Friday, February 4, 2011

Eat Clean Almond Butter/ Peanut Butter Cookies = Guilt Free (Submitted by Sharon Chong)

  • 1 cup natural almond butter or natural peanut butter ( I use 1/2 of each for my preferred texture)
  • ¾ cup sucanat (see below for a link to what this is! You can get it in the organic isle at superstore on the left hand side of the organic bulk foods)
  • 1 large egg (you can also use 55 ml of egg whites so make it extra clean)
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. sea salt
  • 3 oz. dark chocolate chips (70% cocoa or greater- I use Swiss Delice chocolates that are 72% cocoa which you can buy a 1300 g bag from Costco for $12.99. They come in individually wrapped pieces and I just break them up. Super cheap b/c dark choc chips are expensive! 3 oz is about 16 pieces)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl until blended. Stir in chocolate.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets. Move to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

And voila- yummy, guilt free cookies!!


Here is the link for the sucanut:http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/brands/Wholesome_Sweeteners/Fair_Trade_Certified_Organic_Sucanat.html
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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Mediteranean Couscous Salad (Eat Clean Diet Book) Shared by Sharon Chong

Mediteranean Couscous Salad (Eat Clean Diet Book) Shared by Sharon Chong  

1 cup dry whole wheat couscous3/4 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (i just use one large orange)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp lime juice (juice of one lime)
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup cucumber, chopped and seeded
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup goat cheese or feta cheese ( i used feta)
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Cooking Steps:
1. Bring stock and orange juice to a boil. Add couscous and stir. Then turn off heat and cover pot tightly. Let stand and don't peek!

2. Make dressing by combining olive oil and lime juice. 
Whisk and set aside.

3. Back to the couscous. Remove lid and fluff grains with a fork. Add chopped vegetables. Crumble cheese over the salad and drizzle with dressing. Add oregano and season with sea salt and ground black pepper.

In addition, I added chicken for some protein and to complete it as a meal on it's own. I used one chicken breast and seasoned it with sea salt, black pepper, dried oregano and dried basil. I then pan fried it using olive oil cooking spray til it was done and added it to the completed salad.
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Sasamat Lake Trail - Between Anmore and Belcarra (15 min from Port Moody Rec Center)



White Pines Beach: 

Sasamat Lake Loop Trail - 3.2 Km 


Fantastic afternoon walk for you and the kids located in the
Great Vancouver Region at Belcarra Regional Park between 
Anmore and Belcarra. This is not a stroller friendly hike and 
would be ranked 2/10 due to the multiple stair portions that 
you will be coming up and down along the way. This trail is 
relatively flat most of the way. 
This is a fantastic walk so close to our community that is rarely taken advantage of in the mid winter months. This is a new favorite of mine for a 1 hour walk with other mom's or my hubby on a weekend afternoon. 

With the amazing sunny days that came to Vancouver the last week; I talked the hubby into heading up and taking a short walk with our 7 1/2 month old son in the Ergo and our little toy poodle. 

Our Coquitlam Mommy Group headed back this week to share this great mid-day walk. The whole loop took us just about an hour at our usual stop and take pictures, and chat along the way speed. You could easily run this in a quarter of the time. 

This lake is located just above Ioco town site from Port Moody in the Belcarra Regional Park. This lake path also has a connecting path that brings you to Bunzen Lake. You can park just above White Pine Beach and start from just below the stairs by the main bathroom at this Park. If you follow the path around the perimeter and keep an eye out for the signs, it is nearly impossible to get lost on this trail. 

With this trail, there are several look-out points that would be of interest to your kids and others alike. The actual trail is quite easy on the spectrum of Greater Vancouver trails. The beginning of the trail is primarily in the dense forest with spots where you can peak through and see views of the lake as you work your way around. Along this path you will come across a large rock that is used for swimming and sunbathing in the summer by a lot of the locals. There is one large section of stairs in the beginning when you are traveling in a counter clockwise direction from the main bathrooms at White Pine beach. 

Beyond these skid plated stairs you will pass the Sasamat Summer Camp (Neighborhood House) that is on the south side of the lake. When you are standing on White Pine beach you can see the canoes lined up on the dock. This is a great spot to swim to in the summer. Once you have passed the camp you will come be along the edge of the lake following through the forests edge. 

The last section will bring you to 50 meter floating bridge where you can take in the reflection of the mountains on the glassy water. This is well worth stopping to catch a picture of. From this vantage point you will also catch sight of Sugar Mountain in the background. 
At all times of the year you will also see people fishing on the dock portion of this floating bridge. This is a stocked lake and is quite popular through out the year. 

Beyond this portion you head back into the forest on the shoreline and pass through marshy area with reed grass growing along another platform path along the waters edge. This will bring you back to the White Pine Beach where there are several picnic tables, places to set up a portable BBQ and use the washroom facilities. 


Through out the year this is a great spot for seeing ducks, geese, deer, squirrels and otters. You just have to keep your eyes out. Be warned that this spot is extremely busy in the summer months with the gates being closed due to capacity restrictions, and many people resort to parking on the roads leading into the park. Be forewarned that there is also a dog friendly portion on this trail. You may cross paths with dogs that should all be on leash and in the designated areas.











 BC Hydro Map of this area can by found here!


