Living, Learning, Eating: Back to School

Showing posts with label Back to School. Show all posts

Aug 27, 2016

Back to School with Garden Lites!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 7:00 AM

It's back to school time! My little sister is eleven years old now (how did that happen?!) and heading into her second year at her new school in Germany. She loves it!

Though we have a later start here in the USA, my coworkers' kids are all heading back to school soon, too. Back to school is the perfect time to refocus on goals (consider it a mini New Year's Eve) and set your family up for a happy, healthy, and successful academic year.

Garden Lites are the perfect delicious lunchbox treat, after school snack, or breakfast component. Kids (and big kids) love them and parents love that they're packed with 3g of fiber, 5g of whole grains, and vegetables at the main ingredient.

I tried two of the three delicious muffin varieties - chocolate and blueberry oat.

Both are delicious! They're the right amount of sweat, flavorful, not heavy, and neither greasy nor dry. They're perfect!

Aug 27, 2015

Back to College: Tips from a Grad!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

I'm over a year out of school and as an experienced, arguably wise college grad, I have some great tips and tricks from my college years for having a great start to the year!

For me, every school year comes with a lot of excitement. It's a new beginning, full of new classes, new professors, and new potential friends! There's so much to learn, so much to do, and so much to experience.

The key to a great start is great preparation. I'm sure you guys can all provide the requisite excitement and positive outlook on the new beginning, so I'll focus on my tips for some easily overlooked fundamentals that you'll want to include on your packing list!

Read on for advice for what you'll want to make sure you don't accidentally leave off of your back to college packing list this fall!

Aug 24, 2015

Wake Up Call: Back to School Edition!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 9:17 AM

Did anyone else recently look at their calendar and do a double-take? How is it already the last week of August? It felt like summer just started!

But, for better or for worse, summer is drawing to a close and that means that fall is right around the bend! In general, seasonal changes bring around routine and life changes. Fall is a big one for that, because many of us are heading back to school!

I'm done with school (WHOOOOOOT!) but that doesn't mean that I don't have some pretty big changes coming up. Those of you who have been reading my blog or following me on Instagram for a while now know that I'm a passionate children's author.

I'm letting that passion take me in a new, exciting direction this fall. I'm starting a new office job as a staff writer for a children's television show!

As you can tell, I'm excited. But this new exciting career move also means that I have the same routine change-up as everyone who's heading back to school!

My little sister, who's proudly entering the fifth grade this fall, has already started her back-to-school prep and I have started my new job prep, as of this weekend, as well! Read on for what has been on my prep-for-fall shopping list so far!

Aug 14, 2015

Healthy Snacking for Back-to-School With goodnessknows

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

Back to school is right around the bend and for a lot of families, that means that it's time to start thinking about healthy, delicious, and convenient lunches and snacks to keep little (and big!) students' minds ready to learn a lot!

I personally love granola bars and was excited to try the new goodnessknows Snack Squares in all three delicious flavors: Cranberry, Almond Dark Chocolate; Apple, Almond & Peanut, Dark Chocolate, and Peach & Cherry, Almond, Dark Chocolate.

Aug 11, 2015

Recipe: Flaky Lemon Bars

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

Just in time for back-to-school, here's a yummy lunchbox-friendly treat that adults will enjoy every bit as much as adults!

While 'flaky' isn't a desirable trait in people, it's the perfect trait in a dessert crust. This crust is not only super easy to make, but also perfectly flaky!

It pairs well with the intensely lemony, but still sweet, filling and th strong lemon flavor makes a single bar a completely satisfying dessert.

I used a disposable aluminum foil pan to make cleanup quicker and easier, but this bakes just as well in a normal pan. Here is the recipe!

Jul 27, 2015

Recipe: County Fair Apple Pie

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 2:58 AM

Before I get to today's dessert recipe, I have exciting news to share.

The Princess Games was released today!

