Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup

All my kids are sick with a nasty cough. No one is feeling well, and with this perpetual winter I decided to take a great Moosewood classic and put my own spin on it. My kids are not into spicy soup, but I wanted to use one that had all of the Indian flavours that are so soothing to the senses.

They gobbled this one right up!!

Vegetarian Mulligatawny Soup

Yield 9 Cups
Time: 55mins

2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 1/2cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of peeled and grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds
1 fresh hot pepper, or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (you can omit these if you have kids who don't like spicy things)
4 cups of water
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup seeded and diced bell peppers
1 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1/2 cup *cooked* rice (make sure to make this before hand)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 can of chickpeas or lentils
2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice. (I cut cut up half a lemon and squeezed)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

As with all Indian inspired dishes the secret is to cook the spices right into the oil at the very beginning. First take your oil and warm it into the pot. Then add the onions and salt and cook until the onions are softened, around 10 mins. Then add the ginger, turmeric, coriander, and hot pepper and cook for 2 mins. Add the water, carrots and potatoes and bring to a boil. (if you do not have any cooked rice on hand here is where you would add an additional 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 cup of rice.)
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for 10 mins.
Next add the bell peppers, tomatoes and the cooked rice. (unless you are doing the uncooked rice version). Simmer again for 5 mins, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Lastly, stir in the coconut milk, chickpeas/lentils, lemon juice, and cilantro.
Simmer again for 5 mins.
If you would like you can add more salt, lemon juice, cilantro to taste.

ENJOY!!

Crockpot Monday - Vegetarian Butternut Squash and Chickpea Coconut Curry

I love coconut curries. I tend to make a ton of them in the winter months when I want something to warm me up.

I just registered the kids in a karate class that spans two hours at dinner time and we were always rushing to eat before or after, which was causing me so much stress.  To combat this I decided that the best solution for my dinner woes was to make crockpot meals every Monday so that we are not eating at 9pm.

This one is my absolute favorite. It can be eaten on top of rice, noodles, in a bread bowl, or all by itself for those who are grain wary. It's also vegetarian (actually vegan) and it has a ton of protein and iron!

My kids love it (and love helping me make it) so it is win/win/win for me!!

Butternut Squash and Chickpea Coconut Curry
serves 8

2 1/2 cups diced butternut squash
1 1/2 cups chick peas (dried or canned)
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

I didn't have any fresh so I used these!

1 can 13.5 ounce organic coconut milk (light or whole fat)
1 bunch of fresh spinach, rinsed and roughly chopped (or kale, or chard)
1 1/2 cups freshly shelled edamame (you can use fresh or frozen peas as well)
1-2 large tomatoes, diced
3 cups vegetable broth or water
3 tablespoons yellow curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
handful of fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (if you don't have any fresh you can use frozen as well)

Kids love to help cook!!

Take 15 mins to prep all of your veggies. Take the skin off the squash, remove seeds and cut into squares. Add them to the crockpot. Add the onion, garlic, coconut milk, edamame, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, curry powder, salt and cilantro.

If you are using dried chickpeas, sort and rinse and add at this step. If using canned add them 30 mins before you want to serve. Add spinach (or other leafy greens) 30 mins before you are going to serve as well. 

Cook on high for 6 hours. If it seems too watery to your liking you can add a little cornstarch 15 mins before serving to thicken it up. It does thicken as it cools. 

 You can serve over brown basmati, jasmine rice, noodles, or even in a bread bowl.  Toppings can include mint, fresh cilantro, basil or some shredded coconut. (anything goes!) 

Bon Appetit!! 

Vegetarian Ideas when Camping; Pizza Grilled Cheese

When most people think of camping they think of steaks, burgers and grilled chicken kabobs. There are blogs completely dedicated to what to eat when camping. For us making a menu has been a little bit harder since we have been vegetarian now for over a year.

I am going to do a series of blog posts this summer highlighting some of the best meals that we have had. (I may even give you a copy of my menu plan).

So without further adieu, here is the first menu item.

Pizza Grilled Cheese.

