Healthy homemade gummy candy for kids

Although Oliver's toilet training days are just about complete he still often asks for a treat after using it. I've gotten pretty concerned about the number of smarties, Lindors and Easter eggs he's eaten and the trick of offering cherry tomatoes and blueberries just isn't cutting it anymore.

Solution? Healthy homemade gummy candies!

I came across the recipe, in various forms, a while back but could never remember to buy gelatin. Then when my mom had a package at her house, it was happenstance.

It takes only a few minutes to throw together and is ready to eat in about half an hour. 

Here's how you do it:

2/3 cup fresh fruit, washed and cubed

2/3 cup fresh lemon, lime or orange juice

2 T honey 

5 T gelatin powder

1. Warm the first three ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat until the fruit is soft like a compote. Allow to cool slightly. 

2. Blend with an immersion blender or stand up blender. (This is too dangerous to do while the mixture is hot so don't skip the cooling step.)

3. Whisk in gelatin. If it gets lumpy send for another blend. 

4. Pour into an 8x8 dish and refrigerate until set (about 20 minutes). Then cut into desired shape. Alternatively, use a mini mold for ice cubes or chocolate to get great shapes. 

They are sweet and tangy and have the perfect chew for an addictively yummy treat!

Skinny shaming -- not okay

So I came across this photo today...

It's definitely nothing new. I've seen these "real women have curves" images all over the place. And you'd think that, being in huge support of having a healthy relationship with food, I would love this message. 

I don't. 

First of all, the above photo features seven different women -- all seven of them are real. Believe it or not, real women have curves, or don't; they wear size 0 or they don't; they have eating disorders or they don't; they have a coveted thigh gap or they don't. Every woman is different but it doesn't make one less real than the other. Granted many of the thin models we see in magazines have been air brushed to all heck but I'd be surprised if the "normal size" women above weren't. Look at their perfectly done hair and makeup. Should we start a movement that "real women have uneven winged eyeliner"? (We mostly do, by the way.) 

Real women don't have white teeth?

Real women can't put hair extensions in very well?

Real women don't always match their bra to their underwear?

We are all real so let's get over that. If the message is that "normal" women do, sure. On "average" we are slightly over weight as per Health Canada's recommendations. I don't see why that's something to promote. "Let's be as close to normal as possible!" 

Next, how is it a wholesome, inspirational message to outright say that one group is hotter than the other? We are inclined to feel good about this statement because we are rooting for the underdog. The below Vic-Secret-type women are likely often found attractive so when we see the bigger women being preferred we love it. Guess what? It's rude no matter how much privilege the group has. Racism has long seen major privilege for white people, does this mean a poster stating "Blacks are smarter!" is in good taste? Nope. Placing your judgment on someone based on their body appearance and then publicizing it on the internet is mean and unnecessary. Were it the other way around (flip the photos) it would be seen as rude and horrible. 

We also need to remember that sometimes being bigger is unhealthy. If a woman is big but healthy - awesome - but if it's causing her issues with her heart health and/or blood sugar, let's not glorify that. I know that thinness and health are not synonymous but when we drive home the point that "fat is okay" it can create a complacency for people to not desire to get healthy. 

Lastly, the skinny shaming needs to end because not all skinny people intend to be that way. Now I'm not saying I'm even in the realm of thinness as these bikini-wearing women but I've certainly been the victim of skinny shaming. 

Go eat something. Give her the last cookie she needs it. Oh my pants would hang on you. You don't even need to work out.       These are just the beginning. And I'm a "normal" weight by my Body Mass Index. 

Skinny shamers only think they are building up bigger women but really they are bringing down thin women at the same time. It's hurtful. Some skinny women work hard to be that way, some are that way naturally and don't care, and still others hate being thin so much that they so everything they can to gain weight and it doesn't work. 

It is never your job to judge how someone looks and then make them feel badly about it. 

