Who Doesn't Love Granola Bars?

Mmmmm ... granola bars. I love them, my kids love them and we go through them quickly.  I had always thought about making them, but the recipes I saw either seemed way to chunky and almondy (don't love almonds) or not enough surprises (I like chocolate and marshmallow bits what can I say?).

My friend Katie - mother of FOUR! by the way - slipped me this recipe (click link or see below) for home made granola bars while visiting last winter.

My homemade creations entering le oven

Mmmmm ... golden, toasted heaven!

These granola bars are so good. Just by tasting them you can tell they are much more healthy than the store-boughts, not to mention there is a sense of pride when you pull out home made bars for your kids ... and even better on a play date ;)

Enjoy!

P.S. "Katie" also mentioned that she triples the recipe when she makes it and freezes what she doesn't need.


GRAINOLA BARS
(Canadian Family Winter 2012)


Ingredients:

2½ cups quick-cooking oats (not instant)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup chopped raw almonds, pecans or pistachios
½ cup chopped dried cranberries
½ cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
⅓ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup ground flaxseed
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¾ cup canned pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
½ cup liquid honey
¼ cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting the paper overhang on two opposite sides (so you can use it as a sling to pick up the granola bars after baking).

2.Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, honey, butter and vanilla. Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Mix using a wooden spoon until dry ingredients are coated with pumpkin mixture. Make sure there aren’t any dry oats in the bottom of the bowl! Stir, stir, stir!

3.Pour the wet granola mixture into the prepared pan and spread it evenly to the edges. Using your hand, press down firmly on the granola so that it’s tightly packed in the pan.

4.Bake on middle oven rack for about 25 minutes, until top turns a light golden brown and feels dry to touch. Remove pan from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Lift cooled slab of granola from pan by holding on to parchment paper and transfer to a cutting board. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the granola into 16 bars, about 1½ x 4 inches each. (Tip: Press down with the knife to cut the bars and avoid a sawing motion.) Wrap bars tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container, either at room temperature or in the fridge.

Wow! That Was Easy.

Seriously couscous, where have you been all of my life?

Source

Now before y'all think that I have been living under a rock and have never heard of couscous before, let me clarify. I have had couscous, enjoyed couscous, see couscous in cook books and on menus at restaurants, but it was never somethign that was prepared for me growing up, nor that I have, up until tonight, cooked for myself.

I think my one couscous memory that sort of stereotyped the food for me was that of my older sister coming home from Trent University and being all proud to cook the fam a couscous/parsley/ something salad. Being that my tastebuds were not what they are today (it was 20 years ago) and given the type of salad it was I sort of pidgeon holed it.

Well, I have met my miracle food and greatest gift to time-crunched dinners. Add couscous to boiling water, wait five minutes and voila. Seriously? That's it? No waiting for thirty plus minutes like rice?

MMmmmm.... I added mint, feta, pomegranate, vinegar, OJ, pistachios and it was delicious.

Do you have any great ways to serve couscous that you enjoy? or better yet that your kids enjoy?

From A Mother To A Child

Thought I would share this ... I read it on my friend Kate's Facebook page recently and was really touched by it. I don't know who wrote it or where it came from.

Letter from a Mother to her child: 

"My dear child, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. 

If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”... Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep. 

When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a child? 

When you see how ignorant I am when it comes to new technology, give me the time to learn and don’t look at me that way... remember, sweetheart, I patiently taught you how to do many things like eating appropriately, getting dressed, combing your hair and dealing with life’s issues every day.

The day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If I occasionaly lose track of what we’re talking about, give me the time to remember, and if I can’t, don’t be nervous, impatient or arrogant. Just know in your heart that the most important thing for me is to be with you. 

And when my old, tired legs don’t let me move as quickly as before, give me your hand the same way that I offered mine to you when you first walked. 

When those days come, don’t feel sad... just be with me, and understand me while I get to the end of my life with love. I’ll cherish and thank you for the gift of time and joy we shared. With a big smile and the huge love I’ve always had for you, I just want to say, I love you... my wonderful child. "

Happy Mother's Day!

Having had a parent who was ill and slowed down sooner than they would have liked, I can tell you that having patience and perspective with ageing parents makes a world of difference and transforms those frustrating moments into tender bonding moments.

(it was originally a letter from Mother to daughter but I changed it to be to a child as I have two boys and thought it applied equally to both genders.)

