experiments in the kitchen

It has been a lot of fun to play around with food here lately. Here's a glimpse of what we are learning in the kitchen!

-Dairy substitutes that rock:
Rachel's pediatrician suggested we pull her off dairy for a few weeks to see if that helps some of her digestive issues. The jury is still out, but it is interesting trying to cook without milk or cheese. However, after trying several substitutes we found a new "milk" that tastes much like the real thing--So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk. Imagine eating pancakes made with coconut milk! Micah claimed they are the best he's ever eaten. Rachel also gave a thumbs up to So Delicious Vanilla Ice Cream (made with soy milk). I'm excited about the added nutrients we are gaining by making more choices about what we are serving in our food. However, the price is a bit steep on coconut milk yogurt. I'm a little relieved she wasn't crazy about that one.

-Carob IS a great replacement for chocolate.
I have greatly disliked some carob products in the past, but the cookies Rachel made for us last night with carob chips taste better than the ones with regular Ghirardelli chocolate chips! We tested Josiah with chocolate one more time, but it seems that he just can't tolerate it. I'm so thankful to have found a delicious substitute. Rachel, however, doesn't agree with me on this one.

-What are the many uses of quinoa?
I was drawn to this grain because it is high in protein and iron, which seemed like a perfect fit for my little boy who barely touches meat of any kind. Josiah likes rice and I've heard this can be used in its place. We tried it last night boiled in chicken broth. It tasted a little different but pretty good, and Josiah did try a couple of spoonfuls. Recipes, anyone? I'd love to try some different ways of fixing this.

-Yellow and red make orange.
We took a dab of yellow mustard and a dab of red ketchup, put them in a ziplock bag, and mashed them around. Voila! Orange! Now, to throw the bag away or find a hot dog...

-How do you make a kitchen volcano?
Josiah loved our preschool theme today: volcanoes! We found a simple preschool version of the homemade volcano that we could repeat again and again. Measure 1 tsp. of baking soda in one plastic cup, and then mix white vinegar with food coloring. To see what happens, watch below! (I am envying my friends and family who homeschool; I know the things you do are even cooler than this.) Josiah's quote: "Very good erupting!"