Reston Mom

the great big veg challenge

Still trying to entice your kids to eat their veggies?  Still trying to get up the courage to eat them yourself and set a good example?  Here is an idea that I love!  Charlotte Hume has written The Great Big Veg Challenge - a book which provides simple, fun, and non-intimidating recipes for vegetables from A to Z.  Each letter features a couple of vegetables and several recipes which are appealing to kids and adults alike. Challenge your family to the goal of eating their way through the alphabet by trying a new vegetable each week.  Try attempting at least two recipes per veggie before ruling it out as a continued addition to your diet.  Make it fun and have the kids help prepare the dishes and then rate them.  Keep a list of all the veggies you try on your fridge and watch as the world of veggies expands beyond carrots and corn.  This book may offer a way to take the stress out of exploring and eating vegetables in your house and make it a fun and anticipated part of mealtime.  (You can follow Charlotte and see how she implemented this challenge with her 7 yr. old son at her own great blog.)

7 meals at my house - week 6?

Okay...I've really been slacking on these posts (as a matter of fact, I've been slacking on a lot of things lately, but that's irrelevant)...anyway, here are 7 meals that we have had recently.  I had planned on these posts being just a summer series and getting back to more "Mama Chef" posts this fall...we'll see.

• homemade veggie tortilla pizzas
• grilled chicken breasts with avocado/strawberry saladita
• BLT sandwiches (oh joy for fresh garden ripe tomatoes! - but you saw my disastrous burn in a previous post)
• spinach and tomato crustless quiche and fresh baked challah from Great Harvest Bakery
• meatball and mozzarella sub sandwiches (these make me nostalgic for a particularly tasty version my family used to get from a local restaurant when I was a child)
• veggie spaghetti (spaghetti and marinara with oven roasted zucchini, summer squash, carrots, onions and red bell pepper)
• black bean and cheese enchiladas with garden tomato, lettuce, avocado, and sour cream

a spoonful of sugar

One tsp of sugar equals roughly 4 grams.

In other words, a can of soda which has 39 g of sugar has nearly TEN teaspoonfuls! If you buy a drink mix which instructs you to add 1 cup of sugar to two quarts of water...each 16 oz serving would contain TWELVE teaspoonfuls of sugar!

I've found having this little bit of information in my head really helpful when reading food labels and trying to choose less sugary foods for my family.  13 g of sugar doesn't sound like all that much and is pretty average for a serving of low-sugar cereal.  However when I think about it in terms of topping my kiddo's cereal bowl with 3+ teaspoons of sugar, it does seem like quite a bit to me. 

By the way, sugar contains 16 calories per teaspoon, so that would also be like adding an extra 48 empty calories to my cereal bowl!

Now that's breakfast!

Warm Bisquick-recipe shortcakes with fresh summer peaches and blackberries....now that's something I don't mind getting up for!

summer blackberries

You've got to be kidding me! Look at the size of these monsters! Yum.......

Cooking with Mollie Katzen

I finally got my hands on a book that I'd been anxious to have: The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without by Mollie Katzen.  I can't wait to add some simple new flair to the veggies at our table. But, as I researched a bit more about Katzen (who is famous for her The Moosewood Cookbook), I happily discovered that she has written three cookbooks for kids.  Salad People (preschool and up), Pretend Soup (preschool and up), and Honest Pretzels (8 and up).  Each book is unpretentious, based on good food and real techniques.  I'm anxious to get my hands on Pretend Soup for which each recipe has two layouts:  the first detailing ingredients, safety tips, and a familiar version of the recipe (for the adult) and the second is pictoral with a few easy words (for the child).  The books are vegetarian and so if you are looking for a fun way to get your kids involved in cooking, appreciating good healthy foods, eating more veggies, and having fun - these might be a good place to start!

7 meals at my house - week 7

What we chowed on this week:

• hamburgers w/ tomato/cucumber/vinegar salad and corn on the cob
• chicken salad salads
• Macaroni Grill
• grilled salmon and fresh green beans
• Nana's birthday dinner: steaks, asparagus, avocado/blue cheese salad
• Family night
• fend-for-yourself night

Cheesecake Factory - slices for $1.50

That's right...on Wednesday, July 30th, (which is by the way, National Cheesecake Day!) The C-Factory is celebrating it's 30th anniversary by selling at original prices.  Translation: any slice of cheesecake for a buck fifty!  It's going to be a busy night!
And, I have to thank BeachBabies for the scoop (or should I say, the slice :)

Menu In A Box

First, I have to apologize to my friend Ruthie for my procrastination with this one.  You see, she was kind enough to let me download Menu In A Box for free to give it a try....like back in May! and here I am finally getting around to saying anything about it.  And, I definitely think it is worth saying something about - so you should know that there is this great resource available to anyone who is looking to save time and money, get organized, and provide some new, very easy, friendly meals to their family. Go check it out - it's a 100 day meal-planning kit that includes everything listed in the picture here and it is all so extremely neat and organized and accessible.  We've tried some of the recipes and they were easy and tasty.  The entire program will cost you less than $20 and is downloadable, so you don't have to wait for the mail to come...you can have it today.

