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- 1 large zucchini, diced ( about 2 cups)
- 1 large yellow squash, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups baby bella mushrooms, diced
- 1 red onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- Half a package of phyllo dough, thawed
- 10-ounce Sabra Basil Pesto Hummus
- In a large non-stick pan add the olive oil and heat on medium heat.
- Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the squash and mushrooms and cook for another 10 minutes.
- Add the garlic, basil, and salt and pepper and cook another 5 minutes and remove from heat.
- Carefully roll out half a package of phyllo sheets, careful not to split the sheets since they are delicate.
- Remove one sheet at a time placing on a cutting board.
- Spray one sheet with olive oil spray and place a second phyllo sheet on top.
- Spray with oil and place a third phyllo sheet. Cut the layers in half, lengthwise.
- On one edge place about 1 Tablespoon of hummus and about 2 Tablespoons of the vegetable medley.
- Fold over a corner of the phyllo dough creating a diagonal triangle and then continue folding over repeating the process, folding over the veggies and hummus with the remaining dough until it looks like a pocket.
- Repeat with the remaining sheets of phyllo until you have about 16 pockets.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20-25 minutes.
- October 2014: Megan launched her Fringe Leather Boots. These boots are designed to give your baby high style while making sure that comfort and durability are not compromised. Megan says they are the perfect mix of LA’s bohemian rock vibe and of NYC’s glamour, chic style.
- November 2014: Megan adds the Shearling Boot to her collection
- December 2014: Megan launches her Animoccs line. Animal faces + Moccs = Animoccs. Her friend came up with the name “Animoccs” which are becoming one of the hottest crazes in the baby shoe market.
- Will I be strong enough for her emotionally?
- How can I be a better person for this baby?
- How can I prepare this environment for her to be the most ideal?
Summer Vegetable and Basil Hummus Phyllo Pockets
July 7th, 2015
The summer-inspired phyllo pockets are great for families and a quick weeknight meatless dinner or for any party. You can use any seasonal vegetable at your local farmer’s market to vary this recipe.
One thing I love about summer is having a variety of produce available especially since every month there is a new fruit or vegetable to pick and choose. I am guaranteed an amazing amount of flavor through fresh seasonal produce and it allows me to create unique recipes. Some of the vegetables I enjoy during the summer are squash. I always feel like I can do something with the great bounty of zucchini and yellow squash and even help friends realize that even desserts can be made with such vegetables! How exciting is that?
Now that I have been pregnant for the third time and hopefully for the last time, I realize what food aversions hit me all the time. I am not always as excited about consuming vegetables so I look for options to consume them especially if I can pair them other foods that I also love, like hummus. Hummus is not only an easy go-to protein and snack, it also is wonderful adding to meals, creating creamy, lower calorie dishes and even more savory, since hummus now comes in SO many flavors.
Last month I had the privilege of being invited along with an amazing group of bloggers to check out Sabra’s factory in Richmond, Virginia where I was able to check out the production of my favorite creamy hummus. I was amazed by how clean, organized, methodical the whole production line looked from the company’s receiving beans, cleaning, cooking, cooling to the creation of all the variety of hummus flavors Sabra offers.
After we took our tour we heard from a nutritionist on how hummus was healthy for our bodies and how many people still do not know about it and how to eat it other than as dips. I’ve always learned that hummus was made from chickpeas, little protein-packed legumes that were super healthy buy I guess I did not realize that they are also a veggie as it was explained to us. Since having children, I knew that it was my go-to baby super food for them to enjoy and have they liked it!
While I always knew that Sabra made a variety of hummus, I guess I never KNEW how many different types. Hummus is a blend of chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and other simple ingredients creating an amazing creamy dip or spread. I was floored when we were introduced to the whole line of Sabra products. Imagine a foodie heaven because the spread that was prepared was pretty impressive. We met Sabra’s in-house chef that is in charge of creating unique dishes and we learned how Sabra’s hummus has been paired carefully to make unique flavors for consumers to enjoy.
