A Solid Meal at Praire Grass Cafe

Ever since I saw chef Sarah Stegner on an episode of Top Chef (as a mentor to one of the cheftestants), I have been inspired to visit Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook. I had heard good things about it in the past, but never made a visit.  Sarah Stegner is a co-chef at the restaurant, so I had to go.

My husband went to Prairie Grass Cafe for a date night. I have to admit that when we first arrived, I was not very impressed. The restaurant sits among a number of office buildings. However, some of the best restaurants we have been to have literally been holes in the wall, so you can never tell from the outside.

The decor was simple yet slightly upscale. Really, the decor is such that you feel that you are at a nice restaurant, yet you can be casual and relaxed. The restaurant was spacious so you did not feel like you were on top of other people--I hate feeling like cattle! There were some screens set up showing some prairie scenes--a little different.

The service staff was very attentive. We were served piping hot bread right away. I had the Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with Creamed Spinach for dinner. The dinner was excellent--I knew that I was probably consuming a few too many calories, but I feel that the dinner was not overloaded with cheese and cream. My husband had a barbecue brisket. He felt that the quality was great but the barbecue flavor was not quite what he expected. He probably would not have ordered it in hindsight. He also had the tortilla soup which was dynamite!

Overall, we enjoyed our meals at Prairie Grass and would  go back. While the food was good (especially the tortilla soup), nothing totally knocked our socks. Also, the laid-back atmosphere is not necessarily what we look for when going on a date night. However, if we are looking for somewhere that has a great meal yet is casual, we will go back.

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Website Wednesday: PlanetPals.com

This week, I stumbled on PlanetPals.com. Where was this site when my daughter was working on her recycling project a couple of weeks ago?

The website has a whole lot of useful information about the environment and how to take care of ourselves and the Earth. The site also has some games to play in the "playground" section. I am most excited about the craft section where there are tons of Earth-friendly crafts. There is even a special section dedicated just to holiday Earth-friendly crafts.

I did find that some of the crafts may use some items that may be would not be used in a recycled project per se--like a pipe cleaner. But, there really are a bunch of good ideas and neat ways to reuse everyday items.  They actually have a couple of projects using dryer lint--not sure if I should be impressed or scared!

Go ahead and visit Planetpals.com if you need some craft ideas. You are bound to be inspired!

Image via stock.xchng

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The F.A.B. 5k: A Community Ignited to Fight Breast Cancer

Community. With the advent of social media, many towns are losing their sense of community. However, there are times when the light of community shines as members come together for a great cause and to lift up those around them.

The F.A.B. 5k in Arlington Heights is one of these events. The F.A.B 5k is a local run/walk that raises funds to support breast cancer research. The F.A.B. 5k was started by four local running partners in 2010 to help lift the spirits of one of our own, Sarah Lopez, a Patton Elementary School mother who was fighting breast cancer. All of the runners, Lesley, Melanie, Bonnie, and Kelly, had been touched by breast cancer. In one month, March of 2010, all of the running partners were dealing with difficult emotions due to their loved ones' fights with breast cancer. Sarah was in the hospital with severe liver issues. Melanie's mom and Bonnie's sister passed away. Kelly's mom completed her last round of chemo after her second occurrence of breast cancer.   In the words of Lesley Delahanty, "Because we all love running and because we all felt powerless, we decided to try to do something positive in the face of so much hurt."

So, the race was born. Sarah chose the beneficiary of the race--The Breast Cancer Research Foundation--so that the funds raised would go directly to research aimed at helping women to fight the disease and be able to spend more time with their families. Sarah was at the first race, beaming. Lesley expresses it best: "If you could have seen the smile on her face - she had a fever and was still having liver issues, but I swear she was floating. She rode in the pace car that year. I honestly felt like I saw God at work that day."

Sarah lost her fight in December of 2010. But, the race and community has kept marching. There is a mission for this community--to find a cure, help our mothers, daughters, and sisters stay with us longer and to end this disease! The community has banded together through the F.A.B 5k to send an uplifting message that we can do something and we are doing it!

The F.A.B. 5k will be held on Sunday, June 10th this year. The race will start at 9 AM at Patton Elementary School following a course through the community. If you would like to walk, please check the race registration information on the F.A.B. 5k website. If you cannot attend, you can also enter the raffle for some great prizes and make a difference at the same time!