A Nice Mother's Day Gift

I was recently enjoying a rare and peaceful moment to myself while at an indoor play park was looking through a recent Today's Parent issue. The page I turned to included stories from readers of their best mother's day gifts.  This one caught my eye so I thought I would share because it was so different, but sounded just great:

"On Saturday I check into my Jacuzzi suite at a hotel for a night alone.  I take books and bubble bath and leave my cellphone, worries and stress behind. I get 19 hours of uninterrupted quiet me-time. On Mother's Day, I meet my hubby, kids and mom for a wonderful brunch where I get homemade cards - and someone else does the dishes! Buffy LaBonte-Sias, Whitehorse"


It's sometimes hard to ask for or find the time just for us as individuals. Or we get the time and then, much to our own fault, fill it with laundry, other chores or things that "can't wait."  Kind of a nice idea to have the tradition built into Mother's Day.

My birthday is the same week as Mother's Day so I get the royal treatment two weekends in a row! I've had my birthday waffles and homemade birthday card so this weekend can only get better and better.

What are your Mother's Day traditions?

Enjoy ladies!

Experiments with the Kids

My eldest son brought home a wonderful book last week from school that included all sorts of awesome experiments that can be done at home.

As you probably know first hand, usually such experiments or activities can require a lot of time, effort, ingredients and patience and they are tough for a wide range of ages. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and would recommend as a gift or library item in the future if you are looking for some fun and educational stuff to do (especially with March break coming).

Here is just a few of the things we did:

Change-A-Colour Celery

Simply add some celery to a glass of
water with some food colouring and wait for
it to change colour

Create-Your-Own Mould Ranch

Take some old, moist food and put it in a jar...

seal it up and wait for the mould to grow!

Green Goo

1 cup of corn starch and 1/2 cup of water
and a few drops of food colouring

Have fun!

Mmmmmm ... Cookie Balls

Who knew adding crushed up cookies to cream cheese and dipping it in chocolate could be so good? I mean based on the ingredients that I just mentioned , how could it be bad?

 Have you tried cookie balls? I was just introduced to them- easy delicious, different, tons of variations, and perfect for almost every occasion.

 For a whole bunch of cake ball recipes , including these:

Peppermint Oreo Cookie Balls

 these:

Melting Snowmen Cookie Balls

 and these:

Nilla-Banana Cookie Balls

 visit Kraft's website.

Mmmmm, enjoy!

A Beautiful Christmas Story

Yes, I'm still alive.

I'd like to apologize for my MIA status recently. No real excuses other than lack of time (as I'm sure you can all relate), volunteering to organize a bake sale at my son's school and Christmas craziness.

At one time I wrote new posts five times a week, I would like to start things back up, but am trying to be a bit more realistic with my current schedule and will aim for twice.  Bear with me please.

Today, I share with you a very sweet Christmas story that was sent to me on email.  I have to admit that tears came to my eyes as I read it.  There's nothing like that feeling that you get when you truly give from your heart to someone that truly needs.

______________________________________________



I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma.  I was just a kid.                                                                
                                                                            
I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb:  "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered.  "Even dummies know that!"                                  
                                                                            
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been.  I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me.  I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns.  I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so.  It had to be true.                        
                                                                            
Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm.  Between bites, I told her everything.  She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she snorted...."Ridiculous!  Don't believe it.  That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad,  plain mad!!  Now, put on your coat, and let's go."                                        
                                                                            
"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked.  I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun.  "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked  through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars.  That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car."  Then she turned and walked out of Kerby's.                                                            
                                                                            
I was only eight years old.  I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself.  The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.                                          
                                                                            
For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.                                                                
                                                                            
I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors,the kids at school, the people who went to my church.              
                                                                            
I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker.  He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. Bobby Decker didn't have a coat.  I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter.  His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement.  I would buy Bobby Decker a coat!                                                      


I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it.  It looked real warm, and he would like that.                                  
                                                                            
"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."                                  
                                                                            
The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat.  I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.  
                                                                            
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, >From Santa Claus" on it.
  
Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy.  Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.                
                                                                            
Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."                                                        
                                                                            
I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma.                                            
                                                                            
Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open.  Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.                  
                                                                            
Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes.  
That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what Grandma said they were  --  ridiculous.  Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.                                  
                                                                            
I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.                                                                                
                                                                            
May you always have LOVE to share,                                  
HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care...                            
                                                                            
And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!            

He Knows What He Likes & It's Not What I'm Cooking

My youngest has a habit of dipping anything he is eating into anything he is drinking.  It makes for an interesting meal time and a gross cup clean out when all is said and done. I usually can't stand it after a few dunks and move his cup out of reach.

