Knee Deep Blog

I'm Looking For 10 Friends To Help Support Eli by October 15th

I’m Looking For 10 7 1 More Friend To Help Support Eli by December 15th, 2012.

Support a local school and enjoy the discounts.  Eli’s classroom is selling Chinook books and mobile apps to support their non-school budgeted field trips and supplies.  They earn 50% of each $15 sale.

Chinook Book Mobile App works in:  Seattle & Puget Sound, Portland, San Francisco & Bay Area, Denver, Twin Cities.

Note: Thanks to Barbara, Alison and Heather for saying yes...now we only need 7 more people to help out.

It’s Easy To USE: 

I was delighted last year when the books went mobile because I always forgot to bring the coupons with me and frankly I didn't really like using the paper coupons.  Now it's so easy and convenient.

Download the free app onto your iphone or android phone (I did check directly with the company and they do not offer a Windows phone app - your option would be to get a book for $20).  Open the app and it will locate all vendors starting with the closest to your current location. FYI, I'll give you the code to unlock all the amazing offers once you've decided to purchase.

Example Offer:  if you were at Whole Foods Market, you would open the app, it would let you know that you could get a free piece of pizza, a free dozen eggs and buy a shampoo and get one free. All you'd do is show the opened app screen to checkout.  Within a 5 minutes you’d have already paid off your meager $15 investment before you left and went off to your next errand.

Or see a local show on a 2 for 1 deal -or get a discount

See a show this fall with 2 for 1 tickets from Chinook Book:

• Pacific Northwest Ballet - 2 for 1 
• UW World Series - 2 for 1
• Kirkland Performance Center - 2 for 1
• Seattle Musical Theatre - 2 for 1
• School of Rock Seattle - 2 for 1
• Seattle Shakespeare Company - 2 for 1
• ACT Theatre - 2 for 1
• Book-It Repertory Theatre - 2 for 1
• Seattle Children's Theatre - 50% off second admission
• Seattle Symphony - 50% off
• Argosy Cruises and Tillicum Village - 20% off
• Seattle Repertory Theatre - $5-$20 off

Pay With Ease: 

Email or call me and tell me that you want to order – it’s only  $15 (the same basic price if you bought it directly from The Chinook Book – but Eli and his classmates would be delighted if you bought from  and supported them. 

Let me know if you want to pay me by paypal or send a check to me (Michele Corey) made out to “Thornton Creek Parent Group”

Because your using the mobile app we're able to take care of all the details via the phone and online! woo hoo.

What You Get - The Details: 

Each Chinook Book http://chinookbook.net/    contains hundreds of coupons accessible on your mobile phone from local merchants committed to protecting the environment and giving back to the community.  You’ll find offers from great local restaurants, independent coffee shops, natural grocery stores, local bakeries, outdoor and bike stores, garden centers, theatres, yoga and fitness studios — all the places that make your city worth loving.

 

Thanks for your support! 

 

P.S. If you read this after October 15th  - either email me or leave a comment and I'll connect with you directly and let you know how to make your purchase support Thornton Creek School and Eli.

PSS Update on how to pay:

You can send me money via pay pal or a check.

 http://www.paypal.com

1. Go to Send money.

2. click personal

3.  enter my email address:  if you don't know it leave a comment and I'll connect directly with you.

4. enter $15 (it will allow you to do a bank transfer and there is no charge)  - cool!!!

5.  click – other

6. click - continue

7.  that's it nothing else to do as paypal will send me a notification.

 

Recipe: Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Banana Donuts

OK I'm finally discovering and learning how to make some gluten free vegan baked goods that are good. 

This weekend I started making a chocolate cake donut and realized part way in that I didn't have all the "right" ingredients. 

Since I was at the point of no return and my son was asking when they would be ready -  I improvised and hoped the donuts would turn out and not be a big gloopy mess which has been happening on more than one occassion with my "no egg" gluten free baking.  In other words almost all pancakes are crepe like - and I've been trying a lot of recipes and  gluten free flour mixtures.  The links are so that you can either buy and or to help you figure out what some of the maybe unfamiliar ingredients.

Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Banana Donuts Recipe

Preheat oven to 325

Mix dry Ingredients in a bowl:

• 1 1/3 cup Sucanat (dried sugar cane, it's kind of medium brown and in my opinion doesn't give you the crazy sugar buzz - or Demerara Sugar or Turbinado Raw Cane Sugar, or any "raw sugar" are good choices.  You can generally find bulk at Central Market)
• 1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour (I buy bulk at Whole Foods or Central Market - or packaged in Baked Goods)
• 1/3 cup garbanzo bean flour (I buy bulk)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup Tapioca Starch or Flour( I buy it at the local Asian Store - and there isn't from what I see a difference in product)
• 2 tablespoons Arrowroot Powder (this can be hard to find - Central Market has bulk in the spice area)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum powder (2 choices big bag from Bob's Red Mill or bulk at Central Market)

Mix wet ingredients: I used an immersion blender to make them foamy - I think this helps the batter rise and be fluffy

• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup banana
• 1/2 cup hot water
• 1/4 cup vanilla (yes that's right)

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix gently.  I use my 2 tablespoon coffee scoop to measure and pour batter into the mini doughnut pan.  It made 32 mini doughnut - I'm telling you this so you buy more than one 12 donut pan - cause it was a total pain in the butt and took all morning.

Bake 15 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes and take out to finish cooling on rack. 

Note:  Even though my donut pan is non-stick I still fount it helpful to put a little oil around the top seam.

Buy some mini donut pans: 

here is a link to see your  donut pan choices.I tried to find some at the local stores and couldn't.

WARNING:  My 8 year old Eli finds these irresistable, as do I.  Put on a pan and freeze (so they don't stick together) then add to larger gallon size plastic bag in freezer.  If you don't do this right away your child will consume 10 or more througout the day and stay up all night because there is caffeine and sugar in these.  Just want to let you know I told you so.  Plus glutin free baked food has a way of not tasting as good the first day - that's my opinion.

PS. Mika thanks for sharing the Babycakes Cookbooks - now if I could only really follow them like they're meant to be followed.  And Brian - thanks for the inspiration to write it down - "Chocolate Banana Donuts"

Gluten Free Vegan recipe inspiration comes from:

 BabyCakes Covers the Classics: Gluten-Free Vegan Recipes from Donuts to Snickerdoodles I highly recommend this cookbook.

If you make something that tastes good - do share!!

A different look at core values. What would you do in this life situation? http://ping.fm/4jQ8B

Video Views Raise Money for Susan Komen Breast Cancer Research

Here's an easy way to help raise breast cancer research funds - simply watch a 4 minute video.  Aftrer watching I decided it's been quiet far too long on Knee Deep Blog.  Long enought that my mom can officially say she too is a breast cancer survivor.  Breast cancer has marked three generations of our family in a row.

136 former cheerleaders (some of them breast cancer survivors) got together to do a dance routine to benefit "Susan G. Komen for the Cure" (Breast Cancer). When they get 5 million views on the video, United Healthcare will make a $50,000 donation to the Komen organization. Their goal is to get 5 million hits, which will lead to $100K raised, but United Healthcare will donate ANOTHER $50,000 at 8 million views!

Please can you take a moment to watch the video - and, just as important, pass this link onto your network of friends, family and colleagues? It benefits a very important cause!

Thanks for helping!

www.KomenPhiladelphia.org/Video

Just Published My First Article On Forbes Women

Woo hoo, I just published my first article on Forbes Women - a fun day!

What Is Your Belief About Cancer Reoccurrence? - 2 Year Update

The other night I had an intense dream about a conversation with a cancer psychologist; who probed my beliefs about cancer potentially reoccurring.

