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Tag: cooking with kids

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Homemade kombucha: #quarantine projects & #homeschoolscience class

A step by step kombucha tutorial with the Pidel ladies: spring 2020.

Hat tip to Emma, talented video editor…she wanted to start you with a trailer to give you a sense of the magnitude of this adventure.

And here’s the full tutorial–taking you from day 1, making the tea with scobys, to day 14, when we add the final goodies, taste, and pronounce it good.

Cheers! Thanks for indulging us.

(Let me know if you want more scenes from our kitchen & zany projects we’re up to 🙂 The girls share my love for a good project that comes with a joyful mess.)

Day 4 growth…trust the process

Kombucha recipe and details.

DAY 1

*1 or 2 scobys (we got our from a neighbor—find someone local and you’re all set)

*1 gallon water (bring to a boil as you’re making tea)

*2-3 bags of iced tea, we used harney and sons peach and it turned out amazing! (or 8-9 tea bags, can be a variety, if normal sized tea bags)

*1 cup sugar–we used raw sugar, it dissolves in the hot water so matters not what kind you use (coconut sugar could work too!)

Step 1: Heat water to boil, let tea steep 30 min, as you let it cool to room temp. Add sugar during this time. (We put ours outside with a dish towel to allow it to cool faster)

Step 2: Add your scobys to the brew!

Step 3: Cover with a cloth (and rubberband) and then put it in a warm place, ideally 70-80, and out of the way (we have a small cupboard right next to our oven that served nicely ;))

Step 4: Let the scoby do its thing. Wait!

DAY 7: You can check it each day to monitor the scoby growth.

You can stick a straw in and taste it on day 7. We waited until day 10 until it smelled a bit differently (nice yeasty smell!), and then tasted.

DAY 11 or 12: when it feels like fermentation is at a good point, you can take the scobys out, bottle it (put in fridge after to slow the process from this point on) and you can also add berries. We added some frozen raspberries and blackberries but I honestly think we preferred the taste without this.

Then you take the scobys out, store them in a bit of the kombucha, and you’re ready for your next batch! We enjoyed making 2 to start with, to compare the fermentation process with them, and to puzzle about why they ended up with different taste, timeline of reaching bubbles, etc.

Cheers!

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More seasonal eating: fall quiche flavors

I don’t know about you, but for me, quiche is the perfect fridge cleanout/catch all dish. I always have the basics around (eggs, cheese, milk) and the crusts are easy to get pre-made nowadays or make your own if you prefer that route. Here’s a good GF recipe if that supports you.

These are made with roasted sweet potatoes, ham, spinach, and bacon and onion (2 diff varieties)…and I’ve made them in the fall in the past with corn, roasted tomatoes, and of course, butternut squash and apples if you’re feeling very fall adventurous.

Sweet Potato, Ham and Spinach Quiche (with bacon option)

2 pie crusts for 9 inch pies

2 large sweet potatoes, diced small and roasted at 425 with olive oil until brown, with salt and pepper (can do ahead)

1 package ham, diced or 1 package bacon (cooked, and crumbled), or do one pie of each, like we did!

1 large onion (so half an onion) diced for 2 pies

2 cups spinach–optional to cook it down first, I let it cook down in the eggs.

Egg filling for each quiche (I always make them 1 at a time to get the right amount poured in, and works for scaling to more than 2 quiches)

*6 large organic eggs

*1-1 1/2 cup milk, depending on how milky you like your quiche (and how full of ingredients the pans are)

*1-2 cups swiss/gruyere grated cheese blend…can get from trader joes to save time

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Line the pie crusts into 2 pie pans

Prep in advance: I suggest roasting the sweet potato and cooking/crumbling the bacon a few hours in advance.

As you’re chopping the ingredients, you can be throwing them into the pan this way (or pull them out of the fridge…shortcuts).

Blend wet ingredients in a bowl with fork until well mixed, then pour it on in.

For baking quiches, there’s an art to it…getting the thing cooked through without burning the crust. You’ll want to start it at 375, and then after 15-20 minutes, turn it down to 350 or 325 to let it cook until solid, which should be another 15 minutes or so but each oven and each quiche batch seems to be different, so definitely keep an eye on it.

And prepare to enjoy! Best served with family, friends, a glass of wine or fall cider, and a fresh salad. Cheers to healthy fall comfort foods.

We always make the 2 quiches and for our family it makes great leftovers–it goes in the girls’ lunchboxes, makes a super easy breakfast to reheat, etc.

Bon Appetit!!!!

 

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4th of July fav: Patriotic Fruit Pizza

This is my all time favorite summer dessert from childhood. The recipe was shared by some close friends, and then my family morphed it into a patriotic theme since we were very into celebrating all things 4th of July…I remember making it all growing up, and posing with my sisters and besties with our flag pizzas–so it was a fun moment to do the same with Emma this year. All 3 of mine added their personal touch to it (cough) and while it neared disaster when Ambrose decided to play toss the blueberries onto the flag, we had a great time and made a memory. It’s super easy to make the dough and the cream cheese frosting in advance (read: before the kids are up) and to do the decorating later. Pro tip: it’s best really cold so see if you can give it an hour of fridge time after frosting and decorating, before serving.

