simple homemade berry syrup

Cobbling breakfast together has sort of been the norm these days. And most days, I do a pretty darn good job. But, instead of winging it and hoping for the best, I am kicking our summer off by starting a 3-week real food "cleanse" (meaning focusing on putting only good stuff in my body, to allow some of the bad stuff to exit) tomorrow. Mantra #1: be organized and have good foods on hand and prepped. And yes, my family is coming along for the ride. I'll be augmenting the children's meals (and Jeff's if he wants), basically using what I am having as my "main" as their side, since they certainly do not need to de-puff. So, today's breakfast might have been the last pull-it-together for a while. Unless, of course, I plan to have this awesome, simple, "syrup" on the week ahead's menu.

Organic Berry Syrup

organic strawberries
organic raspberries
raw honey (optional)


In a Cuisinart, pulse the fresh berries, and raw honey if you are adding it for sweetness, until pureed. Syrup can be used as a waffle or pancake topping, drizzled over yogurt or fruit salad, or added to smoothies for sweetness. Enjoy! 

cud: a short film to watch with your family

Favorite from last night's food film fest? Cud, for sure. It is an incredibly entertaining short film about a Georgia rancher who eschews traditional corn-feeding to raise grass-fed cattle. Loved the message, and the delivery-- a chance to step onto his farm for 16 entertaining, thoughtful minutes. I was fortunate to get to catch this at dine with design's evening event, but the festival's innovative films + food pairings are also coming to NYC October 18-21 and Chicago November 15-17th. Catch it if you can. In the meantime, I encourage you to gather your family around your computer to watch Cud.

dine with design fundraiser: glass house + celebrated chefs

Despite the (never ending) rain, the fact that I felt guilty booking a sitter on the kids' first day of summer vacation, and a sitter showing up who was clearly fighting a cold or something, it was such a treat to spend an afternoon over at the Glass House today.

First, who doesn't like a peek at someone else's kitchen? Philip Johnson's no less. I bet he didn't use recipes. I mean, how could he concentrate on a recipe when he had that view? Hmmm, I see that you can't see the view from my photo, so you'll just have to trust me. It's amazing. (The guy would not have built a house of glass if the view wasn't stunning, you know.)

And then, the vittles in the tent... oh my.

Since we live in town, we'd taken the Glass House for granted. So, this was a double treat getting to traipse around the grounds and enjoy the inventive food. I think I ate more meat-centric dishes today than I have in the past 6 months... but it was worth it to sample the creations of so many celebrated chefs. 

Highly recommend the event next year, if you can nab a ticket. It's worth booking a Saturday afternoon sitter. Trust me.

school is out!

This is it! My kids are officially done with school. {Insert sound of screeching brakes.} I'm taking this next week to hike, swim, run, play, and read to and with them... and to get myself back on track. In the happy chaos of this last month, I lost my way with my healthy eating and my exercising... and it shows. My energy's down, my belly's up. Definitely, not the way I wanted to start the summer. But, it's fixable. I just need to make it a priority and spend a little time mapping out our family meals (and spending less time sidling up to the snack bar), making time to exercise, and penciling in some downtime for myself while running "camp mom". Once I have an idea of what our summer will look like, I'll loop back and let you know the scoop on when/what to expect with summer posts. If you don't want to keep checking, you can pop your email in here on the right-hand column, and posts will be emailed directly to you when they're up!

Alright, off to deliver teacher gifts, make fruit skewers for this afternoon's 3rd grade bash, and get my brows done (so I can see again) before picking my little one up at noon to officially kick off summer.

rock-climbing birthday party

I survived my son's first sleepover. Barely. It was deja vu of having a newborn, where I slept so lightly, wondering if every sound I heard throughout the night was a sign that I should go check on the kids. Gosh, I had forgotten that feeling. This momentous first sleepover kicked-off my older son's 9th birthday. (Never mind that his actually birthday was months ago... mom faux pas.) The eventual party? Awesome. In the grand scheme of things, what is one night of no sleep and a few month delay on having your party?

