Smooth Operator

Growing up we used to drink a lot of "yogurt shakes" in the summer time. On a hot summer day it was refreshing to suck down a blended concoction of ice, oj, and yogurt. With the evolution of healthy eating and fitness, the smoothie has become very fashionable to consume. I am a big fan of the smoothie, but have a real hard time stomaching the six plus dollar cost of most smoothies that are sold at the local smoothie bar. Anyone who has a blender can produce a high quality smoothie that is cheaper than those sold over the counter and probably with less calories. Many smoothie makers add powders and fillers that may boost your energy, but also boost your caloric intake higher than you want to go without realizing it. You can easily make yourself a healthy delicious smoothie in your own kitchen by keeping some fresh frozen fruit in your freezer. Fresh fruit has a tendency to go bad on you before you know it so why not toss it into the frozen coffin that is your freezer where it takes months for things to go bad? I have found that when your bananas go bad if you peel them and place them in a freezer bag you can increase their longevity and reduce the mess of trying to peal the brown beasts once they are frozen. Another great thing that I have discovered about smoothies is that it is a great way to get your kids to eat fruits and veggies without them even realizing they are eating them. If you splash a little V8 in a sweet smoothie most kids will not be able to distinguish the taste and will gladly gulp down the fruits and veggies. I like to use a 50/50 ratio with V8 and regular juice like grape. I think that grape provides a great natural sweetness that is not always there with say an orange juice.

As the weather heats up, cool things down in the kitchen. Sure an awesome blender like a Vitamix may be costly, but when you factor in the amount you are not paying to Jamba Juice it is actually a savings!! Grab some fruit and get blending. Get crazy and discover what lies beyond the store bought smoothie realm.

Cooking Kids

Children love to be in the kitchen. From the time they can pull things out of the cupboards and bang the pots and pans around, kids just love to be in the kitchen. Some kids have more of a passion for being up in the cooks business, I mean helping, than others. My children both enjoy to cook and be in the kitchen, but my son Wyatt is far more passionate about being a part of the cooking experience. I know that most of his fervor comes from his working spirit, but nonetheless, he loves being right on your hip in the kitchen. The kids have been cooking in the kitchen with me since they could stand on a chair.



I am a firm believer in getting your children cooking young so that they are more open to trying new foods and can spend that time with you, rather than losing more precious minutes at the end of an already time starved day. I started by having them help me measure or simply turning on the mixer. Things have progressed to the cracking of eggs and the pouring of ingredients into the bowls. Typically, we divide ingredients so that one will get the wet ingredients and one will get the dry. This does not always come out to exact equality, but they don't usually get it.



There are times when I know that the kids cannot help me with a particular portion of cooking and it is at these times that I try and encourage them to help in some other way. "Could you throw away this?" "Could you grab me that?" "Could you set the table?" I have come up with tasks that I know they can do and actually be helpful. The latest one for Wyatt is cutting the avocados for guac. He loves to cut the green goodness into tiny little pieces. It is great because he can use a butter knife and it keeps him occupied for a long time. Mattie loves to stir. The thing that I have found with them stirring is to use an extra large bowl and make it a metal one.



I see cooking and kids a lot like kids and art. You have to allow them to get a little messy and encourage them every step of the way. Sure you are going to get some egg shells in your bowl, but that is why you have them crack the eggs into a separate vessel so you can pick the shells out. Cooking is supposed to be fun and bring families together. Take a deep breath and get creative the next time your little one starts pulling a chair over to the cutting board. Everyone can cook, even kids. Have fun and cherish those times. They will be gone before we know it!! I know that if it was not for my mother I would not be the cook I am today. Thanks Mom.