Here's a refreshing summer salad that's perfect for those who are expecting, trying to increase their fertility, or anyone who wants to stay cool on those long, hot, dog days of summer!
Base: Fresh Diced Romaine & Whole Baby Spinach Leaves
Romaine is healthier than iceberg but still relatively inexpensive. Spinach Leaves pack in iron and folate--two key nutrients for pregnancy and baby's development. Iron can help prevent iron-deficiency anemia which plagues many pregnant women. Folate not only helps baby's brain and spinal cord development, but also has been shown to increase a non-pregnant woman's fertility!
Veggies: Cucumbers, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery
If you're a pregnant mama in the summer, especially if you're in your
third trimester, you'll want to stick to cooling and neutral foods as
much as possible! Cucumbers & cauliflowers are a cooling food. Cauliflower is also a great source of choline, which is very important during pregnancy. They are refreshing anytime of year, but especially nice in summer dishes. Carrots & celery are considered neutral--neither a cooling nor warming food, and they provide beta-carotene as well as a playful pop of color to the dish.
Protein: Garbanzo Beans (Chic Peas), Hard Boiled Egg, Grilled Chicken or Salmon
Depending on your personal preference, top your salad with any of these protein choices, a combination, or all three! Garbanzos are a great plant protein. Eggs, like cauliflower, are a great source of choline, an under-discussed pregnancy necessity. Plus hard boiled eggs are very easy to prepare! Grilled Chicken takes a bit longer to prepare, but will fill you up for longer while still being lighter than adding fried chicken or steak to your salad. Lastly, salmon is an omega-3 gold mine.
Good Fat: Sliced Avocado
Avocados are a source of "good" fats and some people argue they are one of the healthiest foods a person can eat.
Crunch Factor: Raw or Roasted Sunflower Seeds & Walnut Pieces
Skip the croutons, and replace them with healthier options like walnuts--another healthy fat source which will keep you full for longer than carb-based croutons which are basically dry/toasted bits of seasoned bread. Also try raw or roasted sunflower seeds. Raw are healthier and cheaper, but roasted provide more flavor.
Dressing: Traditional Olive Oil or Trader Joe's Organic Red Wine & Olive Oil Vinegarette or Your Favorite Vinegarette
Finish with one of these light dressings and voilà! Your Refreshing Summer Salad is served!
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Friday, March 29, 2013
Blissful Bites: Trader Joe's Turkey Burgers
Well, Trader Joe's has done it again. They've managed to come up with a healthy, easy to prepare natural food item for an affordable price.
What is it? Trader Joe's Turkey Burgers.
How does it come? Frozen, with 4 raw burgers per box.
How do you cook it? Outdoor Grill, Indoor Grill, Stovetop, Conventional oven, or Toaster oven
Ingredients? Turkey, Kosher Salt, and Rosemary Extract. That's it. No pink slime, no growth hormones, no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, and no additives here.
How many Calories per burger? 180.
How many grams of Total Fat per burger? 10g.
Saturated Fat? 2.5g.
Trans Fat? 0g.
Protein? 22g.
Sodium? 280mg. This is a bit high, but take note that these burgers have no artificial preservatives, so this salt is replacing those as a natural preserving agent.
Other benefits? No GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), a little Iron and Calcium per serving, and overall a great tasting healthy option. Taste-wise, I find Turkey Burgers to be a hit or miss, and this one is definitely a hit.
Best Paired with? Trader Joe's Sliced Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Also great wrapped in lettuce instead of on bread for a lighter option.
Price: At my local Trader Joe's, a box of these 4 delicious Turkey Burgers is sold for only $2.99! That's only $0.75 per burger! Different locations may have different pricing.
What is it? Trader Joe's Turkey Burgers.
How does it come? Frozen, with 4 raw burgers per box.
How do you cook it? Outdoor Grill, Indoor Grill, Stovetop, Conventional oven, or Toaster oven
Ingredients? Turkey, Kosher Salt, and Rosemary Extract. That's it. No pink slime, no growth hormones, no artificial flavors, no artificial colors, and no additives here.
How many Calories per burger? 180.
