OMG

{Kids Right To Know}

There are so many things to worry about when you're a parent. And I can add GMOs to that list. I've known about Genetically Modified Organisms for years and have been seeking out GMO-free products when possible (labeling here in Canada is scarce) but the documentary GMO OMG was a huge eye-opener at just how widespread the GMO problem is.

Such as, did you know that 88% of the corn and 94% of the soybeans grown in the US are genetically engineered? And 85% of all processed foods include genetically engineered ingredients. Modifications in the form of "Roundup Ready" which means that the plants' genes are altered to allow them to grow, and grow quickly, even when doused with huge amounts of Roundup, an icky, Monsanto-made herbicide. The dangers of GMOs are largely unknown, and much of the testing done on the seeds has been completed by Monsanto itself and not released to the public. That's pretty shady.

60 countries around the world label GMOs, but not Canada or the US. Here are a few ways we can avoid GMO foods as much as possible:

• Look for "GMO-Free" labels. Companies such as Silk, who make my fave Almond Milk & Soy Creamer, are certified GMO-free by the Non-GMO Project. Check them out to find more products.
• Buy organic! In order to be certified organic seeds cannot be genetically engineered.
• Buying sugar? Rogers Sugar refined in Vancouver is made from sugar cane, which has not been genetically modified. Refined sugar is also made from sugar beets, 95% of which are genetically engineered. When you buy sugar look for the product code starting with 10.

Want to know more? Kids Right to Know is an excellent resource.

Dinner Disaster

Don't call us between 5:30 and 8:30pm, it is a disaster zone around here. 

Depending on Spencer's routine, come five o'clock he has either recently woken up or is waking up at precisely the time I am making dinner. Really, I should be making dinner at 4pm in order to preempt Eloise's hunger-induced meltdowns, but my heavy work schedule these days means I need every minute I can get and the late afternoon is when my Dad often takes to Eloise to the park while Spencer sleeps, meaning a few distraction-free work hours for me. My intention is always to stop what I'm doing to get dinner started after an hour or so of emails but I swear I sit down at 2pm and when I look up again it's five. 

While I try to prepare dinner and manage Spencer - either at my feet in his bouncer or in one arm and over my shoulder - Eloise is watching tv. Spencer always needs to eat shortly after waking from his nap, so whatever I have been cooking needs to be put on pause so I can feed a sometimes frantic baby. It is now past five and Eloise is getting cranky. Once Spencer has eaten it's time to get Eloise fed pronto-tonto. Chris can barely make it in the door from work before I hand him the baby or ask him to deal with Eloise so I can get back to the (joyful?) solitude of preparing our dinner.

Depending on her mood, dinnertime with Eloise is either simple or a ridiculous process of whining and bribery. If I serve chicken we're safe, if I branch out too much we are in trouble and if we don't time it right we're hooped. Baths immediately follow dinner with each of us focusing on one kid. I usually have Spencer who gets bathed in a tub in the kitchen sink. He really likes his bath and this has become one of my favourite part of our days, even if I get peed on. Chris and Eloise have fun too, but he who baths Eloise must also brush her hair. Once Spencer has been diapered and dressed I position myself at the end of Eloise's bed so I can nurse and wait for Eloise to climb in. Chris is responsible for bringing Eloise her milk and after a kiss she says sternly, "Daddy, you can go" (and then she is told sternly that is not a polite way to speak). When Eloise is finally ready she passes me her empty milk, hunkers down into her pillow and I nurse Spencer for as long as possible before he passes out. It's 8pm and both kids are asleep but we still haven't even eaten dinner.

Goodbye Gluten

I think I may have overdone it with the gluten when I was pregnant. My zest for all things carby during 39 weeks of pregnancy was insatiable, and easy, wheat based snacks were the only thing I craved (until heartburn set in!). With even less time these days to eat a proper meal in between feeding Spencer and Eloise, trying to stay on top of my busy season and complete all the other items on my to-do list, a piece of toast or granola with yogurt are my go to snacks. Unfortunately I am discovering that wheat and gluten laden items make Spencer instantly cranky and gassy. So does dairy. This could not come at a worse time. 

