Tropical Fruit Boats

Making food interesting to a picky eater takes patience and creativity. My son Roo is going through the phase of eating only specific foods (chicken fingers, applesauce, yogurt, cheese quesadillas). I am trying to help him experience a variety of food and enjoy eating it... Which hasn't gone well... If he lays eyes on cucumbers, he will hide. When I eat carrots, he cries for me to stop...

I am taking the approach of healthy eating to a new level by making food fun.

What could be more fun and appealing than this Tropical Fruit Boat?

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 3/4 cup blueberry or grape juice
• 2 bananas
• 1/2 cup watermelon cubes (1/2-inch)
• 1/2 cup pineapple cubes (1/2-inch)
• 1 cup mango cubes (1/2 inch)
• 2 fruit roll-up sheets, any flavor
• 4 thin pretzel sticks, each 4 inches long

Directions:

1. In each of 4 shallow bowls, place ½-cup blueberries and 3 tablespoons juice.
2. Cut each banana in half crosswise on a diagonal, then split halves lengthwise.
3. In the center of each bowl, arrange 2 banana slices to form the sides of the “boat.”
4. Evenly divide the watermelon, pineapple and mango in the banana boats.
5. To make the boat “sails,”: on a cutting board, lay one fruit roll-up sheet over the other and press together; cut the double layer into 4 triangles.
6. Make 3 small cuts along one edge of each triangle; thread onto pretzel sticks.
7. Push the pretzel sail into a fruit cube.
8. Serve immediately.

Thanks to my pals at the Blueberry Council for supplying the recipe and image.

15+ Gifts for Wine Lovers

Nothing says I love you to a wine enthusiast like a gift that will indulge their hobby! If you need a gift this Valentine's Day for someone special who happens to LOVE wine, you are in the right place. These gifts are perfect for a variety of budgets and include fun ideas from board games to a wine tasting journal. 

I am a participant in the amazon affiliate program. If you make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no cost to you.

Under $10
Wine Tasting Journal
Wine Gummies
Unbreakable Wine Glass
Wine Bottle String Lights

Under $25
Electric Wine Opener
Wine and Picnic Set
Stainless Steel Wine Glasses
Wine Bottle Lights
Wine Cork Holder Monogram
Wineopoly 

Under $50
Wine Infused Coffee
Wall Mounted Wine Rack
One Button Aerator and Decanter 
Wine Purse
44 Bottle Wine Rack

Under $100
6 Bottle Wine Cooler
Mobile Wine Storage Cart
Aervana Wine Aerator

I would love ANY of these gifts! How about you? If you have a great gift idea for a wine lover, I would love to hear about it!

Print the I is for Igloo Coloring Page

School is out but we are still working on our letters! When the temps reached 92 last week, all Harper and Rolf could think of was popsicles, ice cream and playing with the hose. It seemed fitting to make an igloo for the letter I!

This printable combines handwriting practice and coloring for the win.

This post contains affiliate or compensated links.

To keep the fun of igloos going, we got some fun Toob toys from Safari LTD. We went with the Arctic Toob series because it had so many fun options including a seal, a fox, a whale, an igloo and more! Harper loved adding these fun toys to a bin of ice for a fun sensory experience.

We followed it up with a great book, Curious George Builds an Igloo. An afternoon playing in ice, learning about the letter Ii, and reading a great story in the cool comforts of our house made for an experience that even Rolfie, who is too cool on his own, couldn't resist getting involved in!

Print the I is for Igloo Coloring Page

Pin this page for later, or share it with a preschool parent!

You can find more FREE preschool printables here

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

Chewy Cherry-Nut Bar

We love healthy snacks that we can grab and go. With 2 very busy kids and a schedule that never stops I have to make choices that can satisfy the family and that can be eaten easily {as little mess as possible}. We love cereal. We can't resist the chance to try recipes that are made with cereal. I think you will enjoy this recipe too. It is perfect for back to school breakfast or an after school snack.

Chewy Cherry-Nut Bar

Ingredients 

1 cup Great Grains Crunchy Pecan cereal

Nonstick organic canola oil spray

2/3 cup whole raw almonds, very coarsely chopped

2/3 cup raw pecans, very coarsely copped

2/3 cup dried tart cherries, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons golden flaxseeds

1/4 teaspoon fine-grained sea salt

Grated zest of 1 orange

1/2 cup agave syrup

Baking Instructions

Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 275 degrees fahrenheit. Line an 8-inch square pan with foil, allowing some foil to hang over the edges of the pan, then spray the foil with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine the cereal, nuts, cherries, flaxseeds, and salt. Mix in the orange zest. Add the syrup and stir to coat. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes, gently stirring the mixture occasionally with a silicone spatula to coat with the syrup. Pat the mixture firmly into the pan with a metal spatula. Continue baking (without stirring) until the mixture is golden brown and still pliable, about 40 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a rack for 25 minutes. Using the overhanging sides of the foil, lift the mixture out of the pan and press firmly on the mixture to help compact it on all sides. Then, using the bottom of the pan, gently press on the top of the mixture to compact it more. Cool on the rack until barely warm, about 10 minutes.

With the foil still attached, cut the nut and cereal sheet into 12 bars with a large sharp knife. Allow the bars to cool completely on the rack.

Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature. Remove the foil before serving.

Makes 12 bars.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

Thanks to my friends at Post Foods for sending the recipe and inspiring me to share it with you.

Are You Adventurous With Your Foods?

We like what we like, and we like to like what we like. A tongue twister to start this article
might be fitting, because the more adventurous you are with your foods, the more you tangle
with your tastebuds. It’s easy however to walk into the same restaurant you always do, and
eat the same order you always do, because you know what you’re going to get out of it. Is it
not easier to order what you know you’re going to like, rather than paying for a meal you’re
disappointed in? Of course it is, but without taking risks with our foods, we will never truly
discover what’s out there. Foods you never even thought could exist and work together, and
tastes you never thought would be possible. So hopefully this article is going to explain to you
how you can begin trying new foods, and the way it might even change your life.

Tucking Into Some New Grub

So, first things first, you need to get out of the habit of going to the typical foods that you usually
go to. You might waste some money along the way, but you could also find the tastiest thing in
the world that you just didn’t know exist. If you check out this Doordash vs Ubereats review,
you’ll find one company who can help you do it all from the comfort of your own home. Sometimes
it’s the simplicity of exploring a simple take out menu, that can introduce you to flavours you
didn’t know before. Especially on Indian and Chinese takeaways, there’s so much variety, and
so much good cooking to experience. Then, you can take it up a notch and start eating at
restaurants that do different delicacies you’ll eventually find yourself trying something that
you fall in love with.

Going Super Adventurous

We’re not talking about having a McChicken sandwich next time you go to McDonald’s, instead
of a Big Mac. We’re talking about trying the really unique dishes out there, that at first glance
might put you off. Fine cooked sushi for example, is something not many people are willing to
try. But when cooked by a beautiful Japanese chef, the flavours are incredible. There are a lot of
Japanese and Chinese tasting restaurants, where mini dishes are served to you, allowing you to
try a range of unique dishes. Any places like this where you can have a taste of anything, are
definitely recommended.

The Benefits It Could Have For Your Life

Food changes your life, and once you get a passion for it, you really start discovering what is out
there. It could lead you around the world tasting different foods, and it could definitely
enrich your diet. When you’re only used to eating the same types of food, you’re not necessarily
giving your body the diversity of vitamins and nutrients it needs. As long as your quest to try new
foods doesn’t take you down an unhealthy route, you might find your health really does improve.