May's Up-and-Coming Blog of the Month!

I haven't blogged about a blog of the month since February due to being swamped with moving, settling in, finding a new job, and everything else that falls in between. But, now I'm back on track and I recently came across this delightful blog and just had to nominate it so I could share it with you!




Kaylee at Couponing & Cooking provides you with everything the modern mom needs- yummy recipes, ways to save, meal plans, and fun link parties. Her layout is ridiculously adorable, which is what first my eye, and the recipes! Oh, just check this little gem out: Mucho Margarita Cupcakes. That's right- Margarita....cupcakes. Not only is there (just a tad) alcohol in these pretty, tasty treats, but they're also vegan! Double points for that, Kaylee! 

C & C also has super yummy healthier recipes, such as Pesto Spaghetti Squash and Quinoa Mac & Cheese. So, stop by one of Couponing & Cooking's awesome link-ups, or try one of the awesome recipes! And don't forget the many ways Kaylee can show you how to save- you won't regret giving her a visit!

Meatless Monday: Kale Pesto with Feta

Happy Meatless Monday, everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. I had a very productive one- in a good way! I went yard sale hopping (scored a bunch of goodies which I may write a separate post for), attended the beautiful wedding of one of my dearest friends, reorganized and cleaned my house, then had a lovely Sunday afternoon with my family :) What did you do?

Last Monday, I tried a variation on a recipe from WholeFoodsMarket.com, Kale Pesto with Baked Feta! OMG, so good! Even Lily liked it! Recipe below...

Baked Kale Pesto with Feta on Baguette
(serves 6-8)

1 cup rinsed, de-stemmed, and chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 8oz block of feta, drained and patted dry
1 baguette, classic or whole wheat
1 tsp dried rosemary

First, spread the pine nuts onto a small baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. You can also buy pine nuts pre-toasted. Next, slice the baguette into as many pieces as you plan to eat or serve, then put slices into the oven to lightly toast. Meanwhile, place the kale, garlic and pine nuts into food processor and finely chop. While motor is running on the food processor, drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. 

I actually- believe it or not -do not own a food processor, so I put everything into my blender, which is not a method I'd recommend unless you really want to try this recipe and don't have a food processor handy. It worked, but it took a while and I had to constantly turn the blender off and shift the ingredients around with a spatula to ensure that everything got chopped properly. 

playing quietly while Mommy works in the kitchen

Once bread is done toasting, place slices of feta on top then sprinkle rosemary on top of that.  Put tray back into the toaster and toast for about 3 minutes, then take out once more and spoon pesto on top, toasting for another 2-3 minutes or until warm. Serve right away as a canape or side dish.

I wasn't sure if Lily would like this since the kale has such a sharp taste, but guess what- she gobbled it up! And then asked for more! I was quite pleased. If you or your child dislikes the strong green flavor of kale, but you want to try this anyway, you can blanch the kale by boiling it for 3 minutes, then placing it into ice cold water for another 3 minutes. This will dillute the bitterness of the kale, but won't decrease the nutrition content by too much.

Also, you can serve this super green up to baby the same way you would spinach. Steam or boil kale until very soft, mash up in food processor, then serve with breast milk or formula. Yummy!!!

This is a wonderful variation on the classic Italian-style pesto. You can enjoy this on a salad or sandwich, or just as is on a fork! I actually took the last bit that was left after all the baguette was gone, and then added the last of the crumbled up feta to it, then ate it like a salad itself. Very satisfying. 

We enjoyed it with some leftover Nanny Rose's Lentil Soup, see recipe here

I don't eat pine nuts too often, but when I do, I am always glad I did. Pine nuts are full of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, B vitamins, manganese, and oleic acid, a cholesterol-lowering nutrient. They also contain a high amount of antioxidants and healthy fatty acids that can help curb an over-active appetite. They are delicious toasted or right out of the package. Many raw food stores sell them by the pound.


If you have a Meatless Monday meal you'd like to share, feel free to link it up below. Only rules are that it is meat-free and family-friendly. Also, please follow your hostess, moi :)

Sweet Saturday #5: Puckered Papaya Smoothie

First of all, I just wanted to share this picture of my perfect breakfast that I took this morning:

I thought it just looked too pretty not to share :) 

Now, enjoy this:

 
Puckered Papaya Smoothie
serves 2-4

1 cup chopped papaya
1 ripe banana
1/2 cup orange-pineapple juice
1/2 cup almond coconut milk
1 tsp honey
Juice of half a lime
Lime wedges for garnish

Put all ingredients except for the lime wedges into blender. Blend or puree until smooth. Serve in glasses with lime wedges. Tip: rub the lime wedge along the rim of the glass to get that puckered lime taste each sip!

