The Smart Lunch-box: Easy, Nutritious Snacks For Kids on the Go April 4, 2008

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The lunch-box is one opportunity for parents to ensure kids receive the protein, vitamins, minerals, and calories growing bodies need for a busy day at school, and a myriad of extra-curricular activities. School-age kids can whip up these delicious snacks with minimal assistance at the beginning of the week, to be conveniently packed into lunch-boxes or backpacks each morning. Ingredients are provided for a 5-day school week, allowing variety while monitoring portion sizes.

All-Your-Favorites Trail Mix: No two trail mixes need be alike! Every kid (or adult!) can create a signature mixture. Bulk bins at the grocery store offer endless combinations of nuts, dried fruits, seeds, and low-fat granola. Steer clear of sugared candies, and choose only raw or roasted unsalted nuts and seeds. Experiment, enabling your children to explore different tastes. Combine ½-cup of mixture in colored cellophane or zip-lock bags per serving.

Yogurt Parfaits: Sprinkle low-fat granola in the bottoms of five 1-cup containers. (Tip: save old single-serving yogurt containers!) Add a spoonful of lemon or vanilla low-fat yogurt. Add ¼-cup fruit of your choice in each and top with more yogurt. Sprinkle low-fat granola on top.
Or, try this savory, Mexican-inspired alternative!
Cottage Cheese Parfaits: Replace yogurt with low-fat cottage cheese, and substitute cooked beans and salsa.

Food Fact! The calcium in these foods has been found to lower the liver’s output of LDL (bad) cholesterol, and builds the bones of rapidly growing kids. Calcium has also been linked to the prevention of colds, allergies and cancer, and helps prevent dangerous intestinal infections. Low-fat dairy products are an excellent source of protein.

Fruit ‘n Cheese Kebabs: Alternate fruit and part-skim mozzarella cheese on kebab skewers or toothpicks. Choose dried or fresh fruit, such as apricots, figs, bananas, pears, plums, peaches, melon wedges, oranges, or pineapple. Be careful of sharp points or splinters.

Raw Veggies & Dip: Slice broccoli and cauliflower florets, zucchini and cucumber slices, green pepper rings, carrot and celery sticks. If a child is allowed to help choose the veggies and takes part in the washing, cutting and packaging, she or he will be more likely to enjoy them. Create a simple and delicious dipping sauce by blending plain non-fat yogurt with cottage cheese. Add your favorite herbs, if desired.

Yummy Bugs: Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on 10 round or oval whole wheat crackers. Place 6 thin carrot sticks in the peanut butter on each, for the bug’s legs. Put 2 raisins at one end of each to make eyes, and gently squeeze the remaining crackers on top.

Food Fact! In the legume or bean family, peanut butter is a terrific protein source, containing mostly beneficial monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, fiber, and vitamin E, shown to act as an antioxidant. A winner with most kids, P.B. is also a source of essential minerals such as magnesium, copper, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.

Bahama-rama: Mix 1-cup of low-fat cream cheese with 2½ tablespoons chopped walnuts, and 2½ tablespoons crushed pineapple in its own juice. Spread on 5 whole wheat English muffins. Try this spread on celery sticks with raisins, or on whole wheat crackers.

Food Fact! Whole-grain breads provide your kids with energy, vitamins, and iron, and most are low in fat. A good source of dietary fiber, whole-grain breads will keep your child satisfied longer. To be sure what you buy is whole-grain, read the label carefully; Whole grain should be the first ingredient listed. Not all dark breads are whole grain.

Remember, crackers, biscuits, and other grain products can be high in sodium or fat. Check nutrition labels to find those that are lower in fat and sodium.

Bran Apple Bars: Apples and bran cereal add dietary fiber. Using egg whites in place of a whole egg keeps cholesterol to a trace.
1. Preheat oven to 350F (moderate). Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan.
2. Soak 1-cup of whole-bran cereal (i.e.: All Bran®) in ½-cup of skim or non-fat milk until milk is absorbed.
3. Mix 1-cup flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg thoroughly.
4. Beat 1/3-cup butter or margarine and 1/3-cup brown sugar until creamy. Add 2 egg whites and beat well. Stir in 1-cup chopped apples, and the bran mixture. Add dry ingredients, mix well.
5. Pour into pan. Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Note: Some whole-bran cereals contain almost twice as much sodium as others, check the nutrition label. Makes 16 bars: two weeks’ supply, or enough to share with friends!

