Adieu Summer!

The weather is unpredictable here in the Pacific Northwest, and it's only during the month of August where warmer temperatures arrived. This summer seemed so short, so whenever it's sunny, we took advantage of it, and my girls got excited for a trip.

This weekend we visited the Swan Island Dahlia Festival in Canby, Oregon. The dahlias, which were the flowers blooming in the place we visited, grew over 350 varieties in 40 acres. The Swan Island Dahlia is open to the public during blooming season. It is also a beautiful sight to witness.

In the end, we had fun, and it was a perfect way to end the summer. It was also a chance to relax after a busy week, and to bond as a family.

Fashion: Rompers

Aside from the Maxi dresses, another must-have for summer is the romper or jumper. The material is lightweight and cool, so it's perfect to wear when the temperature is rising, especially if you want a casual look. We had a picnic again and I wore this floral jumper, and paired it with a wide brimmed hat. I've even included a straw bag and slippers.

Decorating: Flower Arrangement

It's summertime, and my hydrangea plant is in full bloom in our garden. I didn't want it to go to waste, so I decided to create a flower arrangement for our living room. When I planted the flowers a couple of years ago, they were all the same pink color. But now the ones in our backyard is purple, while the front yard has pink flowers. It has something to do with the soil, I guess.



Food: Granola Yogurt & Berry Parfaits

Makes: 7 servings            Prep: 10 minutes 
Bake: at 300 degrees for 35 minutes

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3 1/2 cups mixed frozen berries, thawed
2 1/2 cps 1% vanilla Greek yogurt (such as Chobani)

Directions:

1.) Heat oven to 300 degrees. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2.) In a medium-size bowl, combine the oats, almonds, cherries, maple syrup, salt and cinnamon. Stir until well combined, then spread onto prepared baking sheet. Bake at 300 degrees for about 35 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack and let cool completely.

3.) Place 1/4 cup granola in the bottom of serving glass, then top with 1/4 cup berries and a scant 3 tablespoons yogurt. Repeat layering once more. Repeat with remaining glasses.

Snack: Peanut Butter Dip

We're aiming for a healthier lifestyle, so instead of eating junky food, we chose this healthy snack. It is very easy to make, and it's tasty! Even kids will enjoy it, since this snack would great for eating after school.  Enjoy!

Makes: 1 1/3 cups                    Prep: 10 minutes

3/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup reduced-fat peanut butter
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 apples, cored and cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 ribs celery, trimmed and cut into 4-inch sticks
2 cups small pretzels

Directions:
In a small serving bowl, stir together yogurt, peanut butter, raisins and cinnamon. Serve with apples, celery and pretzels.

Dessert: Banana Parfait

After our picnic, we went home and treated ourselves to a wonderful dessert. It was a cold treat, perfect for summertime, and tasted delightful. I loved the combination of the pudding with all the different toppings, which created a dessert my daughters loved.

Makes: 4
Prep: 12 min           Total: 1 hr and 15 min

Ingredients:
2 cups low fat milk
1 pkg (3 oz) cook & serve vanilla pudding
1/2 tsp vanilla or banana extract
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 medium ripe bananas
8 vanilla wafer cookies
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped
1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Directions:

1.) Mix milk and pudding mix in a 2-qt saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a full rolling boil.

2.) Remove from heat; stir in extract and nutmeg. Scrape into a medium bowl; cover surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate about 1 hour or until cold.

3.) Evenly divide pudding into four 8-oz stemmed glasses. Peel and slice bananas. Divide banana slices over puddings (save a few for garnish if desired). Crush 1 vanilla wafer cookie over each parfait.

4.) Place a dollop of whipped cream on top of each. Garnish with remaining wafer cookies, the coconut and reserved banana slices.

Food: Salmon Burger

We had a picnic yesterday at the park, and I prepared this healthy salmon burger. It tasted good, even though it wasn't exactly meat, and it was a scrumptious substitute. It is a good choice for health-conscious eaters.

Salmon Burgers:

Makes: 4 Burgers
Prep: 15 minutes      Grill: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 1/4 pounds salmon fillet
2 scallions, trimmed and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup tartar sauce (or fat-free mayonnaise)
1 1/2 cups shredded lettuce
2 big tomatoes sliced
6 whole-wheat hamburger buns

Directions:
1.) Remove skin from salmon fillet: With a sharp knife, cut a small corner of the skin away from the flesh. Then, gently pull and slice off remaining skin, trying to keep as much flesh intact to make the burgers. Discard skin; coarsely chop salmon.

2.) Heat gas grill to medium-high or coals in charcoal grill to medium hot. Transfer salmon to a food processor, along with scallions, 1 tablespoon of the dill, the lemon zest, panko, salt and pepper. Pulse until salmon is the consistency of ground beef but still has some shape. Do not over process.

3.) Form mixture into 4 patties, each about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Coat patties with nonstick cooking spray. Grill patties 5 minutes. Flip over and continue to grill another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir remaining tablespoon of the dill into tartar sauce. Divide lettuce and a slice of tomato evenly among buns. Top each with a burger patty and 1 tablespoon tartar sauce.

*Note: If you do not want to use fresh salmon, then you can use canned salmon as a substitute.

Pictures from the picnic:



Taking a walk after eating