Happy Long Weekend

Summer Squash filled with rice, hamburg, organic onions and garlic scape, mystery vegetable chopped in small, celtic sea salt and black pepper. I grated a bit of real Parmesan cheese on top before cooking it. I served these with organic pasta sauce for dipping and the rest of the rice mixture that did not fit in. These were so good and I would make them again. You could make this mixture and stuff peppers as well.

Gluten Free Pancakes with organic cherries sliced and added in before cooking. These were really good and the kids loved them. Connor and I were watching Food Network and on one of the shows they warmed up the maple syrup before serving for pancakes so we had to try it. I will never serve cold maple syrup again, it was really good.

Vegetables from the delivery this week, looking forward to trying the organic pasta sauce.

I took the kids yesterday to see the new Ramona and Beezus movie. It was such a cute movie and we all enjoyed it. Kelsey was excited that with her new haircut she looks like Ramona :) She loves the Ramona books. Afterwards the kids were really hungry and wanted to go out for lunch. Kelsey wanted to go to Boston Pizza and Connor agreed figuring he would get a salad. He was so excited that they now have gluten free pizza on the menu. It was so good, it was not dry like the other gf pizza he has tried from pizza places. Some of the toppings are not gluten free but they let us know which ones were safe. They only sell individual sizes but it has four generous sized pieces. You would never know it was gluten free and it was so nice for him to be able to order pizza.

Have a great long weekend.

Oatmeal

When I first started reading health food blogs I noticed everyone ate oatmeal and I didn't really love oatmeal but decided to try it again. I followed the recipe from Kath Eats Real Food, if you go to her Tribute To Oatmeal Link at the top of her website it has the recipe, a video, and many fun ways to decorate your oatmeal. It is the best oatmeal I have ever eaten, it is quick to make(5 minutes on the stove top), it is filling but not too heavy. This oatmeal is her exact recipe on the top of the oatmeal page, it has oats, chia seeds, banana, water, sea salt, vanilla, and I used almond milk but you can use whatever milk you have(regular, rice, almond, soy, etc) If you are gluten free you will need to buy oats at the health food store that are gluten free, oats that have not come in contact with any wheat making them. The topping ideas are endless, you could make a different kind of oatmeal everyday. You could do a topping bar for your kids with fun toppings like coconut, maple syrup, healthy muffins, chocolate chips, nut butters, different kinds of fruit, etc. You can make them themed for special days or holidays. Putting them in fun bowls makes everything taste better as well. This bowl of oats has a bit of pure maple syrup and fresh sliced organic cherries, yum! One of my favourite toppings is organic peanut butter and organic chocolate chips mixed in after cooking the oatmeal. A bowl of oatmeal makes a great start to your day. Let me know if you try it and what you put on your oatmeal. Enjoy :)

French Food at Home, Gluten Free Breakfast and Fresh Juice

My sweet boy received the best surprise in the mail yesterday. He got a letter from the host of French Food at Home on the Food Network. Laura Calder sent him a beautiful handwritten note. Connor was so excited and could not believe she sent him a letter, he loves her show. He said he would keep it forever and he wants to make a cookbook now. We had to watch French Food at Home today and he still couldn't believe he got a letter. Thank you again to my sister in law Andrea, she arranged this and we had no idea. Connor called all his Grandparents and Dad to share the exciting news.

I must admit it was a special moment for me as well. When Connor was so sick in the fall the first time he got sick we sat and watched the Food Network all day. He was miserable from his swollen lips, rash all over his body including his tongue, breathing problems, etc. He could not eat or drink and felt terrible. All he wanted to do was sit with me on the couch with pillows and blankets and watch the Food Network. We watched his favourite shows including his favourite host Laura Calder on French Food at Home. Many days he came home from school very discouraged that he struggles in school and was in tears. He has said many times he wants to quit school so he can go to chef school. Cooking is his passion and it is so amazing that someone who he loves watching so much would take the time to write a handwritten card to inspire him.

I made this yummy breakfast on the weekend. I got some brown rice bread from the health food store and it has earth balance on it, organic scrambled eggs, and slices of watermelon.