First of all, I really like wheat and all things carbohydrate. I could never be one of those fully committed gluten-free, carb-free people, even though certain gluten-free prepared food, like Glutino Pretzels, are way better than the real thing. I like a regular bread with butter, pasta and muffins and I really like carby desserts. Overdoing it with wheat and gluten definitely affects me, I have just been ignoring the uncomfortable side effects (ahem, gas & bloating) in favour of convenience for so long that I usually don't notice. Now I am afraid to eat the wrong thing, even a bite, for the effect that it will have on Spencer and consequently, me, as I deal with a cranky baby.

Gwyneth Paltrow's It's All Good arrived in the mail at the perfect time last week (it passed my lifelong cookbook stamp of approval when we made the same two recipes three times during my library loan period) and I have to challenge myself not to turn to it for dinner recipes every night. Not that this is a bad thing, I just don't always have the time to prepare a full on meal and would love the option of popping in a pizza once and a while. We are also going through fruit and veggies at an unreal rate meaning more trips to the grocery store, another thing I don't exactly have extra time for. 

I wasn't prepared to add another thing to my list of 'things to worry about' by avoiding wheat and gluten, but if the trade off is a constantly fussy baby then I supposed I'll be saying goodbye to gluten.  For now.

It's All Good

 
I'm of the opinion that cookbooks are something you develop a lifelong relationship with. Food is such a big part of our family life - every occasion deserves a special meal shared together - and we go back to the same recipes again and again when we cook. My Mom's timeworn copies of the Canadian Living Cookbook, Anne Lindsay's Light Kitchen and the Silver Palate Cookbook remind me of the meals of my childhood and Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa series, Fresh by John Bishop and In My Mother's Kitchen by Trish Magwood are the cookbooks Chris and I return to again and again. The more food splatters on the pages, the better.

With summer's arrival, appearances in summer weddings and this baby weight, Chris and I are eager to trim our meals in order to help our waistlines. I have been seeking mealtime inspiration to help make this happen and since a new cookbook would mean committing to something forever, I need to try it before I buy it. Thank goodness for the library.

{indigo}

It's All Good by Gwyneth Paltrow and Julia Turshen was first on my list. This beautiful cookbook is filled with recipes that are free of wheat, dairy, sugar, processed foods and more, so naturally I thought it would be free of flavour too. Boy was I wrong. So far everything we've made from this cookbook has been delicious, flavourful and easy to prepare. A phenomenal Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas with Mustard and Parsley was so good we made it twice last week and last night's Mexican Chopped Salad with Mexican Green Goddess dressing was absolutely delicious. Chris and I are addicted to dessert so naturally we went right to the dessert section to see what we could find. The Banana 'Ice Cream' with Sweet & Salty Almonds is made from freezing banana slices then blitzing in the food processor with almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla extract and the result tasted just like banana soft serve. Yum. Yo go Gwynnie.

Although we're not about to cut 100% of the "good stuff" (you know, bread, sugar, alcohol) from our diets I have noticed that too much wheat and dairy don't make me feel super hot and make Spencer super fussy, so this cookbook has come along at the perfect time. And if we happen to slim down a little in the process then it really is all good.

{Disclaimer: I wrote this post while eating a fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookie. Definitely not wheat or sugar free, definitely delicious. Sorry Gwyneth.}

It's Spring

Last week's time change has really done a number on us. I find myself losing track of time with these lighter, brighter evenings and all of a sudden it's six o'clock and I haven't started dinner. Eloise's little clock is off too, and she now refuses to eat dinner at the time she usually does because the sun is still in the sky. "Silly, Mama, it's not dinner time yet!" she's been sayin to me. That's okay, we'll just call the barbequed chicken, broccoli and roasted potatoes I've just prepared your 'snack'.

Today was the first day of spring and we took full advantage of a beautiful day. A long walk with a friend and time at the park meant Eloise asked to have a nap and slept for two whole hours, long enough for me to get some work done and get going on a project for an event next week. It was pretty blissful.

Alas, the results of a long nap took much longer to wear off and we finally got into the bath at 8:30pm. Oh well. There's no school tomorrow and she's a happy camper, so I really can't complain. Happy Spring indeed!

An Ode to Sandwiches

{pinterest}

When I was pregnant with Eloise all I wanted to eat was Olympic Organic vanilla yogurt. I would wake up in the middle of the night to eat it right out of the container and for months we were going through a few kilograms of yogurt every week. I must have OD'd because now I'm just not into the stuff.

