Oh Panini, My Panini

My new favorite way to do lunch is to make a panini. Take any sandwich and make it into a panini, and it is instantly better! It's like taking a regular piece of apple pie, and making it a la mode. Better.

Here are some of my favorites:

Turkey & Pesto

Ezekiel sprouted wheat bread

1 Tablespoon Pesto

Sliced Turkey breast

Provolone cheese (or your fave)

** Spread the pesto on the bread, make your sandwich and then press in the panini.

This is amazing with Trader Joe's low sodium roasted red pepper and tomato soup!

Peanut Butter, Banana & Agave

Ezekiel sprouted wheat bread

1 Tablespoon all natural crunchy peanut butter

Drizzle of agave (or honey)

Sliced banana

** Spread the PB on the bread, drizzle with agave, and layer in the sliced bananas, and then press the panini. It is like a dessert. (When I really need a sweet treat, I am going to toss in a few chocolate chips. Only in mine.)

Chicken & Mushroom Panini

Ezekiel Sprouted whole wheat bread

pre-sliced cremini mushrooms

some minced garlic

1 tablespoon chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil

sliced chicken breast (perfect way to use leftover grilled or rotisserie chicken breast)

1 slice provolone cheese

** Saute mushrooms and garlic in a little olive oil or in cooking spray. Spread mushroom and sun-dried tomatoes over bread, top with chicken and cheese. Press the panini until melted and bread is gently toasted!!

I have a panini maker/indoor grill that I use when making my panini's, but you could simply use a heated skillet and a heavy pan on top of the sandwich.

Do you have any favorite panini recipes? What sandwich would you like to try as a panini?

Mama Love

... We love the group of moms who banded together to form Get Pumped when their friend passed away leaving her husband with a young baby. Their grassroots efforts have collected enough breastmilk for her baby to be fed breastmilk exclusively, through the donations of other moms.

... We love Etnies. From now until Dec. 4, you can get $10 off every $40 you spend on Etnies’ website! Just use the promo code: ETNIES FAMILY.

... We love Born Free for their BPA-free bottles, so we were thrilled to learn they were designing BPA-free silicone teethers. Designed by a dentist, the teething ring stimulates and is designed to soothe and help those painful teeth erupt. It can be stored in the refrigerator and features a nifty little groove for spreading teething gel, so that your baby gets a bit on the gums when she bites down.

... We love Jeff Wallace, an amazing photographer who has the most incredible eye and the gift of capturing families in motion. We are big fans!

FRIDAY GIVEAWAY: Plan Toys Contemporary Dollhouse

We are big fans of Plan Toys. Their products are made from rubberwood from natural rubber trees, painted with water based non-toxic dyes, and they use E-Zero glue in place of wood glues. An eco-friendly company, Plan Toys uses recycled and recyclable materials, soy and water-based inks, and solar energy and bio-fuel to power their machinery.

Plan Toys is kindly offering one lucky reader a chance to win their Contemporary Dollhouse.
This dollhouse has a dinstinctly modern feel with clean lines and birght colors. This futuristic dollhouse has 2 open levels allowing for trouble-free access to the interior which comes with transparent paneling that can slide from side-to-side, and its own staircase which can be moved to any part of the house.

To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:

What features do you look for when shopping for your children's toys?

How to earn additional entries:

1.) Become a follower on our blog (publicy) and leave another comment (or let us know if you already are).

2.) Subscribe to the Mama Memo by clicking here and leave another comment (or let us know if you already are).

3.) Blog about this giveaway- with a link back to here. Post YOUR blog entry first and then the comment.

4.) Add the Mama Manifesto button to your sidebar.

5.) Follow us on Twitter AND Tweet about this giveaway. TWEET- "Giveaway- win an eco-friendly dollhouse from @MamaManifesto. Enter at mamamanifesto.com"

6.) Become a fan of Mama Manifesto on Facebook by clicking the button on the left!




[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's giveaway:
(((Tegan and Tage)))



Congratulations! Shoot us an email by 12/4 to mamagiveaways(at)gmail(dot)com with your prize in the subject line, and we will hook you up! Keep checking back for more great giveaways!

Gratitude

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

- Melody Beattie

WORKS FOR ME WEDNESDAY: Easy Gingerbread Houses

Here's a sweet new tradition in our home. We LOVE making gingerbread houses, but the whole baking process often feels just a tad overwhelming for me.

This summer my aunt introduced us to the more simplified version of gingerbread house hoopla.