Snacks often provide a substantial amount of a child’s food intake—your child’s snack choices are important. However, all snacks are not equal! Nutritious snacks like these will help children get all the vitamins and minerals they need each day.

**For a fun, easy and nutritious snack, try making Raw Brownies with Icing!

Looking for more great recipes like these? Check out my other blog, the Unassuming Foodie!

Milestones! February 7, 2008

The boys are growing so fast and I simply have to keep track of all these wonderful new experiences before they transform into yet newer and bigger milestones!

Our “little” baby Noah is now 9.5 months old, is 23lbs. and wearing 18m clothes. He has been crawling so about a month, albeit robotically at first. He likes to find a toy and crawl about like a little puppy carrying his toy in his mouth. He is so very proud of himself when he pulls up to standing and wants to play with everything his brother takes an interest in (to little Joseph’s dismay.) He likes to roll his big brother’s cars back and forth and say, “vroom, vroom.”

He has also grown intensely bonded to me. On the days when Joseph is home from his nursery school program, Noah often prefers to nurse rather than eat solids, just to ensure some quiet one-on-one time. (He has 4 teeth, is constantly teething but is trying some finger foods.) He is very patient and an observer, and while Joseph always leapt in to the action, Noah likes to watch, then make his way over at his own pace. From his birth, however, Noah has been the most content, laid-back baby I’ve ever known. He always smiles for everyone and loves to laugh and dance. He is such a sweetheart.

 He is also now waving bye-bye and hi! and likes to very dramatically say “da!” and “tuh, tuh.” He is experimenting with all the consonants, and seems to get that the “mmm” sound has something to do with me. He lights up when he sees Daddy, adores his older brother, and little Joseph is always the first to introduce Noah to whomever glances our way.

Speaking of our little social butterfly, I’m so impressed by Joseph’s burgeoning social skills. We frequently have large and small groups of toddlers and babies over, and he not only shares his toys with great pleasure, but even if the child is a stranger, he shows such happiness at their arrival, he greets them with a hug and practically begs them to follow him to his toys. He remembers his friends’ names and even if weeks go by between visits, he asks about them. His very best friend is Marley, the little girl across the street. 

He is exploring imaginative play, making his toys talk to each other in voices, and constructing superhero-style capes out of towels or crib sheets. It is so fun to see his make-believe world come to life, but with everything, there are two sides.

Joseph is a very loving little kid, so it surprised me when I heard about some aggressive behavior at school a few weeks ago. It involved make-believe sword-play, and when my husband and I, baffled, gave it more thought, we realized that both his beloved Peter Pan and Puss in Boots from Shrek carry on with swords, without, of course, any consequences. When we turned him away from those images to Blues Clues and the like, poof! away went the sword-play. (Yes, we let our child watch children’s movies. I don’t think we’d ever get dinner on the table, otherwise.) Sigh. He adored that Puss in Boots: “kitty-cat bootiful” is what he called him, and Peter Pan was simply “Pete-ah” with a British accent, since Joseph now mimics EVERYTHING he hears. From his first few words, I’ve just loved the dialogue that has developed between us, and of course as a parent we can’t hear the words “I love you” enough from our children. While it’s so interesting to hear long sentences and descriptions pour out of him, I love that some of his words remain stuck in his baby years: airplanes are “o-pwanes.” His third birthday is right around the corner, and I can already tell this will be a banner year.

Warm in the Dorm: Eating on a Budget January 11, 2008

While preparing dinner this evening, I found myself throwing ingredients in the pan as if on autopilot, and I realized I was making the same dish I used to make in college, when I was broke, or near broke, and hungry. (Even when you do have a little money in college, there are so many other “more important” things to buy than food.)

