Lunch for my Bunch

We are into our third week of school, and I have to admit, my heart still aches a bit each morning at the bus stop. This is the very first morning Muffy woke up saying he did not want to go to school. His reason? - "Because I can't eat when I want to!" I knew this was coming! Both my boys are very big eaters, and the school schedule doesn't seem to allow enough time to finish their lunches at a reasonable pace. I put a lot of thought and effort into their lunchboxes, hoping they have enough food to carry them through the day.

My own mother always packed great lunches! At the time, I did not appreciate all her efforts, but looking back, she invested a great deal of time and care to ensure my sister and I ate healthy meals. Thanks Mom!! This week I finally got around to stitching up a few more cloth snack bags for recess. The boys can easily nibble on these portable snacks on the playground. I have been stuffing them with a bit of nut-free "trail mix" that includes cereal, yogurt covered raisins, pumpkin seeds and Annie's organic bunnies. There is also enough room to tuck in a cheese stick, which ensures they get a bit of protein mid morning. I'm still working on eliminating plastic from the lunches. I use the odd plastic container, and I usually wrap the contents in wax paper. I've found it difficult to find small stainless options that the children can open, and glass would not go over well at school. The boys love their little bags, and it is my way of sending a bit of "Mommy's love" along with them. I think it provides more comfort to me than them.....but it makes me feel good anyway!

I spent yesterday making a batch of homemade "pizza pockets" for today's lunch. It is pizza day at the school. The cafeteria brings in fast food pizza on Tuesdays (I will refrain from ranting about this). This causes a tricky situation. I want the boys to feel like they fit in, but I don't want them eating the fast food option. Last year Chi-Chi REALLY wanted it, so I caved and allowed it as a treat twice a month. In the end, I found it coming home untouched. He soon learned it didn't taste that great and reverted back to my homemade version. The pizza pockets fit inside a little thermos and are a bit less messy than pizza slices. I really enjoyed this article in Sparrow Magazine. There are some great tips in there about achieving a balance between "healthy" and "normal" on the school lunchbox front!



I snuck in one more quick, crafty project lastnight. Chi-Chi came home with his first wiggly tooth yesterday. He is absolutely giddy about it. I made this simple tooth fairy pillow from some wool scraps. I contemplated embroidering the details, but decided it would be best not to put bad karma into the gift. There would have been some serious cursing and swearing if I had gone that route. I chose to needle felt the details instead, and I'm pretty happy with the results. I only had room for his initial, instead of his full name, but I think it still adds a personal touch. What's the Tooth Fairy's current going rate for a tooth these days???

Garden Treats and Family Eats!

Today I went to the dentist for a regular check-up and cleaning. Those of you who know me well know that this is the LAST place on earth I wanted to be on this sunny September morning. You would think that after giving birth to two babies, I'd be over my dental phobia. Apparently, I'm not! The sound and feel of that scraping chills me to the bone. I literally bolted out of the chair when the time was up.

My self-indulgant reward for being such a "brave little girl", and taking the initiative to actually book and attend that appointment, was the purchase of some delicious looking veggie and pork dumplings at a quaint little oriental lunch spot near my dentist's office. I felt I deserved a break from cooking supper tonight....at least a bit of a break. I'm going to whip up some fried rice and some of our home grown edemame to go with it. I'm SO EXCITED about the edamame harvest that's been going on in our backyard this week! This is always a favorite treat when we go out for Japanese food, so imagine the excitement when I spotted the seeds at the gardening store this spring. Even more exciting, is the fact that they actually grew (unlike other things...). Chi-Chi in particular can't get enough of them. I've included them in lunch boxes this week and they've been a huge hit. I boil them in the pods for 4 minutes and then lightly salt them. We eat them straight from the pods.

I've been thinking a lot about family meals these days. Now that fall is here and our lives seem to follow more of a routine, I'm ramping up my efforts to make mealtimes a bit more of a formal affair. By formal, I don't mean I'm pulling out the silver! Summer meals tend to be quick and casual around here - lots of BBQ'ing, light salads...etc. Less time at the table means more time outside in the summer. I'm a strong believer in sitting down as a family to eat supper - coming together, sharing food, sharing conversation and reconnecting. This can be tricky with my husband's work schedule, which can get pretty hectic. We actually sat down together and discussed ways we can keep this as a priority in our lives. Here's what we came up with.

- He has committed to be home every night for supper at 6pm, unless he simply cannot because of a work engagement. He has enough work on his plate that he could work 24 hours a day. This means that he picks and chooses carefully the events and business meetings he attends in the evenings, accepting those that are necessary.

-On those nights he will be very late for supper, the boys and I will go ahead and eat. I organize a bit of a dessert, so that when Daddy comes home, we can all join him at the table while he eats his reheated supper and we eat dessert. This has worked well and, although it is not perfect, it still brings us together at the table.


-At five o'clock, I often start hearing a bit of whining, "When is supper? I am hungry! When is Daddy coming home?" This can mean a long hour for me! I have come up with a solution that is working. I keep a ready-made tray of veggies and dip in the fridge. Chi-Chi and Muffy are allowed to eat as much from this tray as they wish before supper begins. Honestly, if they "ruin" their supper on carrot sticks and cauliflower, I'm not too concerned.

-I'm very fortunate to be a stay-at-home mom, so I ensure that an activity such as swimming lessons is booked at 4pm. As for our hockey schedule, I think it is ridiculous that 5 and 6 year olds are expected to attend three ice times per week. It is excessive, in my opinion, and limits their ability to be involved in other activities. We skip the mid-week session (which just happens to be right at supper time) and opt for the weekend practices. Twice a week is plenty!

-On mornings Hubby is not working out at the gym, we at least sit down together for breakfast, although it is very informal in nature.

I'm making an effort to set a nice table this time of year, along with fresh flowers and a candle. The children REALLY enjoy the atmosphere the candle provides. They are quick to remind me if I forget to light it. It makes it all feel more special to them I think. We say a little verse, "Hands on your lap, just like that. Bon Appetit, now you may eat." This is from their days at preschool and the tradition has stuck. We also go around the table and each person offers one item from their day that they are thankful for.

So, this is what is working for our family, right now. Things change, of course, but I'm happy with our current situation. What are some of your mealtime rituals? What efforts do you make to ensure your family comes together for meals in your busy lives? I love good ideas!

You Are What You Eat

When Chi-Chi was just a little wee one, beginning to eat solid foods, I became a mommy on a mission! My goal was to ensure that sweet, pure, innocent little boy was going to be fed the most wholesome and healthiest foods possible. It spent a great deal of time and energy both sourcing and preparing his homemade baby food. From fresh forest fiddleheads, to organic beef stew, that little boy would gobble up anything placed in front of him. I would drive 40km round-trip into the city, just to get the organic items I needed to make his food.

Time has marched on and that chubby, giggling baby has grown into a strong, energetic 6 year old with the same big appetite....and a brother who is not far behind. I still spend a huge amount of my time sourcing and preparing healthy food for our family. I can only imagine the shear quantity of food my two sweeties will be consuming at the age of fifteen and sixteen! I've certainly relaxed a bit since those days. Not every single item in my cupboards is organic or would be considered "wholesome". I certainly purchase local and organic when I can, but I'm not perfect and do not really strive to be. There are "no-no's" that I will likely not bend on, but we allow treats both inside and outside our home. I love the story of the time I went on a getaway weekend with a girlfriend. Hubby served up hamburgers and Ruffles potato chips - something the boys had never tasted. Apparently they could not stop munching on those chips. Chi-Chi exclaimed with great enthusiasm, "These potato crackers are the best thing I've ever tasted!" Chi-Chi once went to a birthday party where the only beverage served was orange pop. Although I don't serve this at home, I was not going to tell him he could not have it in this particular social setting. He spent most of the party sipping on orange pop with wide eyes, ignoring the other children and the events going on around him!

"You are what you eat". This is an expression I'm using a lot around our household these days, as the boys and I discuss and contemplate food choices. As a parent who wants her children to grow up on healthy food, it's not easy to navigate the ship at times. Since Chi-Chi started grade Primary in a public school, I've noticed the number of questions and requests have increased. In once sense, this is positive, as it brings about discussion and an opportunity for learning. In another sense, it is difficult and frustrating as he compares notes on what others have packed in their lunch boxes, or what the cafeteria is offering. Since wee ones often speak their mind with an unfiltered voice, we've also had some discussions on good manners! I can't tell you how many people my little Muffy has looked straight in the eye and asked, "Why are you smoking?". (I wonder if his honesty had an impact on any of those people??)

On this rainy morning, I find myself in the kitchen, baking up a huge batch of homemade granola. It's the breakfast of choice these days, served with a helping of my homemade yogurt and a drizzle of delicious Nova Scotia maple syrup. A couple of weeks ago I placed a bulk order from Speerville, through the Grainery in Halifax. With all the granola munching that's been going on, I really needed that 8kg bag of oatmeal. I don't have a recipe and enjoy sprinkling in whatever might be on hand in the pantry. Today this included:

oatmeal
Kamut flakes
barley flakes
quinoa flakes
almonds
poppy seeds
sunflower seeds
pumpkin seeds
flax seeds
sesame seeds
drizzling of canola oil and maple syrup

I bake it in the oven at 325 Celsius until golden brown. It doesn't last long around here! Come fall, I will do up a nut-free batch for Chi-Chi and Muffy's lunch boxes at school.

I have also been making an effort to get the boys more involved in meal preparation. With all the greens we've been both harvesting and receiving from our CSA box, I've discovered that the mealtime salad is the simplest area to request assistance. They are always so eager to help and it can often get VERY tricky with "too many cooks in the kitchen". Sometimes, I'm just too tired and not up for it. Other days I put out a help wanted call. I'm loving this plastic lettuce knife I picked up online at Vesey's Seeds. Ok, so I personally don't use a knife to cut lettuce, but it's great work for the kids. It's not only wonderful for lettuce, but tomatoes, cukes...etc. It does the job, but is really quite dull and fairly harmless (but supervised use just the same!!)

I'm starting to realize that all those garden beans may in fact be the source of some crazy behaviour around here. After all, I keep telling them "You are what you eat" and Chi-Chi and Muffy are most certainly full of beans (:

Yes You Can...Yogurt!

Last Saturday evening I settled down with a nice cup of tea and my laptop to take a leisurely stroll though some of my favorite blogs. After having completed a fair amount of sewing projects the previous week, I felt a little down time was in order. My first click lead me to Sherrie over at Twenty Two Pleasant. She pointed me over here for instructions on do-it-yourself homemade yogurt. So much for some down time! Before I could even empty my teacup I was on my way back to the kitchen to give this recipe a whirl. It seemed so simple and too good to be true.

The next morning I was up with Rocky the Rooster (he serves as the alarm clock around here....but I can't seem to change the setting to something more reasonable!!). I must say, I was pretty impressed when I opened the lid and discovered a yummy, tangy batch of homemade yogurt. In no time I found myself throwing together a batch of homemade granola to pair up with my yogurt. Though our Sunday mornings usually call for pancakes, we strayed from tradition and served homemade yogurt and granola topped with maple syrup and strawberries. Absolutely divine! I'm hooked and so excited to add another little do-it-yourself trick to my limited repertoire. I made another batch mid week as the first was gobbled up in no time, and success once again. Give it a try! I swear it is fool proof!

Yes, my stove top has seen lots of action over the last few days. The dye pot has been going non-stop. The fresh spring air and sunshine always get me in the mood to hang freshly dyed skeins on the line. I just recently started tinkering with natural dyes. I treated myself to an early Mother's Day gift - The Craft of Natural Dyeing by Jenny Dean. Ironically I opened this week's CSA box from Taproot Farms and discovered a bag of stinging nettle calling out to me. What a dilemma - feed these amazing nutrient packed greens to my family, or sacrifice them to the dye pot. I guess I'm a selfish person. I chose the later. I'm dreaming of a pair of nettle mittens for myself next winter! Perhaps we'll get more nettles next week and I promise, we will eat every single one....or maybe the whole family should have nettle mittens. What's a Wool Fairy to do?

I received another early Mother's Day gift this week from my sweet little boy, Muffy. He presented this gorgeous arrangement to me that he created at preschool yesterday. Honestly, I'm in awe of the work of this little three year old boy. It is sitting proudly at the centre of our dining room table, bringing joy to me at each glance. The children have been doing Ikebana arrangements at their Montessori preschool for the last couple of months. It is amazing to see what these small children are capable of when given the opportunity and tools. It's just a reminder to me of why I have always been so drawn to Montessori.

So of course I've got a Montessori inspired activity going on today with Chi-Chi and Muffy working away on the latest task - gathering dandelion blooms for the dye pot. Why am I not feeling that guilty about this dye job?

Patience is a Virtue

If patience is a virtue, than I guess I’m not much of a virtuous person! I do love gardening, but sometimes I find the waiting game a little hard to swallow. I’m anxiously awaiting the tender taste of home grown spinach, peas and lettuce from the rich brown soil. Since I just planted these rows a couple of weeks ago, I realize I’ve got a fair wait ahead of me. In light of this fact, and my rather impatient nature, I've been participating in a bit of instant gratification gardening. Ok, the word instant is a slight exaggeration! In gardening terms however, 36 hours from seed to plate is pretty darn instant.

Last year I purchased a little counter top sprouting system. I picked mine up at Eos Fine Foods in Wolfville, but no doubt many other natural food stores carry them. This no fail system is super simple and the results are fast and delicious! For lunch I munched on a tasty salad topped with healthy handful of organic alfalfa and red clover sprouts. My home sprouter proved to be a great source of fresh organic greenery during those bleak and cold winter months. If you share both my love of gardening and my impatient nature, a countertop sprouter may just be what you need! I’m certainly enjoying the daily harvest around here......though I'm still dreaming of my sugar snap peas.

You can see from the photograph, that other creatures have their eyes and hearts set on those peas. The chickens and I are in the midts of a battle of the wits. I'm ashamed to admit that I am losing this fight miserably. We erected a 6 foot high fence around their designated "area" to deter critters from getting in and critters from getting out. Being birds, my feathered friends just fly over my fence. It appears they too love fresh sprouts as they scratch away in my garden plots. I spent a good chunk of time this week erecting various nets and other chicken scare systems. The winner of this battle will earn the prize of the harvest. Who are you betting on?

Every Rose has its....Rose Hip!

As a gardener living close to the majestic, yet unforgiving Atlantic Ocean, I'm always in search of plants that can sustain harsh seaside conditions. Through trial and error, I've managed to grow a rather eye pleasing perennial garden of flowers and shrubs that can hold their own against the bitter cold, wicked winds and stinging salt spray. Our rugosa rose bushes in particular have been very successful. Nothing pleases my nose more than their heavenly scent during an early-morning stroll through our garden path. With autumn drawing near, the beautiful pink blossoms of the summer have been replaced by plump, bright red fruit - rose hips.

Until recently, I had only admired rose hips for their beauty and the cheerful splash of color they added to my fall garden. Little did I know the culinary treat that I had growing in my own front yard! A long-time gardener friend introduced me to their edible nature after she enthusiastically picked a ripe red hip and began to nibble on it. Of course, I joined in on the fun and was pleasantly surprised by their tasty apple-like flavor. A few Google searches later and I had big plans to make my homegrown batch of rose hip jelly.

Despite a few thorns in my side, I was able to pick a few quarts in no time. Not only did I make a delicious batch of jelly, I even had enough left over to make yummy rose hip cake. Ironically, the cake recipe was supplied by Chi-Chi and Muffy, directly from the pages of one of their favorite story books, A Whole Day Full of Surprises from The Adventures of Broughton Bear series. My gardener friend (who has more patience than I do) seeded a basket of rose hips and popped them in the blender with a dash of honey. She claims it makes a very tasty topping to her morning yogurt. I just might give this a try!

As a bonus, rose hips are an excellent source of Vitamin C! With cold and flu season on its way, a little extra Vitamin C in the house might not be a bad idea. I've still got lots left to dry for a healthy and tasty cup of tea during the colder months.

Now I'm starting to wonder what other tasty treats are hiding in my flower garden....any suggestions?

Preliminary Preparations...

There is an undeniable hint of autumn in the air this past week. The cool mornings have me grabbing a warm sweater and woolly slippers for my morning cup of tea on the deck. Though I feel a sense of sadness to see the summer depart, I do look forward to the fall season. I dream of cuddling by the wood stove, eating crunchy apples and soaking up the golden hues around us.

The slight shift in the seasons has me instinctively preparing for the long, cold Nova Scotia winter ahead. My dye pot has seen lots of action over the last few weeks. A colorful set of skeins has already been delivered to my good friend April. In the near future, some very cute woolly goodness is going to be on the shelves at her shop. I can't wait to see the final product!! Of course, I could not neglect the cold weather needs of my own wee ones. I mixed up a recipe for this lovely shade of "sea lettuce" green and have been busy knitting up a new fall sweater for Chi-Chi. This is attempt number FOUR so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for success. My knitting to do list is growing by the day - hats, mittens, scarves for all members of the family.

I've also been tucking away bits of summer to pull out on the coldest and dreariest of days. The upcoming fall season has me dreaming of the yummy sauces, soups and stews that will be keeping us warm from the inside out. I purchased the most gorgeous organic tomatoes from our local CSA, Taproot Farms. I spent last evening blanching, peeling, chopping and freezing these sweet and tasty gems. On a bleak day in late January, I'm certain I will appreciate my efforts. I'm anticipating some seriously good Friday night spaghetti suppers in my future. I froze them in increments of 28 fl oz, the same size as a standard can of tomatoes. What a tasty and healthy alternative to the sodium-laden canned variety.

With the sun shining today, I'm off enjoy summer in all its glory! Fruit pop anyone?

Waiting for Santa...

I feel like a kid eagerly awaiting Santa’s arrival this afternoon. In just a few short hours, a package filled with wonderful goodies will arrive on my doorstep. What’s so great about my surprise package is that it is a weekly occurrence! Tuesdays are like Christmas around here.

Last week’s basket was filled to the brim with a wide selection of tasty and mouth watering treats. I’m not talking fudge and fruitcake my friends! I’m talking organic sprouts, fresh spring arugula, sweet organic carrots and plump little tomatoes.

Like so many others, our family has been making an effort to supply our diet with local and organic foods. I have to admit, it can often be a struggle. Sadly, our handy and convenient large chain grocery store is most certainly not a place to seek local foods. Because Hubby works in the city five days a week, the last thing we feel like doing on a Saturday morning is packing up the car and driving back to the downtown area Farmer’s Markets.

I recently discovered the perfect solution to assist us in obtaining fresh local produce and supporting Nova Scotia farmers. Our family signed up for a weekly food box delivery program with TapRoot Farms, based out of Port Williams, Nova Scotia. This program is referred to as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Though the concept of weekly food boxes is not necessarily new to our area, this seemed to be good timing for our family to participate in such a program. They deliver the weekly baskets to a central location not far from our home. We alternate the pick up of the goodies with a handful of neighbours who also signed up. It’s turned into a convenient and exciting way to shop fresh and local.

It’s also a great way to get the whole family excited and enthusiastic about eating a healthy diet. Both Chi-Chi and Muffy were very intrigued by the contents of last week's basket. They enjoyed munching on “leaves”, just like their deer and bunny friends. Between the two of us, Muffy and I devoured a two pound bag of carrots in just three days! It’s also forcing me to spice things up a bit with my menu planning. Last week Taproot supplied a recipe for squash apple soup, which was simply delicious. This afternoon I tried out a batch of very tasty squash muffins. Teamed with a glass of cold milk, they made a yummy and healthy snack for the wee ones.

I find myself looking ahead to the upcoming seasons, getting excited about nature's offerings that will grace our dinner plates. I'll take garden greens over fruitcake any day!

Full of Beans

Chi-Chi and Muffy are full of beans these days. In fact, we all are, literally! We’ve been eating garden beans morning, noon and night just to keep up with the harvesting that’s been going on in our backyard garden.

When my husband and I built our house over four years ago, one of our first “projects” that spring was a gigantic vegetable garden. We spent endless hours working our soil and removing large fieldstones by hand. Unfortunately, our efforts fell short when it came time to plan and care for our garden properly. One bowl of very dry, pasty peas was all that resulted in the end.

This spring I decided it would be a good learning experience for the entire family to plan and plant a small-scale vegetable garden. Despite my tendency to go whole hog, I kept myself on tight reins, ensuring I did not bite off more than I could chew. I planted a small and reasonable garden bed and stuck to a few easy crops – carrots, bush beans, tomatoes and one pumpkin plant for fun! Sadly, the bunnies munched all the carrots before my husband got around to installing our bunny defense system. Our beans, however, have been a huge success. Chi-Chi and Muffy are simply fascinated with the magic that unfolded in their own backyard. Although slightly scarred by my past farming failures, I’m feeling quite proud that I managed to produce an edible plant. There is nothing more rewarding than sitting down as a family, feasting on the rewards of our collective efforts.
Of course, the wheels are churning in my head and I’ve got big plans for next year! The garden will be extended and I’m enlisting my inexperienced carpenter husband to build a chicken coop for me. Things could get “egg-citing” around Seaside Farms!

Mommy's Little Helper

As much as Chi-Chi and Muffy find enjoyment in the magical world of their imaginations, they’re definitely always game to roll up their sleeves and get to work around the house. It never takes much convincing when it comes to helping Mommy in the kitchen.

We just returned from a trip to Nanny and Graga’s house in the Annapolis Valley. After a visit to the strawberry u-pick and a stop at a roadside farmer's market, we came home with a plentiful supply of tasty, fresh local produce to feast on. With big plans for my berry harvest, there was plenty of work to be done!

Chi-Chi loves his chef suit and he takes his role very seriously when decked out in his apron and hat. It’s an adorable vintage Robin Hood Flour set that my mother gave to me as a child. It warms my heart to see him taking such pride and joy in wearing the set. I’m flooded with fond childhood memories of working alongside my mother in the kitchen, baking up a storm and making a huge mess. Whoopie pies were my speciality!

With Muffy napping peacefully, Chi-Chi and I enjoyed some quality one-on-one time this afternoon. We had a lovely time smashing berries for freezer jam. This no-cook jam is the absolute best option with little helpers around. Chi-Chi also assisted with dinner preparations by ever so carefully shelling a batch of fresh garden peas. He only dropped one pea, which he speedily retrieved.

It’s not always practical to have the little ones underfoot in the kitchen, especially when hot pots are boiling on the stove. There are often days I’m simply too tired and impatient to deal with the additional mess that inevitably occurs. I am, however, trying to make an effort to get them involved more regularly.  Even if it's just tearing a couple of lettuce leaves for our salad, it makes them feel a part of the meal preparation process.  I'm hoping this translates into better eating habits.  Chi-Chi certainly gobbled up his peas at dinner time.  The jury's still out on this theory when it comes to finicky little Muffy!

The Berry Binge

I actually squealed with excitement this morning when I spotted a sign displaying my favorite bright red berry at my local roadside fruit stand. I quickly maneuvered the car off the road and happily handed over a crumpled wad of cash in order to obtain my much-anticipated first taste of this year’s local strawberry crop. The “Berry Lady” remembered me well from last year and greeted me with a warm hello. She offered to lend me a large crate to transport my load of berries home.

Today’s menu goes something like this:

Breakfast – strawberry smoothies
Snack – fresh strawberries
Lunch – strawberries with milk and brown sugar
Snack – fresh strawberries
Supper – strawberry salad, pork tenderloin and rice
Dessert – strawberry shortcake
Late night snack – fresh strawberries

I’ll admit, at first glance it appears my family may experience some form of strawberry overdose. I did offer the wee ones a few more options to ensure they ingested a wider range of nutrients. I, however, indulged in my passion for strawberries. Sadly, the season is so short so I simply must take full advantage of this opportunity to berry binge.

I actually believe I inherited some form of “strawberry gene”. I come from a long line of berry lovers. My great grandfather was a strawberry farmer. My Nanny also shared my passionate love of them. Family folklore states that my mother was actually born with a “strawberry rash” because Nanny consumed such large quantities while pregnant. Strawberry season always brings back a warm flood of fond childhood memories. I can still envision the look of shock and disbelief on Papa’s face when the cashier rang in the total of our harvest at the U-pick. Nanny would not have had it any other way. There were plenty of berries for everyone. She and mom would spend the afternoon making jam while my sister and I gobbled up berries by the bowlful.

So for the next few weeks, I’ll be participating in my own personal strawberry festival!  I'll be spending my days baking shortbread, whipping cream, making jam and of course, eating all the strawberries my body can handle.  Even the Wool Fairy is participating in the festivities, crocheting baskets full of berries for Chi-Chi and Muffy.  Let the berry binge begin!

Feasting on Fiddleheads

Although I'm currently considered a "Bluenoser" based on my place of residence, I originally hail from the North shore of New Brunswick. To be specific, I grew up in the sleepy little village of Tide Head. At first glance, the community of Tide Head appears rather ordinary, however, it just happens to be the self-proclaimed fiddlehead capital of the world! Growing up, a sure sign of spring in our household was a hearty serving of fiddleheads on our dinner plates.

For those who are scratching their heads as to why we crazy New Brunswickers would choose to chomp on something that sounds like a musical instrument, let me enlighten you. Fiddleheads are the uncoiled greens of the ostrich fern. They are abundant in many parts of the world, but are mainly harvested in Northeastern Canada and the US. This delicacy is picked in early spring, when the tender green shoots are peeking out of the earth just an inch or two.

My parents, who just moved to Nova Scotia over a year ago, were pleased and relieved to find a fresh supply of fiddleheads at the local farmers market. Though available in Nova Scotia, they don’t seem to be as abundant or widely enjoyed as in our hometown. “Fiddleheading”, as it is known, is part of the culture in Northern New Brunswick. I have clear childhood memories of venturing to our family’s “secret spot” each spring to fill our buckets for dinner. My mother would blanch and freeze our crop so we could enjoy our greens throughout the year.

What’s so great about fiddleheads one might ask? Firstly, they are delicious. Boiled and topped with a generous pat of butter, these tender, mouth-watering greens are delectable. Chi-Chi was introduced to fiddleheads at a very young age and he is hooked. He gobbles them up and asks for seconds. Dear little Muffy is another story. He is currently being convinced that it would be worthwhile to just try a bite! As a mommy, I’m glad to report that fiddleheads also happen to be a nutritional powerhouse. They are chock full of vitamins and minerals.

Not surprisingly, the Wool Fairy sought inspiration in the arrival of the fiddleheads this season. She whipped up a few tasty greens for Chi-Chi and Muffy’s play kitchen. Strangely enough, Muffy won’t stop chomping on the wool variety. Perhaps he’ll come around soon on the real thing! He won’t be disappointed!

The Return of the Wool Fairy

The Wool Fairy of Seaside Farms paid another late night visit to our house recently. Her basket was brimming with a cornucopia of freshly harvested woolen veggies. Since we are in the midst of the fall harvest season, she wanted to ensure that Chi-Chi and Muffy’s pantry was well stocked with a fresh and diverse supply of produce.

Our family has been taking full advantage of the bountiful assortment of fresh, local fruits and veggies available at the many farmers markets this autumn. We have all been feasting like kings, enjoying the mouth-watering selection of natural treats that grace our plates each mealtime. Chi-Chi and Muffy have been devouring every last morsel of these healthy, wholesome foods. As a health-conscious, doting mommy, the phrase, “More please!” is music to my ears!

I am proud to be setting a positive example to my children during these formative years. Not only are they eating a varied and nutritious diet to support strong, healthy growth, they are also learning the ins and outs of adopting a healthy lifestyle. Involving the little ones in our shopping trips helps them gain a better appreciation for the foods we consume and teaches them the benefits of buying local and organic when possible. To my delight, Chi-Chi has been enthusiastically re-enacting our shopping expeditions, regularly engaging in imaginary trips to the market for food to feed the family. As I quietly observe his play scenarios, I marvel at his creative imagination and his striking ability to learn by example. Chi-Chi may not be aware of it, but through his play, he is practicing and developing important skills and values that will serve him throughout his life.

I’ve also learned that presenting my children with healthy play food is a fun way to plant the seed for future healthy eating and lifestyle habits. On a recent trip to a department store, I was horrified to discover a set of play food depicting the offerings of a well-known fast food restaurant. In light of the rising childhood obesity rates, we must question the message this sends to our children. I am pleased to see my little ones playing with more appropriate options including strawberries, carrots, cucumbers and pears. (I will admit to making an irresistible cookie, but at least it was oatmeal raisin!) As Chi-Chi prepares an elaborate concoction of eggplant, mushroom soup, Muffy munches happily on a leaf of lettuce. These natural, open-ended toys offer endless opportunities for these young creative minds while promoting a diet rich in fresh produce!

Who knows what woolen treats our play-food obsessed fairy will supply on her next visit. You may see her wandering the booths on your next trip to the farmers market, seeking inspiration!