Substitute out the baking and opt for no-bake graham crackers, and focus your time on getting creative (and sticky) with your kiddos. You can decide how much candy you want to have on hand to embellish the houses. I like the meringue powder frosting (see recipe below) for building, but you can use your own favorite frosting recipe (just try to make it as stiff as you can). Think outside of the box with the decorating: chocolate wafer cookies or shredded wheat cereal as roof tiles, marshmellow windows, upside down ice cream cones covered in frosting for trees, pretzel sticks for moulding, gumdrop bushes, licorice or pretzel walkways...

There was an article on doing this exact same thing (lazy mama gingerbread houses) this month in Better Homes & Gardens, and they suggested giving every child a foil wrapped cardboard "platter" to build on. I like this idea - the kids will marvel at their own reflection while building.

Depending on the ages of the children, you may want to pre-assemble the houses and just let them go crazy decorating.

"Mortar Icing" (this would be a good amount for a couple of kids, so double or triple for a crowd)

combine 4 teaspoons meringue powder and 4 tablespoons water.

Mix in 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and add water if too thick.

Happy Building!!!

TALK BACK: Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for this year?


How will you be celebrating Thanksgiving as a family? How do you encourage your kids to be grateful for all that they have?

Penne Pasta with Creamy Balsamic Sauce

Do you ever have the eerie conversation about what you would choose to have as your last meal if you were spending your last night in prison. Oh good, you have that one too. Well, this is my husband's last meal request. We had it for dinner last night and it was amazing! The perfect recipe to bust out when chillier weather arrives. Sometimes I will cook up the chicken especially for this recipe, but I like to plan my meals so that I can use leftover grilled or roasted chicken in this recipe to save on the cooking time. Another short cut tip is to use some of the sauce as salad dressing.

Ingredients:

sauce (I double the sauce):
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
4 T. sugar or about 3 T. Agave Nectar
2 T. grey poupon (dijon) mustard
2 pinches cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic, diced
3 T. water

6 boneless chicken breasts (tenderloins are the easiest; but if using tenderloins, use about 10 or more)
1 lb penne pasta (I like to use brown rice or whole grain pasta to kick up the nutritional value a notch)
1 cup fresh parmesan cheese

1. To make the sauce, combine 1st 7 ingredients and mix well. If you like your pasta extra saucey, double the recipe for the sauce. I set aside 1/4 of the doubled sauce recipe for salad dressing that is PHENOMENAL!
2. Cook chicken, slice and marinate it in some of the sauce for a few hours, or overnight.
3. Cook pasta and marinate it as well in the sauce. When ready to serve, combine chicken and pasta, add some parmesan cheese, a little sauce and put in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mama Love

... We love Julie's post over at Joy's Hope that challenges us all to re-think what to give for Christmas this year. Have you enjoyed a nice glass of water today?

... We love the eco-friendly reusable snack bags called Reusies. They are the perfect alternative to ziplocks. Think of how many ziplocks travel in children's lunch boxes every single day. We think it's a great gift idea for the mamas in your life who want to go green in 2010!

... We love the Slither, a fun new scooter for boys that has a swivel mechanism, making it easy for kids to ride it like a snowboard. It's a great gift for an active boy (or a boy you'd like to get off the couch). You just might want to hide it from your husband, though.

... We love this yummy recipe idea for Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches from Real Simple. It's like the cookie version of pumpkin pie.

... We love the Nutmeg & Vanilla and Vanilla Spice essential oils from The Body Shop for bringing the cozy Fall vibe indoors. Add a few drops of oil to one of the oil burners and tuck in a safe place (guest bathroom, thank you very much).

... We love this post at We Are That Family for articulating how important it is to let our kids be themselves.

... We love fancy sparkling cider drinks that get us in the mood for holiday festivities. R.W. Knudsen has a great new Pomegranate version of the classic sparkling cider, in a champagne-style bottle, thank is the perfect beverage for holiday dinners.

... We love the new board book “Look Who Is Coming…”, a great photo book for all young children, but created specifically to address the needs of the author’s young son who was diagnosed with Autism. It helps children learn to recognize the important people in their life.

... We love that Thanksgiving is almost here! Lets make this a week of practicing the posture of gratitude. We started a gratitude list in our house that we are adding to daily. We also liked this Thankfulness Collage idea from Make & Takes.

FRIDAY GIVEAWAY: Swaddle Designs

SwaddleDesigns recently expanded their Organic line to include hooded towels, wash cloths, bibs, and wearable blankets. One lucky mama will win a beautiful GOTS certified organic Ultimate Receiving Blanket.


