Passover Interview with Alva Sachs and a Bonus Passover Recipe

I wanted to learn a little more about Passover so reached out to Alva Sachs, author of "Dancing Dreidels," to find out about her favorite Passover traditions and memories.

So many memories over all the years of celebrating Passover with my family and friends. I learned everything I know from my mother, whose recipes I still use to this day. For me, memories are vibrant from cooking special foods with my mother, eating matzah with jelly, and making fried matzah for breakfast. I learned to make my mother's chicken soup with noodles and matzo balls, which everyone loves. I make a special Passover sponge cake, and mandel bread, kind of like a biscotti. We also make matzah pizza with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese and bake it in the oven. Yes, it is all about the food, sharing the history, and gathering with family and friends. Most families all have their traditions but they are all similar in nature. If you walk into someone else's house at Passover regardless of how they celebrate, you feel at home immediately. - Alva Sachs

 Alva explained a little more about the tradition of hiding the Afikoman:

There are traditionally three pieces of matzah at the middle of the Seder table; the middle one is called the afikomen and it's usually the part of Passover that kids most look forward to. Relatively early in the Seder, the afikomen is broken in two pieces; the bigger piece is wrapped in a napkin and hidden somewhere in the house. Some Jews see this as symbolic of the ultimate redemption from suffering, which comes at the end of the Seder; some see it as a reference to the Passover sacrifice that used to be offered at the ancient temple in Jerusalem; and some see it as a reminder that the poor must always set something aside for the next meal, or a reminder that there's always more to discover in life than what we know. For any kids at the table, though, it's a game: after the meal, they're sent running to hunt for the hidden afikomen. It's sort of like hide-and-seek, but with religious significance. The kids bring it back to the table and everyone shares a bite - sometimes after giving the child who found it a small reward, like a piece of candy or money.

Finally, Alva was kind enough to share her recipe for Matzah Candy with me!  

Matzo Candy

Ingredients:

- 1/2 lb matzo

- 1 cup brown sugar

- 1 cup butter

- 12oz bag chocolate chips

- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)

- 1 cup toffee candy pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 

2. Line a 15x10 inch jelly roll pan (or a large cookie sheet) with aluminum foil. Fill matzos in a single layer, covering the entire pan (some may be left over).

3. In a small pan over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar. Boil until mixture coats a spoon, about 3-5 minutes. Pour mixture over matzo layer. Bake 4 minutes.

4. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Bake 12 minutes more. Remove from oven and gently spread melted chocolate to cover as completely as possible. Sprinkle with chopped nuts or candy as desired.

5. Cool completely in refrigerator. Break into pieces and store in the refrigerator. 

If you're looking for a good Passover book for kids, check out "Meet the Matzah" by Alan Silberberg.

'Meet the Matzah: A Passover Story' Book Review

We met Alan Silberberg and his family of latkes back in December and he's back again with a brand new story for Passover. This story is about Alfie Koman, a Matzah who likes to hide. When it's Alfie's turn to tell his class about his holiday, Loaf takes over the story! You'll have to read the book for yourself to find out if Alfie's story gets ruined or if he stands up to Loaf like Moses did to the pharaoh so long ago!

A Colorful Collection of Holi Activities

I hadn't heard about Holi until a couple of years ago, but once I knew a little about the Festival of Colors, I wanted to know more! This year, I had the pleasure of speaking with author Sandhya Acharya and learned a lot more about the colorful holiday.

Holi is a popular spring festival celebrated in India during the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna. There are many stories that accompany the origin of this ancient festival. One popular version is that of Prahlad, a devout young boy. Prahlad survives various attempts of his evil Uncle Hiranyakashipu to silence him, including an attempt by Holikia, Hiranyakashipu's sister, to burn him. Ultimately, Hiranyakashipu is destroyed. A bonfire is lit the night before Holi to celebrate this victory of good over evil. In another version, Holi is the commemoration of the divine love of Radha to the God Krishna. Another legend is that Kama disturbs the God Shiva in his penance at the behest of Parvati, Shiva's consort. When Shiva destroys him, Parvati and Rati, Kama's consort, pray for Kama to be forgiven. Holi is the celebration of Lord Kama being restored to life. Regardless of the version, ultimately the festival symbolizes the triumph of good over evil. People celebrate it by donning white clothes and then throwing or splashing colors on each other (friends, family, and sometimes strangers too!) accompanied by music, dance, food, and laughter. They draw colorful rangolis and cook delicious foods and sweets that they exchange with family, friends, and neighbors. Entire neighborhoods are drenched in bright colors and happiness during this festival. It is rightly called the Festival of Colors.

To help everyone learn about and celebrate this festival, I have compiled a list of resources including stories, colorful activities, dance, and food.

