The Purple People Eater and the Elusive Kale

The number one question I am bombarded with as a dietitian from mom's is, "How do I get my child to eat their vegetables?".  Ah, the age old question that mother's have been asking for generations.  Although I am all for cultivating a love of pure, unadulterated veggies in children (see my post "Growing Up Fruity"), I am also realistic.  I would rather ensure a child consumes healthy food in a sneaky way than not have it a part of their diet at all.  One of the most challenging vegetables to get children to embrace is the all popular, all famous, dark leafy green.  A child's brain and taste buds are not set up to appreciate the texture and bitterness that are inherent in vegetables such as kale and spinach.  As children grow, their taste bud's change and so does their palate and perception of certain foods.  Don't despair, many of the pickiest eaters will grow up and be able to enjoy a delicious spinach salad, but until then we may need to use a little trickery :)

The "Purple People Eater" ingredients

Who Doesn't Like a Shake?

One of my favorite ways to ensure, not only my children, but I get my full range of fruits and veggies is by concocting a smoothie.  Although I usually have one for breakfast, I often offer this treat to my children for an after school snack or even a dessert.  How else can you consume such a variety of fruits and veggies, including all colors of the rainbow with such little prep work and resulting in something so truly delicious?  The key to being able to whip up the most tasty and quick smoothie is to keep frozen fruits on hand. 

Kid's Eat With Their Eyes First

Frozen berries are one of my favorites and is the foundation of most of my shakes, especially when made for children.  Aside from the many health benefits, berries provide the masking of color of the greens in a shake.  Although I find the natural green hue of my morning smoothie appetizing many young children would disagree and turn their nose up to it before even giving it a fair chance.  Blueberries particularly are great coloring agents and work wonders at making my green shake magically turn a lovely shade of purple.  Another important ingredient in a kid-friendly smoothie is a frozen banana.  Not only does it provide a healthy dose of potassium, but it results in a thick and smooth finished product that most kids enjoy.  The natural sweetness is also a plus.  I buy fresh bananas and when they are at their peak of ripeness, I peel them, break them in half and put them in a plastic bag in the freezer so they will be ready to use.

 

Eating the Rainbow

What's great about a smoothie is you can totally customize it based on what's at hand and your own child's preferences.  Other frozen fruit that we typically add is mango, peaches and pineapple.  Since we talk about "eating the rainbow" in our house, I always represent all colors in my kid's shakes (how you can build on that lesson is for another post).  Another great addition for a smoothie is avocado.  Filled with healthy fat (that most people in this country don't get enough of) avocado is easy to cut in half and scoop out.  It provides more silkiness to the shake and will keep them feeling fuller longer.  Lastly, although not necessary, raw honey can be added to ensure adequate sweetness.  Raw local honey has been shown to stimulate the immune system, especially when consumed cold (not heated up by adding to your tea or baking with).

Baby Steps

You know your child best and can decide how much deceit you need to use.  My four year old son loves to help me make the shake, greens and all.  He finds it riveting that when blended all of those different colors turn into a vibrant purple.  He decides what to add to our custom concoction and because of that enjoys it all the more.  My ten year old daughter doesn't want to know what's in it (her words) but once presented, cold, purple, pretty and in a tall glass with a long straw, will drink it without even a nudge.  Whether you call it a placebo effect or not, once the "Purple People Eater" is downed, you and your little ones will feel like you can take on the world :)

 

The Purple People Eater

Servings: 2-4

Ingredients:
2 cups spinach or kale, fresh
1 cup blueberries (frozen)
4 strawberries (frozen)
1 avocado, fresh
1/2 cup pineapple (frozen)
1 banana (frozen)
2 cups almond, soy, or coconut milk
1-2 tablespoons raw local honey

Directions:
Place all of the ingredients in a blender and blend on high until fully combined and broken down into a smooth consistency.  Feel free to experiment with the types of produce you use and the amounts.  Once you get your child to embrace this smoothie, you can slowly try adding more greens.  Drink immediately as it will start to separate quickly.

My little smoothie making assistant ready to take on the world......

Growing Up Fruity!

