Recipe for Fun

By LouAnn Berglund Haaf

Children love making the meals they eat, and the toys they play with. Give a child the opportunity to take part in the process, and the end-result suddenly seems much more appealing. I’ve noticed with my own kids, that when they are involved in making anything, whether it be food, toys or crafts, they appreciate the finished product so much more. Pride is a pretty powerful feeling, and it’s not reserved for adults. But don‘t take my word for it. Pick one of these fun recipes, create it with your kids and see what happens.

Home Made Play Dough
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1⁄2 cup table salt (such as Mortons)
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
food coloring (use as much or as little as you want, depending on how intense you want the color)

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan or pot and stir with a wooden spoon over low heat until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pot and place on a counter top or a piece of waxed or parchment paper. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic. You’re ready to play! (Make sure to keep it in a Ziploc bag or Tupperware to retain its moisture when you’re not using it).

Flubber

Watch out for clothing and carpets with this amorphous material. It is sticky and inedible!
A half-batch is usually plenty! Full recipe follows.
2 1⁄3 c warm water
food coloring (we usually leave this out since it stains hands and flooring)
2 cups school glue
3 tablespoons borax

1. In one container mix 2 cups warm water, food coloring and glue. Stir until glue has dissolved.
2. In a separate container, combine 1⁄3 cups warm water and borax. Stir until borax has dissolved.
3. Add borax solution to glue mixture and mix with hands (sans jewelry) for about 5 minutes (or more).
4. Pour out extra water and voila!
5. Play with flubber immediately or store in airtight container.
Photo and recipe courtesy of www.paperandcloth.com

Stickers
1⁄2 c. Elmer’s glue
1⁄4 c. vinegar

Stir together. Brush on the back of wrapping paper or other paper with small pictures. Let dry. Moisten with sponge or brush activate the stickiness. Great pre-cursor to making valentines or Christmas card. Mom can prepare the stickers the night before and it removes the glue from the equation the day of assembly

NOTE: Not for human consumption—no licking!

Finger Paint
This is a washable finger paint — as washable as it can get. Don’t assume it won’t stain clothing and if you do get it on anything, treat and wash immediately. Find an old shirt to use as an art smock, and you won’t have to sweat the paint getting all over them. After all, making a mess is part of the creative process.

2 tablespoons sugar
1⁄3 cup of cornstarch
2 cups water
1⁄4 cup dishwashing soap
food coloring

Put the sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan and then slowly mix in cold water. Then cook the mixture over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until you have a smooth gel. Let cool and then add dishwashing soap. Divide into as many containers as you would like colors and then mix in food coloring drops until you have the desired color.

Funny Putty
1 tablespoon liquid starch
2 tablespoons white glue
3 drops food coloring (optional)
Plastic egg or screw top jar
Bowl

Put starch in bowl.
Add glue and let set 5 minutes.
If desired, add food coloring.
Mix until starch is absorbed and color is spread smoothly. Hint: the more you mix the better it gets

Here’s some great finger paint versions for the little ones. No worries if their fingers end up in their mouth. The Jell-O version is fun in the tub, too!

Pudding Paint
instant vanilla pudding
food coloring

Mix pudding according to directions.
Add food coloring for desired color.
Finger paint on paper plates.
Completely edible!

Kool-Aid Finger Paint
2 cups flour
2 packs unsweetened Kool-Aid
1⁄2 cup salt
3 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons oil

Mix wet into dry.

Jell-O Finger Paint
Any kind of flavored Jell-O
Boiling water

Mix Jell-O into boiling water until it is a good consistency for finger paint. Use normal finger painting material or glossy paper. Kids love the smell and feel of it.

5 Ways to Love Our Earth

By Josh Roberts

1. With 3½ billion wire hangers tossed into the trash every year, a lot of metal is being wasted. But they’re not collected as recycling and there are only so many wire sculptures you can make. So what to do? Try bringing them back to your dry cleaner; many, including the eco-friendly Colonial Cleaners at 37th and Lyndale (www.colonialcleanersmn.com), will take them and reuse them.

