Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

I saw a picture of this cake on Pinterest and I knew I had to make it.  It is really easy to make and the kids LOVED it.

Here's what you need to make this cake:

-cool whip (thawed)
-ice cream sandwiches
-chocolate sauce and/or caramel sauce

Depending on how big you want your cake to be is how many sandwiches you need to use .  I wanted a small square size so I only used 6.

First I took 3 ice cream sandwiches and layed them side by side .  I then spread a layer of cool whip and layered another 3 sandwiches on top.  Then I spread the cool whip over the entire cake .  I then drizzled chocolate sauce over the top of the cake .

Place cake in the freezer for a couple hours so the cool whip sets.

This is what the finished cake looks like .

This is something that the kids can help with.  I'm definitely going to making this for birthday parties.

Hope your family enjoys this as much as mine .

Jenn

Halloween Treat Bags and Pumpkin Mandarin Cups

This year I did treat bags for my daughter to take to school and Sparks and pumpkin mandarin cups for my son to give out at preschool for Halloween.

This is what I used for their treats:

-snack size chocolate bars
-welches fruit snacks (not pictured)
-treat bags
-mandarin fruit cups
-Halloween pencils
-black marker (not pictured)
-thin ribbon (not pictured)


Treat Bags

For my daughter's friends I used a treat bag and filled it with 1 pencil, 2 snack size chocolate bars and a pack of fruit snacks.  I used ribbon to close the bag and curled the ends.

Pumpkin Mandarin Cups

My son is only 2 and I know he will already get a ton of candy from his Halloween party so I decided on a healthier treat.  I took mandarin fruit cups and used a black marker to draw a pumpkin face on it.  He thought it was awesome so I hope the other kids will like it.  I saw this idea on Pinterest a while back and thought it was so cute .

Jenn

Baked Egg with Spinach

I love eggs and I love cooking with spinach so this meal is a favorite .  It's very easy to make .  It is also very healthy and only 90 calories.  I eat with with either a half of an english muffin or a piece of toast with butter.

Here's what you need to make this:

-oven safe dish with sides
-large egg
-2 cups spinach
-light cooking spray


1. pre-heat oven to 350

2 . cook spinach in a frying pan using the cooking spray until wilted (you can also add some garlic)

3. spray oven safe dish with cooking spray

4. put the spinach in the dish leaving a space in the middle

5. crack the egg so it sits in the middle of the spinach

6. place dish in in oven for 15-20 min. (depending on the size of your dish you can put it on
    baking sheet so it's easier to take in and out of the oven)


Enjoy

Jenn

1st Birthday Party Theme

Last week was my daughters 1st Birthday.  I'm going to share some of the things I did to put her party together.  Hopefully these ideas will help when you plan your little ones party.

DECORATIONS

I went to Party Max and Dollarama to pick up the decorations.
This is what I picked up from each store.

Party Max
-pink plastic plates
-1st Birthday Banner
-invitations
-1st birthday hat
-1st birthday bib
-high chair decorating kit
-1st birthday cake plates
-1st birthday napkins
-I ordered helium balloons to be picked up on day of party
-sign me dog

Dollarama
-pink table cloth
-pink cutlery
-pink napkins
-pink and white streamers
-pink cupcake liners

FOOD/DRINKS

This is the food and drinks I served.

-meatballs
-meat and cheese tray
-buns
-chips
-goldfish
-cabbage rolls
-oreos dipped in icing
-spinach dip
-veggie straws
-watermelon
-grapes
-srtawberries
-cake / cupcakes
-ice cream
-pop
-juice
-water
-punch

 I saw on Pinterest oreos dipped in chocolate.  I hate melting chocolate .  Something always goes wrong no matter how I do it so I thought I'd save myself the hassle and use icing.  I bought a can of icing and used food colouring to tint it.  I put the icing in a bowl and melted it in the microwave . You should stir every 10 seconds until the icing drips off the spoon.  You don't need to melt the whole can of icing at once I did bits at a time .  Once the icing was melted I dipped half the oreo in and placed it on wax paper.  Then put some sprinkles on it before the icing set.  To save on time I made these a few days before and kept them in the freezer. 

