Surprise! Off to WA I go!

So I was spoiled rotten for Christmas this year. I don't know why because I don't remember being very nice this year, with all the yelling, crabbiness, sleep deprivation and frustration of the terrible 2's (Evie). But somehow I got on the super nice list and was showered with all kinds of lovely things, the best being my surprise trip to Washington to visit my family ALONE this past weekend, right before Christmas!!! And if that wasn't awesome enough Tim flew me out there first class. It was my very first time flying first class, and let me tell you, it was AMAZING. I almost wish I wouldn't have gotten to experience how fantastic it was because now flying coach will seem even worse then it already is. I spent 4 days in Olympia with my family, enjoying the nice break from the daily grind of motherhood and Minnesota winter - um, it was 50 degrees pretty much the whole 4 days I was there. Anyway, it was such a great trip and much needed as I hadn't been out to WA to visit my family in over a year and a half.  I hope we can all be in the same state or at the very least, region in 2014.  I got back to MN right in time to celebrate Christmas Eve with Tim and the kids, and it was so cold here my car wouldn't start. I really extra appreciated not traveling with the kids during my flight back on the 24th as I witnessed so many stressed out families trying to get somewhere for Christmas while their children screamed and cried in the airport and on my flight.

Pasta with Roasted Broccoli

This is such a quick and easy recipe. I made it tonight for dinner and threw in some cauliflower too since I had it on hand. I got it out of a magazine years ago. I'm always looking for ways to get veggies in and we always enjoy it.

Pasta with Roasted Broccoli  (serves 6)

6 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 T olive oil
12 ounces whole wheat rotini pasta
1/2 cup broth
2 T butter
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400 degrees and bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Combine broccoli, garlic, walnuts, salt and pepper in a medium size bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and stir until coated. Place broccoli mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast at 400 degrees for 13 minutes, stirring twice.

Cook pasta following package directions and drain. Return to pot. 

Add broccoli mixture to pasta pot and stir in butter, broth and parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

I always top with extra parmesan and leave out the nuts so my kids can safely enjoy (I don't trust Evie with nuts yet).

I need to go to IKEA.

OMG I love this.  I need to go to Ikea and start working on the large wall in our basement where I hang the kids' artwork. I want to remember this arrangement so I have to post it here. These are the pictures from the site I found this idea from. No I do not have a daughter named Kate and no, no room in my house is this cute.

Old Friends and Blueberry Coconut Muffins

This morning we went on a family trip out to visit some old friends who moved quite a ways out of the city last year. We miss them dearly, and it has gotten harder to find any time during the week to see them, so we planned a little Saturday morning gathering at their house.  The kids got along GREAT and we were able to drink some yummy home made chai tea (Jennifer I still need this recipe from you) and eat these fabulous muffins and let's not forget the delicious garden cheese spread that we are now going to search out at the grocery store. Jennifer and I met over 4 years ago at our very first ECFE class when Miles and Everett were just little babies. We became friends immediately and started hanging out weekly as we lived less than a mile away from each other. We would meet and swap out recipes, share crafty projects together and let the boys play. We've always had a lot in common and I miss our time together so much. Anyway, whenever she makes something new, I need the recipe and we both usually love the same types of foods. These muffins that she made are soooooo good. I could have eaten them all (I'm pretty sure Evie had several). To my surprise they are actually a recipe off a food blog that I follow called Two Peas and Their Pod. I am making these ASAP. We are big coconut fans around here.

Blueberry Coconut Muffins

Yield: 10 muffins

Cook Time: 18-20 minutes

Coconut muffins made with white whole wheat flour, coconut oil, coconut milk, coconut, and blueberries. Coconut fans will go crazy for these muffins!

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups Gold Medal White Whole Wheat flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled to room temperature
1 large egg (or flaxseed replacement, see note)
3/4 cup lite coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease muffin pan or line pan with muffin liners. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.

3. In a separate medium bowl, mix coconut oil, egg, coconut milk, and vanilla together.

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula. Stir until just combined. The batter will be thick. Gently fold in the coconut and blueberries.

5. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups. Bake muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer muffins to a cooling rack and cool.

Note-you can make this recipe vegan by replacing the egg with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds and 3 tablespoons water. Stir together until thick and add to coconut oil, coconut milk, and vanilla.

