juicy peaches

i found this awesome recipe, just in time to enjoy some juicy, deliciously peaches in season. i lessened some of the sugar. it is so yummy i had to share.

last night, my little guy needed his mama's comfort. i am still in my jams (pajamas) i have not looked in the mirror nor brushed my hair back, my body is achier than usually. my thoughts drifting and i gave myself TWO tasks today. to find and make a delicious new meal for this evening and tomorrow evening with my 2 beautiful eggplants. and my second task is to have a calm, peaceful ending to my day. giving myself time to savor some tea, mediate, think about what tomorrow may bring and curl up with a book this evening. 

so, i went searching for some recipes and here's what i came up with, some will be modified to be dairy free:

grilled eggplant topped with goat cheese and tomato

rainy day rigatoni here

vegan muffuletta

stuffed foccacia with roasted eggplant and oregano

trenette with eggplant and basil pesto

15 dips and spreads for summer parties

10 vegan lunch ideas

10 vegan breakfast ideas

 

i decided to grill the eggplant because no matter which recipe i decide upon, the grill brings out an amazing flavor. and i remember how much i enjoy this part of the season when we have delicious eggplant to nourish ourselves with. i decided on the rainy day rigatoni for tonight and vegan muffuletta for tomorrow. and i look forward to the trenette with eggplant and basil pesto next. what is your favorite eggplant recipe?

a new plan

our new journey is re-establishing our family rhythm and learning to nurture oneself. part of our plan is being helped through new services my son is receiving. the wonderful part of the program is that the occupational therapist comes out to your home, observes and offers suggestions. there was high hopes that after we determined his intolerance to milk protein and eliminated milk protein from his diet that he would start eating in a healthy manner and his poor feeding would discontinue. everyone also hoped that my son would outgrown his milk protein intolerance after his first birthday. so we have kind of been in limbo, until recently.

after introducing milk to my son's diet, very slowly, for the past six weeks, we determined that he can not tolerate milk protein. he also has tracked consistently at the 5% for weight on the growth chart, so we still are working with his poor feeding.

our new plan includes:

1. helping establish a healthy eating and sleeping pattern for my little guy. we have adjusted his eating routine where he will eat 5 times a day, instead of every hour and a half. (he needed meals every hour and a half back before. he was so small and constantly active. he now will take some time to sit and read a book and he also takes some time to cuddle so we felt we were able to work with changing his eating routine) now that we are establishing a consistent eating routine, with meals spaced out more so he could experience a feeling of hunger and the ability to feel fulfilled with food, it has already greatly helped his napping routine. he now sharing a bedroom with his sister, which brings us to

2. getting mama a healthy block of sleep. transiting my son out of our bed and into his crib was a very hard decision. i had too many people that love the both of us urging me to do this and ultimately i decided that this was the best decision for our family. i slept on the floor many nights and watched the sun rise, but this is getting better

3. cooking without milk protein and eggs. (eggs is something that we will try in his diet in the future. my daughter was allergic to egg until she outgrew it at 3 years of age, so this is why he has been egg free)

anniversary love

:: my husband and i celebrated our anniversary of 8 years. this year has been the most challenging by far, deep intense feelings that don't always bring out the best in us, but none the less bring us closer together in the end. we had served chocolate covered strawberries at our wedding and it's always nice to enjoy them this time of year.

santa lucia story

saint lucia a symbol of hope, bringing the light and warmth during a cold, dark season. as we celebrate st. lucia day for the first time, i searched for the stories, songs, activities and food we could share together as a family. as with everything we choose to celebrate, we try and make a connection to our family, helping us to nourish our souls and find greater meaning. we celebrated by making an evergreen crown, watching some santa lucia day processions on youtube, making the recipe for santa lucia buns in the waldorf kindergarden snack book and reading this lovely story that i'd like to share.

Santa Lucia
Santa Lucia, thy light is glowing
Through darkest winter night, comfort bestowing.
Dreams float on dreams tonight,
Comes then the morning light,
Santa Lucia,

Santa Lucia.


