NO-Mess Sand! Yes It Really Does Exist!

 Yesterday my family and I decided to venture down to the Santa Monica Promenade since it was a nice (but windy) day in So Cal.  One that wasn't too hot or crowded since it's not yet the summer months. Anyway, we went into the Brookstone store and saw this incredible "Sand" that all of us fell in love with!  It's a 98% sand with 2% polymer blend that makes that sand sort of stick together. It never dries out (as long as it is used then put back in the jar), dust free, gluten free, easy to clean and the options for pretend play are endless!

It feels like moist stand and does not separate much or stick to your hands. It's sort of like a granular play dough and my daughter wouldn't put it down.  She played with it for at least 30 minutes and it never got on her clothes, the counter or her hands.  Brookstone kept it in a small wooden sand box that they also sell.  The sand itself is $20 for the 2.2lb jar or $14.99 for the 1lb jar.  The 1lb jar is also on sale for 2 for $25 but the large 2.2 lb jar is still a better deal.

I am a major neat freak and not a fan of sand at all. It creates a mess whether kids play with it inside or out but THIS stuff was incredible.  I am planning on buying a few of the larger jars for my daughter soon and will add some follow up pics and an additional review.  I would have bought it yesterday but we are the type of parents that don't buy her stuff all the time.  It has to be her birthday or Christmas or she has to earn it (i.e., by reading a new book, doing all of her chores for the week, getting all of the stars on her behavior chart, etc).  So, if you are looking for a new toy or pretend play stuff for your kids, this  "sand" is excellent.  Kids can use cookie cutters or sand toys from the dollar store and create shapes, castles and anything else they want with it.  An excellent alternative to a doll, car or video game!  This free flowing sand is also great for sensory therapy.  This product was designed for Fine Motor, Sensory, and Cognitive Development.

Easy Grilled Chicken Recipe

This is one of my favorite recipes and is hardly a recipe at all. Just a few ingredients and a barbecue (or you can broil it too!) and it's done!

Ingredients
--Chicken breasts
   (Trimmed & sliced down the center. I like
    mine thin. Quantity depends on how many
    you want to make)
--Light balsamic vinaigrette dressing
    (Any brand you prefer)
--Mrs Dash no salt seasoning
    (Any flavor you like)
--Two lemons

1.  Layer the chicken in a tupperware container. After each layer, pour some of the dressing in it, squeeze a little bit of the lemon juice and sprinkle with seasoning.  Flip over and do the same with the other side.  Do this until all of the chicken is well seasoned and is in the container. 

2. Place in the refrigerator and marinate it at least a few hours or over night.

3.  If you have a grill,  grill it up on the barbecue but if not, just put it on a cookie sheet and broil or bake in the oven at 400 degrees. I prefer the BBQ but it tastes good both ways.

4. And that's it! Comes out yummy and you don't need much at all ;-). I do the same thing with Tilapia, Swai and other fish as well. 

Healthy Turkey Tacos! Low Cal & Can Be Low Carb Too

OK here it is! This is one of my favorite dinner recipes and I make it with one of my favorite foods. Super easy to make and my family loves it. I use the Jennie-O Lean Ground Turkey Meat but you can use any type you'd like. They have an extra lean and an Italian seasoned flavor that's yummy too. If I use the extra lean,  I just add the packet of taco seasoning flavor to the meat and it's the same thing.  Enjoy and comment below if you give it a try!

Ingredients
--1 package of Jennie-O Taco Seasoned Turkey
--La Tortilla Low Carb tortillas
--1 onion
--1 avocado
--3 medium tomatoes
--1 head of romaine lettuce
--1 can Rosarita Green Chile & Lime Refried beans
--4 oz of shredded cheese (any type you like)

1. Chop up your onion and brown it. Set it aside. I prefer it browned but, if you prefer raw onion, you can use them raw as well.

