Luckily, I am a vegetable lover! My mother always loved to play around with traditional dishes to make them healthier, so together, we came up with this Luscious Low Carb Lasagna. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F.

All ingredients needed for Low Carb Lasagna:

Olive Oil
Basil
Sea salt
Pepper
Tomato Sauce (2 jars)
Zucchini (6)
Ground Beef (2 lbs)
Diced Onions
Diced Celery
Green Giant Shredded Cauliflower (1 pack)
Shredded Kale
Shredded Mozzarella
Grated Parmesan

Good Sauce Makes Great Lasagna

Anyone who knows good pasta, knows that it’s all in the sauce.  Add all of these ingredients into your pot at once and simmer the sauce on low until it thickens:
> Pour 2 Jars of Tomato Sauce into a pot
> Add 1 Teaspoon of Sea salt
> and 1/2 Teaspoon of Pepper
> Enhance it with 3 Fresh Basil Leaves (or 1/4 Teaspoon of Dry Basil)
> Include Two Tablespoons of Olive Oil

Your Lasagna Substitute

Slice the zucchini thin, preferably using a mandolin or chef’s knife and set aside.

Mouth-watering Meat

> 2 Pounds of Meat
> ¼ Cup of Olive Oil
> ¼ cup of diced celery
> ¼ cup of diced onions
> 1 teaspoon of sea salt
> Add pepper to taste (or your favourite spices; we put a pinch of Cumin)

Put your meat and all of the above ingredients into a pan and turn the stove on to medium heat. Stirring occasionally to avoid scorching, cook it until the meat is brown.  Set aside in a bowl once done.

Something Extra to Add

We like adding the cauliflower and the kale to give our lasagna something extra.  We also love the extra vegetables.
> Throw the full pack of shredded cauliflower into a pan
> Add ½ a cup of frozen/shredded kale
> Here you’ll need 2 tablespoons of olive oil because the cauliflower absorbs it
> Include a couple of pinches of sea salt
Sauté the mixture until cooked and set it aside in a bowl.

Layers on Layers

Once all your ingredients are prepared and set aside in bowls, get your tray ready. Using a ladle, scoop tomato sauce on to the bottom of the pan creating a layer of sauce.
Then, layer your zucchini.
Next, add more sauce.
Throw on a layer of meat.
Cauliflower/Kale mix layer to follow.
Sprinkle a bit of grated parmesan.
Then add a layer of shredded mozzarella.

Repeat until you fill the pan 3 quarters of the way.

To Top it Off

On the top layer, add a bit of sauce; add some parmesan and grated mozzarella. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the oven at 350°F for about 45 minutes.  Check it by inserting a fork. You’ll know it’s done when the zucchini is tender, the sauce has dried up a bit, and the fork glides right out.  We added a sprinkle of parsley to garnish it on the top of ours.

Buon appetito!

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• Meatless Monday Recipe: Sabich
• All Hail Kale! Healthier Chips
• Better than Popcorn, Easy Roasted Chickpeas

The post Lush Low Carb Lasagna Recipe appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.

Kick off the bachelorette party with the Toronto Bridal Brunch. What better way to start a bach-weekend than with a delicious brunch and some mimosas? In addition to this beautiful sit-down brunch, you and your bridesmaids can bond as you walk around and check out some amazing vendors. This could help you add the finishing touches to your perfect day. You’ll have everyone right beside you to give you an opinion, so you don’t have to send those mass texts in your group chat. The Toronto Bridal Brunch is having its inaugural event this year on April 7^th, so if you’re planning your bachelorette right now, grab your tickets soon.

Photo: Instagram/@HerMajestysPleasure

Her Majesty’s Pleasure

The Toronto Bridal Brunch should end around check-in time at your hotel. Once you check in, change into something more comfortable and head over to Her Majesty’s Pleasure.  The bride squad can get a manicure, pedicure, and a blow-out to prepare them for the evening festivities. Oh, and of course the cocktails keep pouring at Her Majesty’s Pleasure.

Photo credit to Benefit Canada’s Google Archive Drive

Benefit Cosmetics

From HMP, you and the team will go straight to Benefit Cosmetics on Yonge Street for your private Beauty Bash. The price starts at $50 per bridesmaid and it’s redeemable in product! At Benefit Cosmetics’ beauty boutique, everyone will get their eyebrows perfected and make-up done for the night on the town. The beauty bash package includes a bite to eat, complimented with some more bubbly!

