Halloween memories

Posted on October 5, 2010 by viviankirkfield

I’ve been looking back at my memories of past Halloweens. As a young child, I lived in an apartment house with 104 units…a Halloween paradise…and you didn’t even have to go outside! Of course, that was over 50 years ago, when there was less of a concern about knocking on a door of someone you didn’t know. My 8-year old sister, Rho, was put in charge of me and my two best friends, Jane and Marilyn. We were all of 5-years old and so excited about the candy we would receive…rainbow dots stuck on the white strip of paper, Bazooka bubblegum, Tootsie rolls…just what you’d find if you went to a vintage candy store. I don’t remember what characters we portrayed, but I know that the costumes were always homemade by our mothers.

My next memories are of Halloweens we celebrated when our children were growing up. In the beginning, we went trick or treating in the neighborhood of the small Connecticut town where we lived…where almost everyone on the street knows your name. However, one year, on the morning of Halloween, there were broadcasts on TV and radio about some tainted candy that had been given to children. I was just finishing tying the ribbons on colorfully wrapped portions of homemade rice krispie treats that were to be given out to the neighborhood trick or treaters. Of course, there was no way I could give those out…I’m sure parents would examine their children’s goodie bags and throw out anything that wasn’t store-bought and factory-sealed. That was the last time our children went trick or treating…from then on, we opted to have Halloween parties at our home…inviting friends of our children to share a safer Halloween.

It’s too bad those Halloween trick or treaters didn’t get to enjoy the rice krispie treats, but you can! Here is the recipe I used:

DEVILISH DELISH KRISPS

You will need: 3TB butter or margarine, 1 package (10 oz) fresh marshmallows, 1/2 cup almond butter, 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal, 1 cup organic mini chocolate chips, large microwave-safe bowl, and a 13x9x2-inch casserole pan.

In microwave-safe bowl, heat butter or margarine and marshmallows on High for 2 minutes. Stir and heat 1 more minute. Stir until smooth.
Add almond butter and stir well.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Add the cereal and stir until well-coated.
Spray the 13x9x2-inch pan with canola oil and press the mixture into the pan with a buttered or oiled spatula.
Cover with plastic wrap. Cool and then cut into squares.
Best eaten within 24 hours…I don’t think they will last that long.

Green Your Halloween: Trick or Treat! (sierraclub.typepad.com)

3 top creative snacks for your child’s lunchbox

Posted on September 19, 2010 by viviankirkfield

Sometimes as parents we have to be magicians in order to insure that our children pull out healthy snacks from their lunch boxes. Whether your child goes to a daycare or preschool facility or is home with you, it’s important that he be eating healthy, nutritious foods…both at mealtimes and for snacks.

If the facility provides the snacks and meals, it’s crucial to find out what is being served. And, if you are not happy, please don’t hesitate to make suggestions and, if necessary, band together with other parents to work towards upgrading the menus and ingredients used.

On the other hand, if you are providing the food that fills the breakfast plate, lunchbox and dinner table, you are in total control of what your child is eating. This can be a daunting task…but it is wonderful because you can pick and choose the best ingredients and most healthful recipes.

Our children look forward to snacks…we can help fight the current trends of increased child-obesity, dental decay and juvenile diabetes by making those snacks high in nutrition and fiber and low in sugar and fat.

Here are three top creative snacks for your child’s lunchbox. You and your child can spend some quality time together, making these simple, delicious and healthful treats.

I. PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

You will need: 1/4 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter), 1/4 cup honey, 1/2 cup non-fat dried milk powder, 1/4 cup shredded coconut, a large bowl and a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl until well-blended. Then roll into small balls (about 1 tablespoon each).
Roll the balls in shredded coconut and place on cookie sheet.
Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
Place uneaten balls in a cover container and store in the refrigerator for up to a week (although they won’t remain uneaten for that long).
This recipe makes about one dozen balls. You can double or quadruple the recipe quite easily. To go in your child’s lunchbox: wrap one or two balls in waxed paper and then put in a small sandwich baggie.

