The post Healthy Family Expo 2017 + giveaway shopping spree appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>
It’s finally here! Mark your calendars for Sunday, March 26!
The Healthy Family Expo is back for its 4th year and our family is in countdown mode. It is a fun-filled day that introduces Metro Vancouver parents to small steps and simple solutions for healthy, active, eco-friendly living.
It’s as if all the great parent-tested advice you wish you knew is in one gigantic venue and you can see, taste, try out all of it while the kids are happy and active. Yes, I said happy.active.kids.
Here is why we love it:
- Healthy Food samples! So many delicious samples. Our family suffers from Hanger. Snacks are our secret to happy family outings. Last year we got hooked on the Coco Roons by Sejoyia. This year Fuel Your Fire will be making their Healthy Family Expo debut.
- The kids will meet CBC Kids characters Super WHY!, Daniel Tiger and Bookaboo & Scout. I am already preparing myself for the tantrum that will come when it is time for us to leave.
- HUGE Active Kid Zone with rock wall, giant hamster ball race track, Tumblebus & TumbleTown, Sportball & Pedalheads play areas and more. Springfree Trampoline is a new addition to this year’s Active Kid Zone at the Expo. You can test-drive it all for yourself at the event on March 26th.
- Jessie Farrell. My daughter loves her “Take Me Outside” CD. I know the lyrics to “Feeling Free” backwards and forwards and catch myself humming it often. It’s also been a good reminder for me to stop and take a silly break and just play. Thank you Jessie.
- Eco-friendly products and services. Since last year’s Expo our house switched over to AspenClean’s EcoCert certified cleaning products – made locally right here in BC.
And guess what? One lucky family will be taking home a Springfree Trampoline through the Expo’s early bird ticket draw, and another one as part of the Expo’s Grand Prize Showcase (visit the Healthy Family Expo website for terms & conditions for those giveaways). That’s a prize valued at over $3000!
Other Highlights of the 4th annual Healthy Family Expo coming up on Sunday, March 26, include:
- 200+ exhibitors with healthy food sampling & eco-friendly products & services;
- Science World fire show and ninja & tumbling demonstrations on stage;
- Bobs & LoLo and Jessie Farrell concerts featuring songs celebrating the natural world;
- Whole Foods Market Zone, London Drugs Health Zone, and brand new Toyota Canada Outdoor Living Zone, West Coast Kids Healthy Baby Zone, and Green Living Zone;
- Vancouver Aquarium AquaVan interactive zone for kids;
- $15,000 Grand Prize Showcase including a 1-year lease on a Toyota Prius c;
- Baby feeding & changing lounge with complimentary diapers, wipes & comfy seating;
- Family Rest Stop courtesy of Love Child Organics and lots of stroller parking;
- First 500 adults through the door receive a gift bag full of healthy product samples;
- First 200 adults through the door receive an adult pass to Science World; and
- Partial proceeds of ticket sales support Canucks Autism Network sports programs.
Adult Expo tickets are $15 each online, cash at the door, or at London Drugs from March 1-26.
Kids under 16 get in FREE and ALL ATTRACTIONS are included with admission!
To get involved in the fun:
1. Join the Expo 2017 Facebook Event to RSVP to win thousands in prizes at their March 23rd pre-Expo Facebook Party from 8 to 10 pm!
2. Buy tickets early to qualify to win a Springfree Trampoline!
3. Grab 2-for-1 adult tickets online using limited time promo code CS241.
Remember to use promo code CS241 to get 2-for-1 adult tickets online!
And to kick off our pre-Expo celebrations, we’re giving away a $200 Healthy Family Expo 2017 shopping spree that one lucky winner will get to spend on their choice of exhibitors at the event on March 26th!
This online giveaway runs from March 6 – 22, 2017, and the winner must be a British Columbia resident aged 19+ able to attend the Healthy Family Expo at the Vancouver Convention Centre between 9 am & 5 pm on March 26 to pick up and use the prize that day.