SANTA LUCIA A story written by Tiziana Boccaletti
Once upon a time, a long long time ago, in a far away land there lived a young woman. Her name was Lucia and she liked spending time on the lake, quietly listening to all the animals and the sounds the water made. The swans knew her and liked her and would come feed from her hand during winter time. Mama hawk would often salute her with a loud screech when circling in the cool sky. She was a young girl like many others, she liked what everybody else liked and enjoyed spending time with friends in the woods, playing games and baking cakes with her mother. She always felt gratitude in her heart for what she had and her good kind loving family but there was one thing she always wished for. Lucia wished she could see with her eyes. Born blind, she had learned at a young age to use her ears, her hands and her heart to listen. One day, after going for a long walk in the woods, she sat under a mighty walnut tree and fell asleep. She dreamt many colorful dreams of faraway places, unicorns, knights and palaces and in her dreams her eyes were as bright and clear as one thousand candles. In her dream, an old good witch from the castle told her that soon the light from her heart would travel to her eyes and she would be able to see. Lucia woke up and was at first startled by her dream but then she realized in was time to go home. It was the darkest night of the year and she could smell the sunset dampness coming from the green grass. On her way to town she heard an old woman asking for help. Lucia immediately ran to her to see what she might need. The old woman asked for help walking home. Lucia immediately offered her arm and the two of them walked for a long time. They had been climbing up a hill when a young boy approached them and asked for food. Lucia was very hungry herself but she reached into her apron pocket and offered him her red apple. He thanked her and devoured it right away. Lucia was hungry herself but didn’t say anything..she was happy she could help. They had almost reached their destination when Lucia heard the voice of a man calling her. He was sitting by the side of the road and told her he had been robbed of all his clothes. Lucia took her shawl off her shoulders and gave it to him. It was her favorite shawl, the one that her grandma her patiently knitted for her by the fire, but she didn’t mind. When she asked the old woman if they had arrived yet, the old woman said, “Yes, you have arrived”. Lucia asked: “Where are we?”. The old woman replied: “Look up at the moon in the sky and you will know”. Lucia raised her head and saw the full moon with her own eyes. She looked at the old woman and realized it was indeed the witch she had dreamed of. The old witch said: “The golden light from your good heart grew so strong that it had to find a new home and that new home is your eyes. Go and use the light to be of service to others and light their way”. Lucia was overfilled with joy and ran all the way home to tell her mother and all her friends. And if things haven’t changed, they are still the same!

martinmas

the more i learn about waldorf, the more i live it, the more beauty, truth and meaning into our lives. martinmas, for us, celebrates the spirit of sharing, the beauty of candle light, a time to reflect and kindle our inner light.

our celebrating bring us together singing and sharing the story of St. Martin. making some harvest pumpkin soup topped with some cranberry compote (from another recipe. 1 c water 2 c fresh cranberries, 1/4 c sugar, zest of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 t coarse salt. bring to boil over medium heat. reduce to a simmer. cook until jam like consistency about 20 minutes) baking some whole apples. melting a single chocolate bar with milk for some homemade hot chocolate for the family to share, while enjoy a candle lite evening with family game night.




( a thin layer of tissue paper works best for the leaf lanterns)

here are some other suggestions I found to celebrate Martinmas, including a bunch of song:

the kindergarden snack book suggests stone soup, baked apples, popcorn and apple cider, along with a recipe for rose room oatmeal cookies.

from festivals, family and food
"He was known for his gentleness, his unassuming nature and his ability to bring warmth and light to those who were previously in darkness. On the evening on Martinmas he is remembered in many French households with a festival of lanterns, carrying light throughout the darkened home, singing songs, and sharing a simple cake, perhaps decorated with the symbol of the sun."






St. Martin St. Martin, St. Martin, St. Martin road through wind and snow on his strong horse his heart aglow He rode so boldly through the storm, his large cloak kept him well and warm. By the road side, by the roadside, by the roadside a poor man arose out of the snow in tattered clothes "I beg you help me in my plight or else I'll die of cold tonight." St. Martin, St. Martin, St. Martin stopped his horse and drew his sword and cut his cloak in two one half to the beggar man he gave and by this deed his life did save.

in these hills always inspires me with her words and knowledge. and these (above) she shared on her blog, her favorite songs along with a beautiful story book, Amy's goose by Efner Tudor Holmes. it is a story about amy who nurses a wild goose back to health and struggles to decide whether to keep it on the farm or let it be free.