Any reader can use the promo code "MadeinUSA" at eSwaddle to receive 10% off regularly priced items by clicking this link.







To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:

Are (or were) you a swaddling mama?

How to earn additional entries:

1.) Become a follower on our blog (publicly) and leave another comment (or let us know if you already are).

2.) Subscribe to the Mama Memo by clicking here and leave another comment (or let us know if you already are).

3.) Blog about this giveaway- with a link back to here. Post YOUR blog entry first and then the comment.

4.) Add the Mama Manifesto button to your sidebar.

5.) Follow me on Twitter AND Tweet about this giveaway- TWEET: "Giveaway: win an organic receiving blanket from @MamaManifesto. Enter at mamamanifesto.com"

6.) Become a fan of Mama Manifesto on Facebook by clicking the button on the left!




[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's giveaway:
(((chazvgo)))



Congratulations! Shoot us an email by 11/27 to mamagiveaways(at)gmail(dot)com with your prize in the subject line, and we will hook you up. Keep checking back for more great giveways!

if you play it, they will come

Further proof of the magnetic properties of the television . . .

For the last month, I've been letting Karis watch a Baby Signs DVD every day. Both Jafta and India watched this when they were babies, and they really did learn some sign language from it so that they could communicate before they were verbal. And also so that we could make them perfom party tricks like signing "poop" in front of a large audience. Because poop is funny, ya'll.

However, every time I put the video on for Karis, Jafta and India stop what they are doing and sit and watch it, too. Even though it is a TOTAL baby show, with slow, boring shots of toys and animals and rotating gizmos, and even though they have each seen it umpteen times, they just sit in a daze and stare at the screen for the entire twenty minutes.

Kiddie Crack. The television is Kiddie Crack.

sweeping generalizations

Karis is officially crawling now. At six months, this is earlier than either of her siblings learned to crawl. To be honest, I'm not that thrilled about the early milestone. I've always loved the stage when babies are old enough to be really playful, and yet young enough to sit where you plant them. She seems to have skipped that phase altogether. Every time I turn around, she is booking it across the room, with her eyeball on some small speck of something that she wants to put in her mouth. And judging from the still-intact Spiderman sticker I discovered in her dirty diaper today, I'm guessing she's succeeding more often than I realize. I've made a note to myself that I need to be more careful, and make sure that I am constantly sweeping the floors to rid them of anything she could eat.


Also seemingly overnight, she learned to feed herself finger foods. She is crazy for the brown rice, and also a fan of the Cheerios. This is yet another stage I don't particularly enjoy - the constant sweeping of the floor to clean up the 75% of the food that didn't make it into her mouth. If I am barefoot (and I am ALWAYS barefoot), I usually have the pleasure of a parasitic cheerio on the bottom of my foot for half the day. Again, making a mental note that I need to sweep more.

Then I started thinking . . .
.

I mean, Karis spends all day scouring the floor looking for something to put in her mouth.
.
I spend all day cleaning up the stuff that doesn't make it into her mouth.
.

Why don't we just cut out the middle man, and let her eat the cheerios straight off the floor? That's an acceptable practice . . . right?

Talk Back: mixing it up old school

I got one of those random spur of the moment urges today to clean out my kitchen cupboards. You know the one - when you absolutely do not have the time to take on a task, but you have the overwhelming urge to dive in anyway. The end result - me rushing out the door to pick up my kids from school with my kitchen's contents scattered throughout the room. sigh. But, the positive side of that is I was reminded of how many great cook books I have that I so seldom use. Cooking with me is one of my daughter's favorite things to do, even if it is just getting to mix up the batter, tear the herbs, dump the salad contents, or measure the cups of water. The downside of her helping - it takes planning on my part. A frazzled and running late to get dinner on the table mama is not the best combo with the ever curious, I have a question about every little step of the cooking process child.

Here is our talk back question: What are your favorite cookbooks? Got any cooking resources that you use on a regular basis? Do your children help with the meal prep on a regular basis?

Here are some of my favorite cook books:

Kids' Cook Books

Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes

Salad People

The Toddler Cookbook

Deceptively Delicious

A great website - Spatuletta - where kids teach kids how to cook through videos!

Family Fun & Wondertime also have great recipes that are kid-tested and mostly mother approved in their monthly publications

Mama Cookbooks

Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's

Rachel Ray's 365: No Repeats

I love the foodnetwork.com site for pulling recipes

Cooking Light is also one of the best resources around for more health conscious recipes.Check out their list of 20 minute meals - a lifesaver for the busy mama!

