From: Mother’s Day Toasts, Woodland Animal Toast, even Groundhog Toast, I think it’s become apparent from the years of fun food making that I am a toast lover, particularly making animal toast.

By the way, we had a vote over Instagram on which was the people’s favorite and it looks like the winner was:

It was a close race but the runner ups are as follows:

Make these for you kids and see which one is their favorite!

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Then I had Jaxon and everything changed. I couldn’t bring myself to make food art all that much anymore because I was struggling just to feed my kid “normal” food. I couldn’t think of turning anything into bunnies, robots, or skulls. Plus, it all just stopped feeding my soul, to be honest. So I walked away from here and started a new site called Happy Whole Way. Truth is, I had a BIG spiritual awakening when I moved to Chicago and I began using HWW as a means to express myself with a new medium and new message: You can become your own healer. And I no longer needed Cupcake Terrariums to bring me to the place of mindfulness or meditation. I had a whole new way of getting there.

Don’t let that stop you from recreating this incredible food art! They are the perfect treat for Earth Day. Think of the fun lessons you can build from it: planting gardens, the ecosystems, gnomes…ha. You get it.

Cupcake Terrariums

• Author: Cara
• Prep Time: 45 min
• Cook Time: 20 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 4 Terrariums
• Category: Earth Day

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Ingredients

• 1 recipe gluten free chocolate cupcakes

FOR THE FROSTING:

• 1/3 c. butter (or use nondairy)
• 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1/4 c. dark cocoa powder (or use regular)
• 1 Tbsp. milk of choice

FOR THE MOSS:

• 3 c. cereal (like Chex or cornflakes) or pretzels, crushed
• couple drops all natural green food coloring and water to mix evenly into cereal

FOR THE MUSHROOMS:

• 20 strawberry tips
• 20 marshmallows
• 10 toothpicks, broken in half

FOR THE CACTUS:

• 4 kiwis, peeled
• 4 raspberries, for top
• chocolate sprinkles, for the prickles

FOR THE LOTUS FLOWER:

• 2 kiwis (Follow instructions here on how to make)
• 4 blackberries

FOR THE ROCKS:

• 2 c. marshmallows
• all natural black food coloring (find online at Natural Candy Store)
• clean paint brush

FOR THE SOIL:

• cacao nibs or chocolate rocks

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Instructions

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. See recipe notes for make ahead prep!
2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Follow the instructions here for the cupcakes. Allow to fully cool.
3. While your cupcakes are cooling, line the counter with parchment paper. Add a few drops of the black food coloring in a small bowl with equal parts water. Mix together and paint the marshmallows until evenly colored. Allow to dry.
4. Mix together all the ingredients for the frosting with an electric mixer over medium speed until fluffy. Add more milk if needed. Lightly frost each cupcake.

FOR EACH TERRARIUM:

1. Use a 7″ terracotta bottom for the terrarium holder. Cover with the crushed green cereal “moss” and add 3 cupcakes.
2. On one cupcake, add three strawberry marshmallow mushrooms. Use half of the toothpick to hold together and keep in place in the cupcake. Add a few marshmallow rocks and some cereal moss.
3. On another cupcake, add the kiwi cactus and a strawberry marshmallow mushroom. Lightly throw some cereal moss and cacao nibs on the frosting.
4. For the last cupcake, add the kiwi lotus flower.
5. Scatter more marshmallow rocks on the floor of the terrarium along with cacao nibs. Maybe add another strawberry marshmallow mushroom and top off with an adorable gnome (optional).

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Notes

For make-ahead prep:
Bake the cupcakes the night before and store in an air-tighter container in the fridge after they have fully cooled.
Paint the marshmallows and allow to fully dry overnight.
Crush the cereal and mix in the green food coloring to evenly color. Allow to fully dry overnight.

It’s been fun coming back here after my year hiatus but it still doesn’t fulfill me the way it used to. I guess you can say I’ve grown and evolved yet again. I will continue to pop my head over here, especially as this pandemic is in effect–this is a great creative outlet for the time being, but overall, I think Cupcake Terrariums can’t make me feel what my sacred space does.

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They come together easily in a matter of minutes, just as long as you have the following on hand:

• 2 toilet rolls
• black craft paper
• scissors
• tape
• glue
• string

Here is a visual tutorial on how to put together these Toilet Roll Binoculars:

Wrap black craft paper around each empty toilet roll and tape to secure. Use a thinner scrap and loosely tape around the bottom, leaving 1/2″ to stick off the end.

Glue tape side of both rolls together. I like to use a paper clip for each end to hold it in place as it sets. Give it about 5 minutes to set. Use a small scrap of the craft paper and wrap it around your index finger. Tape secure.

Glue that piece on the top of the Toilet Roll Binoculars. Allow another minute or two to set. Poke a hole on each side of the rolls. Stick string through and secure by tying in a knot. Now your binoculars can rest nicely on your neck.

Now you are all set to search for birds, flowers, trees, or whatever your kid’s heart desires.