Friends became very familiar with the big pot in my fridge and everyone who came over would ooh and aah appreciatively. (And many tried to eat it straight from the pot, which is gross and a huge offense to proper food safety. Insist on individual bowls and spoons!) And not to worry–your vegan friends can eat it too! I was macrobiotic when I came up with this little number, in fact.

Anyway, the following soup is simple and cheap, and if you are a student who is truly desperate, you can literally find most every ingredient at the dollar store. In fact, let’s tip our hats to the good ol’ dollar store by naming it…

Warm in the Dorm “Do-Sto” Soup
1 large can of tomatoes (whole, sliced, diced, stewed, it doesn’t matter!)
1 can garbanzo (chick) peas
1 can kidney beans
1 can lentils or split peas or cannellini beans, or whichever ones you like
1 onion
1-3 cloves of garlic (depending how much you like. Me? Me likey!)

In a large pot, stir-fry onions and garlic in oil. Add some salt and pepper.
Extra credit: if you have fresh veggies like zucchini, bell peppers or broccoli, stir-fry them now with the onions and garlic. If you have spinach, don’t add it until the very end.

When the onions are soft, open all the cans of beans and tomatoes and throw them in.
Now throw in a bunch of good flavor: dried basil, oregano, and paprika. Be generous, spice is good!

That’s it! Heat it up and eat. Please note–this is even better the next day. Make it before going to bed one night, then when you get home from class the next day, din-din’s ready and it’s sooo yummy, nutritious, filling, low-fat AND high in fiber and protein! Good stuff. Now get back to your studies.

Looking for more great recipes like this one? Check out my other blog, the Unassuming Foodie!

Gluten-Free and… Loving It? October 15, 2007

I’ll admit it: When we were in Maine, we threw some dietary caution to the lobster-scented coastal wind. We stayed primarily in B&B’s and were lavished each morning with fancy Belgian waffles, baked fruit served in luxuriously rich sauces and warm muffins, fresh-baked cookies and the like–all made with refined white flour. Tasty, yes, but we did miss our usual whole grains, veggie, fruit, nut and lean meat diet. (Cheers to the Co-op in Belfast! They saved us from veggie withdrawal symptoms.)

While our toddler was certainly off his schedule, and sleeping in a variety of different beds throughout the trip would set off a tantrum in even the mildest of two-year-olds, we really noticed a difference with the change in diet. So, we indulged while on vaca, but I decided that when we returned, we would try out a gluten-free diet, and see if the white flour really was at the root of total toddler meltdown.

I contacted Joseph’s nursery school for help. Anneliese’s (where he attends 3 days a week) is the only school in Orange County with an organic menu. They are very conscientious about the kids’ diets, so I was hoping for some input. They did mention that some other parents were trying the same thing–with the idea that the glucose breaks down over the day, and by bedtime, the child is behaving like they have been fed an all-sugar dinner. Hmm, thought I. Bedtime troubles, we’ve got those in spades….

It’s relatively easy to make the switch to a gluten-free diet. Mother’s Market and Henry’s both carry plenty of options. If you are blessed with a Whole Foods in your neighborhood (you lucky so-and-so!) the choices are even wider. I picked up some bread mixes and little Joseph and I made a project of it. He got to break the eggs and hold the measuring spoon while I poured the oil. And, I won’t make you guess whether a toddler enjoys kneading sticky dough! They do.

We did a couple of different types. Chebe offers a pizza crust that we prepared, rolled out, and cut into star shapes. When my little Dora fanatic immediately proclaimed them to be Explorer Stars, I knew we’d have a winner. (Yes, it tastes good, too.) I was so pleased with the whole thing (and feeling so smugly Martha Stewart-esque) that I went ahead and made a whole batch of star-shaped mini-pizzas (cutting the veggie-pepperoni into heart shapes!) to freeze.

OK, fast-forward: What a DIFFERENCE! Within only a couple of days, bedtime became a time of peace and cuddling–and sleep. It’s been two weeks now, and we haven’t had a single meltdown (except once when he missed a nap in order to visit his cousins). And, instead of our regular two-hour nightly Battle Royale to get the child in bed and asleep, he gladly gets into bed and snuggles happily while stories are read, then lights out, and he goes to sleep!! Wow! After the countless books we’ve read to find some magical fix for bedtime bawling–with no success–we have this happy, agreeable bed-timer. What a treat!

Let me add a very special note: While we only narrowly escaped an unfortunate appearance on one of those nanny reality shows, most importantly, I’m happy for little Joseph. He used to get so very upset and frantic at bedtime, screaming, shouting, crying, kicking–I can’t even begin to understand the little storm that was going on inside him, his frustrations. And when he would quiet down, he would cling to us in the dark, refusing to fall asleep, repeating “hug, hug,” hoping we would never let him go. How wonderful for HIM to have his anxieties removed. How wonderful that we can lay there hugging and kissing and reading books and singing songs and all the while he is confident and at ease. There have even been evenings when we were able to leave him in his bed, awake, and let him fall asleep by himself!

OK, now what about the rest of the family? For me, personally, I like to keep an eye on the glycemic index. We’ve all read that diets high in sugar make the waistline heavy. An apple-shaped body is a result of a high-glycemic diet, and, as someone who had a second baby this year, the waistline is a particularly sensitive region for me, weight-loss-wise. In case you aren’t aware, gluten-free means potatoes and corn–two of the worst offenders on the GI! I can tell you that in only two weeks, I have been in such pain (I can’t even digest them!) and weight I JUST lost is creeping back to my midsection. Clearly, gluten-free is not for me. My husband feels the same. He is the type that keeps a caloric balance: when one culprit is cut, other treats can be added. Studies have shown that when we think we are eating light, we allow ourselves more special treats (which is fine in theory). The problem is that most people can portion out a boneless, skinless chicken breast. Exactly what portion of gluten-free peanut-butter shortbread cookie is appropriate?

Anyway, we promised ourselves we would try this for a month. If we experience an entire meltdown-free 30-day period, we owe it to our son–and our sanity–to make a gluten-free diet our child’s new lifestyle.

There’s more! To read about how we progressed in the following month, click here.

A Nod to Noah August 21, 2007

It’s true that Joseph is often mentioned first in my blogs–he is potty-training, he TALKS to us (after so many months of babydom, it is such a treat to hold a conversation with a person who used to require all our energy just to decipher his nonverbal cues), and he is smart, funny, active and curious. There’s always something new with him.

However, Baby Noah, my newborn, is also deserving of zillions of starring-role blog entries. You could not ask for a sweeter, more jovial and contented baby than he, and while my day is often focused on Joseph’s activities and listening to and playing with him, Noah sits quietly by just watching or sleeping or smiling. He laughs and giggles at most everything and he sleeps through the night, and chatters away when engaged. He loves his bath, he rolls over, he is already bouncing in the jumper and often tries to sit up. He grasps onto his toys and listens with bubbly enthusiasm to stories read to him. He is a joy and a treasure and so very, very easy.
And, I’ll be so bold as to come right out and say it: I think he might be a genius. Now before you begin snickering at my indulgence, I’ve been following his development in several baby manuals, so hear me out. At 4 months, he should only now be determining the difference between “ba” and “pa”, and babbling isn’t supposed to replace cooing until about 6 months. However! Noah has been able to imitate the word “hello” since he was 2 months, and he has been babbling since 3 months. He is also almost ready to sit up, although I attribute that more to his cherub-like mass than I do to his intellect. And what’s more, he is already using his ability to roll to get around to things he wants to see at closer view. I tell you, a genius!
OK, one little story about big-brother Joseph, but this one is in reference to our youngest! The other day when I went to pick up Joseph from school, when I walked in with Noah, the new teacher exclaimed, “Of course he has a little brother! Oh, Joseph is so cute!” She went on to describe how Joseph had spent the afternoon with a baby doll and a stroller, and how he cradled the baby in his arms, kissing it and cooing at it. He changed its clothes, he put it in the stroller and walked it about, then cradled it some more. I saw how deeply he loves his brother, but also how closely he has been watching my relationship with Noah. I should have known; whenever the other children gather around Noah, he always waves away chubby little fingers, admonishing, “Don’t touch the baby!” (He has decided on his own that touching Noah is his privilege and no one else’s.)
As Noah enters the beginning of the teething stage, I’ll admit that I’m in no hurry for him to reach his next babyhood milestone. Truly, there is nothing more exquisite than gathering a whole little human being into your arms and spending countless hours just staring into his gorgeous eyes as he gazes back and smiles at you. I’ll cherish every one of his baby-days.
I’m so thankful. Even the toughest day as a mother is better than anything else I could imagine doing. I’m so blessed to be able to be home with my boys.

