Urban Suburban Mommy

Category Archives: Domestic Goodness

Drool-worthy nurseries!

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When our first was born we lived in a really cool apartment. It was the main floor of a big old Victorian home in a trendy neighbourhood. It had a great layout – there was a gorgeous den with an antique fireplace at the front, a really spacious octagonal bedroom (was probably once a pretty grand dining room) a roomy eat-in kitchen, and at the very back there was a little office with a door that opened out onto the little backyard.

When my husband and I agreed on the place we didn’t say it out loud, but we both knew that little back office would one day be the nursery.

And it was.

I found this gorgeous mid-century teak sideboard that was being put out to the trash one night as I was coming home, and my friend helped me drag it from the curb. Lots of drawers, I added a change pad and it was way cooler than any change table you’ve ever seen. We were given the family crib and a glider. My husband painted a feature wall “Maple Leafs Blue” and proceeded to create a chair-rail effect around the perimeter with hundreds of Hot Wheels cars.

I LOVED that place.

But I didn’t take the decor too seriously – I still don’t. Our place was funky and filled with great art – the nursery was totally our style – but sometimes I look at these nurseries that have been professionally designed and covet all of those pretty pieces. Other times I look at some of these nurseries – they’re so immaculate and sophisticated I wonder if the babies know they’re not allowed to have diaper explosions in there!

Check out these for some nursery inspiration. And if you want to steal my husband’s Hot Wheels effect, he says you should go for it!

I’m a girlie girl at heart and I love pink and purple. This nursery is a great mix of style and playful. The Novella Crib at Ella + Elliot is total eye candy! The feature wall is such a great way to create different areas of the room – if you’ve got a large enough space.

Leave it to RH Baby & Child (Restoration Hardware) to make me covet a nursery when I don’t even have a baby to put into a crib. Who am I kidding, if this crib came in king size, my master bedroom would look a lot like this.

Feeling a little French Provincial? AFK Fine Furniture for Children in LA has created some celeb rooms, and this one is fit for a little princess. Some may say “A little over the top” while others may say you simply don’t hold back on the sugar or the spice when it comes to everything nice for baby.

This nursery had me at the tufted crib and gold polka dots. And I’m a sucker for tassles!. I love that it’s kind of whimsical and juvenile yet full of serious style. This is one trendsetting infant! I have to admit I’m a bit of a Land of Nod junkie. I don’t think there’s anything they carry that I don’t love love love!

Straight outta the UK, Funky Little Darlings seriously lives up to its name! Can you even? I would never have even considered the £3,200price tag on that crib – but there’s something so completely amazing about the colour scheme for a little baby girl’s room. #Want (Actually, that darker shade is pretty close to my husband’s choice of “Maple Leaf Blue”).

Ooh la la! This modern French black-and-white nursery has luxe appeal and serious drama. Pottery Barn always has the best accessories – but those floors, I can’t help myself, I want those floors. And that chair. Who am I kidding, I want the curtains and rug too. This is one sophisticated little bébé, n’est pas?

Fresh. Modern. Playful. No, that’s not a three-sided crib, that would be crazy. Lusso Baby carries the Harlow, with acrylic slats so that the hipster baby you’re raising has an unobstructed view of the hand-woven artisan rug and the original one-of-a-kind flamingo stuffie from organic virgin cotton, which is, of course, the incarnation of the most ethical form of taxidermy.

Super adorbs while gender neutral, this cheerful little nursery has all the makings for a happy baby – and happy parents. Tell me you wouldn’t be happy snuggling in that comfy glider. The new line George Baby at Walmart has lots of new pieces offering that great combination of budget friendly and stylish!!!

 

 

Crepes 101

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Crepes!  Does that fancy French word intimidate you?  Not to worry, after reading my post, you’ll become a Crepes “Connoisseur”.  JUST IN TIME FOR VALENTINES DAY!!  When trying to learn new techniques in the kitchen, I turned to the queen herself “Martha Stewart“.  Here is is why I love crepes!

Why you should add Crepes into your meal plan:

  • First off, Crepes can be made for ANY MEAL – Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Dessert and Even Snack!   Traditionally we see them as a dessert, but we’ve been eating them for our meals and we are loving it. – Excellent cure for Lunchbox Boredom.
  • CREPES are EASY to put together.. if you can do Pancakes you can do Crepes.  This biggest difference is Timing, you need to pay attention and have good timing.
  • You can vary your Crepes to suit your taste at the moment- add chocolate, cinnamon, etc.
  • Get your Kids Involved!  They will Love them – mine were eating them plain!

