Congratulations to Belinda: winner of the Maple Leaf Goodie Bag giveaway!

Maple Leaf Foods partnered with Matchstick hosted a Maple Leaf Roundtable event held at Quincy Cooking School in Vancouver, British Columbia.  Invited to this event were 20 other mommy bloggers located in the Vancouver area along with myself to listen to Jeanette Jones Vice President, Communications for Maple Leaf and Sharon Beals Senior VP, Food Safety and Quality Assurance for Maple Leaf.

Both Jeanette and Sharon did a great job in sharing the commitment that Maple Leaf is making to becoming a global leader in food safety as a result of the incident that occurred in August 2008 with the Listeriosis illnesses and tragic deaths that were linked to their products.

Sharon Beals shared all of the actions that they are taking as an organization to not only ensure that they will never be in a position like that of August 2008 but that as an organization they will be a leader in food and safety within their 91 plants across the globe. 

What I was very pleased to see what the open and honest nature that Maple Leaf Foods put forth during our discussion.  They opened the floor to questions and since the audience was made up of not only mommy bloggers….but, moms themselves, there were some very pointed questions thrown at the Maple Leaf Executives.  It was a frank discussion that assured me and the other mommy bloggers that Maple Leaf has taken all of the necessary steps to prevent an outbreak from re-occurring.  These steps span from significantly increasing their cleaning practices and implementing unannounced “spot checks” in each of their plants to becoming GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) certified.  This certification isn’t something that all meat plants ARE REQUIRED to take part in.  Maple Leaf Foods has chosen to take the necessary steps to become certified which was great to see.

As a mom of two young children who eat prepared meat on a regular basis I was keen to understand the steps taken by an organization like Maple Leaf Foods to ensure safety in the food preparation.  And I have to tell you that I was pleasantly surprised.

Then the fun part came….we were served a wonderful dinner of the various Maple Leaf Product Line (see pics below) and had time to mingle with the other mommy bloggers and talk about our thoughts on what we had just learned.  It was a fun night overall and I am very pleased to have taken part in a great and informative evening.  Below are pictures of me and Naomi Jesson, Wendy Irene and the other wonderful Mommy and Dad Bloggers who attended.

Thanks Maple Leaf Foods!

 Giveaway Guidelines:

Enter to win a Maple Leaf Foods Prize Pack by leaving a comment below on tips you have to keep food safe in your home or while traveling.

Maple Leaf Foods would love to hear YOUR feedback on their company and products.  To fill out a short survey please click on the link below.

 http://www.surveygizmo.com/s/308859/feedback

I don’t know about you but whenever I want to unwind with a nice cool glass of beer my toddler runs up and asks for a sip….I don’t know if inherently kids love beer….doubt it….I think it has more to do with the fact that “mommy” is enjoying it so much

So, when I found this recipe, I thought it was something I could call beer AND enjoy with my little one…..

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pint real vanilla ice cream (use a brand that includes vanilla seed specks for best flavor or make your own)
• 1/4 cup real butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon butterscotch extract
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 quart apple cider
• Apple slices for garnish, optional

Preparation:

When ready to serve, gently heat apple cider in a saucepan until steaming hot.

Place 1 scoop of ice cream in a thick soda glass or large mug. Top with steaming apple cider. Garnish with apple slices, if desired.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

I had an opportunity to review the GreenPan™ which is an environmentally friendly alternative to regular baking and cookware. 

GreenPan™ does not use PTFE, but brings with Thermolon™ non-stick technology a healthy alternative to the market.  Thermolon™ is heat resistant up to high temperatures.  This means that GreenPan™ has an extra safety feature; if you overheat your pan, even up to 450°C/850°F, no toxic fumes will be released and the coating will not blister or peel.  Less energy is used when Thermolon™ is applied on GreenPan™ products, which means 60% less CO2 emission compared with the production of PTFE-coated pans.

Also, their non-stick pots and pans are the first to be made with a non-stick coating made of minerals instead of plastics. 

