Best Yogourt in Canada - Astro Original Greek Yogourt and a Contest!!

Astro Original Greek Yogourt was voted best yogourt in Canada for 2012 in the Best New Products Award survey in the yogourt category.  It's got a rich taste and creamy texture and offers twice the protein of regular yogourts so no wonder it's a favourite of Canadians.

I did the survey myself and I did not vote for this yogourt because I had never tried it before.  I got the opportunity to try it and was blown away by the richness and creaminess!  I think it was because I had tried Greek yogourt in the past and didn't like it so I assumed they all tasted the same but I was wrong because this yogourt is amazing and I can't wait to try some recipes.

Astro has been providing dairy products in Canada for over 30 years.  With the introduction of Astro they help people maintain balance in their lives with products true to their yogourt roots.  The Astro Original Greek Yogourt is available in Canada wherever Astro products are sold and comes in full fat and fat free versions.  The full fat is available in honey, strawberry and plain and the fat free in strawberry and peach.  This yogourt has significant health benefits, a superior taste and tastes great on it's own or used in recipes.

One of my readers will win coupons to try this delicious yogourt for themselves.  Contest is open to Canadians only and closes on Apr 6th.  To enter tell me if you've tasted this delicious yogourt for yourself and don't forget to leave an email address unless your account is public.

For extra entries:

1.  Follow my page on facebook and comment
2.  Follow me on twitter and comment

Thank you and good luck!

Weekly Menu Plan!

Yes my menu planning usually involves a combination of what's on sale, what I have coupons for and what I have that needs to be used up.  This weeks dinners are:

1.  Quinoa Chicken Stirfry - quick easy and yummy and I made extra chicken for another dish!

2.  Creamy Chicken and Rice 

3.  Chili Sauced Pineapple Pork - from a recipe book and I can't find it online

4.  Cabbage Roll Stirfry - quick, easy and full of veggies

Ideal Age Gap Between Children

I was reading a little tidbit in a parenting magazine that said 4 years between children is most ideal as a age gap because they're less affected by the time spent with a new baby.  It also mentioned that anything under a 2 year difference is simply survival (so basically crazy I guess).  Another article online said the best gaps are under 1 year or over 4 years because the chance of sibling rivalry is the least.  I also read that because those first years are so critical for a child's development that the gap should be more than 2 years.

My kids are 20 months apart and I completely agree that it's been all about survival.  Just making sure diapers are changed, everybody is fed, basic shopping, lots of playing and keeping everyone happy.  The first few months were a big adjustment but once you understand the new baby and everyone is on some kind of routine it got easier.  Now my kids are 9 months and 29 months and the sibling rivalry has started!  They're fighting over toys and my toddler is getting really jealous of all the time I have to spend with the baby so he's having meltdowns and tantrums and screaming fits!  I try as much as I can to have one on one time with each child and getting help from the grandmas when hubby isn't around but there are some really difficult days with one kid napping and one not and they eat meals at different times (I hope to change that soon)!  Thankfully they both sleep great at night (most nights) so I'm well rested now and ready to take on most challenges.

So, what is the ideal gap?  I think it really depends on your family situation.  I didn't have my first child until I was 33 so I didn't want to wait too long to have the second because age wasn't on my side and you never know how long it'll take.  Thankfully it didn't take long!  If you have the first child when you're young then I think it would be ideal to wait until they were feeding themselves, potty trained and just more self sufficient before having another baby.  Having 2 in diapers, helping 2 kids to eat and pretty much do everything isn't easy!  Some people even opt for the HUGE gap (some I know have them 16 years apart) which I think is almost as crazy as having them really close!

Weekly Menu Plan!

