Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Writing is my hobby. It is the thing I do with all the ideas in my head. I work full-time and fit it in around work, mostly. I am currently writing the 5th book in the Jensen Family Series, Rising Son. It's a hard book to write and touches on many personal experiences. I don't have a release date as yet but I will keep you all updated. I can now digitally autograph books on request: http://www.authorgraph.com/widgets/author/tftisme

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Cooking Together

iUniverse, Inc.

Contents

CHAPTER 1 THE BENEFITS OF COOKING WITH YOUR KIDS.................................1CHAPTER 2 GUIDE TO COOKWARE......................................................9CHAPTER 3 GUIDE TO ESSENTIAL SPICES AND SEASONINGS...............................19CHAPTER 4 HEALTHY HOMEMADE SALAD DRESSINGS.......................................35CHAPTER 5 SOME VERY SPECIAL FOODS (KIDS DON'T EAT ENOUGH OF).....................41CHAPTER 6 BREAKFAST..............................................................51CHAPTER 7 LUNCH..................................................................75CHAPTER 8 DINNER.................................................................105CHAPTER 9 SALADS.................................................................145CHAPTER 10 SIDE DISHES...........................................................161CHAPTER 11 SOUPS.................................................................181CHAPTER 12 SNACKS................................................................201CHAPTER 13 SWEET TREATS..........................................................221

Chapter One

If you think of the primary colors, or those in a rainbow, you will find that these foods have the most nutrients. Look for food as they appear in nature, not from a processed box. This is a fun exercise and reinforces learning from pre and grade schools. Try getting your kids to pick out fruits and vegetables from the grocery store and make a color wheel.

Try to increase your intake of whole grains. Substitute brown rice, bulgur wheat or quinoa for white rice. With a little seasoning your kids may never know the difference and they won't miss the white rice once they are used to the other stuff. These whole grains are mild and can accompany any main course. They are higher in protein, fiber and nutrients than processed foods and white rice.

Use more beans and lentils too. Legumes are a wonderful source of fiber, vitamins, iron and proteins and can even be added to your favorite pasta and Italian meals. Cannellini beans have a wonderful taste and are great in soups or with sausage. Black beans are bold, spicy and hearty. Red kidney beans (both shades- dark and light) pair up well with vegetables and meats and in Southwestern, Spanish and Italian inspired foods. They all take to spices and sauces exceptionally well too.

The foods mentioned above require no more effort to make than boiling white rice.

Root vegetables like any of the squash varieties or turnips make a wonderful substitute for potatoes. They have a lower Glycemic index and higher nutrient content. Root vegetables can be less expensive too.

Offer some sort of dark leafy green with meals because foods that can be eaten raw should be included as much as possible. A good rule of thumb is to use food that looks the same when it's grown as it does when you begin to prepare it. That way you minimize over processed or altered foods. For canned or frozen fruits and vegetables the ingredient list should only read what the fruit or vegetable is. And water, maybe.

Pastries and processed baked goods present a difficult challenge to parents. Many of these processed desserts are loaded with too many calories and "engineered" ingredients that just may not be healthful and often are so concentrated that they outweigh the entire daily recommendation allowance. Which is why obesity and other childhood (and adult -for that matter) illnesses have become much too prevalent. With a little knowledge it's easy to make many of your baked goods at home from scratch using better ingredients. And the taste is better, more natural and not hinted with chemicals. Your kids will like them. Our 'Superhero Muffins' are aptly named for many reasons. I use 100% whole wheat flour whenever I can, not the enriched variety. In the milling process about 60% of the nutrients are stripped from the wheat kernel. Since 1941, the USDA has required wheat flour to be 'enriched' by adding back vitamins such as B1, B2, B3 and Iron. With 100% the bran and germ remain so you get all the natural nutrients inherent in the wheat. Whole Wheat has been shown to help maintain a healthy body weight in women and reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, reduce chronic inflammation and even Gallstones. Adding Flax Seed Meal to your flour does little toward the taste but sure does improve the nutritional benefit. Use the Meal, not the seeds since kids might not like the texture of the seeds. (Seeds are very good in salads or added to homemade breads, however). Flax Seed is nature's richest source of Omega-3 Fatty Acid which is vital to the health of all body systems and brain concentration. It is loaded with B and E Vitamins, high in soluble and insoluble fiber, and Mucilage, which stabilizes blood sugar. Every 100Gms of Flax Seed contains between 25 — 30 Grams of protein. It is a natural laxative, and is excellent to help burn fat and build muscle and reduce water bloating. It's also been suggested that it might help fight acne.

Food Can Bring Families Together

In past generations the entire family was responsible for putting a meal together whether it was an agrarian society or an extended family living in the city or suburb. The work was delegated to the entire clan. As generations progressed we've moved away from this, but many people still have fond memories of 'family meals' or their grandmother's recipes. This heritage you can pass on to your children.

Kids have an inherent love for cooking — why has the 'Easy Bake oven' been popular for so long and why do kids still make mud pies generation after generation?

The Family Meal

Currently, it seems as if the family meal is dying. If this is so, with it an entire way of life will pass. If the family meal is not dying it has definitely hit a crisis point. The family meal is one of the only sources of regular interaction parents have with their kids and kids have with their siblings. It's a way to find out what the other family members did during the day, what is coming up in the near future. The family meal, as we know it, has been the core of society for centuries. It has been so in many cultures and regions since before the written word and probably since man first gathered around a fire in a cave somewhere. It formed the first attempt at community. It is where we share our lives. It is also eroding due to our modern society and its modern pressures.

The family meal comprises the good and bad components of family life, of having to deal with siblings, scheduling, squabbles and ultimately provides that bond that establishes a family. Kids will grouse at being taken away from the TV or video game, but the meal only lasts a short time and it's important. Aside from finding out what is going on, it's a chance to see your children's socialization skills and if they are eating right. There is a reason behind why parents (for generations) sent their kids to bed hungry. It was to...