7 meals at my house - week 6

here's what we ate this week:

• Chipotle
• steak and mozzarella with onions and peppers on whole-wheat pita
• mandarin orange chicken (Trader Joe's), broccoli and brown rice
• grilled mixed veggies and garlic chicken sausage (also from TJ's)
• homemade pepperoni pizza on whole wheat with peach/pineapple salsa for sauce and spinach salads
• wedding reception
• we had one weird day when Matt was gone, so the girls and I just ate leftover soup

Hooray for Robeks!

I am so excited that we just got a Robeks at Reston Town Center (it's located in front of Le Madeleine).  It's about time we got a fantastic smoothie joint in here!  They've got a great variety of healthy smoothies (with or without supplements) and more....including fresh juice blends like orange/carrot/ginger and apple/beet/carrot and also a yummy menu of sandwiches and salads and frozen yogurt with fruit.  I'm totally going to hit this place up for breakfast soon...a smoothie or some juice and a power muffin for me please!

7 meals at my house - week 5

• hot dogs, mac n' cheese, limas and edamame
• blackbean and veggie quesadillas
• cheesy chicken, red bell pepper, and brown rice casserole
• pizza for the fam, I ate out with friends at Big Bowl and had Kung Pao chicken
• chicken, tortellini, and spinach soup
• "fend for yourself night" as my mom would call it - basically the girls ate sweet potatoes for dinner, I had a cucumber/basil/mint/cream cheese sandwich around 4 and some leftover mac n' cheese and veggies around 9 when my husband came home and fixed himself hot dogs and chips and salsa
• I realize I'm missing one, but I can't for the life of me figure out what it was, my guess would be Chipotle....so goes another week

FYI: not that my recipes are really worth much....but if you should ever have your interest peaked by anything you see, I'd be happy to share if you email me.

cakelove

Okay...I never really have been a big cake fan.  But, I think that may have just changed.  I'm sorry to leave  those of you who don't live in the D.C. metro area drooling...but that's just one more reason for you to come visit (or order some other goodies from this company online)  See, there are a few stores hiding around here by the name of cakelove, started by Warren Brown whom you might recognize as the host of Sugar Rush on The Food Network. - and one just opened up near us in the Tyson's Corner mall.  If you are going to buy a cake, forget about buying one anywhere else.  This is cake for real - all-natural cakes and pastries, nothing but butter (no vegetable shortening or oils), handmade the old-fashioned way each day from scratch (gluten free and vegan varieties available too)....yuh-uh-um! Now, I'm afraid that those of you who are able to go get some, are going to miss out...so just to make sure that you don't forget, I'll tempt you with a few descriptions:

• Neil's Hat Trick: white and dark chocolate cakes sandwich vanilla buttercream and fresh raspberries under a glaze of rich chocolate ganache
• Pumpkin Head: pumpkin butter cake slathered with cream cheese icing and dusted with cinnamon
• Heavenly Hazy: A delightfully light layer of hazelnut cake rests between chocolate or coffee buttercream, hazelnut meringues, and your choice of chocolate or vanilla butter cake
• but if these are a bit too over the top for you....there are other great more traditional options too! and, um, cheesecake too! oh man!  Still not a cake fan? check out the other baked goods...drool.

Let me just say one more thing: CUPCAKES! don't leave the mall without one!

7 meals at my house - week 4

dinners last week:

• Chicken Shu Mai, vegetable birds nests, mandarin orange chicken (all from Trader Joe's) brown rice
• Papa John's Pizza (unexpected take-out)
• tortellini with broccoli/red pepper/mushrooms in sour cream pesto sauce
• poached cod with bok choy and edamame in broth, Thai style soy ginger carrots
• crustless spinach quiche, pineapple/orange smoothies
• Chipotle
• dinner date with hubs - kids chose Spaghetti O's, went to bed early - we ate nachos with everything

7 meals at my house - week 4

This week is a little bit thrown-off as we are leaving tomorrow for vacation...so I only have 5 meals to share with you.

• homemade chunky avocado salsa, shrimp cocktail, grilled apricot halves with scoops of vanilla frozen yogurt (that I made by tossing a carton of yogurt into the freezer and stirring every so often throughout the day)
• cheese pizza and fruit smoothies
• baked BBQ chicken drumsticks, broccoli, fresh pineapple
• homemade blackbean burgers on whole wheat buns with tomato, corn-on-the-cob, fresh pineapple
• ZPizza

7 meals at my house - week 3

• roast beef/shaved asparagus/red bell pepper/goat's cheese in a sun-dried tomato wrap with sweet corn soup
• orange roughy (fish) with lemon, grilled asparagus/broccoli/snap peas/yellow squash, grilled bread with olive oil
• crustless quiche with spinach/bacon/reduced-fat cheddar and large salads of blueberries/strawberries/cherries with drizzles of plain yogurt and agave syrup
• Chipotle
• Hamburgers on the grill with home-made sweet potato fries
• special dinner for family night

7 meals at my house - week 3

• tomato soup, Kashi 7-grain crackers, crudite (carrots, celery, bell pepper) and reduced-fat cheddar (repeat from last week that we never got to because we were invited to eat at a friend's house one night)
• teryaki chicken and veggie stir fry with brown rice noodles (another repeat, we didn't get to this one before either for a similar reason....sorry to bore you)
• lemon spaghetti (whole-wheat) with shrimp and bass (freshly caught that day by my husband :)
• breakfast burrito (eggs, lite all-natural sausage, and tomatoes in a sun-dried tomato tortilla) with fruit smoothies
• Pei Wei (with our girls, if it ain't Chipotle - it's Pei Wei!)
• Ribs on the grill with corn on the cob, grilled bread, and homemade apple sauce
• Matt and I go out on a date, the girls get to choose whatever they want - they chose chicken nugget Kid Cuisines.

