Healthy School Lunch Ideas

EAT, lunches By August 28, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , No Comments

This year we have illustrious plans.  Lunches will be made the night before, they will include fun, healthy options, and ‘litterless‘ will be a huge goal.  Ok, even if we only bat one for three, here are a few tips that may make coming up with healthy school lunch ideas a bit easier.

1.    Substitute avocado or hummus for mayo – avocado serves as a healthy fat source plus provides a creamy spread for sandwiches.

2.  Use your slow cooker overnight to have healthy hot thermos food ready and waiting in the morning.  Hot lunches are a treat in the winter.  (Or you could just reheat leftovers).  Our Slow Cooker Pinterest Board is a great source for recipes.

3.    Pep up your plain old PB&J with almond butter and fresh fruit slices –fresh fruit means natural sugars.  Check with the school if ‘peanut-free’ also means ‘almond-free’.  Stores like Whole Foods have great peanut butter alternatives.

4.    Margaret Ng, Health and Wellness Manager, at Pacific Blue Cross recommends always using whole grain breads or tortillas – wraps are a fun change of pace especially when they are packed with veggies.  And when you’re not around to hear the kids complain, we bet they’ll forgo the white bread – especially after a busy morning of school.

5.    Swap processed chips and snacks for healthier homemade options like trail mix with dried fruits and nuts, homemade fruit roll-ups or granola balls.

6.  Keep it petite: Little people enjoy little portions so they can snack through the day.  Out: the double-decker hero sandwich.  In: A stylish Bento box filled with flavours and colours.

7. Play with their food.  It needn’t take a ton of extra time to cut their sandwiches with cookie cutters or insert raisin eyes into a celery/cream cheese caterpillar.  If you want more fun ideas we are always updating our school lunch Pinterest board.

8.  Add fun with finger foods: Experiment with nutritious dips and spreads for veggies and crackers. Alternatively, boil an egg they can peel themselves.

9.  Consult your kid: There is no better way to ensure they eat their lunch than by getting their buy-in. Find out what their favourite snacks are and shop accordingly.  If they are older, give them an assignment at the grocery store to find 5 healthy options they will want to take in their lunch and send them down the aisles.  (Make sure you get veto-power though).

Good Luck and Happy Lunch-making!

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What is Safe During Pregnancy

What is Safe During Pregnancy?

FAM, pregnancy By August 25, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

Many a newly pregnant woman has several panic attacks when she realizes that pregnancy means changing some habits.  What is safe during pregnancy?  Can I dye my hair? Eat Sushi? What about nail polish fumes and second hand smoke?  And the stress that all of these questions are causing. UrbanMommies has pulled together articles and advice from our medical experts to help you navigate the beautiful months while pregnant.  Breathe, relax, and remember that moderation and instinct should always remain in the equation.  As with anything, your doctor or midwife should be consulted if you are concerned about any issues you are having.

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The Honda CR-V

auto, GEAR By August 22, 2012 Tags: , , , , , No Comments

I had the pleasure of driving with Yoyomama’s Annemarie Templeman-Kluit over the Sea to Sky Highway in a Honda CR-V.  Final destination: the Fairmont Chateau Whistler.  I was never very familiar with Honda, and after meeting Steven Weber and getting a mini-university education on the innovations within the CR-V, I feel like an expert.  (And I kind of geeked out while I listened.)  Wow!  Cool!  What’s a powertrain again?  (And why would all these car companies advertise the warranty on one when most of us have no clue what it is?)

We began our trip by loading the car.  Piles and piles of coolers, carseats, suitcases, beach balls, canoe paddles and hockey bags were piled on the floor.  I looked at the pile skeptically and took photos as Annemarie loaded up.  Ha ha.  But it all fit! I was shocked at how much space there was.

During the drive, we played jokes on each other with the voice-activated commands which culminated in Annemarie raising the passenger seat temperature so high that I was sweltering.  I later got her back but driving so quickly that she got a bit nauseus while Tweeting.  The car was so quiet we couldn’t stop gabbing.

Favourite things about the Honda CR-V:

  1. Noise cancelling wrap on engine.  It’s called something fancy but I just know how quiet the car is to drive.
  2. No bump in backseat floor because the stabilizers are on the sides of the car and Honda has figured out how to place the drive shaft lower down.  This allows for much more leg room if there is a passenger in the middle.
  3. The rear doors open 90 degrees, which helps immensely when loading kids into car seats.
  4. Voice activated commands so if you don’t like the person in the passenger seat, you can alter their temperature so they are uncomfortable.  Plus it only works with your own voice so your kids can’t change the music to ‘Wheels on the bus’.
  5. Storage to die for.
  6. Really smooth ride.
  7. You can put photos from usb onto your screen – perfect for a road trip!
  8. ECON mode saves on gas but the car lost a bit of pep.  Pedal to the metal baby.
  9. The backup camera has 3 lines and the dotted one shows you how far you can back up and still open the hatch.  So smart.
  10. You can pull a lever and the seats and headrests flip and fold down.  There’s another strap on the side of the car so you could pull the seats from this area too.
  11. There are mud flaps on the door so you don’t get mud and grease on your Gucci pants.
  12. The ice blue colour of our vehicle was like Elizabeth Taylor’s eyes and I think it made me look taller.
  13. The car was pretty high off the ground and had great visibility.  The windows are also low so kids can see out even if they are small.  I’ve always found that this helps distract the children who tend to dislike car rides.
  14. The front looked stylish and kind of reminded me or Mr. Moustache (not that I’m addicted to Angry Birds).
  15. There was bluetooth connectivity for syncing music wirelessly from your phone.  You can also sync texts to the car!

