peskypippi.comBecause I have a lot to say…

Here’s a recipe (and a how-to video starring Pippi) for easy fruit-and-protein smoothies you can make for your kids. These make a great, healthy after-school snack.

Here’s what you need:

• Blender
• Milk (or flavored yogurt such as peach or raspberry…or orange sherbet is even yummier)
• Frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries)
• Protein powder (I selected whey-based protein powder that is pretty much flavorless)
• Banana (the browner, the better)

As you’ll see from the video, the kids love like tolerate these. The reception from my youngest was “huh.”

You see, I forgot that they prefer smoothies made with yogurt instead of milk. Or better yet, orange sherbet. But who wants to shoot another video? Not me.

Smooth move, Pippi…

Is that spinach in your smoothie, or are you happy to see me?

I wrote about the ease and nutrition of protein breakfast smoothies awhile back. Check that here. My newest ingredient? Spinach. Yeah, you heard me. They are officially renamed to Pippi’s Peppy Popeye Smoothies. These nutrition-packed suckers are perfect for when I am running late. Getting the kids out the door for school. And oops, I forgot one of my earrings. And my navy tights don’t match my black outfit. And where is my phone and where are my keys? Time to go. NOW.

But wait! Don’t forget to eat your salad for breakfast! (Seriously, you can’t even taste it. It just looks a teensy bit gaggy.) You, too, can buzz up the smoothie while yelling “Hurry! Time to go! Finish your breakfast! Brush your teeth! Shoes on! Jackets! Backpacks!”

Just talk to my friend Sara, who also sneaks in vegetables. She’s on Twitter @Sar_Wah and her blog is http://www.tisthelife.com/. She’s a super healthy Mum who tries to eat right and have a fulfilling life. Go Sara!

Pippi’s Peppy Popeye Smoothies

• a blender
• a cup or so of nonfat milk
• a banana
• big scoop or 2 Tbs. protein powder (preferably plain)
• handful of frozen blueberries
• two ginormous handfuls of washed, fresh spinach

Check out the jumbo bag of spinach. I don’t know whether to eat it. Or sleep on it.

Breakfast is important. Partake! And maybe, with the added spinach, you can kick some ass today.

When my oldest son came home from school last week announcing, “MOM! I need to bring peanut butter to school to give to the Mexicans who live in dumps!” My jaw kinda dropped. My immediate reaction was wow, those are not kind words. How not politically correct. I need to teach this young man about world culture. Pronto.

Lost in translation? Sadly, no. Turns out, he was right. At school, my son is learning about these young children in Mexico, who have nothing. No family, no food, no hope. His teacher says many of these kids live in real garbage dumps in Mexico where they salvage food and clothing, whatever they can find.

The teacher began his pilgrimage to Mexico several years ago and returns annually. He rallies his students to collect peanut butter every year. Why peanut butter or manteca de cacahuete? Protein. Peanut butter is the cheapest source of protein and doesn’t have to be refrigerated. Every January, the teacher drives to this poverty-stricken area to Hogar para Ninos to take the load of peanut butter down to these kids. Here is the website of the organizing group:

http://www.ffhm.org/

As we are looking ahead to the holiday season. We are entering the season of sharing and abundance. It’s time to share and spread the abundance around. Chunky or creamy?

And I know there are poopy naysayers who are like, “Why do I need to help them thar Mexicans? We’ve got our own problems. Let’s take care of our kids first. Forget about them. They don’t speak even English. They speak Mexican, don’t they?” [sic]

Well, you see, in my eyes, it IS our job to help nourish every child. Whether here or there. It IS our job to teach our children to be kind, to do the right thing, and to think of others.

And that, my friend, means stocking up on some peanut butter. Pronto.

Because if there’s a truck driving down to Mexico, I want to make sure it’s filled to the brim with manteca de cacahuete and love.

Gracias.

This is not about “should I give my baby a bottle or switch to a sippy cup?” This is much stupider than that.

My two youngest kids are 9 and 6. I usually send them to school with a bag lunch that I scramble to make in the last two minutes before it’s time to “Get your butts moving or we are gonna be LATE!” Oh and please don’t tell me to simply make their lunches the night before so I am not stressing in the morning. I know this. Already. And people have told me this. Already. Man, do righteous people bug me. But that’s a whole other topic for later…

Anyway, I read that when children drink milk (or soy milk…I don’t discriminate) as opposed to juice, they get more protein and have more energy longer. Plus, it’s less sugar for their growing bodies. This is perfect because I think my kids study math in the afternoon. And given the weak math genes I have passed along, they need all the brain power they can get.

I purchased two very cute Crayola thermoses for the kids at the beginning of school. So cute, they looked like crayons. Filled them with milk and sent them on their way. Well, those thermoses suck. Poor little guy came home, got off the bus carrying a big Ziploc bag full of thermos + milk. The teacher sent home the dripping, warm milk too!

Well, don’t bother crying over spilled milk. Check out these bad boy aluminum water bottles that are supposed to insulate and not drip. Oh, and if you buy thermoses that are MADE for transporting non-water, they cost like $19.99 each. These suckers were two for $10.

This morning, my daughter comes down to breakfast. I give her first choice of colors: blue or green. Because the early bird gets the…first pick of color. She picks blue.

Five minutes later, sleepy youngest son comes down to breakfast. Sees the new, shiny, glowing bottles. He picks blue. Wrong.

“You get green, honey.” “But I want blue.”

I look to my daughter, “Can he have blue and you have green?” “OK,” she says, sounding pissed.

Then I go, “No, actually, I change my mind. You were down first and you picked blue, so you get blue and your brother gets green.” He pouts.

OK, this is getting ridiculous. Scrambling to make breakfast and lunches and arguing over colors. Why didn’t I get two of the same color bottles? Argh. Stupid me, stupid me.

This is how the conversation progressed.

“C’mon,” I say to my son. “Green is for Green Lantern, frogs, wreath cookies we make at Christmas, green poop.”

I have to say. The last point sealed the deal.

And I am hoping the lids of these flashy aluminum bottles seal the milk. Or I will be sending them juice boxes for lunch.

Time for a recipe. Don’t hold your breath because I’m not much of a cook. I know how to make about five things really well: turkey chili, chicken-barley soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, tofu stir-fry, and chocolate chip cookies. Oh yeah, and gravy. Don’t expect a food blog out of me. I defer to my friend for that in her amazing foodie blog where she cooks with her children:

http://dashandbella.blogspot.com/

Three of my friends, just this week, said “I didn’t have time to eat breakfast.” No time? We mothers need to nourish our bodies with energy-fueling foods to help kick off our marathon days. Surely you can take just 2 minutes to make Pippi’s Peppy Pick-Me-Up Smoothie. (Trust me, they’re good enough.)

I make my power smoothie in the last, hurried minutes while the kids are grabbing backpacks and loading into the car for school. Multitasking, I buzz up the smoothie while yelling “Hurry! Time to go! Finish your milk! Brush your teeth! Shoes on! Jackets! Backpacks!”

Here’s what you need:

• a blender
• a cup or so of nonfat milk
• a banana (you can do 1/2 banana if you’re counting calories)
• big scoop or 2 Tbs. protein powder (preferably plain because I think vanilla is pretty gaggy and stay away from chocolate)
• handful of frozen blueberries (frozen strawberries work too but they aren’t as tasty)

Seriously. It takes 2 minutes to make. This has about 28 grams of protein, antioxidants, and keeps you full until lunch. And it’s portable. Except, crap, in my haste, I have spilled one on the living room carpet, one on the floor of the car, and one on the garage floor. So that’s three. But maybe you’re not as clumsy as me.

Caution: check your teeth for sticky, pesky blueberry skins, making for an unsightly smile.