II. LION’S CANDY

You will need: 1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter), 1/2 cup ground sunflower seeds, 1/4 cup instant dry milk, 1 Tb honey, 1/2 cup finely chopped raisins (or dates or other dried fruit), 1/2 tsp cocoa (optional) and a large bowl.

Blend together nut butter and ground sunflower seeds.
Stir in dry milk, honey and dried fruit. Mix well (with hands, if necessary).
If the mixture is too dry, add some liquid milk; if too wet, add more dry milk.
Form into teaspoon-sized balls. If desired, roll in cocoa powder.
Makes about 2 dozen balls. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To send in your child’s lunchbox, wrap 1 or 2 balls in waxed paper and put in a small sandwich baggie.

III. RAINBOW VEGGIE STICKS WITH NUTTY DIP

You will need: Assortment of colorful vegetables such as green and red peppers, carrots, zucchini and celery (use your imagination), 1/2 cup almonds (or other nuts), blender or food processor, small container and a large container.

Wash the vegetables and cut in sticks.
Grind the nuts. Add a little olive oil or canola oil if the dip is too dry.
Store the cut vegetables in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Store the nut butter in a small covered container in the refrigerator.
To send in your child’s lunchbox, put an assortment of the rainbow-colored vegetable sticks in a small sandwich baggie and put a tablespoon of the nut butter in a small covered container.

Chef Ann Cooper, director of nutritional services at Berkeley Unified School District and co-author of Lunch Lessons, has great ideas about our children’s nutrition and offers tips on how to improve it: www.thelunchbox.org.

You can also find more information about healthy living and nutritious eating at: www.betternutrition.com and www.deliciousliving.com.

5 skills every preschooler should learn

Posted on September 15, 2010 by viviankirkfield

I noticed an article on MSN’s home page about skills teenagers should master as they approach the age when they will leave home to go away to school or out on their own to work. I think it is a big mistake to wait till our children are teenagers to teach them these important life skills. Except for car maintenance, every single skill can and should be introduced and taught to our preschoolers. I think back to my own childhood and am saddened to realize that my mother did not expect me or my sister to help clean the house (although she did suggest it once or twice) and we were not taught to balance a checkbook or keep to a budget. She cooked all of the meals and did not teach us to cook, plan menus or shop for ingredients.

What are those life skills that every child should begin to master at an early age?

CLEANING THE HOUSE: show your child what to do and let him help…of course, if you are using toxic cleansers, perhaps you can switch to more eco-friendly (and child-friendly) green cleaning solutions. Check out one of my earlier posts for some simple suggestions.
DOING THE LAUNDRY: even a toddler can help sort items for the laundry…darks and lights for example…putting dirty clothes in the hamper…folding towels…matching socks…what great opportunities for science and math experiences!
COOKING: little ones LOVE to help in the kitchen…measuring, mixing, learning about what ingredients go into making various meals and accompanying you to the store to discover that green bananas should be yellow with spots if we want them to taste sweet and what a ripe melon smells like.
MANAGING MONEY: every young child should have a piggy bank where allowances (if your family does that) and money earned or received as gifts are kept…it’s easy for kids to “want” everything…but life is about making choices and that is a part of money management that little ones can be taught…if Johnny wants something that costs $1.00 and he only has 50 cents in his piggy bank, he will have to “earn” the rest or wait until he has enough by saving allowance or gift money. Older children should learn to balance a checkbook!
MAKING APPOINTMENTS AND MANAGING A DAILY SCHEDULE: you can make a chart that shows the daily schedule…breakfast time, lunch time, doctor’s appt, playdate, bedtime…use pictures cut from magazines to help your child identify what is happening during the day…young children feel less stressed when they know what to expect and what is expected from them…for children who have trouble settling down and getting ready for bed, this might be a life-saver!

So, don’t wait to start teaching your child these important life skills…begin when he is a preschooler and life may be much smoother in your home as your child grows up. He or she will definitely thank you…self-sufficiency and mastering tasks and skills are cornerstones in the foundation of high self-esteem.