The race is a very moving, inspirational experience. The F.A.B. 5k has profiled many inspirations on their blog and website. Please check them out--you will be moved.

Why is my family walking? We are walking because we have seen cancer take way too many, way too soon. My father lost his fight to esophageal cancer 6 years ago. My sister and I both have had suspicious cysts on our ovaries. After going through those ranges of emotions, you know you have to do something. Cancer affects us all. Research advances in one cancer can help research for other cancers. This is a great community event to do something about cancer and to move closer to giving everyone more time with their families.

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Summer Reading Programs: Barnes & Noble and Half Price Books

The quest to find summer activities is in full swing!  Barnes & Noble and Half Price Books both have summer reading programs. (Yes, little Mel and little Kat will be busy, but with the amount they read, it will only be for a millisecond!)

For Barnes & Noble, kids need to read  8 books and keep a log that you can print from Barnes & Noble's website. Once they have read 8 books, they can bring their completed logs in to a store to receive a free book. There will be a list of books they can choose from. The program goes from May 22, 2012 - Sept 4, 2012. However, I recommend completing it sooner rather than later for the best selection of new books!

The Half Price Books Summer Reading Program gives kids $5 of Half Price Books Bucks for reading for 300 minutes for both June and July. The bucks can be used between 7/25/12 and 8/31/12. June logs will need to be turned in by 7/08/12 and July logs by 8/05/12. The fine print states that only one coupon may be used for visit. Check Half Price Books' website for more details and logs. There also will be a big storytime at Half Price Books on June 3 at 2PM to kick off summer!

Image via stock.xchng.

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Eggplant Parmesan: A Tasty Meatless Option!

One really easy option for a tasty, meatless meal is Eggplant Parmesan. I have been using one recipe for years and it is yummy every time! My husband loves the sauce so much that I make a bunch extra!

Eggplant after being in the oven.

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, sliced
1-2 egg whites, depending on size of eggplant
dried bread crumbs (preferably Italian, but if you don't have Italian you can just mix in a little oregano and basil to make plain bread crumbs tasty!)
2 Tbsps olive oil
2 6 oz cans tomato paste
6 oz water
6 oz red wine
1-2 tsps dried oregano
1-2 tsps dried basil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan

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Yogurtland for a Hot Summer Day

Last weekend was sooooo hot that I had to keep checking my calendar to make sure that it was still May. Yogurtland is a new addition to downtown Arlington Heights. We thought that the heat wave gave us the perfect excuse to try it out.

Yogurtland is one of those self-serve frozen yogurt places that are all the rage right now. However, I think that they had the largest selection of self-serve flavors that I have seen---12. The shop was very busy when we entered, however we were able to make it through the line quickly.

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McDonald Dance Academy Thrives

May was alarmingly busy for us.  One of the events in the crammed calendar was my daughter's year-end ballet dance recital.  I must admit, rousing myself out of bed early every Saturday morning (why, why??) to drive a half an hour to her lesson was a chore I usually disliked.  But seeing her perform on a big stage in front of a packed auditorium made it worth it.

This was my daughter's 3rd year at McDonald Dance Academy in Arlington Heights, IL.  The studio offers ballet, jazz, hip hop, musical theater, modern and tap; this year, they added yoga and Pilates classes for adults.

My daughter started out with the pre-ballet with tap course, which is designed for students ages 3-7.  It takes the basics of ballet technique and, through use of props and imagination, gives kids a fun, educational class.  Large motor skills are highlighted as well as stimulating the brain's coordination.  Pre-ballet classes end with tap, where rhythms and smaller motor skills are emphasized.  Classes are 45 minutes long. The higher level pre-ballet class (1/2 ballet, 1/2 tap) is an hour long, for ages 5-7. Classes are run by knowledgeable and experienced staff.  The studio is one of the few in the region where instructors are required to have a degree in dance or equivalent professional experience.

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An Introduction to Quinoa

Today we are treated to a guest post about quinoa by Mary Whalen, founder of AH Moms. Quinoa is all the rage right now so I thank her for putting this together for us! I have used quinoa for salad before but never realized that it could be used in so many things!

