Healthy Home-Made Pizzas

homemade pizzaPizza is a favourite food for many, and there’s a good reason. These doughy, cheesy
creations can be incredibly tasty and satisfying. Unfortunately, for many people, the only
real pizza is from a takeaway and comes laden with grease. Did you know that even a
medium-sized delivery pizza from one of the big chains can be 1400 – 1500 calories?
And that’s before any extras, like a stuffed crust or dip! Thankfully, there is a way to
satisfy your pizza cravings without drastically expanding your waistline. Making your own
Italian-style pie can be tasty and relatively healthy. Read on for some suggestions.

The Base

Pre-risen bases are now a common sight in mainstream supermarkets, but if you’d
rather make everything from scratch, you can do so without too much of a challenge.
This recipe makes a few bases, with exactly how many being dependent on how large
your pans are and how thick you like your crust.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups plain flour – preferably genuine Italian ‘00’ style, which is very finely ground
Generous pinch of salt
1 tbsp sugar
7g (approx 2 tsp) dried baking yeast
1 – 2 tbsp olive oil
1 [Read more…]

Travel Gastronomically the Italian Way

“Buon appetito!” or the more popular “Bon appétit!” are common phrases we never fail to
overhear and say when wishing someone a good meal. But then, have we ever stopped
to think about what these phrases “truly” mean? What truly defines a good appetite? Isn’t
it simply about eating a lot of delicious food? Or is it about eating similar to a
connoisseur, a gourmet or a gourmand?

pestoThis curiosity has led my mind to wander to and my appetite to discover what it is like to
dine in “Bellissimo” Italy. Well if you can’t travel geographically then might as well travel
gastronomically!

To start with here are 7 simple basics to keep in mind:

1.Let your mood do the talking. Italians don’t follow recipes to the detail, instead they
go with the mood of the season or simply whatever mood they are in. Invent versions
of your traditional bolognaise, bruschetta or risottos. Don’t be afraid to make them
spicy, cheesy, savory or even slightly creamy instead!

2.When planning your menu, plan according to what’s in season at the farmers market.
Always stock ingredients fresh. Be they meats, herbs or vegetables.

3.Basic key ingredients in Italian recipes are; Olive oil, Garlic, Tomatoes, Herbs and
Cheese! Experiment with the variety of cheeses and herbs to flavor, season and
tease your palate.

4.Onions and garlic add depth and builds flavor. Most Italian dishes begin by sautéing or roasting them in olive oil
is.

5.To drink, have a glass of wine to complement your taste buds while eating. White
wine is best with seafood and fish while Red wine with meats.

6.An [Read more…]

Svan Signet Complete High Chair To Booster Seat Review

svan

With my oldest child we had a high chair, then we got the booster seat. They both seem to take up a lot of room. Does it work? Yes, Could there possibly be a better solution? Yes! The Svan Complete Signet Complete High Chair.

About Svan:

Svan of Sweden was originally created by two fathers in 1996. The wonderful sturdy and stylish chair gained international popularity and the collection expanded into other products like toddler tables and ride-on toys.

Svan is all about loving life with children. All products are designed so that parents won’t mind keeping them out when company comes.

Svan is now owned by US based Scandinavian Child and maintains a design team in Sweden to keep the brand’s core competence intact.

To stay up to date on Svan, please follow them on Facebook and Twitter

Svan_Chair_EvolutionShot_Facebook

About the Svan Signet Complete High Chair:

This is an award-winning high chair. It was designed to grow with your child through every stage of their life. It brings infants as young as six months as well as young adults to the kitchen table.

Chair Features

  • Fully adjustable seat and footrest for ergonomic and comfortable seating at any age.
  • Meets and exceeds all safety standards.
  • Made of sustainable birch wood
  • Tray conveniently stores on the back of the chair
  • Has a small footprint, so it is nice for a room of any size
  • Removable Plastic tray cover.
  • Sets up to table and tray stores on back.
  • Weighs less than 20 pounds
  • Is available in five lead-free finishes

*Whitewash, Natural, Cherry, Mahogany, Espresso

svanhighchairMy Thoughts:

As you can see this is an absolutely wonderful high chair as well as regular chair. I absolutely love the fact that this chair’s life will never [Read more…]

Carmel, California – Food, Wine, Art, and Culture

carmel CACarmel, CA is a great spot to get away from it all- the perfect place for weddings, proposals, romantic hideaways, or girlfriend getaways. A small but active and artistic area, you will find plenty of shopping, museums, theater, good wine and good food, as well as the beautiful coastline.