Splenda, not so splendid.

Splenda seemed like a little miracle when it came out - a no-calorie, alternative sweetener made from sugar that's totally safe to consume.  Revolutionary?  Maybe not....it seems that it is following in the footsteps of former chemical sweeteners, quickly embraced only to be found unsafe years later. 
Splenda is chlorinated sugar - a chlorocarbon, and it contains three atoms of chlorine in every one of it's molecules.   Common chlorocarbons are all deadly, for example DDT.   While Splenda has produced toxic results in research animals, there have been no long-term studies conducted to determine the potential health effects of Splenda on humans, including children.  Splenda can be found in over 3,500 food products. And while it is still approved by the FDA, I guess we're learning the same lesson over and over again - there is no miracle chemical replacement for sugar.  We do best to stick to natural sources of sweetness and to address the reasons we are so addicted to sugar in the first place (I'm talking to myself here, the QUEEN of sweet-teeth.)  And, if you decide to avoid chemical sweeteners...you might wish to know that foods labeled "all-natural"  may still contain Splenda. This is allowed because Splenda is made from sugar.  Check the ingredients for "sucralose" to determine whether the product contains Splenda or not.  Other chemical sweeteners include Aspartame (Sweet-N-Low, Equal) and Neotame. 

7 meals at my house - week 2

• tomato soup with Kashi whole-grain crackers, crudite (celery/carrot sticks), and reduced fat cheddar cheese
• apricot chicken with brown rice, steamed broccoli and cauliflower
• teriyaki stir-fry with chicken, various vegetables, and brown rice noodles
• frozen pizza (quick and easy fix for having extra family over)
• Chipotle (yes, I pretty much plan this into the menu for each week because it's kind of a given that we'll end up there at least one night - we love it!)
• family night dinner (more on that later)
• Memorial Day? sending Matt to the store with some $$ to pick out cook-out food of his choice

7 meals - week 1

Here's last week's dinner menu:

• vegetarian chili with light sour cream, avocado, and corn bread
• grilled summer squash/zucchini/carrots/snap peas/onion/bell pepper marinated in balsamic dressing, grilled bread with olive oil and smeared with roasted garlic, grilled bananas and pineapple, and 2 left-over bratwurst
• hamburgers on whole wheat buns with baked sweet potato fries and raw sugar snap peas
• whole-wheat zucchini-carrot muffins with flax, eggs, fresh fruit salad (bananas, pineapple, cherries)
• Chipotle
• grilled cheese on whole wheat, fruit smoothies, and raw red bell pepper strips
• the girls pick a favorite meal for themselves - this time, spaghetti-O's and steamed cauliflower, I pick a hubby-pleasing meal for an in-home dinner date post kiddo bedtime - this time, chicken fettuccine alfredo with broccoli.

Mama Chef - meal planning

Planning dinner for my family is not always an easy task.  Here are some of the things that I consider each week:

• staying within my budget
• healthful food
• some nights must be extremely quick and easy to prepare
• I get really bored with repetition, and having a good variety is more nutritious
• but I have small children who would rather stick to their favorites
• I also need to consider my husband's preferences
• each week I let the girls help choose one meal for our menu

We sit down to a meal as a family every night because we really find it valuable, but sometimes I go crazy trying to figure out what to serve.  I love to hear what other people are dishing up because it inspires me, turns on my own creativity or just comforts and encourages me.  So, I thought I'd start posting 7 meals at my house regularly (in other words, what we eat for dinner each week) so that you can see how I manage this and hopefully derive something good from it whatever that may be.  You'll get to see the good-for-you-food along with the bad-for-you-food that we eat and how random my menu is and I'll totally welcome comments and suggestions.  Keep an eye out for this week's menu!

Iceberry

At the risk of you thinking my family are ice-cream junkies due to several recent posts - I thought I'd post on Iceberry.  If you haven't found it in the Reston Town Center yet, you've just got to walk down a little farther past Starbucks.  It's a rip-off of Pinkberry, a very swanky, trendy, modern hot spot started in Beverly Hills and now located throughout CA and NY (Paris Hilton's fave).  Rip-off or not, it's still got what makes Pinkberry hot.   Fat-free, low-sugar, all-natural real frozen yogurt.  The soft-serve frozen treat still retains some of the slightly tart flavor characteristic of yogurt and all the benefits associated with eating it.  There are only two flavors in the store - vanilla and honeydew (sometimes green tea), but a medium comes loaded with up to three toppings, including my picks: gorgeous strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries and other fresh fruits and nuts (such as sliced almonds)....or you can go the candy route with gummy bears, oreo cookies, m&m's and more.  It isn't cheap, but it's a great dessert with some real healthful benefits.  It's worth checking out. There are also smoothies and organic coffee.  And, if you don't live in Reston, there are copies creeping up everywhere - so keep an eye out!

Reston Farmer's Market

Lake Anne has long been host to a summer farmer's market in Reston, but tonight my family stumbled upon a great surprise - Reston Town Center now hosts a farmer's market every Thursday.  Located in the grassy plaza in front of G.R.A.C.E., it was great to see so many people milling about, taking in the local produce and other goods, and just hanging out with the green grass and the sun.  I'm such a sucker for farmer's markets - glad to see another one so close and in such a fun location!

