Cooking with my kids

I love to cook.  My husband also loves to cook. If we had all the time in the world I’m positive we would make some pretty interesting creations. For now we stick to healthy, standard fare that our three boys will usually eat without much complaining.

Allowing my kids to be active participants in the cooking process has always been important to me. They stir, they pour and they help in every way possible. My earliest recollection of them cooking dates back to their years in preschool when they had a weekly baking or cooking activity.

All three boys (12, 11 and 9) continue to express an interest in cooking. I’ve spent much time fostering their love of cooking through deep breathing and overlooking sauce, flour, sugar and other ingredients that cover my walls and floors as well as their little bodies and faces. Kids just aren’t neat when they cook.

So their cooking creations continue. My kids now have 5 specialties that they claim to have perfected over the years.

Scrambled Eggs

According to my three boys, the trick to making the perfect scrambled eggs is using a stainless steel or cast iron pan and not cooking them too long.  Yellow with no brown is perfection. We use organic eggs when we can, rice milk or almond milk and olive oil instead of butter.

French Toast

French toast with a little vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate and berries make it a special treat. Hands down the best french toast is made with challah. HERE’s a great recipe for Challah French Toast (we use rice or almond milk instead of dairy).

Tabbouleh

My 12 year old saw a recipe for tabbouleh and decided he wanted to make it this weekend. After a trip to the supermarket and 2 hours of chopping and dicing he did it. The adults all thought it was fabulous, but he didn’t like it as much as we did. Needless to say, I was an impressed mommy. The recipe he used was very simple with few ingredients. The prep took a lot of time and patience.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is where it gets ugly in the kitchen. Imagine flour flying everywhere and more chips on the floor and in their mouths than in the batter. It’s all well worth it for the prize at the end.

 Tofu

Our favorite way to prepare tofu is to cube it and add it to a wok with a little soy sauce. That’s it.

What do your kids love to cook?

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Art education classes have always been an important part of the school week for my three boys. Our school system does a fantastic job putting together an annual art show which showcases one piece of art from every child in our community. Art class is many times the only place where children have an opportunity to explore and create something outside the box. There’s no denying that art education is an important outlet for creativity during the overly structured school day.

Unfortunately due to funding issues many art education programs struggle to continue and are generally some of the first programs to be cut from a underfunded school budget.

I’m honored to be working with The Motherhood and Blick Art Supplies to help spread the word about a fabulous resource called Art Room Aid.

Art Room Aid

Art Room Aid was created in 2009 as an online resource to connect art educators (who share project ideas and funding needs) with arts advocates (who can make contributions to projects in need that resonate with them).

Want to learn more about this fantastic resource?

There’s a Twitter Party happening this week! Join @Blick_Art and @ArtRoomAid to learn how you can support art education, make sure art continues to play a role in your children’s lives, and spread the word about Art Room Aid in your community. We’ll be discussing projects you can do with your own kids, and sharing sources of inspiration.

• What: Do you believe art is an essential part of your child’s education? Then you already know how important art education is — and how schools are struggling to keep their art programs alive. That’s where Art Room Aid can help! A program of Blick Art Materials, Art Room Aid is helping teachers across the country enlist the aid of parents, families, friends, and other art advocates to fund their art projects and keep creative learning going.
• When: Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. ET
• Where: We’ll be on Twitter – follow the #BlickARA hashtag to track the conversation. See this Twtvite for more info and to RSVP: http://twtvite.com/BlickARA
• Hashtag: #BlickARA
• Prizes: We will give away five total prizes – two $25 Blick gift coupons, two $50 Blick gift coupons, and one $75 Blick gift coupon.
• Hosts: @theMotherhood, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann
• Check out Art Room Aid here: Art Room Aid

Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign with the Motherhood. All opinions are my own.

Toys finally made their way into our home after 5 long years of trying to have a child. Creating our family didn’t come easily for us.  We were forced, as many are, to place a tremendous amount of thought into whether or not we wanted to bring children into this world. Infertility will do that to you.

So the day that toys finally made their way into our home was a happy day. A day that I’ll never take for granted. Now there’s hardly a space that isn’t cluttered with toys.  We trip on them, we fight over them and we break them.

When my oldest son was born a slew of toys and other baby gifts showed up, each one special and thoughtful in its own right.  Twelve years and two brothers later many if not most of those toys have since broken and landed in a landfill in a far off place.

There’s one toy that has proven over and over its ability to withstand the test of time-a wooden truck hand crafted by my uncle. This toy has been through a lot. It’s made its way down several flights of stairs (multiple times), it’s gone off high jumps and it’s been the victim of a shoot out with several NERF guns at close range. The truck has proven that it’s top notch (it actually dumps things) and I know that it was made with a whole lotta love and it’s received a whole truckload of love in return.

In general I’m not a saver. When we’re done with a toy or clothing it’s on to the next family. However, there are a few toys that I can’t bear to part with and this truck is one of them. Most of us with children in our lives know that quality toys are hard to come by.

