Cars 2 Prize Pack Giveaway (CAN)!

Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater are back with some new wheels and fresh tracks in Cars 2, only in theatres June 24!

When star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix, Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage!

To go along with the release of this much-anticipated sequel, I have a great prize pack to give away which contains:

• Cars 2 t-shirt (youth sizes)
• Cars 2 official movie poster
• Cars 2 temporary tattoos (2)
• Cars 2 bumper stickers (3)
• Cars 2 puzzle

There must be a little Lightning McQueen or Tow Mater fan in your life who would be thrilled to win this prize!

 

This contest is open to Canadians.

This is my first time using a new format for giveaways (Google Docs), so here it goes.

DO NOT leave a comment below. Instead, fill out the following form and click "Submit". That's it! I can access all of the entries in spreadsheet format, and will continue to use random.org to select my winners. (Email readers may have to click on the post title in order to access the form...this is the first time, so I'm learning here too!)

Extra entries if you can (honestly!) answer yes when asked if you:

• Follow This Mom Loves publicly on Google Friend Connect (see sidebar)
• Subscribe to This Mom Loves through email (see sidebar)
• Follow @thismomloves on Twitter
• Like Walt Disney Studios Canada on Facebook
• Like Cars on Facebook

If you win based on an extra entry, I will be checking to see that you indeed follow/subscribe/etc. So far I have never chosen a winner who hadn't been honest, so I'm not too worried.

The contest will run until 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Saturday, July 2nd 2011 (which just happens to be my birthday, in case you're interested!)

Good luck!

Fitness/Nutrition Excuses? TV Host Nadeen Boman Quashes Them All!

What better way to officially wrap up the first Food Week at This Mom Loves than with an expert interview?

I had a chance this week to speak with celebrity trainer and nutrition coach Nadeen Boman (you know her from Slice's "Last 10 Pounds Bootcamp" and "Bulging Brides").

Before our chat, I surveyed my readers for the biggest excuses as to why they don't exercise enough or eat properly. I shared these with Nadeen so she could offer her words of wisdom to kick all of you (us!) into gear. I'll warn you in advance: she's tough!

This Mom: The first excuse has to do with not having enough time for nutrition: being too rushed to make healthy lunches in the mornings, no time to make several trips to the grocery store for fresh produce, or to wash, peel, chop the healthy things that we should be eating. Any tips there?

Nadeen Boman: We don't have time if we don't plan for things, so if you can choose one day a week where you buy all your groceries, and then you come home and prepare them and get everything ready for the week ahead, then there's no excuse not to do it that way.

This Mom: The same "time" excuse came up a lot in terms of exercise as well: the kids are involved in extracurricular activities in the evenings, moms are up early and late doing chores, some have work commitments at night...how do we squeeze in the exercise we need?

Nadeen Boman: You know, we don't need a lot of time to do exercise, and it doesn't have to be that you go to the gym and work out for half an hour on the treadmill and then do some weights. You can do just a walk around a block, and if you're extra keen find a bench to do some pushups or stepups, or do some lunge walking. It really is just about staying active and moving around and not so much having to specifically work muscles, especially for people who can't fit that time in. The other thing is, they do offer half an hour training sessions now that you can book with a personal trainer, so if you do have the funds, that's a great way to utilize just a half hour, to specifically get in there and do it. That way you know you're covering all your body parts, you're getting a balanced workout in, and then you don't have the alignment issues that come from not spending time making sure you're getting stretched and getting your muscles worked in a balanced way.

This Mom: Several of my readers talked about taste, and the fact that sugary snacks just seem to taste better (especially because of cravings) and healthy things aren't always as appealing. What are some good-tasting foods that are still good for us?

Nadeen Boman: It's kind of a myth that healthy food doesn't taste good because we've become addicted to sugar. {I swear she was looking right at me through the phone line when she said this}. We crave it because we haven't gone through that withdrawal to get off it. {Did she say "withdrawal"? If this is a 'blog interview intervention' someone is going to pay! I am now looking around the room frantically.}

If you have a nice fresh salad with all kinds of different vegetables, some fresh chicken, shrimp or salmon in there, and throw on some strawberries or blueberries and pine nuts, that's a delicious-tasting concoction. There's no trick to it; it's a mental thing more than anything where we think it doesn't taste good, but try some different things out. My parents had never tried strawberries on their salad. I just introduced them to that the other day. We have this misconception in our mind, but until we try something I think we have to be open-minded about it.

This Mom: What about snacks? I know I'm an M and M's kind of snacker where I like little pieces of something I can munch on for a while...are there any healthy alternatives to those types of snacks?

Nadeen Boman: Edamame beans are good, or baby cucumbers, snap peas, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, radishes...for protein, nuts are a great option as long as they're raw and not roasted, and again, one handful is a serving size; you don't want to go overboard as they are high in calories and fat. Popcorn can be a good snack too, especially if it's a choice between chips or popcorn, and as long as you're not soaking it in butter or salt.

The Bulging Brides team

This Mom: What about when you have kids who are picky eaters? Sometimes it seems like why bother making this fresh healthy meal if the kids are just going to turn up their noses at it?

Nadeen Boman: Well, my view is, make the kids do it! {Laughs.} People should force their kids to eat. I know that happened with us and sometimes it backfires, but it's harder when we get older, because you have to eat vegetables and you have to eat fruit. Maybe there's one or two that you don't like, but you can't have kids {or freakish mom bloggers?} saying "I don't want to eat any fruits or any vegetables", because they're just not going to grow up to be healthy people, and parents don't want that for their children. They want their kids to be healthy! So let your kids say that maybe they don't like liver or don't like brussels sprouts but for the majority of things I think we have to lead by example {whoops!} and say "This is healthy and it does taste good," and eventually they will start to like it.

This Mom: What about the issue of motivation? Sometimes TV or the internet are more appealing than getting up and moving, or our to-do list is long and exercise is continually bumped to the bottom.

Nadeen Boman: A lot of the time, we don't feel motivated because it seems like it's too overwhelming and too big a change. The Controlex product {which Nadeen is currently representing; more on it later} really works great as a breakthrough to get over a plateau or kickstart a new program because it gets you results right away. It doesn't take weeks to start working. You take that pill 15 minutes before you eat a meal, and you take it with a glass of water so you're staying hydrated, and it will curb your cravings so you're only eating as much as you need, you're not overeating. So right there, you're already cutting the calories and you're going to see results within a week or even a few days, but you'll even notice that first meal you're not eating as much because often we gain weight because we are overeating.

This Mom: I know you'd like to talk about Controlex. Can you speak to how it works, and how safe it is?

Nadeen Boman: Controlex is a natural, plant-based product, made of three ingredients: glucomannan, pepsin, and yerba mate. These ingredients work together to moderate hunger, so they're not suppressing your hunger, just making you feel fuller. It's done with water. The glucomannan absorbs 100 times its weight in water, and when we're overweight it's due to overeating, and our stomach size has been stretched out, so with Controlex, our stomach gets filled but not stretched. After we follow the regime for a while and reach our ideal weight, we can go off it without the risk of gaining weight back because we've developed healthy habits and our stomach has shrunk back down to size.

{This sounds way too good to be true...if any of you decides to try it, I would love to hear your feedback.}

This Mom: And it's a safe product?

Nadeen Boman: It's safe, with no known side effects. And it's not a miracle pill. It really works slowly and in a healthy way in conjunction with healthy eating and exercise. You can get it at Walmart for around $35, and there's a deal right now where the first 500 people to like the product on Facebook receive a free three-day trial, and they really can see if it works for them.

This Mom: Last question: my readers and I all share "momhood" in common. Any tips for incorporating the kids into our exercise routines?

