April Fool's With a Vengeance

So you were pranked by your family last April Fool's and this has led you to device your own pranks for next year. But why wait? The best tricks come when you least expect it!

Well technically, it's still April and it is called April Fool's. So who says you can only prank people on April 1? Try these Foolproof Food Pranks from Disney Family Fun and have some lighthearted fun with your family:

COLORFUL CUPCAKES
The first surprise here: there's not a grain of sugar in these cupcakes. The second surprise: your kids will love them anyway.



Ingredients:

MEATLOAF
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

POTATO FROSTING
3 cups mashed potatoes
food coloring

Instructions:
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin tin cups with foil bake cups.

2. In a large bowl, mix together all of the meat loaf ingredients until well combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the lined cups (the liners should be about three quarters full).

3. Place the filled muffin tins on cookie sheets and bake the cupcakes for about 15 minutes or until cooked through.

4. Divide the mashed potatoes among three small bowls and stir a few drops of food coloring into each batch to create blue, yellow, and pink pastel frostings. Spread a generous dollop on each cupcake. Makes 12 cupcakes.

GELLED JUICE
A thirsty family member is the perfect target for this glassful of trickery that's impossible to drink. And since the undrinkable beverage is made by the batch, you'll be able to fool more than one person.



Ingredients:
lemon-flavored gelatin
red food coloring

Instructions:
Following the package directions, mix up a box of lemon-flavored gelatin (we added a drop of red food coloring to darken it). Pour the mixture into clear glasses and insert a drinking straw into each. Place the glasses in the refrigerator to set. When they're ready, serve the jiggling juice to the next parched target (or two!) looking for a cool drink.

FAKIN' AND EGGS
Trick your family with a tiny breakfast that's really a cleverly disguised dessert.


Ingredients:

FOR THE EGGS
3 tablespoons white chocolate chips
12 yellow M&Ms

FOR THE FAKIN'
1 square caramel
1 Tootsie Roll Midgee

Instructions:
1. For the eggs: Melt the white chocolate chips according to the package directions. Transfer the melted chocolate to a ziplock bag and snip off a corner.

Squeeze nickel-size portions of the chocolate onto a sheet of waxed paper, then gently press a yellow M&M, letter side down, into the center of each. Let the candies cool. Makes 12 eggs.

2. For the fakin': Remove the wrapping from a square caramel and a Tootsie Roll Midgee. Microwave the candies for 4 seconds to make them soft. Use your thumb and forefinger to slightly flatten each candy piece, then press them together.

Halve the candy, then stack and press the pieces into alternating layers.

Slice a 1/4-inch-wide piece from the stack. Pinch and stretch the piece lengthwise into a flat bacon strip, then cut it in half. Add ripples to each half by gently bending the edges. Makes 3 strips (6 pieces).

Have some food fun and let me know how your tasty little vengeance turns out!

Cheerios!
Rach

Loving the Food You Hate

No matter how much we keep reminding ourselves about the global economic crisis and how we should not be wasteful or picky, there are just some foods that we love to hate. Mommas, I know you hear me when I say an army is needed to make one kid eat his broccoli!



But there's a way (actually, four ways) to stop saying ewwww, and start saying mmmmm to your or your kid's least favorite foods! Who knows, once you get past your issues with it (is it too slimy? is it kinda stinky?) you might realize that hey, this stuff ain't that bad at all!

In an article by RachaelRaymag.com posted on Yahoo's Shine network, two experts give us four tips to get over the 'yuck':

We all have foods we can’t stomach. To help ourselves get over them, we asked molecular biologist Adam Ruben and nutritional scientist Eric Nowicki for a one-way ticket out of Gagsville.

Problem #1: About one in four people actually tastes vegetables like brussels sprouts and broccoli as extremely bitter (it’s a survival instinct to protect you from eating poisonous plants).

Solution: Taste buds detect sweet, salty, bitter, sour and umami (a Japanese word for savory). Try masking bitterness by playing up some of the other tastes. Don’t overcook veggies—that enhances their sharpness. And instead of steaming or boiling, lightly sauté them in oil with salt and a dash of sugar.

Problem #2: Childhood associations influenced you. Maybe your parents disliked the food, or you had a bad experience (you ate corn on the cob with a loose tooth and it hurt).

Solution: Wait until you’re really hungry before trying foods after a long hiatus. When you’re that famished, your body will start to associate those flavors with a positive benefit: relieving your hunger. Smells change as we age, too, so maybe the food you’ve always hated won’t seem as offensive as it did when you were a kid. To ease into it, try plugging your nose for the first few bites.
Problem #3: It’s a texture thing. There’s no scientific research that says why, but something about a rubbery glop of mayo or slimy slice of ham just makes you shiver.

Solution: Play with your food. If texture is your one problem, try cooking the food to change its consistency. You may hate woody mushrooms or fleshy tomatoes, but spicy tomato salsa or a creamy mushroom soup might appeal to you. When foods aren’t a surprise (like, say, finding a chunk of tomato in your salad), you may not react as strongly, either.

To read the rest of the article, head on over to the Shine website here!

