IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE FOOD. I saw this adorable idea on No Time for Flashcards and had to create my own. The idea behind this homemade felt game is to mix and match your way to a balanced breakfast, which is quite fun if you’re 3. Now, it’s just an idea so the system…
Sauteed cabbage
I’VE EATEN CABBAGE QUITE A FEW TIMES, BUT ENJOYED IT EXACTLY TWICE. The first delicious cabbage I ate was many years ago when a friend with Irish roots (and her own Grandma Curley, just like I had) spent a full Saturday making “Boiled Dinner” for St. Patrick’s Day. Despite my own fairly Irish roots, I’d…
rainbow spa birthday party ideas for girls: happy 5th birthday, elle!
ELLE IS A “VERY GIRLIE GIRL”, says her mom Amber, who blogs at Cakepops and Squats. By the looks of this amazing 5th birthday party, I’d say Elle is a very lucky girl, too! Here’s how Amber pulled off a rainbow spa themed party for five. It’s an admittedly sugar-filled affair but what we love…
How to eat dinner with a toddler (or small children of any kind) without losing your mind
IT’S SUCH A DREAM, the Family Dinner. From the moment I saw my first ultrasound, I could see it so clearly. A happy family sits around a table: In my fantasy we’re a boisterously cheerful bunch, passing heaped platters of colorful food, digging into a juicy roast chicken just as someone says something hilarious. There’s…
Easy update: Add a little chopped spinach to your next pot of rice
WE USUALLY EAT BROWN RICE, BUT NOT THIS TIME. My husband Paul loves the fluffier texture of white rice, and I love him, so for this dinner we used organic basmati rice. But the compromise didn’t end there: I also add added a bit of frozen spinach to the pot while it cooked. Voila, a…
2 ways to cuten up breakfast in 60 seconds: hard-boiled egg molds
I LOVE IT WHEN THINGS WORK OUT. And when you’re shopping online, that’s not always the case, right? Recently I went crazy took advantage of our new access to online shopping in the U.S. and tried out a dozen things I’d had an eye on in Italy (like this and this). But these little egg…
Lower-sugar, lower-fat golden yam brownies (An Allrecipes.com makeover)
THIS REQUEST CAME IN FROM ALASKA. Tricia, who is a mom to three boys living waaay up north, sent me a link via Facebook to these decadent treats with a healthy sounding name, Golden Yam Brownies on Allrecipes. She asked if I could do a healthier makeover. “My family LOVES it but it’s loaded with…
How a little pig changed our family’s dinner dynamic
PROPAGANDA? LOVE IT. At least where the kids’ health is concerned. That’s why I’m such a fan of books with a smart food theme. I wrote about 5 of our favorites a while ago, but there’s another one on the bookshelf these days. Dinner With Olivia is surprisingly helpful because it’s not really about…
coconut milk and chia seed no-cook, no-sugar pudding
THEY LOVE THIS STUFF. I’m shocked and amazed myself, but our girls do. I’d been hearing about the health benefits of chia seeds for years–fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants and protein–but in Italy, if it ain’t the stuff that mama made, it ain’t available. At least not in my grocery store. (The Italians are…
How to roast beets
THESE WORK IN SO MANY WAYS. On salad, as salad, warm from the oven, pureed for baby food (or as a secret good-for-you ingredient for decadent brownies!). I’m a beet lover, Phoebe is hit or miss with these purple beauties and everyone else is still in the not-quite-sold stage. They’re so good though, and so…