Boosts you can add:

• aloe vera juice
• hemp seed powder
• coconut oil
• protein powder
• super greens powder
• ginger

Add about 1 tsp each per serving for maximum benefit!

The whole fam will love it! Make a big batch and share it at a party or gathering. This would be a hit at your Memorial Day weekend BBQ!  


I just love papaya, and I certainly don't eat it enough. They are technically in season June-September, but Paul came across this yummy smoothie recipe and I just couldn't wait! Besides being positively delicious, papayas are full of so much healthy goodness. They have high amounts of vitamin c, vitamin a, folate and potassium. They protect against heart disease and aid in immune support and digestion. 
They have also been found to prevent macular degeneration (primary cause of vision loss in older adults) and when combined with green tea, papaya can protect against prostate cancer! Papaya is considered by many to be a super food.

Now it's your turn to share something sweet with the return of Sweet Saturday Link Party! Link up a sweet treat, a sweet post, a sweet photo, a sweet Etsy shop or Facebook page- whatever you want! Just remember to follow your hostess and, if you'd like to, share the link on your page or blog with the button below. Whoever's link gets the most visits will be offered to co-host next week!
 

<a href="http://jessica-healthymommyhealthybaby.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="<" target="_blank"> />" alt="Healthy Mommy Healthy Baby" width="125" height="125" /></a>

 
Have fun and share as much as you'd like! Have a great weekend!


Oooohhh, I almost forgot- I FINALLY joined Pinterest, so be sure to follow me and/or pin this sweet little recipe. I'm new to it, so feel free to "show me the ropes" ;)

 

Product Review: BabyGanics Lavender Bubble Bath and Foaming Shampoo & Body Wash

I hope everyone had a lovely Mother's Day. I had intended to do an awesome Mother's Day post, but guess what- I was sick. On Mother's Day. Yes. sigh. My hubby did the best to make it count anyway. I was surprised by a bouquet of flowers on the dining room table, and then he took me to get the hammock I was longing for, only for me to pick out a new lounge chair instead. Then we had Mexican take-out for dinner...plus a mucho necesito Margarita at the bar. So, it was a lot better than it could've been, despite my crankiness from feeling like poop. It was such a nice day out too. I'm feeling much better now, just a little achy and congested. 

Since I didn't focus much on cooking anything new and spectacular, I am presenting you with another product review. I finally decided to try BabyGanics® body products, which have been highly recommended to me by several people and have gotten low toxicity ratings on EWG's Skin Deep website.  They happened to be on sale one day when I was at Babies R Us and in the market for a restock on body products for Lily, so I picked up two bodywashes (one in lavender and one unscented), one bubble bath, one bug spray and one sunscreen.

The first thing we tried was the lavender Soothing Bubble Bath & Body Wash. It smelled really nice, very subtle and soothing, just as the product described. It made a decent amount of bubbles (not as bubbly as these!), but I had to use more than two squirts as recommended. I had to use about five squirts, and our tub is a pretty standard sized tub. We also went through them pretty quickly, which was disappointing. Additionally, I also liked that Lily didn't have a residue feeling on her skin after she rinsed off, as some bubble baths tend to leave. Her skin was silky soft and scented with the delicate perfume of lavender...mmm...

Please don't judge the filthy tiles. I'll get to it, I swear.

See how much bubble bath has already been used after just less than 3 weeks?

The lavender Soothing Foaming Shampoo & Bodywash is wonderful, though! Five stars for sure! It smells AMAZING and a little bit goes a LONG way. I thought the applicator was kind of weird at first, but now I see that it's good at keeping water out and balancing the bottle upright. If your kid is like mine, they tend to drop their bodywashes in the water and then the water gets inside the bottle, making it watery too. It also suds up very nicely from plant-based sources rather than sulfates. 

The weird-looking spout helps keep water out and the bottle standing upright

More about these products:

• tear-free
• paraben-free
• non-toxic
• plant-based ingredients
• never tested on animals
• no synthetics
• no phthalates
• no mineral oil
• petroleum-free
• sulfate-free

The one thing I found misleading about this product is the fact that it's called "BabyGanics", which to me implies that the product is organic. No where on the ingredients is anything labeled as organic. I visited their website and no where there does it say anything about being organic either. Maybe it's just me, but I truly thought that the name implied their product being organic, but apparently not. No biggie, but I wonder if that has been a peeve with anyone else. 

