Sugar,

Oh, honey honey

You are my candy girl

And you got me wanting you

~ Sugar, Sugar by The Archies

If you’ve ever had a little look around this blog, you may have noticed the long running tagline at the top that says “Sweet cravings and salty language”.  If ever I were to be accused of having vices, those two would probably top the list.  (Any of you waving your hands to mention my impatience and my tendency to stay up past midnight for no good reason can just zip it.)

Well, anyway, it’s no secret that I love me some sugar.  I stir it into my coffee, my tea and sprinkle it on my toast.  I like to indulge in public, and sneak it when no one is looking.  I once had a friend out me at a dinner party, to a room full of people I was meeting for the first time, that I like to sneak chocolate with my first cup of coffee, yes at 6 a.m.  That’s how you get a name for yourself, right there.  I also am known around certain circles (hello, Twitter!) as having a deep love of all things chocolate, especially Toffifee.  I am also a great enabler.

I named my blog for my love of coffee and chocolate, and one of my first published pieces was entitled “Chocolafession”.

Sugar and I are hot and heavy.

However.  There comes a time in every sugar lover’s life when they wake up and realize they aren’t 25 anymore, and that perhaps fueling themselves purely on sweet things is not just silly, it’s actually pretty foolish.  I can’t say I mind being known for my sweet tooth and chocolate cravings, but I admit, it makes me crazy that I have such a hard time saying no.  If it’s in the house, I want it.  My mood is instantly improved by it.  (And to be honest, writing this is making me want it badly enough my teeth hurt.)

And I just gave in.

See?  That’s what makes me so annoyed.  Don’t get me wrong, I will always love being the girl who loves her sugar, but I want to enjoy it on my terms.  Giving control of my brain over to something that doesn’t even have one doesn’t sit right with me.  And knowing that it’s a habit that must be affecting my energy, and worse, my health irritates me even more.  I’d rather enjoy my sweets when I really want something, and am taking the time to savour it than just using sugar and chocolate as easy fuel when I’m busy.

I’ve been invited to take part in something special that is starting up right away, and I would love some company if any of you have been looking for a way to battle this particular vice.  I’m going to dive in with the ladies from Domestic Diva and join their 28 Day Sugar Detox.  There are a few reasons why I think this will be a good way to move forward – first, I hate deprivation and just quitting cold turkey doesn’t work for me and second, I know enough about one of the founders of Domestic Diva to know that she’s smart and down to earth about this stuff.  And I know how busy she is, and that she has two kids similar in age to my own!  So I know she understands how busy some of us are, and how hard it is to juggle something new in.  She’s living it!  But she’s also been where I am and has made good changes to her own life with the resources they’ll be sharing.  I love the idea of learning why the hell I’m craving sugar sometimes all the time, and how to get to a point that I feel nourished and satisfied enough that I don’t feel the sugar crazies the way I do now.

You can check out all the details on their website, along with many more posts and articles they have been creating.  We’re starting Monday, Jan 23rd, and going for four weeks of learning, trying out suggestions, sharing our experiences with others and finally making the move to get sugar off our “vice” list.

Sweet wishes to you if you decide to come join in!

Disclosure:  I’ve been invited to join the 28 Day Sugar Detox compliments of the ladies of Domestic Diva.  However, I volunteered to share my story beforehand, and to share my thoughts after all is said and done because I really believe they have wisdom worth sharing.  All opinions are my own.

 Photo credit:  Jade Gordon

Just wanted to take a moment to thank any of you who came to read me over at the Electrolux Canada blog these past couple of weeks. I’ll be writing a weekly blog post for them and am really looking forward to sharing all I have planned!  Today is Sunday, which means a new post is probably going up tomorrow…ooh, can’t wait!  It’s a good one too.

They were kind enough to officially introduce me here, and then I started off with my first post, called “The Sweet Life“.  I confessed to plenty of shortcomings, shared a bit of what I love and what I think about this whole business of waking up and realizing that a whole household is revolving around me.  (Well, not just me…but you know what I mean.)

I love being able to create the life we want, and make it fit our dreams, our goals.  But I know we’ve met damn near every hurdle along the way, and if we haven’t hit it yet, I’m sure it’s coming.

