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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: Products
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
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