It is that time of year, Easter is coming up fast and with that comes the fun of hiding Easter eggs. Whether you do a large family Easter egg hunt or just have a mini Easter egg hunt setup for your own children, here are 5 creative places to hide Easter Eggs inside to have a little family fun on Easter Sunday!
Places to Hide Easter Eggs Inside Your Home
1. Hide Eggs in Obvious Spot
This is especially creative when working with little children on Easter egg hunts. Many times the older children will be too busy seeking Easter eggs in difficult areas that they will overlook that Easter egg hidden right on the counter top in plain view.
2. Hide Eggs in Home Décor
Do you have home décor that allows for a space to hide that Easter Egg? Such as towel racks, paper towel holders, cook jars that have an open top, vases that are not being used for flowers, etc. Hide decorated Easter eggs in home décor that will only let the child see it when they peer down into the container or home décor item.
Easter eggs in a plant
3. Hide Eggs underneath Beds
It may be a messy place underneath those beds of children, but it makes for a fantastic place to hide Easter eggs. It also serves a dual purpose, the kids will have to clean under their beds to get to the just barely visible Easter egg that’s hidden.
4. Hide Eggs inside Coat Pocket
Do you have a coat tree or coat rack where coats are hanging? Hiding Easter eggs inside pockets of hanging items makes for some fun hide-n-seek with Easter eggs.
5. Hide Eggs in Household Appliances
Have a dishwasher, a dryer or a washer? Those are all fun household appliances that let you hide an Easter egg in for your Easter egg hunt.
There you have it, 5 creative places to hide Easter eggs inside when you are hosting an Easter Egg Hunt this holiday season for your family or a large gathering of people. The most creative way to hide Easter eggs inside for an Easter Egg Hunt is to think outside of the box and remember what age groups are participating in the Easter Egg Hunt.
Perhaps you’re undergoing a home renovation or maybe you just finished landscaping your gorgeous garden. Either way, there are plenty of reasons why you may have to clean out junk from the area surrounding your home.
What Tasks Require Junk Removal?
Some of the major home tasks that require clearing out junk include:
Home and backyard cleaning
Site demolitions
Office renovations
Home renovations
Garage spring-cleaning
All these cleaning tasks require waste to be properly disposed in keeping with government regulations. Choosing professional junk removal in Ottawa will make your life significantly easier, since you don’t have to worry about the waste disposal job itself. You will simply need to arrange your items properly for the junk removal service and they will undertake the rest of the loading and disposal tasks on their own.
Steps to Working with A Good Garbage Removal Ottawa Company
While junk removal services know how to do their job seamlessly without troubling your neighbours or dirtying your surrounding area, you may want to get an estimate of their services to get a better understanding of the price you will be required to pay. A good rule of thumb is to call up a few services to get the best possible deal for your waste removal needs. In some cases, they may even visit your home to arrive at a specific understanding of your needs.
Follow these steps to work seamlessly with good garbage removal in Ottawa.
Inform the company offering garbage bin rental in Ottawa of your specific waste removal task.
Establish a perfect size bin or dumpster for the amount of waste you expect to have based on your estimations with the company offering garbage bin rental in Ottawa.
Choose a timeline for which you need the waste removal service to arrive, so that the junk from your cleaning can be removed immediately.
Arrive at the final cost based on your specific junk removal needs.
Factors to Consider When Working With Junk Removal Services in Ottawa
Proper size: The bin you hire for your junk removal task must be able to carry all your garbage without flying away. You will need to choose the appropriate size by checking with the company offering garbage bin rental in Ottawa about their size offerings for various tasks.
Track Items: Once you book the services, be sure that the junk is ready to remove as soon as possible and keep track of all the items you are getting rid of. You don’t want to end up sending important papers and items with the company offering garbage disposal in Ottawa.
Understand the terms and conditions: You must understand their terms perfectly to avoid any conflicts later. Terms and conditions will include items that can be placed in the disposal bins and items that cannot. Follow this stringently to avoid any potential fines in the future.
Set your price expectation: Prices must be fixed in advance so that there is no conflict later. Find out whether there are any hidden costs or whether you have arrived at a final price.
When choosing junk removal services in Ottawa, keep these factors in mind to make the best decision for your specific needs.
Easter egg crafts are such a great way to bring the whole family together. You will find below a list of 10 Easter egg crafts to make with the kids!
Easter can be almost as exciting as Christmas when it comes to the traditions and rituals surrounding the day. Candy, chocolate bunnies, new Easter outfits, crafting easter eggs, and Easter egg hunts, and spare change are just some of the perks.
New Easter Outfit
Easter actually begins about the week before the celebrated holiday with the tradition of the new Easter outfit. This is a great time for girls to pick out a special dress and for boys to get a new pantsuit to make the day stand out above the rest. As a tradition that begins in childhood, getting an Easter dress is a ritual that stays with girls well into adulthood.
Easter Bunny
On Easter morning, the kids wake up early to see what the Easter bunny has left in their Easter baskets. Some traditions even have children checking to see if the beloved bunny has eaten all the carrots that were left out the night before. The colourful baskets are filled with Easter eggs and bunny themed candies as well as the staple: a chocolate bunny. More modern baskets even include small gifts similar to the kind of gifts used as “stocking stuffers” at Christmastime; however filling the baskets begin that morning, but they are soon dumped out in order to be ready for the next tradition.
Easter Baskets
With Easter baskets in hand, the kids soon begin the race around the house and through the yard to collect the most eggs first. This tradition includes the hard boiled Easter eggs that had been individually died and decorated beforehand as well as the plastic eggs that have candy inside. These plastic eggs can be the most treasured booty, not necessarily for the candy, but for the ritual of hiding money inside. While most of the “money” eggs can have just some spare change, it is always fun to have that one egg with a bill inside to keep the kids guessing.
Easter Egg Hunt
Another tradition to put in place instead of the egg hunt at the house is to go to a community Easter egg hunt. There is more competition and less clean-up for you. An unnecessary tradition you can avoid by going to a community egg hunt is that of, months later, following the rotting smell to discover an Easter egg that hadn’t been found.
Easter Family Portrait
Finally, a common practice at Easter time is to have the family portrait taken. Some families pose in their yards with their full baskets for their picture. Others, who attend a community egg hunt, often find the Easter bunny to include in their picture. No matter where it is decided to be taken, the family portrait is one of the most important traditions of Easter. This way, you can catalogue the kids’ growth and the changes that come year after year before they move away and start traditions of their own.
10 Easter Egg Crafts
There are lots of different ways to make the Easter eggs colourful without sticking to a traditional purchased kit. You can use buttons, chalk, dye, stained glass, stickers, markers, paint or other supplies to create beautiful Easter eggs including a banner, wreath, flowers, and more. You pretty much have endless ways and tons of different materials you can use for crafting easter eggs. These Easter egg craft ideas will be fun to make for the whole family!
Your time is extremely valuable, so why not choose a professional like ottawapainter.com to complete your next painting project? Hiring painting contractors removes the stress for many homeowners, and should ensure that the job is done properly, safely, and in a timely manner.
That being said, it is crucial to work with the most reputable and experienced company available in your area. There are some tried, tested and proven steps that you can follow in order to ensure that you are contracting the best painting services that your hard-earned money can buy. Any important decision requires some careful consideration. Without further ado, here is exactly what you need to know when hiring a house painter.
Start By Conducting Some Research
With all of the technology available at your fingertips, it’s easy to conduct some basic Internet research on house painting contractors prior to calling them for an estimate. In this day and age even extremely small companies have an online presence in the form of websites and or information posted on social media sites such as Facebook.
Typically the reputable companies will post customer reviews and testimonials. When customers are proud of how their homes look, they are the first to talk about it. They are also the first to complain if something went wrong. If a contractor has posted little or no reviews, that is most definitely a huge red flag. Stay away from them, and move on to the next company on your list. On that note, it is always a good idea to find out the painting contractors status with the Better Business Bureau. If the company has less than an A minus or even a B plus status, that is another tell-tale sign that you should not waste your time or energy inviting them to do an estimate.