Photo Courtesy of Circus Bus

Circus Bus

You’ll need transportation to get you and the I-Do-Crew around; enter, Circus Bus. Circus Bus is the way to travel around the city in style. It’s a party within itself. They offer 3 bachelorette packages, like the 10-hour Wine Crawl package, and have some crazy add-ons. Turn your bus into a UV Glow-in-the-Dark party or a fun ball-pit party! I spoke with Mike, co-owner of Circus Bus, and he said the party packages can be completely customized, “We are very flexible. Every Maid of honour/bride has a different idea as to what they want, so we accommodate. Basically, the packages we have online are to help spawn some ideas and then we can build off them to add or remove to fit the customer budget and preferences. We do this primarily as a courtesy for our clients as we are now large enough to negotiate a line bi-pass / discounts on behalf of the party.”

Photo: Facebook/@ElCoventoRico

El Convento Rico

Your last stop for the night should be at El Covento Rico. This larger-than-life drag bar not only boasts one of the most entertaining shows in Toronto, but after the show you and your girls can dance the night away.

Photo: Instagram/@ElmwoodSpa

Elmwood Spa

The next morning might be a little rough for you girls. You probably won’t wake up very early, and when you do, you’ll need some major rehabilitation. This is where Elmwood Spa comes in. Pair up the girls and take advantage of the complimentary lunch for two deal. End the weekend off with mouth-watering dishes and some much needed hair of the dog.

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• Get Out of the Winter Funk and Into One Of These Self Care Retreats

The post The Ultimate Toronto Bachelorette Party Guide appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a pan with parchment paper and set it aside.

Clean the Brussels sprouts by cutting the bottoms off and peeling a couple of layers of leaves.

Wash the Brussels sprouts under cold water, but don’t drench them. Then, towel dry.

Slice the Brussels sprouts into thin, flat, circular pieces using a chef’s knife. This is where they become like chips. You should get about 4 thin slices out of each Brussels sprout.

Once the Brussels sprouts are sliced, put them into a bowl of olive oil and toss them. There should only be a light amount of olive oil. The amount is subject to change based on how many Brussels sprouts you have. You don’t want them dripping in oil, but just lightly oiled.  I had about thirty Brussels sprouts and I used a ¼ cup of olive oil.

Fill a separate bowl with grated parmesan cheese. For thirty Brussels sprouts, I filled my bowl with 1 and ½ cup of parmesan. Again, you can decipher how much cheese you want based on the amount of Brussels sprouts you are making, and based on personal preference. The more cheese you add, the crispier the chips will come out. Pour the cheese into the bowl of lightly oiled Brussels sprouts. Save a little bit of cheese in the bowl.

Toss the Brussels sprouts in the cheese and oil with tongs until they are evenly covered.

Spread your Brussels sprouts evenly across your pan on top of the parchment paper and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Put them into the oven for about 30 minutes. Halfway through, flip them with the tongs. Your goal is to dry the sprouts out and make them crunchy, like chips.

When the Brussels sprouts chips are finished cooking and ready to eat, I love to dip mine in a light chipotle mayo, however, you can use any dip you like, or any vegan substitute.

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The post Brussels Sprout Chips appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.

This particular week, Sud Salutations was held at Left Field Brewery in Leslieville, a small baseball-inspired brewhouse. Left Field has a laid-back vibe that is the perfect pairing with Becki’s calm yogi spirit. They don’t offer food, instead they have a short snacks-only menu to compliment their artisan beer. This also allows Left Field to be a dog friendly environment. People walk in with their dogs, order a pint, and sit and chat with their K9 by their ankles. It’s the perfect place for Becki to bring her sweet rescue dog, Gilly, with her to instruct a class. It’s a very relaxed and welcoming environment that makes people feel as though they are a part of a community.

I arrived early enough to sit and chat with Becki, and of course, I had to ask what inspired this unlikely combination of yoga and beer. “I had been working in various roles in the craft beer industry for years, while I was an avid yogi and teaching part time on the side. When I decided to leave the hospitality industry, I had made a lot of connections with brewery staff and owners, wanting to keep these communities of people in my life. Beer yoga was the perfect way to do this. I was able to cross my worlds together by introducing yoga to the beer world and craft beer to the yoga world,” she enthused. “I enjoy these events because it creates a foundation for communities to gather and share interests. Not only do I enjoy teaching yoga, but I love to get to know the students after!”

