Surprise Spice Muffins

My mom used to make a version of these muffins. I LOVED the little bite of warm applesauce hiding in the center. 
I don't just limit myself to applesauce for these muffins. A spoonful of jam, preserves, pureed fruit, Nutella, or anything else you fancy turns a regular old muffin into something special.
I used pear preserves in this batch, so I cranked up the spice to complement the fall flavor. 

1/2 cup sugar

1 TBS flax meal

2 TBS water

1 1/2 cups flour (All Purpose or whole grain)

3 TSP baking powder

1/2 TSP salt

1/4 cup olive or coconut oil

3/4 cup Almond or other milk

1 TSP vanilla

dash of nutmeg

sprinkle of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray, grease lightly or line with cupcake papers.

In a large bowl, stir together sugar, water, and flax meal until well combined. 

Add flour, baking powder, salt, oil, milk, vanilla and nutmeg all at once. Stir until just combined.  

Fill muffins cups 2/3 full. Add a 1/2 tsp dollop of filling to the center of each cup. As it bakes, the filling will settle into the center. 

Bake 25 minutes. Cool well. the filling will be hot. 

Hands-on Studies: Playdough Labyrinth

By the kids' request, we have been studying ancient Greek mythology. We used a variety of picture books, but the bulk of our study comes from D'Aulaire's Book of Greek Myths. 

I can't say enough about this anthology. It is beautifully illustrated, simply and appropriately presented for children, thorough and complete. 

I have found that my children sit and listen better when their busy little hands are busy. I often hand out art supplies and have them recreate or illustrate some aspect of the story. Reading during mealtimes is a popular choice, as well. 

They have painted Heracles' feats, drawn the hydra with markers, watercolored Aphrodite rising from the sea, and now, built a labyrinth-complete with Minotaur and Theseus waging battle and Ariadne waiting by the door- of homemade playdough .

Each kid made his own version. I love seeing the variations in their individual interpretations.

Gemini's is a bit more abstract.

Giving them something to do that relates directly to the lesson engages different parts of their brain, creates new information pathways, holds their interest, makes the lesson more enjoyable for everyone, preserves mom's sanity, provides inspiration and an outlet for their creativity, and knocks out 2 subjects at once. Everybody wins!

Racing Ramp

1 piece of scrap wood + 1 monkey bars + toy cars + little boys = super intense fun

Vegan Cinnamon-Flax Coffee Cake

My kids always light up when I tell them we're having cake for breakfast. I do, too, actually. Coffee cake always reminds me of my mom, PTA bake sales, coffee dates. There is something special about starting the day with a slice of cake. 

Before we begin:

Add 2 TBS of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk of your choice. This is cheater buttermilk. It will curdle and thicken.

Add 1/4 cup water to 1 TBS flax meal. This replaces the egg you would normally find in a cake. 

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups flour of your choice. I used all-purpose, but you can use something else.

1 1/2 cups brown or raw sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Combine all dry ingredients. Add sour milk and flax mixture all at once. Stir till just combined. Do not over stir. 

Pour into prepared cake pan. 

For the topping:

1 cup flour

1 cup brown or raw sugar

1/2 cup flax meal

6 TBS melted coconut oil or butter substitute

Combine all ingredients. 

Spread evenly over the top of the unbaked cake.

Bake 45 minutes at 350 until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Cool 5-10 minutes. Serve warm. 

A Quick Lesson on Perspective

Perspective is everything. 

Here's a quick lesson I gave my 10 yr old on Thanksgiving, as I was trying to get him to take a decent picture of me. 

Here is a picture taken from waist height. He's two inches shorter than me. This perspective makes him look huge. 

This is the same picture, taken from a high angle. He looks teensy. 

Here's the final picture he took of me. Actually, it's supposed to be a picture of my dressy clothes. My head wasn't critical, I guess. 

We'll keep working on it. 

Hi.

