Amazon Prime Day sale is starting tonight and it’ll be on for 30 hours. You’re wondering, well what do I need or what can I get during this sale? Here are my TOP 10 must haves on Amazon Prime Day:
Ring Sling – This is super handy when you’re travelling or don’t want to carry around a heavy car seat or stroller. This one is a lot cooler than the one I have, especially because it has a removable pocket.
2. Magnetic Tiles – A few days ago we were at my friends house and her toddler was playing with these magnetic tiles and when I asked her where she got them from she said the best place to buy them would be amazon. These tiles are great for building creativity and strong motor skills in problem solving.
4. NEST Learning Thermosat – Very rarely will you find this for a good sale price. This is the cheapest I’ve seen it for.
5. Phone stand – Perfect for multi-tasking and hands free insta stories.
Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
This yummy main dish as seen on Instagram is a very easy week day recipe! It’s so easy, that you’ll read through all the steps below in less than 2 minutes. Let’s go!
Ingredients Rosée sauce
Stringless sugar snap peas
Zucchini
Peppers
Mushrooms
Cajun seasoning Catelli Ancient Grains Pasta
Olive oil
Sweet onion
Directions 1. Boil Catelli Ancient Grains pasta until cooked. Catelli Ancient Grains pasta is made with an all-natural, 100% whole grain blend of Canadian wheat. It also has quinoa, amaranth, teff, sorghum and millet. Each serving contains 12 g of protein, 8 g of fibre and 25% of your recommended daily iron intake. How awesome is that?
2. Sautee mushrooms and sweet onion in olive oil with salt and pepper for 4 minutes.
3. In a separate pan sautee zucchini, pepper, snap peas with olive oil and cajun seasoning (as desired).
4. Take the hot pasta and mix in rosée sauce and all of the veggies.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to come up with unique birthday theme ideas. During baby D’s birthday planning, I would say what helped the most to come up with a theme was asking the golden question, “What is he absolutely in love with right now?” and the answer was easy, animals. He loves nature, animals and everything beautiful about our planet Earth. Our back and forth chatter is a lot of “Oh look! Trees!” and his reply is a mumble-y, “Where’s the nest? Eggs!”. Looking forward to the warmer weather so we can build a few bird feeders together and put them up in the backyard. So what better theme to choose for his 2nd birthday but party animal!
For his party animal themed birthday there were a few things that I made sure had that animal touch, I say a few things because I don’t like to go nuts with themes and make everything animal etc. Learnt my lesson with my bridal shower when everything was Alice In Wonderland theme and it was just way too much work. (Details here.) This time, I’m a massive preggo and don’t have as much energy as I normally do, so keeping it sweet and simple was going to be it.
We had Pawsitively Pets join us for the birthday to present about 12 different animals to the children who were at the party. It was an extremely interactive event and he really could not retain his excitement. I had to actually sit with him and hold him back a few times because he was so excited about the animals. We learnt facts about the animals being presented and everyone got a chance to hold them as well. I highly recommend them for parties! Also, we had a super fun bouncy castle and an automatic train that moved on tracks. The kids were crazy about it! You can book them both here.
For the dessert table we had spread out little animal figurines, my favourite ones are by Schleich. They make toys that look extremely realistic and the quality is just excellent. Indigo online sells them or you can find them on Amazon.ca like I did. Colour theme was blue, white and yellow, hence the yellow flowers and the balloon colours.
Baking a buttercream cake isn’t as easy as it looks. Lots of steps, tools and patience needed! Maybe I’ll share some tips in a future post! Let me know 😉
For the little party hats I got the inspo from this blog post. So here’s how I made the little hats and banner:
Supplies needed Glue gun 2 sticks (to hold the banner) Scissors Template Fun paper – not too thin so it stays straight for the banner and holds well as a cone for the hat. Thin yarn like string
STEP ONE
Cut out the shape of the birthday hats. Use the above template link! Super helpful.