I actually got this idea from a fellow vegetarian who has helped me out of more than a couple nights of "Help! I don't know what to make!!" Cooking it over the fire is just a bonus!!

What you need:

Bread
Margarine
Cheese (even Daiya will work)
Veggie peperoni slices (or veggie ham)
Tomato sauce
Anything else you like to have on a pizza.....

Basically you just make a grilled cheese sandwich but on the inside spread some tomato sauce and toppings, add the cheese, top with the bread (buttered on the outside) and cook in the fire with one of these awesome things!

I have never had a better plain grilled cheese - and the Pizza Grilled Cheese was just to die for! Of course you can always use extra tomato sauce for dipping!!

I think the kids LOVED it as much as I did! The best thing about these is that they are not camping specific, if you want to get more protein or veggies into your kids - try have one of these at lunch! 

Try it out and let me know what you to include in your Pizza Grilled Cheese in comments. 

Winter Solstice Fun

If you are a regular follower of my blog you know that Christmas is not my favourite holiday; Halloween is!

Lighted Luminaries

So when Christmas comes around in December I go through the motions mostly because both my husband and I were raised in families that celebrate Christmas - so it is just something we do. 

But there is something else that we do in December that I love a whole lot more. Every December 21st we celebrate the solstice. 

I don't consider myself to be a Pagan or a Wiccan, I just like to celebrate something that has a much less commercialistic approach close to Christmas so that my kids are not completely taken in my the gimmies of the holiday season. 

I wanted to share with you, dear reader, what we do on this day so that you may have some ideas and may even implement them yourselves.

The winter soltice is the shortest day of the year. The day when winter is officially here. We spend a lot of time talking about the science invloved as well as the connection to the changes in season. 

We make garlands out of popcorn and cranberries and this year we will be making a bird feeder using pinecones and peanut butter and seeds.

Popcorn and Cranberry Garlands

We go for a winter walk and listen to the sounds that the animals make in the snow and hang up our garlands and bird feeders. We also collect sticks and berries that have fallen on the ground for a craft later in the afternoon.

Adding Raisins to the Bread.

We come home and have hot chocolate and marshmellows to warm up. 

Some years we go ice-skating, or tobogganing, we may bulid a snowman or an igloo. We like to spend most of this day outside experiencing the winter and celebrating it. 

When we are done outside the children help me bake braid bread and we put raisins in it. Each and every raisin is a wish for the new year. I love to listen to the wishes that little children make. They are so innocent and simple. 

Making the Luminaries.

When the bread is in the oven the children help me make Ice Lanterns. We place all of the sticks and berries into old hummus containers and put yogurt containers with rocks in them in the middle. We place them in the freezer. Once they are frozen we will put candles in them when it gets dark. 

We have a wonderful hearty meal all made with locally sourced ingredients, and I light our Yule Log. 

I love my Yule Log. My husband made it last year and it sits all year long on my mantle ready for the night that we give thanks for everything that we have.

Wonderful Feelings 

I seriously made this. 

We finish our dinner with a Yule Log Cake, and then go outside and light the Ice Lanterns to mark the shortest night of the year. 

The kids get ready for bed, and instead of watching TV or a movie as we do on Christmas Eve, we play board games until it is bedtime. 

The whole day just leaves me warm and fuzzy. 

I hope that this post was helpful to some of you and will maybe give you inspiration to do something like this with your families, or take some of the ideas here and incorporate them into different holidays that you may have. 

Have a Wonderful Holiday Season.

*Vlog* - Quick and Easy Halloween Treats for Kids!

Only one more day until Halloween!!

I decided last night in my sleep deprived haze that I would make a tutorial on how to make Frankenmallows and this cute ghost cupcakes!

Have fun!!!

Halloween Treats to take to School

A lot of you may be thinking by now that I must have nothing better to do that spend time in my kitchen. I promise you that this is not the case, I have actually spent more time blogging about this week of food than I have making it!

I have been trying in this series of blog posts to show you that making themed food is so easy and a really great way to show the kids that the holidays can be a whole lot more fun than just going Trick-or-Treating and overdosing on high fructose corn syrup.