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It's that time of year again....Cranberry Apple Walnut Bread

One of my all time favorite things to make around the holiday season is a recipe out of The Moosewood Cookbook that my Mom used to make when we were growing up.  Anytime I make it for a group, I get rave reviews and everyone wants the recipe.  It is so yummy and packed with healthy cranberries and apples you don't even feel guilty eating it. I usually leave out the walnuts so my kids can enjoy and when making it for a group (Tim's office requests it every year for their holiday potluck). You just never know with nut allergies these days. Either way it is delicious.

Cranberry, Apple, Walnut Bread (adapted from The Moosewood Cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1 cup pastry flour (I use whole wheat)
1 3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup veg oil
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups apples, peeled and diced
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13" glass pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the oil and sugar until creamy, then add the eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Sift flour and all dry ingredients (minus the nuts, cranberries and apples) in a separate bowl and mix well.

Add dry mix to oil mixture and beat well (I use a handheld mixer as it is kind of a tough consistency). Add cranberries, apples, and walnuts. Spread into well greased 9x13" glass pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 40-45 minutes.  

Potato Corn Chowder

This is a simple yummy potato soup, with just enough fatty goodness to make it a comfort food for me. I have no idea where I got it from, it's been written on a beat up piece of scrap paper for years and although I have it memorized for the most part I'm going to start putting all my favorite recipes on here so I can have them in one safe spot.

Potato Corn Chowder (feeds 4 with leftovers)

3 T butter
1 yellow onion chopped
1 T flour
32 ounces broth (I always use Better Than Boullioun no chicken broth)
2-3 cups diced and peeled potatoes (russet or yukon gold) usually about 4 decent sized potatoes
2 cups frozen corn
2/3 cup milk
1 1/2 cups extra sharp cheddar shredded (Cabot is my favorite)
Salt and pepper to taste

In large saucepan over medium heat melt butter and sauté onion until tender. Add flour and stir in coating onion. Add broth and bring to a boil whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce heat and add potatoes, simmer about 20 minutes until tender. Slightly mash potatoes in soup and stir in corn and milk. Cook another 5 minutes, then stir in cheese to melt. Enjoy!

This soup also doesn't lose much flavor if any at all if you use olive oil instead of butter and use less extra sharp cheddar cheese. I always choose organic potatoes and corn too. This recipe freezes pretty well and goes great with some fresh bread or rolls.

The Only Salad Dressing Recipe You Will Ever Need.

I got this recipe from a friend. It is so good. I make it regularly and always use up a bottle in a week if I am eating salads. I haven't bought a bottle of salad dressing in ages. It pairs perfectly with a Greek salad. My favorite with feta, Greek olives, cucumbers, green pepper, avocado and some canned garbanzo beans.

Go-To Salad Dressing from Kiki

2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
Pinch or 2 of sugar
1-2 Tbsp minced garlic, shallots or red onion

Shake up in a mason jar and enjoy. I keep mine in the fridge and it usually solidifies so needs to be taken out quite a bit before using or I run the jar under hot water and shake up. I think it could be left out and not refrigerated but I am weird about this, I just like to refrigerate things.  Should last a week or so.

Holly Trolley

This year we decided to go see Santa on the Lake Harriet Trolley that is near our house. We went on a super cold afternoon but had fun riding the trolley and visiting with Santa who actually took time with each and every kid on the trolley. Evie loved the trolley ride but didn't like Santa at all. Though she did tell him she wanted a baby doll for Christmas, then screamed in his face. He must be used to this kind of thing and still tried to get him to warm up to him by moving a couple of seats away. That helped her stop crying but she kept saying "I do not like that Santa, I don't like him." 

Miles on the other hand was content sitting on Santa's lap and listing all the toys he wants him to bring. 

Telling Santa everything on his Christmas list, including Monster's University stuffed animals and a car just like his friend William has.

Enjoying the trolley ride.

I think this will go down as another new holiday tradition. We all enjoyed the very cold ride....brrrrrrrrr!

Someone was not too fond of Santa.

Tiny Tigers - Orange Belt!

Someone got his orange belt!!

