Categories
-
Recent Posts
Archives
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: Appetizer
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
Quiche in a Basket
I love quiche. I don’t love how fattening it can be. This is a slimmed down version that I made appetizer / child size. I added all kinds of things to my batter – broccoli, mushrooms, chicken, red peppers, green … 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
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
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
Apple Ginger Chicken Salad
I don’t know about you, but I have often found chicken salad to be a bit of a bore.. I won’t order it out and rarely eat it at parties. In my search for ways to dress it up, I … Continue reading
munchingmonkeys.com 