Nadeen Boman: That's an interesting question, because they've done some research and there are some programs set up for resistance training with kids as early as five years of age, so we really can start doing workouts with our kids, and just going out to the park and doing lunges or line drills, playing tag...what kid doesn't like to do that, and the moms get the cardio in there. You can make fitness into a game with your kids, just doing it on the fly and chasing them around, and doing pushups and chinups and situps.

For more on Nadeen, including info on fitness training and meal plans, visit her website.

What's Eating Your Child?

Food Week will soon be wrapping up here at This Mom Loves (collective "awwwwww"!) and I wanted to share a fascinating book with you.

"What's Eating Your Child?", written by nutritionist Kelly Dorfman, reveals the hidden connections between nutrition and chronic childhood ailments (recurrent ear infections, anxiety, ADHD, stomachaches, picky eating, rashes, sleep issues, growth problems, etc.) and offers parents solutions.

As the back cover reads: "Why treat your child with drugs when you can cure your child with food?"

I was a bit skeptical at first, as I was worried that the book would be a little too "Eastern-Medicine-y" for me, but that's not at all the case. The underlying point is a good one: yes, medicine can treat certain issues, but if you can go back to the cause of the problem and eliminate it, why wouldn't you?

As a teacher, I almost always see huge improvements when a student diagnosed with ADHD takes medication. However, I'm no drug pusher. I would be even more thrilled if a nutritionist could solve the problem without requiring a prescription pad.

While I'd like to doubt some of Dorfman's findings, her case studies and science speak for themselves.

On the website for the book, Dorfman explains that while many informative nutrition books existed before hers, many of them were boring. Her goal was to write a book that would be not only useful but entertaining. Mission accomplished: her book is overflowing with nutritional information, but also engages the reader with real-life anecdotes and humour.

Some of my favourite points: 

• "We eat fast food because everyone else does...By showing continuous images of busy modern families grabbing burgers on the way to soccer practice or eating together at the local fried chicken establishment, the fast food industry has successfully defined the norm, and helped pattern our behaviour."
• Studies of identical twins with different diets have shown that picky eaters may have lower IQ's {I take offense to that one, although I have no twin to help me disprove it.}
• The difference between food allergies (which by definition cause a histamine response: itching, swelling) and intolerances/sensitivities
• Dorfman does recommend multivitamins for children, but avoid artificial colours and gummy-style multis which often lack B-vitamins.
• She is also a supporter of using Melatonin to help kids sleep (and note: it is not addictive, as it is a hormone which should be naturally produced in the brain. Taking a supplement just adds the extra that a particular child - or adult- may need to trigger sleep.) By the way, I've tried it for myself, and it works!

Here's the quote that hit home with me the most, as a "healthy" picky eater with a daughter who is a "healthy" picky eater:

"Nature is not wasteful. Everything you eat is expected to have value, and to get 100 percent function, you need to 100 percent of the diet working for you. If 20 percent of your diet is made up of empty sugar calories, then you're operating on 80 percent." Defensively, I think my little girl and I are just fine. However, how much happier, more energetic, and brainpower-boosted could we possibly be if we could function at even a higher level? Definitely food for thought. So to speak.

The one aspect of Dorfman's book that I know I cannot adopt is her "EAT" program program for picky eaters. "E" and "A" are fine: Eliminate irritants and Add foods one at a time, but I struggle with "T": Try one bite of this food each night for two weeks. Dorfman stresses that this can be difficult on parents, and offers scripts and reward ideas for getting through it, but speaking for myself, I would be traumatized if someone forced me to take even one bite of something that I knew I did not want to eat.

That one sticking point aside, the book is very detailed with a thorough index and FAQ section at the back. If your child suffers from any chronic problem, or you're just interested in learning more about the topic, I'd strongly recommend you check out "What's Eating Your Child?"

Visit the website at http://www.whatseatingyourchild.com/.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for review purposes. Opinions are, as always, my own. Why would I make this stuff up?