Harvest Chicken Salad and Pizza Bites

Harvest Chicken Salad

I don't cook or eat meat so much these days, but my husband occasionally does. This recipe uses a couple of pieces of leftover chicken and a handful of other ingredients to create a hearty, autumnal meal. 

This recipe makes enough for 4 generous sandwiches.

3 cup chopped, cooked chicken

2-3 TBS mayo

1 apple, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 tbs minced red onion, for color

bread or rolls, to serve

Mix all ingredients together. Serve on bread or rolls. 

Pizza Bites

When we have just a couple of slices of pizza leftover, but not enough to make a meal or divide evenly among the kids, I cut it up into little bite-sized pieces and serve it as a side dish or snack. 

Everyone gets a little bit, and no one fights over who got what kind or how big so-and-so's piece is. 

Lunch.

No Sugar, Egg-free Oatcakes

These hearty cakes have a mild flavor that serves as the perfect medium for rich toppings. 

2 cups milk of your choice
1 cup flour
2 tbs flax meal
3 tbs oil
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients. Cook by the 1/4 on a hot, oiled skillet or griddle until brown and crispy on both sides. 

Serve hot with your favorite toppings.

Makes 6 cakes.

Strawberry Cupcakes and a Mad Hatter Tea Party

What is the difference between a muffin and a cupcake? Frosting. 
For Gemini's 4th birthday Mad Hatter Tea Party, I adapted my Vegan Blueberry Muffins to make these moist, tender, juicy pink cupcakes.
For the sake of simplicity, I used store bought frosting. Vanilla or cream cheese frosting pair perfectly with these strawberry cakes. 

3/4 cup sugar

1 TBS flax meal

2 TBS water

1 TSP vanilla

1/4 cup olive or coconut oil

1 1/2 cups flour (All Purpose or whole grain)

1 TBS baking powder

1/2 TSP salt

3/4 cup Almond or other milk

approximately 1 pint fresh or frozen strawberries

1-2 TBS flour

In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flax meal, water,  oil (melted if solid), vanilla, baking powder, and salt.

Add 1 1/2 cups flour. Stir until just combined.

Add milk, stir until just moistened.

Do not over stir these 2 steps. Over mixing will make your cupcakes will be hard and chewy. Batter should be thick and slightly lumpy.

In a separate bowl, lightly toss berries in 1-2 TBS flour. This helps evenly distribute berries in cupcakes, and prevents them from settling at the bottom.

Fold into batter. Spoon into prepared muffin pan, filling 3/4 full. 

Bake at 350 for 15-22 minutes, until toothpick comes out clean. Cupcakes should be pale and very moist.

Cool slightly. Remove from pan. Move to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost, decorate and serve. 

The set up.
My collection of tea cups, a camping mug for the baby, tea, cream in a squeezy bottle, hats from the Dollar Tree, snacks. 

"Drink Me" Post It tags on Capri Suns

"Eat Me" egg salad finger sandwiches
Post It tags wrapped around tooth picks

Even the teapot is dressed up. I made this cozy just for the occasion. 

The Birthday Kid. Happy as a hatter. 

Party time! D was a good sport. <3

Gifts wrapped in kids' artwork. 

First Haircut

Taurus had his first haircut at 2 years and 4 months old. I was a little nervous about cutting his curls, but they are still going strong. 

He was intrigued by the whole experience. He kept turning around in his chair, trying to look at the scissors while I was cutting. 

Neither of us was traumatized by the experience, and now his hair stays out of his eyes. He looks good, don't you think?

Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal

This is-hands down- my kids' favorite breakfast. They ask for it every day.
I make it for them whenever I have blueberries on hand. It's healthy, cheap, filling, quick, and tasty. 

Blueberry Muffin Oatmeal

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2 tbs flax meal
water
1/4 cup milk of your choice
2 tbs brown sugar
1 tbs butter or margarine
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen. 

Combine oats and flax meal in a medium-sized pot. Add water to just cover. Cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Lower heat.

Stir in milk, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla. 

Last, fold in blueberries. Heat through. Serve. 