 

And the verdict?  Loved it.  Safety is obviously a huge priority for Honda, and the CRV is a great, spacious family choice.

Would it make a good Push Present?  Yup.  And she’ll still feel super-sporty and fabulous.

 www.honda.ca

 Disclosure: UrbanMommies drove the Honda CR-V for 2 days and was hosted for meals and hotel accommodation.  As always, our opinions are our own.

 

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The Mondrian South Beach

ROAM, USA By August 21, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , No Comments

Don’t even think of leaving your stilettos at home when you visit the Morgans Hotel Group – The Mondrian South Beach Miami.  And be prepared for some serious pool lounging time.  The white and black and the funky female images are still riveted in my mind.  Opened in 2008 in the chic Biscayne Bay neighborhood, Mondrian was envisioned by Marcel Wanders as “Sleeping Beauty’s castle.”

My room overlooked the pool area with lampshade-inspired cabanas, giant throw pillows and stunning women in maxi dresses.

Much fun was had in Sunset Lounge with its sleek shape and great cocktails.  A huge black spiral staircase anchors the space.  Beach Boy types in white shorts and military belts valeted my car, and Ocean Drive was a short walk away, though the room and lobby were so inviting it was difficult to leave the Mondrian.

All I can say – when I checked in on Foursquare and tweeted my whereabouts, the comments and responses certainly signaled that I had settled into very special (and well-known) accommodations.

www.morganshotelgroup.com

www.mondrian-miami.com

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The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe

ROAM, USA By August 21, 2012 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , No Comments

They had me at the s’mores gift bags.  Sticks, Marshmallows, Chocolate and wafers.  And fire pits by the pool and hottub on which to create the s’mores.  The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe was built around a main fireplace/chimney, from which the rest of the building emanates.  The main floor is more a great room than a lobby, with families eating, trendsetters having drinks and skiers doing après.  It’s like the community centre of the rich and famous.  Or at least that’s how it makes you feel.

The rooms boast soft sheets, stunning views, fireplaces and insanely amazing toiletries.  Combined with turndown service and fluffy robes? Epic.  My room overlooked the slopes of Northstar and I was torn as to whether to ski or stay in the gorgeous room.  (The skiing was too good to pass up though).

I was to be on TV the day after I left Northstar and the Ritz-Carlton, and my nails were a mess.  A devotee of Shellac, I needed acetone and foil to remove the 3 week-old colour from my fingers (it still looked great but not up to TV standards).  The spa attendants let me in after they had closed to figure it out (how amazing is that?!).  Not only did I see the alpenglow at the end of the day, but the healing, serene environment made me giddy.  And I chose a very au courant blue lacquer for the TV appearance.  You must check out the copper bathtub in the spa when you go.  Stunning.

Similar to other Ritz-Carlton properties, the chain gives tribute to local culture and the art throughout the hotel was sourced locally. My favourite pieces were the 160 beer-can butterflies in the lobby bar, of which only one has been stolen since opening.  You would never know they had been up-cycled.  Hopefully I can find them on Etsy.

I wish I’d had my family there.  As I watched a little boy have his boots nudged on by a valet, I remembered all of the weekends at Whistler mountain with my boys, screaming about their boots being tight.  The Ritz-Carlton staff had magic that I do not.  How I wish my boys could ride the uber-cool snowmobile sleigh and get their gear laced up by a pro!  (The valets at the Ritz even place your skis and poles for you so your only job is to hop into them like an Olympian.)  And watching the families après in the huge lobby are, surrounded by fireplaces, warmth and sun made me decide to return with my boys in tow.

The dining at the Ritz was like none I had ever experienced.  (Knowing Shaun Whyte was ‘in the house’ didn’t hurt either – we toured his world-class halfpipe the next day).  I began with a BNB.  That would be – bacon and bourbon.  The bacon being the stirstick.  Yeah.  I’m hard-core, BTW.  Try to catch up to me on the slopes. Ha ha.

The food was amazing,  (Trying not to be cliché but I can still taste it and I just can’t find the words). There were 6 of us around a table, getting to know each other over dinner.  How rude was I when I asked for a taste of everyone else’s meals!

