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Monthly Archives: July 2017

It’s a Wrap!

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Danielle Reid Posted in Delicious Dishes .

Summer mealtimes tend to be quick and simple. Take the wrap. It’s as good a go-to as the stir-fry. Want to know the secret (and so simple) ingredient to an amazing wrap?  Let me share.

Your wraps will never be the same…

There are two types of wrap-eating people in this world, the tortilla people and the lettuce people.

Whether your a “tortilla wrap person” or a “lettuce wrap person” the basics are identical. What you choose to wrap in is your personal preference.

In our house we have begun to move away from the tortilla and wrap and focus more on the lettuce wrap.  I was extremely hesitant at first.  Our home’s dependency on bread and pasta is serious. With kids on the go and picky eaters, those seem to be the easiest items to grab.

However, the more research I do, I realize that this dependency has to change.  I am a firm believer in moderation, so I don’t intend to eliminate these foods, just reduce their portions and frequency. I encourage you to do the same.

It requires a little more creative planning, but the benefits are worth it.

These wraps are a regular meal in our house, usually a Tuesday or Wednesday dinner.  There are no complaints – so in essence I think they are my favourite meal!!!  Soon to be yours, too.

The secret to a good wrap is: The sauce!

Adding a little TLC to our sauces (mayo, dressing, etc) has such a powerful effect on our wraps and sandwiches. There are a million variations, but here’s the one I use in this wrap.  Share your favourites in the comments.

What you need: 

– 1/2 Chicken breast (or 2 thighs) per person, grilled *
– 1 package of bacon, cooked and diced
– 1 cup shredded cheddar
– 1 tomato, diced
– Lettuce to Wrap (optional) Iceberg, Romaine or Boston Lettuce for wrapping.
– Tortilla’s to Wrap – 12 inch (Optional)

Optional:

– 1/2 Avocado, diced
– 2 Hard boiled eggs, diced


 

Sauce:

– 1 1/2 cup mayo
– 1 tbsp – Southwest Seasoning
– 1 tbsp – Bell Pepper Rub
– Salt & Pepper to taste

What you do:

Grill the chicken: I always prefer to grill my chicken on an indoor grill to minimize dryness.  On an indoor grill it’s approximately 5 minutes per side on Med-High.

Cook the bacon: My absolute favourite – mess free – way to cook bacon in the oven.  Just lay it out on a pan at 350° for 27 minutes. It’s perfect for wraps and sandwiches – and there is no grease splash to clean up. Once you try it this way, you’ll never go back to frying!

Place diced chicken, diced bacon, diced tomato, cheddar and any optional ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Mix the sauce ingredients together and add to the mixing bowl.

Mix all ingredients well.

Build your wrap using either a tortilla or lettuce wrap. Scoop on 2 to 3 heaping spoonfuls of mixture to each wrap and fold the wrap up.

Folding is a bit of an art in itself, you’ll easily and quickly get the hang of it – here’s a guide:

Option:

You can even grill the finished wrap to add extra effect.

Serve immediately with our favourite side dish – a nice salad, chips, french fries, etc.

Feeling satiated at meals, reducing the snacking between meals and improving cognitive function are just some of the benefits from changing the way we look and consume our food. Do some research and some experimentation to see what works for you.

What are your favourite sauce seasonings?  Comment below!

That’s a wrap! Enjoy!

Have a great week


Danielle’s Pampered Kitchen..Healthy Meals in Minutes

 

Tags: bacon, chicken, grill, lettuce, nom, nomnom, pampered chef, recipe, tortilla, yum .

Where can I put all of those toys????

Posted on July 24, 2017 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Domestic Goodness .

see below for storage product info

It’s amazing that, for such small people, kids need so much stuff.

Actually, *need* may not be the right word. When they were babies, sure, they needed all kinds of gear and specialty items like soothers and sippy cups and head thermometers and mesh teether bags. But now that they’re out of diapers and are full fledged walking-talking-playing miniature human beings, the toys just seem to get out of control!

I remember clearing out the baby gear and thinking I had it all under control. I was selling and donating and passing on the best of my stuff. I’d researched the ba-jeezers out of everything I bought for my babes, and it was all such good quality that it all had tons of life after my two little boys were done.

I wanted to reclaim my home and storage spaces. I wanted order. I wanted a place for everything and everything in its place. I wanted to use all that I’d learned from every organizing reality show I’d ever watched.

