Decorative Ponytail
Holders
By
Priscilla Kissinger
Summer may
be nearing its end, but ponytail season is still here. Or,
at least in the humid, hot Midwest. In a house full of
girls with long hair, we sport our share of ponytails, but we’re
also into fashion and style.
By the
way, if you’re a devoted Noodler fan, you may notice the
similarity between this craft and the one in our June issue.
Naturally, my girls and I have matching chanclas (sandals) and
ponytail holders. We’ve gotta look stylin’ when we hit the
ballpark to cheer on our Cubbies.
If you
missed our June issue, check the archives or send me a note.
I’ll be happy to pass along an easy craft. For now, have
fun at trying your hand at a simple, quick way to show your
personality.
Supplies:
¼ yard of
two different designs/colors of material
Thick hair
band (ponytail holder)
Material
scissors/pinking shears
Method:
Cut
material into strips measuring ½ inch in width by 8 inches in
length. Alternating colors, tie strips in knots
around the hair band to cover entire band.
Pull hair
into ponytail with plain band/holder. Wrap ponytail with
decorated band, wrapping twice to secure band.
Fluff
material. Head out the door to have some fun in the sun!
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School Lunches
by the
Wet Noodle Posse
Quick ideas
Submitted by
Dani Collins
Most important -- involve the
kids. They'll eat it if they help decide what goes in it.
Stuff they like:
Cheese melted between wraps
(quesadillas)
Cold pizza (We make it and
wrap it in lunch-size slices, then freeze it.)
Good ol' Thermos of Campbell's
Bagel and cream cheese
Classics
Submitted by
Diane Perkins
Peanut butter and jelly (or
All Fruit) on whole grain bread is a healthy lunch. Add a piece
of fruit or yogurt and some milk, and you have it made in a
flash. Peanut butter and jelly is still a favorite of mine as it
was when I was in school.
Easy Salads
My kids like sub sandwiches or
salads. We’re all big salad eaters. I’ll buy the
bagged salads with extra carrots, slice some cucumbers, add
green and black olives, broccoli spears, red/orange bell peppers
(for one daughter), and almond slivers. Add some chicken
breast (Oscar Mayer has those ready-to-eat, spiced chicken
breast slices — grilled, Mexican, Italian, etc.) and a little
salad dressing (on the side). Pack a bottle of water, and
my girls are good to go.
The Perfect Combo
Turkey sandwiches with
mozzarella cheese and tomatoes on whole-wheat bread; fresh fruit
like strawberries, kiwi, or grapes, string cheese; Go-gurt; Rice
Krispie treats; and a note that says, “I love you. Have a great
day!”
The Almost Muffletta
Crusty French rolls
Honey ham, sliced thin
Genoa salami, sliced thin
Sliced provolone cheese
Jar of green olive tapenade
Slice roll in half. On bottom
half, spread tapenade. Layer with ham, salami, provolone cheese,
and top half of roll. Slide into a sandwich bag.
Vegan Thai Curry Fried Rice
and Vegan Stir Fry
My vegan
daughter (no meat/fish/fowl, no dairy, no eggs) loves to take
both of these dishes to school for her lunch. After
preparing a batch, I divide it into reusable, microwaveable
containers and refrigerate. She grabs one on her way out
the door and nukes it at lunch, making her the envy of her
friends when they smell it!
There are
better recipes out there, but since my interest in cooking is
mild at best, I keep it as basic as possible. I also like
to use garlic and onion where I can since they’re great immune
boosters and curry for its powerful anti-cancer properties
(specifically, it’s the turmeric in the curry).
Vegan Thai Curry Fried Rice
3-4 cups cooked rice (Cook in
advance, and allow to cool for best results.)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, chopped finely
1 small, regular onion,
chopped
½ bell pepper (pick your
color), chopped
1 spring onion, chopped
Handful of bean sprouts (well
washed)
½ teaspoon freshly ground
pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder (or
more, to taste)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or
more, to taste)
Heat oil in wok (or large,
heavy skillet). Sauté garlic, onion and bell pepper for
1-2 minutes. Add spring onion and bean sprouts, and sauté
for another minute. Add rice, soy sauce and
seasonings, and stir fry (tossing continually) over medium heat
for 2-3 minutes.
You can change the vegetables
as much as you like. Skip the bell pepper and sprouts, and
use blanched peas and water chestnuts. Or broccoli florets
and minced carrots. Even raisins. Variety is good!
Handy Shortcut:
You can sauté the vegetables as above, then stir fry the rice with a
pre-packaged seasoning mix (Sun-Bird’s Thai Fried Rice Seasoning
Mix is my favorite because it’s vegan-friendly). TIP: The
pre-packaged seasoning mixes are usually more flavorful/intense
than this recipe.
For a vegetarian version,
push rice to one side of wok and scramble a few eggs, then mix
into the rice.
For the rest of us
omnivores, you can stir in cooked pork, chicken or shrimp
toward the end.
Vegan Stir Fry
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, coarsely
chopped
½ cup carrots, cut into
matchsticks
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cut into
matchsticks
1 red bell pepper, cut into
matchsticks
1 cup snowpeas
½ cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1
teaspoon curry powder OR pre-packaged seasoning mix
Heat oil in wok (or large,
heavy skillet). Most recipes say to use medium-high heat,
but I’ve found that with my heavy skillet, medium heat is plenty
high enough. Add onion, carrots and celery, and stir fry
2-3 minutes. Add bell peppers, snowpeas and mushrooms, and
stir fry for another few minutes (or until desired tenderness),
adding small amounts of water as required. Stir in soy
sauce and curry powder. Remove from heat, and let stand
covered for a few minutes. Serve atop rice, preferably
brown.
For extra nutrition, cube some
firm tofu and throw it in while stir frying. Needless to
say, you can substitute whatever vegetables you have at hand
(broccoli florets, cauliflower florets, sliced zucchini, even
cabbage).
Handy shortcut: Buy pre-packaged stir-fry vegetables, and use a pre-packaged
seasoning mix. I like Sun-Bird’s Thai Fried Rice Seasoning
Mix because ingredients are vegan-friendly. Many stir-fry
mixes have beef or other meat ingredients.
For meat-eaters, you
can brown chicken, beef or pork before proceeding to stir frying
the vegetables.
For metric conversions of the measurements above, consult any of
the following sites:
http://southernfood.about.com/library/info/blconv.htm
http://www.thatsmyhome.com/recipes/conversion.htm
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/conversions.htm
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