Mushroom Pot Pie with 3 Ingredient Crust

Pot pie is one of my favorite comfort foods. This meatless version is features a tender crust, nourishing vegetables, and a rich gravy. 

Pot pie is a simple dish, consisting of two parts: a stew and a crust.

You can use any kind of stew that you like. In this recipe, I'm using a mushroom stew.

Pie crust is an art. My recipe calls for only 2 ingredients and a little water. A remarkable pie crust takes a bit of practice, but is a skill worth acquiring. 

For a vegan version, use a vegan butter substitute in the crust.

Stew
1/4 cup olive oil
6 carrots, sliced
1 potato, cubed
1 onion, diced
1 pint mushrooms, sliced
pinch of salt
1/4 cup flour
1-2 vegetable bouillon cubes or soup base to taste
approximately 2 cups water
1 bag frozen peas

Heat oil in a large pot. Cook carrots, potato, onion, and mushrooms till tender. 

Sprinkle vegetables with flour. Cook and stir over high heat for 2 minutes. 

Add bouillon cubes or soup base. Slowly stir in enough water to make a gravy. 

Cook and stir until gravy is thick and bubbly. 

Stir in peas. Remove from heat. Set aside. 

Crust
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup butter or substitute
1/4 to 1/2 cup water, or as needed

The key to a good pie crust is cold butter. Real butter is quite hard, which makes for a fine crumb and a tender crust. Substitutes tend to be softer, resulting in a pastier crust. If possible, you may prefer a stick form over a tub, or chill it in the freezer before beginning. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a large bowl, mash butter into flour with tips of fingers, pastry cutter, 2 butter knives, or a fork. Continue mashing until fine crumbs form. These tiny chunks of butter will melt in the oven, creating flaky, buttery layers. Avoid using the whole hand, as the heat will melt the butter.

Add in water, 1 TBS at a time. Gently stir until a soft ball just begins to form. 

Turn out onto lightly floured surface.  Remove 1/4 of dough for top crust. If kitchen is warm, place in the refrigerator. Roll remaining dough out to the general shape or the dish, slightly larger than the diameter. Do not overwork the dough. Rolling it out twice or more will result in a tough, cracker-like consistency. 

Assembly

Fold dough gently into quarters. Lift and place in the dish. Unfold. Press dough into bottom and sides of pan gently. If you have cracks or gaps, pinch the dough closed, remove excess dough from upper edges, and replace to fill gaps. Prick with a fork a few times. This crust does not have to be pretty. It won't show on the final pie. 

Prebake crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Dough should be firm, but not browned. 

Pour filling into pie. Roll out top crust. Place on top of filling. Score with a sharp knife to vent. 

Bake 15-20 minutes until top crust is golden brown. 

Cool 20 minutes. Serve hot and steamy. 

Easy Homemade Vegan Hummus and Naan from Scratch

This simple meal takes little hands-on time, and makes a perfect, light summer dinner paired with a fresh Greek salad.
I had misplaced my recipe card, so I was looking online at various recipes. Naan is so simple, they must all be similar, right? Wrong. Most recipes called for 10 different ingredients, including yogurt and ghee, and required up to 4 hours of preparation time.
What. No. Here's my one-hour, 4 ingredient recipe. The easy-to-remember ratio is 4: 2: 1: 1

Naan

4 cups flour of your choice. I use bread flour.
2 cups warm water
1 tbs yeast
1 tsp salt

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together. Stir until a soft dough form. If dough is dry, add a little warm water. If dough is wet and sticky, add a little flour. 

Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

Turn out and work the dough with a little flour until it's nice and smooth. Do not overwork. Let rest. 

Heat a skillet, griddle, stove top grill, or fine mesh bbq grill. Or whatever. A flat heat source of your choice. 

If necessary, brush surface with oil to prevent sticking. 

Pinch off small handfuls of dough. Work each one into a large, flat oval or circle, like a little crust. Place on hot grill or pan. If will cook and rise very fast. Less than a minute on each side. Remove to a tray and allow to cool slightly. 

