Mary Ann Dames, M.S., R.D.

Food and Writing

I love to cook and to create new recipes. I love to write and to teach. I am in fresh strawberry heaven because I get to do everything! In schools, in summer camps and in my neighborhood, I've been fortunate to share my joy with children from preschool through high school. My food articles have been published in children's magazines such as Boys' Life, Faces, The Friend and Totally Fox Kids.

More about me

I was born in Great Bend, Kansas, but have lived in nine states and one foreign country for a total of twenty-seven different moves. Because I moved so much, books were my first and fastest friends. I couldn't stop reading. In fact, I followed my mother around the house reading out loud to her since my teachers didn't believe I read so much. My mother had to hide my books so I would go outside to play.

In second grade I named my orange marmalade colored cat Mr. Kelly because I thought the mama cat in the book, Mrs. Kelly and Her Kittens, should have a husband.

By fourth grade I wanted to be brave and resourceful because I just knew someday I'd be stranded on a desert island like Mary in Baby Island. (So far I haven't even visited a desert island.) My list grew in junior high with the addition of curiosity and sophistication just like Nancy Drew.

From reading to writing was a short journey. Through my writing I can be everyone and everything I ever wanted to be. Besides, to be a writer, one has to read, read, read. Now I get to read and write all I want. Every day you will find me with a book in hand or tap-tap-typing on the computer into the wee hours of the morning. I write a lot because I have so many ideas. I began by writing recipes and a cookbook manuscript. By then I was bitten by the writing bug. So far I've written poetry, picture books and magazine articles. Now I'm growing up so I'm writing middle grade novels, too.

I also worked as a dietitian in a hospital. Do you know what? I loved doing that, too, because I got to help so many people.

My philosophy

As a mom and a registered dietitian, I want kids to have a healthy relationship with foods. As a children's author, I want kids to fall in love with books and reading. My focus is on creating recipes for healthy children ages 4 to 8. A rule of thumb for them and adults is that all foods are okay in moderation. We know there are exceptions. Use your judgment and knowledge of what is safe for your own children.

I want recipes which are easy to fix and fun to eat. Of course, there exceptions as each child's capability differs as does each parent’s comfort level of what a child is allowed to do in the kitchen. In addition, not all the recipes are for the younger set for I create recipes to compliment books for all ages.

Just a reminder, all the recipes are original unless I state otherwise. Feel free to link to the recipes but please don't post without permission as the recipes are protected by copyright. Thank you.

A to Z Wednesday

I'm participating in a reading blog. We post a book review starting with that week's alphabetic letter. We're up to "U." Since my book beginning with U won't be posted on the main Reading, Writing, and Recipes blog for another three weeks, I posting it here so the other Reading at the Beach bloggers can read it.

What a clever way to learn the way different vegetables grow with the use of the preposition Up, Down, and Around. Katherine Ayers created a bustling vegetable garden in rhyme. Nadine Bernard Westcott populated it with kids, vegetables, animals and bugs. The short phrases keep the energy going.

Like me, Reading at the Beach includes Recipe Wednesday so I'll share the one I've done to go with this book. BTW: the theme for the week is storytelling. Up, Down, and Around Salad

If you've read Up, Down, and Around by Katherine Ayers you'll know it is about vegetables that grow up, vegetables that grow down, and vegetables that grow around (on a vine).

Up, down and around are prepositions you might use in story telling. So I could have called this Storytelling Salad or Eat Your Words Salad. What do you think? What ever its name, it is refreshing on a hot day.

Up, Down and Around Salad
Ingredients
Makes 1 serving
2 handfuls of washed and dried chopped lettuce
1/​4 tomato, cored and cut into two pieces
1 slices mushrooms
1 tablespoons canned or cooked garbanzo beans
2 tablespoons shredded carrots
2 tablespoons peeled jicama, cut into sticks
2 slices cucumber
3 frozen green beans, thawed or 3 leftover cooked green beans
Salad dressing of your choice

Combine all the vegetables. Add your favorite salad dressing.

Can you name the up, down and around vegetables? Visit tomorrow to find out if you are correct.

Mary Ann Dames, M.S., R.D. ©2010