Teaching children to cook, healthy.

If you think about it, children are natural cooks. They're always mixing and experimenting. We often see this as a disgusting habit but we can train them to use their curiosity in a good way.

I'm going to share with you five [5] easy tips that you can use right away. And I'm sure one of these will work for you. 

So what makes me an authority on this subject? Well I'm a foodie that became a registered nutritional consultant practitioner, blah blah blah... Okay, I have seven [7] children who like to eat. That's a lot of Na Keiki [children] to cook for, which is why I needed to teach them.

“If you give a child a meal, you feed her for a day.
If you show a child how to cook, you feed her for awhile.
If you teach a child to plant & harvest, you feed her community.”

— Ho'omalamalama

Above is a snapshot of me and my seven babies on Mother's Day. The meal you'll see below was prepared by my oldest, Wharehuia. [Maori for house of the song bird.] I have two daughter's and five sons. Life is full. I actually published Walk In Beauty because of my children.

5 Easy Tips

Step away from fast-food.

Connection happens in the kitchen and fast-food robs you of that time. You don't have to do it often but you'll want to do it regularly. Start with one day, like Friday night. Make it together and have fun.

Magic happens in the kitchen, allow your children to take part in cooking. Especially when it's their favorite dish and they get to taste the food as it's being prepared.

Make a playlist or subscribe.

I made a YouTube playlist of some fun recipes and purchased Jamie Oliver's travel & food series. I also asked them about their favorite foods and we explored a bunch of YouTubers who are also food bloggers.

The number one boost is the Master Chef Jr. competition on tv. We all enjoy that series and learn as we watch. Those children are amazing and inspire us all.

It started with Usborne.

My friend was an Usborne book consultant and I enjoyed hosting book parties. This particular brand has a wonderful kid's cookbook selection. Their books have brilliant step by step pictures that's perfect for all learning levels.

Eventually I started adding to our cookbook collection. Let's just say that it's an investment that's paying off. Purchase books that have wonderful pictures & examples.

Make the connection

The saddest thing I see is a disconnection from the growers, their food and our mouths. This all boils down to r-e-s-p-e-c-t, or should I say lack of respect. If you ask a child where their food comes from they'll usually answer, "the store, duh!" [eyes rolling]

Taking them to farmers market opens their minds and heart. You're exposing them to the value of seed-time-&-harvest. This will help them connect the money you earn & the food the farmer raised. Now that's RESPECT.

Self Empowerment to the 3rd.

Mind, body & soul... growing something that they will enjoy embodies all of these wonderful elements. It's both holistic & fulfilling to harvest then eat.

Start simple. My Na Keiki grow green onions for their noodle bowls. It's so easy to start and requires little care. Save the green onion bulbs & let it rest in some water. Roots will sprout, plant then enjoy. 

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Fit Foodie

2 Pot Recipe

1. Soak the chickpeas the night before.
2. Boil the chickpeas, allowing a little of the soup base to remain.
3. Chop sweet potatoes, celery & cilantro. [onions optional]
4. [Separately] Stir fry the protein.
5.  Add the chopped ingredients to the stir fry.
6. Once cooked combine the stir fry to the chickpeas.
7. Mix and season to taste. [she added a curry paste to her dish]

If you're not a part of my inner circle I hope you will join me today. Click on the link below to see what it's all about. I look forward to swimming with you in the Mermaid lagoon soon.

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BEAUTY

In 2017 I fulfilled a promise to a mentor, who passed away suddenly in freakish plane crash, and a friend, who died after overcoming a disease to only contract something else. Yet all the while I thought about my children and the next generation. What do I want them to know about BEAUTY? How can I teach them to Walk In Beauty.

My mentor charged me with a simple goal back in 1999, "Write a book." Then my friend inspired me by asking, "How do I know if HE's the right one?" [She was dating at the time.] I created the outline back in 2001 but my heart couldn't see it through. Until now.