When my son turned 1 I was nursing him a lot and it caused me some weight loss. This drove me crazy mainly because I wanted to be fertile again soon but also because my clothes didn't fit. I did EVERYTHING to put on weight. I would drink a smoothie filled with protein powder, coconut oil & half and half cream almost daily. I put in extreme effort to not drop below 115 lbs. Sometimes putting on weight isn't an option. Sit back and think; if this was the case for you, how would you feel about a photo that says other women are hotter than you? Gladly that period of my life didn't last long but now I can sympathize. 

Oh, and, girls? From what I see above these are women. 

Update: 5 months & 35 months

DAKOTA FORREST //

Size-- 13 lbs and 26 inches at last appointment - how how how can a little girl be average weight for her age but in the 97th percentile for length, and still look this chubby?! I love her. (Hashtag HonestCoDiapers)

Food-- according to this book I'm supposed to do grains first (ugh, this goes against all my former hippie knowledge - why Alicia why?) 

Kota has also been getting a little organic coconut oil just because it's this perfect food that I want to share with her. I may or may not have let her lick some organic banana and avocado off my finger too :) okay okay, she ate 1/3 cup of puréed strawberries yesterday afternoon!

Activities-- kissing kissing and only kissing. It takes up my whole day. 

She really likes playing with her toys now. And being tickled by Daddy or Ollie. And chewing on stuff. 

Favs-- can I just not even feel bad about my obsession with cute diapers?! Come on, I'm sure they are her fav...

Least favs--

Her least fav is like littering & not recycling and stuff... (See shirt) no really she only hates her car seat. 

OLIVER WOLFE //

Size-- Oliver wears anything from 18months to 4T. Because of this his clothes get pretty chaotic. Recently I organized his shorts. 

Food-- well, he made up some lie that he doesn't like blueberries or green peas anymore (balony!) but he eats everything else and has been particularly hungry ("sooo honnn-gee") for about a week. Like, eating an adult portion of food every hour.

Here's a grilled cheese he had at a local food truck. 

Here's his ultimate snack. He asks for "seeds and chocolates" 200 times a day. 

A frozen yogurt (actually sorbet) we shared. Apparently he liked daddy's cake batter & peanut butter cups better ??

Activities-- his usual like baseball, hockey and painting. And then this happened. 

Yes, Kota's toys. He also has done some trampoline jumping recently. And he's a great gardener. Still loves wagon rides. Still loves doing age inappropriate cooking tasks for me, like stirring a hot skillet of veggies. :D

Favs-- he really likes day trips to Great-Nanny's house in Goderich. He will swim for like 4 hours other than eating lunch. 

Least favs-- Waking up in Ikea and finding out we aren't buying any toys??!!!

A new kind of gluten free bar

Recently I had a chance to try SoLo Gi bars. I loved the flavours but I wanted to get the perspective of a real day-in-and-day-out gluten-freer.

Luckily I have an army of gluten free family members and was able to have my mom write up her own review. Here it is!

1. What do you look for in a gluten free bar?

I look for pure, natural and healthy ingredients. Texture and crunch is important as well.

2. What has your experience even with gluten free bars thus far?

For the most part, most gluten free bars taste more like saw dust or memory foam. Not very appetizing at all. Other than a no name brand that I stumbled upon, none have become my go to's.  And most are hardly affordable, as they are more in the $1.50- $2 each range.

3. What did you think of Solo Gi?

I tested the dark chocolate mandarin bar.
I am not usually a chocolate/citrus combo lover, but it worked. I loved the richness of the chocolate and the contrasting tartness of the mandarin. Texture was pretty typical for energy bars, which I am not a huge fan of. The bar served loads of energy as I was working long hours in a flower shop at Valentines Day.

4. Do you have any suggestions for improvement?

Texture, still kinda sawdust like. Not sure if one can get away from that with the ingredient list.

Vegetable garden progress - successes & failures - June 2014

PLANTS DOING AWESOME 

Potatoes -- I grew these kooks from a pile of scraps bound to be compost. I decided to bury them in a pot of soil and what payoff! These beauties are strong & huge. Now I just need to find a bigger place to transplant them and then figure out when to dig them up. 