King Winkle and Queen Periwinkle have a problem. They need a princess, and they need her fast. With the upcoming peace-keeping marriage between Prince Linus of Branninia and the princess of the fair Kingdom of Hoggenbottom, it's a bit risky to admit they don't have a princess.

Instead, they decide to host The Princess Games. Soon enough, the fairest maidens of the land are gathered in front of the castle, fairy-godmothers in tow! With a goofy king, an obsessive compulsive advisor, and a fairy godmother whose spells do whatever they want, these games are about to get interesting.

Even if Emma and her clumsy Fairy Louise can manage to do well in the competition, she'll have to get past the expert spells of Fairy Faye and the beauty of Laralyn, who is intent on pleasing her ambitious mother at any cost.

Check it out on Amazon!

Okay, back to the food - I may be a city girl now, but that doesn't change that I grew up in North Carolina. Carolina girls love pie!

Whether you're a southerner, a northerner, a mid-westerner, or something else entirely (I realize I didn't mention most of the planet), I am sure you can enjoy a good pie. And if you can't you just haven't had really good pie yet!

Whether you need a recipe for a dessert for a dinner party, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just because, this apple pie recipe is a simple and delicious way to convert your friends and family to the pie side of life!

It's sweeter over here.

Jun 23, 2015

Princess Games- Official Book Trailer

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:44 PM

My next middle grade novel, The Princess Games, is coming out on July 27 and is already available on Amazon for pre-order!

Check out the official book trailer, below! Ages 9-12+.

Nov 12, 2014

Barney Butter

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 11:30 AM

I looove almond butter.

So does C, my little sister - luckily, because more and more schools are putting peanut bans on lunch. C has pretty adult tastes at time. For example, she enjoys quiche and green smoothies.

But sometimes all kids just want to eat kid foods! PB&J sandwiches are a childhood classic and while almond butter and banana sandwiches are the shizz, the grainier texture of almond butter just isn't the same for classic sandwiches as the smooth and creamy peanut butter.

Barney Butter is the answer to our peanut butter ban problems. It's the almond butter that thinks it's peanut butter! But really.

It's smooth, creamy, just like your classic childhood peanut butter in texture and consistency.

On top of all that, it's something you can really feel good about making your sandwich with.

A winner of the 2011 Healthy Food Awards, it's chockfull of nutrients and healthy fats!

Barney Butter is also really fun because there are so many different varieties! I tried single serving packs of several of them, but they do come in normal-sized jars for daily sandwich creation.

There's plain smooth, plain crunchy, honey + flax, chia, cocoa + coconut, and vanilla bean. They're all delicious! My favorite is probably cocoa + coconut.

Oh, and did I mention that they're certified gluten free, non-GMO, verified kosher, and all natural? Because they are. And, again, completely peanut free!

If you have a child (or younger sibling), does his/her school have a peanut ban?

Do you have any allergies?

What's your favorite consistency of nut butter? I'm a crunchy girl all the way!

Oct 20, 2014

Crispy Green Convenience

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 10:00 AM

We're well into fall now and into the busy grind of back-to-school and back-to-work.

As schedules pick up and get crazier, it's useful to have some yummy, healthy snacks that you can keep in your handbag for emergencies!

After all, no one wants to deal with Hangry.

My recent favorite handbag staple, along with the usual granola bars and such, are Crispy Green fruit bags!

They come in seven different varieties (apple, pineapple, banana, cantaloupe, mango, Asian pear, and tangerine), but all the varieties are delicious.

And totally healthy! They use high quality fresh fruit and dehydrate it carefully so that it's really just a one-ingredient healthy fruit snack, like the namesake fresh fruit!

The Asian Pear consists only of Asian pears, the tangerine of only tangerines, the banana of only bananas, and so on.

But unlike keeping fresh fruit in your bag, these won't spoil, won't bruise, won't smush and cover your phone in smushed banana, and aren't messy, loud, or smelly to eat.

AKA they're the perfect convenient snack!

