Make-A-Meal Mondays: CHILD-FRIENDLY NUT BUTTERS

Posted on April 4, 2011 by viviankirkfield

I’m a little sad…my son was visiting from Chicago and I just dropped him off at the airport. What an awesome weekend we had…filled with fly-fishing on a picture-perfect stream, gourmet dinners and lunches…some enjoyed at local eateries and others made with the help of my son who loves to cook (and is pretty darn good at it), long walks and important talks.

Building a healthy relationship with an adult child is an on-going process. It helps if you begin in early childhood by spending positive time with your young child and providing unconditional love. The process continues throughout adolescence and early adulthood when you provide emotional support and friendship…but no advice unless it is specifically requested. 🙂

One of the foods my children loved when they were young was peanut butter. On crackers, with jam or jelly on bread, spread on apple slices or celery sticks…it provides high quality nutrition and a taste most children love.

Why purchase processed peanut butter (or other nut butters like almond or cashew) when you can easily make your own, without adding sugar, salt or preservatives?

You will need: A food processor or blender that can chop nuts, ½ lb peanuts (or other nuts such as almonds, cashews or pecans).

1. Put the nuts in the food processor or blender. Cover and process until the nuts are finely ground.

2. Add a few drops of canola oil if you want it to spread a little more easily.

3. Spoon out your nut butter and store in an airtight container.

4. Spread on bread, crackers, apple slices…be creative!

Looking for other simple child-friendly recipes? Young children love to help in the kitchen. When you participate positively with your children…whether you are reading, crafting or cooking…you build their self-esteem, develop pre-literacy skills and create a life-long parent-child bond. If you visit my website, you can check out my parenting book that contains 100 simple healthful child-friendly cooking activities.

I hope you’ll keep in mind the Book Fair Event at the Covered Treasures Bookstore in Monument, CO on Sunday, April 10^th from 12-4pm. I’ll be there, signing copies of SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING, along with two other local authors. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Tri-Lakes Community Preschool Tuition Assistance Program. If you are in the Denver or Colorado Springs area, please stop by.

Also, please remember the book blog tour for Read with Max the Dog…you can visit the other blogs that are hosting: http://readwithmax.com/blogbooktour.html. My site will be hosting on April 12^th and I hope you will all stop by here for that!

Saturday Ramblings: Building a Life-Long Bond With Your Children

Posted on April 2, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Today I am going fly-fishing with my husband and one of our grown sons. Peter flew in yesterday from Chicago to spend the weekend with us. I know we will have an awesome time…Eleven Mile Canyon is a magical spot and we are blessed to live only an hour away.

I picked Peter up at the airport…the hug he gave me was straight from the heart. We drove to a little Vietnamese restaurant in downtown Colorado Springs because Peter knows I love to try new foods and had never had Vietnamese food before. Dinner was DELICIOUS…and my dinner companion was all a mother could ask for.

In order to be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you need to be in their life today.

Believe me…I know what it is like to be a mom of several children with a home, husband and job. It truly gets overwhelming at times. But spending time with your young children is so very important.

Just 15 minutes a day is enough time to read a picture book.

Just 15 minutes a day is enough time to do a simple craft project together.

Just 15 minutes a day is enough time to participate together in the kitchen.

Parents are busy today…that’s why I wrote SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING. This unique resource is a shortcut for parents and teachers and provides story summaries of 100 picture books every young child should hear along with an easy craft project and a simple recipe for each recommended title. And right now, until April 9^th, the book is on sale for 50% off the cover price! Please visit my website to purchase and for details on the prize you can win for your preschooler.

Attention anyone local to Monument, CO…The Covered Treasures Bookstore is hosting a Book Fair to benefit the Tri-Lakes Community Preschool Tuition Assistance Program on Sunday, April 10th at 12-4pm…come on out for a wonderful day in Monument and get to meet and greet three local authors who will be signing their books. I’ll be there from 2-3:30pm. A portion of all proceeds will go to Tri-Lakes Community Preschool and I’m offering several raffle prizes. For more information: www.coveredtreasures.com

Make-A-Meal Mondays: Child-Friendly Banana-Raisin Bran Muffins

Posted on March 21, 2011 by viviankirkfield

Image via Wikipedia

The theme for my posts this week is companions.

The dictionary defines companion as one that accompanies another comrade or associate, a friend who is frequently in the company of another.

When I think about ingredients that are happy companions of each other, this simple, child-friendly recipe for BANANA BRAN MUFFINS comes to mind.

After all, how can something with applesauce, bananas, cinnamon and raisins taste badly…and when you add oat bran and whole wheat flour, you get a muffin that packs an enormous nutrition punch!!!!

CHILD-FRIENDLY BANANA-RAISIN BRAN MUFFINS

These highly nutritious muffins make a wonderful snack…or team them with a vegetable salad or soup for a terrific lunch!!

You will need: 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 cup oat bran, 3 Tbs milk, 1 egg, ½ cup canola oil, 1 cup mashed banana, ½ cup raisins, 1 cup applesauce, 1 tsp honey, a large bowl and a lightly greased 12-cup muffin tin.

1. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix well.

2. Add milk, egg, applesauce and oil and blend together.

3. Mix in raisins and mashed banana.

4. Spoon batter into muffin cups and bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.

5. Cool well before serving. Makes 12 regular size muffins.

This recipe is just one of 100 easy child-friendly healthful cooking activities you will find in SHOW ME HOW! BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-ESTEEM THROUGH READING, CRAFTING AND COOKING. This book is a wonderful resource and shortcut for busy parents and teachers who want to provide educational fun-filled activities for preschoolers. Visit my website to take advantage of the 50%-off-the-cover-price sale, going on until April 9^th! You can also enter to win a great colection of craft supplies for your preschoolers by purchasing a copy or by just filling in the contact form on the website or leaving me a comment here on why you would like to win the craft supplies. Make sure you leave your email so I can notify you if you are the winner. Winner will be announced April 10th.