 

5 Simple steps to Creating Crepes

  • Basic Recipe- Start with a Basic Recipe, like the one below.
  • Make 2 Batches, your first batch is your “training” batch.
  • Decide what meal you’re making them for
  • Add your favorite ingredients
  • Wrap and Enjoy

 

Basic Recipe – Sweet (For Savory – meals- omit the sugar)

What You Need:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 4 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

What You Do:

Whisk together the flour, eggs, 1/2 cup milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Continue whisking until you have a smooth batter. Add the remaining cup of milk and stir well to combine. Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill the batter for at least 30 minutes or several hours.  TIP:  Put all ingredients in a Blender.

IMPORTANT: Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill the batter for at least 30 minutes or several hours.  TIP: Mix in the morning and leave in your refrigerator.

Heat a skillet (9″-11″) over MEDIUM HEAT.   You want the base of the skillet to be at least 9″.  Melt butter approx 1 tsp (just enough to coat bottom).  The pan is hot enough when droplets of water will “dance”.

Pour 1/3 cup of batter onto skillet.  Swirl the pan so that the batter evenly coats the bottom of the pan.  You want a thin layer completely covering the bottom.

In about 10-15 seconds you will want to flip the crepe.  Using a spatula and your fingers, flip the crepe over.  THE FIRST CREPE WILL NOT WORK WELL (unless you’re an expert), always allow the first one (s) to be a bust – hence the “double recipe”.  The second side will take another 10-15 sec and will not brown the same as the first.  Remove from Pan and set aside on a plate.

Continue to finish the batter, adding more butter to the pan when needed.

MAKE AHEAD:  Crepes can be stored in your Fridge for 2-3 days, or in your Freezer for several months.  Place a piece of wax paper between them to ensure they don’t stick together.

Now to the Masterpieces!!  There are so many variations, here’s just a few to get you started.

CREPE Variations:

  • Breakfast – add a Ham and Egg to your Crepe, roll and enjoy!
  • Lunch – Grilled Chicken with Hummus and Tabouli
  • Dinner – Grilled Chicken with Spinach and Roasted Red Peppers and your favorite Aoili
  • Snack – Peanut Butter and Jelly, Banana and Nuetella
  • Dessert – Grilled Peaches with Whip Cream and Drizzled with Melted Chocolate.

I hope you enjoy this recipe.. please feel free to share with me – WHAT IS GOING TO BE IN YOUR CREPE?

Danielle Reid

Meal Planning, Meals in Minutes and Independant Consultant for the Pampered Chef

www.facebook.com/daniellespamperedkitchen

Danielle’s Pampered Kitchen..Healthy Meals in Minutes

WEBSITE: www.pamperedchef.biz/daniellereid

Baked Tuna Pasta (fast and healthy)

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To all my fellow busy families out there.. my posts are directed to you.  As we must stick together to make good decisions for us and our families while trying to meet every deadline we’ve previously committed to meeting.  Are we over-committed? Yes we are!  but there is a certain sense of accomplishment that comes from meeting all of those crazy deadlines.  We all realize that at some point things will have to change, but that’s for another day!!  Today we are going to ROCK what we have, WITH what we have.  So let’s Rock this… Baked Tuna Pasta with Sundried Tomatoes.  One Pot, One Mess, One clean-up.

 

What You Need:

375 g (approx 3 cups) of uncooked Pasta (Rigatoni or Fusili)

3 Cups of Chicken Broth

1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1/2 Sun Dried Tomatoes packed in oil, Drained and sliced

1/2 med onion, diced

2 Garlic Cloves, Pressed

3 tbsp Olive Oil

2 Cans of Tuna (packed in water), drained

1 lemon, wedged

1/2 chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste.

What You Do:

Directions.  * This recipe uses both the stovetop and the Oven.

  1.  Set oven to 350° F.  Add Oil to Stovetop safe 4-qt Dutch Oven or an Oven Safe 4-qt pc of Cookware on Med-High Heat.
  2. Saute Garlic and Onions until Translucent.
  3. Add Tuna, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, 1/2 of the Parmesan Cheese, Broth, Pasta, salt and pepper
  4. Bring the Broth to a boil on stovetop.
  5. Place in the Oven for 25 Min (or until Pasta is cooked through)  * use this time to change you clothes or help with homework!!
  6. Remove from Oven, Spoon in to bowl, adding Parley, remaining Parmesan Cheese and a Lemon Wedge as garnish.

This Recipe is SO SIMPLE and SO GOOD.  It’s a amazing what happens when you combine some simple ingredients with a Flavor Booster such as Sun Dried Tomatoes… Even the kids LOVE it!!

Rock ON.

