Recipes | SoCal Savvy Mom

Oct 26
2020

Healthy Halloween and DIY Treats

Halloween is almost here and we love to make fun treats and healthy options as well. Below are some of the ones we highlighted on our Fox news segment earlier today.

Mummy Juice Boxes – Items Needed to Make:

Regular juice boxes
Toilet paper
Tape
Black Marker

Rrip toilet paper into long strips, wrap around juice boxes, use tape as needed. Use black marker to draw on the eyes.

Tangerine Jack-O-Lanterns – Items Needed to Make:

Tangerines
Black Marker
Fun Halloween Tray

Use black marker to draw different faces on the tangerines similar to a Jack-O-Lantern

Candy-Corn Fruit Cups – Items Needed to Make:

Pineapple cut into pieces
Tangerines (or oranges cut smaller)
Whip Cream
Mason Jar (or other clear container)
Candy-Corn

Cut pineapple, peal tangerines and pull apart into pieces. Place pineapple at the bottom, tangerines next, fill the rest with whip cream and top with a candy-corn or two.

String-Cheese Ghosts – Items Needed to Make:

String Cheese
Black Marker

Simply draw eyes and a mouth on the string cheese and you are finished!

Frankenstein Rice Crispy Treats – Items Needed to Make:

Rice Crisp Cereal
Marshmallows
Green Food Coloring
Black Frosting
Thin Pretzels

Make rice crispy treats as normal (see side of the cereal box in most cases) Add green dye and stir in until you get the color you desire. Let sit to firm for about an hour. Cut into rectangles, use black frosting to draw on hair, eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth. Break pretzels in half and stick to side near the mouth.

Oreo Eyeballs – Items Needed to Make:

Oreo Cookies
Sticks
White chocolate chips
Red Frosting
Blue Frosting
Black Frosting
Wax Paper

Twist oreos apart and put stick into the frosting in the middle, it is best to let this set for a while (20 minutes) before attempting to dip in melted chocolate as it may slip off. Melt white chocolate chips (we use microwave in 30 second increments) dip oreos into the melted chocolate. Make sure you cover the entire cookie, set aside to harden (can be put in freezer to speed it up) After chocolate has hardened and is firm to the touch use the blue frosting and make a big circle in the middle of the cookie, then take the black frosting and put a dot on the blue circle. Next use the red frosting to draw the veins on the eyes.

Pretzel Broomsticks – Items Needed to Make:

Pretzel sticks
Plastic bags
Halloween Ribbon
Halloween Pencils

Put the pretzels into the plastic bags and insert pencil into the middle of the bag, use the ribbon to tie it closed.

Pumpkin Rice Crispy Treats – Items Needed to Make:

Rice Crisp Cereal
Marshmallows
Orange Food Coloring
Green Frosting
Mini Rolos
Wax Paper

Make rice crispy treats as usual (recipe can be found on the back of the cereal box) add orange food coloring to desired color. Wet your hands and shape into pumpkins. Add mini rolo for the stem, and use the green frosting to add leaves.

Apr 4
2018

Spring Break Fun with Juicy Juice!

by Nicole Connerley

Spring break is upon us and who isn’t looking for this to keep kids busy during their week or weeks off from school. Juicy Juice has a full list of fun crafts and activities to do with your kids during the break. A lot of the crafts can be up-cycled from Juicy Juice bottle tops, or juice boxes. Above is some Bottle Cap Ladybugs which are so cute and fun to make. Easy to make only needing the bottle cap, paint, and eyes.

Another fun craft you can use an empty Juicy Juice box to make a Walkie Talkie. The only items needed are an empty Juicy Juice box, construction paper and a black pen, kids will love playing with these for hours. A full list of activities and crafts may be found on Juicy Juice website here.

We love Juicy Juice’s 16 different flavors, which no sugar added, the sweetness comes right from the fruit. They have teamed up with Food Network Star Jeff Mauro to help families discover a world of flavor with our 100% juice line, inspiring kids to expand their taste palates with original recipes like these! Emmy-nominated Chef Jeff Mauro was born and raised in Chicago, where he was determined from an early age to become the funniest chef in the world. Today, Jeff is cohost of Food Network’s hit daytime show The Kitchen and the star of the network’s Sandwich King.

One of the things Jeff likes to do with his son is something I love doing with mine as well, which is cooking. From a young age I found if he helped me make it then the odds of him actually trying it were a lot higher. My child can now make my lasagna as deciduous as I do, and he loves to eat it. Spending time with kids in the kitchen is fun for them and you may even get them to try new foods. There’s no tastier way to educate kids than through cooking. From fractions to conversions, kids can learn simple and complex math equations all while measuring out ingredients and following a recipe. Make it a theme night! Have your child look at a map and pick a state (or country), then find a recipe together that might be a native or traditional dish. You can even play music from the region or decorate the dinner table with a theme. Ask your kids to help in the kitchen, you will both enjoy it, I promise.