Connor was craving some fresh juice so we made peach and raspberry juice. The peaches were needing to be used so it was a great way to use them up. I put them and the rest of the raspberries in the juicer and served them over ice.

Green Smoothies and Vegetables

I have been trying to make a green smoothie everyday. It is an easy way to get lots of nutrients in and is quick to make. Once you get past the colour of it the taste is great. It had in it spinach, ice, frozen cherries, almond milk, and a powder, Vanilla Almondilla made by Vega. Smoothies are easy to adapt to your diet needs. They can be made gluten free, dairy free, vegan, and free of other allergens like eggs, chocolate, nuts,etc. You can add whatever you have in your kitchen and try different kinds.

We got a new vegetable delivery, we have been enjoying getting a variety of vegetables each week. I need to figure out how to cook the vegetable that looks like bigger carrots with the greens. I am not sure what it even is or what to do with it. Any ideas???

Clean out your fridge pasta dinner

Tonight we had an easy dinner to clean out some of the vegetables since we will be getting a new vegetable delivery tomorrow morning. I bought brown rice spaghetti noodles and a pasta sauce from the organic section at the grocery store. We added some meat, garlic scapes and summer squash to the sauce. We also had a salad with the rest of the carrots, lettuce and cucumbers.

A few days ago we made a good stir fry to use some of the organic vegetables. We used carrots, garlic scape, summer squash, mushrooms, peas, and thinly sliced beef. We served it over rice.

Making pasta or a stir fry is a great way to get extra vegetables into your meal. They can be made into easy dairy and gluten free meals and can be adapted to your favourite vegetables and to use up what your already have in your fridge. Enjoy :)

Kristi's Greek Pasta Salad Recipe

Kelsey and Kristi at her wedding in October, they share a birthday and have a lot in common. :)Kelsey waited in the line with her cousin to see the princess, it was very sweet :)

My cousin Kristi gave me her famous Greek pasta salad recipe so I could make it for Kelsey's first communion lunch. I adapted it to make it gluten free with rice noodles, you can find them in your grocery store or health food store. The pasta salad was very yummy and was eaten up quickly at Kelsey's communion lunch. It was very easy to make and would be great for lunches, dinners, bbqs, camping trips, etc.

Mix together in a big bowl;

• penne pasta, I used brown rice but you could use whatever you prefer
• olive oil or grape seed oil
• club house Greek seasoning(in the shaker bottle at your grocery store), epicure also makes a Greek seasoning I think
• diced peppers(red, orange, green, yellow) whatever you would like or a combo of them
• diced red onion
• can of sliced black olives
• feta cheese, the chunk in liquid and crumble it into the salad

Cook the penne pasta and rinse, add to a big bowl, coat with oil, sprinkle in Greek seasoning to taste, add the diced peppers and onions, add your sliced black olives, crumble feta cheese in. I made this the night before her lunch and it let the flavours set in but you could eat it right away. This would be good with bbq chicken as an easy summer meal. Enjoy :{)

Upper Canada Village

We went to Upper Canada Village for the day and had a great time. We enjoyed exploring the village and spending time together as a family. I packed a picnic lunch since I was not sure what options there would be to eat. I was glad I packed food and drinks because there would of been very limited choices and not enough for a healthy lunch and snack. Packing a lunch, snacks and drinks makes the day go so much smoother. Looking for gluten and dairy free options are not easy and when everyone is hungry it is no fun for anyone.

Some tips for packing a gluten and dairy free lunch for an outing.

• Get a cooler backpack, we picked one up at Canadian Tire and we have used it for Disney, soccer, camping, beach, car trips,etc.



• Pack drinks; water with ice, frozen juice, enough drinks for the day. Drinks can get expensive and it is important to stay hydrated in the heat.



• Keep the cooler bag cold so everything stays fresh, little ice packs and frozen water or juice work great



• Some ideas of what to pack; cut up veggies, fruit, rice crackers, rice chips or rice cakes, gluten free muffins or breads, hummus, salsa, pickles, gluten free treats, fruit to go, organic peanut butter and jam on thin square brown rice cakes, nuts and seeds, pasta salads with gluten free noodles, bean salads, etc.