I have no doubt that this toy truck will be passed on to future generations who will hopefully enjoy it as much as my kids have.

If you’re looking for timeless gifts that can be passed on from generation to generation head on over to Abe’s Market and check out their newest products.

Does your family have a quality toy that will be around forever?

Abe’s Market will give Groovy Green Livin readers a 20% discount through midnight November 20, 2012. Use code  GROOVYGREEN20 at checkout.

Disclosure: This post was written as part of a holiday partnership with Abe’s Market. Head on over to Abe’s Market to see which products I love. I did receive compensation for my participation. The opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Right about now those of us on the East Coast are frantically looking for activities to keep our kids occupied while  Hurricane Sandy makes her way into our neck of the woods. Schools have been cancelled throughout Massachusetts and much of the East Coast while we wait for the winds to pick up and the predicted widespread power outages to hit.

Being prepared with food, water and other necessities are a must, but finding activities to entertain bored children is crucial. Just a year ago we were dealing with another storm that brought power outages for days and it was challenging to find activities to keep everyone happy.

This year we are determined to be better prepared. Here are a few activities to keep your kids busy if the power goes out.

Make collages from old magazines

Grab a big stack of magazines and let your kids flip through each one. Ask them to find pictures and words to cut out. Once they have a good sized stack of pieces they can lay them out and glue them onto a piece of paper.

Play Phase 10

The Phase 10 Card Game has really caught on in our house and can provide hours of entertainment.  Phase 10 is a rummy-type card game and the object of the game is to be the first player to complete 10 phase sequences. Trust me-it’s fun for all.

Finger knit 

You don’t need much equipment to finger knit -just your fingers and some yarn. All three of my boys love to finger knit. HERE‘s a great tutorial to get you started with your finger knitting adventure.

Build a fort

When the power goes out there’s no better time to make a fort. Grab some towels, sheets, pillows and a few flashlights and books and you are ready for fort building. Fort building has been a staple in our house since the kids were very young. You might even want to try sleeping in the fort.

There’s a cabinet above the fruit bowl in our kitchen that’s overflowing with vitamin supplements. When I was pregnant I was very diligent and took my prenatal vitamin like clockwork. But ever since my pregnancies I’ve completely fallen off the wagon and all those supplements are sitting in the cabinet untouched.  I focus on eating well and hope that everything I need comes from my diet. Not always the case.

Adding vitamin supplements back into my diet has been on my mind for quite sometime. I’ve decided to turn over a new leaf now that the school year has begun.  I’m going to take a probiotic for starters and the rest of my family is going to join in on the fun.

What is a probiotic?

When someone mentions “probiotics” I automatically think of yogurt. The word “probiotic” is a compound of two Greek words: “pro,” to signify promotion of and “biotic,” which means life. 

Probiotics are bacteria that help keep everything balanced in your intestines. The human digestive system is designed to have “good” and “bad” bacteria. Trying to maintain a balance between the two keeps us healthy. Many times we are able to do this through a healthy diet and healthy lifestyle, but there are times when your body needs a little extra help. Taking medications, a change in diet, diseases, and the environment can upset our bodies natural balance. Adding a probiotic to your diet can help.

Health benefits of taking a probiotic

The list of potential health benefits of probiotics continues to grow. While research is on going, the Mayo Clinic suggests that taking a probiotic could help:

• Treat diarrhea, especially following treatment with certain antibiotics
• Prevent and treat yeast infections and urinary tract infections
• Treat irritable bowel syndrome
• Reduce bladder cancer recurrence
• Speed treatment of certain intestinal infections
• Prevent and treat eczema (and potentially allergies) in children
• Prevent or reduce the severity of colds and flu
• Strengthen the immune system
• Help with obesity

Which probiotic supplement should I take?

All probiotics aren’t created equal. ‘Probiotic’ has been a buzz word in the supplement industry for a few years and many vitamin manufacturers are eagerly entering the retail space. There’s an over abundance of probiotic choices. Here are a few tips to help find a probiotic that’s right for you:

• Use a reputable brand. Be picky.
• Look for a high dose-over 8 billion live cultures per capsule.
• Ask questions. I always accost the people at our local Whole Foods with questions.  

Here’s what I am using:

For the kids: Jarrow Yum-Yum Dophilus 120 Chewable Tablets

For the adults: Renew Life Ultimate Flora Adult Formula

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to probiotics so use your best judgment and chose a brand that you trust.

Top probiotic foods

There are plenty of foods out there that contain probiotics. Try adding any of these to your diet.

• Yogurt
• Natto
• Kimchi
• Kefir
• Tempeh
• Miso

Before taking any supplements please check with your doctor to make sure they are right for you.

Do you take a probiotic supplement? What do you recommend? 

Yogurt | Stock Photo © Simone Voigt #5030990

The alarm clock went off at an ungodly hour this morning and I quickly rallied to get my very tall 6th grader and his 5th and 3rd grade brothers out of bed. Today millions of children like mine are heading back to school.  My three were ready- armed with new backpacks filled to the brim with the required school supplies.  As parents most of us do our best to make sure our kids have everything they need to be successful-including the right school supplies. We spent many days over the past few weeks scouring  multiple stores, searching for the perfect backpacks, notebooks, folders and other items on those lengthy school supply lists.

