Archive | Feeding Boys

Kid-Friendly Smoothie Recipe….with Spinach!

November 16, 2012 By Jennifer

Have I mentioned that I have a sweet tooth? Well, actually, I have an entire mouthful of sweet teeth! Sadly, I must admit that I have been known to eat hot fudge brownie sundaes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. ….yes, all in the same day. That was BK (before kids.) My thighs do not approve of this meal plan any more. So, I have had to come up with alternate ways to satisfy my strong desire for sweets.

Enter fresh fruit……..

After trying several disgusting smoothie recipes, I finally found one that is a hit with everyone in the house…..including my kids! It is packed with life-giving foods! Much to my dismay, brownie sundaes are not life-giving.

Note: This recipe is adapted from the recipe on the back of the frozen strawberries sold at Costco.

Berry Good Smoothies

1 1/2 cups whole, frozen strawberries

1 banana, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup or frozen blueberries

1 1/2 cup of low fat milk

1 cup low-fat yogurt, any flavor (We prefer strawberry or vanilla.)

7 ice cubes

a small handful of fresh spinach, stems removed (optional) (Start with a small amount. If they don’t notice, then add a few more next time.)

2 Tablespoons of Chia seeds (optional) (If you have a child that has a problem with texture, then leave out the Chia seeds. You can’t taste them, but they change the texture.)

1-3 Tablespoons of honey (optional) (I don’t use honey. I think it is sweet enough without it. But, the original recipe calls for it, so I thought I would let you choose.)

Directions

1. Give your kids a task in another room. If they see the spinach, then they may hate it without even trying it!

2. Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

3. Makes 4 servings (8 oz. each).

The ‘Before’ Picture……… This smoothie includes chia seeds and spinach leaves.

The ‘After’ picture……can you find a spinach leaf? I don’t think so!

Ch…ch…ch…chia! Yup! They are the same thing used in those somewhat disturbing gag gifts! Chia seeds can be used to make a rather unpleasant version of our president or they can increase the amount of Omega-3 in your diet. I buy mine at Costco. Actually, most all of these smoothie ingredients come from Costco!

Here is a close-up view of Chia seeds. They are very tiny! Honestly, we can’t taste them. They change the texture, but not the taste!

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How to Freeze Apples and An Apple Cake Recipe

October 7, 2012 By Jennifer

Apples, apples, and more apples! Recently, my family visited an apple orchard and I purchased a bushel of apples. (That is about forty pounds!) They were only sixty cents a pound, so I couldn’t resist! Today I am going to show you how I freeze my apples. In less than two hours, I was able to wash, peel, core, slice, bag, and freeze every apple! Later, I will share my favorite apple cake recipe…..mmmm!

Choose sweet apples for baking. These are a combination of Fuji and Golden Delicious apples.

Thouroughly wash the apples. I use Liquid Organic Cleaner (L.O.C.) from Amway.

Peel, core, and slice the apples. Usually, I use the one I have from Pampered Chef, but mine broke. So, I borrowed this one from a friend. It is called Peel Away.

This is what the apple should look like when you are done.

Cut the apple into fourths (or smaller). At this time, cut off blemishes, bruising, or any apple seeds that might remain.

Gather lots of bowls! This is what a bushel of sliced apples looks like! Note: the apples will turn brown. I have heard that you can make a syrup to prevent this, but I only use my frozen apples for baking, so I don’t care if they turn brown.

Can you envision all of the yumminess that I will be able to create?

Measure the apples. I put 3 cups of apples in some bags. (The amount needed for my apple cake recipe.) I put 6 cups of apples in other bags. (The amount needed for apple crisp and apple pies.) If I wanted to make applesauce, I would use two bags of the apples with 6 cups.

I use quart size freezer bags to avoid freezer burn. If you don’t have the freezer quality bags, then double bag them. After bagging, remove as much air from the bag as possible.