In past years, we have joyfully had the whole class over to our house. This was a small party-- just two friends. Not because he didn't want the entire 3rd grade... more because I decided I just wasn't up for an enormous soiree this year. Tag-teaming off an auction item we bid on at the children's school, the theme was rock-climbing. (Conveniently) that auction item was just for a few kids. Now, if I had my act together, I would have gotten all creative with the foods-- gorp, dehydrated camping foods, etc. Thankfully, I was saved from myself. Because really, the kids don't care... I'd be a little embarrassed if this were a Martha-type entertaining blog. But no, it's a real life, get-it-all-done blog for busy moms. So, here's the scoop:  

After playing in a ladies tennis tournament 9:00-1:30 (totally decadent, I know!), then having a health coach call 2:00-2:50, the school bus rumbled home at 3:00. The guests were due to arrive at 4:30, so I suggested a good snack and some downtime for my boys, and quickly whipped up (or poured out as the case may be with one of them) three snacks to have out in case the party people got hungry: ants on a log + Terra chips + mini fruit skewers. (The time-saving trick being to splurge on the "value-added" cut-up fruit this go round...)  

My husband said he'd try be home around 5:30... but I know Friday traffic, and I know my husband. So, I dashed up to my computer and banged out a 35-item scavenger hunt list, figuring it would take the kids, oh, at least 2 hours to hunt down all of the items inside and outside. I had visions of sitting outside with a glass of wine while they excitedly dashed around trying to find some of the more obscure items on the list.

Right. It took them exactly 35 minutes... and my husband got home sometime around 6:30. I doled out prizes of adhesive mustaches, glow sticks and whoopee cushions. But, the rest of the afternoon, they needed no direction or fancy games. I'd forgotten that just having two extra bodies around creates a party. Board games were hauled out, balls were kicked around, then I ordered pizza and salad from the local pizzeria.

The evening was capped off by a homemade-ish (note the "ish") cake. Yes, that is store-bought decorators frosting from a tube globbed on top of my delicious cream cheese frosting and lemon cake. I have no idea what was in it to turn in that bright blue. I don't really want to know.

What I do know, is that my son loved the cake. At bedtime, I read Everest to the kids.

The next morning, I fortified the crew with scrambled eggs + Alexia waffle cut potatoes + fruit salad + Alexia sweet potato puffs + Applegate chicken-apple breakfast sausage...

and then they met up with one of their teachers for a rock-climbing adventure! Talk about cool: this place was over-the-top neat... and they had one of their beloved teachers showing them the ropes.

Best part of all? My younger son was included in everything... the big kids let him act nine all night, and the next morning he, too, scampered up every wall.

It was a party to remember. Oh, and the goodie bags. Can't forget the goodie bags: copies of Hatchet and The Sign of the Beaver (for the big kids, My Side of the Mountain and My Father's Dragon for our 5-year-old) + a compass/thermometer + caribeener + a solar flashlight + a Lego mini figure + retro candies.

(more) simple breakfast ideas for active days ahead!

Summer vacation is just around the corner. I know this because my kids have started a vacation countdown, and with the warmer weather and green grass, I find myself wandering from being super organized and having a frittata at the ready, to taking a much more laissez faire attitude. Lately, I've been coming downstairs precariously close to when the school bus will be arriving, and scrounging up whatever we have on hand to make sure everyone heads off to play/work/school with a happily full belly. Here are three of our recent favorites...

(above) Van's 8-Whole Grain frozen waffles smothered in Oikos Greek yogurt and fresh, organic strawberries.

Oven-baked quesadillas: tortillas stuffed with the last of the leftover scrambled eggs + spinach + cheese (talk about making a small amount of leftover eggs go a looooong way...) baked at 350 until warmed through, lightly browned and crisp. Sliced into wedges and served with whatever fruit was kicking around.

And my recent favorite: green smoothies. I literally have been enjoying one a day since my clean eating week! Each day they are different, depending upon what fruits and veggies I have on hand. The one pictured above was made with: lime + fresh ginger + green apples + banana + ground flax seeds + Vega one protein powder + water. Mmmmmm.

little sprouts! check 'em out!!