In this post I am going to show you some really simple ways to make Halloween "treats" for school and in tomorrows post I will be sharing some more lunch ideas - so make sure you come back!

Ghost Yogurt

Even I run out of ideas when it comes to Halloween and every day I thank goodness that there is such a thing as Pinterest. Before I was a pinner there was half the ideas out there and they were incredibly hard to find.

The yogurt ghost was something that my son actually thought of, he saw the grapes and threw them into his breakfast one morning (not even in October) and laughed and said how it looked like eyes.

So grab a whole bunch of yogurts, take the tops of or spoon them out on to the plates at preschool add a couple grapes and there you have it! Instant Halloween!

Pumpkin Tray


What is easier than throwing some carrots on a circular serving tray? Nothing, that's right!

This is the easiest themed food ever. Honestly. Look at it.

All I did was take some carrots throw them on a tray, and then take two ramekins and fill them with hummus and put them on top where the eyes would be. I added cherry tomatoes (a staple in a Halloween kitchen) and cut up a red bell pepper to look like a mouth. I have also seen people use olives or another type of dip instead of the peppers.

Whatever works for you!! I promise all the kids will eat it and it is healthy!! Win/Win!


Bat Hummus

Hummus is one of the best things that you can feed your kids.

Not only is it chock full of protein but it also has great fats in it, is low in sugar, and it tastes good too!

I use hummus in a variety of my Halloween meal planning as it is just so easy to add to dishes, sandwiches and the like.

This was one of those times that the kids were looking to get some quick protein and I was in the middle of making the Pumpkin Tray and so I grabbed a dollop of Hummus, added a couple of olive eyes, snap pea ears and rice crackers for bat wings. (it was a stretch I know) This year I went out and got some blue corn chips to make my hummus bat even more bat-like.

I hope that this post can help you to see that it really is that easy!

Please keep sharing your ideas with me on Twitter and Facebook. If you need any more Halloween inspiration please follow me on Pinterest as well.

So Easy a Kid Can Do It!

So are you getting pumped for Halloween yet? With only 3 days to go my house is buzzing with excitement.

This week is the week of Halloween Themed food in my household. I am sharing all of my creations on this blog, Facebook and twitter. I have been getting many comments about how much time it must take to prepare all these. Comments about planning and creativity.

I wanted to set the record straight. I am not that creative, however, I am a certified Pinterest junkie. 

Kits add a little something to pre-baked goods!

I don't think that there is a better website when it comes to keeping all of the holiday themed ideas in one place. My only critism is that I would like it if the folders had sub folders, just so my food and crafts were not on the same page for "Halloween" (this is only a problem when you have as many pins as I do.)

Some of the meals do look a little involved, but I promise that they are not. I choose the easiest ones for a reason. (that reason is laziness…..) 

My oldest son really loves to see all the creations and in the last couple years has shown interest in making spooky items for us all to enjoy. He is only 7 so they are more sweet than spooky - but I love that he is trying to get involved. 

Here are a couple of his creations. 

Spooky Apple. 

Can you see the face?

He honestly took a butter knife and carved the eyes out of this apple and then took a picture of it so I could "post it on my blog." 

I love it. It's just so simple, but conveys the idea that I wanted to show them at Halloween. 

                                                           

Boo!

Ghost Yogurt.

I shared this one in another Blog Post in this series.

Look how easy it is. He just put grapes in the top for eyes.

I love it!

This guy makes me laugh!

Monster Granola or Eyes Surprise Cereal

Continuing with the grapes for eyes theme, we have another great spooky meal.

If you add props it can make it that much more Halloween!

Seriously, if my son can do this, so can you!!!




Continue to follow me on both Facebook and Twitter to see what my family is eating this week - and please share your creations with me!

Ghoulish Stew, Mashed Boo-tatoes, and Unicorn Brains

Are you following me on Twitter? I have been putting up the foods that I am currently doing this week in real time, so if you love this sort of thing make sure that you add me or like me on Facebook.

To keep in line with the easy Halloween Themed meals I thought that I would share a couple more of the most easy meals that you could possibly do! (Have you all figured out that it is all in the presentation of the meal?) 

Ghoulish Stew and Mashed Boo-tatoes. 

Stew is one of those things that can be Ghoulish in its own right. Add potatoes, peas, sweet potatoes or carrots and mash it up a bit to make it look like gruel and you could pass it off as anything. 

I like to make my stew in the slow cooker and here are my two favourite veggie and non-veg options. 

Once you place the stew in a bowl you take your regular mashed potatoes and place them into a Glad sandwich bag or into a cake decorating piping bag. 

Cut the tip off the plastic bag or add the biggest attachment to the piping bag and swirl the potatoes into the shape of a ghost. Add two peas or peppercorns for eyes and you have the spookiest meal of the week! 

I love this one the most and I got the inspiration from Pinterest. (giving credit where credit is due)

Unicorn Brains

When I told my kids that they were going to eat Unicorn Brains they were a little perturbed…Goblin Grins and Eye of Newt were to be expected, but Unicorn Brains was just too much for them! 

Once I explained that it was really just cauliflower they were much more adept to try it. Really, that is all it is. Just take a cauliflower, steam it and plate it up. 

In this picture I have it as a side to a purple mashed potato spider (cherry tomatoes for eyes and chow mien noodles for legs) and the head of a DeadMan meatloaf. 

See how easy it can be?!? 

Please keep linking your posts to me! I am really enjoying reading them all and seeing how creative you all are! Keep up the good work!! Only 3 more days until Halloween!!

Monster Burgers and Severed Heads

I hope that you enjoyed yesterday's post on Halloween breakfast ideas.

Today I wanted to share a couple of my go-to recipes. A couple of my girlfriends feel that my week of Halloween themed food is just too hard to fit in to their busy lives, and yes it does look pretty complicated, but I promise that it isn't.

Monster Burgers and Severed Heads take absolutely no time at all and minimal planning. It's the one meal that you can just whip up within seconds and I promise that the kids will get so excited for it.

Monster Burgers


I got the inspiration for Monster Burgers from a girlfriend of mine named Gemma. She was always making incredible looking lunch ideas for her girls and Halloween was no exception.

Monster Burgers are easy enough, just take a burger - it can be Vegan, Vegetarian or 100% Beef and it will all work the same.

Make the burger as you would usually and then take a piece of bacon or Tempeh and place it so that it sticks out of the "mouth". Add some olives for eyes, and cut out shapes from peppers to add horns, or wings or whatever that you feel like doing with toothpicks! Get creative!

I like to cut out the shapes and leave the olives and cheese out so that the kids can make their own Monster creation. It is so much fun and not just for Halloween!

Severed Heads

If you can turn on an oven you can make Severed Heads.

Do I even have to explain it?

Take a bag of Smiles by McCain and bake them according to package directions. I like to over-bake them a little as it adds a "burned" look to the face.

Place them on the plate and add ketchup on their "neck" and Voila! Severed Heads. ;)

The great thing about these is that you can do a whole bunch of them at a time and you can add them to just about any dish.

I use them more than a couple times during the week before Halloween and they are such a hit. Pair them with a Mummy Dog and some Goblin Mouths (apple slices and almond slivers) and you have a great lunch!

And really, who doesn't like Burgers and Fries?

As always make sure that you are sharing your creations with me on Facebook or Twitter or in comments!

I love seeing what you come up with!

Eye of Newt, Scrambled Brains and Boo-nanas.

And so begins the week that my children wait for all year long.

In our house I make Halloween themed food for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (even some snacks) for the week leading up to Halloween. I admit that it is a little crazy, and maybe even has a little bit of an overachieving mommy vibe. However, I started this tradition when my oldest son was 3 and so now he expects it. (and it's fun!!)

Finding dinner ideas is easy, thanks to Pinterest, but breakfast and lunch are just a bit harder. As you all know I like to make things that are really easy. (and fast!) I have scoured high and low to find just what I am looking for and now will share them with you!!

Here are three of my favourite recipes to keep the spooky starting out right.

Eye of Newt

The picture says it all doesn't it?

