Part of everyday learning in the kitchen comes from cooking from scratch using real ingredients. Unfortunately, with the rise of processed foods and restaurants many children do not know where their food comes from or how it is made. This weekend our 3 year old was the only one who wanted to help make waffles but wasn’t the only one who ate.  She is fun to have in the kitchen helping with easy recipes. She is always amazed to see egg whites mixed and become “clouds”. She likes to smell everything and is not a fan of batter on her fingers. Sometimes I just want to get it done but I always make myself slow down and allow the kids to take part and use it as a teaching opportunity.

Cooking from scratch helps our little ones learn about real food, unprocessed. They get to learn about:

• how certain ingredients look and smell
• nutrition and what our bodies need and don’t need
• agriculture how to grow food, how animals are raised
• ecology, the environment and how it impacts growing food
• Ingredients, what we combine to make a final product
• chemistry, what happens if you mix vinegar and baking soda.

In our home we began making Baby food from scratch and as the years progressed we have added more and more to our favorite things list. I won’t fudge the truth cooking from scratch is not always quick and easy (I don’t do it all the time) it can be time consuming. I remember thinking pizza night for most families is quick not for our family our Kitchen Time! for pizza takes time, but we are never disappointed.

So, if you don’t currently make anything from scratch start with something simple. Our waffle recipe is delicious and easy. The base of my recipe is from food.com but I tweak it to our families’ taste. It looks harder than it really is. You can basically dump everything in one bowl except your egg whites.

I hope you all enjoy some “From Scartch” time with your little ones.

~Sherley

 Learning moments:

• Vocabulary: combine, incorporate, mix, beat, peaks, measuring units
• compare/contrast: whole wheat/all purpose, almond/vanilla extract dry/wet ingredients, waffles/pancakes
• Discuss what flour is (and other ingredients) and where where it comes from

Ingredients:

• 2 Eggs
• 4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 1/3 C flour ( is often mix all purpose and whole wheat)
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1/2 cinnamon
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp almond extract
• *1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/34 C of milk ( I usually add 2 C because WW flour is thicker and more if it’s too thick)
• Equipment: waffle iron.

Instructions:

1. Add dry ingredients in a bowl baking powder, flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon.
2. separate eggs adding yolks to dry ingredients.
3. using a mixer, beat egg whites until peaks are stiff.
4. add milk, butter, almond extract and mix well.
5. add egg whites to mixture, folding in until completely combined.
6. warm waffle iron, add 1/3 C at a time (depending on your iron).
7. cook according to your iron’s instructions

*make sure your batter isn’t too cold or your melted butter will solidify once you pour it in. You will be left with chunks in you mix. If it happens don’t worry your waffle iron will melt it.