I only wish I could share each flavor with you because it was pretty mind-boggling. We also had a chance to make our own hummus flavor and topping like Sabra makes and then it was taste-tested by a panel of judges. It was fun to be able to have a variety of ingredients and spices, provided by Mr. Spiceologist himself, to create our own hummus flavor. I loved seeing creative foodie bloggers making their own creations.
When I got home, it was hard to leave that experience behind but it was also inspiring to continue using hummus in unique ways since there are still many people that do not know what it is and how to eat it. When I talked earlier about summer vegetables I decided to cook yellow squash and zucchini with mushrooms and onions to create an Italian filling paired with Sabra’s Basil Pesto Hummus. Both these ingredients served as a filling to place into phyllo where I folded into pockets and baked to a golden crispy pocket. Oh my!
These work really well as an appetizer or as a meal paired with a delicious tomato and cucumber salad for a healthy vegetarian meal. I am so happy to be sharing this lovely recipe thanks to Sabra. I hope you make these for your family or friends. Hummus is not only healthy but amazingly delicious. Don’t miss trying our the variety that Sabra offers.
If you do not know it already, our family enjoys hummus in so many ways so come and check out our recipe folder for the array of hummus recipes you can try.
Ingredients
Instructions
Try some other hummus recipes by fellow bloggers:
Chocolate Chipper Banana Bread by Treats With a Twist
Mediterranean Quinoa Hummus Bowls by Simply Quinoa
Spicy Hummus Deviled Eggs by Flanboyant Eats
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Sabra Dipping Co. As a Sabra Tastemaker I was asked to create recipes using their product. All opinions and creations are my own.
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Lili Collection Shoes – Ideal for Tiny Feet
July 3rd, 2015Something I learned very quickly after having TWO girls in the house, how much I would love to dress them up and keep them in comfortable shoes. In reality, we really do not need more than 5 pairs of shoes but really, who can resist shoes?? I certainly can’t and we all know women can’t either.
Lili Collection is a fun and exciting brand of baby shoes that keeps a baby or toddler’s feet comfortable while being stylish and fashionable at the same time. I know kids usually have a hard time keeping shoes on at a certain age but Lili Collection’s Animoccs are so cute combining the moccasins with cute animals faces that kids will love and keep on.
My two-year old really loved wearing her Animoccs or Animal Moccasins, especially since they had an animal face on them and also because they were red. She also has had a hard time putting on her OWN shoes on and these moccasins were great for her to put on her own feet. I was proud of her and encouraging since she had been so frustrated. While she did not keep them on for a long time, seeing it is summer, she loved wearing them at home.
You know what I cannot wait for? I cannot wait for my little baby to wear her pair. Are they not CUTE? I am just amazed that Megan Linke came out with her idea in 2013 and not in just one style but in several for every season, baby and style. Why not support a product made in the USA? I think it is the best supporting a fellow mom who wants her own kids to be in style like myself.
Megan has been busy with new designs adding the following to Lili Collection:
How about your baby’s first birthday? Lili Collection has SUCH a cute pair of sprinkle moccasins not meant for every day wear but for a special occasion. They’re made from REAL sprinkles folks!
I think my next pair will have to be a foodie pair of moccasins because my kids seem to be in the kitchen all the time and it only seems suitable for them to wear.
Stay tuned to see my newborn in her moccasins come early August! I am so excited! Check out Lili Collections and see all the variety of fashionable shoes for girls and boys. Thank you to Lili Collections for the pair of moccasins for the girls. We will definitely be enjoying them for a while!
Chic Collections on Facebook and Twitter
Disclosure: We did receive product in order to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
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Making Life Better for Baby with Pampers + Giveaway
July 1st, 2015Disclaimer: This is part of a sponsored collaboration with DiMe Media and Pampers. All opinions are 100% mine.