Enter for your chance to win through Rafflecopter below. The winner will be announced at the pre-Expo Facebook Party on March 23rd, 2017!
The post Healthy Family Expo 2017 + giveaway shopping spree appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>The post Odysseo by Cavalia – Go.See.It! appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>Are the VIP tickets are worth it? Yes, they really are. The VIP tent is massive, the food and drinks seem endless and the dessert… the VIP tickets are worth getting just for the dessert. Oh and you get to meet the horses too.
Not sure who you should bring? Significant other, friend, family, kids of all ages, or just bring yourself! Go…
You’ve booked your tickets? Yes? Okay let’s continue.
I love circus. It’s almost an addiction. West Coast Flying Trapeze in Pitt Meadows, BC is my happy place where I get to fly and forget about the worries of the world. I have seen a majority of the Cirque du Soleil shows across North America, and our family vacations often centre around which resort has circus related activities. When I heard there was a new big top in town and it combined horses into the act, I had to check it out.
The show opens with the horses entering and roaming about the stage freely. This theme of the horses roaming free continues throughout the show. The artists and trainers, while amazing themselves, seamlessly blend into the background, confident in their relationship with the team, and happily let the horses shine like proud parents. I can only imaging the countless hours of training and care to make it look so effortless.
First Act – The Herd
I was surprised of how calm the show felt; coming from someone who is quite nervous around horses this is a big deal. It is a strange paradox to be sitting on the edge of my seat yet overcome with the calmness and emotion between the performers and the horses.
In one act the horses are in full gallop as the performers hang upside down off the side of the horse. My first time on a horse was when I was 11 years old; a birthday party trail ride turned into me clinging on the back of a spooked horse for a few miles. Horsepower is impressive and scary. These riders are extremely skilled and possibly a tad bit crazy… but that’s usually what we think of those who choose, and obviously love, to do the things that scare us the most.
The stage: A 17,500 square foot stage in the middle of which rises a three-story tall hill. Some 10,000 tons of Vancouver and lower-mainland rock, earth and sand has been trucked in and sculpted to create the vast space of freedom. I was taken aback by how seamlessly the sand and dirt are transformed into various terrains from all over the world. An outstanding job by the lighting designer, technical director and team.
Standing at the top of the three story high stage.
Standing at the midway point down stage.
Living with a lighting designer for many years opened my eyes to the technical and visual effects of every show I watch. While everyone else looks at the stage during the performance, my eyes are usually skyward looking at the technical grid. Above the Odysseo stage hangs an impressive technical grid capable of supporting 80 tons of equipment including, a merry-go-round, yes, thats right… a full-sized.merry-go-round!
The merry-go-round is as beautiful as the acts performed on it. My daughter asked a few times if the performers had glue on their feet and costumes to help keep them attached on the pole. She uttered her disbelief in a way thats not very polite to write here but know that she was extremely impressed.
Cavalia will be taking a special part of our city with them as they continue their tour. Vancouver’s own Michelle Sargent was recently chosen to begin touring with Cavalia in China over the next two years. Michelle recently performed a beautiful lyra routine at West Coast Flying Trapeze’s Heps for Hearts: A Night at the Circus in support of the Heart & Stroke Foundation. Wishing you all the best Michelle!
Bottom line: Go see it!
PS: My daughter wants me to mention the stuffed toy horses in the gift shop need to be adopted. Apparently the toys get quite lonely not sleeping with the rest of the horses in the stables. The sky runner shoes are also “awesome!”
Horses for adoption and super cool SkyRunner shoes.
@Cavalia: #OdysseoYVR
The post Odysseo by Cavalia – Go.See.It! appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>The post A Vacuum for Christmas…Wow! appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>
I’m not going to lie… it’s a bold choice to give your special someone a vacuum as a gift. My husband did it and he lives to tell the tale. I have the Dyson V8 Stick vacuum. Trust me, anything Dyson, she’ll love it.