I was really pleasantly surprised by the banana (TRY IT) and the pineapple was also one of my favorites. They're so flavorful and sweet, but always without added sugar!

You can find them in these stores or order online!

What's your favorite fresh fruit?

What's your favorite dried fruit?

What's your favorite healthy snack on-the-go?

Oct 9, 2014

#TasteSilkAlmond - For Free!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 11:00 AM

Do you know what one of the main reasons people who 'dislike' healthy foods don't like the aforementioned healthy foods?

It sounds weird.

Wait a minute - 'sounds' weird? As in, you don't know what it tastes like?

Well, no...

Sometimes the biggest hurdle really is just giving something a try! Whether it's taking the first bite of an acai bowl (oh. my. goodness.) or taking the first sip of kombucha (you either love it or you hate it) it's ridiculous to say you don't like something that you've never tried.

In my house, we drink a lot of milk and soy milk. We don't drink a lot of almond milk, however. I am a big fan of almond milk, even more so than soy milk or dairy milk, so I convinced little C to give almond milk a try.

We bought a carton of Silk vanilla almond milk and she was a little skeptical about it, but ended up being a really good sport and giving it a genuine try.

C is lucky to be an all-around healthy girl, with no allergies or intolerances that we know of, but a lot of kids aren't.

Some kids have soy allergies (there goes the soy milk) and some have lactose intolerance (especially among ethnic kids - my own mild lactose intolerance is testament to that!), so there goes the dairy milk. Just because there are intolerances doesn't mean that their nutritional requirements are at all reduced.

That's why soy-free, dairy-free almond milk is a great option for meeting those calcium and protein needs in a healthy way!

But would the 'strange' new drink pass the kid taste test?

It did!

C made this face after trying the almond milk:

Her immediate reaction was "this is good!"

Yes, yes, that something her kale-pushing big sister recommends could be delicious is clearly surprising. Moving on...

C enjoyed the almond milk and asked if we can have it more often. She said it was just the right amount of sweetness and that it didn't taste weird at all.

Our mom, a huge soy milk fan (but loather of rice milk) really liked it, too. She enjoyed the flavor a lot and loved how "silky smooth" it is. Fitting, since it's Silk Almond Milk! She also really enjoyed how refreshing it was, compared to dairy milk.

Do you want to try Silk almond milk - for free? Sign up for the eNewsletter at silk.com/signup and get a free coupon to try Silk!

Have you tried Silk vanilla almond milk yet?

What's your favorite milk (dairy or non-dairy counts)?

What new thing have you tried recently?

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

Sep 8, 2014

Tips For Healthy Hydration With Hint

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 1:00 PM

Hydration is a huge topic in the hot summer months and it's really no wonder, since the scorching temperatures can make thirst really apparent and the effects of dehydration even more extreme.

Now that the weather is cooling off, people think less about hydration and reminders to drink regularly are no longer posted all over the subway and the internet.

But it's still important to hydrate! Especially with back to school and schedules picking up, it can be easy to forget to drink as much as you need to. But proper hydration is important for organ function, overall health, skin health, sleep, mood, and general well-being!

Here are some trips for staying hydrated this fall!

Drink a smoothie in the morning.

Some people have trouble drinking water first thing in the morning, but something sweet and with a thicker consistency can be easier to stomach.

A large mixed berry smoothie is a great way to get hydration, nutrition, fiber, and more. It's delicious, easy to drink, and a great option for those who aren't big fans of water in the morning.

Don't forget a banana or two for creaminess and a potassium punch - potassium is also important for maintaining a healthy water balance in your body!

Eat more fruits and veggies.

Did you know that apes barely ever drink anything? It's because they eat such water-rich foods that they really don't need to!

Okay, they're probably not enjoying vegan ice cream piled with fruit (see the yumminess above) or delicious Whole Foods salad bar hodgepodges (see below), but the point is that everyone's water needs vary. and a large part of that is how much water is in your food and how much you sweat.

