USA Inspired Party Pleasers

As many people prepare for company this weekend, it is time to share my favorite USA inspired snacks that I have come across. Inspirations that will take us all the way through Labor Day.

We can all do the red, white and blue fruit kabobs, and while always a favorite, this haute mom goes for savvy, smart and creative. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they are about as simple as boiling water.

A Sweet and Patriotic Treat

This idea is pure genius and sure to be enjoyed by everyone. Blog Room to Inspire hit the jackpot with some Red Vines and a bit of patriotic scrapbook paper.

• Cut the paper in strips
• Wrap the strips around a bundle of Red Vines
• Secure with double stick place. 

Easy even for a kitchen rookie like me!




Red and Blue With Flavor

This is at the top of my list because it involves, you guessed it, no cooking what so ever!

Note: This can also be mixed up with regular chips (hello blue potato and regular chips) as well as probably a hundred other yummy possibilities.

• Purchase patriotic paper cones or make some with scrapbook paper. 
• Toss in red and blue tortilla chips, colored potato chips or any other colorful combo of snack items!

The other thing that makes this straight from the smarty pants brain is that it cuts down on cooties. Nobody likes all those hands in the community chip bowl.

Patriotic Sugar Wafers

You had me at wafer. Everyone loves a little something sweet and is it just me or are cakes and cupcakes a little over done? Besides, none of us moms want our kids chowing down on that..I mean, hellooooo...can you say HYPER? I think these are the perfect size, simple to make (way more than baking) and who doesn't love a wafer?

You will need:

1. 1 package each of colored chocolate candy melts (found in the cake decorating aisle)

2. 1 package vanilla sugar wafers

3. Assorted sprinkles

• Melt half the colored candy melts according to instructions
• Lay out a sheet of parchment paper and dip each wafer into the chocolate
• Place the dipped wafers onto the paper and cover with sprinkles
• Allow to dry

Place in an airtight container so they don't go stale!

What a fun dessert thanks to Southern Made Simple! Perfect for kids to help with!

Here is to a great weekend of family, friends and love as many gather together in honor and thanks to those that have served and are serving our country.

Making Healthy Food A Part Of Your Family

While choosing to eat healthy is the first step, getting the rest of the family to follow suit, may be a challenge. I can eat as healthy as I choose, for Stella (3 ½ years-old) and Carter (18 months) this is a whole other story.

I know the importance of ensuring that my little ones develop good eating habits at an early age. I am not sure if it is my fault (tracing back to my pregnancy cravings), but they both have quite the sweet tooth. But habits should be formed now because as they get older, they will be harder to break.

Here are some things that I have tried that have proved to have some success with keeping the kids’ eating habits on track:

·        Offer healthy choices – If the snack choice consists of chips or rice cakes, it is no surprise that the kids will choose chip.    I mean, come on, wouldn’t you? Both of my little ones are  old enough to make choices (even if Carter does this simply by pointing and shaking his head). When I allow them to  open the pantry for a snack, they find the least healthy item   in there. Instead, I will select two things to choose from, like applesauce or a banana, that way, I am happy with whatever they choose. If the kids don’t want either? Then they must  not be that hungry

Crab legs! Who knew the kids would love them!

·        Re-write the kids’ menu – Who says that kids have to have traditional “kid-friendly” food. As soon as mine had teeth, they were eating what hubby and I were eating. They now gobble up things like tofu and salmon and turn their noses up at peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The best part? Mom    or dad only has to cook one meal!

 

·        Be the captain of your ship – Who does the grocery shopping in the house? If there is a lot of junk food – it didn’t get there by accident. I remind myself when at the grocery store that if I buy a box of cookies, someone will eat them. The less junk food I buy, the less tempted everyone is to indulge.

·        Don’t make the kids “clean their plate” – While this strategy may have been used by our parents, it is not the best practice. Forcing kids to “clean their plate” only makes eating a chore. It also forces kids to eat when they may no longer be hungry. All that teaches them is too overeat and not listen to their bodies.

·        Remember that food is not love – I really had to struggle with this one. I am guilty of passing out cookies, baking brownies, or going out for ice cream when Stella has done something good. It is embarrassing because, sometimes, she asks if she has been good and I know that this is a code for wanting a sweet treat. Instead, I have to find other ways to reward her for things. Perhaps it is an extra book before bed or allowing her to choose a game for us to play. Maybe I print out some free pages for her to color or paint. It is hard because a sweet treat is so much less time consuming than the other options but I know, in the end, this is the healthier choice.

If being a parent wasn’t hard enough, taking extra steps to ensure you are raising health-conscious eaters makes it harder. It takes time and planning (as if you didn’t have enough to do). But with the startling rates of childhood obesity and type-2 diabetes, this is not something that we can ignore. Lowering our kids’ risks of these nutrition-related diseases is easier than dealing with a chronically ill one.

