out of the mouths of children

my son came home from camp a few days ago and asked me "i heard that margarine is one ingredient away from being plastic. is that true?'

let me go back a bit so you can fully understand first where this crazy question came from and what kind of camp he was at that this would be a topic of discussion.

no, he was not at a cooking camp or anything related to food for the matter. he was at a jr lifeguard camp, so i was a bit surprised by the question myself. how this all came about was through out camp they have special days for the kids and this year they had a  pancake breakfast. at the end of the food line were all the regular toppings, but instead of butter there was margarine. i won't even go into some of the other choices, since that is not what this post is about.

 his first actual question was "mom, there was this stuff that wasn't butter, but it was yellow like butter, i forget the name, do you know what i'm talking about?" i responded margarine and that is how the rest of the conversation happened.

 since we try and eat organic and healthy as much as possible it is not something we have in our house. it makes me kind of happy that at almost 12 years old he didn't even know what it was, so i must be doing something right. it was his friend in line who told him what it was and stated this fact. i'm not familiar with his friend (or his parents) since they only met at camp, but kudos to whoever is teaching him about healthy foods. there were other topics that came up between him and my son during their snack and lunch time eating. i love when kids are involved in what they eat! ok, getting off my soap box now and back to that crazy question.

i had heard this before, but as i said, we don't use it so i never really paid attention. so my answer at the time, since we were driving home from the beach, was i don't know for sure about that, but most of what goes into margarine is not considered "real" food.  he then decided when he got home he was going to google this fact.  there were several articles on this and i don't know how many were fact or fiction, but i thought i would post this one that is came across, that was the most understandable to the general public. i don't know about you, but sometimes all the words, studies, ect tend to make my head spin. http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/butter.asp

so, my son did find out not to always believe everything you hear. it also states the obvious, be aware of what you eat and what goes into the process of making the food you eat. make informed choices.

margarine is not one ingredient away from plastic, but with that being said, it doesn't make it the most healthy choice. i do understand lots of non dairy eaters do use this option, for cooking, baking, ect.
i myself would find another option, but to each their own.

this was just something i found interesting and enlightening and thought i would share with my readers.

not another lunch

so i know summer is slowly sneaking up on us, and i do mean slowly, could it just please get here already!!! if you are like me you are itching for summer days and no more school, more importantly no more school lunches. as the school year drags on it can be hard to keep kids happy with their lunches and still keep them healthy.
 there are several great blogs out there about real lunches and all kinds of school containers that help with the packing, storing and making the not so boring lunch.  here are a couple of my favorites.
 http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2013/02/04/school-lunch-roundup-iii/
another great one is https://www.facebook.com/AnotherLunch
i love to browse these all the time to help me come up with new ideas. as my kids have gotten older some of these lunches don't really work for them. i tend to make a more hearty version. so i thought i'd share with you a couple of ideas on what to pack your "big" kids.
these are just a few of my kids favorites.

i am pretty lucky in the fact that for the most part my kids eat the same thing, there are small variables like my daughter prefers v8 juice and my son flavored coconut water or their choices for granola bars might be different but the mains can usually be the same. this is our sushi lunch and we do it every couple of weeks. the kids like it on hot days because it cool, light and satisfying. by the way, sushi doesn't have to break the bank a calif roll or shrimp roll split between the two of them is surprisingly affordable.

just as the sushi is for a hot day, we have favorite warm lunches for cold days. this is chili and corn bread. i always make enough of things like chili, soup and macaroni at dinner time so we have leftovers for lunch. i love these containers from aladdin because they are short and round, so they are easy to fill and perfect for the kids to eat out of.

this is what they look like closed up and they fit great in lunch boxes and do a good job keeping food warm.

