Strawberry Banana Popsicles (Shhh... no sugar added!)

Seems the rest of the country is turning to thoughts of back to school and fall, but here in San Diego summer is just getting going.  Our weather has been a bit strange this year bringing rain (a rare occurrence for us), heavy marine layers that hide the sun for days at a time, and cooler temps.  Until this week.

This morning I woke to a brilliant sun peeking over the horizon and temps already warmer than some of the highs from the past few weeks.  And with no air conditioning in our house, popsicles seemed a "cool" plan.

Serving double duty, these popsicles also served as temporary ice packs filled with fruit for my girl who underwent oral surgery yesterday.  Her somewhat confused teeth set a permanent tooth shooting horizontally low in her jaw and left  unchecked would have sheared off the roots of her front teeth.  Hence, the tooth needed to come out, and along with a bit of bone, she's now free of the rouge bicuspid and nursing a sore jaw.

As we know from my prior post (surgery has been all in the family this last week) the after effects of anesthesia and pain meds can be not so pleasant, hence the all fruit popsicle to reset my girl's tummy.

A simple recipe of bananas, strawberries, chia and a few splashes of oj, brought all of Liv's favorite ingredients together and packed the nutrition I was looking for.  Banana?  Filled with fiber bananas can help ease the uncomfortable after effects of narcotic pain meds, and acting as a prebiotic the fruits assist the growth of friendly gut bacteria which are wiped out by antibiotics.  Add in the fact that the high levels of vitamin B-6 can help reduce swelling and we have a real winner.

Next we have strawberries, rich in antioxidants, the Vitamin C in the berries gives the immune system a boost along with more fiber and their fabulous sweetness.

"Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with leafy green wings reaching heavenward."

Jasmine Heiler

And next orange juice... also packed with that immune boosting Vitamin C, orange juice is said to help reduce inflammation and heck, it's also good for your heart.  A few splashes perk up any smoothie or popsicle and work as the perfect liquefying agent for our blend.

So here's to summer, fat lips and simply hanging by the pool.  Wishing you a happy and healthy day filled with balance and a little bit of chill.

Sparkling Strawberry Champagne Cocktail

Sometimes even the best laid plans go awry, don't they?  Take Mother's Day for instance.  I had plans of being unabashedly spoiled by my family.  Think pancakes prepared for me (not by me), someone else doing the dishes, a nice long nap and then dinner with my own mom.  Sigh... all the makings of a "perfect" leisurely day, yes?

Alas, the fantasy somehow doesn't always quite unfold as planned, and now I find myself questioning, "What really is prefect, anyway?".

Liv adding in a last minute dance competition on Mother's Day found me up at 4:50AM making pancakes to fuel her for the morning.  Rushing, we just made our 5:15 departure with hair and makeup done, costumes in hand, and lunch prepared and packed for the day.  Luckily our travel time to San Diego took a mere 26 minutes getting us to UCSD early, however I had left the kitchen strewn with the remnants of pancake and lunch prep along a list waiting for me to finish before my parents arrived later that evening for dinner.  

My Liv... :)

Competition days are exciting and bring me complete joy as I watch my confident, beautiful girl up there on that stage, however, after some 6 hours surrounded by blaring music and hundreds of teenage dancers one's head can begin to ache a bit.

Arriving home by 2PM and with only 2 1/2 hours to get dinner on the table I set to cleaning the kitchen from the morning mess and I'll admit to feeling a bit miffed that no one stepped up to help.   It was Mother's Day after all, wasn't it?

Hours later with a tidy kitchen, freshly made garlic and sundried tomato bread (my mom's favorite - recipe coming soon!), dinner prepared and dessert baked, Mom and Dad arrived and I shared a beer with my dad completely forgetting to prepare the Strawberry Champagne Cocktail I had planned.

After a lovely dinner, my husband and I cleaned up the kitchen again and I longed for a bath and bed when my son called in needed help with an issue at college.  Just finishing the call, Liv came down needing help with her homework and my husband commented that his uniform shirts weren't ready for him to head to work in the morning.  Sigh.

Feeling tired, overlooked, and even a little unappreciated, I finally found that bath.  Easing my tired back my phone beeped as my son texted a thanks for helping him along with "Looking forward to seeing you in a few weeks.  I have a few friends I hope you'll be able to meet."  Wow... he really wants me to meet his friends?  My heart lifted.

