I Made Secret Ingredient Brownies and They Rocked It

I was going to write a very helpful post today about after school activities in Miami, but all I really want to write about today is the batch of Secret Ingredient Brownies I made on Sunday night, and how awesome they tasted, and how much fun it was to give them to people, make them guess the "secret ingredient", and then dramatically reveal that there was, in fact, an entire can of black beans in the brownies.

I'm not much of a sneaky food-hider a la Mrs. Seinfeld, but I don't have a problem with it either. And when I read about the Secret Ingredient Flourless Brownies in the Whole Foods blog that comes over my Google Reader, I knew I'd have to give it a try--I was that intrigued. Basically, you replace the flour with a can of pureed black beans. They tasted great, particularly on the second day. I wouldn't exactly call it health food, but they are at least healthier than "regular" brownies, according to the Whole Story blog post:

When you compare these brownies to more traditional ones, you’ll see that ours have fewer calories but more fiber and only 12 grams of sugar per serving versus 21 grams in a traditional brownie. And here’s some good news for people watching their carbs: Ours have 17 grams of carbs per serving, compared to 36 grams for the traditional version.

BTW, they are really easy to make--I would even call them kid-friendly baking, because you throw everything in the blender and then punch a button. The recipe is gluten-free. I couldn't find no salt black beans at Publix, but did find them at Whole Foods (go figure.) And NO, I do not get a kickback from Whole Foods for pimping their black beans;-)

photo credit: tazzmaniac/sxc.hu

Real Housewives of Miami--Porque No?

OK, I've been semi-housebound for much of the past week due to staggered kids with fevers and flu, so my mind is a little scrambled. With everyone bedbound and quarantined, there's been a lot of TV watching going on, causing me to contemplate important issues, like:

* "Where are Max & Ruby's parents, already?" (If this is a burning question for you too, check out this detailed explanation and commentary for all the answers. Seriously.) Some parents apparently won't let their kids watch the show because they think it sets a bad example for two kids...I mean bunnies...to be running around unsupervised so much of the time, and others don't like that Max is always "bad". Yet other critics are upset that poor big sister Ruby seems to have so much responsibility on her young shoulders, what with feeding Max, bathing Max, and clothing Max. Yes. There really is this much debate about Max and Ruby on the internet.

* Moving on to the next burning TV topic--why isn't there a Real Housewives of Miami in the works? I mean, really--does Bravo not think we have more than enough dramatic "housewives" in this loco city to hang with New York, LA, and Atlanta? Because, uh, we do, and considering that Miami is such a cultural melting pot, I'm sure the rest of the country would be fascinated to see Miami housewife tradition in action-- that our housewives employ baby nurses in scrubs (this totally weirded me out when I moved here--nannies in nursing scrubs? Someone had to explain to me that they were "baby nurses"--hence the scrubs...whatever), that "live-ins" are the norm in some households, regardless of income level, and that the plastic surgery here more than rivals the LA housewives plastic surgery--hello, we DO have the world famous "Dr. Boobner" (Roudner) right here in Coral Gables. Also, maybe my fave Miami exclamation "Oye!" could catch on nationwide! Then again, we couldn't capture the wig & weave demographic like Atlanta and LA. But seriously, throw a Hialeah housewife, a SoBe housewife, a recent transplant to Miami housewife, and an Aventura housewife in the mix for starters, and you've practically got a show right there. And considering how the "gay besties" are always so popular on the show, we should be able to offer the first gay male housewife, no prob. But alas, our city is not currently on the drawing board. There were rumors, according to a recent post by nbcmiami's Jessica Sick, but Bravo said that there are no plans for a Miami show, just a DC show. DC? Um, we are currently entrenched in the real life drama that I like to call The Real Healthcarebill of Washington, DC, so why do we need a Housewives of DC? We've got enough DC drama, thank you.

* I also found myself wondering--what did I do all day when I was bedbound as a youngster? I mean, Elle's age (3) and a little bit older. There certainly wasn't a lot of young kids TV programming on during the day. I remember Sesame Street and Electric Company, and a little search jogged my memory and turned up Romper Room, Captain Kangaroo, and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, which would all be toddler-appropriate. From what I can remember, those shows were all on in the morning, and afternoon kids shows were for older kids (Land of the Lost leaps to mind.) So I called my mom to find out what I did all day when I was sick and in bed all day. First, she tried to cop out and tell me that I simply wasn't sick as a child. Uh, OK mom. Try again. She thought some more, and while she maintains that I was rarely sick, she remembers me either sleeping if I felt superbad, or playing quietly or looking at books in bed if I felt well enough to do that. Also, some TV. Hmmm. Even though I am not a huge fan of TV for kids, I consider myself a moderate on the issue (as I am re: many things), and I am completely grateful for Tivo and neverending children's programming on the days when the girls are sick and really need to rest in bed all day to recover.

