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Desserts

What to Do With Leftover Chocolate

April 3, 2018

Do you have any leftover chocolate from Easter? You know, the solid milk chocolate that you could break your teeth trying to eat?

Well even if you’re a disaster in the kitchen, you can manage to make this simple recipe with leftover chocolate. Have fun with it! Add your favourite nuts, marshmallows, rice crisps, or even dried fruit.

Leftover Chocolate Recipe ~ Chocolate Bark

Ingredients

Whatever chocolate is left over

1/4 cup butterscotch chips

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup butter

1 cups miniature marshmallows

½ cup roasted almonds

¼ cup rise crisps or puffs

Directions

In a saucepan over low heat, combine chocolate, butterscotch chips, and peanut butter until melted. Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes or so. Stir in the marshmallows, coconut nuts, or other ingredients.

Pour onto a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and spread evenly. Cool in refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Health

Arthritis Affects Young People Too

March 29, 2018

Growing up, I remember watching my dad massage my mom’s neck and shoulders. He’d apply ointment to her joints, as she would explain to me she had arthritis. Fast forward to today, and I too am in my 40s; I recently learned after an MRI that I have arthritis in my cervical spine.

When you think of arthritis, we normally envision an elderly person struggling to walk, with a cane in hand. You hear more stories of younger adults developing arthritis. But did you know that arthritis also affects children and teenagers too?

Arthritis is one of the more common disorders resulting in chronic disability in children and teens in Canada. While we think that arthritis is an “older person’s” disease, juvenile arthritis can affect young people, with potentially devastating effects on developing bodies.

March is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, and I had the opportunity to chat with Nicole Barry whose 10-year-old son lives with a form of juvenile arthritis – juvenile ankylosing spondylitis which affects the spine.

Nicole’s son, Conor, first began to complain of pain in his left foot. Nicole thought he may have outgrown his running shoes, so she bought him a few new pairs. A few weeks later, Conor’s gym teacher called Barry, and told her she noticed he was limping, and favouring his right foot.

After several doctor visits and x-rays, medical professionals attributed the foot pain to growing pains. But the issue persisted.

About a month later, Conor was admitted to the hospital after blood work came back irregular. After a week’s stay and several tests, doctors thankfully ruled out bone cancer. But his diagnosis turned out to be arthritis.

“When I was told he likely had arthritis I thought phew! No biggie. Take some anti-inflammatory pills and stretch out your hands, like my Grandpa does. I wasn’t aware of the different types of arthritis and how it can impact your internal organs,” Barry admitted.

Barry has switched careers to reduce stress on the family, and to be available for medical appointments, sometimes as many as three times a week to check on worrisome symptoms.

“Life has indeed changed for us. Managing the appointments, medicines, insurance forms, and his symptoms is a lofty task – one of course I am happy to do,” Barry said.

“I worry about his length of life and that his type of arthritis is degenerative, so I worry about his mobility as he ages. But, he is incredibly resilient and strong and I know he will strive in whatever does in life, Barry says.

Despite his worrying condition, Barry remains optimistic.

“Conor is so mature, so kind and empathetic, so intelligent. I am so proud of him and how he manages and thrives in spite of this disease.”

For more information and resources, please visit the .

Disclosure: This post is proudly sponsored by AbbVie Canada. As always, the opinions expressed herein are my own.

Food

Quinoa with Feta and Pear Recipe

March 28, 2018

Move over rice; quinoa is my go-to choice for a gluten-free side dish. Why? Not just because it can replace rice in several dishes, quinoa contains more protein than any other grain. Technically a seed and not a grain, quinoa is high in protein compared to most plant foods, and contains all eight essential amino acids. It is also higher in unsaturated fats and lower in carbohydrates than most grains.

The sweetness of the pear with the saltiness of the feta accompanied by herbs and onion makes this quinoa recipe with feta a favourite in our home. We enjoy it as a hot side dish, and it tastes even better cold!

