Squarespace Blog / "healthy"

Fun snack time! Frozen Yogurt Drops

I can't take credit for this one, but I can definitely say it is a HUGE hit in my house. Our new favorite fun snack is frozen yogurt. Simple right?! How had I not though of this myself!? My son Zavery just loves those Gerber freeze dried yogurt drops, but who really knows what is in that stuff. I like knowing exactly what I am putting into my little ones bellies. So anything that I can make myself, while still keeping it quick and easy is a win. So here it is... frozen yogurt drops.
You will need:Yogurt (any kind will do, though I recommend one without the fruit bits)Plastic Wrap or a plastic food safe baggyScissorsPlate (freezer safe)Container with a lid (I recommend the Nuby Wacky Ware Bowl & Lid)
Take your baggy and put your yogurt in one corner. I like using a single yogurt cup so I know how many drops it makes each time. I fill the baggy with that entire cup. With your scissors, cut the corner of the baggy. I would say just about 2 millimeters up. You want the hole small so you have control over how fast it comes out. Squeeze the drops onto the plate... about the size of a nickel and evenly spaced out. Don't be afraid to have fun with it! The boys like when I spell out their names with the yogurt... When you're all out, just put the plates in the freezer. They freeze quickly... within about 2 hours they are ready to eat! Just pop each one off the plate and serve. With your leftovers (if there are any, haha) toss them into your Nuby Wacky Ware Bowl... cover it with the lid, and toss them back into the freezer. Once they are frozen they can all be combined together. Though, be sure they're still frozen. It can get messy once they start to melt. These yogurt drops have replaced dessert on our house. The kids are so excited to eat them after dinner, and I am more than happy to serve them.
Hope you enjoyed our fun snack!<3RockerByeBaby

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Favorites Friday: Be a loser!

Zaq and I are on a work out kick... were were finally getting back in shape after the wedding... then came honeymoon... packing... moving... settling... and BAM! extra 20 pounds... ouch.... :( So its time to get our butts in gear... be a "loser" with us!! Hes been going to the gym every morning before work... we wake up at 5am, have coffee & Special K... then both start our work outs... this weeks favorites friday is glimpse into our tired, sore, hungry, chubby world, lol... enjoy!



#1: BellaPoshPillows - "Microwavable Spa Pillow Heat Therapy Neck Wrap - Hearts and Skull Flannel" MY MUSCLES NEEED THIS!
#2: TeasandPestries - "This is an Oolong tea known to promote weight loss!! This tea is a fabulous start to the day and an even better 'pick me up' after lunch. I add lemon grass and hibiscus for nice subtle undertone flavors." I bought some Organic Slim Life tea at the store, but had I known it was on etsy I would have gotten it here! Ill be back for a refil :)
#3: ChangeYourLife - 30 weight loss hypnosis Program... NICE! I totally need this, lol
#4: Sacredvibes - "Triphala is an ayurvedic herb that has been used for hundreds of years. It maintains healthy cholesterol levels,supports proper weight management,maintains healthy digestion and absorption and removes deep-seated toxins from the tissues. Our triphala/guggulu is 100% organic."
#5: Ahpeele - *just died and went to yoga heaven... I love yoga, i really do... and it just got a WHOLE lot cooler :) "These fitness pants are nice. They'll work with your curves, have a slightly flared leg opening. two-piece waistband help to minimize the back view. Preshrunk and laundered 87% cotton 13% spandex, 8.0 ounce."
#6: Itsmeowornever - "These organic lemon pop energy squares will make not only fill you with energy but make your mouth pop with delight! Packed with real lemon flavor, organic dates, raisins, sunflower seeds, and apricots. Packed with nutrition and taste these bars are perfect anytime you crave a snack." Its healthy, awesome snacks like this that make it easier to survive a "diet"...
#7: AlterEcoClothing - "DIY Ripped Tattered Two Layer Skulls Stars ORGANIC PANTS" As always... leave it to the uber hottie Bianca to keep me motivated to lose weight, lol Perfect goal is to get into her sexy yoga pants! Get your mind outta the gutter, duh, i mean, Wear them!!
#8: ItsMeowOrNever - "Treat yourself to our awesome berry mix. Packed with strawberries, sour cherries, raspberries, cranberries, blackberries, blueberries, and bing cherries. This is definitely one mix you do not want to miss." I just HAD to use them again... Im falling in love with all their heathy snack options!!
#9: NatureBaby - could this be ANY cuter!? "Baby's Yoga Mat 100 percent recycled" Izzaq always does yoga with me and wants to be on the mat... i bet he would LOVE this!

