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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Masala Dehydrator Crackers

This is a variation on a recipe I found in Rainbow Live-Food Cusine; I changed the recipe up to reflect items I typically have on my kitchen.

Ingredients:
2 cups flax seeds
1 1/2 cup almonds
2-3 stalks celery
1 cup broccoli sprouts (or sunflower sprouts)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cup chopped carrots (large chunks)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon group coriander seeds
2 small garlic cloves
2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon masala spice mix

Directions:
Place almonds in 1 1/2 cup of water and soak for 12 hours.
Place flax seeds in 2 cups water and soak for 8 hours.



Once your seeds are done soaking you can start making your crackers. Place drained almonds in food processor along with carrots, garlic, lemon juice and oil. Process until chunky then add remainder or spices and seasonings along with diced celery and sprouts; process until smooth.

Combine in a large bowl the mixture from the food process with the soaked flax seeds, blend well by hand with a spoon.



Spread mixture on your dehydrator trays lined with the Teflex sheet. - 1/4" thick.  I find a large frosting knife works great for doing this.



Dehydrate at 145F for 3 hours; then turn over the crackers  and continue dehydrating at 115F for 6-8 hours until the crackers are ready.

Take the crackers out and snap in smaller pieces.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Sweet potato waffles

Sometimes when the maternal guilt kicks in we have an odd supper like last night. The Monster wanted waffles for supper and well I felt guilty that I had smashed his tea set to smithereens earlier that day...

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups whole milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup flax meal
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup all purpose flour
4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon panella
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
Beat eggs. Add canola oil, vanilla extract, sweet potatoes and mix well. In a separate bowl combine all dry ingredients.  Combine both mixtures until batter is smooth.

Cook in a waffle iron as per your waffle iron directions.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Perfect Boiled Egg


The C monster just loves boiled eggs, we finally figured out the perfect cooking time for them.  First of all older eggs peel easier then fresh eggs but you can make a boiled egg with both fresh and older eggs. - but not so old that the eggs have spoiled.

I let the monster pick his eggs and gently place them in a pot then he covers his own eggs with water and places the pot on the stove (stove is still turned off).  I them turn on the stove to medium high and bring the pot of water with the eggs to a boil.  Leave it boil for one minute; then cover and remove from heat.

Now you let them sit for a minimum of 12 minutes.  Often I make my eggs in the morning and leave them there till snack or lunch.

Once you are ready to eat them run them under cold water for a few minutes, they will be easier to peel.  Once peeled let your little monster cut them with an egg cutter.  We have the president choice one and just love it.

Voila your 3 year has now helped you cook their own perfect eggs, I find the Monster is more likely to try something if he took part in the cooking.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Organic vs Conventional Foods

There is no doubt about it, organic food is better for the planet and better for us, right? Well, that is what I would like to believe and until someone shows me valid proof otherwise my mind will not be changed. I just don't like the idea that my food took a shower in chemicals before making it to my table.

Over 4 years ago now we made the switch to buying close to 100% organic food for our household; at the time we were DINKS (Dual income, no kids). Things have changed since them we now have a child and I am a SAHM (Stay at home mom) and in the future we would love to add another little monster to the mix.

Strictly buying organic is easier, no need to think and look at list of produce that is "OK to buy conventional" or where something was made or grown; however, if you want to cut down on your grocery cost, and my estimate for us is probably close to 400$ - 500$ a year just on dairy alone, there is stuff you can do.

So, starting this week we are no longer going to buy 100% organic, but buy our groceries selectively. The majority will still be organic, however, we will start buying some conventionally grown produce: the items that have the lowest amount of pesticide residue on them. We'll also start buying conventional dairy products from select countries.

After reviewing information found on various websites, including but not limited to EWG and wiki and the government of Canada sites, this is what I came up with that our family would compromise on.

Vegetables OK to buy conventionally:
Onions
Sweet Corn (Frozen)
Sweet Peas (Frozen)
Asparagus
Cabbage
Eggplant
Sweet Potatoes
Winter Squashes
Broccoli
Hot house vegetables (Canadian)

Fruits OK to buy conventionally:
Avocado
Pineapples
Mango
Kiwi
Cantaloupe (US and Canadian)
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Honeydew
Plums (Canadian)
Cranberries
Bananas

Dairy OK to buy conventionally:
My main concern with dairy is the Bovine Growth Hormone and use of antibiotics.  Luckily for us, in Canada, the BGH is not legal to give to our cattle. Also, farmers have to pump and dump milk when antibiotics are used.

I am not as concerned with making sure the dairy we consume is organic, as the jury is still out as to how much additional benefit organic dairy has for us versus conventional dairy; if the information out there ever changes, we will review our stance on this.

So, as it stands I will be buying conventional milk, cheese, butter, cream as long as the milk it is made from originated from one of the following countries: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and all European Union countries.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Chewy Chocolate Chip and Kiwi Cookies

If you don't have dried kiwis try substituting dried cranberries, blueberries or cherries for them.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (at room temperature)
1 1/2 cup panela (packed)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups Spelt Flakes
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate chips
1/3 cup dried kiwi (diced)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

  2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flours, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the spelt flakes, chocolate chips and kiwi. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.

  3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Chop Sticks - AKA magic eating device

Trainer chopsticks are like magic.

A few weeks ago I made a trip to T&T Supermarket to pick up some clementines so I could can them. While there, I saw these great trainer chopsticks made out of bamboo - they are basically regular chopsticks with a clip at the top; since I had been looking for some non-plastic trainer chopsticks I picked them up at a whopping price of 2.99$.

