Ever since my husband and I became parents, we knew we wanted to provide our children with wholesome foods. Our preference has always leaned towards natural and organic foods so it wasn't long after our first-born began to snack on solids that we discovered Barbara's Cereals. We also found ourselves stocking our pantry with their fig bars and Snackimals cookies. Using high quality ingredients, Barbara's has been creating wholesome snacks and cereals that have no refined sugar or hydrogenated oils for more than 40 years. 

Our family recently had a chance to sample two varieties of Barbara's Organic Snackimals Cereals: Vanilla Blast and Cinnamon Crunch. Of the two flavours, vanilla was the clear winner. We even offered a box to the neighbour's kids down the street and they picked vanilla over cinnamon, too. To be honest, I'm not surprised. I personally have to be in the mood for cinnamon. Our family doesn't use cinnamon often and so I think my kids don't have much of an appetite for it. In fact, they would only have the vanilla cereal for breakfast. The stuff was gone before I had a chance to sample it myself!

What I tried instead was adding the cinnamon Snackimals cereal to a snack tray and left it out on the table after school. I noticed my son nibbling on some of it and had one of those "a-ha" moments. Forget about offering the cinnamon variety at breakfast and just keep it on hand for snacks. They are 'Snack'imals, after all! 

Sometimes waking up in the morning isn't as fun as I'd like it to be, especially knowing that there are breakfasts and lunches to be made before sending the kids off to school and heading into work. Luckily, my husband is a superhero and wears a cape in the form of an apron. Okay, he doesn't really wear an apron but I wouldn't mind seeing him in a superhero costume. This guy is a whiz in the kitchen and I couldn't be more fortunate that, over the past week, he hasn't had to rush to work as early as is customary. This means we get to enjoy breakfast together. In other words, he cooks. We eat. As part of Nutella Canada's Add a Little Joy campaign, I was tasked with creating a favourite Nutella breakfast recipe so of course, I turned to my husband for some help. I decided to go with my number one way to add a little joy to breakfast with Nutella -  A Nutella Banana Breakfast Crepe that is mmm, mmm, good!

Since Nutella combined with banana has always been such a favourite of mine, it's no surprise that I also enjoy them together on waffles, pancakes and toast. No matter how few hours of sleep I've had, this Nutella and banana combo is guaranteed to brighten up my morning. As part of the Add a Little Joy campaign, Nutella has compiled an assortment of breakfast and snack recipe ideas on addjoy.nutella.ca. Four words: Nutella Breakfast Tortilla Pizza. Nuff said.

To help you add a little joy to your breakfast table, Nutella invites you to play the Spoon it or Spread it online game for a chance to win instant Nutella prizing and learn about the versatility of Nutella. Also, when you buy specially marked Nutella jars, you will find a unique PIN that you can use on addjoy.nutella.ca. Each PIN provides a chance to win a Nutella SPIFE - half spoon, half knife, the perfect tool to help you Spread It or Spoon It. Jars can be purchased in stores beginning in February and while supplies last. While you're on the site, you can evensubmit your own recipe online for a chance to have it featured. Finally, since I love Nutella SO much, I have teamed up with them to offer up a fabulous prize pack valued at $100!

Last month, I received an invitation from Alfred Hitchmock to attend an engagement party in honour of his daughter Kelly-Grace. The famous director of The Angry Birds was in attendance, along with his star actress turned assistant, yet what began as an evening of celebration soon turned into a night of... murder! Dun, dun, dun! Fortunately, this was all part of the latest Mysteriously Yours Dinner Theatre show produced by Lili and Brian Caws and no directors were harmed in the making of Getting Hitched. 

The menu for the evening was compiled by Executive Chef Justine Voutt. My friend selected the Chef's Soup Creation, pictured above. I ordered an arugula salad with tomato, radicchio and feta cheese in a lovely fresh basil and red wine vinaigrette.

For the main course, my friend chose the Maple Dijon Chicken served with caramelized rice pilaf and green beans. When her dish was served, I almost regretted not ordering the same one, since I love chicken. But I always ordered chicken and wanted to try something different.

I ended trying the Provençale Beef Stew, even though I'm not a big fan of stew in general. What sealed the deal for me was that the tender beef and vegetables stewed in red wine and French herbs were served over garlic mashed potatoes. Yum! It was incredibly delicious but very filling. Mind you, I may have indulged in one or two dinner rolls as well.

Once we finished our main course, the fun began. The actors made their rounds throughout, interacting with guests and dropping clues here and there. This is always so much fun and I really admire how they can improvise so well. Then the real show began and we soon bore witness to a back-stabbing murder in a world where Bates Motel meets Mad Men. The cast included Brigitte Solem (Breakout Kings, Little Mosque on the Prairie), Allan Cooke (Murdoch Mysteries, Reign), Debbie Collins (A Chorus Line), Tom Melissis (Da Vinci's Inquest, Due South), Stephanie Folkins, and Paddy Forde. 