I have to admit that I woke up somewhat disturbed. What did I really believe about cancer and the possibility it would reoccur?

It's been a good two years since I finished 9 months of treatment. Each month brings more life post breast cancer. Yet every three months I go in for my quarterly check up filled with blood tests, my visit to the oncologist is often the same set of questions, review and physical check in. It's also generally filled with an hour plus wait in the oncology department where I see many, although I only really notice the women, in various stages of pretreatment, during treatment and post treatment. This keeps my own cancer memories fresh.

My heart is filled with compassion for those I can tell have been recently diagnosed. You can always tell because there is extra hand holding, nervous glances towards others, especially the bald heads, and sometimes consoling of one women by multiple others. They are just being exposed to the new language, the language of cancer, oncologists, treatment, chemo, radiation, support, education, etc.

Floods and High Water Kids Jeans: When are they too short?

Eli is one of those tall and thin kids which means he often wears flood aka high water jeans. It's not because we don't care rather he doesn't like when the waist band of the pants is higher which is what happens when they are kids slims with the additional elastic pull tab.

Routinely my eyes are rolling to the top of my head when I try my best to get him to wear pants that fits and he refuses, throws a fit, grabs his favorites which he says are extra comfy.  Unfortunately they are also 2 to 3 inches above the ground and known and floods and high waters. Trust me I'm always secretly giving away clothes - and kids continue to grow so it's always an issue.

About a month ago he asked me what it means when someone says you have "floods" - at seven this isn't in your vocabulary.  I explained the concept of high water pants and floods.  He nodded, to indicate he understood and it was the end of the story.  He didn't ask if he wore floods or even notice that he was wearing them at the time.

Learning to Cook - Eli's Kid Friendly Sushi Dinner

Learning to cook could really be learning to cut - Eli's Kid Friendly Sushi Dinner.  Last week was the very first dinner that Eli has come up with the idea, prepped and gloated over.  It cracks me up that for him sushi has nothing to do with raw fish, but I took care of that for the adults.

Eli and Olivia are still on their learning to cook energy which I rather enjoy.  The night before the dinner we talked about what we would have, made a shopping list, and brought Curran (age 5) to help Eli (age 7) shop.  I "simply" monitored the list and all that entered the cart.

Curran was clear he wanted tapioca for dessert, but I couldn't find it so strawberry mochi balls and lime popsicals did the trick.

Our Kid Friendly Sushi Dinner Menu Included

  Salmon (baked for the kids)

Yellow fin tuna (sashimi for the adults)

Unagi (cooked eel with sauce it is in the bottom left of the picture)

sushi rice (with mirin, rice vinegar and a bit of sugar)

cucumbers

avocado

roe (the bright orange in the center of the picture)

Miso soup (with seaweed, green onions, and tofu or smashed brains according to curran and Eli)

lots of seaweed (both large sheets to be rolled and small 2 X 2 inch which I made "sushi taco rolls" and expertly popped into my mouth.

wasabi and soy

  The best part of this is prep was really simply - Eli did most of the chopping and put the ingredients in small bowls - so all was perfect.  I have to admit that at times Eli's knife weilding ways scared me so I opted for a less sharp knife and delighted that each piece of cucumber had it's own shape and size.

The toughest part for Eli is that Curran who is usually a master of the kitchen only wanted to play with legos - so Eli spent 20 minutes of prepping coming up with ways to entice him into the kitchen.  He finally did it when he said that we had "brains to smash" and Curran came running in.

When Curran entered the kitchen to "smash the brains" (aka cut the tofu into a million little pieces) they used butter knives as two small boys "smashing" with knives was way too much for my comfort level.  So they got to have fun and I got to drink more wine before adding the tofu to the miso soup.

When it comes to creating the actual pieces of sushi and rolls that were consumed - all was perfect.  Nothing was premade - rather all ingredients were put on the table as pictured above.  In our house any way it's rolled or looks is perfect - as long as it's consumed.  As you can see from Eli's "sushi" it's really a big piece of cooked salmon, avocado, rice, and a little roe wrapped in a big piece of seaweed. 