If you sweat a ton and rarely eat any fruits or veggies, you probably need more water - if you barely sweat and/or you eat a lot of produce, you might not need as much.

Listen to your body, but don't wait until you're parched!

Flavored water.

I recently got to try Hint Fizz, a carbonated flavored water from Hint Water, and really enjoyed it!

There are many different delicious flavors, but they are all all-natural and unsweetened.

They're not sweet, but they have a hint of fruit flavor and are carbonated.

Ultimately, drinking water is a wonderful way to hydrate and even those who don't enjoy plain water can enjoy water - without the unnatural sweeteners or loads of sugar that make it unhealthy.

I can't decide which one is my favorite, but watermelon tastes like a bit of summer and strawberry kiwi is delightful. I bet it would be my little sister's favorite, I have to give her a bottle to try!

What's your favorite way to hydrate?

Do you prefer Hint or Hint Fizz?

What's your favorite Hint water?

Sep 6, 2014

The Most Exciting News EVER!!!

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 10:00 AM

I briefly interrupt the regular programming to announce - my children's chapter book, Elsbett & Robin Take On A-Nasty-Sia, is now available in paperback and on Kindle, Nook, and assorted tablets!

Love a 8-12 year old? Or, let's be honest, mildly like or tolerate the presence of a child? Buy them the book!

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Sep 2, 2014

Back to School Recipes: Homemade Healthy Granola Bars

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 2:00 PM

I love, and have always loved, granola bars. They're also a perfect snack for back-to-school and in general beloved by kids and adults alike. They can also be quite healthy and pack great convenient energy!

For those interested in snacking with less waste (no individual wrappers necessary - you can use reusable tupperware for transport!) and saving some money, here's a great recipe for healthy homemade granola bars!

My 9-year-old sister (yes, we have a 12 year age gap) says taste better than Kashi!

Healthy Granola Bars

Makes 10-12 granola bars

* 2 c. quick cooking oats

* 2/3 c. sugar

* 1/2 c. Uncle Sam's Original High Fiber Cereal

* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

* 1 c. all-purpose flour

* 1/2 c. raisins

* 1/2 c. craisins

* 1 tsp. salt

* 1/2 c. honey (generous)

* 1 egg, beaten

* 1/2 c. natural peanut butter, melted

* 2 tsp. vanilla extract

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 8" x 8" baking pan.

2) Mix first eight ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

3) Mix the honey, egg, melted peanut butter, and vanilla extract in a small bowl.

4) Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mix with your hands (dough will be dry and crumbly).

5) Press dough into the greased baking pan. Really pack it in, this is hands on and granola bar-making isn't for sissies!

6) Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden with lightly browned edges.

7) Cool for five minutes, then slice - don't cool completely before slicing or the bars will be too hard to cut without crumbling.

Love saving money? Tweet it!

Aug 31, 2014

Back to School: Rock the Lunchbox

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 9:00 AM

We love back to school in our house. It's one of our favorite times of the year, back to school shopping almost gets us as excited as that first Christmas movie in ~~August~~ November!

It's not hard to find cute school supplies (though it is an ueber-Bummer that C's fourth grade class does the 'communal school supplies' thing, so we can't get all her all pink glitter everything).

A little harder than finding a cute backpack, however, is finding a lunch that pleases both mom (aka: the nutrition concerned one) and student (aka: the "where are my gummy bears?" one). That's why we decided to take the Rock the Lunchbox Draw Your Dream Lunch challenge this year!

C was happy to comply and drew a picture of what she would pack for a lunch without mommies checking lunchbox vitamin level.

We gave it a look. Probably the same you're giving it right now - the one that basically says HA.

Then we check out Rock the Lunch for some ideas of how to transform the lunch into a healthy one!

We ran to the supermarket for some quality ingredients! Along with a few super handy lunch containers Rock the Lunchbox sent our way (reusable is cool, guys) we were ready to go!