Happy July folks! I simply cannot believe that we are halfway through summer and even more, that I am literally at a a month away from meeting our third baby girl! I could not be happier since it always feels like an eternity when we pregnant women are in their last trimester.
During the last few weeks there is nothing better I like doing than preparing for baby’s arrival and it always feels like we will never be prepared enough because the anticipation and everyday life get in the way. I am excited for my two girls to meet their sister, especially since they have been constantly talking to her in my tummy, giving her a play by play every day. It has been the sweetest thing to observe and I know that both of them are going to smother their sister with love.
When I think about having another baby this time around and after 2 1/2 years from my youngest I am a little nervous at starting the whole newborn stage again. I keep asking myself the following questions:
While I have learned that toddlers bring out the best AND worst in us as mothers, I totally know that babies bring out the best in each of us. They make our lives better and that’s why there’s nothing each of us wouldn’t do to make life better for babies.
I thank GOD for the opportunity to bring another life into this world that I can bring up in a loving environment and with sisters that love her already and a father waiting to be even more outnumbered at home. Pampers believes that even though babies are little, they are powerful agents of change and babies bring out the best in all of us. That’s why there’s nothing each of us wouldn’t do to make life . I am so glad that I get to be an agent of new life.
Want to shed some tears? I sure did because Pampers has unveiled a new video – The Pampers Better for Baby video- to celebrate the many ways babies bring out the best in all of us.
The video ends with a pledge: “together we can make life #betterforbaby.” Pampers hopes the video inspires people to share what they already do – and what they might begin doing – to make life better for the babies in their lives. Pampers is inviting people to share their pledges using hashtag #betterforbaby. We believe these small changes can add up to a big impact.
Each pledge is an individual promise of how someone can make a little difference in helping to make life #BetterforBaby. It could be something as simple as pledging to sing or read to baby, to exercise more, or to donate things your baby outgrows to charity.
As a brand that has supported the happy, healthy development of babies for more than 50 years, Pampers is committed to doing our small part to make life #BetterForBaby. For example, Pampers donates millions of diapers each year to families in need through Feeding America, partners with UNICEF to help eliminate maternal and newborn tetanus, and supports premature babies and their families with special Pampers preemie diapers and other resources via Graham’s Foundation. With the introduction of this film, Pampers has made additional contributions to each of these organizations. You can find more info here: http://www.pampers.com/about-pampers/better-for-baby
How about entering a giveaway? Here are a few things you can win for yourself or a friend for a total value of $100. Giveaway is for US readers only.
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Making It Epic with Schick® Hydro
June 30th, 2015
Even though Father’s Day is over I still love talking about how wonderful my husband is and even now how wonderful he has been during this pregnancy. I love the fact that he has had the summer off so that he can help at home and be at my beckon call. No really. He has been making wonderful breakfast that I am afraid I am ruined! I will have a horrible time getting back into the groove when he returns to work in August.
One of the things I like my husband when he hangs around the house catching up on work is keeping his routine. He loves his daily showers, shaving, and getting dressed for the day even though he is not going into the office. Even though there is plenty of work at home, might as well he do it all cleaned up. I like his routine and sometimes follow after him but other times I don’t but I admire his consistency.
Sometimes, he will miss a morning that he does not follow his routine and it sets his whole day off as I can attest to this because it affects me too. He looks scruffy, tired and uninspired so we make sure to encourage his normal routine because I like when my husband is nice and clean-shaven.
One of the things I quickly learned about my husband’s skin routine is knowing that he has sensitive skin. While I do not like him completely clean-shaven, I know that his neck and cheek-area can get pretty hairy if not tended to. There have been several electric razors he has tried but none leave his skin SO soft as the Schick® Razors.
The Schick® Hydro series has a hydrating gel with aloe and shave oil that reduces friction even during repeat strokes. He found the sensitive line of razors at Giant Eagle along with the shave gel that helped create such a smooth skin that helped prevent any irritation or redness. Even though my hand was not against his whole face I could see how smooth the areas he shaved and he even commented how nice it felt to have such smooth skin.
