Experiment with us this 4th of July!

We'll be hosting a party on the 4th for the Peas family and friends and have decided to grill up Peas products! That's right, grilled Peas pizzas, grilled veggie fries, grilled Puffets!

Have you grilled pizzas before? Frozen ones? French fries?
We found a couple online resources, as this will be our first time:

• Grilling frozen pizza
• controllingmychaos.com/2009/07/pizza-on-grill-fresh-or-frozen.html
• use a low setting on a gas grill or coals that are on their way out.
• cook with the BBQ lid ON.
• use a higher rack, or loft a second rack to encourage even cooking.
• Grilling frozen french fries
• Cooks. com
• we plan to omit their flavorings and use our recipea instead.
• puncture the foil pouch so steam can escape and fries will get crispy!

What will you be grilling up this 4th of July? If you decide to grill our pizza, fries, or Puffets; DO share photos and tips with us!

Sleepy-time Treat

When it's time for bed and someone in your family isn't feeling tired yet, what do you do?

Having a small snack of the right foods can help. Foods rich in calcium, magnesium, and/or tryptophan can promote restful sleep. Examples include bananas, dates, figs, milk, nut butters, tuna, turkey, whole grains and yogurt.

Next time there's a restless one in your house, whip up this tasty treat to relax the whole family.

Sleepy-time Pop
1 cup of milk (cow's milk, almond milk, soy milk, etc.)
2 dates, pits removed
1 banana
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of almond butter, peanut butter (optional)

In a blender, whiz the milk with the dates until mostly smooth. Add the banana, vanilla, and nut butter (if using) and blend until smooth.

Pour mixture into an ice cube tray, dixie cups (or popsicle tray if you have one) and place in the freezer, adding popsicle sticks when the mixture it frozen enough to hold them upright, after about 30 mins. Freeze throughly.

In a pinch, the unfrozen blend makes a tasty, drinkable shake.


Source:
* Balch, Phyllis A., CNC, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, 3rd Edition, Penguin Putnam Inc., 2000.

Baked Oatmeal

Have you noticed how expensive cereal has gotten lately? Break the cold-cereal-cycle without breaking the bank by making this reci-pea for our baked oatmeal. Using inexpensive pantry staples and almost any fresh fruit, this dish comes together while the oven preheats and then cooks unattended, no stirring required! Heart-healthy, whole grain oats, complete protein from milk and eggs, and seasonal fruit will have your family going strong all morning long.

Baked Oatmeal
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup brown sugar, light or dark
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups of fresh fruit -like berries, cherries, chopped peaches/nectarines, sliced bananas
• 1/2 cup toasted nuts, sliced or chopped (for garnish, optional)

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a glass or metal loaf pan (8.5" x 4.5" x 2.75").

In a medium sized bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, sea salt and baking powder. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and vanilla.

Scatter half the fruit into the greased loaf pan. Cover with all of the oat mixture. Dribble all of the milk mixture over top. Scatter with remaining fruit.

Bake about 30mins until the oatmeal is lightly browned and mostly set. (A little free running milk will be absorbed during cooling). Cool for about 5mins, then cut slices and serve (with toasted nuts if you like).

Leftovers microwave perfectly, it's great to have in the fridge for quick weekday breakfasts.

What We're Into Right Now

We love crafts that repurpose things we might otherwise recycle or trash, so after reading this post on makeandtakes, we've been collecting pieces of ribbon and paper for a kid-friendly craft: scrap gift bows! 
Check out this post from http://www.makeandtakes.com !

"Supplies for Easy Scrap Gift Bows:

• scraps of patterned paper
• newspaper or used wrapping paper
• tulle
• ribbon
• ric rac
• string
• buttons
• flowers

Scrunch paper(s) in the middle so it resembles a bow. Sometimes I like to fold my paper like a fan for added dimension. Layer scrunched “bows” of different sizes. Tie them in the middle with a piece of ribbon.

Layer a few more pieces of ribbon in the middle of the bow and tie on with same ribbon. 

Wrap a long piece of ribbon or tulle around the gift. Lay your bow in the middle and tie ends of long ribbon around to secure. Finish with a bow, or secure a flower or button in the center. Voila!"

We've got a box of scraps going. How about you? Do you have a project in the making?

Info from:

http://www.makeandtakes.com