Quinoa with Feta and Pear

Ingredients

1 cup (250 mL) quinoa

2 cups water

½ organic chicken or vegetable bouillon

Dash of sea salt

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, minced

½ red pepper, diced

½ orange pepper, diced

2 green onions, sliced

1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon of chopped or dried herbs of your choice – I like thyme, marjoram, sage or all three

Dash black pepper

1 cup Feta cheese, crumbled

1 Bosc pear, chopped

Method

Rinse quinoa in cold water and drain well. In saucepan, bring water and quinoa with bouillon and salt to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile in a pan, sautee olive oil with onion and garlic. Add peppers, green onions and herbs and cook on low until soft. Remove from heat.

Add vegetables to quinoa. Stir in lemon juice, pear and feta and stir. Tastes wonderful hot or cold!

Big Kids

How to Encourage Your Child to Do Well in School

March 19, 2018

Family expert Sara Dimerman is here to answer any questions you may have. If you need to submit a question, please email amotherworld@gmail.com.

How do you encourage your unmotivated child to try and do well in school?

Understanding the reason for your child’s lack of motivation is the most important first step in helping to encourage motivation. Many parents say that their children are lazy, but this often leads to a self fulfilling prophecy, especially when children hear their parents say this (and children do hear much more than we even realize!)

I have found that most unmotivated children are not lazy. They are discouraged. Sometimes the discouragement is as a result of a learning difficulty or gap in learning that makes him or her feel that they are trailing behind, having difficulty catching up or staying on track. An academic and/or IQ assessment can help determine this.

Other children are discouraged as a result of what adults in their world are saying to them. Although we often think that comments such as “I know you can do better” are encouraging, they are just the opposite. Consider as an adult, how you might feel if, after you’ve put some effort into doing something, you are told that you can do better. The trick to encouraging more of what you’d like to see is to focus on effort, improvement and interest. As soon as you see your child behaving or studying in a way that you like, comment on the effort, improvement or interest he or she is showing.

In addition, instead of only focussing on the end result, such as the final grade on a report card, rather focus on the process. So, when your child brings home a report card with an A in Math, for example, say something like “looks like you really enjoy working with numbers.”

Simple comments such as this can go a long way towards fostering increased motivation in students.

Beauty

Shoppers Drug Mart New & So You!

March 15, 2018

Shoppers Drug Mart is getting some new products in store, and to help celebrate, they have a cool pop-up event at Square One Shopping Centre in Mississauga.

From skin care to oral care to the latest finds in hair care, hair colour and men’s grooming, Shoppers Drug Mart has curated the latest buzz-worthy products you have to try. There are 49 new finds available in store now, so you’ll be sure to discover new products to add to your daily beauty routine.

I attended the Shoppers Drug Mart New & So You event at Square One before it opened to the public.

Once you get to the event (open to the public all week until March 18^th) you can:

Fill out a survey choosing four categories that are of most interest; hair care, hair styling, hair colour, skin care, oral care and men’s grooming
Then based on the four categories, you answer questions about your main concerns. For example, if you think your skin needs more hydration or anti-aging products, or your hair needs some TLC or to repair damage.
Finish the survey and based on your selections, Shoppers Drug Mart will recommend a product for each category.
Your products will magically appear in a personalized bag on a conveyor belt, and you get to take some of them home to try!

Based on my answers, here are the products that were recommended for me:

Love, Beauty & Planet Hope & Repair Conditioner formulated with moisturizing coconut oil and ethically sourced ylang ylang essential oil helps restore and revitalizes damaged hair.
Nivea® Q10 Plus C Anti-Wrinkle + Energy Goodnight Cream helps reveal visibly younger and energized-looking skin.
Crest® 3D White™ Whitening Therapy™ Enamel Care Toothpaste that helps whiten teeth but also helps repair weakened enamel.
And for my husband and boys, Bulldog™ Original Moisturizer designed for men, containing natural ingredients and free from artificial colours and synthetic fragrances.

The Shoppers Drug Mart New & So You event is happening at Square One in Mississauga until March 18^th.

Bonus: You also get 10x the PC Optimum points on featured products until March 23^rd.