Growing up with two typical guy shoppers – get in, find the item, and get out as fast as possible – I’m not one for battling crowds or going to the store only to find out the item I want isn’t in stock. I want a one stop shop where I can get most of my shopping done under one roof. With two kids in tow, the years of being mentored with the get-in-get-out rule of shopping has done me well. Thanks guys!
Enter the Wow Guide from Canadian Tire. You’ve been tasked with picking up a new pan, dish or appliance for the gathering you didn’t know you were hosting? Check. Toys? Check. Christmas Lights? Check. The thing-a-ma-jig your mom keeps hinting about? Check.
Best of all…with the click of a button you can check stock and aisle numbers before even leaving the house. Or if you need your spouse to pick up an item you can give them the exact location in the store.
From our house to yours, wishing you the gift of laughter and good times…Caveat: If you buy any vacuum other than a Dyson, you are on your own!
Disclaimer: Although this post has been sponsored, the opinions and language are my own. If I would not do it for my family, I would never suggest you do it for yours.
The post A Vacuum for Christmas…Wow! appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>The post West Coast Tuna Sliders and Salmon Cucumber Rolls appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>Tuna Sliders
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 red chili, minced
- 1 rib celery, finely diced
- ¼ tsp celery seeds
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tbsp heavy cream
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cans Raincoast Wild Solid White Albacore Tuna
- ⅓ cup dry breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Canola oil
- 8 buns/dinner rolls
- Niko's Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce (found at St. Jean's Cannery and Smokehouse)
- Broccoli Kale Coleslaw
- Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat and sauté the olive oil, garlic, red chili, celery, celery seeds and salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In another bowl, mix together egg, green onions, parsley, cream, dijon mustard, two cans of tuna, and breadcrumbs. Add in the chili, garlic, celery mixture and combine well.
- Shape mixture into small patties and dredge in flour.
- Place the patties in the freezer for 10-12 minutes.
- Heat the canola oil in a large frying pan. Fry the patties for 5-7 minutes, until crispy and heated through.
- Toast the buns and brush with Niko's Sweet Chili BBQ & Dipping Sauce
- Top the buns with the tuna patty and coleslaw and serve with a side of dipping sauce.
- You may also substitute Raincoast Trading Wild Solid White Albacore Tuna - No Salt for a lower sodium option.
St. Jean’s has been an important part of my family’s table for many years. They still process all the fish my dad catches and each time we travel to see my husband’s family in France, we stock up on cans of salmon and frozen filets and bring them as gifts. Canned Salmon as gifts, you say? Not Nanaimo Bars? Yes, it is a huge hit every year. Next year we’ll be bringing the dips and marinades.
After finding out St. Jean’s Cannery acquired Raincoast Trading in 2013 I was happy that the standards of sustainable catching (hook and line caught – no nets, yay dolphins!) and processing (these guys know their stuff) will continue to be top notch. All of their fish is sustainably sourced in the Pacific Northwest off the coast of BC. All wild – not farmed.
Raincoast Trading Tuna and Salmon is only cooked once during the canning process and there are no preservatives. It is not packed in water – just the fish and all of its natural oils and nutrients. This means the tuna provides as much as 8 times the Omega 3 Fatty Acids compared to other commercial brands. As for quality, open a can of salmon or tuna from a competitor brand and a can from Raincoast Trading and do a side by side comparison to see the difference – it’s striking.
Raincoast Trading products are available at most major grocery retailers in Canada as well as online at Amazon.ca
Salmon Cucumber Rolls
- 1 can Raincoast Trading Wild Sockeye Salmon - No Salt
- 1/2 cup cream cheese
- 1/4 cup firm goat cheese
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp fresh dill, minced
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 english cucumber, very thinly sliced lengthwise using a mandolin
- 2 tbsp capers
- Sprigs of fresh dill for garnish
- In a mixing bowl, combine salmon, cream cheese, goat cheese, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.
