Children's books and recipes

During this week's library visit, I discovered a series of food related children's books by Monica Wellington. I love these books! They are colorful, easy for beginner readers, and best of all have recipes at the end of the book that relates to the topic! Below are the three books that my library had, but looking on line I discovered that there are also coloring books and stickers that are food related. How fun! 

     

            

   

After reading the above three books, my kids picked the peanut butter cookie recipe from the Mr. Cookie Baker book. We used homemade peanut butter, doubled the vanilla extract, and added peanut butter chips at the children's suggestion. My husband and I really liked them, but the children said it was too peanut buttery. What? It's a peanut butter cookie, how could it be too peanut buttery? My six year old said it was because we added the peanut butter chips! Well, lesson learned. They also had a choice of adding chocolate chips, but they out voted me.
 It was so much fun to have the children in the kitchen excited about cooking after reading. I'm I teaching them to be like me? Reading a recipe from a book/magazine/online then having to rush to the kitchen in excitement to test it out? Maybe, but that's a good thing. They will be able to cook when it's time for them to be on their own.

Doughnuts are popping up every where!

I have a love-hate relationship with doughnuts. I love good fresh doughnuts and hate the ones that are prepackaged or sold at the national chains. I can eat a cake doughnut almost any time, but the yeast raised ones, I'm a little bit more picky about since I've gotten quite a few tummy aches from too many bad ones. I'm a little bit more cautious and skeptical when I try new doughnuts. My benchmark for perfect doughnuts are those from the Doughnut Plant in New York.

The last time we were in New York, my husband and I tried six different flavors and all were scrumptious.  I am so lucky I don't live in New York or else I would be there every day. Here in Chicago there have been many new doughnut "pop-ups" and shops. You know I have to go do my research! I went to Square Donutz, Dirty Betty's and Doughnut Vault.

http://squaredonutz.tumblr.com/

Beignet style. Lots of sugar and delish with a hot cup of coffee!

http://www.dirtybettys.com/

Baked, not fried and oh so moist and cake like!

From top to bottom: Fresh banana with Nutella glaze,  Blueberry with lemon glaze, and  Chocolate toffee.

http://thedoughnutvault.tumblr.com/

I had to get one of each flavor.

The gingerbread doughnut on the bottom is the size of traditional doughnuts.  The chocolate glazed doughnut is the size of my 23 month old's head! 

This is my tasting plate.

The kids had a tasting too. They had half of the portion that's on my plate. Don't worry, they only took two bites max of each one and stopped because it was too sweet for them.

They were all very yummy in their own unique way. I would take the kids earlier next time I go to the Doughnut Vault so that we can be one of the first people in line and not have to wait over an hour for a dozen doughnuts. Nuts! I know, but we did it all in the name of research and let me tell you it was well worth it!

Unique treats: home free cookies

This year at the Sweets and Snacks Expo I met some really incredible people making exceptional sweets and snacks that are for those of us who want something a little better than the norm. I picked up a few packages of these cookies to taste with the kids to see what they had to say. 

These cookies were made for people with food sensitivities and allergies, but can be enjoyed by everyone! I am so excited about this product because with the "no peanut" rule in most schools  kids can still have a yummy treat with lunch. After meeting Jill at the show, she sent us two boxes of her yummy home free chocolate chip and vanilla cookies for the kiddos. I don't ever buy packaged chocolate chip or vanilla cookies because I make those at home and because the ones that are available are super sweet and have ingredients I don't want to feed my kids. 

I love these because they are made with mostly organic ingredients. They are peanut free, tree nut free, egg free, dairy free, gluten free, no GMOs, low sodium, no Trans Fat, no cholesterol and made with whole grain. I do not do specialty baking at home unless it is testing a recipe for work, so these are something I would definitely purchase! There are six mini cookies per individual package and are 130 calories. These cookies were light, airy, crunchy, slightly sweet and reminiscent of  a meringue cookie. You can find a store near you or purchase them online here.