STEP TWO
Use your glue gun to glue the hat once the length and size of the hat is achieved. I played around with mine for a bit. Kept turning out too long so cut the bottom little bits at a time, until I got to the length I liked. That only happened because I didn’t use the template at first, so there shouldn’t be a problem if you do use the template. 😉
STEP THREE
Take the thin yarn in a small amount, roll it into a tiny ball and glue it on top of the hat. You can also use little pom poms that you can find at an arts and crafts store, but I used this thin yarn so that I could use it also for the banner. Double use saves you a few bucks I guess.
LAST
Put some glue around the bottom trim of the little hat and place it on to the head of the animal. When the event is over you can easily pop them off and the glue comes off effortlessly.
BANNER
Wrap the string on both sticks and cut out small triangles with your child’s name spelled out, each triangle being a letter. When you’re done just glue each triangle onto the hanging string. This party animal birthday theme was perfect! Even the adults had a lot of fun!
Party favours, we got some animal plush toys and teddy bears and attached cotton candy packs to them for a sweet touch. Check out C’est La Puf that does numerous amount of flavours of organic cotton candy. You can also follow them on Instagram or Facebook.
Whatever theme you decide on for your little one’s special day, just remember to keep in mind the fine details. I’m a crafty person so I truly enjoyed putting this together. How about you? Do you have a great idea for children’s birthdays?
The weather has been incredible this Family Day long weekend! As soon as it gets warm outside, I want to be out in the sun, catching some rays and having ice cream! I was cruising the web when I accidentally saw an image of Eva’s original chimneys cones. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m pregnant or just my usual ice-cream crazy self, but I just HAD to have it.
Drove from Mississauga to downtown, so we could try Eva’s original chimneys. I actually remember trying a chimney from their food truck at a festival in Scarborough, and it was the perfect combination of sweet and salty. The best way to describe it is a doughnut ice-cream cone.
I went for the peanut butter pretzel parfait; the inside of the cone was lined with peanut butter and the outside had graham cracker crumbs. The soft-serve ice cream is honestly the best I’ve ever had. It’s thick and almost tastes like mousse or I guess even a milkshake. Daanish got the Berrylicious cone and when he got to the end of it there was a pleasant surprise, a Lindor ball! Our friend went for the dream cone and I’m totally getting it next time! These cones are dessert meals so bring your appetite.
There are so many Eva’s original chimneys options to choose from, but I love that the menu isn’t overwhelming either. the menu offers you a reason to go back and try other combinations.
Also, if you get thirsty after the ice-cream they have complimentary water to quench your thirst. If you want to sit indoors there is a fair amount of seating area in the back. Some booths and a large size table for a group sitting.
Catching up over good food is my favourite thing to do with my girlfriends. We usually opt for places we’ve tried before but this time I suggested something new and it worked out! We all met up at Yorkdale, did some shopping and window shopping and then headed on over to Holt Renfrew.
The Holts Cafe is on the main floor of Holt Renfrew and if you haven’t been there before ask for directions.
I could see it being missed easily. One of the sales associates there walked us all the way to the entrance of the cafe. So kind of him. The entrance is decorated simply but very nice.
We loved the seating area. You have the choice of sitting on chairs or booth and chairs. We always go for booths, as you get a lot more space for jackets/purses and we love to talk for hours, so coziness factor is important.
Keep in mind their brunch hours are SATURDAY, 9:30AM TO 4PM and SUNDAY, 11AM TO 4PM. Also, try to make reservations for an earlier time to ensure they’re not our of their more popular dishes like the apple crumble french toast. Alll portions are perfect and all the ingredients are super fresh! Compliments to the chef.
Here’s what we had from the brunch menu:
Apple Crumble French Toast – This actually felt like you’re having dessert but very filling. Tastes amazing! I had this and another dish. Finished I would say at least half of it and shared the rest.
SHAKSHUKA – Two eggs baked in Moroccan tomato sauce, sautéed kale, grilled bread.This was perfection.
Cafe Menu:
INDIAN SPICED CHICKEN: Grilled scallion yogurt, sautéed kale, currants, marcona almond, fingerling potato. Chicken was cooked to perfection, kale was fresh, delicious due to the awesome sauce it was sauteed in. Probably had something to do with the yogurt mix.
