Friday, May 28, 2010

Raw Food, Desserts And Green Smoothies - For Kids.


As some of you know,
we have our five year old grandson and seven year old granddaughter
with us for two weeks.
My plan is to try to feed them only raw/living food during that time.

We start our mornings off with a green-smoothie.
These are the ingredients we used that day.
(A handful of each of the greens and three cups of water.)
When I make them for myself, I don't use as much fruit and add more greens,
but kids like a sweeter taste, or getting them to drink it is like pulling teeth!



I use a BlendTec high-speed blender and I love it!
The thing is a real work-horse!
For more information and to purchase this blender,
please go to Cathy Silvers' wonderful, informative website.



A green-smoothie is not the most attractive drink in the world,
but boy, does it give you energy! It's good health, waiting to happen!!
For detailed information about the health benefits of green-smoothies,
there's none better than the website of "The Raw Family".
(But finish reading my blog first!:)



This one likes them...



and that one likes them.



Even this one!
This is our eleven month old granddaughter, tasting a green-smoothie for the first time.
She kept reaching for more!
(The picture was taken in Georgia, three weeks ago.)



Later, our granddaughter wanted to play "Restaurant" and be the 'server'.
Her brother was the 'customer'.
She introduced herself and pulled out her pad and pencil, to take his order.



She asked the 'customer' many, maaany food-related questions,
and was pretending to write down his answers on her pad.

Her customer just wanted to eat.



Seriously.


Yay! Finally!! The order has arrived!



The 'server' decided to take her break early and have a bite as well.

This is a great-tasting, healthy breakfast or snack!!
Recipe:
A handful of nuts of your choice. (Not almonds, unless they've soaked for a couple of hours.)
A handful of pumpkin seeds, or hulled sunflower seeds. (Or both.)
Grind in a food processor. (Not too fine.)
Pour in a bowl.
Add a handful of raisins.
One cut-up, seeded date.
Add a few shakes of Cinnamon.
Stir.
Serves two.
Slice a half of a banana on top. (Or an apple, peach, whatever.)

If they're not looking I add a little water instead of 'milk'.
(I know, I know - it sounds gross, but it's still delicious!)
If they're looking, I add a 'small' amount of store-bought oat milk, or a nut milk.
You can make your own nut milks, but I've been too busy lately.



Later that day, he and I made a cabbage-salad for lunch.
We added pine nuts for protein.
(I just love this picture. Could those little legs be any cuter?!:)



We made our own yummy salad dressing... for kid's taste-buds.
Recipe:
Two T. Tahini
3/4 C. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 C. Olive Oil
1/4 C. Agave Syrup
One T. Lemon Juice
Blend it in a food-processor, until it's smooth.
(Mom and Dad, if you're reading this -
it's unplugged and he's not allowed to put his hands in it!:)



He asked me if he was "a good cooker". He loves helping. So does she.
They both had a huge bowl of this and asked for seconds!



Making raw desserts is always fun!
But when you're tired and have a kid yackin' in each ear,
concentration seems to go right out the window - and you screw up.



We were attempting to make "Chocolate Covered Bananas",
(This is the "Liquid Chocolate".)



Even though I read the simple directions - twice,
I thought the "Liquid Chocolate" needed to go into the refrigerator to cool, before using it.
Wrong.
That made it too hard to roll the bananas in,
so he had to use his fingers to put 'globs' of hardened chocolate on the bananas.

By the looks of him, I think the scenario went like this:
one glob on the banana - one in his mouth,
one glob on the banana - one in his mouth.

Then the banana was rolled in the remaining ingredients and a healthy dessert was born!!



Later, after dinner and a bath, she enjoyed a nice piece of watermelon.


He, on the other hand, decided to chuck the whole raw-food thing...

and opted for a dead chicken instead.



Don't be a chicken -
Try raw foods and green-smoothies!!




Signing off for now,
gabriele


Sunday, May 23, 2010

Kids LOVE To Fly!


Me... not so much.
BUT, I put on my brave game-face, loose clothing and comfortable shoes -
for our flight from Georgia to California.
(For those that haven't read my earlier posts -
I'm taking my seven year old granddaughter and five year old grandson to my house for two weeks.)


My eleven month old granddaughter had to stay behind. :(
(Next time, Sweetie!)