Mar 14
2017

St. Patrick’s Day Kids Treats

by Nicole Connerley

Rice crispy treats are a favorite in our house, yet another reason to love them is you can make them for any holiday. We have made Christmas trees, pumpkins, Easter Eggs and now four-leafed clovers! Not only are they very easy to make, they are also delicious to eat as well. My son helped with every step of making these and had a blast while doing it.

Ingredients Needed:

1 box rice crispy cereal

1 bag of marshmallows

Green food dye

Butter (we used coconut oil instead)

Melt 2 tbsp of butter and 40 marshmallows in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Mix melted ingredients together and add green food dye. Add 4 cups of rice crispy cereal, add another cup if needed. Let set for about 5 minutes and then use cookie cutter to cute out. We used a coconut oil spray and sprayed the cookie cutter a few different times so the rice didn’t stick to it. After you have cut them out set on wax paper to set. Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Dec 19
2016

Why we Love Renew Life Probiotics

by Nicole Connerley

Renew Life invited me to a live event to hear more about their products probiotic and I am excited share with you in this sponsored post. Did you know that almost three-quarters of women have experienced a digestive/gut issue in the past 12 months but none of us talk about it with our friends? A lot of us don’t think of digestive health when thinking of overall health and wellness but we should. Digestive health can affect your entire body, including immunity, memory, mood and more. Taking one Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotic a day can improve your overall wellness sign me up!

With cold and flu season upon us anything I can do to improve my immune system I will do. However it isn’t some juice fast that I’m doing this season it is taking Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotics. I just found out that 70% of the immune system is located in the intestinal tract, therefore keeping a healthy gut is more important than I thought!

There are more than 100 trillion live cultures of many diverse strains inside your digestive tract that can be easily disrupted by stress, diet, aging, certain medications and even the environment. that is right ladies, just stress and aging as if not bad enough can affect our immune system. Nutrition experts agree that one of the most efficient and impactful ways to bring balance to the digestive tract is with a probiotic like Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotics. It is that easy!

At the event these delicious muffins were a huge hit! I’m making them for Christmas morning at our house. Recipe below:

Tis the season for pumpkin-flavored everything—from cookies to coffee drinks. But all those artificial flavors aside, did you know real pumpkin is actually loaded with essential nutrients like vitamin A for healthy vision (a cup of cooked pumpkin contains more than 200% of your RDA), vitamin C to support immune health, the antioxidant beta-carotene, potassium, iron, and lots of gut-friendly fiber? Warm up your weekend mornings with this delicious pumpkin treat you can feel good about!

Quick and Easy Whole Wheat Pumpkin Muffins
Ingredients:
1 + ¾ cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. cloves
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup honey
½ cup canola oil
1 cup canned pumpkin (organic)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, baking powder, spices, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl; set aside. Combine sugar, honey, canola oil, and pumpkin in a medium bowl; mix together until smooth. Add flour mixture to dry mixture and beat until well blended. Spoon batter into a well-greased muffin pan. Bake 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Renew Life Ultimate Flora Probiotics wants to educate women about digestive health, how vital its ecosystem is to our body’s overall health and well-being, and the benefits everyone can reap from taking a probiotic. Visit http://www.RenewLife.com for more information.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Renew Life Probiotics. Photos by Alli Ward from Made with Happy

Oct 31
2016

Safe Trick or Treating Halloween 2016

by Nicole Connerley

Halloween is today, Happy Halloween! Do you have a tradition? Do you love trick or treating in your neighborhood? I love the idea of trick or treating at a shopping center or mall because it feels safer. I am always worried about children on Halloween and being struck by a car, this almost happened to us last year! The driver of the car got an ear full from myself and the other parents with us. This year we will be trick or treating at one of the events listed below. Of course my child and probably yours too LOVES Halloween because of the candy, which is another reason I love this, I know who the candy is coming from. We always end our night watching Charlie Brown as our family tradition. Have a very save Halloween!

Carmel Mountain Plaza Halloween Trick or Treat – Children 12 and under dressed in costumes are invited to trick-or-treat at participating stores from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Parents can enjoy live music with the 80’z All-Stars, or kids can enjoy balloon art, and more! Register near Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf or Reading Cinemas and receive a Free treat bag, while supplies last.

Carlsbad Premium Outlets Halloween Trick-or-Treating – From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. costumed children escorted by their parents are invited to trick-or-treat at Carlsbad Premium Outlets on Halloween. Participating merchants will distribute wrapped candy and treats adding to the fun, for more information click here.

The Shoppes at Carlsbad – Halloween Trick-or-Treating at the Shoppes at Carlsbad (formerly Carlsbad Mall) trick or treating begins at 2 P.M. next to the elevator on level one. Some retailers will be participating (while supplies last). Look for a Pumpkin in their window, also have a list available at the candy table.

CORONADO – From 3:30-5:30 pm on Halloween, local merchants on Orange Avenue provide a great night for the little ones by passing out candy and other gifts!

Chula Vista Village Walk Trick or Treat – Village Walk merchants will provide free treats for children ages 12 and under dressed in costume and accompanied by an adult. Two registration areas, one by HSBC bank and one near the children’s sandbox area next to T.J. Maxx, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. for more information click here.