I usually use a sheet of tin foil over top of my pans and then coat them with Pam so that the food doesn’t stick.  I didn’t need to do that with the GreenPan™ and I didn’t spend countless hours washing the pan afterwards.

As all of my reviews I illustrate the Pro’s and Con’s of each product, therefore, please find my list for the GreenPan™ below:

Pros

• When they claim non-stick, they weren’t kidding.  It made clean up a cinch.
• The pan cools off very quickly.  With little kids in the house eager to take a cookie off the pan, this is a helpful feature.
• I am always up for helping the environment and I appreciate companies that take an active interest.

Cons

• When really hot the pan gets a little mis-shaped and wobbly….but flattens out once it cools.

 All in all, I have been very impressed with my use of the GreenPan™ and all of it’s features.

Reviews on Mommy.Girlgetstrong.com reflect the personal opinion of the writer, whether it is good, bad or ugly.  No compensation was accepted by me or GGS Media Corporation for this review.

As all sports moms and moms-alike do on a daily basis….keeping the family team organized while balancing a hectic schedule is no small feat.  The organizational skills required to chauffeur everyone around and to get to events on time, while being the loudest cheerleader on the sidelines doesn’t leave a ton of time for making dinner or other important chores around the household.

So, here are some tips to keep you on top of things, the family on track and everyone having fun.

Planning: Keep them Organized

It’s easy to keep yourself organized….but, keeping the little munchkins organized as well is a tough gig.  Therefore, the best way to keep everyone communicating and up-to-date on plans is to centralize a “calendar of events” in one easy to see, central location around your house, such as on the fridge door…..all kids love to eat, right?.  Along with the sports practice and game schedule, be sure to include play-dates and school projects.

Transportation:  Getting them there on time!

Beside the list on the fridge, put another list of all the items you need for the day (include sports equipment, school supplies and food).  This way if everyone knows what items they are responsible for bringing they might be less likely to forget something.

Snacks: Keep them Energized

Pre-game snacks that are high in protein provide long-lasting energy.  Keep a cooler in the car that can hold pre-game munchies like veggies, yogurt, cheese slices and fruit.  Remember to bring drinks for hydration….a hydrated child is a happy child J

Pep Talks:  Keep them Positive

Rushing from one event to another can leave a child drained and negative.  Make sure you keep up an up-beat attitude and it will rub off on your kids.

Dinner:  Keep Them Growing

A warm meal is a great opportunity to regroup and discuss the day with your whole family….and their friends.  You never know who will show up for dinner.  Use easy recipes (try a slowcooker) that make enough food for leftovers or for unexpected guests.  Use your imagination….and try to keep dinner fun.

Sports Moms should never forget that the most important “tool” they have is their family.  From helping  to set the table to slicing cheese for snacks or organizing equipment in the back of the minivan (or SUV), when everyone chips in, there is less stress, more fun and a more cheerful Sports Mom!!!!

CONTEST CLOSED – Thank you for your support.  CONGRATS to Tanya for winning the Gold Digger’s Guide.  Stay tuned for more exiciting giveaways coming soon!

This sassy, savvy, seriously on-the-money guide is essential reading for any woman whose new initials are G.D.–Gold Digger, Greatly Determined, Glorious Diva.

Of course, you should always marry for love. Just remember to fall in love where the money is. This sassy, savvy, seriously on-the-money guide is essential reading for any woman whose new initials are G.D.–Gold Digger, Greatly Determined, Glorious Diva. Let Ivana B. Rich be the fairy godmother to your princess-in-training, showing you where to go to find the Money Men, how to target your prey, acting just so, negotiating the prenup to your advantage (just in case his pockets are deep but so is his taste for other women), and avoiding the pitfalls of the poor and downtrodden. The Gold Digger’s Guide will turn every woman into the type of lady she’s always envied and will allow every G.D. to finally feel entitled to having a richer (in all senses of the word) life, filled with love, joy, abundance, and a lot more bling-bling. After all, marrying well doesn’t just mean having the cash–it means sharing the wealth that true love brings.

