Cooking With My Kid

Many of my friends love to cook; it is their passion. I am not that mom. I do cook but more out of necessity than desire. I cook because I like to eat. However, Jack and I actually do enjoy cooking together. He is so cute trying to stir, measure flour and crack eggs. Often more food ends up on the floor than in the bowl but we have fun trying.

I also cook because I want to feed my family well. Handing out processed pre-packaged food is much easier than preparing snacks from scratch. My family certainly eats the processed junk but I try to supplement the unhealthy processed stuff with homemade items.

Here are two easy recipes I make for my kids often: pancakes and green smoothies. The internet offers a million and one pancake and green smoothie recipes and here are my versions adapted from various other versions.

Jack's Green Smoothie

1 banana
1/2 cup frozen peaches, mangos or pineapple
1/2 cup fresh spinach or kale
1/2 to 1 cup water
a few pieces of ice

Put all ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth. Pour into cup with lid and straw and let your kids enjoy.

Note: Jack's favorite color is green and he thinks this is a super treat. I try to only offer this to my kids a couple of times each week and every time I act like it is super special like ice cream.


Pancakes


1/2 cup white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 heaping tablespoon sugar
pinch of salt

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.

1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/3 cup pumpkin puree, pear baby food, or other mashed up fruit like a banana

Mix these three ingredients together in a separate bowl. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Heat griddle or pancake pan on stovetop over medium heat. Spray pan with cooking spray. Pour pancake mix into small pancakes in pan and cook until bubbles start to form. Flip pancakes and heat for about another minute until cooked through. Serve with butter, maple syrup or whatever toppings your family enjoys.

Note: A friend taught me that pancakes make a great snack the next day for hungry children and they travel well. Let leftover pancakes cool, put in a snack bag and place in the refrigerator. Just grab and throw in the diaper bag for a snack on the go.

I hope you enjoy the recipes. Seriously if I can make these things, you can too.