How many grams of Total Fat per burger? 10g.
Saturated Fat? 2.5g.
Trans Fat? 0g.
Protein? 22g.
Sodium? 280mg. This is a bit high, but take note that these burgers have no artificial preservatives, so this salt is replacing those as a natural preserving agent.
Other benefits? No GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms), a little Iron and Calcium per serving, and overall a great tasting healthy option. Taste-wise, I find Turkey Burgers to be a hit or miss, and this one is definitely a hit.
Best Paired with? Trader Joe's Sliced Sharp Cheddar Cheese. Also great wrapped in lettuce instead of on bread for a lighter option.
Price: At my local Trader Joe's, a box of these 4 delicious Turkey Burgers is sold for only $2.99! That's only $0.75 per burger! Different locations may have different pricing.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Baby Bliss: Warm, Cozy, and SAFE: Infant Sleep Sacks!
SIDS, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, is arguably one of the scariest situations in early parenthood.
Because of the risk of SIDS and/or suffocation, health professionals advise parents to lay their baby on their backs to sleep and keep their baby's crib, bassinet, and any other sleeping area free from blankets, sheets, comforters, quilts, etc to avoid possible suffocation and death. The hazard is, babies have the ability to pull covers over their head and also to roll onto their stomachs before they have much neck strength/control and the ability to roll from their stomachs to their backs.
This leaves with parents with the concern that their infant may get to cold at night and a chilly baby is a baby that might be fussier, cry more, sleep less, and possibly even have a higher chance of getting an illness.
The perfect solution? Sleep sacks.
Sleep sacks are wearable blankets created for newborns, infants, and now new versions with leg wholes are even available for toddlers. Brands include the "zzZipMe Sack," "Swaddle Sack," and the "Halo Sleep Sack."
Fabric options include: basic cotton, cotton/flannel, fleece, and velvet. Closures are usually zipper, but sometimes snap closures are available. And, of course, countless colors and designs are available.
This is such a great idea. My personal recommendation is to be familiar with ways to reduce the risk of SIDS and purchase/register for both lightweight cotton and more heavy duty fleece sleep sacks. Sizes should correlate to how big your baby will be during the different seasons. For example if your baby is born in the winter, get a smaller size in the heavy fleece fabric, and a larger size in the cotton for when baby is bigger in the spring. For more information on SIDS, visit: http://www.sids.org/.
Because of the risk of SIDS and/or suffocation, health professionals advise parents to lay their baby on their backs to sleep and keep their baby's crib, bassinet, and any other sleeping area free from blankets, sheets, comforters, quilts, etc to avoid possible suffocation and death. The hazard is, babies have the ability to pull covers over their head and also to roll onto their stomachs before they have much neck strength/control and the ability to roll from their stomachs to their backs.
This leaves with parents with the concern that their infant may get to cold at night and a chilly baby is a baby that might be fussier, cry more, sleep less, and possibly even have a higher chance of getting an illness.
The perfect solution? Sleep sacks.
Sleep sacks are wearable blankets created for newborns, infants, and now new versions with leg wholes are even available for toddlers. Brands include the "zzZipMe Sack," "Swaddle Sack," and the "Halo Sleep Sack."
Fabric options include: basic cotton, cotton/flannel, fleece, and velvet. Closures are usually zipper, but sometimes snap closures are available. And, of course, countless colors and designs are available.
This is such a great idea. My personal recommendation is to be familiar with ways to reduce the risk of SIDS and purchase/register for both lightweight cotton and more heavy duty fleece sleep sacks. Sizes should correlate to how big your baby will be during the different seasons. For example if your baby is born in the winter, get a smaller size in the heavy fleece fabric, and a larger size in the cotton for when baby is bigger in the spring. For more information on SIDS, visit: http://www.sids.org/.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Blissful Bites: Trader Joe's Rustico Bread
Trader Joe's Soft Multigrain Rustico Bread is definitely worth trying. I love how this bread is very hearty and very soft at the same time. The top of the bread is covered in rolled oats, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds, giving it a crunchy bite to contrast with the soft interior of each slice. The bread is also made with molasses and heart healthy flax (rich in omega-3s). It has 6% of daily recommended iron and 4grams of dietary fiber. Plus, no artificial colors or flavors. Great served fresh or toasty!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Blissful Bump: Fertility Super Foods
More and more health care providers are recommending that women who want to have children prepare their bodies with a pre-conception diet packed with folic acid (folate), antioxidants, and ovulation-regulating foods for 3 to 6 months before they begin trying to conceive. Upon much reading and researching about pre-conception nutrition, I've discovered these fertility super foods:
1. Wild Caught Salmon. Omega Bliss! Omega-3s benefit a baby's brain and nervous system development and reduces risk of premature birth.