HOW TO ENTER to Win a copy of this Book:

Leave a comment on this post:  Tell us: “How you chose your hubby”

• Want more chances to win: Invite your friends to become a Facebook Fan of Strong Mommy and get an extra entry for each friend that becomes a fan – (just leave their names in the FB comments for your extra entries) 

Contest runs until Wednesday March 31, 2010. Canada and US only.

If your kids love the Dr. Suess book featuring the Cat in the Hat and his misadventures with the children, then they will get a kick out of this version of green eggs and ham. They might even start liking green foods! Adults will adore it, of course.Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 eggs
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 1/8 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 (4 ounces) thick slice or chunk of cooked ham, cut into 1/4-inch diced pieces
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Additional parsley for garnish

Preparation:

Being a Vancouver native, of course I have the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympic Games on my mind at all times….gosh, who doesn’t…..it’s so exciting. But, what I found most intriguing was how my 5 year old daughter was reacting to all of the Olympic hype.

I honestly thought that my daughter would pass through the Olympics with little interest. However, quite the contrary, she is very interested and very excited. It all started when her kindergarten class started to learn all about the Olympics during class and what the Olympics mean to athletes all over the world (to my daughter the “world” consists of Canada, Mexico and Disneyland).

Her elementary school has brought in guest speakers of past Olympians telling stories about their journey to become an Olympic athlete and how they had to work extremely hard to accomplish their goals.

If that was me telling my daughter about how to accomplish her goals I would have lost her at “let’s have a talk”. However, she was so enthused at what these Olympic athletes had to say and she was genuinely interested in their past experiences.

Then I recently took her to the Olympic torch lighting ceremony in Whistler, BC. There were thousands of people there and the excitement that was streaming through the city was electric. My daughter was up way past her bedtime in order to see the torch enter the city and didn’t even complain once. She loved every minute of it. My favorite part was right after the Olympic torch was lit the crowd started to sing the Canadian National Anthem. I have never heard my daughter belt out the lyrics……in fact; I didn’t even know she knew the lyrics…..so loudly!

Right after the ceremony we preceded directly to the Olympic store to buy my daughter her favorite Olympic Mascot Stuffy…..Muk Muk. My favorite is Quatchi so we had to buy one of those as well…..well, ok, we bought the whole set of four for an astounding $65 but it’s a once in a lifetime experience…right?

When we returned home from Whistler my daughter told her Nana all about the experience in Whistler and showed off her new mascot. She has really loved every minute of the Olympic experience so far….and the games haven’t even officially opened yet.

The moral of this story for me is that our children are never too young to experience wonderful things and to never underestimate the power of the Olympic experience.

Go for Gold Canada!!!!!

I had an opportunity to try out Stevia Extract In the Raw which is a an all-natural, zero calorie sweetener derived from the leafy green foliage of the Stevia plant grown in South American rain forests and Asian mountain valleys (now if that doesn’t sound healthy I don’t know what does).

I am an avid user of Splenda so I thought I would give this raw form of sweetener a try.  I tried it in two ways….the first way was simply adding it to my morning tea.  It was very nice tasting and added a pleasant sweet flavor to my tea without adding calories.

Be aware that one packet of Stevia in the Raw is the approximate equivalent of two teaspoons of sugar. So you may wish to add only half a packet instead of a full one (if you usually use a full one) as the taste is a little sweeter than Splenda.

Unlike other brands of Stevia, Stevia in the Raw doesn’t have a licorice-like aftertaste. I haven’t tried other types so I can’t compare, but there was no after-taste evident.  According to the company’s website, this is because the Stevia is so pure.