In an effort to serve healthier snacks, my son's preschool announced this week that they are starting "Tuitti Fruity Tuesdays".  Each Tuesday a different parent is assigned to bring in a fresh fruit snack for the entire class.  My son Aiden was so excited as he is proud to be a big fruit and veggie eater :)  As we discussed all of the different fruit ideas he had, it made me reminisce of my growing up and what fruit and vegetable "experiences" stand out in my mind.  What made a positive and lasting impression on me and how did my love affair with fruits and vegetables begin?

Raspberries- Fresh From My Grandmother's Garden



Natures candy!

One of my earliest memories of enjoying fruit was at my savta's house (savta means grandma in Hebrew).  She lived in a small two-family home in Bayside, New York where the only piece of grass she had was a small patch only about 10' x 10' next to her detached garage.  Being that she was a pioneer of a kibbutz in Israel and now lived in the concrete jungle, I am guessing she was missing the agriculture so she planted a small raspberry bush in the corner of her backyard.  We would visit every Sunday and in the summer the first thing we would do is run to the bush to see if the berries were ripe enough to pick.  Although is sounds like a beautiful story, to be honest it did get a little aggressive be that I was up against three brothers and we all had a bit of a competitive nature.  My savta would run outside with little paper cups to put our prized possessions in and when our cups were full she would bring our berries inside to wash.  It might have been the warmth and sweetness of just picked fruit, the victory of gathering the most (sometimes) or the fact that my grandmother grew those delicious little morsels of goodness, but I do know that fruit never tasted so good :)

The paper cup we collected our candy in!

Grapefruit- A Nightly Tradition with My Dad and Brothers

My dad eats like a bird.  I always here myself describing him like that.  I don't mean eats like a bird in terms of quantity, but more a description of his selections.  Fruit, nuts and seeds are the foundation of his diet.  Oh, and dark chocolate which is not so much like a bird.  When we were little, before dinner was even cleaned up, he would have his nightly dessert.  A piece of some stashed chocolate and a bowl of fruit and nuts.  His usual fruit of the night would be a whole grapefruit or a pomegranate.  My three brothers and myself would sit around him on the floor while he would peel and section the grapefruit by hand and crack the whole nuts.  He would put sweet sections of the grapefruit that was all pulp into our mouths.  Without the pith or membrane grapefruit is as sweet as candy and the texture of the pulp is nothing that can be duplicated by man.  Each piece was fully savored as we shared one grapefruit between all of us (which usually meant just two sections each).  I still eat grapefruit like this and always offer these golden juicy pieces to my children's eager mouths.

Honeydew- From My Grandmother's Beautiful Table

 

My maternal grandmother, Bama (our grandmothers silly pet name) is all about presentation.  I guess that is where I get the gene from :)  When a holiday or even a regular dinner was planned the table was set days before the event with every detail considered.  The best china, silverware, candle sticks, flowers, cloth napkins and her signature item, a piece of sliced cantaloupe or honeydew served on top of each setting on a small starter plate.  The melon was placed just before we arrived, inviting us to sit down.  Not only did it look colorful and fresh (of course she alternated the orange and green) but it was such an enticing way to present it.  It would be sliced vertically so you would just have to take the edge of your spoon and scoop out the pieces.  Waiting to be allowed to dig in was difficult as a child.  My family is notorious for making toasts at every gathering.  We don't save them for special events like most normal people.  We easily and eagerly share our hopes, thanks and good wishes whenever there is an opportunity.  Knowing we would have to wait to dig in to our melon until all the yapping was finished just made you want it more.  Today, when I cut my melon like this my kids (and husband) just pick it up and bite the pieces off, no need for the proper spoon.  Bama would be appalled :)

 

Tomatoes- Sweet As Sugar

 

 

 

We lived on a road with only ten houses and all of the families on the block moved in about the same time.  Ringing the door bells those first few days to find out who lived in each house and who our new best friends would be are still precious memories.  Back in those days you were allowed to explore your neighborhood without hesitations or fear.  Directly across the street lived a four-generation family from Greece.  Their daughter and I became good buddies and a lot of our weekends were spent together when we were young.  Their house was always filled with delicious, unknown and enticing smells coming from the kitchen.  They would offer me a taste of whatever was cooking and had me over for dinner all the time.  One warm summer afternoon my friend's mother offered me a tomato from her garden.  I gently refused and explained I didn't like tomatoes.  Any tomato I ever tasted was bland and mushy.  She couldn't believe it and wouldn't take no for an answer.  She finally convinced me to taste this bright red, warm and juicy cherry tomato straight off the vine of her plant in the backyard.  One bite was all it took and she had me sold.  I never tasted anything like that before and that afternoon I became a tomato lover.  Thanks Lalia :)