- Place 1 tbsp of mixture at the end of each cucumber slice and add a few capers on top. Roll up the cucumber tightly using a toothpick to secure if needed.
- Garnish with remaining fresh dill
This project is supported by the BC Government’s Buy Local Program; delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC with funding from the BC Ministry of Agriculture. #BCBuyLocal
Disclaimer: Although this post has been generously sponsored and compensated by Raincoast Trading, the opinions and language are my own. If I would not serve it to my family, I would never suggest you serve it to yours.
The post West Coast Tuna Sliders and Salmon Cucumber Rolls appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>The post Bat Minion Halloween Door appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>
It all started with a vampire cape from the dollar store. No one wanted to wear it, it didn’t even get much love sitting in the dress up box. I removed the collar of the cape and spread out the vinyl and started thinking about what I could use it for.
Ah ha! I had a yellow plastic table cloth left over from a recent birthday party. Given my kid’s love for all things superheroes and Minions, this lonely cape would get a new a new life and decorate our front door for Halloween. Behold: Bat Minion!
You will need:
White card stock or cardboard
Black plastic/vinyl cloth (I used a vampire cape)
Stencil or print out of Batman logo
Yellow plastic table cloth
Googly eye (optional)
Paint – gray, white, red, black, brown
Paint brushes
Tape
Scissors
Pencil
Step 1: If using the vampire cape, remove the collar. With your material folded in half, cut out the shape of the mask, body and feet. Take the folded body portion and tape the batman logo on the fold and cut out. Tape the feet to the body.
Step 2: For the eye, trace a large circle on card stock or cardboard with a bowl or other circular object. With a slightly smaller bowl, draw another circle. Use gray paint around the edges and brown and black paint for the iris. You can also use a googly eye from the dollar store for the iris.
Step 3: For the mouth, paint and cut out a mouth on cardstock. Make it as spooky or happy as you wish.
Step 4: Now you have all of your pieces, its time to set up! If your front door is painted, test in an inconspicuous spot to make sure your tape does not peel off the paint. Tape the yellow tablecloth to your front door. Make a very small cut and carefully push the tablecloth over the door handle. Repeat for the deadbolt. Tape the body and feet to the door. Repeat for the head, mouth and eye.
Happy Halloween!
The post Bat Minion Halloween Door appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>The post Salmon with Avocado Dill Yogurt Sauce appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>
Here on the West Coast of Canada, there are a few things we know to be true:
- We live in the tropics of Canada – yes it rains, but not nearly as much as we say it does because then everyone would want to move here.
- We can BBQ all year round without having to shovel snow to reach our BBQ – you don’t have to shovel rain… see #1.
- We are lucky to have an abundance of fresh local ingredients available within 100 miles.
- West Coast Spirit… easily observed in a gathering of great people, relaxed, welcoming, and – more often than not – planned on the spur of the moment.
Some of our best and most memorable gatherings are planned at the last minute. Friends coming over? Put some ice in a bucket with your beverage of choice, throw a salmon on the BBQ and whip up this tasty sauce. This sauce is quicker to prepare than the salmon and is a crowd pleaser. It adds a lot of flavour and interest to a simple meal and it lets you spend more time with your friends than in the kitchen.
What’s the secret to this easy sauce? Olympic Natural Yogurt. I’ve raved about it before in my Coconut Lime Banana Bread recipe. I love it because it’s so versatile and can be used at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Does this make me a Yogurt Aficionado?
Cedar Planked Salmon with Avocado Dill Yogurt Sauce
Ingredients
1 avocado
½ cup Olympic Natural Plain yogurt
3 tbsp dill (chopped)
1 clove garlic (pressed)
2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
4 salmon fillets
1 tbsp olive oil
Cedar Plank or parchment lined baking tray
Instructions
Avocado Dill Yogurt Sauce
- In a food processor, combine avocado, Olympic Natural yogurt, dill, pressed garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
- For garlic lovers you can blend the cloves of garlic whole but you may end up with small chunks in the sauce. If you prefer a smoother sauce, press the garlic first.