Popping in later to tell Liv goodnight she said, "Come here..." and enveloping me in a huge hug it was the "Mom... I'm so lucky God gave me to you.  You're the best mom ever.  I don't know what I'd do without you!" that completely melted my heart.

Heading to bed my husband also embraced me whispering, "You were amazing today... thanks for holding our family together."

It was then that I reflected that yes... my day had indeed been perfect after all.  I spent Mother's Day doing exactly what I love.  Being a mom.  And I wouldn't change a thing.

And so the spoiling was left for today when Stacy of Food Lust People Love completely spoiled me with her version of this fabulous Strawberry Champagne Cocktail.  May's Blogger Clue Series (#BloggerClue) prompt of "Berries" transported me to the other side of the world where I perused Stacy's incredible recipes and learned a bit about her life in Dubai.  With her lovely smile and kind heart, Stacy references her many travels and warms my heart with her love of her girls, husband and adorable boxer, Beso.

Choosing from a  plethora of luscious berry recipes including Blueberry Muffins, raspberry treats and even more strawberry muffins and breads,  this Strawberry Champagne Cocktail had been meant for Mother's Day, but ended up being the perfect complement to a spontaneous Day After Mother's Day brunch with my husband as we laughed and completed the photo shoot together.

So here's to Stacy, a mom like me who gets by day to day and loves her job as much as I do.  Cheers my friend!  Thanks for spoiling me today.

And now won't you join me as we discover what the rest of our lovely Blogger Clue Society brings to the table?

• Blackberry Yogurt Muffins by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch
• Blueberry Bars by Lora from Cake Duchess
• Blueberry Buttermilk Breakfast Cake by Heather from girlichef
• Blueberry Lemon Bars by Christiane from Taking on Magazines
• Blueberry Lemon Poppyseed Muffins by Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen
• Blueberry Sour Cream Cake by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies
• Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes and Frosting by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen
• Irish Blackberry Cobbler Cocktail by Stacy from Food Lust People Love
• Italian Jam Cookies by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lemon Cheesecake Parfaits with Raspberry Sauce by Rebekah from Making Miracles
• Raspberry Muffins by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Raspberry Oat Bars by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
• Strawberry and Coconut Tartlets by Anna from annaDishes
• Strawberry Champagne Cocktail by Kim from Liv Life
• Strawberry Fool by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme
• Strawberry Lemon Marmalade by Debra from Eliot's Eats
• Strawberry Margaritas by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva
• Strawberry Mousse by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Tapioca Cream Strawberry Parfait by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch
• Vanilla Roasted Peaches with Mascarpone and Raspberries by Kathleen from Bakeaway with Me

Chocolate Strawberry Pound Cake

Nothing says spring quite like heading to the farmer's market and letting the sweet scent of ripe, juicy strawberries lead you to the best stall in town.  With strawberry season at its peek here in San Diego, this is a weekly event for me, and with this month's Blogger Clue Society's assignment being "spring", strawberries seemed the appropriate choice.

Today we head back to Michigan for another day at my favorite farm with Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm where I'm hoping spring has finally spread her wings.  Apparently April blew in with even more cold weather and snow, and Wendy's talk of frozen ponds and snowy fields is somewhat unimaginable here in my San Diego world.  A few new puppies seem to have brightened their cold world though, and I'm eagerly awaiting more photos of these cute little guys.  (Wendy, we adopted brothers too and simply can't imagine life without them!)

But even all that snow hasn't stopped dear Wendy from posting a spring and strawberry filled recipe that I found so special it made its way to my Easter table.  How does a slice of Chocolate Strawberry Pound Cake sound to you??

I know, right?  It sounded irresistible to me too.  Rich and chocolaty, and sweetened with juicy, seasonal strawberries, we altered Wendy's recipe slightly to make it dairy-free for my family.  And as a personal note to Wendy, my Father-in-Law sends his heartfelt thanks for completing our meal in such a "grand" fashion.  He says he can't wait to see what you bring for him next year!

Now won't you join me as we travel the world for spring recipes from the rest of our Blogger Clue Society?  Let's see what spring means to them!