 

For the cake I made a 6" fondant white cake .  I had it displayed on cake plates and pillars.  Under the cakes I also made cupcakes.  I served the cupcakes for the party and kept the 6" cake for my daughter to smash the next day which was her actual birthday.

I also picked up a sign me dog for everyone at the party to sign.  I was a bit upset since my other 2 kids had a bear but they only sell the dogs now.  Not that big of a deal lol but I was hoping they would all have the same one.

Jenn

Stuffed Pepper Soup

If you haven't noticed I LOVE the skinnytaste.com website .  I tried this soup and again it's another one of my favorites.  It's very easy to make and is very filling.  This recipe has rice, ground beef, red and green peppers, diced tomatoes, chicken broth and a few other ingredients.  This soup is only 261 calories and the serving size is 1 1/3 cups of soup and 1/2 cup rice . 

If you would like this recipe click here

Enjoy

Jenn

Lasagna Cupcakes

These "cupcakes" are so cute and so delicious.  I find them very easy to make and you save on calories instead of eating traditional lasagna.   Theses are made with wonton wrappers which can be found in the refrigerator section with the fruit and veggies in the grocery store.  These are a big hit with my kids.  I found this recipe on emilybites.com.  She has tons of low calorie recipes.  Each "cupcake" is only 165 calories.

If you would like the recipe click here.

When I make these I do a few changes to the recipe .  You can make them either way but I'll share the way I make them.

To make this you use a cupcake pan and layer each ingredient like you would lasagna.  Instead of keeping the meat and sauce separate I make a meat sauce.  When I use a lb of ground beef and one can of pasta sauce I have enough meat sauce left over to freeze so I can make them again.  Which helps on a busy night if the sauce has unthawed I just have to throw it all together and bake for 20 minutes. I substitute the ricotta cheese for fat-free cottage cheese.  No real reason why, I just have cottage cheese on hand more often.  The recipe says it make 8 "cupcakes" but when I make them I get 12.

I hope you enjoy this lasagna substitute as much as my family does.

If you try this recipe please comment below and let me know what you think.

Jenn

June Favorites 2013

PHILADELPHIA CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE

This cream cheese is a nice way to fight the urge to eat chocolate .  My kids think it tastes like icing and I agree .  It is only 50 calories for a tbsp.

STARBUCKS SUGAR-FREE HAZELNUT SYRUP

While in Starbucks one day I discovered you can purchase their syrups.  I figured they would be expensive but they were only $10.   That's the same price if you were to get bottle of syrup at a specialty coffee store .   You can also purchase a pump there for it but I had one already at home .   I usually put one to two pumps in my coffee depending on my mood.  The sugar-free syrups have ZERO calories in it.

HEXAGON GATE

In our new home our living room has a large open entrance way.  With having a crazy 11 month old that loves to climb stairs I had no idea what type of gate to use that was long enough.  Plus here was only one wall that it could attach to.  We purchased the North States Superyard Xt Gate from Toys R Us.  I didn't connect it in the hexagon shape like it was meant for.  I put it across the entrance way so one side was behind the couch and the other side could be pulled over to go in between my computer desk and wall.  When we don't need it we push it back behind the couch.  If you have a gate problem like I did maybe this option could work for you.

view from outside living room

view from inside living room

Jenn

Coconut Chicken Salad with Warm Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

This is another recipe from skinnytaste.com.  This salad is extremely filling and delicious.  I have never tried coconut chicken before and now I'm in love .  The dressing is also very good.  My husband isn't a fan of vinaigrette dressings and even he loved it.  This salad is only 398 calories.  You can also customize your salad using different veggies in it.

If you would like this recipe click here.


Enjoy

Jenn

Healthy Food Choices Part 1

Since starting my weight loss journey, I have found many healthier alternatives to the foods I love .  Here are some of my favorites that not only taste great, but are also low in calories.