Lantern, Lantern
Little Lantern, Little Lantern
The sun, the moon and twinkle stars
Bu-urn bright , my light,
Bu-urn bright , my light,
But not only the light of my dear lantern. OR (But please not my little lantern tonight)

This little light of mine
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine,
I'm gonna let it shine,
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

I Walk with My Lantern (many variations)
I'm walking with my lantern,
And my lantern walks with me.
Above the stars are shining
On Earth are shining we.

Oh lantern light
you shine so bright.
Oh hear the angels sing.
Oh hear the angels sing.

(Untitled)
the daylight fast is dwindling
my little lamp needs kindling
let your beams shine far into the dark night
little lantern guard me with your precious light

dragon bread

:: our dragon bread. i am glad i kept this on our list of things to do, even if it is a month after. we were able to revisit the story of St. Michael. allowing me to once again refocus and draw from my inner strength. oh, i tell you, my days go by so fast and my nights, my nights are so wakeful. i am trying my best to make sure my little guy gets all that he needs to grow and get back on track.

halloween weekend

:: halloween came somewhat quick for me this year, so it is nice to still be celebrating through the weekend. and of course, here are some pictures of my superhero, pink power ranger, police girl. she works at night to fight the bad guys. power rangers? i do not know, we do not watch them, but she knows about them and as i said, this request was very specific. we are already talking about next year's costume, which she wants to design herself. someone at school made an astronaut outfit and she became more interested in making a costume. and vince was bundled up in his sling, so we have yet to snap a picture of him in his outfit. it's coming though. and all that candy. we are so lucky that a dentist is collecting candy to send to our troops. i also came across an idea to use the candy to decorate a gingerbread house. does all the candy drive you nuts too?

another batch of pancakes for dinner

:: pancakes for dinner was very successful last time around. my little one helping to mix the batter and getting together the nutty topping. there was no fussing. everyone eating all the good stuff. whole wheat flour, quinoa meal, and bananas. topped with raw pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds, as well as pure maple syrup.

pancakes for dinner

it's always fun to switch things up from time to time. my little one loved it. we had a combination of these two recipes that follow, the apple pancakes with whole wheat flour and quinoa flour, topped with the nutty topping of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sliced almonds.

apple (banana and pecan) pancakes with maple butter by tyler florence
whole wheat pancakes with nutty topping by ellie krieger

tomorrow for dinner:
pork chops with spiced apples and raisins by tyler florence


some new recipes that caught my eye:
beef and butternut squash stew by giada de laurentiis
creamy mushroom soup with blue cheese toasts over at chow
roasted acorn squash with wild rice stuffing over at chow
butternut squash lasagna by giada de laurentiis
pasta with butternut squash from apartment therapy
roasted delicate squash salad over at chow
chicory, tangerine & pomegranate salad over at chow
pecan and sweet potato bread over at chow


for desserts, I came across this super amazing blog honey & jam. Don't you just love the name, you have to check this one out.

so, i'm hungry. it's late at night. i am search for some recipes and trying to plan out some meals. dictating a certain meal for a certain day of the week did not work, but the meal planning is coming along.

i get inspired by watching cooking shows. and a new food magazine has helped inspire me. it was on super-easy italian meals and $10 meals. i also need to invest in some wholesome, simple, natural cookbooks. what's are your favorite book cooks?

soups & stews

:: with the cooler weather comes homemade soups & stews. today, we enjoyed an entire pot of minestrone with pesto. i always like to make a little extra to freeze, but this one was enjoyed throughly. so tonight, after everyone was in bed, i put together all the ingredients for potato and leek soup. little bits of bacon and a dash of cream will make this one savory. the vivid lime green reminds me of spring, but nothing says fall to me like a homemade soup. oh, and apple picking, pumpkin picking, leaf collecting and kite flying. What are your favorite activities in autumn?

b for blueberry

:: we're enjoy every last blueberry. these were made into blueberry crisp. yum yum yum, especially with some ice cream and whip cream.

the apple story

Apple season is here. I'm ready to enjoy some apple picking and of course, some baking. Baking whole apples, apple galette, apple crisp and apple pies is especially fun when I'm baking with my little one. Here is also a little story to share if you'd like about the little red house with no doors and windows and a star inside and here in a short verse about the star within.