Serve warm with hummus. 

Place cooled leftover naan in a large freezer bag. Store in freezer. When ready to use, reheat in 375 degree oven for 10 minutes, or in microwave for 30 seconds. 

Hummus

In my little town, hummus is a specialty item and sells for around $1 an ounce. This is crazy to me, because where I grew up, it's as common as peanut butter. It's essentially seasoned, mashed beans, and costs less than $2 a pound to make. 

1 pint (or one can) cooked chickpeas (garbanzos)
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp tahini, or substitute peanut butter, soy nut butter, sunbutter, almond butter, or any other nut or seed butter you prefer
drizzle olive oil
pinch salt, to taste

Start by cooking dry chickpeas. I use a crock pot or pressure cooker, depending on how far in advance I plan. Cook the whole pound and freeze all but one pint in canning jars or freezer bags.

Or use a can. 

Place all ingredients except olive oil in blender jar or food processor. Add a little of the liquid from the beans, to help it move. Blend until smooth, drizzling a little olive oil until you have a nice, creamy texture. 

Spoon into a bowl and serve warm with fresh naan. 

Easy Homemade Scented Play Dough

Play dough is so easy to make, smells better, feels better, and costs almost nothing. You can make it with items you already have in your pantry. 

The ingredient list is out of order, because the ratios are easy to remember- 2: 1: 1/2: 1/2.
2 cups flour- all purpose or bread flour work well
1 cup boiling water
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cooking oil
a few drops of food coloring of your choice
Scents listed below (optional)

In a large bowl, stir together dry ingredients. 

Add oil, boiling water, color and scent (if desired). Stir until a soft dough forms. Knead until smooth, adding a pinch of flour if needed. 

Dough will be very soft and warm. It will firm a bit as it cools. 

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Because there are no preservatives, dough is not shelf stable. 

Scents:

You can any essential oil, extract or candy flavoring that you like. Here are some of our favorites.

Tangerine Essential oil
Lavender essential oil
Peppermint essential oil or extract
Rose essential oil
Lemon essential oil
Orange essential oil
Grapefruit essential oil
Spice blend scented oil
Blueberry scented oil
Cinnamon scented oil
Chocolate scented oil
Citrus spice scented oil
Vanilla extract
Almond extract
Coconut extract
Lemon extract
Butter flavoring
Chocolate mint flavoring
Apple flavoring
Grape flavoring
Cherry flavoring
Watermelon flavoring

Strawberry Preschool

This year, I have two preschool aged children to keep busy, entertain, encourage and enrich. These two are a dynamic little duo. If I don't find them something to do, they will find themselves something, and I probably won't like it. 

I have been collecting quiet school time activities for them for at least a year. But, I had no plan to use them. I found myself pulling the same 3 items out of the closet over and over. 

The first thing I did was make a little structure for their day. 

1. School time activity

2. Coloring/art/craft

3. Read stories

4. Free play in playroom

5. Free play outside

Next, I took inventory of our available materials. I made two numbered lists. One for non-messy school time activities, one for artsy-crafty type activities. 

PreK Activities
1. Tangrams 

2. Sandwiches  and cookies
3. Magnets-letters, numbers, shapes, with small, metal trays

4. Links and pop beads

5. Wikki Stix

6. Puzzles-wooden board and small pieces

7. Shape Sorter

8. Lauri Primer Pack

9. Lauri Toddler Tote

10. Lacing beads

11. View Masters 

12. Crayons and coloring books

13. Hammer and tack nails

14. Fishing game

15. Pipe cleaners

16. Peg game 

17. Beans and Rice boxes- tubs filled with dry rice or beans, and miniature sand toys

18. Salt box

19. Drawing boards

20. Water beads

Creative Activities

1. Crayons and paper

2. Cut and paste

3. Craft Kits

4. Stamps and paper

5. Stickers and paper

6. Water colors

7. Finger paint

8. Markers and paper

9. Play dough and toys

10. Colored pencils and paper

Most of these items came from the Dollar Tree or Target's Dollar Spot. Many were gifts. Keep your eye out for things that look like fun, whether they are meant as toys or not. 