Get Estimates from a Minimum of Three Ottawa Painting Companies
Once you have completed your basic research, and compiled a short list of reputable painting contracts, the next step is to contact them to set up an estimate of the job cost. The basic rule of thumb is to set up estimates from three to five different companies. They should all fall roughly within the same price range. Start by eliminating the highest and lowest estimates, and focus on the one(s) in the middle. If the estimates vary widely from one another it is important to ask the contractors exactly what items are being included, and what are being excluded.
Interview Each Company
Hiring a painting contractor is like hiring a new employee, and the same type of interview process should be conducted. Always ask the estimator and or company owner the following list of questions, and base part of your decision on their answers.
1: How long have you been in business? (The rule of thumb is to only hire companies that have been in business for a minimum of five years. It takes that long to establish a proven track record of success.)
2: Are you bonded and insured? (This helps to establish if the contractor and any hired or sub-contracted workers are insured for both liability and injury. In order to protect your personal assets, only hire a painting contractor that is both bonded and insured. Always ask to see a copy of their insurance paperwork.)
3: Are you licensed and registered? (Most territories require painting contractors to be either licensed or registered. If the contractor is not, that is a red flag that they are not trustworthy.)
4: Do you offer written guarantees? (Painting contractors that perform quality work should be more than happy to stand by it. Those that do not offer written guarantees may have something to hide.)
5: Are you affiliated with any local and or national painting contractors’ associations? (There are always new methods, and techniques to learn in the contracting industry. Memberships in contractor associations are the best way to keep up with the times.)
6: What products do you use? (Only hire painting companies that use the best quality paint and other materials. It does make a tremendous difference on how the job will look, and how long it will last.)
If you follow this advice, hiring the best Ottawa house painters will be a far easier decision to make. It is a time-tested process that works well when deciding on any residential contracting company. Although it may take slightly more effort on your part, in the long run it will save time, money, and a lot of needless aggravation. Your house will look great as well.
This article has been sponsored by Ottawa Painter.
Easter is near, and I have a really cute, and easy cupcake recipe to share with you. These peeps cupcakes are so fun to share and they are easy enough to decorate this Easter weekend for an unforgettable sweet treat!
Moist Cupcakes
This recipe starts with a really delicious and moist Easter cupcake recipe that my family loves. I use sour cream in the recipe to add a fine crumb to a very rich cake. Sour cream makes the cupcakes very fluffy, and it really adds something to the flavour. If you are pressed for time, you can certainly use a box mix, or even some plain cupcakes from the bakery. The icing is the real star of the show!
How To Make The Grass On The Cupcakes
To make the grass on these Easter cupcakes, you are going to need to get a pastry bag with a large star tip. While these look amazing, they are really easy enough to do with the kids! Use bunny or chick peeps to peek out of the grass icing.
I used decorating flowers from Wilton to complete the look, but you could also use jelly beans. Either way is adorable and delicious! If you are skilled with the icing bag, you could also just add a few dots of colourful icing to create little flowers too. No matter how you add the little details, they are bound to be the sweetest little cupcakes to be seen this Easter!
Easter Recipe and Craft Ideas
If you are looking for more homemade Easter fun check out these reader favourites.These DIY Easter Basket Ideas are perfect for creating a one of a kind Easter basket for someone special. These Easter Egg Hot Chocolate Bombs make for a sweet indulgence on Easter morning and are fun to share with friends!
Peeps Cupcakes
These cupcakes with Peeps are so delicious and easy to make with your kids. You will require to purchase a pastry bag with a large star tip to make the green icing, decorative flowers, and Easter marshmallow Peeps like bunnies or chicks.
Vanilla Cupcake Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tbsp vanilla
2/3 cup whole milk, room temp
Grass Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup soft unsalted butter
4 + cup powder sugar
4 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Grass Green gel food colouring
1 bag of Easter Peeps
Wilton Icing Decorations small flowers
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Mixing bowls
Electric mixer
Cupcake pan
Paper liners
Toothpicks
Wire Rack
Pastry bag with large star tip
HOW TO MAKE THE VANILLA CUPCAKES
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
Put sugar, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for about 1 1/2 minutes. Mix well. Scoop in the butter mixing on medium to low speed for about 2 minutes. The batter will have an appearance of small crumble pieces.
Whisk the eggs, yogurt and vanilla together until the texture is smooth. Pour the liquid mixture in with the dry ingredients beating until combined on medium. Reduce speed to low while gradually adding milk to the above mixture. (Batter may be thin and watery.) Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake tins until 2/3 filled.
Bake on 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Take out of oven allowing the cupcakes to remain in the cupcake pan to cool for several minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack until totally cool. Once completely cooled, use a small spoon and dig a hole in the centre of the cupcake.
Grass Frosting Directions
Cream the butter and powder sugar until it looks light and creamy. If it doesn’t cream add several drops of the heavy whipping cream until it creams. Test to see if the frosting can form and hold a stiff peak by taking a spoonful of frosting and turning the spoon upside down. If the frosting stays on the spoon it is ready if not then…. Add more powder sugar 1/2 cup at a time and mix well. Add several drops of the green gel food colouring. Mix well to incorporate the colour thorough out the frosting.
If ready, scoop the frosting into a pastry bag with a large star tip. Twist the open end of the pastry bag to push the frosting to the star tip. Start by frosting on the outside edge of the cupcake working to the centre of the cupcake. Frost around the hole in the centre of the cupcake. Stick the candy peep into the hole with the head sticks out of the frosted cupcake. Position several candy flowers on the frosted Easter Peeps cupcakes.
I hope you enjoyed my Peeps Cupcakes!If you make the recipe, make sure to share with us on Facebook or Twitter! Also, check out all of our other Recipes.
Peeps Cupcakes
Lyne Proulx
These Peeps cupcakes are so delicious and easy to make with your kids. They are decorated with Easter marshmallow Peeps!
48Wilton Icing Decorations small flowers (optional)
Instructions
Vanilla Cupcake Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
Put sugar, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer for about 1 1/2 minutes. Mix well.
Scoop in the butter mixing on medium to low speed for about 2 minutes.
The batter will have an appearance of small crumble pieces.
Whisk the eggs, yogurt and vanilla together until the texture is smooth.
Pour the liquid mixture in with the dry ingredients beating until combined on medium.
Reduce speed to low while gradually adding milk to the above mixture. (Batter may be thin and watery.)
Spoon the batter into the lined cupcake tins until 2/3 filled.
Bake on 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Take out of oven allowing the cupcakes to remain in the cupcake pan to cool for several minutes.
Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack until totally cool.
Once completely cooled, use a small spoon and dig a hole in the center of the cupcake.
Grass Frosting Directions
Cream the butter and powder sugar until it looks light and creamy.
If it doesn’t cream add several drops of the heavy whipping cream until it creams.
Test to see if the frosting can form and hold a stiff peak by taking a spoonful of frosting and turning the spoon upside down. If the frosting stays on the spoon it is ready if not then….
Add more powder sugar 1/2 cup at a time and mix well.
Add several drops of the green gel food colouring. Mix well to incorporate the colour thorough out the frosting.
If ready scoop the frosting into a pastry bag with a large star tip.
Twist the open end of the pastry bag to push the frosting to the star tip.
Start by frosting on the outside edge of the cupcake working to the center of the cupcake.
Frost around the hole in the center of the cupcake.
Stick the candy peep into the hole with the head sticks out of the frosted cupcake.
Position several candy flowers on the frosted cupcake.
Notes
If you are pressed for time, you can certainly use a box mix, or even some plain cupcakes from the bakery. The icing is the real star of the show!
One of the best things about Canada is its cultural diversity. In fact, the prime minister of Canada said that the national food of Canada is a cuisine of cuisines – a smorgasbord of dishes, if you will. It just so happens that one of the most important cultural groups in Canada is the Greeks.
In fact, they occupy a huge portion of many neighbourhoods in North America – the biggest Greek neighbourhood in the entire continent is actually found in Toronto. Ottawa is another great city to visit for ethnic cuisine, and it’s a great place to visit and be a part of all the magical festivities, games, fun, shopping – and most importantly, food. You’re sure to have a great dining experience any time you order Ottawa Greek takeout.