Spearmint -- I pick like 2 cups of this per day and I swear it's always grown back the next morning. I chomp on this stuff like it's cake. Delicious. 

Chives -- if you follow me on Instagram (@amyjoyharrison) you've seen Oliver's giant bowl of chives that we sliced and laid out in the sun to dry. We have enough for a nuclear apocalypse. And ain't the flowers pretty? (I have vases and vases full inside.)

Radishes -- they've only been planted a few days but they look wonderful. I do think I need to thin them, yes?

Brussels sprouts -- I CANNOT wait to roast these babies in lemon juice & honey. Jsidbsnaksoduennejsns. 

Eggplant -- also looking good. The leaves are so fuzzy like velour. It's weird. 

Cucumbers & squashes -- welcome to the jungle! These are monnnnsters. Blooming and ready to be pollinated. (Come on little bees!)

Peppers including hot peppers -- they will start producing soon, I can spot a few little developing buds. Not sure how spicy they'll be but I'm up for the challenge (and Calvin can always bring them to band practice to torture each other).

Blossoms!

Carrots -- I should probably thin these also. I haven't in the past and I always end up with a mix of small and large carrots, as well as some weirdly shaped ones. 

Tomatoes -- our most important crop is doing amazing! We will be enjoying them any day now!

See the little babies?

And some self seeded ones...

And these stubby Tiny Toms that produce cherry tomatoes but are like sturdy as a rock and only 6" tall. 

PLANTS HAVING PROBLEMS 

Almost all the herbs. Basil, cilantro, thyme and parsley aren't growing much and look a bit pale. I think it's because the pots don't have good drainage so they're either dry or drowning. 

Blackberry cane (also rhubarb, not pictured) -- it's not exactly taking well to joining our backyard family. I guess it'll take til next year to provide us with fruit. 

The greens patch -- while the 2 greens I'm not sure the name of (I think one's just "green leaf lettuce") are okay, the kale keeps bolting. I'll be sure to plant it in a shaded area next time. This year it just self seeded so I had no choice. 

Sunflowers -- they are totally covered by other plants and are dying for some sun. I feel bad for them. 

Beans and peas -- some meanie rabbit or squirrel didn't get the memo that we need to let the plants produce and ripen before we share. No use wrecking the leaves and then no one gets beans and peas! Bums!

So gardening gurus, have any advice? Show me photos of your crops!

Oliver on the move

It goes without saying that Oliver is universally loved & adored. I mean, just listen to him sing "I will follow you into the dark" (Death Cab for Cutie) with all his heart, and you'll fall in love. 

So there are times that he's literally more social than me. Starbucks dates, early morning trips to the farmers market, playground playin' ... It's not an uncommon text to get "Hey can I put his car seat in my car and take Ollie out?"

So here is what the popular young lad almost always brings when he goes out. It's so cute to see him stuff his jean pockets (or leather jacket, or a cloth bag) with all this stuff. 

1. Car keys to Lightening McQueen. They make an ignition noise and a car locking noise. 

2. Also on the key ring: a momento from Brazil, an all purpose flashlight (for when his ball goes under the couch, or when he wants to hide somewhere dark and scary), his tin wallet. 

3. A non-usable blackberry. A staff member at Loblaws gave it to him. It was an old floor model for showing people before they buy. 

4. A pack of Boogie Wipes in case of sudden cold or allergies?

5. Lip balm. In his words "ALL DAY."

6. Money - typically real Canadian dollars but lately some of this Canadian Tire money is vital too. When he's not going out it's stored in his piggy bank. 

7. Sunnies of course. 

What do your kids bring out with them?

Farm Boy review

The day is here! The south end of London has a gourmet grocer! 

I happen to live a 90 second drive or about 6 minute walk to here so naturally I'm over the moon excited. 

Farm Boy opened yesterday (June 12, 2014) and has a grand opening party this Saturday the 14th - from 10am to 2pm I believe. Unfortunately a poorly timed rain storm kept me from checking it out right on day 1 (seriously, imagine this: both kids in the wood wagon, cuddled in blanket and then a torrential downpour hits us as we leave my street - horrible) but we were able to tour the place today. 

My verdict? Well, my text to Calvin was "AAMMMMAAAZZZZING!"

Allow me to explain. 

Calvin and I are foodies. While he might be more on the end of delicious ("wow, spruce needle cured duck bacon!" -- I'm joking) and I'm more on the end of nutritious and planet-friendly ("mmm local  pickled fiddle heads!"), we want the same thing. A store where we can buy things to make the food we imagine in our heads. 

Until now we have done our main grocery shops at Loblaws. They have good produce and good selection, and it's always clean and well organized. While sometimes expensive, there are no-name options as well as the PC Plus program, and frankly if we are going to spend money I would like it to be on good food. We are so happy that we now have Farm Boy which also has amazing quality, and is gorgeous, and is mainly quite affordable. 

 

The first thing I noticed was sadly a downside: parking! I hope this was only an issue because it's new and busy but the parking was a nightmare. That being said I plan to walk a lot of the time so this won't be a concern. 

The produce is impeccable. Flawless. Great variety. And the most inexpensive I could have imagined. A cored pineapple for $1.99. Asparagus for $1.99/lb. I think avocados were 4 for $5. The usual 66 cents per lb for bananas. I saw no prices here that seemed above normal. Very happy. 

Then the store has everything from artisan bread, an incredible butchery & seafood monger area, dry items like flours and pasta, nut butters, and so much more! Some standard brands are available at semi-typical prices (Hellmans mayo for around $5) but many items have only a "high-end" choice (you're more likely to find organic sour cherry & vanilla pod jam than $1 grape jelly if you know what I mean). 

What struck me here is the staff! Customer service at its best. I was offered a sample of pumpkin butter made right here in town by the YOU program (youth opportunities unlimited, on Dundas St) and they were sure to give some to my mom on a gluten free cracker. The cheese department gladly let Oliver try anything his eyes could see. (His favourites were a creamy havarti & a smoked Gouda). At one point Oliver quietly said he needs some water and a staff member (management I imagine) hustled to the chilled drinks area and passed him a fresh, chilly, opened water, noting to the cashier not to charge us for it. A friend I ran into asked if they have reusable bags and someone gave her one free of charge. We were physically walked to areas when asking where to find items, as opposed to the usual ("uh it's that way"). 

The last section that I fell in love with is the to-go items. Hello future addiction. There is a FULL (fuuulllllll) salad bar at $1.99/100g). Pickled red onion, eggs, veggie sushi, you name it. A soup bar also. And hot coffee (by Fire Roasted Coffee - if you have read my blog for a long time you'll know this is my ultimate fav). And perfect lemonade. And buttery delicious pastries. 

Just look at this selection of dressings. 

I was floored by the place. If the business cools down and I can manage to keep my bill around the same as it's always been, this will be my new weekly shop. 

Oh and best part? 

Running into Cal's former culinary school teacher, who was the first person ever to win Chopped Canada. If they have people like her working there, it's undeniable -- Farm Boy is pure gold. 

Farm Boy is located on Wellington north of Bradley, in the same plaza as Menchies/5 Guys/Chapters. It is open every day. www.farmboy.ca

Dad brags

So there's this company out of the States that does "Man Crates" which are themed gifts that you can ship to someone in your life (I hesitate to say "man in your life" because you could totally send this to a woman if you'd like). They have themes like Bacon, Jerky, Beer, Football, BBQing, Hot Sauce, Camping, Golfing, Shaving, Zombies and so on. It's pretty awesome.

Right now they're challenging bloggers to post about their dads, because Fathers' Day is coming up. Specifically, BRAG about your dad, which for me is easy to do.

I'll cut myself off at ten, but I could write a million brags about my dad.

1. My dad works his butt off. Maybe I should be careful bragging about this because if he knows I'm proud of his work ethic he'll only work harder, and then when will we go out for frozen yogurt?!
2. My dad isn't afraid of anything. I can honestly say if we were swimming in the ocean and the lifeguard called out a shark sighting, my dad would swim towards it.
3. My dad rides a motorcycle faster that your dad. (Oh my gosh, everything I'm writing I'm going to regret "encouraging".) He's also ridden that crazy Death's Curve or whatever in the southern States.
4. My dad makes a mean fried rice. I crave it constantly. He just uses leftover white rice, with grapeseed oil, 1 chopped Spanish onion, an egg cracked in, and some salt. Then he tops it with cold, fresh spicy salsa. It's the very best.
5. My dad totally cries during movies. And watches Project Runway. And isn't afraid to admit it (most of the time.)
6. My dad is forgiving, loving, apologetic, kind-hearted and fiercely moral. If someone dropped a $20 on the sidewalk, he would go to the ends of the earth to return it to its owner. If he dinged someone's car with his door in a parking lot, he'll leave a note with his contact information to make it right. If a cashier gave him an extra ten cents change and he figured it out at home, I guarantee he'd drive back and explain.
7. My dad is approximately 17 years old at heart. As soon as he sees Oliver come over he's like "Dude, let's go get lost in the forest and throw rocks in the pond and catch bees in a mason jar!" Sometimes we don't see the two of them for hours.
8. My dad WILL wear paint-stained, ripped, 30-year old track pants in public, just to tick off my sister.
9. My dad was essentially the inspiration for Elliot's older brother in the movie ET. I've made up fact up but watch it and you'll see.
10. My dad eats a diet heavy in fruits and veggies, takes long walks daily and is actively trying to tackle stress. The guy's gunna live forever.


I can never brag enough about the privilege it is to be his daughter!

The Honest Company

You haven't seen my face light up until you've seen a courier truck pull up to my house with a big blue box (and I know it's the Honest Company.) Okay, maybe you have if you've ever watched the Leafs win with me, or offered me a mug of chai.

It must have been over two years ago, maybe two and a half, that I got wind of a new venture Jessica Alba (yes, the celebrity) was beginning. She was already quite active in our little "eco-friendly moms" community, and with her talent and prominent position she was able to start her own line of diapers and wipes free of nasty chemicals and toxins. Along with the co-founder, Chris, the ensured that every product was kid-friendly and planet-friendly, but also affordable and super cute in design. As the company has grown (to training pants, cleaning products, beauty products and natural supplements) they have stayed committed to Earth-saving initiatives like recycling and ethical sourcing as well as philanthropic venues like donation to charity.

Oh and did I mention you can get their products for free?

Go to THIS LINK right now and you can have your first box sent to you at no charge (just shipping - it's like $6...) After that you'll be hooked. You can either choose a few things that you need or get bundles so that fresh new packs of diapers and wipes, and/or cleaning products, will arrive at your door monthly. (You can share in my joy of the big blue box.)

Here's a sampling of what we enjoyed this week. From left to right:

We use the Stain Remover spray both for clothes (hello, four month old baby...) and around the house (yes, our hockey games in the basement often lead to bleeding...) and it removes the stain and the odour. Love it. It's nice to have something safe for furniture and fabric that's effective and non-toxic. How gross is it to spray chemicals on your couch and then never wash them off? That stays here and you inhale it for weeks after. No fun.

The 4-in-1 laundry pods just go straight into the main "drum" of the washer and smell so good. We don't use any bleach or softener in addition to them. And we have pitch-white sheets on our bed so...

A little sampler pack there - some body wash, hand soap, moisturizer, all purpose spray and healing balm. These are amazing to throw in a purse.

We also got a pack of travel wipes.

Lastly, some cute size 2 diapers for Dakota and Oliver's first pack of training pants. He uses the toilet now like a champ but I still get nervous when he's in the car seat, in church, etc. He are easy up, easy down like underwear. He loves them.

Here's my big boy's booty all decked out in robots and fire trucks.

Here's my dolly's flower print diapers. My favourite are the cherries - I can't even bear to let her wear them!

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