Easy Picnic Idea

Easy Picnic or Outdoor Party Idea

I got this great idea from blogger, In My Own Style, who blogs on easy DIY home accents.  I thought this was just genius for a party with a buffet, picnic or anything outdoors!  Just punch a hole in your paper plate with a standard hole punch and tie your napkin and utensils right to it!  Then you have a free hand to add food to your plate!  Such a wonderful idea that we are using for our 4th of July party on the deck!  See it all here with healthy party food and easy decorations using staple items from the dollar and craft store!

Frozen Banana No Sugar Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream

I Scream, You Scream...

Frozen Banana Coconut Chocolate Ice Cream 

So, I came across the link for one ingredient frozen banana ice cream could this be true?  I admit, I was skeptical, but guess what?  We are having a BLAST playing with this recipe! 

There is also an enticing chocolate mousse-like recipe by Chocolate Covered Katie out there made with coconut milk cream, so I had the idea to kinda combine the ideas and came up with my own RICH, AMAZING, CREAMY, SMOOTH and just wonderful chocolate vegan, healthy, no sugar "ice cream"! The creative possibilities are endless!  Try a few strawberries....maple syrup, instant coffee....on and on.  Here's how I made these:

* 3 frozen bananas (slice in 1/2 in pieces and freeze on a cookie sheet in the freezer)

* 2 T Thai Kitchen Coconut milk (just toss can in fridge when you buy it and the cream will rise to the surface, this is what makes it super creamy, disregard the clear water settled at the bottom of the can...you can use this cream to whip for vegan whip cream as well! It MUST be this brand only)

* 1/4 cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder

*  2 powdered stevia packets (optional for your sweetness level, but any sweetener can be added or not)

* (unnecessary for sure, but I added a 1/2 scoop of my no sugar vanilla protein powder mix just to amp 

 up the protein in it, but it is made from whey so it's not vegan)

* dark chocolate chips and pretty chocolate wafer cookie added for photographic consideration :)

(nah, they were so yum!)

Back to The 4th of July

Getting it all ready, again!

 It's been two years since my last 4th of July party celebration, and it's on again this year. I've hit my creative flow and I'm in the zone.....last night as I busily created and assembled decorations, I realized, when the sun came up, I actually never went to bed!  Oh how I love the flow.... But this year will be a little different. I am putting energy into creating a menu and dessert area that are mindful of my new commitment to a low sugar and healthier diet with my new montra, "Stylized and kid approved parties without all the sugar or processed food!" So come back and visit again to see how I pull it all together. My new parties are on a budget, I use a few simple staple items purchased from the dollar store that are changed up, re-decorated and reused in new and resourceful ways. 

Here's a little preview of the process.....

 Firecrackers in the works here using dollar store glass vases, scrap booking paper, some red ribbon I found on a Christmas clearance for .15 cents and a few inexpensive craft store stickers and stars.  It really is easy, inexpensive and since so much is reused and adapted for so many other holiday themes, it doesn't require much storage at all!

Ahh, below are some wonderful memories of  my children and their friends enjoying the previous Independence Day party.  Take a look at the upgraded post of that party HERE.