The only additional ingredient in the packets (it also comes in bigger bulk packages) is dextrose and the company explains why:

“Dextrose is a natural carbohydrate derived from corn. Many sugar substitutes in powder form contain dextrose because it is a natural ingredient and does not change the flavor of the sweetener in the blend.  In our packet product, dextrose is used to dilute the very potent Rebiana extract to make it measurable for consumers; it does not alter the naturally sweet flavor of the Stevia.”

I then tried using it in my baking (peanut butter cookies to be exact).  Using Stevia this way I didn’t even notice a difference in taste.  It added the right amount of sweetness to my cookies and my kids loved it too!!!

I would recommend that if you currently use an artificial sweeteners you may want to give Stevia in the Raw a try as I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Pros

• It’s a natural sweetener rather than artificial.
• It has a great taste.
• There is no after-taste.

Cons

• If you don’t use the right amount  you can end up with tea that is way too sweet or baking that is even too sweet for your kids.

Reviews on Mommy.Girlgetstrong.com reflect the personal opinion of the writer, whether it is good, bad or ugly.  No compensation was accepted by me or GGS Media Corporation for this review.

 Do your kids constantly ask for treats?  Does it seem like cookies and can, juice boxes and fast food meals are all they’re willing to eat?  You’re not alone – many kids are attracted to things that aren’t the best nutritional choices.  Maybe you are thinking, “they’re kids, it’s can’t be THAT bad for them.”

Let me share some frightening statistics from the International Journal of Pediatric Obesity (a problem so large that it has it’s own journal).

• Childhood obesity is the greatest health risk our kids face today
• By the year 2010 it is expected that 50% of all children will be overweight
• This is the first generation where kids have a lower life expectancy than their parents.

One thing that’s going on is that the average American child’s diet consists of one third junk food.  Snacks, candy and other prepackaged foods, desserts filled with fat and sugar make up a large portion of their daily intake.  And I’m not just talking about special occasions like Halloween and Christmas.  This is every day, all day.

The “food” that kids are eating is nutrient void but dense in calories and it’s often the lowest quality calories that you can find.  These are the choices that are placed at a child’s eye level in the grocery store, and it’s not by accident.  commercials promoting these high-sugar, high-fat, low-nutrition foods also air during your children’s favorite TV shows.  the commercials for these foods are filled with bright colours, music, action and the promise of something special.

An additional issue is that, as a nation, we are suffering from “portion distortion”, and this includes our children.  They are learning to super-size, and purchase “economy size” and “value size” meals themselves.  they are constantly being bombarded with unhealthy food choices and learning that “bigger is better”.

And then the problems of low-quality, high-volume eating are compounded by an increasingly sedentary lifestyle.  Think back to when you were a kid.  Chances are you played outside with the neighbourhood kids from after school until it became dark.  Kids today come home from school and many of them spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in front of the TV or computer screen.

So here’s a troubling equation for you:

Sedentary Lifestyle + High Fat/High Sugar Foods + Huge Portions = Overweight Kids

Now some kids have the opposite problem, instead of being sedentary, these kids have no down-time at all.  They are being shuffled from one activity to another day in and day out.  What are tehy eating during all of this “shuffle time”?  For many moms, the easiest way solution is either grabbing fast food to eat on the run, or grabbing some snacks for the kids to eat in the car.  See where I’m going here?

In our well-meaning attempts to give the best to our children, we push the limits until the only possible way to get everything done is to cut corners.  These corners frequently impact the food choices we make (for ourselves and our kids) when our lives become hectic and out of control.

So here’s another equation for you:

Overbooked Kids + Overstressed Moms + Convenience Foods = Overweight/Overstressed Kids

Take a look at how your lifestyle impacts your kids and see if it’s contributing to the development of unhealthy habits.  Consider making changes that make healthy choices and a sane lifestyle part of the plan for everyone in the family.  From stocking the snack cabinet with healthy choices, to making a plan to sit down as a family for a real dinner on a regular basis, to planning activities that get you all away from the TV for a few hours, you can make sure your kids start off on the right foot building a healthy lifestyle.