This time around I can't get enough sandwiches. I'm eating one for lunch every day and often a sandwich is all I want for dinner too. Toasted with avocado and cheese, stuffed with sprouts, tomato and lots of mayo, a bocconcini, arugula and tomato panini, or simple peanut butter and jelly, give me good bread, yummy fillings and I'm a happy lady. Oh and cheese, cheese is a big thing for me these days.

I wouldn't call my affinity for sandwiches a craving so much as a necessity. I am terribly hungry most of the time and I continuously tell myself that at least eating a sandwich covers most of the food group basics - bread is a grain product, cheese a milk & alternative, avocado, tomato and lettuce make up the fruit & veg portion, and mayonnaise is an oil & fat - I might be missing meat & alternatives, but cheese is a good protein too, right?

For me pregnancy food is more than just ice cream and pickles.

Hot Fudge Cake

Many, many years ago I found a recipe for a Hot Fudge Cake in Cooking Light Magazine. It's turned out to be one of my go to's for instant gratification dessert and is so quick and easy to make that I can whip one up any night of the week. Or weekend. Chris fell asleep while putting Eloise down tonight so I thought I'd prep a surprise before I go wake him up to watch a movie. What a good wife, right?

Forget that this dessert is low in fat, it is decadent, delicious and sweet (my Mom would say too sweet, but I love it). Top with vanilla or maybe caramel ice cream and try not to have more than one helping!

Hot Fudge Cake

1 cup flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup milk (I use almond milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups hot water

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, or in the bowl of an electric mixer, sift flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix together and stir in milk and vanilla. Spoon this mixture into an 8x8" glass baking pan.

In a small bowl whisk together brown sugar and cocoa powder until smooth. Pour over flour mixture and spread to evenly cover. Top everything with hot water and do not stir.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

*Originally from Cooking Light.

Summer Smoothies

We have a rather robust patch of raspberry canes in the backyard so each morning for the past few weeks Eloise and I have started our days with berry picking. The raspberries are super plump, sweet and a delightful addition to Eloise's morning smoothie, even if it is hard to restrain myself from eating them all before we get back inside.

I'm not great at getting 'creative' smoothies to taste very good so we keep ours simple: 1 banana, a handful of frozen strawberries, a handful of fresh raspberries, a scant-handful of spinach if we have it, about a cup of yogurt and a splash of milk or orange juice, blended. 

Eloise loves that her summer smoothies are pink - the colour of the moment - and

I'm just happy she's eating something healthy and homemade.

Grazing

Apart from her insatiable desire to breastfeed - which lasted a year and a half - Eloise has always been a tough kid to feed. We've tried all sorts of tricks but my girl just likes to graze. Unfortunately this may be a learned behaviour because my eating habits are admittedly not the best. I too graze from breakfast through lunch as busy days don't allow for much more, and it's really only at dinner that I take the time to sit down for a meal with Chris and Eloise. It's not that I don't want to, it's just that between caring for Eloise, working and keeping up the house, the last thing I want to do is prep and clean up yet another meal.

To make sure Eloise is eating enough I put out bowls of goodies for her to snack on throughout the day: apples, strawberries, veggie dog, cheese, tomatoes, dry cereal, raisins, nuts, muffins and crackers make perfect grazing snacks and Eloise will eat while she plays without much fuss. She is obsessed with over packaged (and sometimes over processed) snacks like Babybel, Iogo drinkable yogurt, granola bars and Booster Juice smoothies, but I save these for treats when we're on the go. For dinner she'll devour gnocchi or pasta with chicken or salmon, but getting veggies into her is still a challenge.

At the recommendation of her doctor, we've started giving our picky little grazer a multi-vitamin which has made me worry a whole lot less about what she isn't getting from food. We chose Nature's Way Alive! Children's Multi-Vitamin Gummy for their gelatin-and preservative-free ingredients, including 26 fruits and veggies. A far cry from the ol' standby, Flinstones Gummies, which contain icky ingredients like Glucose Syrup, Carnuba Wax, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Red #40, and FD&C Yellow #6. Yikes.

Tell me, do your children stop to eat or are they busy bees like Eloise who don't like to slow down?

What is a Cake Pop?

I've always been a little confused by cake pops. They are so pretty to look at, but I've never understood what exactly they are made of. Raw dough covered with icing? Lollipop shaped cake?