Healthy Cooking For Healthy Kids

Food Week here at This Mom Loves continues, and today I wanted to draw your attention to a new website which is a great resource for parents:

T-FAL Nutritious and Delicious Healthy Cooking For Healthy Kids

On the site (which is Canadian - yay!) you'll find kid "meal makeovers", recipes and tips, BMI calculators and healthy weight charts, proportion placemats, grocery lists and rewards charts (I just may print off a couple of these).

The scariest reminder for me on the site is this: "Be a Role Model: Ultimately children will do what you do, not what you say." I am active and fit, I eat sensible portions from three of the food groups...but I pray to God that my daughters follow their father's example when it comes to fruits and vegetables!

(And if you're wondering what T-FAL has to do with it, they're sponsoring the site, and have also come up with a new innovation called the Acti-Fry, which requires only one spoonful of oil to prepare favourites that are usually fried.)

The fact that 26% of Canadian kids are overweight or obese should be enough to spur us into action... but a point made on the site is so true: "Today's hectic lifestyle means that many parents are low on time, and often resort to buying prepared or processed food that is often low in nutrients and high in fat." Guilty. I'm hoping I can take at least a few tips from this new resource to up the nutrition value for my daughters...and myself.

7 Summer Nutrition Tips: Food Week Continues!

I was recently sent the following 7 Summer Nutrition Tips, from Funky Monkey Snacks. Now, don't be surprised when you see that they recommend their product as a healthy children's food, but I still thought these were worth sharing (with my own annotations, of course!)

Healthy Summer Nutrition Tips from Funky Monkey Snacks:

1. Get Your Fill of Water. Hydration is critical, especially where the sudden transition from air conditioning to high heat can shock the body. To help avoid muscle cramps and headaches—and to nourish skin—drink plenty of liquids, especially water. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition outlines the following choices along with the maximum recommended daily eight-ounce servings: water (9 for women, 13 for men), unsweetened tea (8), unsweetened coffee (4), diet sodas and calorie-free beverages (4), skim or low-fat milk (2), 100% fruit juices, whole milk, or sports drinks (1), soft drinks or juice drinks (1). {These are daily??? I drink a couple of Diet Cokes a week...I can't imagine someone guzzling 4 a day!}

2. Find a Farmer. There isn’t a better time of year to visit local farmers markets where an amazing array of healthy produce awaits. Many vegetables are high in nutrients and fiber—kale, chard, and mustard greens offer Vitamins C and E, which are good for eyes strained by the sun. Potassium-rich potatoes and spinach help avoid muscle cramps as well. Try putting vegetables on the backyard grill along with your main course for a special treat. {Again, I feel so lucky to live in the country. My favourite? Corn on the cob! Great on the BBQ, and so yummy with butter and salt. Does that completely counteract the nutritive value? Our own vegetable garden is entirely dedicated to our goal of winning the giant pumpkin contest this year.}

3. Up Your Fruit Quotient. The sun can wreak havoc on skin during outdoor activities. To nourish skin, complement your increased water intake with fresh fruit like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, all of which have antioxidants and vitamin C. Bananas are also good sources of potassium; make smoothies or fruit kabobs to add variety. Freeze-dried Funky Monkey™ Snacks are also a good fruit alternative—crunchy, bite-sized 100% real fruit snacks that are nutritionally equivalent to their fresh fruit counterparts and made with bananas, pineapples, apples, papaya, raisins, and açai. {Next.}

4. Lighter is Better. Eating smaller meals more often is always a good idea, but especially in summer when people tend to miss eating at meal times or are suddenly presented with a picnic or party smorgasbord. Lighter fare is also a good way to get nutrients without excessive calories—make gazpacho or other cold soups, and try BBQ alternatives like turkey or skinless, marinated chicken. Chili is another convenient and fun summertime entrée; make a potful in advance, using nutrient-rich chicken or vegetables, so it’s on hand when no one feels like cooking. {I'm definitely a grazer. I'd rather snack all day long than sit down to heavy meals, especially in the summer.}