Hard boiled eggs are such an easy thing to grab and make spooky. This week I will be making some new breakfasts just using food colouring and a food writer pen. (I will share those on Facebook, and Twitter for those interested).

For this recipe I just took a hard boiled egg and removed the yolk. I then dyed it green and scraped it back into the cavity. I used a red pepper to make a made face and also to add some veggies for fibre. I finished it off with two snap peas and almond slivers. I also had a full bowl of snap peas for them to eat once they ate the plated version.

Scrambled Brains 

I make scrambled brains a couple times during the week as they are so easy and the protein is what my kids need to start the day off right. If you are vegetarian, you can use a Tofu Scramble instead of eggs, as both look the same when finished.

Basically, just take the eggs/scramble and plate them so that they look like a brain. I use a quarter cup measure and put 2 servings side by side. You can then take ketchup and pour it around the "brain". It's really all in how you decorate it! Get creative!!

Boo - nanas

I love these and they are so easy to do! You can make them for any type of class treat as they are as healthy as you can get, (and incredibly inexpensive).

Just take a banana cut it in half and add eyes. I use carob chips, but you can use what ever you want.

There is also a recipe where you dip these in yogurt, coconut butter or in white chocolate - any will do!

With all my meals I add props to make them just a bit spookier. Use skeletons, bats, spiders and other Halloween items to make the dish look that much more "Halloween". The dollar store has many different options to choose from!

If you have any pictures of these recipes please feel free to share them with me or link to them in comments. I love seeing all the Halloween festivities!!

Deep Fried Bats, Worms and Monster Toads

Did you all enjoy last weeks Halloween Food post?

I am finding it harder to make dinner foods since we have gone vegetarian, but lucky there is a lot of meat alternatives that can do the stand in.

Next week is the week that I make Halloween themed food for my family for breakfast lunch and dinner so make sure you are following me on Twitter to see it as soon as it is posted.

Today I have both a vegetarian option and a meat lovers option, best of both worlds so to speak.

Deep Fried Bat on Squiggly Worms and Monster Toads.

Remember how I said a couple weeks ago that Cookie Cutters are really helpful when cooking Halloween themed food. This is absolutely true when it comes to cooking vegetarian food for little ghouls and gals.

Yummy Alternative

We now eat primarily vegetarian with a little cheating here and there when we go out to eat. I know that other veggie families would like to join in with the themed fun - but have no place in their menu for a deadman meatloaf.

My kids were just as excited for this recipe and I am sure that yours will be as well.

What You Need: 

• 1 onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1each yellow, red, orange and green bell pepper. You can also use green, and yellow beans if your kids don't like peppers. 
• 1 block of Firm Tofu
• 1 package of linguine or shanghai or vermicelli noodles. 

Pretty straight forward.

1. Boil water for Noodles. 
2. Cut Tofu lengthways into half inch bricks. Press Halloween themed cookie cutter into tofu to make desired shape. Place tofu in hot pan with oil and cook until both sides are golden brown. Remove Tofu.  
3. Place noodles in boiling water.
4. Cut up the onion and sauté it in the pan with a little bit of oil. Add the garlic. Cut up the peppers in to thin long strips. Add them to the pan and Stir Fry. Add the sauce/seasoning of your choice. Remove from pan. 
5. Add noodles to pan and re-season if desired. (skip this step if you want them plain). 
6. Plate it up. Noodles on the bottom, beans or peppers on top, with the Halloween themed Tofu to finish it off. 

Enjoy!

Monster Toads (Chicken).

This is one for the meat eaters out there. So easy. Make some peas or potatoes for a side and you have a full meal. Make up silly names for them though. Mashed Boo-tatoes or salamander eyes, the possibilities are endless.

My friend who blogs at Merry with Children shared this great roasted chicken recipe that is perfect for this Halloween themed delight.

What You Need

• A roasted chicken. 
• A red pepper.
• Some olives (pimento or stuffed are fine)
• Tooth Picks.

So easy that I don't even have to explain it. Just look at the picture. :)

Don't they look cool?

