Urban Suburban Mommy

Monthly Archives: April 2017

Kids’ stuff I wish someone would invent

Posted on by Posted in The Struggle is Real .

If you’re like me, you have all the time in the world to daydream about how easy this parenting gig would be if you only had a (fill in the blank).

For every step forward in the “useful kids’ crap” category (see Gro Clock), there is a giant leap backwards (see Child disassembles Gro Clock with the accuracy and precision of a bomb specialist.) I’ve gone one step further and leaped so far out of the box that the items listed below can only be found in the realm of science fiction. Still, a mom can dream, can’t she?

1. A feat of engineering that keeps bathtub water IN the bathtub and off the floor.

Perhaps an invisible force field or a film that keeps water where it belongs. I’d even try sonar that prevents children from turning the tub into a wave pool like a Kraken on, well…crack. So far, I’ve tried a garbage bag and a clear storage bin but as of yet have been unsuccessful.

2. A baby/toddler/pre-schooler-to-English translator that plugs directly into your ear.

Imagine – no more figuring out which cup they want, no more wondering why your child is crying for the eleventy-hundredth time (in the past hour). “Nooo!” becomes “I would gladly play with that parent-approved, educational toy.” At the very least, if no translation could be found, the ear plug would pump in the soothing, dulcet tones of Enya or Yanni Live at the Acropolis.

3. Food that instantly becomes whatever your child wants.

Chicken fingers? No problem. Oh, you changed your mind? Bam! Macaroni! Bonus points if every dish magically has four times the nutritional value of my preschooler’s current diet of plain hamburger buns and air.

4. A magic bed.

I’m probably the only parent alive who has problems with her children sleeping in their own bed (or sleeping at all), but bear with me. If someone created a bed that could transport my child to Slumberland and keep him there until the sun actually rose, I would literally just give that sorcerer all of my money. Note: I would also accept a mattress that cuts the bedtime nonsense down from two hours to twenty solid minutes.

5. Toys that don’t lose their pieces.

Or have sharp edges. Or get caught in an air vent. Or up a child’s nose. Or don’t require batteries. Or cause dents in a child’s skull when his younger brother clobbers him with it. So, basically a sponge.

6. Liquid patience.

If only there was a magical liquid that could soothe a mommy’s frazzled nerves and transport her feelings of rage and inadequacy to a far-off place. I would name it after the sound it creates when it first passes the lips: Merlooooooot……

Note to self: stop by the liquor store.

Best homemade burgers

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes .

This post is jam-packed with homemade burger tips, a delicious recipe and even a chance to win a hamburger press which is a must have in my books!

T’is the season where the weather is intermittently teasing us with the beautiful sunny days that lie ahead.  They excite us and make us want to get outside.  These days are generally accompanied by that WONDERFUL, TANTALIZING smell of BBQ’d Burgers lingering in the air.  Many of us will turn to the convenience of Boxed burgers, but if you knew you could make delicious homemade burgers quick and easy; those boxed burgers will stay in the freezer for another season!!!

TIP #1 – MOST IMPORTANT – The MEAT!

You can season the meat with as many variations as you can dream of, but the key to any of these recipes is the quality of the meat.  You want to aim for Lean Ground Beef for it’s 80% Lean factor.  Anything more than 90% (extra lean) can crumble easier.

Also for the best, freshest, least compacted meat available, skip the packaged meats.  Get your ground beef straight from the Butcher.  The meat that has the least amount of handling, will be compacted less and therefore give you a better quality tasting burger.

IN SHORT, IF YOU BUY THE QUALITY MEAT YOUR BURGERS WILL BE GRILLTASTIC! ,

TIP #2 – SIZE MATTERS

In order for the cooking process to produce the best results, your patties should all be the same size.  Slight differences here and there can be the difference between Medium Rare, and Medium Burgers.  Use a repetitive process or tool, like the one below for creating your burgers to ensure the cooking time is identical for all burgers.

Check out this tool HERE – See below to find out how you can win it!

TIP #3 – DIMPLE 

Do you often wonder why Homemade burgers SHRINK to half their original size and DOME up at the center?  It’s because their creator didn’t know what you know.  Dimple your Patties to prevent both of these occurrences.  Simply use your fingers and make an even sized dimple in each pattie.

TIP #4 – Stove Top- Option for Year Round Enjoyment

We all love our BBQ, but we may not all love to stand outside and endure all that the weather can dish out, just for a perfect Burger.  With the right tools in your kitchen you can make your masterpiece, indoors, in 10 min or less.  Just set your Grill Pan to a Med- High heat.  Let it heat up 3-5 min  Place Burgers on Grill (sizzle sound is GOOD).  Flip after 5 min.  Serve and ENJOY!

TIP #5 – BURGER FUN

CAN YOU EAT A WHOLE BURGER?  Do you Find that the Burgers get bigger and bigger?  I seem to think the burgers have tripled in size.  I’m sure this isn’t the case, but somehow finishing the burger can seem like a daunting task.  Try SLIDERS!  These are so fun and have much variation potential.  They are perfect for a large gathering as there is often so much food, a  slider becomes the perfect compliment, allowing you to enjoy the other items offered as well.  Play with the BUN option – if you’re trying to cut carbs, opt for a Mushroom Bun, or and Burger on a Stick? Both of these are “GRATE” ways to still get that amazing burger taste, but is a manageable quantity.

Myth or fact – you need an egg to form the patties?

Myth!  An egg has been thought to be required to bind all the ingredients together and prevent crumbling while

cooking… but this is simply not needed.  You can mix your seasonings, even add some diced onions, without the egg. Form your patties with a bit of firmness and they will survive the cooking process.

Our favourite burger recipe

WHAT YOU NEED:

  • 1.5 kg Lean ground beef
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Onion, minced
  • 2 Garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt
  • Pepper

WHAT YOU DO:

Mix all ingredients together with your hands, form patties and barbecue

As a family, this is one of our all-time favorite things to cook.  Sometimes there’s nothing better that a good Burger!

And now the contest…

WIN A FREE HAMBURGER PRESS

How to enter:

Comment on this post and let us know your favourite hamburger topping

Then like Danielle’s Facebook Page – Danielle’s Pampered Kitchen..Healthy Meals in Minutes

Rules and Regulations:

Contest is open to Canadian residents only (with the exception of Quebec). Contest opens April 25, 2017 at 10PM EST and closes May 1, 2017, 10PM EST.  One winner will be chosen by random draw on May 2, 2017. Retail value of Pampered Chef Hamburger press is $30.00 CDN with shipping. Prize has no cash value and must be accepted as awarded.
Urban Suburban Mommy is not liable for any loss or damages associated with this contest.
This contest may be ended or discontinued at the sole discretion of Urban Suburban Mommy. Danielle’s Pampered Kitchen is responsible for the execution and fulfillment of the contest (Not Urban Suburban Mommy). All decisions are final.
All rights reserved.

 

Happy Grilling.

 


Danielle’s Pampered Kitchen..Healthy Meals in Minutes

 

My 5 Bargain Hunting Tips for Moms

Posted on by Posted in Urban Suburban Mommy .

I remember the first luxury bag I ever purchased. I paid cash from the back of a panel van in a deserted Shoppers Drug Mart parking lot. It came in a grey dust bag marked “Chahel”. That night, my cat clawed it to death. Thinking back on it, I’m thinking: a) it wasn’t a real leather bag, let alone a designer one, and b) my cat thought I was dirt.

While I’ve evolved from a traditional hunter/gatherer, the instinct to seek and find remains unchanged (I’ve also retained the sloping Cromagnon brow and slack jaw.) My search for pretty things has always been tempered by a restricted budget. Rarely do the two intersect. However, as I grow older and (marginally) wiser, I’ve found ways to circumvent the wallet drain by bargain hunting. While my curated collection is unenviable by Kardashian standards, it satisfies my love of lovely (and affordable) things. Here’s a list of my fave haunts and awesome sites. Now get shopping!

