Freestyle Trail Mix and Mornings at the Farm

When was the last time you watched a bunch of three- and four-year-olds cook? I got the chance to do just that a couple of mornings last week, when I accompanied Kingston to the Outback Farm, a five-acre place of wonderment (wooded wetlands! chickens! bees! apple trees! an amphiteatre!) located on the Western Washington University campus. 

It was the first week of Spring Break and I had signed Kingston up for one of the camps being run at The Outback by Common Threads Farm, an organization here in town that provides seed to table education for kids. 

On Monday morning, Cassidy was waiting for us with a pile of felt hearts which had the kids' names written on them. After matching the correct heart to each child, everyone walked together down a narrow path leading to a small valley. There, the kids were introduced to various herbs and tender greens such as lemon balm, mint and mouth-puckering sorrel. They touched and picked, sniffed and tasted. Along the way, they also discovered plenty of earthworms and leopard slugs, to everyone's delight.

I will admit it: I loved it. Joining in, I felt like a child again. We got to stomp over little bridges. Pluck leaves from last year's plants, taste honey from Michael the Bee Keeper's apiary on the farm. What could be better than that?

Watching the teachers and kids cooking together at a picnic table was one of my favorite experiences. When I make food with Kingston at home, we typically end up with huge messes, flour and stickiness everywhere. Though I chalk it up to being part of the fun, it's the opposite of that when it comes to clean up. I can end up getting anxious, or dare I say, controlling, like when I take a breath then say, "Keep everything in the bowl when you stir!" 

But what can you expect when you cook with a preschooler? They're going to stir with enthusiasm. They squish stuff together with joy. Because that's how they roll, as Kingston's dad says.

These teachers! Annika was especially kind and generous with them. I watched as she and the other "big friends" helped the kids take turns in different kitchen roles. Annika guided the kids through using a mortar and pestle to mash chickpeas, tahini, olive oil and a little salt. The result? A simple, rustic hummus. At the other end of the table, another group used peelers to make strips of cucumbers and rainbow carrots. Then, they took turns going to pick their own kale leaves before coming back to put everything together into healthy and delicious wraps.

It was surprisngly inspiring. I went home wanting to make good, flavorful food without worrying about whether we were following our recipe "correctly,"  or if a dish had enough salt. In the end, you can adjust as you go or when it's close to the finish. You clean up together, simple as that.

Watching the kids cook on the farm reminded me that making food should be above all, a joyful experience, one where everyone takes part and the meal is eaten together. That's exactly what the teachers taught the children. In doing so, they also helped them to make real meaning out of the process of cooking -- a profound lesson, through and through.

Back at home, Kingston and I ended up "freestyling" some simple snacks and dishes this week. I let go of my worries about making a mess and embraced the simplicity of joining together through food. It was fun and a way to expand on what the Common Threads teachers had so open-heartedly taught and shared with us.

Our gratitude to them: Annika, Abby, Alexa, Cassidy, Connor, Jaden, Jessie and Sarah, as well as Michael the Bee Keeper and others we didn't meet who made the week possible.  You guys rock.

Freestyle Trail Mix
Use equal parts of each ingredient, or more or less as you see fit. Hate peanuts? Use almonds. Don't like cranberries? Try another dried fruit that has some tartness, maybe cherries. This is the version that we ended up liking most but improvise as you will. The main thing to remember is it's nice to have a bit of saltiness, sweetness, tartness and (for me) chocolate richness. The way it balances out is up to you. The other thing to keep in mind is that if you are eating this while out and about, it's better to have ingredients that aren't too small. You want to be able to pick each piece up between your fingers (so for me, no tiny seeds). That's my preference, anyway. 

Makes as much as you want. Just adjust quantities.

Ingredients*
Roasted and lightly salted peanuts
Dried cranberries
Golden raisins (sultanas)
Raw pumpkin seeds
Chocolate chips

*other optional add-ins: coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, almonds, banana chips, etc.

Instructions
Mix ingredients together. Pack into an airtight container. Take this on walks, hikes or put some in your lunch box. Don't forget to laugh and hold your face up to the sun.