Eat Your Way to Gorgeous Hair

Did you know that you can EAT your way to gorgeous hair? Now, now, I don't mean chugging down your shampoo! That's dangerous!

If you're a busy-bee-momma, I'm sure you don't have time to blow-dry your hair to perfection everyday or tinker around with bottles of styling products.

But you can still make your hair look great on a daily basis by eating certain foods! And here's a HUGE plus: these foods will make your body healthy too!

I recently read from Yahoo! Health the following "superfoods" that would get you on your way to incredible hair (and a healthy bod):

SUPERFOODS FOR INCREDIBLE HAIR
Iron
Iron helps bolster hair growth. Find it in meat, shellfish, fortified grains and leafy greens.

Protein
Protein is the building block of every strand, but it can be high in fat. To keep your saturated fat intake low, opt for lean cuts of meat, mix light meat with dark, or choose seafood.

Biotin, B6 and B12
Biotin, B6 and B12 promote new growth within the follicles. Good sources include whole-grain breads, oatmeal, skim milk, lowfat cheese, eggs, salmon, nuts and nut butters.

Zinc
Zinc strengthens natural oils that coat the hair shaft, creating shine. Feast on meat, nuts, chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and yogurt.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps promote cell renewal in the scalp. Get your fill in the form of brightly colored fruits and veggies. Strawberries and kiwis are surprising super sources, as are raspberries, mangoes, oranges and red bell peppers.

Vitamin A
Vitamin A is also a hair helper; look for it in apples, apricots and sweet potatoes.

Antioxidants
Antioxidants found in herbs, dark chocolate and fresh berries promote a healthy scalp by sparking cell turnover.

You can read the rest of the article by clicking here. There's also breakfast, lunch and dinner menu suggestions there so don't miss out!

PONDER, PONDER, PONDER...
Got tips of your own? What's your beauty regimen for your hair? If you could have any celebrity's hair, whose would you choose?

Cheerios!
Rach

What Your Family MUST Have in the Fridge

One of the many frustrations of working mommas is hardly having time and energy left by dinner time. Or even before that! Sometimes you just want to close your eyes and desperately wish that when you open them, dinner will be done and everyone will be good boys and girls. But alas, not even the toughest mom can conjure such magic spells like Bewitched's Samantha...



So here's a little guide to help you out in the kitchen. I found them in INOMommy.com:

We can all use a little extra help becoming organized in the kitchen and during meal planning. The best way to ease stress is to be prepared. Make a list of frequently used items and attach it to your refrigerator door. Every weekend, check for items that you’re running low on, and take a trip to the store to replace them. Here are some items to get you started:

In your refrigerator
* Eggs (or egg substitute)
* Fat-free Parmesan cheese
* Fresh fruit
* Green onions
* Jar of minced garlic (I prefer to buy the already peeled garlic and then zest it into whatever I am cooking)
* Low-fat shredded cheese
* Low-fat yogurt
* Low-sodium soy sauce
* Pre-washed and sliced veggies
* Ready-to-eat salad bags
* Reduced-calorie margarine
* Fat-free milk

In your freezer

* Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* Frozen pasta such as tortellini or ravioli
* Frozen vegetables
* Frozen yogurt
* Lean meat and pork
* Leftovers!
* Salad-size shrimp

The original article can be found here.

PONDER, PONDER, PONDER...
Got any tried-and-tested tips you'd like to share? How do you stay on top of things at home? Or do you also find yourself stuck in the struggle?

Cheerios!
Rach

Lose that New Year Weight!

A new year marks a new beginning. We often tell ourselves: new year, new me! After all, a change (for the better!) is always good.

After the celebrations and festivities during the holiday season, by now you may have seen this "new you." That is: you + the NEW 10 pounds!

If this "new you" isn't exactly what you had in mind, then keep reading! Dr. Maoshing Ni of Ask Dr. Mao in Yahoo! Health gives you six simple tips that will help you lose weight the healthy way.

Here's an excerpt of his article:

New Year's Weight Loss: 6 Tips

1. Lose weight with water. Water is essential for everybody - it is also the key to losing weight. If you haven't been drinking enough water, your body has developed a pattern for storing water. This water retention equals extra unwanted wait.

By drinking more water, you are not only flushing out toxins, you are also teaching your body that it no longer needs to store water. Drink at least 60 ounces of water (about 8 glasses) a day. Boil water and sliced lemons and drink this throughout the day to help with fluid retention. If you are still not sold on the merits of water, try this on for size: water is a natural appetite suppressant.

2. Soup up your weight loss program.
A simple dietary change will have you shedding pounds: eat a bowl of soup at least once a day. Nutritious, low-salt soups will nourish you as they flush waste from your body. People who eat a serving of soup daily lose more weight than those who eat the same amount of calories but don't eat soup. Go for homemade soup whenever possible, as canned soups are loaded with salt and chemicals.

3. Eat early to keep the weight off.
The human body follows a circadian rhythm, which means that the same foods eaten at breakfast and lunch are processed differently than when eaten at dinner. Studies show that when you eat your daily protein and aft at breakfast, you tend to lose weight and have more energy; however, eating the same things at dinner tend to increase tendencies toward gaining weight. I suggest that you eat your last meal of the day by 7PM.

