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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.
Category Archives: 10 Ingredients or Less
Lemon Terragon Pasta with Zucchini and Summer Squash
This is a light and simple dish that looks elegant and is easy to prepare. Lemon can be adjusted to suit any taste. NUTS and BOLTS Vegetable Stock 1-2 tsp Vegan Margarine 1 cup Small Dry noodles (Orzo, Alphabet pasta, … Continue reading
Breakfast Quinoa
My twinkies love oatmeal, particularly the flavored instant oatmeal sold in individual packages. There is a lot of unnecessary junk in those, however. Oatmeal made from scratch is nice, but I was striving for something with more rounded nutrition. Some … Continue reading
Asparagus for Mom and Dad
My husband is not a fan of asparagus. The only asparagus I ate growing up came from a can. I found some beautiful asparagus tips at the store the other day and just felt inspired to try and make something … Continue reading
Roasted Chickpeas (Great Party Nut Substitute)
I don’t know about you, but when I encounter a bowl of tasty party snacks I inevitably over-eat. I particularly fall prey to salty and crunchy which means potato chips, nuts and chex mix. I love this recipe because I … Continue reading
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
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
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
Garlic and Herb Crostini
I have a confession to make. I am addicted to garlic. Garlic and salt. If you do not share my passion, cut all my garlic measurements in half. I said I wanted happy dinners where we all enjoy the same … Continue reading
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