Strawberry Rhubarb Oatmeal

Summer is finally here and we are loving it!  For the past few weeks my garden has really gotten going, so I've had lots of fun as Mini Muffin has enthusiastically observed our seeds sprouting and growing into every bigger plants.  Not only are the veggies coming along nicely, but my rhubarb is up and producing like mad!  It's a good thing because I certainly do enjoy rhubarb!

While searching for ways (other than delicious pie) to use rhubarb, I came across the idea of rhubarb oatmeal on eatingwell.com and just had to give it a try.  So this morning, we broke from our usual mid-week breakfast routine and tried something new - Strawberry Rhubarb Oatmeal.  Yum!

Strawberry Rhubarb Oatmeal

1 1/2c 2% milk
1/2c orange juice
1c old fashioned rolled oats
1c chopped rhubarb
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
1c chopped strawberries
1tbsp maple syrup

1.  Chop rhubarb into ~1cm pieces (or finer if making for baby).
2.  In a medium saucepan, combine milk, orange juice, oats, rhubarb, cinnamon and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
3.  Reduce heat until gently bubbling and cook, stirring often, for three minutes.
4.  Add chopped strawberries and cook an additional two minutes or until most liquid has absorbed.
5.  Cover and let rest for five minutes.
6.  Stir in maple syrup, adding additional to taste if desired.

Makes ~3 cups

Little Smiling Man and I both enjoyed having oatmeal with a sweet/tart twist for breakfast.  Since strawberry rhubarb is a common combination the taste was familiar, but somehow completely new being in oatmeal form.  It definitely made for a delicious and unique dish!

The oats held their shape very well, so after having some from a spoon, Little Smiling Man decided to turn it into a messy finger food and enjoyed feeding himself.  For younger babies, I would consider puréeing the final product, but for older babies ready to explore texture this is a great dish! 

I also took some to work for my afternoon snack.  It wasn't quite as satisfying for my sweet/tart cravings as rhubarb pie, but it was definitely a better choice and kept my energy levels steady through until dinner. 

With more rhubarb ready for harvest, I suspect there'll be some more recipe experimentation this weekend.  Stay tuned for more rhubarb goodness!

Ring Around the Tub Banished... Naturally!

Happy Victoria Day!  This long weekend the weather has been so summer like.  And with summer comes lots and lots of outdoor playtime, sunscreen, gardening and REALLY dirty kids!

We've been spending our weekend almost exclusively outdoors.  We've prepped and planted our flower and vegetable gardens, played in sand and water, run around for some backyard soccer rocker, and brought out all of the summer outdoor toys.  It's been fantastic, and we've all benefited from some sunshine and fresh air.  Last night both kids were fast asleep by 7:20, so my husband and I even got some time to reconnect and enjoy each other's company before it was time to turn in.

Now, to the topic of this post.  On Saturday, after gymnastics and a few errands in the morning, we spent the afternoon outside.  There was lots of sunscreen, digging in the garden, play in the sand table, and general running around in the grass and dandelions.  Both kids were dirty by dinner time.  Really dirty.  I took them straight upstairs and dumped them into the tub before dinner.  Sunday morning as I got myself ready for the day, I noticed that my previously clean tub had a pretty serious ring around it.  A brown, greasy, gungy ring of sunscreen and dirt.  I rubbed at it, and it wasn't going anywhere.  I showered and poked at it while I was in there, and it didn't budge.  Once I'd finished I took a picture of my gubby tub... as you do...

Ring around the tub

Next, I grabbed my favourite cleaning agent - plain white vinegar.  I decided to give it a go, and see how a product without the usual chemical cocktail found in most cleaning products would stand up to this mess.  I dampened a rag, then dipped it in vinegar.  I gently rubbed it along the ring the whole way around the tub.  By the time I got around the tub, I figured it probably had had enough time to do its magic so I just ran the cloth around the tub one more time.  I used medium pressure, but certainly wasn't scrubbing or working too hard.  The ring appeared to have gone, just like that!  I ran my finger along it and it was no longer grimy or greasy, and there wasn't a trace of dirt.  So, I gave it a quick rinse and was done, without touching anything but a cloth and my trusty bottle of vinegar.

After!  Sunscreen and dirt ring banished!

With summer just beginning, I'm happy to have found this solution now.  I suspect there will be many more sunscreen and dirt bathtub rings in my future!