So here’s what I think about the whole “be more amazing” thing.  I think it’s an awesome way to acknowledge that what we do already is impressive.  All the planning, the effort, the energy – it’s daunting and enormous and I love being part of something that says “it’s already fantastic”.

Looking for ways to do more, make it easier, enjoy more – all right up my alley.

So I hope you’ll continue to read and enjoy what I’m sharing over on the Electrolux Canada blog!  I promise to try to help you do more, make it easier and enjoy more (and I’ll share where I’m succeeding and slipping up along the way!)

Raise a glass, or a coffee cup, whatever you have with me, won’t you?

Cheers to being even more amazing.

Because I love the idea that we already are, where we are today.

Don’t you?

Disclosure:  this post was written by me, without any prompting from Electrolux Canada.  This one is just for fun.  

Photo credit:  stock.xchg

There are pumpkins everywhere, scarecrows and ghostly creatures share space in each room and I’ve been sneaking Halloween candy for a week.  Fall garlands with orange and red leaves add to the décor, and we are happily immersed in October fun once again.

This year, we’ve added a small fenced in area on the lawn complete with a tombstone and bones, and are having fun juggling spooky and cute decorations.  With a toddler and a seven year old, we need to find a balance!

One of the funny things about being a parent is creating new holiday traditions for your new family while reminiscing about everything that made holidays special when you were a kid.  Somehow I am the grown-up, buying costumes and candy, but I can’t help but remember candy in pillowcases, and the desperate glee of sorting through my haul of goodies.

I might still have that sweet tooth.  Okay, fine, I’m known for it, and even though I’m sneaky, my kids are showing signs of their own.  So we eat lots of healthy, fresh food, brush our teeth often and we’re all the happier for our treats.

We have always purchased and handed out candy, even before having kids.  It just felt like we should get into the spirit of things, and we loved seeing the costumes.  Back then we bought whatever happened to catch our eye for candy, and we always bought lots – heaven forbid we run out!

Then we started our own family, and the first year we took our son trick or treating opened our eyes.  He was just eleven months old, and we took him to the homes of just a few favourite neighbours.  Those neighbours brought their wee ones to our door as well, and we were faced with a quick realization – none of these babies or toddlers had tried nuts, nor did we want them to quite yet.  And while none of them needed more than just a taste of this or that, we figured out a plan.  From then on, we bought candy labelled peanut-free, and prepared little bags ahead of time for the smallest of our visitors.  That way, when they got home, their parents would be able to tell which candy came from us.

Now our kids are older, but new concerns still keep us buying peanut free.  Good friends have kids with allergies, and we figure the least we can do is keep up with the nut-free purchases and make our contributions to the holiday safe for all.

This year, we are taking a trip back down memory lane and have a bowl full of Allan candy to hand out.  It’s funny, I can remember the logo from when we would buy candy as a kid – two “L”s side by side looking like little rabbit ears – remember?  They’ve been around for 77 years, and who doesn’t remember Big Foot candies from when they were kids?  That’s a 25 year old memory, friends.  Very cool.

I’m always happy for the chance to get to know a company better – if I remember a name from when I was a kid, and I know they are peanut-free and made in Canada, you can bet I’m going to feel good about making them part of what we do for Halloween.  And that’s what making new family traditions is all about – careful choices that make the holiday all about what matters to you, your partner and your kids.

Our son has an October birthday, and for the last two years has chosen a Halloween theme for his party.  We love it as it gives us good reason to decorate even more and keep it festive for 2 or 3 weeks instead of just a day.  And loot bags get easier when we make them into little trick or treat bags, complete with a few sweet treats.

Halloween will find us handing out handfuls of candy, one of us heading out with the kids to knock on a few favourite doors.  My husband has plans to add more decorations to the front entry as well as to play spooky music through a nearby window.  Our youngest is turning three next month and this will be the first year she really understands all the excitement.  I can’t wait.

And that stash of Sour Grape Slices in my desk?  It’s all in the name of research, friends, and a sacrifice I’m willing to make.

This will be a fun week for us – hope you are enjoying all your Halloween preparations, and that your candy thieving is stealthy.  If you need some inspiration, I’m available for consultations.