Books (video read aloud links)

Culture Groove Kids - Story of Holi

Festival of Colors - Kabir Seghal

Holi - Uma Krishnaswami

Colorful Activities

Sand rangoli

Natural rangoli

Eco-friendly colored powders (made from dried flowers, leaves, spices...)

Homemade colored powders (using flour and food coloring)

Splatter painting 

Marble painting (for a less messy option!)

Homemade face paint

We made the face paint today, but we used conditioner instead of lotion because that's what was readily available. The paints came out a little gloopy, didn't spread very smoothly, and flaked off pretty easily after they dried, but Lil C and Squidgy were really excited to be able to paint my face!

Dance:

Dance with Miss Priya - Miss Priya has a couple dance videos just for Holi along with a bunch more Indian dance tutorials

Food:

I highly recommend getting some takeout from a local Indian restaurant - it's the best way to try Indian food if you've never had any before and the best way to eat it without having to spend all day in the kitchen! But here are a few things you can make at home.

Gulab Jamun (check my post about the book, "10 Gulab Jamuns"!)

Semi-Homemade Ricotta Rasmalai

Mango Lassi (I doubled the recipe and used 2 cups frozen mango)

I hope this post helped you all understand a little bit more about the festival of Holi and gave you some fun ideas to use when you are learning about it with your family!

Semi-Homemade Ricotta Rasmalai Recipe

I love Indian rasmalai and so I was really excited when I came across a rasmalai recipe using ricotta as the cheese base (if you want to see how the cheese for rasmalai is traditionally made, check out this recipe at Cook with Manali). Using ricotta made the process so much simpler and I knew I had to give it a try! I adapted the original recipe to use what I had on hand (cardamom pods rather than powder and no saffron threads) and to make a larger amount.

Semi-Homemade Ricotta Rasmalai

(adapted from Vidhya's Home Cooking)

Ingredients (for 12 rasmalai)

- 14oz whole milk ricotta

- 1/3 cup sugar

- 12oz evaporated milk

- 8oz whole milk

- 3 tablespoons hot water

- 2 cardamom pods

- 6 tablespoons sugar

- a tiny piece of a cinnamon stick

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a regular size muffin tin (makes 12) or use silicone liners.

2. Combine ricotta with 1/3 cup sugar in a bowl. Scoop about 2 tablespoons ricotta mixture into each muffin cup. Bake 35-45 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center of the cheese round comes out clean.

3. While the cheese bakes, add the cardamom pods to the 3 tablespoons of hot water and let it soak. 

4. Pour regular and evaporated milk into a saucepan and heat over medium until small bubbles start to form. 

5. Add the cardamom pods and their soaking water, 6 tablespoons sugar, and the piece of cinnamon stick. Stir everything together and let simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

6. When the cheese rounds finish baking, let them cool 5-10 minutes. Then remove them from the muffin tin and place in a large shallow baking dish (I used a 13x9inch pan). Carefully pour the milk mixture over the cheese rounds, cover the dish and refrigerate at least half an hour. 

7. To serve, place one or two cheese rounds in a bowl and scoop over a good amount of the milk mixture. We topped our rasmalai with chopped pistachios.

'10 Gulab Jamuns' Book Review

"10 Gulab Jamuns" by Sandhya Acharya was a great addition to the other books we read for Holi. It is a sweet story about two little boys who sneak some gulab jamuns that their mother had made for a dinner party! I think every child can sympathize with the little boys who just want a taste of the special sweet treat! My Squidgy is famous for asking, "Can I just taste test one?" 

'Get Up and Go' - Read and Rise March 2021

We've come to the end of National Nutrition Month and I thought I'd finish it off with a story about moving! Good nutrition is only half of the equation - the other part is moving and exercising your body to keep it strong and healthy!

Story Based STEAM - 'The Water Princess' and 'Nya's Long Walk'

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'Tyler Makes Pancakes' - Read and Rise March 2021

Today's story and activity focuses on knowing where your food comes from. Ideally, I'd like for us to only eat foods with a short list of ingredients that we can all identify. The reality is, we're not there yet. Sometimes we still rely on cereal for quick morning breakfasts and prepackaged snacks make food prep so much easier when we're going to be out for a while at playdates or classes or things like that. Things like sausages and frozen fries or pierogis make dinner prep time much faster, but we try to look for brands that aren't chock full of mystery ingredients. So while we're not perfect, I feel like we're at least on the right path.

Hong Kong Mini Unit Study Day 5

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Hong Kong Mini Unit Study Day 4

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Hong Kong Mini Unit Study Day 3 - with Rice Porridge Recipes

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Hong Kong Mini Unit Study Day 2

Naturally Green Spinach Crepes

Hong Kong Mini Unit Study - Day 1 (with Teriyaki Pineapple Chicken and Broccoli Recipe)

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'A Cool Drink of Water' - Read and Rise March 2021

This week we're focusing on hydration! It seems so simple but it's so easy to forget to drink as you run around doing a million things during the day! Let's start off with a story of drinking water around the world.