Milwaukee Frozen Custard

With hot weather straight ahead, you've got to know where the best ice cream joints are! My family and I finally made it over to Milwaukee on Elden St. in Herndon for a first visit to try out the famous frozen custard.  The place was great with plenty of seating and a little train that runs on a track overhead (a hit with the kids, of course)...and the custard is thick and smooth and creamy and rich.  It operates a little like a Dairy Queen - van/choc flavors (plus flavor of the day) and a ton of great toppings which can be served up sundae style or blizzard-style (they call it a concrete).  What makes custard stand out among ice cream and frozen yogurt is it's richness in flavor and super smooth texture - yum!  Also the fact that it has to contain at least 10% butterfat to qualify as "custard."  That, and the addition of egg yolk (watch out for this place if you have allergies).  However, they do offer a sugar-free, low net-carb version of vanilla. They've also got milkshakes and malts and other great stuff. And amazingly, pickles.  Ice cream and pickles - only a pregnant woman would dream of it!  There are six locations around the area including Chantilly, Ashburn and Leesburg.

Free Cone Day

Don't forget! - tommorrow is free cone day at Ben and Jerry's.

grocery shopping

I've put it off for as long as I can...tomorrow is grocery shopping day.  Everybody has a different system for this, I thought I'd share my own just because.  I am not a stock-the-pantry kind of shopper and I grocery shop once every week.  I plan the week's dinner menu in advance, order my list by department, then take my week's budget in cash to the store.  Our budget has often in the past been very limited, so it has taught me how to shop with a smaller amount of money.  Which means, I don't get suckered into spontaneous buys or buying a lot of junky foods because I simply don't have the money to do that - and what I have is in cash, so I also don't overspend our budget.  We don't have any food that goes bad in our refrigerator, because I only keep a week's worth of food in there and by the end of the week it has all been eaten.  In fact, shopping becomes a must because there simply isn't any food in the house anymore.  Not just that there isn't any food that we don't prefer or feel like...there really is very little food at all.  (Of course I have flour and sugar and oil and stuff like that in the pantry...) This also means that our family eats all the healthy stuff I buy, because the options are limited.  So, by the end of the week you either eat what is there, or you go hungry.  If there is something that I buy in more bulk than we eat in a week (something like rice maybe) then I'll try hard to work it into the menu for the next week.  This system works for me and I like that it isn't wasteful.  I also like that I can go more with my moods.  I often check the weather before planning my menu because I know if it will be 80 degrees I'll feel more like something fresh and light than a hearty cold-weather meal. 

Starbucks truffles

Starbucks has won the hearts of moms all over for the classy indulgence with a caffeine pick-me-up...and while lately I've begun to feel a bit disenchanted, I found myself totally wooed again by this duo: Starbucks + Hershey's.  The result? coffee and tea truffles...mmmmm...... How did I miss this? I saw them at Target today in flavors such as Milk Chocolate Caffe Mocha, Dark Chocolate Vanilla Bean, Dark Chocolate Espresso, and the one I'm dying to try: Milk Chocolate Chai.  I did not purchase them, so I haven't tried them yet and can't speak to how good may be - but if you want to get my attention, chocolate is definitely one way to do it.  Chocolate with Starbucks coffee in it?  Say no more.

marshmallow roast

Perhaps not the safest item for children, I still really love our patio fire pit and think they are a great family item.   It's perfect in the fall for sitting around with chums or keeping warm while eating outside...and it's great in the spring too.  Since today was so cool and spitty, we decided to make use of the pit once more before the heat and humidity fully descend upon us.  So, after dinner we headed out with the girls and a bag of marshmallows for a family roast. It was so much fun!  We are taking the girls and my little sister camping in the Shenandoah this summer and it was fun to imagine our first camping trip while staring at my two-year-old giddy with marshmallow beard and gooey strings between her fingers.  It also reminds me that a great s'mores pie is never more than one pre-made graham cracker crust, brownie mix, and bag of marshmallows away! (bake the mix in the pie crust until not quite done, place the marshmallows cut in halves to cover all the top and stick under broiler until golden).

Ewwwww!

Want a food that will serve double duty as nourishment and a beauty booster? How about a peach-flavored Placenta 10000 jelly drink?  - yes, that's right.  It's named because it has 10,000mg of placenta in it. (from pigs).  This new Japanese drink is used to enhance beauty, but apparently there are claims that there are other health benefits as well including increased breast-milk supply and reduced chances of post-partum depression.  Many other animals consume the placenta....but should we be counted among them? Um....count me out. 

recipe substitutions

So you've got to make this dish to take to this thing, you've got no time and kids who need your attention and halfway into the recipe which calls for an egg, you suddenly realize you're out with no hope of getting to the store for more...what do you do? Either throw in the towel...or substitute for the egg:
2 1/2 tablespoons of powdered egg substitute plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water OR 1/4 cup liquid egg substitute OR 1/4 cup silken tofu pureed OR 3 tablespoons mayonnaise OR half a banana mashed with 1/2 teaspoon baking powder OR 1 tablespoon powdered flax seed soaked in 3 tablespoons water.
Betcha didn't know you could do that!
Allrecipes has a great table of common substitutions - check it out.

