McDonald’s All Day Breakfast Is Here, Plus Get Free Coffee for a Week!

February 21, 2017 by Kathryn 48 Comments

February has been a month full of celebrations. First, there was the romance of Valentine’s Day. Then, the fun and togetherness of Family Day. And now, to top off all the fun, the official launch of McDonald’s All Day Breakfast is here! I have to admit, I’ve been counting down the days to February 21. Treating myself to McDonald’s breakfast is one of my favourite little indulgences, but I’ve been too late to enjoy it more than once. Now that’s no longer a worry since my favourite breakfast items are available any time at all!

Wondering what items are available as part of McDonald’s All Day Breakfast? Of course, the McMuffin family takes the starring role with the Egg McMuffin, Bacon ‘n Egg McMuffin, Sausage ‘n Egg McMuffin and Sausage McMuffin all available all day long. But any fan of McDonald’s Breakfast knows that no meal is complete without a crispy and delicious McDonald’s Hash Brown, so that tasty treat is also available all day! And for those with a sweet tooth, McDonald’s Hotcakes are offered as the final any time breakfast item.

[Read more…]

Get Fresh with Your Lunch at the New Freshii Restaurant in Saskatoon

November 30, 2016 by Kathryn 15 Comments

I am notorious for skipping meals when I’m busy, and I know it’s a habit I need to correct. Sometimes it’s hustling and bustling at home that has me forget about breakfast or lunch. But just as often, I’ll be out running errands at noon and not be able to find a lunch place that suits my tastes. That’s why I was so excited to hear that Freshii has a brand-new location in Saskatoon. The chain’s fresh and light juices, burritos, bowls and salads sounded ideal for somebody like me that prefers a lighter, plant-based lunch, and I couldn’t wait to check it out.

I had the chance to head to Freshii for lunch a few days ago and with so many delicious menu options, I had trouble deciding just what to choose. Eventually I decided on an Oaxaca Bowl, a side of Vegan Chili and a Carrot Zinger juice. The fresh-pressed juice was a special treat, featuring carrot, green apple and ginger pressed fresh every morning. With one sip, I was pretty sure I’d be stopping at Freshii again! [Read more…]

4 Ways to Make Busy School Mornings Easier on the Whole Family

October 26, 2016 by Kathryn 32 Comments

There’s so much that can sidetrack a family on a busy morning. From picky kids to forgotten homework to unpacked lunches, getting kids fed, clothed and out the door on their way to school can feel downright impossible sometimes. Luckily, I’ve done quite well at setting a morning routine this year and for the most part, even a busy morning goes quite smoothly. But some days, it seems like the morning brings nothing but challenges. So, when Quaker Canada offered to send me a special package to help manage those busy mornings and share my experience, I was thrilled. Here’s what I learned after a week:

1) A Little Nighttime Preparation Makes Mornings Easier

Name: Breakfast Bagel Bites with Chipotle Salsa
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 Breakfast Bagel Bites, desired flavour; ½ cup salsa; ½ tsp. chipotle chili powder; ½ tsp. liquid smoke

My oldest son loves oatmeal for breakfast and usually there’s enough time to put the kettle on, boil water and make him a couple packages of his favourite Quaker Instant Oatmeal. But some mornings, even that few extra minutes of breakfast preparation can make the morning feel rushed. So, for the first time last week, I tried Overnight Oats. I’d heard a lot about the concept in the last few months. Just mix equal parts oats and liquid, and then add toppings, sweetener and flavouring as desired. I used milk as the liquid and added blueberries and maple syrup for flavour, then refrigerated the mixture overnight. The next morning, Zackary sat down to a delicious, creamy and hearty breakfast…no extra time required! [Read more…]

Streamline School Mornings with Kid-Friendly Breakfasts Ready in 5 Minutes or Less!

August 4, 2016 by Kathryn 18 Comments

While the start of a new school year is always exciting, it’s also pretty hectic. That’s especially true in the mornings! Between packing lunches, checking homework, signing agendas and making breakfast, I sometimes feel like I’ve worked a full day just getting the boys off to class!

All that hustle and bustle means that breakfast is sometimes pretty unimaginative. That’s why this year I’ve come up with four easy breakfast ideas for kids that are healthy, kid-friendly and ready in five minutes or less! When breakfast is this simple, there may just be time to spare on school mornings.

Savoury – Breakfast Bagel Bites with Chipotle Salsa

New Breakfast Bagel Bites are one of the easiest and most delicious choices for a busy morning, but they’re even better when served with this simple salsa!

My spice-loving oldest son loves the hint of heat and Mexican flair that this meal offers. I love that the Bagel Bites can be heated in the microwave, so that they’re ready in less than three minutes. The smoky salsa blends so well with the bacon and sausage in these bites, but regular salsa or even ketchup is tasty with Breakfast Bagel Bites too!

Breakfast Bagel Bites with Chipotle Salsa

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

Quick and delicious savoury bagel bites with smoky salsa.

Ingredients

4 Breakfast Bagel Bites, desired flavour
½ cup salsa
½ tsp. chipotle chili powder
½ tsp. liquid smoke

Instructions

Place Breakfast Bagel Bites on included crisping tray and microwave until heated throughout, according to package directions.
Meanwhile, mix salsa, chili powder and liquid smoke together until well combined. Serve Bagel Bites hot with salsa for dipping/topping.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 242 Total Fat: 7g Saturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 1g Unsaturated Fat: 4g Cholesterol: 4mg Sodium: 1331mg Carbohydrates: 40g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 4g Sugar: 8g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 8g

Sweet – French Toast Sticks

If your child loves French Toast and you’ve never tried freezing it, you’re missing out on a great quick and easy breakfast choice! While it does require a bit of advance preparation, the work will be worth it on that first busy school morning.

Just place a slice of frozen French Toast in the toaster and when it pops, breakfast is ready! With protein, calcium and whole grains, it’s a sweet and tasty way for your kids to start the day!

French Toast Sticks

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Make-ahead french toast perfect for dipping.

Ingredients

8 slices whole wheat bread
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Syrup, to serve

Instructions

Beat together eggs, milk and vanilla until combined. Place bread on cookie sheet and pour egg mixture overtop slices. Flip bread after one minute, and then let sit until egg mixture is fully absorbed and bread is saturated (about 3 minutes).
In a lightly greased skillet over medium-high heat, fry bread slices until cooked through and lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
Place cooked French Toast on a cookie sheet and freeze for 10 minutes. Remove from freezer and individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap. Freeze until needed.
To serve, unwrap frozen French Toast and cook in toaster until heated through. Cut into sticks and serve with syrup.

Drinkable – Berry Yogurt Smoothie

For the reluctant breakfast eater, try making breakfast into a drink instead! Creamy Greek yogurt and milk provide calcium and protein, while fresh or frozen fruit add vitamins and natural sweetness.

Ready in minutes, it’s an easy-to-customize breakfast choice that can be made with a variety of delicious fruit. Strawberries and peaches are my personal favourite, while my boys prefer a blend of blueberries, strawberries and banana.

Want to make breakfast even more fun? Blend up a smoothie the night before and pour it into popsicle moulds for breakfast freeze pops!

Berry Yogurt Smoothie

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

A drinkable breakfast smoothie that's easy to customize.

Ingredients

½ cup Greek yogurt
½ cup milk
½ cup fresh or frozen fruit

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding more milk if needed.
Serve immediately.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 171 Total Fat: 3g Saturated Fat: 2g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 15mg Sodium: 106mg Carbohydrates: 21g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 12g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 16g

Make-Ahead – Blueberry Almond Breakfast Bars

For those mornings when everyone slept in late and there’s no time to eat at home, keep a batch of these Blueberry Almond Breakfast Bars wrapped and ready in the freezer.

With oat bran, ground flax, blueberries and honey, they have plenty of fibre and nutrients to power a child through his day, and a taste that kids and adults will both love. These bars offer grab-and-go convenience with great homemade taste.

Blueberry Almond Breakfast Bars

Yield: 16

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Hearty breakfast bars to grab and go on busy mornings.

Ingredients

1 cup oat bran
1/2 cup flour, all-purpose or whole wheat
1/2 cup ground flax
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of 9"x13" pan. Combine dry ingredients in small bowl.
Combine butter and honey in medium bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in flour mixture until blended.
Gently fold in blueberries and almonds. Spread in prepared pan, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
Cool and cut into 16 bars. Wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze until needed.

As somebody who prefers savoury to sweet, the Breakfast Bagel Bites are my personal favourite of these easy breakfast ideas for kids, and I was especially excited to see that they boast 8-10 grams of protein per serving! Getting enough protein in the morning isn’t always easy, but these breakfast morsels make it a breeze!

The Sausage, Egg & Cheese variety has all the flavour of a breakfast sandwich with just 200 calories per serving and since Bagel Bites are baked, not fried, they fill my boys up without weighing them down.

I know there will still be mornings during the school year that don’t give me a minute to spare and leave me feeling exhausted when the kids are finally out of the house. At least with these four easy breakfast ideas for kids, I’ll be able to get the boys on their way knowing that they’re energized for the day…even if I’m not!

Looking for more great breakfast recipes for kids? This make-ahead Breville waffle recipe for classic waffles is sure to be a hit as well!

Disclosure: I received the products mentioned in this post for free from Bagel Bites and I am being paid by Rogers to review them. The opinions expressed in my blog are my own and not those of Rogers or Today’s Parent.

Nature’s Path Coconut Chia Tropical Smoothie Bowl Recipe

January 26, 2016 by Kathryn 219 Comments

While a new year starts out with great intentions for many people, it’s usually around the end of January that resolve starts to fade and we start to slip in our attempts to stick to our new goals.

Whether a bout of cold weather convinces you to skip that run, or an especially busy week has you reaching for the phone to order takeout instead of cooking at home, little stumbles don’t have to mean the end of good intentions! And this year, Nature’s Path wants to help keep you on the path to good health.

coconut chia tropical smoothie bowl

First of all, try making this Coconut Chia Tropical Smoothie Bowl! Packed with banana, peach, mango, yogurt and delicious Nature’s Path granola.

It’s a breakfast that will have you feeling full and energized all day. Personally, I love how easy this recipe is to customize with different fresh and frozen fruit! [Read more…]