This week, he tried something new:  he decided to put everything on his plate into his bowl of yogurt that was also sitting on his plate.

The result:  A bowl of yogurt with a drizzle of honey, plus cucumbers, plus crackers, plus summer sausage slices.  Funny how he won't eat a meal I slave over that (in my opinion and everyone else's sitting at the table) is delicious, but that he will stomach through his above-mentioned combo without so much of one of his usual, "yuck!"s.

Anyhoo, hope you're enjoying a nice peaceful meal time today with all your little ones eating everything that is put in front of them.

A DIY on Captain's Chairs

Two Captain's chairs - that looked just like the one shown below -  were two of the first pieces of furniture my husband and I bought when we started living together.

We got them at an antique market we used to frequent for $50 each (I think).  Although they were solid wood, they had been left outside a couple of times, were different colours (one dark walnut and one golden honey) and were starting to look a little worn and hodge podgy.

I recently drew my line in the sand (see post on to-do lists here) and decided I would paint them. Being frugal and tired of choosing paint colours and spending money on cans of paint that I only use a fraction of, I decided to dig in to the supplies that I already had - the tried and true shades of our home. I settled on Benjamin Moore's Lemon Grass CC-638. Below is how our chairs look now:

The pictures don't really show the colour that well as it is quite yellow with a tinch of green. After I had done them, they really stood out and looked "just painted" so I decided to take a bit of sand paper to them and rough them up a bit. That seems to have toned them down a bit and helped them to fit in. Still not sure on the colour.  We keep them in a three-season sun room so perhaps a bit bright for the winter but perfect for the summer, especially if I add a few accessories that pick up on the colour. (Trust me that the colour is a lot brighter in person.)

And although I do enjoy painting, by the second coat I get a bit tired and lazy so don't go looking under my chairs or you'll find that I skipped that part all together :)

On a side note, if you read the blog yesterday, you will know that I have a huge to-do list for this month. One of my tasks was painting the sandbox so that can now be marked off.

I know the picture doesn't look too flashy but if you would have seen a before shot (sorry, forgot to take one), complete with flaking off primer because I didn't get to painting it before last winter, than you would appreciate its makeover.  Now all I need is some rope handles to finish it off.

Giving Thanks for Fruits & Vegetables

My husband and I had our first Thanksgiving at home, just us with our kids, in eight years.  We both have very large families and Thanksgiving traditions but for a variety of reasons, things were not as norm this year and we got to be at home. It was a nice change and we thoroughly enjoyed cooking our very first turkey.  Or rather, my husband cooked the turkey and did a PHENOMENAL job. Thank you Jamie Oliver for helping us out yet again.

A recap in pictures:

Our Turkey, Jamie's recipe here

Pumpkin and Butter tarts ready for the oven ... mmmm

Leftover Asian-Inspired Turkey Salad
Jamie Oliver Recipe here

 At dinner time, we asked the kids what they were thankful for and my eldest responded with: " ... the fruits and vegetables that we eat and that the dinosaurs don't live here anymore."  

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.

What Do You Cut Your Pizza With?

Undoubtedly, your family consumes pizza at least once a month, if not once a week like mine.

A couple of years ago, my younger sister was visiting during one of our weekly pizza rituals. While I was getting some things ready for dinner, my sister asked me where my scissors were. Thinking nothing of her question, I told her and then carried on with what I was doing.  It was only once we were seated at the table and my sister began to cut our pizza with my kitchen scissors that I let out a bit of a shriek ... or more like a "what the heck are you doing?" (insert some big sister tone and dismay).

Thinking I knew everything, I handed her the pizza cutter and chalked it up to her being a bit crazy and still in college. Later that year on Christmas morning, my husband and I received this handy gadget:

Pizza Scissors
Source

These, for those of you who do not know, are pizza scissors.  Turns out, my sister isn't crazy and there is such a thing. They are not plain old kitchen scissors mind you, but nonetheless they do exist and are now a Friday night staple in our home. They are super handy and just as easy as a pizza cutter. And with the larger spatula-like piece, they make lifting the pieces a lot easier.

Have all of you heard of these? Great Christmas idea for any parent, cook, college student ... or person really. Who doesn't like/eat pizza?