**If any of you wonderful featured sellers would like to host a review & giveaway here at the blog leave a comment or send me an email to rockerbyebaby@gmail.com We would LOVE to try your products!!!***
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More handmade awesomeness

So the other day sucked... lots of drama and stress and sadness.... but when the mailman dropped off a couple packages it definitely helped perk me up a bit. My girls always know just how to make me smile. I had bought a OOAK Octo Hoodie for Izzaq from Rocky The Zombie.... which beings our collection up to 9 I think, lol And Brooke from Brooke Van Gory had a coule things to send me for orders & sets... and BLEW me away with my own OOAK diaper bag (Amazing - photos to come later, it deserves its OWN post...) and 4 pairs of t shirt pants for the boys.... we love it ALL!! I took lots and lots of photos to share with you. :)

The Octo Hoodie... and Izzaq with his model face... lol



Isn't it awesome?? And i was worried about size but its perfect... even a little big so they will get at least a good years wear out of it which is ALWAYS important to me. Up next are the AMAZING Brooke Van Gory recycled tshirt pants. When she started doing this i was blown away... such a genius idea and I hadn't seen anyone else on etsy doing it. What a great, fun way to be eco friendly and not compromise style... can you imagine the perfect toddler Misfits pants? Or toddler pants made from your old high school baseball shirt?? LOVE!! So yeah - she sent us four pair... they all equally rock and the boys love wearing them. Im totally jealous because they look SOOO soft and comfy. And the way they are made with the eastic band they will fit forever.... I can see around 5 or 6 cutting them off as shorts... REALLLY good investment for you mommies :)


Izzaq's showing you his big muscles, lol Looks like a poop face... or like his head might explode.... but... he's straining... hahahah. Below are more pics of the pants... and one more little shout out. "Peas of Mind" Carrot Fries...


I always talk about tryign to be good about what I feed the boys... for dinner they are eating All white meat baked chicken nuggets & baked Carrot Fries. I have been watching them at target and FINALLY they went on sale.. one bag was $3.50 (2/$7) They are almost $5 regular price so I was being cheap about it... but didnt know if the boys would like them. They come in 4 different flavors... Carrot fries, Apple Fries, Cauliflower Fries, and Broccoli fries. They have lots of other products as well. But for me it was all about taking a regular nuggets and tater tots dinner and make it healthy. The boys love them and they are a great way to get some extra vitamins & vegis.

"Baked Carrot Veggie Wedgies are made from real carrots and are high in Vitamin A for healthy eyes! These fries are crispy without the added oil and sodium of regular fries. Try them dipped in ranch dressing or hummus.
• Fat Free
• Gluten Free
• Dairy Free
• Soy Free
• Vegan"

Now - with that said... I think I could make my own... I want to make a pack of Idaho mashed potatos and puree a pound of carrots... throw in a little salt.... mix it ALL together... then roll it out in little sticks... bake them... then freeeze them... I really think it would be the same. Let me know if anyone tries it... Maybe Chef Jen would know how to do it :) A future recipe for The Toddler Cafe perhaps!? With a shout out to RockerByeBaby? lol alright... im done plugging. Be sure to check out all the shops I mentioned today... and I would love to hear some ideas about those vegi fries! The cheap, handmade version :) Brooke, you make your own baby food... get those wheels turning!!
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FREE BONUS GIVEAWAY THIS WEEK!! The Toddler Cafe book!

Now, how cool is this... Not only does Chef Jen get to take credit for writing the most awesome children's' recipe book in the world, The Toddler Cafe... (yeah, i said it... ITS TRUE!) But she is also super rad! Yesterday after I wrote the blog featuring her book as one of the topics... I sent her an @ reply on twitter.... (@ChefJen) and a short little message on facebook letting her know about my post... Honestly - I didnt expect anything back... Her book gets blogged all the time... She has ALL sorts of press, and in no way did I actally think we were cool enough to get her attention, lol Well - we were... Because not only did she comment on the blog... which i totally LOVED... but she is offering up a book to giveaway to one lucky reader!!! How excited are you guys!? Im excited and its not even for me. Since she was so generous I wanted to sneak this post in early... This giveaway is gunna be EXTRA special and run for 2 whole weeks... So I want you guys twittering, posting, facebooking... whatever you can do to get this book out there... Why do you ask? Well... Lets talk about my love for it some more... :)

