Food Mamma

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virgin sangria

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The weather has been weird with hot days and rainy evenings. We have been taking advantage of every hot minute by hanging out by the water and bbqs with friends.

This season’s fruit is one of my favourite and it is perfect to showcase in this virgin sangria. Peaches, nectarines and strawberries all make an appearance in this refreshing drink. Mocktails are always appreciated around here and this is one that is sure to please everyone. Cheers!

Virgin Sangria

1 bottle sparkling apple cider
2 cans lemon lime soda
1/4 cup grenadine
1 nectarine, chopped
1 peach, chopped
10 strawberries, chopped
a few sprigs of mint

Combine all the ingredients and add lots of ice.

the incredible intergalactic journey home – giveaway

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It’s been a great couple months and the kids and I have had a fun time playing, exploring and enjoying the summer. We have also been trying to read more and were happy to discover the book, The Incredible Intergalactic Journey Home. The book is published by Lost My Name who also released the book,  The Little Boy/Girl Who Lost His/Her Name which sold over 1.5 million copies in over 170 countries worldwide in less than two years.

The book follows a child and their robot friend on an adventure from outer space back down to their own house.  I love the personalization in this book, from the name of the main
character right down to the child’s neighbourhood and landmarks close to
home.  The storyline and imagery are personalized based upon where they actually live – from the country flag on the spaceship and the view of Earth from outer space, to seeing familiar pictures of key country, city and town locations as the adventure gets closer to its conclusion where the child returns to their actual home address.

With names that are rarely seen in published material, the kids loved seeing their names in the book. It was easy to get them settled in for their nighttime read when the story was based on them.

Want to win a personalized copy for your little one? Enter below! Contest closes on August 16th, 2016. Winner will have 24 hours to respond to the email. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

slushy watermelon limeade

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After a day out in the sun, we needed something to cool us down. This watermelon limeade is cool and refreshing and only two ingredients!

During the summer, we always have watermelon chilling in the fridge. I dumped that in the blender and made a beautiful ruby juice. It did need some tang and the concentrated limeade made the best addition. This was blended with enough ice to make the perfect slushy summer treat.

Slushy Watermelon Limeade

3 cups watermelon juice (blended watermelon)
1 cup ice
1 limeade concentrate – 295mL can

In a blender, combine the blended watermelon, ice and the frozen limeade concentrate. Blend. Enjoy!

no churn mint chocolate ice cream

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The best part of summer is all the ice cream. Sure we eat ice cream all year round but it just seems more justified in the heat. When I saw that our chocolate mint that we planted in the garden had grown as much as it did, I knew that it was time to make some ice cream.

It seems that this is the season of no churn ice cream and I had to try it for myself. Basically you whip up 2 cups of heavy cream and fold it into 1 can of condensed milk and freeze. Easy peasy!

To make the ice cream minty, I simmered the cream with a big stem of chocolate mint until the flavour was infused. I let the cream cool in the fridge and then whipped it up in my mixer. Condensed milk is a favourite of mine and I can literally eat it like pudding. Needless to say, the whole can didn’t make it into the ice cream mixture. Once everything was combined, I chopped up ten mint chocolates and added it to the mix. The creamy mix was then poured into a pan and frozen for a few hours.

The resulting dessert was creamy and delicious and was a hit with everyone at our house. It’s a bit dangerous to know this easy method. I’m already planning my next batch!

No Churn Mint Chocolate Ice Cream

2 cups whipping cream
1 can condensed milk
1 stem of mint or chocolate mint
10 chocolate mints, chopped

Simmer the whipping cream with the mint until the flavour is infused into the cream, approximately 15 minutes. Let cool. Whip the cream. In a large bowl, add the condensed milk and gently fold the cream into the milk. Add the chopped chocolate and pour the mixture into a loaf pan or an 8″ x 8″ pan. Let freeze for a few hours or overnight.

chocolate pecan coconut zucchini loaf

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When I planted my garden this past Spring, I didn’t really think anything would grow. It was a little experiment that I didn’t have a lot of confidence in. It was exciting when things started to grow, and we have enjoyed watching the garden blossom.

