Memory Prompt in Pink

So it's been a year since my one and only mistake, ever, accidentally mixing up Dora cups and giving Brynn her sister's cow's milk.  Two sips and we got to use the Epi-Pen for the first time.  Statistically speaking, that's not too bad for 5 years of feeding her, while managing a non-allergic 3 year old sister and a nursing a 6 month old baby.

Needless to say, that planted the first seeds of doubt in her mind...and caused me to re-evaluate the drink system so the switch wouldn't happen again.   I've done a lot of checks and rechecks, tastes and reassurance for her and myself...until the light went on in my head one day while reading Dr. Seuss' "One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish."



Pink Drink!! First I started by adding some red food coloring to each new box of soymilk, but then I started feeling a bit weird about the chemical situation.   Then I looked into some natural food colorings, but, get real...I live in the Midwest, no one cares about chemicals here, so I'd have to mail-order. Now I make my own coloring from beets and red rasberries. I peel and slice a few red beets, cover them with water and boil until they are soft. Then I throw in a few handfuls of red raspberries and cook a bit longer. I blend everything with my immersion blender ( a food processor or blender would work fine), then strain out the solids through cheesecloth. I freeze individual cubes in an ice cube tray.  The stuff totally stains your hands, but it makes you feel like a punk mama for a day.

 When I open a new carton of soymilk, I defrost two cubes in a paper cup and then pour the dye into the milk and shake well. Someday, I'll have to stop this, but for now...with all the craziness around here, it just makes things a little easier, saves me from sampling soymilk to alleviate my kid's concerns and ultimately keeps me from messing up again. Cheers!