We asked C what it was that she liked about pizza for lunch and she said that she liked the cheesiness and the different flavors. Cheesiness? Flavors? We can do that!

We made a healthy pizza sandwich, instead, with Rudi's Honey Sweet Whole Wheat bread as our crust. With 25g of whole grains, no GMOs, no high fructose corn syrup, and an organic label, it's an excellent place to start. Then we added some sliced tomatoes, a dollop of pizza sauce on the bread, and a slice of Organic Valley Muenster cheese, which is basically creamy deliciousness in a calcium-rich, and hormone-free, slice.

C's thoughts? Yum! Our thoughts were equally positive, because that's the kind of power sandwich a growing girl needs.

The drink was a no-brainer - we swapped the soda for a Honest Kids Super Fruit Punch. It's sweet, flavorful, and C loved it. Best of all, it's organic, free of the fake stuff, and sweetened only by fruit!

For the sides, we went for grapes instead of gummy bears (naturally sweet and tart and wonderful!), a few carrots for some extra veggie factor and crunch (with a little tub of ranch!) and Annie's Cheddar Bunnies instead of cheese puffs. They're still cheesy, salty snack awesomeness, but they're organic and made with real aged cheddar. They're a healthy salty snack!

Lastly, we rounded out the meal with some chocolate mini rice cakes and baguette slices with lentil dip to share. C loves when mom or I (when I'm in town) come to visit at lunch. We always forget to bring any food for ourselves, though! C was thrilled to be able to include a little something in her lunchbox for when one of us visits.

All in all, we were very happy with how we rocked C's lunchbox - she was thrilled! Healthy can be every bit as delicious (often even more so) than unhealthy!

What are your favorite parts of back to school?

What's in your dream lunch?

What's your favorite healthy lunch switch?

Aug 25, 2014

Back to School Basics

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 4:00 PM

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Brita for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Fall is approaching! This year is really flying by, much like last year. Does anyone else have that feeling, or is it just because so much is changing in my life?

I graduated from Harvard! I moved to NYC! I'm a working adult now!

Anyway, the year flew by and the approach of fall means that it's back to school season.

Okay, so not for me. But I love back to school!

Back to school is awesome. What's one major reason why?

Back to school shopping.

Guys, I had SO much fun with school supplies. There's pink glitter stationery, awesome pens, cool tech, and everything for the dorm room.

If you're just starting college and don't know what the must-haves are, here's a short list of the absolute essentials:

1) A Full-Length Mirror

I didn't have one for a month last year (senior year). WHAT. Obviously that's a necessity for a fashion-forward college student!

2) A Brita® Pitcher

Brita® Pitchers are available at Target and they're not too pricey, but super convenient. You can fill them up in your bathroom and refill whenever you need more water! It's great, because it's way more eco-friendly than bottled water - not to mention way cheaper in the course of a semester.

Water is important for everyone, including college students, because staying hydrated keeps your brain working optimally, your body functioning properly, your energy levels up, and your skin looking great.

Hey! That's important! There are so many functions in college.

3) A fan.

Most dorms, unless you're living somewhere super posh, don't have A/C. Trust me, there will be nights when you will melt if you don't have a good fan.

My freshman year fall was particularly bad, several of my friends and I camped out in the Science Center some nights for the A/C!

4) A snack stash.

All-nighters require fuel and dining halls often lock up at night, even the cereal and milk sections. Since you'er not home with a 24/7 kitchen, be sure to keep some snacks for when you really need that extra energy.

Great snacks to have in your stash include: granola bars, protein bars, cereals you can eat out of the box, trail mix, dried fruit, chocolate (for that time of the month), and whatever other shelf-stable snacks you love!

5) More underwear than you think you'll need.

Sometimes laundry just doesn't happen - welcome to reading period and final's week. So that you don't find yourself in the awkward position of wearing swimsuits to class.
Besides, awesome excuse to go wild at Victoria's Secret.