This past weekend, I headed out to my local Metro store and picked up a bag of Red Prince apples. It was like love at first sight. I'm not sure what it is about the colour red, but I find myself awfully attracted to red fruits. So needless to say, Red Prince and I hit it off quite well. 

Want to sample taste at its peak? There will be select sampling opportunities in Sobeys and Loblaws/Provigo stores in Ontario and Quebec this month so be sure to head on out for a chance to try some Red Prince apples:

Before I got married, I always thought I would end up having two kids. I don't really know why. It just seemed like a good parent-child ratio. After I met my husband, I was looking at possibly double that number because, for him, having four children was ideal. It wasn't until our second child was born that I felt a compromise could be reached. I really enjoyed my second pregnancy and wanted desperately to experience it just one more time. But given that I work full-time and my husband runs his own business, we made a decision and counted our blessings - two healthy and beautiful children. Looking back now, as much as I longed for a third, I don't think my body my sanity could have handled the stress and lack of sleep. But then, I never had the Healing Mix to help alleviate post pregnancy exhaustion. 

In case you missed out on the #HealingMix Twitter party and have yet to come across some of the fab reviews on the Net, the Now For Mothers 'Healing Mix' is a tried and tested recovery formula to help you through the post-pregnancy period. It is considered a superfood for all moms that can be taken from the first day of giving birth for up to six years afterwards and beyond. Now, when I was asked if I would be interested in trying out this nutritional supplementation, I was hesitant. I hear the word 'supplement' and I automatically think of potent powders that don't blend well or have a coarse and unpleasant texture. It's not that I have tried many supplements in the past. I simply prefer to eat real foods. When I learned that the Healing Mix contained natural and organic ingredients, I thought I would give it a try. And once the sample arrived at my door, I was surprised to learn it did indeed contain real foods. We're talking flax, oats, almonds, raisins, pistachios, pine nuts, and melon seeds, to name a few. Once I tried it for the first time, I felt like Little Mikey. You know that kid who hates everything. Yeah, that was me as a kid. But with the Healing Mix, I can honestly say, "I liked it! I really, really liked it!"

Now For Mothers Healing Mix can be taken any way you'd like - in a warm beverage, sprinkled on cereal, or mixed with yogurt. Golly, the stuff is so good, I could eat it on its own! My personal preference, however, is to add a scoop to my favourite fruit smoothie. 

Ingredients:

Directions:

Peel banana and break it into small pieces. Add it to your personal blender along with the strawberries, yogurt and honey. Once blended, pour into a glass and top with a scoop of Healing Mix. 

What is made with all-natural ingredients, is completely free of GMOs, artificial colours, flavours and preservatives, and will knock your socks off because it tastes SO good? It's G.H. Cretors Chicago Mix Popcorn, the perfect marriage of Caramel Corn and Cheese Corn. While I was a little offended that I hadn't been invited to their wedding (I heard there was a buffet table and a caramel fountain...) I was overjoyed at the chance to devour the sweet, salty, crunchy and scrumptious result of their offspring. [NB: I am aware that this may all sound slightly carnivorous and cannibalistic in nature but alas, it has been nearly four weeks since my taste buds were last tantalized by the stuff that I am currently battling ravenous cravings for more.]


Now I could tell you that, in 1885, Claire Cretors' great grandfather invented the commercial popcorn machine. Or that, 126 years later, his great granddaughter is taking the Cretors family business to the next level with popcorn that will leave you drooling for more. But really, there isn't much more to be said than this:

 
It is clear that they take great pride in creating a gourmet product. They make caramel corn the old-fashioned way: by hand, in copper kettles. They use cane sugar, brown rice syrup and real butter to make their caramel and they use real cheddar cheese for their cheese corn. And yes, they use locally-grown, air-popped popcorn as well. In the end, there is simply no denying that their popcorn is SO good!

Sitting on the balcony munching on a bag of yummy @GHCretors Chicago Mix pop corn. #lifeisgood pic.twitter.com/FVcuvrWTFq
— Diana M. (@TeacherMomOfTwo) July 18, 2014

In the past, I have always preferred to keep my cheese-flavoured snacks separate from other savoury or sweet snacks but I have had to make a one-and-only exception with regards to G.H. Cretors Chicago Mix. In fact, it was my snack of choice while on our family getaway to Blue Mountain this summer. The problem I am faced with now is that they have Just the Caramel Corn variety that keeps taunting me, beckoning me to unleash it's to-die-for flavour. Seriously, you will find yourself hooked on the stuff almost instantaneously. But don't take my word for it. Go ahead and try some. It will have you on your knees praising the heavens and yelling from the rooftops (go ahead, say it with me):

G.H. Cretor popped corn is SO good!

