Banana Smoothie

Got too many bananas? Peel them and pop them in the freezer for such a time as a banana smoothie (or banana ice cream or banana sorbet or banana muffins or anything really).

For 4 of us:
4 frozen bananas
4 big scoops ice cream
Around 2-3Cups milk (more for a thinner smoothie.

Blend frozen bananas until resemble ice cream, add ice cream and blend until mixed well, add milk until reached desired thickness.

Enjoy xx

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Cooking with Kids - January 2013

This month we have done a LOT of baking and cooking in our *new* kitchen. We've moved house recently and our kitchen bench has grown 5-6 times bigger than our old home, which means cooking with kids is way easier and relaxing.

We've made:

Pancakes

Apple Muffins actually THREE batches in bulk but used chopped dates instead of raisins

Tacos

Pizza

Chocolate cake 

Zuccinin Slice - I LOVE Zuccini slice & Quiches but some of my kids don't seem to like the 'eggy' tastes :( but I didn't put bacon into it

"Pumpkin Cake" - ha ha so this is a Quiche recipe with left over roasted pumpkin. Did you read the comment just above? I called it pumpkin cake and miracuously heard "I want some" "Uhm Okay" *grins*

Vanilla Milk (not for the kids! The vanilla essence I had has colour 160b which is a no-no)

Hot Chocolate (Made in the Thermomix hence the strange ingredient quantities)
600ml milk
60grms sugar
40grams cocoa
20grams cornflour (this thickens it)
heated at 80degrees for 8minutes

Raw Organic Hot Chocolate - Above recipe using eco raw caoco powder instead of cocoa

Raw Green Smoothie 
4 handfuls spinach
2-4 frozen bananas
3 handfuls frozen mixed berries
3-5 cups of water
Wizzed until blended through

Cinnamon pastry scrolls This is a spin off of vegemite scrolls and cinnamon toast. Lay a piece of puff pastry down, sprinkle with sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll up, slice into rings, place on a baking tray and cook. Kids loved these but it's not a daily food, its a treat food!

Garlic Bread 

Salad wraps 

Fruit salad

Chicken Kebabs (Michael calls them ke-blacks)

Porridge


Hmmm, now that some are listed it doesn't look that great :(
But I have been feeding the kids. Honest!

I've been showing the children how to make different dinner meals also, which they are then able to do on their own (just about).

Actually it feels like I am in the kitchen quite a lot.
I havn't done my menu plan for next month or decided what we can bake yet but Im sure we will come up with something good ;)

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Muffin Tin Meal

This is my first Muffin Tin Meal I've created quickly for lots of little kids. I'm not sure when or where I first came across them or even first came across bento (Japanese food art) but the point is I have, and I'm joining in.

The children thought it was a bit of fun and discussed what they like and don't like.

I was happy to hear that just because one kid didn't like something that the others were happy to like it. Individualism ;)

They used little flag toothpicks as the forks and seemed to like doing that.

We had: frozen raspberries, cashews, rice crackers, tahini dip, cheese cubes, baby spinach leaves, cooked cubed pumpkin, dates, apple and fresh parsley from our garden.

The baby loved pumpkin!!

Jarah loved the cashews best. Funny story! Ages ago he did wees on the potty where I was rewarding him with lollies. Except hubby ate them all. So I gave him cashew nuts. Now he thinks cashews are lollies so gobbled them all up!!

Isaiah liked the frozen raspberries best.

Amalia is hard to guess. I think she liked a variety of items.

They left the dates, pumpkin and tahini. I'm surprised!! My kids don't like pumpkin??? Will have to change that!!

Edited to Add:
Because the children enjoyed this meal so much I decided to give it another shot. Adding in dinner left overs:
Sausages, hashbrowns, rice balls, steamed veges, corn on the cob. I'll add in a bowl of pasta sauce for a dip ;) (the extra pic)

Edited to Add: I have a plan for tomorrows muffin tin lunch too!! Tuna mornay style with a fairly huge twist ;)

This is linked to: http://michellesjournalcorner.blogspot.com.au/?m=1

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Crockpot macaroni & cheese

A friend shared this with me years ago. I don't recall the exact recipe but you get the idea.

500g shell or macaroni pasta uncooked
2 cups cheese grated
2-3 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter or oil

Oil/butter crockpot. Put raw pasta in. Sprinkle flour evenly over top, add cheese, pour milk over evenly. Stir til mixed well.

Put on low for 1 - 1 1/2 hrs.