5. Go Fishing. Fish, along with lean meats, beans, chickpeas, and soy products, are all high in protein, making them great not only for muscle development, but also to help hair that is overcome by exposure to sunlight and saltwater. Grill fish for a great summertime meal—and while you’re at it, up your consumption of eggs, another important source of protein. {My girls absolutely love fish, as long is it's covered in [fat-free, low-cal but sodium-heavy] soya sauce. Eggs are very popular in our house, and breakfast-for-dinner is always a favourite.}

6. Limit High Calorie Treats. It’s easy to make ice cream a habit during warm weather, but ice cream, not to mention cookies, popsicles, pies and fried desserts, can add fat and calories much faster than increased summertime activity can work off. Newer low-fat versions of ice cream or sorbet are better-tasting than ever; another alternative is to eat a healthy meal and then plan an after-dinner diversion to take everyone’s mind off big desserts. {Our kids have become much too accustomed to dessert, and don't feel a meal is complete without it. Where on earth do they get it from? I know we need to change this habit, for all of our sakes.}

7. Think About the Kids. Erratic eating can be especially hard on children during the summer—and their demand for treats can ruin anyone’s commitment to good nutrition. Try to maintain a regular meal schedule as much as possible, and keep only healthy snacks in the house, so no one is tempted. Having healthy snacks in the car at all times also helps when kids suddenly start complaining. Funky Monkey Snacks are easy to carry and better for kids than dried fruit or fruit snacks (dried fruit does not preserve all the nutrients of fresh fruit, and fruit snacks often contain added sugars, colors, flavors and preservatives.)

And to thank Funky Monkey for writing my post for me today, I'll even throw in a shot of their product:

Disclosure: I received nothing for this post. Just thought there was some valuable info to share.

Father's Day Recipes: Food Week at TML Begins!

Do any of these sound good to you (or might they sound good to Dad)?

Grilled Turkey London Broil
Pasta with Broccoli and an Alfredo White Northern Bean Sauce
Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar
Flank Steak with Mango Salsa and Vegetable Kabobs

Are you a bit confused right now, and worried that perhaps you're not reading the right blog?

It's Food Week here at This Mom Loves! Do not adjust your computer, you read correctly: Food Week.

I had an epiphany in the staff room the other day. My coworkers were poring over the Treat Day (i.e. Thursday) selections on the table, and throwing around strange words like "lentils" and "cumin". Finally I burst out laughing and said "I feel like you people are speaking a foreign language in front of me!"

And it got me thinking...just because I hate to cook...and eat normal food...that doesn't mean my readers are the same! (The Oprah Show may be gone, but let me tell you: the Aha! moments will never cease.)

So for all of you chefs and gourmands, this week I will bring you all sorts of recipes and nutritional tips from some fantastic experts. I can't guarantee that I will make said dishes or follow said advice, but I will be proud of myself for shaking things up here on my blog. Enjoy!

Today's recipes are in honour of Father's Day, and brought to you by registered dietician and Real Food Mom Tracee Yablon Brenner (http://www.realfoodmoms.com/).

Tracee has co-authored two comprehensive and practical guides for family nutrition, Great Expectations: Best Food for Your Baby and Toddler and Simple Food for Busy Families. She provides busy families with practical information, strategies, and healthy recipes for feeding nutritious, tasty meals and snacks quickly and easily every day.

Says Tracee: "It’s nice to start traditions, and making a family meal for Dad on Father’s Day can be a fun tradition. It can also help children begin to try new foods because helping with the food preparation usually peaks their interest to try what they have prepared." {Wonder if it helps Moms in the same way?}

***************************

Grilled Turkey London Broil {This Mom's note: I would actually eat this! It looks amazing!}

Turkey London Broil is a skinless, boneless turkey breast. When marinated it takes on the flavor of the marinade and is quite juicy. Turkey breast is quite lean. It’s best to buy organic pasture raised turkey. The turkey will be lean and flavorful due to the healthy environment, fresh air, water and pasture that are part of their daily routine. Pasturing allows them to live and eat grass, clover like they were intended to without pesticides and hormones or antibiotics.

