Lunchtime Summer Salad from my Little Urban Garden

Today's lunch is special because when it was time to eat, I got to go out and pick my first round of Bibb Lettuce from our little city garden!

I washed the greens and added:
2 strawberries,
4 cherries,
1 diced slice of red onion,
s&p,
1/4 avocado and this
AMAZING lavender-infused balsamic vinegar that a friend gifted to me as an early birthday present. I had a little side car of cottage cheese for some protein…Lunch is served! I love summer.

Chocolate (Pumpkin) Donuts

I mean...what kid wouldn't be excited to hear those words come out of mom's mouth? And Mom, you can feel good about it! My 4 year old and I love to make these and they are always a hit. The recipe is an adaptation of a Jessica Seinfeld recipe, just tweaked a bit, a la #fitmamafitwifefitlife 

Makes 12 medium donuts

1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 coconut palm sugar
1/2c milk
1 egg white
1T Vanilla
1T coconut oil

1c AP flour (you can use whole wheat flour but it would need to be WW pastry flour to keep donuts light)
1t cinnamon
1t baking soda
1/2t baking powder
1T unsweetened cocoa powder
(Powdered sugar to make them pretty after baking)

Heat oven to 350*, spray donut mold (mini muffins work too if you don't have the donut pan)

Beat together palm sugar, egg white, pumpkin, milk, oil, vanilla. Add in flour, baking soda & powder, cinnamon & cocoa.

Fill pan and bake about 16 minutes (less for mini muffins)

Father's Day Crafting - Homemade Coaster Tiles

What's that? You forgot that Father's Day is this weekend?!  You need a quick homemade activity that can be done in one sitting?! I've got you covered.

(No time for the craft store?  Bonus…all of these materials are available via Amazon Prime. BOOM!)

Materials:
ModPodge
Foam Brushes
Scissors
Plain Tiles, Coaster size (think 4"x4")
City Map or Photos, depending on what look you're going for - we're doing a couple of each
Optional: Cookie Cutters & Small Felt Circles

Choose what you would like your coasters to have on them.

We are doing a couple of coasters with family pictures, and a couple with cut-outs from paper road maps of areas that we have lived.

(If you choose to get extra crafty, let the kids pick out their favorite shape cookie cutters to trace on the pictures or maps.)

Apply one coat of ModPodge to the coasters.  Place photo shapes or map cut-outs on the tiles while ModPodge is wet.

Apply 3 more coats of ModPodge over the images/maps.

The coats will look white-ish but will dry clear.  Allow at least 3 days for the tiles to dry before using…but feel free to wrap them after a day if needed ;-) We ended up doing our project outside and the summer heat REALLY helped to expedite our drying!

(If desired, you can stick felt pads on the bottom of the tiles to prevent any undesired scratching on furniture.)

Don't forget to pick up Dad's favorite Bevy to put the coasters to use on Sunday!

Need more Father's Day Ideas for Grandpa and Uncles?  Check this one out - Simplest.Craft.Ever.