5 Favorite Summertime Snacks For Toddlers

You guys, this week it has gotten up to 114.  Degrees.  This is how we have spent the summer so far:

Playing with outside toys..inside.  Much like this time as well. 

Swinging on the back porch (surprisingly she begs me to do this, multiple times a day).

Hosing down.

Sending her and her dad over to the neighbors' pool every.single.day.  Our neighbors --> the best.

Inevitably we are in serious need of some cold treats around here, so I thought I'd share with you some of my favorites lately!

1. Homemade Popsicles 

(see first picture)

I bought this popsicle maker at my local Fry's grocery store for $3.99.  It has definitely paid for itself in its very greatness. Mia loves the pops especially after we spend 5 minutes outside in the shaded heat of the desert. And they are the perfect little size for her.

One of her favorite combos: Blueberries, strawberries, banana, peaches, and milk.

2. Smoothies

Ok this is very similar to the popsicles...but they deserve to be on the list too. I love sneaking nutrient-rich veggies like spinach into Mia's smoothies because the more nutrients a veggie has, the less likely Mia is to want to eat them (as a general rule).  :)

I make sure to put plenty of sweet fruit in there - especially never skipping the banana - when the spinach goes in there.  She gulps it down.

Here are some of my favorite combos (which can also be used as pops too!)

Green Strawberry-Banana:

Strawberries / Banana / Milk / Cinnamon / Spinach / Ice

Protein Mixed-Berry:

Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Banana, Plain Greek 2% Yogurt

PB-Berry:

Blueberries, Strawberries, Banana, Peanut Butter, Milk

Chocolate Avocado:

Extra ripe banana, milk, cocoa powder, avocado, ice

3.  Frozen Blueberries {Straight Up}

Ok so this isn't quite a "complete" snack, but I was introduced to letting Mia eat frozen blueberries lately and I love it so much - especially in the summer!  It means I can buy a huge bag of already frozen, or a huge container of fresh if they're on sale, and pull out a handful for a great cold treat.

My teeth are super sensitive to cold so I never considered it, but Mia loves them.  Which means I love them.

4.  Ants On a Log {toddler version}

Apparently I have a little ant-eater on my hands

Since Mia only has seven front teeth, celery isn't quite the easiest to eat except to just chew on.  Therefore, I sub the celery for banana and voila.

And bonus tip if you don't know already: bananas break easily into thirds the long way.   Bing. Bang. Boom.

5. Frozen Yogurt-Filled Raspberries

Thanks to Pinterest, this one is also a new favorite. If this doesn't scream "I'm still on my first child and have time for things like filling individual raspberries with tiny dollops of yogurt"  I don't know what does.  Nevertheless...they are great, bite-size treats.

Ok friends, if you have any other suggestions I'd love to hear them in the comments!  Stay cool out there and have a great week!

And check out other great Faves at Mama Knows!

Salmon Burger Recipe

Oh, hello!

So a lot has happened around here lately (ok not really).  But one thing is for sure...I have a 6 month old!

OMG!

I just think she's the cutest.  I could -literally- kiss her face off.

She sits up on her own (mainly), and is a little obsessed with food right now, especially when mama is eating it.  This is a great age ya'll.  Much better than the days when she didn't even laugh at my jokes.

Speaking of food, I'm sure you would all agree it's time for another great recipe, no?  (That was a joke. I've been a little recipe happy lately. This too shall pass).

Anyhoo, I thought I would share with you my Salmon Burger recipe.  Like a lotta great things, I got this from my mama.  I made it for Joel after we got married, my super clean eating husband, and he requests them Often, people.  They are awesome.   

Kath's Salmon Burgers

Serves 4 adults

Roughly 25 g of protein per burger

1 14.75oz can / pouch wild caught Salmon (some cans/pouches are slightly less, that is OK - just shoot for 14-15 oz.)

12 soda crackers, crushed

1 Tbsp. mayo

2 eggs

Salt and Pepper to taste

Some adaptations:  I've subbed out the crackers for old fashioned oats a few times- (about 1/2 cup) and it was awesome!  I do this when I'm eating a tiny bit extra "clean".  I usually pulse them in a food processor to grind them up a bit first, but you definitely don't have to...I've done it both ways. 

I have also added more spices to it before and liked it - a mix of cumin, cinnamon, and paprika.

Anyway - whatever you put in - mix and patty them up, and fry them on a pan with either a little bit of olive oil, or some Pam.  

A lot of people might wonder, what do you eat with Salmon Burgers?  Well here I am to tell you....one of our favorite meals is in that above picture...a baked sweet potato, steamed veggies, and a Salmon Burger.

Now, don't judge me on this, but when I'm not really counting calories I dip my burger in a mixture of mayo and ketchup.  Been doing it since I was little with these babies.  

You can just call me Mrs. Gourmet with that pretty pink mixture on my plate.  I don't mind.

Get your omega 3's!

ONE WEEK TO GO!

So TOMORROW is the one week mark (oh. em. gee.), and apparently my grandmother keeps bugging my dad about what I have been doing to prepare in these final days.

Knowing how often I get this question as well, I might as well answer it here huh?  Even though Grandma doesn’t get the internet, somebody please fill that woman in!

