Pear/quinoa shake

Misha and Nika ready to help with kitchen duty

I love getting help preparing meals but the kind of "help" that Misha and Nika provide is not exactly what I had in mind. As you can see in the picture above, they have me boxed in, which makes it difficult to reach the important areas in the kitchen, like the stove, sink and counter.

I think sometimes they feel guilty for being in my way. That's when they break into what I call their "kitchen serenade." It always soothes my frazzled nerves. Check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SScoaEsKDVI&feature=youtu.be

After they're done singing, I almost want to take a nap. Oh, never mind, that's Misha who wants to take a nap and hopefully, Nika too.

Misha in his napping pose

I feel like the parent of two toddlers who has to wait until the kids go down for a nap to get any real work accomplished. You know, like the actual cooking of a meal.

Pear quinoa shake

I love shakes but is it really possible to eat one and still avoid food allergens? I think I have come up with a recipe that fills the bill in the form of a Pear Quinoa Shake for breakfast. It has the texture of soft-serve ice cream.

Ingredients:

1. 1 mediium pear, cored, chopped and frozen ahead of time
2. 3/4 cup hemp milk or other non-dairy milk
3. 2 T. quinoa flakes
4. 6+ ice cubes
5. 1 T. unsweetened sunbutter or other seed or nut butter of choice
6. 1 T. rice protein powder
7. 1 T. chia seed
8. stevia to taste

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth, thick and creamy.
2. Toss in more ice if needed to get a thick texture.
3. Top with a dollop of sunbutter if desired.

Misha naps rather than eating his breakfast

I can't leave my pear quinoa shake alone once I start eating unlike Misha who can take or leave his food. The photo above shows his typical pose during breakfast. He's not a morning dog!

Contributed to: http://www.dietdessertndogs.com/2012/03/01/wellness-weekend-march-1-5-2012/