2. Speaking of dry cleaning, the EPA cautions that perchloroethelene (perc) — the traditional solvent used by 80% of U.S. dry cleaners — can cause neurological problems, damage the liver and kidney, irritate skin and mucus membranes, and do other nasty things. So do your laundry at home if you can — and save on cleaning bills in the process. To step it up, hang your clothes dry, when weather permits. If your garments absolutely must be “dry cleaned,” look for an alternative process such as “wet cleaning,” CO2-, hydrocarbon-, or silicone-based cleaning. They each have their drawbacks as well, which you can read about at nodryclean.com — which also has a store locater.

3. It’s estimated 4 trillion (that’s a 4 with 12 zeros after it) plastic bags are produced each year worldwide – consuming 12,000,000 barrels of oil in the U.S. alone. Pack your lunch in reused Chinese takeout, deli, or even yogurt and cottage cheese containers, instead of new baggies. Think about it: if you eliminate just one disposable bag per lunch — 5 days per week, for 50 weeks per year — that’s 250 nonbiodegradable plastic bags per year that you’ve kept from the waste stream — where it likely would have remained for hundreds of years to come.

4. It’s amazing how many trees are used just to make basic household paper products. But rather than cutting down trees for virgin fiber, many of these same products could instead be made from post-consumer recycled paper (that’s the stuff that starts in the recycling bin). If every household purchased just a single package of 100% recycled paper napkins in place of virgin-fiber napkins, for example, a million trees would be spared. For a guide to which paper products are best for the environment, go to www.nrdc.org/land/forests/gtissue.asp.

5. Almost a third of our garbage generated is containers and packaging, mostly paper products and plastics. While some of this is recovered by recycling, most — about 45 million tons — ends up each year in landfills and incinerators. The benefits of buying in bulk and avoiding heavily packaged goods (when available) go beyond the dumps, though: items sold in bulk generally take fewer resources to produce and ship, and cost you less in the process. Almost all the coops and larger supermarkets these days sell at least coffee, grains, and snacks — and often a lot more — in bulk.

Light My Fire

Domestic bliss and kid stress keep snuffing the flames of romance?
You’re not alone.

by LouAnn Berglund Haaf

Wild, unclipped nose hairs, underwear on the floor, five days worth of leg stubble and one of the kids is sick…again. Sound familiar?  There’s something about domestic bliss that, as time passes, feels heavy on the domestic, light on the bliss.

It’s easy to tell when things start to head south on the home front.  Tempers flare, little things take on exaggerated significance and communication consists of one big “you don’t listen to me!” or worse yet, is non-existent.   Instead of looking longingly into each other’s eyes, you find yourself studying each other: When did she pick up that annoying hair-flicking thing?  What’s that weird bump on the end of his nose?  The cold hard slap of reality can quickly put a damper on even the Romeo and Juliet of love affairs.

Enter the children.  As much of a gift and a marvel that they are (and they are the greatest little people) once that creature hits the house, life, as you know it, is over.  Flexibility and freedom fly out the window.  Sleep—forget it. From the constant needs of babies and toddlers to the endless activities and shuttling of older children, having any energy left for your partner is as rare as the brown speckled dodo bird.

I’m going to take a bit of a leap and say that for the most part, once a woman makes the transformation from woman to mother, she instinctively and contentedly puts the needs of her children above all else.  As they say, “Pity the fool that comes between a woman and her cubs.”  What this means for me is an occasional emotional slap from my husband to remind me that there is another relationship in the house that needs nurturing. Ours.  So how does a couple stay connected and find any time alone in a world of domestic bliss?  Persistence.

1.  The Witching Hour
Fact is, children need a lot of sleep. Many sleep experts suggest that children (especially very young children) need at least 15 hours of sleep each day. So, put your children to bed by 7 or 8 pm and allow some alone time for the two of you.  Set a “go to bed, stay in bed” house rule for all ages.  Quality conversations can’t be squeezed in between interruptions from children and their stay-up-later stall tactics.  They will get their much-needed rest and you will come to look forward to that break at the end of the day for talking, a game of Scrabble, or snuggling up with a movie.  A great resource for implementing the sleep routine is Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, by Marc Weissbluth.

