The Creative Salad – Page 34 – Crafty fun and homeschool adventures in Sonoma County, California.

A Healthier Popcorn Recipe

I’m not going to lie: I sometimes let our daughter eat popcorn for dinner. I can make all sorts of excuses: it’s late; we’ve had a long day; popcorn is super easy; she adores it. But the truth is we’ve found a way to make regular popcorn into a filling, nutritious, and protein-rich snack chock full of omega-3’s, omega-6’s, vitamins B-1, B-2, B-12, C, E, and carotene, iron, zinc, lignins, and lauric acid.

When the kid says she wants popcorn for dinner, I can’t argue with that!

Here’s our family’s favorite popcorn recipe (thanks to our friend Mariah for the flax seed oil tip!):

We melt coconut oil in the bottom of our stovetop popcorn popper and pop around 1/3 cup of popcorn kernels.

We then thoroughly coat the popped popcorn with 1-2 tablespoons of flax seed oil. On top of that we mix in 1/4-1/2 cup of nutritional yeast, depending on how coated we want the popcorn (my daughter and husband like every kernel completely covered in yeast!), and a pinch of salt.

If you’re like our four year old, than you may want a side bowl of nutritional yeast to go with your popcorn so you can roll each kernel until it’s mounded in nutritional yeast (oh, the protein! oh, the B-vitamins!).

It’s finger-licking good!

Please try it and let us know what you think!

A Spring Surprise

As if the uncharacteristically warm weather wasn’t enough of a clue in, the surprise on our porch definitely is a sign that spring is here.

There’s a new bird’s nest in our wind chimes!

Last year a house finch lived in the re-purposed sugar bowl of our wind chimes and raised one nest of birds successfully in the spring. Unfortunately, the mama bird disappeared (and presumably died), abandoning her second clutch of baby birds. By the time we realized what was going on and checked on the babies, we were too late. They had also died.

Talk about witnessing life and death firsthand on our front porch!

It was a life-shaping experience for us, surprisingly more for me than for our young daughter. Her understanding and acceptance of the situation was a lesson for us all. She calmly said, “They died, Mama. It’s okay. There will be new baby birds.” Oh, how she was right.

I wasn’t sure this day would come, but here we are with with a different species of bird (that we have yet to identify!) moved into the nest and having laid (at last count!) three rather perfect little eggs.

I feel both excited and hesitant over this turn of events. Hopefully we’ll have a happy ending this year! And if we don’t, it’s a reminder that life goes on…

Instagram Love

Just what I need, another internet addiction. Instagram has finally come to Android and, oh boy, do I love it!

Skyping with Grandma under a play silk tent

My photos have been home based so far since we’ve been under quarantine for the past week with colds. The good news is that we’re FINALLY feeling better, so our pictures should be, well, a little bit more exciting soon. (Hey, I’ll do my best!)

Making cottage cheese and apple pancakes a la Mollie Katzen

My Instagram photos are also posting to Twitter. Unfortunately I can’t yet post directly to our Facebook page, but hopefully the next Instagram Android update will include a feature for that!

Checking out the view from her bedroom window

If you’re on Instagram, my username is thecreativesalad. See you over there!

A Child’s Perspective

I loved this cleaver interview that Kate (of Centsational Girl) did with her children and thought I’d ask my four year old daughter the same set of questions. We were so charmed by her answers that we had to share them with you.

When are you (or have you been) most afraid?
When I have gone to the museum and worried that the dinosaurs are real.

What was the happiest day of your life?
Sunday.

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?
I have to think about it.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I don’t know anything.

What is the one thing you could not live without?
Dad.

What is your favorite movie?
Harry the Dirty Dog and Giada.

What is the worst thing about being 4 years old?
Not being able to read like a ten year old.

What is the best thing about being 4 years old?
Going to the potty by myself.

Describe your perfect day.
When I love everyone.

What job would you like to have when you grow up?
That’s a great question. I don’t know what I’ll be. I’ll have to find out what I learn.

What does Mom always say to you?
Lunch time!

What makes Mom happy?
When I listen.

What makes Mom sad?
When I not listen.

How does Mom make you laugh?
By tickling.

What was Mom like as a child?
I don’t know. What were you like as a child? I don’t know what you were like growing up. I wasn’t there.

How old is Mom?
32

How tall is Mom?
4

What is Mom’s favorite thing to do?
Cook and play.

What does Mom do when you’re not around?
Clean.

What is Mom really good at?
Cooking.

What is Mom really bad at?
I don’t know. What are you really bad at?

What does Mom do for her job?
Take care of me! That’s your job.

What is Mom’s favorite food?
Cauliflower, chickpea and onions.

How are you and Mom the same?
We both love digging underneath grass.

How are you and Mom different?
I love the spray bottle and you don’t.

How do you know your Mom loves you?
Because you say I love you every day of the week! Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday!

Where is Mom’s favorite place to go?
Grocery store.

Ah, to be four years old…

Fruit Salad Upgrade

I love when a single ingredient transforms a dish. On our trip to San Diego last month, I ordered a fruit salad containing simple ingredients: apple, strawberries, banana, dried cranberries, and a sprinkling of DRIED COCONUT!

That last ingredient made all the difference.

I gobbled it up and couldn’t wait to make it at home.

An easy, tasty fruit salad that feels truly decadent. I love a healthy dessert.