waterfalls.

3. Take snacks- If your kids are anything like ours their day revolves around the next time they eat. This can be used to your advantage. When the whining starts, ...and it will start, the phrase " We can eat as soon as we get there" works wonders.

4. Talk as you walk- Take this time to talk to your kids or your partner. You are away from the TV. There is no Xbox. If you are lucky, you are even out of cell range.

5. Remember safety-  You are in the woods, and there are things that can go wrong. Take a small first aid kit and know how to use it. Make sure that someone know where you are going, the route you are taking and when you will return. This can greatly reduce the time you will spend in the woods if you are lost or injured. But, the most important information that you can use and pass to your children is to know what to do if you get lost.  Rule #1 for kids - sit down and stay put. Tell them not start moving around when they are lost. A moving target is much harder to find.   Rule #2 for kids - Stay calm  and wait for help to come. Let them know you will be the one looking for them.  A whistle is a great tool in the woods and you can pick them up for about $1.  Make sure you and each of your kids has one.  Rule # 3 for kids- blow the whistle 3 short times on constant intervals...the sign of distress.  The sound can help you find them.  Plus it makes them feel they are helping themselves.  Don't think they can't get lost on a short trip. We lost one ours walking into Academy sports the other day in less than 60 seconds.

Don't let that scare you though.  As with most things, planning is key to prevention.  There are things that can go wrong outdoors just as there are anywhere else, but the outdoors has a multitude of benefits for the next generation as well.  What better way for our kids to learn than from their parents actually experiencing it WITH THEM!  Yes, it is great for the kids to play in the yard while dinner is cooking or various household chores are being done. It gets them out from under our feet while also getting them out and moving.

However, kids learn a great deal by example and the greatest example for our kids is us. We all find that out first hand when our children repeat something we probably shouldn't have said in front of them or displays a few familiar mannerisms while frustrated or mad. I see myself in my kids every day...the good and the not so.

In a day and age when childhood diabetes and obesity have become all to prevalent and kids spend WAY too much time glued to some sort of electronic device, both in school and out, it is even MORE important to teach the next generation of the simple yet endless joys that can be found outside. Just to name a few...

HEALTH- A physically active lifestyle is best learned young. Can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Well that’s not quite the case with all people, but a physically active lifestyle can be a hell of a lot harder to get used to later in life than starting from the beginning.

APPRECIATION OF NATURE – in the hustle and bustle of the electronic age, it is even more important that we unplug and get back to the simpler things and that we teach our kids to do the same.

LEARNING NEW YET BASIC SKILLS – teaching the kids to start a fire, cook their food over campfire, track their path on a trail, identifying wildlife both dangerous and otherwise is a lot of fun for them.

CONSERVATION – there is no place like the outdoors to teach the next generation how important it is to preserve this planet and all its wonders for many to come.

I am not an “anti-TV” parent and I’m not against letting my kids play computer games at home.  Electronics by themselves aren't all bad.  Let’s face it, sometimes a screen of some sort is a necessary evil... a parent sanity tool. On weekend evenings that are spent at home we love to have family movie nights where we pile up on the couches or all the kids crawl up in the bed with us (and Scott without fail falls asleep 10 minutest into it). Scott and I will absolutely turn on the cartoons after feeding the family breakfast on a weekend morning just so we can spend some time together cuddled up. However, like just  any other indulgence...moderation is the key to a balanced life.  What better gift can we give to our kids?

The Great Outdoors is waiting for you to come and enjoy - Get Up and Get Out!

The not so typical Friday night...marvelous marinara!

It’s Friday night, and it’s just my husband and I at home with the two little ones.  This might be the norm in most households but in the multi-generational, blended-family  home we reside in, times like this are strangely sparse.  A typical (and well enjoyed) evening consists of 7 family members ranging in age from 4 to 65.  It makes for an interesting mix of traditions, preferences and noise levels…but that is another post all together. 

When contemplating the evening’s activities earlier in the day the thoughts of the counter FULL of tomatoes waiting to be canned (or anything other than attracting gnats) came to mind.  A few weeks ago Scott and I came across the most WONDERFUL marinara sauce recipe (by chance on Pinterest of course).  We made a batch and immediately knew what we were going to do with the gobs of tomatoes that had simultaneously ripened.  So it was decided, a night in the kitchen cooking together was the plan.

A night in the kitchen after a long day at work?  No we aren’t insane.  Although Sunday is our favorite day in the kitchen, any day (or night) in the kitchen together is quite enjoyable.  We love cooking together.  As with damn near everything we enjoy doing, it is always better together…this blog included.  (Feel free to gag to yourself at the sappiness of it all…we don’t mind).  Last night it was prepping beans, peppers and okra for freezing…tonight the tomatoes we shall conquer. 