The Little Red House With No Doors and Windows and a Star Inside
There was once upon a time a little boy who was tired of playing with his toys and tired of his books and puzzles.

"What shall I do? He asked his mother. And his mother, who always knew fun things for little boys to do, said "Why not go and find a little red house with no doors and no windows and a star inside."

This really made the little boy wonder. Usually his mother had good ideas, but he thought that this one was very strange. "Which way shall I go?" He asked his mother. "I don't know where to find a little red house with no doors and no windows". "Go down the lane past the farmer's house and over the hill," said his mother, "and then hurry back as soon as you can and tell me all about your journey."

So the little boy put on his cap and his jacket and started out. He had not gone very far down the lane when he came to a merry little girl dancing along in the sunshine. Her cheeks were like pink blossom petals and she was singing like a robin.

"Do you know where I shall find a little red house with no doors and no windows and a star inside?" asked the little boy.

The little girl laughed. "Ask my father the farmer," she said. "Perhaps he knows."

So the little boy went on until he came to the great brown barn where the farmer kept barrels of fat potatoes and baskets of yellow squashed and golden pumpkins. The farmer himself stood in the doorway looking out over the green pastures and yellow grain fields.

"Do you know where I shall find a little red house with no doors and no windows and a star inside?" asked the little boy of the farmer. The farmer laughed too. "I've lived a great many years and I never saw one," he chuckled, "but ask Granny who lives at the foot of the hill . . . She knows how to make homemade cookies, taffy, and popcorn balls . . . and red mittens! Perhaps she can tell you."

So the little boy went on farther still, until he came to the Granny sitting in her pretty garden of herbs and marigolds. She was wrinkled as a walnut and as smiling as sunshine. "Please, dear Granny," said the little boy, "where shall I find a little red house with no doors and no windows and a star inside?"

The granny was knitting a red mitten and when she heard the little boy's question, she laughed so cheerily that the wool ball rolled out of her lap and down to the little pebbly path.

"I should like to find that little house myself," she chuckled. "It would be warm when the frosty night comes and the starlight would be much prettier than a candle. But ask the wind who blows about so much and listens at all the chimneys. Perhaps the wind can direct you."

So the little boy took off his cap politely to the Granny and went on up the hill rather sorrowfully. He wondered if his mother, who usually knew almost everything had perhaps made a mistake.

The wind was coming down the hill as the little boy climbed up. As they met, the wind turned about and went along, singing beside the little boy. It whistled in his ear, and pushed him and dropped a pretty leaf into his hand.

"I wonder," thought the little boy, after they had gone along together for awhile, "if the wind could help me find a little red house with no doors and no windows a star inside."

The wind cannot speak in our words, but it went singing ahead of the little boy until it came to an orchard. There it climbed up in the apple tree and shook the branches. When the little boy caught up, there at his feet lay a great rosy apple. The little boy picked up the apple.

It was as much as his two hands could hold, it was red as the sun had been able to paint it, and the thick brown stem stood up as straight as a chimney, and it had no doors and no windows.

Was there a star in side? The little boy called to the wind, "Thank you," and the wind whistled back, You're welcome."

Then the little boy gave the apple to his mother. His mother took a knife (AT THIS POINT, START CUTTING AN APPLE CROSSWISE) and cut the apple through the center.

Oh, how wonderful! There inside the apple, lay a star holding brown seeds.

"It is too wonderful to eat without looking at the star, isn't it?" the little boy said to his mother.

"Yes indeed," answered his mother.

september planning

September is one of my favorite months, with these last few weeks of summer and the first week of autumn. We'll be enjoying these beautiful days outdoors, picking apples, and experiencing local fairs and festivals and look forward to the arrival of autumn.

