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Monkey #3
Who are the 3 Munching Monkeys?
Hi! My name is Allaina, and the aforementioned monkeys are my darling daughters. The eldest is currently 9 years old and the twinkies just turned 4. They all love to help in the kitchen and our family's love of food and cooking has inspired the eldest to strive toward owning a bed and breakfast when she grows up. I call my girls my monkeys because they all shriek, climb things and generally spend much of their time tumbling around. Often I feel like I run a zoo, not a household!
Who is in Charge Around Here?
I am a 35 year old Mother to 3, deliriously happy wife of 10+ years, graphic designer, singer, artist and quadriplegic. I find such joy in preparing delicious food and sharing that love with friends and family. I also can not resist the challenge of using difficult ingredients in new and resourceful ways and I strive to create irresistible flavors with much of what I have on hand - who has time to always run to the store?
Nutrition is very important to me. When we started receiving our organic CSA share a few summers ago, I was overwhelmed by the number and variety of vegetables we were receiving. I didn't know what to do with half of them. I despaired at my children's suspicious glances into the bags. I began in earnest to try to create recipes that would entice the kids to the table but allow me to feel good about what they put in their mouths. In this process, I discovered quite happily that I have a knack for being sneaky in the kitchen.
This blog is my attempt to share my recipes and observations, empower other parents in the kitchen and have more happy family dinners throughout the nation.
Author Archives: allainamae
Lemon Tarragon Salmon Fillet
This is sort of a guest blog. I’ll do the typing, but someone else is cooking this one. I can not cook meats like my husband. I just don’t have the ability to patiently wait for things to sear. I … Continue reading
Products I Love – Ancient Grains, Heritage Grain Blend
I have decided I will occasionally post entries about pantry items I love and feel are really useful for when we have no time to make everything from scratch. I wish I could not use any processed ingredients, but convenience … Continue reading
Thank You Laurie!
Have I mentioned how wonderful my friends are? This lovely lady was actually a friend of my husband’s at first. They both teach classes at Ascend Training and Consulting here in Chicago-land. We have a little in common, both being … Continue reading
Turnip Casserole
Ok, this is not a sexy, pretty dish. I tried and tried and this was the most beautiful picture I could take. It doesn’t plate pretty or look nice in the pan. What it does do, is taste fabulous and … Continue reading
Prune and Pumpkin Puree’ (for the little ones)
This recipe was sort of a spur of the moment, last ditch effort to get my twinkies to eat prunes. The smallest has been holding it all in with a stubbornness to match my own and is now in serious … Continue reading
Chocolate Surprise Cake
Dessert is a true weakness of mine. I could eat it after every meal, every day. I am always trying to find ways to make desserts that are wicked in flavor and high in satisfaction but low in fat and … Continue reading
Broccoli Bacon Stirfry with Maple and Tamari
In my endless search for ways to get my daughter to eat broccoli, I turned to a universal favorite. BACON. Also, CANDY. Kids eat all kinds of sweet items, why not candied broccoli or cauliflower? This recipe is adapted from … Continue reading
Whole Grain Cinnamon Pancakes
Who loves pancakes? I don’t – not usually, anyway. If I am going to eat a pancake, it would have to be interesting. If I am going to make pancakes, they would have to be worth it. They would have … Continue reading
Caramelized Onion, Mushroom and Goat Cheese Pizza
This recipe was initially developed last year as we tried to come up with pizza ideas that did not require huge amounts of cheese and utilized some of the beautiful vegetables from our farm share. The heavy black pepper makes … Continue reading
My Mommy Loves Me!
Let me start out by saying my mother is a thoughtful person. She is always thinking about me and my family when she goes places. So, I was on her mind when she went to a plant sale today at … Continue reading
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