Archive for the ‘balance’ tag

Milk and Cookies for Breakfast

Source: Jeremy Novak @ http://www.pbase.com/jgn/image/55347059

The saying goes that before I had kids, I was the perfect parent. Since it’s early in the morning, I’ll raise a big cup of coffee to that. Before Elf and Giant entered the picture, I had it all planned out…100% organic food, classical music, wooden and educational toys (i.e., no plastic), no TV unless it was public television and weekly trips to cultural events of every kind. I know, I was barely living in reality! I laugh now, remembering how serious I was about it all. And then Elf and Giant arrived along with diapers, play dates, sickness…real people and the real world. That’s when and where my life, already intertwined with my husband’s, morphed into an even more vibrant tapestry. Our lives really began when Elf and Giant arrived. It’s when my husband and I were forced to begin the process of sorting out the difference between where we thought we stood on certain issues and where we actually stood.

I’m glad to say that some of the pledges have remained in tact, yet most have been modified. The kids listen and move to the rhythms of classical music but they also dance and play to country music and jazz. My kids play with plastic toys…lots and lots of them. We eat as much organic food as we can, but realize that this diet can easily deplete our monthly income if eaten consistently and exclusively. So, some of our pledges have remained while others have slipped away…some a little more quickly than others. Over the years, I’ve learned that the right kind of television is okay and even helpful to explain aspects of our world, the Grandmas’ Pennsylvania Dutch cooking and family recipes are okay in moderation (‘tho I still held the line with those gravy-drenched mashed potatoes when the kids were 6 months old and just starting solids) and ice cream really does wonders to cool you down on a dog-hot day. It’s okay. It’s all good. It’s loving. It really is. It’s that ever-elusive balance we’re all seeking.

So today, when I found a recipe for Breakfast Cookies* and milk, I didn’t put the recipe off to the side for another day. I went ahead and whipped up a bunch to share with the kids over breakfast. They were a hit. The kids smiled at each other. Giant shared his with Elf, without complaint. And she shared back with him. It sure was a nice change from our usual routine. And if the smiles and good will were any indication, we all enjoyed something different for a change.

What new thing did you try or do this week?

*Recipe from Missy Chase Lapine’s book, “The Sneaky Chef”

SNEAKY CHEF’S BREAKFAST COOKIES
Nutrition Highlights: whole grains, calcium, and protein. Rich in vitamins B and E, iron, potassium, folic acid, calcium, tryptophan protein, and fiber.
2 cups whole grain cereal flakes (such as Wheaties or Total)
3/4 cup Flour Blend (1/4 cup white flour, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, and 1/4 cup wheat germ)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
Cinnamon sugar for dusting*
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or spray with oil).
2. Using a rolling pin, gently crush the cereal (in a sealed plastic bag) into coarsely crushed flakes. Alternatively, you can quickly pulse the cereal in a food processor.
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together Flour Blend, crushed cereal, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together egg, sugar, oil, vanilla, and ricotta cheese. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just enough to moisten dry ingredients. Drop single tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch between cookies. Flatten cookies with the back of a fork and then sprinkle tops generously with cinnamon sugar (or just sugar if your kids don’t like the cinnamon flavor). Bake about 18 to 20 minutes, or until nicely browned and crispy around the edges.
Makes 16 to 18 large cookies.
*Cinnamon has been found to help stabilize blood-glucose levels, thereby preventing the usual “crash and burn” feeling we all get after eating sweets.
© Missy Chase Lapine, all rights reserved.

Look at Me, Me Run Perry Past!

Lately, life at the yellow house has been moving faster than usual. And that’s pretty fast. We’ve had meetings, school supply shopping trips, the uh-oh, school begins tomorrow emergency trip to the grocery store, Giant’s first official day of kindergarten and various last-chance, let’s cram-‘um-in activities before the school year begins. What a week.

Elf’s favorite saying is, “Look at me, me run perry past!” She loves to run, loves the way it feels to her body and the sheer freedom of it. She wants to move and does with all of her energy. She is life in motion.

I often remind Giant to slow down if he’s hurrying, that hurrying puts one at risk for making mistakes. Today, I got a dose of my own medicine. Trying to hurry, I broke a bowl. And Giant calmly reminded me that this is what happens when a person hurries.

Elf and Giant both have wise words for their ages. It is time to slow down some of the momentum. It’s time to breathe. It’s time to enjoy the comfort of warm little bodies snuggled together reading stories on a cloudy day, time to smile at each other across the supper table, perhaps make some cookies and enjoy each other’s company.

A point in time comes when all of the activity becomes too much. It’s time at the yellow house to round up the crew, hunker down and have some family time before it all begins again on Monday. That’s when we’ll, once again, “…run perry past!”

Best to you and those you love,

Chris