Posts tagged as:

healthy

Tropical Oatmeal

by Stacy on March 26, 2010

I’ll be making a big announcement next week, an announcement that has a lot to do with the better food choices I’ve been making for my family this year. We’re eating foods that are better for us and finding ways to make them taste better than their sugar loaded alternatives. I’ll be sharing some of our favorite meals with you over the coming months, but I thought I would start you off with one of our favorite breakfasts, Tropical Oatmeal.

Tropical Oatmeal

This one is a hit with everyone in my house, which is saying A LOT. Hopefully it will be a big hit in your home too.

Tropical Oatmeal

3 cups Oats (We use Quaker Old Fashioned but any kind will do)
3 1/2 cups Water
1 3/4 cups Light Vanilla Soy Milk (can sub. milk if needed)
2-3 tablespoons Butter
Pinch of Salt (Optional)
1/3 cup Brown Sugar

Top With:

Blueberries
Dried Fruit (We like Sunmaid Tropical Trio)
Additional Toppings: Granola, Slivered Almonds, Toasted Coconut, anything goes really

This recipe makes 6 servings but you can modify it to your families needs. Stick to the instructions on the Oatmeal container, substituting 1/2 of the water for Light Vanilla Soymilk or Milk. This makes the oatmeal have a different consistency and makes it a ton more filling and healthy. I add the brown sugar to the oatmeal while it’s still in the pot because it’s a lot less fuss than sweetening each individual bowl. This recipe will give you just a touch of sweetness (perfect for toddlers) but you may need to add some more sugar to suit your own tastes. (I try to use the toppings as a way to sweeten to my liking instead of adding any more sugar) Finish by garnishing each bowl with a few handfuls of blueberries, a handful of dried fruit and whatever additional toppings you choose. Sit back and enjoy this surprisingly exotic comfort food.

~ Happy Friday!

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Lovin these Rainbow Wraps

by Stacy on August 25, 2009

KSW is all about color, kids and fun! So, when we saw these amazing Yummy Rainbow Wraps, we knew they were the perfect way to give KSW kids something Healthy and Delicious while combining all three. The perfect activity to get your kids excited about fruits, veggies, and just being in the kitchen ~ Check out these gorgeous photos:

Head on over to The Lunch Box Bunch and choose their Fruit or Veggie versions of the gorgeous Rainbow Wraps.

{I know what we’ll be making at my house this Thursday after our weekly trip to our local Farmers Market – Yum, I can’t wait!}

We’ll be adding Kathy to our ever-growing list of parent-friendly web resources. {Check back soon when we make all of our hidden gems available to KSW readers}

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wHy nOt tRy sOmEtHiNg fUnKy

by Stacy on July 1, 2009

Like most moms, I spend way too much time struggling to find healthy snacks for my kids. No matter what I choose, I usually come home feeling guilty about my choices. Guilty because what I’ve chosen is either healthy for them but horrible tasting or delicious tasting and full of sugar and preservatives.

That’s why I was thrilled when I found Funky Monkey Fruit Snacks. Funky Monkey, the fruit that crunches, is a delicious, convenient freeze dried snack with the natural goodness of fresh fruit.

Available in Bananamon, Carnaval Mix, Jivealime, or Purple Funk

Why KSW loves it: We love that Funky Monkey uses whole fruit slices so you can see the natural goodness you’re giving your kids. We also love that each package is just 110 calories and contains the equivalent of 3 servings of fruit and NO added sugar or preservatives. It’s also 100% Natural ~ Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Dairy Free and three of the flavors are USDA certified organic.

Tip: Try some Funky Monkey in yogurt or even on top of ice cream

Grab some Funky Monkey Fruit Snacks from Amazon. You can even Save an extra 15% with Subscribe & Save and get FREE SHIPPING

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Ten Ways to beat Stress RIGHT NOW!

by Stacy on December 12, 2008

Photo: J Crew

Ever had one of those days? Do you sometimes feel as if you’ve had a chain of those days or as if things are piling up on you all at once? Often times we add to a stressful situation and actually make things appear worse than they really are. After all, our ability to handle any situation is 90% attitude, 10% circumstance. 

Fortunately for us, Andrea from the ShortcutSleuth.com has come up with 10 really great ways we can overcome stress RIGHT NOW. I’m delighted to share an excerpt of these tips with you now.

1. Let the small things slide.  -  I promise you’ll feel better for it in the long run, Andrea tells us to “Figure out what really matters and choose your battles.” 

2. Don’t set unrealistic goals - OK, I have a feeling we’re all guilty of this one, but when Andrea points out that, “if we expect too much” from ourself and others, “then we always set ourselves up for disappointment” it makes me reconsider.

3. Learn to say ‘no’ -  I’m not sure about you, but this is a really tricky one for me. Still Andrea is pretty convincing when she says, When you’re only doing the tasks you really want to, you will be more effective and less stressed.

4. Take time for yourself every day.    We’re so accustomed to doing for everyone else that sometimes we forget to focus on what we need, want and like.  If we make ourself a TOP priority, then it is easier to handle the source of stress in our lives.

5. Let yourself be a kid again -  This is a point we should all take close to heart. Andrea is so right with this one, have you ever noticed how a child can go from end of the world bawling to barrel of laughs in 0.001 seconds? We were that way too…. once. Let you child be your guide and try to reclaim this lost ability. Take the time to just let go and be spontaneous.  Do something fun and let yourself laugh!  For a few minutes, just forget about all of the responsibilities you have as an adult and in no time at all you’ll feel rejuvenated.

6. Keep a sense of humor - Sometimes when things aren’t so great, you just have to look at things and see the funny side of them.  The saying that “laughter is the best medicine” rings true for many of us.

7. Take time to exercise.  Not only does exercise keep you in good physical and mental shape, but it also produces endorphins that make you feel good and relieves stress.  Plus, exercising is a great way to focus on ourselves, if even for a moment. 

8. Eat healthy.  When your diet is well-balanced, you just plain feel better.  When we’re stressed, we tend to reach for comfort foods or foods that are not the best for us.  They may make us feel better in the short-term, but maintaining a healthy diet will make us feel better overall.

9. Call a friend.  When things are going badly, find the friend that you can count on for a good laugh or that helps you best put things in perspective, and give her a call. 

10. Take a time out.  When things are about to reach a breaking point, take a time out to regroup.  Just like we put kids in time out so they can calm down and think about what they’ve done, time outs can work wonders for us as well. 

This has been a summary of Andrea’s original post, 10 tips to Stop yourself from losing it

Have a few stress busting tips of your own? We’d love to hear them, leave a brief comment or email us at kidsstuffworld@gmail.com

Stacy

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Cute snack idea

by Stacy on October 17, 2008

Banana Dots

I stumbled onto a great new blog today called The Toddler Cafe. The host of Toddler Cafe, Jennifer, blogs about all sorts of terrific ways to get kids eating healthy and delicious meals and snacks. Take this super cute Banana Dots recipe. A little creativity turns a typical afternoon snack into something truly special. I’m not sure about your kids but mine love anything I declare “special”. I can’t wait to try this one over the weekend.

Simply slice the banana into rounds, dab a dot of peanut butter (or let the kids do it through a plastic baggie as Jennifer suggests), then sprinkle with coconuts, chocolate chips, peanuts, or even honey. Try one round with one of each topping for a devine sampler platter.

Jennifer, thanks so much for this wonderful idea. I can’t wait to find tons more great ideas on your site.

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