this is a chicken club wrap. again leftovers are a life saver, last nights roasted chicken today chicken wrap. and yes, that is a cupcake in there with the healthy fruit and trail mix. the kids love to get home made treats as a surprise every now and then. i mean when your mom is the cupcake lady to all your friends at school you should reap the reward of having them every now and then too!
 we also do great paninis with just about any filling you can imagine. wrapped in foil in an insulated lunch box they stay warm and inviting by lunch. an all time favorite panini for both my kiddos is a ciabatta roll with tomato sauce, mozzarella and meatballs. again, there's the leftovers making my life easier.
now don't get all judgy, judgy on me. not ALL of our lunches look like this. there are plenty of those days when a good old pb&j or some sort of lunch meat sammie is perfectly acceptable. just thought i'd share a few tricks to keep you and your kiddos a little happier these last few long days of school. after all i don't know about you, but  when we hit summer, my kids will be making their own lunches at home while i sit by the pool sunning. ok, so maybe not but i can dream can't i?

making jucing user friendly

so lately there is a lot of talk about juicing. it seems everywhere you go now you can usually find somewhere that has some form of veggie/fruit juice. so what's all the fuss about? it's really not a new concept, nor is it something that a fancy chef on tv came up with. could it be everyone is finally catching up to what some of us have know forever.  you are what you eat and your body is not a dumping ground for convenient, prepacked foods full of preservatives.
the truth is people have been juicing for years for all sorts of reasons, health, weight loss, medical and dietary issues. those are just the tip of the iceberg. so really who knows what has truly brought it to the forefront, the good news is it's there and people are starting to understand all the benefits of this wonderful nectar of the earth.
 i am not here to preach all those things to you today, really this is just a chance for me to share my reason and how easy it is at home. i even have a few of my family favorite juices. yes, i did just say family, my kids drink it too! even the kind with spinach in it.
if you follow my fb page and blog you already know i am blessed wih kids that have wonderfully open food tastes and will agree to try just about anything. saying that, i am going to be brutally honest and say, they are kids. that means they don't always eat the best, are constantly being exposed to sugar, perservatives and packaged foods. i can't be with them all the time, and they are not always going to pass up on the things that if they were with me they wouldn't eat, like i said, they are kids. so for me if they drink a glass of juice in the am filled with everything they need for the day i feel better with them eating the stuff they don't need.

when the subject of juicing comes up, the first thing most people say is "yuck! how do you drink that stuff without gagging?" the second is "i wouldn't even know where to begin or what to put in the juice. isn't it a lot of work?" the answer is no and really any fruits and veggies you like and even a few you think you don't. truthfully, even the veggies you won't eat on a plate can make a juice taste great. my son won't eat spinach on a plate, but will drink it even knowing it's in the juice. i'm not a huge fan of beets on their own, but love them in juice. so we have covered the yuck and some of the what, now the "isn't it hard?" part.
i think the hardest part of juicing is the first step, picking a juicer, if you don't have one that is. if you do, than the rest is easy. they are so many choices out there it's hard to pick the "best" one. my advice to you is pick the one that will work for you, because if it's a pain for you to use or clean, you won't use it, plain and simple.

so this is my juicing friend. it is by omega and is a little more work than the average juicer. it is designed for completely raw juicing. this means it grinds the fruits and veggies removing all hard to digest fiber. the grinding never heats the fruits/veggie leaving all nutrients in tact and is great for those of you who do the raw diet, where nothing is cooked. there are other juicers out there they do the same, this is just the one i decided worked best for me. some juicers puree everything and the friction from the blades heat the veggies just slightly, which doesn't follow raw guidelines but are fabulous anyway. when i purchased mine i was using it for juicing, baby food and a close friend who was following the raw diet for medical reasons. juicers come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. there is also a difference between a juicer and things like the vitamix and the blendtec models, which make all sorts of things like smoothies, juices, soups, ect. i have one of those too, which i do use for just that. like i said pick a choice that works for you. i am posting two links, one is for juicers the other is for the all in one models. in no way do i say  either  is the last word on the products, but i wanted to give you a place to start if you don't own one already.
http://www.fernsnutrition.com/juicers.html this is a juicer site, and if you notice the one i use is on the top of the page so you can do your own research.
http://gotgreensrevolution.com/Vitamix-versus-blendtec-review.html this is a review of the two top all in one models.
after you get your juicer the rest is easy.
now what to put in them you ask, the answer really is what can't you. i am going to share two of our everyday juices. one is a green juice which is filled with iron, vitamins and chlorophyll. great for your immune system, your blood and everyday wellness.

           green juice
1 english cucumber ****
2 stalks of celery
2 cups raw spinach
2 green apples ***
1 cup pineapple
2 kids to help with the process ****
1/2 cup of coconut water (optional, you can add alkaline water or none at all your choice)
i add coconut especially in the summer so we start our day hydrated as well.

that's it, now depending on your juicer/ blender, your prep is all up to you. my juicer requires some chopping and a plunger to help it in the feeding tube. this is what my kids love to do.
*** you can use any type of cucumber and apple you choose, i like english and green apples for this juice, but we really just use what we have that day. i also use all organic produce so i don't have to peel any of the ingredients, but again do what works for you. the trick to this juice tasting good to the kids is the pineapple and apples. we also use mango or flavored coconut waters and then everyone is happy. getting them involved in the process helps.
this recipe makes enough for 4 if your like me and don't have the time to do the actual juicing everyday, double the recipe and store in airtight mason jars. the vitamins start to deplete daily so drink by the next day. we try and do a couple of different batches every other day during the week and use the weekends to experiment with other juice flavors when we have the time.

               carrot beat juice
1 large beet
3 large carrotts ***
2 fuji apples
2 stalks celery
1 pear
1/2 cup coconut water (optional)

that's it, this juice is so sweet from the beets and carrots you'll be surprised how much the kids like it. like i said i don't really like beets, but this juice is a great energy boost and great for pre workout or sports activities.
*** use whatever carrots you want, even baby if that's what you have.

so there you have it, two simple yummy recipes, that are easy and family friendly. two other great combos are orange/blackberry and pineapple/orange/blueberry. let the kids come up with their own combos, we have used everything including strawberries in our juices. we have had some hits and some flops, but it's a great way to take the "yuck" out of juicing and a little comfort for you with your family facing the big bad food world.

take me out to the ballgame!!!

it's here, it's here that wonderful time of year!! baseball season! and what goes better with baseball besides cracker jacks!!! ok, ok so maybe beer does. i don't make beer, but i do make a mean homemade cracker jack, that is quite tasty with beer. the plus is you will never eat the one from the box again, when you see how easy they are to make! you can even add your own prize in the batch and it's bound to be a better one than you find in the box these days. i mean really what happened to the good prizes like plastic rings and stuff, who wants a tattoo and a joke! blah!!!  

so i am done complaining about the boxed kind, on to mine!!! 

this recipe is quick and easy and you can customize it when your all done. think chocolate moose munch from harry and david. yummy caramel popcorn drizzled with chocolate, or chocolate and peanut butter..... mmmmmmm!!! ok, i'm getting side tracked by the idea of crunchy goodness. let me get back on track!!

so this is what you will need.

                                                  

                                                   homemade cracker jacks

***2/3 cup unpopped popcorn
4 teaspoons olive oil (5-6 teaspoons for 2/3 cup popcorn)
1/2 cup shelled peanuts (our family likes roasted and salted, but use whatever you like)

 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon molasses (you can use 2 tablespoons if you love molasses)
1/2 teaspoon salt

 preheat oven to 350

****i like to pop my corn in a pot on the stove. add oil to a stock pot over med heat and pour kernels in and shake to coat with oil. place lid on pot and what for that first fabulous pop! after that gently continue to shake pot over the heat until all popcorn is popped. the popping will slow considerably when it is ready. ***

now this is your choice if you use an air popper, go for it. you can also place the kernels in a paperbag with a small amount of oil, seal the bag and put in the microwave on your popcorn setting. yes there is no need for that stuff you buy in the grocery store. altho i think there may be an organic natural brand out there now, but i can't help you there. my way is cheaper and plenty easy for me.

pour the popped corn in a large bowl, try and make sure there are no un-popped kernels in the batch, but some seem to always slip by. pour the peanuts into the bowl with your popcorn.

 

for the caramel, heat the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses and salt in a pan on the stove until the butter is melted, and the sugar is smooth and not grainy anymore.

