How to Make Healthy Baked Apple Oatmeal for Kids

Cassie took Colin on a dream trip to LEGOLAND this past week. That left Cailya with dear old dad. Every now and again, we split the kids up like this. It's an arrangement that works out for everybody. The kids have no one to argue with, plus they get the exclusive attention of one parent all to themselves. In fact, taking care of just one kid is so comparatively easy, I would even go so far as to say it is delightful.

So, while Colin was off meeting LEGO batman, I painted Cailya's nails, baked her apple oatmeal, and took her to the mall. As we walked through the mall, I noticed people looked at us with warmth and admiration. This is in stark contrast to the fear and disdain we usually receive as a family of four with two screaming toddlers. For some reason, people really seem to respond to the image of a father taking care of his daughter. I don't know if it's simply endearing to watch a grown man clumsily attempt to tie his daughter's hair into a ponytail, but there is something special about the relationship between a father and his daughter.

In many ways, raising a daughter is like a budding romance. There's the thrill when she reaches her hand out to grasp mine. There's the pride of taking her out and taking care of her. There's the inevitable emotional outbursts when I fail to meet her every expectation. I remember what friends said when they learned Cassie was pregnant with Cailya. "Oh you are going to adore having a little girl!" Daddy daughter weeks like these remind me that those friends were absolutely right.

https://youtu.be/vIrv982fCgM

How to Make Healthy Low Carb Chicken Nachos for Kids

Sometimes I feel sorry for Colin because his primary role model of virility and masculinity is, well, me. I'm not exactly a macho, macho man. I prefer musicals to bars. I would rather talk about cuisine than about cars. And I have no interest in partaking in a pissing contest with other guys over cigars. 

Still, I'd like to think that Colin will appreciate having this male figure in his life. I'd like him to observe that the man of the house takes out the trash. I'd like him to appreciate the honest sweat that comes from mowing your own lawn. Hopefully he'll be observant when I make an effort to take care of his mom, and maybe that will translate into him taking care of his sister or significant other some day. 

So while I'm not so macho, I am the kind of male role model for Colin that I know how to be. I'm a not so macho nacho man who loves making and eating these low carb chicken nachos. And that's good enough for me. 

https://youtu.be/D_DAQnnnC8s

How to Make a Grain Free Gluten Free Bagel for Kids and Mommy on Mother's Day

'Twas the morning of Mother's Day, and all through the house
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
 

 Mama was nestled all snug in her bed,

while daddy arose with his sleep sleepy head.

He woke the kids up; their hairs he did brush,

Then quietly they went in a hush and a rush.

Down to the Kitchen, with a sneak and a creep

"Quiet!" dad said, "Mommy's trying to sleep!" 

When out from the kitchen arose such a clatter,

The mixer, the bowls, the batter, the splatter!

Now Crying, Now Yelling, Now Colin, now Cailya!

She pinched me, he hit me, Now what's the mattah?

 We made up our dough then formed into rings
Then sprinkled them with everything.

Into the oven we popped them one by one.

After 20 minutes our bagels were done!

We sliced them and then, cheese and lox we did spread,

then hurried mom's breakfast up to her bed.

Mom's favorite, lox and bagels, of course gluten free!
A mother's day breakfast fit for our favorite Mommy!

https://youtu.be/wNKeprMTYRI

How to Make Healthy Mexican Quinoa For Kids - The Power of Sour Cream

I've discovered sour cream. Yeah, I know I'm late to the party. I was also late to the cheese party. I used to go to Chipotle and turn my nose up at the sour cream and cheese. I've always had a relatively simple palate, perhaps because I grew up in a household with simple flavors. It never occurred to me that something like sour cream would add so much flavor to a dish. Now, I realize that sour cream adds fattiness, moisture, and flavor, bringing a seemingly disparate array of ingredients together into a cohesive dish.

As I discover new ingredients and new flavors, so do my children. On a whim, I decided to make this recipe for Mexican quinoa. This bowl has all the classic Mexican flavors without the carbs from taco shells or burritos. Whole corn kernels add sweetness without adding refined sugar. Beans are a good source of protein and fiber for fullness and satiety.

But the star that pulls all the flavors together is the sour cream. I let Colin add a dollop of sour cream and mix it in himself. Giving Colin control over healthy condiments is a great way to keep him interested in what he is eating and practice autonomy. He loved this dish so much, he didn't even mind the diced tomatoes interspersed throughout his bowl. Not only did Colin discover sour cream, but so did I. Adding a dollop of sour cream can go a long way towards increasing acceptance of foods for your kids as well. If you're late to the sour cream party, I recommend you give it a try too. Better late than never!

https://youtu.be/Jluv-M_Jesg

How to Make Healthy Low Carb Gluten Free Cloud Bread for Kids

One of the first things people do when they attempt to lose weight is to cut out bread. The idea that bread is fattening is not just an old wive's tale. As I have learned and observed many times over, cutting out bread is a very effective strategy for weight loss. Bread is fattening not simply because it is a source of calories, but because it is very high in glycemic index. It is the most common source of wheat flour in the typical American diet and the most prevalent source of fattening carbohydrates.