• Don't forget napkins, plates and utensils if needed



• Have fun with it; pick up your child's favourite drink, lunch or snack to make the picnic fun

Burrito bowls

We had a yummy easy dinner tonight that we all enjoyed. We had burrito bowls and they had rice, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, organic cheese, organic beans, chicken and orange peppers with epicure taco seasoning. You can adapt these to whatever you have in your kitchen. They were quick to make and and it makes an easy gluten free meal.

Happy Saturday

Connor on his birthday cooking


My baby turned 11 on Wednesday, I still can't believe he is 11. I am very proud of him and he has shown me even though things can be difficult to not give up. He inspired me to go back to school to become a Nutritionist and is always encouraging me. He has the biggest heart and loves to work hard. He has his life all planned out down to what cars he wants to buy, where he wants to live, how many dogs he is going to have, kids, what he wants in his dream kitchen, etc. His first big dream involves becoming a chef and going to Italy to chef school. He has been getting cooking lessons at an Italian restaurant and loving every minute of it. I surprised him by cooking lessons on his birthday and dinner there. He had a great time peeling, chopping, measuring and learning other things. Happy Birthday Connor xoxo

Our new toaster

We got rid of our microwave many months ago when Connor was experiencing a lot of health problems and we have been using our toaster oven A LOT! We just got this new toaster oven on sale and we are loving it. It does so many things and is so fun to use. I love anything for the kitchen, my dream kitchen would have everything in it. The kids can use the toaster oven to heat things up, make toast, and it is big enough to bake anything in it as well.

A new protein powder I bought at Food Smith's

We use a lot of different powders and I am always buying new ones to add to our smoothies. We have bought progressive protein powders before and really like the taste and quality of them. I found this new one at Food Smith's in Perth and it has a great taste. Kelsey added some water and ice to the powder this morning and enjoyed it with her breakfast. We usually add the powders to a smoothie though in our blender with frozen fruit, water or juice and ice. I also picked up a new almond protein powder to add to our smoothies.

A few easy gluten free snacks I picked up at Food Smith's

Rice snacks have become our new best friends. We always have different kinds of rice crackers and rice cakes for a quick snack. We discovered the thin square rice cakes make a good alternative to bread. We have used them to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, hamburger buns, and are good with hummus. Rice crackers can make a easy snack with nut butters, vegetables, fruit, dips, nuts and seeds,etc. There are many different kinds out there and they are easy to find at grocery stores and health food stores. I picked up a few fruit snacks as well for a quick gluten free snack. It is nice having quick snacks that can be packed for car trips, going to the park or outings or just a snack at home. Other gluten free snacks can be cut up fruits, vegetables and dip, nuts and seeds, all fruit freezies or popsicles, rice icecream, gluten free cereal and almond milk.

Have a great weekend.

Homemade Dill Pickles

Dill Pickles;

Make brine in a clean container; 3 cups of water, 6 tbsp of white vinegar, 3 tbsp of kosher salt. Mix well.

Put cucumber slices, fresh dill and garlic in a clean mason jar. Pour brine to almost the top of jar and put lid on. Put in your fridge for 2 days before eating and enjoy!

I don't know how long these stay fresh for but in my house pickles don't last long at all. These were eaten very quickly and I have made more a few times! Connor says they are the best pickles he has ever eaten.

Breakfast with the bears

Kelsey was given some stuffed animals yesterday when we were visiting family. She loved all the bears so much she slept with all of them and they had to eat breakfast with her. She enjoyed a bowl of a new gluten free cereal with almond milk. She also had fresh peach slices, juice and her vitamins with it. Breakfast is Kelsey's favourite meal of the day. She enjoys pretty much any breakfast food and would happily eat it for lunch and dinner if I let her. She loves fresh fruit, smoothies, toast, cereal, pancakes, waffles, any kind of egg, bacon as a treat, muffins or bread, yogurt, organic peanut or nut butters, organic jams and agave nectar, granola, breakfast potatoes, etc. She loves all of it and she eats a great breakfast. I have adapted many of her favourites to gluten and dairy free. She eats a bit of dairy still but at home eats all gluten free. She also has her vitamins and a drink with her breakfast. Having a great breakfast provides children with a great start to the day. It helps them to have enough energy, helps with learning and focus, keeps a more stable mood, and prevents over eating or too much snacking in the day.

