Medicham, Gyarados, Hitmonchan, Crawdaunt, Shelgon, Venusaur, Pikachu, Zigzagoon or how about Jazz, Ratchet, Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, Ironhide or Megatron. If I have gotten you a bit confused here then I presume you are not a parent of a 6-10 year old boy. Those who do have sons in this age will straight away know what I am rambling on about - right?
The first set of names are a tiny selection of the almost 500 Pokemon and the next handful are of course the amazing Transformers! Well I have to say that A 'Levels, a Masters Degree and 7 years experience in motherhood did not really prepare me for the Pokemon and Transformer outbreak. Try remembering the names of the "cool & powerful" Pokemon? Or even worse, has anyone put together one of those Transformers?
I was getting fairly exasperated by all the hype Soeren and his buddies were causing about both the Pokemon and Transformers. What continually amazed me though was the fact that although Soeren had never seen any of the Transformer movies nor did he have any idea what Pokemon really was - but he sure knew everything he needed to to be able to survive in all "that World."
I hate being ignorant - really! And when there's a house full of boys talking Pokemon or fighting with Decepticons, I want to be able to at least say I understand. So, I do what I always do - I researched. I called up the powers of Wikipedia and Google to supply me with mighty information. Boy was I so not prepared for the media hype around both!
What interested me was the fact that Pokemon is actually a strategy game where players of the games are assigned as Pokémon trainers, and the two main goals for the trainers are: to complete the Pokédex by collecting all of the available Pokémon species found in the fictional land where the game takes place; and to train a team of powerful Pokémon to compete against teams owned by other trainers to become the strongest trainer, the Pokémon Master (thank you Wikipedia!).
It sounded fairly interesting to this 37 year old mum and I thought OK I should try to learn the basics of the game to show off my knowledge at the next boys meet. But alas - as the next boys meet came around it did not quite work out as I had planned. I was all going out explaining the Trading Card Game, bubbling with my new found knowledge, expecting the boys to get excited and invite me to play a round. Twelve set of eyes were staring at me and when I finally finished my monologue - they all seemed to breath a loud sigh of relief. I looked at them slightly puzzled, when one of them quirked
"Cool Soeren, your mum knows the game! Meeta - we don't play the game - we just trade cards!"
"What?" I thought, "what do they mean - they just trade cards?"
Then they began explaining what exactly each Pokemon does and which card is powerful. I had 6 boys chattering in Pokemon to me. They did not really understand the game but were just interested in gaining the strongest and most powerful Pokemon by convincing the owner to trade it and as I did not own any cards I was not to be a part of their game.
"Where is the sense in that?" I kept thinking.
But of course there was - it was the sense of 7 year olds. They were on the pre-level of Pokemon, you see. They had no idea how to play the strategy game nor did they spend time researching Pokemon, but they had figured out the basic goals already. They used their imagination to make up the rest - a lot more fun. I was too busy thinking like a 37 year old, but looking at it from a 7 year olds perception it's probably where I would start too.
A few weeks ago as I zapped through the channels of the TV, I stopped at a preview for one of the movies the channel was planning to show: Transformers ~ The Film! I was getting excited again. Maybe the film would show me how to finally put those robots together again. So I found myself on a Sunday evening all ready for 2 hours of Transformers. Somewhere halfway between the film Tom came into the room and looked at the TV then slowly turned his head to face me,
“What are you watching?" he asked with eyebrows raised
"Shhhh! Doing homework!" I said "Transformers - see this is Bumblebee it's an autobot, Optimus Prime too, it's the leader of the autobots ... and Megatron is the bad guy - it's a Decepticon!"
"Yeah! O - K!" he said sitting on the sofa next to me, eyes glued to the TV.
Well - yes - we watched the whole film! It was not a film I would want to watch twice and certainly not a film I would get Soeren to watch but it served it's purpose. I can totally see what attracts 7 year old boys to such things. The next day, I could not help it, I did casually mention it to Soeren that we watched the movie and saw the robots in action. I also went into all the details about how the autobots came to Earth to save it from the Decepticons.
"Oh yeah! I know all that! But we do not need to watch the movie to know that stuff - we read it in magazines." he said coolly only slightly impressed, leaving me gutted!
The moral of this story: do what you do best when the boys come around - make muffins - that always impresses them!
These Granola Goji muffins really did impress. They are made with wholesome ingredients like wholewheat flour, honey, apples, granola and goji berries - perfect healthy treats when the house is filled with transforming autobots and little Pokemon.
Whole Wheat Granola Goji Muffins
Printable version of recipe here.
Ingredients
100g butter, softened
80g honey
100g goji berries
2 eggs
120g whole wheat flour
1-2 teaspoons baking powder
150g granola, homemade or store bought
200g apples, grated and drizzled with 1 teaspoon lemon juiceMethod
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C. Line a muffin form with paper forms or pieces of baking paper.
- In a large bowl whisk honey and softened butter with an electric whisk until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time making sure each one has been nicely incorporated before adding the next one.