Corn and Cumin Crackers and Trying New Flavors

Recently, at morning drop off, Kingston and I stepped into the Sweetpeas schoolyard to be greeted by the most delicious aroma. Instantly, I thought of black bean soup, chili. Mexican. 

Miss Gregory was at it again, and this being Tuesday, Soup Day, I knew she was cooking up some kind of vegetable concoction with cumin in the little classroom kitchen. Cumin isn't a spice I naturally associate with cooking to please a typical American kid's palate. But of course cumin and many other spices are fed to children all over the world, from birth on (or actually even before). In fact, there is evidence that food choices mothers make during pregnancy can affect the palates, future food preferences and food memories of their children.

How cool is that?

When I walked into the kitchen that day, Gregory was busy chopping onions and carrots. I told her the schoolyard smelled amazing. We chatted on, discussing ways to get kids to try new flavors.

"Peer pressure," she told me. "When everyone's eating the same thing together, they feel like they want to eat it too."

She went on to remind me that we have to offer new foods many times to kids so that they eventually try it, become familiar with it, and eventually fold it into the range of flavors their palates find acceptable. Quite sensible, and a tactic I vow to use more. As an adult, it's sometimes easy for me to forget that learning encompasses everything for a young child, including what different foods taste like. Sometimes it's also easier to bypass the wrinkled nose and protesting and instead offer the same things until everyone ends up in a rut. 

When I left Gregory that morning, I felt inspired to follow her lead, including by eating the same meals together at home rather than making something separate for the kiddo. I'll also keep inviting Kingston into the kitchen to help with the cooking. Food always tastes better when everyone helps to make it. At least that's what I tell him. 

Here's to exploring new foods, more flavors and having fun in the kitchen!

Corn and Cumin Crackers
These are great fun for to make with a kid helper by your side. I wanted to get Kingston more familiar with the taste of cumin, so I combined it with corn, which he really likes. Here, I used corn flour, which adds sweetness and a beautiful golden color. These are delicious and keep for at least a week in an airtight container. As Kingston says, "I could eat these all day." 

Makes about 4 dozen.

Ingredients
1 cup bread flour
1 cup corn flour*
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup whole milk

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine bread flour, corn flour, kosher salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Work in butter with hands or a pastry cutter. Stir in the milk. Knead the dough until it comes together. Roll out dough into a large rectangle, about 1/8" thick. Cut into small squares and transfer them to prepared baking sheets. Dock the surface of each square two or three times with the tines of a fork. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden. These are great eaten alone or with some cheddar cheese. 

*Corn flour is much more finely ground than cornmeal. I used flour from Bob's Red Mill for this recipe.

Chocolate Granola Bars and Feeling Grounded

On Friday mornings, Kingston and I often join Holly and Lauren from Wild Whatcom, along with a gaggle of small nature explorers for walks along various trails in our town. It is always enjoyable, even on the rainiest of days.

Being Bellinghamsters, we're used to gearing up in our waterproof pants, tall boots and raincoats. A friend once advised me that to make it in a place where it rains about nine months out of the year, you can't let a little moisture stop you from living your life. So we get out. Every day. Besides, there is always so much to see and discover all around us, especially on these walks. We don't want to miss any of it, including the time to chat and play with friends. 

Kingston and I always learn just enough so that we can go home and discuss it for a few days. This past week, we talked a lot about the salamander eggs the kids found. We imitated the call of the male red winged blackbird all throughout the house. We even made up a story about our new favorite bird. In it, his name was Red.

During last week's walk, Holly pointed out the pronged, lobster-like ends of the red dogwood branches, the female hooded merganser and her "permanent bad hair day" (Holly's exact words). This week, Lauren helped us identify a steller's jay and explained that it is a corvid, which means it is related to ravens, rooks, magpies and other intelligent and curious birds. So interesting!

It is amazing and grounding to see changes from week to week, especially lately, as Spring emerges and flora and fauna awaken. This beautiful natural world is steps away and easily accessible through the many trails and greenways that wind their way through town. We are very fortunate.