Featured story: "A Cool Drink of Water" by Barbara Kerley

Activity: This week I'm challenging all of you to track your water to make sure you're hydrating properly! It's recommended that children drink the number of 8oz cups equal to their age until age 8, after which everyone should drink 8 cups a day (Source: CHOC). Simply Being Mommy has a simple water tracker everyone can use this week.

To make hydrating a little more interesting, you can experiment with infused waters. I came across this Food Hero Monthly from last March that is all about water and gives you several recipes for infused waters. We tried the strawberry kiwi the other day and it was delicious! The bonus? Lil C got to practice her cutting skills as she sliced the strawberries and kiwis and added them to our pitcher. I have a couple oranges hanging out in the fridge so I think I'll make some orange water for tomorrow...happy hydrating!

Sweet Potato Smoothie

I keep testing new recipes for smoothies, trying to find combinations that are both yummy and provide a range of nutrients. When I came across a recipe for a chocolate sweet potato smoothie bowl, I knew that was a combination I had to test! I really liked it, and Lil C drank it all up. Squidgy is harder to please with smoothies and although he said it looked like chocolate pudding, he only drank a bit of it. But I figure, a bit is better than none and I'll just have to keep trying to find recipes we all enjoy!

Chocolate Sweet Potato Smoothie

Ingredients:

- 1 cup water

- 1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (I usually use Oikos Triple Zero when I use flavored yogurts, I put in the whole container so it ends up being a little more than a 1/2 cup)

- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder

- 1/2 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato

 - 1/2 a frozen banana

- 3/4 cup frozen pineapple chunks

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the jar of a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.

Interview with 'Our Era is Now' Author Zoe Yu

Back in October I came across the book, "Our Era is Now" written by 15 year old author, Zoe Yu and we were so inspired by her we wanted to know more! Zoe was kind enough to agree to an interview - which included questions from some of my Cardboard Kids Crew*! So here we go!

Zoe Yu: Hi, my name is Zoe, and I'm a proud Texan of Taiwanese-American heritage. I have a younger brother in the eighth grade. In my free time, you can find me curling up with a good story, making playlists of my favorite music, or learning how to bookbind!

Cardboard Mom: When did you first start writing?

ZY: I've been writing for as long as I can remember; I have notebooks from the first grade filled with scattered ideas and story plotlines! For me, writing comes as naturally as breathing. There isn't a moment when I'm not thinking about the next sentence to pen down.

CM: Is this the first book you've written? If not, how many have you written and which is your favorite?

ZY: "Our Era is Now" is my first book!

CM: What do you like to do when you're not writing?

ZY: When I'm not writing, I'm editing articles (is that cheating? :-) ). I run a publication centered around amplifying women's voices and fostering diverse thought. We've published pieces on everything from the gender gap to the Supreme Court!

CM: Who has helped/supported you and your writing?

ZY: My family! I'm grateful for their endless support.

CM: What is one of the most surprising things you learned while creating this book?

ZY: I learned a lot through writing this book, but the most surprising thing I learned was technical aspects of the publishing process. Before the book was published, I had to research topics such as trim and bleed size, formatting, and copyright. It definitely taught me a lot about the ins-and-outs of publishing!

CM: Do you have any suggestions or advice for kids who want to become better writers and write their own book one day?

ZY: My best bit of advice for young writers would be to avoid obsessing over perfection. My writing motto is this: you can fix a shabby first draft, but you can't fix a blank page.

CM: What future career are you hoping to have?

ZY: Of course, I would love to keep writing. I'm also fascinated in social entrepreneurship and possibly pursuing a career in law or business!

Scarlett, 8: What age is this book for?

ZY: This book is geared towards children, but it's a read for all ages!

Scarlett, 8: Who most inspired you to write this book?

ZY: I wrote this book to uplift children. I hope to relay the message that women of all colors can achieve what they put their minds to, no matter how others say different.

Scarlett, 8: Of all the women in the book, whose story is your favorite?

ZY: All of the women in the book are extraordinary, but my favorite is Maya Angelou. Maya has been one of my favorite writers since I read "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." Her story helps me to understand the wonder of words.

Lily, 10: Since there are so many awesome women to choose from who have done great things, how did you choose the women to feature in the book and why?

ZY: That's a great question. Over the course of my research, I found so many incredible women that I wanted to include in my book, but I narrowed down the women that I wanted to spotlight by choosing a wide variety of disciplines and backgrounds.

Lil C, 8: How did you create the pictures for your book?

ZY: The pictures in my book are licensed from Canva.