Photo credit: avlxyz via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA
Greek Takeout: A Storied Greek Food Past in Ottawa
In fact, these Greek takeout meals are found some of the most prized, storied restaurants in Canada as many have been established since the early 80’s, selling food and providing goods to the people in the area. Over 41 percent of the population in the areas where businesses were located were primarily Greek, and sixty percent of this number had been working at the same business for over four years – and these businesses were primarily “mom and pop” businesses with very few employees (generally the families of the business owners).
A Plethora of Food Choices for Greek Take-out in Ottawa – or Vegetarian Take-Out
Greek food has grown fast – the first locations started opening up in the late 1980’s, and other delicious and wholesome Mediterranean dishes followed, with a penchant for the best customer service on the planet. The times might have changed, but the food never does. Many of the restaurateurs would tell you themselves – Greek is used to express happiness, evoke joy, and to celebrate and feast with family and friends. Whether you’ve been to a Greek restaurant a thousand times of if it’s your very first time, they’ll treat you like family, give you a smile, and treat you to one of the best meals in Canada.
As Far as Ottawa Food Delivery Goes, It’s All About Simplicity
Greek Cuisine is one of the only types of food out there that only needs fresh food to make authentic dishes that taste great. It’s easy enough – the Greek recipes follow food concepts that go back over two thousand years, using only the best ingredients to find the true essence of Mediterranean-style dishes, real ingredients, and no artificial flavours and fillers. It’s all about tradition, quality, and freshness. Even the vegetables aren’t typical food delivery Ottawa, they’re served fresh, to your specifications. Every time you order Greek take-out, you can bet it’s going to taste as good as it looks.
Quality is the product of the freshest meats, the freshest pita breads, and simple, fresh, and inspired dishes that guarantee that people leave full, happy, and connected with their family and friends. The best part is that Greek food isn’t that expensive! You can go all over the place for Greek food in Ottawa, and never spend too much. Instead, you’ll get an experience you’ll never forget!
When it comes to purses and handbags I look for functionality and comfort and then at style (and admittedly I am not a fashionista). Luckily, handbags and purses from Beside-U Canada combine all these features, making their bags the perfect addition to any woman’s handbag collection regardless of what it is needed for!
When I was offered the opportunity to review a bag from Beside-U I knew I needed a bag that could keep up with my lifestyle – between my daughter’s swimming lessons and horseback riding lessons, as well as family hiking and road trips I am constantly on the go. I can also be found running from client-to-client, usually with not a lot of time to switch handbags if the one with my stuff in it isn’t appropriate for the occasion.
Cherie Bag from Beside-U
I was lucky enough to get the stylish Cherie bag from Beside-U‘s Endeavour collection. I chose the Cherie because it is a practical bag for those who travel a lot or for the commuter who likes the option to hold a bag by a small handle or drape it over their shoulder. In addition to the ability to drape the Cherie bag over one should, the single strap unzips to become two straps, which means it easily converts to a lightweight backpack – perfect for when you are running to catch a bus, travelling with little ones or when you just need your hands free to carry groceries, luggage, etc. The shoulder straps are also adjustable and lightly padded making this bag comfortable to carry, even when full.
Beside-U bags, including the Cherie bag, are also designed to coherently organize your belongings by offering many pockets throughout – including one at the back which allows you to keep your most valuable items closer to your body and more difficult for someone to steal (perfect for travelling!).
Cherie Bag Features
The Cherie bag, along with all new bags from Beside-U, also have a full zippered pocket inside the bag that is RFID blocking. What this means is that these bags feature special German-made material that block the radio frequency found in credit cards that have the wireless tap feature. The radio frequency from a credit card can be picked up by anyone with the right equipment; all they have to do is stand next to you to pick up your credit card’s signal and steal your banking information – but not with a Beside-U bag by your side!
Whether you are a university student, a professional or simply looking for a handbag that compliments your fashion-forward style, Beside-U offers 17 different collections, each featuring a different kind of nylon, attractive colours, and all of which are available for viewing on their website. Each collection has its own unique logo plate, zipper pull and inner lining, and each Beside-U collection has the basics: a crossbody, a tote, a backpack, etc.
What Makes the Handbags from Beside-U so Impressive
So, to summarize the features of Beside-U handbags:
Stylish designs both inside and out.
Made from lightweight nylon.
Many functional pockets, some of which have a zipper to ensure items big and small are safely stowed.
The inside of their larger bags feature slots for tablets and laptops of varying sizes.
Water resistant, which means when a little one accidentally dumps their glass of water on your bag the items inside have a good chance of staying safe (but remember, nothing with a zipper can be ‘waterproof’!)!
Exteriors can be easily washed with soap and water – perfect cleaning off stubborn winter salt, spring muck and fall mud!
RFID blocking for secure travelling, even in your home city.
Beside-U handbags are sold in 14 countries worldwide, including Canada and the USA. You can check their store locator at www.beside-u.ca or visit them on Facebook or Twitter. There is a style, design and colour for every taste and purpose – look for yourself and see and then let me know in the comments what bag you could see yourself wearing!
Disclaimer: I received the Cherie bag from the Endeavour Collection for the purposes of this review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Mickey Mouse and a gang of his friends descended on the Canadian Tire Centre as their Disney On Ice: 100 Years of Magic brought up the curtain on their performance last night! My kids were as close as they could ever dream to some of their favourite characters as they skated, danced and sang to the audience in their seats. I have never been to a show like this and we have wanted to take the kids since they were small, and it was well worth the wait!
Disney on Ice Princes and Princesses
The crowed was full of little girls dressed up as their favorite Disney princess and boys with Olaf hats. Everyone was singing along with the music and waving back at the performers when they skated by. There was much more than just figure skating – fireworks, big set pieces and even snow!
My two boys age 5 and 7 had an amazing time a mouse-tastical time attending Disney On Ice: 100 Years of Magic! All of the action, adventure, singing, and of course, comedy make the show fun for all who attended. It is truly an event they will not soon forget. Check out the remainder of the performance dates at the Canadian Tire Centre for you and your family to attend and enjoy!
Fireworks!
You can also connect with Disney On Ice on their Facebook and Twitter pages!
Disclaimer: I received tickets to the opening night performance in order to write this review. The views expressed are my own.
This Disney Dole Whip copycat recipe is the perfect treat for a hot summer night while relaxing on the patio. It’s a cold and creamy refreshing beverage that you family will love!
Disneyland is a magical place loved by children and adults alike. The entire experience is one you never forget, and for many people, food plays a part in that experience. It certainly did for me! The first time my family and I visited Disneyland, we were all excited to see the show in the Enchanted Tiki Room hosted by Dole® in Adventureland. The show was even better than we imagined, and on our way out, we passed by the Tiki Juice Bar counter outside. Intrigued, we all decided to try the Dole Whip soft serve. It was absolutely delicious. You can’t imagine a more refreshing pineapple treat on a warm California day.
Delicious Dole Whip Recipe Copycat Disneyland
Recipe for Disney dole whip
Now, you can make it yourself! This copycat Dole Whip recipe, in some ways, is even better than the real thing. The Dole Whip at Disneyland has become a non-dairy treat so more guests can enjoy it. This Disney copycat recipe has the same addictive flavour with nothing more than ice cream, fruit, and fruit juice. Try it out and let me know how you like it!
You will require the following ingredients:
Ingredients
2 cups frozen pineapple chunks
1 cup vanilla ice cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup pineapple juice (depending on the consistency you prefer)
1 tsp lemon Juice
1 tsp lime Juice
This recipe is so easy to prepare:
How to make a dole whip
Put all of the ingredients in to the blender, puree until it is well blended. Place the Dole Whip in the freezer for two hours.
Scoop out like ice cream into a bowl. You can also simply eat it as is, but the consistency will be more like a smoothie.
I hope you enjoyed my Dole Whip recipeas much as my family and I did. If you make it, make sure to share with us on Facebook or Twitter! Also, check out all of our other Recipes.
Disney Dole Whip Copycat Recipe
Lyne Proulx
This Disney Dole Whip copycat recipe has the same addictive flavour of the ones you buy at Disneyland with nothing more than ice cream, fruit, and fruit juice.
Shopping online for swimsuits for plus size women is one of the best decisions you can make this year, as it allows you to shop hassle free from the comfort of your own home.
