Last summer, we visited a farm, and my boys were amazed to see how milk is made.  Since then, I have been planning to show them how to turn cream into butter.  I remember doing it when I was a kid, and I knew they would love it.

All you need is some whipping cream (we used 250ml) and a jar or container with a tight lid.

Here's how we did it:

First, we poured the cream into a container and made sure the lid was on tight.

Then, we started shaking.  The boys all took turns, but they tired easily.  {Be prepared to do most of the shaking yourself!  lol}

We kept shaking and shaking -- seriously, I think shook it for about 20 minutes.  First it turned to cream, and then, when I was close to giving up, it magically turned to a clump of butter.

Finally, we drained off all the liquid.  (I put it in a strainer, rinsed it with cold water, and squeezed it in some paper towel.) My six year old thought it was an amazing magic trick, and he immediately went to get his magic wand and hat.  (He cracks me up!)

I hope you try this with your little magician.  Let me know how it goes.  :-)

♥ 

Easy, inexpensive, and a great alternative to candy and chocolate!  Happy Valentines Day!

For any of you greenmommies (or daddies) who hasn’t tried it, let me introduce you to kale, one of our all-star local superfoods!

I love kale because it is nutritionally-packed and grows locally in abundance, as it actually prefers a cooler climate.  You can even grow it in the backyard or in a large planter on the deck.  

Kale is a leafy-green cruciferous vegetable, descended from the wild cabbage.   It is loaded with beta-carotene, Vitamin K, Vitamin C, B vitamins, iron, calcium, manganese and potassium, along with lots of glucosinolates -- cancer-fighting compounds.  It is also a terrific source of fiber.  

Even with all of its innate goodness, most parents I speak to have yet to try it.  Why? Because no one has a clue what to do with it!  So, in the hopes of encouraging some of you to start incorporating this wonderful veggie into your family diet, I’m including some preparation tips and a simple recipe.

Kale is best enjoyed fresh, as the longer it is stored the more bitter it gets.  The smaller leaves are often less bitter than the larger ones, but the key is really to prepare it properly.  Before cooking kale, remove & discard the large rib or stem completely in each leaf, by slicing up either side with a knife (I also remove smaller branching ribs if they seem a little larger than usual).  Shred the leaves into smaller pieces (like you would romaine), or chop the kale finely if you are incorporating it into a kids’ soup or stew.  Kale can be steamed and served with a lemony dressing or soy-based sauce, or added to just about any one-pot dish for a nutritional boost.  

Here’s one, super-simple, recipe to try with your kids:

“Kalato Chips”

Please believe me – these are not awful!  Give these kale chips a chance and you will understand why my two urchins unflinchingly devour these.  They are crazily simple to make, and are so tasty they will not last the day out on the counter.  My kids call these “Kalato Chips” because potato chips are in short supply around this house, and if you close your eyes when you eat them your palette might just detect a hint of Frito Lay … 

Oh come on, just try them, they take ten minutes to make and only have three ingredients!

Ingredients:

large bunch fresh kale, de-stemmed and washed, then patted or spun as dry as possible

olive oil (I keep some in a pump mister and just spray the leaves with that, otherwise 1 tbsp)

sea salt

To prepare: Preheat oven to 300-325 F. Prep kale and shred into large pieces (they shrivel in the oven, so you don’t want to make them too small).  Either spread kale on a non-stick pan (or parchment covered pan) and then spray until coated with olive oil, or toss with a tablespoon of oil in a bowl and then spread on baking sheet.  The  first method uses less oil, if you are concerned about calories.  Sprinkle sparingly with sea salt (you can also experiment with other spices, or leave the salt out if you are trying avoid it, but of course that wouldn’t be very Frito-Lay-like).  Bake until crispy but NOT browned (watch the edges the first couple of times you make these to avoid browning, as this adversely affects flavour), about 10 minutes to 15 minutes, depending on oven temp.