The recipe is really forgiving. Add veges, puréed cauliflower if you want to hide veges, onion, more cheese, tomato... What ever you fancy!!
I put on around 11am ready for lunch at 12. It's delicious :)

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Recipe: saffron rice with cheesy bolognaise

Saffron rice:
Pinch saffron
1/2Cup rice per person
Cook together ;)

Cheesy bolognaise:
Fry onion (& garlic optional)
Add grated Zuccini and 2-3 grated carrots & any other vege you have/ want/like I put frozen corn in.
When cooked add jar bolognaise.
When heated through stir grated cheese until melted.


My kids usually eat the cheese off the top and are left with cheese-less bog, this way to eat the cheese they have to eat the rest of it.
This meal I made first when I was 13/14yrs old and both my parents loved it!! Rave reviews and it became my main meal I'd make. I havnt made it (like this) in around 10? Years!!

It's delicious ;)

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Zuccini scrambled eggs & baked tomato w cheese

Yummy & cheap.

Baked tomato with cheese
This is a recipe a friend made several times for me. It was delicious then and still is. For children you need to cut it up :( but hubby says its like having fresh tomato sauce with other foods and asked for more.

Cut in half tomato, top with cheese either sliced or grated.
Place in oven 180deg for around 10-15mins. Tomato doesn't necessarily need to be baked through just cheese melted but depends what you prefer.
Serve :)

Zuccini scrambled eggs
Fry onion & garlic (both optional yummy with and without).
Add 1 Zuccini grated
Add lightly beaten eggs 4-6 is good add more for more egg or less for less egg more vege.
Cheese (optional)

Fry as per usual scrambled egg. Let sit cooking for a bit then turn. It will break up into pieces, just the way we like it.
Serve when cooked.

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Lemon Balm - Herbal Tea

I love doing things a bit differently.. ;)
We have been regularly making home grown and brewed lemon balm herbal tea for a little while now.

You simply pick a stalk/section of leaves,
Place into a jug/mug,
Pour boiling hot water over top,
Leave for a few minutes,
Enjoy..

It has a pleasant aroma, is relaxing and to me tastes like silken water with a fresh and delicious flavour.

You can add honey or even sugar for a sweeter taste but I've been enjoying 'straight' or 'black'.

Lemon balm is safe for children, nursing and pregnancy so a favorite for me ;)

There are plenty of benefits of lemon balm according to my research..
Try it.. You might be surprised :)

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Green Smoothie

4 handfuls baby spinach
1 pear
3 apples
4 cups water

This is delicious!! We will make this one often I think :)

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Cookies

A long time ago I came across this recipe, liked it, tried, loved it. In no way is it healthy so I don't make it often..

It is called 120 cookies for $4. The reason is because at the time of invention it cost $3.98 for all the ingredients through Aldi stores. Time past, prices grew, the name stuck.

I bought 500g butter for 2.99
Condensed milk 2.69
Flour 1.10
Sugar... .30

So for $7 + $3 choc chips I just made 7 batches of biscuits for the kids..
Placing 6 batches into the freezer for the upcoming weeks. Go me!!
The batches are small -around 10-12 biscuits but we don't really need heaps. Remember... Unhealthy..
That's still alright... I think..

Recipe in pic below...

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Smoothie: watermelon & raspberry

I am loving these smoothies. This one is very refreshing. It'd be lovely on a hot summers day after a long beach swim.

Watermelon (I used a quarter)
Frozen raspberry (2-3 handfuls)
You could ice too

Makes around 1L :) and I don't want to share..

(these kids are now calling frozen raspberries lollies... Think I'll use that to my benefit ;) )

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Porridge

So, while I was sleeping the children helped them self to breakfast. One child poured cornflakes over the floor and milk over the table. That was the end of our milk until shopping day. Too bad so sad.

So i needed something filling for lotsoflittlekids that didn't need milk. I found out the day before shopping day that we have powder milk that i forgot about. Ooppps.
Here it is:



Thermomix Recipe:
Recipe :)
100-160g oats
650g water
Cook. Eat.

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Honey, cinnamon, banana oat smoothie

This morning the children and I are trialling a new smoothie. This one is Thanks to Sharm for the Oats and honey heads-up. Thanks sweetie xx

6 bananas
1 cup oats (blend first to chop up smaller)
4 cups water
Sprinkle cinnamon
2Tbs honey

OR use 1L oat milk instead of oats and water :)

Blended lots n lots
Yummy :)

It is very oaty, I didn't cook the oats or use oat milk. It's cheaper that way ;) And I don't actually have oat milk on hand.

