My two girls are at that fantastic age where they think that taking part in household chores is fun. This week they have happily loaded the dishwasher every day, helped with the extra washing up and are now begging to wash the car. I would let them loose on the car unsupervised were it not for the fact that last time I found Belle washing it with a Brillo pad.I have considered cashing in on their current surge of enterprise and did wonder if they are too young to pack bags at Lindo’s…. Would you let a two-year-old near your eggs? If so, let me know. She is available every Saturday morning.I am not sure what it is about wanting to be older when you are younger, and younger when you are older, but I do have two budding “grown-ups” on my hands. After informing me of her (latest) marriage plans, I tried telling Chloe to slow down and enjoy being a kid. She rolled her eyes at me and gave me a tiny glimpse of the teenage years we have to come. If only I could help her understand how precious these years are, when someone else gets to worry about the jobs and the bills.All this made me feel a bit sentimental about my own childhood. One of my favourite flashbacks is to sitting underneath the apple tree with my brother, de-stringing red currants. We would always get told off for eating more than we put in the bowl, with tell-tale smudges around our mouths. If you’ve never done it, it’s the most tedious job on the planet, but we always thought it was worth it. Our Mum used to make summer pudding and red currant jelly two very English landmarks in my culinary memory!When I think about it, so many of my memories at that age revolve around food. Apple-bobbing at Halloween, stealing the marzipan off Christmas cake, the cakes my mum painstakingly made for us each birthday. Crumpets by the fire on Sunday afternoons, chicken noodle soup when we were sick and individual variety packs of frosted cereals during the holidays as a treat. Then there was my aunt’s Mars bar mousse so delicious but totally deadly and no, I am not giving you the recipe.Of course I’m trying to do the same for my kids. I think making and sharing food is a great way to spend time as a family. It’s just that my girls get the healthier versions; the recipes I have tinkered with, hiding vegetables here and there. As we’re generally dairy-free in our house, I tried out an avocado pesto recipe that miraculously they love. I think it’s a fairly grown-up dish, but if you have adventurous eaters you might just get them to eat it. Try it on the adults at least as it’s super delicious. And in the meantime I’ll work on a better version of that Mars bar mousse!Avocado pestoServes 4 to 6Ingredients:1 bunch fresh basil (large handful)½ c pine nuts2 avocados, pitted and peeled2 tbs lemon juice (fresh)3 cloves garlic½ c olive oilA little sea saltFreshly ground black pepper1 c halved cherry tomatoesMethod:1. Put the pasta on to cook and the veggies on to steam.2. Combine all the pesto ingredients (except the cherry tomatoes) in a food processor and whizz till almost smooth.3. Drain and rinse the pasta in very hot water. Stir the pesto through and toss in the cherry tomatoes.4. Serve immediately.The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION is the managing director of Natural Ltd and a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details, visit www.natural.bm or call 236-7511. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda