Meatless Monday: Cran-Blueberry Mini Muffins

First of all, I want to thank everyone who shared kind words and wished me well after the news in my last post. Things continue to pick up and return to normalcy at home. We are very fortunate to have not been hit harder.

One of the things I was happiest about after getting my electricity back was getting my oven back along with it! Although it uses gas, it has an electric starter...so, no baking to keep things warm and cozy during our power outage :(

But, I got back to work right away and baked up these easy-to-make and super tasty little muffins. Lily's favored request of the day after trying these babies was: "I want more muffin, Mommy."

Cran-Blueberry Mini Corn Muffins
(makes 2 dozen muffins)

Ingredients:

1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
1/2 cup canola or coconut oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine corn meal, flour, baking powder, and salt in bowl. Next, beat eggs in a separate large bowl, then add honey, milk, and oil and mix together. Slowly beat in dry ingredients until well-combined with wet. Add the blueberries, cranberries, and corn last.

I hope you do a neater job than I did...

Spoon mixture into greased or lined muffin tins, then put in oven to bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool for a few minutes before enjoying :)

These were easy and yummy and perfect for any time of the day. And don't they look cute?

Using fresh berries and corn packs these little muffins with antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, and other beneficial nutrients. You can also try using whole wheat flour if you'd like to make them even healthier; the only reason I didn't is because I wasn't sure if they'd taste the same, but I may try that next time. The last time I used whole wheat flour when a recipe called for white I wasn't very pleased with the results.     

I'm not sure if you heard, but due to the reign of terror from Sandy, Halloween was post-poned to November 5th in NJ, so expect a be-lated Halloween post later this week, by Wednesday if not Friday. I hope you all aren't completely sick of October-related blog posts yet!

Now it's your turn to share your Meatless Monday dish below! No rules, other than please only link-up meat-free recipes. No other un-related links or I will remove them. Sorry to sound so harsh, but let's keep it true to what it is, ok? Link up as much as you want, and feel free to spread the word with the button below. Thanks, and have a great week! 

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I Survived Sandy!

Hello, everyone. Most of you may not know this, but I live in part of the Tri-State area in the United States that was largely effected by hurricane Sandy this week. Although no one in my household suffered from any injury and our home did not become damaged in anyway (thank God!), we did lose power for about 3 days. Some of our food spoiled, but luckily we were prepared with plenty of non-perishables, candles, blankets, and help from our loved ones. I also had foresight enough to fill my gas tank up before it hit, unlike so many other poor people who I saw lined up around the block at the single open gas station yesterday!

The winds were howling past our windows for hours on end, with every passing moment, I feared our windows would burst and we'd be swept out like in a scene from The Wizard of Oz. It was unreal. I feel very fortunate to have come out so lucky.

Many businesses are still not open, and hospitals needed to be evacuated. Many people who I know were evacuated from their homes, and returned to something entirely different once the storm passed. Some places are still completely under water.

Sandy rolling in

Seaside Heights New Jersey may never be the same

Hoboken, NJ

Brooklyn, NY in an area where I used to live!

 
Many people were not as lucky as I. Many people lost everything, even in my own neighborhood! Some of my husband's family members who were living near the shore lost their homes. Our hearts are aching for everyone as we try to pull through this trying time, and assist however possible. This truly was a hurricane that will go down in history. 

Speaking on the note of those who were less fortunate, it was brought to my attention by Keren at Free Pretty Things for You that one of our fellow bloggers also living in the Sandy danger zone did not get so lucky. Andrea of The Cottage Market literally lost everything, and last I heard is still without power. Keren was kind and thoughtful enough to open up a donation collection for Andrea and her family in their time of need; you can donate here if you'd like, and remember no donation is too small. Feel free to pass this along if you are unable to donate. Some of you may know Andrea and/or her blog, so you will know she is very sweet and will accept any offering graciously.

You can also help by visiting FEMA's website. There truly are a lot of people in need right now, and I have no idea how it must feel to be in their shoes. I am just counting my blessings and am very grateful that most of my friends and family survived this completely unharmed.

Thanks or stopping by. Things should be back to normal here by next week, so stop by on Monday for another Meatless Monday recipe hop! Be well!

Meatless Monday: Orange-Balsamic Roasted Beets and Carrots over Quinoa and Spinach

The storm's-a-comin' as I write this: the winds outside are picking up and the rain is just starting to come down. We are all ready with a stocked kitchen, extra filtered water, and plenty of candles at hand. We don't know just how bad Sandy's going to be, but we will be cozy :)

I was craving fresh vegetables after 3 days in a row of eating a less than stellar intake. Turkey loaf with Rice-a-Roni one night, carnival fare at the pumpkin patch for lunch on Saturday, then lasagna with tiramisu for dessert- I needed vegetarian pronto! And beets were on my mind...I picked up a bunch at my last trip to the supermarket, and roasted them along with some carrots in a sweet and slightly sour marinade...

Orange-Balsamic Roasted Beets and Carrots
(serves 2-4)

Ingredients:

3-4 beets
4-6 carrots
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp orange zest + extra
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Set oven to broil. Slice off tops and bottoms of beets, then peel with a peeler. Wrap in tin foil, and place on baking sheet, then into oven like in picture below. Broil for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until they are easily pierce-able by a fork.

Meanwhile, trim and peel carrots then cut into thirds and quarters, or however you'd like. Reserve them for the last 20 minutes of roasting; at the appropriate time, arrange them on tray beside beets.

Once ready, remove beets and carrots from oven and allow to cool. While they're cooling, heat balsamic vinegar and orange juice over low heat in small saucepan. Heat for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture thickens slightly. Slice beets up like an orange into sections, or however you prefer. Toss veggies in bowl and some salt and pepper to taste if desired.

We ate this served over quinoa and fresh baby spinach, along with some orange slices and extra orange juice squirted right onto it all. It was delicious and refreshing, just what I was craving. Paul and Lily enjoyed it as well. This is a great way to introduce these kinds of healthy foods to your family. The veggies are extra sweet with this marinade, and it all mixes well with the spinach and quinoa. I cooked 1 cup of quinoa according to the package, along with a tsp of olive oil. 

she likes her beets!

Balsamic vinegar is my most often-used salad dressing. I like to mix it with a little olive oil, and salt and pepper. Did you know this low-fat, low-cal condiment also contains some health benefits? It is high in antioxidants, aids the digestive system in breaking down proteins, and also helps to regulate blood sugar, making it especially beneficial for those with diabetes.

If you have little ones under a year old, serve some of the carrots and beets mashed up plain, or with a little orange juice if desired. This is truly a meal the entire family can enjoy, whether you partake in Meatless Mondays or not.   

Now it's your turn to share your Meatless Monday dish below! No rules, other than please only link-up meat-free recipes. No other un-related links or I will remove them. Sorry to sound so harsh, but let's keep it true to what it is, ok? Link up as much as you want, and feel free to spread the word with the button below. Thanks, and have a great week! 

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Sweet Saturday #26: Pumpkin S'mores Cookies

Happy almost-Halloween, everyone! I don't know about you all, but I'm getting excited! I'm also going pumpkin-crazy, so I just had to make something pumpkin-y. I came across these AH-mazing sounding cookies recently and had to try them. Don't they look so yummy? I only did some slight tweaks, and I honestly was not 100% satisfied with them, but wanted to share anyway. The original recipe is called "Pumpkin Swirl Sugar Cookies", but they made me think of s'mores, so I gave them this cute name for my post. I Read on for how it went...

Pumpkin S'mores Cookies
(makes about 30 cookies)

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (+ extra for rolling) 
Chocolate chips  
Mini marshmallows
Raw brown sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 350. Combine sugar, coconut oil, and butter, then mix in the eggs, vanilla, and pumpkin puree. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, then wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. 

Flour a flat surface for rolling the dough out on. Take a section of the dough, and roll out onto the floured surface with a rolling pin into a rectangle about 1/4" thick. Spread chocolate chips and mini marshmallows onto the dough like shown below.

  
Roll the dough into a log.

  
Slice roll into slices about 1" thick, then spread onto ungreased baking sheet about an inch apart. Sprinkle some of the raw sugar on top of each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly browned on top. Allow to cool before serving.

  
Now, as awesome as these cookies look, I was a little disappointed. I thought dough was too doughy, and the pumpkin flavor was too subtle. This may have something to do with my using whole wheat flour or omitting the ginger, but I really don't think that should've made a huge difference. Also, the marshmallows practically completely dissolved into the cookies, which may have been because they were a cheap brand, perhaps? Honestly, I don't know. I followed the recipe to a tee except for the slight ingredient changes, but what I changed shouldn't have changed the cookies flavor too much I feel, but what do you think? I'm not the most experienced baker, maybe I did miss something...

Let me know what you think if you give them a try! Now, onto the features! Last week's most-clicked on posts were....

Simple Sweet 'n Savory is being featured here again for these too-cute cupcakes!! Love the cobweb frosting!

This yummy apple and honey challah is from Something Sweet, a blog that always has the most amazing baked goods on the web! 

Pinkoddy shared this sweet and simple DIY ghost tutorial made from upcycled materials.