An Introduction to Quinoa

If you haven't heard of the latest superfood out there, quinoa, get on Pinterest. People are posting recipes left and right. Though some love this protein-rich grain from the first time they try it, others need to develop a taste for it.

Cooking quinoa takes about 15 minutes. I've made it on the stovetop and I've made it in my rice cooker. I make large batches and spread the extra on a sheet pan and freeze it. I can grab a little at a time when I need it.

When quinoa is cooked, it looks like a tiny sprout and has a nutty sort of bite. Because it's almost like a cross between a protein and a grain, quinoa is used in a variety of ways.

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Wee T'ai Chi at the Mount Prospect Public Library

This morning, my daughter and I had the opportunity to attend the Wee T'ai Chi event at the Mount Prospect Library. The event ran for about 45 minutes and we learned a surprising amount of poses. The kids especially loved engaging in animal movements including moving like a bear, a monkey,  and a duck. The event was fun and enriching.

We have been to a number of free events at public libraries. We have made puppets, seen plays, and engaged in a German story time. Libraries are enormous cultural resources so I encourage everyone to see what their library has to offer when they get the chance. Also, remember to support them when you can!

Image via Wiki Commons.

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Easy Pasta Salad Bar

The warm weather has officially hit us. I don't know about you, but when it is hot out, I am not such a fan of eating warm dishes. One of our staple dishes for the warm weather is pasta salad. However, over the years, it has morphed more into a pasta salad bar where every can construct their own individual pasta salad.

To set up, all we do is boil our pasta ahead of time so that it has time to cool. Then, my husband--who is awesome at vegetable prep--cuts the vegetables we selected for the salad. Additionally, we cube some cheese. We are big vinegar fans, so we take out several vinegars to choose from. Then, we each assemble our own salads and voila--dinner is served!

Our recent veggie/cheese bar.

The meal is so easy and everyone has something they like. We have also found that it is a good meal for when you want to clear out all of those odds and ends of veggies you have hanging out in the fridge at the end of the week!

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Trader Joe's Organic Plain Nonfat Yogurt---Yum!

More times than not, when someone hears that I eat plain yogurt, they ask what kind. After months of trial and error, I settled on Trader Joe's Organic Nonfat Plain Yogurt. The plain yogurt world can be frustrating to navigate because so many of the plain yogurts have a strong taste. However, I have found that my preferred yogurt has a very light taste and is surprisingly creamy. In fact, it naturally tastes a little sweeter than other plain yogurts I have tried.

I love to eat my yogurt with some fresh raspberries and a little granola. I prefer a mixed berry granola that has freeze dried blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries in it. This mix definitely beats eating one of those fruit yogurt cups with random, unknown ingredients. Plus, you really get to up the fruit content, therefore getting more nutrients! I love this mix as a morning snack!

***Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation for this post. The opinions expressed are 100% my own.

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Cutter! Coupons

Speaking of going to the park, there is a coupon for $1.00 off of one Cutter product.  I wanted to forward this on in case any of you need to buy some repellent before going out this weekend!

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Spring Into Health Fair May 19!

There seem to be a lot of neat events coming up!  Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington is hosting a Spring into Health Kids Fair this Saturday, May 19, 2012, from 10AM-2PM.

The fair will focus on helping children make healthy lifestyle choices including being active, eating well, and staying safe.

There will be games including a life size Operation game and a golf cart safe driving course. Kids will probably be particularly interested in seeing the inside of a Flight for Life helicopter. (Cool, huh?!) Also, there will be dancing (a good way to be active!) and healthy snacks.  Additionally, the first 300 registered children will receive a free bike helmet!

The event is free and sounds like it will be a lot of fun! It is a great way to combine fun, interactive activities with learning about a healthy lifestyle. If you would like to register, you can either call 800-323-8622 and mention class code 3N29 or register on the website.

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital is located at 450 W Rte 22 in Barrington.

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Park Fun at the Village Green in Northbrook

There are a ton of great parks all over the Northern suburbs. This makes the area great if you want to change things up! One park that my daughter absolutely loves is the Village Green in Northbrook.

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The Beach at New Buffalo, Michigan

I realized that I have not posted any pictures of the beach in New Buffalo, Michigan. Being a New Jersey transplant, warm weather means beach weather to me, so I cannot wait to hit the beach this year. Of course, I would love to go to New Buffalo for a visit!

The beach in New Buffalo is free. If you stay at the Harbor Grand, where Kat stayed a few weeks ago, the beach is within walking distance. If you park at the beach, there is a parking fee.

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Broccoli-Ricotta Tacos

We are always searching for some meatless options to add to our menu. I recently found a recipe for Ricotta-Spinach Tacos from Food Network and I was inspired. However, since my husband cannot eat spinach, I decided to switch that out. I also opted to use fresh chile peppers instead of canned. We have been really trying to stay away from canned food when fresh options are so readily available!

Here is what I came up with:

Ingredients:

8 oz ricotta cheese at room temperature
3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small vidalia onion, sliced into rings
2 green chile peppers, sliced
1-1.5 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 tsp ground cumin
small corn tortillas
salsa verde

Directions:

First, I mixed the ricotta cheese, cilantro, and 1 clove of garlic in a bowl and set it to the side.

Next, I heated the oil in a skillet. Then, I added the onions and cooked them until they were light brown. Next, I added the peppers, broccoli, remaining garlic, and cumin. I cooked the mixture for about 3-4 minutes and then removed from the heat.

To put the tacos together, we warmed the tortillas in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Then, we added the broccoli mixture to the tortilla. Next, we spooned on some of the cheese mixture and added a little bit of salsa on top.

These tacos were easy to make and had a fresh and unique taste. I especially enjoyed the onions! The chile peppers definitely make the dish spicy, so you will want to be careful with how much you add. You can also switch out the broccoli for the spinach and follow the Food Network recipe. This recipe made enough for my husband and I to have tacos for dinner and some for lunch the next day as well!

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Peanut Butter Maple Fudge

I am a big peanut butter fan, so it was only a matter of time before I would try to make a peanut butter fudge. I perused a few recipes and created my own adding peanuts and maple syrup (one of my new favorite tastes!).

Ingredients:

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp maple syrup
2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup crushed peanuts

Directions:

For this fudge, I used a double boiler. While I brought the water up to a boil, I lined a 9x7 pyrex dish with foil. I sprayed the foil with a nonstick spray.

Once the water was boiling, I lowered the heat and put the peanut butter and butter into the top pan. I heated the ingredients while stirring until they were melted. Then, I added the maple syrup. After, I removed the pan from the heat and stirred in the powdered sugar and crushed peanuts. Next, I poured the mixture into the prepared pyrex dish. Then, I covered the dish and put it in the refrigerator. You should keep the fudge in the refrigerator for about 2 hours or until firm.

Once the fudge is firm, you can open the dish and flip the fudge right on to a cutting board. The foil should easily peel right off! Then, cut the fudge into squares.

This recipe is super easy and results in some yummy peanut butter maple fudge!

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Mindful Meal's Food Revolution in Arlington Heights!

The Jamie Oliver Foundation has designated May 19th  as the first ever Food Revolution Day! The day's mission is to inspire better eating habits through education and empowerment. Mindful Meals in Arlington Heights will be hosting a free family event from 10AM-2PM on May 19, 2012 to help spread the Food Revolution Day message to Chicagoland.

The event will feature cooking demonstrations, food tastings, recipes, and a raffle. Additionally, there will be tons of fun for the kids including worm composting, plant potting, and face painting. You can drop in anytime during the event to join in the fun and learn about healthy eating! With all of the fun, there will be something for everyone!

The moms behind Mindful Meals and this wonderful family event, Tina Olson, Diane Miller, Lilan Marunde and Leslie Meredith, are passionate about helping families make healthy food choices. This event will be a great way to get to know what they are about as well as how to make better food choices.

The event is free but a suggested $5 donation to the Jamie Oliver Foundation is welcome. The Foundation aims to serve food education projects.

This event sounds like it will be a lot of fun for the family. Also, I am sure that everyone will learn a thing or two about making better eating choices, so it is a win-win!

Mindful Meals is located at 250 N Evergreen Ave in Arlington Heights.  If you have any questions, you can give them a call at (847) 398-7480.

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Mother's Day Picture Frame Craft

Without fail, my daughter gets some type of bead craft for every gift giving occasion. So, we have accumulated quite a stash of beads and definitely will have enough to survive a zombie apocalypse. With Mother's Day around the corner, I decided to whip out some of our craft supplies so that my daughter could make something for her grandmas. Out came the beads!

We decided to make picture frames for the grandmas. I happened to have a couple of wood picture frames from Michael's. My daughter glued all sorts of stray beads and buttons to them, making her own unique design. She initially used Elmer's glue. However, I did have to reglue some that just would not stay with the hot glue gun. 

The craft was super easy and my daughter had a great time using her creative mojo. Some more added bonuses--we used some of our extra craft supplies and made cute gifts in the process!

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Quincrafts Deluxe Suncatchers Kit (Review)

So far, today has been filled with rain and thunder. Fortunately, I usually have a treasure trove of crafts around to fill up days like these! A few nights ago, when we also found ourselves stuck inside, I whipped out a suncatcher kit to work on. My thoughts at the time were that I could occupy my daughter's time while she was making gifts for her grandmas for Mother's Day.

We opened up the Quincrafts Deluxe Suncatchers Kit and found that it was full of goodies. It included suncatchers that could function as magnets, picture frames, necklaces, and key chains. Overly ambitious, I set all of the catchers out onto an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet for my daughter to work on. The kit also came with 6 different colors, so I thought that we would be able to make some really pretty suncatchers.

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Refreshing Chicken Avocado Salad

With all of the wonderful weather now and on the horizon, it is time to start thinking cool and refreshing salads! Last night, I made a really simple chicken and avocado salad. It is a great way to use up chicken leftovers and spice them up!

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Yes, I did it, I Became an Infomercial Mom

While my daughter is obsessed with infomercials (Hello, Pajama Jeans, I am talking about you!), I usually tune them out, realizing that my money is better spent else well. However, I have caved and am using a Topsy-Turvy to grow strawberries.

I have three strawberry plants and one cucumber plant that I denuded in it. I am planning on adding a couple to the top once some of my seedlings catch up. I guess we will see how this one works!

P.S. If you are looking for a gift for my daughter, Pajama Jeans, the Perfect Brownie Pan, and the Tasty Top Cake Pops will all work. You can leave the Wonder File off of the list. I think that she bought that for me for Mother's Day.

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A Delightful Tea at American Girl Place

Last spring, my daughter and I went to American Girl Place for their Afternoon Tea and had a wonderful time! We ended up choosing the tea as opposed to the other dining options because of timing and my thriftiness-it is the most cost effective way to enjoy dining at American Girl.

My daughter and I were very impressed with the tea service. My daughter was delighted that her doll had her own chair and her own tea cup. Plus, our napkins were rolled up in pretty bow ponytails that we could take home--one for my daughter and one for her doll!

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Great Dove Chocolate Coupon!

I found a great Dove coupon--$1.00 off one bag of DOVE Promises . I am totally addicted to those!

Earlier, I was thinking that it would be awesome to use this coupon on a double coupon day. However, I just printed one out and it specifies that it is redeemable at Walmart.  Drat!

It is still a really good coupon. How often do you see $1.00 off of one bag of chocolate?

Click link above for the coupon.

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Mother, Daughter, and Friend Tea Party May 5

On May 5th, Faith Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights will be hosting a Mother, Daughter, and Friend Tea from 10AM - 12PM.

The tea is the perfect time to celebrate relationships between mothers and daughters, grandmothers and granddaughters, aunts and nieces, and all women. Children and adults are welcome! Kids are encouraged to bring a special friend--a favorite doll or Teddy Bear to the tea. I wish that my daughter could attend this event because she loves to have "tea" with her favorite doll!

The tea is free of charge. However, donations of teddy bears and dolls for the Church's Special Ministry Collection are welcome.

With mother's day on the way, this would be a great way for mothers to join in faith and friendship!

Kat and I have attended a number events at Faith Lutheran Church including the Eggstravaganza a couple of weeks ago. All of the events have a warm, family feel to them. Our girls absolutely love them--which is a very welcome bonus!

Faith Lutheran Church is located at 431 S Arlington Heights Rd. in Arlington Heights.  If you have any questions about the event, please contact the church office at 847-253-4839.

image via wiki commons

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