Taste Test: Organic vs Non-Organic

A couple of weeks ago, I was a vendor at the Leslieville Tree Festival.   One of the best things about being situated near the food people was that food started coming our way by the end of day.  We really enjoyed the  muffins that showed up on our table.  The organic food in a box girl also stopped by and offered us her produce.  So, we decided to have some fun and do a taste test.

My kids get their daily recommended portions a la Canada Food Guide.   We don't buy organic mainly because there isn't any evidence that proves organic veggies/fruits are more nutritious than conventionally grown fruits and veggies.  So this was a fun little exercise for us to see if organic food was tastier than non organic food.

We did about 6 taste tests for celery, red leaf lettuce, spinach, garlic, mango, and pear.

It's funny that the fruit looked very similar.  It wasn't easy to tell which was which.

Over the course of a few days, I cut up the food, served it side by side and asked:  Which do you like better?

The verdict:   Hubby couldn't tell the difference visually or by taste.  The kids didn't know why I was making them eat two of everything.  They just thought it was fun.  I didn't really see much of a difference in the taste EXCEPT, I found that the organic veggies were slightly less bitter - especially with the spinach and celery.    Again, hubby didn't notice a difference.

So there you have it, my "highly scientific" taste test!

Recipe: Chocolate Bundt Cake

I love chocolate cake.  It's one thing that I would never be able to give up.  There's nothing like having a slice with a cold glass of milk, right before bed.  Le yum!  

Today I am sharing with you the best ever chocolate bundt cake recipe.   I've never tried this recipe with a regular pan because I've been trying to master the bundt.  Please make sure you follow the recipe... once I was distracted and accidentally swapped the measurements for the cocoa and the sugar.   We named the output, "crazy cake" -- it makes you crazy when you eat it due to all of that cocoa.

Now that I've finally mastered the bundt pan, there will be many more chocolate cakes in my future! 

Dry Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Wet Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Put it in the oven for 55-60 min at 350F.  Let it cool for about 2-3 hours.  Turn the pan over on top of a large plate.  Lightly tap to release the cake.   Note:  If you have extra cocoa, dust the bundt with cocoa instead of floor.  Works just as well and adds a bit of oomph!

Leave it plain or decorate it.  It's up to you!

We use candles, even when it's not for a birthday

 I love this cake, it's "le yum"!

 Happy Baking,

Recipe: Valentine's Day Jell-o Jigglers

When I used to live with my sister CT, we used to throw a lot of parties in our little home.  One of our favourite things to serve were jello shots.   We made all kinds of shapes:  hearts, stars, circles, flowers and made them in all kinds of flavours:  cherry, grape, blueberry, lime, lemon...

Now that we are older and wiser (haha), we make these for the kids (alcohol free of course!)

Here's what you need:
1 pkg Jello
1 flexible ice cube tray
1/2 cup boiling water
1/4 cup cold water
Pam cooking spray

I used a flexible ice cube tray from Ikea and cherry flavoured jell-o (le yum!)

Spray Pam cooking spray into your mould.   Make sure you blot the tray and remove any excess cooking spray.  You just need enough so that it doesn't stick. 

Combine 1/2 cup of boiling water with jell-o.  Stir until the crystals have melted.
Next add 1/4 cup of cold water and stir.

Pour into your tray and let it set for approx 2 hours.  

 Turn out and enjoy!

Happy eating!

Recipe: Juice Pops a.k.a. Fever or Sick Pops

Tis the season to get sick and when you have two little ones, getting sick is the norm.  So today's recipe/tute is for all the little sick kiddies who have a throat infection, sore throat, or a fever.   Joshie calls these "sick pops!"

These are so easy to make and require very little time or effort!  I love these because these are sized for little hands and little mouths.   Toddlers just can't eat the store bought popsicles fast enough (they do try very hard though!!).   If you want to make yogurt pops, go here.

Here's what you need:

 Pour the Kool-Aid into the little cups.  Try not to spill it!