Since we have had them, I think C monster has eaten clementines, almonds, raisins, noodles, cake and many other things with them. This is actually how we got him to re-taste clementines after he had taken a 3 week break from wanting to eat them.


Chopsticks may not be the answer to all your toddler eating challenges, but toddlers learn through play. For a non-chopstick household, adding a pair of chopsticks to meal time turn breakfast, lunch or supper into a game.

Just another trick to try with your picky eater.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Vegan / Gluten Free Flax Seeds Crackers

For Christmas this year we got a Excalibur dehydrator and I have been trying all sorts of things in it. One of my biggest success so far are these crackers. C monster will only eat them with cream cheese; however, that's a compromise that I am willing to make. I don't blame him, either, because these crackers are "the bomb" with a thin slice of 5 year old white cheddar. He likes these so much that when I prepared crackers for him the other day, and used some buckwheat crackers we had, he said "non mama, not those ones, the new ones".

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flax seeds
1 cup almonds
1 1/2 cup chopped carrots (washed)
1/4 cup parsley
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup hemp seeds
2 stalks celery (washed)
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons nori granules

Directions:

In a large bowl combine flax seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and hemp seeds; cover with boiling hot water and let sit for 2 hours.

In a small bowl do the same with almonds.



After the soaking is done place seeds mixture in a large sieve and drain extra water; their probably wont be much.

Combine in food processor almonds, carrots, parsley, celery, lemon juice, salt and nori; process using 15 - 30 second pulses until well combined and minced. You may need to stop and scrape the sides of the food processor from time to time.

Now combine both mixtures and mix well.



Line your dehydrator trays (approximately 4) with the paraflex-style sheets; then spread mixture 1/4" thick. Place in your dehydrator at 145F for 2-3 hours. Then remove the paraflex sheets and continue dehydrating at 115F for 6-8 hours.



Note: Recipe is a modification of "Almond and Seed Crackers" from Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Sneaky Pasta and Stir Frys

I just wanted to share this quick note on how to seek a little extra veggies into your toddler on stir fry or pasta nights. I started taking about 1/2 cup of the veggies and sauce for the meal and turning them into what looks like baby food with my immersion blender; I then toss his noodles with a little of this "new sauce". Any extra goes right back in the original dish. In the case of a stir fry it's actually a great way to thicken the sauce naturally without any additives like corn starch.

No need to prep a different sauce for your toddler - one meal for the whole family.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

petit et gros "big and small"

First, I am going to say what I am sure you have heard a thousand times -- and said "yeah, right" after, especially if you have a picky eater: Kids learn by example so if you eat a healthy balanced and varied diet they will. I say both 'yes' and 'no' to this.

If you teach by example, your kids are more likely to grow up and be healthy adults. However, just because you eat a macrobiotic organic vegan diet does not necessarily mean your 2 year old will want to do the same.

One thing I recently realized is that new food are scary even if it's a somewhat familiar food that they are used to eating in a juice or in bread or what not. I came to this epiphany at the grocery store a few weeks ago while staring at some exotic fruit like rambutan, dragon fruit and some other thing that was yellow that I can not even remember the name. I was thinking, "I should get some of these to try it would be good for the monster to learn about these" and then said to myself "what if I don't like them?" and went home with only the usual winter fruits in my basket: banana, oranges, clementines, pineapple and mangos.

I have to say now that I am writing this, I promise next week I will buy one item that I have never tried when I do the groceries.

One thing I also noticed over the holidays is that kids like things their size -- small. Often adult things are just too big. For example C monster has child cutlery; a small pillow; smaller dishes; smaller clothing; smaller bed; smaller potty; even a smaller chair and table. I was eating a clementine and my son said "petit like me" this eventually turned into him trying some.

So one way that I came up with; to make foods a little less intimidating for him is find stuff his size. If I make pizza i make a little one just for him (often he evens helps). I have also tried to find small foods: quail eggs, clementines, baby carrots, baby bananas. The next thing I think I may try is baby cucumbers and baby red peppers; I'm also looking forward to the summer to try kiwi berries with him. Not everything is a success but he is usually interested enough in the tiny foods that he will at least try them. For the record, the quail eggs, clementines and bananas are a success. The carrots, I can get him to eat one here and there so it's a success in the making.

When I'm getting him to try the food the first time, it often helps if both Geoff and I sit down with a regular version of the food and we all try it together. Of course both Geoff and I say "yummy" and "I like this" and ask him "do you like..."?

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Variety is the Key

One of the things we noticed is C Monster is more likely to try something new if it looks like something he is used to.

For example, we can almost always get him to try any white coloured cheese as he knows he likes cheese.

We can get him to try almost any kind of yogurt as he like yogurt.

We can get him to try almost any kind of crackers.

He likes fries so if I cut other things in fry shapes and cook them like fries; he will try them.

He likes rice so I can get him to try other things that look like rice such as quinoa, wheat berries, orzo and barley.

He likes eggs so we got him quail eggs. - I think he like quail eggs even more then chicken eggs.

He does not always love the item we trick him in trying but at least he is trying them and the key to developing a toddlers palate is to get them to taste more and more things.

To get him to eat something new we often tell him it's what he is used to and then after he has had it a few times we would say this kind of rice is called quinoa or that flavour of yogurt is raspberry. If he has already had the item 2 or 3 times he no longer cares that it was not what he though it was he just knows he likes it.