The Nourish Network is another new favorite of mine.

Anything by The Barefoot Contessa is amazing, even though I gain a few pounds just reading the recipes.

Pumpkin Brownie Dessert

If you are looking for a great Fall dessert that screams "home-made" but does not demand a "martha stewart" chunk of time to prepare, I have a great recipe for you.

** For those of you who do not have a Trader Joe's nearby, I am so sorry! You could substitute other mixes in for this recipe, or go the extra mile and prepare pumpkin bread from scratch. We love Trader Joe's because their mixes use whole wheat flour, and they refrain from using any partially hydrogenated oil in their products.

Ingredients:

1 box Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread mix (check the box for needed ingredients)

1 box Trader Joe's Truffle Brownie Mix (check the box for needed ingredients)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Prep both mixes separately according to instructions on the boxes

3. Grease a 9 x 11 x 2 inch pan (or a size close to that)

4. Spread the brownie mix evenly across the bottom of your baking dish

5. Spread the pumpkin bread mix evenly over the brownie mix

6. Bake for 35-45 minutes, checking the center with a knife or toothpick to see when it is done.

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Mama Love

... We love Plan Toys! As Christmas approaches, we think their smart, green wooden toys make great gifts for kids of any age. Plan Toys have a hip, modern edge that moms will love, while their developmental toys are safe and eco-friendly. Check out the Plan Toys facebook page, where the developers solicit feedback about their toys from other moms!

... We are digging this clip of underwater astonishment is sure to leave your kids in awe of the vast ocean wonders and ecosystem deep in the sea.


... We love the new album by Switchfoot - Hello Hurricane. We've been rocking out all week to and from school and while we make dinner! Switchfoot is one of the bands in our house that is both kid-friendly and mama approved!


... We love the ever crafty Make & Takes simple instructions on how to make your own funky dishtowels. Why pay $18 at Anthropologie when you can make your own? If you really want to hit it out of the park, choose your favorite anthropologie design and copy it. These are the perfect hostess gift.

FRIDAY GIVEAWAYS: custom necklace

We have a great giveaway this week - a custom-designed necklace by Isabelle Grace Jewelry. Isabelle Grace makes simple, beautiful, pieces inspired by family. Each piece is hand-crafted and personalized from pure silver, and one of our lucky readers will win a Birthstone Tag Necklace made just for them!

To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:

What piece of jewelry has the most sentimental value to you?

How to earn additional entries:

1.) Become a follower on our blog (publicly)and leave another comment (or let me know if you already are)

2.) Subscribe to the Mama Memo by clicking here and leave another comment (or let me know if you already are).

3.) Blog about this giveaway- with a link back to here. Post YOUR blog entry first and then the comment.

4.) Add the Mama Manifesto button to your sidebar.

5.) Follow me on Twitter AND Tweet about this giveaway- TWEET: "Giveaway: win a custom necklace from @MamaManifesto. Enter at mamamanifesto.com"

6.) Become a fan of Mama Manifesto on Facebook by clicking the button on the left!




[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's tiny soles giveaway:
(((clynsg)))



Congratulations! Shoot us an email in the next seven days to mamagiveaways(at)gmail(dot)com with your prize in the subject line, and we will hook you up. Keep checking back for more great giveways!

the doctor is in

Since I write for a parenting blog and have a bit of education in psychosocial development, I've been toying with the idea of writing a weekly advice column. People could write in with questions on child development and parenting issues, and I could dig into my well of knowledge and give them good advice. Why, just today I was thinking of how much wisdom I have to offer from my own life experiences. Here's an example:

Q: Dear Kristen,
My child is several months old and isn't rolling over yet. Most of the milestone charts that I'm googling on a daily basis tell me that my child should be rolling over soon. I would really like to see my child hit every milestone on time (or early!!) and my child's lack of giftedness in this area has me worried. What can I do to encourage this important developmental step?
Sincerely,
Neurotic in Newport

A: Dear Neurotic in Newport,
Of course you are worried! Obsessively checking milestone charts is the standard of good parenting, and also the beginning of a lifetime of comparing your child's achievement to his/her peers. Good job! But never fear - I have a surefire way of making sure your little one learns to roll over.
Step 1 - place your baby who has never rolled over on the middle of a bed.
Step 2 - leave the room for two seconds to use the bathroom
Step 3 - when you hear a thud and screaming, milestone achieved!!