- Mix flour, baking powder, goji berries and granola together and then add to the egg-mixture. Using a rubber spatula fold in the dry ingredients.
- Add the grated apples and incorporate, then pour the batter into the muffin forms. If some of the goji berries are sticking out gently poke them into the batter so they are covered. They burn easily. Bake in the oven for approx. 30-35 minutes until nice and golden. Alternatively stick a wooden toothpick into the center of a muffin and if it comes out clean the muffins are ready.
- Serve these muffins warm with some butter and a dollop of my caramelized quince jam.
Food Guide Tips:
- Superfoods: Goji berries
- Make your own homemade low-sugar granola
Verdict
Knowledge never goes to waste. At least now I understand what the boys rave about and can add to their fervor with my own anecdotes encouraging them into their own world of fun make believe. And when one of them comments "Hey Soeren, your mum is cool - she's not a Barbie mum!" I know that even if I still cannot make one of the autobots transform, I do receive certain regard for knowing the stuff that makes the eyes of 7 year olds shine.
This is my own entry to this month’s Monthly Mingle. The theme was Brunch and boy have I gotten a lot of entries. Thanks to everyone who took part. I hope to share the feast soon.
More brunch treats from WFLH:
Orange Chocolate Muffins | Wholegrain Porridge with Goji Berries and Cashew Nuts | Nutella Flakey Swirls |
Daily Tiffin Reading Tip
Foods You Thought You Knew written by Hilda
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2009 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First
I wish I had one to munch on now. They look fabulous!
ReplyDeleteLOL...LOL.. I just can't stop laughing.. your post reminds me of my own childhood when mum tried the same and I had reactions similar to Soeren!!! LOL LOL.. sorry, nothing you do will get you in but atleast you are "cool"!!! :))
ReplyDeleteSo funny! Kids can be very confusing ;-P...
ReplyDeleteThose muffins are fantastic! I love their composition.
Cheers,
Rosa
Gosh, I went through the Pokemon phase the dinosaur phase and now we are on the Club Penguin phase....it is hard work to keep up. Those gojo berries is just what we need to give us the edge!!!!
ReplyDeleteOMG Meeta, your post cracked me up so much, I was laughing out loud!!! I grew up with 2 sisters, several cousin sisters and went to an all-girls school, so I am clueless with a capital C when it comes to this transformers/pokeman stuff. I don't have kids yet, but my husband still gets super excited about transformers and GI joe (yup at 31 yrs old). And thats been my only intro to that world so far. Too funny, I'm still laughing!! And the muffins do look yummy - gotta try some this weekend.
ReplyDelete:-) Meeta with 2 girls i am pretty much drowned in the "princess" world and a little bit of Club Penguin and Webkinz. The only time I get to enter this world is when I am going to buy birthday gifts for their class mates ;-).. LOL
ReplyDeleteLovely Muffins.
OMG Meeta, that was a hilarious post, I couldn't stop laughing!
ReplyDeleteAnd those muffins look and sound divine - I always use wholewheat flour for muffins and in my cakes too, but never tried Goji berries in them. Do you soak them in water before you add them to the batter?
I love Goji berries in my porridge, and I usually let that soak in milk and a shredded apple overnight, so that the berries are plump the next morning and the whole mixture turns sweet - yum!
Really? They find stuff like this interesting?
ReplyDeleteWow, I sure wouldn't mind those muffins and none of the pokemon nonsense. I love how healthy they are!
Lovely blog....but eeeehhh...it's already 10 years ago that my son was as old as yours is now (while I was 49 by then....so you really are a "young" mother in my opinion.....)
ReplyDeletePokemon was a (brandnew!!)hit by then too...I expected it would vanish away within a few years......obviously not so....Funny to hear....
Your muffins look great, but as I am not a sweet-lover I won't make them. Though I tried and really enjoyed some of your more hearty/saviourly recipies.
Great, and thanks for them.
sanne
Looks beautiful! I love the grated apples in this!
ReplyDeleteThose Pokemon stuff has me baffled too. These boys can memorize them all and know what the abilities of each..
ReplyDeleteBTW, the muffins looks awesome!
I don't get Pokemon although I have watched both Transformers films and enjoyed them! Love the muffins Meeta...always a pleasure to read your posts and healthy recipes.
ReplyDeleteNice post it was and yes,you are a 'COOL' mom.Love the muffins.Can't wait for the round up
ReplyDeleteHaha! Can relate. My four year old talks in spidey and transformer and star wars. I love being the mum of a boy and I love baking muffins for him! Will try using goji berries soon.
ReplyDeleteOptimus Prime!!! My most favorite autobot! You are a cool mum :)
ReplyDeleteAnd the muffins look super delish!
Quit while you are ahead Meeta, is all I can say! LOL
ReplyDeleteThose are some seriously fabulous muffins - goji berries are the new buzzword right now, but haven't even seen one!
LOL! You cracked me up! At first i was wondering what the hell happened to you and your first sentence rambling. I could never put myself through all that torture! Eeeeeh! Oh and the muffins sounds sublime!