* Final question from my weeklong children's TV marathon. Why are Miss Spider's children not all spiders? I noticed upon VERY frequent, repeated viewing this week that there is a bedbug, a beetle, and dragonfly too. The answer, as I learned on the Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends Wikipedia entry, is that the other bugs are adopted. The Wikipedia entry even gives the background on each of the adopted bugs. Wow.

So, everyone is feeling better now, and my TV marathoning has come to an end. Whew! I'm sure I'll have more burning questions after the next bout of flu or stomach virus, so stay tuned!

Photo credit: hotcakejoy/sxc.hu

GymKidz Miami Gymnastics Classes: Free Evaluation and 1/2 Off Registration Next Week

Skyler took gymnastics at the Coral Gables Youth Center through GymKidz last year, so I am on their email list. Got an email from them today with info on the upcoming session. First, they are offering half off registration if you register for classes next week (August 24 - 29.) Second, they are hosting a free evaluation day next Saturday the 29th, so your child can show his or her gymnastics skills and be placed in the appropriate level class. During the evaluation event, they are also offering 20% off leotards, and 1/2 off registration.

I'm a fan of the GymKidz program for a few reasons:

* they offer a wide range of class days and times, which is important for us because Skyler goes to school on Miami Beach, so can't do "right after school" classes near where we live in Coconut Grove.

* they offer classes for a wide range of ages. 3 and up attend class by themselves, so this year I'm planning on having both Skyler and Elle take classes.

* the Youth Center has a great playground for little kids....that technically I'm not supposed to use because I'm not a paying member of the Youth Center, but I do anyway on occasion. I know, it's affecting my karma, but once in a while, I take Elle to play on their lovely shaded Astroturf playground for the hour that Sky is in class. Sorry, but it is a selling point for me. (Shhhhh...now don't turn me in.)

* it's not a supercompetitive atmosphere, but it is a goal-oriented atmosphere. The kids are striving to move up to the next color level, so it is competition with self, not pressure to "win" against other kids, which we all know can get ugly and out of hand in some situations.

* they offer special events all the time, like weekly open gym on Fridays, parents nights out, and special theme parties for different age groups.

* the instructors and desk attendants are really nice people, and always seem happy to be there.

* different skill levels take classes at the same time in different parts of the gym, so the kids can see what they've achieved (by looking at some of the beginner gymnasts), and what they can aspire to achieve (by looking at the more experienced gymnasts.)

Here's the info from the email:

Session 1 Begins Registration for Session 1 begins Monday, August 24th at 10:00a.m. If you register for classes the week of August 24th-29th , Gym Kidz will give you ½ OFF the registration fee!
Our office hours for registration are:
Monday- Friday 10:00a.m.-6:00p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
If you have any questions please call 305-460-5615 or visit us at www.gymkidzmiami.com
FREE Special Event Saturday, August 29th 1:30p.m. - 3:30p.m. Ages 3 and Older
Please attend our FREE evaluation day! Come show off all your gymnastics skills and Gym Kidz will recommend the best class for you! We offer a variety of classes to meet every child's needs including our Hot Shots advanced preschool class, Performance Team and our Competitive Gymnastics program. We want to make sure that every Gym Kidz in our program is placed in the appropriate class and is being challenged both mentally and physically!
20% Discount on Leotards and ½ OFF Registration if you attend! We hope to see everyone there!

photo credit: melodi2/sxc.hu

Flip Flops of Death? Seriously?

First "news" story to pop up on my homepage today: "Can Flip-Flops Make You Sick?". Just....why? Don't we have enough to worry and stress about these days without obsessing over how much bacteria our footwear is harboring? Yes, I read the article. If you're interested in learning more about flip-flop bacteria, be my guest. Basically, the article says that our flip-flops harbor lots of bacteria, including some potentially deadly strep strains, and that people touch flip-flops more than other types of shoes because they are, well, floppier, so they need to be adjusted more often. Whatever. I, for one, have mastered the art of the "flip-flop toe grip," so I don't find myself adjusting my flip-flops any more often than regular shoes. Sadly, the article reference the "University of Miami emergency mobile flip-flop lab" as a source of some of the information. I seriously, seriously hope that name is a joke--I'm assuming it is--but regardless, I'm sad that our fine U of M has been out there testing flip-flop bacteria!