Some school supplies are toxic

But it turns out some school supplies might be releasing “toxic dust” — chemicals known as phthalates – which are linked to serious health problems, including asthma, ADHD, and diabetes.

These chemicals are tightly regulated in toys — but companies like Disney are exploiting loopholes in a federal law. Because school supplies like lunchboxes aren’t technically “toys,” there is no regulation on the levels of toxic chemicals like phthalates they contain — and the amounts of these chemicals could be dangerous.

Study shows children’s vinyl “back‐to‐school” supplies are laden with hidden toxic chemicals

A recent study from the Center for Health, Environment & Justice found that all the children’s lunch boxes tested — which technically aren’t “toys” — contained up to 30 times the amount of toxic dust deemed safe by the federal government.

Disney’s lunch boxes were some of the worst offenders. Their lunchboxes are covered with beloved characters — like iconic princesses and Spiderman, a character my boys love — but could be shedding toxic chemicals that put my kids at risk.

What’s heartbreaking is that alternatives exist. Disney could choose tomorrow to make their products safer. And, while Congress works on long-term solutions like the Safe Chemicals Act, corporations like Disney have a responsibility to keep our kids safe now.

I truly believe that together we can and will make a difference. Over 76,000 of you have come forward in support of my  petition (with Healthy Child Healthy World and Women’s Voices for the Earth) asking Procter & Gamble (makers of Tide) to strip a harmful cancer-causing chemical out of Tide Free & Gentle®.  And that number continues to grow.

Please sign my petition

Let’s join our collective voices to  tell Disney to be a leader for children’s health and stop using dangerous phthalates in their products NOW. 

PLEASE SIGN MY PETITION

Happy children group in school | Stock Photo © .shock #5826424

Today I’m getting on an airplane with my oldest son to take him to overnight camp. He’s going for four weeks, two weeks longer then last year.  I wish I could say that I’m not freaking out, but I am.  Thankfully, there’s a level of comfort sending him to this camp-he’ll be with two of his cousins and it happens to be the camp that I spent most of my summers during my own childhood. But four weeks is a long time. There doesn’t seem to be any apprehension on his part-he’s excited, packed and ready to go.

We’ve been packing for weeks. Two huge duffel bags are filled to the brim with the ‘stuff’ the camp suggests bringing on their packing list. If you and/or your children have gone to camp (overnight or day camp) you know that most camps have a  “packing list”. This list includes everything to pack, from how many pairs of underwear to number of stamps.

Whether it’s day camp or overnight, when you send a child to camp it means giving up control over that child for a few weeks. They will eat what they want and probably do things that they wouldn’t normally do at home. That’s what camp’s all about.

There are few essentials that I’m sending with him to try to keep his camp experience as non-toxic , eco-friendly and green as possible.

Here are a few of my summer camp favorites:

Sunscreen

Purple Prairie SunStuff SPF 30 is one of my favorite sunscreens. We started using it last year and it worked really well. HERE are a few other favorite sunscreens, perfect for those summer camp days in the sun.

Bug repellant

I’m sending my son to camp with a DEET free bug repellant. Buzzaway is our bug spray of choice this year. It contains a blend of wintergreen, citronella, cedarwood, peppermint and lemongrass oils and it works well.

DEET is the most widely used insect repellent in the US and is the leading ingredient in most conventional bug repellants.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) claims that as long as consumers follow label directions, insect repellents containing DEET aren’t dangerous. The tricky part is following the directions-most of us don’t and we end up applying too much bug repellent and leave it on our skin for far too long. DEET then becomes highly toxic.

Bug bites

There are also natural ways to treat bug bites. Check out a few of my favorites HERE.

Shampoo

He’s going to camp this year with shampoo that doesn’t contain any toxic chemicals.

Our go-to shampoo this year is Earth Mama Angel Baby Shampoo and Body Wash. Body wash and shampoo all in one- we’re killing two birds with one stone! Last year he came home with his soap unopened.

Deodorant

He doesn’t wear deodorant yet, but if he did he’d go to camp with Tom’s of Maine Deodorant.

I’m just thinking how smelly a cabin filled with 11 year old boys will be. Conventional deodorants and antiperspirants contain controversial aluminum,  their ingredient list is long and filled with other suspicious chemicals that I don’t want on my son’s body. Fortunately, there are safer alternatives.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste is a tough one. He’s going to be brushing with The Natural Dentist Cavity Zapper in Groovy Grape .This toothpaste does have fluoride, but doesn’t contain sodium lauryl sulfate or any harsh ingredients. Thanks to Suzanne of Mommy Footprint. we have a few new fluoride-free brands to try out when he comes back from camp.

Do you have any natural or organic favorites to pack for camp?

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy anything through the links it will put a few pennies in my pocket. Thanks!

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