Happy Halloween!

~~~~~

Cool stuff to know:  Allan Candy Halloween treats are all made in Canada and are peanut free – the line-up includes:  Allan Intense Jubes & Jellies, Allan Chewy Rascalz and Allan Fruit Buddies (look for Big Foot, Sour Big Foot, Green Thumbs and Hot Lips, as well as Sour Watermelon Slices, Peach Slices, Sour Cherry Slices, Tangy Wild Strawberries and Sour Grape Slices!)  You’ll find these selections at key retailers, including Wal-Mart and Loblaws.

Disclosure: I am participating in the Allan Candy Company program by Mom Central Canada.  I received compensation for my participation in this campaign.  The opinions on this blog are my own.

It goes without saying that I’m known for having a sweet tooth.  I have a reputation for all the ways I love to add a little sweet goodness to my day…and I can be shameless about it, I’ll admit.

Here’s one secret:  there is no happier magic than the application of heat to something sweet.  For all the goodness that a few simple ingredients hold on their own, there is no end to the delight they could create given a little dose of warmth and the opportunity to melt together into something ridiculously tempting.

So imagine my reaction when I was invited to check out Hamilton Beach‘s new Quesadilla Maker.  I’d already admired its shiny red good looks online, and imagined tasty quick dinners when with a simple suggestion it suddenly all became clear – what if we used it for desserts?

My imagination ran wild.

But first, let’s get the basics out of the way.  Yes, it’s as cute as it looks in the picture.  Yes, it’s as easy as tossing on a tortilla, filling it with whatever you’d like, covering with a second tortilla.  But the trick is in how it seals shut, intensifying the heat and ensuring a perfect melt.  Two minutes later, we’d pop it open and discover our perfectly melted quesadilla inside.  We tried chicken and cheese, then added tomatoes and salsa.  Our six year old decided he wanted to choose his own fillings – and he ate what we made and what he created.  This is a joy to see in any house.  And the next day, our kids asked for more and so our sitter volunteered to use up whatever we had leftover for fillings and she made fresh quesadillas for lunch – a welcome change from their usual sandwiches.

But back to my raging sweet tooth – and our knowledge that further potential sizzled within reach.

First, we kept it simple.  Marshmallows and chocolate chips, then we added a drizzle of butterscotch sundae syrup.

Sliced bananas with chocolate.

Strawberries and bananas, with and without butterscotch (warm strawberries made me feel like I was sneaking bites of homemade jam out of a saucepan.)

All melted together beautifully, all were delicious.  We had the most success with combinations that included something that would melt nicely together for a bit of hold (cheese, marshmallows, chocolate) but even the one I made that fell apart was delicious – just messy.

The recipe book suggests apple pie filling and cinnamon and it’s next on my list (this one makes me drool at the thought of adding a scoop of ice cream).

I also am thinking of a cheesecake we had this week and will be trying cream cheese and strawberries.

*licks chocolate from fingers, continues typing*

Will we continue to use it?  Absolutely.  We made a fast healthy dinner with it, our sitter was able to use it easily for the kids the next day, and oh, people, the desserts we will make.  I’m not one to make time for baking, and hate food projects that take up huge amounts of time.  I loved just tossing a few ingredients together and then enjoying the warm, melty goodness a few minutes later.   It currently retails for $29.99, and for the price, I’d say we’d easily get our money’s worth out of it with just the dinners, or the lunches, or the desserts.  The potential for all three makes this a happy addition to our kitchen.  And cleanup is a snap.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go shopping.  A friend once made me a delicious mango and brie quesadilla with cilantro, and in six years I’ve never thought I would be able to recreate it.

I bet you can guess what I’m having for dinner…

Disclosure:  I received a quesadilla maker from Hamilton Beach to see what sweet creations I might come up with at home.  However, all opinions are my own and as many would readily attest – I’m not easily won over.  ; )

Music fills the air, and everything smells like flowers and sugar.

I am in a small crowd that has gathered to watch musicians play outside, in a small seaside area near our hotel in San Diego.  Locals, tourists, men, women, the very old and the very young, gathered together in music.

We are all captured by a rare sweet moment – one of those moments you can’t plan for and can never recreate.   It is a welcome escape after a weekend that has overwhelmed me in its constant connection and movement.