I have a planner for the first time this year. I made sure I had a space for the toddlers. I scheduled in one of each type of activity each day. Yesterday was cut and paste (I just introduced scissors and cutting paper. I gave each of them a used piece of construction paper and a pair of safety scissors), and wikki stix  (we got these in kid's meals). Gem also requested some Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head time, so they also did that. 

That takes care of most of school-at-the-table time. Now they need some Mom Time. 

We go to the library every 1-3 weeks. I check out 8 picture books - 4 of my choice and 4 of Gem's choice. I have over 200 children's books downloaded onto my Kindle, many of them picture books. The little people have a reasonably substantial collection of books in their shelf. 

We have a quiet snuggle, and read together. 

Each day, we read 4 books. 

1 ABC book

1 Counting book

2 story books 

Last, I set aside a little time each day to sing songs, do finger plays, and otherwise connect with the tiniest of these. I have The Little Big Book for Moms next to my chair for inspiration. We have a few other books of this same sort. 

Snacks, meals, naps and joining in with group art, science, literature, music, game time and religion lessons round out their day.

How We Create Our Own Science Units. You Can, Too!

Our resident toad

I have never found a formal science curriculum that I liked. At least not enough to pay the sticker price for. 

Instead, we use living books and documentaries, nature studies, community classes, human resources-including me, museum exhibits, and any other resource we stumble upon. 

The wonderful thing about science is that it's everywhere. We are science. Our very existence- our bodies, our homes and gardens, the night sky-all science. 
I love science. 

Green anole

When my little ones were little, I read to them from the Usborne First Encyclopedia of Science. The bright graphics and simple explanations were perfect for holding the interest of 2 little boys and sparking lengthy discussions and little imaginations. While it certainly is not a curriculum, it was a lovely resource. 

As my little people have gotten bigger, I have felt the need to add a more structured approach to science. More than a year of research had failed to yield a program that fit well for us. I began to despair.

Then I discovered Netflix. More specifically, I discovered the BBC series Walking With Dinosaurs. Whoa. Half an episode in, I knew what we needed to do. Create a science unit around this series.
I mapped out the original series. Not only dinosaurs, but the entirety of natural history is encompassed in the Walking With series. 
Walking With Monsters shows the pre-dinosaur giant insects that I had not contemplated. And wish I was still ignorant of. It's horrifying. I had to leave the room.
Walking With Dinosaurs comes next.
Walking With Beasts brings us into the age of mammals.
Walking With Cavemen  is newly released. We'll be watching it tomorrow. I'm excited.
After finishing the series, we watched other documentaries about dinosaurs and prehistoric creatures. My favorite was Chased By Dinosaurs. It sounds cheesy, but it was highly visual, intensely dramatic and tremendously fun. 

In addition to the documentaries, the kids drew pictures, invented games, asked questions and researched answers, we read stories, they purchased, played with and identified toy dinosaurs, and enjoyed rousing games of Dinosaur Bingo.

Skipping stones, learning about weight, mass and surface tension

This experience brought our science studies to life in a new and exciting way. Much more than loosely organized experiments, discussions, classes and dry textbooks ever could. We have to continue making our own units. 

Picking wildflowers and identifying native plants

I have since developed a scope and sequence which I find logical. It begins as a rough outline, and I will fill it in as we go.

I. The Cosmos
    A. The Universe
        1. Stars
        2. Galaxies
   B.The Solar System
       1. The Sun
       2. The Planets
       3. The Moon    

III. Planet Earth
     Physical Geography

IV. Life on Earth 
     A. Evolution of Life
        (this is where the Walking With series fits in. We will watch it again)
     B. Aquatic Life
     C. Land-based Wildlife of the Current Era

V. The Human Body
    A. Anatomy, Systems, and Cells
    B. The History of Modern Medicine
    C. Alternative and Traditional Methods of Healing
    D. Nutrition and Various Methods of Agriculture (Organic/traditional vs Commercial/Industrial)
    
VI. The History of Science

VII. Technology

Clearly, I'm still working this out. As I continue researching my materials, I discover more topics I want to cover. Right now, I'm looking at about a 5 year cycle. Because I have kids of varying ages, I will repeat the whole sequence a couple of times, adapting and adding resources for various ability levels.
I'm not ruling out a formal science study at a later date. But for now, this is working for us.