Even the baby gets some :) without the honey..

Please Note: I've labelled this as Vegan as honey is a by-product of an animal (the bee) not an actual part of an animal.
And raw vegan because I am currently in the belief all these ingredients can be sourced raw (including oats).
Apologies if this offends ;) xx

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Cabbage juice

Cabbages are a vegetable and very good for you. As I read the benefits of drinking fermented cabbage juice I thought sure I'll give it a go.

Too lazy to ferment the cabbage I just researched the benefits of consuming cabbage juice.

Yep, it's worth it I decide.

So I juiced some. Just a small bit.

I don't recommend it.

Im not sure the taste is worth the nutritional and health benefits.

Just believe me on this one ;)

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Fresh tomato sauce/bog/soup

1kg fresh raw tomatoes
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion

Blend til smooth in blender or thermomix.
Cook roughly 20minutes

Serve with pasta, rice, rice noodles, bread or something of your choice :)
OR serve as tomato sauce with no preservatives

ALTERNATIVE:
Don't cook, eat raw :-) raw tomato soup

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Banana milkshake/smoothie

Kids and I are enjoying this today:

5 bananas
4 cups milk
Blended til smooth :-)

Optional extras:
Ice
Cinnamon

What would you add to this?

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Green Smoothie

My second (Amy made) green (blue) smoothie recipe is:
5 spinach leaves
2 bananas
1 red apple
3 handfuls frozen blue berries

It is delicious!! The only 'problem' I an having now is I am competing with the little kids to drink it ;) they want more and more and more... So do I!

5 things I am thankful for:
1. A nutritionally packed tasty smoothie for breaky
2. Good night sleep
3. Feeling great and filled up after smoothie drinking
4. Low(er) calorie foods
5. Church is back on and I get to be with Special people other than my immediate special people (AND Michael is not on Worship)

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Green Smoothie

Had my first green smoothie today. Couldn't find the recipe I was going to use so I made it up.

Amy's First Green Smoothie :)
3 Spinach leaves minus the rind
2 bananas
1 red apple (use 2)
Water to thin out ;)

Blend one at a time, add water to thin out. Blog your green achievement for the day (optional). Enjoy xx

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Whole Foods & Chemicals

Recently-ish I've been challenged? Convicted? Shoom shoom'd? On the foods I've allowed the children to consume in the past year and a bit. How did I let it get so bad?

I know I have 2 possibly 3 kids who react negatively to additives and then we have a problem on our hands.

I've also been thinking about me. Gaining 30kgs with my 3rd kid, losing it in 10 months only to put 30kgs back on and KEEP it??? I'm not impressed. I'm so unhealthy. I'm so tired and worn out a lot of the time. I'm bruising easy again. I have these parasites that suck the nutrients out of my body and leave me with the left overs. *sigh*

But then there is also lots of little kids with developing brains and bodies. Forming habits. Watching mum.

*sigh*

This past week we've been eating organic, bio dynamic and homegrown fruits and vegetables. Mostly I can just say FLAVOUR!!

I've been juicing (kale & carrot, spinach & carrot, carrot orange and ginger) which I love.

We've been steaming veges. Also yum.

And I've begun to juice oranges. I don't like to eat oranges so it's the only way to get it happening.

Putting out a fresh raw finger salad for the kids has its perks. It's done in no time.

Bringing nuts & seeds & raw foods & whole foods & vegetarian & vegan back into things. With a bit of fish, lamb & beef on the side.

I still continue to use home made cleaners to clean and wash with. Except dish washing liquid. Keeps chemicals in the home to a minimum.

I think I am so convicted to grow more of our own edible fruits & vegetables that I've been doing it.

That and recycling more. Throwing out less. I took home from woollies over 10 plastic bags. That's 520 bags per year. I'm disgusted. Why can't I take my own bags? I always forget :(

Old habits die hard :(

Michael has been raising his chickens, collecting their eggs, incubating some eggs!!! And has plans to grow some for meat. No kidding. Really I'm a bit grossed out by the whole dead animal thing but proud of him and his little project. Think he could get me 52 chooks a year on a suburban block? He's a chicken farmer now ;)

Anyway, I guess my new plan is to get grass fed beef (is it already grass fed I wonder??) to see what it's like.

I might even begin blogging on food stuff ;)

Think my real estate agent will let us have a goat in the backyard?

5 Things I am thankful for:
1. Feeling better on fresher foods
2. Large property to grow own foods on
3. Chooks, ducks, worms - bringing recycling into our food
4. Food opportunities I've been given :)
5. Collaborating ideas and knowledge with other like minded people...