 

If baking, pre-heat the oven to 350 F or pre-heat the grill

1 ½-2 lbs turkey breast half “Turkey London Broil”
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup low sodium tamari (wheat free soy sauce)
2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, Crushed

Place turkey breast in either a shallow baking dish or a gallon size plastic bag.

In a small bowl or glass measuring cup add marinade ingredients and whisk together.

Save ¼ cup of the marinade. Pour the remainder of the marinade into either a baking dish or plastic bag. Add turkey and marinade in the refrigerator 30 minutes to overnight turning occasionally. The longer it’s marinated the stronger the flavor

Remove turkey from marinade, discard marinade.

To allow for cooking evenly, turn over the turkey breast and open up the flap of the breast. Turn back over and lay flat.

Grill or bake turkey, allow for 15 minutes a pound and turn the breast about every 10 minutes for even cooking.

Test with a thermometer. The thickest part of the breast should read 165 F

Place turkey on a platter and cover it loosely with foil for about 10 minutes before carving.

Carve thinly on an angle.

Pasta with Broccoli and an Alfredo White Northern Bean Sauce {You lost me at "broccoli".}

Broccoli is a powerhouse cruciferous vegetable that most children enjoy! Broccoli has anti-inflammatory properties. Broccoli is very high in vitamin C, K and A. It is also high in folate, dietary fiber, manganese, tryptophan, potassium and B vitamins. This pasta dish is served with a northern bean dairy free alfredo sauce which adds protein to this dish which could make it a complete meal for some. I used Andean Dreams Quinoa pasta which is gluten and corn free. A 2 oz serving of the pasta has 207 calories, 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. Quinoa is a complete protein rich in vitamins and minerals. The kids love this dish and don’t notice the different type of pasta.

Ingredients:

4 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 garlic cloves (chopped or pressed)
1 head of Broccoli (peel and cut stems and cut broccoli into florets)
1 lemon juiced (3 Tablespoons lemon juice)
¾ cup low sodium organic vegetable broth
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1- 15 ounce can of Great Northern Beans (preferably Eden Organic which is in a BPA free can)
Black pepper to taste
1 package of Quinoa Spaghetti (I used Andean Dreams Gluten Free Spaghetti)

Preparation:

In a food processor or blender add beans, garlic, lemon juice, oregano, sea salt and puree until smooth.

Cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.

While pasta is cooking In a large skillet over medium heat, warm olive oil and add garlic and sauté for about 1 minute. Add broccoli and sauté for about 2- 3 minutes.

Add pasta and ¼ cup reserved cooking water to broccoli continues cooking for another 3 minutes add more water if necessary.

Add pureed bean mixture and cook over moderate heat, tossing, until combined well.

Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar: a Simply Delicious Combination

Serves 4
50 Calories
2 grams of fiber
10 Grams of sugar

Ingredients:

16 ounces fresh strawberries washed, hulled and cut in half
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon honey

Place balsamic vinegar and honey in a bowl stir together. Place strawberries in the bowl stir gently to combine. Cover, and sit at room temperature for about an hour but not more than 3-4 hours max.

It's strawberry season! Enjoy some local or organic strawberries. Strawberries are on the top of the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list http://www.foodnews.org/walletguide.php

Strawberries are very high in anti-oxidants and fiber. If buying Conventional strawberries to remove pesticides it’s great to make a veggie wash for soft-skinned fruits and vegetables. Fill a bowl with equal parts of white wine vinegar and water. Spray the solution onto fruits and veggies fill a spray bottle with equal parts white vinegar and water. Spray the solution onto fruits and veggies, scrub with a brush and rinse.