And to wrap up my rant, I find it annoying that this story lists all sorts of scary info about flip-flops but does not offer a comparison to close-toed shoes. One of the most valuable lessons I learned as a journalism major was: Do not trust the numbers in the news. Point being--people tend to trust statistics they read or hear in the news, assuming that "numbers don't lie." But actually, it is so easy to manipulate numbers, skew studies, pick and choose what to highlight, and omit important details in order to make a desired point. Like, for instance, stating that there are over 18,000 bacteria on a pair of flip-flops without offering a comparison to amount of bacteria on closed shoes, or on feet without shoes, or other daily-use items. OK. Enough about the flip-flops. I'm letting it go....

Photo credit: stempl01/sxc.hu

Back-to-School Immunizations: No Appointment Needed, And For Free!

As a lifelong procrastinator and last-minute gal, I thought I'd post this info on back-to-school vaccinations for my fellow Miami moms, especially those that might be new to town and trying to get the kids registered for school. The Miami-Dade County Health Department is offering back-to-school vaccinations through August 18: no appointment needed, and even better, the vacs are absolutely free. For locations and hours, read Free vaccinations for children.

Photo credit: scyza/sxc.hu

snapfish.com and Miami Walgreens: 50 Photos for $5 Through August 16 Code: WALDIME

My friend Monique and I were griping on the phone the other day about how all this technology that is supposed to make things easier and faster can sometimes make things more complicated. Photos, in particular, are what we were discussing. You know--we all have digital cameras now. And with those digital cameras, we have more control, more options....and a longer *&*^ To Do List. Forget the old days, when you would shoot a roll of film, drop it off at the drugstore, pick the photos up a few days later. If you were ambitious, you would put the photos in an album, and maybe get the best shots reprinted to mail to the grandparents. But if you were like many of us, you would flip through them, show the fam, and then throw the whole envelope in a box or drawer labeled "Photos." Done.

Now, I take some snaps at a birthday or on vacation with the digital, and here's a sample To Do List that hangs around in my brain:

* take the pics off the camera and put them on the computer in My Photos--in an appropriately labeled file, of course

* look through all 150 pics and find some cute ones, upload them to Facebook with funny labels so everyone can admire my adorable family

* find THE cutest one to use as my Facebook profile pic for a while

* upload the whole, huge batch to snapfish.com so those who are not addicted to Facebook can see the "Photo Album" and admire my adorable family

* send emails to friends and family with link to Snapfish album or Facebook album

*why not make some prints to mail with those birthday thank you cards? that would make the grandparents SO happy! OK, so now sort through the huge batch of photos again and pick a few to reprint. Go back to Snapfish and select photos to print.

* Or, do I want to make a cute photo greeting card that says "Thank You" to send as the birthday thank you cards? I'm inspired! Let's do that right away! I will take the memory card from the camera down the drugstore and use their machine to create a masterpiece photo "Thank You" card by cropping the photo, changing color backgrounds and messages, and redoing the card design three times while Elle plays at my feet by rearranging their floor level disposable camera display (thank god she is a little OCD toddler--this activity really does occupy her for a good 20 minutes.)

Seriously.

So I was psyched to discover that now, you can choose an option on snapfish.com to "print photos to Walgreens". I've used this a couple of times when I've wanted a few snaps printed to enclose in a birthday card or something, and have needed to mail right away. You choose the photos you want prints of, choose size, and they are ready at the Walgreens of your choosing within an hour. It's 19 cents a print for 4 x 6-- a lot more than getting them through the mail from Snapfish (9 cents each for 4x6.) But then again, if you only need five or six prints, you have to factor in shipping (99 cents at the least) or take time to choose other photos that you'd like prints of.....argh!!! See what I mean? That's why I'm excited about the 50 prints for $5 deal that snapfish.com and Walgreens are running through August 16. Use the code: WALDIME when you check out to get the deal. Looks like the grandparents will finally be getting those birthday thank you cards!

photo credit: idemidem/sxc.hu

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No Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday for Miami Parents This Year

I've been waiting to see the dates for Florida's back-to-school sales tax holiday, and just got around to actually looking it up online, since it is now well into August. And guess what? There isn't one this year! Hmmmm....not a big deal I guess, but chalk another one up on the list of "how this dismal economy is affecting all of us in hundreds of little ways." It's the little ways that I notice throughout the day--every time I'm driving around town and see yet another restaurant or small business shuttered, bracing myself for the report on the state of things at Skyler's public elementary school in a few weeks, the email from the Miami Childrens Museum asking for support in fighting near across-the-board arts funding cuts. The big hits, we read about in the news every day, but the little things that are affecting Miami families add up too.