Good luck with this. It has worked perfectly for me with all three of my children. Please don't hesitate to contact me for any more amazing parenting advice.
Sincerely,
Kristen, Resident Development Expert

WFMW: matchmaking for gardeners

We have discovered a website that we give 3 big cheers for!

gogogreengarden.com

It is going to help you start that garden you have been dreaming of.

Another site that is partnered with Go Go Green Garden is Urban Garden Share. Think of it as match.com with veggies. It connects homeowners who have green space to share with gardeners who have none.

TALK BACK: playing favorites

We all know the old adage - a mother never has favorites. And while that might be true, I think many of us would admit that some of our children might be harder or easier to deal with than others. This is very true in my house - while I dearly love each of my children, I have one child who is just a little bit more work. My oldest wants a constant playmate, and has a noise and energy level that is a little bit draining. It's not that I love him less - but if I am perfectly honest, he is a little bit harder to parent. His temperment is more like my husband's, and they love being loud and active together, while my daughter and I are more independent, and would prefer snuggling up in a quiet room, each with our own book.

What about you? Do you have a harder child? Or a child whose temperament is easier for you?


Anyone really have a secret favorite?

Spaghetti Carbonara

We recently discovered Nourish Network, an incredible new resource site for healthy eating developed by Lia Huber. Described as the "Facebook for Foodies", it is sure to be one of our new "go to" resources for healthy recipes for our families. They've got articles on everything from nutrition to eco-friendly eating, and all recipes fall under the 500 calorie mark. It is the perfect site to get lost in as you ponder that age old question: "What should I make for dinner?" Lia has been so kind to share one of her best recipes with us today. Enjoy...

Spaghetti Carbonara

I love this recipe because it embodies just how delectable simple food and sound nutrition (no diet crazes for us!) can be. Give this a try with whole wheat spaghetti and a generous green salad tossed with a great vinaigrette.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, minced
3 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick strips
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons lowfat sour cream
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup pasta water
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
1/2 pound whole wheat pasta


1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add onion. Sauté for 2 minutes, add bacon, and cook another 8-10 minutes until bacon and onion are well-browned. Transfer mixture to a paper towel and let cool while pasta cooks.
3. Add pasta to water and cook according to package directions, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.
4. While pasta is cooking, whisk together cheese, egg yolks, sour cream, vinegar and onion mixture. In a separate small bowl, when pasta is nearly done, whisk together a tablespoon of the egg mixture with a tablespoon of pasta water and pour back into the egg mixture. Whisk remaining 3 tablespoons pasta water into the egg mixture.
5. Drain pasta and return it to the pot. Toss with the egg mixture and parsley and serve immediately.
Serves 4

Mama Love

... We are smitten by Sonya Style. Check out her idea for re-using an old sweater to make a super cute winter hat for your little kiddo. Or this circle canopy made from recycled leather skirts and cardboard.

... We love the website KidsEatFor, that lets you know of all of the restaurants in your zip code offering "kids eat free" specials. There is even an app for your iphone!

... We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the vision of Nuru International to empower 1,000 families living in poverty by the end of the year with their "I am Nuru" campaign. Take a moment and visit their site. You are sure to be inspired. If you ever had an interest in fighting against terrorism, take a look at this video. We love that they empower the poor with knowledge so that they can lift themselves and their community out of poverty.

... We love Christine's post about yelling, and how it just might not be the most effective parenting technique for our kids. A good reminder for all of us.

... We love ohdeedoh for design ideas and eye candy related to children's rooms. Be warned, though. A redecorating fever might seize you upon viewing!

FRIDAY GIVEAWAYS: tiny soles gift certificate

TinySoles is an online shoe store with a huge selection of kids' shoes from some of our favorite brands. TinySoles was started by three mothers on a mission to find quality, developmentally appropriate footwear for infants. With brands like Pediped, Keen, and Robeez, they really are a one-stop shoe source for baby, infant, toddler and kid shoes. With free shipping on orders over $20, it's also a convenient way for busy moms to shop for shoes from home. In addition to shoes, they also carry SmartWool socks, over 100 styles of BabyLegs, the Klean Kanteen line of stainless steel sippy cups, and lots of other great accesories for wee ones.

One lucky winner will receive a $30 gift card to tiny soles. To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:

If you had to choose your perfect year-round shoe, what would it be? Are you a sandals gal, a boots wearer, or a fan of the tennis shoe?

