Summer

Summer is in full swing here, and it is quite different for us this year. My kids are both suddenly too old for most summer camps (I can’t really send my 15 year old to Ladybug Girl camp like I did when she was 3). So here they are, home, and needing just enough parental attention and guidance, and not too much attention and guidance. I need to make sure they at least get outside, that they connect with friends (online, but better yet, in person, OUTSIDE), that they get enough sleep, that they read actual books and aren’t on screens for 16 hours a day. But otherwise, I’m not really needed- not much at least. Teenagers pick up on overbearing parenting similar to police dogs sniffing out drugs from the luggage carousel at O’Hare. Giving them space without constant parental oversight also deserves a spot on their summer list of needs.

Another way to connect with teens over the summer, when you’re close but not too close? Food.

I have found that it helps for me to be a couple steps ahead when it comes to snacks, especially if you provide the snack before they ask, and it’s something novel. Special iced beverages are winners (step aside, Starbucks). Homemade baked goods are consumed but not completely descended upon the way that Oreos are (so it is not only a cheaper option, but lasts longer too). When we go to Costco or anywhere else, we are focused on frozen fruit, or fresh that we can bring home and freeze ourselves. Watermelon, mango, pineapple, berries…whatever we have in the freezer, I can find a recipe and whip something up, and my kids feel that they’ve had something special made just for them. Plus- hanging out in the kitchen allows me to be more attuned to the kids as they come and go.

Smoothies we’ve had this past week from the plantyou cookbook by Carleigh Bodrug-

p.57 the big glow (with orange, pineapple, and spinach)
p. 65 watermelon high slushy (watermelon and lime)
p. 63 banana mama (banana and coconut)

My husband made us bruschetta to kick off summer, which our kids loved (I would not have expected this).

Someone already grabbed a piece from the top there before I took this picture.

We are also cooking our way through the World Cup- we’ve made tacos (Mexico), a banana pineapple cake (South Africa, recipe: VEGAN: The Cookbook by Jean-Christian Jury), ginger biscuits (England), japchae (South Korea, recipe: the Bad Manners Fast as F*ck cookbook), carrot dogs/vegan hot dogs (USA, recipe: the Bad Manners Party Grub cookbook). That’s been enjoyable as well!

Carrot dogs from a meal we had a few years ago. My kids do not go for them so we buy processed vegan hotdogs for them and have the carrots dogs for ourselves (I LOVE them).

my banana pineapple cake (I make sloppy cakes and am okay with this).