What is your children's favourite breakfast?

Summer Heat

yummy vegetable fried rice

mmm, green smoothies

It is Wednesday vegetable delivery day so we had a smoothie for breakfast with some of the greens.
Our smoothie today had greens, almond milk, frozen cherries, frozen bananas and ice. It was really good and refreshing on a hot day.

Some tips for a good green smoothie;

• Start with smaller amounts of greens and increase the amounts, about 1/2-1 cup of greens is a good amount if you are making them for your family. You can use whatever green you would like, fresh or frozen spinach, lettuce, or mixed greens.


• Use lots of ice


• Frozen bananas add a good taste and thickness
  
• Frozen fruit adds a nice sweetness and taste, frozen cherries, blueberries, raspberries or strawberries work well
  
• Add a liquid, we use almond milk usually but you can use whatever milk or juice

Introducing green smoothies to your children is a great way to include lots of nutrients and vitamins to their diet.

We had a yummy fried rice for dinner with our fresh vegetables. We made rice with epicure chicken soup mix and fresh rosemary. In a pan we had cut up fresh carrots, garlic scape, mushrooms, and zucchini. We put the cooked rice, vegetables, pepper and an organic egg together and cooked it for a few minutes. It was a great dinner and wasn't too heavy on a hot day.

Some tips for staying healthy on a hot day;

• Stay hydrated, lots and lots of water, stay away from high sugar drinks


• Fresh fruit makes a great snack; watermelon, berries, cherries, etc.


• Smoothies and homemade Popsicles


• Cut up vegetables and dip
  
• Smaller mini meals every few hours rather then big heavy meals


• Meal salads or cold pasta salads can be options rather then a hot meal


• banana soft serve makes a great ice cream


• the library is a great place to stay cool and get some books for summer reading


• stay out of the heat


• a quality children's multivitamin

Vegetable Kids and Amy Pancakes

We are back from a great camping trip and weekend trip to visit family. We got our organic vegetable delivery just before we left to go camping. The kids were having a great time unpacking the vegetables for me. It saves me so much time having vegetables delivered to my house every Wednesday morning. The vegetables are so fresh and so much variety in the bags. We got some new items this week and some of the same. Our favourites were snow peas, tomatoes, carrots, brocolli and cucumbers. We got mint and it was so fresh and the flavour was great, the kids were pretending it was gum when we were camping. It got left out on the table the one night and unfortunately the raccoon enjoyed it as much as we did. We are hoping for some more mint in the delivery this week!

We have discovered the best tasting gluten free pancakes, they are so good. They are better then any pancake I have tried and you would never know they were gf! Connor's good friend has Celiac disease and she can not eat anything with gluten so she has shared some of her favourite foods. The pancake/waffle mix is made by kinnikinnick foods. I added blueberries and they were really good. The kids have named them Amy pancakes they like them so much.

Going gluten free has not been as hard as I imagined. Of course there are challenges and times when it is not easy but we are all adjusting to it. Connor and I are gf all of the time and Noel and Kelsey are gf at home. I am reading the G Free Diet by Elisabeth Hasselbeck right now and it has been helpful. Talking to others who eat gluten free is a great way to find out what brands they like. Not all gluten free food is good, some can be very dry or crumble and it can be frustrating when you have spent the money on it. I usually ask in a health food store what the best gluten free products are and they will tell you what they can't keep in stock because it sells out as soon as they get it. I am still on the search for a good gf tortilla wrap, I can't find one with the right taste and that will not fall apart. Another helpful thing I have found is to take any meal we enjoy and make it gluten free. The kids love pasta and we eat it once a week so I buy gluten free noodles. You can use gluten free bread crumbs in recipes and change any wheat flour to a gf flour blend. I find focusing the meal around a protein source, a vegetable and or salad, and a grain such as rice, quinoa or gf noodles makes meal planning easier.

Have a great week.