Planting: SPRING is Here!

14 April 2010 Filed In: cooking class, corner view




In the markets, we gathered up three hearty looking basil plants and brought them home with us. We banged the terra cotta, tucked in a plastic bag, to create a little piece with which to cover the hole at the bottom of the pot. (We giggled because it is fun to break things with a hammer.)
We scooped some organic potting soil into our pots, lifted out the little plants from their plastic, allowing them a chance to spread their roots, room to grow. Into the pots they went with a bit of water. “Tucking them into their beds”, we patted down some more soil for support. Like horses, they both sleep and play standing up. After giving them another swig of water, we placed them gently in their new home on the window sill.
We gave them names: Queen Purple Macaroni and Isabelle, and I inwardly said a prayer for their life here with us. We have officially sprung!
Happy 1st year, Corner Viewers! I got a second chance at the Spring theme that I missed… but for my favorite CV of the past year check out the cuteness unveiled in this video CV. To go on a magical road through past posts and retakes on old themes, check out the Queen Purple Spanish Goddess of the Corner View, Jane of Spain Daily.

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Mamatini Smoothie with Spinach and Berries

13 April 2010 Filed In: cooking class, Drinks, Fall, Gluten-free, mamatini, smoothie, Soy-free, Spring, Summer, Vegetarian, Winter




Let me introduce you to Tribeca Yummy Mummy’s new sponsor, Mamatini, a company run and owned by our friend Erica Duigan Minnihan and her pediatrician mama, Dr. Ifeoma Ikenze. Mamatini makes and delivers teas packed with good things, like chamomile and ginger, for breast feeding mamas. Its benefits include helping milk production (having had some issues with this in the past, this one is my favorite), helping soothe baby’s tummy, and providing energy by replenishing vitamins.

Plus, it just tastes really good. I am not just saying that because they are a sponsor. In fact, I had no plans to even have a sponsor, but these ladies convinced me when they sent over a sample for us to try. This tea is really fresh tasting and delicious, something I wish I had available when we were nursing.
My daughter and C were in the mood for a smoothie, so we, just for fun, we broke open a bottle of Mamatini to pour in. We combined it with spinach, berries, yogurt, and other good things to create a smoothie that even C, our notoriously picky-eater, gulped down.
Neither Mira nor C would ever, ever eat fresh spinach on its own. They looked at me like I was out of my mind when I pulled that beautiful green stuff out of the fridge to add into our drink.
Just wait, I told them. Sometimes things you don’t like outside smoothies surprise you by tasting incredible inside them. This is a mantra that I repeat a lot to both my own children and the mini-chefs in the TYM kitchen.
So, by surprise, Mamatini is our first sponsor, and we are very proud to give our support to these ladies who are making something so convenient, natural, and very tasty.
Mamatini Smoothie with Spinach and Berries

*a 16. oz bottle of Mamatini
*1 c. fresh spinach
*1 1/2 c. plain or vanilla yogurt
*2 frozen bananas
*3 c. frozen berries (mixed or your favorite)
*1 T. honey

Together: Place all of the ingredients in the pitcher of an unplugged blender and secure the top. Have your mini-chef press the special smoothie blending button (or “ice crushing” button as we Big People are apt to call it), and blend your smoothie till totally smooth.

Serve in a beautiful glass with a cute straw. Enjoy!

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Weekend Sewing: A Dress for Eve

11 April 2010 Filed In: Birthday, Crafts, sewing


Our little cousin Eve has a sweet disposition and huge, curious, and bright blue eyes. Since her first birthday will be here in no time, I decided to whip up a special birthday present for her, the Flower Girl Dress from Heather Ross’s Weekend Sewing.

While this pattern has major errata, mostly detailed on Heather Ross’s site, it provided me with a chance to use artistic license and figure out how to bring it together.
Truth be told, I almost cast this little dress out the window and into the street several times. Some choice language was used along the way- mainly at myself since I had made this dress before for my daughter when the book first came out. I had already had to figure it out once but had written myself no notes or even sweet words of encouragement about how to do it again a year later.
So, here it is. A dress made with colorful language and a lot of love for the tiny Yummy for whom it was made. Hope you enjoy it, Miss Eve. Happy Birthday to You!
Have a great Sunday, everyone!

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Vending Machines and Snoop Dogg

07 April 2010 Filed In: corner view, new york






Sometimes inspiration comes in a flash.

You see something fabulous.
Something that makes you go hmmmmm.
And you just have to bring it into your world.
What did you get in your magic bubble? Check these out:

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A’s Special Meatloaf with Veggies Galore

06 April 2010 Filed In: carrot, cooking class, Dairy-free, Fall, Gluten-free, greens, lunchbox, Main Dish, meat, Soy-free, Spring, Summer, swiss chard, Winter





Usually when I ask the mini-chefs what they would like to make over the course of a semester, I get answers like cupcakes, chocolate, cookies, etc., but when I asked my mixed ages class, one student piped up with another answer entirely: meatloaf.

He not only requested it then; he kept asking for it each week. You see, A is a manwich sort of a man. So, while I hardly ever, ever cook beef, what could I do but comply?
While a lot of meat loaf is made with ground pork and ground veal, I gave this a healthy spruce up. For ethical reasons, we do not ever have veal in our home, and ground turkey is more healthful than ground pork.
This recipe is only missing the ketchup topping, something that our class will be working on in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. For now, here is our meat loaf recipe sans ketchup but loaded up with plenty of great veggies that make the loaf moist, flavorful, and very healthful.
Note: We used gluten-free bread crumbs here because of Yummy allergies, and no one missed the gluten one little bit.
A’s Special Meatloaf with Veggies Galore

*1 lb. ground turkey (preferably dark meat)
*2 lbs. ground beef
*2 carrots, shredded
*1 rib of celery, shredded
*1 medium red onion, shredded or finely chopped
*2 c. swiss chard, shredded or finely chopped
*2 scallions, light green and white parts only, finely choppped
*1/2 bulb of fennel, shredded or finely chopped (optional)
*3 cloves garlic, minced
*3/4 c. bread crumbs
*1/4 c. olive oil
*1 T. worchestershire sauce
*one tiny slosh of hot sauce (optional)
*1 t. salt
*black pepper, to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Together: With your mini-chef, take out a either 2 loaf pans or 24 muffin cups to fill with the meatloaf mixture. Oil the pans that you are using with a little vegetable oil.

In a very large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, worchestershire sauce, the hot sauce and the salt and pepper. Add all of the veggies and stir them so that they are evenly coated with the saucy mixture. Then, add the meat. If you are working with a very mini-chef (2 years or 3), then you will probably want to add the ground turkey for them. You can either mix everything together with your hands at this point, or, if you are worried about getting your hands ooky, then use a wooden spoon and some elbow grease to mix the meat in with the rest.

Wash your hands.

Now, using an ice cream scoop, begin filling the muffin cups or the loaf pans.

Big Person: Place the meat loaves in the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes (muffin loaves) or 1 1/2 hours for the bread pan-sized loaves.

Take out of the oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving. This recipe freezes very well.

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