It's only 13 days until Halloween!! Are you all getting excited?! The week of Halloween (October 25 - October 31st) I will be posting every second day with cool meals to Spook your kids! Get ready for it!!!

As always follow my Pinboard to see all my inspiration!

Switch Witch and Buy Backs

I was planning on writing this post next week, but I am going to Blissdom Canada so next weeks posts might be a little more about that and a little less about Halloween. Don't worry though, you can still see what I am doing over at Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

It's no secret that my son and I are allergic to dairy. I first became sensitive to milk as a teen and it has escalated from there. My son, on the other hand, showed symptoms of dairy allergy the very first time it was introduced it to him. I then had him checked out by our Naturopath and had the allergy testing formally done.

Being allergic to dairy really sucks. It is in everything. However, as an adult I can suck it up…my son, not so much. He gets really distraught that every "cool" thing has dairy in it. All types of chips (other than natural), all chocolate (unless it is from a health food store), and cookies, cupcakes, crackers and pretty much anything processed. This leads to a really healthy lifestyle, but he pines for the same things that his friends have. Goldfish and Dunkaroos - why cant you have a dairy-free option?!

The Whole Stash

Halloween is especially problematic. I would wager that 80% of the candy given out is chocolate, so to over come this we go twice the distance that we regularly would because when you sort it all out you are left with less than half the stuff they collected…and then when you take out the gross things (like black liquorice and no - name gummy candies) and the Jawbreakers (that they can't have yet), we are left with a 1/6th of the stash.

Non-Milk

Milk Products

Now, obviously my kids are disappointed by this and so we came up with a couple ways so to soften the blow. After we go through all the candy we put half of the castoffs on the front porch for the Switch Witch to come and collect it and leave a toy for them instead. This is such a win-win for us as the kids are happy to give away the candy and I am happy that there are no tears!

Switch Witch to the Rescue!

Here is a great video by Mama Natural about the Switch Witch.




Another thing that we do is go to our local Candy Buy Back. There are many different incarnations of the Buy Back and not all operate the same way. For the most part they are organized by dentists who all have a party the day after Halloween and pay the kids a dollar a pound for their unwanted Halloween candy. (my particular dentist also donates a pound of apples to our local food bank for every pound of candy that collected.)

Isn't he Cute?!

This is great for us because the chocolate bars are going to get thrown out anyway - so does it really matter if it is my dentist's trash bin or mine?

I know a lot of moms like the idea of the Buy Back just not the trash part, and I agree somewhat, but not for the waste of candy, more for the adding to the landfill. My particular dentist made a great YouTube video that shows exactly why they throw out the candy and how they are hoping to convert it into fuel in the upcoming years. That way more families will get on board.

Are you a fan of the Switch Witch or the Buy Back? Or are you completely against them? Share your comments below.

Frankenmallows, Witches Hats and Monster Brownies

How is it already the second week of October?

We all know that half the fun about Halloween is the sweets, and what is more sweet than cakes and cookies? (other than candy of course!)

Every Halloween I volunteer to bring a treat to my kids' Halloween parties in their classes. Yes, I know I am the same mom who absolutely hates the cupcake in class, but Halloween is one of those days where there is going to be treats - no doubt about that - and by volunteering it makes sure that my kids can eat at least one cool thing…if not two or three..or four.

My favourite go to snack for these events are completely dairy free and can be made gluten free as well (with a little but more ingenuity).

So without further delay feast your eyes on these yummy treats, guaranteed to be fast and incredibly easy to make that even your kids can make them!

Frankenmallows, Witches Hats, and Monster Brownies! 

Franken Army

I love Frankenmallows. (Inspiration) These are my go to treat for Halloween. If I could give them out at the door for trick or treaters I would. These are absolutely the easiest treat to make, but they are a little time consuming since you will probably be making over 20 if you are sending them to a party.





