Strawbunny Smoothie recipe

Thanks to Kendra Thornton for the guest post and providing the following recipe. This sounds fun! 

The Strawbunny Easter Smoothie Treat
On one of my former travels, my husband and I went on a fabulous vacation to Las Vegas. It's a beautiful city full of excitement and commotion. It's no wonder that the city draws millions of people every year. It was a nice change from the usually cold and windy weather of Chicago. Although I love where I live, Las Vegas was a welcoming change of pace.

However, one of the most memorable parts of the trip was the smoothie I had at the Cosmopolitan, ranked amongst some of the top hotels in Las Vegas. It was one of the best smoothies I had ever had. Not only was it refreshing but also it was extremely flavorful. I love how it has just the right amount of sweetness without it being overpowering. Strawberries are one of my most favorite fruits so I love how this smoothie uses it into its recipe. But the best part of this smoothie is the presentation.

To help celebrate this year's Easter with you all, I want to share this recipe and maybe it will become a favorite in your family as well. The following recipe's proportions make about 2 cups of the smoothie. The recipe is incredibly simple and easy without any complicated steps. The ingredients include the following...

Strawbunny Easter Smoothie:

Ingredients:

- 1(1/2) cups of frozen strawberries
- 4 tsp. of low-fat vanilla yogurt (for dairy-free, add extra milk alternative and 1 teaspoon of sugar)
- 2 tsp. of peanut butter
- 1/2 cup of skim milk (for dairy-free, use a milk alternative)
- Marshmallow (Bunny) Peeps

Directions:
The only step of this recipe is to put all the ingredients into the blender and mix. One tip is to only put a few strawberries into the blender at a time, as it will make blending easier. If your strawberries are exceptionally large, make sure to cut them into smaller pieces so that the mixture blends more smoothly. Keep the blender going as you continue to add in a few strawberries at a time.

Presentation is key with any special holiday meal, drink, or dessert. I like to make it more festive by serving a glass of this on top of a plate of Easter grass. I usually put some chocolate eggs sitting on the bottom sitting on top of the grass. It's the perfect centerpiece to be placed in the middle of the kitchen table on Easter morning. This breakfast decoration never ceases to bring smiles to my children's faces every Easter morning after they wake up.

I hope you enjoy this treat just as much as my family does this holiday…enjoy!
-Kendra

Kendra Thornton is a travel advocate, TV spokesperson, PR businesswoman, proud wife and mama of 3. I am a long time travel expert who has been packing my bags and traveling the world since I was 3 months old! I've found my utmost desire in life is right here in my own home. I have mixed my excitement for travel by bringing the taste of authentic cuisine to my own home with some of my unique recipes. Enjoy!

Helpful Tips for New Mothers

Thank you very much to Katie Moore for this great post on Tips for New Mothers. I can say from personal experience, I fully agree! Take a look through my recipes on this blog for easy, healthy meals for someone to make for you.


The biggest question a woman will ask herself after delivering a first child is, “Does motherhood
come with instructions?” Although this is a common fear among many new mothers, there are a
few tricks out there to make the transition into motherhood less stressful.

Once a new mother arrives home with her sweet bundle of joy, she will quickly learn that the
baby will only sleep for short periods of time. Since most newborns will sleep in two-hour
intervals, it is recommended to sleep when the baby sleeps. The tiny size of the newborn’s
stomach requires them to eat more often, causing them to only sleep in shorter bursts of time.
As their bellies grow, so does their ability to go longer without food.

Many mothers will face the emotional effects of delivering a baby after returning home. “Baby
blues”, sadness felt after having a baby, are common feelings but it is important for a new
mother to be able to identify the difference between normal post-delivery emotions and post-
partum depression. If a mother’s feeling of weepiness develops into more serious emotions,
consulting a doctor is the first step.

Learning the art of swaddling is a great tool to have for a new mother. Babies under the age
of four months, enjoy the security and boundaries that are found in a womb-like swaddle.
Swaddling will not only assist in helping baby to fall asleep, but will also keep them from waking
themselves up from involuntary spastic movements. Hospital nurses are swaddling pros and will
gladly offer a quick training session to curious new moms.

Keeping all items needed for late night feedings and diaper changes handy can make life easier
for a sleep-deprived mom. Waking up every few hours those first few months will leave a mother
feeling worn out. By having evening items handy, a new mom can quickly care for the baby and
return to sleep to catch up on her sleep.

When babies are in utero they are soothed by the sounds of the mother’s body like as her
heartbeat, muffled voice, and even her breathing. Noise machines are excellent alternatives to
mimic these sounds and place near, never inside, the baby’s crib. Hearing a heartbeat will make
a swaddled baby feel like he is back in the womb and will rest better for it.

New mothers often have running lists going on in their heads as they prepare for their first child.
By organizing these thoughts before delivery, new moms can keep themselves more organized.
There are even some important things that new parents may not consider, such as health
insurance coverage for the infant and umbilical cord blood banking. The first thirty days of a
newborn’s life will be covered by the mother’s health insurance plan; however the infant must be
added to the health insurance policy within thirty days of birth; otherwise some families will have
to wait until the next enrollment period.

Overall, the transition into motherhood can be a challenging experience. Yet with a little
planning and by remembering some of these helpful tips, the joys of motherhood are sure to be
rewarding.

"This article was written by Katie Moore. Katie is an active writer within the blogging community who discusses maternity, motherhood, prenatal health, childbirth and other topics within this niche.

If you have any questions or would like to connect with Katie please contact by visiting her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter @moorekm26."

Tips for cooking with kids

Thank you to Emily Patterson, Communications Coordinator of Primrose Schools. I felt this article had some great points!

In the picture, you see a 2 year old helping out with the prep (with broccoli of all things!). I personally feel that when kids are young, it's much easier to have them in the kitchen where you can watch them.

Emily has some great tips for how to keep them occupied and engaged.

"Cooking with Children: A Recipe for Kitchen Safety & Fun

Bubbling pots, sizzling skillets and delicious smells can make the kitchen a fascinating – yet dangerous – place for young children. However, the potential hazards don’t have to keep children out of the kitchen. Dr. Mary Zurn, vice president of education for Primrose Child Care Facilities, says kitchen time can be a great way for families to regain some lost, but valuable, family time.

“The kitchen is often the most popular place in the house for families to gather. It’s a place for learning and sharing, where the family can enjoy quality time. Children can also develop a sense of responsibility by participating in daily tasks,” said Dr. Zurn.

Parents can keep the kitchen safe and fun for children by following this simple recipe:

1. Engage your child meaningfully. Think about what tasks your child can do independently. Completing simple jobs like mixing batter, rolling dough and measuring water can boost a child’s sense of pride and accomplishment. Tearing lettuce, adding sprinkles to sweets and shaking parmesan onto pasta are other safe, satisfying tasks children can easily accomplish. Even very young children can get involved – give them some pots, pans and wooden spoons so they can pretend to cook with you or use them for music-making. The tuneful accompaniment will let you know they’re safely engaged and give them a way to feel like they’re helping too.

2. Set some ground rules. Children need supervision when they’re in the kitchen, so establish a list of basic safety rules and make sure children are always within sight. Teach children to wash their hands before and after handling food to avoid spreading germs. Discuss on a regular basis what’s safe to touch and what’s not. Make sure the handles of pots and pans are turned inward on the stovetop so you and older children don’t accidentally bump them and spill hot liquids or food.

3. Build up skills step-by-step. Children can develop many essential skills in the kitchen, such as following recipes or counting slices of bread. For more advanced skills, start slowly and have your child master easy tasks before attempting harder ones. Teach older children to use a knife by starting them off with cutting soft items like cheese and cooked noodles with a dull spreader. As your child’s coordination develops, they can move on to slicing or sawing vegetables and fruit with a plastic knife.
4. Keep it fun. Cooking can be messy even without children, so don’t stress over the “oops” moments. If the cookie batter ends up on the floor instead of the baking sheet, offer some guidance and let your child try again. You can make cleaning it up fun too!

When your meal is complete, be sure to compliment your sous chef on a job well done. Offer them the first taste of whatever you cooked together and ask them what you should make next time. Bon appétit!"

Thank you Emily, for a great post!