May 31, 2014 · By Carla Bartolucci

Einkorn flour, blossoms kids’ love of healthy cooking and eating

Congratulations to this week's finalist, Sheryl Fishman! Sheryl is one step closer to joining us in Tuscany and enjoying the Culinary Getaway of a lifetime. When I grew up, being a picky eater was just a part of childhood. It was completely fine to eat one thing for weeks on end, even if that one thing was grilled cheese sandwiches. Those sandwiches came on good ‘ole American sliced white bread from a bag, macaroni and cheese was an exciting treat that came in a box, and vegetables were something that sat on the side of my plate. Don’t get me wrong, my mom cooked, and she did a good job of trying to provide a balanced meal, but food and nutrition meant something different than it does today. To put it mildly, today we just know better. We are also faced with many hurdles my mom never had to jump over, and it seems like every day we are faced with a new one. Now, as the mother of a two year old, I worry about GMOs, the effects of artificial colors, gluten, and my dear friend who I love so much, refined sugar. The reality is that I can’t shelter my daughter from all of the “bad” food. I realized this the first time she went to a birthday party. And let’s face it, processed food with undesirable ingredients is as much a part of Americana as the Hollywood sign. Who doesn’t want to enjoy an Oreo every now and again (or a sleeve)? So what do I do? Well, I do the best I can, knowing that is really all I can do. For my family, that means we keep it clean in our home. I don’t use refined sugars, I buy organic produce and anything that could possibly be GMO, and nothing comes from a box. Einkorn flour is a huge part of our world. It has given me the freedom to make my daughter fun snacks and meals like homemade goldfish crackers, graham crackers, cookies, and her favorite, pizza, without fearing the negative consequences of modern wheat. Eating clean doesn’t mean you have to deny your child of those nostalgic childhood favorites. I’ve often been asked if my daughter cries for the “real thing.” Honestly? She doesn’t! Aside from the fact that what is made in my kitchen tastes delicious, and in my opinion better, a huge part of getting her excited about food is letting her get involved. This goes for dinner, as well. If it’s on my dinner table then my daughter helped cook it. I remember making macaroni and cheese as a child and fighting with my sister about who got to pour the cheese sauce in and who got to stir. It was thrilling to know I made my own food. I see the same look in my daughter’s eyes, except now the food is fresh. Getting her involved has also expanded her palate. If she made it then she wants to try it! Our kitchen is an exciting place to be, and food is something we enjoy sharing, both when preparing it and when eating together. JJ’s favorite cheese crackers Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups Einkorn flour
• 1 8 oz. block of organic raw mild cheddar cheese, grated
• ½ cup salted organic butter from grass-fed cows (*If you use unsalted butter then add 1/2 tsp. salt)
• ½ – 1 tbsp. dried dill, basil or oregano (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375° degrees F.
2. Place all ingredients in a food processor, other than the butter 3. Slowly add the butter into the food processor. It should look like wet sand, but it won’t look like dough.
3. Pour the contents onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use your hands to press the dough together. It should resemble pie crust dough.
4. Place another piece of parchment paper on top and roll out the dough to 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Thicker dough works better with smaller cookie cutters.
5. Cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. JJ loves triangles and mini fish best!
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until the bottoms just slightly start to brown.