I stand, leaning against the wooden siding of a café, near a bench where an older couple nod their heads in time to the music.  I sip coffee, sneak bites of cookies out of a paper bag and try to wipe the foolish smile off my face.  I feel silly, but I am not successful.  So I listen, I smile, and I move to the music too.

The band is neither old, nor young, just guys playing together, filling the warm air with music.  The sun shines down on us all, the trees and small buildings offering pockets of shade.  I glance around – no one is rushing.  Some eat ice cream, others are finishing meals on tiny patios and a few of us sip coffee.  We listen, and we smile.

There is an older gentleman, elegantly dressed in black pants and a black short-sleeved shirt.  He dances, welcoming any who wish to join him.  He occasionally dances with a lady or two who smilingly accept his invitation, but he also dances alone.

Our toes tap as they jam, singing “…if the house is a rockin’, don’t come a knockin’.”  We listen and sway to The Beatles classic “Let it Be”. The music is irresistible to a few; children spin and sway, and two older couples hold hands and boogie down as “Mustang Sally” fills the air.  One tall man in a Tilley hat spins and twirls.

I stay for more than half a dozen songs, until the band stops playing.  I can’t stop smiling.

It is a small, treasured memory that I will tuck away for a very long time.

It brings a smile to my face even now.

Twelve years ago, my husband and I moved from Saskatoon to British Columbia.  We spent four years there before deciding it was time to come back to Saskatoon. 

And you might laugh, but one of the things that ended up on our list of positives about moving back was that Saskatoon had caught up with the times and had opened several Starbucks locations.

We love Starbucks.  Say what you will, agree or disagree, it’s one of our favourite things.  I remember the first time we went to a Starbucks, on holiday in Vancouver after hanging out with friends having wine by the water one evening.  (We were so enthused, and so ignorant, that one of our first questions was if it was a franchise!  Just goes to show you how off the radar it was anywhere east of Vancouver.)

It became part of our lives once we moved to BC.  Before we had kids, Starbucks represented a break, a treat, perhaps a quick date as we grabbed coffee to walk on the beach in spring or fall.  Our travel mugs were always Starbucks and to this day I have a large collection of their mugs.  I have made decisions where we should live based on whether there is a Starbucks in the city.

My son was four before he ever knew what a McDonald’s restaurant was.  Oh, we had stopped once while shopping, cracking under the pressure of too long a day.  But he was young, just a toddler, and barely sampled a few fries.  He had no memory of it.

I remember him asking one day “what’s that big yellow M?” as we drove by and feeling slightly proud.  But oh, the boy could spot a Starbucks sign at unbelievable distances.  And his younger sister is following happily in his footsteps.  They know it, they love it.

I’m raising the next generation of Starbucks devotees.

And I’m happy with that. 

Now that I have children, Starbucks represents something completely different.  Starbucks is where I have taken both my children on coffee dates.  It began with my son, and we would practice every bit of manners, every expectation of eating out in public.  He took it very seriously, and we had wonderful times together, but I took great comfort in knowing everything we ordered could be swiftly packed up and we could be out the door in a flash should things go awry. 

Now my toddler and I have our Starbucks dates while her big brother is in school.  She is learning to help order what she would like, and to sit nicely to eat and drink without a high chair or booster.  I love taking her out, and love the time we’re spending together.

If you aren’t sure if you can trust your kids to a sit-down meal, don’t miss the chance to take a step in the right direction.  Take baby steps.  They didn’t learn to walk in a single day either.

Hold their hand, tell them the rules, and try it out.  Let them know you are prepared to leave if things come undone.  And if it unravels, leave.  Every time. 

But here’s the funny thing.  I never had to leave.  Not even once.

It must be the magic of Starbucks. 

Decaf venti nonfat caramel macchiato, please.

Yesterday I managed to sneak an hour and spend time doing something I really love – sipping Starbucks and wandering a bookstore, alone.  When I need a bit of quiet or a break from all the rushing and hurrying and doing, that’s where you’ll find me.  An hour’s wander there is like three hours anywhere else; somehow time seems to slow down within those four walls.