Disclosure: I received product to help facilitate this review. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own.

While waiting for our entrance time at Ripley's Aquarium in downtown Toronto, the kids and I joined my sister and my nephew for lunch at Boston Pizza. Located on the northeast corner of Front St. and John St., Boston Pizza is situated mere minutes away from the aquarium and is about a five minute walk west of Union Station, making it in an ideal location to meet up with my sister who took the train in from Burlington. This year marks Boston Pizza's 50th year in Canada and, as part of the celebration, they have launched a new anniversary menu featuring old classics such as the Popeye Pizza and Sombrero Pizza. New to the menu are: Hail Kale Caesar Salad, the Chocolate Doughcano, mojitos and margaritas.

We headed upstairs to the restaurant area and the kids were each given their own Special Edition Party Pack. Brightly coloured and full of fun, it even includes a QR code so you can download The Amazing BP All Stars App.

Last month, Danone launched the first ever Greek yogurt for kids called Danino Greek. As with most Greek yogurts, it contains two times the protein as regular stirred yogurt and are available in different flavours including: Grape, Banana Caramel and Yellow Fruit. These are not your typical yogurt flavours so I decided to opt in for a chance to try these yogurts with my kids. The only problem was being able to find them. I went to ValuMart, Longo's and McEwans and neither of these stores carry them. I did manage to find two flavours at Metro and brought home a package of grape and a package of yellow fruit.

Looking at the ingredients, I found they each contain yogurt as the main ingredient and a grape flavour preparation and yellow fruit preparation respectively as the second ingredient. Each preparation has sugar listed as either the first or second ingredient and each includes modified corn starch. While I could do without the latter, the amount of sugars per 100g of each flavour is 10g. This is a little bit less than some Greek yogurts I've seen but I would hope that Danone will consider reducing the amount of sugars even further and/or replacing sugars with a natural sweetener such as honey.

In terms of the flavours and texture, my kids both enjoyed the Greek yogurt and selected the grape flavour as their favourite. I preferred the refreshing taste of the yellow fruit flavour with its subtle peach notes. If you would like a chance to try them out for yourself, I have some product vouchers to give away. Simply leave a comment below telling me which flavour you'd like to try and fill out the Rafflecopter form for a chance to win 5 free product vouchers.

Earth Month has nearly come to an end but in our home, the conversation regarding sustainability, habitat conservation and the environment continues year-round. Last year, our family learned about local city critters as part of an educational, hands-on series of workshops at Toronto Botanical Garden. We discovered that the falcon is the fastest animal on earth at the Great Birds of Prey workshop. We tasted different kinds of honey and watched worker bees and drones during The Buzz on Bees session. And we planted our own milkweed seeds and released a butterfly into the wild during the Monarchs on the Move workshop. While it isn't always feasible to provide these types of hands-on experiences to our children on a regular basis, we sometimes rely on documentaries on Netflix or take the kids to the theatre to see films such as Jane Goodall's Wild Chimpanzees, Disneynature's Chimpanzee or Flight of the Buttlerflies currently playing at the Ontario Science Centre. Of course, reading books from the library is also a great way to learn more about animals and nature.

Another way to instill the importance of wildlife conservation and environmental sustainability is involving our children in the decision-making process while grocery shopping. At age eight and five, both our daughter and our son have the capacity to understand that the ways in which we lead our lives can impact the world around us. More often than not, we encourage our children to enjoy local, seasonal foods and to opt for whole grain, organic and/or natural snacks and cereals. It has been several years, in fact, that our family has enjoyed a variety of snack bars and cereals made by one of our favourite brands - Nature's Path.

NEW EnviroKidz Cereals!

Recently, Nature’s Path EnviroKidz launched two new whole grain corn puff cereals: chocolate flavoured Choco Chimps Cereal and cinnamon flavoured Jungle Munch Cereal. We received a lovely gift basket to sample these new flavours and were delighted to learn that EnviroKidz Choco Chimps Cereal supports The Jane Goodall Institute and that their Jungle Munch Cereal supports Fauna & Flora International. The fact that they’re certified organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, whole grain, and made without toxic pesticides, artificial flavours and colours was nothing new to us. All these factors made it an easy purchase decision for us so many years ago. The kids already liked Gorilla Munch so I knew Choco Chimps would be a hit. Jungle Munch was their least favourite because they don't care much for cinnamon. They enjoyed it more when they mixed it with some of the plain corn puffs, though.

If shopping around for the perfect gift during the holiday season isn't stressful enough, there is a good chance that many of us will succumb to the pressure of preparing delicious recipes that our guests will enjoy. It should come as no surprise that I'm not a whiz in the kitchen so I would much rather KISS it - Keep It Simple, Silly! Or better yet, kiss my husband after he slaves over a scrumptious home cooked meal. Luckily, Parmalat Canada has just launched Black Diamond Cheese Spread, a new spreadable cheese that packs all the delicious taste of Black Diamond Cheese into a convenient spreadable format. This new spread offers versatility and rich flavour, inspiring new and creative cooking possibilities either used on its own or to enhance everyday recipes.  

 

Available in four different flavours; Original, Original Light, Sharp and White Original, Black Diamond Cheese Spread is a fresh dairy product that boasts a creamy texture and less sodium content compared to other spreads. You can choose to “Spread it, Spoon it, Dip It.” Personally, I prefer to spread it on Spelt flat bread to enjoy as a midday snack. Although, it can also be used in this delicious Bacon, Cheddar and Salsa Dip recipe, too! Mmm!

Here we are, surviving the first week of our favourite time of year - Back to School. If only you could hear the lack of enthusiasm in my voice. It's one thing to have to worry about packing school lunches and waking up early but, as a teacher, it's something even more difficult to head back at work at the same time as the kids. And after all of the summer fun we've had the past few months, this year has been harder than ever before. There have been a lot of changes in our school, the most drastic being the retirement of my teaching partner and dear friend. With all of the hustle and bustle of taking the kids to daycare, supervising nearly one hundred kindergarteners in their new playground and traveling between eight different classes, I have to be careful not to let myself get rundown. So I am making more of an effort to eat lighter, more frequent meals during the day to keep my energy up. And now, thanks to Dempster's THINS, I can cut back on the calories found in one of my favourite childhood lunches - a good ol' sandwich!

Dempster's THINS is still your same sliced bread... only thinner! They have 50% less calories than their leading whole wheat bread and are a lighter way to enjoy your morning toast or a BLT. What was my favourite sandwich as a child, you ask? It was hands down a Schneider's Summer Sausage sandwich. There. I confessed! Every now and then, I still like to order some of their jumbo variety from the deli and whip up a quick sandwich. It always makes me feel like a kid again...

On the heels of Once Upon a Murder, Mysteriously Yours... Mystery Dinner Theatre brings you Uptown Abbey, a funny spoof of the popular British TV Drama. In this story, Lord and Lady Upton, desperate to marry off their daughters, are running out of time and money. With no male heirs, they risk losing their estate and having everything turned Upside Downton. When a body is discovered, they soon realize that there is much more at stake. Luckily, Lieutenant Carumbo, who just so happens to be in the area vacationing with his wife, is on the scene to help solve the mystery.

Last Thursday, I attended the Mysteriously Yours VIP event for their first ever summer opening. Along with my friend, who drove in from Hamilton, I had the pleasure of meeting all of the colourful characters, including the, er... pretty Lady Edith. She had instantly taken a liking to Darren, one of the guests.

Here she is with her youthful-looking mother. Do you see the resemblance? No, neither do I. It's quite clear she died her hair blonde.

And allow me to introduce you to the Dowager Countess. She takes great pride in the family name and exudes an air of wealth and prestige.

Here is Carson, butler extraordinaire. Due to cuts in staffing, this hardworking and charming fellow is being run amuck opening and closing all 400 windows in the residence, serving guests, vacuuming, disposing of dead bodies and more. But he can still muster up enough energy to put on a winning smile.

I wish I had taken a photo of Lady Syvil, one of the Upton daughters, but she always seemed to be busily tweeting away, instagramming or updating her Facebook status on her newly acquired iPhone. You can find her on Twitter (or Twitta, rather) at @SyvilUpton. Of course, we cannot forget the clever Lieutenant Carumbo. He looks oddly enough like someone I've seen on TV...

Uptown Abbey is written by Ken MacDougall, producer Brian Caws and cast, MacDougall himself playing the role of Lord Upton. I haven't seen him since he was cast in Apprentice to Murder (You're Fired!) as the spitting image of Donald Trump. It was the first mystery dinner I had attended and was probably my favourite of all, especially since MacDougall nailed his role. Danny Wengle, who played Regis Fildin, returns with another fabulous impersonation. Birgitte Solem plays it safe as Lady Upton but I will always remember her fantastic role as Sue Polyester. We also see the return of Ian Ronningen, who performed as the valiant Sherlock Holmes in The Fine Art of Murder as well as Prince Charmin in Once Upon a Murder. I had the pleasure of sitting next to his sister who shared some interesting facts about the actor, like, for instance, this YouTube video of Ronningen performing a winning dance to Footloose as part of a talent competition. You have to check out his shorts!