Remember the seeds the Easter Bunny brought my boys? Yep, those seeds that took me until Mother's Day weekend to plant with the kids. Well, look at them now!! I don't know who is more excited, the kids or me? There's something simply amazing about putting a little seed in the dirt, dutifully watering the soil, and returning one day to little green sprouts. I know, I know. That's what happens. But it's so easy to forget when we have plentiful farmer's markets and the incredible produce aisle at our local supermarkets. Now we're all excited. Maybe we'll add another pot-- this one with a trellis. We're on a roll!   

thank you!

I hope your long weekend was filled with a bit of relaxation,

some time to run around and get fresh air,

and amazing food, wherever your weekend adventures may have taken you. Thank you to everyone who voted in the "Top Foodie Mom" contest. I am absolutely thrilled to have come in 2nd, among a phenomenal list of established and up-and-coming mom blog writers. Wow. I just want to say thank you for the tremendous outpouring of support from friends old and new, my many loyal blog readers, and new fans who have found my blog through this contest. Without you, I might still my typing away to just a few folks in the comfort of my kitchen. I'm still typing away in the comfort of my kitchen... but I am thrilled to know I am reaching so many busy parents who want simple ideas for feeding their families well. Preparing quick, easy, healthy meals is something that comes easy to me, and I am thrilled that I can share this gift with you. It is my hope that by reading this blog you feel inspired-- and able-- to whip up some of these recipes for your own families.
Warmly,
Eila

memorial day 2012

At the ceremony at our local cemetery, the veterans and servicemen and women spoke thoughtfully about the importance of putting memorial back into Memorial Day. I'm glad we walked two over-tired, hot, paraded-out children down to the ceremony. I, myself, had forgotten that it's not just a long weekend of potlucks, parties and playtime.

how I love a three day weekend!

I hope you are all gearing up for a wonderful day with family, friends and (of course) great food. We are excited for a day of small town parade viewing, potlucking, and a leisurely evening with my parents and kids relaxing in our yard... it's such a treat to have this extra day together.

perfect for a potluck or picnic: simple rainbow pasta salad

As I mentioned yesterday, being offered food samples from companies is a perk of this popular blog. Companies see a blog that written by a real mom, with real kids, and a real busy life and they think bingo! Not so fast. I do not get paid to write this blog, so my reviews are brutally honest. Sometimes the product does not pass muster with me, or my family, in which case you never hear boo about it. And sometimes we don't even get to the point of me trying their wares. After all, I am a tough critic. Not everyone wants to test their luck! But this was a super easy product review. First, I love Whole Foods. Second, I love salsa. Now I sort of wish I'd taken them up on their offer to try a whole host of Memorial Day fixins, since the 365 brand salsas they sent me were delicious. But anyway, let's stick to what I made with what they sent this go round: a make-ahead, protein-packed, salsa-infused pasta salad that will make you the star at any potluck you may be attending this Memorial Day weekend! This is one of those dump it all in a big bowl recipes... my favorite kind! We test drove the salad Friday night and my kids and husband loved it as well. So, this is a keeper. Here's what went in. I'll condense the ingredients into a recipe at the bottom of this post.  

Rainbow Pasta Salad

(makes a large bowl...at least 24 side dish servings)

• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 cups al dente cooked pasta (I used DeBoles brand corn elbows which are gluten-free)
• 15 oz can black beans, rinsed
• 15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed
• 2 organic bell peppers, chopped
• 8 oz frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 pint organic tomatoes, chopped
• two or three 16 oz jars salsa (I used a jar each of 365 brand Black Beans & Corn and Tequila Lime varieties)
• fresh cilantro (optional)
• zest of 1 lime (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Serve chilled or room temp. May be made a day ahead. Pasta may soak up some of the liquid from the salsa, so you might like to add a bit more before serving. I hope your family enjoys this pasta salad as much as ours did!! Have a wonderful long weekend with family and friends!    -Eila