Finding the perfect swimsuit is a daunting task and one may end up spending several hours in a department store to get the perfect suit. Sometimes, you are forced to move from one department store to another so as to match your preference and taste which is a task that consumes valuable time and is tiring to boot. Rather than trying to brave the cold weather and the crowded malls, shopping online will introduce you to swimwear deals that can expand your options and easily satisfy your swimsuit needs with no hardship.
Gone are the days when plus size women were forced to wear dull, out of style swimwear that hid their beautiful curves. In the past ten years, the plus size swimsuit industry has revolutionized and now there are swimsuits with appealing design, look and feel. There are numerous options when it comes to choosing the perfect swimsuit for your plus size body online. Various online retailers offer swimsuit sales in all the new and trendy fashions.
New Trends in Swimming Wear For plus size women
New trends in swimming wear for plus size women have made it possible for women to dress their bodies the way they want and to feel confident about it. Online retailers allow you to choose your bathing suits depending on your body type, preference in suit style, and also by designer. If you are a woman who loves her bikini you can choose a skirted bikini style or a high-waisted bikini that keeps you feeling flirty without baring it all. You can also browse one-shoulder maillots and maybe even combine one with a sarong that flatters your body shape keeping it chic.
One of the most problematic areas for many plus-size women is the bust line. Although it is not a hard and fast rule that larger women will have a larger bust line, the object of selecting the perfect swimsuit is to create the right proportion compared to the rest of the body while still providing support. According to fashion editor Michelle Persad at Huffington Style, larger women should find suits with thicker straps, underwire support, and double-stitched bands. While women with smaller bust lines also require support, the addition of padding will create a fuller look on top and balance the overall look. Some suits have board shorts instead of a regular brief, or even short shorts made of swimsuit material. These give a little more thigh coverage without having to add extra layers, so you stay cool and comfortable.
Shopping online for a 1 piece bathing suit
Shopping online for all the above 1 piece bathing suits styles is convenient especially in situations where you need to go on a holiday vacation at a time when most department stores have very little choice because of the season. There are so many tankini, swimdress, bikini, and one piece swimsuits available and it isn’t hard to find a deal. Online retailers make your shopping experience easier as they provide you the option to choose from a variety of swimwear at any time of the year regardless of your location. A plus size woman requires a lot of personalization; the fashion world is slowly coming around to the notion that ever woman has a different body shape and size and plus size women are no different.
So take the time to learn your body using their personalized body type calculator, and then you’ll be ready to find a bikini or one-piece deal. The online revolution is here and there are swimwear deals that match anyone’s tastes and preferences.
Disney’s Cinderella is now on Digital HD, Roku and Android TV and they are the newest devices that came on board with Disney Movies Anywhere, alongside iTunes, Google Play, Walmart’s VUDU, Amazon Video and Microsoft Movies & TV! Disney Movies Anywhere offers consumers even greater access to their digital collections of Disney, Disney•Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars movies at home and on the go.
To celebrate, we have these fun activity sheets to help you host your very own Royal Ball with your family and friends! Please click on the photo to download the sheets!
Once in a while a cookbook comes a long that offers you a fresh perspective on healthy eating. A perspective that doesn’t make you roll your eyes or feel overwhelmed, but instead makes you realize that a healthy lifestyle can be simple, can make you feel good, and does not have to mean shopping for ingredients or products that are impossible to find. Meghan Telpner’s cookbook, The UnDiet Cookbook: 130 Gluten-Free Recipes for a Healthy and Awesome Life shares delicious recipes from nutritious food and ingredients that you can find anywhere, as well as tips to a healthy lifestyle that compliment healthy eating.
At first I was skeptical of the “UnDiet” lifestyle Meghan discusses in the cookbook. While my family and I generally eat healthy, we do eat meat (albeit we buy from a local, sustainable farm) and we like our fair share of treats, but after reading Meghan’s story at the beginning of the book and understanding her definition of UnDiet to be, “breaking free from the rules we think we’re meant to follow, and doing what is the very best for our individual health,” I completely understood that the UnDiet goal is to strive for a healthier lifestyle and a fuller life. A great message.
The recipes in the UnDiet Cookbook are plant-based and gluten-free, but they can also be easily adjusted for any diet (including carnivores of the sustainable variety) while still maintaining their full flavour. Meghan Telpner is a nutritionist whose philosophy is to live a joyful, awesome life – a message that is carried throughout the cookbook’s vibrant photos, scrumptious recipes, helpful nutritional information, and DIY beauty care instructions.
For the purposes of this review I made two recipes from The UnDiet Cookbook. The first recipe I made was the Gracious Glow Soup. I chose this soup recipe because it is February, it’s cold and I long for bright, cheerful summer days that allow me to walk through my vegetable garden to select the freshest of ingredients. This cauliflower, sweet potato, carrot and curry soup is filled with antioxidants and beta-carotene – everything you need to feel good (especially in the middle of winter). It is colourful and doesn’t taste anything like cauliflower, which to a cauliflower-resistant family such as my own is very important (I didn’t tell them what was in the soup until after they had consumed their second bowls).
If you are looking for a unique twist to a vegetable soup the fragrant, detoxing herbs and garlic in this soup may just be what you’re looking for!
The second recipe I made was Balsamic Roasted Veggies. I love balsamic vinegar and was eager to try it on beets, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. I share the recipe for Balsamic Roasted Veggies below – it is the perfect side dish to any entrée and a great way to convince your family to eat up the vegetables they may loathe the most (note: Brussels sprouts is right up there with cauliflower for my family and yet they ate them without complaint. Furthermore when I mentioned that I would be making this recipe again, they were okay with it – that says a lot for the ‘yumminess’ level of this recipe).
In addition to the recipes, I also enjoyed the advice Meghan shares on how to maintain an UnDiet Lifestyle while travelling as well as the recipes for beauty care products she shares in the latter part of the book. Who knew toothpaste was so simple to make? And the teeth whitener recipe she shares – it works! After making a few of Meghan’s UnDiet recipes I am convinced and can hardly wait to try more (the baked apples are on the dessert list for tonight!).
Meghan’s book is full of tips on how to eat and live a healthy lifestyle and encourages those who are interested in maintaining the UnDiet Lifestyle to join her UnDiet Life Community on Facebook and to share their recipes and thoughts on Twitter using the hashtag #UnDietLife.
The UnDiet Cookbook has opened my eyes to how comfortable and easy it is to eat the very best food and make lifestyle choices that feel amazing. The positive energy in this cookbook is contagious! I invite you to grab a copy of Meghan’s UnDiet Cookbook and find out for yourself how it is possible to look and feel good while eating delicious food!
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of The UnDiet Cookbook for the purposes of review, however the opinions expressed in this post are my own.
Let’s talk winter and your home. The holiday decorations are all put way and now what. Sometimes after the holidays and in the middle of winter, it’s nice for your decor to feel fresh and clean so this is an opportunity to focus on getting your closets organized. Gasp! Now is the time to give that linen closet a makeover!
Linen Closet Makeover
Are you that person that throws everything into a closet when you have five minutes before a guest arrives? I am! Then what happens to all that stuff? Do you go back and pull it out and organize it? Likely not. Let’s take back our closets and start with the linen closet. The dreaded linen closet. Does yours look something like this?
Take everything out of the linen closet
Brutal eh? What is all that stuff anyway?
This is, well was, mine. Yikes. Every time I opened it, something would fall out and I would find myself blaming the closet for being so disorganized. Sorry closet, I know it wasn’t your fault. So, I was determined to get this baby organized and pretty to look at every time I opened it to grab a towel or a band-aid.
So…pull everything out. Make piles for “keep”, “donation” and “trash”. I bet you your donation pile will be bigger than you think.
Fix anything that is broken
Fix anything that’s broken in the closet. Might as well do it now. Our house is over 100 years old and so is all the plaster. There were random holes back there and you can see at the bottom of the photo where a fire occurred in the house years ago (well before we lived there).
Storage accessories
Hit the dollar store, home stores, craft stores etc to get storage accessories. You’ll need bins/baskets, labels, shelving paper and I found this pretty wrapping paper that went up on those ugly walls. This whole project is inexpensive with fab rewards.
Just adding the wrapping paper made the closet look better already.