Danielle Reid

Meal Planning, Meals in Minutes and Independant Consultant for the Pampered Chef

www.facebook.com/daniellespamperedkitchen

Danielle’s Pampered Kitchen..Healthy Meals in Minutes

WEBSITE: www.pamperedchef.biz/daniellereid

One Pan Wonderful Meal (30 minutes or less)

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Meet Danielle Reid, Mother of 4 and Urban Suburban Mommy’s food contributor.  She’ll be bringing you wonderful meal ideas that are fast, easy and healthy for the whole family! Here is her first recipe and you’ll love it!

 

This meal is STONEsational for you, crazy busy families.  With a busy schedule and minimal time, this is the perfect recipe for you to incorporate into your Meal Planning schedule.

It’s simple, easy and well balanced.  I use a Stone Sheet pan (a.k.a Large Bar Pan) in my Kitchen, and I’m sure many of you also own one that you “never use”.  WEll pull that guy out!  If you don’t have a Stone Sheet Pan (a.k.a Large Bar Pan), grab your sheet pan of choice.  This meal still works just as well for you too!  If you’re a large family 5 or more, you may want to double this recipe and use 2 Sheet Pans.  I am a Double Sheet Pan person myself.

The best part about this recipe is you can tailor it specifically to your families likes and dislikes… AH-HA!!!!!

What you need: **For one pan (if using 2 pan, remember to double)

  • 2 Large Baking Potatoes
  • 1 Zucchini
  • 1 Red Pepper
  • 1 Onion
  • 1 cup of Mushrooms
  • 2 Garlic Cloves
  • 4 tbsp of Olive Oil
  • 3/4 Panko crumbs
  • 1 tsp of your favorite seasoning/rub i.e. Rosemary, Lemon Pepper, or Bell Pepper
  • 1 tbsp of shredded Parm Cheese
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and Pepper

What You Do:

Pre-set oven to 425°F

  1. Cut potatoes and zucchini into 1/4″ slices
  2. Wedge the Onion and Red Pepper
  3. Mix Potatoes, Zucchini, Onion, Red Pepper, Mushrooms, Olive Oil, Minced Garlic, Salt and Pepper in a large bowl, stir to evenly coat all veggies.
  4. Arrange Veggies around the outside of your pan, leaving the center open
  5. If you have Coating trays, grab them here, or use bowls or plates.  Lightly beat the egg and place in one tray.  Combine the Panko, some salt to taste, Parmesan Cheese, Rosemary (or seasoning of choice) in another bowl.
  6. Dip the Chicken into the Egg Mixture then into the Panko mixture, coat completely and place the chicken in the center of the Pan (the space provided earlier)
  7. Bake at 425°F for 22-25 minutes, or until the Chicken is done (no longer pink in the middle)

Danielle Reid

 

Meal Planning, Meals in Minutes and Independant Consultant for the Pampered Chef

www.facebook.com/daniellespamperedkitchen

Danielle’s Pampered Kitchen..Healthy Meals in Minutes

WEBSITE: www.pamperedchef.biz/daniellereid

Chef Calvo’s superstar Super Bowl tailgate chili

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Know what one of the most searched recipes on the Internet might be?

Yup, chili.

But why search away, when award-winning Chef Adrieanne Calvo has shared hers with us! And with Super Bowl LI this weekend, we’ll make you the superstar of the tailgate party with this one.

 

The not-so-secret ‘secret ingredient’ in this chili recipe is short ribs, and Chef Adrianne’s short rib recipe made Thrillist’s list of the “50 things you need to eat before you die”. They’re not wrong.

“I have always been a huge fan of watching the Super Bowl with my family and friends,” says Chef Adrianne. “This year, I was inspired to create my very own take on chili; something everyone would be dreaming about long after the game. ”

Bringing her short ribs into the chili mix is just one over-the-top meal waiting to happen. Super Bowl LI demands this kind of extraordinary dish! But it’s not just the dish, Chef Adrianne has given us the most mouth-watering tailgate meal: Maximum Flavor Short Rib Chili + Candied Cornbread + Corn Jalapeño Relish + Chili-dusted Onion Rings

Chili – What you need:

– 3 lbs Short Rib (boneless), trimmed of excess fat
– 1 yellow onion, chopped
– 1 green bell pepper, chopped
– 8 garlic cloves, chopped
– 2 tablespoons chili powder
– 2 teaspoons cumin
– 1 teaspoon oregano
– 1/4 cup brown sugar
– 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
– 1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes
– 1 can tomato paste
– 1 can (28oz) crushed tomatoes
– 1 cup dark beer
– 2 (16oz) cans Red Kidney Beans
– Kosher salt and pepper to taste

What you do:

Place all ingredients in the slow cooker on the low heat setting. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Candied Cornbread – What you need:

– 1 loaf cornbread, (can be store bought)
– 1 tablespoon butter, melted
– 1 tablespoon honey

What you do:

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Crumble the cornbread into a mixing bowl and toss with butter and honey. Place mixture onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Corn Jalapeño Relish – What you need:

– 1 cup Corn kernels
– 1/4 cup red onion, minced
– 1 tablespoon jalapeño, minced and seeded
– 1 tablespoon cilantro, minced
– 1 tablespoon lime juice
– Kosher salt and pepper

What you do:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl.

Chili Dusted Onion Rings – What you need:

– 1 yellow onion, sliced into 1/2 inch thick rings
– Milk for soaking
– 1 tablespoon cornstarch
– 1 teaspoon chili powder
– Kosher salt and pepper

What you do:

Preheat fryer to 400°F.
In a mixing bowl, add milk and soak each individual onion ring for 15 minutes. In another mixing bowl, combine cornstarch, chili powder, salt and pepper. Dip each ring into powder and fry immediately.

To serve up a dish, top each bowl of chili with candied cornbread crumbles, corn jalapeño relish and top it all off with an onion ring and some shredded pepper jack cheese.

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.

www.chefadriannes.com 

Chef Adrianne

 

Chef Adrianne Calvo

Interstellar Lasagna from Micaela Cook Karlsen

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A Plant Based Life Cookbook Author Micaela Cook Karlsen shares her delicious and nutritious recipe for lasagna with Urban Suburban Mommy.  Read our full interview with Micaela here.

Interstellar Lasagna

“I finished perfecting this recipe the week that NASA’s Kepler Mission found a new Earth-like planet, 452b, so I named it in honor of the discovery,” she said.

Ingredients:

Layer 1: 1 medium onion, 1 16-ounce package firm tofu (drained), 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 ½ teaspoons white miso , 1/3  cup nutritional yeast, 1/3  cup packed fresh basil leaves

Layer 2: 1 medium onion, 1 10-ounce package cremini mushrooms (stems trimmed), ½ cup frozen spinach, ¼ cup pine nuts, 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, salt to taste

Additional components: 1 10-ounce box whole-grain lasagna noodles  and 3 to 4 cups of your favorite tomato sauce (or try Chef AJ’s Quick Sun-Dried Tomato Marinara)

Toppings:  1 medium tomato, sliced thinly, 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast, Salt to taste

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Make layer 1: Place the onion in a food processor, and pulse until it is finely chopped. Add the tofu, garlic powder, miso, and nutritional yeast and blend until everything is evenly mixed. At this point the mixture will be like a dry puree—grainy and not too wet. Add the basil leaves and pulse until the basil is chopped into small bits and evenly distributed in the mixture. Transfer the contents of layer 1 to a medium bowl.

Make layer 2: Place the onion in a food process and pulse until it is finely chopped. Add the mushrooms, spinach, pine nuts, Italian seasoning, and salt and blend until everything is evenly mixed.

Assemble the lasagna: Divide your noodles into three equal piles, to correspond with the three noodle layers in the final dish. Cover the bottom of a 9 x 13–inch glass pan with ¾ cup tomato sauce and ½ cup water. Use a spoon to mix the two and evenly distribute the liquefied sauce. Place one layer of lasagna noodles on top of the sauce-water mixture. Cover the noodles with 1 to 1 ½ cups tomato sauce, using a spoon to evenly distribute it. Add the mixture for Layer 1 to the pan. Cover layer 1 with the second layer of noodles. Add the mixture for Layer 2 to the pan. Cover Layer 2 with the third/top layer of noodles. Cover the noodles with 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups tomato sauce using a spoon to evenly distribute it.

Add the toppings: Place tomato slices on top of the sauce evenly around the pan. Sprinkle each slice with a bit of salt for added flavor, if desired, then sprinkle the nutritional yeast evenly on top of the tomatoes.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes, then remove cover and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes or until the top surface has developed a skin. Serves 6-8.

Micaela Karlsen

MICAELA COOK KARLSEN is a founding employee and former Executive Director of the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies. A contributor to the New York Times bestseller Forks Over Knives and the creator of www.PlantBasedResearch.org, a free online database of research on plant-based nutrition, she holds an MSPH in Human Nutrition from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and is a PhD candidate in Nutritional Epidemiology at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. She is the author of A Plant-Based life: Your Complete guide to Great Food, Radiant Health, Boundless Energy, and a Better Body (AMACOM). She lives in Boston.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Plant-Based-Research-303384226459892/

Blog:  http://micaelakarlsen.com/blog/

Website:  http://plantbasedresearch.org/

Let them eat lobster

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It’s expensive, it’s a delicacy, it’s butter-laden and indulgent, and you’re probably thinking I’m crazy when I say “Let them eat lobster.”

