Sandy Snack-O-Wich (A sandwich of Russian descent)

What do you do when your 6 year old is missing his grandparents something terrible? Why, you make sandwiches of course!

So the 6 year old was missing the grandparents today and the usual video call chat just didn't seem to be enough. We brainstormed a bit and decided a joint activity which could be done virtually might just do the trick. How about cooking suggested the 6yo, who is quite the young chef in the making. Some more brainstorming on no-fire cooking ideas and the concept of Sandy Snack-O-Wich was born!

The dining table was transformed into a tech-savvy zone with the laptop positioned at a strategic angle, and ingredients were assembled for these super healthy cheese, chutney, packed-with-veggies sandwiches. While my mom and the 11yo chatted, my dad and the 6yo made these sandwiches together.

The powers of imagination and creativity were unleashed and they came up with this cool concept of sandwiches that aren't just healthy and good to eat, but also look like the creators! Grandpa and grandson made the exact same sandwiches- one that looks like the 6yo and one that looks like Grandpa😃😃😃

Can you guess which one is Grandpa and which one is the young 'un?

Sandy Snack-O-Wich was such a huge success that a paean had to be written in its honour:

When I'm feeling a little hungry

And my tummy needs a TREAT

My grandpa has a SUPER SNACK

That's really kinda neat!

It's loaded up with veggies

A colorful, crunchy DELIGHT

With bread and cheese to go with it

You'll long to take a BITE!

When Grandpa and I cook together

This SNACK you're sure to see

But do you know my FAVORITE bit?

It looks like HIM and ME!!!

Book Review! Anne Of Greene Gables

 One magical summer years ago, I discovered Anne of Greene Gables. My granddad gifted this classic children's book to me during the school holidays and it was love at first page! It was a summer full of lazy afternoons filled with reading in the leafy verandah of my grandparents beautiful old bungalow.

A dear friend recently gifted this book to my daughter and I was actually a little worried that she may not like this book that I once loved so much. Luckily, she loved it too and we've spent some wonderful moments talking about Anne, me rediscovering it all over again through my daughter.

Set in late 19th century Canada, Anne of Greene Gables recounts the adventures of red haired, irrepressible 11 year old Anne as she gets in and out of numerous scrapes, her innate optimism intact. Somehow the fact that Anne is red haired seemed important to mention; I remember this fascinating me as a child and it's the same with my daughter 😄

This is a wonderful book for kids aged 10 and above, and it has seven sequels (woohoo!) so if your children take to it, it's many hours filled with the joy of a good book. Anne of Green Gables is available on @amazondotin if you'd like to check it out.

Immunity Boosting Foods For Kids

Immunity on your mind? What with the ongoing pandemic and the monsoon in Mumbai, children's immunity tops the list of concerns of most parents these days. The damp weather makes kids even more susceptible to infections and the new normal will need us all to have strengthened immunity.

One of the easiest ways to boost children's immunity is by incorporating nutrient dense foods in their regular diet. Here are the top 5 immunity boosting foods most nutritionists recommend:

1. Turmeric: Our good 'ol haldi is a powerful antioxidant, known to boost immunity. Apart from your veggies and daals, add a pinch of turmeric to warm milk for a healthy bedtime drink for your kids.

2. Go nuts! Dry fruits like almonds, dates, raisins, cashews and walnuts make a great snack for kids in-between meals and are packed with vitamins and antioxidants.

3. Yoghurt: The probiotics in yoghurt stimulate the immune system so include a serving or two at meal times or serve it up with some fruit as a snack. Just make sure you avoid the high sugar flavored yoghurts though as those aren't great for the immune system due to the excess sugar.

4. Ginger: Ginger works well against sore throats and coughs thanks to a compound present in it called gingerol. Use it liberally in your soups and stir fries and of course for mommies, your  cuppa ginger chai!

5. Vitamin C rich fruits and vegetables: The list would be incomplete without these. The seasonal fruits and veggies that are available this season have phytonutrients that are great for fighting infections. Make sure you're getting your 5 daily servings of fruits and veggies!

What foods do you make it a point to include in your children's diet during this season? 

Lockdown Life Skills For Kids

 The extended lockdown in India has been tough for us with having to juggle office routines, online school for kids and the unending house work since we don't have any help. 

It's also been a great opportunity to teach our kids some much needed life skills though! They started helping out with a lot of little stuff around the house and slowly felt confident enough to take on more and it's been a huge help! 

Here are some basic life skills your kids can help you with too: 

1. Making their own beds when they wake up and at bedtime

2. Putting away their clothes, books, toys aknd keeping their room tidy 

3. My 11 year old has learned the full laundry cycle and is feeling very responsible and empowered since :) Sorting, loading, drying she knows it all! She also really enjoys folding the clothes, it helps her unwind she says.

4. Laying the table, clearing up the table after a meal and rinsing their own plates and spoons before putting them in the kitchen sink.

5. My 6 yo loves hanging out in the kitchen with me and helps put away the washed dishes as we chat. I wipe them dry and he puts them back in their designated places.

6. Basic meal prep- both the kids can now fix their own milk, cereal, toast and can even cut vegetables (with supervision). My 11yo loves making rotis (I don't! So am hoping she can take this over soon😉) and my 6yo loves  helping knead the dough (it's a good punching bag) and puree tomatoes with the hand blender.

7. Watering the plants- and talking to them😄

The best part is these chores are  building basic life skills that I know will help them in the years to come. What are some life skills you think you'd like your kids to learn?