The kids have been fed and are watching their first bit of glorious TV for the week.  It is Friday and there is no homework to be done.  I tell myself it’s okay to let them zone out because they are also being productive  making a “car” from boxes and miscellaneous rescues from the recycle bin at the same time… so technically they aren’t vegging!  To the kitchen!!!!

I know what you are saying. “There is a whole 10 foot long section at any grocery store that has any type of pasta sauce you can think of.”   Incredible!  All you have to do is twist off the top and pour it out.  You can heat it up and then go watch the latest episode of whatever singing, pregnant teen, toddler wearing makeup, Hollywood woman acting like a toddler, crime drama show you wish.  Wow, that does sound easy. Hey Michelle I’m running to the store! ……………..   She doesn’t look amused.

      

I remember growing up seeing jars of canned vegetables in the closet in out garage. They were also in my grandmother and grandfathers garage.  We would make jelly from the grape vine growing on my grandfather’s  fence.  It was magic.  You could take these grapes that came out of the yard which I didn’t particularly like, boil them add a few things and you could have something great.  I also learned that food comes from somewhere, not just the store.   It can be shocking to consider, but food doesn’t spontaneously appear on the shelf of the local chain store in a box, can or jar…it grows somewhere first. 

Unfortunately, we have become completely detached from our food.  Even getting back into gardening I found myself becoming irritated I don’t have tomatoes the week after I plant the seeds.  It took a little longer than that, but holy crap we got a lot of tomatoes!  Is our pasta sauce the greatest ever?  Probably not.  Do we love it? Oh yeah!  It’s kind of like kids. Yeah I know your kid could be faster, taller, maybe gets better grades, or behaves better, but these…these are mine.   I love these kids more than yours because these are MINE.  No it’s not in the DNA, that doesn’t make the parent or the child. It’s in the time and the heart in soul put into the raising that makes it that way. The same goes for almost anything in life, when you invest yourself in something…it is always better!  Back to the kitchen…

A few good drinks (Caipirinha’s being the one of choice tonight…yet another post to come), some great  music care of our frequently used app Spotify via the greatest purchase we made for our wedding reception (the GBoom speaker) and we are soon dancing around the kitchen prepping tomatoes, onions, and garlic.  The sounds of music and the wonderful scents of garlic fill the air, and the smiles are ear to ear on occasion.  Our cooking adventures together are a dance in the kitchen both figuratively and literally. I am the planner, the prepper, the measurer… he is the best at chopping, dicing what have you.  He mixes and sautés… I clean up as we go and occasionally we meet in the middle of it all to sway back and forth to the melodious sounds relishing the moment.    It only took us the first 30-40 year to find each other, and  we are blessed to enjoy every second of the next.

The recipe truly is WONDERFUL.  I think the key to our version is a mixture of a few things.  We grew all of the tomatoes ourselves, so that means it MUST taste better.  We use our Vitamix to puree 8 cups of the tomatoes (Skin and all) and then  strain out any remaining seeds before we add the final 4 cups of needed tomatoes in the diced version (fresh from the garden as well after peeling the skins post water bath) plus we used FRESH home dried herbs from our garden.  Even the “freshest” herbs from the spice aisle at the store have lost SO much flavor, it changes the taste noticeably. 

With what you can buy a bunch of fresh oregano at the store, you can buy a good sized plant at the market (around $3.00).  Oregano and basil are so easy to grow at almost every home even with minimal space or experience.  Herbs are an easy start for the beginner gardener. 

Other than that we followed the wonderful recipe, after 2 hours of simmering on the stovetop the product is the most amazing marinara sauce we have ever tasted…even a few co-workers were thrilled at their first tasting and we plan to give some in gift baskets of other goodies.    Whether made for immediate use or as in our case...canning for future use... the recipe is well worth the time.

The recipe link is posted below for those who wish to try it as well.  You will NOT be sorry.  

http://www.food.com/recipe/big-batch-spaghetti-sauce-37563 

Longing for the woods

With fall around the corner I find myself longing for the peace and tranquility of the woods…the sound of the wind in the trees, the crunch of the leaves beneath our boots, and taking pictures of the kids hiking to our latest weekend destination.  To offset the hectic day-to-day schedules of busy family life in the city, the weekend getaways to anywhere without pavement are always welcome retreats.  Whether it is just a quick trip to the beautiful mountains that surround our fortunate city or a drive to the latest part of the surrounding states we have decided to explore, we enjoy every minute of our family adventures.     

Now that Mother Nature has suddenly remembered it is still summer in the South and the weekend forecast includes a triple digit heat index and humidity to rival the best man-made sauna, I will have to flip through pictures of prior excursions and wait a little longer to get my hiking boots back on so I figured I would share some of the beauty we have been blessed to view...