Dora the Explorer Live at the Broward Center This Weekend

Whoa! Dora, Diego, and Boots almost snuck into town without me knowing it? Can't let that happen.

Dora the Explorer Live: Search for the City of Lost Toys will be at the Broward Center in Ft. Lauderdale this weekend; the first show is Friday (8/7) at 7 PM, and the Saturday and Sunday shows are at 10:30, 2, and 5:30.

Since Elle successfully attended a couple movies in the theater this summer, I might just do this. She's still "into" Dora, though she's much more a fan of those Max & Ruby bunnies these days. I've let a million Disney on Ice type performances come and go, because she doesn't know a lot of the newer Disney characters that are featured. Now Lady and the Tramp on Ice? She'd totally be down with.

Prices range from $11 - $36, which isn't tooooo bad. More info at the Broward Center website here, and there's link to a Nordstrom discount that lowers the $26 tickets to $16 for up to 9 tickets.

Photo credit: Avolore/sxc.hu

I Miss You, Terry Gross

I went to visit my dad in Stuart for a couple of days, and even though the drive takes about 2 hours, I look forward to it for one reason: public radio. When I worked in sales, I was in the car visiting clients all the time, and always had WLRN 91.3 playing. It's a great NPR station with lots of good shows (with the exception of Science Friday and Friday Arts Beat, which used to make me want to drive my car into oncoming traffic to end the misery and boredom. But that's just me.) Like I said, most of the shows are a really good listen, and Fresh Air at noon....ah, Terry Gross, I have loved her for years. You can listen to a show online here. It's an interview show, she is a very good interviewer, and her subjects are usually super-interesting and glad to be there. The first show I ever happened upon--the one that got me hooked--was years ago in Bloomington, Indiana, and she was interviewing Marilyn Manson. Awesome.
I still listen to public radio when I'm in the car, but noon - 2 is Elle's naptime, so I almost NEVER get to hear my beloved Fresh Air. I'm thinking of downloading the podcasts from the website if I can figure out how to do that.
Anyway, yesterday's show was an interview with writer Michael Pollan, about an article of his that recently ran in the NY Times about how more people than ever are watching the Food Network, but fewer people than ever are actually cooking in the home. It was fun to listen to, though I don't necessarily agree with all of his theories. Like, that because so many prepackaged and prepared foods are so readily available, before long people will stop cooking completely. To me, cooking is more than a means to an end, and that goes for a lot of people I know. People enjoy the process, it is a source of pride for many to serve a dish and get oohs and aahs for something they have prepared from scratch, others are acutely aware of the health benefits of cooking from fresh ingredients. One thing that he did talk about was food from boxes (like cake mixes) and I have to say, it drives me crazy when somebody tells me that a cake is "from scratch" or that a dish is "homemade", only to find out that it is from a mix in a box. Not that there's anything wrong with that, I use cake mixes too, but it does support Pollan's theory that the American public is straying pretty far from cooking with fresh ingredients as the norm--to the point that people really think that something from a box is homemade because they added a few additional ingredients. Really, I think that most busy people do a combination of things, and will continue to: some truly homemade items each week, maybe some partially or completely prepared items, and some eating out. At least that's what I see here in Miami. What about you--do you think Cooking is Dead?

Photo credit: ana_labate/sxc.hu

Coral Gables Riviera Park Renovations: Playground Coming Soon!

You may have noticed that Riviera Park in Coral Gables is fenced off, and renovations of some sort are taking place. I was curious, so snooped around the Web a bit to get the scoop. Renovations will include new concrete walkways, a new playground with synthetic flooring, fencing, new light poles, landscaping, and "alternatives for a new gazebo and an exercise trail and station," according to item H-1 from a recent Coral Gables City Commission meeting.

I'm excited about the new playground at Riviera Park--I hope they install the shade canopies that thankfully seem to be going up over playgrounds all over the city.

Image credit: ba1969/sxc.hu