Breakfasts:

Toast and Jam

Waffles

Pancakes

Cereal

Lunches:

Usually leftovers

PB & J

Soup or Salad

Dinners:

1.  Many Beans Chili Con Carne  - it's been cold so this is warm and filling

2.  Frozen store bought Lasagne - for the day I'm feeling lazy and the toddler LOVES this.

3.  Chicken Barley Risotto - never had but it's a slow cooker recipe and it's from a cookbook so can't find the recipe online but will post if it's yummy

4.  Creamy Chicken and Cheddar Rice - another from Kraft Canada because they're usually good and quick

5.  Tuna Penne Bake - I do a few variations of tuna casserole and this is one of them

This week I've been trying to use up what I have in the pantry and not have to buy a whole lot of stuff.  I got a great deal on Campbell's cream soups last week so will be using those in more recipes to come.  I've also found a lot of great recipes on Pinterest to try in the future! If you haven't tried Pinterest yet you should!  It's a great resource but also really addicting.

Down 6 lbs!!!

I put on a lot of weight my first pregnancy, 60lbs total.  Then after 10 months of breastfeeding I didn't lose a thing!  I was down the 30lbs I lost basically the first few weeks after giving birth.  Few weeks later when my son is nearing 11 months old I'm pregnant again!  Thankfully I only gained 22lbs this time and lost 27lbs the week after she was born.  So fast forward almost 2.5 years after my son's birth I've been struggling with that weight gain for a long time!  I've lost weight in the past but this so called "baby weight" is really stubborn.

Six weeks ago I decided enough is enough so I eat pretty much no junk, a good breakfast, really good lunch, snack on fruits then whatever I make the family for dinner is what I eat too but it's usually fairly healthy.  And I've given up some of my "free" time after the kids have gone to bed to workout 4 evenings a week, a very difficult task with such very little time to myself but it's a priority in my life right now.

After 6 weeks there was very little change in the scale though I could feel myself getting stronger so I wasn't letting it drag me down then today I'm down 6 lbs total!  That's great motivation to keep up the good work and take care of myself as well as my kids!

This Weeks Menu Plan!!

1.  Creamy chicken enchiladas - a favourite

2.  Mardi Gras Pilaf -  another favourite

3.  Zucchini Pizza Casserole - very yummy

4.  Primevera Pesto Pasta - 1st time making this

5.  breakfast for dinner

I am trying to streamline my dinner making as it's becoming more difficult with the two kids so I made all the chicken at once for all the dishes I need it in and I cut up as many veggies as I can.  Along with our meals I also have to plan out and make food for the baby too!

Burt's Bee's Skin Solutions for Sensitive Skin Review

I didn't think I had sensitive skin but lately (last year or two) I've noticed that my cheeks are red pretty much all of the time and products that I was ok with in the past now make my cheeks burn.  It seems to be worse in the winter when the air is dry.  Sometimes my cheeks feel like alligator skin and they peel.

I've tried and keep trying many many products to find a good fit for my skin.  One sample I was sent from a company that does home parties burned my cheeks pretty bad, meaning it was painful for several minutes, before it calmed down.  The toners seem to bother my skin the most.  When the opportunity came to try the new Burt's Bees for sensitive skin I though why not.  I was sent the Sensitive Facial Cleanser and the Sensitive Daily Moisturizer to try out.  With the facial cleanser you simply wet your face and apply it with fingers or a damp cloth then pat dry and apply the moisturizer to a clean face in the morning.  When I followed the instructions for the cleanser I didn't feel my face was very clean so I used a cotton ball with very little toner (one that's ok on my skin) and still got some makeup off that the cleanser didn't remove.  I find that rubbing my face gently with a damp facecloth after applying the cleanser removed more makeup.  I like that the moisturizer doesn't feel greasy or sticky and absorbed really easily into the skin.

One week later and I do notice my skin is softer and neither product burned my skin or irritated it in anyway. I still have facial redness but it's not as bad and I haven't spoken to a doctor yet to see if it's some kind of condition.  I would recommend this line for someone with sensitive skin.

The Burt's Bees Sensitive Skin products contain cotton extract to soften and shield skin from irritants found in soaps and cleansers.  They are hypo-allergenic and fragrance free.  The products have been allergy tested and tested by a dermatologist.  They are also very affordable and found at Walmart and Shoppers Drug Mart nationwide.

I am a BzzAgent and was sent product in order to do this review.  All opinions are my own.