Food — Page 9

How to Make Choosing a Healthy Breakfast Simple & Delicious – #BreakfastLove

“Life is complicated, so we’re making healthy simple.” – IHOP… I am LOVING the new Simple & Fit menu from IHOP. It can be tough to make the healthiest choices when dining out, since you don’t always know how things are prepared, or how many calories a dish really has if it’s not listed. So it’s awesome when a restaurant cares enough to simplify it all, and clearly list the healthier options, and the details of what they include. Check out the new Simple & Fit line-up {and keep reading to win a $50 IHOP gift card too!}…

These are just a few of the incredibly yummy choices available, you can see the rest of the under 600-calorie breakfast choices on their site. And this is NOT like most of the “healthy options” sections of a menu that you’re used to, where you’ll find a small handful of choices. No way mister – IHOP has created 30 new delicious meals for you to pick from. Want to see my personal fave?? [Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on October 16, 2012 Filed Under: Food | 127 Comments

Whisk Up Something Delicious: Simple Kitchen Tips Will Have you Cookin’ Like a Pro!

Whisk up something delicious…. Ok ladies, I was recently introduced to a new site, called Whisked Foodie, that I have fallen in love with – and I think that you’ll love it too! It’s filled with amazing recipes, food and wine pairing, regional foodie info, and more…

About Whisked Foodie

“Through information and inspiration, we’re here to cut through the fat of gourmet culinary jargon and deliver the skinny on how to make real food taste real good—right in your own kitchen. With a small team of culinary and drink professionals, our goal is to bring out the gourmand inside the home cook. It doesn’t take a fancy degree, a high-tech kitchen, or an unlimited budget to bring the flavor and flare of good food to your table.”

Why I love it, let me count the ways…

There are so many great things on this site… As you know, I’m definitely NOT a gourmet momma. I’m more of a kinda-homemade style cook, looking for new shortcuts and ways to jazz up some packaged ingredients to make dinnertime simpler. But, I do like to cook. I enjoy finding new tips, discovering cool new recipes that are easy enough to put an impressive meal on the table with minimal effort, and learning new skills. Those are all things you’ll find on Whisked Foodie – recipes that look fancy, but can be made on a busy weeknight. Here are a few of the things you’ll find there:

Recipes: Learn how to make the most of simple ingredients, seasonal foods, and regular kitchen staples to create something you thought was reserved for the pros. Great photos too!
Mixology: Yep, they make cocktails simplified too! If you have a thirst, they’ll have a way to quench it!
LA Foodie: Recipes and trends with a Westcoast perspective resident Los Angeles Foodie.
NYC Foodie: Just the opposite – here you’ll find an Eastside look at new culinary trends and tips, including restaurant reviews from their resident NYC Foodie.
Chef’s Table: From perfecting a pie crust to boiling an egg, this is where readers get the tried and true how-to on mastering culinary techniques. Seriously, even I am able to learn new things here!
Videos: Follow their team as they taste local cupcakes, compare holiday turkey recipes, talk to experts in the field, and more. Very fun to get an inside peek at some really cool restaurants, kitchens, chefs, and more.

Sound good? Sure as heck does! If you’re ready to learn some new skills to make you a kitchen wonder, make sure to check them out today. You can find meal ideas on WhiskedFoodie.com, or follow them on Twitter and Facebook for new updates too.

What are some of your favorite foodie sites for simplied tips?

Posted by Meagan Paullin on October 1, 2012 Filed Under: Food, Busy Mom Solution | No Comments

Dinnertime Shortcuts: Bacon, steak, potato and cheese kabobs

“As a child my family’s menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it.” – Buddy Hackett… “Hey mom – What’s for dinner?” *Sigh* Those can be some of the most stressful words you’ll hear all day, am I right? About six months ago, I started using an online meal planning service, which seriously changed my life – I love knowing at the beginning of the week what I’ll be preparing each night. I plan more labor-intensive meals for the nights where I’ll have more time, and schedule super quick dinners for our super hectic days. And, I’ve got a few tips to help with those crazy-busy days when you need a fast weeknight meal solution….