  1. Winners: love them or hate them, Winners has a plethora of chic finds and designer duds at every price point. Yes, you need to wear your patient panties. Yes, you need to hunt. Yes, you need to wear elbow pads and, the odd time, carry pepper spray. You can thank me when you find a pair of designer jeans for 60% off and there’s one left in your size. Winners.ca
  2. Facebook: I’ve joined local buy/sell/trade groups and have scored some incredible deals at a fraction of the price. Most sellers require pick up only, but because it’s local, you won’t have to go far.
  3. Thrift shopping: My favourite thing to do on my birthday? Spend an afternoon in Kensington Market. I’ve haunted that ‘hood for 30 years. From Exile and Courage My Love to Vintage Depot, the finds are one-of-a-kind. I found some of my favourite items there (Guess leather knee-high boots, “like new” for $35? Burberry trench for $85? Yes please!) If you’re skeeved out by wearing second-hand goods, just go for the Dim Sum and Vietnamese coffee.
  4. Sample sales: I used to work on a street in the west end that housed dozens of fashion distributors. About twice annually, they would release their off-season samples at ridiculously low prices. You can sign up for sample sale notices and quite literally fill your closet with high-end finds without the high-end prices.
  5. Haute Look: There’s a ton of member sites out there offering discounts on luxury brands: Zulilly.com, Overstock.com, etc. Haute Look is my favourite. It’s a veritable Nordstrom clearance rack. Premium denim, kids’ stuff, menswear and home décor (even beauty products!), this site has it all. They have an excellent return policy and all shipping is tracked. Hautelook.com

 

Boys and guns: How we survived without Kevlar

Posted on by Posted in The Struggle is Real .

My son wants a gun.

He wants a gun so he can “gun” people and “dead” them.

(The fact that he hasn’t connected the appropriate verbs to the nouns may or may not imply that he’s ready to have one.)

My son has been begging me for a ray gun at the local toystore, the kind that flashes seizure-inducing lights and emits blips and bleeps I can only assume were recorded in the fourth circle of Hell.

As the old adage goes, boys will be terrifying.

So far, I have flatly refused to bring any sort of weaponry into our home. In not-so-peaceful protest, he’s now creating ad hoc guns out of whatever happens to be around: a paper towel roll, a piece of paper, a stick. He used to love reading books and playing with his toy trucks and trains. Now he loves guns, swords and maintaining a pitch that could drown out a demolition.

So what gives?

What’s with the obsession with weaponry, makeshift or otherwise? I don’t subscribe to the whole “boys will be boys” theory. Not all boys are drawn to guns. We gave him a doll when he was younger (also a gun now.)

Am I raising a sociopath? Is the drive to be aggressive in a boy’s DNA? I conducted a bit of research, and I found a wealth of information by “Boy Expert” Michael Gurian. Here’s what I found:

  1. “Aggressive” is not necessarily “violent”: Gurian claims there’s no substantive link between aggressive boys and violent adults. It comes down to environment; so long as my energetic kids’ behaviour is channeled in constructive ways, I have every confidence that he’ll avoid jail time. He’s a human perpetual-motion machine, so we try to give him every opportunity to burn off his energy.
  2. The role of imaginative play: Imaginative play helps children understand and process their world. Many (nearly every boy I’ve ever met) are hard-wired to seek aggressive play filled with good guys, bad guys and adventure. Nate is constantly narrating elaborate action sequences that are informed by his favourite shows and movies (he also thinks he’s a Storm Trooper), or just from his own imagination. Playing with makeshift guns is just that – play. He doesn’t have sophisticated concepts of “killing” and “death” just yet.
  3. Testosterone: Gurian calls testosterone “humanity’s life insurance.” In my experience, my son has always played differently than his female cousins. According to Gurian, testosterone is responsible; it fuels the desire to be active, take risks, run around, jump, hit, yell – and pick up sticks and turn them into semi-automatic assault weapons.

So what do I do when my mini Rambo states “I’m going to gun you”? First off, any weapon-y looking devices that come into our house look like toys, not like real guns. They shoot foam batons, not bullets. I’ve also talked (and talked) to him extensively about the “game” of guns: don’t point it at people’s faces and no gun play with people who don’t want to participate. Apparently, I’m also doing the right thing by saying “I don’t like it when you talk about killing me.” As Gurian advises, “Be serene about this threat.”

That’s me, Captain Serenity.

NOTE: After this post was written, Nate’s father bought him the space gun (pictured on the right.) Keep an eye out for my next post about how to bury a body without leaving any evidence.

Michael Gurian is an America marriage and family counselor, corporate consultant and social philosopher. He has published over 28 books, including: The Wonder of Boys, The Minds of Boys and Boys and Girls Learn Differently! michaelgurian.com

Let’s play “Have you ever…?” (Survival Parenting edition)

Posted on by Posted in The Struggle is Real .

Sometimes my parenting skills are questionable. I’m exhausted and parenting can be hard. My boys are 8 and 6 – and I wish I had half their energy.