 

Artichokes- My Mom's Generous Offerings

 

 

Artichokes, not the first vegetable you think of to feed a child.  They are slightly intimidating looking and can cause injury with their sharp pointy leaves if you don't know how to properly handle them.  My mom made these for dinner every once in awhile.  Very simply made by steaming them whole and serving them with a side of melted butter.  We would each get our own whole artichoke which was very exciting in itself.  Growing up in a house with three brothers you become a little possessive about your stuff or else it would a) disappear, b) get ruined c) become someone else's possession.  An entire beautiful artichoke all for myself, no sharing, no rushing.  I would meticulously pull off each leaf, dip it into the melted butter and run the leaf between my teeth to enjoy the edible part of the artichoke.  The pinnacle was the heart which when I finally got to the center would be slowly savored.  If my brother's were in a good mood maybe one of them would even offer me a piece of their heart (no pun intended).  Today, I grill my artichokes for my family and watch my daughter meticulously eat each leaf and savior the heart.  A skill I taught her when she was two-years old and attempted to eat the entire leaf.  Like mother, like daughter!

 

 

Passing the Love On to My Children

When I think back to all of these memorable food experiences two common denominators seem to stand out.  The first is that all of my great memories are tied to connecting with the people I love.  It wasn't necessarily about the grapefruit.  My father could have been feeding us anything and it probably would have left the same positive impression.  It was that he took the time to peel the grapefruit with such care and share it with my brothers and I as a tradition after dinner.  The second theme is that all of these experiences didn't involve some huge time consuming plan or recipe.  It was the simplicity of the food that provided me the opportunity to really appreciate the pure and innocent essence of these natural tastes.  It laid a foundation for my appreciation of real food.  I try and provide my children small pieces of the same throughout their lives.  Whether it be offering them the carefully peeled grapefruit or letting them pick out a new fruit we never tried at the store, cutting it open together, tasting at the same time and watching each other's reactions.  I truly see that both my children have developed a true appreciation for the pure simple tastes of fruits and vegetables.  They might not like everything but I know when they are older they will be able to recall when their love affair of fruits and veggies began :)

 

 

 

The Watermelon Chronicles

It all began when I offered to bring dessert for a holiday get together with our good friends.  I knew it was going to be a big delicious belly-filling meal so I wanted to make something light and refreshing that the kids would still be excited about.  I felt like I needed some inspiration as it was a long week, so I put my 4-year old on my lap and we started searching Pintrest.  He found some awesome cakes covered in gummy bears and filled with M&M's that he made me promise we would try to make one day but it was something else that caught my eye.  A cake that was made out of an entire watermelon!

I Began with High Hopes

The next day I went out and brought all of the needed ingredients, which made for an easy start as the only required items were watermelon, almonds, berries and whipped cream.  My son and daughter sat around my kitchen island as I slowly but forcefully cut the entire watermelon out of it's skin and rind so I was left with just the fruit.  I than forged ahead and started carving it into what looked like the size and shape of a 7-layer cake.  The process was a little messy with all the running juice but the kids enjoyed eating my carvings :)  I put it onto my official cake stand and the kids and I were impressed.

My "cake" ready to be frosted.

Next step was "frosting".  I used a tub of the new Truwhip, a whipped topping that is made with more natural ingredients (found in the freezer section next to all the fake whipped creams).  As soon as I started frosting I knew this was going to be a challenge.  Watermelon is wet and smooth, not great for traction and adherence of frosting.  Since I was in a rush I continued the messy job as my kids laughed and scooped up the sliding cream with their eager fingers.  We negotiated and decided any cream on the counter was fair game :)

The disguise begins......

I quickly put the dripping mess of a cake into the fridge to "set".  After about a half hour, which is all the time I could spare before we had to leave, it seemed to be holding.  I placed my strawberries, blueberries and raspberries on the top and put it back in the fridge.  I crossed my fingers and got the kids ready to go for our dinner party at our friends.