2. Chop up your tomatoes and lettuce and set aside.

3. Slice or dice your avocado and set aside.

4.  Empty the refried beans into a sauce pan and heat. Once it is heated, I add some of the shredded cheese 

to them. Once the cheese melts and the beans are warm, I place them to the side in a bowl.

5. Cook the turkey until it's golden brown,  add the onions & set it aside as well.  I personally love it with the grilled onions in it and so does my family but if you prefer it without onion, it can be made that way as well. It is still very good.

6. Heat the tortillas om the stove top and place in a tortilla warmer.

7.  To serve them, you can either assemble each taco yourself and serve them assembled or place the ingredients in the table in separate bowls to create a taco bar for your family members. Mine prefers that since each person like a a different amount of each ingredient in his/her taco.

8. To assemble, I open the tortilla and spread some beans inside. Then I add a spoonful of turkey. Afterwards I add lettuce, tomato, avocado and cheese on top. We use any type of cheese we have on hand....sometimes even shredding string cheese if that's all that's in the fridge!  If like salsa, add any variety you like on top as well.

9. Eat & enjoy!

*** If you are cutting carbs and prefer not to eat tortillas, you can also use romaine lettuce leaves and make turkey taco wraps.  Just as good!

Healthy, Protein Packed Snack Ideas

For the most part, my diet is made up of lots of healthy protein and vegetables with some healthy carbs and dairy mixed in.  Protein can be difficult to eat as a snack since most protein consists of meat, poultry and fish. It takes lot of preparation and planning.

One of my favorite on the go snacks with lots of protein in it plus healthy omega fats are these salmon burgers! They are so easy to make and I can take them with me anywhere wrapped in a little aluminum foil. I just pop them in the toaster oven for a out 20 minutes and they're ready. I usually make a few at a time and keep them in the fridge ready to go.

If you live near a Costco or Sam's Club, they sell them there or you can probably get them at your local grocery store. 

So, next time you reach for a slice of bread,  a sugary granola bar or an unhealthy treat think about trying to add in some protein instead. 

Need some more low carb snack ideas packed with protein,  healthy fats and fiber? Try some of these:
--celery with peanut butter
--deviled eggs
--jerky (beef or turkey)
--string cheese
--sunflower seeds
--handful of almonds
--cottage cheese
--Greek yogurt
--nitrate free cold cuts rolled with a slice of cheese
--protein shake
--egg muffins*
--protein pancakes*

*Recipe is on the blog. Click the "Recipes" category link along the right side to find them.

Making Lettuce & Spinach Last for Weeks in the Fridge!

Here's another way to make lettuce and spinach last a lot longer in your fridge.  This will allow you to buy it in bulk at warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club and save money!  First, open the bag and cut the tips off the heads of romaine.  If it's iceberg, no need to cut anything.

Then wrap each head of lettuce in paper towels so the entire head is covered and nothing is exposed.

 Then place it back in the bag you got it in (if it comes in bags of 2 to 3) or, if you buy in bulk such as bags of 6 at Costco, place them in Zip Lock bags.  You can usually git 2 to 3 heads of lettuce in each.

Then place in your crisper drawer and they should last at least 2-3 weeks! That's MUCH longer than if stored as they come.

This also works for large bags of spinach. We buy the large bags of spinach for smoothies but it can go bad in just a few days.  In order to help it last longer, I spread out paper towels on the counter.  Usually two rows of 3 full size paper towels in each row.  Then I pour out the spinach inside and wrap it up in a ball covering it all with the paper towels.  I then place it back in the bag I got it in or separate it into a few Zip Lock bags.  This helps it last weeks as well!

So, shop in bulk and don't worry about these items going to waste! I've been using these tricks for years and they work every time!  Check out the link on bananas lasting longer & a few other tips as well! Click here to see that blog entry!

