January 2020 - NY Foodie Family

Five on Friday {Goodbye January}

Posted on January 31, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

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Hello Friday! I am so happy to see you! The week seemed to drag on, but I feel like the weekend flies by! This past Wednesday was my two year work anniversary. It feels like I’ve been working in the HR office for much longer than that. I have to say that it’s my coworkers who really make the workplace enjoyable.

Dana and I are up to Day 27 of Yoga with Adriene’s 30 Day Home challenge. This was his first time ever doing yoga and he’s loving it!

This weekend is my daughter’s final cheer competition of the season. I never thought I’d be a cheer mom. And until she decides that she’s going to try out for JV next year in high school, I’m pretending I’m not. Here are five from this week:

1. Reading – This week I finished Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis. I thought this book was okay but I preferred her other book Girl, Wash Your Face more.

2. Snacking – We go through a LOT of snacks during the week…..with an 11 and 13 year-old who are are bottomless pits it’s inevitable! I found these From the Ground Up Butternut Squash Pretzels at Shoprite. They were not a hit with the kids. I didn’t think they were bad, but they do have a butternut squash flavor, which both kids didn’t like. We are not strict about vegan snacks, the kids have decided they want to eat cookies, chips, granola bars, etc. But these are vegan.

3. Watching – This past weekend we had a family movie night and watched Abominable. This was a cute movie about three teens who help bring a Yeti back home. Three of us also watched the 2019 remake of the Lion King. The original movie came out when I was in high school. I remember singing a medley of songs from the movie for a chorus concert. So, this movie brought back high school memories.

I also binge watched the entire series of The Goop Lab on Netflix last weekend. Health and wellness have been a real interest to me recently. Since I listen to a lot of podcasts focused on health and wellness topics, I enjoyed actually seeing some of these practices in action.

4. Cooking – This week’s menu included Ramen Stir Fry (pictured), Vegan Lasagna, Vegan Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes, Coconut Cauliflower Adobo with Rice and Veggie Burgers and fries. Everything was delicious! We keep saying we don’t feel like we are missing out on anything being vegan.

5. Drinking – I rarely drink, but once in awhile we visit a craft beer store and stock up on craft beer (for Dana) and hard cider (for me). This week I tried Bantam Rojo. It wasn’t as sweet as I like and reminded me of a rose wine. But it’s a new-to-me brand and I want to check out some of their other ciders.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I posted Snow Much Fun!

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!

Snow Much Fun in the Hudson Valley!

Posted on January 28, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

New York has finally had its first snowstorm of 2020. Once it snows, there’s a very high chance that more snow will make an appearance……still waiting on that though! However, I am not a winter person. As beautiful as snow falls are, I honestly hate winter and the cold! I do like the family to participate in seasonable activities though – since we get to experience all four seasons, we might as well make the most of them! We will hopefully get to enjoy some of these ways to have “Snow Much Fun” in the Hudson Valley this winter!

Quick and Easy Ideas that you can do at your house or nearby:

1.Build a snowman – Buy a snowman making kit to have on hand for the next snow fall. Or collect and set aside a spare hat, scarf and gloves so you are all ready to decorate your snowman when the time comes.

2. Make snow angels – Don’t forget to take a pic of your creations!

3. Have a snowball fight – Make sure everyone has waterproof gloves for this activity! If you want to make perfectly sized snowballs super quickly, you can get a snowball maker kit.

4. Go sleigh riding – We have a big hill at our elementary school that kids love to sleigh ride down. My son has a new sled and can’t wait to try it out!

5. Build a snow fort – I’m not sure that my kids have ever made a snow fort! This Sno-Brick Maker can help construct snow forts!

6. Snow art – The snow is their canvas with these sno markers.

7. Make maple syrup candy – We tried making this many years ago and I burnt the syrup. We are due for another attempt and this recipe looks easy enough.

8. Make frozen bubbles – Take your bottles of bubbles outside and blow them to enjoy some bubble fun. The temperature has to be below freezing for the bubbles to freeze. If you don’t

Ideas that require a little planning and/or travel:

9. Skiing and/or snowboarding – There are many mountains within driving distance to enjoy skiing or snowboarding. Thunder Ridge Ski Area is located in Patterson, nearby in Putnam County.

10. Ice Skating – there are plenty of places in the Hudson Valley to ice skate – both indoors or outside. Check out our ice skating guide.

11. Snow Shoeing – This activity is on my winter bucket list! I’ve never snow shoed before, but it looks like a good winter workout!