 

 pour this mixture over the popcorn and peanuts, stirring well. pour it all onto a cookie sheet(i used a silpat on my cookie sheet) and place in oven for 10-12 minutes, stirring once or twice. it will be gooey. 

you will end up with a wonderful cookie sheet of goodness that looks something like this.

stir occasionally and let air dry until crisp, then store in an airtight container if there is any left that is!

my new favorite obsession

sometimes eating healthy starts to get boring. you can get stuck in a rut making the same things over and over,  just like regular foods. another thing that seems to happens when we choose to eat healthy is we skip eating altogether when we are bored or in a rush. this is never a good option. 

 the other day i was really hungry and really bored with juice, yogurt, oatmeal and fruit for breakfast.  i stood there staring in my refrigerator and my pantry, hoping they would inspire me. you know what i'm talking about when you open the door and look in and then you close it walk away and then go back and open it again, hoping something new might magically appear. don't laugh, i know you all have done it before. well this time, it actually worked. when i reopened my refrigerator door i was staring at a container of ricotta cheese. okay, so the cheese was in there the first time, but remember i was looking for breakfast, not making lasagna, stuffed shells or cheesecake. did i say cheesecake? yes that was what first came into my mind, but then i remembered my mom's jack lalanne days. this was his pre-juicing days when he used to be on tv everyday with his work out program. ok, no i'm not getting side tracked, but i started to think about what my mom used to eat for breakfast now and then. she would eat what she called her poor mans version of cheesecake. this was ricotta cheese, fruit and honey. 

 most of you have probably eaten cottage cheese at some point in your life, unless your like me and  won't touch that stuff with a 10 foot pole. being italian ricotta cheese was always readily available in our house or easy enough to make on our own if we were in a bind (that's a recipe for another time). now cottage cheese is runny and lumpy and just generally kind of blah, to look at. ricotta is not watery, lumpy or blah. it is creamy and a bit sweet too. so i don't think cottage cheese would have the same effect that this dish had for me, but feel free to try it if your a cottage cheese fan.

i never ate this with her, i would just roll my eyes and reach for the pancakes and syrup and she would look at me and smile. which i now know why, she was secretly laughing at me because she knew that time and age would be all the payback she needed to make me understand her choice. this is when i lived on carbs and chocolate and looked like no one ever fed me. ahhhh those were the days. anyway back to my point, i decided why not, since cheesecake wasn't really on the list of foods on my new years resolution diet. i had some wonderfully sweet blackberries in their too, so i dished myself up a bowl of ricotta, added the blackberries and a drizzle of honey and dug in!

doesn't look like much does it? well looks can be deceiving, it tasted great! not exactly cheesecake, but it was creamy, sweet and satisfying. it is also packed with protein and very filling. 

i am now hooked and have been using the ricotta cheese just like yogurt for a change up when i am looking for a little variety. i have mixed it into smoothies and topped it with granola. it's great sprinkled with a little brown sugar instead of honey or even agave. the sweeter and juicier the fruit is the yummier it tastes. the other night i sprinkled some amaretto and brown sugar on some strawberries while we ate dinner and then poured it over the top for a delicious after dinner treat. 

to think, this little gem has been sitting in my refrigerator this whole time and it just took thinking outside the box for just a minute to create a new fun choice for my taste buds. of course, i'm sure my mom was up there looking down on me laughing as she nudged my brain in the right direction, she probably even rolled her eyes at me too!!!!

low carb, warm and fabulous!

it's cold outside, but your watching your diet. you want comfort food, but you don't want it tomorrow when you can't fit in your clothes. nothing soothes the heart, mind and soul like a creamy, warm and comforting soup, but you promised you were on your way back into your healthy, leaner days of your youth. ok, so we all know that last one might be a bit of a stretch, but we all know what it's like to do our best to stick to eating healthy and keeping active, but the cold weather sometimes toys with our hungry emotions. so here's the perfect answer to keeping both sides of you happy. the one who is eating right and working hard and the one who wants to curl up in front of the fire with a delicious bowl of warm and creamy potato cheese soup. this recipe doesn't have a potato or an ounce of cream or milk, but you would never know it, unless of course you were the one cooking it. so get off the couch and make this super easy, low carb and fabulous soup. then curl back up and enjoy your fire without the guilt and knowing those pants will still fit in the am.