Chicken Bacon

I love bacon! Unfortunately regular bacon is obviously very high in fat and calories.  I found that chicken bacon tastes great and is only 60 calories for 2 slices.  It is already cooked so you just need to warm it up.  I usually make a bacon sandwich on either bread or an english muffin with cheese.  And unlike regular bacon it doesn't shrink during cooking.

Weight Watchers Bread

This bread is only 100 calories for 2 slices.  The bread is a bit smaller and thinner then regular bread.  It comes in whole wheat, white and multi-grain.

Smuckers Sugar-Free Jam

Smuckers has a variety of sugar-free jams. The ones I have tried are the blueberry and the orange marmalade.  They are only 20 calories for a tbsp.  My daughter also loves the blueberry one .

Wholesome Goodness Almond Drink

I love using this in smoothies instead of milk.  It's only 90 calories for a cup of the vanilla flavoured and only 60 calories for a cup of the original flavour. 

I hope you enjoy some of my favorite healthy foods.

Jenn

Fruit Loop Neckaces

Sorry I haven't written lately but my husband and I have just moved into our first home .  Moving with 3 young kids has been keeping me very busy.  Now that I'm mostly settled in I should have some more time to get on my blog.  The good thing about moving is there had been lots of  DIY projects I have been working on so I'll be writing about those soon.  To ease back into things I'm going to start back with a kids craft that I have used to keep my kids busy while I've been unpacking.



My 2 oldest love making Fruit Loop necklaces.  Not only is it a neat thing to make but it also gives them a snack to eat.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
-Fruit Loops
-plastic lace (you can find spools of it in the craft store)


For those of you that don't know, this is what plastic lace looks like.

All you do is cut a piece of the plastic lace and tie a loop knot on the end.  Pour some Fruit Loops in a bowl and let the kids thread it on.  Once they are done tie the ends together and let them wear and eat their creations.

Here are some pictures of my little ones making theirs. 

Isabella was a pro at this.

Dean couldn't wait till he was done.

Showing off their hard work.

YUMMY

Hope you all enjoy this with your kids.

Jenn

Ham and Avocado Quesadilla

I was looking through a Hungry Girl cook book and I found this recipe.  I tried it and LOVED it.  I found it filling and it is only 337 calories.  The amount of calories may change depending on the type of wrap you use. The one I used was 180 calories.


Ham and Avocado Quesadilla

- 1 white tortilla
- 1/4 of a medium size avocado
- 2 thin slices of ham ( I used buding honey ham )
- 1/4 cup light shredded cheese

1. On half of your wrap spread on the avocado

 2. Place ham on top of the avocado

3. Sprinkle cheese over ham

4. Fold wrap in half and place in a frying pan.  Cook a few minutes each side.

5. Cut into slices (I used a pizza cutter) and eat alone or with some fat free sour cream to dip.

Enjoy!

Jenn

April Favorites 2013

MARY'S ORGANIC CRACKERS

These crackers have become mine and my husbands favorite .  They are only 140 calories for 13 crackers. They are made with whole grain brown rice, quinoa, flax seeds and sesame seeds.  These crackers are also gluten free.  They can be found at Costco for around $7.  It has 2 bags in the box.
I have also seen them at Fortinos but they are about $5 for 1 small bag.

LIPTON GREEN TEA SUPERFRUIT - WILD CRANBERRY AND POMERGRANATE

I love this tea.  I found a sample of it I got a while back, and after I drank it I knew I had to buy a box.
I probably would never buy this flavour combination if I hadn't had a sample so I'm glad I did. 

3-IN-1 SMART TRIKE

My son got this bike for his 1st birthday.   He absolutely loves it.   I love how this bike is good from 10 months to 36 months.  It has an adjustable handle to push and a 3 point harness for when their young.  When they get older you can take off the bars along the side .  Then when they get old enough to ride a tricycle you can take of the handle and let them ride .  I definitely think it's a great investment.   If you would like to see more on how all the stages work click here.