Visit http://new.shoppersdrugmart.ca/products to see what’s new, and drop a comment below with the products you’re excited about for a chance to WIN a gift basket of products!

Check out my Instagram stories under Highlights to get another look!

ENTER TO WIN

Please fill in the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win a New & So You gift bag of your own!

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Disclosure: This post is proudly #sponsored by Shoppers Drug Mart. As always, the opinions expressed herein are my own.

Family Travel

10 Tips for Travelling with Kids in Europe

March 13, 2018

Do you have plans to travel to Europe with the whole family? Travelling with kids in Europe may take some intricate planning and scheduling, but being prepared will make your vacation smoother.

Here are 10 tips for travelling with kids in Europe.

10 Tips for Travelling with Kids in Europe

Pack light.

There are some things you just can’t leave home without, but don’t fall into the trap of over-packing. Keep in mind that many places, such as train stations, are not stroller-friendly. If you can avoid it, you might want to leave the stroller at home.

On the other hand, some parents cannot live without their stroller so if that’s the case, it’s completely understandable! Some things are non-negotiable like a high chair and baby carrier. Don’t forget to pack the important stuff.

Speaking of packing, one person should be in charge of packing! Instead of both parents packing and neither knowing where anything is, one person packs. You could also make a list of where everything is: toiletries in the red suitcase, extra diapers in the blue carry-on.

Print your boarding passes at home.

You’ll save quite a bit of time and money if you print your passes before you head to the airport.

Check and double-check your passports.

Worst case scenario would be getting to the airport and realizing there’s an issue with one of your passports! Make sure your passport will be valid for six months after your trip.

Also, if you’re leaving the country with your children but without your spouse, make sure to have a letter of consent with you.

Leave a copy of travel documents and itinerary with a family member; scan copies and email them to yourself as well.

Consider renting a house or apartment.

This depends on area and budget, but sometimes you can find a house rental for much less than a hotel would cost you. This is especially true when you are staying for longer periods of time. Check out vacation rental websites like Airbnb or HomeAway before booking hotels.

Sleep upon arrival.

If you’re making a long flight to Europe, chances are you’re going to be jet-lagged. You don’t want to mess their sleep schedule up too much, but everyone is probably going to need a nice long nap before any exploring takes place.

Allow enough time to visit each country.

If you’re visiting more than one country, allow enough time to fully enjoy each country before moving onto the next. If you have a few weeks, a few countries will be plenty. Don’t rush things! You’ll end up with crabby kids (and parents), and nobody wants that.

On that same note, allow more time than you expect to need. There’s always something that comes up while traveling, especially with kiddos! So instead of being stressed out, make sure you’re allowing some “oops” time in between stops.

Pack a lunch.

Food and drinks can be a huge expense while traveling, so hit the market and pack a lunch when possible. This goes for snacks, too! Find a grocery store and stock up on breakfast food items, water, drinks, fruit and other snacks, leaving your spending for lunch or dinner.

Book a tour. Or two!

Hop On Hop Off Tours are a great way to see the cities without having to walk miles and miles. Especially with little ones in tow, exploring on foot may not be feasible. If your children are older, consider renting bicycles to tour the city or countryside.

Be present.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of everything, including posting pictures of your trip. Take time each evening to upload photos and send them to your email, or post to social media, but during the day make sure you’re present. There’s nothing worse than regretting how you spend your time while on vacation.

Relax.

While traveling with kids in Europe, something always goes wrong. It is bound to happen, but how you react to the situation is what will determine the rest of your vacation!

Health

5 Reasons Why You Should Take a Probiotic

March 6, 2018

Brought to you by Renew Life and TheCo

If you follow health news trends, you’ll have likely heard about the importance of clean eating and having a healthy gut. As the center for absorption in the body, the gut has a huge impact on the overall health, productivity and efficiency of our other organs and systems.

Eating a clean diet and taking a probiotic supplement are the best things you can do for your overall health. Here are 5 reasons why you should take a probiotic:

You need good bacteria

The gut is lined with hundreds of trillions of microorganisms that make up your intestinal flora. Over time, those bacteria change, grow, and deplete based on a host of outside factors like diet, lifestyle and environment.