12. Tubing – Tubing is a fun activity for the entire family! We enjoyed tubing at Mount Peter, but several ski mountains offer tubing. Most places require you to reserve a time slot, so be sure to plan accordingly.

Activities that require more planning and require travel outside the Hudson Valley:

13. Ice Fishing – Ice fishing is a winter activity that requires a lot more planning and preparation. First, the ice needs to be four inches thick. Second, you need to get a fishing license. Then besides fishing poles, there is also special equipment like ice safety picks, ice cleats, a chisel, rescue rope and more. To find out more information and locations where ice fishing is allowed, check out the NYS DEC site.

14. Snowmobiling – Snowmobiling trails abound in upstate New York. The Adirondacks have several different companies that rent snowmobiles and give tours.

15. Ride a bob sled – In Lake Placid, NY you can enjoy a bobsled experience. At the Olympic Sports Complex, a professional driver helps guide riders down the track at exhilarating speeds of up to 50-55 miles per hour. The ride is only about 40 seconds down 800 meters of the 1,500 meter track. Reservations are highly recommended.

16. Take a dog sled ride – Lake Placid also seems to be the only place in NY state where you can enjoy a dog sled ride. Weather permitting, Adirondack Wilderness Adventures and Thunder Mountain Dogsleds operate dog sled rides on Mirror Lake.

17. Horse drawn sleigh ride – The Adirondacks is the place for winter fun! Country Dreams Farm operates its sleigh rides in Lake Placid. Belgian Draft horses pull you in a sleigh through the woods and fields.

Five on Friday {Ready for the Weekend}

Posted on January 24, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

*This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for helping to support the blog!*

Happy Friday! Do you love short work weeks as much as I do? This weekend is filled with another cheer competition and hopefully not another snow storm! Here are five from this week:

1. Cheer Competition – Last Sunday I spent the entire day at my daughter’s second cheer competition. This time, there were three other teams in the modified category. Although her team got special recognition and pins for having no deductions, they ended up coming in 3rd place. They did a great job! It was just a super long day for the both of us.

2. Reading – Last weekend I finished Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid. I didn’t know much about this book before I started reading it, but I highly recommend it. It’s a contemporary fiction book that tackles issues of race and privilege.

3. Watching – This week my daughter and I started watching Cheer on Netflix. It’s a documentary about a competitive college cheer team in Texas. All I have to say is wow on so many levels. I didn’t know much about cheerleading before she started this year and watching this show makes me not want her to continue!

4. Supper Club – Last Saturday we were supposed to host our monthly supper club. However, we were hit with a snow storm and had to cancel. Since we had all the ingredients for our dishes, Dana and I decided to cook. The theme was “caramelized” and I made a Caramelized Shiitake Mushroom Risotto and he made Caramelized Tofu with Brussels Sprouts. Everything was delicious!

5. Cooking – We have been continuing our vegan journey and have been eating some tasty dinners! This week we had Spicy Potato Kale Bowls with Mustard Tahini Dressing (pictured), Kung Pao Chickpeas, Vegan Tacos with Tofu and Mashed Potato Gnocchi.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Monday I posted about Trivia Night at the Peekskill Brewery,

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!

Trivia Night at the Peekskill Coffee House {Date Night}

Posted on January 20, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

My husband is a trivia master. He never ceases to amaze me with his wealth and breadth of knowledge. If the topic is music or history, even better. So, on the rare occasion that we are child free, we try to do a trivia night date.

Trivia nights are hosted in bars and restaurants throughout Westchester County. But not only is the Peekskill Coffee House close by, I find it unique that I can enjoy an iced coffee or tea instead of a beer while I play trivia. The trivia night takes place on Monday evenings from 6 to 8 PM.

I recommend getting there early and to be able to find a table. There are definitely noticeable groups of regulars, as I’m sure there are at most trivia nights. Dana and I were able to get a small table for two, then we got our coffee, an iced decaf for me and an Americano for him. Although the trivia start time is 6 PM, is not strictly adhered to. I don’t think the game actually started until around 6:15 PM.

When you play trivia you must come up with a team name. Each team gets one answer sheet to record your answers. The trivia here is played in three rounds with a mix of questions ranging in all different topics. Obviously, no phones or electronic devices are allowed. After each round the answer sheets are handed into the host who calculates the points. We didn’t win, but for our first time, we didn’t do too badly.