What you need: 

• 1 Bag of Large Marshmallows. Make sure that you get ones that are not all stuck together. Also, if you are Vegan you can buy some from a health food store that are not made with gelatin. 
• 1 tube of Gel Food colouring (Green). You can get this at Michaels. 
• 1 tube of Cookie Decorating Icing. (red)
• 1 bag of Pretzel Sticks. If you are gluten free, there are options at the health food store. 
• 1 bag of chocolate chips. We use carob chips as we are allergic to dairy. 
• Coconut oil (any cooking oil or butter will do).
• Popsicle sticks and a little paint brush. 
• Flat styrofoam block. 

1. Take your marshmallows and stick them on the popsicle sticks just far enough that the wood peeks out a tiny bit on the top of the mallow.

2. Take your tube of green gel and a paint brush and paint the whole surface of the mellow. This is time consuming… place them into the styrofoam block with about a half-inch space between them.

3. Take a cup or so of the chocolate chips and melt them with a spoonful of coconut oil or butter… you can do this in the microwave, or a double boiler on the stove.

4. Take your marshmallows on the sticks and dip them in just far enough so that it looks like Frankensteins hair.

5. Use the cookie icing and pipe little dots to glue on two chocolate chips for eyes. Also make the mouth at this time.

6. Take a pretzel stick and break off a quarter inch piece and stick it into his head, repeat for the other side.

7. Eat them!!!

Witches Hats

So Yummy!

These are even easier than the Frankenmallows.

1. Find a chocolate covered cookie. (or make one if you have allergies - Girl Guide Mint ones are Dairy Free FYI)

2. Use the same cookie icing as the frankenmallows and squirt a circle in the centre of the cookie.

3. Plop a Hershey's Kiss on top. (they do come dairy free if you get the dark chocolate ones).

4. Yummo!


Monster Brownies

Just a sampling.

These are the easiest of all three. Seriously! These are such a great hit for parties or for a Halloween themed craft!

1. Bake some brownies. (I use a box but a great recipe from Dinner With Julie is also here.)

2. Cut them into different shapes.

3. Give the kids some candy eyes, pretzel sticks, icing, gummies, etc and ask them to make monsters.






Now, how fun is all of that!! I would love to see your pictures of these! Make sure you tweet them to me here.

Sandwitch Ghosts, Vampire Bites and Pumpkin Seeds

Puking Pumpkin (Guacamole)

It's no secret that my favourite part about Halloween is the themed food.

Every year I scour magazines and websites and now Pinterest for some new ideas on how to make the best edibles for this awesome season.

There is just something about it that makes me smile. Maybe it's because my kids actually eat everything I make them in the month of October and maybe it's also because I get to get creative in the kitchen (I don't like to cook otherwise).

For the last 7 years this Halloween themed food has been only shared with my friends on Facebook, but a friend of mine over at This Bird's Day, encouraged me to blog about what I love and so - every Thursday for the month of October I will feature some yummy Halloween themed food.

Like I said, I am not a cook by any means. These are really easy and your kids will absolutely love them! Enjoy!!

Here is a really easy easy one.

First go out and buy some quality Halloween themed cookie cutters. These are invaluable. You can get some at Williams and Sonoma, Pier One, Michaels, and I recently found these itty bitty ones at Home Outfitters. I use cookie cutters a lot. So easy to instantly make a Halloween meal.

Sandwitch Ghosts, Vampire Bites and Pumpkin Seeds 

Ghosts, Bites and Seeds. (Bat just for decoration).

I make these a lot during the month of October as I get really busy and sometimes forget to plan something for lunches. All you do is make a sandwitch - anything inside really - and then use the cookie cutter of your choice. 

Variation. Witch Hat, seeds, and pumpkin soup.

You can jazz these up by using peppercorns in the eyes, or ketchup for blood, etc. If you are worried about food waste use the cookie cutter first and save the crusts for a Deadman Meatloaf. 

I like to pair these sanwitches with Vampire Bites, which are also incredibly easy to make. Just take a ripe cherry tomato (you can also use cut-up tomatoes) and use almond slivers for vampire teeth. If your child is allergic to nuts, you could also use chow mein noodles. 

Don't these look amazing!!

By adding the Pumpkin Seeds, you add more protein to the meal and who doesn't like this seasonal snack? I got a great recipe from This Bird's Day that is really great. 

