New Food Challenge

by Misty

A friend of mine recently snapped a picture of this book at the grocery store the other day and tagged me on Facebook. Two days later, a different friend sent me this handy chart.

Hmmm, could my friends be trying to tell me something? It’s no secret that my oldest daughter is Picky with a capital “P.” We tried baby-led weaning with my youngest and I suspected that’s why she turned out to be much more adventurous at dinner time. But I’ve been told by many other parents that personality often plays a big part in children’s fussiness at the dinner table.

My five year-old is certainly one determined little girl. Meltdowns occur daily over things like itchy tags, socks with a “bump,” pants that are too baggy, and hair that gets in her face. When it comes to food, she doesn’t like things mixing on her plate, food touching, weird textures, and specks or flakes (i.e. herbs and spices). But most of all, she doesn’t like anyone telling her what she should/should not eat. She definitely thrives with control.

So I’m excited to start a new food challenge with her this year. Using a combination of the chart above and the book, we’ll be trying as many new foods as we can manage. She’ll have a hand in designing a little chart, choosing new foods she would like to try (pomegranates and blood oranges are at the top of my list of new suggestions!), and helping to prepare them. I can’t wait to see how this goes!

Do you have a picky eater? How do you manage mealtimes with your family?

Barbecued Apples

OK, hear me out. I realize summer is over. The temperatures are dropping, and even though I'm clinging desperately to the last of my vegetables, the frost will soon win. But there's still time to barbeque before the snow falls! And what's better in October than freshly picked apples?

barbecued apple

What you need:

4-6 Ontario apples
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp brown sugar (or maple syrup, or honey!)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of icing sugar

Core the top of the apples (you can leave the bottom intact so the sweet, gooey stuff doesn't drip out onto your barbecue). In a small bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Place a dab inside each apple. Put the apples on the bbq and cook until the skin is wrinkly - be careful they don't burn! Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Flashback: Apple Picking at Mountain Orchard

Apparently this is THE place to be for apple picking every year! Ali wrote this post several years ago....have you been to Mountain lately?

It's that time of year again. The air is getting crisper and the kids are settling into their school routine. For me, fall always means apple picking. Every fall for the past several years, my girls gather a bunch of friends and we go apple picking.

Mountain Orchard has always been our orchard of choice. It's a great place for families, it's close to Ottawa (only a short 40 minute drive on the 416 toward Kempville) and the majority of the trees there are actually the direct descendants of the original McIntosh tree, first discovered by John McIntosh in Dundela, Ontario, in 1829. I think that's pretty cool.

Mountain Orchard is about more then just apple picking. There are corn maizes, wagon rides, a hay jump and (best of all) the hot fresh apple cider donuts that are made right in front of you. They are the real reason we go back every year. Well, that and the fresh apple cider.

My girls love climbing into the apple trees to get the apples and there are trees for kids of all ages - with ladders for the older kids to climb and low hanging branches for the little ones.

No matter where you go apple picking, it's a great way to spend time with your family and friends and get outside to enjoy the fall weather. All the apple orchard near Ottawa are open now and many, like Mountain Orchard, are open every day until the apple picking season is done (usually by the end of September).

Have you been apple picking yet? We're going again this weekend! 

Cat's Fish and Chips: Restaurant Review

The other day one of my Facebook friends posted a lovely picture of her fish and chips dinner. The caption read "it's hard to find good fish 'n chips in Ottawa" - as a Brit, she should know. Britain is the land where fish and chips was born! Yesterday was my husband's 32nd birthday, and my friend's photo gave me a great idea. I decided to take my hubby out to the best fish and chips place in Ottawa. My husband is the guy who must try fish and chips at every restaurant/pub we visit - a lot of these meals have been pretty gross. It's easy to screw up fish and chips!

I did some googling, and found Cat's Fish and Chips at Hemlock and St. Laurent. The ambiance takes me right back to Casey Key, Florida, where my family loves to vacation every winter. If I closed my eyes, I could almost hear the ocean waves.

We sat on the patio, and ordered a beer - Beau's Festivale for my hubby (you get to take home the glass, but I believe this brew will be done soon!). The server was extremely welcoming and helpful, and the food arrived in record time. We tried the Crow's Nest (seasoned and fried onions) with chipotle and dill dipping sauces, and then opted for the halibut. Portions are GIANT, so think about it before you consider ordering 2 pieces of fish :)

We were too full for desert, but I can't wait to go back and try their homemade doughnut topped with a scoop of ice cream. There was a kids menu, which would offer smaller portions for the wee ones.

And speaking of kids, I was delighted to see that Cat's was very kid-friendly. The bathroom even had a wooden change table and pad - much nicer than those plastic monstrosities. And any child would be delighted with the decor, which makes you feel as though you're inside an old ship!

Price-wise, Cat's is very reasonable. Our bill was on the higher end, given that we paid extra for the halibut and indulged in an appetizer and some drinks. Most meals are between $10 - $15 (I found the kids menu a bit pricey, but given that my girls don't eat very much when we go out, I would probably have them share something)

And for those of you gluten free - Cat's has a whole menu dedicated to gluten free fare!

It was a lovely meal, and we ended the evening by walking through the National Cemetery of Canada. We definitely needed that walk after a healthy dose of fried fats :) I think Cat's may become one of our family's favourite restaurants in Ottawa!

Mother's Day Brunch Ideas

There are SO many Mother's Day brunches taking place around the city - most are probably fantastic, but we know it can run a hefty bill for a family of four (or more!). Instead, I've compiled a number of brunch-worthy recipes you could try for Mom on Sunday (but let's be honest, we'll probably only have time to whip up one of these options!!) Throw in a plant or bouquet of flowers and I'm sure Mom will be swooning! Bacon, Egg and Toast Cups

Strawberry Cucumber Salad

Peach Breakfast Cobbler

Raspberry and Goat Cheese Breakfast Strata (YUM!!)

Seasonal Options

Raddish and Fennel Apple Salad Bites

Rhubarb and Strawberry Breakfast Crisp

Fiddlehead and Gruyere Tart

Crostini with Ricotta and Pea Shoots

Alright, now I'm hungry! Bon Appetit and Happy Mother's Day!