Asian Fried Quinoa by Kate from Kate's Kitchen

   

Asparagus and Prosciutto Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette by Heather from girlichef

   

Asparagus Quiche by Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen

   

Asparagus Salmon Fried Rice by Stacy from Food Lust People Love

   

Blue Cheese and Bacon Potato Salad by Christiane from Taking on Magazines

   

Blue Cheese Potato Salad by Lea Ann from Cooking on the Ranch

   

Broccoli and Cheese Muffins by Kelli from Kelli's Kitchen

   

Broccoli Cheddar Soup by Azmina from Lawyer Loves Lunch

   

Caesar Salad with Grilled Romaine by Jean from Lemons and Anchovies

   

Cheese Soufflé with Garden Salad by Debra from Eliot's Eats

   

Chicken Tikka Salad by Ramona from Curry and Comfort

   

Chocolate Strawberry Pound Cake by Kim from Liv Life

   

Cowboy Vegetable Scramble by Kathy from A Spoonful of Thyme

   

Creamy Asparagus Soup by Anna from Anna Dishes

   

Halibut and Spinach en Papillote by Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

   

Honey Balsamic Glazed Carrots by Rebekah from Making Miracles

   

Lemon Bars by Anna from Anna Dishes

   

Maple Soy Glazed Spring Carrots by Lora from Cake Duchess

   

Peppercress and Basil Pesto by Lisa from Authentic Suburban Gourmet

   

Fresh Basil Pesto by Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva

   

Raspberry and Rhubarb Rustic Tarts by Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm

   

Spring Green Risotto by Lauren from Sew You Think You Can Cook

   

Alice from A Mama, Baby and Shar-pei in the Kitchen

   

Christy from Confessions of a Culinary Diva

Coconut Strawberry Chia Overnight Oats... they're meant to travel! #DanceMom

Ahhh.... the weekend!  Those used to mean leisurely mornings sleeping to our hearts content, then casually mixing pancakes till light and fluffy while sipping a second cappuccino.  Yep, those were the days.  The days before I became a Dance Mom.

Now weekends are filled with before sunrise call times, fluttery false eyelashes, a world glittering with rhinestones and duct tape, and meals on the fly.  Many days our mornings begin in hotels which occasionally include a breakfast in the deal, however my lactose intolerant dancer usually can't partake in the dairy-laden breakfast fare leaving us on our own and with not a lot of time to go in search of a healthy meal.

But as any good dance mom does, we've learned to improvise on the fly.  Liv loves her homemade hotel waffles (yes... travel with a waffle iron!), but I'm not much of a morning person and don't usually eat until much later.  Hence, I'm frequently left to what I can fit into my cooler, and Overnight Oats have become my turn to morning meal on the road.

Mixed together before we leave home, I keep my jar on ice and make my way out to my car after I have Liv set in the dressing room.  Packing sides of walnuts and shredded coconut I can close my eyes and almost see myself in some luxurious location... after all, the show is all about illusion, and with Coconut Chia Overnight Oats you can send yourself to the tropics, even if it is only for a few glorious moments.

Strawberry Blueberry Chia Jam

I may be somewhat repeating myself with this recipe... but as I explained it to a girlfriend and described it as "You know... just like the blueberry one I made only you add strawberry?" she exclaimed, "But I never would have thought of that!!  You have to post it!!"  So... usually one to follow directions, here we go!

This season I've become somewhat obsessed with chia jam.  Simply put, it's fruit, a little pure maple syrup and chia.  Just real food, nothing else.

We've always purchased jam, and while I've become familiar with the store-bought sweetness, the different varieties we've made this summer have allowed the actual fruit flavors to shine.  Sort of like storing the farmer's market in a jar, the flavors simply tantalize with realness.

Gelled with chia in place of the usual packaged pectin, Strawberry Blueberry Chia Jam brings a nice dose of calcium and protein along with its incredibly fresh flavors.  

Chia Seed, yes the seed of the the Chia Pet era, is everywhere these days.  Once a staple in the Inca, Maya and Aztec cultures, chia is actually the Mayan word for "Strength".  Filled with protein, calcium, potassium, iron, and Omega 3 and 6, chia takes on the title of a true super food and can help maintain energy and endurance.
Soaked in liquid, chia seeds (filled with soluble fiber) swell up to 10 times their weight and form a gel-like outer layer which, in the digestive system, actually slows down the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar and in turn helps stabilize blood sugar.  In addition, the seeds high soluble fiber content also helps to control cholesterol levels.

But back to our jam... maple syrup in place of granulated sugar gives a lovely depth and has me happy we've kept the entire recipe real and healthy.

With strawberry season in full swing here in San Diego, our markets are flooded with fresh, juicy, bright red berries for good prices and purchasing more than you actually need is easy to do.

Just an hour after our last market and some 24 hours since picking our strawberries simmered along with a basket of blueberries into this fabulous, sweet Strawberry Blueberry Chia Jam.

If your markets are bursting with berries you'll love this version... bursting with strawberry flavors you'll be searching for new ways to use jam.

Strawberry Vanilla Bean Jam... Fresh from the California fields.

She's coming home. She's coming home. Tell the world, she's coming home...  with Diddy and Skylar Grey's tune coursing through my head, I see the Flight Radar showing the Boeing 757 at some 33,000 feet and winging its way my direction.  Some 6 hours to go and my girl will be home!

Lucky Liv spent her spring break touring the East Coast with tour-filled stops in DC, NYC, Philly and Boston.  Visions of monuments, the White House, Broadway, the Liberty Bell and the Statue of Liberty texted their way to my phone, but I'm eager to hear first hand the adventures my girl along with her 8th grade class have experienced over this week.

While her days have been filled touring some of our country's finest sights, I've been a bit lonely.  My husband spent a good part of the week out of town, my son headed for the beach and with Liv "living life" thousands of miles away, it's been me and the pups.

I did OK for the first day or two (once the plane landed...), but then my heart went out to her as I woke up on the 3rd day to a text saying she had a stomach bug and had thrown up some 4 times that morning.  As the tour had checked out of their hotel, my poor sweetie spent the day hugging a waste basket on the bus while the rest of the class visited the Capitol Building and the Newseum.

Talking to her briefly I could hear her tears as she struggled to remain strong, but my heart broke being so far away.  As stomach bugs do, this one ran its course and left her weak but feeling much better just about the time the bus pulled in to NYC.  A good night's rest had her back on her feet and the next day photos of Broadway filled my phone.

Home alone with anxious energy I headed out with camera in hand, something that always brings me peace.  A long walk on the beach took my mind off the miles and a stop at the local farmer's market had me loading up on fresh organic California Strawberries.  The road home led past one of our local strawberry fields and I couldn't resist jumping out and snapping a few shots of the beautiful red berries as I watched a family from Utah pick their own.  The squealing of the little girls lifted my heart, and I headed home with my fragrant, red treasures.

My personal favorite jam has always been apricot, one that my mother used to make for me with the fruits from a backyard tree as I was growing up.  Last summer, however, Liv tried strawberry jam while on our vacation and begged the question, "Why don't we ever have strawberry jam at home?".  Good question.  My next trip to Trader Joe's brought a lovely jar of organic strawberry jam which I found good, but it wasn't my beloved apricot.  Liv and my son were happy though, so strawberry it's been for the last few months.

Wanting to have something special for her arrival home, I set to chopping my sweet, freshly picked market berries, adding sugar and setting the mixture to simmer for about an hour.  Knowing how she loves vanilla, the seeds from a plump vanilla bean found their way into the mixture just as the jam made its way into the waiting jar.

Having not been successful with canning in the past, this small batch of jam produced just about two cups of sweet, bursting with strawberry flavor, jam which I simply placed in a jar in the fridge without all of the hassle of the canning process.  I've read that the refrigerated jam will last a couple of weeks, but I have a feeling ours won't be around that long.

She's coming home, she's coming home... tell the world, she's coming home.

My leisurely breakfasts this week have been a simple bowl of Greek yogurt sweetened with a touch of Strawberry Jam topped with Vanilla Bean Granola.

San Diego Strawberry Muffins

San Diego Strawberry Muffins

Everyone needs a vacation, right?  I know I'm ready, but I'm still a few months out (more on that to come... let's just say it's looking like a gondola ride is in my future and it's not at the Venitian in Vegas!).

In any case, my friend Roxanna, of A Little Bit of Everything, is taking a meander down the East Coast while spending some valued time her family.  Today we have the honor of filling in for Roxanna with a Guest Post.

