Healthy lunch/snack to bring to school?

As busy parents,  what is fast and easy snacks to put in your child’s lunch bags?

Common suspects for already thoughtful parents:
Granola bar
Fruit to go
100 calories packet chips, cookies, crackers
Rice crispy square
Snack size chocolate or candy bar
2 bite brownie, cake/muffin

“We give it to our kids because they like it.” I understand parent’s concern their kids might toss what they don’t like into garbage cans. Time is also a factor. If we, as parents, can put more time and effort to create something visually attractive, maybe this is the cure to children nutrition concerns.

Try Japanese bento box idea. Who wouldn’t brag about their lunch box to other kids in school if they look cute, colorful and attractive. Maybe this way they don’t need a snack anymore. Sweetness of carrot and tomato might be enough. Maybe cut up fruit into a cute container is all you have time for. This is already 100 times better than the usual snacks other parents give. Just because your parents used to give you a granola bar as a snack at lunch doesn’t mean you have to do the same for your kids.

Substitution for fries?

What can replace fries at fast food chain?

Points to consider:
– can eat while driving
– can still be a treat
– kids and adults all like it
– smell good and taste good

Healthier fast food chain like Subway has designed alternatives sides for their combo to go with their sandwich.
– bag of chips
– bowl of soup/chilli
– a cookie

Can we do better than this? Do you have any creative ideas that will work for fast food chain?

Low fat Banana muffin

2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
4 lightly chopped ripped banana
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup yogurt

1. Mix dry ingredients together (first 4 on the list)
2. Mixed the rest of ingredients in a separate bowl.
3. Pour wet to dry ingredient and fold until combine. Do not overmix; stop when dry ingredients are no longer seen
4. Put dough in lightly greased muffin pan. Bake at 350F for 20-30min (depends on size of muffin.

Yield: 6 extra large muffins

Do you know how to brew a cup of perfect tea?

Are you brewing you tea correctly? Give it a try and see if your tea’s taste improved using this brewing diagram.

Juicing box: arrived :)

 

I’m so happy about my first organic juicing box. I got everything as per ordered. Quality and size both surprised me. Ready to try my first JUICE!

Juicing: Organic juicing box from Spud.ca

Further to my post about watching Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead, I’ve decided to give juicing a try. I’m not ready to do the fast as suggested by the movie, but I’m okay with juicing as a meal replacement.

I have an existing Vitamix and instead of buying a juicer, I decided to go with whole food juicing. This method is not better or worst than traditional juicing. But for what I would like to achieve, it will work just fine. I love having the fiber in the juice to make me fell full and I love the fast cleaning of my Vitamix, which is 2 pros on whole foo juicing.

I did try carrot, asian pear, lettuce, ginger, pineapple, apple and lemon into a juice, which happens to be what’s in my fridge. Not Bad, I thought! I am not a regular purchaser of organic produce, but I really dislike wax, pesticide, etc on the surface of the fruit/vegetable. I decided to spend a little bit more and buy an organic juicing box from Spud.ca. For $50CAD, I’ll be getting: 6 Gala apples, 1.5lb beets, 2lb carrots, 1 stalk celery, 1 rainbow chard, 3 cucumbers, 2 kale, 0.5lb limes, 3 oranges, 1 parsley.

Updates of my juicing experience to follow upon receiving my delivery of my first ever organic shopping tomorrow.

~ to be continued ~

Back on the DIET track: watch inspiring Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead 2

After all the Christmas stress of entertaining family and friends, and also being sick for a while, I feel it’s time to step on the scale. Although I didn’t gain much weight (to my surprise), I feel weak and wanted to be re-energize like how I used to feel. What I find to set off a good start is to watch some documentaries on healthy diet. As most successful dieter will tell you, you’ve got to prepare your mind. I was very glad I watched Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead 2. I love the fact he doesn’t tell you to become a vegetarian, instead, he shows you the good effect from eating more fruits and vegetable and how to get back to the road to good health.

I, myself, doesn’t like juicing. I love vegetable’s texture the way they are. I rather do a smoothie with fruit and whey protein and steam the vegetable on its own. There’s nothing wrong with that. I enjoy cooking, and I have the time to enjoy the food. Why juice? The documentary never tell you juicing is the only way; they tell you juicing works for many people, especially ones without much time on their hand.

I feel like I’m ready to go back to how life used to be. Eat healthier and reserve some time for blogging. 😛

Colorful macaroon

From England. What a wonderful surprise when box is open. So colorful.

Coolest Teacup from Magisso

I love the quality of tea that loose tea leaf gives me. But hate drinking bits of the tea leaf. This is perfect for people like me; easy and stylish. 😛 Thinking whether I should get black or white.

Here’s how it works.

#revolvefurnishings

Reimagine the electric kettle

A way to heat up water with energy saving idea in mind.

How many times have you filled up your kettle but only pour 1 glass of hot water to make yourself a cup of tea? What happens to the rest of the water in the kettle? It turns cool over time and when you need another cup of tea, you have to reheat it up. I came across this innovative way to heat up your water. Worth checking their website. I don’t think it is available to be purchased yet.

http://miito.de/