I changed the recipe in a few ways from how it was passed on to me: I made the crust gluten free…because–happy bellies and equally yum! And I increased the quantities of crust and the frosting because you just can’t have too much of those flavors to balance out the fruit, and it’s meant to fill a large rectangular pan. 

Seriously–how can you go wrong with these colors and summer flavors? Seasonal eating? Yes please. Obviously if you can find local strawberries and blueberries, even better! But it will be amazing regardless.

Here’s the combination of flours I’ve landed on for most of my gluten free variations–I find the flour textures balance each other out–and you’ll want to double check the oat flour–some brands are labeled gluten free while others say “may contain traces of wheat”…the coconut flour is heavy, and cooks up denser, so the tapioca flour seems to add the right balance. Have fun experimenting and let me know how you LOVE this recipe!!! I dare you to make it only once this summer:)

Fruit Pizza–patriotic and gluten free

Ingredients:

Crust:

  • 1 1/2 sticks butter
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (can possibly substitute coconut sugar or raw sugar but I didn’t want to mess with my childhood memories..and the crust is super thin so it’s not too sweet).
  • 2 1/4 cups gluten free flour:
    • 1 cup oat flour
    • 3/4 cup coconut flour
    • 1/2 cup tapioca flour

Cream cheese frosting:

  • 12 oz cream cheese–you can get (full fat) whipped variety that blends up really well.
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Combine butter, flours and sugar. Use a pastry cutter for best effect, and finish with hands. Flatten into cookie sheet crust, and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown (recommend you poke some holes with a fork so it doesn’t puff on you).

Then mix the cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar for the topping. Spread onto a completely cooled crust.

Layer fruit in the patterns of your choice.

Refrigerate an hour, then serve!!! (Can be stored up to 24 hours before for fantastic taste!)

Crust is totally cooled (we went for a hike and errands in the meanwhile)…fruit washed, strawberries just have the ends trimmed.

Make it happen! And enjoy the process:)

This is when things got a little exciting 🙂 Luckily most of it ended up where it was supposed to and the older girls modeled how best to spread and place the fruit…

Voila!! It tastes even better than it looks!

Loving her toothy grin, and these fun slower summer days together…

She wanted to add marshmallows for the stars…but was flexible when I convinced her that the fruit would taste amazing on it’s own…she’s all about the inspiration, and artistic process, so I’m sure we’ll be doing lots of fancy baking this summer. Share with me pics when you and your loved ones make this–that is my favorite part!

Happy 4th to you all!

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4 Quick ways to Declutter your schedule for joyful, grounded living

Photo by Andrew Galligan Photography.

This is a topic that is very close to home indeed.

I am converting from being chronically busy, over planner, over committed, running around lady…to someone who truly enjoys an afternoon at home with my kids, no plans, or a morning with space for peaceful strolls, errands, and a few work moments from my phone, but with ample time to explore new places or just let the kids be kids. I savor the slowness of some days, and still mix it up with energized out and about days…but overall, we’re chasing slow, as part of our move to a slower pace that happened 6 months ago.

It’s been incredible to watch a shift in the culture for many of us, as we wake up and realize that busyness has been glorified, we feel guilty, boring or unmotivated if we have space in our life? How and why did we let ourselves get so busy with individually good activities and commitments, and then over-whelmed by it, in a vicious cycle…to the point where we’re spending more time out of our homes than in it, or hours of carpool/drop offs? Or for single folks, how did work and other commitments mean that you have less than 7 hours a day in your own dwelling or for your own pursuits!

I’m learning from children.. life outside of a schedule.

You know how kids can go to a playground or out in the yard and play for hours; literally lose track of time? What a gift.

For someone like me, that’s challenging but a blessed reminder that our days are not just about checking off tiny boxes, but about expansive BEING in the moment. In each moment that is given to us.

So, clearing the schedule is like inviting magic back in, and letting yourself get curious, what will the day bring?

Potentially, you may get lost in an activity that you’re passionate about, you can, thanks to your newly prioritized life.

This is my first time writing out these new principles of living, so share your thoughts with me, and we’ll keep embracing this new life together, the life of “chasing slow“.

  1. This is one that’s helped me tremendously…to clear mental space and enjoy the days more: Menu Plan, and shop the plan. It doesn’t sound ground breaking and it doesn’t have to be fancy. For whatever reason, having that set up on Sunday when you go into the week, can change everything about the flow of Monday and the week ahead. I love a good menu planner/shopping list template, and I snatched up a similiar one at anthropology earlier this year, which helps us tremendously, to not only cut down on mental space, but on frequent pesky trips to the store…such a time suck!–but to also better use the things we get from the store. I also strategically use Blue Apron.
  2. Look at your schedule for the week, with potential obligations, and do 1-2 LESS than you had already committed to on each day (and I don’t mean flake out on people)…On the days when things are packed, even with the good stuff, we tend to enjoy it all less because we’re thinking logistics…getting from point A to B. It’s a luxury to be able to savor and enjoy each activity without having to think ahead or worry about squeezing things in. I’m learning this lesson, and it helps tremendously. I’ll look at my week ahead and slash or move things around in my planner to allow 30 min to 1 hours in btwn…does anyone else do this? It’s a true joy to not always be rushing.
  3. Batch your errands. This is like #1…so obvious but so helpful when implemented. If you have to run to the post office, do the grocery run then too, or wait and do all your errands on specific days and times of the week when you know it’s a lower productivity timeslot for you. You can take a great quiz here if you’re someone who has flexible work or just needs to figure out when they are most productive. Plus…we live in an era of online shopping, and I’ll share another post with my top 10 time-savers using sites, while also being able to indulge in local, conscious consumption
  4. Finally…while saying NO to over-scheduling, overwhelm, constant running around, you’re saying YES to meaningful moments with friends, and loved ones. Schedule in the social time as much as you schedule the other stuff. This is a large part of what we look forward to when looking at our planners, day by day, and, according to Blue Zones author Dan Beuttner, is an important indicator of how long we will live, and how healthy we will be.

What do you do to create space, peace and joy in your week? #slowisthenewbusy

 

I know for myself, as I’ve begun saying yes to less…I’ve thought alot about what I’m creating space FOR…and those priorities help drive the motivation for the rest of it to be simpler. We discuss that and so much more in my Life by Design course starting in the new year…I hope you’ll join us!

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Fourth of July Cherry, Blueberry, Almond Cake (#almostvegan)

This was originally published on whoopsyummy, on July 4, 2014.

Blueberry Cherry Almond Cake
Original recipe is vegan, mine is “#almostvegan” (see notes below)

Makes one 9″ round cake

It’s a rainy 4th of July afternoon here in NYC, so Emma and I tucked the almost-birthday girl down for a nap, and quickly started our “me and you time” as she calls it, with focused cake making (powered by iced-espresso and a green smoothee)–since we’re next assembly-lining some cupcakes for our monkey-themed birthday for Corinne in the park tomorrow.

Those will be on the blog…soon…:)

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Dry:

2 cups organic whole wheat flour
*sub with other flours if desired
3/4 cup sugar, organic (why organic here)
1 Tbsp baking powder
3 Tbsp rolled oats

1/2 tsp salt (pink himalayan for extra nutrients)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Dash nutmeg

Wet:

2 Tbsp flax seeds + 2/3 cup warm water

3 Tbsp butter (THIS IS THE ALMOST VEGAN part ;)) Real butter is great…so as long as you are not lactose intolerant–enjoy 🙂
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optionally almond instead, but it will alter the subtle flavor, I think vanilla goes better w the fruits and coconut flavors)
2 Tbsp flax seeds + 2/3 cup warm water
2/3 cup coconut milk or I used coconut/almond blend, my new favorite now available widely
1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
3 Tbsp orange juice + pinch orange zest (fresh squeeze room temperature oranges – or warm OJ to about room temp) (PS I didn’t use zest b/c didnt have!)

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Fold ins:

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup cherries, finely chopped

1/4 cup almonds/walnuts finely chopped

Frosting:

2/3 cup coconut oil

1/3 cup butter (or vegan butter), softened

3 cups powdered sugar (yikes, yes if you’re looking to go lighter on the sugar, see my date frosting recipe here)

pinch salt (pink himalayan)

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Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350, pick out and grease your pan

2) soak flax seeds and water while you mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl

3) Mix in the other wet ingredients with the soaked flax seeds–they will provide a lovely thickening effect and you can obviously adjust quantities of things like coconut flakes, OJ etc based on preference (If you’re like me and never follow a recipe as is:))

4) Blend the dry and wet ingredients together gently, be sure not to over-stir, and then fold in the “fold ins”

5) Bake for 20-30 min–checking to see when the edges begin to brown and a knife goes in center and comes out clean

6) Whip frosting and don’t frost until cake is completely cool. The coconut oil is a great addition to a butter frosting–will definitely be using this (with sweetener adjustments–like dates, honey, syrup, (must experiment) most likely) in the future.

7). Frost cake, and through on a handful of blueberries, cherries, almonds, raw sugar, oats (pictured)

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8) Pull almost 1 yr olds off the table from taste-testing the extra blueberries and cherries. Remove clothes…Then snap some more photos…oh wait, that’s just my crazy life.

9) Stop and admire:)

Gather some friends and family around, perhaps with iced tea or coffee, and enjoy this! I think it works for a brunch cake as well–since it’s hearty and nutritious while being delicious.

Give your feedback! Love hearing what people are loving or other recipes that you enjoy on your holidays!! Happy Fourth–here’s to our independence!!

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And of course–I need to share the whoops behind the yummy…the helpers/mess-makers and the reason I’m typing this post right now (She’s strapped into a chair). Behind every food photo is a messy kitchen and a fun process–I love sharing that too.

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