But hear me out: 15 minutes from start to finish. Yes, dinner ready in 15 minutes!

Plus, lobster is perfect for our 30 days of wellness. Lobster is actually really good for you. Yes, this luxurious indulgence is quite healthy – it’s known to be one of the healthiest sources of protein around (a 6 oz serving has about 30 grams of protein, no carbs and less than 2 grams of fat).

What you need:

– 1-2 pounds of lobster or a few claws and a few tails
– salt
– butter
– garlic

What you do:

Set the oven to broil and put a ramekin half full of butter into the oven to melt. While the oven is heating, place the lobsters or pieces of lobster on a broiling pan. Get out a cracker or sharp knife. If you have tails, slit the shell in half and expose the meat. If you have claws, make slits or cracks in each segment of the shell. I am not going to explain how to kill the lobster – Google it. I panicked and had the fish market kill and prep it for me.

Place all the pieces on the broiler pan

Put cracks or slits into each piece and open the shell

After 5 minutes, take the butter out of the oven now that it’s melted and add some garlic (I used powdered but you can also use fresh, just put it to the garlic press and add it to the butter), and add a bit of salt. Brush all of the lobster meat with the butter and put it into the oven to broil – for about 10 minutes.

Could be 8 minutes for small pieces, or up to 12 or 13 minutes for bigger, thicker pieces. If you have a 4 pound lobster it will be more like 15 or 16 minutes. It’s done when the flesh is opaque white and just ever-so-slightly starting to brown.

Take it out of the oven and serve with the melted butter for dipping.

Done!

So. Good.

Yes, it can be expensive, but it’s not an everyday meal. You need to mix up the dinner routine and you need a treat once in a while. Splurge on lobster. You may find it’s actually not as expensive as you think, depending on how close to the ocean you are and what time of year it is. Frozen tails are also another option.

Funny story – the reason I’m even writing this all started when we went to a steakhouse last week for my husband’s birthday. I ordered lobster. The boys tried it – and loved it. They ate half my dinner. A few nights later my 6 year old asked for lobster for dinner. I said no. His response? He grumbled “That’s preposterous!” as he walked away.

But he didn’t give up asking, so a couple of days later we went to the fish market to buy some.

If we’d gotten there early I could have just asked them to steam the lobster for me, but we were too late. As we tried to select our dinner in the big tank, I realized I… just… couldn’t.

Instead, the guy laughed at me and came out from the back with a tray of 4 claws and 2 tails. At $20, it was a steal.

So go for it, let them eat lobster, and feel good about it.

Veganuary – 2017 cookbook compiles favourite vegan celebrity recipes

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Peter Egan shares his Parmigiana di Melanzane recipe below

Diet is a huge part of wellness. With so many options for eating well, when we came across this new cookbook for the annual Veganuary campaign, we knew we had to share! It’s a compilation of favourite vegan recipes from many celebs, including  Random Green Soup from Ab Fab’s Joanna Lumley; Parmigiana di Melanzane from Downton Abbey’s Peter Egan; Pamela Anderson’s gluten-free pizza; Mayim Bialik’s own Pean Pie Truffles; Joaquin Phoenix’s Tabbouleh; Beyoncé’s guacamole;Jason Mraz creates Chocomole; Moby’s Strawberry Shortcakes; Madonna’s Sticky Toffee Pudding – and many more!

Veganuary is an international campaign encouraging people to try a vegan diet in January. An annual campaign, it has had a huge impact, with more than 23,000 people from across 142 different countries pledging to do January meat-free. The 2017 campaign was launched with the creation of this beautiful e-cookbook featuring the favourite vegan meals of celebrities. It will be sent free of charge to everyone who registers to take part in Veganuary.

While we’re not judging, we have to say, these recipes look gooooood! I don’t think anyone would feel they were missing out on anything with these dishes!

Peter Egan’s Parmagiana di Melanzane

Peter is an incredible actor, a true gentleman and a passionate animal lover. He took part in Veganuary 2016 and has never looked back. He says: ‘I will always support Veganuary, but I won’t have to do it again because… I am now vegan.’

If, like Peter, you’re a fan of rich Mediterranean flavours, then try this beautiful Melanzane.

What you need:

– 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for brushing
– 3 cloves garlic, crushed
– 3 sprigs of thyme
– 8 sage leaves, finely chopped
– 4 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
– 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
– 3 tbsp caster sugar
– 4 large aubergines, sliced lengthways as thinly as possible
– 150g melting vegan cheese, grated – try Violife for Pizza, or VBites Cheezly Edam Style (Melting)
– 85g white breadcrumbs
– 50g pine nuts
– Handful of basil leaves

What you do:

1. Heat the oven to 200C / GM6.

2. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the garlic, thyme and sage, and cook gently for a few minutes. Then add the tomatoes, vinegar and sugar, and gently simmer for 20-25 minutes until it has thickened.