CONTIGO WATER BOTTLES

A few weeks ago I purchased these water bottles from Costco.   It came with a pack of 3 and was just under $20.  I find these bottles very convenient.  They are leak proof and you just press a button on the back to release the seal to have a drink.  These bottles are 100% BPA free .  There is a clip handle on the bottle which  makes it easy to carry and easy to attach.

Jenn

Three Cheese Tortellini Mushroom Soup

My husband and I absolutely love this soup. I found this recipe on skinnytaste.com . I am in love this website . I have made so many low calorie meals from this website and loved them.  This mushroom soup is easy to make and is only 138 calories for 1 1/2 cups. This soup uses celery, onion, garlic, chicken broth, mushrooms and cheese tortellini. I don't always use the type of mushrooms that the recipe calls for.  I use either all white mushrooms or a mix of white and bella mushrooms. Whatever I have on hand at the time.  It tastes amazing which ever kind I use .  I really recommend trying this soup.  If you would like this recipe click here.

If you try this soup please comment below and tell me what you thought.

Jenn

Foil-Pack Chicken Fajita Dinner

I came across this recipe on the kraftcanada.com website . I love how it's really easy to make and there is hardly any clean up. Even better is each serving is only 350 calories. This recipe uses chicken breast, instant rice, taco seasoning, peppers, salsa, shredded cheese and tin foil. You make each serving in its own pack so you just have to put it on a plate and open the foil. Since each one is put together separately you can customize it if you want. When putting the kids ones together I don't add the peppers because they don't like them. That way I'm not picking through hot food to get them out. If you would like this recipe click here.

Jenn

Easy Sheppards Pie Tips

For all you moms or anyone who doesn't always have the time to prepare a meal, here's a fast way to make sheppards pie. I won't be giving a full recipe just a couple tips to help prepare faster. TIP #1 Sometimes I pre-cook the meat adding the corn and peas and whatever else you like to add. Then I put it in a freezer bag and freeze it. The night before I want to eat it I take it out to thaw in the fridge. So when I am ready to make dinner I just dump the bag in a dish. TIP #2 Peeling and cooking potatoes take time you don't always have. So instead I use frozen hash browns and pour it on top of the meat. I heat the oven to 375 and cook for a hour.  Using those 2 tips you can get dinner ready for the oven in under 2 minutes.

Jenn

Hotdog Octopus

My kids are very picky eaters, so I decided to make their dinner more fun. I took a hotdog and cut it half way down to the bottom, and made another cut the same way on the other side. I know an octopus has 8 tentacles but I wanted them to be thicker so only made 4, but you can cut more if you'd like. After the cuts I boiled the hotdogs until the "tentacles" started to curl up. They thought this was the best dinner ever, and never complained once about not wanting to eat. I hope your kids will enjoy this as much as mine did.

Jenn

Oatmeal Fruit Smoothie

  I was looking for a smoothie recipe for breakfast that had oats in it. Every one I found used uncooked oats. I do like the taste of the oats uncooked in a smoothie, but the amount used made it high in calories. After some experimenting I figured out a recipe using cooked quick outs that is low in calories and filling.  A 1/4 cup cooked oats makes 1 cup when cooked, making the smoothie thicker. To save time in the mornings, I cooked the oats the night before and put it in the fridge.

Oatmeal Fruit Smoothie

-1 cup cooked oats (1/4 cup uncooked, cooked with a cup of water)
-1/2 tbsp liquid honey
-1/2 banana
-3/4 cup almond milk
-1/2 cup frozen or fresh fruit.

Mix all ingredients in blender and serve.

Makes 1 serving.

188 calories


I hope you enjoy this quick breakfast smoothie. If you have any questions please comment below.
Don't forget to add your email address at the top right in the "follow by email" spot!