Reasons to love The Toddler Cafe:
#1 - Because Jen is awesome... theres a photo of her on facebook with Guy from Diners, Drive Ins & Dives.... one of mine & the hubby's favorite shows... JEALOUS!
#2 - BEcause she makes one of the hardest most stressful things about toddlers - feeding them - easier... and anything that can make my crazy day a little easier is 100% a-ok in my book...
#3 - Because her husband is the photographer... Not ONLY does he take all of the coolest most fun photos for the book, but he has his own site called 350 Degrees Photography and some of THOSE photos are just too cool to describe.
#4 - because she is a funny & witty writer and makes the book so much more than just a Cook Book... it really is an enjoyable read.
#5 - Because the kids look SOOO happy when they eat their grub. They have fun prepping it... cooking it... & eating it. Even if it does take an hour in the bath tub to get them clean :)
#6 - Because its not just a kids cool book... i am DYING to try these Pumpkin Raviolis.... YUM!

#7 - and probably the coolest of them all... because she loves all things Japanese & Kawii possibly as much as I do... ;) And that makes her more awesome than any other chef in the world, lol.

Now, I know you guys are probably like... Amber... Your Rambling again... and yes, yes, I am... but I really stand behind this book and I want you guys to get a chance to enjoy it as much as I do... weather you win it here, or go out and buy it. But, before we get to the giveaway... I want to share the Banana Hot Dog Recipe that I shared with you yesterday!! We are doing this right now, but with Hawaiian Sweet Bread instead of a bun (cuz I dont have one, lol)



"BANANA HOTDOG
Makes 1 serving

1 banana, peeled
1 whole-wheat hot dog bun (or slice of bread in a pinch)
Jelly
Creamy peanut butter

Place the peeled banana in a bun. Fill 2 zip-top baggies, 1 with jelly and the other with peanut butter. Cut a tiny hole in the corner of each bag, and squeeze out onto the banana as you would mustard and ketchup. Eat and enjoy."

This is totally the easiest one in the book and the boys are LOVING it... It was a ton of fun... Super cheap... and made with things that most people usually have laying around... Here is our little montage, lol
(click to open it up a little bigger)

The boys totally loved it... I did a couple things differently... the bread - not the best idea.... I would have been better off waiting for buns, the bread was falling apart... Score one for Jen, lol However... my little wheels were turning and Zave had some yogurt/oatmeal mix left over from breakfast so a smeared it on the bread like you would a condiment... it was a great way to use of the little bit of leftovers and add even more nutrition to it. Izzaq hates oatmeal but had he not been watching I would have done it on his too. He had a TON of fun squirting peanut butter all over the banana... & table... haha.. great project when theyre getting hungry & antsy... Last thing... I wish I would have cut the banana in half... the boys are only ages 2 & 3 and their little mouths cant wrap around the banana & bun... So halfway through zave ditched the bun. And it filled them up quick so they each only ate half... so had it been cut it would have been perfect... less mess & less left over. I hate wasting food. And a drool covered banana didnt sound so appetizing, haha

So thats it guys! Yes yes, it was a super long blog but worth it in the end! Cuz now its giveaway time... You want the book right?? Good, now go enter to win!
Extra entries?? But of course :)
EACH ENTRY MUST BE LEFT IN A SEPARATE COMMENT TO COUNT!!!!!

#1) Leave us a comment telling us your FAVORITE fun recipe that you use for your kids/relatives, etc. to get them to eat.
#2) Follow us publicly here on (blogger) - Leave a separate comment for being a (old or new) follower on our blog.
#3) Follow/Tweet us (Twitter) - Leave a separate comment for being a follower and TWEETING about this giveaway on Twitter... If your already a twitter follower of ours, TWEET about it for an extra entry anyways :) Just be sure to include @RockerByeBaby in the tweet so we get it!
#4) Write a blog about this giveaway and link back to this review. Leave an extra comment with the link to the blog.
#5) Follow @ChefJen on Twitter! Be sure to comment back here with the link and include @ChefJen in the tweet about the giveaway!
#6) Fan US on Facebook...
#7) Subscribe/Follow Chef Jens blog!
#8) Join "The Toddler Cafe" group on facebook!

GOOD LUCK!
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Wordless Wednesday? No, something better!

I know i know... today is supposed to be Wordless Wednesday... but how can I be wordless when I have so much to say!! Today I have to talk to you about the new love of my life.... Yogurt... Almost every morning for breakfast Zave gets a big bowl of Organic Oatmeal & Yo!Baby Yogurt. I love that he can eat something SO amazingly healthy and really enjoy every bite. Plus, its organic so I know he is getting the best of both worlds. Oatmeal is super high in fiber and can help reduce the risk of diabetes. Diabetes is a major factor for heart disease so Oatmeal is an easy way to help prevent it. Just half a cup of oatmeal offers five grams of heart healthy fiber and only 130 calories and it even helps to keep baby full rather than a small breakfast then one snack to the next. And yogurt? There are SOO many reasons why to love Yo!Baby Yogurt...