3. Meanwhile, heat a frying pan. Brush the aubergines slices on both sides with olive oil, and fry in batches until each slice is softened and slightly charred.

4. Mix 25g of the grated dairy-free cheese with the breadcrumbs and pine nuts, and set side.

5. Into a large baking dish, add a little of the tomato sauce and spread over the base. On top of this, add a layer or two of aubergines slices. Season.

6. Spoon over more sauce, then layer some cheese and basil leaves, and then another layer of aubergine. Repeat until you end with a layer of tomato sauce, and top with the breadcrumb mixture.

7. Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is crisp and golden, and the tomato sauce is bubbling away. Rest for 10 minutes, and scatter with torn basil leaves.

Jason Mraz creates Chocomole

If, like singer-songwriter and plant-based foodie Jason Mraz, you love a pud but don’t want the sugar crash that follows, try his favourite chocolate mousse recipe, made with creamy avocados and sweetened with dates and maple syrup. It’s seriously good!

What you need:

– 16 Medjool dates, pitted and coarsely chopped
– 3 ripe avocados
– 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
– 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
– 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or agave nectar
– 1 tbsp coconut oil
– 1 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt

What you do:

1. Soak the dates in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes until soft. Drain.

2. Peel and de-stone the avocados, and blend their flesh with the milk, cocoa, syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract and salt.

3. Place into ramekins and chill for three hours before serving.

 

As a charity, Veganuary is dedicated to changing public attitudes, while providing all the information and practical support required to make the transition to veganism as easy and enjoyable as possible. It is supportive, non-judgmental and a mine of information.

Veganuary has had an incredible degree of success in a very short time. In its first year, 3,300 people took part; in 2015 that rose to 12,800 and in 2016 to 23,000 people. In 2016, people from 142 countries took part with the top five being: UK, USA, Australia, Canada and South Africa.

Sixty per cent of people who participate in Veganuary say they have remained vegan six months later.

#Veganuary

Tea for everything

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I stopped drinking coffee about 10 years ago. (Urban Mommy Elisa here, I don’t think Michelle would consider giving up caffeine). It was a baaaaaad habit. I was never without a full mug of black coffee all day long. I was super-caffeinated at all times. It was not healthy. One day I gave it up cold turkey.

It sucked.

It was weeks of feeling off, missing coffee, craving a jumpstart, fighting headaches.

You know what I found worked to replace the craving?

But tea wasn’t as easy as “Large black coffee please.” It wasn’t even as easy as “Grande skinny low-foam extra-hot one-sweet two shots of sugar-free vanilla bean latte.”

At first it was “What kind of tea do you have?” Then I learned that if I really didn’t want the unwanted caffeine I would have to ask if it had caffeine. Tea is sneaky like that,  it’s hard to figure out which teas have caffeine.

I finally realized that tea wasn’t just a hot drink to fill my empty coffee mug. I started to enjoy discovering tea because of the flavours, but as I started looking deeper into teas, I discovered some real wellness properties.

Here are my faves:

Licorice tea: I love the flavour of licorice tea, plus this one is great for digestion and acid reflux. I had never experienced acid reflux before being pregnant, but since having these two I’ve discovered the misery of it. Licorice tea really does help.
Note, anise and fennel taste very similar and provide similar properties, but are not the same plant.

Ginger tea: MMMMMM!!!!! I love ginger tea. Not particularly fond of it otherwise, but the tea! You can mix this one with a bunch of other flavours and it gives you a whole new treat in a mug. (Yes, admittedly, I’m a nerd.) They say ginger tea can help fight a cold, it’s probably because it’s an anti-oxidant, it’s got lots of vitamin C, and it helps with congestion. It’s also known for helping with nausea and offers some calming effects. Sometimes I want the strong burn of ginger, sometimes I add lemon, honey, peppermint, matcha or even a bag of apple blossom to the mix. It goes with just about anything, especially if that strong ginger flavour isn’t for you. I will boil raw ginger, but I keep store-bought sachets of ginger tea at the office.

Orange pekoe: I’ve always thought of orange pekoe as ‘tea’ – like the OG of teas. It’s one version of black tea, so it pretty much is. They serve it everywhere and it’s got this nice, mild and unassuming flavour that isn’t offensive to anyone. Of course I buy the decaf version. Anti-oxidants. This one, like most teas, is full of them.