Flank Steak with Mango Salsa and Vegetable Kabobs

Meat and fruit is a refreshing combination; the sweetness of the fruit complements the tender succulent meat. If possible it’s to your health’s benefit to buy organic grass fed beef. Grass fed beef’s fatty acid composition is lower in overall fat and in saturated fat, providing more omega-3 fatty acids. Meat from animals that graze on grass is high in omega-3 fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which is associated with a decreased cancer risk. Grass-fed animals raised on pastures not confined to feedlots have more positive life force energy which then in turn effects your body.

Veggie Kabobs are fun for kids to put together and will help them explore tasting new vegetables.

Serves 6
Serving size: 4oz

Ingredients

1.50 lbs Flank Steak, (Grass-fed pasture raised preferably)

Marinade:

1/3 cup Olive oil
1/4 cup Red wine
2 tablespoons Tamari (wheat free soy sauce)
1 clove Garlic minced
1 tablespoon Gingerroot, minced or cut in slices
2 tablespoons Honey

Mango Salsa:

2 Mangos, peeled and diced
1 Roma Tomato, diced
1 Tablespoon lime juice
2 Teaspoons Cilantro chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients together and mix gently. Adjust ingredients to your taste. Store covered in fridge until ready to use. Keeps in refrigerator about 3-4 days.

Marinade Directions:

Pierce steak with a fork. Place steak in a glass dish with marinade. Cover and marinade for best results at least 2 hours to overnight.

• Prepare and preheat grill. Remove steak from marinade; discard marinade. Grill for 5–7 minutes on each side, turning once, until the steak reaches desired doneness.

• Let steak stand, covered with foil, for 10 minutes, then slice very thinly across the grain. Serve with Mango Salsa.

• Flank Steak Nutrition Facts per serving Calories: 212 Total Fat 10 g Saturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 75 mg Sodium 90 mg Total Carbohydrate 0.2 Dietary Fiber 0g Sugars 0g Protein 27 g

• Mango Salsa Nutrition Facts Per serving Calories 70 Total Fat 0.5 g Saturated Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 0 g Sodium 1.8 g Total Carbohydrate 18 g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 16g Protein 1g

Vegetable Kebobs: 6 servings

1 large Red peppers cut in 1 inch chunks
1 large Zucchini
1 cup Baby portabella mushrooms, cut a small portion of the bottom of the mushroom off, clean with a damp paper towel so they don’t get mushy.
1 medium Vidalia onions cut into small pieces
6 Kabobs (if using wooden kabobs soak them in water so they don’t burn).

Marinade:

¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove crushed
¼ teaspoon paprika
Black pepper, to taste

Cooking Instructions

In a large bowl or plastic bag combine the marinade ingredients. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 24 hours.

Pre-heat the Barbeque on medium-hot or the broiler and the broiler pan. If broiling, position the broiler pan 3 to 4 inches from the heating element and spray with a high temperature cooking spray like grapeseed or Expeller pressed sunflower oil. Thread the vegetables and continue to make a pattern on the skewers. Broil or grill for 4-6 minutes, turning the skewers occasionally until soft and light brown. Serve hot with a whole grain such as brown rice, couscous, quinoa or millet.
*If there are leftover vegetables prepare more vegetable kabobs.

Basic Nutritional Values

Nutrition Facts per serving Calories: 40 Total Fat 2g Saturated Fat 0.1g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 5mg Total Carbohydrate 9g Dietary Fiber 2g Sugars 4g Protein 2g

Thanks, Tracee! Be sure to check out http://www.realfoodmoms.com/, and stay tuned for more great recipes and nutrition tips as Food Week continues at This Mom Loves!

Perfect Parties Theme Seven: The Butterfly Party

Guess what? This party theme post is NOT brought to you by my friend Krista...I actually did it myself! Wait! Don't leave! I think I did a pretty decent job. The three year old guest of honour loved it, so what else matters, really?

Keep reading to see how I pulled off the Butterfly Party, as well as other ideas I came across but wasn't able to (read: was too lazy to) incorporate this time around.

Decorations:

Anything butterfly will do. I hung two of the wind socks (shown below) outside to greet the guests, and had each child's name written on a foam butterfly and stuck to the windows. These were later decorated by the kids as an activity.