Protein Packed Pancakes

Delicious Low Carb Protein Pancakes
-1 scoop of your favorite smoothie powder
   (I use Shakeology Pro7ein or Cytosine 100% Whey)
-3 egg whites
   (from eggs or the egg whites in cartons)
-2 oz of your favorite low sugar yogurt
  (My faves are the Carbmaster brand
   from Ralphs or Food 4 Less but Greek 
   works well too)

1. Put all of the ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth.

2. Make pancakes in a pan as usual and serve.

3. It's that easy! That's it ;)

You can add the other ingredients such as bananas, oats, peanut butter, nuts, etc if you'd like but I'm trying to eat low carb so I stick with the Ralphs Carbmaster yogurts, egg whites and low carb protein ;-)

I make a large batch of these on the beginning of the week,  refrigerate them and snack on them throughout the week when I'm craving sweets, bread or carbs in general.

You can choose any protein flavor you like but vanilla tends to work best. I've also tried chocolate,  cookies & cream and strawberry.  All are yummy but vanilla is my fave! Serve them to your whole family. My daughter ♥s them!  In the batch above I made 6 batches (6 scoops of protein, 1 1/2 yogurts & 18 egg whites). It's easier to do all at once for the week with a newborn & makes plenty to have on hand for the family. My husband grabs one on his way out to work and my daughter and I love to eat pieces throughout the day.

Protein Packed Egg Muffins

Ok so I have a bit of a problem lately...if you can call it that. I am hungry ALL OF THE TIME and it's because I have a two month old son that I am breastfeeding what seems like all day long. So, with that said, I have been on the hunt for recipes for food that I can make and have on hand to eat when hunger strikes....which is usually every 10 minutes LOL! A friend of mine shared her egg muffin recipe with me and, after tweaking it a bit, I am obsessed with them and make them every week. Sometimes I eat so many of them that I end up having to make them twice a week.  Good thing is they're harmless! They are packed with protein, low in calories, low in fat and low in carbs.  To top it off, I make them with lots of veggies so they could not be better for me. With that said, here's the recipe for you all to enjoy! The only mandatory ingredients are the egg whites (or full egg if you so choose). The rest is up to you to get creative with. I make mine with feta cheese and steamed veggies but some prefer to add in sausage, ground turkey, mushrooms, etc.  Basically, if you have it in your fridge and want to add it, go for it!  I've yet to make them with anything that didn't taste good in them.  Leave me a comment below and let me know what you thought after you try them if you decide to give this recipe a whirl :)

Ingredients
--10 egg whites from large eggs or a carton of egg whites with 10 servings
--1 chopped onion
--Feta cheese
--Normandy vegetables (Kirkland brand from Costco of frozen broccoli, squash, cauliflower & carrots)
--1/2 cup pico de gallo or chopped tomatoes
--1/2 cup cilantro
--No salt seasoning such as Mrs. Dash

1.  Pour egg whites into blender.  Add seasoning to your liking.  Add chopped onions, cilantro & pico de gallo (or tomatoes).

2.  Blend for only a few seconds. It should be just enough to mix the ingredients, not puree them.

3.  Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray.  Pour the egg white mixture in your blender into the muffin pan filling each muffin only half way.

4.  Steam several cups of Kirkland Normandy Vegetables.  Quantity depends on how many veggies you want in your muffins. If you don't use them all, you can just eat them alone.  Add vegetables to muffins in pan by just dropping them in.  Do the same with any other ingredients you want to add, such as mushrooms, spinach, bacon, sausage, etc. Top with feta cheese and Mrs Dash seasoning to your liking.

5.  Cook in oven at 375 degrees until browned or approximately 30-40 minutes.

6.  Let cool, remove from pan and enjoy!  This is a great snack food for mom, dad & the kids.  My daughter hated eggs until she tried the eggie muffins as she calls them!

Buying in Bulk & Making Food Last!

If you're have a family with a few hungry kids, you would probably be better off buying in bulk to save money & save yourself a few trips to the grocery store as well.  With these food preservation tips you can do both!  Check them out. You can save hundreds per year on your grocery bill by incorporating just a few of these in your household!