ReplyDeleteI'm dreading this stage with my youngest - his two older siblings are both girls, so I feel more at home with Polly Pockets and Princesses! I already know more than I ever needed to know about diggers and trains, but Pokemon just scares me silly! Still, like you say, they always appreciate home baking. I made some bog-standard, straight-down-the-line, nothing-fancy choc chip cookies for a friend. They massively impressed her teenage nephew, who declared them to be, "Awesome!"
ReplyDeleteI enjoy reading your posts on motherhood.I look forward to my bbay boy growing up and talking pokemon, though I'm clinging to each day. Why do they grow up so fast?
ReplyDeleteLOL! reminds me of the time when I had to watch Pokemon n Transformers with my nephew and buy all those toys too. :) Look at how time flies, he's now almost 21. These days I'm watching Barney, Little Brown Bear, Noddy, Trotro etc with my 3 yr old.
ReplyDeleteU can also just pour some hot water on the wolfberry and drink it like tea or just throw some into soups. They are said to be tonic for eyes.
meeta looks so yum! aaah, transformers. grew up with that and love it! :) and these muffins do impress. i love goji berries. never thought to put it in a muffin. it must give it such a lovely light sweet flavour. mmmm
ReplyDeleteLOL Meeta...can I say been there, dont that with Pokemon & Transformers. Am learning to trade WWE cards aka Wresmania where I am forced to compare 'chest width', biceps, & world wranking of wrestlers. I know that Khali is #1, and am learning the ropes fast! Did you just say knowledge never goes to waste...hmmm. But yes, think I cud get myself on a card if I downed one of those delish yet healthy muffins popping with goji berries. WOW...been looking out for goji berries for long as they are supposed to grown in the Himalayas.Nic mailed me some fm the UK, but you can't find them here! Wholewheat in muffins always seems right to me...YUM!
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha you are too hilarious :-D
ReplyDeleteLove the muffins!
Too funny! I remember this from 15 years ago! And even now my son's friends come over for muffins and cakes and nothing else! We, alas, are and always will be just their moms. And I loved the Transformers movie! Great muffins!
ReplyDeleteMeeta, you are too funny! No worries, no matter how clueless you are about Transformers or Pokemon, a mom that makes muffins is always "cool". What's funny to me is that kids are back into Transformers since they reinvented the movie. Even though I was a girl, I was way into the "original" Transformers back in the 80s, when I was a child.
ReplyDeleteWhat a tasty, healthy treat...I'm looking for some of these for after our baby is born to make sure I don't load up on junk food. Thanks for the great recipe.
ReplyDeleteHI Meeta..my first time on your blog and "love at first sight " just happened!!
ReplyDeleteyou will see me regularly now...i will sniff my around
will make the saffron kheer today and let you know :)
thanks everyone for all your comments. it's so good to hear all about your experiences and that you can relate to this post. glad you are all enjoying the muffins too. they are so perfect not too sweet and super moist!
ReplyDeletehah! I sympathize with your situation ... I'm faced with a similar situation, but with girls ... I've got a lot of girl nieces, and to get involved in their lives like a good aunt should, I need to do some serious research! Those goji muffins look perfect for breakfast .. love them schmeared with buddah!
ReplyDeletehey meeta, i love your post! i dont have kids , but my sis and friends do so i know what u re talking abt when you say get what all the hype is all about!! pokemon , transformer and the mother of all evil - BARBIE...and DORA! aaaaaaargh!!
ReplyDeletewonderful post.
and those muffins look lovely..though in our neck of the woods we ve never heard of goji berries!!
Meeta that was an awesome post. I had the same experience when my 6 year old introduced me to pokemon, power rangers and the transformers. the latter two i could understand. Unlike you I tried to understand what the pokemon was by watching one episode and I was at loss. Since it did not occur to me that wikipedia would have any info about POKEMON i asked one of my younger cousins what it was and he explained to me the logic of it and I was like.... Seriously and you all like this????? Strange. where has the bionic 6 and superman and spiderman gone.
ReplyDeletewith regards,
Zerin
www.momster.me
I enjoyed your Pokemon comments. My eyes begin to glaze over when my grandson goes on about the fantasy games.
ReplyDeleteNice healthy muffins. Lately I've been using more of those goji berries too, in various things, Truffles for one.
Hahaha I LOVED this post! Even though I'm just 20, I could never understand the Pokemon mania! Though I do have a few stuffed Pikachu's with me, just for how cute they look! But I can understand the Transformers Mania!!
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right when you're sticking to what you know best, because its near impossible to keep up with kids ever changing interests!!
Thanks for publishing the benefits of the Goji Berry. I have been sharing this information with people ! Wonderful berry!!!!!!!! Create A Great Day!
ReplyDeleteLOL---we're going through the pokemon phase here... my six y/o eats breathes and talks pokemon all day!! I've been trying to wrap my head around the poke-men and their trainers, and I give up!! :) I think I'll just take your advice and go with what I do best--"mom-ing".
ReplyDeletelovely diss thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete