Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Thursday on Bridgestreet Channel 9 Talk Show!

Be sure to tune in Thursday between 9-10am to Channel 9 Bridgestreet Talk Show.  I (Julie) will be showing you some great projects that you can do with your family for Easter.  I will have Bunny Cookie Pops to show you that are just in time for Easter! I will  also have silk dyed eggs, one of the great ideas I got from Martha Stewart's website that is super easy to do with kids, as well as Cupcake Chicks.  These chicks are coated in toasted coconut and are absolutely adorable and delicious!  For more information on these great projects go to http://www.marthastewart.com/ and http://www.cakejournal.com/.  

Friday, March 19, 2010

Awesome Cinnamon French Toast!

This french toast recipe is amazing when you use Le Garden Bakery's Gluten-free Italian Bread.  I modified this recipe to make it both gluten and dairy-free.  My family loves it, and with 12g of protein for 2 slices and 7g of fiber it is a great start to any day.  You will need:

1 cup coconut milk, soy or nut milk
1 egg, whites only
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon orange or lemon extract (optional) (Flavorganics)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (Flavorganics)
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 slices of Le Garden gluten-free Italian bread or gf bread of your choice
maple syrup

In a wide bowl, beat the egg white with the milk.  Add honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange or lemon extract, vanilla extract and salt.  Dip each slice of bread in the mixture for a minute.  Grease skillet and heat on medium.  Cook French Toast on both sides until brown.  Dust with cinnamon one last time and top with remaining honey and maple syrup.

I recommend using organic raw honey if it is available near you.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Easter Basket Ideas continue

Easter is quickly approaching.  I am always on the hunt for great Easter Basket ideas for my 4 yr. old.  I thought I would highlight a company I came across in my search for the perfect basket suffers.  Bluedominoes is a company that makes gluten, dairy, soy, lead, peanut, treenut, fish, shellfish and egg-free finger paints and playdough.  There are no artificial colors either!  I am so excited to have found this great company.   They also have a Bluedominoes Bundle Pack available.  This is a great resource for teachers and schools in the fight against allergies in the classroom.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Great Product for Kids!

I received a magazine in the mail the other day that I love.  It has great products for my 4 yr. old son that is on the Autistic Spectrum and for those kids who have developmental delays.  As I was scanning the pages for the next greatest product....to my amazement I saw that they were carrying a gluten-free playdough.  I thought to myself, "This will be the perfect Easter Gift for him this year!"  As most preschoolers do, my son loves playdough.  I thought I would pass the word along as I am sure there are some parents out there like myself that is trying their hardest to make sure that their child is not left out of any fun activities.  The magazine is called One Step Ahead.  You can go to http://www.onestepahead.com/ to view there many amazing products.  The product is called Bubber Modeling Clay.  It is great for those kids who have coordination or sensory issues and there is even no grit, no sticky residue and no staining!  http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=536745&cmSource=Search

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Healthy Snacks


As I was eating my afternoon snack of freshly roasted pumpkin seeds, a banana and homemade coconut milk, I was reminded of the beauty of truly natural foods and I had to snap a photo.  It's easy to forget, in this world of fast and convenient foods, the value of simply prepared foods in their most natural state.

If you would like to make these roasted pumpkin seeds for your own mid-afternoon (or anytime) snack, I've included the recipe here.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Place raw (green) pumpkin seeds on a baking sheet into a 300 degree oven.  Using a spatula, toss occassionally to prevent them from burning.  When they smell fragrant and just start to brown, they're done.  Remove baking sheet and allow to cool before transferring seeds into an airtight container.

Here's some food for thought:

Did you know?... 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds contains 184 mg. magnesium, 405 mg. phosphorus, 5.16 mg iron, 278 mg. potassium, 8 mg. protein & 186 calories making pumpkin seeds a terrific mid-day snack option! Add 1/4 cup of sulfate-free dried fruit for extra flavor and nutrition.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

New Easter Marshmallow Peeps Class Scheduled!

I am so excited about our upcoming class to be held at AC Moore in Ithaca, NY!  On March 24th and again on March 31st from 6:30-7:30pm, we will be holding our Homemade Marshmallow Peeps class - just in time for Easter! This great alternative to store bought peeps is free from the following allergens: gluten, dairy, corn, nuts, fructose, egg, soy and potato.  Please contact Laurie with your specific allergy concerns. 

We will be handing out the marshmallow recipe in class for you to make at home with your family as well. The result is a light and fluffy marshmallow that closely resembles the packaged marshmallows that you would put in your hot chocolate or make rice crispy treats with. You can finish your peeps by rolling them in sanding sugar or by rolling them in powdered sugar.

This class is open to adults and children 10 yrs. old an up. The cost is $30.00 per person plus a few supplies. To register for this class, go to the Events Calender page and click to register online.  You must also sign up at AC Moore in Ithaca, NY by March 23rd in order to participate in this classKeep watching for new classes to be posted to our events calandar.

See you there!