Nanny-cakes

Matt's grandmother called "Nanny" was famous for making "nanny-cakes" - pancakes that she would pour onto the griddle in shapes requested by the grandkids.  She did this by hand, although now you can buy fun pancake molds from stores like Williams Sonoma.  The way I like to do it is to use one of those plastic condiment bottles to "draw" the pancake shapes.  I'm not really very good at it yet. I don't get much practice since we don't eat pancakes very often, but the girls love asking for pancakes in the shapes of animals, houses, people, crowns, and more.  Eventually they'll be old enough to try making the shapes themselves.  Those plastic bottles are also really great for decorating cookies with royal icing.  For one birthday party, we provided home-baked cookies and bottles of icing in three different colors on each table and let the kids decorate their own cookies.  We also provided little cellophane bags so that they could take their cookies home with them.  Because of the small spout, the kids can have more control and less mess! 

coffee might be good for you!

I recently read this article about some recent research that showed that caffeine "may cut the risk of dementia by blocking the damage cholesterol can inflict on the body." 

"A vital barrier between the brain and the main blood supply of rabbits fed a fat-rich diet was protected in those given a caffeine supplement. The "blood brain barrier" is a filter which protects the central nervous system from potentially harmful chemicals carried around in the rest of the bloodstream. "Caffeine appears to block several of the disruptive effects of cholesterol that make the blood-brain barrier leaky," said Dr Jonathan Geiger, who led the study. UK experts said it was the "best evidence yet" of coffee's benefits."

While it's yet to be seen whether the results are the same in people, it might be just the excuse you're looking for to continue your Starbucks habit!  Although, caffeine in large amounts is still not so very good for you, so it might be best to cut back to one cup per day.

heavenly cupcakes

Easter fell on my father's birthday this year - so we traveled to celebrate with my folks.  I baked some special pies but additionally made these angel-food cupcakes. I just used a box mix, but discovered something really terrific - because the batter incorporates so much air, you can easily get two dozen or more cupcakes from one cake!  You will need to fill the cups generously as the individual cakes shrink a little bit as they cool, but you'll still have enough for tons of cupcakes.  I thought this would be a great idea for those times when you need to bring something to your child's class or a party.  The cupcakes are pretty and tasty just as is if you want to forgo the icing - and they are not at all crumbly like regular cupcakes, so they won't make a mess and end up all over kids and ground into the carpet.  We iced ours with a light, whipped white icing and added shredded coconut and bunny-shaped marshmallows to some.  They were so tasty!  This would also make an easy one-serving portion for strawberry shortcakes or an easy low-fat lunchbox treat.   

Sugar-free peeps!

I just tried some of these sugar-free peeps.  I couldn't resist - how can you not wonder how a sugar-coated marshmallow can be made sugar-freeI Isn't "sugar-free" like the antithesis of peeps? There are just three in a package, one for me and each of my girls - so I figured we'd give it a whirl - curiosity got the better of me.  Actually, made with splenda, the peeps were really pretty good.  They aren't the same as the real thing at all, in my opinion, however.  They are a little less sickeningly sweet (a good thing) and very vanilla-y. The coating is not the crystally-crunchy sugar that characterizes the original peeps, but overall I'd say they are a worthy substitution.  My daughter Hope who loves marshmallows but despises peeps gave them her stamp of approval.  So, if you're looking to reduce the amount of sugar in your Easter baskets this year, but can't part with your traditional peep candy...I definitely think these are worth a try. 

ruminating about food

I've been thinking about how not to make food an issue with my children.  It should be the simplest thing. When you're hungry, fuel your body with something good.  The end, right?  But I keep running across stories that, as a mom, make me think:

• my husband eats out at a sandwich shop with friends who point out that he's the only one with white bread. He tells them that his wife only buys whole-wheat and so when he goes out he chooses just whatever he likes.
• a friend who grew up in a "granola" household and binged on Lucky Charms at college
• a friend who was told she had several food allergies as a child but ate all that stuff anyway when she was at school or away from her parents (obviously her "allergies" weren't the fatal kind)
• a friend who says that she became obese in response to her parents' control issues

And many more. I'm trying not to make food an issue in our home.  We're not members of the clean plate club. I don't bribe my kids with dessert or offer food rewards very often.  I do try to teach them about healthy food choices.  I do feel it is my job to help protect their health while they aren't in charge of those choices yet, but I don't really deprive them of anything. It's all pretty moderate around here.  I don't want food to become a battle-ground for independence, or something they covet or become sneaky about, reward or comfort themselves with.  I simply want them to eat whatever good things are available when they need to eat.  But I've known way too many people and heard way too many stories about food issues related to childhood.  All I know is that eating is a vital part of survival and parents are concerned with it in so many various ways.  I hope I'm doing a good job of keeping the equation simple, natural, and healthy for my children.  Does anyone else think about this?