This is a perfect time to get back to meal planning. I am having the hardest time getting back into planning meals, let alone finding the time to cook. I have managed to bring back our muffin baking, once a week. Occasionally, we'll make cookies or dessert. But mostly, it's muffins packed with quinoa, flax seeds meal, oats, spelt and all that good stuff. I usually make 2 different batches and freeze half of them. They are great for snacks and sometimes we have them for quick breakfasts. As, for dinners. My old dinner recipes were good for a mama of a 5 year old, when I had an hour to cook and think and relax, while my little one was playing, reading, painting or drawing. Now, I need some new recipes, some new ideas in cooking fast, frugal, and nutritious meals. I have been hitting the mothering meal planning threads for ideas and INSPIRATION. I've found a great idea about specifying certain foods for certain nights. A rhythm for meals. It should sound familiar, shouldn't it? We used to have a soup making day that worked out perfectly. My little one loved helping me out and it was part of our regular weekly rhythm so I am happy to bring this back. I am so grateful for the slower pace that the autumn will bring. So far, this looks like our schedule.

Monday- Sandwich/ left-over night
Tuesday- Slow cooker or casserole night
Wednesday- Mexican night, side beans, tortilla chips & guacamole.
Thursday- Grill night
Friday- Pasta night
Saturday- Soup night
Sunday- Pizza night

I am off to get some new recipes. Any thoughts or tips to share?

Frozen fruit project

Last night's berries were a little tart. Don't you love that lip smacking sound & funny faces that a sour taste provokes.

This medley of frozen fruit is too fun not to eat. Have your little one arrange fresh fruit in a small bowl, followed by pouring in some water to cover the fruit. Then, freeze overnight. Your little one will enjoy the process of melting the ice and eating each berry as it is exposed.

Yummy & delicious

My little one waited in the living room with anticipation, as I prepared a little surprise. I hinted that her surprise was yummy & delicious.

Making snack time a little special

With my little girl is home from her sleepovers, I am a little more rested, refocused and determined to find more opportunities for quality time with her. Just an extra minute of planning makes snack time a little more special. With the baby sleeping, I am able to give her 100% of my attention.

Banana Pancakes

We had some extra bananas this week and decided to make some pancakes with them. This recipe for Banana (Pecan, we did not have) Pancakes by Tyler Florence looked pretty good. I think the extra egg and butter made these pancakes very moist and so yummy, the best I've had. Next time, I'll have to make it with whole wheat & flax seed flour and less butter, but then again maybe we will just indulge ourselves. These were wonderful!!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups buttermilk
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 pinch salt
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• (1/2 cup pecans, toasted and finely ground (not chopped))
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 3 bananas, peeled and sliced in 1/4-inch circles
• Maple Butter, recipe follows
• Confectioners' sugar, to garnish
• Candied Pecans, to garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl whisk the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla together so they are well combined. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, and sugar. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry and stir with a spoon to get rid of the lumps. Fold in the pecans, most of the melted butter and whisk until batter is smooth. Heat a griddle or skillet over medium low heat and swirl around a little melted butter to keep the pancakes from sticking. Using a ladle pour the batter into the pan, see Cook's note*

Cook the pancakes on 1 side until they are set and then lightly press the bananas into the batter. When small bubbles appear on the uncooked surface, flip the pancakes and cook until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer pancakes to a warming plate in the oven while you make the rest.

To serve, slice the maple-honey butter, layer it between the stack of pancakes and place in the oven to melt for 1 1/2 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and candied pecans.

*Cook's note: The trick to perfect round pancakes is pouring all the batter in the same spot and letting it roll out to a complete circle.

Maple Butter

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons honey

1 piece parchment or greaseproof paper

In a mixing bowl, using a spatula mash the butter with the maple syrup and honey until well blended. Roll it up in the paper, like a tube and twist the ends. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Gingerbread Girls ... and boys

The little elves left out our gingerbread cookie cutters and our book with the gingerbread cookie recipe. Little A was only interested in making & decorating her gingerbread girls with sprinkles and lots of icing. Yum

Tomorrow, the elves will leave out a tiny candy cane and some pipe cleaners and beads to make candy cane ornaments.

Making our own lunch

My little one really relishes the opportunity to do things entirely herself these days. She has become such a wonderful helper with putting dishes away and folding laundry and towels. We have been making soup and baking muffins once a week, which really has become a great part of our day. Montessori services has a great selection of food preparation tools for small hands. These small spreaders allow her to spread peanut butter on her bread all by herself. She loves them.