The “good” bacteria are known as probiotics and by definition they are live, beneficial bacteria that offer health benefits when consumed in adequate doses.

You need to heal your gut

If you don’t eat well, have taken antibiotics, or anti-inflammatories, your gut needs some lovin’.

“Since the gut environment can be affected by chemicals, poor nutrition, stress, and medication such as antibiotics, a high-quality probiotic can go a long way,” says Dr. Sara Celik, ND Naturopathic Doctor and Spokesperson for Renew Life Canada. “A daily dose of probiotic bacteria has been shown to support better gastrointestinal and immune health.”

A probiotic such as Renew Life Ultimate Flora, will help build intestinal barriers and strengthen digestion.

Prevent issues

Although many people reach for a probiotic only after they develop digestive issues, others are more proactive. “Think about probiotics as a protective army in your digestive system. With over 70% of the immune system in the gut, probiotics play a big role in fighting off harmful organisms,” says Dr. Celik.

“When it comes to digestive health, probiotics are my go-to supplement since research has shown that probiotics can improve bowel movements and decrease uncomfortable symptoms such as occasional gas and bloating.”

A healthy gut can help support your immune health.

You’ll be more mindful of what you eat

If you’re taking a probiotic, you may tend to be more mindful of what foods you are putting into your body; choosing a diet rich in nutrient-dense, natural, whole foods. Avoid foods that are high in sugar and artificial ingredients. A healthy gut can help fight food cravings.

Reading nutritional labels can be overwhelming. Just remember that certain foods feed the ‘bad’ bacteria and starve the ‘good’ bacteria.

“Many people are surprised to learn that sugar is found in over 60% of processed foods and can promote inflammation and dysbiosis – an imbalance of microbes in the gut,” says Dr. Celik. “Just one small change such as minimizing sugar in the diet can have a huge impact on your gut health.”

These are five things to avoid:

SUGAR (especially artificial sugar and sweeteners)
Refined grains (and grain products that contain gluten)
Heavily processed vegetable oils and trans fat containing foods
Alcohol (especially mixed cocktails with artificial ingredients)
Processed meats (e.g. deli meats, sausages, and luncheon meats)

Link between gut and brain

Not only does a healthy gut help your digestive system. There is a link between our gut health and brain health; a healthy gut has been linked to effectively treat symptoms of depression by reducing inflammation and stabilizing moods. Also, a healthy gut can help improve memory, as well as happiness; 95% of your body’s happiness-inducing serotonin is produced in the gut.

A probiotic like Renew Life Ultimate Flora will help you gain the most out of the healthy food you’re eating by positively impacting your gut health.

Disclosure: This post is proudly sponsored by Renew Life. As always, the opinions expressed herein are my own.

Books & Music

Oh Baby! A Mom’s Self-Care Survival Guide for the First Year – Giveaway!

March 1, 2018

It’s my book birthday – time to pop open the champagne! The big day is finally here – my book, Oh Baby! A Mom’s Self-Care Survival Guide for the First Year, is now available at Barnes & Noble, Chapters-Indigo, and Amazon.

Amazon.ca

Chapters-Indigo

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Much love to my family and friends who have supported me over the years – you know who you are.

Huge thanks to Familius, my amazing publisher, and my editor, Michele Robbins – I couldn’t have done this without her guidance and expertise – and the entire Familius family!

Thank you to Kathy Buckworth, Natalie Goldberg Klein, Sara Dimerman “HelpMeSara”, Deborah Gilboa, Anita Doron and Caroline Fernandez for endorsing the book! Damn I know some talented women!

Thank you to Egidio Tari, Coste Lianos, Eric Novak, and of course my husband, Genio Carbone, for offering their male perspective in the book.

