banana

Tropical Peanut Butter Snack Bites Make a Tasty Spring Snack

April 21, 2015 by Kathryn 52 Comments

Looking for a family snack that’s quick, made from wholesome ingredients and easy to customize? Look no further because Kraft Peanut Butter Snack Bites have it all! These no-bake snack bites combine oats, honey, peanut butter and any other fun additions your heart desires for a snack that’s as healthy or as decadent as you want it to be.

There are so many amazing recipes for these tasty morsels on the Kraft What’s Cooking website, but I decided I wanted to create my own, and after seeing the recipe for Fruit And Nut Peanut Butter Snack Bites, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to use for these fun morsels. And so my Tropical Peanut Butter Snack Bites were created!

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Baking Up Fun with New Robin Hood Quick Bread Mixes

October 20, 2014 by Kathryn 40 Comments

If there’s one thing that the average parent could use more of, it’s time. Being busy is one of the hallmark traits of being a parent and I’m certainly no exception! As a result, I’ve learned numerous shortcuts so that I can accomplish my tasks even when I feel like I don’t have enough time to do so!

Of course, a shortcut is no good if it doesn’t still produce the results I want and that’s why I was so excited to try the new Robin Hood Quick Bread Mixes. The mixes promised homemade taste in a convenient mix that could go from box to oven in just five minutes and as an avid baker that rarely has enough time to bake, the concept was a dream come true to me.

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Five Sneaky Ways to Make Your Family’s Smoothies Healthier

July 16, 2014 by Kathryn

There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a smoothie, and with so much fresh fruit and ice in each one, they’re a healthy choice too! But I like to find ways to make smoothies even healthier and to make sure my boys drink their smoothies too, I sometimes have to be sneaky about it!

Luckily, there are a few great foods that can be added to smoothies to boost their health, yet don’t affect the taste, so adults and kids alike can get extra nutrition without even knowing it! Here are my top five sneaky ways to make smoothies healthier:

Ground Flax

With some studies finding evidence this tiny seed may reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease, ground flax is one of my all-time favourite additions to any meal. In fact, I love flax seed whole too but for optimal digestion and to ensure it can’t be tasted in a smoothie, ground flax is the better choice. Just a teaspoon in your drink will add omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant-rich lignans and two essential types of fibre to your diet!

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Natural Protection! Reader Reviews of Banana Boat Natural Reflect Sunscreen

September 5, 2013 by Kathryn Leave a Comment

This summer, I had the chance to test out the brand new Banana Boat Natural Reflect sunscreen on my boys and I was so excited that a large commercial brand was offering a natural alternative to chemical sunscreens. While I’ve already shared my review of Banana Boat Natural Reflect sunscreen, I wanted to hear from you too, and Banana Boat very generously offered 25 of my readers the chance to review the sunscreen as well! Now, the reviews are in!

The fact that it was a natural product was a big hit with almost everyone that reviewed the sunscreen, whether they were using it on themselves or their children. As an added plus, readers found that the product lasted all day and resisted water well, something that any parent can appreciate!

I love that it is an all-natural product, which makes me feel a lot better about putting it on my child. There are so many chemicals in products now and this formula really put my mind at ease. I love that it is SPF 50 rather than SPF 30 like many products on the market.
~Kristy S.

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Protect Your Skin from the Sun with New Banana Boat Natural Reflect Sunscreen-Giveaway

May 27, 2013 by Kathryn 151 Comments

Today is Sunscreen Protection Day and I have to admit that as much as I understand the importance of sun safety, I am leery about some commercial sunscreens. I don’t like exposing my boys to harsh chemicals any more than I have to and since there are great natural sunscreens available, I prefer using them when possible. So when I learned that Banana Boat had a brand new naturally sourced sunscreen available, I was thrilled. I recently got the chance to be one of the first in Canada to test out new Banana Boat Natural Reflect Kids sunscreen and since the boys and I were getting ready to jet off to sunny California, the timing couldn’t have been better.

banana boat natural reflect sunscreen

The weather in California was just as warm and wonderful as I could have hoped for and I knew we’d be making good use of the sunscreen on the trip. The boys actually use less than I do for the most part since their t-shirts and wide-brimmed hats just leave their arms and legs exposed to the sun. Since I prefer tank tops, my shoulders tend to get a lot of sun in the course of a day and I actually forgot my sunscreen and burned them a bit on our first day in Disneyland! After that, I made sure to apply our sunscreen every morning before we left the hotel. [Read more…]