Anyways, this post is dedicated to my "crazy" younger sister who teaches me lots of great stuff and makes really yummy food in the kitchen. xo

Two Cakes in Two Weeks

We just passed birthday season in my house where both of my boys have birthdays within eight days of each other. It's a bit crazy with multiple cakes, presents, get togethers and phonecalls, but throw in the start of JK and nursery school and it elevates to insanity.

We are through it now, thus it is time to share with you my cake creations. To date, I have just done some homemade cakes with a knife and some candy from the bulk barn being my only tools to decorate with. This year I borrowed all the fancy icing tips from my sister-in -law and I was really happy with the results.

My youngest really likes Winnie the Pooh, so naturally the cake had to sport his favourite honey-lovin' bear:

My now four-year-old requested an anklyosaurus (that's the dinosaur with the club on its tail for those of you wondering) cake leading up to the big event, but then made a last minute change to Batman. "Not just his face Mommy, I want the whole body on the cake ..." Great! That's not hard at all! ... I settled for waist and up.

I thought the designs turned out pretty well, especially Batman's abdominal region :) But I still haven't mastered how to get the plain white background/base icing on the cake smooth so you can't see all of my knife strokes. Oh well, that can be next year's goal.

This week's goal is reintroducing exercise into my life in order to fight the consequences of ingesting so much cake and butter icing.

 

I Love Cheese

Like most females, I adore cheese. There aren't too many types that I don't enjoy, except for maybe the blue genre. My taste buds haven't quite "matured" to that level yet I guess.

Recently at a girls' weekend, my friend E. introduced us all to Halloumi cheese - have you heard of this? It is a cheese, originally from Cyprus and very popular in the middle east. Click here for a wikipedia link. Anyways, the thing I loved about this cheese is that it doesn't melt when it is cooked. At first, you may think that this is a negative , but then imagine this:

Yes, you can use it on your kabobs on the barbecue and it actually stays in tact. Kabobs just got a whole lot better with the addition of cheeeeeese.

When on a skewer, it kinds of looks like chicken. Here's a close up:

It doesn't have a super strong flavour and the texture is unique. All I can say is that it kind of squeaks when you chew it. I know, sounds a bit weird, but you'll understand once you try it.  And when I told my kids it squeaked, they tried it a few times so that was a bonus too!

I bought it at Longo's in the deli section.

Let me know if you have tried it? Like it? Have any other ideas for uses.

Getting Cozy Again

Ahhh ... September.

Enter: FALL

I absolutely love this time of year. I actually think it is my favourite.

I have heard/read a lot of people saying it's the kids going back to school that makes it so great, but that's not it for me.

After a long, hot, summer with most of our time being spent outside, it's the feeling of getting all cozy again that I love ...

... the crisp air setting in

...  the wind making my ears cold (September cold ... not December cold)

... wearing socks

 ... putting on jeans  (hopefully they fit after all those s'mores)

... reaching for the comfy, cozy sweaters



... snuggling in my duvet at night with the window open and a cool breeze

... wrapping my hands around a warm cup of tea


Hope you're enjoying the change of season, back to school, increased commute traffic and all the good and bad September has to offer.

Easy Pyjama Alteration

At the beginning of the summer I was faced with full drawers of pyjamas for both of my kids.  The problem:  all the pjs had long sleeves and pants and were not that appropriate for summer weather.  I was not very motivated to go spend a pile of money on summer pjs when I already had so many and that they would likely grow out of  by summer's end.


My solution:


The Before looked something like this:

And, with the help of a simple pair of kitchen scissors, the After looked like this:

Voila! Summer pyjamas in seconds. Who needs hems!?

(I know this post is a few months late in relevance, but thought I would share in hopes that come next June as the temperatures start to rise, you may remember my simple alteration and save yourself a few dollars and hours at the mall.)

Have You Ever Fainted?

Have you ever fainted  ... at a wedding?

Let's make this more specific ... have you every fainted during a wedding ceremony?

Yeah, didn't think so.

Well, there is a first for everything and this past weekend I got to check that one off the ol' list.

Yup, passed right out.

Fortunately I felt it coming on and was able to find a seat (it was an outdoor wedding and we were standing while they exchanged vows), thus making it a lot less obvious, embarassing and distracting as I passed out while sitting into my husband's chest. (Sorry, I know, a little less dramatic then what you had originally imagined, but there was a doctor that helped, ice cubes wrapped in a napkin and having to lie down at the table on chairs.)