2. Plant-Based Protein : Nuts, Beans, and Seeds. Walnuts, almonds, pecans, and peanuts all provide the body with protein and good fat, but in all my research I've found that walnuts are the best for fertility with their protein, good fat, and omega-3s. Great bean choices: black beans & navy beans.
3. Avocado. Good Fats and sooooo delicious!!! If women don't get enough fat in their diet, they can't make enough hormones!
4. Leafy Greens. Raw Spinach is one of the best leafy greens. It contains large amounts of folic acid/folate (preventing neural tube defects and helps with egg development) and iron (preventing anemia in pregnancy when body makes more blood and helps build endometrial lining where egg is implanted).
5. Lemons & Other Citrus Fruits. Antioxidant Bliss! Plus Vitamin C is good for ovulation.
6. Full-Fat Dairy. Much reading from various sources has shown that full-fat dairy such as whole milk, cheeses and yogurt made with whole milk, and even ice cream, increase a woman's chances of conceiving. The more low-fat and non-fat dairy products women eat, the greater their risk of ovulatory infertility.
7. Eggs & Cauliflower. Each of these foods have multiple of benefits, but one lesser known advantage of these is they both contain choline. This, like folic acid, helps prevent neural tube defects which can occur in very early pregnancy (usually before a woman even knows she's pregnant). Choline also helps with the baby's brain function.
I could go into more detail...but I think this is a nice overview of some fertility super foods!
1. Wild Caught Salmon. Omega Bliss! Omega-3s benefit a baby's brain and nervous system development and reduces risk of premature birth.
2. Plant-Based Protein : Nuts, Beans, and Seeds. Walnuts, almonds, pecans, and peanuts all provide the body with protein and good fat, but in all my research I've found that walnuts are the best for fertility with their protein, good fat, and omega-3s. Great bean choices: black beans & navy beans.
3. Avocado. Good Fats and sooooo delicious!!! If women don't get enough fat in their diet, they can't make enough hormones!
4. Leafy Greens. Raw Spinach is one of the best leafy greens. It contains large amounts of folic acid/folate (preventing neural tube defects and helps with egg development) and iron (preventing anemia in pregnancy when body makes more blood and helps build endometrial lining where egg is implanted).
5. Lemons & Other Citrus Fruits. Antioxidant Bliss! Plus Vitamin C is good for ovulation.
6. Full-Fat Dairy. Much reading from various sources has shown that full-fat dairy such as whole milk, cheeses and yogurt made with whole milk, and even ice cream, increase a woman's chances of conceiving. The more low-fat and non-fat dairy products women eat, the greater their risk of ovulatory infertility.
7. Eggs & Cauliflower. Each of these foods have multiple of benefits, but one lesser known advantage of these is they both contain choline. This, like folic acid, helps prevent neural tube defects which can occur in very early pregnancy (usually before a woman even knows she's pregnant). Choline also helps with the baby's brain function.
I could go into more detail...but I think this is a nice overview of some fertility super foods!
Monday, October 29, 2012
Blissful Home: Rhubarb Fine Bone China Sugar (or Stevia) Holder
One scoop or two?
Friday, October 26, 2012
Beauty Bliss: 100% Pure Fruit Pigmented Mascara
Hi everyone! I am reposting this entry with a few updates now that I've tried the product for a longer time period, and also now I have video review available on Youtube. Click Here to see my video review.