Hope this gives you some ideas for your own kids "cooked" meals.

 

When I Was Little Things Were Different: Reflections at 7

In the car yesterday I had to conceal my knowing smile as Eli at 7 started in, "Mom, things have changed a lot since I was little."  I mean to me he's still little, but to himself he's seen a lot in his life and already finds what he sees as big differences.

Really Eli, what has changed?

Well, first of all when I was little they didn't have Mighty Beanz or Silly Bandz and look how big they are now.  I mean everyone knows what they are and has them at school.  I can't think about not having them.

What else has changed since you were little? I asked

Well they didn't have (Nintendo) DS or Gameboys.

They did have Gameboys when you were little but you are right they didn't have DS.

Yeah, that's right it's changed a lot mom.  And they probably didn't have TV when you were little.

Well Eli, I'm not THAT old, but when Grandma Pat was little they didn't have TV and when they finally created it it was only in black and white.

That's weird, replied Eli.

But when I was little we only had 3 stations and we could only watch cartoons on Saturday morning, I stated.

Why didn't you just rent a video or turn on your Roku? Eli asked.

You know Eli, they didn't have those - someone invented them.  I just realized there was one more thing that they didn't have when you were "little" they didn't have Roku or Netflix.  Those are new.

That's really weird, replied Eli.  Why didn't they just make them?

For the same reason they didn't just make Mighty Beanz someone didn't have the idea yet.  Yhat's how things are invented.   Someone wishes they could have something and comes up with an idea.  For example they could only watch cartoons on Saturday morning and some Mom or Dad wished they could have their kids watch cartoons on a different day.  So they dreamed up an idea and then it got invented.

This is my version of 101 innovation and Eli was very happy with it.

We continued the conversation about inventing and how things keep changing.  It was really fun.  By the time I got home I realized I could take back my knowing smile that I had in the beginning of the conversation because things really have changed from when he can remember until now at 7.5 years of age.

Interestingly I called my mom and told her about the conversation which created another conversation as she reflected back on her 77 years. 

Ideas and innovation are amazing - and I thought to myself - it would be fun to have this conversation with Eli in a few more years.

 

 

School Class Pictures - Primping at 7 Years Old

Eli's been really excited for his school class pictures and has been primping.  He picked out the background color - green earlier this week. Last night I asked what he wanted to wear - mostly out of not wanting to have a morning battle cause the item(s) were dirty - although that hasn't stopped him from wearing them for his picture.

Thankfully all were clean:

• White t-shirt with psychedelic tiger print in lime, hot pink and black - check. 
• The Shawn White plaid long sleeve shirt shirt from target in black, gray with green and blue lines - check. 
• No hair cut even though he really wants one because he wants his bangs to do the triangle thing and swoosh for his pictures - check.

This morning all went smoothly.  I smiled when he wanted to button his shirt up perfectly so that there was a "triangle" near the top that showed just the "right" amount of the tiger.  The only mom push back was please wear your dark jeans (cause I'm thinking of the class picture) and not your shiny black and silver sports shorts which are also a favorite.

The hair time is what cracked me up.  Momma can you help me with my hair, it's not doing that thing.  Huh, what?

You know the swoosh.

Oh let me help I replied.

Eli has a small colic which creates a small "triangle" part in the front - so I make it more prominent. 

No mom, the swoosh, you know the curl above my eyes.  He then tries to "fix" his bangs but is getting frustrated.

How about some gel?

No, then I have to wash my hair.

Ok.

That's when I took an extra breath, smiled to myself and got it - oh yea Eli, the swoosh.  Move over there and shake your head like this.  I demonstrate and he follows.

Bingo, perfect part and perfect swoosh.

Before your picture don't try to fix it with your hands, just shake your head and it will be perfect.

I look forward to seeing the finished product.