The Magic of Christmas through the Magic of Children

6 Comments December 4, 2012 drworobec

The magic of Christmas is in full swing around our house.

With a son who’s nearly four, and a nine-month-old baby girl who gets excited about everything, we’ve been in festive-mode for weeks. Our lights are up. Our cookies are baked. Our Santa letters are written. Our presents are bought and wrapped. And next weekend, we’ll make the trek to a tree farm to cut down our own tree, a la Chevy Chase’s ‘Christmas vacation‘. I’ve always loved the holiday season, and my Christmas memories from childhood involve the warmth of my parent’s house, the twinkle of lights on the tree, the excitement of family get-togethers, and the anticipation of Santa’s arrival.

These days, I’m in the business of making holiday memories for my children, while cherishing moments that pass all too quickly. There is such a small window of time when children are old enough to ‘get’ the idea of Santa, and yet young enough to believe. We’re talking six or seven years- maybe eight if you’re lucky.

That’s only six or seven Christmases of innocent, curious questions:

Where will Santa park his sleigh?
How will Santa get in if we don’t have a chimney?
Will his gloves make his hands too slippery to open the front door?
Do reindeer like to eat carrots?
How many sleeps until Christmas?

That’s only six or seven Christmases for ‘Mall Santa’ photos:

Christmas 2009: Not a fan.

Christmas 2010: Still not a fan.

Christmas 2011: Coming around to the idea of Santa…

Christmas 2012: An old pro showing his sister how it’s done!

That’s only six or seven Christmases of whole-hearted enthusiasm for our family’s Christmas traditions:

Making gingerbread houses.
Christmas Town at Mountsberg Conservation Area.
The Burlington Santa Claus parade.
Seeing Disney on Ice in Toronto.
Searching each morning for our mischievous Elf on the Shelf.

We’re right in the thick of it. So for these six or seven Christmases, I’m soaking up as much magic as I can. Because these two little bugs make me a believer.

Merry Christmas!

Wheat-free Recipes? Yes, please!

6 Comments November 27, 2012 drworobec

I changed my diet to be wheat-free about seven months ago, and it’s become my ‘new normal’. Being a bread/bagels/cereal/pasta lover, that’s a big shift in my perspective, and I’m surprised at how easy it’s been and how much better I feel. In an effort to avoid feeling deprived of the foods I love, I use wheat-free alternatives for my ‘go-to’ favorites: oatmeal, spaghetti, pizza, and muffins. Here are some of my tried-and-true recipes:

BREAKFAST:

Seed ‘Oatmeal’ with berries

Seed ‘Oatmeal’ with berries

Soak a variety of seeds (this pic shows chia seeds, hemp hearts, and ground flaxseed; I am a regular at the Bulk Barn!) overnight in almond milk. In the morning, stir seeds up and microwave for 60-90 seconds to warm them up. Top with whatever you like! I usually use cinnamon, a bit of honey, berries, and almond milk. Other common breakfasts at our house include omelettes loaded with veggies, protein/fruit smoothies, and plain Greek yogurt with fruit.

LUNCH:

Bento-box style: chicken, cheese, avocado, peppers, tomatoes, and carrots

Bento-box style lunch

Lunch is almost always an assortment of finger-foods or leftovers these days- a big change from regular sandwich-lunches of days past. Now it’s simple foods that are easy to prepare, and provide the ability for little hands to pick and choose.

DINNER (here’s TWO of my favorites):

Hybrid pizza

Hybrid Pizza

Ingredients Needed:

8 oz (weight; about 2 cups) shredded mozzarella cheese

2 eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp ground flaxseed

2 Tbsp coconut flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional)

Sauce, cheese, and toppings of your choice

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mound the cheese mixture on a baking sheet lined with greased parchment paper. Using damp hands, spread it out into a disc about 1/4″ thick. Bake for 30-45 minutes, flipping it over at the 20-25min mark (TIP: do not undercook before flipping the crust over or the uncooked cheese will stick to your parchment paper; cook for 20-25 mins before flipping over, and the other side will only take 10-15mins to cook). Spread on your sauce, cheese, and toppings and broil for 2-3 minutes.

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken, Mushrooms, and Peppers in Marinara Sauce

Spaghetti squash

This one is super easy! Cut a spaghetti squash in half lengthwise (TIP: you can microwave the whole squash for a few minutes to soften it up before cutting), place rind-side up on a greased baking sheet, and bake at 375F for 30-40mins. Using a fork, ‘comb’ the inside of the squash and it will quickly peel into spaghetti-shaped strands (the texture is very similar to al dente pasta). Top with your choice of sauce- my personal favorite is chicken, onions, mushrooms, and peppers, in a spicy marinara sauce.

SNACK/TREAT:

Cinnamon swirl muffins

Cinnamon Swirl Muffins

Ingredients Needed:

2.5 cups almond flour

1 Tbsp coconut flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp coconut milk

1/2 cup honey

Topping Ingredients:

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp melted coconut oil

Directions: Preheat oven to 325F. Mix together all the dry batter ingredients. Add the wet batter ingredients and mix well. Pour batter evenly into a muffin tin. Mix all the topping ingredients in a separate bowl, and drizzle over the muffins. Bake for 20-25 mins or until golden brown.

Other common snack ideas are veggies/hummus, boiled eggs, or a shaker of protein powder and water.

I’d love to hear about your wheat-free recipe successes too!

Share away!

Dear NHL

6 Comments November 20, 2012 drworobec

Tuesday, November 20th, 2012

Dear NHL Players and NHL Owners,

Today is day #66 of the NHL lockout. I have an almost-4-year-old son, and to him, 66 days feels like a lifetime. That’s 66 days of explaining to him why he can’t watch his favorite team and his favorite players turn into idols before his eyes. That’s 66 days of explaining to him what ‘lockout’ means, and nine Saturday nights of missed Hockey-Night-in-Canada memories. That’s 66 days of baby-faced disappointment.

I am trying to teach my children the values of humility, need-vs-want, and family. Instead, what I see from you is an ongoing display of greed, ego, and entitlement. As players, you get to play the game that you love. As owners, you get to be surrounded by the game that you love. As fans, we are missing out on the game that we love.

I’ve been a true Canadian hockey fan my entire life. I spent my childhood Winter days at a small rink in an Alberta prairie town. I learned how to skate on a shoveled-off pond. I had Dale Hawerchuk posters on my wall in Grade 4 and Pavel Bure jerseys in my closet in Grade 9. I go to see a few games a year. I bring my kids. I watch hockey highlights religiously. If the local team is playing at Home when I’m on vacation, I go to the game. I’ve been to multiple NHL arenas and several Stanley Cup playoff games. I’ve been to World Juniors and World Championships, and I’ve watched more grassroots, small-town hockey than I can remember. But you’re losing me.

My interest is fading. My love for the game is dwindling. My annoyance and frustration and apathy are growing. I don’t care who’s right and I don’t care who’s wrong. Find a way to fix it. Because every day that the lockout continues is another day that born-and-bred fans like myself grow further from the sense of Canadian pride, patriotism, and belonging that hockey brings to us.

Make me feel encouraged and supportive that my son wants to be a hockey player when he grows up.

Sincerely,

Ashley Worobec