Lemon zinger: I think I see a pattern in my tea drinking – I like strong and sharp flavours. Lemongrass is the base of lemon zinger tea. It’s a traditional after-a-meal tea because it helps with digestion. I just like the flavour. For less zing, there’s also lemon tea, made from dried lemon and often mixed with other herbals for a soothing flavour. Or you can stop laughing at granny’s habit of ordering hot water with lemon – also a digestive, lemon is supposed to help with weight loss. It also gives a good dose of vitamin C and has anti-oxidants that do the body good.

Peppermint tea: I just love mint. I like it fresh from the garden when my husband grows it, but I’m just as happy with prepackaged mint tea bags. It’s refreshing. It’s also soothing too, and is supposed to help with relaxation. This one is also a digestion aid. They say it helps with weight loss too. Really, what ISN’T mint tea good for?

Green tea: This is a super-tea. I like the flavour well enough, and it’s supposed to be so so so good for you. Lots of anti-oxidants, loads of nutrients. It promotes wellness throughout your body – from blood to organs to brain function – I’ve been told drinking green tea can make you smarter. I’ll try anything… Green tea has caffeine in it – much less than coffee, but still… So I go for the decaf version. It doesn’t have as many benefits as whole green tea, but is still better than a diet caffeine-free cola!

Matcha tea: Matcha is like Green tea on steroids. It’s got similar properties but is the super-charged version, because it’s powdered, so you’re actually ingesting the whole plant. It’s the super-tea of super-teas. It boosts the immune system, boosts energy, boosts your mood – and boosts metabolism to aid with weight loss. It’s worth reading up on this one because it has so many healthy and helpful properties. I find it’s a good one to mix with other teas. It goes with almost everything, you just need to find what you like. I mix it with ginger, peppermint and even a plain old orange pekoe. Because it is made from the whole leaf, it has quite a bit of caffeine – about half that of coffee. I have bought decaffeinated matcha but if I’m mixing it in smaller amounts with other flavours I don’t worry about it.

Jasmine tea: I’m not one for floral or fruity teas, but I love jasmine tea. It’s got a soft scent and isn’t distinctly floral-ish like, say rose-hip. I can’t stand rose-hip tea. Hate it. Hate the fancy and oh-so-trendy rooibos tea.  Sorry-not-sorry. But jasmine is a combo of jasmine petals and black tea – or green or white tea, depending on what brand you pick. Black tea has less caffeine than green tea, so there’s that – and yes, there’s decaf which I buy.

So take that coffee!

Though I should admit, after years of avoiding coffee altogether because I couldn’t resist the real stuff, I finally turned to decaf. But most brewed decaf just isn’t as good as a fresh cup of real coffee. Besides, it’s usually burnt or old pot of decaf coffee because it doesn’t sell fast, and that just tastes gross.

Though a fresh grande decaf latte has become one of my dirty little secrets as of late.

Yup… decaf lattes. I really walk on the wild side, don’t I?

*Please note – not all herbal teas are safe during pregnancy. During my pregnancies I had to consult with my doctors regarding which were safe. Since this is about my cutting out the coffee and not health tips for pregnancy I don’t feel comfortable recommending or warning against any of these since it would be best you check yourself if you’re pregnant.

Organize, declutter, you’ll feel better

Posted on by Posted in DIY, Urban Suburban Mommy .

UI long for Carrie Bradshaw’s closet.  Oh the single days.  I know you can relate!

Mess = chaos in my mind.  But since I have become a mom of two active boys, I have pretty much accepted the fact that my house is messy and chaotic.  As we continue our quest for wellness, we had the privilege of speaking with Jane Stoller, author of Organizing for your lifestyle. Jane provides us with some great tips for getting your closets organized to achieve your dreams of a Carrie closet. You may even be inspired to tackle your little ones closets too!

1.What are the most important things to put into practice while trying to get one’s household organized?

A constant theme I reiterate in my book is that organizing is a lifestyle, but it isn’t one-size-fits-all. Incorporating organizing into your life shouldn’t, ultimately, involve changing who you are, but rather maximizing it. Knowing where your favorite socks are, and having them stored correctly, means you’ll be able to wear your favorite socks more often, and look better doing it. Similarly, packing properly for a once-in-a-lifetime trip means you’ll be able to enjoy that trip even more. Remember: being organized doesn’t mean thinking about organizing all the time. Ideally, being organized means that you don’t have to think about organizing all the time—because you do it automatically, as an organic part of your everyday routine. And you can only reach this level of organizing bliss by making sure your organizing systems and routines are perfectly adapted to your goals, personality, and needs.

Again: organizing is a lifestyle, but it needs to be your lifestyle.

2. What items are essential for closet organization?

The most important element I address is space. Analyzing the current space you HAVE and then adding/adapting the space you NEED.

