I Hate To Burst Your Bubble

August 2nd, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Parenting - (5 Comments)

This is the only time you are ever going to see a recipe here with corn syrup – so this is serious business. It’s time to sit up straight and pay attention.

Karo Corn Syrup for Making Big Bubbles

(aren’t I bossy?)

Actually, if you don’t have kids – never mind. Skip this post.

On second thought – wait. Don’t go just yet.

I suppose if you don’t have kids but are yourself sort of playful and/or laugh a little too loudly/hysterically/obnoxiously with your spouse/partner/friends/dead goldfish when you’ve had just a little too much to drink/smoke/eat – keep reading. This recipe/activity has the potential to be pretty entertaining.  Read more...

, , , , ,

At Least I Don’t Have to Share

August 1st, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Short or Sweet - (3 Comments)

Trust not small ones with Greek yogurt on their face.

 – Ancient Proverb (probably)

After offering Maxine a sample of my Cucumber Melon Water:

“Did you like it?”

Cucumber Melon Water

“I tasted something slimy in there.”

Nice try kid.  You barely took half a sip.

Next time you are cutting up a cantaloupe or watermelon, throw a couple of chunks in the jar with your water and cucumber slices to turn Cucumber Water into Cucumber Melon Water.

It’s good. You can trust me. My face is clean.

, , ,

Have Salad – Will Travel

July 27th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Habits - (Comments Off on Have Salad – Will Travel)

We just returned from a child-free vacation/mini-adventure.  Our travel itinerary included a wedding, an Ironman, plus two additional carefree days with zero parental responsibilities and a bunch of down time thanks to the generosity and support of some very loving and caring family members.

(did you hear the tires squealing as we tore ass out of the driveway before anyone could change their mind?)

So I’m back!  And here today with a few healthy travel tips before my brood returns and life returns to “normal”.

Pack Your Own Food

Preparing food from home can save you time, money and unknown food options while on the road.  Read more...

, , , , , , , ,

Chocolate Zucchini Bread for Breakfast

July 22nd, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (10 Comments)

The coffee maker is cranky.

Cranky Coffee Pot

Coffee Maker cannot figure out why all these baking supplies are out at such an ungodly hour of the morning.

Coffee Maker is cranky and hot and does not like to be crowded.

But you see Coffee Maker, it’s all because of the zucchini from yesterday’s CSA pick up.

Zucchini

This zucchini is practically begging to made into Chocolate Zucchini Bread.

But zucchini bread means the oven has to be turned on.  Read more...

, , , ,

Perspire to Inspire

July 11th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (4 Comments)

Let’s not call her the picky one.

My Muse

No, let’s call her my muse.  A source of inspiration.  A fruit and vegetable avoiding force to be reckoned with.

See, I can make a fruit smoothie for Ava – no problem.

Frozen strawberries, frozen blueberries, banana, a couple glugs of almond milk.  Sounds good, right?

For Ava, yes.

Smoothie for Ava

For Maxine?

No Dice

No.

But!

Thanks to a bit of experimentation, I have come to discover that Maxine will eat that exact same fruit smoothie when it’s poured into a mold,  Read more...

, ,

Berry Christmas In July

July 6th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Breakfast - (6 Comments)

We were out of town for the long holiday weekend, but I was excited to get back knowing the black raspberries in the backyard had probably started to ripen while we were away.

We didn’t get home until nearly dark last night, so I accepted the fact I was going to have wait until sunrise to see what berry surprise awaited me for breakfast this morning.

That is of course, until I remembered the reason they invented flashlights:

Blackberries In the Dark

to spy on your ripe berries in the dark.  Read more...

, , , , , ,

Sprints Are Great, I Swear!

June 22nd, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Fitness - (7 Comments)

I try to be a model parent.

I eat my vegetables.  I brush my teeth.  I make a genuine effort to not swear in front of my children – or so I liked to believe.

As it turns out, Maxine and I had a very revealing conversation at bedtime the other night while discussing homonyms.

(You know… their/there/they’re, two/to/too, you/ewe, know/no)

Maxine (contributing to our list of examples): Like, sit and sit!

Me: Sit?

Maxine:  Sit like when you “sit down”, and sit like you say when you’re frustrated.

Oh, sit.  Read more...

, , , , , , ,

11 Reasons to Eat Locally and In Season

June 17th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Healthy Habits - (4 Comments)

Our latest homeschooling adventure was one called Pick Your Own – and no, I’m not talking “noses” here.  No lessons needed with that one I’m afraid.  We’re already pros.

Strawberry Picking with the Kids

Yes, we went berry picking.  Another day, another field trip – this time for more local, fresh strawberries.  Our third trip in the span of a week for these red bundles of joy got me thinking:  I haven’t always gotten so nerdily excited when it comes to eating foods in season.  Read more...

, , , , , ,

Velocimom

June 4th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Parenting - (8 Comments)

Remember Banana Whip?

YAY! Banana whip!

Well this would be Fruit Whip.  Banana Whip plus some frozen strawberries and blueberries too.

Fruit Whip

And remember that part in Jurassic Park where the scientist dude explains how the Velociraptors systematically test the electric fence by attacking it, trying to find its weaknesses?

Raptor

Well I am the Velociraptor and Maxine is my electric fence.

See, we’ve always loved Banana Whip as an awesomely delicious healthy snack, but of course “we” means everyone but Maxine.  Read more...

, ,

Cucumber Water

April 26th, 2011 | Posted by Alison Spath in Vegetable Lovin' - (10 Comments)

Once upon a time, (in March) a couple of little gals traveled two and a half hours north to hit up the city of Toronto for a long weekend.

Mezmerized

One of the many kid-friendly tourist stops we made on our trip was the Royal Ontario Museum – a totally cool place where the kids made amazing discoveries in the gift shop and I made amazing discoveries in the cafeteria.

You see, it was in the cafeteria of the Royal Ontario Museum that I stole the most fantastic idea ever:

Cucumber Slices

Cucumber Water.  Read more...

,