I had bins and I was never going to let the toys get out of control.

And then, boys.

This is my shame:

I don’t know how it happened. One minute I was all over those bins and racks and bookshelves. The next thing I know, they’ve figured out how to empty each and every one of those bins and racks and bookshelves, dragging in the crib mattress so that they can launch themselves off of the bed in what I can only imagine is an attempt and finding and destroying my very last shred of sanity!

I’m happy to say that my house is back under control. Temporarily. It goes off and on the rails quite fluidly, but I’m happy to say I’ve discovered three things that make getting back onto the rails much easier and more efficient:

  1. PURGE

  2. TAME

  3. STORAGE

1. Purge

I don’t know what I was saving things for, but there is no point in hanging onto toys they’ve outgrown. There’s also no point in saving broken pieces, toys with missing parts or things they never play with. Add to that, the crap that slipped through – think Happy Meal toys and loot bag trinkets – and you’ve got at least half a toy chest gone!

My kids love everything at the toys tore. Any toy. They’ve got stuffies, LEGOS, trains, action figures, board games, educational toys, dress-up costumes and sports equipment. They’re always begging for another new toy and they’re always bringing home something.

I remove the unwanted and unusable from circulation. Not quite the “One in, One out” mantra that my organizing shows emphasize, but it’s not a bad system.

2. Tame

The boys had everything mashed together. They had pieces of LEGO mixed with pieces of puzzles and pieces of week-old lunch.

That isn’t helpful for anyone.

The other organizing show mantra is to play with only one thing at a time. Put back your toy before you take down another.

Bwahahahaha. Yah, right.

That doesn’t work unless you have time to police your kids constantly. I don’t have that kind of time. But I did start telling my kids that their toys would need to go back at the end of the day, and that they needed to go back in the right spots. There is an area for board games, an area for stuffies and an area for toys with a million pieces that hurt like the devil himself is setting fire to your foot when you step on them (I’m looking right at you, LEGO).

3. Storage

Purge and tame all you want, but if you don’t have the right storage, you got nuthin’.

Storage doesn’t have to mean expensive closet organizers or wall-to-wall built-ins – unless you want it to. There are a lot of flexible storage solutions for every budget, and lots that can be added into a room with flexibility. Whether you want to focus on style, function – or, gasp! both – you have lots of options.

I use a wire shelf for board games. It’s easy to see the games and easy to take them out. It tucks neatly between the armoire and the wall. I love how board games are in boxes and are easily stored! If only everything in life came in an easy-to-manage rectangular container.

I love the open storage bins. They have such amazing compartments. Each can be for a specific genre of toy. You can colour code them to each child’s ownership or just stick to toy types. You can label them. My hubs loves his Brother P Touch labeler.

I’m honestly shocked there’s no label on the cat.

If you just need utility, go to the hardware store and get a few storage totes. The see-through ones are the best, you can quickly see the contents and find that special something you’re looking for. They’re not super stylish, but they’re functional, stackable, have lids and do the job. Get a tablecloth to cover them or stack them in the closet if you don’t want to leave them out. I organized our garage with these, too.

Baskets, hampers and caddies are also cute ways to hide and store stuff in plain sight. You can find really adorable baskets in any theme. These are perfect for stuffies and also for large and awkward shaped toys. You can use one for costumes too.  They’re also great for things like sticks and rackets and wands.

If you need help, give in and call a professional organizer to come in and sort it all out. Honestly, most people say it’s the best money they ever spent. We just went for it. We were so afraid of taking away things the kids love – but honestly? They don’t have an emotional attachment to most of their toys.

You get rid of something they don’t play with and they *may* notice it at some point, but not likely. And even if they do, they don’t dwell on it. Just don’t get rid of any current favourites – and we all know the stuff they’re truly attached to and know better than to toss those special things. If in doubt, keep a box and set a date for permanently tossing stuff. That’s another of my organizing show tips. Put it in the box and put a date and time to donate. Give it a month or two. If they haven’t noticed it missing within that time then you’re in the clear and they really didn’t need that item cluttering your home.

Need more suggestions? I have quite a few of these pieces – and a few other pieces I’m currently drooling over, but I’m good for now.