Product Breakdown:
Brand: 100% Pure
Product Name: Fruit Pigmented Ultra Lengthening Mascara
Colors Available: Black Tea, Blackberry, Blueberry, & Dark Chocolate
Size: 7grams/0.24oz
Cost: $18.00
I discovered this product while searching for a natural mascara without artificial colors/harsh chemicals. I found that almost all the natural mascaras were $20 or more, with only a few exception. My first reaction was that $18.00 is a high price for a tube of mascara and I actually bought a semi-natural, less pure brand first for a fraction of the cost (by Physician's Formula). Then I read about all the harmful ingredients in it and how it really wasn't that natural after all. Plus I found the Physician's Formula Mascara to clump a lot. So I ditched that and went back to searching for a natural mascara for an affordable price. That's when I found this mascara--and by that point in the search, $18 for something truly pure and high quality seemed like a better deal to me. So I tried it out and I've been using it for over 2 months. I should also point out that a tube of mascara is good for 3 months (unless you have an eye infection, in which case you need to toss it imediately), so this product only costs you $6 per month.
I ordered 100% Pure's Blackberry Mascara, but it does come in other varieties (see above product breakdown). When I read the ingredients list of my mascara I was very impressed! Blackberries, raspberries, rosemary, oh my! I was so glad to see it was actually natural! I've seen so many other products say "natural" on the front of the packaging, but then list artificial ingredients and harmful chemicals on the back in very, very fine print.
This mascara really lengthens and separates your lashes and doesn't clump for at least the first month of use--after that you might get some minimal clumping, but not much.
I also have to mention that this is the best smelling mascara I have ever come across--and I've tried quite a few. For more product details and to see how the packaging looks, check out my Youtube review by CLICKING HERE.
Product Breakdown:
Brand: 100% Pure
Product Name: Fruit Pigmented Ultra Lengthening Mascara
Colors Available: Black Tea, Blackberry, Blueberry, & Dark Chocolate
Size: 7grams/0.24oz
Cost: $18.00
I discovered this product while searching for a natural mascara without artificial colors/harsh chemicals. I found that almost all the natural mascaras were $20 or more, with only a few exception. My first reaction was that $18.00 is a high price for a tube of mascara and I actually bought a semi-natural, less pure brand first for a fraction of the cost (by Physician's Formula). Then I read about all the harmful ingredients in it and how it really wasn't that natural after all. Plus I found the Physician's Formula Mascara to clump a lot. So I ditched that and went back to searching for a natural mascara for an affordable price. That's when I found this mascara--and by that point in the search, $18 for something truly pure and high quality seemed like a better deal to me. So I tried it out and I've been using it for over 2 months. I should also point out that a tube of mascara is good for 3 months (unless you have an eye infection, in which case you need to toss it imediately), so this product only costs you $6 per month.
I ordered 100% Pure's Blackberry Mascara, but it does come in other varieties (see above product breakdown). When I read the ingredients list of my mascara I was very impressed! Blackberries, raspberries, rosemary, oh my! I was so glad to see it was actually natural! I've seen so many other products say "natural" on the front of the packaging, but then list artificial ingredients and harmful chemicals on the back in very, very fine print.
This mascara really lengthens and separates your lashes and doesn't clump for at least the first month of use--after that you might get some minimal clumping, but not much.
I also have to mention that this is the best smelling mascara I have ever come across--and I've tried quite a few. For more product details and to see how the packaging looks, check out my Youtube review by CLICKING HERE.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Beauty Bliss: Soothe your Lips with Alba Botanica Natural Lip Balm
Autumn is here and that means it's the beginning of chapped lip season! So here's my pick for a lip balm that's natural, inexpensive, and works great: Alba Botanica Natural Hawaiian Lip Balm, in Nourishing Coconut Cream.
This lip balm moisturizes your lips with natural and organic ingredients such as coconut oil, rosemary extract, and aloe. And, unlike Burt's Bees products, this lip balm does NOT make your lips tingle! It's made up of 100% vegetarian ingredients and there's no animal testing in the making of this product. Plus it's soft coconut scent is dreamy. To see my YouTube Video Review of this product, CLICK HERE.