Driving directions to White Pines Beach
  1. 12 mins
    Ioco Rd and Bedwell Bay Rd
    7.7 km
Port Moody Arena
300 Ioco Road
Port Moody, BC V3H 2V7
1. Head northwest on Ioco Rd toward Avalon Dr
3.9 km
2. Turn right at 1 Ave
700 m
3. Slight left at Bedwell Bay Rd
1.2 km
4. Continue straight to stay on Bedwell Bay Rd

5. take a right at the White Pines Beach Exit and follow to the parking area


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Sunday, January 30, 2011

Coquitlam Mommy Newsletter - Jan 30, 2010

Coquitlam Mommy Page Highlights and Events





As our numbers continue to grow... so does our newsletter and events! Please keep sharing your thoughts and ideas as continue to improve the page & grow!

With our weather looking pretty fantastic for the upcoming week, I have challenged the Coquitlam Mom's to the '5 lbs' Challenge! This is a challenge to get out there, get active and share your eating right recipe's with the group so we can drop 5lbs in a month, challenge begins in Feb and ends in March 1st

Also there has been a huge amount of discussion about the programs that are cost conscious in the Tri-Cities area! As many of us are on EI or some sort of reduced income with the addition of our little ones, I have started to put together a local calendar to refer to for events under $5 or FREE! Check out this link on our Facebook Page for more info! Calendar Link

Lil Page Turners of the Week
Are You My Mommy?
Are You My Mommy? - Carla Dijs  This book gave a few of us a good laugh this week as we were discussing our little ones using Mamma and Pappa with everyone that would listen. This is a really cute set of books that also includes are you my 'daddy'. There are quite a few animals to discuss with your little ones too! Worth checking out for a sweet day time read with the little one.





On the Stereo for Lil Ears

There's A Hippo In My TubThere's a Hippo in my Tub - Anne Murray- She is one of Canada's most well knows folk singers. If you were a product of the 80's or 90's you will remember her specials on the cliffs of the East Coast and through out Canada. She has several albums, and has now lent her voice to a children's album. This may even be a nice treat for the grandparents for their special time with your wee one!





Coquitlam Mommy Page Events for the Week

Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:


Highlights of the Week from Coqutilam Mommy Page (Facebook)

Recalls:
Other News:
Last Weeks Highlights
Download Images:





Coquitlam Mommy Page Blog Highlights

Our Resource Page - Yawns, Sniffles and On the Road - We have added this as a Resource Page for families looking for further reading on common issues. We will be adding to this page as we grow. Let me know if you have anything to add to this. 







Coquitlam Mommy Page started with 9 women who had taken a prenatal class at Douglas College in Winter 2010. After having our reunion to meet all the babies, we discovered that all of our group was wanting to get out, get active with the babies and share our experiences. We started with a group walk at Rocky Point for 5 km that grew to numbers of 15 on sunny days in the summer, and we have grown from there. As the months have gone on we have shared everything from diaper choices, places to find deals, highchair options, breast feeding issues, events to attend together and everything else that a new mom may need to chat about. We are still growing and have been greatly inspired by all the new members that share and attend our events. In short we are here as a community for mom's in the Tri-cities and elsewhere to discuss issues and ideas with other moms. With all the information out there, it is fantastic to hear what real moms are doing. 


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Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Scrap Booking Babies First Year

There is a lot to be said about capturing those precious moment you have with your newborn. These little guys grow so quickly it is hard to keep up with them as the move from just needing to be held to rolling, blowing raspberries, and crawling. As the time passes by it is great for you to be able to look back and reflect with your hubby or just have a misty eyed moment when they are too big to want to be held.

I am they type of girl that likes things basic but clean and uniform. When I first went to Michael's when I was pregnant to start a pregnancy album, I was very overwhelmed by all the choices. There is a whole aisle of books/album covers to choose from. These can range from canvas to leather and everything in between. I would recommend picking your colour theme at this stage. For example; if its a boy, maybe blue or green, a summer trip maybe yellow or electric blue. I do love being able to look at the covers on the shelf and know what each one is, but you may want something more aesthetic keeping them all one colour. Most of these albums come with pages in them and some even come with a complete kit. Keep in mind that you may just want to start with what's there and add the pages as need be. I have gone with the kits and with buying separate and found that I am cheaper when buying the kit. If you give yourself too many choices you end up with too many stickers and add-ons that you may not need.

I would also recommend printing off the basic photos you would like to highlight in your album. At least this way you will have a better gauge on the types of stickers, stamps and other applications you would like to add to the pages. This will also give you an idea of what size of book you will need. If you have a lot of photos you may want to double up on each pages' photos or even have more. Also take a look at the photo's and decide on a colour theme. If you are going with all black and white it is usually better to stay that way but if you are doing colour, try to not drown out your photos with everything else on the page.

The next major step is mounting the pictures to the pages. You can do this a couple of ways. I have used both the double sided option and the corner tabs. I prefer the corner tabs when it comes to a more formal album as it gives an antique look. If you are going to be cutting edges and adding borders, I would recommend the simple dispenser.

A few pointers that have kept my scrapbooks interesting is the things I have collected along the way. I have included the wrist and ankle bands from the hospital, the card that was placed on my sons incubator and pictures of his first shoes. These will be the things that will bring the experience and story back to life for you. I also find that sharing my albums is a bit more interesting.

A few products you will want to pick-up to make sure your project is straight, and in the end not a hot mess...
A couple great books to take out from the library or buy would be:
And my final point would be that this is a great activity with a group of other moms! It is amazing the creativity that comes out of other mom's and a group collective. The additional benefit to this is that you can share and trade supplies that you have with other moms. 

Please share any other links that you may find helpful for other moms!
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