{green bean snatchers}

It cracks me up when I'm cooking & there's a flurry of skirts, ruffles, pink, purple, glitter & giggles.

Suddenly my raw veggies are missing from the adjacent bowl & my girls think they've gotten away with something. 

If that's misbehavin'...I'll take it!

{celery art}

This summer we're trying to keep busy. The girls are used to having something to do every day besides play with the sixty-ninety-hundred toys we have, so, besides setting up playdates & MOPS field trips, I've been pulling out teaching ideas & perusing Pinterest for things to keep their little hands busy.

The girls just love to do odjects, as Cassidy calls them, and crafts. She, especially, will sit & draw/paint/color for hours. The everyday art supplies are stamps, markers & crayons but a few times a week we'll pull out finger paint or watercolors & let loose.

The other day I remembered to save the end of our celery stalk & while Kalea napped, Cassidy got to create some vegetable art. While wearing a Tinkerbell costume, of course!

Her art is getting more & more mature. Gone are the day of scribbling. She is meticulous in creating each piece. Most are labeled telling who the picture is for & is always signed so we know who drew it. She's learning to rhyme, sound out words & spell the names of the people in our family. So far she's pretty accurate on Mom, Dad & can get most of the letters in Kalea & Cade. It's totally cute to have her "read" the words she writes to describe what's going on.

She's started a Summerbridge workbook with her Daddy as well & is super excited to do "homework" a couple times a week. Let's hope the trend continues through middle & high school!

project 365 photo: 09.02.2011 {cumin-spiced chickpeas & carrots over couscous}

Tonight's version of "Yes, my kids eat that!" comes compliments of Chef Michael!

Cumin-Spiced Chickpeas and Carrots on Couscous from Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup organic vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup julienne-cut carrots (we used tri-color carrots from our local CSA, more color!)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (we used ground cumin that was on hand)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups warm cooked couscous (about 2 cups dry)
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• Lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation

1. Combine the first 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk.
2. Dry chickpeas thoroughly in a single layer on paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat, and swirl to coat. Add chickpeas to pan, and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove chickpeas from pan with a slotted spoon; wipe pan clean with a paper towel. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan, and swirl to coat. Add bell pepper, carrots, and jalapeño to pan, and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until vegetables are slightly tender. Add cumin seeds and the next 5 ingredients (through garlic) to pan, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add reserved broth mixture and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, and remove from heat. Serve over couscous, and top with cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

mmmm. my favorite summer pasta dish.

It's springtime nearing summertime & my taste-buds are ready for fresh fruits & vegetables and cold, tasty treats. In fact, I've been craving real lemonade for about two weeks. Fortunately for me our local Farmers Market at Pioneer Park starts this Saturday so, if the weather & little people in my life cooperate, I'll be able to give into those cravings very, very soon. In the meantime, I made my favorite summer salad for dinner tonight: pasta salad with tofu & mozzarella. It's a quick, easy lunch or dinner that is good the day of & excellent the day after for lunch either cold, room temperature or warmed. You can easily substitute chicken for tofu too, if you're soy inclined. (omg - I crack myself up)

Hope you're gearing up for summer veggie season somehow or another too! Links to easy, kid-friendly summer vegetable recipes welcome anytime!