One bushel made 10 bags containing 3 cups of apples and 16 bags containing 6 cups of apples. That will make 10 apple cakes and 16 apple pies or apple crisps!

Place all of the bags in the freezer. If properly bagged, they will freeze up to a year.

Let’s bake!

One of my closest friends gave me this recipe for apple cake. She used to have an apple tree in her backyard, so she has all kinds of yummy apple recipes!

Alisha’s Apple Cake

2 cups of sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups of shortening or oil

1 1/2 tsp. soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cups of flour

3 cups of apples (peeled, cored, and diced)

Optional: 1 cup nuts

Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Combine sugar, eggs, shortening/oil, soda, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Combine. Slowly add in the flour until thouroughly mixed. Stir in the apples. (and nuts, if using) Pour into a greased bundt pan or 9x 13 pan. Bake about 35-40 minutes for a bundt pan or 30-35 minutes for a 9×13 pan. While it bakes, make the icing below.

Icing

Powdered sugar

1/2 cup of hot water

Starting with 1/2 cup of water, gradually combine powdered sugar and water until it is a thick syrup-like consistency. (not watery) While the cake is still hot, pour the icing over the cake. The mixture will harden as it cools.

Little Man making an apple cake.

Add in the apples.

Try to share with others. It will be hard, but you can do it!

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Motivating Boys to Jog…..Running for Cookies

July 11, 2012 By Jennifer

Summer Bucket List- Item #3: Get my family jogging…….and maybe liking it?

My sister forced me into today’s bucket list item. I hate running. Always have. Always will. So, why would my sis come to me and “ask” me to run a 5K with her? And WHY would I say yes? Believe me…..I have asked myself that question MANY times in the last coouple months! Although, it went more like this, “WHY, LORD……OH, WHY ME?”

So, as every great wife/mom would do, I thought, “If I have to do this….then my husband and boys are going to do it, too!” Share the misery, baby….. I mean…. (clearing throat)….it would be a healthy lifestyle for our family.

As I contemplated how I would motivate everyone to run, I knew that, “It’s good for you,” would only last about a block! At last, I stopped trying to be creative and resorted to our old stand-by motivator: sugar. They will do anything for it.

First of all……a laugh!

Just in case you are wondering…..this girl is not me! I had to resort to a stock photo. You see, I saved you from seeing a picture of me jogging. This is my “I want-to-be-like-you-when-I-grow-up” picture. Instead, when I run, I look like a fish out of water….flailing, soaking wet, and gasping for air!

Getting The Boys Jogging- The Rules

We set goals for my boys. Each one has a different goal, based on his ability.
At the end of each run, if they reach their goal, they will receive two chocolate chip cookies.
After their goal becomes easy, they will set a harder goal.

The Photos

Step 1: Make the cookie dough. (Yes, I let them make it all by themselves. Aren’t you excited to eat it?)

Step 2: Using a cookie dough scoop, make the cookies into balls and place on a cookie dough sheet. Make sure they aren’t touching each other. Freeze the balls for about two hours.

Step 3: Once the dough balls are frozen solid, take them off the cookie sheet and place them in a ziploc bag. Return them to the freezer.

Step 4: Go jogging! (I’m sorry.) After completing their jogging goal, we go home and grab some of our dough balls out of the freezer. My “true children” will choose to eat the dough balls frozen solid. (just like mama) My patient children will ask me to bake the cookie balls for them. (they didn’t get that from me) If the balls are frozen solid, they will take a few extra minutes to cook.

My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2 sticks real butter, softened (not margarine)

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together softened butter, brown sugar, white sugar, egg, vanilla, soda, and cinnamon at medium speed until light and fluffy. At low speed, beat in the flour until well blended. Fold in the oats and chocolate chips. Scoop dough onto cookie sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Do you jog as a family? Any words of wisdom for me…..as I approach my first 5K?

summerbucketlist2 Summer Bucket List