Taste for the Senses with The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles Cookbook

You don't have to be a cook to appreciate all the time and effort that Rinku Bhattacharya has put into her latest cookbook "The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles".

As I mentioned in my previous post, there is so much more to the book such as personal stories and tons of colourful pictures to whet your appetite.

Since I'm not the best cook, I solicited the assistance of my good friend Rene and we made a meal of it.

Well, she cooked, I ate.

On the menu, Chicken with Black Pepper and Fenugreek.

Rene picked this one for several reasons; all of us like chicken, it was "kid-friendly" and most of the ingredients are things that she regularly has on hand except for fenugreek.

Unfortunately, when it came time to purchase all the ingredients, we were at a loss for fenugreek leaves.

Fortunately, we had the seeds and it gave me a chance to help out by using Rene's oft-forgotten mortar and pestle set. It made her happy.

Since we both live in the suburbs, we don't have the variety of the big city. Next time I'm in the city, I'll be sure to stop by "Little India" and pick up a bunch of ingredients.

Did I mention that the dogs ate the whole cloves (literally)? We tried to get some from the neighbours but they were out (what ever happened to asking for sugar!?). In turn, we had to be creative and used ground ones instead. See how versatile Rene and the recipe are!

Baby Organic Joy: Shop Canada's Online Organic Baby Store.

Tiz the Season.

People are busy stringing garland, decorating their Christmas Trees and stressing out trying to find the perfect present for that special someone.

Can you relate?

Journeys of The Zoo is excited to introduce you to a Canadian online organic baby stores called "Baby Organic Joy".

Baby Organic Joy doesn't just claim to be organic. They are a proud member of Canada's Organic Trade Association and Green Business Association. The goal of their company is to provide certified organic baby products or those baby products made with organic ingredients available in the market today, at reasonable prices.

Talk about affordable! They have a wide array of gift ideas for under $10 such as; stroller toys, rattles and crinkle books. Baby toys from MiYim, Begin Again Dinosaur Puzzle and the Safari Animal blocks are a few of our favourites.

Hello Zoo!

Kids Gift Pack Giveaway $135, 4 Prizes, US/CAN, 12/25

Want to get the rest of your kids shopping done for FREE? Enter to win this great Kids Gift Pack totalling over $135 (actually $140 but we don't want to appear to exaggerate) hosted by Journeys of The Zoo and shared by some of her good friends.

Four prizes + one winner = BIG WIN!

1. Complete Child Development Program ($87).

While I am not personally familiar with this system, my good friend Laura has begun the program with her six-year old daughter and posted some positive things on her blog.

What I do know is that they're a Canadian company and their website claims that their program builds strong self-esteem and confidence. Considering the fact that they have a 30-day, No risk, Money back guarantee, you can't go wrong.

Connect with Complete Child Development Program via their Website.

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2. Standard and Deluxe Kit from Little Jots ($21).

This product from Little Jots should look familiar because I just posted a review on it yesterday.

A couple of things that I didn't mention (I had to leave something to surprize) was that the Standard Pack is crazy affordable at only $5.95.

Not only that but it functions as a "refill" for the Deluxe Kit. It also comes in it's own sealed cardboard box and is even shrink wrapped. Did I mention that all the kits come with free shipping!?

Connect with Little JOTS via their Website: http://www.littlejots.com, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Little-Jots/116104015092865, and Twitter: https://twitter.com/littlejots/.

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3. Funbites, Choice of cubes or hearts ($12)

Do you have a picky eater? If so, you should give this product a try. At the very least, you'll have cute shaped canteloupes...

You can use it on almost any food, such as; fruit, grilled cheese, and pancakes. It even made it on The Zoo's Holiday Guide.

Be sure to watch out for The Zoo's review of this versatile and fun for the whole family product.

Connect with Funbites on their Website: http://www.funbites.com, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FunBites and Twitter: https://twitter.com/funbites.

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4. Copy-Kids DVD ($20)

If you're still having problems with getting your kid to eat certain foods then we still have you covered with Copy-Kids Eat your Fruits and Vegetables DVD. The Zoo has had such success with this product and I can't say enough great things about it!

Connect with Copy-Kids via Website/YouTube: http://copy-kids.com/, Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CopyKids and Twitter: https://twitter.com/CopyKids

Now's Your Chance to WIN!

Write Your Child a Hug this Holiday with Little Jots.

Holidays are a time for giving and letting those you care about know how much they mean to you. This year, give thanks and show your love every day with Little Jots!

Little Jots is a Canadian online company whose slogan: "Write your child a hug™ and create memories to last a lifetime" is very fitting given their product.

While the idea of personal or lunchbox notes is nothing new, their goal is to send positive messages to kids. Being a Mom herself, Maria put a lot of time and effort into researching, developing, reviewing and refining the hugs. She even solicited feedback from child development specialists. Nothing little about that!

A few of my favourites messages are; You are a bright star in my day and Your hugs fill my heart. With 20 different messages to to choose from, there's sure to be a perfect hug for every person in your life. If not, you can create your own messages.

The Deluxe pack is on sale right now for only $11.95 and includes;

Sadieloohoo Is a Humourous Gal: Feature & Linky {Canadian}

I'm Miss December. I'm Miss December at Journeys of The Zoo!

Those were the first words written by Connie from SadieLooHoo when she agreed to be Journeys of The Zoo "I Am Canadian" Feature for December. She really needs to get out more.

Connie made my smile hurt with her funny and smart post and I'm sure she'll have you laughing too. I hope that you will show her your support by reading and commenting.

Here's what she had to share...

Ok, I may be being a little dramatic! I have to say, this is my very first "Guest Post" ever. I read through other guest posts wondering what I should be "sharing" with everyone. I read the November guest post from My Life After Kids and I thought......oh my gosh, Miss November is incredible!! She is like the fall foliage here in Ontario. She is that rare magenta leaf that clings to the tree for all to see and marvel at.

Then I think to myself......I'm Miss December......who is she? Is she the wisp of cold air making the house drafty? Or, is she like the fun and joy of a present under the tree? So, I wondered and pondered all this. Alas, I must stop pondering, wondering and in essence......delaying! Sarah told me I had to be quick in putting this post together......I had three days to get this written and now I only have two. Save to draft while I ponder some more.