2.  Mary Poppins
Find a sitter you trust (that’s important), and get out together.  Doesn’t really matter what you do, or where you go, just go…alone.  If you really want to stretch as a couple, start a list of what to do and see on those nights. (Pick something from this issue’s “second date” feature—that Guthrie kiss looks pretty good!)  If you can’t afford a sitter, schedule a night when, as soon as the children hit the bed, you order in and rent a new release “On Demand.”  I can guarantee, if you don’t schedule it, it won’t happen.

3.  Text
Text messaging is a great way to stay connected.  Even when you’re busy, you can check in with each other or send random love notes.  It’s like whispering in each other’s ear, and that’s pretty intimate. You can even play a pretty spicy round of footsie.

4.  Speaking of Footsie
Intimacy (yes, that) is the only thing that sets your relationship truly apart from every other relationship in your life.  It’s how you bond, play and reconnect on a physical level.  It’s important, no matter how tired or overwhelmed you are, so you need to schedule, finagle or whatever else has to happen to set aside the time and energy for each other.

4.  Little Surprises
Surprises are underrated.  All those cards, letters, flowers, and impromptu gifts during your courtship are appreciated so much more when life becomes more routine.  If you hear him lamenting about his holey underpants, pick him up some new ones, along with that movie  he’s been dying to see (the one you hitherto refused to watch).  If she’s overwhelmed with work and/or kids…make the bed (without being asked) and leave a card on her pillow.

5.  Extra Credit
These are for the overachievers…but they do work.  Journal together (not at the same time) but communicate page by page in the same book.  Make resolutions for yourself and the two of you.  You can even throw in resolutions for each other.  Things that you would like to see the other start, stop or change (be reasonable).  End your day with “What did you like about today, what didn’t you like and what do you wish had happened that didn’t?”  This is a great thing to start with your kids as well.  Reflection is a lost art, and it can be pretty powerful if it’s staring you in the face.

Even the process of working together to find more time together is fuel for the fire.  It puts you on the same page, reminds each of you how important you are to each other, and validates the commitment you made to each other what may seem like ages, a zillion diapers and many sleepless nights ago.  A relationship is no different than anything else, if you don’t feed it, it dies.  So, wrack your brain and get creative, who knows what you can come up with when you work together.

How do you as a couple add spark to your relationship? What are your creative tips for getting away without the kids?  email me at editor@livgreemag.com

A Friendly Remodel

Looking to make your home greener? Check out this journey through a Minnesota GreenStar Gold certified residential remodel. LouAnn Berglund Haaf takes us on

A VIP tour of a Lake of the Isles green remodel.

In 1997 when Jay Miller purchased his Lake of the Isles home in the Kenwood neighborhood, he did it knowing full well a whole house remodel was in the cards. Glaring problems: a kitchen that was small and cramped and a single bathroom, up on the second floor. The home wasn’t without its charm, however, with features like a front foyer, hardwood floors, a spacious living room, a fabulous view of the lake and (as they say) location, location, location.

Fast forward to 2007. Jay called on Michael Anschel (principal at Otogawa-Anschel Design-Build) and shared his ideas for transforming the space. Michael recalled their first meeting: “We sat in the dimly lit dining room and tiny kitchen talking about how we could improve the flow of the home.” The two agreed that an addition was a given, but as much of the backyard as possible should be preserved. And they agreed to continue the existing style and visual elements of the home. Jay added one final stipulation: the new place had to be green.

Going Green…

Of course, green can mean many things. To Michael Anschel, it meant everything from energy savings to reducing carbon emissions to the governing  principle of treading lightly. In fact, going green meant considering a wide gamut of concerns, from resources to people. The Miller home presented a unique opportunity to achieve the new MN GreenStar certification—one of the most progressive and rigorous standards in the country. As one of the founders of the new rating system, Anschel was in a position to create a home that embodies its principles. To his delight, Jay Miller loved the idea. Though he knew the lofty standard meant additional testing and inspections, he foresaw  the unique value certification would add to the home.

Remodeling an entire house with an eye toward green requires a lot of decision making early on. Miller and Anschel agreed that the home would receive a two-story addition across the back of the home that was about 12 feet deep. The flow issues were resolved and light fixtures selected. The first tangible green step was to test the old house to see how much air leaked from it. Sure enough, the blower door test revealed that the house was quite leaky—4200cfm, to be exact. By construction’s end the house would be at 900cfm, a fourfold improvement in efficiency. And so the “friendly remodel” began, leading to today’s remarkable dwelling.

The kitchen, though twice the size of the original, still manages to feel cozy. The granite countertops are all reclaimed and seem to change color as as you move around the room. The stone was cut with Otogawa-Anschel Design-Build’s signature hand-drawn organic edge, as was the soapstone backsplash extending upward from the Viking range—truly a beautiful and custom touch. Custom hickory cabinets  look like they could have been original, right down to the inset doors. What makes them green? They were crafted locally in Eden Prarie and shipped without any packaging. The plywoods and glues are free of cancer-causing carcinogens. The finish is a low VOC finish that imbues the wood with a more vibrant, richer, and deeper color than oil-based, heavy-polluting finishes.

A mudroom/transition space was added to the back of the home, complete with built- in bench and storage. One of the challenges faced was in fashioning a transition from the library to the kitchen area. The solution was for the stonework of the mudroom to meet up with hardwood floors in an intricate series of cuts and curves.

The new library is spacious and filled with light during the day, with excellent views of the back yard. The formal living room and dining room are virtually all that is left of the original home.

The addition of a powder room on the first floor and the remodel of a basement bath brings the house into the 21st century and provided an opportunity to have some fun with materials. Dual-flush toilet, low-flow faucet, carcinogen-free vanity, CFL lights, water-based finishes, and a socially responsible mirror show how even a small space can be green.

The home is fully wired for TV and sound, in nearly every room in the home, and in keeping with the green requirement each bedroom is fitted with its own system that also includes a special shut-off switch to eliminate lost energy when not in use. The basement floor was excavated, insulated, and heated with hydronic radiant heat to create a sunken-floor home theater.

The house features a geothermal heating system that runs a combination of radiators and radiant heat in the home. Windows were replaced with triple-pane Pella windows, and Icynene insulation was added throughout. The paints used were all low VOC; even the cabinet finish is water-based low VOC (though you would not know just by looking at it). Salvaged hardwood floors are mixed with newer wood, dual-flush toilets are installed in every location, low-flow shower heads, CFL lights, and reclaimed limestone patio are just a few of the many steps that were taken to make this home green through and through. The backyard was modestly redesigned to include a spacious thermal-cut Kasota limestone patio and walkways. Plantings include native species that are beautiful and require less water than others. The yard was reseeded with a drought-tolerant grass that requires virtually no mowing or irrigation. Any water not captured in the permeable patio and rain barrels is directed to a rain-garden that is both beautiful and functional.

In short, the finished home is a masterpiece that combines visually engaging high-end design with the latest in green building to create a home that is beautiful, spacious,  healthy, and efficient. The addition blends seamlessly with the fully-remodeled home giving new life. A sun-filled kitchen and library, luxurious master suite, wraparound second-floor deck, and dozens of intricate design details all create a sense of refinement and class. The geothermal heat, low-VOC finishes, water-conserving fixtures, and dozens of features make this a vibrant, healthy  house.  Which brings us to the most astounding conclusion: if no one had told you this well-appointed house were green, you  might never know. It is first and foremost a place to be comfortable – its ulterior identity as a poster house for healthy living is its beautiful secret.

Note: The house is pending certification and Michael is optimistic it will achieve the Gold level certification, the highest level offered.

Smarter than sprinkles

5 STRATEGIES TO GET YOUR KIDS TO EAT HEALTHIER:

When I think back, I remember the day my beautiful plan fell apart. A trip to the grocery store with Papa and little Gracie in tow. An “innocent” stroll by the complimentary preservative laden sugar cookies. She couldn’t have been more than one and a half, but that cookie changed her life. From that day forward, anytime we brought up the word “snack” she would beg for cookies. I thoroughly chewed my husband out, cooled off and realized that, although you can control what goes into your little one’s mouth, at some point the world contributes its two cents. Two cents in the form of a partially hydrogenated, refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup cookie…(with rainbow sprinkles). Is it possible to compete with sprinkles? Probably not, I’m not saying I’ve surrendered…let’s just call it a heathly truce.