By taking yoga out of the studio people are often less intimidated to try it. This unique experience of doing yoga beside gigantic humming brew kettles creates an easy-going atmosphere. We were off to the side, and had privacy from onlookers, but to be honest, anyone who walked in didn’t seem phased by a group of people doing yoga in a brewery. I thought this was indicative of the comfortable atmosphere at Left Field. Becki’s teaching style is the perfect combination of relaxing and meditative, but it’s also a great workout. I really felt like I had started my morning with a burst of energy after her class. Afterwards, everyone sat at tables together and enjoyed their flights of four different types of beer selected by Left Field themselves.

A team member came out to tell us the story of how Left Field started, which felt like a mini brewery tour after yoga. He talked about the four types of beer included in our flight and explained the process behind each of them. I tried each one and immediately decided which was my favourite after my first sip: Cactus League (see pink beer in photo). It had citrus-y notes of melon and lime with a hint of bubble gum and a touch of sea salt. I couldn’t get enough!

“My focus is really on bringing community together. It breaks down stereotypes; showing that you can be a yogi and a craft beer nerd and that we all have things in common,” Becki shares. “I also choose to keep yoga separate from enjoying your beer. I have heard of events that mix the two together, but personally, I still want the focus of the practice to be on yoga. The beer is a way for us to all connect afterwards.” And that it was. The best part of this unique experience was sampling beer at a table full of people I didn’t know.

I thought everyone in the room must have been long-time friends. On the contrary, some had met through Sud Salutations and kept in touch ever since. It really was a gathering of people who had two likes in common: yoga and beer. Everyone was welcoming and wanted to get to know one another over a beer. The more familiar we became, the more it dawned on me how Becki had truly created a community of her own. As someone who isn’t a big beer drinker, I can honestly say I would attend Sud Salutations again. I hung out with new people, had a vibrant meditative workout, and discovered my new love for beer!

Sign up for Becki’s next Sud Salutations event here: https://www.beckicharlesyoga.com/events-1.

Learn more about Left Field here: http://www.leftfieldbrewery.ca/.

Read more: 

• A Heart-Shaped Pizza Party to Remember

The post Beer + Yoga = The Formula for a Fun-Filled Saturday appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.

Most of the greatest shows and movies were shot on the streets of New York City, so it comes as no surprise that we all have specific landmarks we promise ourselves to go and see one day: The Friends fountain in Central Park, those famous Sex & the City cupcakes from Magnolia bakery (I highly suggest the banana pudding instead), meeting Tom Hanks atop the Empire State Building (but also accepting the fact that Tom Hanks does not come with that experience) – the list is endless, and it is nearly impossible to check it all off in one visit. As many people who have been will tell you, you shouldn’t go to New York once. It’s too dense, too beautiful, and there is way too much to see!

Everyone should take a minimum of 3 trips to New York throughout their lifetime… I said it!  I also think that you should book one of those trips in the summer and one in the winter.  Here are the 3 Types of NYC Trips you need to take.

The Tourist Trip

Be realistic; your first trip to New York City will be for checking out those landmarks you fantasized about ever since you saw your favourite movie. You’ll also want to get a feel for the city and soak it all in. Map out your must-visit spots and put together an itinerary. Aside from movie references, there are just classic New York spots you’ll want to see at least once in your life, such as Times Square, Central Park, Rockefeller Center and more. To be honest, a lot of these places are pricey and over-saturated with tourists, like yourself, so consider that when making your list. For example, really ask yourself how badly you need to be at the top of the Empire State Building. Weigh the pros and cons, is it worth standing in line for that long period of time? Is that how you want to spend your money?  If it’s worth it for you – do it, you don’t want to have any regrets when you leave, but, if you think you can live without it – skip it. It’s different for everyone. A lot of the textbook tourist attractions consist of visiting, taking a picture, looking around and admiring it for a few minutes and leaving. Add must-try restaurants to your map as well, like the famous Frozen Hot Chocolate at Serendipity 3, a gigantic slice of greasy NY pizza, or anything else your stomach desires. A few of my favourite tourist recommendations: Walk the High Line to Chelsea Market, visit Ground Zero (very emotional), take a rickshaw ride through Central Park.

The New Yorker

Book your hotel in Chelsea and run around town like a New Yorker or someone who has lived there for a while.  Chelsea is the perfect neighbourhood to do so because it’s not quite as tourist-filled and it’s where you can have a lot of fun.  On this trip, you should book Sunday brunch at Bagatelle, which is essentially one big weird party/show. I love when things get weird; picture Storm Troopers and saxophone players partying together. Book a show at the Comedy Cellar, a comedy club in Manhattan where a lot of famous comedians give surprise performances (see Ray Romano’s new Netflix special.)  Grab French Toast at Le Grain Café, get drinks at The Jane Hotel speakeasy, eat Babka at Bread’s Bakery near Union Square. The list is endless. A lot of these recommendations came from friends living in NYC, so trust me, you’re in good hands!

