Healthier Heart Sandwich for Valentines Day!

Now we have all seen the sandwiches around Valentines day with the bread cut out. The bread heart cutout is then replaced with sprinkles, frosting, marshmallows the cream too! So how about a beautiful red apple???!!! Yep that's right a pb and apple sandwich, maybe even with a drizzle of honey! Also for those with peanut allergies what about a sandwich for you? See below for a few yummy sandwiches for the family! *****Don't worry I will give examples of those sugary ones too, I know some moms like you love the sweet stuff :) but first the apple heart ;)

 

I put these sandwiches together quickly and a little sloppy but hopefully you get the idea and yours come out beautiful! I had already made these this weekend and with no kiddos today I wasn't going to be eating them so I just took quick pics. lol 

 

We have all seen the frosting heart in the middle the heart filled with strawberries, cream cheese mixed with food coloring and the sprinkles ones :) How about an apple one! For the healthier snack!

 Spread peanut butter on your bread, cut a heart shaped apple piece and place inside your heart cut out! You could also use any red jelly, strawberry, raspberry to peek through the heart shaped cut out!

Or for those with peanut allergies or for another healthy option what about meat and cheese! I used white cheese and colored it red with food coloring spray! Ta-da! Amazing and so many options! Enjoy!

 

 I bought pink and red!!! I gave the white cheese a squirt in the middle so you can see the color differences! Love this stuff!

 

*****The sugary sweet combos!

Peanut butter with red or pink icing!

How about peanut butter with miniature marshmallows??? Spray your marshmallows with color mist!

Cream cheese mixed with marshmallow cream then top with sprinkles!!!

 

I used white bread for the "color pop" lol  the first time I have ever bought it and gave it to my daughter. She liked it but now I hope she forgets about it!!! :)

Make quick and easy Valentine dishes

 

 

I have a couple of plain white dish sets to use throughout the year, they are so handy for holidays and family themed meals!

 

This is great for kids also, let them pick the theme!

 

All I did was take stickers! Yep that's it stickers!!! I placed them on the outside rim of my dishes for the girls heart french toast breakfast this morning!!

 

How cute and easy!

Give your kiddos the stickers and dish sets so they can decorate while your cooking!! Keeps them busy while your slaving away :)

 

Saves on having many different sets for the holidays or events for family time.

 

When your done remove the stickers, wash and your ready for next time!

Valentines Day Craft! Perfect for Kids!

I have been working on my 14 Valentines day ideas and crafts for this blog and I decided to try this one out today with my daughter. We had so much fun I had to share now, I couldn't wait!!!! (I'm not good at surprises either:) It is very easy, great for kids and I'm sure you already have the supplies! My daughter had a blast she's so proud it's hanging in her room!

All you need is paper, we used red construction paper, paper slicer (or scissors and a ruler) and glue! ***side note I just got a tip to use a stapler!!!

I cut the construction paper long ways into 1" strips, I made 30.

Fold the strips in half

Glue the cut end of the paper down into a V this gives you your heart shape :)

*Put a drop of glue on the inside on the inside of the bottom of the heart and pinch together (I took the picture to soon)

Now glue on the outside of the bottom of your first heart the cut stripes of paper, one on each side. Make sure your fold is pointing down before you glue.

Continue each step until you have your desired length.

Use multiple color combinations, alternate colors, or use similar shades for an ombre effect!

Ok you are going to really have to really wait for the rest :) February 1st will be the next of the 14 Valentine's Day post! You won't want to miss one!

Creative Food Ideas For Kids

Don't play with your food right? I mean it's rude....... or is it? I guess it depends on who you are!!! I love fruits and vegetables and a lot of what we (I) create comes from food! Aren't you inspired by the shapes the colors the textures? Well here are a few times that I have played with food, it's usually for my daughter but sometimes I build a mashed potato castle just for me :)

 

Rainbow of yumminess!!!

 

When my daughter was starting to eat lots of different solid foods I was obsessed with getting all the amazing colors of different food in her diet. I wanted her to have a well rounded palate for different flavors and most of all be healthy! Here is one of the ways I encouraged her to eat a variety of food. This particular picture was taken before she had a friend over for a play date and snack :)

Found a pic I ddn't use for Instagram :)

 

I used dark chocolate chips, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, chicken, salba nuts, avocado, lettuce, bananas, blackberries, strawberries, carrots, cheddar bunny crackers, hummus, sour cream and onion bunny crackers and cucumbers! My daughter loved it, I still love making my rainbow taster trays for her!!! O by the way I use ice cube trays for this over the rainbow flavor :)

 

So on another play date my friend packed her son this pre-made peanut butter and jelly round sandwich with no crust in a plastic packet, did I mention it was white bread???!!!!

 

*Side note, I am a little weird about food, I like my food items fresh and we eat primarily organic. I choose not to eat meat and the only sugar in our house is the packets you find at restaurants for our guest when I am serving coffee.

 

As I stared at the packet debating whether to actually give them this food item a picture flashed through my thoughts of those awesome bento boxes that are amazingly designed to be animals and depict scenes and then it came..... (side note....I served these sandwiches my daughters Halloween party te-he-he)

 

My little under the sea, fish food creation!!! The kids loved it!!! I had a blast putting the plates together and even a more amazing time seeing the look on their faces when I gave them their snack!

So lesson learned........

Just because I won't eat it, doesn't mean I can't make it cute for others to eat :)

 

Chocolate stuffed orange slash jack o lantern yumminess!!!!

I love to make these! They are time consuming to "prep" but so worth it!!!

Here's what I do.....

Cut the top off the orange

Hollow it out (takes a little work) but don't take the pulp out to the rind inside (adds flavor)

Now use your favorite brownie recipe

(I used my triple chocolate recipe)

Fill the hollowed orange

Baked in the oven

Let the orange cool completely

Pipe a face on with chocolate!

Ooooo La La

Delish and Creative!!!!!!!

 

Hope you all enjoyed this post and I can't wait to hear if any of you try out these fun foods!!!

NOW GO PLAY WITH SOME FOOD :)