How to earn additional entries:

1.) Become a follower on our blog (publicly)and leave another comment (or let me know if you already are)

2.) Subscribe to the Mama Memo by clicking here and leave another comment (or let me know if you already are).

3.) Blog about this giveaway- with a link back to here. Post YOUR blog entry first and then the comment.

4.) Add the Mama Manifesto button to your sidebar.

5.) Follow me on Twitter AND Tweet about this giveaway- TWEET: "Win a tiny soles gift card from @MamaManifesto. Enter at mamamanifesto.com"

6.) Become a fan of Mama Manifesto on Facebook by clicking the button on the left!




[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's skincare giveaway:
(((chlorinebrain)))

And the winner of the Ice Age DVD set:

(((lisaoxolove)))



Congratulations! Shoot us an email in the next seven days to mamagiveaways(at)gmail(dot)com with your prize in the subject line, and we will hook you up. Keep checking back for more great giveways!

WFMW: green your kiddos artwork

We love this tip that came from MamaBite, a shoot off of Ideal Bite, one of our favorite resources for bringing a little more green into our world.

Recycling Our Kiddos' Artwork

Kiddos' drawings just hangin' around the house, collecting dust?

The Bite:
Give 'em a job to do: Show your kids how to reuse their old artwork as wrapping paper, greeting cards, or as part of their next masterpiece. You'll clear up piles of old projects, spark creative ideas, and get spent paper back to the grind.

The Benefits:

• Giving trees some time off. Paper goods suck up at least 35% of the world's yearly commercial tree harvest. Reusing a coloring book page or flipping over a finger painting spares a few.
• Relocating to a better home office. Recycling art helps clean the house out from under all the kid clutter, but without trashing any beloved pictures or adding to the waste stream.
• Training on-the-job. Repurposing paper and crafts gets kids' imaginations going, and demonstrates the value of reuse.
• Slashing expenses. Money saved on paper and crafts products can be put to better use...like, um, playdate cocktails.

Wanna Try:

• Use larger art pieces for wrapping paper, and smaller pieces for thank-yous and birthday cards.
• Collect old illustrations, then concoct and write a story to accompany them (with your kiddos' help if they can). Staple pictures and story together to make a book - voilá, a gift for grandparents.
• Cut the pages of used coloring books into strips, and staple them together to make paper chains. Great as Christmas tree decorations - just wrap them around the tree like a popcorn string.
• Paste drawings onto cardboard and cut them up to make puzzles.
• Snip watercolor paintings into little pieces and glue them on another piece of paper or cardboard to make mosaics.

Bang For The Bite
If 10,000 bitty Biters reuse just one piece of paper a day for an art project instead of grabbing a new one, after a year they'll save 317 trees.

Do you recycle artwork? Got any other ideas on how to green up your kids' art inspiration?

Talk BACK: The Six O'Clock Scramble

We've all been there: it's a quarter to six, and somehow we've managed to completely forget about dinner. We've gotten lost in a book, or a blog, or a great episode of Oprah, and suddenly a young child breaks us from our comatose state and asks,

"MOMMY, WHAT'S FOR DINNER?"

Well??

What's your last-minute dinner solution? What do you typically do when you've failed to plan and need dinner in a hurry? Do you have a cupboard stand-by? Do you pack up the family and head to a restaurant? What is your Plan B when meal-planning goes wrong?

Chicken Raspberry Salad Wrap

This recipe is from ilunchbox.com, "healthy recipes for the speed of life". It's a great website devoted to busy moms who are looking to add a little more nutrition to their family meals. Check it out!

Note: A meal in a wrap is as easy as it gets. Use multigrain tortillas or flat breads for added flavor and nutrition. Wrap your wrap in parchment paper or aluminum foil to keep it neat, and don't forget to teach your kids how to eat a wrap so they don't loose their lunch. This is a tart and tangy chicken salad that can be served on it’s own, over lettuce or in a wrap or pita pocket. This will make about 4 servings.

Dressing:
Ingredients
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar (or agave)

Directions:
In a blender combine all ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate dressing in a covered container for at least 1 hour before using.

Salad:
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked and cubed boneless, skinless chicken
3/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped almonds
4 cups fresh raspberries, rinsed, drained and divided

Directions
Combine the chicken with the onions celery, bell pepper and almonds and toss with the dressing until well combined.
Gently fold in the raspberries until well coated but not crushed.
Serve on its own or over lettuce or in a multigrain tortilla as a wrap.