This adorable unicorn-themed birthday party post is sure to inspire you! Congrats, Becoming SuperMommy, for being the most clicked-on feature!

I invite you to link-up Halloween-themed posts, but feel free to link-up whatever you want, as long as it is family-friendly and sweet! Fall-related posts are also encouraged. Our guest-hostess today is Good Girl Gone Green, and her blog is one of my favorites, so please check her out and be sure to leave some comment love if you like what you see ;)

Just follow these simple rules:

1. Link up something sweet to really WOW us all- your blog, Etsy store, Pinterest, Facebook, whatever you want! 

2. Link-up as much as you want and please follow me and Good Girl Gone Green if you are not already. Leave me a comment if you are a new follower so I can follow you back!

3. Don't forget to hop around and say hi!

4. Share my button to get more people to join us (not required, but it would be nice!)

I am still working on my Halloween costume, so expect some sweet pics of that and Lily's coming soon, as well as our pumpkins! Have a great weekend! 

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Product Review: EnviroKidz Organic Leapin' Lemurs Cereal

It's been a while since I've done a product review. I don't write them often; a product really has to impress me to get me to blog about it. 

Like most kids, Lily loves her cereal. At least once a day, whether it's breakfast time or not, she's looks at me and says, "Cereal, Mommy". She gets it from her daddy, I think- Paul likes to have it for a snack, too.

It's hard to find a good cereal that is healthy and fun that's not covered in sugar. Not that Lily needs to eat a sweet cereal; in fact, she is happy with shredded wheat and bran flakes. Yet, when I saw this adorable cereal box in the "Natural Foods" aisle at Stop & Shop, we just had to give it a try.

How cute are those lemurs? The cereal is peanut butter & chocolate flavored, and made from organic ingredients such as corn meal, molasses, soy oil, and of course peanut butter and cocoa. It's gluten-free and low in sodium, and also boasts packaging made from 100% recycled paperboard. On one of the side panels, it gives examples of why it's good to eat eat organic, which can be helpful for older kids who are already reading when they're sitting at the table like this:

The box also has information about lemurs on the back. Kids can learn about where lemurs live, how they are becoming endangered, and a non-profit group that helps to protect them. This is definitely better reading than the hyped-up cartoons and games they put on most kids' cereal boxes. 

Now, I'm sure you've heard enough about the packaging- how's the cereal??? Well, Lily always asks for seconds, and then even thirds! It does taste pretty good, sort of like a Reese's Cup without being too sweet. A very nice balance with the almond milk. The cereal is little balls with a nice crispy, crunch texture. I say it's a hit!

EnviroKidz® also makes these other flavors:

• Gorilla Munch
• Koala Crisp
• Peanut Butter Panda Puffs
• Amazon Frosted Flakes

Look for them at your local supermarket if you want to try a fun kid's cereal that's organic and good for the environment and its inhabitants.


Note: I was not paid or asked to write this review, I did it by my own accord. Do you know a great product I should review, or a product you’re curious about but afraid to try? Let me know in the comments! Just please suggest a natural, organic, eco-friendly, or health or food-related product so it will at least coincide with my blog’s theme, thanks! OR you can send me a product you'd like me to review for you, by contacting me at healthymommyhealthybaby@gmail.com for more details.

Meatless Monday: Blog, Giveaway, and Recipe Contest Love

I don't have a recipe for today, and instead will be sharing a few things going on in my little bloggy circle...

Mary from Back to the Basics! is quite a woman. She not only grows all of her own vegetables in her own garden, but also cultivates and sells her own seeds! And she makes her own amazing body products, such as vegan lip balms and organic soaps. And she sells her own blends of tea. And she manages a wellness-based chiropractic clinic. AND she wrote and published a cookbook. AND she manages 2 blogs and 2 web shops! I know...she must be Super Woman!

Anyway, besides being super awesome, Mary likes to host equally super awesome giveaways, and this lucky gal has won not one- but two(!) of her giveaways! First I was the lucky winner of the Cocoa Delight vegan lipbalm and Natural Honey lipbalm, both of which I love and use everyday. Then, I was incredibly fortunate enough to win again for her custom-made seed packs and got myself her Salsa Garden Pack!

I looove getting things in the mail! Winning each of these contests really made my day week!

Please visit her main blog here where you will also find links to all of her other pages. She is also hosting yet another amazing giveaway for one of my favorite oils HERE, so you'd better sign up now before I win another one!!! Because you know I already entered!!