"YoBaby contains our exclusive blend of six cultures, including the probiotic L. rhamnosus. it provides 25% of your baby’s daily need for zinc, the mineral that helps support a healthy immune system... YoBaby provides at least 25% of your baby’s daily needs for calcium, protein, and vitamin D, plus other nutrients essential for babies' growth." Now, I have been using Yo!Baby since they were both little... so over 2 years now... and though I am completely loyal, I can only get the Fruit & cereal yogurt at my local Target. :( When shopping yesterday for groceries... I found something new... and one step above my love for my Yo!Baby yogurt options... Horizon's Natural Little Blends...

I am ALWAYS fighting with my kids to get them to eat their Vegi's and they always win... but with this, they have no clue... no fighting... just eating... like I said before, im in love... Horizon's Little Blends are "produced without the use of artificial flavors, preservatives, colors, and sweeteners, Little Blends is natural. And that means no high fructose corn syrup and only milk from cows free of growth hormones (rbST). In fact, every container supplies 25% of the recommended daily value (DV) of protein, 20% DV of calcium (crucial to developing strong bones and teeth), 20% DV of Vitamin A, plus Vitamin D, Iron, and probiotics. Little Blends is also a source of DHA Omega-3, a nutrient that doctors agree children don’t get enough of. Shown to help support eye, brain and heart health for growing kids, DHA Omega-3 is a fatty acid that has been recognized as playing an important role in children’s development." If you check out the ingredients you will see they use Organic Milk and lots of other Organic ingredients... so I still know Zave is getting the best I can give him... and now, even better than before.

This week - were trying out the Strawberry & Carrot's and also the Apple & Butternut Squash. So far so good! Babies are eating it up and mama can sleep easy knowing they are getting all the goodies they need in their tiny bodies & brains. Hurry and get some yourself! Its on sale at target right now... a 4 pack for $2.50 (2/$5)... Their website also has coupons available so you can save even more. I believe it is $1 off a 4 pack... which makes them just $1.50 right now if you hurry!! HOpe you enjoy my little rambling today... I was really excited to find this new yummy yogurt.

I wanna share with you guys ONE MORE THING that I am sure you will love... back when i worked retail, I worked in a store that had a HUGE cooking section... and before I left I bought the book "The Toddler Cafe"

This book is so beyond amazing and I have not even got to try the majority of them yet. Some are really simple ideas like "Waffle Grilled Cheese" which is as easy as it sounds... just like making a regular grilled cheese but on a waffle maker instead of a skillet... Or, the Banana Hotdog?? Hot dog Bun... Banana... PB & j... crazy right? But genius... all the fun of a hot dog... with none of thr gross fats and fillers of a hotdog! But my favorite that I have been dying to try for the boys Lily Pad Pancakes.

Yield: makes 15 silver dollar-size pancakes
Ingredients
8 ounces (about 1½ cups) frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons water
1 egg
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
Vegetable oil, as needed
Butter or plain yogurt for serving
Directions
Preparation: Set aside 1/3 cup of the peas.
Add the remaining peas to a blender with the water and egg; purée until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a medium bowl and stir in the flour, salt, and baking powder and gradually mix with a fork or whisk. Stir in the reserved 1/3 cup peas; let the batter rest for 10 minutes while you clean up.
Place about 2 tablespoons of oil in a sauté pan, warm over medium heat until shimmering, and drop 1 tablespoon of batter into the pan. Gently cook for about 3 minutes, until you see bubbles forming around the edges. Flip and cook on the second side until very lightly browned. Continue until all the batter is gone. Serve warm with butter or plain yogurt.
Variation
1. Add in cooked bay shrimp, diced chicken, or fresh corn.
Notes
Use petite green peas when possible; do not use canned peas for this recipe.
Toddler tip
If your child won’t usually eat peas, make sure you add all the peas to the blender in the first step so they get puréed.

These ingredients will TOTALLY be on the grocery list this week... I know the boys will love them... There are SO MANY more creative and healthy recipes like these in The Toddler Cafe... I really recommend that you go out and grab one for yourself! Also - be sure to check out her blog where you can find random fun recipes that she comes posts through the year! Maybe if you guys comment enough, I can talk her into doing a giveaway on the blog!? COMMENT COMMENT COMMENT! What are your favorite creative kid recipes?

(I am in no way being endorsed by ANY of these products... just items I personally love and use regularly.)
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