Shaina Olmanson's Blog, page 10

Diet is a Four-Letter Word: Albion Fit Giveaway

In which I discuss a few of my feelings about the word “diet” in our culture and give away $150 to Albion Fit.




Three nights a week we don gloves and winter coats after dinner and pile into the car and head to swim practice at the local YMCA. While my kids swim, I make my way to the glorified “fitness center” where I’ve been lifting weights and climbing faux mountains to nowhere in some effort to expend energy when the air outside is not suitable for my usual fitness exploits: long walks aroun...

Vanilla Raspberry Mini Meringue Kisses

A recipe for crisp little vanilla raspberry meringues made into mini star-shaped kisses.




Life is messy, made exponentially more so by children. Today one child stepped on a wayward grain of rice from packing lunch boxes, grinding it beneath his small heel straight into my relatively new area rug as he ran to brush his teeth. Toothpaste dribbles down the side of the sink bowl crusting over white. They drop their clothes on the floor and then kick them haphazardly under the bed, forgotten for we...

Orange and Black Tea Olive Oil Shortbread Cookies

A recipe for rich, olive oil shortbread cookies flavored with black tea and orange zest, rolled in sugar or with an orange glaze drizzled over the top.




I cleared and wiped down the counter for the seventh time since waking up that morning, rinsing the washcloth under the scalding water and wringing it out. The dishwasher hummed to life, and on the stovetop pans, knives, cutting boards, and bowls dripped dry over the grated burners. The end of the day had come.


Without missing a beat, I reached...

A New Look for the New Year

Wishing you a Happy New Year and unveiling the new look for Food for My Family.



This past week was one of purging. Dressers were pulled from the walls, swept behind, pushed back. The dusty area under the bed was cleaned until it sparkled. The topmost shelves were emptied and then carefully collated with an assortment of old and new. Space was made to accommodate new books and clothes unwrapped at Christmas. New LEGO sets were lovingly displayed on shelves, and art kits were caressed and set ou...

Mascarpone Cardamom Crisps: Christmas Cookie Crunch Time

Cardamom-kissed sugar flavors these mascarpone crisp cookie curls. Fragrant and reminiscent of both pastry and shortbread, these are a delightful addition to dessert served alongside a cup of coffee or tea.




Thursday night I tucked my son in after explaining the virtues of gift-giving, teacher’s gifts for the last day of school before break slid into his backpack. I curled up in bed and slept soundly.


The morning held the promise of the last packed lunches for two weeks, of nights sipping hot ch...

Mascarpone Cardamom Crisps

1/2 cup mascarpone

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup butter, cut into small cubes

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cardamom


Add the mascarpone to a large bowl or stand mixer bowl and blend until creamy. Pour in the flour and mix until crumbly. With the mixer still running, add the butter and continue mixing until the dough pulls away from the sides of a bowl into a soft dough.


Form the dough into a ball and then split into four equal pieces. Shape each piece into a rectangle. Wrap in parchment...

Thai Basil Beef with Coconut Rice: $4/Serving Whole Foods Meals

A recipe for fragrant and spicy Thai basil beef served over rich coconut rice all for under $4 a serving.




The door swings open, the screen door behind it creaking on its hinges, the winter wind whistling as the sounds of my children’s voices cut through the calm of the house. Chaos has come.


The three of them barrel through the small opening all puffy jackets and gloves, one backpack, one lunch box, one bag for snow pants and boots each. Clomp, stomp, clomp. They pound their feet off on the ru...

Easy Coconut Rice

1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk

6 1/4 cups water

pinch of salt

4 cups jasmine or basmati rice, rinsed


Mix together the coconut milk, water, and the salt in a large saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil, and then stir in the rice.


Cover and continue cooking for 20-25 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is firm but tender.




In a rice cooker:

4 cups jasmine or basmati rice, rinsed

1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk

pinch of salt


Mix together the rice, coconut milk, and the salt. Add the water to...

Eucalyptus Mint Whipped Body Butter: Homemade Gift Ideas

How to make homemade whipped body butter cream with coconut oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils. Great for personalized Christmas and holiday gifts or to pamper yourself during the winter season.




“Teeth, hair, lunch box, backpack, coat, shoes, snow pants, boots, hat, mittens,” the morning chant escapes my list.


“I don’t know where my gloves are,” pipes my five-year-old, his hair standing on end after a rough night of falling out of bed no less than three...

Peanut Butter Balls {Buckeyes} Recipe

Creamy peanut butter and crunchy quinoa cereal are coated in a smooth chocolate coating. Whether you call them buckeyes or peanut butter balls, these classic cookies are ones not to miss.




Rather than Christmas carols, Clark Griswold is in the background stringing lights and crunching through the snow with his kids from a small laptop screen on the center of the table. Every surface in the kitchen has been overtaken by a collection of baking items. Tins in various stages of packing are set out...