Jenn

Making Baby Food

When I found out I was pregnant with my 3rd child I was so excited to be able to make baby food again. With my first, I just made her meats. With my second I made all his food except I still bought baby cereal. I thought making baby food would be really hard and time consuming. But I watched some youtube videos and realized it was actually very easy. I really enjoyed making his food and the little guy ended up with a huge selection of food to eat. Here are some examples of how to make baby food.

The book I bought is called Blender Baby Food - Second Edition By Nicole Young.
This book is amazing. There are so many different recipes and instructions on how to make it.

With all the food I make, I spoon it into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen I transfer it to a freezer bag and date it with an expiry date of 3 months.  When steaming food I use the water from the steamer to blend it and if I'm boiling it I use the water in the pot. Some nutrients from the fruits/veggies go into the water so you want to try and put some of them back into the food. When adding water and milk to blend. Start with a small amount and keep adding until you reach your desired consistency.

OATMEAL WITH STRAWBERRIES OR BLUEBERRIES
-1/2 cup oats
-2 cups water
-1 cup frozen strawberries or blueberries, thawed

Bring the water to a boil and add oats. Let cook for about a minute then remove from heat.
Now I put my frozen berries in the fridge the day before so they thaw and are soft. Blend oatmeal and berries in a blender. Spoon mixture into ice cube trays and freeze.

You can also add a banana to it or use any fruit you want.

                                                         
                                                 

BANANAS

I do not make bananas ahead of time. When I want to serve some I take a piece of banana and mash it with a fork.


FRUIT

When making fruit, if frozen I put it in the fridge to thaw. There is no set amount just take out how much you think you'll need. If you take out too much or not enough you'll know for next time. If using fresh fruit and the fruit is not very soft yet I put it in my steamer until it gets soft.

Take your fruit and puree in the blender with water. Start with a small amount of water and keep adding until it is the consistency that you want. When blended spoon into ice cube trays.

Some of the fruit I have made are apples, peaches, pears, cherries, mango, papaya, strawberries and blueberries. For apples I use unsweetened apple sauce. I use the brands that contain just apples and water, There are also tons of combinations you can do. The book comes in handy with lots of ideas.

Here is a combination my kids loved.

Peach Pear Banana
-1 1/2 cups diced peeled peaches (about 2)
-1 cup diced peeled pears (about 1)
-1 banana sliced

In blender combine peaches, pears and banana and puree until smooth.




VEGGIES


When making veggies I peel if needed and steam the veggies until cooked and soft.  You can also boil or bake them. I use water to blend but you can also use breast milk or formula.

Whichever method you use when they are ready put it in the blender with water and puree until smooth.
Spoon into ice cube trays and freeze.

Some of the veggies I have made are sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, corn, green beans and peas.



MEATS

The book an amazing recipes for all different meats and fish.
Here are a few I have altered or come up with on my own. Some of these I don't have an exact amount of each ingredient. I use the meat I have leftover and add the fruit to taste.

Pork with peaches/apples
-baked pork chop (I use boneless) cut into pieces
-apple sauce or peaches
-water (enough to make smooth)

Put in blender add water and puree until smooth. Spoon into ice cube tray and freeze.


Chicken
-package of ground chicken
-2 egg whites
-1 cup oats

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together. Form mixture into patties. Place on a greased baking tray. Bake for 25-30 minutes. When done cut into pieces and put into blender. Add water/breastmilk/formula. Blend until smooth. Spoon into ice cube trays and freeze.

                                              uncooked patties and frozen chicken


Turkey with Cranberries
(this recipe I modified from the book)
-1 tbsp oil
-package of thinly sliced turkey breast
-1/2 cup water
-1/4 cup fresh/frozen/dried cranberries (I used dried)

In a frying pan heat oil over medium high heat. Add turkey and brown slightly. Stir in cranberries and water, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of pan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until cranberries are very tender and turkey is no longer pink inside, about 30 min. Let cool.

Transfer to blender and puree until smooth. Spoon into ice cube tray and freeze.


If you have any questions about making baby food please comment below!