music to our ears

Has your child been asking to play the guitar or drums?  Good news for those budding little musicians!  Kids who played musical instruments achieved higher results on both intelligence and memory tests.

Childhood music lessons have long term effects on the brain.  “Musical activity throughout life may serve as a challenging cognitive exercise, making your brain fitter and more capable of accommodating the challenges of aging,” says the lead researcher, Brenda Hanna-Pladdy, PhD of the American Psychological Association.  In another study by Northwestern University in Illinois, music lessons were credited for boosting language & speech skills, memory & attention spans, and the ability to pick up a new language.

Playing music helps to keep the mind healthy!  Starting childhood music lessons is a great way to connect a child with instruments & music.  When starting lessons for your child, consider the following:

·         Is he/she old enough?

·         Showing avid interest & enthusiasm in an instrument?

·         Can they sit still and pay attention?

·         Does the instructor get along well with your child and work well with that age group?

If lessons are not an option, try exposing your children to different genres of music, music programs and concerts to gain the positive effects of music.

What instrument does your child play or want to play?  We have been fielding a lot of requests for a guitar from our 4-year-old!

waffle wake-up call!

When your little one wakes up and wants something delicious for breakfast, try this waffle recipe!  They have a feather-light center, a crispy-crusty exterior and they partner perfectly with fresh fruit or butter & maple syrup. They will give you (and your wee one) a good reason to get out of bed in the morning!


1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling water
1 cup buttermilk
2 larges eggs, separated (place the yolks in one bowl and the egg whites in another bowl)
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

(1.) Whisk (or stir) together the cornmeal, sugar, salt and water in a medium saucepan. Cook, over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture turns thick, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the buttermilk.
(2.) Place the cornmeal mixture in a large bowl. Add the egg yolks, flour, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter. Stir until combined.
(3.) Beat the egg whites until stiff - make sure that the bowl, beaters and any utensils that you're using does not have oil on them. 
(4.) Fold the egg whites into the batter. Use a large rubber spatula and gently stir with scooping movements. Start at the top of the bowl and move to the bottom of the bowl, gently incorporating the ingredients.
(5.) Ladle 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter into the center of a heated & greased (with oil or butter) waffle iron.
(6.) Close the lid and bake until steaming stops and waffle is golden brown, 2 - 5 minutes.
(7.) Serve immediately with room temperature butter and warm maple syrup.

Freeze extra waffles in a freezer-proof container
want to get your kids in the kitchen? our e-cookbook has 56 yummy, healthy & quick recipes for kids & grown-ups for only $3.99!  Buy on Amazon or iBooks! 

red kidney beans

Try adding (or sneaking) red kidney beans into your meals! One cup of red kidney beans has 14 grams of fiber! They are a major source of protein, amino acids, antioxidants and iron.

Add beans to salads, soups & rice. Smash or puree the beans and add them to meat dishes, quesadillas and sandwiches.


follow us on facebook & twitter!