Miles has been taking Karate Wednesday nights for a couple of months now. We have always had an interest in getting him into a class, but when we looked around the commitment was just too much for such a young age. Then, one day we noticed they were starting a class for his age group at the park 2 blocks from our house. It is the first of it's kind offered there, taught by a 3rd level black belt Mr. Robert Kern. We usually go as a family for the 45 minute class because Evie LOVES to watch her brother and try to copy the moves. It has been so great watching him learn and grow more confident in the class. Once we started practicing at home he became so much more confident and just tested this past week for his next level belt - his orange belt. It was so fun to see all the kids test and get their next level belts. I almost cried. He is starting back up again tonight and we look forward to seeing him learn even more. Ki-hap!

Kiiiiii---haaaap!!

Leading the class with Mr. Kern.

10 Things I Want My Daughter (and Son) to Know About Working Out

Yoga at 9 months pregnant

I love working out. And by love I mean, I kind of hate it, but I do truly love it too. Makes total sense right? I have always dabbled here and there in exercise and never really stayed consistent until after I became a mom and now I need it. I crave it. I love it. I dread it. BUT I have to do it, for my total well being yes, but mainly for my mental health. My sanity. Being a stay at home mom, it really feels like my only outlet most days to get a good grip reality. My kids have finally in the past months started going to the gym daycare, so I try to make it there and get a good work out in most days of the week. My focus at the moment is on yoga and running,  and I try to hit up a spin class here and there, lift weights and sneak in a good Pilates class when I can. Basically I am all over the board, but it keeps it fresh and enjoyable. I want to be strong for myself, and strong for my kids. I feel my best when I have had a good hard workout and when I can do more pushups and run farther than I have before. And I want my kids to see this, to know about it, so they too know how important exercise is. I love that when I pick Evie up from the gym daycare she asks me if I did yoga or ran on the treadmill. Or when Miles shows me his 'muscles' and his kicks from doing karate. And I love so much when they both say that some day they want to run far "like mommy". We have an important job to do. Anyway, I think about fitness a lot (it has helped me so much in my life) and when I saw this posted on my friend Julie's blog, I had to share it here too.

10 Things I Want My Daughter To Know About Working Out
by Brynn Harrington
 
Mid-way through a recent group exercise class, the teacher lost me.  She didn’t lose me because of some complicated step sequence or insanely long set of burpees; I mentally checked out because of a few words she kept saying over and over.  “Come on!  Get that body ready for your winter beach vacation!  Think about how you want to look at those holiday parties!  PICTURE HOW YOU’LL LOOK IN THAT DRESS!”

“THAT DRESS?”  My brain couldn’t focus on an image of some random dress hanging in my closet.  All I could think about was my three-year-old daughter hearing and trying to process those words.
My daughter’s little brain is making sense of the world every single second, taking in verbal and non-verbal cues about how things work and what things mean.  And when it comes to exercise, I want her to grow up seeing it as a joy, and not a utility…as a gift, and not a chore…as an opportunity, not an obligation.  I want her to do it for the love of it, not to fit into a dress.  I want her to grow up knowing that…

1. Strength equals self-sufficiency.  Being strong – particularly as a woman – is empowering.  It will feel good someday to be able to carry your own luggage down the stairs if the airport escalator is broken, and it will be important to have a solid shot at outrunning a stranger should you meet one a dark alley.
2. Fitness opens doors.  Being healthy and fit can help you see the world differently.  The planet looks different from a bike or a pair of skis than it does from a car or an airplane.  Out in the elements you have the time and space to notice details and meet people and remember smells and bugs and mud and rain and the feeling of warm sunshine on your face.  And those are the moments that make up your life.
3. The bike is the new golf course.  Being fit may help you get a seat at the table.  Networking is no longer restricted to the golf course, and the stronger you are – and the more people you can hang with on the road and trail – the more people you’ll meet.
4. Exercise is a lifestyle, not an event.  Being an active person isn’t about taking a class three times a week at the gym.  It’s about things like biking to the grocery store and parking your car in the back of the lot and walking instead of taking a cab and catching up with friends on a hiking trail instead of a bar stool.
5. Health begets health.  Healthy behavior inspires healthy behavior.  Exercise.  Healthy eating.  Solid sleep.  Positive relationships.  These things are all related.
6. Endorphins help you cope.  A good sweat session can clear the slate.  You will have days when nothing seems to go right…when you’re dizzy with frustration or crying in despair.  A workout can often turn things around.
7. Working out signals hard-working.  The discipline required to work out on a regular basis signals success.  Someone recently told me they are way more likely to hire marathon runners and mountain climbers because of the level of commitment that goes into those pursuits.
8. If you feel beautiful, you look beautiful.  Looking beautiful starts on the inside.  And being fit and strong feels beautiful.
9. Nature rules.  And if you’re able to hike/run/bike/swim/ski/snowshoe, you can see more of it.
10. Little eyes are always watching.  We learn from each other.  You may have a daughter—or a niece or a neighbor or a friend – one day.  And that little girl will be watching and listening to everything she you say and do.  What messages do you want her to hear?