And it reminded me of another time I wrote about this, and realized that I was remembering the first time I sat down and committed words to this small space.  Just over a year ago, I decided that it was time to add my own words to the massive collection of thoughts that exist online.  A year ago, I decided I wanted an answer to the question “shouldn’t you have a blog?”  A year ago, I decided I was brave enough to begin writing, and to trust what I wrote to express how I felt, what I thought in front of friends and strangers alike. 

And you joined me.  Many who read this blog already knew me from Twitter, and you were the ones who were kind enough to ask for more.  You were the ones to always ask when I was starting my own blog, to tell me I should be writing more.  I remember each of you and every word of encouragement.  The funny thing about writing is that it isn’t just my words that matter. 

And so I wrote.  I wrote about my life, about my son and daughter, my husband.  I wrote about funny things that made me laugh, and serious things that made me think.  I wrote about places I’d like to go and places I have been.  I wrote about wanting to find the truth online and why it’s important that we keep looking.  I’m pretty sure I wrote about chocolate.  I found my voice, and then I wrote words I submitted to be published elsewhere.  And it all started with the question “shouldn’t you have a blog?”

Why, yes.  Yes, I suppose I should.  For it has become a piece of me, a way to connect with others, to reach out and exchange thoughts and words with the world.  It feels like a safe place to keep those words.  And it has been a lovely place to receive visitors, like a cozy home away from home with the coffee always on.  I shared one thought after another, always knowing they had a safe place here.  If you are reading this, it is likely you were a part of creating that safe place.  The truth is, this blog is written by me, and has my name on it, but what it has come to mean to me is all about you.  And that is a funny, wonderful thing.

So come visit me often.  Know that you being here is a big part of why this space means so much to me.  Enjoy the words that are here, add some of your own.  Many things have changed since I started this blog.  Changes in work, family, where I live, you name it, it’s been changing.  It’s been a busy year, but in the middle of chaos, there is quiet.  And chocolate.  As always.

And it has meant everything to me.

So, join me in a warm fuzzy moment to celebrate a year gone by.  A year of a few things I treasure most – people, words and connection.     I can only imagine what the next year will bring, and I’m looking forward to it all!

I can’t begin to thank each and every one of you who have read my words here and connected with me!

With love and chocolate,

Mocha

Welcome to round two of the little game I’m calling Mystery Food.  Maybe you saw my last post where I started this little theme – if not, you can read it here.  And if you don’t happen to think reading labels is worthwhile, someday I’ll tell you about the beef shepherd’s pie I once bought that had chicken fat in the ingredient list.  I kid you not.  After I threw up a little in my mouth, I swore I’d never buy it again.  Shudder. 

Today we have a little something that I will blame the boys for buying, but admit that I ate my fair share of it as well.  Then I checked the label and kicked myself. 

(And no, at this point I don’t think I’m going to be revealing the actual names of the items in question…the whole point is to ridicule the junk that goes into some of this stuff, not call out one company in particular.  Also, I want you to start checking labels in your house too.  So if it freaks you out, let it.  Then go read some labels and eat a piece of fruit.  We’ll both feel better.)

“Ingredients:  Icing sugar, sugar, wheat flour, water, hydrogenated vegetable oil shortening (canola and cottonseed), vegetable oil (palm kernel, canola), liquid egg white, liquid whole egg, glucose (contains sulphites), modified milk ingredients, cocoa powder, modified cornstarch, salt, mono- and diglycerides, artificial flavours, soy flour, dried egg-white, soy lecithin, sorbitan tristearate, tartaric acid, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, propylene glycol monoesters, sodium stearoyl lactylate, sodium aluminum phosphate, citric acid, bakers yeast.” 

Fascinating.  I am happy to see my old friend “propylene glycol monoesters” again – or actually, wait a minute, I never did figure out what that is.  Scratch that, I don’t think that one is friendly after all.  What about artificial flavours?  Mmm.  Sounds tantalizing.  And let’s see…I know what sodium bicarbonate is…but what is sodium acid pyrophosphate?  Oh, the mysteries abound. 

A tip?  Read the label before you buy an item.  And definitely before you eat it.

It’s a well known fact by now that I like my chocolate.  I would be the last to say that I eat all healthful foods all the time.  But for all my indulgences, the reality is that I actually do buy and eat quite a lot of healthy food.  I prefer to keep our kitchen stocked with skim milk, whole wheat bread, cheese, yogurt, fruits, leaner meats, veggies and healthy cereals.  When I buy snacks and treats, I usually try to make sure that there is something redeeming about each item, or that at least they are made from reasonably healthy ingredients.

And, being the type A that I am, I’m a bit of an obsessive label reader.  Once I started reading I couldn’t stop, but some things sneak in unnoticed or I/someone else in the house can’t resist buying them (and I know you’ll be shocked but it’s not always me!)

So we’re going to start playing a little game I’ll call Mystery Food.  I’ll write out the ingredients of something I found in the house, and we’ll all raise our eyebrows/nod smugly/recoil in horror together.

Ready?

“Ingredients:  CRUST: Wheat flour, whole oats, sugar/glucose-fructose, whole wheat flour, vegetable oil, water, chicory root (inulin), honey, dextrose, milk ingredients, wheat bran, salt, cellulose, potassium bicarbonate, natural and artificial flavour, mono and diglycerides, propylene glycol mono fatty acid esters, soy lecithin, wheat gluten, corn starch, sodium stearoyl lactylate, carageenan, guar gum.  FILLING:  Sugar/glucose-fructose, glycerin, apple puree concentrate, strawberry puree concentrate, water, blueberry puree concentrate, natural and artificial flavour, sodium alginate, raspberry puree concentrate, modified corn starch, citric acid, malic acid, methylcellulose, calcium phosphate, colours.” 

Mmmm….good, right?  And the boys wonder why I keep “accidentally” forgetting to pick up more of these.  Sheesh.

And I have a question:  with 25 ingredients in the crust, and 15 in the filling…do we really need to also write “natural and artificial flavours”?  What, 40 ingredients weren’t enough, there are actually MORE substances needed to make this resemble a tasty snack?

Does anyone remember when I looked like this on Twitter?  Way back when I was first trying to figure out what Twitter was all about, thinking, hmm…what could the appeal be?  (9 months and way too many tweets later, I’m hooked.)

Well, anyway, then I got ribbed about being a “cup with legs” so I sucked it up and posted a real picture as my avatar.  But some days I miss my little cup photo…it’s such a friendly way to start my day in real life.

“We’re taking some time apart.  We need to remember who we were before we were together. We still love each other.”

Two weeks ago I wrote these words to someone on Twitter and had immediate reactions from other friends who happened to come in mid-thread.  They responded, thinking a once rewarding relationship had suddenly turned sour.  They were right.

I quickly posted a correction:   “Hello, rumour mill? I’d like to set the record straight – although hubs drives me crazy, I love him. CHOCOLATE and I are taking a break.”

Laugh all you want, but of all the complicated relationships I juggle, my relationship to food has to be one of the most frustrating.  Why?  Because of all the people I like to boss around in an average day, I happen to be one of the unruliest.  I know how to eat healthfully.  I ration sugar all day long.  I buy skim milk, whole grain bread and tempting produce. I read labels like a woman possessed.  Yet…

I have an alter ego.  Little Miss Mocha.  She shows up when no one is watching, or when the kids are asleep.  She leads me to do shameful things behind closed doors.  Prior to my self-staged chocolate intervention, I started every morning with coffee and a chocolate bar. Yes, at 6 a.m.  There have been days when I look at the clock and realize it is 5pm and I haven’t consumed anything that didn’t contain chocolate or coffee.  I used to rotate my trips to stores so the cashiers wouldn’t think I was a glutton.  I have bought so much of my favourite chocolate over a two week period that my huge neighbourhood department store actually sold out.  Huge.  Department store.  I discovered that leaving my stash on a running dryer creates chocolate heaven.  My favourite chocolate has 675 calories per small box.  Shamefully, I know the following: 675 x 2, 675 x 3, and (head hanging) 675 x 4.  I was sometimes happy to wake up because I could start over and didn’t have to worry if it was too much chocolate in one day.

Even though we refer to stretching the truth as “fudging it”, I promise there is no fudge above.  Pudge, maybe.  Hey, I told you we’re taking time apart, would you leave a torrid affair for anything less than a good (cough, 8 lbs, cough) reason?  

(psst…hey chocolate…call me…)

This piece was originally published by The Yummy Mummy Club, a great website created by Erica Ehm.  It’s a true resource for moms:  articles, blogs, contests and ways to connect with other yummy mummies! 

http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/chocolafession_miss_mocha_jen_taylor