Healthy Kids Recipe - Kale

Kale is considered one of the healthiest food .Its existence can be traced back to 4th century BC. It was the food of choice in the United kingdom during WW II.

Kale is rich in vitamin A,K,C .It is full of fibers. It has antioxidant, anti inflammatory and anticancer nutrients and is known to help with cholesterol level .The list is long,it does not end here.

I have been trying to feed kale to my kids for quite a while now. I have tried everything from steaming to stir frying to boiling. Somehow my kids they do not like it.

A few months back, I came up with this super easy recipe which seemingly they liked. Now I prefer no other way (apart from juicing) of cooking kale. Well ,I can not see my efforts going down the drain when my kids refuse to eat anything healthy.

Let me take you over the ingredients first.

Ingredients                                    Measurement

1) Fresh Kale                                washed 1 bunch

2) Olive Oil                                    1 tablespoon

3) Salt                                           1/2 teaspoon

4) Ground Black Pepper               just a pinch

5) Toasted Sesame Seeds           1½ tablespoon

Let's start with cooking now .

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. In an oven safe dish add 1+2+3+4. Mix well. Make sure everything is in one layer, we do not want to steam, but to bake it crispy like kale chips. Set the timer for 30 minutes and let it bake. After 30 minutes take the dish out. Let it cool, safe enough to be handled. Crush the kale between your palm. Add toasted and crushed sesame seeds,a drizzle of olive oil. Here you have a healthy side dish with not much hassle. It goes really well with lentil soup.

If your kids are anything like mine, picky eater, trust me they will not even know they ate something healthy.

Front Door Sign from a Tree Bark

Last Christmas, me and 

my family went to Oregon.The coastline of the state is picturesque and a heaven for DIYers. As me and the kids were hiking the trail for the Yaquina Bay lighthouse, I stumbled upon a piece of tree bark. I carried it all the way to the lighthouse and back.

After coming back home, I was unsure of how to use it or preserve it. So, I let it sit in the sun for almost 3 months as I was uncertain of its sturdiness. It turned out to be strong enough to give me an idea of making a front door welcome sign from it. 

People like me, who are armatures, who have minimum to no experience with the wood,can relate to me. Forget about seasoning it. So, I started with giving it a massage with the mustard oil, now don't ask me why I did that. Then I scrubbed it really well and washed it with warm soap water. I let it air dry again for 2 weeks, just to be sure of any mold or fungus growth.

After 2 weeks my confidence level rose by a fraction, because I could see whatever I was doing, was working. Then I conditioned* it and let it air dry for 2-4 hours. Once assured it was dry enough, I stained** it in Oak. After 24 hours,I was loosing my patience , So, sealed it with 4 coats of polyurethane*** followed by the dry time of 2-3hrs after each coat.

Now comes the fun part, writing on it. I used acrylic paint to write welcome on it. Those uneven flowers are actually fingerprints of my two delightful boys. Hot glue, two sodas can tabs behind the bark or drill two holes on either side and pass a string through. Or like me, just keep it on a table. 

Voila! here you have a beautiful front door sign. I am really happy with the finished product. What do you guys think!!!!!

*Wood Conditioner:

1. Wood conditioner is advisable, if unsure of wood type. Some wood stains evenly, others not. There are few like pine wood, which, if not conditioned can result in uneven blobs of dark and light stains.

2. Always wipe off extra fluid, 2-3 minutes after saturating the wood.

**Wood Stain:

1. Trick to good staining is standing my friend. You can never go wrong with this.

2. Always stain along the grains of wood and remember to wipe off extra.

***Polyurethane:

1. Polyurethane, lets take it like a top transparent coat to protect our hard work from daily wear and tear. Just like a nail art.

2. Always apply along the grains. They are available in a variety of finishes, which is personal and project choice.