Oftentimes, weight conscious individuals switch from breads to wraps. Have you ever eaten a wrap and felt somewhat cheated? Wraps simply do not give us the pleasure that bread does. The reason is wraps take out the best part of bread--air. If you are worried about calories, switching from leavened bread to flat bread doesn't really help. That just takes out the air from your food, and air doesn't have any calories. Also, switching to wraps doesn't take out the offending high glycemic processed flour that causes all the weight gain in the first place.

Taking out the air also takes away a lot of the taste. Air is a very important part of the pleasurable experience of eating. Air adds volume to our food, which is important because bigger food is visually more appealing than smaller food. Air also confers a lightness and softness to food, which can be texturally pleasing.

And while you can't see air, you certainly can taste it. As Michael Pollan points out, air pockets in food transport the flavors from the food as gas into the back of our mouths and sinus cavities. Because nearly eighty percent of the pleasure of food comes from our olfactory senses, air is a significant contributor to the pleasurable sensations we get from eating food.

I have been searching for a decent low carb, gluten free, low glycemic index bread substitute for a long time. Thanks to my patient, Meredith, I have finally found one. This recipe for cloud bread is a game-changing bread substitute. In contrast to my previous failed attempts to mimic bread, cloud bread gets the most important factor right--air. Infusing air into eggs and cream cheese results in a light and fluffy bread substitute that you can use for sandwiches such as a gluten free egg salad sandwich. 

For my cloud bread, I skipped sweeteners like sugar and honey and went completely savory, adding salt, garlic powder, and rosemary. I split my batter into six bun halves and baked the buns at 350 degrees. But watch your cloud bread closely during baking and subsequent broiling, as it can burn easily! 

https://youtu.be/G9aOd0bi70I

References

Pollan, Michael. 2013. Cooked: a natural history of transformation.

How to Sneak Greens into Healthy Gluten Free Zucchini Bread For Kids

The theater was eerily silent. You could hear a pin drop. The main character had just shared a poignant and heartbreaking story about two lovers. The story had just reached a climax. The entire audience was waiting with baited breath to hear what would happen next. What happened next was the very distinct and articulate voice of my three year old asking, "Daddy, why did she say that?" 

If I am guilty of anything when it comes to my children, it is sneaking them into museums and restaurants stating that they are younger than they actually are. I look young. And so do my children. No one ever questions me and no one seems to mind. 

However, on this particular trip to New York, I had actually snuck Cailya in to see Matilda even though she was younger than the minimum age of four. The last time we went to New York, I took Colin to see Finding Neverland. I specifically instructed him not to tell Cailya about the show. Of course, he couldn't help but tell her how much he enjoyed the show. I spent the rest of the afternoon hearing her moan, "I want to see a showwwwww!"

So I decided to take my chances and sneak Cailya in. I put her in a nice dress, did her hair up a, and even prepared a whole back story. Then I casually handed the usher four tickets and made as if all was natural. For a brief moment the usher paused. But then, after seeing that we had four tickets, he let us pass. It was that simple. Aside from a few embarrassing moments, we had a great time watching a broadway musical together. 

You can sneak in some good stuff into your kids' diet as well. Try making this gluten free coconut flour zucchini bread. My kids enjoyed munching on this throughout our trip to New York. 

https://youtu.be/z3VDQDpusss

How to Make Healthy Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pork For Kids

My first time was in college. I was scared and nervous. I didn't know what to expect, but everyone around me was doing it. So, I closed my eyes and tried pork butt. I was at my first Hawaiian luau, sponsored by the Northwestern University Hawaii club. After Hawaii and California, Northwestern is a popular college destination for Hawaiians. After all, we had enough Hawaiians to form a club!

One of my college roommates was from Hawaii. Trenton is a Hawaiian through and through. He has that quintessential aloha smile and is always thinking of others. He gave me a positive impression of the people and culture of Hawaii right from the start. Now, whenever I think of Hawaii, I think of warm sun, playful personalities, and open hearted people. 

When people think about Hawaiian food, they may think "Hawaiian" is synonymous with pineapple. Throw on some pineapple slices onto that pizza and call it Hawaiian! The same sweet transition takes place when Chinese food crosses over to Chinese American food in the likes of such dishes as sweet and sour pork.

Hawaiian food is much more than pineapples and coconuts. Hawaiians also love shaved ice and SPAM! When I think of Hawaiian food, I think of luaus and Kālua pig. Kālua literally means "to cook in an underground oven." Traditionally, a whole pig is salted, wrapped in banana leaves, and cooked in a pit underground over heated rocks.

However, you can make an easy version of slow cooked pig by using your slow cooker. Try this recipe for Slow Cooker Kalua Pig by Nom Nom Paleo. To punch up your pork, you can try adding some spices and acid from citrus fruits.

https://youtu.be/SxBR5tyAqR0

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalua