Yearly Archives: 2010

Dec 6New Use for Oatmeal: A Bath to Soothe Poison Oak...

I have been lucky so far - after a lifetime of hiking, playing outside, and snuggling dogs, I have never fallen victim to poison oak. It doesn't mean that I am immune to it, of course, just that I have been fortunate to avoid it for so long. My 8 year old son hasn't been so lucky. Last week, his face (and other delicate parts, which will remain unnamed) were covered. I suspect that he got it from a recent hike when he played in the bushes, or from wrestling with our dog who joined us. What...

Dec 3Special Visit from Allrecipes.com: Cookies for C...

Special Visit from Allrecipes.com: Cookies for Charity

Two days before Thanksgiving, I hosted a Drop In & Decorate event with a group of children who decorated for the homeless. I shared some photos, but what I didn't tell you was that we had a special guest. Michael is the host of What's Cooking (great minds think alike, right?), the cooking show on Allrecipes.com. For the holidays, they are doing a special event called Cookies Across America. Because they are good people, they are featuring Lydia's organization, and are encouraging people...

Dec 1Kids, Don’t do THIS in the Kitchen

I offer business consulting to people who want to teach nutrition and culinary education to kids. One of my happiest clients is Shawn Sanders, the owner of Little Chefs of Vail. Her classes are immensely popular, as well they should be. Originally, this post showed a funny faux pas - a child caught on camera picking his nose while the photographer from the newspaper was there. However, I have removed this photo out of respect for the boy. I had no intention of embarrassing him. And...

Nov 29Making Crepes - A Saturday Morning Tradition wit...

I can't remember when it started, but my son reminds my husband about it every single weekend. "Dad, can we make crepes?" It was this very tradition that allowed me some time every weekend to sneak away and work on The Whole Family Cookbook, when it was in progress. It would buy me just enough time to edit some recipes or write some eco-friendly side bars. And it would make my son happy... Do you have any cooking or food traditions with your kids? Or do you remember some from your...

Nov 26Kids in the Kitchen - Homemade Holiday Gifts (Gr...

Kids in the Kitchen – Homemade Holiday Gifts (Granola Recipe)

I will be the first person to tell you that I am not super creative or artsy like some of my friends. But I do like feeding people well and saving money when I can. Those traits usually send me and the kids to the kitchen, where we whip up some tasty treats to share. Don't get me wrong - the kids don't always want to hang out with me OR spend time in the kitchen...so I have to fly solo on occasion. Last year, people LOVED our spice rub mix. But what they probably loved even more was the...

Nov 24Kids, Cookies, and Sharing - A Drop In and Decor...

Kids, Cookies, and Sharing – A Drop In and Decorate Event

You probably already know this by now, but I am a community service junkie. I do it purely for selfish reasons - I get a total rush when I do a project with kids that helps the less fortunate. Well, maybe it's not really for selfish reasons...it is, after all, helping people and teaching kids how to be a contributing member to society. Whatever. The point is, I love it. And when I find a good opportunity to get kids doing the right thing, I pounce. Yesterday, I hosted a...

Nov 22Homemade Bone Broth - Money Saved and Health Ben...

Homemade Bone Broth – Money Saved and Health Benefits

I loved seeing this sign at the farmer's market on Sunday when my daughter and I were there. Clearly, it's almost Thanksgiving...and people were clamoring to order their free range or heritage turkeys. One of the best parts of Thanksgiving, aside from the delicious meal, is that the food keeps giving. There are leftovers, of course, but you can also take advantage of the turkey, even after the meat has all been carved away. Don't throw away those bones! Use them to make a rich and nutritious...

Nov 19Testing a Dairy Elimination Diet on our Little D...

Testing a Dairy Elimination Diet on our Little Devil

It came as no surprise that our son wanted to dress up as the devil for Halloween. We have been having some challenges with his behavior for the past few years, and have privately referred to him as the devil on more than a few occasions... We have seen several specialists and have appointments for a few more. But desperate times called for what felt like desperate measures. I heard that dairy allergies could manifest themselves as behavior problems in children, so we thought we would see if...

Nov 17Project Lunch: School Lunch Challenge

Last Friday night, I had the honor of attending an event at Marin Academy, sponsored by Project Lunch. It was an evening of discussion, inspiration, cooking and delicious food - all to inspire the transformation of school lunch programs to include seasonal, local and organic foods. That's right - the kind that doesn't come processed and in plastic...shipped from across the country. What a concept - but can it be done? Special guests included Ann Cooper, The Renegade Lunch Lady, and Congresswoman...

Nov 15Thanksgiving Recipes for Everyone (Gluten-Free A...

Thanksgiving Recipes for Everyone (Gluten-Free Apple Crisp Recipe)

Cooking with kids makes me happy. How could it not? Kids are playing with food, getting excited about creating something from scratch, and then feeling so proud when people enjoy the fruits of their labor. But more and more, I am noticing children with food allergies or dietary restrictions. Kids at class parties are feeling left out when they can't eat the treat that another child brought in, and family members don't feel included when they are served an alternate dessert to what everyone else...