The Cosmetics Database gives this product a great GREEN RATING! Click Here to view Skin Deep Cosmetics Database details for this product.
This lip balm moisturizes your lips with natural and organic ingredients such as coconut oil, rosemary extract, and aloe. And, unlike Burt's Bees products, this lip balm does NOT make your lips tingle! It's made up of 100% vegetarian ingredients and there's no animal testing in the making of this product. Plus it's soft coconut scent is dreamy. To see my YouTube Video Review of this product, CLICK HERE.
The Cosmetics Database gives this product a great GREEN RATING! Click Here to view Skin Deep Cosmetics Database details for this product.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Dining Bliss: Viva's Chicken Cobb Panini
I had dining bliss today for lunch...a Chicken Cobb Panini from Viva! I got it as part of their $6.99 Lunch Entree Special, where you choose 1/2 salad or a cup of soup and pair it with 1/2 wrap or 1/2 panini. (I paired my panini with a cup of their Loaded Baked Potato Soup, but that's another blog entry!)
This panini is stuffed with grilled chicken, bacon slices, fresh avocado, lettuce, and sliced tomatoes. The panini usually comes with blue cheese and honey mustard dressing, but I substituted their amazing Parmesan dressing instead of the honey mustard and skipped the blue cheese all together.
The panini is served with two toothpicks, one stabbing a black olive and the other a grape tomatoe--so the presentation is executed quite nicely.
My Ratings:
(each category is on a 0 to 5 scale with 5 being the best)
Bread Rating:4.5
Meat Rating: 5
Cheese Rating: N/A
Toppings: 5
Dressing: 5
Overall Rating: 4.9
I definitely recommend this signature Viva Sandwich.
Click here to see Viva's Lunch Menu and Dinner Menu!
This panini is stuffed with grilled chicken, bacon slices, fresh avocado, lettuce, and sliced tomatoes. The panini usually comes with blue cheese and honey mustard dressing, but I substituted their amazing Parmesan dressing instead of the honey mustard and skipped the blue cheese all together.
The panini is served with two toothpicks, one stabbing a black olive and the other a grape tomatoe--so the presentation is executed quite nicely.
My Ratings:
(each category is on a 0 to 5 scale with 5 being the best)
Bread Rating:4.5
Meat Rating: 5
Cheese Rating: N/A
Toppings: 5
Dressing: 5
Overall Rating: 4.9
I definitely recommend this signature Viva Sandwich.
Click here to see Viva's Lunch Menu and Dinner Menu!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Blissful Bites: Trader Joe's Chocolatey Coated Dunkers!
One of my favorite snacks during college and ever since is Trader Joe's Chocolatey Coated Chocolate Chip Cookie Dunkers! They're basically natural chocolate chip cookies in an elongated shape (perfect for milk dunking) and dipped in extra chocolate on one side for optimal sweetness. No more cookies too big to dunk in your milk glass. No more preservative-packed snacks. These dunkers are the real deal.
My favorite way to eat them: Pair them with Trader Joe's 100% All Natural Creamy Salted Peanut Butter by spreading the peanut butter directly onto the flat, fudgy side of the cookie. Then feel free to dunk into some almond milk or raw milk or just sip on some milk on the side. Marvelous.
Note: Trader Joe's also makes dunkers without the extra chocolate coating, which are simply called Chocolate Chip Dunkers. Those are good too, but not as good as the Chocolatey Coated Chocolate Chip Cookie Dunkers.
Click Here to find a Trader Joe's near you!
My favorite way to eat them: Pair them with Trader Joe's 100% All Natural Creamy Salted Peanut Butter by spreading the peanut butter directly onto the flat, fudgy side of the cookie. Then feel free to dunk into some almond milk or raw milk or just sip on some milk on the side. Marvelous.
Note: Trader Joe's also makes dunkers without the extra chocolate coating, which are simply called Chocolate Chip Dunkers. Those are good too, but not as good as the Chocolatey Coated Chocolate Chip Cookie Dunkers.
Click Here to find a Trader Joe's near you!
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