The Peeksill Coffee House is a great place to visit, even if you don’t go for trivia night! The space is casual and fun with a friendly staff. They have a variety of seating, depending on whether you want to sit and relax or get some work or reading done. Wi-fi is free for two hours with a purchase!

And not only does the Peekskill Coffee House serve coffee, but they have a menu including sweet and savory crepes, Belgian waffles, soups salads and more. If you just want a muffin or cookie to enjoy with your beverage, they sell a variety of baked goods as well. Be advised that crepes and waffles are made to order, so there is a bit of a wait.

If trivia night is not your thing, the Peekskill Coffee House is still worthy of a date night. There is a selection of board games that patrons can play and every month they showcase the work of local artists. Almost every Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening they have live music playing. Coffee, a crepe and some music sounds like a low-key, fun night out! I think I’ll add it to our calendar!

The Details:
Trivia Night at the Peekskill Coffee House
101 South Division Street
Peekskill, NY 10566
(914) 739 -1287

Date: Monday Evenings
Time: 6-8 PM
Cost: $ – coffee, pastries and light food served (made-to-order sweet or savory crepes, belgium waffles, salads and paninis).

*This can make a fun Girl’s Night Out or Double Date with friends!

Five on Friday {M.L.King Weekend}

Posted on January 17, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

*This post contains affiliate links. Please read our Disclosure Policy for additional info.*

Yeah for Fridays! I am ready for a three day weekend! It’s been a busy week, with me running the kids to Physical Therapy, piano lessons, the orthodontist……plus getting dinner ready, laundry done, the house cleaned….. I know so many of you can relate. One of my favorite times of the day is getting to put my pajamas on! This weekend my daughter has another cheer competition and we are hosting our monthly supper club. We are also expecting our first snow storm of 2020 tomorrow. I hate snow on a weekend. At least let me get a snow day, if it’s going to snow! Here are five from this week:

1.Weekend Hike – Last weekend was in the 60’s! After spending most of Saturday inside at my daughter’s cheer competition, we had to get outside on Sunday. We did a quick hike (an uphill walk really) up to the Ninham Mountain Fire Tower in Carmel. It was a super windy day, which made climbing up to the top a little nerve wracking. But there are some beautiful views at the top. I want to go back in the spring and fall for some better scenery though, since the trees are all bare and brown.

2. Eating – We recently discovered a tasty eatery in Brookfield, CT that we visited again this weekend. The Hummus & Pita Co. is a Mediterranean fast casual restaurant. We shared a falafel pita and a vegan shawarma bowl. It’s all really good!

3. Cooking – This week my daughter cooked the ratatouille (pictured above) for dinner (with Dana slicing all the veggies for her with the mandoline). My son cooked Sticky Sesame Cauliflower that we had with rice and veggie dumplings. We also had leftover ratatouille over pasta, Morningstar Farms “Chik” sandwiches with tater tots, and Creamy Vegan Broccoli Cauliflower Soup.

Brittany-runs-a-marathon-Movie-HD-Poster-and-stills-2.jpg

4. Watching – I didn’t really watch a lot this week. Between busy weeknights and then doing daily yoga (Yoga with Adriene), I was able to watch Brittany Runs a Marathon on Prime over two nights. It was a good movie

5. Reading – This week I finished The Night Olivia Fell by Christina McDonald. It was a pretty good suspenseful read. I am currently reading Such a Fun Age and liking it so far.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I shared my December 2019 Reads.

On this week’s podcast we talk about going vegan and more!

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!

December Reads {2019}

Posted on January 14, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

I ended my year of reading with holiday themed reads. If I read these types of books any other time of the year, I’d think they were cheesy and hate them. However, there’s something about Christmas time where, even though many holiday themed books rank high on the cheese factor, they are still enjoyable. Reading these themed books makes for a nice, light ending to the year. As always, I’m sharing these December reads with Steph and Jana’s SUYB linkup. Enjoy!

3 stars

25 Days ’til Christmas by Poppy Alexander – Kate, a young widow, wants to make this the best Christmas ever for her 6 year-old son Jack. She creates an Advent calendar with a fun holiday activity each day for the two of them to do. But with hardly any money and a dead-end job, she needs a miracle to pull it off. She then meets Daniel, who is as lonely and sad as she is. The two end up befriending each other and help each other through the holidays. This was actually a pretty sad and depressing holiday read that touched upon a lot of tough topics. If you want a light and fluffy holiday read, skip this one!