Epic Fail

Right before we left I opened the fridge to retrieve my creation and unfortunately the weight of the berries pushed the cream down the cake.  In superwomen fashion, I quickly threw together a fruit salad so I had something to bring just in case my "cake" we a total loss.  After a little fixing, my husband insisted I bring it as it looked decent enough.  I gave him the task of holding it on his lap in the front seat while I drove.  I guess I didn't want the pressure.  Well the minute we pulled out of the driveway my beautiful mess of a cake was on his lap.  The kids and I couldn't help but crack up laughing as he sat there covered in watermelon and cream in his "fancy" clothes.  If I didn't laugh I would have cried after all of the effort I put into it.

We reversed and pulled back into the driveway.  My husband insisted we can still salvage it to enjoy later.  As he tried to transfer it back into the fridge the whole cake slipped off the cake stand and went head first into the fridge.  We both looked at each other and closed the fridge door.  Already being a half-hour late, we decided we will deal with the mess when we got home.  The kids couldn't wait to tell our friends of the watermelon fiasco.

An Important Lesson

I kind of like when things go wrong in front of the kids.  It can make for an amazing learning experience on how to bounce back from failure and keep things in perspective.  If you take a minute to take a deep breath before you react and realize that your reaction and perspective will be mirrored when your kids face similar life challenges.  We as parents are always trying to teach these things but nothing compares to the natural learning that occurs by role modeling in real situations.  Both my 10-year old and 4-year old witnessed how much time I spent on my creation and how excited I was to share it.  I could have been angry and frustrated at my epic fail (as my daughter would say) but instead I tried to find the humor in it (it was pretty hysterical).  I talked about how I now know what I need to do differently to make it work and how excited I was to try to tackle it again now that I was so experienced :)  Is it not everyday that our children find themselves in similar scenarios?  Block towers that were built with such care and then fall.  Art projects that were going well and than take a turn for the worse.  They will naturally react similar to how they see you react to these challenges.  So remember your yoga breathing, don't take yourself so seriously and dare I say laugh at your self :)

Practice Makes Perfect

A week later we had the same friends over for dinner at our house.  I was obsessed with trying to get this dessert to be a great success this time.  I had a game plan and knew it could be done if I had the time and  a few tricks up my sleeve.  I gathered my ingredients again and started the process in the morning.  Long story short, it worked.  Everyone was super impressed and truly enjoyed this cool cake.  When sliced it looked beautiful and held together perfectly.  Don't be intimidated!  Anyone can do it, although remember it is not made to travel :)

The finished product- it worked!

Watermelon Cake

Ingredients:

1 large whole watermelon

1 tub whipped topping

2 cups almonds (sliced)

1 quart of fresh Strawberries

1 pint of blueberries

1 pint of raspberries

Directions:

1.  Wash and cut all skin and rind off watermelon, so just flesh remains.  The best way to do this is with a large sharp knife.  Cut the top end and bottom end off.  Stand up and start cutting sections down from top to bottom pushing your knife against the flesh and following the natural shape of the melon.

2.  Shape melon into a cake.  The size can be determined, although the larger it is the harder it will be to handle.

3.  Put melon on cake plate and into freezer to firm up (about 30 minutes).  The colder it is the easier the whipped topping will stick to it.

4.  Take the melon out of the freezer and frost it with the whipped topping.  The key is to use whipped topping that was properly defrosted in the fridge, not on the counter.  This will ensure it is firm enough to hold.  Try to do this process fast and put the frosted melon back in the freezer to firm up (about 15-30 minutes).

5.  Cover the sides of the cake with the sliced almonds.  Pushing the nuts gently but firmly into the whipped topping.  Put the cake back into the freezer (about 15-30 minutes).

6.  Decorate the top with whatever fruit you would like.  Remember that the more weight the more likely the topping won't hold up as well.  If found the berries to work well (see above).  Put it back into the freezer for about a half hour.  It can than be transferred to the fridge until you're about to serve.  It can be sliced just like a regular cake and enjoyed!  

A slice of heaven :)

A Sweet New Year- Resolutions for Parents and Children!