Thanks to the moms from my amazing local Facebook group for sharing their stories, thoughts and feelings for my book: Monica Bertenshaw, Megan Houston, Jacklyn De Ciccio, Chriss Bickers, Garman Wong, Alessia Giacomi, Megan Smith, Kim Madore, Janelle Dayman, Shannon Harris, Nikki Stefancic, Jennifer Newberry, Ashely Braun, Jennifer Hunter-Pigeon, Denise Finlay Dodds, Rebeccah Beaulieu, Lindsay Pevcevicius, Michelle Gemmell, Tania Pollard, Ashley-Chris Isabella, Sabrina Lang, Jacqueline Robinson, Stefanie Puiras, Karen May, Anjali Joshi, Heidi Hoile, Marlene Nemeth, Nicole Kalbfleisch, Liora Sobel, Kelley Scott Driediger, Lauren Tobin, Emily Dimmell, Bonnie Teitelbaum Wisener, Laurie Brander, Tara Dean Tomasic, Manila Goncalves.

Enter to win!

Of course I’m giving away a few copies to my loyal readers! Please fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter.

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Family Travel

Tarpon Springs is Florida’s Greek Town

February 27, 2018

If you’re in the Tampa or Clearwater area and feel like a little OPA! Greek-style, then you must visit Greek Town Florida – Tarpon Springs. Tarpon Springs is Florida’s Greek Town, 10 miles north of Clearwater, on the warm and lovely Gulf of Mexico.

This charming town was built by Greek immigrants who brought the tradition of diving for sponges to the popular sunshine state. .

So it’s no surprise that my parents own a home of their own in this Greek community in Florida. This Florida Greektown is one of the biggest sponge industries in the world. You will want to hang out by the docks and watch the workers load a fresh catch of sponges. Yes, you’ll want to pick up a few sponges in one of the many little tourist shops. But you’ll have to also pick up some handmade soaps to take home as well.

I love the selection at Lori’s Soap and Sponge Market or Get a Guru. Make sure to also stop by The Sponge Factory, Sponge Diver Supply and/or Spongeorama Sponge Factory.

After walking the strip, stop for lunch or dinner at one of the many authentic Greek restaurants, like Mykonos. If you’re not in the mood for Greek, make sure to dine at Rusty Bellies, a real seafood haven at the end of the strip with a seafood market next door. It does get pretty busy, so make a reservation! Be sure to try the Carly Sue Shrimp N Grits for a real southern favourite. Before heading home, be sure to stop by Hellas Bakery for a delicious Greek pastry.

If you can manage to visit during the Greek Festival, you will have a blast. Events are posted on the Tarpon Springs Events site.

Tarpon Springs is Florida’s Greek Town — Carly Sue Shrimp N Grits

Tarpon Spring Florida — Sponge Diver Supply, spongediversupply.com

parenting

Win Toronto Maple Leafs Tickets with Club Maple Leafs!

February 21, 2018

What did you do for Family Day? My family and I had the fun opportunity of attending a Famil Day Toronto Marlies game at the Air Canada Centre.

Both of my boys love playing competitive hockey, and when we’re not at the rink, we’re watching hockey on TV. Once in a while, we’re lucky to catch a game live, which is an experience like no other. If you’ve never been to a Toronto Marlies games, you must – it’s hockey at its best! This is where the magic of the Toronto Maple Leafs begins – William Nylander, Morgan Rielly, Nazem Kadri, Jake Gardiner, and eight other players on the current Maple Leafs roster started with the Marlies.

Club Maple Leafs is a new site and app aimed just for kids, to create an early love for the hockey and the Leafs through youth-friendly games and content. The kids’ platform is live at mapleleafs.com/clubmapleleafs and the mobile application is available for download on iTunes and Google Play.

For each game over the rest of the season, a different Club Maple Leafs user will win tickets for them and their family to attend a Leafs home game (4 tickets) – plus some swanky swag… including autographed jerseys and accessories for the family worth $900!

How to Enter:

Step 1: Download the Club Maple Leafs app

Apple App Store

Google Play Store

Step 2: Enter the Family Game Night Series.

It’s that simple!

For another chance to win a Family Game Night Series prize pack of your own, enter the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!

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