Identifying native birds

The major change this year is that I'm switching from a video-based spine supplemented with stories and activities to a living book-based spine supplemented with videos and activities.

What is a living book? A living book is a book written to convey specific information to a specific audience. It is not a textbook. 

I am fortunate to have access to a wonderful library system with friendly, helpful, knowledgeable librarians and state-of-the-art online access. This is a homeschooler's dream. In fact, early in my homeschooling career, I seriously considered using library resources exclusively. This is quite possible. But then, I discovered Rainbow Resource Center, and that's a whole other thing. 

Sprouting seeds

So, how does one design a science unit?

Sounds complicated, doesn't it? It isn't.

1. Decide what you want to study.
    You can write out a full sequence, like I did above, or you can just choose a single topic, like I did last year. Ask your kids what they want to learn about. Watch them go through their days and surprise them with something you know they will love. Choose a topic that you want to learn about. Choose a topic that you have specialized knowledge of. Sky's the limit here. 

2. Familiarize yourself with your resources.

   Do you have Netflix, Crackle, Hulu?

   Have you been to your local library? Neighboring libraries? The library in our little town is not the one we use for school. We use a neighboring system. The local library is small, and underfunded. It is well stocked with classics and within walking distance. In a pinch, it will do. But for a science unit? Not really adequate. Fortunately, there is a branch library not far from D's work, so if we can't make it to the city, I can preorder online, and he can he can swing by the pick up window on his way home.

   What local resources do you have access to? A state park, nature station, national park, interpretive center, science club, physics lab, university, planetarium, museum?

   Search for websites and online communities based around your topic of choice. Whatever it is, there are going to be people dedicating their lives to it. 

Ask around, visit, get familiar. 

3. Start building your unit.

    What this looks like is going to vary wildly depending on your topic, and the resources available to you. 
   
   You will need a spine. What inspired your interest in this topic? Perhaps you can start there. For our dino unit, it was the Walking With series. I started with that, and built off of it. For our cosmos unit, I am creating a book list from texts available at the library.
4. Flesh it out.
    Now you know where to start. Add in the goodies. Added to the basics - a book about the sun, 3 about the solar system, one for each planet, and one for the moon- I am including some fun story books for the younger set, some astronaut-themed crafts, a book of space projects and experiments, numerous documentaries, and at least one trip to the planetarium. 


5. Schedule it out.
  
   You may choose to be more free here and simply work through your resources at will. But if you want to have a bit more structure/planning/control/accountability, you may wish to organize your resources and schedule your lessons out over time. This could mean choosing one episode of a series, choosing one chapter of the text or reference book of your choice, one fiction book and one field trip per week. Or it could mean choosing a selection to read each day. Or it could just be making a nice list of topics to cover, books and materials to use, in no particular order. Or whatever. It's up to you. 

6. Get started.

Read a book together. 

Hand an appropriate-leveled book to your older kid. Discuss it after he's read it.

Draw a picture and talk about the planets. 

Watch a documentary together. Pause it when someone wants to talk about something they didn't know. 

Hand out water colors and have them paint a picture of what they just learned.

Use Wikipedia For Kids to answer questions you don't know the answers to. Teach your kids to use it, too.
Take a trip to a place where these things happen. Talk to people who know more than you ever could about it.

You may have noticed that none of this is super expensive. That's part of the appeal. I'm not crazy about spending a ton of money on something that isn't really what I want. Building a science unit for your kids allows you to teach exactly what you want, how you want, with little to no cost.

Sounds good to me.