Cross that Bridge When You Get There

Book a trip outside of Manhattan. Dumbo and Williamsburg in Brooklyn are two amazing neighbourhoods you should visit, but you may not want to do so on your first trip to NYC because you’ll want to get some of that tourist stuff out of your system. Dumbo is known for its converted Brooklyn warehouse buildings and cobblestone streets that lead to high-end restaurants, trendy cafés, and a thriving performance and gallery scene. On your way over to Dumbo, take one of those famous Brooklyn bridge photos. Next, head to Williamsburg; one of the hottest areas to check out in New York these days. This gentrified neighbourhood is full of hipsters, repurposed factories, and plenty of buzzed-about restaurants. Williamsburg is a gorgeous place to mosey around because it’s a very artistic part of NYC. Street art brightens the entire district from residential spots to commercial areas. On your way back to Manhattan, take the Williamsburg Bridge and snap a couple more photos! 

A big part of the New York City experience is walking everywhere.  It doesn’t make sense to take an Uber or rent a car in a place with such busy streets, especially because there is something exciting to see at almost every corner you turn. This makes summer an ideal time to book one of your trips to NYC. It’s a whole new experience as well. That city is always alive, but it’s even more alive in the summer! Switch it up and book your trips in different seasons. However, I also recommend booking your Tourist Trip in November/ December, like I did, because everyone needs to experience Christmas in New York at least once in their lives – it’s magical. Most of the holiday tourist spots are in Midtown Manhattan, so you’re close to 5th Ave where the world’s most immaculate Christmas displays dwell.  Not to mention the tree in Rockefeller Center. 

If you haven’t already guessed it, my personal New York fantasy was to experience everything Kevin McCallister did in Home Alone 2, so being there at Christmas made me feel like a kid again!  Everywhere I went I searched for two turtle doves, but they were completely sold out. My heart broke a little.  However, there were a lot of creepy/disheveled women sauntering around Central Park, which made me feel like I got somewhat of a Home Alone 2 experience.  #NewBesties

via GIPHY

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The post The 3 NYC Trips You Need to Take appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.

As time passed, the person’s blood pressure also decreased, and their muscles were less tense. Each of these indicators was signs of reduced stress and confirmed the health benefits of spending time with a dog. It’s no surprise that over 30 years later, a Toronto couple has fused the idea of playing with puppies and exercising.

Calling All Dog Lovers

Lisa and Leo are a Toronto couple who have always been dog lovers, “but as busy professionals, we don’t have time to own a dog,” Lisa explains, “When we heard about yoga and puppies popping up in different cities in the US and Canada, we thought it would be a great opportunity for us to combine our love for yoga and spend time with some puppies, so in 2018, we started Pups Yoga.”  

Time to De-stress

It’s a brilliant idea, considering hundreds of dogs are surrendered in Toronto every year, often by people who realize their busy professional lifestyles are not conducive to owning one. Pups Yoga offers those dog lovers, who are unable to adopt, the chance to interact with puppies while de-stressing the Beck & Katcher way.

The couple even collaborates with the Toronto Humane Society for special events. According to Makyla Deleo, Public Relations Specialist at the THS, Pups Yoga isn’t just beneficial for humans – it’s advantageous for the puppies too. “It’s a great chance for pups to meet new people and socialize,” Makyla explains, “Yoga is a relaxing experience, so while the groups are somewhat large, the energy level is relatively low, and our supporters are quite respectful of the animals.”

Keeping the Puppies Happy

As an animal lover myself, I had to ask Makyla if there could be any adverse effects on the puppies. “There could be.” She illuminates, “If the litter was shy or under-socialized and they were let loose in a large group of people, with minimal supervision, they could become quite stressed. Class lengths could run too long, or appropriate breaks may not be given to the animals, leading to physical stress as well. 

Also, if the organization is not sourcing their puppies from reputable breeders, they could be supporting puppy mills or backyard breeders. This further confirms that it is crucial to ensure we are supporting a reliable puppy and yoga organizer. It’s also essential for attendees to pay close attention to how the animals are being treated, as this is not a regulated industry.