roasted cauliflower and cheese soup

1 ( 1 1/2 pound ) head of cauliflower
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth***
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese***
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

preheat the oven to 400

in a large bowl, toss the cauliflower and garlic cloves in the olive oil until well coated. season with salt and pepper, to taste. place on a large baking sheet, in a single layer. roast the cauliflower until lightly golden brown, about 20-30 minutes. set aside.

 heat the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat, add the onion and celery and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. chop up the roasted garlic. add the garlic, roasted cauliflower, vegetable broth, thyme, and rosemary and bring to a boil. reduce the heat so that the mixture simmers and cooks until the cauliflower is tender, about 20-25 minutes.

using an immersion blender, food processor or regular blender, blend the soup until smooth. add the cheddar cheese and stir until melted. if the soup appears too thick to you, just add a little extra stock until you reach your desired consistancy. season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm. serve the soup with crusty bread or homemade croutons. another great topping is the heat a little olive oil in a pan and add a little smoked paprika, heat just until warm and turn off and allow flavors to steep. drizzle over top of soup. enjoy!

snack time for kids!

do you hate that after school hour, when your kids come home and say "i'm hungry" or how about when you give them 15 choices and they say "i'm bored of that" or "i don't want THAT again" ugh!  sometimes snack time is worse than meal time. you want to give them something healthy, but you don't want to fill them up with unneccesary calories or have them not hungry for dinner.

here's a quick and easy snack that's good for them and will make snack time easier for you.

this yummy dip is easy, healthy and just a little bit different than plain peanut butter. try this the next time your kids are looking for a snack. mix 1/4 cup of greek yogurt either plain or vanilla and 1/4 cup of your favorite peanut butter, add a teaspoon of honey and mix till combined. loaded with protein  the dippers are endless, my kids love pretzels, bananas, apples and graham crackers. it's sure to keep your kids satisfied and happy until dinner time.

not your everyday oatmeal

the other day my girl and i were having a mommy and me day. as we were lying in bed snuggling that morning we were searching through recipes together. might sound like a strange thing to do, but my kids and i really love doing this and putting recipes together that we think we would want to try. this is also the way i get them to try new things. so anyway, back to my point. we came across this yummy breakfast that calls for oatmeal, which is one of my daughters favorite breakfasts. she decided it was time for us to get up and make breakfast and this was what we were making. so begrudgingly i dragged myself from my warm and toasty bed and followed her down to the kitchen.

the recipe is simple and my 8 year old proceeded to make the whole thing, so none of you can use the excuse you can't cook, to not try it. we named our treat banana oatmeal bake, and that is just what it turned out to be, a treat. it was warm and delicious, the caramelized topping gave it a great crunch and it's completely good for you. beat that! a breakfast that tastes good, sticks with you, is good for you and all four of our family members liked it, even two of us who aren't oatmeal fans.

i'm not a big fan of oatmeal, but when it comes to eating a breakfast that sticks with me and warms me up, i have to admit nothing works quite like oatmeal. it is truly the only thing i can eat that sticks with me through an entire work out, especially if i swim. so i usually make myself a bowl and then attempt to add just about anything to make it taste worthy of enjoying. agave, brown sugar, fruit, but nothing really makes it a culinary delight. now remember that whole thing about using the recipe hunting to get my kids to try new things, well i guess it works both ways. i would not have picked this recipe, or for that matter willing gone about making it, but as i said before my daughter had made up her mind. so here we go,  and this is all you need

 

1-1/2 cups milk(soy or almond milk)***

1 egg

2 over-ripened bananas, smashed***

1 tbls vanilla extract

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

2 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup chopped strawberries(i used frozen)***

1 over ripened banana, sliced

¼ cup dark brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, beat together milk, egg, smashed bananas, vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon until combined.

