Prepare this chic French treat with your pint-sized sous chefs for brunch tomorrow and Dad will think he’s died and gone to Paris. Hint: dust this traditional treat with icing sugar for an even fancier presentation.

Raspberry Clafouti

½ lb fresh raspberries

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

¼ cup granulated sugar

Zest of ½ a lemon

3 large eggs

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch salt

½ cup all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 425°

Sauté raspberries in butter with 2 Tbsp of the butter and lemon zest until berries are soft and exude a little juice, about two minutes.

In a separate bowl, beat eggs, remaining sugar, milk, vanilla and salt.

Slowly add flour and mix until lumps disappear.

Evenly spread fruit and juice in 8x8 pan or gratin dish and top with batter.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until edges are puffed and golden.

Excerpted from The Good Food Book For Families ($25), new from Random House Canada, by Vancouver teacher Brenda Bradshaw and Vancouver pediatrician Cheryl Mutch, M.D. Read more and purchase the book at www.chapters.indigo.ca

“Family restaurant” just took on a whole new meaning when the brand new Baby Eats opened in North Vancouver. Even if you don’t live in the ’hood, you need to go. Here are 10 reasons why.

10. A massive rubberized play area stocked with clean, modern toys and mini kitchens all designed by Natural Pod.

9. Eames chairs for the parents, HiLo highchairs for the tots, and round-cornered tables imported from London.

8. A buzz-in, buzz-out gate so you know your toddler isn’t roaming the streets.

7. A whole-food organic menu, including bison meatloaf, quinoa-turkey meatballs and Weleda nursing tea.

6. Kids food served with bright melamine trays and mini-cutlery.

5. Vintage German wallpaper mural in the serene and private nursing area plus pint-sized toilets and changing tables in both men’s and women’s loos.

4. A mini toy store where you can pick up a locally-made Bamboletta doll for home.

3. Trioli moulded plastic chairs that can be upended into modern rocking horses.

2. A toy busser who discreetly tidies up abandoned toys.

1. Finally an indoor play space where you can relax and let their imagination take over.

To read more about memberships and drop-ins, visit www.babyeats.ca

Whether you’re a Bugaboo babe or a Mountain Buggy mama, the Vancouver-made stroller pads from My Monkey Moo fancy-up and protect the swishest of strollers.

The super-soft white backing is plenty plush, and the graphic modern fabrics (think owls with poppies or cherry blossoms) are a perfect backdrop for your own stunning progeny.

Or abstract art created by a shaken sippy cup.

Stroller pads are $69 at www.mymonkeymoo.com

Is your kid clashing with your new Hay lounge chairs from Denmark? Fix that fast with the new-to-Canada Danish kids wear from Nanoou.

Teach them all about alliteration with patterns for picking peonies or poolside polkadots and encourage their activism with all organic cotton garments.

Availalable on-line at www.trendytot.ca
In Toronto at www.tulipsandsunflowers.com
In Vancouver at www.dandelionkids.ca
In Victoria at www.scallywags-island.com
In Edmonton at www.princessandthepea.ca

Worried that tinsel-y tiaras will turn her into a princess?

Check out these locally-made felt crowns (perfect for the birthday girl or boy) by Vancouver’s Little Red Caboose.

But when they decree a royal order for more cake, you’re back to square one.

www.naturalpod.com

You know you’re a new Mother when…

You know you’re an experienced Mother when…

Happy Mother’s Day from everyone at Daily Dose Media.

Agree with us? Send this to a friend!

If you are still spending $20 on baby barrettes with a 2-day lifespan, time to wise up.

We tested Little Miss Clips ($4 each) on our very own little miss rambunctious and we can attest they are fully playground-proof, surviving everything from somersaults to seesaws.

We especially love the new Buttons and Bows range for spring. And it’s so nice to know they won’t end up at the bottom of the sandbox.

View and order at www.littlemissclips.ca

Baby Beluga begone!

The Barenaked Ladies come to the rescue with their fist kids CD, Snacktime that drops May 6.

Full of laugh-out-loud lyrics (“I have some orange pants. I wear them when I dance. But I don’t get out much anymore”), classic BNL rhyming (“Ribbit, ribbit, it’s a tadpole exhibit”), and silliness (“ I don’t speak Chinese but I do parle Francais, in fact I parled some today…”).

We paraphrase but you get the idea. Trust us, just buy it.

Preorder the CD ($10 with free shipping until April 28) at http://www.bnlmusic.com/

Passports? Check.

Plane confirmations? Check.

Sunscreen? Check.

Kids? ….Kids?! Kids!

Don’t let your kids get lost in translation on your holiday to Corsica: multilingual Kid’s Travel ID bands (invented by a Vancouver Island mom) give you peace of mind when battling foreign airports.  Waterproof and discrete for balmy beach days, simply record your hotel and flight info, plus emergency contacts in the wristbands (packs of 6, $6.95) and sit back and relax.

Yeah, right!

www.vitalid.ca

You’ve been known to make origami animals out of restaurant napkins in a pinch, but even the most artsy mom can use some help.

Which is why we flipped for the ingenious Vancouver-based Craft Caravan that mails your kids new creative projects every month.

April’s project includes planting nasturtium seeds in a decorated box and painting flowers with paper doilies.

Supplies (they even included the dirt) are non-toxic and often recycled, and everything comes in a shiny green envelope that even Dad could tackle with the kids pre-dinner while you pour yourself a glass of wine.

Now that’s crafty.

$9.99 per month. For more info, visit www.craftcaravan.com