I'm finally content with this creation, as I was able to combine a mini E-Class with the E-Book. It's part observation and memoir. To learn more click on the images below and see what I created for you.

What if you don't feel like it!

I BELIEVE in your potential which is why I'm sharing these five tips you can do to stay MOTIVATED. I call it building your "Nest Of Positivity." It will support you during the volatile changes of a weary world, while offering you a place of refuge.

QUESTION: Have you ever hit snooze on the alarm [10x's] because you really don't feel like it.

No fitness, no meal prep, no nothing! Just lay in bed and cozy up with your PJ's.

What if you don't want to go into work? Well, then you don't get paid or worse... you get fired. So what does one do? If there's money or job related responsibility involved we often push past our feelings and drudge on!

But what if you don't get paid to workout or eat healthy? Now what?! That's when you need serious MOTIVATION, and it should happen daily. [Why] Because you're building a nest of positivity.

“Your “Nest Of Positivity” is a refuge from the volatile changes of a weary world. Whose purpose is to drain you of your vibrancy. ”

— Ho'omalamalama

HOW TO BUILD A NEST OF POSITIVITY

Imagine every branch, stick or twig as a positive thought or inspiration. You are building something for the future, and that's how motivation works. It's a curated collection of good-thoughts. And when the winds of persecution, hate, drama, negative thoughts and the like come to destroy you, you have nothing to fear. All they're blowing against is a nest fortified with twigs of thoughtfulness and branches of beauty.   

[Speaking of beauty I know just the place to start click here.]

There are two things you can do right now to start building that nest; Evaluate & Eliminate.

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HABIT TRACKER

Start a good habit or track one you want to change.

You can grab a free Habit-Tracker printable and get started right away. Don't forget to watch the tutorial.

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FIT-FOODIE

I often treat my quinoa like rice. Growing up in Hawaii we were heavily influenced by Asian cultures. So it's not uncommon to have a rice bowl. Now I substitute rice for quinoa & I usually have kimchi with it.

It doesn't have to be organic.

The title sounds controversial but let me explain, I've got a great case to build in favor of local farmers.

Who created the organic title? 

The term, "Organic Farming," was coined by Lord Northbourne in 1940, more here, and traced back even earlier, when according to Wiki they had to distinguish what was grown with... 

This form of ammonia had already been used to manufacture explosives, so after the war, it was implemented into the fertilization of agriculture.   

Certified organic foods are not necessarily pesticide-free, as certain pesticides are allowed. [According to a wikipedia article.]

I felt compelled to write this blogpost because I've been a participant and customer of my local farmers market for over 12-years, ever since I gave birth to my third child. It's funny how children will inspire you to review what you consume and how one lives. Anyway, back to the farmers market. Many of the local farmers practice organic farming. Their whole agenda is to provide safe and sustainable produce. But when I asked, "Why don't you use the ORGANIC label?" Their answer, "We can't afford it!"

“We owe it to ourselves to create a lifestyle that will support us through life’s up’s & down’s.”

— Ho'omalamalama

I couldn't wrap my mind around this and my brain was going through a mind-shift. So I did my own research and sure enough it's not even worth it for the small farms. What they have to do and subject their farms to doesn't add up, not to mention how it will drive the price up. And the average consumer would simply buy elsewhere. To be fair there are programs for small farms to register but is it worth it?

Here's where it get's tricky...

1. PROCESS

Each country regulates the term organic and for any farm, in USA, to carry the label it MUST apply, pay fees & undergo intense inspection.

2. COMPETITION

Let's be honest, small farms can't afford the expense of the organic label. Some have regular jobs while selling at the farmers market on weekends. 

3. SEASONAL

They practice responsible farming and can't produce on-demand. Their collection of seeds are often the most valuable possession. Seed-Time-Harvest.

Why do local farmers even bother?

I'll tell you why... they're driven by a deep responsibility to humanity. The true dreamers hoping that each seed will change a life for the better. Revolutionaries without celebrity endorsements or gratitude from the community they're trying to support.