Of course my husband and I had been looking forward to this wedding all summer - friends, gorgeous venue, bride with impeccable taste resulting in amazing details (everyone signed a picnic table for them, family dog with video camera tied to collar, blanket favours with their initials, and well that is all I got to), romantic outdoor setting, and within walking distance of our home.  It was sooo beautiful and the weather was perfect (well I guess too perfect if I got hot enough to pass out).

Got driven home at 7 p.m. and well, that was my Saturday night.

And what did you all get up to?

Hunger Games: I Miss You

For those of you who have not read the Hunger Games, please go out and read them ... NOW!

Don't feel stupid that they are in the Young Adult section of the store/library, just get over it and read them.

For those of you who have read the trilogy, here's my question to you:

GALE or PEETA?

I honestly miss the characters. I have been entrenched in the books for the past couple of weeks, devouring every page, getting way less sleep than I should with two young boys who still wake up for some reason or another most nights.  I finally finished the last page of the third book last night during Arthur... ("yes, honey you can watch one last show while mommy finishes this last page"). 

Immediately upon closing the book, I was sad. Happy at the final ending, but sad that I didn't get to read more about the characters and hear more about what happens next. I guess that is the sign of a good story/series.  The only consolation is the movies are coming soon - in less than a year - and I really hope they don't screw them up (cough ... Twilight).

Anyways, still time to go out and grab them if you have some holidays you're squeezing in during August.

P.S. I am Peeta all the way!!

Friday's Fabulous Mom: Laura Lueloff

This Friday's Fabulous Mom is Laura Lueloff. For you long time readers out there, you will recognize Laura's name as she has been a guest blogger in the past sharing fitness information and survival tips for Disney world. Laura is a friend of mine who is an absolutely wonderful Mom and filled with so much zest for what she does.  I know you will love learning more about her today!

_________________________________


I’m Laura – the household CEO, mother of 2 awesome kids, an entrepreneur, master planner, fitness guru, and wife of almost 10 years to Jeff.  We have lived in Aurora, Ont. for almost 8 years now and never want to leave – we were meant to live in this town.  Our son Owen just turned 6 and our daughter Taylor is just over 3 and I could not be any prouder of them both.  We are an active and busy family and are always on the go.  I run my own business called Transition Fitness – I offer personal training and teach Stroller Fitness classes in York Region.  Fitness & well being has always been my passion and when I left my corporate sales career in the big city I decided to turn my passion into my new career.  My outlook on life these days is all about balance, perspective and making the most of each day.

Fabulous Mom Laura with husband Jeff
and kids - Owen & Taylor

How does a day start for you and what’s being served for breakfast?

 My day starts EARLY.  I am usually up between 5:30-6am (weekends too!).  I actually really like waking up early as this gives me a little extra time to get a few things accomplished before the kids wake up – a workout, business stuff, cleaning etc.  I make the most of this “quiet” time.  Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day and I try to encourage the kids to eat a complete and wholesome meal at this time too.  We love smoothies (frozen blueberries, yogurt, banana, soy milk).  We might have this with some healthy cereal, whole grain toast or homemade oatmeal.

Favorite bedtime story(ies) currently on the must-read list for your little ones?

For Owen – Brady Brady by Mary Shaw – this series is outstanding as it combines the humour of a boy obsessed with hockey with some really great and meaningful messages.  High interest for boys and perfect for sharing some laughs together.  We also like to read science based books about cool & interesting animals too!

For Taylor – we have just graduated from Dora and moved on to authors such as Phoebe Gilman – (Jillian Jiggs series) or Victoria Kaan (Pinkalicious).  Great rhymes, silly stories and cute characters – I have read them so many times I have them memorized!

Tip or Trick for getting those daily vegetable servings in

I really try to introduce the kids to a variety of vegetables just to see what else they might like other than just mini carrots!  I have had some luck and they do happen to love broccoli & asparagus (what a relief!). I find making homemade soups, casseroles, chili and pastas are a great way to “sneak” veggies in without really hiding them.  Veggies such as cauliflower, zucchini and carrots are also very easy to hide in muffins, loaves or even cookies. 
 
Any words of advice for keeping all the clutter and toys from overtaking?

BLITZ…..this is what I call it when mom gets “Clutter Cranky Syndrome.”  I find about once every two months I will go through the house and create three piles: garbage (mostly toy bits, loose or random pieces), piles to reorganize into our multiple types of storage bins, and items to donate.  Now that the kids are a little older we are encouraging them to keep a lot of their toys in their rooms and we do keep one specific room as the designated “playroom.”  It works well as it really is their space decorated with their artwork and has become the local headquarters for all things Star Wars and Princess.  Perfect for play dates as well as the kids can rummage through the room, the bins and the closet for toys to play with.