The Christmas Boutique by Jennifer Chiaverini – Basically, this story is about a group of quilters that pulls together to make sure the annual Christmas Boutique runs, after a major disaster occurs. I did not realize when I put this book on hold from the library that 1. it was about quilting (not really a topic of interest to me) and 2. that it was part of a series. Overall, it was an okay holiday read.

Christmas at the Little Street Bakery by Jenny Colgan – Polly is busy with Christmas baking. Her best friend, Kerensa has a huge secret that Polly is burdened with keeping. Then Polly has to deal with her own personal family issues. Christmas is not looking so great for her, but can she make it a happy holiday for everyone? I really enjoyed then first book in this series, but found this book to be just okay.

Let it Snow by Nancy Thayer – Christine owns a toy shop (shed) on Nantucket. When her landlord raises the rent, she and her fellow shopkeeper friends have to come up with a plan to save their businesses. She also meets Wink, a nine year-old little girl and Andy, her uncle, who both end up having a big impact on her.

You’ve Been Volunteered by Laurie Gelman – In this sequel to Class Mom, Jen Dixon is class mom of her son’s 3rd grade class. This year she is also roped into organizing the 5th grade school safety patrol. Her emails to the parents are filled with her usual snark and sarcasm, that is not appreciated by everyone. In addition, she’s also dealing with family issues, which leads to her feeling a bit overwhelmed. This book was a bit of a letdown, since I enjoyed Class Mom so much. It was an entertaining read, just not as funny as the first. This is also my only non-holiday read of the month, since I started this one after Christmas.

4 stars

The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan – Three sisters, Hannah, Beth and Posy are reunited in Scotland with their adopted parents for the Christmas holiday. Each sister is dealing with her own personal issues, but spending time together as a family helps them all. This wasn’t too sappy of a holiday read.

Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler – Emmie loves Christmas. She sets up a big, fun holiday-themed weekend scavenger hunt for her boyfriend Grant, but a different guy accidentally gets the clues. She ends up discovering that Sam, the other guy, loves Christmas as much as she does. When Grant finally does arrive in Christmas Point, he’s not very interested in all of Emmie’s special plans. She eventually has some decisions to make regarding their relationship. This was cute and sappy in a good way! Last year I read and really liked Schaler’s book Christmas Camp. This book didn’t disappoint either.

Five on Friday {Ready for the Weekend!}

Posted on January 10, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Hooray for Friday! Even though the week hasn’t been super busy, I am exhausted and so happy for two days off. My daughter has her first cheer competition this weekend. This is her first year doing modified cheer so I will finally get to see what we have gotten ourselves into! I’m hoping to do a little more cleaning and organizing this weekend as well. Here are five from this week:

1. Exercise – I’ve been continuing my walks during lunch most afternoons. I did skip yesterday, when it was 28 degrees…..just couldn’t get myself out there! Dana and I are also doing Yoga with Adriene’s 30 day Home challenge together. He’s been so good at keeping me accountable. For his first time doing yoga, he’s doing really well too!

2. Art Museum – Last weekend we visited a new-to-us museum, the Hudson Valley Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). Their current exhibit is “How We Live.” There were some interesting and fun pieces of art. Although the museum is small, we had a fun visit. While we were there, we paid a small fee to take a watercolor and collage class. Dana is very artistic and our kids inherited his art skills. They were all in their element and created some great pieces that I am hoping to frame.

3. Reading – I’m currently reading What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon. This is a historical fiction/romance/fantasy read. It’s my work book club pick and even though it’s gotten amazing reviews on goodreads, I have to say I’m not loving it. I am curious to see how it ends though.

4. Watching – I haven’t been watching much of anything recently. Dana and I are still watching an episode of Mrs. Maisel and The Man in the High Castle on the rare occasion, but we just haven’t had much time to sit and chill in front of the television.

5. Broadway Show – Dana was in the city over the weekend for an alumni event. While he was down there he went to see the Broadway show Come From Away. He raved about how great it was….but what Broadway show isn’t?!! It’s definitely on my want to see list.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Tuesday I posted Getting Organized in 2020.

This week on the podcast we talk about bumper cars on ice, indoor skiing and more!

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!

Getting Organized in 2020 {A Life Well Lived}

Posted on January 7, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

My first step for “A Life Well Lived” in 2020 (and the start of every new year) is to get organized! I thrive on planning and organization and I’ve discovered that being organized is super helpful in reducing daily stress.

