Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cooking. Show all posts

September 19, 2013

Bento Boxing Part Duex

If you missed part one just scroll down. Or click. I'll wait. No really - it's cool.......

You know what Bento-ing is now??

Great!!!

Here's what I've been up to since first starting last month in my attempt to handle our picky toddler whom we swear is a breath-a-tarian and in general make the kids happy about food.

Right up front I am going to apologize for not linking all products. I am just not that cool. But I bought just about everything from allthingsforsale.com and LOVE them. Cheaper than Amazon or anywhere else I have found.

The top half of Willsie's snack Bento. 
Oval Bento box which I love & it's only $4 & has two tiers
Dividers (balled Baran) I don't recommend these ones - too flimsy

C's fish & dog sandwiches :) and super thin apples

A new bento shipment!!! YAY!

Excitement!

Awe!


Alien hardboiled egg :)

My "alien's attack" bento

Excitement & awe
A "make your own" Love themed bento box


This was today's bento for W. LOL!! Those lips are from a sucker that I cracked off and threw away knowing those lips would make hundreds of hysterical lunches. I love this idea - it's from Jill Dubin

W's "Panda Love" bento

C's crazy face sandwhich. Love those candy eyes. I save up my JoAnn's coupons and run in there real fast every few weeks to grab ONE thing for 50% off. Why not? I pass by there 3x a week anyway.
These lips are from our Mr. Potato Head supplies




And when you need a toddler babysitter - pull out the bento supplies and some soap! ;)

Or open the supply drawer and let them get crazy!

I've been having a lot of fun. I sure don't do things this fancy every day. Some days I open up the boxes and wrack my brains for what to fill and kinda throw it in there with some picks. That's ok by me. They  never seem to notice. Love Bento-ing!!!


September 3, 2013

Bento Boxing 101 - huh?

I was recently turned on to the world of the Bento Box. What the heck is that??

I first learned about it from my new favorite website Mysmallpotatoes.com

Wait a second - back up. It actually ALL started because a friend of mine was telling me about “busy bags.”

“What the heck are those?” was my response. She showed me - and I was off. Like a rocket. Totally Allie LeBaron style up-until-1AM-researching-it style. Ooops.
Anything that helps me be a better mother, a more nurturing mother, a mother who doesn't want to kill children at 5pm kind of mother, that is something worth 1AM research.

Anyway, in my journey to figure out this new and exciting area of my mothering career I was spending some time on Pinterest (my other new favorite way to spend my downtime!) creating an idea board for preschool busy bags. And while doing THAT I came across the word “sensory bins” which seemed closely related. 

What the heck is a sensory bin?! Another new word/idea! I was EXCITED!! What else didn’t I know?? And in my search to understand sensory bins that lead me to the beautiful & inspiring website - MySmallPotatoes. She is the master of the sensory bin, the busy bag, and many other child related things. I love her. To death. The kind of love to death that isn't creepy or weird. Promise.

Upon reading up her site I stumbled upon, completely by accident (or was it?) her whole “What’s in YOUR Bento” series and away I went….

Phew – that was exhausting to explain. But kind of fun to follow how cool & inspiring ideas form in my rabbit chased kind of a way…..

Back to the Bento Boxing!!!

What is it?? 


The following is an excerpt from a fantastic article at LunchInABox.net called "Bento FAQ"
What is “bento”? Is it the style of packing? Is it the box? Is it the food?
A bento lunch is a compact, balanced, visually appealing meal packed in a box. Historically, it’s a Japanese box lunch, similar in concept to the Indian tiffin, the Korean dosirak, or the Filipino baon lunch. In Japanese, “bento” or “obento” refers to the packed meal, and “bento-bako” refers to the bento box itself. See the Wikipedia entry on bento for more details.
What are the benefits of packing a bento-style lunch? Is it healthier?
Bento lunches seem to be becoming more popular in North America recently.
  • Packed in reusable containers, they reduce lunch waste such as plastic baggies and disposable containers, and allow you to pack a wider variety of food for lunch.
  • Portion control is also easy if you follow the general packing rule of thumb of 3 parts carbs, 1 part protein and 2 parts fruits and vegetables, without candy, junk food or oily foods. Packed this way without gaps, a 600ml box holds a 600-calorie meal — a simple method for weight loss without counting calories.
  • Picky eaters may be tempted by an attractive presentation of a variety of foods.
  • Save money you might have spent on restaurant meals by bringing food from home; the savings from less than a week of eating packed lunches makes up for the initial cost of a bento box or lunch container.



Hopefully that handles any initial confusions. Anyway - one look at the first picture here from MySmallPotatoes and I was hoooooked. I went on to Amazon for my first set of Bento Boxes and matching little containers and then a few days later went to the website she recommends for supplies, AllThingsForSale.com and I was like a kid in a candy store. This was so exciting!!!!!

Here are my very first Bentos & the results......

This is C's snack bento. Not all that pretty - but super fun!
Strawberry & grape "people," acovado slices w/ a bunny food pick, orange slices, dried mango slices w/ some cereal.
This is W's snack & lunch bento. 


L's snack bento. Even a 10 year old was flipped out.
 
 Star shaped cucumbers and carrots - to die for right??





Response.......SUCCESS!!! The second pic is him chastizing me for putting in something alive - oranges. The nerve of some moms!


His response to the star cucumbers...."Ninja stars - how cool mom!!!"


Even though I have NO problem getting C to eat a variety of things - she's a girl. Girls love cute things. She was FLIPPPPED out by the whole idea.

But the true test was going to be W. The pickiest eater on planet earth. Our very own "breath-a-tarian." The child that survives on.....we don't even know! 
So I packed him his school lunch with a Bento and talked about it on the way to school.
Looks pretty much how it always does...container is new - but nothing drastic. He probably wouldn't go for drastic. I wasn't there for the big reveal at lunch time - but when I picked him up I asked how he liked his lunch. 

His response "More Bento momma??? I want eat more Bento lunch"
WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY???? 
When we got home he was so happy about food in general he ate some cereal (my standards are really low with this guy) from a regular bowl.

Happiness!

I then branched out and bought a few more food picks and sandwich cutters and this hard boiled egg mold! SO FREAKING CUTE! My pictures are totally copied to look like Arlee's from MySmallPotoatoes :) 

Step 1 - the molds. Too cute.
Step 2, place a warm hard-boiled egg in mold


gently smoosh them into the mold, close & place in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes

Voila. Pure awesomeness. 



I am a total Bento Boxer now. My kids talk about them ALL THE TIME. They are always checking up on me to see if I am making them for the next day. It has cut down considerably on the pickiness and saves me time! Why do I bento box if I am "home all day homeschooling." Because 1) I am not always home all day 2) It saves me precious time in our school day that I don't have to waste at the counter when I should/could be helping a student 3) It handles the "what should I eat" and tells them exactly what to eat and in what quantities. 4) I really enjoy making their food cute and it makes them immensely happy. It's win win.

May 8, 2013

Homemade Baby Formula


Lots of peeps have asked me for this recipe so I am posting it for all time.

I chose this formula because store bought creeps me out - food is not meant to have shelf life - just saying. And I don't believe in grain based formulas or milks. So the search was on! 


Here's my hunk-o-chuck-o-burning-love and my mini loves sippin' formula cocktails ;)


This formula was developed by a scientist and nutritionist who took several samples of breast milk and sent it to a lab to isolate exactly what was in it making it the best food on teh planet for babies, and to therefore attempt to duplicate it as closely as possible. 
On their website they have a side by side comparison of this formula (and a few of it's variations) & breastmilk samples It's astounding!! 

My babies absolutely thrive on it. I used it with Charlotte starting at 9 months because I became pregnant again (but lost that baby - sadness!) And I started using it with William around 14 months when I weaned him and he had suffered a crazy severe mouth injury damaging three teeth. When I rushed him to the Pediatric Dentist she told me he would most likely loose the tooth due to infection & nerve detachment. Not satisfied, I took him to my wonderful nutritionist/chiro (Dr. Eileen Kenny in Altadena, CA) who told me the same thing but if we could figure out a way to get him enough mouth adjustments, Vitamin C and OMEGAs  we might be able to save it. 

I immediately remembered this formula (up until this point I had just been giving him goat milk & molasses as that's perfectly fine as a base) and I doubled the oils and tripled the Vitamin C in his bottles and we were able to totally clear the infection and save the tooth!!! Xray proof! 


Dentist was amazed and called it a miracle and my nutritionist asked me to type up what I had done for her office so they could pass it out to patients seeking a formula after weening. Can't say enough good! 





Raw Milk Formula
_____ = heat in pan   ______ = kept in fridge    ______ = kept in cabinet

Ingredients:

1 and 7/8 cup water (basically 2 cups minus a tablespoon)
2 teaspoons gelatin
2 teaspoons coconut oil

4 tablespoons lactose (milk sugar)
 2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
 ¼ teaspoon acerola powder (vitamin C)
 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil – unrefined

¼ teaspoon bifodobacterium infantis (probiotic)
 1 teaspoon cod-liver oil
1 teaspoon sunflower oil – unrefined
2 tablespoons Black strap molasses (Allie’s addition to correct low iron of goat milk)
2 cups raw cow milk* (I use goat milk)
 2 teaspoons raw cream* (optional – I don’t use, see below)
 ¼ cups whey* (recipe below)

Instructions:
1)   Heat first three ingredients (yellow) in a small pot to melt on medium low.
2)   While this is heating place remaining ingredients in a blender – starting with the first 4 (pink) as these won’t dirty your measuring spoon ;).
3)   When you are done measuring the remaining ingredients your first three should be done heating. Stir them well (gelatin tends to stick to the bottom of the pan) and then add to the blender.
4)   Blend – working up to high speed – for about 7-10 seconds or so until you feel it’s fully mixed.
5)   Immediately place in bottles and refrigerate.
6)   To serve (and it must be warm for all the oils to melt again properly) place bottle in a large cup or bowl of hot water for a few minutes, or bottle warmer.

Resources:
Notes: This whole process takes me 10 minutes including getting everything out of the fridge and cupboards and then fully cleaning up after myself. The first few times feel awkward but then it’s no big deal at all & you will embrace your new hippie ways. I keep the recipe posted on the inside cupboard & flip it open when making and have a quick system now. I keep all my products grouped together to make my system faster. Cod liver, sunflower, bifodobacterium infantis, whey, cream, and milk are all on one shelf in my fridge. The remaining ingredients are on another shelf in my cabinet. When I pull them out I keep them in two separate piles on my counter so I can quickly see what needs to be put back where. The recipe says it’s best to make it every day. I personally make a double-triple batch once a week to make my life a little easier but then again my son is 2 and drinks less. I have also heard of people making a few batches and freezing in breastmilk storage bags in their freezer for later use (brilliant).

Products: All products (except perishables) be purchased from RadientLifeCatalog.com. They have a package with everything you need (except perishables). I originally attempted to purchase products individually at other sites/stores and didn’t have a lot of luck - but it’s becoming easier with Amazon & Vitacost now carrying some of it. The raw milk and cream can be purchased from a Sprouts grocery store, several small health food stores, several Farmers Markets and the company we like, Organic Pastures, sells to co-ops and this is the cheapest way to buy. One way to find your local seller is to visit the Organic Pastures website. Or if you are using goat products these are easily attained from Trader Joes or any super market. I like Trader Joes goat products the best (by far!) but they are not raw. PLEASE NOTE: I don’t follow the recipe in their site exactly – please watch the video and refer the the site to get the exact recipe if you are using the goat version.

Videos: There are wonderful video tutorials on the Weston A Price Foundation website at http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/recipes-for-homemade-baby-formula. This site also has a list of FAQs, and wonderful chart comparing this formula to breast milk (this made me feel SO GOOD about what I was doing!), and other great things to read. I watched the video before making it and it really helped.

Whey: It is incredibly easy to make. This process is shown in the video above. Line a bowl with a clean dish towel or a double layer of cheese cloth . Dump one carton of organic yogurt 32 oz (I use goat yogurt) inside the towel. Wrap it up and secure with a rubber band. Hook this strange bundle to a cabinet handle or knob or however your kitchen is set up - so the yogurt can drip into the bowl (I had hubs scream a hook to the underside of our cabinet). The liquid that drips out is whey, what remains will be homemade cream cheese – no waste!) Let this drip for 24 hours. Whey keeps for about 6 months and cream cheese for about a month – both in the refrigerator.. And while is sound super complicated and hippie – it isn’t complicated….it is super hippie J And my husband loves to tease me.

* All of the dairy products I use are goat or goat based. My family is allergic to casin, which is cow milk protein.

March 4, 2011

Marrying Green Soup

Dear Green Soup,


I want to marry you. I have never wanted to marry a food quite like you. The taste is the same hot or cold, fresh or old, you are lovely every single way. As a soup, as a sauce over rice, mixed with scrambled eggs. How you taste so creamy without any dairy is beyond me. I am deeply indebted to Kirstie Alley for creating you. It's no wonder her weight loss company Organic Liaison is so successful.


Kirstie Alley's Green Soup:


8 Shallots
2 bunches asparagus
2 bunches spinach
3 heads broccoli
4 cartons chicken broth
8 leeks (white part only)
salt & pepper
olive oil


Chop all veges except asparagus and set aside.
In a big pot put 1/3 cup olive oil (I use about 1/2 butter 1/2 olive oil). Add shallots and sweat them until they are clear (at this point I also add 3-5 cloves minced garlic). 
Add leeks & sweat until clear. 
Add asparagus and broccoli. 
Add tbsp salt (to taste). 
Add 1 carton chicken broth (32 oz). Simmer for 5 minutes. 
Add 3 more cartons chicken broth. 
Add 3/4 tbsp pepper (to taste). 
Cover and bring to a boil. 
Take off flame and add spinach. 
Let sit for a bit (this is when I clean up the kitchen :) 
Puree with an immersion blender if you have it or in batches in your blender. 
Return to pot and bring to boil again.


A bit labor intensive? Yes. Cost using organic products? about $42. However this makes two LARGE pots so is worth about 4-5 dinners for our family. Plus the amount of veges you get in one serving is astronomical and it tastes like candy. Not even joking. If a vege soup could taste like candy - this would be it.