I haven't tried the bug spray yet, and have only used the sunscreen a few times so far, so I will let you all know how that goes later (so far so good! It's also award-winning according to website). 


Stay tuned for some tasty treats coming soon and this month's Up-and-Coming Blog of the Month next week! Hopefully I can keep my act together and not let being sick or anything else keep me down!

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!

Linking up today with:

Post-Cinco de Mayo Meatless Monday Awesomeness!

 

Cinco de Mayo! Whoo-hoo! Yeah!

Well, today is Siete de Mayo, but I figured I am still within the allotted time span for celebrating holidays. And I did celebrate (somewhat) with a little dinner party I had with some good friends on Saturday. I was also invited to a party, but I did not make it out. That is how it usually goes with me these days…I just can’t hang like I used to. All my single, childless friends say they understand, but I think they secretly all just think I am a square now.

During my college days, Cinco de Mayo meant margaritas, Coronas, and housing bowls of guacamole after over-consuming too much of the former two beverages. I had no idea what the holiday was actually about, and guess what- I still don’t! So I did some research (donate to wikipedia if you can!), and here is what wikipedia had to say:

“The date is observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride, and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War.”

Not only that, but the day is called El Día de la Batalla de Puebla (in English: The Day of the Battle of Puebla) in Mexico, and it commemorates, “Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín.”(LINK). OK, now I feel better because I learned something new and can look intelligent at the next Cinco de Mayo party I go to (that is, if I actually make it) when I ask other drunken party-goers if they know what the holiday commemorates. Score one for moi!

But, seriously. Now the holiday means consuming delicious Mexican food in my house, and that is what we did. I made Zesty Corn Fitters(LINK) and my traditional Basic Black Beans recipe- which I am so graciously about to share with you below, along with a simple green salad. My friends brought the Coronas and limes! Gotta have those! It was quite a nice evening, even though Lily was a bit on the rampage…

Basic Black Beans

(serves 10+ as a side dish!)

Ingredients:

4 cups cooked black beans

1 medium onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup water

½ cup tomato sauce (unseasoned)

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp cumin

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp annatto

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Heat the olive oil over low heat, then add the minced garlic and onion. Saute for about 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add the beans and mix well with the garlic and onion, then add the water. Bring to a bubbly simmer, and mix in the rest of the ingredients. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, adding extra seasoning if desired. Serve with rice or corn fritters.

I failed to take a picture of the final product, but this is how it looks right before mixing in the remainder of the seasonings

See? Super easy! That’s how we like it, right? You can use this as is, or top with shredded cheese, or mix in any other tasty ingredient, such as:

• Bell peppers
• Jalapenos
• Mixed diced vegetables (corn, carrots, peas, etc.)
• Shredded or cubed meat (steak, chicken, pork and oxtail all work well- yes, oxtail! It's really good!)
• Cilantro 

You can also use it a base for chili or blend it up for soup, like in this previous recipe I posted here. Beans are a hit with most people, and super good for you. Most kids dig them…at least I think. Tell me- do your kids like beans? Lily does…most of the time, anyway.

Beans are a staple in most Latin-American diets, and for good reason! They are not only yummy and go with just about any meal, but also aid in digestion. The rice helps to break down the heavy fibers in the beans that some people have difficulty digesting, although beans of course are worth the unfortunate, ahem, flatulence. They contain loads of B vitamins, help lower blood sugar, reduce the risk of many cancers, and help to make a healthy and functioning colon, among many other things.

Now for more fiesta!

Here some incredible vegan offerings from The Kind Life

A bunch of goodies from Go Ahead...Take a Bite!

Shrimp Tacos from Will Cook for Smiles!

Holy guacamole! Avocado Frosting from Crazy for Crust! Worth a try, I promise! Great for those with allergies.

And I know it's Meatless Monday and all, but this just looked to good not to share: Skirt Steak Tostadas with Spicy Black Beans and Fresh Mango Salsa from Baking with Blondie

Now here's a cute picture of Lily just because!

Having fun at the playground during a few hours of actual sunshine last week!

Enjoy! Let me know what you did for Cinco de Mayo in the comments below!!

Family Favorite Friday: Creamy Cauliflower and Carrot Curry Soup

With the ever-fluctuating cold/warm weather we've been having lately, a sudden cold spell put me in the mood for a cozy soup...and then it put me in the mood for curry. I looked in my fridge and saw that I had a head of cauliflower that needed to be used and a few carrots. I had those, and all the required ingredients for making a curry soup. Huzzah!

