Being quarantined or sheltered in place with small children is as difficult as it is rewarding. Keeping them on as much of their normal schedule as possible while educating them, keeping them entertained without sitting them in front of the TV all day is a challenge to say the least. At least it’s only for … oh wait, nobody knows!
Facing this new challenge while trying to work from home or stressing about if there is a job waiting for you when this is all over, does not help. However, it’s important that these little people don’t feel your stress. For me, baking with my daughter ticks all the boxes: It’s educational, covering maths, science and reading, and most importantly, it should be fun!
Life Skills
Above all of this, baking is a vital life skill and something that is, in many cases, no longer part of school curriculum. So if kids don’t learn to cook and bake at home, where will they learn? Where will the cooks of the future come from? I spent so much of my childhood cooking with my grandmother and parents, developing a love for it, and I’m proud to say a lot of the items that I cooked when I was a kid, I still cook today.
Through all the negativity that’s happening globally lately, I am (trying) to view this time at home as an opportunity to teach my kids how to cook and where food comes from to create a better understanding and appreciation of food, as well as respect and understanding that they are lucky to have access as so many don’t. I’m educating them to have skills and knowledge they can use in the future.
Below are some suggestions, tips and recipes for cooking with kids at home – of course if you can get your hands on any flour!
These are only my suggestions, some may seem trivial, but it all helps to make the whole process less stressful and more fun, hopefully with minimal time cleaning up.
- Plan ahead: Determine what equipment/ingredients you’ll need before you start, especially as it’s harder to pick up more items now.
- Make space: Clear as much work space as possible so you have room, the more organized you are, the less you will have to clean.
- Clean as you go: Empty your dishwasher or fill your sink with soapy water if you don’t have a dishwasher.
- Understand your ingredients: You can explain where they come from and how they’re made to your child. The more they understand where food comes from, the more likely they will appreciate it (and eat their fruit and vegetables).
Healthier Cookies
If you are a parent and managed to get your hands on some flour before or after the panic buying, chances are you’ve already made your fair share of go-to cookies like sugar and chocolate chip. Here’s a new recipe to try.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (or gluten-free flour)
- 1 cup grated apple
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 cup instant oats (or whole oats blitzed through a food processor)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 cup shredded coconut
- 1 1/2 cups golden raisins
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup honey
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl or in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until it is well combined.
- If mixture is very wet, add more flour to bring it together.
- Bring together to a ball, cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Using an ice cream scoop portion batter onto a baking tray with a silicone mat or greaseproof paper, push down flat with your fingers, leaving enough space in between each one.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, remove from oven, allow to cool then transfer to a cooling rack.
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