Sometimes I’m just tired. Sometimes I’ve just worked too much, sometimes I’ve got big stress on my plate and I can’t focus on answering even one more question or make one more dinner or figure out which kid has karate and which one is going swimming today.

It’s not that I don’t love my kids to the moon and back, and I hope you won’t judge me, but sometimes mama just needs a minute or two. I call it “Survival Parenting.”

So, in the spirit of making myself feel better and hoping to find I’m not the only parent that, despite all my love, organic food and educational toys, has some sketchy parenting skills, I’m going to confess my dirty dozen.

Have you ever:

1. Gone to IKEA with no intention of shopping, dropped the kids off for the free hour of babysitting and sat down with a coffee and a magazine in the cafeteria

2. Gone to the bathroom, locked the door and just sat there, hoping the won’t hunt you down – with or without chocolate

3. Set the clocks ahead and told them it was bedtime

4. Gone to a fast food restaurant with a play place just because you wanted to space out on your phone and have your kids in a safe, contained space

5. Let them watch 6 hours of TV because you need to sleep (I checked on them a couple of times)

6. Sent them to school when they were probably sick enough to stay home

7. Had fast food or instant dinner 2 nights in a row (okay, three nights in a row), because… just because

8. Let them have dessert for breakfast

9. Told them the park/pool/play place was closed because you just couldn’t handle that place

10. Made up a horrible, inappropriate punishment to threaten them with because you need them to come here. RIGHT. NOW. and you can’t put up the fight

11. Made a second dinner because they just wouldn’t eat and it was easier to just do it than to argue

12. Looked through the laundry for some ‘not-too-dirty’ pants because you totally forgot/didn’t care/purposely didn’t do the laundry

There. There it is. My shame in 12 easy sentences. I can’t be alone – would love to hear about your most stellar parenting moments!

Southwestern Meal Salad

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes, Domestic Goodness .

Its Spring, time to channel your Inner “Elaine Benes” from Seinfeld, and create your own “Big Salad”. This salad has so many variations, but today we are going Southwest with our version.

Some of you may say that a salad is not filling enough, but I stay tuned as I give you a tip on how to overcome that!

What you need:

Salad:

– 1 head of iceburg lettuce (Romaine can also work here too)
– 1 can of black beans
– 1 can of corn
– 3 chicken breasts cooked and diced (I love to grill mine on my indoor grill pan!)
– 2 tomatoes diced
– 1 cucumber, diced
– 1 orange pepper, diced
– 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
– 1 avocado, diced (Optional)
– Torillia chips (Optional)
– 2 cups penne pasta, prepared (Optional)

Dressing:

– 1 cup ranch dressing
– 2 tbsps southwest seasoning

TIP:  Pasta, you question?  Why pasta?  I’ve started added pasta (or other grains) to many of my meal salads to ensure that the meals feels like a meal!  If you ever want to close that kitchen at night, and avoid those “Can I have a snack?” questions 10 min after feeding them a prepared meal, you need to add the pasta.

First of all, kids LOVE pasta, so you’ll get them eating the salad with less complaints, and Second, it will fill them up more.

What you do:

With salads, presentation is everything. Follow this order for a picture perfect salad!

1. In a Large Pasta Serving Bowl or Large Salad Bowl add the ingredients in this order.

  • Lettuce
  • Penne (optional)
  • Black beans
  • Corn
  • Chicken
  • Tomatoes
  • Peppers
  • Cheddar
  • Avocado (optional)
  • Dressing
  • Tortilla Chips.

AMP IT UP:  If you have the indoor grill all up and ready for the chicken, why not grill up some of the lettuce for a unique and delicious variation to your salad. This works best with romaine lettuce.

Pre-heat the grill to medium-high heat. Slice the tip and root of the lettuce. Spray lettuce (or drizzle) with olive oil spritzer. Place on grill, turning every minute or so. You want the lettuce to turn brown.

Remove from grill and tear up for the salad.  Continue on to Step 2!

2. For the dressing, mix the ranch with the seasoning, and pour over salad.

This is a super-simple recipe that can be manipulated to use whatever’s on hand that day. I do this mainly with Caesar Salads and Southwest Salads. It’s a big hit in our home, so I’m sharing it with yours!

For More information on the Products or Other Tools for your Kitchen, contact: Danielle@daniellereid.ca

Independent Consultant for the Pampered Chef & Master Meal Planner


Danielle’s Pampered Kitchen..Healthy Meals in Minutes

daniellereid.ca

Grow their little green thumbs

Posted on by Posted in DIY, Domestic Goodness .