Hangers are essential. There are many different types and hangers have specific uses. Felt wire hangers are great to save space and are ideal for small closet spaces for example.

If you want to save on space use hangers made of felt wires which are thin and great for small closet spaces. In my book, I go deeper into what to hang vs fold, as often we are hanging items that should be folded and vice versa such as knitwear. After an extensive list on clothing I also mention everything else that we need to store including, Lingerie, Jewelry, Activewear, socks etc.

3. What organizational items are worth spending money on?

I would stress that this depends on your lifestyle. If you move allot or are committed to a dwelling for a longer period of time this will likely change the amount you will spend on organizing solutions.  Specifically, for the closet I would spend money on hangers and specific organizing solutions that suit the most amount of clothing you have.  If you have a lot of activewear opposed to business clothes you might need to invest in several drawers over hanging space.

4. What are some key tips to organize your closets?

De- Clutter – I focus allot on de-cluttering and for many women this is very important for the closest.

Evaluate – Ensure you know what types of clothing you have before you buy new organizing systems, know what specifics you need (hanging space, drawers, shelves).

Sustainability – It is sometimes necessary to choose the practical solution over the prettiest one; otherwise, you might be inclined to create an even larger disorganized mess. For example: if you love the look of having your shirts colour-coordinated, but then always find yourself searching for different types of shirts or sleeve lengths, why not organize for type or sleeve length, rather than by colour? Organizing shirts by sleeve length may not be as aesthetically pleasing, but it will support your organizing goals, and will likely save time.

5. How do you keep other members in your family on track once you have reorganized your closets in your home?

I recommend to tell everyone about your organizing goals so that you can garner encouragement from friends and family. Similar to when you want to reach a health or fitness goal, telling people about your organizing goals will help motivate you; once people are watching, you won’t want to fail! Tell your friends you’re on a track to get more organized, and even ask them over to help de-clutter. If you’re married or live with someone, let them know about your organizing goals, and try to involve them in the process. You might even want to reach out to a mentor or enlist a mentor to help. One of my organizing mentors is Martha Stewart, and although I cannot personally reach out to her, I can follow her on Instagram and incorporate her organizing tips and ideas into my life.

Organizing for Your Lifestyle is a fun, inspiring guide to organizing all aspects of your life, from socks to suitcases. This book is written in such a way that any reader can benefit from. Whether you are single or part of a large family, live in an apartment or a mansion, incorporating organization into your life can help maximize your potential to accomplish more on a daily basis.

About Jane Stoller

Jane Stoller was born and raised in a small town in Ontario, Canada. Her parents immigrated to Switzerland in order to follow their dream of owning a dairy farm.

Jane’s love for organizing began as a child as she was often found happily lining up her pet cats, stuffed animals and books.  Growing up, her passion for organizing shifted to all types of storage space with a special desire for revolutionizing closets! Coupled with her entrepreneurial spirit, Jane has shared her organizing skills with countless friends and colleagues.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science and a Master’s in Business Administration from Canada’s top universities.  Jane currently lives in Zurich, Switzerland and works in the construction industry.

To learn more, go to OrganizingForYourLifestyle.com or connect with Jane on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

 

 

These are not the waffles you are looking for

Posted on by Posted in Delicious Dishes .

I don’t know if I’ve ever shared this about my family (Urban Mommy Elisa here), but we love Star Wars family. My husband is a true Star Wars guy and he’s taught our boys everything he knows. My wedding vows actually included promising him always to break him out of carbonite and always to help him do the Kessel run in under 12 parsecs, among other references, so you might say I’ve been lured over to the dark side.

And so, today, after a very Star Wars Christmas where most presents and all of the wrapping paper revolved around Jedis, Darth Vaders, Tie Fighters, Yodas, Death Stars and Kylo Rens, we heard the gloomy news that Carrie Fisher – better known as Princess Leia – had passed away at the age of 60.

We had just finished brunch that included Rebel Alliance waffles made on the brand new Star Wars waffle maker that we were given from our thoughtful family.

I’ve had so many Star Wars moments, and seeing my husband share his love for Star Wars with the boys has been heartwarming. The passing of Carrie Fisher has saddened us all. It’s funny how something like a movie franchise can have such an impact on your life.

Thanks Ms. Fisher. You showed little girls that they could be heroes too. You proved that we could be warriors, that we could be strong. You got the guy, you got the gun and you got the moves too. Your books, your theatre performances, your career – you achieved a lot of amazing things during your lifetime, and your appearance in The Force Awakens last year was every bit as good as your original movies. We can forgive that kiss – you didn’t know he was your brother at the time, but this #TastyTuesday, which was supposed to be all about the Star Wars Waffles, will instead be about you.