Kidkraft Espresso Sort It and Store It Bin Unit Walmart

Level Up 2-Bin Stackable Charcoal Toy Box Land of Nod

Mouse Storage Caddy Chapters Indigo

Cameron 2 Market Bin Cubby & 2 Drawer Base Set Pottery Barn

Bright Pink Sort ‘n Store Toy Chest Toys ‘R’ Us

60L Storage Tote with Latching Lid in White Home Depot

Pehr Designs Pom Pom Hamper Lusso Baby

TROFAST Storage combination IKEA

 

Tags: books, neat, Organize, products, purge, sort, storage, tame, toys .

Mayan Riviera for the fam

Posted on July 13, 2017 by Clara Power Posted in Bon Voyage .

I love the fact that there are resorts out there for everyone.

Whether you prefer a big resort or a small one, a boutique or a chain, a good beach, amazing pools, quiet or active – there is literally a resort out there to suit everyone’s tastes and preferences.

Last week I had the opportunity to stay at Azul Beach Riviera Maya, a 5 star resort in Mexico. This family friendly resort has 148 rooms and is super small and compact. I loved that I could walk from one end of the resort to the other in less than 5 minutes. And if I forgot something in my room (which I always do) it only took me a minute to get there and retrieve my forgotten item. This is the beauty of staying at boutique resort.

One of the things I loved most about this Gourmet Inclusive resort is that the small size did not mean that it lacked services or amenities. With restaurants, pools, multiple bars and daily activities, there was always something to do if I wanted, or if I just wanted to ready my book, I could!

What I found most impressive about this resort was the quality of everything. The a la carte restaurants including Latino (Southern American/Mexican) and Roma (Italian) just to name a few – were all authentic to the cuisine that they served. By day 2, all the staff greeted me with “Hello Ms. Power,” and the bartending staff were familiar with my drink order and had it ready before they even asked me if I wanted a drink.

 

As for my kids, the experiences that they had was never-ending.

Day 1 we enjoyed the Nickelodeon Orange carpet event, followed by an amazing Character Breakfast the next day with some of their favourite Nickelodeon characters including Sponge-Bob and Patrick.

Every day the Kids Club offered activities like soccer on the beach, pool games, Piñata making, Spanish lessons – the list just goes on!

In the evenings there were always entertaining shows that appealed to the whole family.  As the resort is small and intimate, my children were able to make friends from other parts of Canada, the US and even some Germans that were visiting.

With the kids continuously being entertained, I was able to spend some time at the Vassa Spa without having to feel guilty that I wasn’t spending time with them. This spa offered all the services that you would expect from a full service spa.  If you plan on visiting, be sure to experience the Relaxation Ritual followed by a full body massage and facial. (That’s what I did and it was phenomenal.)

To say this was a relaxing resort would be an understatement. I loved that there was no pumping techno music at the pool, that I did not have to fight for a lounge chair or get up at 4 am to secure one, that my kids could walk around freely without having to worry that they would get lost, no line ups for restaurants or reservations required and no pesky little wrist bands to mess up with my tan lines.

Since I have been back I have consistently been asked if I would return to this resort and the answer of course is – YES!!

If this type of boutique resort suits your travel fancy, contact me at cpower@tpi.ca or 416.996.6849 to discuss in more detail. Right now if you book this resort with me for travel between August 12 and December 22, 2017 you will receive a $1,000 USD credit that can be used towards private beach dinners, a massage, room upgrade, character breakfasts and more.

Clara Power is a mother to 2 well traveled kids, Andrew and Lauren.  She is a Personal Travel Advisor at her own travel agency, Clara Power TPI, which is in association with Travel Professionals International.  As an active traveler having visited over 35 countries and almost every continent, (still working on Antarctica), Clara is no stranger in understanding the unique wants and needs of families travelling together making her your expert choice for creating those special family vacation experiences.  Her agency is also recognized as an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner due to her extensive knowledge and superior service.

Do not hesitate to call her today to learn about what she can do to help you plan a seamless and enjoyable vacation!
cpower@tpi.ca
clarapower.ca
facebook iconClaraPowerTPI

tpi

Originally published on Clara Power Restless Traveller

Tags: Azul, boutique, children, Kid Friendly, kids club, Mayan Riviera, mexico, nickelodeon, Patrick, resort, Sponge-Bob, travel .

Summer Soup

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Danielle Reid Posted in Delicious Dishes .