Simplify Dinnertime

I’ve told you guys before – I’m a “kinda-homemade” type of girl. I hate just using something out of a box or a can – but I do love using packaged foods as a base to help make a meal quicker and easier. And one brand that I rely on often is Ore-Ida potatoes. From classic crinkle fries to the new Steam ‘n Mash bags, we use these at least a couple of times a week – on their own, or as ingredients in our favorite recipes. {See some faves here: Favorite Weeknight Meals.} Since one of the kids favorite foods of all time, ever, are Tator-Tots, I’m always looking for creative new ways to serve them. We make a few different variations of Tator-Tot Casserole, and they love them. But I wanted to do something to kind of “fancy” them up a bit – make them a little more grown-up. We had a few friends over for a game night last week, and I used Tator-Tots to create these awesome Bacon, Steak, Potato & Cheese Kabobs. Huge hit, with the kids AND the adults. Definitely a recipe going into my “to-do again” file.

Bacon, steak, potato and cheese kabobs

These were as simple as you can get – I bought a bag of Ore-Ida Tator-Tots, and a package of frozen Herbed Cheese Puffs. I then cut up some steaks we cooked up on the indoor grill, and wrapped them in bacon. Then I threaded them onto wooden BBQ skewers. That’s it! You can’t get much easier than that – and they looked, and tasted, soooo good. There are so many ways you can think outside the box when using packaged foods like Ore-Ida – find more ideas on Twitter and Pinterest, just search for #OreIdaDinner.

What are some of your favorite dinnertime shortcuts?

{Disclosure: Compensation was provided by Ore-Ida® via Glam Media. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Ore-Ida.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 30, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Food | 9 Comments

Top 10 Toddler Mealtime Rules for Healthy Eating

This list of top 10 toddler mealtime rules come to you from the amazing founder behind Mom Made Meals – an absolute must-have at my home since I was introduced to them! Abby loves to eat {have you seen the size of her chunky baby legs lately? Oh my…. Lol} – and I struggle sometimes with having enough time to make really good, healthy meals & snacks for her. When she was really little, we LOVED using the Baby Brezza {have you seen us in the new Baby Brezza Cookbook: 47 Mom-Tested Recipes and Tips?} But now that she’s out of that stage, and into eating “big girl foods”, it gets a bit tougher. I still use the Baby Brezza to make rice or steamed veggies quickly, and I’m lucky to have a big garden filled with fresh fruits and vegetables too. But there are nights where I’m tempted to throw in a frozen pizza because I’m short on time. Instead – I now turn to Mom Made meals for a quick, super healthy, and totally yummy dinner in just a couple of minutes!

Convenience Foods that are still super nutritious

How great is this? A freezer filled with simple meals to make in minutes, packed with good stuff for my fast-growing toddler – just as easy as a frozen pizza, but a heck of a lot better for you. A little more about where Mom Made started: “I created Mom Made Foods because I believe in convenient meals that do not sacrifice quality or nutrition, and that kids should be able to eat delicious foods without added junk. Inspired by kids and the familiar recipes they love, we use only the freshest quality ingredients, such as organic products and meats raised without antibiotics, all sourced in the USA.” Other than growing it fresh yourself, this is as good as it gets, right?

Top Ten “Rules” for Successful and Positive Mealtimes with Your Kids

Keep meals and snack times consistent and regular.
Eat as a family. Model good food habits and table manners. They will follow.
Sit down to eat and drink – don’t take meals on the run!
Keep a distraction-free eating area – no T.V., toys, or other distractions such as cell phones, laptops, or newspapers.
Provide a balance and variety of foods to keep kids interested satisfied.
Empower your child to make healthy choices about what to eat and how much. They will feel empowered, for example, if you offer them the option of healthy choice #1 or healthy choice #2, such as peas or carrots.
Don’t pressure your child to eat – this will backfire!
Respect your child’s choices and trust their natural ability to self regulate their food intake.
Set limits on age appropriate behavior at the table and stick to your boundaries.
Have fun! The less you stress at mealtimes, the more fun all of you will have!

The healthiest Mac n’ Cheese you’ll ever find

When I first made this Cheesy Mac for Abby, I was just impressed with the idea of adding peas – What a smart & simple way to add some veggies, right? But read more about what all is packed in there: Mom Made organic Cheesy Mac is packed with organic butternut squash, organic sweet potato, and fresh organic green peas. Honestly – I had tasted it, and didn’t even realize it wasn’t just a basic mac n’ cheese. This is one of our absolute favorites – but you’ll also find choices like Turkey Meatballs, Cheese Pizza Munchies, Fiesta Rice – and even a super yummy Apple Pie dessert Munchie!