Scarlett Mae, 10: What inspired you to write this book?

ZY: Ever since I started reading, I noticed that many books lacked strong female protagonists - most female characters either had static roles or fit into a certain trope like the "damsel in distress" or the "evil queen" - and often failed to include any diversity at all. I believe that accurately depicting society and representing people of all backgrounds was the most important story I could write. This quote says it best: "That is the power of a diverse book: You can change everything for one kid, and you can create empathy in 100 more."

Scarlett Mae, 10: How did you know you could write a book when you are only 15?

ZY: I'm a firm believer in the fact that age should never be a factor that limits what you believe you can or cannot do!

I want to send a BIG thank you to Zoe for sharing her story and answering all of our questions! We can't wait to read your next book!

Further information:

Read my review of "Our Era is Now"

Visit Zoe's website

Purchase "Our Era is Now"

Check out these stories about awesome girls and women:

"Firebird" by Misty Copeland

"Mae Among the Stars" by Roda Ahmed

"Counting on Katherine" by Helaine Becker

"Kamala and Maya's Big Idea" by Meena Harris

"Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos" by Monica Brown

"Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay" by Susan Hood

And read about some inspiring women and girls who love science here

*My Cardboard Kids Crew includes children of various ages who help me review books and submitted interview questions for Zoe to answer. 

'Good Enough to Eat' - Read and Rise March 2021

Parents talk a lot about "being healthy." We tell our kids to get enough sleep, drink water, go outside and exercise, and most of all, to "eat your vegetables." Or, "don't eat so much junk." But is that all there is to eating healthy? The word "healthy" is so tricky when it comes to food. We can tell our kids they need 12 hours of sleep daily, or 8 cups of water daily, or an hour of exercise daily. With food it's harder because there are so many foods out there, and there are also so many gimmicky diet plans. Our kids need to learn how to navigate this confusion. So what do we parents do? Get them involved. The trick is to have them help you create a healthy plate that's also delicious. A plate that follows no diet plans but instead follows the body's nutritional needs. A plate that has foods that do the following:

1. Protect and repair the body (about half your plate is vitamin and nutrient rich fruits and vegetables, in a wide range of colors throughout the day. "Eat a rainbow" is helpful with younger kids).

2. Provide sustained energy (a quarter of your plate is whole grains)

3. Build bones and muscles (a quarter of your plate is proteins and calcium rich foods like dairy, legumes, eggs, fish, poultry, and meat).

4. Store energy and vitamins (cook with these or serve as condiments/dressings/toppings: oily/high fat foods like olive oil, avocados, and nut butters. No matter what your weight is, these foods are crucial for vitamin absorption and storage). 

5. Provide a palatable experience (yum factor! sprinklings of Parmesan, a dash of cinnamon sugar, a pinch of this spice of that, etc).

When your child is involved in the meal prep process they have a sense of control. It's also a perfect opportunity to tell them what those foods do for us, and how we can make those foods taste delicious. We might not have time to make meals with our children daily, but meal planning together once in a while is also helpful. As they practice creating these healthy and yummy plates, it will become automatic. Let's ban the diets and start enjoying good food with our families.

Our story today helps further explain the various nutrients your body needs and in what foods they are found.

Featured story: "Good Enough to Eat" by Lizzy Rockwell

Activity: After reading the story, create a meal plan with your children for the rest of the week. I would start with planning just one meal a day (i.e. plan all your breakfasts, plan all your dinners) but try to include a variety of foods that meet all your body's needs! 

Throughout the month, I will be sharing family friendly dishes that will hopefully help on your quest to provide healthy balanced meals that everyone enjoys!

For more information about National Nutrition Month 2021 and LOTS of resources, please check out Eat Right

Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie

This Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie is one of our favorite smoothies - even when I make it green (which I usually do, I just happened to be all out of green today!). This smoothie has vitamins and minerals from fruit, protein and calcium from yogurt and peanut butter, and water to make it extra hydrating. When you add in the greens, it makes it an even more well-balanced drink! If you wanted to turn it into a more filling breakfast or snack, you could always add in some ground flax or oats. 

Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (I use whole milk)

- 1 cup water

- 1 frozen banana

- 1 cup frozen grapes or strawberries (the "jelly" part!) 

- 2 tablespoons peanut butter

- 1 cup fresh spinach or baby kale (to make it green)

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the pitcher of a high powered blender. Blend until smooth (there will usually be tiny bits of grape skins that don't get completely blended).

Notes: Mix it up to work with your dietary needs or to use what you have on hand. You can turn it into an almond butter and jelly smoothie by using almond butter in place of peanut butter and almond milk yogurt or almond milk.

Also, I make our smoothies on the thinner side so it hydrates the kids without being quite so calorie dense. If you like thicker smoothies, feel free to reduce the amount of water!