There’s nothing more comforting than a cozy bowl of soup on a cold winter’s day, but can you replace that in the summer with a cold soup on a hot summer’s day?

Yes! Yes you can.

For many years I didn’t think so – but with this recipe, I’ve been able to capture that same comfort feeling with many of our favourite summer fruits and vegetables, while maintaining my “cool”ness.

Whether served as a snack or part of a meal, this soup has amazing versatility and should be a staple in your fridge as it is in mine. In addition, this soup is actually quite good for you, it is made from foods with anti-inflammatory properties. Chronic inflammation has been linked with many illnesses, from depression, heart disease, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s to cancer. We need to reduce inflammation and one factor that can help with this is diet.

Start with this soup.

There are many variations of this recipe, but this one has been my favourite.  Start with this, and then find your favourite:

What you need:

– 5 Ripe tomatoes, diced
– 1 onion diced (Option: roasted) *
– 1 Head of garlic, minced (Option: roasted)*
– 1 Cucumber diced
– 2 Jars of roasted red pepper diced
– Salt & Pepper to taste
– 1/3 cup Cilantro, diced

Optional add ons:

– Shrimp
– Chicken
– Croutons
– Fish
– Crackers (My favourite)

What you do:

Place all ingredients together in a large bowl, mix and serve. The flavours meld and come out more if left to sit overnight.

There is a lot of  dicing in this recipe

For those of you who love to dice, grab a sharp knife and get to work.

For the rest of us, the short cut is: A food processor! The food processor can be used for this recipe. Run it longer for a smoother blend. If you’d like a chunkier texture, use your pulse feature.

Tip:

*I like both the onion and garlic drizzled in olive oil and roasted at 350° for 30 min.

Enjoy with friends or family!

Have a great week


Danielle’s Pampered Kitchen..Healthy Meals in Minutes

 

Tags: anti-inflamatory, cold soup, health, healthy, hot soup, nom, recipe, soup, summer soup .

Viamede, cottage country’s answer to cottaging for parents that need a break

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Bon Voyage, Mommy Approved .

City kid caught his first frog

When I was a kid I desperately wanted to go cottaging. My friends all had cottages. They were in mountains, on lakes, they were “somewhere up north” – which seemed magical and inviting and exclusive. Campers, RVs, tents, trailers, bunkies, chalets, farms – give me any of those and I’d have been a happy girl.

Arriving at Viamede

But my mom wasn’t into it. Not at all. She’s always say:

“So you want to take a vacation where I have NONE of my modern appliances, where I have to cook and clean and look after you while you run from the house to the beach and back, covering the place with dirt for a week. Tell me, how is this a ‘vacation’ for ME?”

I get her point now.

Hiking

She referred to the Holiday Inn in Grand Island, New York, as her cottage. It had a pool, room service, house-keeping and plenty for us to do with – and without – my parents. I now know what the “without” was… but the fact is, we did have a lot of fun there.

However, as an adult, I now see the beauty and benefits of getting out of the city and into cottage country for some downtime. I completely side with my mom that it’s no vacation if I have to be on call for the needs of my family without the benefits of modern appliances, but I think I’ve found my happy place.

Viamede.

It’s a brilliant concept, and for Southern Ontarians, if you’re close to the Kawarthas, go! If there’s not a resort like this near you, it may just be your next big business idea!

Magic hour

The Kawarthas is cottaging country within 200 kilometres of Toronto. Set around Stoney Lake, the area is breath-taking. Viamede is a cross between a cottage and a resort. They’ve got it all, and they’ve got the perfect mix for the city slicker that needs a slice of country now and again.

Let’s start with the cooking – they’ve got the answer for that. Restaurants onsite take care of all your needs. Farm-to-table, food is local and fresh – and phenomenal. There are a couple of choices for dining – including a fine dining spot, Mount Julien, with an exceptional tasting menu. Ditch the kids and dine!

Decadent dessert

Or get a barbecue basket and relax on your cottage deck while you or the hubs fires up the grill. There is also a full kitchenette in the cottages so you can put provisions in the fridge and fix up a quick, no fuss snack. We brought frozen pizzas and lots of fruit and ready-to-eat snacks and drinks, even made Jiffy Pop. When was the last time you made popcorn on the stove?