Molly is obsessed with the trendy treat (what seven year old wouldn't be?) and since she was staying with us this weekend I promised her we'd try our hands at making them. In the process I discovered they are not uncooked dough (thank goodness) and actually quite simple to make. I cheated and used a boxed cake mix and jarred frosting, but I imagine they would be a billion times more delicious with my Mom's chocolate wacky cake and homemade chocolate butter cream as the base. Ingredients aside, this is how we made our cake pops:

13 x 9" sheet cake (as I mentioned, I made these with Molly and she chose Betty Crocker rainbow chips cake mix. Obviously)
Frosting (we used vanilla to match the cake)
1 lb melting chocolates
Mini rainbow chocolate chips

Bake the cake as directed, using a 13 x 9" pan. Once completely cool, crumble the entire cake (minus a few nibblies, oops!) into a bowl. Add about a cup of frosting to the cake crumbs and mix everything well. The mixture should be dough-like in texture and simple to shape into a ball. If it is too crumbly, add more frosting. Form the mixture into balls freeze on a parchment lined baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, use a double boiler to melt chocolate. Once cake balls have frozen, stab each one with a lollipop stick and dip into the chocolate, covering completely. We (messily) rolled our cake pops in mini rainbow chocolate chips but you could go au natural. Let the chocolate harden by poking the lollipop sticks into the holes of a colander (genius!). Or, if you're lazy like me and bored with the project already just set the cake pops back onto the parchment. I assure you, a flat bottom cake pop tastes exactly the same.

*WARNING: Do not feed to two year olds. Eloise was up until 10:30.

This is what we ended up with. Not great, but Molly was happy so I was too.

Good Mom, Bad Mom

Sometimes I feel like a pretty excellent mom. Eloise is happy, well behaved, our fridge is full of homemade goodies, she eats well, sleeps well and we spend the days reading, colouring and playing outside. Other times I guiltily put on the tv to distract her while I work, make her Annie's for dinner since it's the only thing I can ever guarantee she'll eat and sleep in her bed all night long.

Last week was quite possibly one of the most harried I have had in a very long time. Mornings were spent rallying between Eloise and my makeshift office (aka my computer on the desk in our living room), rushing off to pick up Molly, then heading straight to events in the evenings. Eloise's crankiness and demands from being sick and my exhaustion were not compatible.

Last week was definitely not one of my shining moments as a mom week but I feel like I am slowly redeeming myself. We had a tv free day at home yesterday, I made the most perfect Julia Child-esque omelette for lunch, and even restocked the fridge. Today went to gymnastics and music, came home for a two and a half hour sleep, had lunch at the table and I made a pot of chicken and rice stew for dinner. Eloise said, "Mama cut a leek," unprompted while watching me prepare dinner from her favourite vantage spot on the counter. Not bad for a child who's just come off a few-day stint of Mary Poppins and Eloise at the Plaza on repeat.

But want to take a guess what she ate for dinner? It wasn't the stew I prepared with organic veggies and chicken. It was yogurt. At least it was Greek.

Sweet Potato Muffins

Eloise loves muffins and I don't blame her. They're yummy, sweet and a quick bite when you're on the go, which she always is. And since Eloise sometimes refuses to eat anything else I have been packing my muffins with veggies and have found that sweet potato (actually, it's yam, but yam just doesn't sound as nice) muffins are particularly popular with her.

Sweet potatoes (and yam) are rich in beta carotene, vitamins C & E and have close to seven grams of fibre per serving. Perfect for a growing babe.

Eloise's Sweet Potato Muffins

1 cup quick oats
1 cup flour (I just use what I have on hand, all-purpose, spelt, whole wheat)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup mashed or pureed sweet potato
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup almond milk

Preheat the oven to 375.

In a large bowl mix oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices together in a bowl. Set aside.

In another bowl mix the egg and sugar. Add the sweet potato, oil, raisins, and milk. Combine wet ingredients with the dry until just moistened. Spoon into muffin tins lined with muffin cups* and bake until golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Especially yummy with peanut butter.

*I use silicone muffin cups like these pretty pastel Silicups from Williams-Sonoma since they are reusable and go in the dishwasher.

{williams-sonoma}

Original recipe found here.

Rocamoni and more

Eloise's currently has five main food groups: pasta, yogurt, muffins, fruit and eggs.

These are the only foods she will eat without making a fuss. I constantly worry that she's not getting enough nutrients and is going to end up with scurvy or something, but sometimes it's just enough that she will eat anything at all. At least it's more than buttered toast.

