This year, we decided to spend our Canada Day soaking up the sunshine and fresh air out on my brother’s new boat. We packed up the kids, a cooler filled with yummy food, and headed out to Chestermere, a nearby town with a little lake. Unsurprisingly, the lake was super busy which was a bit of a pain, but the kids had an awesome time anyways. Miss G was eager to try tubing for the second time today, and she loved it just as much as the first. We had such a great day and I am so thankful to be able to call this beautiful country home. Happy birthday, Canada.
Tag Archives: Canada Day
{3 Ingredient} Swirly Strawberry Creamsicles
We’ve been making super simple {and healthy} strawberry creamsicles since Grae was a wee little thing, and they’ve always been a summer favourite. Today, with our fridge still brimming with freshly picked berries, we made our best version yet with the addition of a simple ingredient… dates!
I must admit that though I’ve known about the awesome sweetening power of dates for a long time now, I’ve been a little hesitant to jump onboard… But, I’m so glad I did! Using them in our cookie dough boys and our wholewheat strawberry shortcake recently has made me realize that they really aren’t all that intimidating. Simply soak, puree, and use like honey. Easy enough, right? Plus they allow these popsicles to be perfectly sweet even though they’re made with plain yogurt.
Healthy 3 Ingredient Strawberry Creamsicles
(makes 12 – 14 large popsicles)
- 3 cups of fresh strawberries, cleaned and hulled
- 4 majool dates
- boiling water
- 2 cups of plain organic yogurt, greek or regular
Before beginning this recipe, put the 4 majool dates into a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 15 minutes.
Pop strawberries into a food processor (or good blender) and puree until smooth or nearly smooth. Pour the puree into a glass measuring cup and set aside.
Without worrying about washing your food processor or blender, blend your pitted dates and about a tablespoon of the soaking water until smooth (this may require you to stop the processor and scrape down the sides with a spatula a few times). Add the yogurt and blend to combine.
Using a large spoon, scoop some of the yogurt mixture into each of the popsicle moulds. Gently pour enough strawberry puree on top to cover the yogurt. Continue to layer the two until the moulds are full.
Freeze overnight and enjoy!
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Canada Day {2013}
While we spent Gracen’s first two Canada Days in the Okanagan at the lovely Davison Orchards, today was our first Canada Day in Vancouver as a family of 3. As usual, there is tons of fun, family-friendly stuff happening around our vibrant city, but we decided to spend the day at one of our favourites – Granville Island. We arrived early, while parking still wasn’t an issue, picked up a couple of little treats from the public market, and walked along the boardwalk to the water park and playground. Brad and Grae zoomed down the water slide a few times, Grae got a tattoo and her face painted, and we enjoyed some lunch in the park while taking in some jazz. To say that it was lovely would be an understatement. Here are some photos of our day…
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Summer Strawberry Shortcake {with Wholewheat Date-sweetened Biscuits}
Nothing says summer quite like fresh strawberry shortcake, and since our kitchen is currently overflowing with berries after this morning’s trip to Krause Berry Farms, I thought Miss G and I would experiment with a healthier, wholewheat, sugar-free version this afternoon. The unfortunate part is that our little old house was sitting at 31 degrees, so turning on the oven to bake shortcakes certainly wasn’t our best plan, but you gotta do what you gotta do when you have fresh berries begging to be gobbled up! ☺
While I don’t mind baking with small amounts of honey and pure maple syrup, our recent {and delicious!} cookie dough boys have peeked my interest in baking with dates {and other sweet fruits} instead of the alternative sweeteners I usually turn to. I’m happy to report, that our first experiment was a total success! These shortcakes turned out soft, moist inside, and perfectly sweet! Plus the tiny hint of coconut flavour from the coconut oil made them even more delicious.
Brad loved them, and I think Gracen thought she’d died and gone to heaven went she saw a little plate stacked with cake, sliced strawberries, and freshly whipped cream coming her way.
Here’s the recipe to our new favourite summer dessert….
Strawberry Shortcake with Date-sweetened Biscuits (adapted from this recipe)
- 2 1/2 cups of wholewheat flour
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
- 2/3 cup of buttermilk (you can make your own by adding 3/4 of a tablespoon of vinegar to 2/3 of a cup of regular milk and letting it sit for 5 or 10 minutes)
- 8 tablespoons of coconut oil (in its liquid state)
- 1 egg
- 4 majool dates, soaked and pureed
- 1 1/2 cups of whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup
- strawberries, sliced
Before starting this recipe, place the dates into a small bowl, cover them with boiling water, and let sit for about 15 minutes. Remove pits and place dates, along with a tablespoon or two of the soaking water in a food processor or blender and process until smooth {or nearly smooth}.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. If you’re making your own buttermilk, mix the milk and vinegar together and set it aside.
Whisk together the wholewheat flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
In a separate bowl, mix the buttermilk, coconut oil, egg, and pureed dates until as smooth as possible.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until just barely combined. Divide the dough in 8 to 10 balls and bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are slightly golden.
Whip cream until peaks begin to form, then add maple syrup and whip for an extra few seconds to combine.
Slice strawberries.
To assemble, cut shortcakes in half horizontally, placing the tops aside temporarily. Place a heaping scoop of strawberries on each shortcake bottom, then top with a generous spoonful of freshly whipped cream, and place the tops back on. Serve immediately.
Enjoy!
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Canada Day
Despite the poor weather forecast, we woke up to a GORGEOUS, sunshiny Canada day. And thank goodness, because what would Canada Day be without picnics, playgrounds, and outdoor concerts? We spent our morning at Davison Orchards (again!) with friends and our afternoon at Polson Park with Gido, Grandma Charlotte, and a visit from “my Vernon kids” (a family I babysat for from the time I was 12 years old until I was 25!), and then finished the day off with a pizza party in Grandma Sue’s backyard. Could we have asked for a better day? I think not.
Gracen and Kinslee, ready to celebrate.
Very happy to be back at Davison Ochards’ Kiddie Corral.
Taking in the view.
Spish splash.
Wheeeee!
Kinslee and Uncle Gary inspecting the duck run.
‘I spy a donkey, Mama.’
Sheep feeding with ‘Auntie’ Hayley and Sloan.
Love.
Munchkins! Gracen, Sloan, Korbin, and Kins.
Although not thrilled about it, Chay joined us for a group shot too.
Polson water park fun!
Loving every minute.
Swinging in her swimsuit.
Cousins.
Happy Canada Day, everyone!
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