Cedar Plank Salmon (Baked)
- Submerge your cedar plank in water for 2-6 hours prior to cooking. Weigh down the plank with a heavy object.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- Place salmon skin side down on cedar plank.
- Brush olive oil on salmon then season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for approximately 10-15 minutes depending on thickness of your fillets. A good rule of thumb is 10 minutes of baking time for each 1” of thickness.
- Serve topped with Avocado Dill Yogurt Sauce
Cedar Plank Salmon (BBQ)
- Complete Steps 1-4 as above
- Place the plank on a preheated hot grill. Turn down to low and close the lid.
- Keep the lid closed as much as possible. Plank should smoulder not flame. If the plank starts to flame, spritz the plank with a spray bottle of water.
- Serve topped with Avocado Dill Yogurt Sauce
As mentioned in my previous post, Olympic products are made right here on the west coast in Delta, B.C. with 100% natural ingredients and fresh milk from cows who live close to their dairies. The milk has a shorter commute than my husband does to go to work. It’s that fresh!
Olympic’s packaging has a great new look and easily spotted in the grocery isle (as well as my fridge – my husband and I both went to the store and picked up yogurt last Tuesday without telling the other. I’ll be referencing these recipes over the next few weeks as I have approximately 3kg of yogurt in my fridge. Thank goodness it’s Back to School time!)
Disclaimer: Although this post has been generously sponsored by Olympic, the opinions and language are my own. If I would not serve it to my family, I would never suggest you serve it to yours.
The post Salmon with Avocado Dill Yogurt Sauce appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>The post Toasted Coconut Lime Banana Bread #OlympicDairyGood appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>
Being married to a Frenchman, yogurt is a must have in our house. Walking the grocery aisle in France, it’s quite impressive to see the selection of yogurt available. In Canada, the entire aisle devoted to the many options of chips and pop/soda available has the same square footage devoted to the different kinds of yogurt. I’ll take a picture on my trip this summer and post it for you; it’s quite something to see!
Here at home in British Columbia, we are surrounded by an abundance of farms, so we try to eat fresh, local ingredients whenever possible. A few great farm to table recipes can be found here.
I was happy to hear that Olympic Dairy products are made close to home in Delta, BC and made from 100% natural ingredients. We regularly stock our fridge with Olympic Krema Greek Style Thick & Rich Yogurt and the larger tubs of Olympic Organic Probiotic Yogurt. They are handy for lunches, and my little ones can help themselves from the fridge in the morning (especially on Saturdays when morning cartoons are on – thank you Olympic for those precious extra minutes to sleep in!)
One of our favourite family recipes is Toasted Coconut Lime Banana Bread. I must warn you though… be prepared to have the entire loaf disappear as if by magic. I have never had a loaf last more than 3 hours in our house. It’s that good!
Toasted Coconut Lime Banana Bread
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4-1 cup sugar
1/4 cup softened unsalted butter
1/4 cup Olympic Organic Probiotic Vanilla Yogurt
1 to 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (approx 3 bananas)
3 tbsp applesauce or apple juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup coconut flakes
1-2 tbsp coconut to sprinkle on top of bread
Glaze:
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime or lemon juice (approx 1 lime; you may substitute store-bought lime or lemon juice if needed)
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare your loaf pan by cutting out a piece of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of the pan.
Step 2: In a shallow baking/cookie pan spread the coconut. Place in preheating oven for a few minutes often checking to make sure it does not burn. The coconut is ready once it is pale to golden brown.
Step 3: Mix flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
Step 4: Beat together eggs, butter, and sugar on medium speed for 1 minute. If your butter isn’t softened stick in the microwave for 5 seconds at a time. Don’t let the butter melt!
Step 5: Add Olympic Organic Probiotic Vanilla Yogurt, bananas, applesauce, vanilla, ½ cup toasted coconut and mix until well blended.