Rolling Over and Summer School August 6, 2007

Can little boys “blossom”?

We’ve had an exciting last few weeks here in the Lacko household. Noah made a very auspicious first rollover the week he turned 3 months old (Boy genius!) and Joseph has been absolutely thriving at his new school.

He has been attending Anneliese’s Aliso campus on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. It is such a lovely little school, where the teachers address their young students in German, French, Japanese and Spanish (and yes, English!) They serve organic meals, teach the children how to plant and tend the garden, and foster a broad cultural awareness. We’ve been very pleased to have Joseph come home happy, shouting “bonjour!” and counting effortlessly in Spanish. It would seem that he is learning at lightning speed in this new environment, and we couldn’t be happier. The funny thing is that during the summer months, Anneliese’s is on “summer school”–essentially playtime. I look forward to seeing his progress this fall when the actual school curriculum begins. Hurray, Anneliese!

They have had nothing but glowing remarks about our sweet little guy and are very impressed that he is such a good sharer, he pays attention and joins the activities in circle and has come already equipped with his alphabet, shapes, colors and numbers. I’m so proud of him and I’m so glad my little boy and I spend time together working on learning and more importantly, learning to learn.

But, they also commend him for being such an independent sleeper–ha! Not at home! Every naptime and every evening, it’s a new adventure for mommy and daddy. But that’s another story…

The Evolution of Mommy June 29, 2007

For as much as we change, we remain the same. While most 30-something working parents would agree that life looks nothing as it did during our college days­—and we have the bills to prove it—I’ve noticed that, as different as I am, even from a few years ago, my lif­e, remarkably, remains awfully similar to Joseph, my nineteen-month-old son. How so, you ask? What, is this my first time feeling the rain, eating Thai food, or spotting a bunny? Is that it? Sheltered girl, am I? Not exactly.I suppose, as a mother, I should be aiming to mirror Mary’s example: the perfect mother of the perfect Son, and yet, the way my life keeps changing and evolving and transforming, I’m more likely to be compared to Madonna the Material Girl, than Madonna, the, well you get the idea. Every year, it seems I have a new look and new outlook. It’s about evolution; mine is a mirror of my son’s. Just as Joseph becomes, month after month, more aware of himself as an individual, he also refines and develops his likes and dislikes, he tests his boundaries, and his sense of adventure grows with his increasing confidence. While I led a pretty adventuresome life myself a decade ago, you’d think that, languishing in suburbia with a toddler and pregnant with a second, my boundaries, likes, dislikes and willingness for adventure would perhaps be dusty, with more than a few cobwebs. Not so. Becoming a mother has been the catalyst for my own rebirth. In many ways, I too am only nineteen months old (unfortunately without the newborn skin) and life has become more fascinating and promising, the world seems more exciting, I feel energized to venture out and test new boundaries of my own.When we began visiting Montessori toddler programs for Joseph, I watched him stride boldly to some low bookshelves displaying puzzles, math games and blocks. He helped himself to some colorful educational toys and to be honest, I couldn’t help but share his enthusiasm. There’s a good chance I’ll be around another 50 or so years—plenty of time to dive into some classes of my own. Seeing his excitement about the classroom, students and learning materials reminded me how much I used to enjoy being in college, learning new skills and meeting new people. I hope that, throughout our lives, he and I can encourage the joy of learning in each other. As I transition out of my current magazine-editing gig and back to freelance-writer-working-from-home, I’m ripe for my next transformation. And, as I evolve, if I’m to survive among the fittest, I’ll need to discover how to translate my dreams into concrete steps I can faithfully take while growing and maturing. Seeing the beauty of small things through my son’s young eyes has inspired in me a curiosity about the world that getting older had diminished. I’m anxious to travel, true, but I’m also anxious to make a lasting “statement,” to re-organize and redefine my goals and ambitions to fit my new vision for something, oh I don’t know, grander. The truth is, thankfully, that change is inevitable, ongoing without ending. The journey, of course, is sweeter than the destination—and moreso by the company we keep along the way.