Every year I wait until after Christmas to buy a planner and calendar for the new year. Not only do I get them on sale, but I enjoy spending the time between the end of the old year and the start of the new one setting up my calendar.

Planners and calendar systems are very personal. There is no one system that will work for everyone. You really have to try different kinds out (electronic, paper planners, bullet journals) to find the one that works for you. If you don’t use a planner though, I highly recommend you start using one this year!

I used to be a strictly pen and paper calendar user and even had a mini one for my purse. However, Dana and I now use the Cozi app to keep track of doctor appointments and the kids’ activities. I then transfer any appointments or activities that are entered in Cozi onto the regular wall calendar. In our house, if it’s not on the calendar, it’s not happening!

Each Sunday evening, I set up the weekly schedule in my paper planner. I used to use a bullet journal but have found that I prefer a regular paper planner. This is where I write the daily to-do tasks, like laundry and vacuuming, errands like the library and grocery store and the kids’ activities. I also write what the kids are eating for breakfast and lunch and what we are having for dinner. The kids no longer ask me, “What are we having for dinner?” They know they can look in the planner, which I keep open on our kitchen counter. They daily planner is what really keeps our family organized with the day-to-day stuff.

If I’m feeling especially motivated, I’ll even decorate the planner with stickers and motivational sayings……I do love a good motivational quote! I’ve seen YouTube videos and Instagram photos of people who are REALLY into decorating their planners. I’m luckily not one of them, but when stickers go on sale at Michael’s craft store, I’ll usually pick some up.

So this is how I’m planning for 2020. How are you keeping yourself organized this year?

Five on Friday {Hello January!}

Posted on January 3, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy Friday and Happy 2020! I am so excited for this new year and all of the new possibilities! Short intro this week – here are five from this week:

1. New Year’s Eve – Since having kids, Dana and I have enjoyed almost every New Year’s eve at home. Our most recent tradition as the kids have gotten older is to have appetizers/snacks for dinner and have an epic family game night. This New Year’s was no exception. Our menu consisted of truffle fries, vegetable dumplings, Bang Bang Cauliflower and Vegan Garlic Buffalo Brussels Sprouts. We played lots of games including Spot It, PicWits, Canine Chaos and Q-Bitz. After an early sparkling cider toast with the kids, I was in bed by 11 PM!

2. Reading – I finished my first book of 2020 on New Year’s Day! Book #1 was The Arrangement by Robyn Harding. It was a quick, suspenseful read. I was short of my Goodreads goal of 75 books read in 2019 by 2 books!! I have decided to try for 75 again for 2020.

3. Watching – The family had a movie night and watched Dora and the Lost City of Gold. It was actually a surprisingly funny movie. We think this is because our kids grew up watching Dora. My husband and I have been watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and The Man in the High Castle. How have we made it this long without watching either of these?!! I had tried Mrs. Maisel a long time ago and quit it after five minutes. I have no idea why because we are loving it! A member of my book club recommended The Man in the High Tower. This is not a light and fun show, but it is good.

4. Holiday Fun – Last weekend we visited the Grand Holiday Illumination at Untermyer Gardens in Yonkers. We visited last year as well, but fortunately, the weather was so much milder this year! These gardens are beautiful and it’s so nice to see them decorated and lit up for the holidays. It was a fun way to wrap up the holidays.

5. Puzzling – Most of my New Year’s Day was spent working on this puzzle. It was a Christmas present from my son…..he knows me well. It’s been a while since I worked on a puzzle. They become addictive and I really can’t start one when there’s things like holidays coming up! It was so nice to relax and listen to a podcast while I worked on it.

ICYMI this week on the blog:

Wednesday I posted A Life Well Lived.

This week on the podcast we talk about our holidays and the new year. We also have a new format where we focus more on Hudson Valley news and things to do.

Sharing with Friday Favorites! Have a great weekend!

2020: A Life Well Lived

Posted on January 1, 2020 by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Happy 2020! I stopped making New Year’s resolutions years ago because I never kept them. Then I started choosing a word of the year, which in the past have included “happy,” “growth” and most recently “abundance.” This year, I’ve chosen a motto to help guide this year for me. 2020 is all about “A Life Well Lived.” A new year means a blank slate with so many possibilities!

What exactly is, “A Life Well Lived?” To me it is spending quality time with family, a healthy lifestyle and fun. It’s new experiences and living in the moment. It’s becoming my best self, both inside and out. Join me on my journey as I document my year and maybe encourage you to live “A Life Well Lived” as well!