To save these Toilet Roll Binoculars for later, you can use this pin image:

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Click here for your (free) downloadable printable Nature Walk Bingo. Just print it out and laminate (optional) in order to make them last longer. Plus I you laminate them, you can use a Dry Erase marker to cross off each item that you see in nature for a reusable game of fun.

Maybe I should have made a Covid-19 version of this Bingo game, including things to find like: a face mask, someone adhering to the proper amount of social distancing, and an empty street but that felt a little bleak. We aren’t getting outdoors too often but I am thinking Nature Walk Bingo might get us excited about getting into some fresh air.

To pin this for later, here you go:

Stay tuned for more Earth Day ideas. Like I said, I’ve been planning up a storm so I will have lots to share. And don’t forget to download this printable Nature Walk Bingo sheet.

The post Printable Nature Walk Bingo appeared first on Fork and Beans.

Regardless of your personal reasons, I got you covered with these THREE crazy, creative ideas. I hope you love them as much as me and my family do:

1|3: Easter Egg Painted Rocks

All you need is some acrylic paint and a brush on hand and the rest is up to nature. Go on a quick, mask-wearing hike out in nature (or around your block) and collect your favorite rocks. Come home and paint your bounty as if they were eggs. Easy, pretty, and they last a lot longer.

2|3: Easter Hummus Toasts

Skip the eggs and go for toast…in shape of eggs. Smother with hummus and decorate with cut up veggies for a great alternative. I made mine into eggs, bunnies, and chicks, oh my! Variations for this one if you don’t like hummus: use cream cheese or even peanut butter. If you use a nut butter of choice, switch the veggies with fruit.

3|3: Watercolor Paper Eggs

This one isn’t a post however the concept is basic. Cut out a large egg shape from card stock, decorate designs with a Sharpie, and then have your kiddo watercolor their hearts out. We had a lot of fun with this one, plus the little guy got to design his own too, which he liked because, well, he’s a toddler and he really likes power and control.

Curious to hear if you have any alternatives to dyeing Easter eggs? Would love to hear them below.

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Rocks are the new eggs anyway.

This doesn’t need a tutorial either. The concept is simple: Go on a nature walk and find the best rocks possible that resemble an egg shape (or don’t–do whatever you want; it’s a new era we are living in). You might want to wash them, depending on where you find your rocks, and you also might need to color them white as a base coat, depending on their color (as we did).

Once the base coat dries, use a variety of acrylic paint colors and brush away! I had to steal two rocks just to get my own designs in there. My kid (who is 3 years old) really loved this activity. Just as fun as dyeing eggs, if not better, these Easter Egg Painted Rocks are a super simple craft to clean up (no dyed hands afterward). You’re welcome, mom and dad.

New traditions are definitely being made in this household, ones that require using more of what we already have and finding things in nature to inspire and decorate. Despite how difficult this has been being indoors and with limited resources for a month now, I’m also finding my creative side really come to life. I’ve been trying to invite more in and see where it takes me.

And so far, it’s presenting itself as a rock masquerading as an Easter egg…and I’m liking it…

Pin this for later:

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You can use store-bought macaroons like I did or make your own (to which I don’t have my own recipe but a simple search will steer you in the right direction). Listen to me, telling you how to use Google.

Macaroon Chicks

• Author: Cara
• Prep Time: 5 min
• Total Time: 15 min
• Yield: 1 Macaroon Chick
• Category: Easter

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Ingredients

• 1 store-bought macaroon
• 1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
• 3 whole almonds (for the wings + feet)
• 1/2 almond for the beak
• 2 chocolate chips for the eyes
• cranberry slice for the top

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Instructions

1. Dip the bottom of the macaroon into the tempered chocolate. Place the almond feet in position and set on a piece of parchment paper to set.
2. Using the remainder chocolate as the “glue”, place on the beak, wings, eyes, and cranberry top, and set into place. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

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Now making these juice boxes are easy. You’ll just need:

• juice box
• craft paper/card stock
• glue stick
• googly eyes

Take you favorite juice box (we have like, a million Juicy Juice boxes still from my previous work with them). Take off the straw first and then wrap with a piece of white paper. Cut out ears with white card stock and glue pink for the middle of the ears. Glue to the back of the box.

Cut out an oval for the nose and a pink heart for the nose. Glue googly eyes over the nose; then add black whiskers. Either glue the straw in the back or just place inside the Juice Box Bunnies.

Too bad there are no lunches to pack to put these Juice Box Bunnies into these days but at least you can decorate the Easter table with these? Or have for snack time? These bunnies now live in the top 3 of my juice box creations. The other two are:

Robot Juice Boxes

Scarecrow Juice Boxes.

Which one of the three is your favorite?

Wanna pin this for later: Here you go:

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This is actually an old recipe. It’s gluten free and vegan. Old school Fork & Beans style. As I make my way back here, note that this is not typical. But I thought I would spruce up an oldie but goodie because, well, I’m bored. And I need more creativity in my life as a means to play.