The pasta component of these food groups varies, but macaroni, or "rocamoni," as Eloise says, is the current fav (gnocchetti is so last month). Into this I stir things she will occasionally eat like broccoli or chickpeas or chicken or mushrooms (yes, mushrooms). I often top pasta with tomato sauce that I make with hidden goodies like kale, carrot and bell pepper. Eloise will always eat the noodles, everything else is a crapshoot. Cheese is a given.

Yogurt is also very popular, but only when requested. If I offer Eloise yogurt the answer is no, although if I go ahead and serve myself, she will eat the contents of my bowl, typically a full cup (I don't skimp).

Muffins are a food group that I manage to hide veggies into. Pureed zucchini, carrots, and sweet potato make their way into my homemade muffins but these don't hold a candle to the streusel-topped muffins at Whole Foods. Really though, which would you choose?

Fruit refers not to actual fruit, but jars of pureed baby food. I continued to purchase jarred purees to mix into plain greek yogurt but Eloise now requests (incessantly) this 'fruit' on its own. Only Earth's Best brand though, PC Organics just doesn't cut it anymore.

Eloise is obsessed with eggs. Scrambled, fried, frittata-d, she'll take them any way she can. Unfortunately eggs were one of the biggest red flags on Eloise's recent allergy test and they may actually be the contributing factor to eczema-type rashes that she continuously gets. We've cut down eggs drastically but if chanting "Egggg!" means anything, it's that the girl needs her eggs.

Dinner Out

Tonight we did something with Eloise we have not done in a long time: we took her out to dinner with us. I'm not saying that we never take her out to eat, but for the past few months Eloise's 'witching hour' has been approximately 6:30-7:30pm so meals out have been a lunchtime kind of thing. No one wants to be cutting into a steak when the cranky kid at the table next to them starts losing it. I once had to leave before my main arrived carrying a screaming Eloise like a football under one arm with a doggy bag and diaper bag in the other. Yeah, I've been that mom.

I've missed eating out. Not that we do it a ton, nor do we always want Eloise to come, but it is nice to know that we have options that extend beyond White Spot. Tonight Eloise was social and well behaved. She sat in a regular chair and ate like a human. We continuously delivered her piles of salty fries, let her walk around and sit on the couch in the restaurant foyer but it still felt somewhat normal.

I am dying to know the secret to how they get kids to behave so well at restaurants in France. Croissant bribery?

Potato Leek Soup

Tonight was a night for soup. It's rainy, foggy and there is nothing more comforting than a hot bowl of soup and some crusty bread when it's nasty outside. Except maybe hot chocolate with marshmallows, but that can easily become dessert.

I made a lovely potato leek soup tonight using a very simple recipe from Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home. Onions, leaks, potatoes and stock, it doesn't get much easier than that. The whole house smelled dynamite and Eloise got to be the soup sampler since Chris was working late. Unfortunately, she wouldn't eat it even though potato leek soup is one of her favourites. I try not to take personally though, she doesn't seem to want anything I make for her. I feel as though she's been influenced by The Honest Toddler. Regardless of Eloise's opinion, here is the recipe:

Potato Leek Soup

1 Tbsp each olive oil and butter
4 cups sliced leeks
1 large onion
4 cups potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes
6 cups veggie or chicken stock
1/2 Tbsp black pepper
Salt to taste

Heat oil and butter. Add onion and leek and saute until softened. Add potato, stock and seasoning. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Purée or mash for a chunkier soup and serve with buttered bread. De-lish.

Blog Crush: Cupcakes and Cashmere

{cupcakes and cashmere}

Cupcakes and Cashmere is a simply delightful blog about two of my very favourite things: fashion (the cashmere) and food (the cupcakes). Blogger Emily Schuman started her blog "as a way to document the things that inspire", and beyond fashion and food she shares decor ideas, how-to's, and beauty tips (she's even a guest blogger for Estee Lauder).

Emily's style is lovely and well edited. She mixes high with low beautifully and her covetable closet is filled with designer items, but never in a flashy "look at me" way. You get a feeling that Emily's style is genuine, and not just for the lens. Her recipes are delectable and her photos of dishes like Deep-Dish Pumpkin-Meringue Pie are downright tasty.