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Whole Foods & Chemicals

Recently-ish I've been challenged? Convicted? Shoom shoom'd? On the foods I've allowed the children to consume in the past year and a bit. How did I let it get so bad?

I know I have 2 possibly 3 kids who react negatively to additives and then we have a problem on our hands.

I've also been thinking about me. Gaining 30kgs with my 3rd kid, losing it in 10 months only to put 30kgs back on and KEEP it??? I'm not impressed. I'm so unhealthy. I'm so tired and worn out a lot of the time. I'm bruising easy again. I have these parasites that suck the nutrients out of my body and leave me with the left overs. *sigh*

But then there is also lots of little kids with developing brains and bodies. Forming habits. Watching mum.

*sigh*

This past week we've been eating organic, bio dynamic and homegrown fruits and vegetables. Mostly I can just say FLAVOUR!!

I've been juicing (kale & carrot, spinach & carrot, carrot orange and ginger) which I love.

We've been steaming veges. Also yum.

And I've begun to juice oranges. I don't like to eat oranges so it's the only way to get it happening.

Putting out a fresh raw finger salad for the kids has its perks. It's done in no time.

Bringing nuts & seeds & raw foods & whole foods & vegetarian & vegan back into things. With a bit of fish, lamb & beef on the side.

I still continue to use home made cleaners to clean and wash with. Except dish washing liquid. Keeps chemicals in the home to a minimum.

I think I am so convicted to grow more of our own edible fruits & vegetables that I've been doing it.

That and recycling more. Throwing out less. I took home from woollies over 10 plastic bags. That's 520 bags per year. I'm disgusted. Why can't I take my own bags? I always forget :(

Old habits die hard :(

Michael has been raising his chickens, collecting their eggs, incubating some eggs!!! And has plans to grow some for meat. No kidding. Really I'm a bit grossed out by the whole dead animal thing but proud of him and his little project. Think he could get me 52 chooks a year on a suburban block? He's a chicken farmer now ;)

Anyway, I guess my new plan is to get grass fed beef (is it already grass fed I wonder??) to see what it's like.

I might even begin blogging on food stuff ;)

Think my real estate agent will let us have a goat in the backyard?

5 Things I am thankful for:
1. Feeling better on fresher foods
2. Large property to grow own foods on
3. Chooks, ducks, worms - bringing recycling into our food
4. Food opportunities I've been given :)
5. Collaborating ideas and knowledge with other like minded people...

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25 days of Christmas 2011 - day 15

Additives.
After informing another mother on checking out the link between food additives & behavior I took my four to the Christmas party at our local 'op shop' run by our church. It's more than an op shop trully. They provide emergency food & all that jazz also.
Whilst it was a tonne of fun, as my children's mother I didn't do any food monitoring like I often do. *sigh*
I later took princess birthday girl out for a milk shake. A pink one labelled strawberry yet containing pink food dye in their syrup. Marsbar cheesecake (containing colour in caramel an exceptionally bad colour). Miss-munching-a-lot polished off a bag of lollies this morning.
Isaiah was little better. Processed meats such as hot dogs.
Oh yeah.
These two kids are on a major high!!!!!!! Major!!!!!
When did I become less strict? When did I stop checking labels? When did I allow them free access to food tables? When did they start nicking lolly bags out of the pantry? Was it just last week I said no more additives after terrible out of control behaviour? Was it me who just advised another to cut additives out of her kids diet before sending my troupes into combat?
Well.
This is where 'things get hard' having lots of little kids. Psyching out behaviours, waiting for the antidote, mentally accessing every move I make, they make & every piece of food that enters their mouth.
Every one of my commands gets challenged, irritability at its highest, yelling & screaming & crying & tears flowing like a river.
Nothing is easy. Getting a drink of water is near impossible, a 6yr old suddenly can not do it himself. Getting a job done is going to be impossible. I'm not even going to try it.
I am so thankful I am aware of these behaviour problems and their causes. It means I am able to recognise causes of drastic behaviour changes, identify what had been eaten & rectify it. In a few days they'll be fine.
Not all negative behaviour can be blamed on food additives but you can certainly knock them on the head and discover what your up against.
*hours later*
We had some major melt downs. I seperated two and now have two joyfully playing in the bath together and another on his own playing with trains. It's all they need sometimes. Til I give them some kind of instructions.
Check out: WWW.fedup.com.au for more information on food additives & behaviours.
All in love
Xx

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