Sunday, March 31, 2013

March Wrap-Up

Just  a little photo catch-up as March comes to an end...

A little free dress for St. Patty's Day at school
 Our trusty leprechaun trap ; )
 Lucky Charm Treats for my Sweets
 Found Tinkerbell hiding in the lemon trees
 Easter treats
 Our Peeps
Visit with the Easter Bunny
 The 3 loves of my life

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Easter Cupcakes

We are getting ready to head on over to our friend's house for a little pre-Easter egg hunt. I thought it would be super cute to make something sweet for the kids, oh and the adults : )


Can't take credit for the idea . . . saw it on Pinterest of course. I made lemon cupcakes using the Barefoot Contessa's Lemon Cake recipe minus the glaze. And I went with my go-to buttercream frosting from Magnolia Bakery with Wilton Leaf Green for the grassy color. To make the grass you will need Wilton tip #233. Pastel M&Ms make cute for  "eggs".

This was a fun night time creation and a good forearm workout! Who knew piping grass could be exercise? : )


Friday, March 15, 2013

Dinner Dates


David has a dinner obligation at least once a week. The girls are often sad when they know he won't be home until well after they are in bed and dreaming away.

Now that the weather has warmed up, some, and daylight savings is in full effect I am finding it so nice taking the girls out to dinner. It beats being cooped up and I get a little break from being a chef : )

The harbor is such a great spot for dinner.

The girls desperately tried to find their dad's boat in this sea of boats.
No luck. 

Then it was off to Brophy Brothers.

Sophia devoured her clam chowder while Kalista and I shared the shellfish platter.

And a little vino definitely hit the spot!
Yes, Kalista loves lemons : )

They have been coordinating their outfits lately.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Knock-off Oat Bars


What is about those Nature Valley Oats n' Honey Bars that kids love? Is it because there are 2 bars in the pack? Most likely it's that crunchy-sugary taste, right?

I saw a knock-off recipe on Pinterest and decided to have a go with it. Having a little helper made it fun too : )

It's always nice having someone do the mixing ; )
And the pressing!
And the spatula licking!

Just a quick 20 minutes in the oven and a change of clothes, of course.
Yummy in her tummy : )


Click here for the recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Acai Spinach Berry Bowl

These are a few things I have been crushing on lately:

I buy these in bulk from Costco.
Love the added crunch!
The best sugar alternative.
So easy to sneak raw spinach into a lot of of recipes.

Smoothies have been all the rage lately; especially with the girls. Darling Hubby always makes them one every morning to have with breakfast and they always want a Blender after school. Although I don't mind treating the girls after school, I have discovered these smoothies were not satisfying the late afternoon desire to snack that potentially ruins dinner. Not to mention they are loaded with sugar from the non-fat frozen yogurt or sherbet. Hmmm. What's a mom to do?

Once fall and winter came, I forgot about how much I LOVE Acai bowls. But now that spring is here and the weather is warming up a bit I am discovering my Acai love again. And thanks to my friend, Marina of Yummy Mummy, I know I can save a lot of money and make these lovely bowls myself.


Super simple to make! Just throw in an acai pack to your blender (food processor would work too) and add whatever your heart desires. I made this one with a handful of spinach, half a banana, frozen pineapple, a tablespoon of chia seeds, and a splash of apple juice. Spinach will make the color less vibrant. So if you want to keep the rich purple color, you can add in frozen blackberries or blueberries. Then just give it a whirl. Depending on the power of your device, you may need to soften your frozen items a tad or add a little more liquid. But if you have a Vitamix, then you are set! Scoop into a bowl and finish with a sprinkling of muesli, sliced strawberries, and a little agave nectar.



The girls LOVE these bowls. Not only are they filling, but super healthy too. 
No more late afternoon snacking : )