4. Eat smaller meals, more frequently.
Follow an eating schedule with five little meals every day. Eating steadily through the day keeps you from becoming famished and overeating at your next meal. Make a low-fat trail mix from raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, dried plum, and apples and have it available at all times to avoid the tempting lure of high-calorie snacks.

Definitely tips that are doable and I'm excited to try right away! For the rest of this juicy article, click here.

Meatball Mania!

What's a holiday without holiday food? One of my favorites has got to be meatballs! They're yummy, easy to make and just about everybody loves it. It's kind of nostalgic, too, as I remember helping my mom to make these for Christmas when I was a kid. Of course, my mom's recipe is a huge family secret (We have all sworn to secrecy, sorry!) But I recently found a recipe in AllRecipes.com that approximates hers. Plus, it's even easier. Since this season is all about sharing and giving, try this out yourself and tell me how it turns out!




Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 lb ground veal
1/2 lb ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 1/2 tbsp chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups stale Italian bread, crumbled
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Procedure:
1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp, remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)
2. Place cooked meatballs into marinara sauce and cook 15 more minutes.
3. Blend breadcrumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape. (You may use about 1 1/4 cups of water).
4. Shape into meatballs. Combine beef, veal and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.

Serve to starving guests and if the kids are around, pop in a DVD of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs :) Happy holidays!

Me Eat, Me Save!

We hear it all the time: eat well, live healthy, lose weight, "be a better you." Yeah right. Not only is it hard, it's expensive, too!

A recent article in Yahoo! reports: "Over the past two years, the cost of vegetables, meat, fruit and other high-nutrition, low-calorie foods has increased by an average of 19.5 percent... Our economic outlook isn't only making it harder to make ends meet--it's making it harder to make the two ends of our belts meet."

Solution: eat the healthiest food that your money can buy! The article lists down smart, healthy food alternatives that you can buy for a lot less, based on the book "Eat This! Not That!":

BEST BREAKFAST FOOD:
Eat this!
Eggs ($1.63/dozen)

Not that!
Cereal ($4.50/box)

BEST COOKING OIL:
Eat this!
Canola Oil ($0.96/lb)

Not that!
Extra Virgin Olive Oil ($5.92)

BEST BROWN-BAGGED FRUIT:
Eat this!
Banana ($0.61/lb)

Not that!
Red Delicious Apple ($1.21/lb)

BEST SNACK VEGGIE:
Eat this!
Carrot ($0.80/lb) --costs a little more, but has more nutritional punch!

Not that!
Celery ($0.78/lb)

BEST POULTRY:
Eat this!
Chicken Leg ($1.43/lb)

Not that!
Chicken Breast ($2.36/lb)

BEST FISH:
Eat this!
Farmed Catfish ($2.52/lb)

Not that!
Pacific Halibut ($4/lb)

Click here for the rest of the article. Happy healthy and budget-friendly eating!

Holiday Partying Without Adding the Pounds

Let's face it, ladies. Sometimes it's hard to ignore that perfectly roasted turkey beckoning us to get just a little more. It lies golden on the dining table, the sheen coming from the buttery fats glazed over it. Even from afar, you can almost hear its crisp skin breaking, to reveal the moist tender meat underneath. Ahhh... the holidays.

But then 20 pounds later, you find that giving in to the turkey (or steak or pasta or...) was not a very nice thing to do. Of course, I'm not saying that you should starve yourself these holidays. Go ahead and celebrate! But remember to pace yourself and take everything in moderation.

For all the celebration dinners you will be having, here are a few helpful and DOABLE tips from E-zine Articles:

1. Eat your food mindfully. If you slow down your pace and become more conscious of the food, you will naturally eat less and make better food choices without anyone catching on. Here is the trick, chew every bite of food thoroughly and then swallow EVERY morsel in your mouth before taking the next bite.

2. Divide your plate. To be sure you are getting the right foods in the right amount at a dinner party, divide your plate. Fill the top half with vegetables or salad and the bottom half with one serving of protein and one serving of carbohydrate. You get a complete and healthy meal without counting calories.

3. Drink water. Carry around a glass of water (even add a splash of lemon or fruit) like it is attached to your hand. This will allow you to do something other than reach for a snack and it is social.

4. Don't go too hungry. You are not doing yourself or your body any favors by starving before a party. Your body will store more of what you eat at the party as fat if you starve ahead of time because you throw off your natural balance. Eat light but often before the party.

5. Use a stopper. This is a great trick. It is simply having something ready to do that is not compatible with snacking. A quick and easily available stopper is a minty piece of gum or breath mint.

Click here to read the article.

See? That doesn't seem so hard! More importantly, you still get to enjoy the food (come on, who goes to a party without the intention of eating?).

I do have an additional tip and I think it's so fabulous: dress up your little darling with super adorable baby hair accessories and you'll be too busy with all the guests' attention that it would be impossible to overeat! These make great baby gifts, too.



Happy, lovely holidays!