I love these, but you're probably wondering if I really shared them with the kids. Yes, indeed I did and here is their review.

Me:  "Kai what is your favorite flavor?"

Kai: "Both!"

Me: "Why?"

Kai: "I like chocolate chips and the vanilla cookies taste like lemon, but it's not because it's vanilla."

Me: "Huh? What, you think the vanilla tastes like lemon?".....pause to pick up a package and read ingredients..."Wow! You're good! There is organic lemon juice in the vanilla cookies!" (Being only six years old this kid has some taste buds!)

Kai: "Can I please have more cookies."

Me: "Okay."

When I asked my four year old and two year old if they liked the cookies they both said yes and asked for more!

The fab people at home free not only make good food, they also donate a portion of their profits to organizations that provide food allergy research and education. I have many friends with food allergies and sensitivities so I really appreciate what home free is doing.  Check them out on facebook to see what they're up to.

It's almost Halloween, so these would be a great sweet alternative to candy!

 Thank you Jill Robbins!

Getting ready for school.

The summer is winding down. The weather is cooling off and we are getting ready for back to school at our house. Kai will be in first grade and Bella will start preschool! It's going to be a busy and exciting season for everyone.

I organized our entrance with hooks for backpacks, clip boards for homework, file folders for important papers, a calendar for important dates and added a border for the kids art work. I am excited about all the new lunch containers I have for the kids. You know that I'm crazy for bento box lunches! Each kid has four different bento style containers and new drink bottles.

Reusable water/drink containers.

Koozio aluminium water bottle, 13 oz Bobble water with filter bottle, Life Factory 13 oz glass bottle.

Goodbyn lunch containers come with stickers for decorating and a drink bottle.

(the Bobble did not come with, I purchased these at a show and they didn't have them with bottles. The three drink containers above all fit in the byn.)

I purchased the new bento on the left from World Market, the Sistema KlipIt Lunch Cube and Klipo cutlery set from the Container Store, and the lunch Thermos from Target. 

These are the bento boxes the kids had last year. They are still in good shape and I will be using them this year too.

I love this alcohol free hand sanitizer! One of these last the whole school year! I keep one in everybody's lunch box to clean their hands before and after lunch.

The lunch packing starts next week and I have lots of snacks and treats to share with you.  Enjoy the long weekend!

It's summer time and I wish I was a kid.

When I was eight, I loved summer! I would spend my days playing outside with my friends until the sun went down. All I had to do was play and I had no responsibilities except for remembering to feed our guinea pig.

Now, I wake up at 7 a.m. (that's sleeping in, since 5:30 a.m. is school wake up time) try to finish a cup of coffee before it gets cold from me getting breakfast and lunch ready for the kids. Really children, mommy just wants to finish her nice cup of hot coffee before the day starts, but that doesn't happen. I have to nuke my mug twice! What's the big deal? Well, I have discovered that coffee makes me edgy, but I can't give it up completely because only coffee can wake me up in the morning. I drink tea the rest of the day, so my one and only cup in the morning is essential.

For example, today, it's now 10 a.m. and I have not finished my coffee. I got up, had three kids in the kitchen asking, "What's for breakfast?" before I even poured my coffee! I get them situated, then the baby wakes up. Baby needs a diaper change, so I take off his diaper and had to leave the room to get a diaper from the other room. I return to see my 21 month old peeing on the floor! I pick him up and carried him to the bathroom to put him on the toilet. Then baby refused to wash his hands, so I gave him a bath. After bathing the baby and getting him dressed I mopped the floor. All this, while the older two were following me around asking if they could make a magic wand for their sister. The eight year old asking if I could twist the strings around to make his wand look all loopy. What?! Let me finish my coffee. Ahh, this is my weekend.

My week days are a little better because I have two less in day camp. So, I only have to plan activities for two little ones. My kids have no idea how good they have it. Well, I didn't either when I was a kid, I wish I was eight again. No lunches to pack, no stressing about what's for dinner, no laundry to wash or chores to do. What's your summer like?