One of the the promotions that Schick® Hydro has going on is called Make It Epic which is a promotion allowing you to purchase TWO participating Men’s Schick® or Edge® products in a single transaction between now and 7/10/15. You then have to retain your receipt, drawing a star (*) next to the qualifying items on your original, dated receipt, take a clear photo of entire receipt and text* it to 811811 with the word SCHICK by 7/10/15 for validation. Text Message Terms Apply. If validated, you will receive a text back with a code valid for a movie certificate for 2 admissions (up to $20 total value) to see any movie.
We already have ours! There is nothing like receiving movie tickets for your next date night with your nicely shaven husband. Right?
What is your loved one’s shaving routine and does he like it?
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Schick® Men’s Shave. The opinions and text are all mine.
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Toddlers love to swim at Fort Washington Goldfish Swim School
June 29th, 2015
Disclosure: We received complimentary swim lessons in exchange for a post. All opinions and pictures are my own.
This is our first summer having the opportunity to be at the pool more often than usual. Our girls have been enjoying pretending to be mermaids while bathing every night since watching The Little Mermaid, so I was interested in seeing how well they would do taking swimming lessons. If anything, I was a little hesitant since I am pregnant with my third girl and would have to take both girls to class but I quickly learned that it would be an easy feat.
Goldfish Swim School opened its door recently in the Fort Washington area joining the two dozen locations across the country. It is the first swim school in the Philadelphia-area and offers swim instruction to children ages 4 months to 12 years-old in a unique setting with highly trained instructors, small class sizes (max 4:1 student to teacher ratio), warm 90-degree pools, and a state-of-the-art water purification system. I totally loved the whole half chlorine water and salt water combination the company uses because it did not leave us smelling like JUST chlorine water. In addition to swim lessons, Goldfish Swim School Fort Washington also offers weekly family swims (for both members and non-members) and birthday party packages.
Since we were one of the few to start classes, my oldest daughter, age 3 1/2, was able to take classes one on one with an instructor. She arrived with her swimsuit and goggles and ready to work. Each of her lessons lasted 30 minutes ending with the instructor informing me of her progress. While I liked the positive feedback, I hardly heard the negative. What I did learn that my daughter refused to dunk her head, so while the lessons have provided a step stool for swimming introduction, I realized that it was going to take more than 6 lessons to get my daughter to be a guppy.
The classes have been a great stepping stool for my husband to work with my daughter at our local pool. While my daughter loves The Little Mermaid, she insisted that she did not have to be swimming underwater like her. Whoops. Well, we knew that dunking her head was going to be a work in progress, but at least we have been able to see her desire to kick her legs, use her arms and crab walk while in the pool which has been encouraging.
My youngest toddler, on the other hand, proved to be the biggest surprise. I attended a mommy and me class with my 2 year old and 4 other moms with their toddlers and I simply loved the atmosphere and my daughter’s instructor, Cassie. Her encouragement and upbeat instruction kept the kids captivated and focused on learning. The first class proved to be a little challenging because my youngest was not so sure about the water, but when she saw I was with her and that there were toys included in the learning process, she relaxed so much that she almost just wanted to be on her own.
I was actually very happy that my daughter caught on so fast, kicking her legs and reaching her arms out. I loved the exercise Cassie used to help the kids learn how to reach out with their arms. My daughter even learned to love to jump into my arms right into the water with some slight dunking of her head. Well, at least I now know that going under water is not our daughter’s favorite thing which I should have known since they don’t love me rinsing their hair during bath time. Major fail!
Well, how did I like the classes? First of all, I LOVED being in the water being pregnant and still being able to be with my daughters. It has been a rewarding experience. I love how new and clean the facilities are with multiple changing rooms, bathrooms, hair dryers, and places to sit and observe other classes.
At the end of each lesson we were just able to get changed, buy a snack, and hang out in the kids activity area where the girls loved looking at the fish tank, playing with the chalkboard and decompressing.
