Beach Survival Skills With Little Kids

For the past seven years we've taken family vacations in Southern California to visit with relatives. 

For the past seven years I have had no rest on the beautiful sandy shores of the Pacific Ocean. 

In the weeks leading up to the trip I would always dream of relaxing on my beach towel, cool drink in hand, rolling over ever now and then to grab a snack from my cute and tidy little whale patterned lunch sack. 

Somehow that dream never came to fruition once we hit the beach.

Usually, you'd find me chasing a toddler into the sea. Running after a preschooler down the coastline. Or picking up the trail of a young lad on his way to the snack shack.

Not anymore, my friends. 

I'm not sure why it took me so long, but on this trip I decided to take notes.

"Watch what the locals do, Judith, and do what they do," I repeated to myself as we shuffled our feet through the deep sand.

By doing so, we took a trip that normally leaves me feeling like this...

And made it into a trip that has left me feeling like this.

Through observation of the locals, I learned there are two simple strategies to surviving the beach with little kids.

Strategy #1: Bury the children.

Bury them deep and bury them often.

With legs immobilized under 10 pounds of sand, there is no more chasing Big Bubba down the coastline.

Make the child a race car and say goodbye to the endless requests for the snack shack.

Bury the girl in a whimsical horse castle and say hello to your beach towel, cold beverage and clean snacks.

Strategy #2: Dig a deep hole directly in front of your towel. And welcome endless hours of jumping, sliding, hiding, digging, and pure... simple... joy.

Better yet, encourage that strong lad of yours to dig the deep hole.

Digging so deep that he finds water keeps will keep him busy for hours.

Now Mama, watch yourself sink into that deep relaxation you've always dreamed about!

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Xavier Rudd - Mother

Gluten Free Rice Pasta by Tinkyada

I'm Italian. I like my pasta. And I'm picky.

Upon going gluten-free, I was very, very sad to give up my homemade pasta noodles.

Additionally, I was very, very sad to give up the $1 packages of pasta at the grocery store.

And finally, I was very, very sad to give up the all-you-can-eat pasta nights at the local restaurants.

Despite the fact that wheat pasta noodles were no longer welcome on my plate, I wasn't ready to give up on my pasta cravings entirely. I set out to find the pasta that most closely mimics the hearty pasta noodles that I remember my Grandmother serving up at family dinners.

In my search, Tinkyada brand rice pasta has stood high above the rest. 

Texture is incredibly important to me when it comes to enjoying my gluten-free Italian dinner. All of Tinkyada's pastas have hit it right on the mark. The perfect texture compliments all of my favorite family recipes. 

White Wine Infused Spaghetti and Meatballs

Fettucini Alfredo (gluten-free and dairy-free)

Depression Era Pasta e Fagioli

The best part about Tinkyada is the neutral flavor of the noodles. Certain gluten-free pasta alternatives can taste very strange. That is not the case with this brand. Tinkyada offers a pasta that would fit right in with the family at my Grandmother's dinner table.

Next to the taste and texture, the best thing about Tinkyada pasta is the 18 varieties they offer. Choose from lasagna, penne, elbow, spirals, fusilli, shells, fettucini, spaghetti, and never again worry about what to do for your next Italian meal.

Let it be known that this is not a paid advertisement. I really, really like me a good old fashioned pasta dinner. And I really, really like this brand.

Family Taco Night

Family vacation. 

Eight individuals sitting down to dinner. 

One vegetarian. 

One lactose intolerant. 

Two no beef and no pork. 

Two Celiacs. 

One corn allergy. 

Two casein allergies. 

What to eat? What to eat? I need a foolproof meal in a snap that will surely satisfy everyone's needs.

The answer every time ~ Family Taco Night!

With this recipe, I'm able to prepare a little something for everyone and the folks can pick-and-choose to their liking. 

Our vegetarian fills her tacos with black beans and sweet potatoes.

Our cholesterol conscious folks fill theirs with the ground turkey.

Our little corn allergy buddy takes his in a bowl with all the fixin's.

So easy. So fast. So satisfying.

Family Taco Night

Serves: 8 

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cans black beans (drained)

1 can sweet potatoes in syrup (not drained)

2 lbs ground turkey (or beef, or buffalo, or ostrich)

4 TBS taco seasoning

4 ripe avocados

4 medium tomatos 

shredded lettuce

shredded cheese

rice

corn tortillas

2 limes to squeeze over the top of the finished tacos

The Preparation Method:

Start the rice to cook.

With the rice going, brown the ground meat in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once no longer pink, approx. 8 minutes, add 1/2 cup water and 4 TBS taco seasoning. Mix well to combine as some of the water boils off. Turn heat to low to keep warm.

While the meat is browning, in a separate saucepan combine 2 cans of black beans and 1 can of sweet potatoes with their syrup. Cook over medium heat until heated through. Mash the sweet potatoes with a fork. Mash a few beans while you're at it.

Dice ripe avocados, tomatos, and lettuce for the topping.

Shred the cheese if you have cheese eaters in the group.

Once the rice is finished cooking, you're ready to go. 

Set everything out in an assembly line and let the folks have at it.

Don't forget to squeeze the lime over the top of your taco. Yum!

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This song grows on me every time I hear it. I love the line about the "ice cold beer sitting in the console". First thing, I haven't heard the term "console" in a while. Second thing, I haven't had an ice cold beer in an even longer while.

The lack of real beer is the thing I miss most about being gluten free. I'm reminded of how much I love beer when I hear this song. It's the only time in my gf existence that I chant "damn gluten free."

Jason Aldean - Dirt Road Anthem

Moab Madness

Please excuse me if you haven't seen the dancing cook doing her dancing while cooking thang lately. It's not that I haven't been dancing and cooking. For I have. 

But I've also been dancing while doing a handful of other things over the past few weeks. 

Namely dancing while driving. 

Dancing while flying. 

Dancing while beaching. 

Dancing while dreaming. 

More time on the road has meant a whole lot of egg dinners, mushed beans and camp food. 

Despite the lack of kitchen time for me in the month of May—a welcome break mind you—I have had more than my fair share of outdoor time. 

Upon return from our graduation vacation to Mexico where we spent every bliss-filled day on the beach, we turned around the next morning and drove to Moab, Utah for the Memorial Day weekend.

The American West is a magical place to find yourself in the summer. The children insisted on referring to our destination as The Wild West where people do things the old fashioned way. Indeed it felt that way with the vast rocky landscape and endless blowing dust. 

The eight little kids on our camping trip were in outdoor adventure heaven in Moab. Despite the mad crowds for mountain biking, four-wheeling, ATV-ing, and camping over the holiday weekend we felt like we were the only ones out there in The Wild West. Within minutes of setting foot in camp the boys took to their bikes and dashed off to hunt dinosaur fossils.

I took to my camera and dashed off to capture the miraculous beauty of the desert found in the form of sparse vegetation,

wind,

and sky.

Perhaps the most interesting part of our trip to The Wild West town of Moab was the local city park where we spent a lot of time escaping the 55 mile per hour wind storms that were tearing through the camp higher up on the rocks.

This park had the most interesting playground equipment I'd ever encountered.

Large, big-as-life, musical instruments.

Chimes, drums, bells, xylophones and cow bells.

The kids were really into it. 

But I must say, I think the adults enjoyed it even more. By the time four adults were playing, it turned into a downright chorus of spontaneous jamming. 

A genius idea for a park. It was amazing and magical and just the right touch to end our weekend trip out to The Wild West.

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Speaking of xylophone's... all xylophone lovers must check this out. Do yourself a favor and watch this three minute clip. It is joyous!

Forest Xylophone Plays Bach

Gluten-Free Rolled Oats by Bob's Red Mill

Last summer we made the family decision to reduce our grocery spending by significant proportions. 

One week into The Project we realized that boxed breakfast cereal was out of the question if we wanted to meet our budget. 

Daily oatmeal became the standard for breakfast. Regular oatmeal is cheap as all get out. Certified gluten-free oats are quite a bit more expensive, yet still cheaper that boxed cereal and certainly more hearty. 

For my family, eating boxed cereal for breakfast is equivalent to eating air and calling it a meal. Without oatmeal in the morning, my three monkeys are starving and out of their minds. With oatmeal in the morning, the monkeys are satisfied and stable until 10 o'clock snack time. We need our oatmeal.

For Celiacs, certified gluten-free oats are a necessity, not a want. Regular oats throw my Celiac son into a tailspin.