I’ve stayed with several Ritz-Carltons – New Orleans and I am off to Key Biscayne in Miami right now.  What impresses me the most is how each hotel embraces their environment, meshes with the locals, incorporates the history of their surroundings into everything from the architecture to the menu.   True vibrant hotels allow a parent to teach as well as relax, and taking your kids to this property you can’t help but feel the history, the gold rush, and the national forest emanating from the environment.

My drive back to the airport at Lake Tahoe was unforgettable.  I was fidgeting with my Blackberry, fielding calls from work, and the driver was silent.  He was the same driver I’d had on the way in.  Feeling rude, I struck up a conversation which may have changed me forever.  He told me of his ancestors.  The railway tracks to the right that helped Lincoln win the Civil War.  He told me of his great grandfather who was a guide in the gold rush as his eyes gleamed and his pride showed clearly.  As a river guide in the summer he knows these parts.  He stopped in the perfect location so that I could take one parting photo if the Ritz-Carlton.  Remember in The Thomas Crown Affair – the smile of a Father? – That’s what it was like.  The smile of a man who not only loves the land, but loves the businesses who prolong the history – his history.

www.ritzcarlton.com

 

 

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Quick and Easy Cucumber Sauce

EAT, family meals By August 20, 2012 Tags: , , , No Comments

If you have ever been to a Meditterannean restaurant, you have likely tried cucumber sauce, also commonly called tzatziki sauce, and loved it. This low-fat, ultra-tasty sauce makes a fantastic sandwich topper, salad dressing, dip for snacks, and topping for grilled meats like chicken, lamb, and beef. It’s also very simple to make and stores well. Here is my personal recipe for the best quick and easy cucumber sauce.

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The Best After-School Snacks

The Best After-School Snacks For Hungry Kids

EAT, snacks By August 20, 2012 Tags: , , , No Comments

Now that the kiddos are heading back to school, you need to have the pantry prepared for the traditional after-school-snacks raiding. Growing kids come back from school and sports practice famished–and here are the best after-school snacks for your hungry kids ideas that are healthy, filling, and will hopefully appeal to your kids’ perhaps-picky natures.

Veggie Dippers. Keep a ready supply of already-cut veggies on hand in plastic Ziploc bags (broccoli, celery, carrots, cauliflower, bell pepper strips, sugar snap peas, etc.) in the crisper. Let your kids pair them with dips, because many vegetables are rich sources of fat-soluble vitamins like Vitamin D and E. Try hummus, lowfat cream cheese with herbs, lowfat ranch dressing, or cucumber sauce.

Fruit Dippers or Cheesers. Slice up apples and pears and serve them paired with lowfat cheddar cheese or a lowfat cream cheese dip (try mixing sugar-free strawberry preserves with cream cheese for a fantastic dip).

Snack mix.  Make your own snack mix with Chex or Life cereal, dry-roasted nuts like almonds and peanuts, raisins, coconut shavings, and dried fruit and granola. Served with lowfat milk or yogurt, this is a powerhouse snack, packed with fiber, calcium, protein, and good energy-giving carbs.

Tortilla rollups. Keep whole wheat tortillas around and smear or fill them with a variety of items: hummus, tuna salad, shredded cheese and veggies, cream cheese and jelly, sliced ham or turkey, etc.

Mini-pizzas. Have your kids make their own with whole wheat English muffins, topped with pizza sauce, lowfat mozzarella cheese, and whatever toppings suit their tastes. Pop them in the toaster oven or under the broiler and in five minutes, you have a tasty, nutritious, and filling snack.

 

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Art Supplies for Kids and Toddlers

LIVE, play By August 20, 2012 Tags: , , , , No Comments

If you have one child or several, if doesn’t matter: they all love doing arts and crafts. The best way to be prepared for rainy days or sick days or just whenever the creative yen strikes is to have some basic art supplies for kids and toddlers on hand. Some you’ll have known already, but some might surprise you!

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Music for Toddlers

grow, LIVE By August 20, 2012 Tags: , , , , No Comments

We’ve all heard the old saying, “Music soothes the savage beast,” and know the benefits of music for unborn and newborn babies. But what about toddlers? If there ever was a savage beast to tame, it would be an unruly toddler. But beyond lullabies, what benefits does music for toddlers bring? Let’s examine some of the ways toddlers are influenced for the better by music, and how to utilize music for toddlers to the best effect.

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Baby Shower Gift List

GEAR, toys By August 20, 2012 Tags: , , , 1 Comment

Having a baby shower is one of the most enjoyable parts of pregnancy—who doesn’t love a party and getting lots of useful swag, all while being pampered by the people you care about the most? But baby showers aren’t just excuses to play silly games and eat yummy stuff with your friends and family: it’s an opportunity to stock up on valuable items that will prepare you and your home for the impending new addition to the family. Compiling a baby shower gift list, whether for a registry or for distribution amongs attendants, is the best way to ensure that you get the things you need and want. With that in mind, here is how to put together the best baby shower gift list.

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