Berries, Jam and Muffin Fun with Kids

  “Kuplink! Kuplank! Kuplunk!”  It’s the sound of late summer berry picking in Robert McCloskey’s“Blueberries for Sal” where Sal and her mother meet Little Bear and her mother bear on the same blueberry hill. The moms mistake each other’s children, but all ends well.

  Berries are perfect for young children. They are the right size to pick, count, and eat. They are little, but packed with vitamins and minerals.  If children are wary of vegetables, try offering berries.

 Picking Berries

  Berry picking is a great way to get the family outside and let children munch as you gather some to take home. They can combine their pails for blueberry snacks, pies, pancakes and muffins or place a bowl next to plates at any meal. Then talk about what animals like to eat berries. There are many fiction books about berries.

  You can have a little economics lesson. Discuss how food gets to our grocery stores and why berries are expensive. What people bring berries to market like farmers, pickers, truck drivers, packers, and grocery store employees?

  Show children how to freeze hand -picked or store bought berries. Spread them flat on cookie sheets so they do not touch each other and place in the freezer.  When they are hard, transfer them to freezer bags and lay flat in the freezer.  These easy snacks will not clump together. 

  Kid’s Freezer Jam

  Children can smash some berries and add a few drops of honey for fresh jam, cream cheese, and a bagel. 

Freezer jam takes only 30 minutes and can have little sugar. This jam uses pectin, a natural thickening agent found in and around plant cell walls that helps bind those cells together. Jars can be kept in the freezer for a year or refrigerator for three months. Low sugar freezer jam recipes are found on premium pectin for less or no sugar needed packages in the canning aisle and surejell.com.

Kids’ Muffins

For easy blueberry muffins you will need 1 cup soy milk, and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar set aside in a bowl. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl mix 2 cups flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt. In another bowl  ix ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons sugar, ¼ cup plus 2 Tablespoons oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add a little zest of lemon, if desired. Stir the flour mixture bowl into the sugar mixture bowl. (You may want to save some of the flour to coat the blueberries.) Pour in the soy milk and vinegar curdled mixture. Stir. Finally, fold in the blueberries gently and place in 25 muffin papers in a muffin pan. Bake 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve cool 

                

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

Springtime is for Hope and Apple Tarts

  “It’s no ordinary apple tart. It’s the apple tart of hope.  After you’ve taken a bite, the whole world will look almost completely different.  Things will start to change and by the time you’ve had the whole slice, you’ll realize everything is going to be okay.”  Sarah M. Fitzgerald

The Tart Apple of Hope

  Bring on the apple tarts, sunshine, and walks in the woods. This recipe is easy for families to make and a keeper for the recipe folder.  You can make your own crust or use a store bought crust.  The secrets are the apples and the apricot drizzle.

Tart Recipe

You will need four large Granny Smith apples, ½ cup sugar, 4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) cold butter, small diced, ½ cup warmed apricot jelly or strained apricot jam and 2 Tablespoons water.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a large tart pan, cookie sheet, or pie pan with parchment paper.

Family Baking is Fun & Tasty!

 You will need a raised edging so the juice from the apples does not over flow and burn.  If you are using cookie sheet, the dough should be like an open pouch around the apples.  You can layer the parchment, a piece of tin foil and then the open pouch crust.  No matter what base you are using, place the prepared pan or sheet in the refrigerator while preparing the apples.

  Adults or teens can peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem. Remove the stems and cores with a knife and a melon baller. Slice the apples crosswise in ¼-inch-thick slices. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of the tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides of the first row until the pastry is covered with apple slices. Some people make concentric circles. Sprinkle with the full ½ cup sugar and dot all over with the butter. Allow the children to help with everything possible.

All Hands Make this Cooking Project a Success!

Baking

Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. Place strips of two -inch wide foil on the edges of the pie pan crust to keep the edges from getting too brown.

   When the tart’s done, heat the apricot jelly together with the water and brush the apples the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Some people drizzle the apricot mixture toward the end of baking. Loosen tart with a metal spatula and allow to cool. You may add whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos
Sketches: Mark Nowicki

Children Love Planting and Eating Chia

Fun With Chia!!

Little chia seeds pack a nutritional punch. These little plants are full of antioxidants, omega three fatty acids, fiber, calcium, and many nutrients. “Chia” means strength in the Mayan language and Aztec warriors and runners ate them often before battles. They are a super food. The seeds grow very fast, thicken liquids, and add nutrition to baked goods like muffins, breads, cookies, and pancakes. Young children and teens who will not touch lettuce or spinach salads will happily snack on chia or other sprouts like sunflowers.

Little Chia Garden

  Chia seeds in the grocery store can be planted. For planting, purchase a few new half inch synthetic sponges with little holes.  Soak the new sponges so they are damp but not dripping. Place the sponges on plates 

Plant Some Chis Seeds

and scatter chia seeds across the tops, gently poking them into the sponge holes. The seeds do not need to be washed first. In fact, when washed they will stick together in a glob.

  Keep the sponges moist by misting with several tablespoons of water often.  It is important not to let the chia seeds dry out. You may cover with clear plastic containers over the plates at night to keep the moisture in. Take off the covers during the day so the seeds do not rot. They will take 4-7 days to sprout about 1/4 inches.  Then it is time to move them to a sunny counter to grow 3-4 inches before harvesting with a washed scissors. They are great for children’s indoor gardens because they grow quickly.

  Strawberry Chia Pudding

  For this fresh tapioca- like pudding you will need: 16 ounces fresh hulled strawberries,

1 ½ cups coconut milk, 1/4 cup honey (maple syrup or to taste, 1 tsp vanilla, again to taste, 3/4 teaspoon finely grated lime zest, 1/2 cup chia seeds. Place everything BUT seeds in a blender until smooth. Check sweetness.

  Place chia seeds in a large bowl, pour the strawberry mixture on top, and whisk thoroughly. Let stand for 10 minutes and whisk again. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days. Stir the pudding before serving. The longer it sits, the thicker the pudding will become; if you find that it is too thick, whisk in a little water.

Make a Pudding or Parfait With Chia!

    For a parfait, put 1 cup fresh or frozen pineapple cubes in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring and mashing with a spoon about 7 minutes.  Add 2 cups pitted fresh or frozen sweet cherries mashing and cooking until tender, removing any chunks. Remove from heat.  Add 2 tablespoons chia seeds.  Mix well, cover and refrigerate overnight to thicken. To serve, layer 2 tablespoons of mixture with alternate layers of Greek yogurt.  

For more information on all things Chia go to: https://dengarden.com/gardening/How-I-grow-and-harvest-organic-Chia and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_hispanica 

For more of our blogs see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com  or http://wnmufm.org/programs/learning-through-seasons#stream/0

Photos: Dick Culbert from Gibsons, B.C., Canada - Salvia hispanica and 

Fran Darling, fdarling fotos  

Pumpkin Recipes Add Nutrition, Math, Fun

Pumpkin Season Lasts All Year! 

Halloween may be over but the pumpkin season lasts all year. Pumpkin is an all-around nutritious food.  It is low in saturated fat and very low in cholesterol and sodium.  Then it is loaded with an array of vitamins and minerals and a good source of dietary fiber. Since November is one of the top baking months you might try these child friendly recipes.

Kiddie Pumpkin Cookies

  These cookies are quick and easy to make. You will need 2 cups flour, 1 1/3 cup quick or old fashioned oats, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup ( 2 sticks) butter or margarine softened, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1 cup granulated sugar. You can experiment with lowering the sugar to ¾ cup of the sugars.  You’ll need 1 cup canned pumpkin, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. If desired, you can add ¾ cup chocolate chips to the batter or poke them in while the cookies are just out of the oven.  Children can drop them one at a time and push them into the hot cookie with a spoon.

Make Kiddie Pumpkin Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Beat in butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar until fluffy.  Add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add flour mixture.  Drop a ¼ cup of dough onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking oil.  Bake for 14-16 minutes.  Cool before moving.

Kiddie Pumpkin Cupcakes

  This recipe is for moist pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a muffin tin with 

Make Kiddie Pumpkin Muffins

cupcake liners. Whisk together 1/3 cup oil, 1 cup sugar, ¼ cup milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.  Sift in 1 ¼ cup flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Fold in 1 cup canned pumpkin and then ½ cup chocolate chips. Be careful not to over stir because the batter will become gummy and change the texture of the cupcakes. Fill lined cups 2/3 full and bake for 24-26 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.  For more cooking time ideas see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com, wnmufm.org/Learning Through the Seasons, Facebook, and Pinterest   

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

Playing and Pounding Fresh Play Clay

Time for Playdough Fun!

  About this time in winter young children need to play with something new, and fresh. And families are hoping, inexpensive, please. Like adults, children become restless, out of sorts, and don’t quite know why.  They just are! Often they are like little growly grizzly bears.

  Part of the solution may be making a very simple warm recipe of play clay (dough) and sitting with the children to play, squash, and pound, too.

Cheryl’s Homemade Dough

  This play clay (dough) recipe takes about 15 minutes to make and doesn’t dry up for months in a freezer bag or tight container. It will stay fresh even longer 

Mix It Up In About 15 Min.

in the refrigerator.

  Here it is. Children can help measure the ingredients and stir.  Place 1 cup water, ½ cup salt, 1 teaspoon or more of food coloring and 1 tablespoon cooking oil in a 3- quart saucepan with no heat. Mix well. Stir in 1 cup flour and 1 tablespoon cream of tartar. Cook and stir over medium to low heat until mixture begins to stick together. Do not allow it to become crusty on the bottom. Take out of the pan and cool slightly. Begin kneading like bread dough.

  Young children can help at each step with safety precautions. After cooling they will enjoy kneading the warm fresh dough and squishing it through their fingers.

  Kids love using all the traditional baking tools you may have around like rollers, shape cutters, cookie sheets, spoons, table knives, and cupcake pans. Hunt around the cupboards.   Sometimes the best playdough activities are those when you have nothing but playdough.

Squash and Pound

  Encourage them to pound, make snakes and sausages, and squash. It is a great tension reliever for all ages.

  Children can pound the pile of playdough with both hands, in an alternating rhythm, good for both side of the brain and the rest of their body. Show them how to roll large, medium, and small balls with both hands to developing bilateral coordination. Squash, and pound.

  They can make some pinch pots using the dominate hand. Isolate the thumb and keep the three middle fingers together to turn a big ball into a little flower pot. This exercise helps strengthen the handwriting finger position.

Be Creative!

  Children can create little 3D animals, people, and snowmen.  They love to decorate worms, snakes, and creative insects. Medium sized balls can become segmented caterpillars. They also like making cupcakes from large balls and decorating them.

  Roll out many long thin snakes to make a coil pot. Then fill with little balls for eggs, a bird, or flowers.

  Children can also make plates of food of long thin spaghetti, sausages, beans, chips, and peas. When finished, everyone can squash, pound, and store.

Sketch: Mark Nowicki   

Photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Ideas and Activities....see grandparentsteachtoo.blogspot.com and wnmufm.org live and pod casts on WNMU Radio 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest

Pancakes Tempt Choosey Kids

Wholesome Pancakes Cure for Picky Eaters

Picky eaters can drive families crazy. One solution suggested by nutritionists is to serve wholesome pancakes more often because they have a texture children like to eat. They are a versatile food that can be made in advance, stored, and reheated in the microwave on a rushed day. They can be warmed, filled with a little nut butter, rolled, and eaten on the way to school or an afternoon lesson.

  Box mixes cost more than making your own. This basic recipe from Natalie Monson is cheaper and the dry ingredients can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three months. Add the wet ingredients when planning to cook.

Family Favorite

   Mix these dry ingredients to have on hand: 3 cups whole wheat flour, 2 cups white unbleached flour, 1 ¼ cup powdered milk, ¼ cup sugar (or leave it out), 1 T baking powder, 1t salt (or less). Other flours may be substituted for gluten free pancakes.

  When you want to make 6-8 pancakes,

Try a Greek Yogurt Smoothie on the Side!

add the following to 1 ½ cups of the dry ingredients above and whisk together: 1 cup water or milk, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 egg.

  Pour onto a medium heated pan sprayed with a little cooking spray.

Cook on one side until there are many popped bubbles and the pan side is golden brown with crispy edges. Flip and cook the other side.  Check that the pan side is also golden brown and edges are crispy. Exact time will vary. 

  With supervision children may place a few blueberries, banana slices, cinnamon and apples or chocolate chips in the batter. These fancier pancakes can also be made in a large batch and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

  Children old enough to use the microwave can warm them up a few seconds for an after school snack or breakfast. A syrup puddle can be used for dipping.  

  Very young children often like pancakes with a little butter, powder sugar, or dry with a few berries on top.  They make great finger food with a

scrambled egg, Greek yogurt, or a strawberry banana smoothie on the side.

Only Two Ingredients

 

Nutritious Choices of Ingredients

Megan Gilmore suggests a pancake with only two ingredients for very young children:  banana and egg. To make the batter mix up one very ripe peeled banana and two eggs in a blender. Ripe bananas have brown spots on the skin, but they are a smooth texture and sweeter than yellow/green bananas.

    Melt a little butter or spray oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Cook about 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Add anything else your children like on top. 

photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Vocabulary Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’

website: Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube

Pancakes Tempt Choosey Kids

Wholesome Pancakes Cure for Picky Eaters

Picky eaters can drive families crazy. One solution suggested by nutritionists is to serve wholesome pancakes more often because they have a texture children like to eat. They are a versatile food that can be made in advance, stored, and reheated in the microwave on a rushed day. They can be warmed, filled with a little nut butter, rolled, and eaten on the way to school or an afternoon lesson.

  Box mixes cost more than making your own. This basic recipe from Natalie Monson is cheaper and the dry ingredients can be stored in the refrigerator for up to three months. Add the wet ingredients when planning to cook.

Family Favorite

   Mix these dry ingredients to have on hand: 3 cups whole wheat flour, 2 cups white unbleached flour, 1 ¼ cup powdered milk, ¼ cup sugar (or leave it out), 1 T baking powder, 1t salt (or less). Other flours may be substituted for gluten free pancakes.

  When you want to make 6-8 pancakes,

Try a Greek Yogurt Smoothie on the Side!

add the following to 1 ½ cups of the dry ingredients above and whisk together: 1 cup water or milk, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 egg.

  Pour onto a medium heated pan sprayed with a little cooking spray.

Cook on one side until there are many popped bubbles and the pan side is golden brown with crispy edges. Flip and cook the other side.  Check that the pan side is also golden brown and edges are crispy. Exact time will vary. 

  With supervision children may place a few blueberries, banana slices, cinnamon and apples or chocolate chips in the batter. These fancier pancakes can also be made in a large batch and stored in the refrigerator for a few days.

  Children old enough to use the microwave can warm them up a few seconds for an after school snack or breakfast. A syrup puddle can be used for dipping.  

  Very young children often like pancakes with a little butter, powder sugar, or dry with a few berries on top.  They make great finger food with a

scrambled egg, Greek yogurt, or a strawberry banana smoothie on the side.

Only Two Ingredients

 

Nutritious Choices of Ingredients

Megan Gilmore suggests a pancake with only two ingredients for very young children:  banana and egg. To make the batter mix up one very ripe peeled banana and two eggs in a blender. Ripe bananas have brown spots on the skin, but they are a smooth texture and sweeter than yellow/green bananas.

    Melt a little butter or spray oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Cook about 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Add anything else your children like on top. 

photos: Fran Darling, fdarling fotos

More Vocabulary Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’

website: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube

Easy Math Recipes for Kids

Baking For Fun and Learning

Two fun and successful recipes for young children are "Three Ingredient Apple Danish" and "Eggless Cake." These recipes provide math skill practice and talking time for young children without feeling like work.
Dashing Danish
  These are like little apple pies found at fast food places.
You’ll need three ingredients: 2 medium cooking apples like Granny Smith or Golden Delicious, 1/3 cup white sugar, and two sheets ready rolled puff pastry.                 
  Peel, quarter, and core apples.

Young children can use a table knife to cut after adults have peeled the apples. Place in a saucepan with a few splashes of water.  Cover and cook over medium heat for about 4 minutes until the apples have softened. The apples are also delicious with morning oatmeal.
  Remove from heat and stir through with the sugar. Add a small amount at a time since you may not want to use all the sugar. Then set to cool.
  Children can cut each puff pastry sheet in half and half again and then into two triangles or any other shape.  Talk about shapes with the kids while brushing each border of the pastry with water. Spread big spoonful of apples on top but not too close to the edges. 
Cut another pastry rectangle as you did before and cut a few slits across the shapes being careful not to cut all the way across. Place over the apple covered shapes so they fit together. Lightly press and firmly press along the edges. Children can use a fork to press down on the edges. Sprinkle each lightly with sugar.  Bake 12-15 minutes in a 220-degree oven or until puffed and golden.
Vegan Cake
  This chocolate cake was commonly made in cities during WWII when eggs were rationed and chocolate was saved for a special occasion.
In one bowl mix 1 ¾ cups nondairy type milk (almond, soy), 2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 1 ¼ cups unsweetened applesauce, 2/3 cup canola oil, and 2 teaspoon vanilla. 
In another bowl sift together (or gently mix well with a spoon) 2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons flour, 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. 
Slowly mix (with a mixer) dry ingredients to liquid ones. Children can put their hand on top of yours to get the experience while talking about safety. Mix until very creamy. 
Place in cupcake papers or a cake pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cook in 350-degree oven 25-30 minutes, less for the cupcakes. Check the center with a toothpick.  It should come out clean. 
Let cool. Eat with ice cream and a few raspberries on top.
Sketch: Mark Nowicki
More Ideas and Activities....See the authors’ book “Learning Through the Seasons” at area bookstores and grandparentsteachtoo.org. For more help to prepare young children for success in school see the authors’ web site: www.grandparentsteachtoo.org. Also check our audio Podcasts WNMU Radio, 90; Youtube video activities; and join us on Pinterest