Add Some Fun To Your Fruits and Vegetables

Getting most kids to eat fruits and vegetables can be a difficult task.  While we all know that it’s important, I know that many parents give up the fight because sometimes, after a long day, they just don’t have the energy.

Stella and now little Carter have always been decent eaters. Stella eats fruits and vegetables but definitely has to be in the mood for them.  If she feels like carrots, and carrots are on menu, then she’s gobbling them down. If she wants brussel sprouts and I serve carrots, then she’s choking them down as if I gave her dirt to eat.

Stella laying out her new delivery.

Carter, although we are still on baby food, seems to eat anything we put in front of him. I can tell his distaste by nothing more than a small grimace at first bite. He still eats the stuff anyway. Since he is my second child, I know this may not last for long.

One of the best things that I have done for my family is to sign up for a produce delivery service. There are many of these coming into existence ranging from services that support local services to larger services that full produce from various regions.

The great thing about the produce service is that is shows up on my doorstep early Tuesday mornings. Stella loves to wake up and look through the box. I then will let her choose what fruits and vegetables she wants us to eat for a snack or dinner. I have found that her interest in eating fruits and vegetables has grown immensely.

We are not eating things that I normally would never buy – rainbow chard, grapefruit, parsnips are showing up at the table (and being eaten) in addition to some family favorites like strawberries, apples, asparagus and brussel sprouts.

It may not be for everyone, but for us, having fresh produce delivered to our home and gotten us to eat our fruits and vegetables “outside the box” and has proven to be some fun for the little ones too.

Haute Mom Dilemma #54 - So NOT Haute

Back when Stella was born, I mourned the loss of my "haute" life; dressing up, nights on the town, designer shoes, handbags, jeans, and eating and drinking to be jolly because I could hit the gym the very next day. Over time, I have not only come to terms with being a mommy, but embraced it, and found the happy balance between the joys of motherhood and keeping my peep-toe Louboutin wedged in the door of my old life. Stella is the highlight of my day and time with her has made finding a Gucci bag for 40% off meaningless. Well, not meaningless but...ok, that was not a good example. You get my drift. But there comes a time in a woman's world where all things considered "haute" come crashing into all things considered "mom". We have hit that point of no return...at least for a little while.

Now that Stella is becoming more and more independent, I have been able to enjoy fashion and fun with her in tow. Her personality and opinions are beginning to come out and my daughter becomes more and more fun each day. I envision afternoons of lunch, shopping, and mani/pedis in our future. Stella's growing independence has led her to become a self-feeding machine (among many other things). This is where the worlds have collided. I love that we can take her out to eat at our favorite pre-Stella restaurants and enjoy a glass of wine without having to spoon feed Stella the entire time, HOWEVER, this learning task has turned out to be well, quite messy.

Spoon or fork, it doesn't matter which, dangerously tipping left and right, front and back as I watch the food teeter near the edge, is not my idea of having a nice, chic dinner out. I have come to the brink of OCD, trying to pick up the food off of the floor each time a piece falls here or there. (Some may say don't go to those types of places with Stella but sometimes, a haute mom WANTS to.) Whatever pair of designer jeans or shoes I have chosen to wear that night run the risk of becoming a napkin or splash mat. I am not going to even address Stella's clothing at this point in time because all of you out there know what I am talking about here - and what is up with their ability to spill on the few places that the bib does not cover?! My hubby bought me a beautiful jacket for our anniversary and sadly wonders why I don't ever wear it out and I try to explain that "it has white honey, not safe with the little one at this point in time." Even at home, we struggle with the eating, the food, the spilling, the mess, the laundry! I'm too hot and sweaty from bending, picking, scraping, and washing to be haute, at least during meal time. Ugh. Maybe next month. In the meantime, I give big claps for Stella's learning to using a spoon, fork, and big girl cup - with my hair pulled back and ready to catch the droppings, of course.

Mmmmm! Yogurt all by myself!

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A Bore in the Kitchen

For those of you have gotten to know me, you know that I'm no Betty Crocker. In fact, I wouldn't even feel comfortable saying I'm Chef Boyardee. Nevertheless, I have been trying to sharpen my skills in the kitchen so that I can make Stella good, healthy meals. Well that and the fact that her daycare provider is like a gourmet chef. She makes homeade pizza for Pete's sake. I can't have her making me look bad.

I have my go-to recipes that I make for Stellas. They aren't very many but she seems to enjoys them and they are nutritious. I've been feeling like maybe I need to branch out and find some new things to try. Apparently Stella feels that as well. The other day, she was enjoying her ravioli, peas, and milk. This is a meal I make fairly often, which she usually gobbles up. Well this time she fell asleep. That's right. FELL ASLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MEAL! I think she was trying to tell me something about my cooking. Anyone have any recipes they can share? This haute mom needs a little spice in her dishes it seems!

My mom's cooking is a snoooze!

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