I’ll never talk to my daughter about fitting into THAT DRESS.  But I will talk to her about what it sounds like to hear pine needles crunching under my feet and what it feels like to cross a finish line and how special it is to see the world on foot.  I will talk to her about hard work and self sufficiency.  I will teach her the joy of working out by showing her I love it.  And I’ll leave the rest up to her.

New Traditions

This year we are making new little family traditions to mark the start of the Christmas holiday season.  I'm not really a traditional girl in any sense but for some reason the holidays spark this feeling within me and I want to create these little traditions for my kids. I have always loved Christmas time. It is such a special time and I don't think I am alone with this. Memories from my childhood make me feel warm and fuzzy when it comes to this time of year. My parents were always really into it too from what I remember.  I just love this time of year!!

Shopping with wine...

First on the list of new traditions is starting the shopping season off with the after hours night at Creative Kidstuff in Linden Hills with my friend Kat.  She got me to sign up for this event and it was SO MUCH FUN. I picked her up on the Saturday night before Thanksgiving and we went to our neighborhood toy store. It is such a fantastic store for so many reasons and I am lucky enough to live just blocks from one. We signed up for the after hours event and had 2 hours to shop while the store was closed and the best part was we had endless free wine and cookies, and of course the helpful staff and 20% off our entire purchase. It was really fun and a great way to get started with the holiday gift shopping. After we left the store, we figured it was so rare we actually got to hang out without the kids (Kat has 4 year old twins) that Kat and I decided to have a glass of wine at her place.  Her husband had a fire going in the living room and glasses of wine waiting for us. It was perfect. We had such a great night that we decided that it was going to be an annual tradition for us.

Looking for "our" perfect little tree.

No big deal, just walking with a tree.

Next up on the list of new traditions for our family is walking down to the little tree lot that goes up across the street from Turtle Bread and picking out our Christmas tree, then heading over to Turtle Bread to warm up with some yummy food. This year however went better in our minds then it did in real life. Evie cried the whole time we were picking out our tree, and it was busy so we were trying to stand by the tree we had picked out while waiting for the tree guy to help us out.  Since Evie was throwing a fit, we walked away and then someone else tried to take our tree. Luckily we were up next so we got the tree we had wanted, but I was already stressing someone else was going to take our tree (that is how I roll these days).  Then we found out it was cash only so we sent Tim off running to an ATM while the kids and I went over to the restaurant since it was freezing out and I needed to get the kids inside to warm up.  Tim and I have this ongoing little joke about Turtle Bread. We have wanted to go there for soup and a sandwich the entire year+ we have lived in our home, and we have never been able to with the kids. It's just too hard at the stage they are at. And they have all these amazing baked goods sitting out (croissants, rolls, cookies, you name it) and you have to keep the kids and their hands away from them or you are going broke buying all these goodies. Anyway, due to the situation of Evie's mood we grabbed a large chocolate pretzel shaped pastry and sat at the table fighting over it while we waited for Tim. Once he arrived we got the hell out of there!! Some day we will have our nice Turtle Bread lunch, but it wasn't happening today. Tim carried our tree home (3 blocks) and was a true lumberjack man. It was a fun walk home watching "daddy" carry our Christmas tree. He is one strong guy!

Miles helped me decorate the tree while Evie took a nap. We put some Christmas music on and got the whole tree decorated just the two of us. He was so cute helping. He did a great job and really got into it. He also helped Tim put up lights outside. Tim didn't test the lights out first and put them all up to find out that only part of one strand worked. He was not happy. Ahhhh time for new lights I guess. Love the holidays!!  

Looking forward to many more traditions this year.