A goodbye hug from Dad, for his girl.



And a hug, of sorts, for his boy.



I told them to "hold on tight!" the train taking us to our gate was about to take off.


We rushed to the gate -
and waited...



and waited...


and waited.
(Notice the ring? This girl knows how to accessorize!!)



One quick trip to the 'Ladies Room' before we board.
I promised their parents I'd keep an eye on them at all times.



Finally, we're boarding the plane. (Nice plane, nice plane, nice plane.)



She counted down from ten to one, and he pumped his fists and yelled
"Blast off!" when the plane finally got off the ground.



Passing the time. (And being quiet.)



Is he looking at the clouds? Or dreaming about playing football?



She's the reader. She's very proud that she's already on page 100.



Nap time.



And because we weren't too horrendous, the flight attended offered to take a picture of us, as we were leaving the plane.



Down the ramp -
and almost there...



almost there...



There!!
In Grampa's arms!!!!




This is what was waiting for them, when they got to our house!
Toys, books and 'stuff' I'd ordered ahead of time, to keep them occupied.
(Hey, I'd like to keep the hair I have left!)



In the evening, it was time for me to read them a bed-time story.
Miss Cutie-Pie sleeps with a stuffed animal that she named after her favorite teacher.
The Dude sleeps with a football.
I went to take it away and he said "No! I don't sleep without my football!"
(Earlier in the week, when it was time to cut his hair, he asked for a "Jerry Rice" haircut -
a retired All-Pro wide receiver.)



Sweet dreams.
(I love these screamin' brats!!)



Mel-Mel??
She got a free ride, tucked inside a happy little girl's braid.




Signing off for now,
gabriele




Sunday, May 16, 2010

Celebrating Hot Water And Cool Cups - - Part One


Hot water is my drink of choice. I love it.
I can drink it morning, noon and night, every day of the year.
I'm allergic to coffee, sensitive to tea and hot chocolate is addictive.
Coffee gives me a rash and makes my face all flushed and itchy.
Tea makes me feel wobbly, as if I'm walking around wearing someone else's glasses.
Hot Chocolate gives me the shakes and puts me on a week-long sugar binge!
Water just makes me pee.

(Raw-food desserts: Macaroons and Chocolate-thingies. Sorry, forgot the proper name.)


To make drinking water even MORE exciting and fun (if that's even POSSIBLE!) - I collect cups.
Pretty cups, unusual cups, funny cups, weird cups.


When I saw this one in the store, I did the embarrassing 'laugh 'n snort'!
(Don't you hate that?!)
You know that saying "A deer caught in the headlights"?
Well... here's the cat version.



She looks great from behind as well. (Every woman's dream.)



This one is very bomp-de-bomp, for when I'm feeling ever so fancy.



This one is for when I'm wayyy too full of myself.



This one is called "Splitting Headache". Need I say more?



Here's one for when I'm feeling like crap and don't care about anything.



Here's one that reminds me of winter, when we lived in Pennsylvania in the 70s.
Good grief!!
Now that I look at it, I think we had this table-setting then!
And it's STILL b-o-r-i-n-g.



Now this is FUN!!
I like to pull this out when I've made some fancy-schmancy raw-food desserts!



This one is perfect for when I'm watching "Grey's Anatomy". Seriously.



This one reminds me of something too -
Wait... I think I've got it... a dress I wore... when I was maybe FIVE?!
My adult children always tell me that I never throw anything away,
(unless I'll need it the next week!) so I probably still have it somewhere.



This soup-bowl-sized one is definitely NOT to be used before a long drive!


Speaking of 'long drives' -
I'm still in Georgia, after our awesome road trip.
I'll be flying back to California soon, with my seven and five year old grandkids in tow!
(To all those people in seats close to ours - please be kind!!)

When we get to my house (and Grampa finally stops hugging them!)
we'll be eating healthy, raw-food for two weeks.
I do it all the time, (except on road trips:) but they don't.
I'll have them help with the preparation of the meals.
Kids tend to like things more, if they've helped to make them.
(I'm hoping!)
And it makes for great photographs!
I see a future post.


If any of you are wondering where Mel-Mel is -


She's in 'time-out'.
Don't ask.






Signing off for now,
gabriele