Sweet Potato Fries: I’d totally order them again. Also give you two sides of sauces to dip in.
LOBSTER SANDWICH: It was superb, but I can’t find it on the menu anymore.
I put the Catelli SuperGreens pasta to the taste test with my boys, mother in law and my mom. They loved it!
So what was this amazing recipe that I put together? It’s very simple and involves lots of vegetables and for the meat lovers in your family you can add chicken/beef as you wish. The name of the pasta is exactly that, super green. It’s all-natural made with spinach, zucchini, broccoli, parsley and kale! Okay so I know the pasta itself was already packed with veggies but I just couldn’t help it but add more. You can never have enough vegetables! At least I think so!
I chopped up all of the vegetables while I had the Catelli SuperGreens pasta boiling. I’ve only tried a green pasta once before and it was pretty good. However, I did notice that it had a higher amount of sodium in it. Which brings me to why Catelli SuperGreens is so much better! Catelli SuperGreens is low in sodium and fat.
I like to keep my veggies chunky in pasta. It gives it that hearty meal look. I know mushrooms cook a lot faster than zucchini, so you can saute the mushrooms separately or put them altogether and cook on low-medium heat. I used my favourite, the gourmet collection spice blend as a dressing for the chopped vegetables and cooked with olive oil.
Vegetables to saute Yellow zucchini
Green zucchini
Cremini mushrooms
Chicken Marinade chicken overnight or 30 minutes – 1 hour. I used 1 tablespoon of yogurt, 1/4 tsp chilli powder, half a lemon and 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic for the marinade. I then chopped the chicken breast into cubes and cooked.
Avocado At the end when you’re about to serve the dinner add sliced avocado to the side.
For the sauce I just used a store bought rosée that had cheese in it.
Just before Easter Colette was decorated with cute easter eggs, bunnies and let’s just stop and appreciate that awesome chalkboard art. Their holiday decor is on point. Also, they have feature drinks that they change according to the season or for different holidays.
The feature drink at the time I went was the Maple Fog Latte. I typically drink an earl gray with two milks and two sugars. Yup, double it up. London Fogs are my favourite. So imagine how happy I was to know this drink was made with an Earl Gray base.
I love this place and the interior is dreamy! Clean and chic. Very Parisian. I can’t wait to have brunch here next time!
Weekdays are generally a very busy time for families. Going to work, appointments and for the stay at home mommies or those on maternity leave, taking care of your little one(s). I get excited when I find a really good quick and easy recipe, and folks..this recipe by Chef Michael Allemeier is definitely one of those recipes! It’s almost time for me to go back to work and this recipe fell into my lap at the right time. Just when I started searching for more ideas and created my new board on Pinterest labeled “Week night dinner ideas“. I feel like I’ve exhausted all the usual dinners I make and really needed a reboot. If you totally get me right now, then check out that board after you’ve read through this recipe. 😉
You might have watched my snapchat videos of how I went on and on about #CatelliFamilies and what I used, so I’ll get straight to the point. Prep time for this recipe will be anywhere between 5-7 mins, cook time 15 mins woohoo! and will make 4 servings.
What you need
1 Pkg Catelli Smart® Spaghetti
375 mL
whipping cream
2 cups (500 mL)
peas, fresh (or frozen optional)
1 cup (250 mL)
shredded parmesan cheese
1/3 cup (80 mL)
green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp (3 mL)
ground nutmeg
Salt to taste
Instructions
Add 4 litres of water to a pot and add 1 tbsp (15 mL) salt to water. Bring to a boil.
Heat a large pot or frying pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot add cream and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 4 minutes to slightly thicken. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Add peas to the hot cream and return to a simmer. Once pasta is cooked, drain well and add to the hot sauce.
Add Parmesan cheese, nutmeg and sliced green onions and bring to a simmer. Adjust salt to taste and serve at once.
I never thought a simple Alfredo with peas would taste this good! My husband is a huge meat eater so I made some spicy ground chicken for him to mix in with this recipe. Chefs tip is to try adding mushroom and/or tomatoes. On that note, I think I’ll try to add zucchini next time! What will you make with your Catelli pasta? Use the hashtag #CatelliFamilies to share your awesome recipes.