I took the photo before I wrote the full names (for the privacy of the guests!)

Activities:

Face painting (butterflies, of course!) and butterfly tattoos
Butterfly colouring sheets (make it a colouring contest if you feel like it)
Pin the antennae on the butterfly
"Butterfly landing": Make flowers out of large paper and spread them on the floor. Play the game like musical chairs: the kids flutter around when the music is on, and when it stops they have to land on a flower.
At our party, the kids decorated the butterfly with their name on it (using markers, stickers, glitter, etc.) and also did a foam butterfly craft (I bought a kit at Michael's, and it came with everything but the glue, and enough to make 24 complete butterflies. The little pieces were self-adhesive, so only the clothespin had to be glued on.)

Food:

Gummy worms (caterpillars)
Sandwiches, pancakes, pizza, jello jigglers etc. shaped with a butterfly cookie cutter
Bowtie pasta
Honeybee crackers
(We had non-butterfly-shaped pizza, pasta, salads and biscuits. Not everything can go with the theme, especially when you're feeding more adults than kids!)

Cake:

We enlisted our fabulous baker to make a cake in the shape of a butterfly. I wasn't sure if it would be enough to serve everyone, so I ordered a dozen cupcakes to go along with it...which was smart on my part, as everything was eaten. (Ordering three pizzas too many wasn't so smart...but you never know!)

Loot bags:

Here are some pics of what our party-goers fluttered away with (the wind socks were from Zellers, everything else from Dollarama):

Butterfly net

Wind sock

Wall stickers (the lone little boy got car stickers instead.

He was not the least bit upset that they didn't match the theme.)

Butterfly hair elastics

And Smarties. No loot bag can be without them, theme or no theme.

Other ideas include butterfly stickers, clips, cookie cutters, and flower seeds.

This was a fun, girly, springtime party...and it was very easy to find supplies and decorations. Pulling this one off in November, however, might be a little more difficult.

Please feel free to add any other Butterfly Party ideas you've used or seen...or just comment to let me know what a fantastic party planner I am! (Hint: my three subscribers who were at the party are obliged to comment!)

Why I Love MeebleMail!

So, do any of you ladies send e-mails at all?

Okay, that's a yes. Wouldn't you love to have stylish, personalized stationery that works within your e-mail program?

I had never even thought of this until I heard from MeebleMail...and now I am a huge fan. What is MeebleMail? you ask. Here's what they say about themselves:

MeebleMail is customized stationery designs for your e-mail - transforming the ordinary look of everyday email into a stylish expression of your personality. By partnering with talented artists and fabulous designers such as Trina Turk, Kara Ross, Lela Rose, thomaspaul, Celerie Kemble, Bonnie Marcus and Boatman Geller, MeebleMail has a library of stylish and unique email stationery designs fit for anyone’s taste. MeebleMail’s email stationery integrates directly into the most popular Windows email clients such as Gmail, Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail; and users can personalize the designs with their name, monograms, addresses or a motif.

Here's how it works: go to http://www.meeblemail.com/, choose your design, personalize it (name, monogram, address, etc.), and purchase it for $4.99 (yes, that says four dollars and ninety-nine cents, which includes unlimited edits and use for 1 year, with the option to renew).

I chose "Beach Stripes" by Jack and Lulu (shown below), placed my name at the top, and then my website and email address at the bottom.

It takes a minute or two to integrate MeebleMail with your e-mail program, and you're done! It is now one of my favourite things...although I must apologize to the company and warn them that those words, coming from me, do not exactly have Oprah's revenue-boosting magical powers.

You should definitely check out MeebleMail...and if you order by June 12th, you'll get 20% off, just in time for the end of National E-mail Week (who knew??) Use code EMAILWEEK to get the discount.

Disclosure: I was provided access to MeebleMail samples free of charge for review purposes. Opinions are, of course, my own. How could you not love this?