 

Add baking powder oats and half the strawberries. Stir well. Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and pour the mixture in the dish, spreading evenly. Top with the remaining strawberries and bananas slices. Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake 25 minutes. Turn broiler to low and broil 5 – 7 minutes until topping is caramelized.
Serve warm

now the other good thing we found about this is it is good the next day cold or reheated with a little milk to moisten it. so doubling the recipe is on the agenda the next time we make it so we have leftovers for during the week. my son who never touches oatmeal loves this too and it is great on a cold winter morning. nothing like sending your family off with a little warmth from home.

*** feel free to use any milk or milk product, even vanilla flavored almond milk would be good.

***if your bananas are not truly overripe, just add a little extra brown sugar in the milk mixture for a little more sweetness, overripe are a lot more sweet than just ripe bananas.

*** i used frozen strawberries and just sliced them and threw them in with out defrosting, great since strawberries are out of season. 

warms the soul

ever had a day where you don't even want to get dressed. you know the kind i'm talking about, it's cold, rainy and nothing sounds better than your pj's, a fire and snuggling with your favorite kiddos. to me rain and soup go together like peanut butter and jelly. it's also days like this that cooking an elaborate meal is not something i want to do either. so one pot dishes like soup are great.

 i learned this recipe from my aunt and it always reminds me of her when i make it. i grew up spending summers on the east coast and being the youngest cousin of 22 i was often left behind with my aunts and uncles, and grandparents and a few of the other younger cousins while everyone went off for the day. we usually spent the beginning of july there which is rarely rainy, so i guess that's why it sticks out in my memory so much. my aunt and uncle lived above my grandparents at the time and since it was raining my cousins and i were playing up and down the stairs and everywhere else between the two apartments driving everyone crazy,  so in order to bring  piece to the chaos she enlisted the 4 of us kids into helping her in the kitchen. we were put to work making meatballs for this fabulous soup. i have not included a recipe for meatballs here, but i will post that recipe soon.

 every good italian girl is taught when making gravy, meatballs and sausage to always make double and keep the leftovers in the freezer for a rainy day. that day we must have made meatballs for 10 rainy days!!! figure 4 kids were pretty cheap labor for my aunt and for us it was like playing with play dough. 

i learned more than a meatball and soup recipe that day. i learned how cooking, traditions and family can make any day special, any kid a great cook and how to keep squirrelly kids from sending you to the funny farm. i have since enlisted my children on several occasions when i need some peace from the fighting and stir craziness of rainy days or long summer days.

maybe a few of you out there are good italian girls and have some frozen meatballs stashed away for a rainy day, but for those of you who don't, never fear a bag from your local grocery store will work just fine. i will even confess to using a bag or two of those every now and then. let's just keep that part a secret, i don't want to tarnish my good italian girl reputation.  i prefer trader joe's if i need a quick go to bag.

this soup has several names, italian wedding soup, meatball soup and meatball stew. whatever you want to call it, i call it home.

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/4-1/2 c white wine

1 quart of chix stock

water as needed

1 can of cannelloni beans, drained

16 small meat balls ( i make my own, but feel free to use any kind of your choice)

3 tbsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp each dried basil, oregano, parsley ( you can use fresh, i didn't have any on hand. double amount)

a little creative license

in a large pot over medium heat add olive oil to heat and  saute onions, carrots, and celery, about 3-5 mins until they start to get soft. add garlic and saute 1 min, add tomato paste and cook for another 1-2 mins. deglaze pan with white white, scraping all the delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan. at this time feel free to pour yourself a glass of that wine to enjoy while cooking. i also learned this from my aunt. i'm pretty sure that also helps in keeping your sanity. add chicken stock, beans and meatballs. if there is not enough liquid for your taste or to cover meatballs add water to liking. season with herbs and worcestshire sauce and salt & pepper to taste. simmer at least 1/2 hour covered. i like to add crushed red pepper to taste, but if it's not for you, serve it on the side.