If you haven't visited A Little Bit of Everything, you really are missing out.  Roxanna consistently delights me with her fabulous baked goods that have you throwing all cares of calories out the window.  My personal favorite, though I have yet to make it (mostly because I know I will eat the whole thing!) is the Ricotta Olive Oil Bread.  Take a peek here.  Have you ever seen anything so beautiful??
 

For today though... come join us in sunny San Diego as we enjoy peak strawberry season with a muffin that has become a favorite in our dance rehearsal car pool.  I've had requests for "those awesome strawberry muffins" time and again since we first made them.

Sweet strawberries are chopped into a low fat, whole grain batter and topped with Liv's favorite sprinkle of raw sugar.  Served regular size or mini, these little beauties don't last long.

Head on over to A Little Bit of Everything and see our Guest Post, and be sure give Roxana a big hello while you are there.

AND...

don't forget to enter our giveaway for a Customizable Shutterfly iPhone Photo Case!  Below is a sample of mine... what will yours be?

Strawberry Corn Cakes with Brown Sugar Whipped Cream - Guest Post featuring Bellabits!

Spring is most definitely spreading her wings and bringing gorgeous, sunny skies to Southern California.  With spring, comes two of my favorite things... strawberries and spring break.

As we eased back into real life today, the kids reflected on our fairly inactive and much needed restful break, wishing themselves back into dreamland with no schedule.  Alas... the break is over and it's back to school and the regularly scheduled schedule.

Not everyone was spending their break kicking back and relaxing though.  I'd like to introduce you to my favorite almost-teen blogger, Bella, of Bellabits, who spent her spring break in the kitchen and at the computer writing a Guest Post for us.  A 2011 Young Writer's Program winner, Bella brings a fresh voice to her blog and shows off her talent in the kitchen.

Who can resist a girl who in 2010 wrote about a Christmas shopping spree proclaiming her favorite stop William's Sonoma?  Coming home with a Vanilla Bean Paste she was eager to get back into the kitchen, just like she did on Spring Break 2012.

I can't thank Bella enough for sharing her sweet Strawberry Corn Cakes with Brown Sugar Whipped Cream with all of us.  You can find her on Bellabits and the Bellabits Facebook page.  She's also on twitter at @IamBellabits.

While I've never actually met Bella in person, I've enjoyed watching her blog grow over the last few years and I'm eager to see where she takes us next.  But for now I give you Bella and her sweet Strawberry Cakes...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Oh my goodneshhh!!  Hello everyone, its Bella!!!

OK so I was doodling what might become Bellabits' new logo, and looking for blogging inspiration, flipping through some of my favorite Food Network Magazines.  These are always packed with SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS recipes, and I happened to stumble upon a delicious looking one of them: Strawberry Corn Cakes! Yummy right?

I've got to tell you that I have been on a cornbread kick lately.  My Mom never made cornbread much, but this last winter, we started making it instead of rolls with dinner, as breakfast (cornbread pancakes) and dessert (buttered brown sugar cornbread).  So, right then and there, I decided that we absolutely needed to make them.

We followed the oh-so-easy recipe making a few tweaks here and there.  Instead of lemon zest, we added orange zest, instead of vanilla extract, we used (my favorite) vanilla bean paste, and for an extra special topper, we made a fresh brown sugar whipped cream instead of the plain whipped cream in the original recipe. Using a cornbread mix really made this quick and easy too.

  

Here I am spooning the corn cake mix into the muffin pan after preparing it using the directions.  I pop them into the oven and make my strawberry filling/topping.

With about 5 min left to bake, take out the corn cakes, make an indention in them with the back of a spoon, and put some of the strawberry filling into each one.  Stick the cakes back into the oven for the remaining time. They will be golden.

Once cool, add the remaining berry mixture and a giant dollop of the brown sugar whipped cream on the side. The end result: A delectable, fruity dessert!!!

When I first bit into one of the cakes, a sensational sweet-tart, warmness put a smile on my face. The cornbread muffin is substantial and quite filling. Make sure to add some of the whipped cream to your spoonful, to make it cool and sweet and moist. My mouth is watering just writing about it!!! This is a recipe that all of you guys NEED to try!!!