Lettuce
When you buy romaine lettuce,  wrap it in paper towels and place it either back in the bag you purchased it in if it is resealable or place it in large zip lock bags.  This helps keep the moisture off the leaves and prevents then from browning.

Bananas
Separate them as soon as you're home from the grocery store, wrap stems in plastic wrap and, if you are able to, try to put them on a lave where they are not touching each other. The latter can be difficult to do since buying in bull means buying a lot of them so, at minimum,  separate them from the joint stem and wrap it.  By wrapping them you will slow down the ripening process and they will remain green or yellow longer.

Herbs
Buying fresh herbs is costly and they don't last long.  To preserve them, freeze them in oil. Herbs frozen in oil are ideam because they are not only preserved, the also have a little bit of oil to cool them with already and add to a meal.

Dairy
Keep dairy on the top shelf in the fridge because in most refrigerators, the top shelf keeps the most constant temperature due to the fact that that's where the thermometer is. Keeping it's temperature constant ensures that it will last until it's expiration date and possibly a little longer.  The worst place for dairy is the door since it is opened often and exposed to much warmer air.

Your Personal Security Guard and Few Trillion of his Closest Friends

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting Tom Hines, co-founder of NutritionGeeks.com, on Twitter. He offered to write a guest post for my blog and it could not be a more fitting time! My mom was recently admitted to the hospital after one of several intestinal bacterial infections. Taking care of your body is very important, as is listening to the warning signs it gives off. Read on for an excellent article written by Tom on why good bacteria is good for us and what you can do to prevent bacterial infections that can sometimes be deadly!

A few weeks ago, a friend and I loaded up some supplies into a trailer and made our way to the security checkpoint at a large local home improvement store. As we pulled up, he looked toward the guy manning the checkpoint and said, “that’s the most important person working here. That guy decides what gets in and what leaves.”

Whether we’re talking kids or adults, it’s hard to overstate the importance of a healthy gut. Much like our underappreciated security guard, the gut is responsible for the majority of what makes it into our bodies, and just as importantly… what doesn’t. In addition, about 70% of our immune function comes from the gut, certain vitamins are produced there, and battles with invading forces are waged there (viruses, bad bacteria, bad yeast, toxins). Unlike our security guard, the gut can’t do it all alone; it relies on help from trillions of it’s closest friends… probiotics.

You might not be aware of this but you are only really about 10% human. Your body is made up of about 10 trillion cells, but you are home to about 100 trillion bacteria. Lucky for you, the vast majority of them are good and live in your gut.  

What does good bacteria do for us?

• Use resources and space that bad bacteria and yeast would claim in their absence
• Produces vitamin K, folic acid, vitamin B-12, and biotin (aka vitamin H)
• Breakdown and carry away toxins
• Stimulate the immune system
• Assist in nutrient absorption
• Ferment dietary fiber into short chain fatty acids

It’s important to be aware of all this for one simple reason; today more than ever, we have an enormous amount of influence over the health and wellbeing of our teeny tiny little family.  Government and corporations pour a seemingly endless supply of money and resources into the messages “this is safe”, “this is good for you”, “this is better”.  It’s hard to blame anyone, especially kids, for buying into this constant barrage of Good, Safe, Normal, Better, Healthy.  It’s confusing as heck, and the truth in this case, we’re outgunned.

What can you do?