Mama Chef - nut butters

Because of the rise in allergies to peanuts and the nutritional benefits of other nuts and seeds, yummy alternatives (such as Sunbutter - made from sunflower seeds, naturally and deliciously sweet) are becoming more widely available.  But, did you know that you can make whatever kind of nut-butter you'd like simply by using your own food processor? Try making a fresh nutty treat (filled with protein, fiber, and essential fatty acids) for spreading on breads, for dipping, or incorporating into sauces and recipes. A fave of mine is to use a fresh nut/seed butter with thinly sliced granny-smith apples on a whole-wheat sandwich. Or for a unique treat, try mixing a couple together. Here are some tips:

• Cashew butter - about 2 min. of processing, ideal for sandwiches
• Almond butter - 2 1/2 minutes for roasted whole almonds, 3 1/2 min. for slivered, toasted almonds. Use in both sweet and savory dishes, great with apples and/or cheeses like Gouda or Brie
• Macadamia - SOOOOO yummy! 2 min. - but chill to thicken it, great for desserts!
• Hazelnut - grainy, thick, fruity, and naturally sweet. 2 1/2 min.  Process as is for bags of chopped nuts, or toast whole nuts at 400 degrees 5 min. and rub them in a dishtowel to remove skins.  Try adding an equal amount of chocolate syrup to this one for a decadent spread!
• Pecan - about 1 min. to process, great with meats - best for recipes because the skins leave a bit of a bitter aftertaste
• Peanut - use plain roasted peanuts, 2 min.  lighter, grainier, but fresher and tastier than commercial brands
• Pistachio - dry and crumbly, 3 - 4 min.  Best combined with something else, ie: cream cheese
• Walnut - 1 min, better for recipes due to bitter aftertaste of skins

Back to Nature Bakery Squares

I'm always on the lookout for good snack options for my kids.  Ideally, I'd have prepared fresh fruit or veggies always on hand...but in reality, I really need something that I can grab with no preparation, throw into the bottom of a bag somewhere and forget about for a couple of days.  I recently picked up a box of these Back to Nature Bakery Squares and was instantly fond of them.  The Banana Walnut squares taste nearly the same as the Banana Odwalla bars (which my kids already love) but they are about the size of one cookie - which makes them just right for little hands and tummies.  Plus, they are fairly healthy with ingredients like organic oatmeal, organic dried bananas, organic whole wheat flour, organic wheat bran...and they don't have any High Fructose Corn Syrup, Hydrogenated oils, or artificial flavors or preservatives.  The only downfall is that there are only five per box - upside? The entire box is small enough to fit in your diaper bag and they also come in oatmeal raisin. 

Mr. Chocolate Easter Bunny

While I was in Tree Top Kids recently, I spied a cute item in the Easter section - it looked exactly like those chocolate easter bunnies you see from Russell Stover and other companies....except inside the box was a cute milk or white-chocolate plush bunny.  I somehow remembered that it was made by Ganz and searched all over the internet to try to find it again and didn't have much luck.  I did also happen to find this cute chocolate bunny from Lilly Bean.  So, if you aren't so keen on stuffing your little one's basket full of sugary, caffeine containing, messy melty treats - then perhaps you'll fall in love with these alternatives too. 

Mama Chef - Yogurt, part 6

Here are some ways to use yogurt as a healthy substitute:

• replace half the mayonnaise in dishes such as cole slaw, potato salad, pasta salad, dips and appetizers with plain yogurt
• substitute plain yogurt for buttermilk or sour cream in baking recipes such as muffins, cake, and pancakes
• eat frozen yogurt instead of ice cream (look for the LAC (live active cultures) seal.  yogurt used in fruit smoothies and shakes makes a good dessert alternative to ice cream
• replace your sour cream topping for potatoes, tacos, and chili, etc... with greek-style plain yogurt
• use plain greek-style yogurt for veggie or fruit dips - you can add your own spices or sweeteners
• entice your kids to eat their veggies by using plain yogurt as a dip instead of ranch

Try Tzatziki (Greek-style dip) as a wonderful, flavorful dip for falafel, pita sandwiches, dipping breads,meats, veggies, crisp pita wedges or (a personal fave - pretzel chips) and more.  It will make a nice replacement for the common ranch dip at your next get-together.  This recipe is easy to vary for personal taste:
2 C plain greek-style yogurt
1 cucumber (preferably English ie: seedless) - peeled or unpeeled, finely chopped or grated
1 tbls coarse salt
2 tbls fresh lemon juice or dry white wine
1 garlic clove pressed or minced
2 tbls minced fresh dill
mixed together, keep cold, drizzle with a little ev olive oil before serving if desired

Mama Chef - Yogurt, part 5

I'm going to take this opportunity to rave about Greek-style yogurt.  If you have not discovered it, you definitely at least need to try it!  I hear that Fage is wonderful, but I haven't yet tried it as I find the need to flinch every time I see the price. However, Trader Joe's sells their own brand of Greek-style for about half the price and even if it isn't as good as Fage, it really meets my craving.  I have to warn you though, that a spoonful of plain greek-style yogurt taken unawares might come across as eating a big spoonful of super-thick sour cream.  However, the super creamy thickness and pungent tangy flavor is really, really good (and I hear it doesn't even compare to actually eating yogurt in Europe where I've read that it was better than ice cream!).  But if you mix in some honey or fruit, you might just fix your craving for ice cream with a super yummy and healthy replacement.  You can also substitute this for veggie dips and for dishes where you use sour cream.  My absolute favorite breakfast right now is a sundae made with two layers of Greek style yogurt each topped with a little bit of agave syrup and finally topped with frozen blueberries and a little crunchy wheatgerm.
I also just wanted to mention that there are a variety of yogurts available that are made from sheep's milk, goat's milk, or buffalo milk as well if you are looking for a little yogurt adventure.  Try Whole Foods Markets or specialty stores for a decent variety.
Keep an eye out for Mama Chef's final yogurt posts - more tasty ideas and recipes!