I'ver heard people pass by beautiful produce and turn their noses up because of a blemish or color. Don't they realize that the perfect red and flawless apple was the creation of the evil witch on Snow White. 

What can we do?

During off season I shop at a store that sells local produce, when possible, then during spring to fall I'm at the farmers market or local co-op farm. Have you tried a co-op farm yet? I also like the farms that you pay a monthly fee for a box of fresh goodies. 

Today you can buy fresh from an app but I suggest that you support your community first. Here's my tips,

• Get to know your farmer.
• Connect with their story.
• Share where you shop.
• Tell everyone.
• Take pics and post.

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox and stop preaching but I really am concerned. Every time we exchange a local farmer for concrete and asphalt we expose ourself to a dangerous level of disconnect. If we can designate 5% to shop and buy local, imagine what we're doing for our backyard economy. You're supporting a family who enjoys growing and producing pesticide free product and I appreciate that, since I don't always have a green-thumb when it comes to growing veggies. [But I'm working on it.]  

If you're not a Mermaid and what to keep in-touch with my type of creative crazy then sign up for the newsletter and become a MERMAID, link below.  

The secret sauce of success

I'm going to keep it plain and simple. In fact I'll share the entire point of this blogpost in the next sentence. The secret sauce to success is to feed/nourish your mind, body & soul through habits & rituals.

The end.

Okay, I'm not really through because I have some pictures and a few videos to share, in fact producing these two minute videos below took all of two hours each. [WHY] Because I was in the middle of my habit when I realized, "Geez I should take a picture of this!" 

I'm not going to explain why you need healthy habits or the purpose of a ritual, since I've written about it before. You can click on the highlighted words above.

“Habits become a part of your subconscious living. Rituals become a part of your soulful living.”

— Ho'omalamalama

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FEED YOUR MIND

I know this might sound cheesy but you have to nourish your mind with positivity, inspiration, daily motivation. The same way our bodies need hydration your mind requires a healthy heaping of good thoughts. No one, not even Oprah, can exist without connecting, hearing or repeating something positive. What feeds your mind? [comment below]

FEED YOUR SOUL

I do this thing called, "mad art" where I shut out the world and create like MADNESS. I don't stop to take pictures of my creation process and rarely share what I make. [WHY] Because I set apart this time to nourish my soul. Art, for me, is a private moment to feed my soul through colors, textures and art supplies. Come to think of it art and nature share the spotlight in this arena. What feeds your soul? [comment below]

FEED YOUR BODY

We misinterpret this so much but never on purpose. There are industries who thrive upon our misinformed ideas concerning food. "Eat salt, don't eat salt" the list is endless and it will always contradicts itself.  I started a FIT-FOODIE Program to help my fitness members reconnect to FOOD and not fads. It is important to create habits around this area of your life because it will sustain the other two areas. Your mind and soul will excel in rituals of self-respect and self-expression but it is your body that requires a dedicated habit of self-care. What feeds your body? [comment below]

5 TIPS TO FEEDING YOUR WHOLE BEING

1. Get your habits in check. Find out what is serving you and what isn't. Watch the tutorial and download my habit tracker here.

2. Create rituals around the SOUL nourishing moments in your life. Do you start your day in prayer or end with a gratitude journal?

3. Schedule your inspiration! Nourish your MIND on a weekly, even daily basis. Because the mind is a terrible thing to loose.

4. Slowly adapt habits that will improve your BODY. Take time to introduce these habits so that your lifestyle will become accustom to it.

5. Influence someone else through your consistent self-nourishment. Your example will speak volumes to someone else so just keep swimming. [Dori's the ultimate positivity guru.]

The contentment happens when you're doing 1-5 on a regular basis, all of your needs are taken cared of. Therefore you have more energy, time and health to serve others and make a significant change in this world. Ready to feel content? If you want more help and connection checkout my eBook and follow through with the art journal prompts. 

PEACE Be the Journey, 

Comment below for connection and please share this blogpost and invite others to WALK IN BEAUTY.