Encinitas Safe Trick or Treat – Along a stretch of South Coast Hwy 101, from Encinitas Blvd. to K street, will transform into Pumpkin lane from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will be decorated with elaborately carved pumpkins at different viewing locations. Downtown businesses generously participate and join in the fun. Don’t miss the kids zone where children can enjoy games, music and activities at The Lumberyard Courtyard. Downtown merchants hand out candy in a tranquil, safe setting where tricksters of all ages have loads of fun. For more information click here.

Flower Hill Promenade (Del Mar) Stop by for a Halloween bash that caters to children of all ages as well as their doting parents, Flower Hill Promenade will host its annual Trick-or-Treating event. Kids dressed as princesses, pirates, witches, superheroes and any other Halloween character you can imagine can run from store to store filling their baskets with treats and candies galore, parents can meander through Del Mar’s premier open-air shopping, dining and entertainment center collecting goodies of their own. Meanwhile, parents: feel free to drop into your favorite shops to treat yourselves. Pink Soul boutique will be gifting “Mommy Treat Bags” while kids overflow their Halloween bags.

Grossmont Center on October 31st come in your best Halloween costume and trick-or-treat through over one million square feet of stores, restaurants and eateries. Bring your family to a safe place to trick-or-treat this October for a Halloween to remember. The event will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Westfield UTC Mall-O-Ween – Stop in for some fun trick or treating with participating retailers at UTC. From 3 p.m. to 7p.m., select retailers will be participating with in-store “carnival” festivities and bounce back deals available for you to use through the weekend. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., more mall retailers will be joining on the festivities, distributing candy for trick-or-treating and Plaza Unplugged performer, Ryan Brolliar, will be joining us in Palm Plaza for musical entertainment! For more information click here.

Sep 7
2016

Why we Love Meal Delivery Services & 3 Free Meals for You

by Nicole Connerley

Meal delivery companies are everywhere these days, and we have tried a lot of them, so you don’t have to! How it works is pretty standard across the board, you are offered different meals to choose from each week. Most plans are 3 meals per week, which at first sounds odd because there are 7 days in a week, but it really is perfect because most of us don’t cook at home 7 days a week. Some meal plans you can switch out a dinner for a breakfast, order more than 3 meals per week, or order for more than 2 people.

We started with Blue Apron last year when my husbands co-worker gave us a free week of meals. It was great, we enjoyed the delicious meals and having all of the ingredients sent directly to our door. What we didn’t enjoy was that the meals took 45 minutes to an hour to prepare, and all the ingredients were thrown together in the box, not divided up per meal. When one meal from Blue Apron can have 20 ingredients this becomes an issue, especially when some meals call for the same ingredients. Nearly every part of the meal is cooked in a different pan, so after dinner there is a huge clean up, which isn’t fun for anyone.

Blue Apron

Next we tried Plated, again I especially enjoyed having the food sent directly to my front door. I am famous for having everything for a meal but forgetting one ingredient, which most of the time isn’t an issue, but when you are making chili it is harder when you forget the chili powder. The food from Plated was pretty good, however it too took a while to prepare and they charged you more if you wanted to switch out a chicken dish for a steak dish.

Plated

Next we tried Hello Fresh, the food was probably my least favorite of the three, not bad by any means, it just didn’t stand out. I did enjoy the recipes were easy to follow and unlike Blue Apron didn’t have a thousand ingredients. I also liked that the meals were separated by meal, and that I could choose a larger serving size for 4 people, as pictured above.

Hello Fresh

Next we tried Sun Basket it is organic and non-GMO produce, sustainably sourced with seasonal ingredients, from local farms in California. All of the meat is grass-fed, and antibiotic-free, there are also a lot of options for different diets. The healthy options you can choose from are Chef’s Choice, Rise and Shine, Paleo, Gluten-free & Vegetarian options. We usually opt for the Paleo options every week, however we do try other options if they look tasty. The meals take less than 30 minutes to prepare and are delicious, the meals are separated by meal, making it very convenient when you are pulling items out of the refrigorator.

Sun Basket

The recipe cards are written well which makes them easy follow and turn out like the picture every time, the competitors pictures don’t always turn out like the picture. Nearly every recipe only calls for you to use a cutting board, and one pan, making clean up a breeze. Generally you will need a couple items out of your own pantry such as olive oil (we always substitute for Avocado oil and turns out perfect) butter, or salt and pepper. Be sure to have some type of oil and salt and pepper on hand when making any of the dishes. Below is one of my favorite dishes it is Thai turkey lettuce cups, they taste delicious an only take 20 minutes to prepare.

To order your three free meals use this link http://www.sunbasket.com/3free/Nicole3033 and choose between the many options Sun Basket has, next week the menu item above the Thai Turkey wraps are one of the options! In order to receive the three free meals you will need to purchase an additional three meals at the total price of $34.47. With that you will receive 6 organic, non-GMO meals delivered to you and shipping is included in that price! I don’t know about you but I can’t make 6 organic meals for under $35 in a week. I hope you enjoy Sun Basket as much as we have over the past year. Please let me know if you enjoyed it after your free meals and if you plan to continue to use it.