A Big Thank You!

                I’ve been suffering lately from a terrible sickness.  You might have caught this.  It’s going around.  The symptoms are total misery, grumpiness, agitation, dissatisfaction and complaining.  I’ve had a bad case of jealousy.  And it’s been really hard to recover.  I’ve been disgruntled about every hardship because I keep thinking of someone else who has it easier.  Even the choices I’ve made for myself start to make me angry because other people are making easier choices.  They should have it just as hard.

                But as Thanksgiving draws near and I sit with my daughter and talk about the meaning of the holiday, I’m realizing that my illness needs an antidote.  And the antidote is right there in the word, thanks.  If I stop the storyline in my head and just sit and look around, I have so very much that deserves my gratitude.  And the jealousy is just discounting the wonder of my life. 

                Yet life is really just so wonderful.  There are so many things in life to savor and appreciate.  And nothing I can add can increase the joy I receive from being with my three crazy kids.  As Wendell Berry says in his poem “The Wild Geese,” “what we need is here.  And we pray, not for new earth or heaven, but to be quiet in heart, and in eye clear.  What we need is here.”  I can mumble complaints about what I don’t have, or, with same breath, I can say thank you that I have all that I need.

                We at The Fork & Spoon want to take this time to say a special thank you to all of our wonderful customers.  We know you have a choice when dining out and we thank you for joining us.  We hope to see you again soon!

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

 (Don't tell them it's healthy!)

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon flax seed
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:  

Prep time, 10 min.  Total time: 20 min.

1. 1Mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, flaxseed, wheat germ and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
2. 2Add in the egg, milk, oil and pumpkin. Depending on how thick you like the consistency of your batter, you may want to add a little more milk or water to thin it out as needed.
3. 3Heat electric griddle to 375 degrees. Spray with Pam cooking spray.
4. 4Ladle spoonfuls of batter onto griddle. Once you see bubbles starting to form, flip the pancakes over but do not pat them down! They won't be as fluffy if you pat them.
5. 5Cook until lightly brown on both sides.
6. 6Serve with fruit, syrup, or honey as desired. (Put servings of syrup in old cough syrup cups to portion it and reduce sugar!)

Sneak in the Veggies!

                Based on everything I’ve read and heard from other parents, getting kids to eat vegetables is one of the most challenging things we do.  I know my three have made a pact not to eat broccoli, spinach or green beans.  They love orange veggies, but green has been voted out.

                Therefore, based I’ve adapted to sneaking vegetables into our food, one way or another.  Here are some of the ways I do it.  You can check out the blog for more extensive recipes and tips.

1. I mix broccoli puree in with my macaroni and cheese sauce.  I make a white sauce and then add cheese and puree.  The broccoli taste goes well with cheddar, and they gobble it up!  If your kids hate the broccoli flavor, try an orange vegetable instead. 
2. I mix spinach puree into scrambled eggs.  This is my version of “green eggs.”  My kids love eggs, so they think it’s hilarious to eat them green. 
3. I mix pumpkin into pancake batter.  Add a little pumpkin pie spice, and you feel like you’re eating dessert for breakfast.  Use whole wheat flour and portion the syrup in old cough syrup cups so they don’t get too much sugar.
4. I mix vegetable purees into pasta sauce.  The tartness of the tomatoes helps cover up the flavor and color of the vegetables. Put the sauce on whole wheat pasta or pizza dough.  Add cheese.  Devour.

Once you start doing this, you will come up with all sorts of creative ways to sneak in those veggies.  It only takes an hour or so to puree a bunch of different vegetables.  Then you can freeze them in ice cube trays for easy pre-portioned availability!