CA food and wine tourCarmel-by-the-Sea is a small town with a rich artistic history on the Monterey Peninsula. In the early 1900s, 60 percent of Carmel’s houses were built by those who were “devoting their lives to work connected to the aesthetic arts.” As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 4,081.

Close by are the scenic 17-Miles Drive, Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, world renowned golf courses, Point Lobos Reserve, and the Big Sur coast. This area is very pet friendly, and one will see dogs everywhere they go- on sidewalks, stores, in restaurants, and even art galleries.

CA foodThere are some fine dining options, as well as others with a more funky flair in the area. Mundaka, a Spanish style tapas restaurant in downtown Carmel, is the result of a love of food, wine, music, and Spain and its culture. The food is ordered by the small plate and meant to be shared with the whole table. The dishes and drinks are organic and locally grown- don’t expect to order a cola in this establishment. The atmosphere is funky and artistic, and has both vegetarian and non-vegetation options as well as live music many nights. Grasing’s offers fine dining that features fresh ingredients from California’s Carmel Coast and Central Valley. They have a varied wine list, and the desserts are interesting, delicate, and delectable. You will want to make sure to save room, and indulge yourself.

CA food toursTaking a quick trip, but want to really experience the food and wine? Take the Carmel Food Tour. While walking through the picturesque city of Carmel, you will be able to enjoy [Read more…]

Simple Tomato Side Dish

Summer is right around the corner and the fresh tomatoes will be endless! If you are like me and my family with our booming garden full of vegetables we find simple quick ways to add some vegetables sides to our meals. This is super easy, and you can dress it up or even down really.

tomatoplate

 

Ingredients

3 tomatoes you can use the same variety or use different kinds. Slice them up

1 small yellow onion chopped small

1 garlic clove minced

1 small pepper ( red [Read more…]

How to Make Apple Cider Doughnut at Home

Apple cider donuts are one of the best treats for any time of year but especially during the fall. There
are few things better than a fresh doughnut, but the amount of time it takes to make donuts can be a major
drawback for busy families on the go. This doesn’t have to be the case.

apple cider doughnutsWhile you can look up a recipe that will take about three to four hours once you’re done chopping, mixing, and getting every other detail perfect, there’s another option. You can save a ton of time if you make apple cider donuts at home by picking up a mix that gives you almost everything you’ll need to whip up a batch in no time. Here’s what you’ll need to get started.

Doughnut Making Supplies
• Pot or deep skillet
• Doughnut cutter
• Candy thermometer
• Measuring cups
• Spoon
• Spatula
• Rolling pin
• Tongs for picking up the donuts
• Plates lined with paper towels
• Baking sheets lined with wax paper

Cider Doughnut Making Ingredients
• Apple cider doughnut mix
• Fresh apple cider
• Water
• Flour (for counter)
• Sugar, cinnamon, and confectioner’s sugar for glaze (see optional step below).

Cider Doughnut Steps
The hard part about making apple cider donuts is you’ll need to plan ahead. So get your kitchen set up
first. Set up cookie sheets with wax paper, plates with paper towels, and a pot or deep skillet with at
[Read more…]

Post Sesame Street Cereal

elmo2Sesame Street has permeated much of our homes. Beginning with the television show. The show a fun way to learn but is not for kids only, adults love it too. Who wouldn’t appreciate REM singing about happy monsters? You’d be amazed at the talent Sesame Street brings to the table. If we are talking about Sesame Street we can’t forget the music which digs in has everyone smiling.Now its time for Sesame Street to conquer the cereal cabinet.

Post has a brand new Sesame Street Cereal which comes it two flavors, A is for Apple and B is for Banana. These cereals are low in fat and high [Read more…]

PouchPop Review

pouchpopBoth of my daughters still occasionally love to have fruit/ fruit & veggie pouches. They are definitely a convenient and easy snack on the go with a 1 & 3 year old. The downfall about the pouch snacks, is that after you twist off the original cap, it looks like it could and would be extremely painful for the mouths and lips of your child.

About PouchPop:

PouchPop is definitely the solution to the above mentioned problem. It can help teach self-feeding and it “takes the ouch out of the pouch”! The PouchPop was created by a father of three after he realized that his youngest son was struggling with the standard [Read more…]