Vim and Vigor

:: This Moment :: 

Inspired by Soulemama

"Power up" Peanut Butter

I am forever looking for ways to get extra nutrition into my hubby and 5 kids. This could not be any easier, okay? Power up that peanut butter....and power up your kids!

Ingredients:

~Peanut butter (crunchy works best here, any variety...natural or otherwise.)

~ Ground flax seed (grind your own for the best nutrients, or buy pre-ground)

~ Ground or shredded unsweetened coconut (optional)

When you have used a bit of the peanut butter, ( you need a bit of room in the jar to do this), just stir in ground flax and/or ground coconut. 

This really boosts the nutritional value of the age old PB and J sandwich, and if it's crunchy peanut butter, the kids will never know!

A birthday and a recipe

My baby has now turned 2. As my hands  have been busy mixing and stirring....he has been busy sleeping away the afternoon in the arms of his daddy.

As I busily prepare his birthday cake, I can't help but let my mind wander over and about the last couple of years.

So very much happens, that if you dare to blink, the first two years have already gone by. Learning how to talk, walk, and get along with his sisters and brother. His siblings are his biggest cheerleaders, rejoicing in all his new accomplishments.

Not a day goes by as of late, when I don't hear someone say, "Mom, did you hear what he did? He can say 'milk' now! Wow!" And, the other day his big brother came up to me and told me how proud he was that his little brother had learned how to really play trucks now, and not just mess up his playing or throw them around. 

A little daily celebration happens when you have a two year old in the house.

He loves playing trucks....he points his little hand out the window when his daddy's home...and says "dat daddy's vroom-vroom", speaking of his semi, so very proudly. Growing more independent by the day, I noticed how he got his own velcro "work boots" on yesterday without any help from mama.

He knows what he does and doesn't like...of this he will let you know. You can be sure a shrill scream will be coming from those little lungs if he disagrees about something! Oh, but there is so much more good than bad!

 ~dimpled hands

 ~soft, white swedish skin

~blue eyes with the longest lashes

~laying with him on the bed before naptime holding a book in the air and reading together

-snuggles with his "banket", as he calls it

My ears will be quite lonesome when there are no longer any truck noises being made by little mouths while I am baking in the kitchen.

 

 And, to celebrate this special milestone? A simple cake....truly a coffee cake style recipe, that is neither too sweet or too dry. Just right for little hands.

A Simple Birthday Cake

 Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar (we like organic cane juice crystals)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla (homemade, if you have some)

 

Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. almond extract

3-5 tsp. milk (add more to get the consistency you like)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar (or cane juice crystals), baking powder, and salt. Using pastry blender or fork, cut in butter. Add milk, eggs and vanilla. Stir well. Pour batter into greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 35 minutes. Blend icing ingredients, and drizzle over warm cake.

Changed from original recipe, found here.