1.       I’ve started with the Tan.  I’m not super excited about this since I swore it off years ago, but it’s back one last time.  Maybe leave this out for Grandma.

2.       Alterations!  My evening gown -I just tried it on today and it is looking AWESOME; Swimsuit – maybe the most awkward thing to get fitted…two ladies with strong (Brittish??) accents in my nether regions.   The experience may have tied with the lady without the private changing room. Interview dress – standard;  Heals – yes I needed to get my heals altered.  This is pretty much because I bought them online, and then subsequently got a tongue lashing from who I like to call my Russian Cobbler Couple (extremely nice) about the idiocy of purchasing ANYthing without trying it on. 

3.       Working out…same ol’.  Though a big black guy asked me the other day if I was an athlete, because my leg muscles “were so defined”.  I will admit this pretty much made my day.  Now if he had said “Are you training for a Pageant?”…… I may have been a little weirded out.

4.       Kicking the clean eating up a notch.  Plus No cheating, i.e. no sweets. I will have to say…working the discipline muscle on a regular basis, though causing fatigue at times (and failure), does make you stronger!  This has surprisingly become less of a big deal each day. 

5.       Going in for a hair practice appointment (something I made up) at my hair salon!  This is going to be fun.  Um, how can I make my hair bigger please? 

6.       Reading the local newspaper and the Huffington Post.  

7.       Practicing answering questions…I downloaded 200 pageant questions to my phone (great first date questions too, if anyone is going on one of those..) and I usually answer a few while I drive each day...mmm, probably leave that out for Grandma too.

8.       Wearing my heals at home….walking around at commercial breaks, wearing them while I make dinner…it’s quite the sight my roommates will assure you.

Thank you thank you THANK YOU to everyone who has helped me along the way!  All your support and encouragement has gone a LONG WAY, and just being there when I cried (which actually happened each day for the following four days after I wrote that silly post), or helping me out financially, or giving me advice, or "liking" my posts, has meant so much to me.  Rally Hats people...One week to go! 

Pageant Prep

So..Whatever does it take to compete for a pageant? 

Let me tell you.

1.  Dating a professional “trainer”.  Then hiring a second one.  A girl can’t have too many men calculating her body fat % right? (Just kidding..Joel only did that once, after a nagging request by me). 

So what does this really mean?  This means much more purpose (and weight training!) to my workouts, which means early to bed, early to rise, spending time on YouTube looking up the new workouts my (hired) trainer “prescribes”, which actually means…a little hard work and a lot of fun!  A specific goal makes working out more enjoyable for me, which was one of the reasons I decided to do this crazy thing anyway…a fun way to shoot for a new goal.  Call me crazy.

The less fun part: food journals emailed weekly.  Yuk.  I just want a dessert everyday.  With a scoop of peanut butter on top.  Whats so wrong with that?!  Well I haven’t cut those out Completely (let’s be real), but that doesn’t mean I don’t have in my possession rediculously space-consuming 5 lb containers of both Vanilla and Chocolate protein.  Oh and a little 2 lb one of "Cinnemon Roll" for breakfast!  Upside:  Well I could sing the song of body-transforming benefits of upping one’s protein intake throughout the day, but let’s get to the real benefit: apparently joining the Protein Powder Club is “a turn on” for some.  I won’t name names.

2.  Paying more attention to fashion, hair, make-up, etc.  Usually this is already on a girl’s list, however I guess it takes a little thing called a Pageant to get on mine.  So to my stylists Lisa, Chariti, Kim… and make-up and hair consultant Joni Laree…THANK YOU!

3.  Formulating my "WHO" (coachspeak); Paying even more attention to news, current events, etc.  No repeating the Pageant Contestant stereotype here.  This also includes some soul searching and critical thinking…formulating concrete yet malleable opinions, brainstorming ideas, knowing what I believe, knowing why I believe it, etc.  This will definitely be a lifelong process for me, and in my opinion, should be on everyone’s list.

4.  Finding sponsors…this is not a free gig!  There’s the hefty contestant fee, plus everything that goes along with it….The studded and flow-y Evening Gown; The Swimsuit that will both cover and enhance…well things that need covering and “enhancing” (lets be real again.  I love my body, but in competition?  Another story.)  The trendy-yet-classy-but-not-too-business-y Interview Outfit; The Shoes;  The appropriate Jewelry for each; The extra hair and make-up Stuff I do not already own; The Tan; The Elmer’s Spray Glue; The extra Training advice…Yup I think that about covers it.  So….Thank you so much to my generous Friends and Sponsors who have helped so far!!!  I seriously could not be doing this without you!              

5.   Practicing, practicing, practicing.  Practice walking right, standing right, sitting right (hello exercise ball turned office chair), walking in Heals, experimenting with make-up, experimenting with hair…etc. etc.  I told Joel he has to take me out to fancy places every weekend now so I can practice the heals, make-up, hair, etc….hmm..maybe THIS is why I signed up for this.

So – all in all this has shaped up to be a pretty fun journey towards an interesting and fun new goal.  I can’t wait to see what the next 6 weeks brings!