Although children may seem extremely complicated at times, their taste buds are really quite simple. They generally eat what they are consistently fed, without too much of a tussle. Yes, they are still kids and have their moods, and yes they are impossible to predict, but for the most part they are wonderful little (and big) creatures of habit. If you are the parent of a cute, soft cuddly new little bundle, this is good news (the first part, that is). On the other hand, if you are the parent of a seasoned donut muncher – you have a harder road ahead of you. Oh, and if you’re feeling all “I’m all that” with the new addition, don’t stop reading because if there’s one thing I can guarantee you…it grows up.

I entered the healthy eating arena when my first born was about 4 years old. Slowly navigating through what I thought was good and bad, I systematically removed the “evils” from the house (you know, partially hydrogenated fats, high fructose corn syrup, refined sugars…) and in their place I boldy placed items with “all natural” and “organic” on the label. It was confusing, frustrating and expensive. Crazy as it seems, it wasn’t the process of removing the food from the house that was the worst, that was actually quite exhilarating – even cleansing if you want to be ZEN about it. It was the process of removing the memory of those flavors from the four year old’s taste buds that got a little sticky.

Well, that 4 year old is now 10 and there are two more in the brood. Feeding that next generation of wide eyed little babies healthy, organic snacks and fresh home cooked veggies for breakfast was a breeze…until (gulp) they too, got bigger and developed minds and taste buds of their own. It’s truly irritating how long it can take to appreciate the taste of a fresh leafy green compared to the immediate loyalty that a fresh, warm donut, or sugar encrusted cookie evokes. This doesn’t mean that we, as parents (a.k.a. “the boss of you” ) have to completely ban anything yummy, nummy or fun to eat from the house or their palates. It’s all about getting kids to eat good, fresh, natural healthy food…more often than not. If we can do that, then we’re at least holding our own with those damn sprinkles.

Train their taste buds

You are in total control during those infant and early toddler years. Take advantage of it. Even if you don’t completely subscribe to a fresh, natural diet for yourself, consider your kids a clean slate. It’s a big responsibility, they are acquiring a lifetime of tastes and food habits based on the diets they have as children. Pump them full of the wrong foods and their energy and health will suffer not to mention struggling with a lifetime of poor eating habits. What if your children are older and their taste buds are already loyal to the dark side? Not to worry. You have the power, remember you control the food that comes into your home, and although they can choose not to eat it, eventually the hunger pangs will set in and the day will come when that wheat pita and black bean dip or fresh hummus looks pretty good. For the record, that same cookie monster, who still loves cookies at the age of four and a half (if I don’t include the half and it gets back to her, my goose is cooked) loves grilled brussel sprouts, asparagus, hummus, romaine lettuce leaves, cucumbers, carrots, plain 12 grain bread and raw broccoli tops. I can’t tell you how much it pleases me to hear her say, “mama can we have brussel sprouts tonight?”

Find substitutes for the nummy stuff

Fruits and veggies are a given, but I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up the other staple in a childs diet…the snack. There is a great variety of tasty pre-packaged snacks and foods to pick from (this wasn’t always the case, believe me). This makes the job of replacing some of the favorites that much easier. Take note, just because it says all natural doesn’t mean it may not still contain too much sugar. Check the labels and make the substitutions smart ones. Fruit Leathers and Squished Fruit replace gummies and fruit snacks. Organic air popped pop corn, Cheddar Bunnies, multi seed crackers and wheat saltines replace their alter egos filled with preservatives, trans fats and high fructose corn syrup. If there is a nasty version out there, you can find something pretty darn close with a lot less sugar and all natural ingredients. It may take a little while, but if it’s their only option, they will cave and before you know it, their taste buds will have readily adopted these new flavors. A hint for the little ones. Put a sampler platter of small veggies, fruits, crackers etc in an ice cube tray and let them conduct their own taste test. When it comes to sweets, make them a special treat instead of a regular snack. There’s some great frozen all natural cookie and brownie doughs – we love making just enough for each of us to have a couple once in awhile. We can do it together, it’s quick and it’s a great ending to a healthy meal. We’ll even talk about it during the day, like it’s a special occasion. Anticipation is becoming a lost art in this day of immediate gratification and over consumption. Remember what a treat cartoons used to be when they were only on, on Saturday mornings? Children don’t need to be eating sweets for snacks during the day. Give them the opportunity begin to appreciate decadent moments by limiting them.