I found that washing the pumpkin seeds and then allowing them to fully dry before cooking them, and adding your spices was the best way to go. I love how crunchy and tasty they are! 

There are hundreds of variations to these three things and so if you are crazy like me and send themed lunches to "school" as well there are a lot of different things you can do with a little imagination and a cookie cutter! 

Can the Cupcake or Tips for Sending Treats to School

My Son's Allergy Bracelet

It's that time again, and so the topic of sweets and schools is in the forefront. With allergies and sensitivities at an all time high, many parents do not realize that sending a treat to school can lead to disappointments and tears for a growing number of children (or worse). Who can blame these parents for wanting to send something special for a class party or a birthday? Food is one of those things that has been the center of a community for countless generations.

Switch Witch

Disappointment is something that children with allergies/sensitivities and/or food preferences are just going to have to learn at an early age. As adults we can understand fully what happens when we eat something that we should not, however, children have a real hard time understanding this especially from the ages of 3-7 when being like your peers is a daily goal. Protecting our children from disappointment is easier when they are not in daycare/preschool/school as we control the environment and/or we can distract and/or we can be prepared in advance.  For example, being the "switch witch" at Halloween you can take all the candies that your kids cannot eat and leave a toy in its place, or you can take your children to venues that have goodies that they *can* eat. It is only when the child is asked to do this self-policing that things can get a bit trickier…

As a parent with a child with food challenges here are some ideas to make the early years a bit more manageable:

Can't get any simpler than that. 

1.) Ask the teacher for a list of all the birthdays in the class. Make sure that when they land that your child has a substitute (frozen treat that they can eat) already at the school or send with the child in his/her lunch.

2.) Ask the teacher for a list of all the food sensitivities/allergies and preferences and then sign up to bring a treat and make sure that it does not have any of the trouble foods in it. Tell the other parents so that they know and are aware of the food challenges in class.

3.) Get shirts, pins, bracelets or labels to go on your children’s school items so that all the parents/teachers that see your child will know that they have food challenges. With more education comes more change.

4.) Get involved in your child’s parent council. Especially if your child has a severe allergy. Peanuts are not the only food that can kill a child, and again education is key.

5.) Consider doing a presentation or have a coffee meeting with the parents to let them know that having a heads up when they want to bring treats is preferable… sometimes parents will just keep kids from home, it  can be simpler that way.

As a parent of a child who does not have any food challenges.

Leave the Cupcakes at home.

1.) Try not to send baked goods. As much fun as it is to have the whole class celebrate with your child, baked goods are one of the most common things that all children can not eat. There will always be one child who must miss out. If it is the child with diabetes, the vegan child or the child with a dairy, egg or gluten allergy; one of them will be disappointed when everyone else gets to share in the celebration and they can not.

2.) If you really want to send baked goods, ask the teacher for a list of all the food challenges that are in the class and try to accommodate. The children may not be able to eat it anyway, with all of your efforts as cross-contamination is really easy to happen when baking, and most parents will not let their child take that risk.

Little Tree Crayons

3.) Send stickers, pencils or homemade crayons as a way to celebrate. This way the celebration can last longer than eating a cupcake in 5 seconds flat!! (and I bet the kids will treasure it more!)

4.) Make your child an extra special birthday lunch with their favourite foods. You could also make a themed lunch. Just typing into google-bento lunch and your child's favourite thing can give you a whole host of ideas to try. It will also make your child feel really special – and isn’t that the point entirely?

5.) Save the cupcake for home or the birthday party. A lot of it comes down to the parents of the other children not knowing that a treat is coming so that they can prepare accordingly. If you save the treats for the party the other parents can warn their child or have a substitute.

6.) Send fruit or vegetables. Childhood obesity is on the rise and many children do not get the proper servings of fruits and veggies needed for optimal growth, a celebration day is a great way to get them into children.

We don’t have to take food completely out of celebrations to make everyone happy, but we can choose other things to make it a more inclusionary practice. There are many different ways that we can dress up good allergen free foods to make them fun too. It just takes a little more creativity and some time…time you have when you are not icing 24 cupcakes. 

It's even Vegetarian!