I don’t have a green thumb. Not even a very very light shade of green. Sometimes I joke that plants throw themselves off of the shelves when they see me coming. The truth is, I’m just not very good at growing plants, or even keeping them alive.

My husband – he makes magic happen in the garden. We’ve had rooftop urban wastelands full of veggies and flowers. We’ve had endless planters full of herbs, berries and cherry tomatoes. Every summer my younger son makes a valiant effort to eat all of the cherry tomatoes straight off of the plant, and he can almost keep up!

But me? I just assumed that vegetables came from the grocery store until I met him.

He doesn’t really understand it, and wants me to try – for the sake of the kids not being plant murderers too, I guess. So when we heard from best-selling, award-winning author of The Year Round Vegetable Gardener and Groundbreaking Food Gardens, Niki Jabbour, it seemed like a good idea to get some insight on how to include the kids in the garden. There are so many ways to get them involved and teach them some skills.

There are little ways to start – try a couple of herbs or low commitment plants. Try planters, which are not big and overwhelming. It’s a fun and productive way to spend time together outside, in the fresh air, and it’s also very gratifying. There’s nothing as satisfying as eating something you’ve grown (so I hear lol) and your kids will get some serious satisfaction out of it.

Niki shared with us her top tips and some great new tools from Lee Valley to get the whole family in on the fun of growing their own food.

1. Make it easy

Get kids involved in the garden by selecting easy-to-grow vegetables such as beans, radishes, leaf lettuce, cherry tomatoes and peas. These fast growing and kid-friendly favourites offer quick results for impatient gardeners who want to enjoy their homegrown harvest sooner rather than later.

2. Pick the perfect planter

Gardening in containers and planters is an easy way to grow space-saving vegetables and herbs like salad greens, bush beans and basil. You can use plastic, fabric, or self-watering pots, or try a Vegepod. This sturdy container offers 9 cubic feed of growing space, as well as built-in irrigation and protection from frost and pests.

3. Grow your own pizza

Get kids (and adults, for that matter), excited about growing their own food with a fun theme like a pizza garden. Plant cherry tomatoes, oregano, scallions, peppers, and basil in containers or garden beds, and use your harvest to top homemade pizzas. Yum!

(Apparently you can’t plant pepperoni.)

(I know. My husband doesn’t always find me funny either.)

4. Set your seedlings up for success

Starting your own seeds indoors gives you a jump on the growing season and allows you to grow high quality, sturdy seedlings. The Grow-Light Indoor Mini-Garden is very easy to use and doesn’t take up much space. In fact, it’s ideal for a countertop, shelf or small table. Once your seedlings are ready for the garden, tuck them into a season extender to shelter them from frost and cold weather. 

5.Work smarter, not harder

Make spring cleaning a snap with a multi-tasking tool like the Power Rake, which quickly gathers leaves and grass clippings, and makes fast work of spreading compost or mulch. Plus, it’s designed to glide across the ground putting less strain on your back. Container gardeners will appreciate the Mini Shovel, a compact tool with a short handle and sturdy blade ideal for filling pots, transplanting or working in the perennial garden. 

Niki Jabbour is the best-selling and award-winning author of The Year Round Vegetable Gardener and Groundbreaking Food Gardens, with over 100,000 copies sold. She’s also an award-winning radio host. Her next book, Niki Jabbour’s Veggie Garden Remix will arrive in stores in late 2017.

 @NikiJabbour

 

Niki Jabbour

Unpacking unboxing: A YouTube phenomenon

Posted on by Posted in Mommy Approved .

My kids are obsessed with YouTube Kids. That’s nothing new. Personally, I’m happy to buy a few extra minutes to eat food while it’s hot, do some laundry or answer a quick email. I’m vigilant about what they watch, and often watch videos with them (just because the app has “Kids” after it doesn’t mean it’s entirely kid-friendly, especially when your boys are collectively younger than a grade-schooler.)