The Pups Yoga Class

Lisa invited me out to one of her Pups Yoga classes, insisting it was something I had to experience first-hand to understand the joy it truly brings. I headed over on a sunny Sunday morning, which, in my opinion, is the perfect day to get in a good yoga and puppies session. On this day, the puppies were a German-Shepherd/Border Collie mix. The type of puppies frequently changes, which gives patrons the option to come back and meet a new litter and breed almost every week.  

There are three classes: 10:00am, 11:15am, and 12:30pm. Each class is an hour, with extra time left at the end for photos and puppy cuddles. The puppies are most energetic in the first class and gradually calm down toward the last class, some even fall asleep in your arms or piled on top of one another. I took the 11:15 am class.

Right away, I was in heaven. There is a lot of commotion when you walk into the room between the puppies running around, and everyone excited to see them. Two girls sat at the side of the room, gently petting three puppies they found piled on top of one another sleeping peacefully. The rest of the litter ran around freely, sometimes biting each other’s ears or stopping to sniff a person’s toes. I laid my mat down in the center of the room, right in front of the instructor, Madhuri, who had that peaceful yogi aura that all great instructors exude.

The Best Class Ever

She stood patiently and enjoyed the moment as she giggled at participants gushing over the puppies. “It is a wonderful feeling to see people smiling,” Madhuri enlightened, “They always enter, letting out a few aww’s an exit with a big grin. It fills me with satisfaction. There’s nothing better than de-stressing people. I feel blessed to be able to do it.”

As the yoga and puppies class began, you could tell that some people were there to partake in yoga, some people just came to see the puppies, and some people wanted to do a bit of both. “You get people who come for different reasons.” Madhuri elaborated, “It doesn’t bother me if some people aren’t concentrating on their moves. I just keep teaching and love watching people enjoy the experience. It truly is my dream job.” I happened to be one of the people who came for a yoga class but also wanted to play with puppies.

A Unique Class

Although there are distractions in the class, I found that it forced me to have more awareness, which is a big focus on yoga. I remained focused on Madhuri’s voice and on positioning myself correctly. The puppies didn’t interrupt me because they had enough people in there to keep themselves busy, but when I wanted some attention, there was always one around willing to come and play with me. It’s noisier than a regular yoga class, but no one gets upset about it. Everyone got along well, and part of the pleasure in this experience is listening to the other people in the room radiated happiness.   

Every time I leave a yoga class, I walk out in a calm trance, and there’s a stillness to the energy around me. When I left puppy yoga, I walked out feeling light, but giggly. It was a different feeling than a regular yoga class, less stillness, but more of energetic happiness. If dogs and yoga are both healthy ways to relieve stress, ease anxiety, and lower blood pressure, putting them together can only have positive benefits—more reasons why the world needs more yoga and puppies. 

Happiness is a Cute Pup

The entire experience will put you in a happy and energetic mood for the rest of the day. My favorite aspect of Pups Yoga is what Makyla from the Toronto Humane Society pointed out to me, which is that puppy and yoga classes promote and encourage animal adoption. 

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The post The World Needs More Yoga & Puppies appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.

Like any child, Gelie is a vibrant lover of life who can’t wait to celebrate holidays and partake in fun activities.  She’s the little-sister-I-never-had and I think the reason we get along so well is because I never grew out of my childhood love for crafts and activities, I’m kind of a big kid.  It probably comes from growing up with my amazing mom who was always doing fun, new things with me.  It truly has become a huge part of who I am and why I love having hobbies and sharing them with Gelie.

It’s All About the Theme Song

Over time, this heart-shaped pizza party has become more and more detailed, to the extent that we discovered a theme song for it.  One day, I randomly had an idea that if I found a song with Angelina’s name in it, she would love it.  So, out of curiosity, I Googled, “Songs with the name Angelina in them,” and came across a song by Louis Prima about a nice waitress at a pizzeria named, you guessed it, Angelina.

“How fitting for our pizza parties,” I thought as I laughed out loud.  I played it for her, and of course, she thought it was hilarious.  It has become the soundtrack to her life.  We have also picked up more pizza decorating ideas along the way and we include some of Gelie’s toys to make her feel like she owns a real pizzeria. This year, my mom even sewed her a brand new apron (see photos). 