 here is when your creative license comes in. you can add whatever veggies you like to this or just leave as is. i always add whatever i have available and most always spinach or cooked veggies at the very end of the simmering cycle. if you add uncooked veggies such as green beans, add them during the simmering process to ensure they are tender.

i serve this with garlic bread, or for a little something extra garlic cheese toast and while your at it, it's never a bad idea to sprinkle some of that cheese on you bowl of soup. of course that is entirely up to you ;-)

the only thing i will ask you now is to go and create a little memory and tradition of your own. there is also nothing better than using that memory/recipe to make you feel better when life has gotten the better of you and you need to pick yourself up. so no need for a rainy day.

get a fresh start for the new year!

so you made your new years resolution to lose weight, eat better, yada, yada, yada. we all know we make these statements with good intention. truth be told being a wife, mother and for those working outside the home, is a lot harder than good intentions. for one thing it's hard to eat what is good for your mind, body and soul and get your family on board too. this usually means separate meals and snacks and then your healthy meal /snack loses out to the kids(and hubby's) taste buds. let's face it how many kids just randomly choose veggies for breakfast. i have mentioned before i am blessed with kids who are pretty good with their broad taste buds and they even juice with me. this doesn't mean it isn't an uphill battle sometimes to get all four of us, hubby too, eating and enjoying the right foods for our bodies and lifestyles. 
we are a very active family my son hasn't really met a sport he doesn't like and is a year round water polo player. my daughter has been swimming and now playing polo, not to mention is part monkey/acrobat and is constantly climbing, jumping and flipping all over the place. i will do just about anything to stay active, dance, swim, walk and even dad gets a run or a swim in every now and then. it is important with active kids and adults that  we get enough protein, calcium and vitamins to keep our bodies and bones healthy, not to mention the wonderful things all these nutrients do for our minds. the best way for our body to process a lot of these fruits and veggies are in their natural state which is fresh and raw. juicing first thing in the am is the best way to absorb all of the goodness we need, but it is not always practical(time consuming) or enough to keep the kids going thru school or a 2 hour pool workout. protein and carbs usually need to fit in the mix some way to keep them going. a good way to incorporate all these things are smoothies and sneaking in those green veggies while your doing it is always a plus. 
here is a favorite at our house and your kids will never know it's good for them, because it tastes great. i call this our peanut power smoothie  it's simple and requires nothing but a blender. 

peanut power smoothie

4 servings

11/2 cup chocolate almond milk

1 large banana

2 cups of raw spinach

3 tbsps of natural peanut butter

place all ingredients in blender and enjoy.

carrots and beet juice is also great in smoothies, add them into your favorite fruit smoothie with either some almond milk or plain greek yogurt. you might need a tad bit of honey or agave if the yogurt is particularly tart, but usually the carrots and beets have enough sugar with the fruits.

so good luck in the new year and with your resolutions, hope this one little idea gets you closer to staying on track.

cinnamon apple sticky bread

the christmas holidays are my favorite time of the year. it's a time for family and a time for making memories, creating traditions and teaching our kids about slowing down and appreciating what they have. for me it's also a time for being home together, taking time to just be. this means jammies, board games, books, movies and the opportunity for me to fill our home with delicious food. yesterday was definitely one of those days. late night new years eve fun, left us sleeping in late and cleaning up after all our previous night fun. so i took the opportunity to make a yummy warm treat as a reward for the kids and my hard work. this yummy warm bread is an old and easy recipe. it is nothing fancy and not gourmet, but worth the smiles it receives from all who eat it. so here you go, make some memories and smiles of your own. 

cinnamon apple sticky bread

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

 

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

2 cans (16.3 oz each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 

 

1 med apple (any kind) diced small

 

heat oven to 350°F.  Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube cake pan.

  in large bowl, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. separate dough into a total of 16 biscuits; cut each into quarters toss in bowl to coat. arrange in 1/2 of the quarters in pan. Mix brown sugar and butter and apples; pour  1/2 mixture  over biscuit pieces. arrange rest of pieces in pan and pour rest of butter mixture over the top. place in oven and bake for 35 - 45 mins until all dough is cooked through. cool 10 mins and invert onto serving dish and enjoy!