For more easy kale recipes, visit the Simple Balance website, at www.simple-balance.ca. 

My boys teach me a lot of things -- the most recent lesson being -- "often, simple is better".  Today, I want to share two REALLY simple and super-fun things you can do with your kids.

 

2)  Glow in the Dark Bathtime - All you need to do is throw a bunch of glow sticks into the bathtub.  Does it get any easier than that?  We did this last night, and my boys thought it was awesome!  {Seriously awesome!}

 

So... this weekend, give one of these activities a try.  It takes very little effort, and your kids will have a ball... guaranteed.

♥ 

I just gave the kids an empty egg carton, and let them color it with markers.  Then, they added some googly eyes and pipe cleaner antennae.  

You can also help your caterpillar "turn into a butterfly" by adding some wings made of cardstock.

What are some of your favorite books to read with your children?  I am always looking for new stories {aka "excuses to cuddle up on the couch with the boys"}.

I am always on the lookout for cute, easy and inexpensive gifts the boys can give to their little friends.  This year, my youngest is bringing these adorable heart-shaped crayon Valentines to his Preschool pals.

Want to make some?  Dig out your old broken crayons, and follow these simple instructions.

Step 1 - Soak the crayons in water, and put the kids to work peeling the paper off the crayons.

♥ 

These cute tealight holders are fun to make with the kids, and they use supplies right out of your recycling bin -- empty baby food jars.  My boys loved this activity because it is a little messy and involves using scissors and glue. 

Step 1:  Using the paintbrush, apply glue to a small section of the babyfood jar.

Step 2:  Cut tiny pieces of tissue paper, and apply to the area where you have just applied the glue.  (Keep applying glue and tissue paper until the entire jar is covered.)

Step 3:  Wait for the glue to dry, and then apply a coat over the top of the tissue paper.  (You can add a second top-coat if desired.)

How many years in a row have you made the same resolution?

If the answer is more than one, then your goal was probably never realistically attainable. I am a huge believer in slow, steady, & consistent change. Imagine how different your life would be now if you had just made one or two small, yet realistic, positive changes into a permanent habit every year for the last 20 years!

Science shows that it takes 21 days to form a habit. So whatever your resolution, commit to it for at least three weeks straight or it's frankly a waste of time. Here are some of the more manageable resolutions I you take could on:

•Eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day: So simple, yet so challenging for so many of us. Track your intake and hit 5 for three weeks straight. Then shoot for 6 for the next 3 weeks. Repeat until you are comfortably at 7-10. Your life will never be the same!

•Eliminate processed snacks: Vow to only eat real food at snacktime: Veggies and bean dip, fruit and natural nut butter, homemade popcorn or greek yoghurt and berries with a sprinkle of nuts are great options.

•Consider a monthly, instead of an annual, resolution. One small change in January, another in February, and so on. Think of all you could accomplish in bite-sized pieces!

•Replace two main meals a week with vegetarian options. There are a ton of yummy vegetarian recipes on my site if you are looking for inspiration!

•Pack a healthy lunch: This change alone can cut loads of calories over the course of a week, fuel you better and save you cash! (It's a no-brainer, right?)

Just pick one! The key to making permanent change is to master one before starting work on another.Need a little help prioritizing and commiting? Make this the year you really change things. If you need some support, or are feeling overwhelmed, helping clients achieve and maintain healthy change is what I do best!

Wishing all the green parents out there a wonderful and healthy 2012!

I don't know about your house, but my house is usually very loud.  My three boys absolutely love things that make noise...  go figure!  :-)

So, as part of our "New Year" celebrations, we made our own noisemakers.  {We made them to ring in the new year, but they are fun to make any time.}

Want to "up" the volume (and fun!) in your house? 

Here is how to make a Kazoo out of a toilet paper roll:

1)  Have the kids decorate a toilet paper or paper towel roll.

2)  Use a hole punch to make two holes at the top of the tube.