The Month of Love and Family

I don’t remember exactly how the pizza party started, but we have organized them for many years.  Since February is the month of love and family, with Valentine’s Day and Family Day close to one another, it became the perfect time of year for Angelina’s heart-shaped pizza party to recur.  Every year, the parties have become more extensive and it has become a fun get-together we look forward to, with more friends and family joining.  Both of our moms join us and give us their Italian-cooking expertise, like how to season the tomato sauce and how much cheese is too-much cheese, (is there such a thing?).  However, once the pizza making starts, we let the kids do whatever they want to the dough.  Everyone loves it, especially the children, and that’s why I decided to share this story with my readers.  It has become such a fond memory for all of us, and I think you should have a heart-shaped pizza party at home with your family too. It’s easy and inexpensive to put together, enjoy!

How to make Heart-Shaped Pizza:

• Purchase some heart-shaped pans.  You can find a set by Googling where to get them. We’re pretty sure our pans are cake pans so the pizza is deep-dish style which is a nice change to the regular pizza we make
• Pizza Dough (regular, vegan, gluten-free, whichever you prefer)
• 1 Jar of Tomato Sauce, stir in 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and a half teaspoon of basil
• Grated cheese of your choice, Angelina requested cheddar
• The toppings of your preference.  Gelie wanted pepperoni and olives.  It’s best to pick something that you can have fun decorating with.
• A paper towel with olive oil to grease the pan
• Fun utensils for the kids; Angelina enjoys painting, so I intentionally put a basting brush with the utensils.  She had a lot of fun with that.
• Anything else you see fit for your pizza!
• The pizza should bake at 350°F for roughly 20 minutes, keep checking them and decide when to take them out based on how you like your crust!

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The post A Heart-Shaped Pizza Party to Remember appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.

Cookies As Cards

Ever since I discovered my mother’s delicious shortbread cookie recipe, I have been baking heart-shaped cookies for Valentine’s Day and giving them out as a gift to everyone I love. Over the years, these cookies have become my Valentine’s Day cards and I have even crafted my own bags to package them. I love giving this small Valentine’s Day gesture out to friends and family. Amateur bakers rejoice can in the simplicity of this recipe. Whether you’re baking them with your kids or bringing them into the office, these cookies are always a hit.  

What you’ll need for the cookies:

Heart-shaped cookie cutters
Large cookie pan
Parchment paper
2 ¾ Cups (675 ml) All-purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon (3 ml) Salt
1 ¼ Cups (300 ml) Icing Sugar
2 tsp (10 ml) Vanilla
Coloured decorating icing
Sprinkles [Optional]

Baking Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
Beat the butter until it’s fluffy.
Beat in the icing sugar and the vanilla and set that aside.
Now mix the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.
Sift together the flour and salt.
Then, gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.
Do not grease the cookie sheet, use parchment paper on top of it instead.
Roll out the dough and use the cookie cutters to cut out your different sized hearts.
Place the hearts on the parchment paper and put them in the oven for roughly 7 minutes, until the edges of the cookies are slightly golden.  Shortbread should be watched closely because they bake quickly, and you don’t want them to brown.
Once the cookies are baked, let them cool off.
Now you can decorate the hearts with your icing and sprinkles, enjoy! 

When the cookies are decorated, the crafting begins!

What you’ll need for the craft:

Small paper bags (found at the dollar store)
Ribbon
Colourful Markers
A 1-hole hole puncher or pen to poke holes
Tissue Paper
Paper for notes to add in the bag [Optional]

Craft Steps:

1) The first thing you’ll need to do is decipher which side of the bag you want to be the front/decorated side. 
2) Fold the bag over at the top about a 1-inch fold from front to back, leaving the flap at the back of the bag.
3) Poke two holes at the top of the bag; I did this carefully and slowly with a pen, however, a 1-hole puncher would be ideal.
4) Write names on each bag and have fun decorating with cute Valentine’s doodles! 

5) Once you’re done decorating, I suggest wrapping the cookies in tissue paper.  Shortbread cookies can be greasy because of the butter and it may seep through the bags. Friends who are single get one big cookie (to fill the void… just kidding), friends who have a significant other get two medium/small cookies. 
6) Add in a little note to your friend with one of those classic Valentine’s Day card jokes. [Optional]

7) Once the cookies are placed inside the bags, pull one small piece of ribbon through the holes you created.  Insert the ribbon through the back of the bag so that when you tie your bow it sits at the front.
8) Tie a bow at the front and cut off any access ribbon as you see fit.

Make these shortbread heart cookies and craft bags for each of your friends as a little way to spread love on Valentine’s Day. I do it every year and everyone loves them. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Here is an alternative vegan/gluten free shortbread cookie recipe.

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The post These Valentine’s Day Cookie & Craft Cards Are Too Cute For This World appeared first on Food Health & Parenting Tips.