Taco assembly line ~ Foodie Friday

Cooking with your children is so important! Not only is it a great life skill for the future, but preparing meals as a family and sitting down to enjoy together can: teach healthy eating habits and the benefits of local/organic, kids are more open to trying new things when they are involved, if the attitude remains positive its a great self confidence builder, and kids are not stuck in front of the TV or Internet while the adults prepare them food.

Tonight we had a delicious taco bar with:

-shredded organic rotisserie chicken
-Lake Breeze Organics kale, shredded
- 365 Organics fiesta cheese blend
- Organic Valley sour cream
- Henry's Farm spring garlic and red onions, diced
- tomatillo salsa
- organic avocado with Himalayan salt, black pepper and 4 drops DoTerra Lime essential oil, mashed together (the kids and I could eat this alone SO yummy!)
- 365 Organics corn tortillas, room temperature

Everyone got to assemble their own dinner and really enjoyed it! And they each willingly put everything on their taco without the dreaded "eat your veggies comment" you may expect with things like kale on the table:-)

What did your family have for dinner? How do you get the kids involved? I'd love to hear!

Scrumptious beet and greens pasta

I came across this recipe on Pinterest and just knew I had to try my own version with all the amazing produce at our local market. So here's my version:

1 Henry's Organic spring garlic, chopped
1 Henry's Organic red onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons 365 Organic Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Organic Valley grass fed butter
Henry's Organic Small bunch beets with greens attached...remove and wash greens, wash, peel and chop beets (I used golden and red)
Lake Breeze Organics baby carrots
365 Organic Farfalle pasta
Himalayan salt, to taste

Boil water in pasta pot, add beets and carrots, boil about 10 minutes. At same, sauté spring garlic and red onion in 2Tbsp olive oil, about ten minutes on med-low. Add beet greens and butter, sauté about 5-8 minutes. Remove beets and carrots, bring water bake to boil. Add pasta, cook until al dente, about 12 minutes for the kid I used. ( don't worry, the pasta won't turn pink from the water) Drain pasta, mix everything together, add a dash of Himalayan salt (see benefits for this salt here) and enjoy!

Sunday's Eco Inspiration

Job 12:7-10 

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you,

    or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;

⁸ 

or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,

    or let the fish in the sea inform you.

⁹ 

Which of all these does not know

    that the hand of the Lord has done this?

¹⁰ 

In his hand is the life of every creature

    and the breath of all mankind."

Take a hike!

In the woods, that is:-) our family kicked off Memorial Day weekend by visiting the forest preserve near our home. So many teaching moments naturally arise while in nature: examining deer and horse tracks, spotting mushrooms on the side of tree stumps, hearing woodpeckers and a near by stream, counting tree rings to see how old it is, and so much more! Plus, at the entrance the field is full of dandelions and those wonderful seed puffs...so fun for even the adults to blow and see where the seeds may land.
The importance of our children really experiencing nature is summered best in the book Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. It can truly make or break their physical and emotional health. Another two great books to give you ideas for getting out in nature are I Love Dirt! And 15 Minutes Outside.
Get a little nature in everyday! Don't be afraid to jump in puddles and get a little dirt under your nails...it's healthy, I promise.