If you had an entire afternoon to yourself, what would you do?

If this was an afternoon completely by myself it would start off with a leisurely run through Fairy Lake in Newmarket, then maybe some shopping at stores that seem impossible to bring the kids with me (ie HomeSense or Lemonberry).  I would love to end it off meeting a friend for a coffee or if there is time maybe head to a spa.  I guess that is a lot in an afternoon – might need a day!

How do you squeeze in the ever-so-important time for just you and your husband?

There is no doubt that having young kids (especially close in age) really takes its toll on quality couple time.  We have recently found a fantastic babysitter who is the first person we have ever left the kids with other than grandparents.  This is a big step for us, but it has been great.  Our Monday – Friday is so busy (since I work most evenings) that Saturdays are really our night to actually get caught up.  When we do not have a sitter, we do try and put the kids to bed and then make our own dinner or order in a little later.  This gives us uninterrupted time to actually talk.  We’re hoping to have a real “leave the house date” soon and the plan is to play golf and go for dinner.

Your go-to family meal that you know will be loved by all, eaten by all and serve some nutrients too!
I polled my family for this one ...  hands down winner:  my homemade lasagna. Always a hit, perfect for a family meal with lots of leftovers and I also love serving it to a crowd.  I use extra lean ground beef, ricotta, spinach and zucchini as the primary ingredients.  I try to keep it healthy and make enough that I can freeze it for weeknights when you are out of quick ideas.  The runner up meal would be my burgers.  I cannot justify ever buying the frozen ones when it is so easy and MUCH more healthy to make your own.  My secret to keeping the burgers moist is to use a combination of beef and pork (lean meat of course!)

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Now you can understand why after I visit with Laura I am always inspired and filled with all sorts of ideas on family time, organization, fitness and food.  Thanks Laura for sharing all these great tips and sharing with us your daily routine.

Jamie Oliver ... Indian Style

I have decided to put a bit more effort into some of the meals I make for my family during the week.

Recent meals have been lacking any sort of inspiration, exciting flavours  - same old, same old.  You do what you have to do to get it on the table, but it is nice to have a bit of pride once in awhile when you serve up the plates.

This week I was cooking out of Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes book. The great thing about this cook book is that each page is a recipe for an entire meal, not just one part of it. For example it will explain step-by-step how to cook the entire meal and in the end you have a main meat, salad, side veggie and usually a dessert or fun drink. Sound a bit over the top for the mid-week rush?  That's what I thought, but Jamie walks you through, literally step by step, in order of what you have to do - prompting you to even turn your frying pan on (so it's ready for the third step that you will come to in 10 minutes). 

Honestly, in approximately 30 minutes from start to finish, I created this:

Source

(This is not my photo - I forgot to take one. But I can honestly say, that my meal looked 90% like this one ... maybe even a little nicer :) )

This wonderful meal was Jamie's steak Indian-style, spinach & paneer salad, naan breads, mango dessert.

The only thing that I have found takes a bit longer when attempting these new dishes is a bit of extra grocery shopping planning, but it's worth it if I can serve this little number instead of trying to pass off KD with tuna as a delicious and unique entree.

So what interesting recipes have you been trying lately? And what is your favourite local summer produce?

A Natural Deodorant That Works! ... and a Giveaway

A couple of weeks ago I wrote this post about a natural deodorant that I had ordered online.  The deodorant is Crawford Street Skin Care's Lemon Deodorant Cream.

I have tried a lot of natural deodorants in search of one that actually works and one that I could confidently put on in the morning and not worry about throughout the day. The search has come up short, until now.

After hearing about Crawford Street's deodorant in There's Lead in Your Lipstick by Gillian Deacon, I crossed my fingers and ordered two jar's worth.

The result:  I have been using it for approximately two months and have no plans in switching back to anti perspirant.  I have not any any issues, except for maybe after going swimming multiple times and then baking in the sun, but let's be fair.  I would wear this deodorant during an airport marathon, while attending a wedding, making a presentation to my boss and/or during an exercise class.  Bye Bye B.O. and bye bye to the guilt and worry over health risks of anti-perspirant.

Anyone want to win a free Lemon Deodorant Cream from Crawford Street Skin Care? To enter, simply leave a comment (or send me an email to cashmereandcarrots@gmail.com) and let me know why you would be interested in switching to a natural deodorant. Contest closes Friday, August 29th at noon.