Category Archives: recipes
Maria’s Mysterious Mission…Hiking the Colorado Rockies with John Fielder
The east coast has been pounded by massive snowstorms recently. But here in Colorado Springs, the last few days have brought some unmistakeable signs that spring is coming soon.
Photo courtesy of Malou, a fantastic photographer in the Netherlands.
The breeze carries with it the fragrance of warmth and new green day lily shoots are poking their spikes up through the decaying leaves of a past autumn.
Yes, I know. We may still get major snowstorms and plenty of frosty mornings…we often have heavier snowfalls in March and April than we do during the winter. But spring is definitely on my mind, especially since I’ve been working on my entry for Susanna Leonard Hill’s In Just Spring Children’s Story Contest. Head over there to check it out…submissions are due next Friday!
What luck! A book arrived in the mail yesterday. When I opened the package, I knew it was just the one to review for today’s Perfect Picture Book Friday. It demonstrates the beauty of Colorado’s majestic mountains and contains an important lesson about finding one’s way in a new place.
Maria’s Mysterious Mission
Written by Claudia Cangilla McAdam
Illustrated by Anna-Maria Crum
Publisher: Westcliffe Publishers/John Fielder Publishing (2007)
Ages: 4 and up
Themes:
Homesickness, moving, new experiences, friendship
Opening Lines:
“Maria was homesick. She spent her days wandering in and out of the barn and poking around the corral. She hadn’t cut a trail or carried a pack in months, not since she’d come to this new place in Colorado, far from her home in South America.
I don’t belong here, she thought. Her eyes stung, and her throat felt tight. “I miss the Andes.”
Synopsis:
From the Amazon page: “Far from her native South America, Maria is homesick. When she sets off on a mysterious mission with a heavy pack on her back and a heavier weight on her heart, she forges a new friendship and comes to see her life in Colorado with very different eyes.
Why I like this book:
Many children experience anxiety when they move to a new place or face the challenge of doing something different. The story of Maria, the llama, is one of realizing that we can be happy no matter where we are and that no matter where we go, there will be some things that are the same and some that are different. Stepping outside of one’s comfort zone can also be a stepping stone to new and wonderful friendships. This book was especially relevant to me because it spoke to the fears I had to face concerning my upcoming trip to Singapore in May for the Asian Festival of Children’s Content.
The book is an amazing collaboration between author, illustrator and America’s foremost outdoor photographer, John Fielder. Each spread contains the text and illustrations against a background of Mr. Fielder’s fantastic photography. Living in Colorado…and having hiked many of the back-country and high mountain trails, I was overjoyed to see familiar scenes with the turn of each page.
How a parent can use this book:
- As a lovely read-aloud (let’s make a pact…let’s celebrate World Read-Aloud Day EVERY DAY of the year by reading aloud to children at every opportunity).
- To encourage children to accept new challenges and try new things
- To help kids whose families have just moved or are planning to move
- As an introduction to hiking and outdoor pursuits as well as to photography
- To show children the amazing natural resources and wildlife habitats that exist and that need our careful protection
Related Activities:
Here’s a great trail mix recipe from my book. Why not invite your child to help make a batch…and then go out for a hike together. Do you have a local nature sanctuary or botanic gardens nearby? If not, how about a walk to a nearby park or playground. First Lady Michelle Obama is encouraging parents and schools to make physical activity a priority in every child’s day.
HOMEMADE TRAIL MIX
Photo courtesy www.livelearnloveeat.com
You will need: 1 cup unsalted nuts (peanuts, almonds, etc.),1 cup hulled sunflower seeds, 1 xup coconut flakes, 1 cup raisins, 1 cup dried fruit cut into small pieces, 1 large bowl and a package of zip-lock sandwich bags.
- Mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Store in airtight container or large glass jar with lid.
- Scoop into sandwich bags, grab a bottle of water and take a walk.
- Makes about 5 cups of trail mix.
- If your child is allergic to nuts…or too young for them…you can substitute healthy dry cereals and mini-pretzels.
Join Perfect Picture Book Friday with Susanna Leonard Hill and dozens of other kid lit lovers who post a picture book review every week:
Would you like to take the muss and fuss out of planning fun activities with your child. No batteries required…powered by a child’s imagination! Please click this link to purchase a copy
Related articles
- PPBF: The Boy Who Lost His Bellybutton (julierowanzoch.wordpress.com)
- PPBF! Back to Front and Upside Down! By Claire Alexander (thiskidreviewsbooks.com)
- PPBF! Library Mouse by Daniel Kirk (thiskidreviewsbooks.com)
- Asian Festival of Children’s Content and PPBF (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
- GRAINLESS GRANOLA – Nutrient dense recipe and perfect as a breakfast meal or trail mix for the whole family! (powerfoodsfitness.wordpress.com)
- Backpacking Food Galore! (wanderingthewild.com)
- Trail Mix Breakfast Cookies (cutoutandkeep.net)
- Homemade Trail Mix Recipe (fitfunmom.com)
- Backyard Bonfire: Trail Mix Party Favors (abeautifulmess.typepad.com)
- Celebrating World Read-Aloud Day with Eric Carle (viviankirkfield.wordpress.com)
Sunday Post: Delicious…Healthy Snacks for Kids’ Backpacks
Mommy, can I help in the kitchen?
Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is DELICIOUS.
Fresh fruits and crisp veggies make some of the best snacks your child can eat. It’s important to make every meal as nutritious as possible and snacks are a great way for kids to get important vitamins, minerals and fiber into their diet.
When my children were young, one of their favorite places to be was in the kitchen, helping me prepare meals and snacks. Even though there might have been some additional cleanup…it was definitely worth it…for me and for them.
Here are two simple healthy snack recipes from Show Me How! Build Your Child’s Self-Esteem Through Reading, Crafting and Cooking.
Overnight Cookies (Gluten-Free)
You will need: 2 egg whites, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 cup ground almonds, 1 cup raisins, 1 large bowl, 1 mixer and 1 greased cookie sheet.
1. Beat egg whites in bowl till stiff peaks form. Your little ones will LOVE watching how the runny egg whites turn to mountains of cream.
2. Add 1/4 sugar and fold in gently.
3. Add ground almonds and raisins and fold in gently.
4. Drop by tablespoonful onto the greased cookie sheet…I use a canola oil spray. If you want a smaller cookie, use a teaspoon.
5. Place the cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven and bake for 5 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cookies in at least 15 minutes…or overnight if you wish. If you have a hot oven, you might want to check the cooling cookies at 15 minutes and remove them then…otherwise the raisins will taste burned.
6. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen, more or less, depending on the size cookie you make.
Traveling Trail Mix (Nut-Free)
You will need: 2 cups Corn Chex, 2 cups Wheat Chex, 2 cups Rice Chex, 2 cups mini-pretzels, 1 cup raisins, 2 tsp Braggs Aminos or low-sodium soy sauce and a 13x9x2 inch microwave-safe baking dish.
1. Melt margarine, mix with Braggs Aminos or soy sauce and pour into baking dish.
2. Add the cereals and pretzels and mix thoroughly to coat.
3. Microwave on high for 3 minutes.
4. Stir and continue to heat in microwave, one minute at a time, until evenly toasted.
5. Add raisins and mix.
6. Store in an airtight container.
You are invited to a Google+ Hangout! This coming week you can check out ‘the parents that make Halloween happen’ on Google+ Hangouts. On Thursday, October 11 at 2:30pm Mountain Time, I will be joining long-time educator and blogger, Susan Case, author of The Happy Mommy Handbook. Susan is going to be reading a special Halloween story and I will be doing a simple craft. We’ll chat about children and picture books and why reading with kids is just about the most important thing you can do with them. I’ll post a link here and on my FB page as soon as I get one.
PARENTS MAKE HALLOWEEN HAPPEN ON GOOGLE HANGOUTS
This week celebrates “the parents that make Halloween happen”
A full line up of HOAs celebrating
#parenting , #kids , and all things #Halloween
Monday
+ Join +Angelique Felix at 2:15 PM CST for a Witches story and cupcakes
Tuesday
+ Join +Angelique Felix at 2:15 PM CST for a Monster song and craft
+ Join +Susan Case and guest +Rachelle Doorley at 5:30 PM CST for Spooky Simple Science Recipes
Wednesday
+ Join +Holly Homer at 9:30 AM CST and guests as they discusses Candy Control
+ Join Kimberley Blaine and guests at 1:00 PM CST as they discuss children’s age differences and participation in Halloween
+ Join +Green Kid Crafts at 2:00 PM CST for Greening Your Halloween
+ Join +Angelique Felix at 2:15 PM CST for a Ghosts! story, song, and craft
Thursday
+ Join +Angelique Felix at 2:15 PM CST for a Black Cat! story and song
+ Join +Holly Homer at 9:00 PM CST for a discussion on Homemade Costumes
+ Join +Susan Case and +Vivian Kirkfield at 3:30 CST for Halloween book reading, craft and discussion on how picture books help children deal with their problems
Friday
+ Join +Angelique Felix at 2:15 PM CST for a Pumpkins! rhyme and song
Want more information about Jake’s Sunday Post?
http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/
Related articles
- Apple Cinnamon Chex Mix Recipe (formulamom.com)
- Pumpkin Spice Macarons (thebakingbird.wordpress.com)
Sunday Post: Recipe for Self-Esteem
A recipe, according to the dictionary, is a list of ingredients and instructions for making something, especially a food dish.
Jake at Time after Time has a Sunday Post Challenge and every week he provides a theme…this week’s theme is RECIPE.
I love soup! Do you? Soup can be hearty or light, warming or cooling…soups are so easy to make and, when you make them yourself, you can use healthy nutritious ingredients and leave out the preservatives, high sodium levels and artificial colors that are rampant in most canned or packaged soups you buy at the store.
Here is a recipe for Cock-a-Leekie Soup…absolutely delicious…and very easy to make, even your kids can help!
COCK-A-LEEKIE SOUP
You will need: 1 large pot, 1 lb boneless chicken breasts cubed, 2 slices bacon, 1 large leek sliced (about 2 cups), 1 cup sliced fresh carrots, 2 cups cubed potatoes, 1 container low sodium vegetable broth (32 oz), 1 cup basmati rice, 2 Tbs single malt scotch (optional), ½ cup diced prunes, 1 Tb dried basil, 8 cups water.
1. Saute bacon in pot…add chicken pieces and sauté a few minutes.
2. Add sliced leeks, carrots and potatoes and stir well.
3. Add vegetable broth, prunes, water and basil and stir well.
4. Bring to a boil, add rice and scotch…lower heat, cover and simmer for 1½ hours.
5. Serve with crusty bread and a simple tossed salad.
6. Store in covered container in fridge.
7. Makes about 12 cups of soup…you can easily make less by cutting the ingredients in half.
So what is the recipe for helping a child develop a high self-esteem?
1. Help your child master tasks and skills.
2. Encourage your child to value his own strengths and qualities.
3. Help your child to feel appreciated and loved.
4. Encourage your child to express his feelings.
5. Help your child to acknowledge and cope with his fears.
6. Encourage your child to accept himself and his body.
Kids love to help in the kitchen…not only does that time with you build self-esteem, but it also helps children develop reading readiness skills (or better literacy skills if they are older). They also learn about good nutrition, and many picky eaters will try new foods that they have helped make.
If you would like more information about helping children develop a positive self-image or need some quick and easy ideas and self-esteem building activities, please pick up a copy of my book. During the month of March, we are offering free shipping on my website (an additional $5 off the price of the book for participants in the PPP Reading Challenge) or you can purchase the book on Amazon.
If you’d like more information about Jake’s Sunday Post:
http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/
Connie: http://connieemeraldeyes.wordpress.com/2012/03/17/weekly-sunday-post-recipe/
Colline: http://collinesblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/sunday-post-recipe/
Susan: http://tostir.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/sunday-post-recipe/
Franny: http://oregonsmiles.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/recipe-for-success/
Mara: http://africatoalgarve.blogspot.pt/2012/03/recipe.html
Cassie: http://worldofcassie.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/sunday-post-recipe/
I’ll add more folks who are participating in Jake’s Sunday Post as soon as their posts are up.
Soup image thanks to www.cookstr.com
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- Cock-a-Leekie Soup and Free Yogurt (askmaryrd.com)
- Ingredient of the Week: Leeks (colourfuldish.wordpress.com)
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- Homemade Vegetable Soup (myveganvida.wordpress.com)
- Grandma’s Turkey and Rice Meatball Soup (happygoodtime.com)
- Leek, Potato & Kale soup recipe (so good!) (meaningfulwesternlife.com)
- Creamy Cilantro, Leek & Potato Soup (cookingwithsherlockspice.com)
Is It Too Early To Begin Planning For The New School Year?
Image via Wikipedia
I know that summer has just begun. Many of us are thinking of poolside parties and frozen pops and Fourth of July parades.
But if your child is starting school in August, or if there were problems adjusting to the classroom routine last year, it’s not too early to think about how you can insure a smooth transition from home to school. This holds true for older children as well as for those of preschool age.
What can parents do during the summer to prepare for the new school year?
1. Have an upbeat, matter-of-fact, positive attitude about school.
2. If your child has not been there yet, arrange for a visit before school starts.
3. Connect with parents of other children in the class and have play dates with your child’s classmates…children feel more at ease when they see friendly faces in the classroom.
4. If you don’t have a routine in place for bedtime and getting-ready-for-the-day-in-the-morning time, put them in place now. Make it a habit to discuss plans for the next day in the evening and lay out clothes and anything else needed the night before. When school starts, your child will be used to getting things ready and you won’t have that last minute rush in the morning to find the missing shoe or backpack. Regarding bedtime, please make sure you are allowing plenty of time for your child to get ready (brush teeth, wash, lay out clothes and necessary items, story-time, etc.) and still be getting to bed at a reasonable hour. I know that it is tempting to let young children stay up later, especially in the summer, but when school starts, it will be a difficult habit to break…and young children need more than 10 hours of sleep at night.
5. Make sure your child is eating a good breakfast in the morning…when school starts, this will be even more important. And what is a good breakfast? My younger son loved pizza for breakfast. Some children might prefer eggs and toast, cereal with fruit and milk, French toast and bacon or pancakes with fruit toppings. How about peanut butter and banana on whole wheat bread for a highly nutritious breakfast?
Do you have some super breakfast menus that your children love? Please share! We all need fresh ideas.
Many times, children who are fussy eaters become better eaters when you let them help out in the kitchen. If you are looking for some easy child-friendly recipes, Show Me How! has one hundred of them and teams each cooking activity with a picture book suggestion and an easy eco-friendly arts and crafts project. Head on over to my website to take advantage of the Jump Into Summer Special…50% off the cover price. The book makes a great gift for any parent, grandparent, expectant parent, babysitter, nanny, daycare provider, preschool teacher…and there is an additional discount if you buy two copies…only $20 per copy! You will be getting two copies for less than the cover price of one! And, if you order by June 30th, we are including a bonus sheet of self-stick gold stars that can be used on goal charts and more!
Studies show that the quality time you spend with your young children now has a positive impact on their school performance in later years. This is a great opportunity to get a wonderful resource you can use on a daily basis, year after year. Show Me Howis an award-winning book endorsed by parents, teachers and national organizations such as the JDRF. To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you need to be in their lives today. This is a book that makes it easy and fun to be in your children’s lives today! It is the ONLY book you will need to buy to plan educational, self-esteem building activities for your preschoolers. Don’t put it off until tomorrow!
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