Working on my Manuscript June 29, 2007

It’s been a few weeks since my last posts. Eek, I must be more regular. Of course, my first defense is that it has been pretty busy around here. I’ve been working on a project that I originally started about a year ago. It’s a 10-week study about what the Bible says about our bodies. The aim of the study is to heal our bad habits (over-eating, smoking, drinking too much–or whatever else gets in the way of your good health and healthy spirituality) while developing a closer relationship with God. My friend Katie has been fantastic help. She agreed to let me email her with each chapter–great accountability–and has provided wonderful feedback and direction. (Yay, Katie!)
Unfortunately, much like my blog entries, I’ve fallen a little behind. I’m teaching a class at a nearby college, starting tomorrow, and have nothing but curriculum on the brain.
Again, much like my Bible study, I began a campaign last year to teach at a college. (We can never get away from our dreams, even if we put them aside. They always come back around, a month later, ten years later, or in my case, one year later.) It really didn’t go anywhere at the time, and then, out of nowhere, a year later–when I am really ready for it–I get a call. Funny, these dreams and projects got put aside just about when I found out I was pregnant. Hmmm, coincidence? I’m excited to begin, and I have high hopes for a great learning experience (for teacher and student alike).
The time between interviewing and start of class was such a small window! I had only one business day to find adequate care for my son while in class. This was a dismal failure. Being my first venture out to the world of day care, I have to say I was less than impressed. Naive: I was imagining day care centers to appear the way they do on TV–bright, cheerful, clean and organized, with happy little babies cooing, toddlers engaged in crafts or singalongs, and cute little rows of jackets on hooks. (OK, it’s a hundred degrees out, no jackets.) I was ready to spend some hard-earned money to ensure my child’s care and (early) education, and was appalled to find how even the upper end centers operate. I won’t go into a long diatribe here, but I’d like to say that quality childcare is ESSENTIAL. The environment, the people, and the program all matter greatly in a child’s life–and in the sanity and peace of his or her parents. This issue needs to be taken more seriously by our local and federal government, through substantial funding and sensible regulation. (Also, childcare workers who busted their rumps to get an ECE diploma deserve our respect, and decent pay.)
Three cheers to my sister-in-law who has, by the grace of God, joyfully accepted to take care of my son while I teach my class. What a relief. He loves his auntie and cousins, and will enjoy spending some time with them. I’m not sure what I will do for future classes, but I do look forward to having more than a single day to find care. Advice anyone?
While I’m tearing my heart out at the thought of missing even a moment of my little son’s life, I’m thankful Baby Joseph is at such a “mature” place in his little life. He rules the roll over now, and he’s determinedly working toward crawling. My brother Steven visited from Canada, and assures me that Baby J is only a short week away from mobility. We shall see. He is becoming very strong, and needs only a little assistance to sit up. He is a pro at getting his toes in his mouth, and he still smiles for (almost) everyone. Lastly, and ever so important, solids! We just began to give him some cereal in his milk. Daddy Joseph gave the inaugural meal, something that he has looked forward to, since I have been the primary “feeder”. The ped said to wait until six months, but we started a few weeks before the mark–and he just loves it! He’s taken to the spoon much easier than he did the breast. And he can really pack away the rice cereal, calling out for the next spoonful. I’m looking forward to giving him his first veggies. I’d actually let him gnaw on cauliflower and broccoli stems, to help him with his teething, and he seemed to find them quite tasty–or perhaps just fascinatingly different from a teething ring or cloth.
So, I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be to return to work. It’s probably better that I didn’t have any forewarning, any “countdown” to the end of full-time mommyhood. I have to re-commit to finishing my study–I’m only at Chapter 7–and I have to remain thankful for the gift of being able to work with the help of a supportive family. And I have to hurry home each day to be with Baby Joseph!