Okay, enough about Mary. There really is something about her, though! But, now let's talk about Christina of Mama's High Strung. She has entered her yummy Lazy Lasagna recipe for a chance to win a supercool cooking app for her website. Please Like and Repin her recipe her by scrolling down and looking for her entry HERE. Christina always has such incredible-looking recipes on her blog, I'm sure she could easily win this with enough support!

You know you want to vote for this

Again, please support and/or visit their respective sites as it would make me oh so happy! Now, onto the link-up...!

Share your Meatless Monday dish below! No rules, other than please only link-up meat-free recipes. No other un-related links or I will remove them. Sorry to sound so harsh, but let's keep it true to what it is, ok? Link up as much as you want, and feel free to spread the word with the button below. Thanks, and have a great week! 

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Sweet Saturday #25: Nutty Peanut Butter-Banana Cookies

It's officially baking season in my house now! Our oven hadn't been working since we moved in to the new house, and Paul finally got around to tinkering with it, and somehow got it to work. Hooray! So, I got started on making some cookies, and here's a new one I came up with. It's so tasty, moist, and healthy you could even have them for breakfast!

Nutty Peanut Butter-Banana Cookies

(makes about 30 cookies)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup honey + a little extra for topping

3/4 cup coconut oil, softened (you can also use shortening or butter)

1 egg

1 ripe banana, mashed

1/2 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup cut oats

1/4 cup hemp seed

1/4 cup flax seed

1 cup walnut pieces

1/4 cup brown sugar or honey

Preheat oven to 375. Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in a bowl until combined. In a separate bowl combine the honey, coconut oil, and egg together; then mix in the banana and peanut butter. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients with an electric beater until well-mixed. Last, add the oats, hemp seeds, and flax seeds. 

On ungreased baking sheets, place small spoonfulls of the batter onto the sheet, at about an inch apart. Place into center rack in oven. While they're baking, heat the walnuts and brown sugar in a small pot over medium heat. When the brown sugar starts to melt, start mixing together with the walnuts, being careful not to burn. Continue until sugar is all melted and coating the walnuts, should take about 5 minutes. 

Spread candied walnuts over a sheet of parchment paper and allow to cool for a moment. At the 10 minute mark on baking the cookies, remove them from oven without turning off the heat, and carefully press the tops with the back of a spoon in order to make a shallow indent. Dab a little extra honey onto each indent, the place a few of the candied walnuts on top of each cookie. Bake for another 5 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Allow to cool before serving.

This is a recipe I came up with on my own. I had an overly ripe banana I needed to do something with, and peanut butter goes pretty awesomely with banana, so I got creative. The added benefits of all the omegas, protein, fiber, and minerals from the nuts make these cookies especially healthy. Walnuts are especially beneficial for brain development and function, and those candied walnuts really make them yummy, so don't leave that out unless you want them to be completely sugar-free. Of course, you could probably make them candied with honey instead. Let me know how that goes if you try that!

I was happy to see that Lily really enjoyed these cookies. She loves treats, but- like most parents -I don't want her eating a lot of sugar. These cookies are the perfect fix for your little sweet tooth- whether it be your child, or yourself! We even had them for breakfast without feeling guilty about it ;) The only thing I would change next time is either add more banana or ease up on the nuts, because the banana flavor was a bit subtle. Other than that, this recipe is a keeper!

Now, here are the most clicked-on fall features:

These tasty-looking cookies made with apple sauce, walnuts, and raisins are the perfect healthy treat to satisfy your fall sweets craving! Thank you, Angie from God's Growing Garden!

Holli from Full Hands, Full Heart had a wonderfully informative post about choosing allergy-friendly treats to give out to trick-or-treaters this year. I was especially glad she posted this since I often try to choose allergy-free treats myself! Thanks, Holli!

And we also have another adorable and creative costume from Carpe Diem who has lots of fun DIY Halloween costume ideas on her blog, so please check her out! I really liked this costume in particular because it was one of my first Halloween costumes when I was a little girl, and my mom made mine too! I'll have to dig-up a picture to share ;) Thanks, Ana!

And the most clicked-on features over all were:

Cream of Cauliflower Potato Soup from Good Girl Gone Green

Homemade Peanut Butter Cups from Something Sweet

Eat to Beat Cancer (part 2) from Back to the Basics!

Thanks, ladies! I can't wait to see what everyone links up this week!

Now on to the party!!!

Just follow these simple rules:

1. Link up something sweet to really WOW us all- your blog, Etsy store, Pinterest, Facebook, whatever you want! 

2. Link-up as much as you want and please follow me if you are not already. Leave me a comment if you are a new follower so I can follow you back!

3. Don't forget to hop around and say hi!

4. Share my button to get more people to join us (not required, but it would be nice!)

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