Gettin' Messy with the kids 3: Cloud Dough

This was a lot of fun. My almost-three-year old loved it, as did the baby.

It is easy to make, but the experience comes with a couple of caveats for the parents. Of course, if you do this outside, then there is nothing to worry about!

In a big tub mix flour and baby oil. This is what most of the recipes I have seen call for.
the ratio is 8:1 flour to Oil. We did 1 cup of flour and a 1/4 cup of oil. This seemed to work well.

Caveat #1: Do not use baby oil if you have kids who are "tasters", ie. likely to "taste" the flour. Mine had to taste it, despite my warnings, and they were pretty sour mouthed about it. One recipe I saw used canola oil and the user said it work the same as baby oil.

Play freely and crazily! My toddler was a little unsure about the oily texture at first, but he soon got over it and had a ball.

He had so much fun that he had to climb right into the tub. He then told me "we are having so much fun!" Yes, we were.

Caveat #2: If you do this inside, your floor will get not just dirty, but oily- baby oil oily, which means it will be dangerously slippery-- and hard to clean. This is where using a vegetable oil would probably, again, be a better idea since it is likely easier to clean than baby oil. Of course if you do this outside, then there is not much to worry about.

We got out some containers and filled them, packed them, etc... it was fun. And then we put everyone in the bath.

We will do this again!

xo Jo

pancakes that don't taste like cardboard

I don't like pancakes. I think they are pointless, tasteless, unhealthy, saucer shaped non-food items.

So, why am I talking about them?

 I found a recipe that I have since adapted to make even healthier and yummier. These are nothing like conventional cardboard tasting pancakes. These are yummy and healthy. My picky toddler will even eat them. I have also made this recipe using an egg replacement since my 10 month old daughter appears to be allergic to eggs, and since she just grabs food from people's plates, I didn't want her to get sick.

Here it is:

In a blender add

1 cup of (uncooked) rolled oats
1 cup of cottage cheese
cinnamon (as much or little as you like)
a handful of hemp hearts
either 6 egg whites, or the equivalent of three eggs with egg replacer (I mix the egg replacer with coconut milk for even more flavour and healthiness)
a dash of salt, a dash of sugar if you want

blend

You may need to add a little bit more water/coconut milk to get the right consistency of batter if you use the egg replacer

Cook as you normally would cook a pancake.

Top with fruit, or eat on its own. They are actually that flavourful- they don't require gallons of syrup to make up for tasting like cardboard!

xo Jo

Gettin' messy with the kids 2: non-toxic fingerpaint

This time we tried a simple cornstarch, water and food colouring recipe. Simple simple simple.

1 cup corn starch
1 cup water
food colouring

I divided this amount amongst 5 different containers and then coloured them.
There were no lumps. It was a little difficult to apply with a brush, which my toddler prefers to use, but was great for "spilling" on the paper and then sliding it around with the fingers.

And it is edible, sort of, if that is what you like, if you were wondering....

The cool thing about this recipe is the texture. When it is moving around, it is a solid, and when it sits still it liquifies. Corn starch is cool that way.

My daughter was way more interested in this than my son today. He was distracted by the mother load of Tonka construction trucks and machines he got to bring home from his nan and grand-dad's house, all old toys that belonged to his dad. Who wouldn't be distracted?

And when it is all over, just compost the whole artistic mess. Take pictures first!

 Overall, this was fun, quick to make, safe and interesting for the kids. I would do this again in a heartbeat.

xo Jo

today I am a ombre

Ombre is all the rage (again, still, always?): ombre hair, ombre cakes, ombre dresses. It is a very pretty study of colour gradations. It is also a little bit innocent and childlike in its fascination for simple shading, of monochromatics, a foundational art school study. It is striking in its simplicity. It can be subtle or shocking and punky. Earthy and fluorescent. Rule bound and rebellious.

xo Jo

Not your mother's potato salad...

OK- it might be your mother's potato salad, and hey wait a minute: I'm a mother. So, ok.

Simple. Easy. No measuring required.

Start boiling some new potatoes.

In a bowl mix some of your favorite mustard- I use a whole grain dijon with horseradish because I like the spicy kick and whole grain texture- with a little white wine vinegar and olive oil. Whisk it up.

Add in a handful of fresh chopped chives and basil.

I love fennel and I love adding it to salads for a surprising flavour: warm and slightly licoricy. It is crisp and refreshing. Chop up some fennel and add this to the mix.

Slice up some cucumbers. I have about 1000 of them in the garden right now. Yay!

Drain and cool your just barely cooked to tender potatoes and add them to the salad. Mix and eat.

You could also add pecans or walnuts, celery and cranberries for interesting variations on this theme.



xo Jo