Fold a piece of tin foil in half and make a tiny cut crosswise.  Wrap the foil around the cup.

Insert a popsicle stick into the cut you made.  The tin foil helps to keep the stick straight.

Freeze for about 3-4 hours.  Remove and give to sick kid.  
Tip:  Make different flavours in case sick kids get picky

Enjoy your status as "the best Mom EVER!"

Recipe: Sugar Cookies

Today we are going to make sugar cookies.  This is my go-to recipe whenever I want to make cut out cookies.  So yummy and easy to make! 

Skill Level: Easy
Items Needed:

Mixer

Baking Sheet

Parchment Paper (if desired)

Cooling Rack
Plastic Bag/wrap

Rolling Pin

Cookie Cutter

and Ingredients (only 6)!

Average Time: 45-60 minutes

 

Get a Little Buddy to Help out

Ingredients:

3/4 cup soft butter

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar

Add vanilla and egg

Add flour and salt

Mix until you have a dough. Divide and flatten into discs.  Put the discs into the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface

Let little helper try it too!

 

Use fun shapes.  Since it's still fall, I used leaf cutters.  But this recipe is so easy to use for all season and holidays!

Score the "leaf" with a knife so that it looks even more realistic.

Bake in the oven at 325F for about 13-15 minutes.  Cool on a cookie rack and enjoy!

Make lots of different shapes for variety.

Put it in a nice tin and bring it to your next party!

Recipe: Chocolate and Yogurt Pops

I started making "choc chop woo woo"s for Cheeky Monkey when he was about a year old.  This little treat bought me at least 5 min of silence while he enjoyed his little frozen yogurt treat.  After he turned 2, I added some chocolate pudding as an extra special treat. 

Now he can pronounce it chocolate yogurt but it was always so cute to hear him call chocolate "choc chip" and yogurt "wo wo".

I recently started giving these to Baby Bunny and now at lunch and dinner, we are enjoying the sound of SILENCE while the kids enjoy their frozen treats.   It doesn't matter if it's summer, fall, winter, spring... kids love it any time of year.

Healthy and Yummy!

Skill Level: Easy

Items Needed:
Popsicle sticks
Little cups (like the ketchup cups at fast food joints)

Yogurt

Chocolate Pudding

Average Time: 5 minutes to make, 1-2 hours to freeze

Arrange your cups on the table.  Put a tsp of chocolate pudding in each cup.  I try to keep a little bit in the cup so that I can give the left over pudding to Cheeky Monkey.

Put some yogurt on top of the chocolate pudding.  


(Cheeky Monkey is trying to steal the pudding!!!)

Doesn't matter which kind of yogurt you use.

Insert the popsicle sticks

Pop them in the freezer for an hour or two (or until frozen)

Store in a freezer bag and you're done!!

Recipe: Best Banana Muffins Ever!

Today we had a bunch of ripe bananas.  And when we have ripe bananas, we make banana muffins. 

I've been using the same recipe for the last 2 years or so.  Find it here at Cat Can Cook.  She calls them her Awesome Banana Muffin Recipe.  

Here's how to make it better:

1. Puree the bananas vs mashing gives a more even consistency
2. Add some vanilla and some cinnamon

So easy to bake!  

I think they are awesome and so does cheeky monkey.

Recipe: Sumertime Pesto

There's nothing better in the summer than a nice pot of Basil (thanks MIL and FIL!)

Look how much I was able to get from one plant already!!

Skill Level: Easy
Items Needed:

Food processor

A medium sized bowl of basil leaves
1/2 cup of nuts
1/2 to 1 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup of parmesan cheese

 

Average Time: 5-10 minutes

Seriously, look at the size of this leaf!!

So easy to make!



Blend the ingredients in the food processor and toss with fresh pasta.  

Taste it... if it needs more of something, add it to the mix and blend again.

So easy to eat :o)

My 2 year old loves his pesto as does hubby.