I can't help but think about the word "grounding" because that's what being in the natural world is about for me. It holds me to a place, helps me send roots down. Makes me feel that this is exactly where I belong. To see the plants and trees change throughout the seasons and to have the birds return with their song in Spring heightens my awareness of this world that I live in. I wish everyone could have this.

If you live in a big, busy city, why don't you come along on a walk with us now? We're going to meander along the Railroad Trail across Lake Whatcom, about a mile from our house. 

Come. It'll be fun. Ready?

We start at Scudder Pond, near the corner of Alabama and Electric. The pond is currently filled with last year's cattails. The male red winged blackbirds like to sit on the tops and call to each other, "Ca-ca-ca-CAHH-ah!" The females are brown and stay lower down in the reeds, looking for nesting materials. 

At the edge of the pond, Nicole finds two different jelly clumps (sorry, I don't know the actual scientific names!) of frog eggs. These are a dark green, rather than the black spots we saw in last week's clumps which were definitely filled with salamander eggs. Both frogs and salamanders like to attach their eggs to twigs or reeds, something sturdy to hold onto. All the little fingers and a few grown up ones in our group can't help poking at today's jelly clump, which is cold and feels pretty sturdy. Our fingers don't leave any dents, which surprises me.

With all the rain and moisture we get, this is a mossy place. Moss and lichen are everywhere. Sometimes as we walk, I like to go up to the trees and just pet them. So soft. There are many, many different kinds of moss. Lauren has told me about step moss, which is super interesting. Yes, it grows in a step type of pattern. Based on the number of "steps," you can tell how long the moss has been growing in a particular spot. 

Catkins are everywhere and we step on lots, from all kinds of trees including alder, black cottonwood and big leaf maples. They grow downward from the tree branches and dangle there. Holly makes a crack about which human body part they resemble. It makes sense then that in many plants and trees, catkins are male. They contain yellow, powdery pollen which is released and dispersed by the wind. 

Here's a cottonwood catkin. Many of us on today's walk are absolutely taken by the vibrant color and the interesting way it grows out in a curve. Nicole tells me that the buds of the cottonwood can be used to make a Balm of Gilead salve, among other things. Apparently, the sticky resin inside the buds (which I have been cursing every Spring and Summer, for falling onto my deck) is anti-bacterial and can be used for various medicinal purposes. Who knew. She gives me the basic recipe as we keep walking. No longer will I curse the cottonwood bud even as I am scraping dried resin off my patio table!

Then, everyone's favorite moment is upon us. Some yelling ensues, little voices shouting out, "Log snack! Log snack!"

We find a log to sit on, open up our backpacks, and pull out snacks to share. Today, I've brought some Chocolate Granola Bars. 

"Sometimes you've gotta have chocolate," I tell Kara, opening the container and plopping it down.

"Uh, like all the time?" She responds. She opens up paper bags filled with pretzels and popcorn. Lauren offers some almonds while Abbey hands out cups of trail mix. Nicole cuts up oranges. Of course, Kingston eats almost all of someone's box of duck-shaped cheese crackers.

Pretty soon, here's about all that's left. 

Thanks for walking with us today! Hope you had fun. See you next time, and don't forget to bring some snacks for sharing! A shout out to Holly and Lauren. Thanks for making our backyard truly come alive for us. 

Chocolate Granola Bars

Adapted from the New York Times.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup flaxseed meal
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
3 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown rice syrup (or substitute honey)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips

Instructions
Preheat oven to 300° F and grease an 8x8 inch baking pan. Set aside.

In a skillet, melt butter then add oats. Cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes until oats smell toasty and are slightly golden. Remove from heat. 

In a large bowl combine oats, flax, cinnamon, and salt. In separate small bowl combine honey, brown sugar, brown rice syrup, and vanilla. Pour over oats mixture and stir to combine thoroughly. If it is still very warm, wait a few minutes to allow to cool more. Add chocolate, stir to combine. Place mixture in prepared pan. Use a spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup to press mixture down very well.

Bake for 17-18 minutes. Make sure to not bake longer otherwise bars will be hard, not chewy. 
Cool completely before flipping out of pan onto a cutting board. Cut into 15 pieces. These will keep in a sealed container for about a week.