Apples and honey for a sweet new year!

Last week was Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year.  Although the holiday is a happy one, it begins the 10-day contemplation period that leads to Yom Kippur, also known as the day of atonement.  It is during this time period that you are instructed to assess, focus on, contemplate and review the year as a whole and consider and acknowledge what you could have done differently. It ends with apologizing for the mistakes you have made.

As a child I remember sitting in temple for hours on end and listening to and chanting about how bad we were during the past year.  I always thought, "I don't think I was that bad!" and I would look around at the others faces to see if I could tell if they were thinking the same.  To be honest, I always felt a little offended.  As an adult, I don't look at it as literally as through a child's eyes instead I focus on what I can personally improve in my everyday life.  I take the time during services to try and become re-inspired to make the necessary changes and develop a plan of action.

Growing up Jewish, I remember watching people on T.V going into confessional.  Voicing your guilt anonymously so you can wipe your hands clean and move on.  What a great idea!  I look at this time of the year as a self-confessional.  Taking the time to review and acknowledge how the year went, decisions you made, behaviors you had, mindlessness habits you engaged in.  These are all up for contemplation and a good start for considering what you want to be different in the year ahead.

Some things that came to my mind........

• Keep things in perspective.  When I am having a hard day with the kids remembering how lucky we are that we have our health and each other.
• Save more time and energy for my husband who deserves my love more than anyone in this world and unfortunately who sometimes gets shuffled on my priority list.
• Discover something we can do as a family to give back to the community.
• Make sure I do something that brings me joy everyday so I can be balanced and at my best for the people I love.

This year I took my 10-year old daughter to the full adult services and watched her sit there like a trooper as I quietly hoped she was getting something out of it.  I took the time to talk to her about what the service was about and how she should take the time to think about her past year.  I reminded her it is also about reviewing what she was proud of and how to figure out how she can continue to make those good decisions and have those good behaviors.  She took it a step further and made a list when we got home of what she is sorry for and what she is proud of.  That's so Kaylee :)

We took my 4-year old to the children's service as he isn't capable of sitting for more than an hour.  He was the most well behaved in the congregation only because he fell asleep a few minutes into the service.  No indication of how good the services were, it was just that witching hour of 2:30 in the afternoon.   Although he missed it, I shared this beautiful prayer we said together as parents and children with him when we got home:

Parents:  Sometimes I do things you do not understand.
Children:  Sometimes I do things you do not understand.

Parents:  I will try to listen and not just lecture.
Children:  I will try to listen more than I want to.

Parents:  I hope you will tell me what you're feeling.
Children:  I hope you will try to comprehend what I'm feeling.

Parents:  But I can't always tell you what you want to hear.
Children:  I will try to remember that you have my best interest in mind.

Parents:  I will try not to scold you for small mistakes.
Children:  I will try to be more responsible.

Parents:  I will try not just to teach you but to let you learn for yourself.
Children:  I will try to accept what you want to pass on, while I chart my own path.

Parents:  I will force myself to let you stumble because failure is as valuable as success.
Children:  I will try to remember that I can learn from failure as much as from success.

Parents:  You are important to me and I will try to show you my love every day.  I shall always try to make our time together meaningful.
Children:  You are important to me, and I will search for even more ways to be closer to you and make more room for you in my life.

BOTH:  May this new year be a year in which the hearts of parents will turn toward their children and hearts of children turn towards their parents.

Wishing you a happy, healthy and sweet new year :)

Re-Balancing After An Indulgent Weekend with Veggie Water!

You know those Monday mornings.  The ones when your alarm goes off and you can't believe it's morning already.  An event-filled, schedule-packed, food-indulgent weekend that now hits you hard in every sense of the word.  Well, that's how this Monday morning hit me.  Family and friend get togethers, cooking and eating of holiday meals and the kids being off from school for most of last week has finally caught up to me.  You know it's bad when your 10 year old daughter is telling you to get up before she is late for school.  I got myself together and somehow got out the door with the kids in time.  I don't know how we do it :)

Hydration & Exercise- The Solution..... 

For Monday morning "hangovers" like this, the best thing to do is exactly what you don't feel like doing, working out.  Other than my big cup of hot coffee, what I needed to re-balance was a good long cardio workout and some deep stretching.  Done and done!

Veggie Water to the Rescue

The next thing I knew would make me feel better is some major hydration.  Plain water is great but even better is my "veggie water".  Not only is it more thirst quenching but it provides detoxifying and diuretic properties.  What's awesome is that "veggie water" can be made with whatever is fresh and on-hand at the moment.  I happened to have celery, cucumber, lemon and mint so that was my refreshing winning combination today.


Celery, cucumber, lemon and mint- so refreshing!

Wash and chop all your ingredients.  The size, shape, and uniformity of the ingredients doesn't matter.  Don't make it harder than it has to be!  Who has time for that?



Nothing has to be cut perfect- it's all good!

Add all of your ingredients to a pitcher and fill with filtered water.  Put it in the fridge and let the magic happen.  I always drink a glass right away but the longer you let it sit the more flavorful the water becomes.  Once you have polished off the water you can crunch on the cold wet veggies which are delicious!

I know what you are going to say, who has time to dress up a glass like this?  Actually you do!  It took an extra 30 seconds to put it into a fun nostalgic glass, stick a piece of already cut and washed celery into it and slit the middle of an already cut cucumber and lemon slice down the middle to hang on the glass.  Thirty seconds people!!!!!!!!

How often do we cut corners when it comes to ourselves?  Most parents and caregivers spend hours a week shopping, planning, prepping and cooking for the people we love.  Don't we deserve to take a few extra minutes a day to provide something nice for ourselves.  If we can get into the habit of giving ourselves these little gifts throughout the day it will make us feel like we matter and we deserve the time.  These little acts of self-kindness helps us to ultimately re-balance.  I know everyone can do this- try it this week and feel the love :)

Veggie Water:

Ingredients:

4 stalks of celery
1 large cucumber
1 large lemon
1 handful of fresh mint (basil is also delicious)

Directions:

Clean all vegetables well and cut into large chunks.  Add all to a large pitcher, fill with filtered water and refrigerate.  Veggie water can be enjoyed as soon as it is made although the longer it sits the more flavorful the water will be.  After about 24 hours the veggies will be soggy and you will want to make a fresh batch, although that won't be an issue since all of the water will already be gone!

Starfruit Strawberry Preserves and My First Canning Experience :)

The beautiful starfruit (AKA the carambola)

It all began when my backyard trees were trimmed without proper direction.  My 4-year old son Aiden ran inside to tell me something terrible has happened.  Being the calm undramatic mom that I am, I took a deep breath, braced myself and followed him outside.  He led me to our huge starfruit tree that was in the height of blossoming with almost ripe fruit.  More than half of it's long hanging branches were cut down and huge piles of sad starfruit lay on the ground traumatized.  Although I was just as shocked and upset as my 4-year old, I calmly explained that trees grow better when trimmed properly.  We then both agreed we better save the fruit that fell.  Aiden instructed me to wait under the tree and he ran and retrieved his little red wagon.

We collected 6 wagonfuls of our stranded starfruit.

After collecting all the fruit and organizing them into piles based upon how ripe they were, we needed a plan for what to do with all of this tropical fruit.  Don't get me wrong we love to slice them up into their beautiful star shapes and just eat them as is, although how much starfruit can you eat?  We brainstormed and came up with the idea of preserves.  

NY Girl Preserving by the Seat of Her Pants

Now let me just remind you.  I am a girl from New York that has never experimented or have witnessed any experimenting with canning or preserving.  I love a new food experiment and Aiden is a great sous chef.  My daughter Kaylee was at her first day of school so it was just me, Aiden and our many new canning supplies.

My husband was not happy about all the supplies needed.

I got busy researching the canning process online while I set up my little guy at the kitchen sink on his stool for cleaning duty.  We cleaned and filled our big sink with cool water and he meticulously cleaned each soft fruit.  He loves to do anything with water and he enjoys pretending he is giving the fruit a bath.

The perfect job for little curious hands.

Lots of Prep

I started the sterilization process with big pots of boiling water and felt as if I was in science lab rather than in my home kitchen.  You know something might not be a great idea when your child is telling you to be careful.  After a few near slips of hot glass Aiden decided the scene was a little too stressful and dangerous and holed up in his self-made tent until the boiling water part was over.

Aiden is the king of tent building- his favorite retreat!

Once the jars were ready I had Aiden cut up the starfruit on his own cutting board with a butter knife.  Since the fruit was nicely ripe it was able to be cut easily.  As we were cutting we decided to add some frozen strawberries and fresh lemon juice to the mix.  We added some sugar to the big pot and mixed.  As soon as the mixture hit the heat of the stove top, the house filled with a sweet tropical scent :)

Aiden claimed it looked like snow!

Trial and Error- Part of the Fun of Cooking!

After cooking the fruit mixture down I used a hand-help immersion blender to break up some of the fruit a little more, making sure to leave some whole chunks.  The last step was adding some classic real fruit pectin to create the texture.  Now here is where I think I went slightly off track.  Imagining my beautiful fruit mixture turning into a solid clump I walked on the side of caution with how much pectin to add.  I definitely was shy in the amount as my final product though amazingly delicious was way thinner than I envisioned.

The last scary part of the canning process!

After I cooked the mixture with the pectin for the indicated time I then had to begin the laddeling of boiling hot fruit into the hot jars all while using the sterile technique.  Aiden decided it was time to retreat again but did offer some encouraging words, such as "Watch out Mom".  Let me just say, the canning process is definitely something I could see myself getting better at with practice.

The finished product- seven jars of beautiful preserves.

The finished product was a reddish pink preserves that had a fresh tropical scent.  Although it was thinner than I pictured, it would be delicious on top of pancakes, vanilla ice cream or plain Greek yogurt.  I gave Aiden a taste of the warm preserves before we put them into jars and he described the taste as just like "melted gummy bears".  I guess it was the sweetness and fruity flavor.

Starfruit Strawberry Preserves!

Some important lessons I have learned during my first canning experience is:

• Canning isn't really for children
• The amount of pectin needed is an exact science
• Don't use a pot that is so tall that you need to reach in and risk burning your forearms

Not a Home Run but a Great Success!

As I mentioned, between this last minute idea, having a 4-year old as my sous chef and my first time canning I can't honestly say it was a home run.  I usually can't wait to share my recipes but in this case I think it is in your best interest to visit Ball who offers an amazing and informative website on canning and preserving.  Not only do they thoroughly explain and walk you through the process, but they offer unique and delicious recipes and ideas.  I highly recommend trying this truly classic cooking and preserving process.  My son is very proud to say that he made "jam" and likes to boast about the dangers involved :)  In general, I considered the project as a whole a major success, no major burns, getting to try a new cooking technique, salvaging our suddenly orphaned starfruit, keeping my 4-year old busy for most of the day and having seven jars of beautiful home-made starfruit strawberry preserves to enjoy:)  How could you ask for more?

Returning to Woodstock- Part 1

It's been too long.  I think officially eight years.  My mom moved up to Woodstock, NY when I was eighteen years old.  She left the cookie cutter neighborhoods of Long Island to retreat to the peaceful Catskill mountain area.

The drive up to Woodstock from Long Island

"Friendship is a Sheltering Tree" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The trees were calling her.  Not the planned landscaping of the beautiful neighborhoods of Long Island, but the lush rich natural untouched landscape of the mountains.  Well-established old strong trees that cannot be replicated on demand.  Forests that have stood the tests of time and stress.  Trees that have weathered the winter storms and have stood to blossom and turn green and full again in the spring.  These trees comfort her like a warm cherished blanket.  They help her feel safe and deeply connected to to the earth, to herself. Grounded.......

The trees of Woodstock stand tall and surround you.

Nature, a Child's True Playground

We arrived at my mom's house in the late afternoon on a July day.  It was warm but the mountain air was thin and comfortable.  The kind of air that makes you take a big relieving breath.  We unpacked and the kids immediately went to explore the backyard forest where a stream runs.  My mom insisted we go a few minutes down the road to an even better place to explore.

One of the many cool shaded streams to explore.

Socks and shoes were off and the kids were "rock hopping".  Carefully at first and then with more confidence.

Hesitant on the slippery wet rocks :)

After slipping and getting wet in the cool mountain water we explored the woods.  My four year old immediately transformed into "jungle boy", which anyone who knows my son knows he must come from Tarzan's family lines the way he swings, climbs and loves to be naked.

Ignore his backwards underwear- I have learned to pick my battles!

Relaxed and Casual- The Woodstock Vibe

We went back to the house cleaned up and made our way into town to grab a bite at one of the oldie's but goodies, Wok and Roll.  I have been eating there since my mom moved to Woodstock over 20 years ago.  The family ordered some traditional Chinese and Japanese dishes but I felt the need to order a "vegetarian" (mock) chicken and broccoli.  Something about being in Woodstock makes you want to protest meat and burn some incense.

A typical Woodstock sign- welcoming EVERYONE :)

Walking around after dinner we happened across the Wednesday's Farmer's Market.  Beautiful fresh produce, home-made cakes and pies, herbs, teas, incense, falafel and antiques were all offered.  We enjoyed cider doughnuts and listed to the local band play while my mother caught up with her friends.  It's amazing!  Everyone knows each other in Woodstock and greets one another with genuine hugs and real promises of future get togethers.

Love finding an outdoor flea market or festival.

Beautiful produce offered by Clove Valley.

Have you ever seen such beautiful carrots?

Adults Can Forget the Importance of Playing in Nature

When we arrived back at my mom's house, my husband Jay began his traditional fire pit creation.  It's not most mom's that would put up with my husband's shenanigans, but my mom is my husband's biggest fan :)  He put the kids to work gathering rocks to build the pit and he started gathering wood.  It came together quickly!

Impressive impromptu fire pit!

We sat and enjoyed the fire and reminisced about the time we made our first homegrown fire pit in my mom's backyard when we were teenagers and almost burned the house down.  We have come a long way since then.....

Big flames provided nice toasty marshmallows for our smores :)

No Fast Food Joints or Chain Restaurants Here

The next day we made our way back into town for some lunch at Maria's Bazar.  Locals gather for the hot coffee and homemade food.  They sit and work on their current novels, discuss what's wrong with the government or catch up with the latest town happenings.  Maria is a long standing staple in the town of Woodstock and greeted us with hugs and some special soup she made just for my mom.

In the center of town- a must visit!

Unique Mom & Pop Stores=Love

After lunch we walked around the quaint stores in a light summer drizzle.  I photographed the latest art donations lining the street while my mom enjoyed the unique and classic toys in the local toy stores with the kids.  Only in Woodstock could my 4-year old find squid finger extensions and my 10-year old find a 5-in-1 spy pen in the same store.

Unique guitar creations- the current art donation lining main street.

The kind of novelty toy store you can spend hours in.

The Eluding Woodstock Bear

We came home and I sat in the sun room with my laptop.  The kids were playing outside and I was typing when I saw something black through the trees.  A baby bear!  We all kind of freaked out with fear and excitement and then he was gone.  My husband has a saying, "There are no bears in Woodstock".  Well, this was one more bear experience he missed because he was inside taking a nap :)

I know, not the best pic but the bear is the black spot just to the right of the double trees.

Fine Dining in Woodstock- Not a Cliche

Our last night we went to one of our other favorite restaurants on the edge of Woodstock, The Bear Cafe.  Situated on a hill overlooking a fast running stream coming down the mountain, it's a beautiful setting.  We were seated at a large round table in a room lined with smooth finished logs and high ceilings.  Although known for it's impressive wine selections I choose to go with one of the inspired drinks made with fresh herbs, citrus and agave.  The amazing salad of flat-grilled trevisano (like radicchio) with goat cheese, roasted beets, oranges, mache and citrus vinaigrette was the highlight of my meal, although my family equally enjoyed the New Zealand rack of lamb and calamari.  We left with full bellies and bid goodbye to the huge black bear that stands on his hind legs in front of the restaurant.  

The Bear Cafe- fine dining in the mountains.

Father and daughter bonding on our much needed break from our routine.

We Will Be Back Soon

We left the next morning as we only had two days to stay this visit.  We are leaving before seeing many things I wanted but having built upon my list for the next visit.  If you ever have a chance to visit Woodstock, NY don't pass it up.  The incredible nature, the welcoming colorful people, the relaxed vibe, the music scene and delicious homegrown food.  It will definitely feed your body, mind and soul!