Their latest obsession isn’t episodes of Paw Patrol or mini movies featuring the Minions. It’s videos of adults unpacking toys and playing with them. After conducting some research, I discovered that this phenomenon – referred to as “unboxing” – isn’t new. And if my kids are totally into it, then chances are yours are too.

https://youtu.be/Nflx3iRifEE

Borrowed from the adult version of unpacking new tech items such as iPhones or computers, “unboxing” videos feature adult voices, usually female and unnaturally enthusiastic, guiding viewers through components of unpackaged toys. Sometimes there’s just music, but my kids favour a fully guided tour. Often, the toys are arranged with time-lapse (stop motion) into a fully developed, if poorly scripted, plotline.

Theories abound as to why unboxing has become so wildly popular (The Google search term “unboxing” has increased 871% since 2010*) I’m not a psychologist and won’t overwhelm you with theories of the mind philosophy or cognitive development. I’m here to tell you that unboxing is weird, but it won’t mess up your kid.

It will all be ok, even if you don’t see any obvious value in it.

There’s a pejorative view of technology and its impact on childhood development, but I’m betting it doesn’t come from the 80% of parents who give their device to their children between the ages of 0-2**. The scape and scope of play is changing, but that doesn’t mean it’s all passive entertainment turning tiny, developing minds into mush. For me, there’s little difference between watching these videos with my kids (while they interpret and explain what’s happening) and reading them their favourite book 500 times.

Unboxing is exploratory and feeds into their innate desire to know what stuff is, how it works and what’s hidden inside. They’re no less inclined to explore their world just because there’s someone on YouTube doing it for them. For proof I offer my son Nate who, just yesterday, was very busy using my sunglasses to crack open a walnut to see what was inside.

At the end of the day, is there really any difference between watching a video of someone creating a play-based narrative and watching commercials specifically inserted between Saturday morning cartoons to hawk directed play? When I was a kid, we had Strawberry Shortcake, Barbie, Care Bears, and a whole host of other playtime friends. The implicit promise was the more characters and/or accessories you purchased, the more vivid your playtime experience would be.

My kids know the difference between “playing” and “watching”, and there’s no indication from either of them they’re going to give up playing with their own toys any time soon. Watching a video of a woman playing with a Peppa Pig “Mashem” isn’t going to hinder their ability to learn, create and play.

*cnn.com

** StreamCon, NYC, November 2015.

Daddy wars?

Posted on by Posted in The Struggle is Real .

There are, like, these rules. They’re important. They dictate polite conversation. At dinner parties you don’t discuss politics, salaries or religion. I think that rule was made by housewives 60 years ago to keep husbands from getting into heated discussions over bridge games and dinner parties.

Those housewives didn’t have the Internet or they’d have added in a few things to that list. Nowadays, when you’re in a mommy forum, there are three things you don’t discuss unless you’re trying to start a mommy war: Formula vs breast feeding, circumcision and vaccination. Or, if you prefer the “hip mom” lingo: Lactivism, intactivism and anti-vaxxing.

I’ve seen the mommy wars start very innocently. Someone asks a newbie question on a forum, like: “I really want my son to look like my husband, is circumcision really going to hurt?” Half the mommies will start freaking out about mutilation, the other half will start freaking out about the unsolicited advice. “She wasn’t asking if it’s mutilation, she was asking if it’s really going to hurt.”

Breast is best – unless fed is best. Vaccines don’t cause autism – but do vaccine injuries exist? Or is it a small risk to take compared to catching a totally avoidable disease? Herd immunity. Natural selection. Adjuvant. Attenuated. Big words, scientific concepts and scare tactics all rolled into a huge, opinionated argument ready to rage.

Er. Mer. Gerd.

I have read and read and read through these mommy wars (fine, I admit it, I enjoy a certain amount of drama – as long as I’m not at the centre of it) and it never ceases to amaze me that the same arguments can go round and round in every single mommy forum and every Facebook group out there. My husband and I were chatting about the measles outbreak on the weekend, convicted in our decision about vaccines, discussing that only time will tell if we’ve made the right decision, but we stand by our decision.

And then on Monday, his Facebook status came up in my feed. It was something about how there’s no use to argue with an adult who doesn’t believe in vaccinating. Something. Something. Something. Natural selection.

And I chuckled. I thought, “Oh no you didn’t.”

My husband usually posts pictures of our kids on his Facebook, or Star Wars products. Sometimes a rude joke or a funny sitcom reference. My favourite are the old music videos he digs up.

He doesn’t post controversial stuff. I think my mommyblogging is rubbing off on him or something. He always reads my posts (Hi honey!) and I do talk a lot about mommying and daddying – parenting. We’ve made all of the big decisions together and he’s very invested in all of the choices we’ve had to make for our boys, so I respect the fact that he has an opinion on this.

I never would have posted that status. But I sure was interested in seeing how it went. I don’t think he’s ever been part of a mommy war… er… daddy war… so I thought it would be interesting to see how his feed wound up throughout the day.

And there it was. The first response. And then the second. And then the third, fourth, fifth and sixth. One person posted numerous scientific studies about the negative effects of vaccines. Another person called him an idiot.

My husband jumped in to say, “Guys, there’s no reason to be rude about this.”

And then they all apologized to each other and agreed to disagree.

What the $%*#?

Tuesday’s status on the left, Monday’s status on the right. See what I mean?!?!?!?! Who does that!

 

And, as if that weren’t enough, the next day he – being the equal opportunity troublemaker he is – posted another vaccine/natural selection post. The same people showed up to the party, plus a few. Again, civility won out, though 160+ comments later and people were laughing and egging him on to post a status about whether pineapple belongs on pizza.

I will never understand.

I’ve seen mommy wars go 972 comments deep before the moderator could shut it down. I’ve seen bans and escalating insults and even seen people take arguments into real life. I’ve seen friendships end and loyalties divided over vaccines, so I’d grabbed some popcorn and settled in for some amusement on my husband’s Facebook page. But within 22 comments they’d hashed it out and banded together for a round of Kumbaya.

It never ceases to amaze me how my husband surprises me. And so daddy wars?

Not today.

 

Hawaiian Nachos + Pineapple Avocado Relish + “Lava” Aioli

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes, Domestic Goodness .

Savor Hawaii in just one bite by Chef Adrianne Calvo. Big, bold flavors will have your tastebuds saying “Mahalo!” This is an easy, delicious and healthy dish with lots of flavour, it’s nachos with a twist. That pineapple is sweet and zesty, the perfect pairing with blue fin tuna. Bring all the ingredients together and layer it on – it’s as beautiful as it is delicious.

What you need:

– 2 corn tortillas, quartered, fried crispy
– 2 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
– 1 teaspoon lime juice
– 1 teaspoon honey
– 1/4 cup mayonnaise
– 1/4 lb blue fin tuna, fillet
– 1 teaspoon brown sugar
– 1 teaspoon garlic salt
– 1 teaspoon black pepper
– 1/4 cup pineapple, chopped
– 1/4 cup Hass Avocado, chopped
– 1 tablespoon cilantro
– pinch kosher salt
– 1 teaspoon lime juice
– 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
– 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
– 1 teaspoon ketchup
– 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
– 1/2 teaspoon horseradish
– 1 teaspoon Tabasco hot sauce
– Scallions for garnish

What you do:

Preheat fryer to 375 degrees F. Season the tuna fillet with brown sugar, garlic salt, and pepper.

In a hot skillet with a small amount of canola oil – almost to the smoking point – sear tuna on all sides quickly. Set aside and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.

Wrap tuna tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes, which makes for easy slicing. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl whisk garlic, cilantro, lime juice, honey and mayonnaise together.

Set aside.

Pineapple Avocado Relish:
In another mixing bowl, combine pineapple, avocado, cilantro, salt, lime and black sesame seeds.

Set aside.

Lava Aioli:
In another mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, ketchup, cayenne pepper, horseradish and Tabasco.

To assemble, slice tuna 1/4 inch thick. Place a small dollop of garlic cilantro sauce on crispy tortilla, place tuna on top. Add a spoonful of the Pineapple Avocado Relish and then top with Lava Aioli.

Garnish with scallions and serve.

Adrianne Calvo is the Executive Chef and owner of Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar, Host of Maximum Flavor Live on NBC’s 6 in the Mix, author of four cookbooks: Maximum Flavor (2005); Chef Adrianne: Driven by Flavor Fueled by Fire (2008); #MaximumFlavorSocial (2014); and Play with Fire (2015), and founder of the Make it Count Foundation. Chef Adrianne’s Vineyard Restaurant and Wine Bar opened in 2007 and offers a varied and rotating menu with something for everyone. Monthly, the restaurant holds its signature event, Dark Dining, where guests are blindfolded for a sensual experience eliminating one sense in order to enhance another, providing maximum flavor. For more information, visit:

www.chefadriannes.com 

Chef Adrianne

 

Chef Adrianne Calvo