Debi Silber, MS, RD, WHC The Mojo Coach™ is a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Nutrition Science. She’s a Certified Personal Trainer, Whole Health Coach, Lifestyle Expert – just for moms, speaker and the author of The Lifestyle Fitness Program: A Six Part Plan So Every Mom Can Look, Feel and Live Her Best and From Mom To Wow: Your Ultimate Body, Mind and Life Makeover Guide. Debi’s been branded The Mojo Coach™ because for nearly 20 years she’s motivated overweight, overwhelmed and unfit moms to “get their mojo back” through gradual, lifestyle change. Visit Debi at TheMojoCoach.com

I believe you make your own luck and that a positive attitude and a thirst for new things in life can deliver you great opportunities and success. I am not one to “wish upon a star” or put a lot of faith in buying lottery tickets. Recently however, I have come to the conclusion that there may just be something to this lady luck thing. Up until very recently, it appears that in the bath department I have been extremely lucky indeed. Let me start by saying that having two young children (ages 5 and 2) having a sibling bath together, is a magical time that makes me think the world is a wonderful place.  My children laugh, play and giggle with unabashed abandon and have no concept of embarrassment as the romp around in their birthday suits. Bath time has been a joyful and relaxing event for the kids in our house since the day they were born. They have bathed together since the littlest one was able to sit on his own (supervised of course). Somehow through the last few years it appears I have won the lottery every bath time.  Because during the last bath just a few short days ago, a bath so similar to all others, something unexpected happened. Can you guess? I suspect you can. Oh yes, as I stood in the bathroom within eye and earshot I heard my daughter utter a disturbing and mind penetrating phrase. Her exclamation echoed through my ears and into my previously lucky and carefree bath brain. Those words my little 5-year-old uttered that struck fear into my normally serene bath time with the kids….were these short words……Mommy….he pooed! My brother pooed in the tub!

Ah how everything changed in an instant. No longer were my thoughts of bubbles and bath toys, of comfy towels and PJ’s. My thoughts were of germs and bleach and how to disinfect toys and my children.  I prepared myself for the worst as a peered over the edge of the tub into the abyss beyond. I squinted my eyes in an attempt to not see the scene before my eyes.  Alas, I had to open them fully to the mess that lay before me. I will spare you the awful details but sure enough, the former bubbly and clean bath water now had visitors of a more toilet nature, sourced from a fairly robust #2 from my toddler.

It was at this point that my parenting instincts kicked in and I surprised even myself at the efficiency I displayed. Children were asked to stand, rinsing was done and contact with the disturbing contents of the bath was minimized. Both kids were lifted out in an instant and rinsed quickly in the shower nearby. Hair was toweled and bodies dried. With the children out of immediate danger from the dreaded “kaka”, I turned my task to containment.

Hot water sprayed and thankfully the mess made it down the drain. The bath toys and bathmat on the other hand had more in store for them to disinfect and diffuse the situation. Order needed to be restored. Towels used to extract the kids and wipe feet as well as both the bath matt and tub matt were quickly whisked away to the washing machine like a presidential motorcade. Bleach was liberally used on the tub and the residue washed away. For the unfortunate toys, nothing less than a boiling cauldron of oil would do…in this case the oil was water and the cauldron was a saucepan. Nonetheless all the toys got a disinfecting courtesy of a rolling boil worthy of the finest Italian pasta, on our kitchen stove top.

After the chaos ended, I reflected on how to go back. Had a line been crossed and my luck run out? Was bath time no more? Of course not! It was just clearly time to start some serious potty training of my 2-year-old. The time had come to teach him about the potty and how to control his bathrooms. A great new chapter had opened up for me and I had known this day would come…just not so abruptly. There would be potty training, there would be bubbles and there would be many more baths for the kids together. And as for luck…well I still think I make my own,, but maybe, just maybe you will see me at the corner store sneaking the purchase of a lottery ticket into my purse. After all, might as well keep all options open.

Enjoy your baths and enjoy your potty training when the time comes.