Creamy Cauliflower and Carrot Curry Soup
(serves 8+)


Ingredients:


1 head of cauliflower, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3 cups water
2 cups cream (light or heavy)
4 tbsp flour
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive, coconut or canola oil (all taste great!)
2 tbsp curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce to taste (optional)


Saute the onion and garlic in a large pot with the oil for about 5 minutes or until fragrant. Mix in the curry powder until onions and garlic are well-coated, cook for another minute, then add the cauliflower and carrot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously for another minute, then add the water and broth. Bring to a boil, adding the salt and pepper to taste and more curry if desired as it cooks. Cook for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Once, ready, remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender. If you're like me and do not have one of those nifty things, then pour into blender in batches. Be careful not to fill to the top of the blender to avoid over-flowing, and be careful not to burn yourself! Set blended soup mixture aside in separate bowl. 


In the same pot you cooked the vegetables in, melt butter over low heat. Mix in the flour with a beater until smooth, then add the cream. Cook over medium-low heat until smooth and bubbly, whisking as it cooks. Slowly stir in the vegetable soup mix until well-blended with the cream mix. Add in hot sauce if you want it hotter, otherwise serve as is with some toasted bread (I recommend sourdough, naan or rye). 

I decided to add a little extra curry after soup and cream were combined

garnished with a few drops of hot sauce and some parsley

I made this soup for Meatless Monday this week and it has been the best leftovers. I just couldn't wait until Meatless Monday next week to post about it! Paul loved it, I loved it, and even Lily loved it. This is how she had it- as a sauce over steamed cauliflower and carrots:

with a happy blue unicorn!

This is such a yummy soup for a cozy, rainy day that anyone will enjoy. If you don't add the hot sauce, it is quite mild in spiciness so picky eaters should love it too. The carrots give it a nice sweetness, while the cauliflower blends perfectly with the cream. This soup is also a powerhouse of nutrients and health aides, containing vitamins C and K from the cauliflower, vitamin A from the carrots, the cleansing power of turmeric from the curry, and the anti-cancerous and blood pressure-lowering benefits from the garlic. 


Baby can enjoy some of the carrots and cauliflower steamed until very soft, pureed and mixed with breast milk or formula. Add a little whole grain cereal for extra "umph." Carrots and cauliflower are safe for infants over 3 months to eat (depending on what your pediatrician recommends, always check with them first!).


Have a great weekend!

Happenings and Such

Once again I feel I have been slacking on my blog here. I really don't mean to, but I have had other things going on, among them, securing a new job. Yes, it's true, a new venture for me is in the works, details to follow once I feel I am officially out of the "jinx" period. I am such a huge jinx, I am almost afraid to mention that here, but I feel pretty calm and confident in allowing a hint of it at the very least.

Anyway, I have created some awesome new recipes which I will be posting very soon. A new soup for Friday and my traditional black beans bean recipe for next week's Meatless Monday. Today I just wanted to post something, and I decided to bring attention my other collaborative blog that I feel could use some love.

I posted here about it when my good friend Em and I first launched it in January this year, but since our pretty successful launch, things have gotten...a tad stale traffic-wise. We have awesome, amazing content, just not enough readers and commenters!

The Veillee is a blog we like to call "a place for writers" where aspiring authors, playwrights and poets can have their voices heard in a critically constructive setting. I love to write and so does my blogging partner Em, so we decided to create the blog when we both decided we wanted to have an outlet for own writings where others could join as well. We had quite a nice trickling of works coming in a for a while, but now our fountain of words has dried up! If you have anything you've written that you'd like to see actually published somewhere, send it to veilleesubmissions@gmail.com.

Recently, we've had some of my short fiction about a suicidal poet featured, and today we posted a selection from a novel a friend of ours is working on. It's a really amazing fantasy written in the key of Alice in Wonderland, but definitely with the author's own voice, all set in Old San Juan.

So, if my followers here could please take a look and comment if you read something you like, it would be highly appreciated! I don't mean to shamelessly plug or beg, that's not it at all. And only comment and/or follow The Veillee along if you actually do like it. We want to keep things genuine here!

Also, I am looking for this month's Up-and-Coming Blog of the Month. I have invited a couple people to be featured, but have not heard back from either of them yet (if you are one of those people, please let me know before I make a new choice!). So, if you know a blog or have a blog that has 200 followers or less and is a family-friendly blog about food, health, crafting, family, motherhood or creativity, please recommend in the comments, thanks!

Thanks for stopping by, I promise to have some tasty new recipes and health tips up soon enough :)