When I checked the garden yesterday, I was thrilled that there were zucchini! I was so excited, I picked one out and decided to do some baking after everyone had gone to sleep. My favourite use of zucchini is a chocolate loaf. I wanted this to be filled with all the things so loaded up this loaf with chocolate chips, pecans and coconut.

This zucchini loaf is made with yogurt and is chocolately and super moist. Definitely one to try!

Chocolate Pecan Coconut Zucchini Loaf

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup flaked coconut

1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup yogurt
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups shredded zucchini

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add in the nuts, chips and coconut and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients along with the egg and sugar. Stir into the zucchini. Pour this mixture into the dry mixture, and stir until combined.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.

beef and mushroom lettuce wraps

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It’s been a year since we have moved into our new place and this year, I was determined to have a garden. Hubby built me a box and we thought we would try our hand at growing our own food. What started out as a couple things ended up into a dozen. We planted kale, butter lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, zucchini, onions, carrots and fruit. We were thrilled when we started to see things grow and our sparse box turned into a lush garden.

There’s nothing like eating from your own garden. It’s fresh and so rewarding to be eating something to you have grown yourself. The butter lettuce has been a big success, the leaves growing big and full. There’s only so much salad you can eat though and so we have been using the lettuce as wraps.

These beef and mushroom wraps were a hit, with no leftovers. Adding the Korean pepper sauce, Gochujang, made Q happy since he can’t seem to get enough of it. The beef fulfilled everyone’s protein requirement and wrapping it in lettuce made us feel so great, eating a filling and healthy meal.

I’m happy to be participating in another Canadian Food Creatives Collaboration. This month’s theme is Fresh from the Garden and is hosted by Cassie of Crumb Kitchen.  Check out all the fresh recipes and see this recipe below.

Beef and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps by Food Mamma
Caramelized Peaches with Coconut Whipped Cream and Crumble by Crumb Kitchen
Easy Sheet Pan Oven-Roasted Root Vegetables by She Loves Biscotti
Grilled Zucchini Greek Salad by Making Healthy Choices
Mexican Bean Salsa by 365 Days of Easy Recipes
Potatoes with Green Onion and Dill by Homemade & Yummy
Roasted Beet Chocolate Brownies by Tiny Sweet Tooth
Roasted Veggie Bocconcini Pasta Salad by Sugarlovespices
Strawberry Mint Chickpea Salad by Healthy Life Redesign

Beef and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

1 lb ground beef
200 grams white mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 TB gochujang
2 green onions, sliced
butter lettuce
green onions

Cook the ground beef and mushrooms until the mushrooms are tender and the ground beef is cooked. Add the garlic and the sauces and let cook for ten minutes.  Finish with the green onions.

Wrap the beef mixture in the lettuce, top with more green onions and serve with hoisin sauce and Sriracha.

mexican pasta salad

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The best part of summer is the gatherings with friends. Barbecues and potlucks and beach picnics, the great weather is always a great excuse to get together.

Here’s an easy dish for your next potluck. Pasta salad seems to be a staple at most parties but kick it up a notch with a Mexican flair. Use your favourite pasta and toss it with whatever veggies you have on hand. The salad is tied together with a dressing made with sour cream and taco seasoning. Easy peasy and super tasty!

Mexican Pasta Salad

1 lb pasta, cooked
1 can black beans, rinsed
2 cans corn
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 TB taco seasoning

Combine the the pasta with the vegetables. In a bowl, combine the sour cream with the taco seasoning. Toss with the pasta mixture. Serve cold.

stampede wagon wheels

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It’s always a fun time in Calgary in July. Stampede is in full swing which means ten days of pancake breakfasts, the midway and lots of tasty carnival treats.

When we head down to the grounds, my kids and I always stop in for cookies and milk – a carton of milk and wagon wheel cookies, a steal at $2!

This year, Wagon Wheels has a limited edition Stampede theme. These classic marshmallow treats are in fun Stampede shapes – cowboy hats, wagon wheels and horseshoes! So fun!