Don’t be fooled. These Bunny Soft Pretzels aren’t hard to make. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to mold them into the cutest little bunnies your mouth has ever tasted:

Bunny Soft Pretzels

• Author: Cara
• Prep Time: 50 min
• Cook Time: 25 min
• Total Time: 1 hr 15 min
• Yield: 6 bunny pretzels
• Category: Easter

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Ingredients

• 1 c. warm water
• 2 1/4 tsp. dry active yeast
• 1/2 tsp. coconut sugar (or use granulated sugar)
• 1 Tbsp. pysllium husk powder + 3 Tbsp. warm water, sit for 1 minute to thicken
• 3 1/4 c. Cara’s All-Purpose flour blend
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup

• WATER BATH:

• 6–8 c. water
• 1/4 c. baking soda
• 2 Tbsp. maple syrup

LIGHTLY COAT WITH:

• olive oil
• coarse salt

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Instructions

1. Allow the yeast and sugar to froth in the warm water for 10 minutes.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together until well-combined. Take out about 1 c. of the flour and keep nearby in a measuring cup nearby. Add the yeast mix, oil, maple syrup, and thickened psyllium into the bowl with flour and stir until dough becomes scrappy. Start adding the other half of the flour, 1/4 c. at a time until mixed in and a dough starts to form. Start kneading the dough with your hands for a couple of minutes in the bowl at this time to get it smooth. The dough should be moist but not sticky.
3. Divide the dough into six, even and smooth balls.Roll each ball out with your hands on a lined flat surface until you have a long 14″ snake-like dough piece. For the bunny shape, cut off 2″ of the dough and set aside. For regular soft pretzel shapes, keep at 14″. Follow the tutorials in the post for how to shape your pretzels. For the bunny, take the remainder 2″ piece, roll it up and fill in the gap for the tail.
4. Place on a baking sheet, cover and allow to gently rise for 30 minutes in a non-drafty spot in your kitchen.
5. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
6. Bring your water to a boil in a large pot. Add the baking soda (slowly, it will start to cause your water to rise) and maple syrup.
7. Gently place each pretzel in one-by-one with the guidance of a large spatula that will guide each one into the water. Allow to boil for 1 minute on each side, very gently turning over on the other side. Be careful, if done too quickly your pretzels can fall apart.
8. Place on a baking sheet (with your spatula), lightly coating the tops with olive oil and sprinkling with coarse sea salt immediately. Repeat for each one.
9. Bake for 22-25 minutes, turning the baking sheet around after the half-way point of cooking. Bake until a beautiful brown exterior forms. Allow to cool fully on the baking sheet before enjoying.

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You can check this recipe out for regular ol’ pretzels if that is your thing vs. these adorable Bunnies. But hey, we are gearing up for Easter so who doesn’t love an Easter Bunny approved pretzel? Can you tell being cooped up in my house for a month is starting to play with my sanity? Oh, what am I saying, this is normal behavior. If you have stuck with me along the years (can you believe it’s been NINE years since I started this blog?!), you will know that this is typical ol’ me. Turning my ordinary food into something creative. No pandemic can stop me…

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*And yes, I have the vacuum handy at all times.

I almost didn’t want to mix all the colors together because it was so pretty to look at. But the moment I threw the Rainbow Rice into a bin for Jax to play with, it was game over.

Don’t be intimidated either, this was incredibly easy to do! You just need no more than 20 minutes to mix up each color and then allow to dry. The process for making this Rainbow Rice is simple. All you need is

• uncooked rice
• water
• food coloring of choice

It takes about an hour for the rice to completely dry but depending on what coloring you use, you might have to wait longer. In fact, some of the colors were ready to go almost immediately but it’s best to allow some time to dry so it doesn’t stain your little one’s hands or the bin. Or the floor because, let’s be real, that’s where they are mostly ending up.

Pull up a stool and have your child join you as you color the rice. Even shaking up the baggie can be a fun activity for them. Whatever works, am I right mom and dad? Whatever keeps them occupied and happy. That is my motto…

Print

Rainbow Rice

★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Cara
• Prep Time: 20 min
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 1 Bin of Rainbow Rice
• Category: crafts

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Ingredients

• 1 c. rice, per color (6 c. total)
• 1/2 tsp. water, per color
• 15 –20 drops food coloring, per color (you’ll need red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple)
• 6 plastic baggies or a reusable plastic container that you don’t mind gets stained

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Instructions

1. Place 1 c. of rice into each baggie.
2. Mix 1/2 tsp. of water + 15-20 drops of food coloring per color.
3. Place into the baggie, zip up completely and then shake the heck out of it until the color has spread evenly. You might need to add another 1/4 tsp of water along with a couple more drops of coloring if it doesn’t coat it perfectly.
4. Place the rice out on a piece of parchment paper, aluminum foil, baking sheet, or paper towel and allow to dry.
5. Repeat for the other 5 colors.
6. Once completely dry, pour all colors into a small storage bin.

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Kinda looks like Fruity Peebles, doesn’t it? Well, we see where my mind always is, even when it’s craft time. Always thinking of food…

If you make Rainbow Rice for your kids, don’t forget to tag me @forkandbeans over on Instagram. I LOVE to see your recreations!

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