The oat/gluten connection can be confusing. Allow me to break it down for you:

Oats in-and-of-themselves do not contain gluten. But since they are a major agricultural product they are typically handled in the same grain elevators and processing plants as wheat, barley and rye. Thus, oats are cross-contaminated with gluten on their way to your cupboard. 

Bob's Red Mill produces great certified gluten-free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. My major grocery store carries them, as do all of the local natural grocers and Amazon.com. Find yourself some yummy certified gluten-free oats today and find yourself happy tomorrow morning!

Fresh Squeezed Margaritas

There's nothing like starting summer off right with a batch of fresh squeezed Margaritas. Five easy ingredients = a super simple summer cocktail.

Here's my take on the basic Marg with the fresh ingredients we had on hand in Mexico. 

Fresh Squeezed Margaritas

Ingredients:

3/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice (approximately 18 key limes)

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (approximately 1 medium juice orange)

1/2 cup simple syrup (mix 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in saucepan, heat over medium-low to dissolve the sugar, don't boil, set aside to cool)

2 cups tequila

1/4 cup rum

1 cup water

The Preparation Method:

Get simple syrup started on the stovetop. Squeeze the limes. Squeeze the orange juice. 

Grab a glass pitcher. Combine 3/4 cup lime juice, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/2 cup simple syrup, 2 cups tequila, 1/4 cup rum, and 1 cup water. Stir vigorously. Pour over ice into salt rimed glasses. You're all set to ring in the summer. Cheers!

For The Visual Learners Among Us:

Get a load of fresh key limes. Or regular limes. Either will do.

Slice.

Place in garlic press.

Squeeze.

One fresh orange. Slice. Squeeze.

Simple syrup. Equal parts water and sugar over the stove. Heat to dissolve the sugar. No need to boil.

Yummy tequila. Don't settle for the cheap stuff here. Use your favorite brand. You'll be glad you did.

All ingredients ready to go. Tequila. Lime juice. Orange juice. Rum. Simple syrup.

I'll say it again. Use your favorite tequila here. Don't settle. My favorite is 30-30 Blanco.

But we had an incredible tequila we bought in Mexico here called Cabo Wabo - Reposado. Yes, it's Sammy Hagar's tequila. Yes, it's pretty dang goooooood.

Mix it all together in a glass pitcher. Pour it on ice into a salt rimmed glass.

Ta-Da! You did it. Fresh squeezed Margaritas. Super easy. Super yummy. Feel the beach my friends. Feel the beach.

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Jack Johnson - Better Together

Note To Self: When Traveling To Mexico With Kids

Dear Judith, 

Please take careful notes next time your friends tell you all the ways you can be well-prepared for your trip to Mexico. 

Remember to pack your sunscreen in the checked luggage so it doesn't get confiscated in the security line at the airport. Sunscreen is a key player for a good time in Mexico. By the way, the sunscreen in Mexico is super expensive even for the—cheap, hard to rub-in, barely does a good job—stuff. You can't afford for your light skinned babies to get the burn, mama.

Don't forget to get grapefruit seed extract to help prevent a rumbly tummy. For it's possible you might miss precious moments like these due to ill feelings.

If you think your friends are joking when they insist you pack Pepto Bismol—they're not. And if you think you are immune to traveler's tummy because you so desperately believe it won't happen to you—you're not. Thank heavens there was some of that funny pink stuff in the pantry when you got there. Otherwise you would have missed out on your baby girl's birthday celebration.


And when you do forget the grapefruit seed extract, Pepto Bismol and try desperately to avoid getting even a drop of water in your mouth but the entire family still manages to fall victim to Montezuma's Revenge, don't forget to pack the diaper rash cream for the baby. You're gonna need it, mama.

Always remember, the number one rule to enjoying the sun and the surf: stay hydrated. Dehydration will put a real cramp in your style. Keep those babies drinking water all day and don't get so busy with everyone else that you forget to drink some for yourself.

And a final few tips for next time... 

Keep yourself focused when packing—no Modern Family, phone calls, or desk work in the middle of the task.

Don't start packing at 10pm the night before you leave for the airport at 5:30am. 

Forget about drinking margaritas until you get there. Channeling good times while packing doesn't always work out so well for you.

Your Friend,

Judith