Midnight snacks? An evening tea? Slip up to the main house and grab what you need. Treats? No problem. My jaw dropped when I mentioned I wanted to make a fire – cottages have wood burning fireplaces – and they handed my son a s’mores kit: A basket with chocolate, graham crackers, marshmallows and pokers to toast them on. (I’m a s’mores aficionado, for my best recipes look here).

They were delish. The main house also has board games and lots of VHS movies, we kicked it old school with the kids with a board game night and a movie night in our cottage.

My mom didn’t want to be chasing us, cleaning up after us, creating activities for us. Viamede also had the answers. Get cleaning service and leave the work to their capable pros. Activities a-plenty, we stayed beside the playground and the kids could wander over while we didn’t! There is an outdoor pool, a lake and an indoor pool with a swim-out to outside. Loved the bubble volcano in the indoor pool – but the best part is the sunsets. From any vantage point the sunsets are a spectacle. Magic hour is truly… magic!

The pool

But with other choices, from a gym to a relaxation centre to hiking trails, a farm and the dog – yes a cottage dog, my kids enjoyed borrowing her for an evening – the kids are entertained without TV. It’s cottaging without the effort, and more.

Sunning himself while getting ready to go paddling

Resort cottages have been around for a long time, and they’re a great way for people like my mom to get the cottage experience without having to bear the brunt of the work, it was actually just as relaxing for me as it was for the rest of the family.

(Well, a little bit stressful when my son decided to call 911 from the phone booth. Leave it to a 6 year old city kid to be a bit bewildered by an actual phone booth. I don’t know if he’s ever really experienced one, but I can tell you that the emergency response time was impressively fast!)

That view

The other nice thing about making memories at a resort cottage is that  you can do it in groups. Another couple, your whole family, extended family, organized trips – you have room to do it all, without having to host! My husband’s family used to rent a resort cottage for Thanksgiving and 50+ family members would gather for the holiday as the leaves changed colour and the resort would do turkey dinner for this little army – Canadian Thanksgiving is early October, it  works at a resort cottage quite nicely.

I’d always wanted a cottage – until now. I think I’ve found the place where our family can make memories. Hopefully not all of them will involve first responders, though now that I think about it, we did have the fire department crash our wedding as my husband and I exchanged vows. (We have the best wedding pictures), so I’m starting to see a theme. As far as cottage resorts go, Viamede stole my heart. There is so much to do and I think the kids will enjoy each return trip as we get to know Stoney Lake and The Kawarthas better – and don’t have to do any work or upkeep to our summer getaway spot, least of all, clean the pool, fix a roof or have someone pump the septic.

My mom would approve.

Family fun

Tags: cleaning, Cooking, cottage, farm to table, food, Holiday Inn, kawarthas, resort, resort cottage, viamede .

A Day Out With Thomas Contest

Posted on July 4, 2017 by Urban Suburban Mommy Posted in Mommy Approved .

Oh how my kids loved this last year! They are obsessed with Thomas and Friends, obsessed with trains and this fulfilled their dreaming of being in every episode.

A Day Out With Thomas has become something of a Southern Ontario tradition with little conductors, and so we’d like to make your child’s dreams come true!

Win a 4-pack of tickets for A Day Out With Thomas and take the family for a ride!

You’ll be heading to Sodor (Uxbridge, Ontario) on August 18th, 2017 to take a ride on Thomas the Tank Engine (York-Durham Heritage Railway) and enjoy the day meeting Sir Topham Hatt, the Controller of the Railway. It’s a small funfair with activities and characters, a day that any young conductor will always remember.

How to enter:

Get social with Urban Suburban Mommy

Facebook • Twitter • Instagram

Make sure you like us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram and then share on your social media channels. You will receive one entry for each share, so feel free to share as many times as you want. You must use the hashtag #USMThomas so that we can track your shares. A comment on this blog post is worth 5 entries.

Winner must use tickets for the Friday August 18th tour. There is no cash value, no date alternative. Prize is awarded randomly. No purchase involved. Contest closes August 4th at 11:59pm EST. Winner will be announced on August 5th and will be contacted via method of entry. Transportation to and from the event is not included. 

For more details or to book your own tickets visit: A Day out With Thomas.

 

Tags: contest contest, day out with thomas, thmas the tank engine, thomas, thomas and friends, uxbridge, Win, win this win this .

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