A few bins and labels and VOILA! an organized linen closet that makes me feel calm every time I open it.
and more bins!
The linen closet makeover is done!
One of these cold Ottawa days, tackle that linen closet makeover. You can do it! You’ll feel better!
Soups On! I can eat soup year round even on a hot summer day (yes, that’s how much I love a bowl of soup), so when comes winter there is nothing more delicious than eating comfy food like a soup with a sandwich for lunch! A soup in a can is nothing compared to a yummy homemade soup! You will find below 65 delicious homemade soups!
Homemade soup ideas
You will find below a variety of homemade soups for every taste buds made and tested by some of the best foodie bloggers in North America! I am positive that you will find at least a few recipes for homemade soups, if not more, that you will love to prepare for your family.
Snow. Ice. Slush. Rain. All of these things are already making me long for the days when I can enjoy my outdoor oasis without having to worry about slipping or getting wet. Though our backyard is a great place to play with our kids, we can only spend short periods of time outside.
All of this crazy winter weather has me planning what I would like to have on my patio this year to take in the sun and the spring that is on its way soon. Here are just a few of the ideas I have to make the outdoors around my more fun and livable for my family with the help of Jardin de Ville outdoor furniture.
For my back porch, we already have seating built onto it, but I would love to be able to make it so we could sit out there and enjoy it more. I would like to be able to eat snacks on it if I wanted to sit out there while the kids are playing in our backyard. Since it is a small space, I would love to have this Low Tray Side Table in black so it can fit perfectly in this space and can be easily folded up when we are finished using it.
Our garden takes up about a quarter of our backyard and this year, I want to add more plants to it so it becomes more of a focal point. Once this has been done, our patio area just off of the garden needs to be more of a hangout spot for our family to relax and entertain more during the year. One piece that would make this space a comfy space to be is this Ventura 3 Seater Sofa that would blend in well with the outdoors of our backyard and feel as though we are in our living room indoors.
The outdoors around our home is a fun spot to enjoy a fun day with the family, but when the kids (finally) go down for the night, we do like to have the rare “just the two of us” moments. Winding down outside is something that we would love to do. Adding a bit of light with the help of a few of these Lighthouse Lanterns to either our backyard or on our front porch would help to make last moments of the day more relaxing and enjoyable. We would also be able to use them to add a touch of seasonal flair throughout the year by decorating them accordingly.
These are just a few of the gorgeous pieces I would love to have to make my outdoor oasis an even more fun and comfortable space to live and enjoy. I can’t wait for the winter thaw to be over so I can start putting these décor ideas to work around my home.
Kung Fu Panda 3 is directed by Jennifer Yuh and Alessandro Carloni, and the voice cast stars Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Bryan Cranston, J.K. Simmons, Seth Rogen, David Cross, Jackie Chan and Lucy Liu. It follows the continuing adventures of Po, voiced by Black, who is an unassuming hero.
Po and his friends are all back for Kung Fu Panda 3. In the last installment of the series, Po faced the truth about his origin and the fact thought he was the last panda. It turns out that Po is not the last one. The film’s ending revealed that some of Po’s panda relatives, including his real father, are actually still alive and were living in a secret panda village. When Po’s long-lost panda father suddenly reappears, they travel to a secret panda paradise to meet scores of hilarious new panda characters. But when the new villain Kai begins to sweep across China defeating all the kung fu masters, Po must train the village full become the ultimate band of Kung Fu Pandas!
(L-R) Po (voiced by Jack Black) and his long-lost panda father Li (voiced by Bryan Cranston) pose for a portrait in DreamWorks Animation’s KUNG FU PANDA 3.
Kung Fu Panda 3 is an entertaining, action-packed animated adventure. This is a series that is fun to watch and great for the whole family. The action and fight scenes are terrific. Both myself and my 7 year old son really enjoyed the movie and thought it was great.
The story I am about to share with you is a very personal one, since it is about my eldest son’s long journey towards well-being. As a mother who spent years trying to figure out how to help her child, my intention is to help, guide and maybe even inspire other parents who are currently going through a difficult time regarding their child’s health.
Whether it was because the sun was shining too brightly in his eyes, the central vacuum’s noise or the food he ate, my sensitive little soul was frequently reacting to his environment. As a first-time mother, I was often told not to worry so much and accept that he was just a sensitive child.
We went through many difficult days and nights laced with stomach aches, gassiness, acid reflux and sleep deprivation. He was not growing out of any of his symptoms like the doctors had assured me.
When he turned 3, I noticed more and more nervousness and a difficulty concentrating. He had a hard time adjusting to new situations and presented a lot of separation anxiety. His nose twitched and he sometimes complained of a constant urge to urinate. His digestion became more complex with extreme gassiness and bloating. He still complained of tummy aches and had several ear and throat infections.
Realizing that I had to take back control of my son’s health, I began on a quest to find answers; I wanted to get to the root cause. My child deserved to be healthy and happy and I was going to do everything in my power to make that happen.
I began to read everything pertaining to his symptoms and behaviours. I quickly discovered that there was a lot of contradicting information out there. What was true, what was not?
By the age of 8, my son had seen different natural health practitioners who did help with certain issues, but did not succeed in finding the root cause. We did find out he had several food sensitivities, was hypoglycemic, was iron and magnesium deficient and that his liver was having a hard time detoxing.
With all of that information, we changed his diet and gave him supplements, vitamins, homeopathic medicine and herbal remedies. He did get better…for a while. Then over the holidays in 2014, some of his symptoms came back and new ones came up to surface. He became excessively anxious and developed a motor tic. He did not want to be separated from us and developed irrational fears and OCD. He suffered from frequent urination (sometimes every 5 minutes until 1am!) and had become quite aggressive. As a mother, I was discouraged, extremely worried and frustrated. Why was he getting worse and not better?
I still continued on my quest for answers and fell upon PANDAS during one of my late-night researches, which basically had an 8×10 picture of my son beside its description.
PANDAS is a temporary problem caused by inflammation in the basal ganglia of the brain. This inflammation is triggered by an infection, such as Group A beta-hemolytic Strep. The immune system reacts to the Strep infection, and creates antibodies that cross-react with protein components (“antigens”) in the basal ganglia of the brain. This sudden and acute-onset of brain inflammation causes a distinct subset of symptoms that rapidly afflict the child.
PANDAS Symptoms
PANDAS is a condition that is characterized by sudden and dramatic onset of one or more of the following symptoms:
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Anxiety, separation anxiety and irrational fears
Tics – motor and/or verbal, choreiform movements of the limbs, “Tourettes”
Food restriction, nausea/vomiting or eating disorder
Depression, irritability, aggression
Intrusive thoughts
Behavioural regression or deterioration in performance at school
Urinary frequency or bedwetting
Finally, I had found the answer! My mommy instincts were right all along! I knew in my heart that my son was not ADHD, autistic, OCD nor did he have Tourette’s Syndrome. He had been battling an autoimmune disorder for years!
We made our way to our doctor to get blood work done in order to confirm that he truly had PANDAS. To determine if a child has PANDAS, there are different tests that can be done.
STREP SWAB RAPID TEST AND CULTURE
A throat swab is the easiest and least invasive way to test for strep throat. Even though people can receive false negative strep tests, one should not bypass this simple, in-office test. If the child tests positive, treatment can begin quickly and the correlation between strep and the onset of symptoms can begin to be investigated through blood work.
If your child or a family member tests positive for strep, schedule a follow up strep test two weeks after finishing all antibiotics.
Please be aware that your child’s throat swab might come back negative; like in my son’s case. It is important to get the blood work done regardless of the test results.
Blood work that can test for strep, includes:
Strep ASO (we did this test)
Anti-DNase B Titer (we did this test)
Streptozyme
Ask the doctor/laboratory to give you a numeric result – not just positive or negative. Anything above the labs normal range should be quantified with a specific numerical value. An active strep infection can give you numbers in the 1,000’s or not. My son was hitting the 500 hundred mark with a negative throat swab test; which is considered to be high.
PANDAS : My Son’s Healing Journey
OTHER BACTERIA & VIRUSES
Even though Strep is the most common trigger for PANDAS, other bacteria and viruses can create the confused immune response.