We've got the scoop....

Ben and Jerry's 30th annual free cone day! Tuesday April 29th, 12pm-8pm. Free small cones from Ben and Jerry stores nationwide in the flavor of your choice (want to try a new 2008 flavor?) - how can you pass that up? Last year it was a freezing, blustery day here but we still went and got cones and the girls had fun with a little family outing, a sweet treat, and a person dressed up like a giant cow :) The only question for us this time is whether we'll be visiting the one at Reston Town Center or at Fairfax Corner.  Here's a hint - go at an odd time of day, like not around mealtimes when it will be pretty crowded. By the way, B&J have a great website with lots of fun stuff including games, crafts, and holiday activities.

Mama Chef - Yogurt, part 4

What's the difference between Swiss-style, European-style, and Greek style? Here's what you need to know when shopping most yogurt aisles:

• set style - the "yogurt" mixture is charged to it's container and allowed to "set" or ferment in the container.  The result is a slightly firm, gel-like consistency, though the level of firmness can really vary.  Often referred to as "custard style"  or "Sundae style."  "Fruit on the bottom" yogurts - where there is a thin layer of preserves on the bottom of the container is a set style.
• stirred style - the "yogurt" is fermented in bulk and the fruit is stirred in prior to filling the individual packages.  This is often referred to as "Swiss style" and on occasion as "Continental" or "French style."  Yoplait "custard style" yogurts are actually stirred style and sort of nicknamed "custard style" because of the custard like texture - which I believe either comes from gelatin or extra stabilizers.  "Swiss" style generally tends to be thicker than "French" style because it has more of these kinds of solidifying agents.
• note on "European style" - I haven't figured out what this means yet....I think it is like "French" style, you'll find that it is a lot like what you are used to as far as American yogurt, but maybe a little thinner.
• strained style - the yogurt has been strained to remove the whey resulting in a very thick consistency somewhere between yogurt and cheese while retaining the characteristic sour flavor.  "Greek" yogurt is strained style.  Since much of the liquid has been taken out, the nutrients are more concentrated - for example, there may be more than twice as much protein per container.  Watch out for yogurts claiming to be "Greek" style, but have been thickened using agents such as gelatin, pectin, carageenan, etc... instead of strained.
• drinkable - drinkable yogurts have become very popular in America recently.  These really are just a liquid-like version of yogurt, thin enough to drink.  Those that are marketed as yogurt "smoothies" are usually an equal mix of fruit juice and yogurt.  Other kinds of drinks containing yogurt or made from fermented milk have been around since ancient times.  Kefir is probably the among the most well known to Americans.  True Kefir contains several healthy strains of bacteria not usually found in yogurt and so may also present added health benefits. 

Mama Chef - Yogurt, part 3

Health benefits of eating yogurt:

• if possible, choose yogurt that is organic and made from rBGH-free milk
• many flavored yogurts are very high in added refined sugar content, choose plain, low-sugar or sugar-free varieties
• yogurt is a good source of calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin-vitamin B2 and iodine
• yogurt is also a source of vitamin B12, pantothenic acid-vitamin B5, zinc, potassium, and protein.
• Lactobacillus, a probiotic (friendly) bacteria found in yogurt offers "remarkable preventive and curative" effects on arthritis, say Israeli researchers in a study published in the Journal of Nutrition.
• Helicobater pylori the bacterium responsible for most ulcers, can be shut down by yogurt, suggests a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
• a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that enjoying full-fat yogurt may significantly reduce risk for colorectal cancer due to a number of potentially cancer-preventive factors, including a protective fat called conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has also been shown to be cardioprotective.
• consuming sugar-free yogurt can help lower levels of hydrogen sulfide and other volatile sulfide compounds responsible for bad breath, and may also eliminate tongue-coating bacteria and reduce dental plaque formation, cavities, and risk for gingivitis.
• It's not just its calcium that makes yogurt a bone-friendly food, cow's milk and fermented milk products such as yogurt and kefir also contain lactoferrin, an iron-binding protein that boosts the growth and activity of osteoblasts (the cells that build bone), reduces the rate at which they die and reduces the formation of the cells that break-down bone (thus helping prevent/reverse osteoporosis), and increases the proliferation of cells that help build cartilage.
• consuming bacteria-rich yogurt may help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol
• consuming bacteria-rich yogurt may help to bolster your immune system
• consuming calcium-rich foods such as yogurt may help aid in weight loss
• If you have allergies to dairy, you may be able to gain a few of the same health benefits from bacteria-rich soy yogurt