Shopping spree!

What are your back to school essentials for college?

Do you like back to school or the end of the school year better?

Are you still in school? If not, are you considering going back to school for another degree at some point?

Aug 6, 2014

New Product: Mary's Gone Crackers Everything Pretzels Review

Posted by Living, Learning, Eating at 6:00 AM

I'm a big fan of snack foods, but haven't done that many snack food reviews in a while. I know, I know - I totally dropped the ball there.

Cut me some slack! I graduated from Harvard, moved to a new city (love it, #NYCistheshizz), started a new job (don't love it, bummer), and discovered that I live down the street from a Red Mango and a raw vegan place whose cocoa pies and avocado sushi are #theshizz.

OH MY GAWD FROYO. - OH MY GAWD FROYO. Misc

Okay, maybe that last one isn't relevant. But isn't it awesome?

Anyway, it's time that I get back to the important stuff. You know: blogging, decorating my room some more, getting back into the writing groove, studying my craft (kidding, I really meant playing pretend -> acting), and covering the snack stuff reviews.

To come back with a bang, I have something that's entirely new on the market for you guys.

Drumroll, please...

Mary's Gone Crackers presents Everything Pretzels!

I'm definitely more of a sweet than savory snack girl, but I actually do enjoy pretzels. They mix into sweet snacks very well, whether it's mixing with chocolate, ice cream, yogurt, or any combination of the above!

I love that these are whole grain and all-natural, because a lot of pretzels are just refined white flour and salt, so there's no nutritional benefit to eating them. These are every bit as delicious (more delicious, actually, because the whole grains lend an extra nuttiness) so why not get in that extra fiber and extra nutrition?

They're also very flavorful - literally everything.

Okay, not literally everything. But that's good, because who wants to eat bath water-flavored pretzels? Not this girl.

Instead, they're flavored by a lot of things that are delicious and healthy! Sure, there is a fair amount of sodium - they're a salty, savory snack, after all. But everything in moderation, so it's fine.

There's also garlic, onion, seeds (as we've come to expect from Mary's Gone Crackers), and spices of all sorts. All in all, a great snack for the mid-afternoon slump, a picnic, a hike, or (dare I say it?) brown bags for school or work.

Fall is coming! Whether you have a little ragamuffin or you are a little ragamuffin (okay, okay, if you're a college kid, I guess you're notthat little) it's not too early to start thinking back-to-school planning. The shops are already all on it! My little sister picked up the cutest pink glitter pencil pouch the other day.

I'm glad to see that my influence extends all the way down the East Coast to home, sweet home in North Carolina.

Speaking about home, sweet home and family - my super-smart, fabulously frugal mom is an excellent couponer. I haven't used them much in a while, but I think I'll get back into it with my newest non-pretzel obsession: the Checkout51 app.

It's a free app that I found at the app store and you just download it to your phone, shop as you normally would, and scan in your receipt afterwards when you get home to get the coupon value as cash-back!

It's perfect for the lazy couponer, because there's no coupon-clipping, no confused store clerks, no angry fellow shoppers getting impatient at checkout, and no need for foresight.

Couponing Looks - THE LOOK I GIVE CASHIERS WHEN THEY SAY MY COUPON WON'T WORK! Skeptical Third World Kid

The selections change weekly for what's available and you get your refunds cashed out once you hit the $20 cash-back mark.

I'm not sure yet how it will work out for me, since I haven't used it long enough to see if the coupons offered are things I buy super much, but the range seems good, I like that offers change weekly like normal coupon circulars, and seems like it might be a good way to save a little on this crazy city prices.

I'll keep you updated, but I just had to share that with you guys because you're awesome and saving money is great.

Do you have any money-saving tips to share with me?Do you coupon? If you do, are you a systematic/extreme couponer or do you just do it occasionally, when you remember?

Pretzels or crackers? I'm usually leaning pretzels, including in this case.