Teach them the whys and why nots

Start out small teaching them why you are making the choices you do. “Because I said so” may have its place in a conversation at the end of a long day, but it doesn’t belong in a conversation about why you choose healthy food over junk food. Not if you want your children making smart, healthy choices without you standing behind them guiding their hands. The market is a great training grounds for teaching the whys and why nots. Give them perimeters and then let them pick their favorites in each department. It’s much more fun to eat something when you’ve been an integral part of making it appear in your home. Then tell them they can pick a treat, but it has to be a “good” one. Come up with nutrition guidelines for what’s allowed in the house and what isn’t, and then…have a backbone. No backing down, no litigation from the little attorney. Plain and simple, if it doesn’t comply, they have to keep looking. Believe me, they will keep looking until they find a version of what they’re wanting that meets your guidelines. Kids are relentless that way, and it teaches them to care about what they put in their bodies and be a smart consumer to boot!

Be tricky

Don’t read too much into the title. I’m not saying you should forgo the vegetable battle and spin great veggie lies to your children, but there’s nothing wrong with bumping up the nutrition factor when you’re preparing food. I cook my rice in organic chicken broth, and add squash to macaroni and cheese when I feel so inclined. It doesn’t mean my children don’t know what vegetables are. In fact, each has their favorite “icky” vegetable and would be happy to model the corresponding “icky” vegetable face that goes along with it. Another trick is a spin off from my home made baby food days, with cubes of pureed steamed veggies in the freezer. I’ll add a couple cubes to soups and sauces. It tastes good, it’s good for us (we eat it too) and I get the bonus of fresh veggies in a quick last minute dish. (Although I would love to present my family with gorgeous garden fresh meals each night, too many times quick and last minute are all I am capable of by the end of a long day). You can also chop veggies up small enough so they can’t pick them out – like tiny green broccoli flowers, shredded carrots or tofu in their scrambled eggs. If the pieces are tiny, the flavor blends in better and they don’t obsess about picking it out. Plus, they get used to the idea of their food naturally including vegetables with all the wonderful colors.

Make shopping, preparing & eating the food fun

Make preparing and eating food a joy. Give your children tasks when preparing the meal for the night. Put out a platter of veggies to snack on while you are cooking and setting the table. Talk, laugh, dance and praise them for helping out. Give them each a night to pick the meal. We’ve even gone so far as to name food after each one (Jaker Tot Casserole, Eva’s Apple Pie). Make it a positive experience and the food becomes less of an issue. You don’t have time to make a big meal? So what. As long as it’s healthy and the children take part you’ve done your job. We have snack platters for lunch (yes, even dinner) more often than I’d like to admit, but they’re healthy snack platters and the kids love them. They ask for them, in fact. They choose something from each food family and we arrange it on a big plate for each (many times this also morphs into snack platter – living room picnic night too). A typical platter du jour might look something like this: Deli turkey pieces, multi-seed crackers or oat bran pitas, hummus or avocado, grapes, bananas, broccoli tops, carrot strips, cukes, dip and some “cango” (that’s carrot and mango mixed). Talk about what you’re eating and where it comes from – how long it takes to grow and how good it is for your body.

5 ingredients to teach your kids to look out for

1. High fructose corn syrup (HFCS)
   It’s very hard for our bodies to digest and convert it into fuel It also seems to be a big contributing factor when it comes to obesity.
2. Enriched and bleached flour
   The nutrients and the fiber that’s found in wheat naturally have been removed in the process of making these types of flour, making them little more than carbs and empty calories. Avoid the words “enriched” and “bleached” on the ingredients lists and you’ll be fine.
3. Trans fats / partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated oils
   In some countries, these types of oils are illegal, They can cause inflammation, high cholesterol, and heart disease.
4. Foods with 10 ingredients or more
   If it contains more than ten ingredients, there’s probably more than one thing in it that’s harmful.
5. Refined white sugar
   Refined, white sugar has no nutrients in it and is basically empty calories and carbohydrates.

For more natural parenting articles and information from this author, go to www.rebelmama.com