Below is a list of some examples of the other infectious triggers that have been documented by families and/or providers that one can test for. Please note that this is not fully inclusive and does not dismiss other bacteria and viruses from inciting the autoimmune reaction.
EXAMPLES OF NON-STREP INFECTIOUS TRIGGERS
MYCOPLASMA PNEUMONAIE Mycoplasma Pneumonaie is also known as Walking Pneumonia. Some providers will clinically diagnose Mycoplasma Pneumonia, others may choose to run lab tests.
STAPH INFECTIONS Staph can occur in multiple places in the body. It can occur on the skin, in the nose, and it has even been found in the biopsy results on tonsils post tonsillectomy.
LYME DISEASE The Traditional Western Blot should be done when Lyme is suspected. The Igenex Test is gaining popularity in some circles. The Igenex Lyme test that shows antibodies that MAY be present. Approach Igenex testing with a doctor who looks at this from a comprehensive understanding of the immune system, PANDAS, and not focused only Lyme as the sole cause of illness.
INFLUENZA
H1N1 During the H1N1 outbreak, many children experienced a subsequent PANDAS exacerbation.
EPSTEIN BARR VIRUS
HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS
OTHER POSSIBLE TRIGGERS
Once the autoimmune process is in place, other things may worsen or trigger symptoms in PANDAS children. Not every child will react to non-strep triggers. If your child is experiencing a flair of symptoms and no infection is present, the following are some possible suspects.
EXPOSURE TO ILLNESS In PANDAS children, sometimes exposure to an illness can trigger symptoms. Some will compare it to someone with a severe peanut allergy.
ALLERGIES This includes seasonal allergies.
STRESS
CHLORINE
DIET Some families find changing the child’s diet helps. This may include “clean eating”, reduction of fast foods, and eliminating certain foods such as gluten, dairy, etc. Certain testing may help a parent determine if a child has a particular sensitivity to a food.
YEAST OVERGROWTH People taking antibiotics run the chance of also killing off the “good bacteria” in their body. This could result in an overgrowth of yeast or candida. This can occur in multiple places in the body, including the gut. If you suspect yeast overgrowth, discuss this your provider. If they find an overgrowth is present, an anti-fungal may be needed.
I am sharing this personal story with you in hopes to inspire you to take back the power life gave you as a parent for your child’s health, instead of handing it over to someone else.
If I had listened to certain professionals, my son would have been misdiagnosed either with ADHD, Autism or even Tourette. This is why I encourage you to do your own research regarding your child’s symptoms and behaviour. It might not be what it seems.
Living through this experience has inspired me to further immerse myself into holistic health by continuing my studies specializing in digestion and immunity health, so that I can educate and help other families who have children dealing with digestive and behavioural challenges.
There is an explanation for your child’s health challenges and it is usually related to his digestion. I have empowered myself, my family and others with knowledge pertaining to gut health and have seen firsthand how it can help a person regain optimal well-being.
You can create a more balanced lifestyle for your family, as well as learn about natural ways to deal with health issues, real (whole) food nutrition, alternative medicine, decreasing toxins in your home offering a nurturing and safe environment for everyone.
My son’s story didn’t end there. There was a reason why he ended up with PANDAS in the first place, and anyone who knows me well, knows that I had to continue on my quest until I discovered the root cause.
In my next article, I will share with you what I have discovered regarding my son’s health by using a “functional” approach.
We all deserve to live a life full of vitality…including our children!
Valentine’s Day is known for those decadent desserts that are made with chocolate. Special treats that we can share with loved ones or take to school to share with our classmates. To make it a special dessert, we have to find something we know everyone will love. I think these Brownie Chocolate Chip Bars will be loved by all. So if you need ideas for tasty desserts you have come to the right place for this Valentine’s Day dessert recipe.
Valentine’s Day Treats and Crafts
There are many ways to make Valentine’s Day special for all, whether you celebrate the day of love or not. If you are one of those that don’t really celebrate, just enjoy these M&M brownie bars.
When it comes to special holidays, we like to decorate for the occasion. Creating your own decor is a great way of spending time together, You don’t have to spend a small fortune at the dollar store so you can decorate your home. Check out these 10 Valentine’s Day Crafts for kids to get you started.
As a child, I remember preparing for this occasion at school. We would create some sort of heart-shaped paper holder or a box so that on Valentine’s Day your friends could put cards into them. We always made sure everyone in the class received a card so no one felt left out.
Brownies with Chocolate chip Cookie Dough
These treats are fudgy brownies topped with cookie dough! It’s an extreme brownie, perfect when you can’t decide between a brownie and a cookie! This Valentine’s Day dessert is a homemade recipe, so you know exactly what is in it. In this Valentine’s Day treats recipe, you will be using red, purple or pink M&M’s for the added wow factor.
Recipe for brownie chocolate chip cookie bars
Brownies are so moist and divinely delicious! Your family will definitely enjoy these Brownie Chocolate Chip Bars Filled with M&Ms. It’s a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day. You can change the M & M’s colour for a perfect St. Patrick, Easter, Halloween, or Christmas treats!
Brownie Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, room temp
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp cocoa
5 tbsp flour
ingredients for chocolate chip cookie dough
5 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
3 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup of pink, purple, or red M&M’s
How To Make Brownie Chocolate Chip Bars
Brownie Directions
Preheat to 350 degrees. Prep baking pan with baking spray.
Using a double boiler, combine the butter and chocolate, stirring as they melt.
Once the combination is smooth whisk in the sugar.
Remove from the heat adding the egg and vanilla.
Stir cocoa and salt, stirring just enough to combine all the ingredients.
Add in the flour. Stir the flour into the remaining ingredients.
Scoop the brownie batter into the pan. Evenly spreading throughout the pan. Set aside.
how to make edible chocolate chip cookie dough
With an electric mixer cream together butter and sugar.
Stir in the egg and vanilla.
In a second bowl whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Stir to combine all of the ingredients.
Add in chocolate chips. Stir to mix. Add M&M’s. Fold to combine all ingredients.
Using a large spoon drop the cookie dough on top of the brownie batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Allow to cool in the baking pan.
I hope you enjoyed my Brownie Chocolate Chip Bars for Valentine’s Day.If you make it, make sure to share with us on Facebook or Twitter! Nothing starts the day off right then with a hearty breakfast using one of these 15 Sweet breakfasts for Valentine’s Day. Also, check out all of our other Recipes.
Brownie Chocolate Chip Bars Filled with M&Ms
Lyne Proulx
Your family will enjoy these Brownie Chocolate Chip Bars Filled with M&Ms. It's a perfect treat for Valentine's Day!
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Dipped Oreos are the perfect treat to make and share this year. They are so easy to make, require no baking, and they are delicious!
Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to make some sweet treats to share, but life is busy and sometimes, finding time to make dinner can be a challenge! This year, not even a time crunch can stand in the way of sharing a smile on Valentine’s Day because I have a recipe to share with you that requires no baking and makes use of everyone’s favourite cookie.
Versatile Cookie Recipe
These Valentine’s Day Chocolate Dipped Oreo Cookies look like the fanciest treat, but they are so easy! Make them for someone you love on Valentine’s Day, and save the recipe for other holidays! You can mix up the colour suggestions for a treat that you can sink your teeth into anytime.
Cookie Candy Mold
The cookie candy mold does all of the work for you. You can make a batch of these in no time and have them drying to share the same day! This Valentine’s Day cookie recipe uses very common pantry staples like Oreos and melting chocolate wafers, making it the perfect last minute sweet. Use a candy mold to make things even fancier and easier.
Chocolate Dipped Oreo Cookies Recipe Tips
With so many flavours of Oreos available, you can mix things up a bit with this recipe if you wish. The double stuffed variety and Golden Oreos have an amazing flavour when coated with chocolate. When you make these, let me know what flavour of Oreo you used!
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Dipped Oreo Cookies Recipe
Who does not like Oreo Cookies? They are definitely one of my favourites cookies to dunk in a glass of milk. This Chocolate dipped Oreo cookies recipe is so versatile. You can make them for Easter with pink or purple candy melts, or have them all green for St. Patrick Day. They will become your family’s favourite cookies!
Put red candy melts in the top part of a double boiler. Melt the red candy melts.
Pour the candy melts into the dot & stripe candy mold.
Fill the mold 2/3rds full.
Tap the mold gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
Gently place a Oreo cookie in each mold until the sides of the cookies are coated with the candy melt. Making sure that the candy coated cookie is level with the mold.
Refrigerate until the red candy coating has a frosty appearance.
Melt the white chocolate in the double boiler.
Once the chocolate has melted spoon it into a piping bag with a #3 tip.
Drizzle the red candy coated Oreo cookie with the white chocolate.
Allow the white chocolate to dry.
I hope you enjoyed my Valentine’s Day Chocolate Dipped Oreo Cookies recipeas much as my family and I did. If you make it, make sure to share with us on Facebook or Twitter! Also, check out all of our other Recipes.
Valentine’s Day Chocolate Dipped Oreo Cookies
Lyne Proulx
These Valentine's Day chocolate dipped Oreo cookies look like they are difficult to make, but it's the cookie candy mold that does the work!
Put red candy melts in the top part of a double boiler. Melt the red candy melts.
Pour the candy melts into the dot & stripe candy mold.
Fill the mold 2/3rds full.
Tap the mold gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.
Gently place a Oreo cookie in each mold until the sides of the cookies are coated with the candy melt. Making sure that the candy coated cookie is level with the mold.
Refrigerate until the red candy coating has a frosty appearance.
Melt the white chocolate in the double boiler.
Once the chocolate has melted spoon it into a piping bag with a #3 tip.
Drizzle the red candy coated Oreo cookie with the white chocolate.
Allow the white chocolate to dry.
Keyword Chocolate Dipped Oreo cookies, oreo cookies, Valentine’s Day
Things break. Who will fix it? Photo Credit: foter.com
Everyone wants to get the best value for their dollar, and everyone loves a deal. But there is a big difference between discount shoes and discount services. Sometimes, cheap can be expensive. Here are 4 reasons to hire a pro.
Experience
The internet is so wonderful, and can reveal so much information. It can also hide the truth. A beautiful, professional website can be created for very little money. These sites can indicate a level of experience and knowledge which simply isn’t matched by the people running the business. Several years ago someone launched a business to compete with mine, with an amazing website. Their text was pulled from my company’s site almost word for word, so it read like they really knew what they were doing. They didn’t, and 18 months later they were out of business. When you hire a pro who has been around for a while, are paying to get the benefit of experience. So ask for references, and check to see how long they have been around.
Training
The professionals have been trained, and perhaps even certified in their field. This is especially important with construction trades. Organizers, stagers, and event planners all have courses and workshops available to them to build their skills. Anyone who took the time for training is serious about doing a good job!
Insurance
Insurance is like oxygen. You don’t realize how much you need it until it isn’t there. Insurance premiums can be as much as $200 a month, so amateurs and part-timers often skip this cost. Besides, what can happen, right?
Depending on what service you are hiring for, a lot can happen. Maybe that friendly person you hired to feed your cat while you are away for March Break doesn’t fully turn off the kitchen faucet. Water damage from an overflowing sink can mean big bucks. Your home insurance policy won’t cover it, and your pet sitter doesn’t have insurance – now you have to pay for repairs yourself.
Accountability
A professional who is part of the local small business community, with memberships in organizations like the Better Business Bureau, is accountable for the work they do. Anyone can make a mistake or have a bad day. The pros will stand behind their work, their name, their reputation. They are motivated to make things right for you. In my industry (housecleaning services), we’ve heard many stories of people changing cell phone numbers and ghosting as soon as there is a problem. When you hire a pro, you get someone who will be there for you.
Whole life insurance, also known as “cash-value” insurance is a basic and consistent type of permanent life insurance which remains in effect your entire life at a level premium. This life insurance is a good choice got you if you do not expect your life insurance needs to diminish over time. A portion of your premium goes into a reserve fund called ‘cash value’ that builds up over the years your policy is in affect. Your reserve fund is tax-deferred and you can borrow against it, until you withdraw it.
Insurance paper
Premiums
The premiums must generally remain constant over the life of the policy and must be paid periodically according to the amount indicated in the policy. You may also have the option of a shortening the premium payments – paying all of the premiums over 10, 15 or 20 years. Your cash values will grow to equal the amount of the death benefit when you turn to age 100.
Although, whole life insurance is more expensive than term, and if you’re on a limited budget, you may not be able to afford all the insurance coverage you actually need. But the plus point is that the death benefit is guaranteed as long as premiums are met. Also death benefit will never decrease if you don’t borrow against it.
Whole life insurance policy’s returns will fluctuate with the markets and will usually follow returns available from other investments like equity mutual funds. However, if you decide to quit your policy, your cash value can be paid in cash or paid-up insurance.
Whole Life Insurance Suitable to you
Whole life insurance is most suitable for you, if you want to:
use it as a tax and estate planning vehicle,
accumulate cash value for a child’s education or retirement,
pay final expenses,
provide money for a favorite charity,
fund a business buy/sell agreement,
provide key person protection.
Whole Life Insurance – Coverage for Life
Leverage of Coverage
Before buying the whole life insurance, you need to think carefully about choosing your level of coverage. Too often people make the mistake of insufficiently covering or even worse, financially overextending themselves. This would be a tragic error with whole life insurance policy because defaulting on premium payments can mean policy cancellation and the loss of your entire investment. So be careful and make sure you:
pick a life insurance policy that has a guaranteed cash value starting at the very first year,
maximize the cash value in the beginning years,
consider “participating” insurance policies which can pay dividends, increasing your policy’s value by boosting both the total cash value and the death benefits,
beware of any “surrender charges” when you cancel.
if you ever need to stop paying premiums, your policy lets you use the accumulated cash value of the life insurance policy to pay the premiums, thus keeping your coverage current.
When getting a Whole Life policy it’s important to have it set up by a professional life insurance broker in Ottawa. An insurance broker can help you decide if a whole life policy is right for you and can design it around your needs and explain it to you so that you understand how it works.
It’s that time of the year when football fans all over get ready for the big GAME day. Super Bowl Sunday is a few weeks away so now is the time to start preparing for the day. Whether you are having friends over, visiting friends or even having a tailgate party, you are going to need food, lots of food throughout the day. Try out these Top 25 Football party recipes to get you started.
What To Serve at a Football Party
Since a football game usually lasts a few hours you need to decide what to serve and when to serve it. Do you want just appetizers, finger foods or a halftime meal? Once you have all that figured out you can plan a touchdown menu.
So you need some Super Bowl recipe ideas now that you have decided to invite friends over to enjoy the game. You might want to have an assortment of finger foods and appetizers on a table throughout the day refilling the platters as they empty. Just make sure your guests save room for your halftime football party foods.
Appetizers and Finger Foods
Something quick and easy to snack on during the Super Bowl game.
chicken wings
potato skins
spinach dip
nachos
cheese and crackers
Halftime Meal
During Super Bowl halftime, there is a break from the game and a few performances. This is the perfect time to fill your belly with a bit more than just a snack.
burgers
taco bar
Chilli
Pinwheel bites
Meatballs
salads
desserts
Tailgate Party Foods
Since you might be having a tailgate party, you may want to pre-cook your foods and keep them in aluminum dishes to keep things warm. Perhaps someone can bring a portable BBQ to cook on spot.
Here are some ideas for your tailgate party food menu:
Burgers
Wings
Nachos
Chips and Dip
Hot Dogs
Chilli in a cup
Beer
While these are just suggestions for Super Bowl snack ideas, these 25 football party recipes have a good variety of sides, snacks, and desserts that everyone will love and remember.
Super Bowl recipe ideas
My personal favourite football party food to serve when I’m entertaining for Football Sunday is the chili bar. I start the chili in my crockpot early in the morning, go about the rest of my Sunday morning activities, and about an hour before our friends start arriving, I prepare the accoutrements and set up the serving station. Chili is an easy and universally-loved dish, and it’s perfect as the weather starts to get colder. Plus, your guests are able to customize their dish however they like.
Whether you prefer sweet or salty, there is something for everyone in this collection of delicious Football Party Recipes. You can even carve a watermelon like a football helmet if you’re feeling ambitious! No matter which dish or dishes you choose, you’ll be the MVP!
In this article, I would like to share with you the 5 keys to our ever-changing diet which influence the changing nature of our body and hence our diet. These factors continually intermix to form a new emotional picture of our biological needs.
Motherhood has its rewards and challenges and often guides us into unchartered territories. As a mother myself, I have been led into the world of alternative medicine and holistic practices. Having 2 young boys with food allergies, hypoglycemia and gut inflammation, food plays a star role in my household, which is the main reason why I have chosen a profession in holistic wellness.
NEW CAREER, NEW HOME, SHIFT IN FINANCES, CHANGE IN SLEEP PATTERNS, ETC.
Your body needs something different for every lifestyle change you make. For example, if you have a desk job, you will need less food compared to a landscaping job; your body chemistry is dramatically altered just by changing jobs or activity levels.
If you are in a boring or high stressed job or reoccurring situation, you may find yourself eating more than usual; food can be used to calm us down or activate our interest when we feel unfulfilled. Try to recall a time when you were so absorbed in an activity that you didn’t even think of eating for hours.
Environment
AS OUR SURROUNDING CHANGES, WE CHANGE, WHICH LEAD TO DIET CHANGES
Many people report that when they transition into a new environment, they are attracted to the foods which are found in that location. This is because there’s an intimate connection between the foods native to the environment and the people who are living there.
We remain connected to our surroundings in tangible ways – just as an old house contains the memories of the personalities of the generations that use to live there, so does food. It contains the essence of its environment.
For example, during the hot springs and summer months, the sun’s energy warms the body so that we have less need to produce internal heat through the digestive process. Therefore, our appetite naturally decreases and more fluid is needed to replace water loss which occurs through perspiration. The environment naturally provides us with cooling foods such as fruits and vegetables which will enable our body temperature to remain cool.
Another factor to take into consideration is that your metabolism increases during the spring, but might slow down in the summer due to excessive heat; hence the reason why we see Curry in India and Chili Peppers in Mexico; these spices help reactivate your metabolism.
In the colder months, metabolism slows down due to our body adapting to the cold weather and appetite will increase at this time in order to maintain the body’s temperature at normal range. Usually, people are attracted to high protein and high fat foods such as meats, cheeses and casseroles or warm foods such as soups. These foods are slower to digest and yield a sustained heat release over a longer period of time which is essential to keeping that inner fire burning. One of the main reason why people get sick in the fall is because they forget to implement dietary changes according to the season; root vegetables, bone broth, hearty stews are all great foods to add to your menu.
The body will also call for more body fat during the cold seasons; it’s an adaptation which provides us with the necessary insulation to the cold. Now we can justify why we put on a few pounds over the Holidays!
In a few short years, our body transitions from the nourishment of the umbilical cord, to breast milk, to pureed foods. Then the body longs for more complex foods to challenge the digestive system into full function and to meet the growing child’s nutritional needs.
This transformation of nourishment continues into adulthood; you might have encountered a very hungry teenager rummaging through your cupboards at all hours of the day or night! Whereas elderlies will only need a fraction of the calories since their metabolism has decreased.
Health
HEALTH PLAYS A HUGE ROLE REGARDING OUR BIOLOGICAL NEEDS
We are accustomed to change our diets during certain illnesses such as colds, flus, fevers, but for many people with health conditions, they have to alter their diet for life.
Special diets are crucial during chronic illnesses such as heart disease, liver disease, diabetes and ulcers. Each of these ailments have a corresponding therapeutic diet which will help heal and support the body.
As you can see, these 5 key To Our Ever Changing Diet interact to create a continuous evolving diet. Change is the one constancy in life that we can expect. The more we welcome change and respect it, and listen to it, the better we can navigate the body’s ever-changing needs and the better we can provide and support our family’s well-being as well as our own.
Macaron is a French sweet and colourful confection commonly filled with ganache, buttercream, or jam sandwiched between two meringues cookies. Macarons can be found in a wide variety of flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, pistachio, strawberry, lavender, hazelnut, orange blossom, and lots more! They are not difficult to make, but they can be so finicky!
Enjoy!
French Chocolate Macarons with Toffee
Ingredients
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup almond flour or almond meal
3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
Pinch cream of tartar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Ganache filling
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 stick), at room temperature and cut into cubes
Directions for the Ganache
Place the dark chocolate chips in a large bowl.
Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to boil.
Stir it into the chocolate without creating bubbles.
Let sit for 1 minute. Add the butter and stir until smooth.
Chill in the refrigerator until thickened but still spreadable, about 30 minutes.
Special equipment
You will need a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip. If you don’t have one, you can either spoon round dollops of batter onto the baking sheet or make a pastry bag by snipping off one corner of a large resealable plastic freezer bag.
Directions for macaroons
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the powdered sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse several times. Process until fine and combined, about 30 seconds.
Sift through a flour sifter into a large bowl; set aside.
Meringue recipe – place the 3 egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until opaque and foamy, about 30 seconds. Now add a pinch of cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium high, continue to beat until the egg whites are white in color and hold the line of the whisk, about 1 minute.
Continue to beat,slowly adding the granulated sugar, until the sugar is combined, the peaks are stiff, and the whites are shiny, about 1 minute more. Do not over whip. Transfer the meringue to a large bowl.
Take a rubber spatula, and now gently fold the dry mixture with the egg whites in four different scoops until the dry ingredients are just combined.
Now you will need to spoon half of batter into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain round tip. Pipe batter onto each prepared sheet in 12 walnut-size mounds, spacing mounds apart because cookies will spread slightly.
Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until firm to touch in center and dry and cracked on top, about 7 minutes pull the pan put and then rotate and bake for another 7 minutes.
IMPORTANT Slide parchment with cookies onto work surface; cool cookies. Repeat with remaining batter, cooling sheets completely and lining with clean parchment for each batch.
Assembly
Arrange 1 macaroon, flat side up, on work surface. Drop 1 scant tablespoon filling onto cookie.
Top with second macaron, flat side down.
Press lightly to adhere, making sandwich.
Repeat with remaining macarons and filling. Arrange macarons on platter.
2tablespoonsunsalted butter1/4 stick, at room temperature and cut into cubes
Instructions
Directions for the Ganache
Place the dark chocolate chips in a large bowl.
Warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to boil.
Stir it into the chocolate without creating bubbles.
Let sit for 1 minute. Add the butter and stir until smooth.
Chill in the refrigerator until thickened but still spreadable, about 30 minutes.
Special equipment
You will need a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch tip. If you don’t have one, you can either spoon round dollops of batter onto the baking sheet or make a pastry bag by snipping off one corner of a large resealable plastic freezer bag.
Directions for macaroons
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Place the powdered sugar, almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and pulse several times. Process until fine and combined, about 30 seconds.
Sift through a flour sifter into a large bowl; set aside.
Meringue recipe
Place the 3 egg whites in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on medium speed until opaque and foamy, about 30 seconds. Now add a pinch of cream of tartar, increase the speed to medium high, continue to beat until the egg whites are white in color and hold the line of the whisk, about 1 minute.
Continue to beat, slowly adding the granulated sugar, until the sugar is combined, the peaks are stiff, and the whites are shiny, about 1 minute more. Do not over whip. Transfer the meringue to a large bowl.
Take a rubber spatula, and now gently fold the dry mixture with the egg whites in four different scoops until the dry ingredients are just combined.
Now you will need to spoon half of batter into pastry bag fitted with 1/2-inch plain round tip. Pipe batter onto each prepared sheet in 12 walnut-size mounds, spacing mounds apart because cookies will spread slightly.
Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until firm to touch in center and dry and cracked on top, about 7 minutes pull the pan put and then rotate and bake for another 7 minutes.
Assembly
Arrange 1 macaroon, flat side up, on work surface. Drop 1 scant tablespoon filling onto cookie.
Top with second macaron, flat side down.
Press lightly to adhere, making sandwich.
Repeat with remaining macarons and filling. Arrange macarons on platter.
Cover; chill at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
Serve cold.
Notes
IMPORTANT Slide parchment with cookies onto work surface; cool cookies. Repeat with remaining batter, cooling sheets completely and lining with clean parchment for each batch.
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