Step 6: Add in the dry ingredients and mix until just blended.
Step 7: Pour mixture into your prepared loaf pan and top with 1-2 tbsp of coconut.
Step 8: Place in preheated 350° oven for approximately 1 hour.
Step 9: Prepare the glaze while your loaf is baking. Whisk together lime juice with ½ cup of icing sugar. You want a slightly runny consistency. Add more icing sugar or lime juice as needed.
Step 10: When your loaf is done, place on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Do not let it cool completely! Remove the loaf from the pan and place on a cooling rack with a plate or pan underneath. Drizzle the glaze over the top and let it drip over the sides.
Step 11: Slice and enjoy!
You could also substitute with Olympic’s refreshingly smooth NEW Vanilla Kefir. Kefir is a probiotic, fermented milk that contains 2 billion probiotics (per 250 ml) and is great for a healthy digestive flora. Olympic Kefir is organic, contains 10 different bacterial cultures and is low fat with only 1% M.F. The Olympic Organic Kefir also can be found in plain or strawberry flavour.
Disclaimer: Although this post has been generously sponsored by Ultima Foods, the opinions and language are my own. If I would not serve it to my family, I would never suggest you serve it to yours.
The post Toasted Coconut Lime Banana Bread #OlympicDairyGood appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>The post Fashion DIY: Knitted Graphic Tee appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>
From home decor to fashion, word art is everywhere right now. This project puts a new twist on a plain t-shirt to create your own graphic tee.
You will need:
- T-shirt
- Knitted or crocheted icord – 2 feet or more depending on the size of your design
- Scissors
- Pins
- Kwik Sew glue
- Toothpick
- Newspaper or cardboard
- Needle and thread
Knitted Graphic Tee Instructions
Step 1: Wash and dry t-shirt to prevent shrinking.
Step 2: Put a piece of cardboard or newspaper inside the t-shirt underneath the area you want your design to be. Place icord on your t-shirt in the shape you want and pin in place. Trim any excess cord.
Step 3: Take a small amount of Kwik Sew glue on a toothpick and tack pieces of the icord design in place and let dry. This step will make it much easier to hold your design while sewing.
Step 4: With a needle and thread, sew your icord onto the t-shirt paying close attention to the spots that may snag with wearing or washing.
Step 5: Rock your new graphic tee!
Pro tip: Once your design is complete, wash t-shirt inside out!
Want to learn how to create your own icord for this project? Stay tuned for the full tutorial coming soon!
The post Fashion DIY: Knitted Graphic Tee appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>The post Valentine Heart Shaped Crayons appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>
My son is going through a crayon breaking phase. He likes to colour but more than that he loves to break the crayons in half or peel the paper off of them. He leaves a trail of destruction throughout the kitchen much like the breadcrumbs in Hansel and Gretel. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching and knowing that my oldest will want to give Valentines to her classmates I decided to make great use of all the broken crayons.
Valentine Heart Crayon DIY Instructions
You will need:
- Crayons; new or used
- Bowl of warm water (depending on crayon brand)
- Silicone heart shaped mold
- Oven preheated to lowest temperature
If you already have broken, peeled crayons you are halfway through this craft! If you are starting with fresh or unpeeled crayons it may take a few minutes to peel off the wrappers. I found Target and Crayola brand crayons to be the easiest to peel. The Color Zone brand I bought at Michael’s (thank you coupons!) was a bit of a headache to peel but found that soaking the crayons for 15-20 minutes in warm water made it easier. You may be thinking why didn’t I get Buddy to help? I’m trying to break him of the habit, not encourage it… though the thought was tempting.
After all the crayons are peeled you are ready to fill the pan. Break the colours into small pieces and fill the liners with whatever colour combination you would like. My daughter is in an everything.must.be.rainbows phase so, for us, each liner had all the colours represented. Fill the liners 3/4 full.