Mama Chef - Yogurt, part 2

Strepto....Lactobasilla....what?
If you can get past the scientific names, here's what those labels on your yogurt container are all about:
In order to be named "yogurt" in the U.S., 2 kinds of bacteria must be present (Streptococcus salivarius subsp. thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus) but sometimes there are other cultures used as well...commonly L. acidophilus, L. casei,  Bifidobacterium.  Because of this you might see it marketed as "probiotic." 
Probiotics are simply dietary supplements containing bacteria or yeasts that are beneficial to health.  The bacteria used in yogurt are beneficial because as seen when converting the milk sugars into lactic acid, they lower the pH which helps to prevent the growth of other harmful strains of bacteria, creating health benefits in preventing gastrointestinal infections.
Within your gut - digestive tract - there is a nice balance of naturally helpful bacteria - this is important for maintaining good digestion, ridding the body of harmful organisms, maintaining good immunity, etc... This balance can be thrown off - the numbers of helpful bacteria decreased - through a number of things including stress, allergies, exposure to toxic substances, recent use of antibiotics, excessive alcohol use and more. When healthy bacteria fail to thrive, it may allow competing strains of harmful bacteria to thrive instead to our detriment. The use of probiotics are used to aid the body in maintaining that healthy balance.  However, yogurt is not a cure-all as maintaining this balance is dependent on many factors, including a healthy diet overall including soluble fiber (also called prebiotics). 
Um, so WHAT DOES THIS MEAN WHEN I'M CHOOSING YOGURT? Basically, you just need to know that the bacteria in the yogurt is good for you, so don't freak out that you are eating bacteria and that pasteurized yogurt does not contain these live bacteria in the final product, therefore choose yogurt that is marked as having "live active cultures."

Mama Chef - Yogurt, part 1

I hated yogurt when I was a kid, mostly because I didn't like the texture of the goopy fruit on the bottom.   Now, I still steer clear of fruit-on-the-bottom, but I really enjoy a nice creamy yogurt - I've even learned to love the natural tangy-ness of plain, unflavored yogurt.  So, what exactly am I eating when I spoon this thick dairy concoction into my mouth? Well...yogurt is the product of a bacterial fermentation of milk.  The bacteria eat up the milk sugar (lactose) and release lactic acid as a waste product - this lactic acid acts on milk protein to give the yogurt it's thicker creamy texture and tangy taste.
People who are lactose intolerant can usually eat yogurt without ill effect because the lactose has already been digested by the bacteria, bypassing the need for the intolerant individual to create the necessary enzymes to break it down themselves.  Keep an eye out for part 2 when I'll share more about the particular cultures used in yogurt and their beneficial value...and more good and helpful stuff to come later!

Mama Chef - Yogurt

So, you are standing in the dairy aisle of your grocery store staring at shelves stocked with a variety of yogurts - all natural, fruit flavored, drinkable, "live cultures", "probiotic", Greek-style, European-style, creamy and Swiss-style...yogurts for babies, new moms, with and without added fiber.  It can be a little confusing and overwhelming these days as yogurt has become popular and available in wide variety.  Throughout the next week, I'll provide a little overview including what is yogurt? the different styles and nutritional benefits of it, it's growing popularity, how to choose and store it and some tasty ways to enjoy it. 

Kellogg's cereal straws

Through visiting with the cousins we encountered these Kellogg's cereal straws.   I was both totally appalled and really intrigued.  I grew up in a household free of sugary cereals, and to this day I really can't stand them.  But, I'm a sucker for innovation and advertising - so I admit, I tried one out just for curiosity.  While I would not buy these and try to avoid products that are devoid of natural nutrition (you do know that the vitamins are sprayed on, right?) and full of sugar - especially to start the day  - it was sort of convenient and fun.  But it is kind of sad too that so many kids these days aren't enjoying the benefits of slowing down for a good healthy breakfast - even the convenient bowl of cereal has become too much to ask - instead we must rush out of the house with our cup of milk and a cereal straw?  We're sticking my girls' favorite - a warm bowl of oatmeal. 

TSP spices

I love these and think they would make fun gifts too! I saw them in a specialty store recently and now am surprised that I hadn't heard of them previously. TSP organic spices are pre-measured into always-fresh 1 teaspoon packets and come packaged in a cute little tin.  It will be a snap to have your kids help add the spice ingredients to your recipes with no mess, or to top their oatmeal or toast, as an addition to cider or to make your tomato soup a bit more savory!

Y Water?

Whole Foods will offer a new product early next year called Y Water - this vitamin-infused, flavored organic water drink is aimed at children and comes in a fun Y-shaped bottle that doubles as a toy.  The drink itself comes in four low-sugar flavor varieties aimed at different target areas of the body - bone, muscle, brain, and immunity. For example, Y Bone water has calcium and other vitamins mixed with organic black carrot juice, strawberry, banana, and a touch of spearmint oil while Y Brain water has zinc, rosemary, lemon and caramel.  The bottle can be reused as a toy as it has special connectors which allow kids to stick the bottles together to form "lego-like" constructions.  The product, while innovative, has met with both enthusiasm and harsh criticism with discussion ranging from health benefits (or detriments like cane sugar) to whether reusable packaging offers a good "green" solution when perhaps it would be better if plastic bottles weren't being manufactured at all.  Well, people will always have opinions about these things....but I think the design is really creative and it will be interesting to see whether it is worth it to parents and kids to spend a whopping $1.69 per bottle. 
(ht: Business Week)

Valentine's goodies

My daughters and I put together these little goodies for a couple of friends - hot cocoa, homemade marshmallows, and homemade chocolate spoons with little cinnamon red hots.  If you have never made your own marshmallows - oh my goodness! - they are fabulous!!!! You'll never want another store-bought mallow again.  And, you can flavor them however you want.  I'm including the recipe for plain marshmallows here, but Hope has put in a request for pink strawberry flavored ones in the future, and I also plan to add a little peppermint extract to a batch (oh so good in hot chocolate!) and a little almond extract