Emily released a Cupcakes and Cashmere book this August and you can buy it here. It's definitely one I'd like to add to my collection.

Crazy for Kale

Kale is one of those trendy superfoods that I can actually get behind. It's full of vitamins A, C, and E and even calcium (take that, milk!), is versatile in recipes and delicious too. Kale is hardy enough to grow in our garden over winter and when fresh, local produce is at an all time low it will be ready to eat.

Wholefoods had kale on sale last week (two bunches for $4!) so I stocked up and have been putting it in everything. Over the weekend I made my favourite kale recipe, Wilted Kale and Roasted Potato Salad, and am itching to try 10 more recipes from this month's Real Simple.

If you're wanting to introduce kale into your diet but aren't sure what to do with it, try out this salad and you'll be crazy for kale in no time too.

Wilted Kale and Roasted Potato Salad

2 lbs baby potatoes, quartered
1/3 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup Pecorino-Romano, grated
1/4 cup tahini, well stired
2 tbsp water
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp salt 
1 lb kale, stems and ribs removed, sliced thinly

Preheat oven to 450.

Put potatoes single layer onto a roasting pan and toss with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Roast for 15 minutes, stirring once. Add 1 clove of minced garlic and roast 10-15 minutes more or until potatoes are done. Finally, top potatoes with cheese and roast 5 minutes until cheese begins to brown.

While potatoes are cooking, prepare the kale into a large bowl and set aside. Using a food processor, blend tahini, water, lemon and salt until smooth. Pour over kale. Add roasted potatoes, plus any remaining oil, to the kale and stir well.

We serve this yummy winter salad with soup or a hunk of crusty bread and a glass of white.

*adapted from here.

A Noisy

I hate to admit it, but I have a picky eater on my hands. Sometimes she'll eat mushrooms, peppers, cauliflower and yams but most of the time tomatoes, potatoes and broccoli are the only veggies she'll consume. Her face scrunched up when I tried to feed her a delicious homemade Shepherd's Pie with yam & mashed potato topping, she will not touch sliced apple or pear and spits out meat and fish. Eloise's favourite food is still toast but we have also introduced our carb-loving child to quesadillas, muffins and gnocchetti (mini gnocchi). It's not that I don't try to serve her different things, she just refuses to eat most of it.

One thing I have had great success with is smoothies. Some kids want milk when they first wake up, mine asks for a 'noisy' (because the blender is noisy, of course). I put Eloise up on the counter and we make her smoothie together. We always start with a banana - the only way she'll eat it - then add frozen fruit, yogurt and coconut milk. I even manage to sneak in veggies like kale. Here are a few smoothie combos we've found Eloise particularly enjoys:  

Strawberry/ Blueberry Banana

1 banana
1/2 cup frozen strawberries or blueberries, or both
1/4 cup kale leaves
1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup coconut milk  

Banana-Oatmeal

1 banana
1/3 cup cooked steel cut oats
1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup coconut milk
pinch of cinnamon

Mango Banana

1 banana
1/2 cup frozen mango
1 orange, juiced
1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
1/4 cup coconut milk

Our Breville blender has a 'Smoothie' setting so I can put the lid on the glass jar, press start and go get Eloise dressed while the smoothie does it's thing.

Perfect Peanut Sauce

Peanut sauce is one of those things that I constantly crave yet never seem to have the right recipe for. Too salty, too watery, not enough peanut, I never have an easy time finding the perfect combination for my broccoli stir fry.

Tonight I struck peanut sauce gold. The contents of our fridge told me that dinner was going to be a stir fry (think random veggies, a block of tofu) and I trolled the internet for a sauce to fit the bill. I combined a few recipes to suit my needs and the result was a pretty incredible sauce.

Perfect Peanut Sauce

1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/3 cup light coconut milk
1/4 cup water
2 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp grated ginger
juice of 1/2 a lime

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and whisk. Heat the sauce until the sauce begins to bubble and gradually thicken, stirring regularly.

We served this peanut sauce over rice with a stir fry but it is thick enough to make a great for dip for salad rolls or satay and could be thinned out with more coconut milk or water for Thai noodles. 

C is for Cookie

So this is the cookie that makes the monster go crazy. Funny, I always assumed it was a chocolate chip!

I'll be trying these for sure the next time I need a plain sugar cookie recipe. Cookie Monster is an expert after all.

Check out the original post on The Kitchn.