3)  Cut out a square of wax paper, and secure it to the top of the tube with a rubber band.

And, here is how to make a paper plate noisemaker:

1)  Have the kids decorate the bottoms of two (sturdy) paper plates.

2)  Put about 3/4 cup of rice on one paper plate, and place the the other plate on top.

3)  Attach the two plates with lots of staples.

These projects are both really easy to make, and they use materials that you probably already have in your cupboards and recycling bins.  Fun, quick and easy... a great rainy day project to do with the kids.

♥ 

Watching an episode of Jamieʼs Oliverʼs Food Revolution a while back got me thinking:

How many of our HRM kids know where their food comes from? In our modern-day,

convenience-based commercialized food world, how many kids know the difference

between a whole and processed food or between organic and conventionally farmed

produce? How many have visited a working farm, or grown food from seed? How many

know how to read a basic food label, or understand what is added to our food to make it

last so long and look so good on the grocery store shelves?

For those of you not familiar with Jamie Oliverʼs show, he is trying to improve the foods

served to American children in school cafeterias. Interestingly, it doesnʼt take much for

him to get the kids on board with healthier eating. The resistance usually comes from

the schools or school boards, who are used to doing things one way and are often

locked into supply contracts with a less than healthy bulk food supplier.

In the episode I just watched, Jamie was surprised at how little the high-schoolers he

was working with knew about their food and where it came from. They had obviously

not been taught “real food basics” at home or in school. I recently asked one of my

young clients where butter came from and she had no idea. A bit shocking, given the

“healthy” home sheʼs growing up in.

Are any of you struggling with how and what to teach your kids about our food system

and healthy eating?

If so, here are some topics for family discussion to help you get started:

• What are Whole Foods? I tell kids that whole foods are recognizable in nature. If itʼs

on your plate, and you can imagine it growing or living in nature, itʼs probably a whole

food. Some “whole foods” can be made with other whole food ingredients, such as

whole grain breads or soups and stews. Get your kids to go through the fridge or

pantry and identify as many whole foods as they can. Make a meal that evening

together out of only whole foods. Take a trip to the local Farmersʼ Market and discuss

how the foods available there differ from those available at the supermarket.

• What are Processed Foods? The easiest way to define these for kids is to say

processed foods are made in a factory, and have lots of unnatural ingredients added

(things you canʼt easily identify in nature). Show your kids the ingredient list on

processed food, then compare that to the one ingredient whole foods. Explain how

chemicals are used to preserve, color and flavour processed foods. Talk about the

“less than 5 ingredients” guideline for packaged foods, or the idea of “not eating

anything if you donʼt know what it is”.

• Where does our meat come from? I sometimes get pushback from parents on this

one, but doesnʼt it seem crazy that we are raising a generation of kids who donʼt

realize that the “chicken” in their chicken nuggets is meat from a bird? (And if it isnʼt,

go back to the processed foods discussion!) Talk to them about the importance of

knowing where the animals we eat are raised and how they are treated and fed. The

meat farmers at our local Farmersʼ Markets love to talk about the care they put into

raising their animals! Just ask them!

• Organic v. Commercially-Farmed Produce: Kids should know that while it is often

cheaper and easier to produce fruits and veggies by using chemicals, too many of

those chemicals can be harmful to our health and the planet. We need to choose

carefully, and buy organic and local when we can. Take your kids to an organic farm,

or start growing some tomatoes or zucchini in the backyard. Help them to appreciate

the work and love that goes into producing natural food. This will also show them how

tasty fresh organic food can be!

Donʼt be afraid of these topics. Kids are smart and they want to learn. And most of all,

kids want to feel great and be healthy. Who knows, you might just learn a little

something new in the process too!

If you liked the information in this post, there are lots more of these types of blogs along

with healthy recipes & tips on the my Facebook Page at: http://www.facebook.com/

SimpleBalance

Come on over and Like it too!