Do you have an obsession with coffee? If you do then you’ll want to read this post about Sorry Coffee Co and check out some of my other posts of my favourite Toronto coffee shops.
Second Cup – King Street (Image from my Twitter Account)
Sorry Coffee Co believes thatbig things happen in coffee shops. I agree! If I take a look back at where most of my meetings for brainstorming sessions, study sessions or great ideas were formed, they were all in a coffee shop. Even now when I need a new environment to work, I always go to a coffee shop. Toronto has so many to choose from now. Just five years ago there were more Tim Hortons, Starbucks and Second Cups than all these new cute, edgy and modern coffee shops that you can check out today. Sorry Coffee Co, when you first enter looks a little small with minimal seating but they have a cozy area with couches inside their attached Kit and Ace store. I didn’t get a chance to check out the clothes in Kit and Ace but I would definitely go back! It’s also great that they have an online store!
You might recognize this alley in Yorkville. It extends to Bloor St and not too far from Kate Spade in Yorkville. 102 Bloor Street to be exact. On bloor street between pottery barn and jcrew. As you walk down this alley you’ll see signs saying things like “This year I’ll wake up early, before 11am” or something about “I’ll start flossing”. Then right before the Sorry Coffee Co entrance there’s a sign that ends with Sorry Coffee Co. Otherwise you’re just reading these signs trying to guess what store or brand they belong too. Great marketing! Definitely peaked my interest. *Thumbs up*
And how’s their coffee? Perfect. And their service was even better. Very welcoming and alert. It was a busy day inside Sorry Coffee and looked like there were no seats left but the Barista noticed me and let me know there were more seats inside Kit and Ace. I love that and appreciate it when services aren’t only about cashing you out and giving you a coffee. Thank you.
This cup was designed by graphic designer Ben Johnston.
Let me know if you’ve enjoyed a frothy cappuccino at Sorry Coffee Co in the comments below!
It’s Christmas Day and you’re with your families thinking of activities to do together. Maybe? Well if you are, this is a lot of fun to do and not as much mess because the gingerbread houses are a lot smaller. Once you’re all done decorating and voting for the best one, you can all sit down by the fireplace with hot chocolate and your little gingerbread houses. Sounds good? Let’s get started!
You’ll need
3 1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoon of cinnamon
2/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon of Himalayan Salt
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
3/4 cup of corn syrup
1/2 cup of butter
So just in case this happens to you, my brown sugar was a little dry (due to me not soaking that clay thingy terracotta clay disks into my brown sugar canister to keep it moist) and I think because of that my gingerbread dough became crumbly and dry. I just added water and it was all good! So if that happens to you don’t worry. Also the gingerbread result after they are baked and cooled down was not too hard. I know some gingerbread recipes turn out really hard, but this was hard enough to make a house, but soft enough to bite into and enjoy.
What to do
Stir all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Then combine the corn syrup, brown sugar and butter in a saucepan and keep stirring constantly over medium heat until butter is melted. Pour this liquid into the flour mixture and stir.
Mix it all together to make the dough and don’t be afraid to use your hands to mix it together. The dough will get stiff and a spoon won’t do. I let the dough sit out on the counter for half an hour but you can refrigerate it as well.
As you can see my dough here was a little dry so I added water. If you have any suggestions please share below!
I used this template for cutting the pieces out. Use parchment paper under the dough to roll and work on.
Bake the pieces for 15 minutes or until they’re golden brown at 350 degrees. Make sure they are completely cooled before icing/decorating.
Also, some of my pieces were uneven so I couldn’t use them. It is really important that the pieces are precise because when it comes building time they will not stick. P.S This was my first time baking gingerbread houses from scratch!
With any left over dough you can either re-roll it and make more mini houses or do what I did and make some side cookies for your friends. :”)
![Party Animal Theme Birthday Party [DIY]](https://i0.wp.com/www.humarakausar.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/IMG-20170225-WA0002.jpg?resize=770%2C515)