• Limit antibiotic usage -  If you have a doctor that prescribes an antibiotic every time you stub your toe, then find a new doctor.
• Eat less refined sugars - Sugar is food for yeast. A large percentage of Americans have a yeast overgrowth.  The yeast causes several problems of it’s own and crowds out good bacteria.
• Eat more fiber - Fiber will keep things moving, carry away toxins, and supply food to probiotics.
• Eliminate or cut back on gluten - Even if you don’t have celiac disease, gluten can increase the permeability of the gut and cause damage.
• Cut back on the chemicals - Processed foods, food additives, pesticides, and herbicides can all harm those little guys.
• Take probiotics - There is a constant war going on and this is like sending in more troops.  Find a few GREAT products and rotate them throughout the year to get a variety.  Here are three that I like: Florajen 3 by American Lifeline, Dr Ohhira’s by Essential Formulas, and Ultimate Flora by ReNew Life.
• Eat more fermented and cultured foods - Yogurt is great, but there’s so much more.  The old practice of fermenting foods like sauerkraut and other vegetables is coming back strong due largely to their probiotic benefits.  Here’s a great video on how to make your own.
• Pay attention to your gut - If you have frequent constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating, pain or other gut issues, then start asking “why?”.  Your body is trying to tell you something and I’m telling you that it’s not normal… I don’t care how many friends and family you know with the same issues.  Misery may love company, but it doesn’t make it right.

Take care of your gut and your little friends, and they will take care of you.

Another Amazing Need Brands Product Giveaway for the Stretchy Deep Moisturizing Cream

Last week we did a giveaway for Milky!, an incredible breastfeeding supplement by Need Brands brought to you by Tia and Tamera Mowry.  Congratulations to Krystal Cano of Indiana on winning the 6 day supply of Milky!  Enjoy and please let us know if you love it as much as other mommas do!

This week we have the pleasure of doing another giveaway for another amazing Need Brands product!  We will be giving away 2 bottles of their Stretchy Deep Moisturizing Cream.  This cream is one of a kind and it is not just for moms that want to prevent or minimize stretch marks.  It is an all natural, organic moisturizer that the entire family can use and benefit from.

If you do have stretch marks, Stretchy works to reduce inflammation in the skin by hydrating, moisturizing it and encouraging collagen production to help rebuild connective tissue.  After a few weeks of use, you should be able to see a noticeable difference on any stretch marks that you may have had.  If you are pregnant and want to prevent getting any stretch marks, Stretchy can help do that by maintaining your skin constantly moisturized to prevent scaring and stretching. 

Like I said before, though, Stretchy is for everyone.  It is an all natural cream that smells amazing and is made of all natural ingredients.  Stretchy is created from a blend of argan oil, cocoa butter, aloe vera, tamanu oil, argan oil, cupuacu butter, horsetail, lady's mantle and vitamins K1 and E.  It is also recommended by dermatologists.  Many moms love that it is vegan and none of the Need Brand products are tested on animals.  

So, if you'd love to try Stretchy and win one of two bottles that will be given away, follow the steps below to enter.  The more you enter, the more likely you are to win.  You have 5 ways to enter and can enter daily by commenting on the blog and tweeting about the giveaway too! Good luck and stay tuned to see if you're the lucky winner!

Rules to Enter the Giveaway
Ways to enter are:
1) Like us on Facebook at
2) Follow us on Twitter at
3) Tweet about the giveaway on Twitter
4) Comment on this blog post below
5) Join The Parent Center and Follow Us by clicking the "Join this site" Google link

The will be 1 winner selected at random and 1 winner selected who has the most points earned during the giveaway.  Earn one point per entry and you can enter 5 times the first day alone.  Then you can enter twice each day after that by tweeting about the giveaway and adding a creative comment below.  Tell us why you want to win, what creams you have tried, why you love Tia & Tamera.....anything you can think of related to the giveaway, Need Brands, Tia & Tamera or creams in general!


Contest begins tonight at midnight (October 4, 2013 at 12 am) and ends October 9, 2013 at 12 am.  Get started and win yourself a tube of the best moisturizing treatment around.

If you would like to order Stretchy in advance, enter NICK10  at checkout to receive 10% off your entire order of 2 tubes or more. 

I was not paid/compensated in any way to test/review this product. I was simply given a tube to try and I'm addicted!


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