Once filled, place the silicone tray onto a baking sheet. This will give you stability putting it in the oven and reduce the chance of your oven, and possibly yourself, being covered with molten hot wax. Place the baking sheet in a preheated oven at its lowest temperature. Our oven’s lowest temperature is 175 degrees.
Now the waiting game. It took approximately 15 minutes for our crayons to liquefy but I kept a close watch from the 12 minute mark onwards. The timing will depend on your oven temperature and how full you have filled the liners. Once the crayons have melted, remove from the oven and let them cool completely. Once they are cool, the silicone pan makes it so easy to pop them out.
I am really happy with the finished result. Apparently my kids are too, as one of the crayons went missing before I finished writing this post.
Hope you enjoyed this easy craft. Happy colouring!
The Quick How To:
- Peel crayons and break into small pieces
- Fill silicone pan 3/4 full with your preferred colour combinations
- Place pan onto baking sheet and put into preheated oven at lowest temperature for 15 minutes
- Cool completely before removing from pan
- Enjoy!
The post Valentine Heart Shaped Crayons appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>The post Raspberry Mascarpone Chocolate Cups with Raspberry Sangria appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>
To add a lot of flavour and a touch of sass we used Okanagan Spirits Raspberry Liqueur for both the dessert and sangria – hello versatility! We love that it is made with 100% BC raspberries and there are no colourings, chemicals or preservatives used in its production.
The chocolate cups, coulis and sangria can be made a day or two in advance. The mascarpone filling tastes best prepared the day you will be assembling the dessert.
- 2 c baking chocolate or chocolate chips (melted)
- mini cupcake liners (paper or silicone)
- 1 c whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 oz Okanagan Spirits Raspberry Liqueur
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
- 1 oz Okanagan Spirits Raspberry Liqueur
- 1 pint fresh raspberries
- 1/2 c sugar
- 1/4 c water
- 2 oz Okanagan Spirits Raspberry Liqueur
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- Fresh raspberries
- Spoon 1 tbsp melted chocolate into mini cupcake liner and use the back of a spoon or a pastry brush to cover the entire inside of the liner.
- Place in fridge to harden.
- Remove liner from chocolate once set. It is easier to do while the cups are cold.
- In a large mixing bowl, whip 1 cup of whipping cream until stiff peaks have almost formed.
- Mix in 3 tbsp sugar and 1oz of Okanagan Spirits Raspberry Liqueur. Be sure not to over-beat or mixture will become butter like. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, cream together 8 oz mascarpone, 1 tsp lemon zest and 1 oz Okanagan Spirits Raspberry Liqueur.
- Fold in whipped cream.
- Place mixture into icing bag and set aside until assembly.
- Combine 1 pint raspberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water, 2oz Okanagan Spirits Raspberry Liqueur and 1 tsp lemon zest in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium low; cook about 8 minutes.
- Remove from heat; cool completely.
- Place mixture in a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds.
- Spoon or drizzle 1 tsp of raspberry coulis into chocolate cup (liner removed). Pipe in mascarpone filling. Top with fresh raspberry.
- It is always best to make a few more chocolate cups than you think you will need as cups can sometimes crack when removing the liner.
- For best results chill beater/whisk and bowl before whipping cream for mascarpone filling.
- Chocolate cups, coulis and filling can be prepared in advance.
- 1 lemon, sliced
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 pint of raspberries
- 1 1/2 c red wine
- 1 c Okanagan Spirits Raspberry Liqueur
- 1 1/2 c club soda
- Combine combine fruit, wine and Okanagan Spirits Raspberry liqueur and let marinate for an hour. If you have time let it marinate overnight. Add in club soda just before serving.
- Perrier can be substituted for club soda.
All on the table disclosure: While these posts were generously sponsored by Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery, all opinions and ideas are our own. See more dessert and cocktail recipes here. Read our full disclosure policy here.
The post Raspberry Mascarpone Chocolate Cups with Raspberry Sangria appeared first on Creative Sides.
]]>