Learn more and find them today

You can search on their site to find out where these great toddler meal options are available locally – But if you’re in an area like mine that doesn’t have any local stores to buy them at, no worries. You can also order Mom Made Foods on Amazon. And be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter – to stay updated on the newest products and promotions!

Mom Made takes the foods kid love, and makes it healthier!

{Disclaimer: I was provided with samples of this product from Mom Made Foods and RMD Advertising, so that I could evaluate and share with you – But only the best products for busy moms and their families make it onto this site! All photos and opinions are my own, as always.}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 18, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution | 9 Comments

How to Get a Free Week of Meals from Barilla

Enter to WIN a week of free meals… You will loooooove these new super simple, super tasty, super quick Barilla Microwaveable Meals! There are 5 flavors, with a list of 100% natural ingredients that you can actually recognize, and no preservatives! Rockin’, right?

How to make a meal in 60 seconds…

To learn more about these super smart meals that are perfect for moms like me {and you!} who are often too crazy-busy to stop to eat a good meal, read my post – Can you really make a great meal in 60 seconds? If you’re lovin’ this idea too, and want to win a set of coupons to go and pick our your favorite five choices for a week of free meals, then use the Rafflecoper form below to enter to WIN! Have fun & Good luck!

[Read more…]

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 10, 2012 Filed Under: Giveaways | 10 Comments

Can You Really Make a Great Meal in 60 Seconds?

“Raising a kid is part joy and part guerilla warfare.” – Ed Asner… Yep, being a mom is a hard job. Taking care of kiddos all day and managing a household is a seriously hardworking job – add on a job you do from home, or a day spent outside the home at work, and you’ve got some serious multi-tasking going on. Time management can be tough for us busy moms – and what is the one thing that is usually first to neglected? YOU! We all know how important it is to take the time to keep ourselves healthy, happy, and hanging strong, but we often neglect to really follow through with finding the time. So – today, I am here to help you make one super simple change that can improve your energy level, your waistline, and your wallet: Barilla Microwaveable Meals.

“I’d like to be the ideal mother, but I’m too busy raising my kids.” – Unknown

Ok – I know what you’re thinking… “Um, Meagan, how is some packaged meal option going to make my day that much better?” I hear ya. That’s what I thought at first too. But, let me give you a super quick {because I know you’re a busy lady!} run-down of why these rock, and how they’ll improve your day:

They’re fast. Seriously – The package is shelf-stable, not frozen. Take it out of the outer cardboard packaging. Peel up one corner to let the sauce vent some steam. Pop it in the microwave for ONE MINUTE. Then simply peel the plastic off, stir the sauce cup into your pasta, and enjoy. Even the busiest of us can spare 60 seconds to make a meal, right?
They’re not junk. 99% of the meals you can make in a minute or two are going to be super processed and full of weird ingredients. Not these babies – 100% natural ingredients, no preservatives, two whole grain options, filled with veggies, and – NO JOKE – I recognize every single item in the ingredients list. No funny business. That is almost unheard of in a pre-packaged option.
They’re affordable. These sell for under $2 bucks at Walmart – and you can even get some money saving coupons on their site: Barilla.com/ReadyMeals. Awesomesauce, I know.
They fit into your diet. One of these little meals to go are around 300-ish calories – add a shake of parmesan cheese, a side salad packed with veggies, and some ice water flavored with lemon, and you’ve got an amazing lunch or dinner that can fit into just about any diet plan. LOVE that.

These come in a bunch of different options, depending what type of pasta you’re into – Traditional or Spicy Marinara, Tomato & Basil with traditional noodles or whole wheat, and my fave – The Whole Grain Vegetable Marinara, shown above. It’s got a mix of zucchini, red and yellow bell pepper, carrot, and eggplant – all simmered together with chunks of sun-ripened tomatoes, olive oil, onion, and a super tasty blend of spices. You pour it over their Barilla Whole Grain Fusilli pasta that’s made with 51% whole wheat, for a totally perfect “Mom-on-the-Go Meal” – Amazing.

Keep Calm and Eat Pasta

Love this pic. And, you can find more fun stuff on the Barilla Facebook page – follow them for updates on new products and promotions, as well as sweet contests and coupons. You can also learn more about the new Barilla Microwavable Meals on their website – Discover the best of Italian cooking… Without cooking!

Find more meal-time inspiration on my Momma’s in the Kitchen board on Pinterest!

Enter to WIN a Free Week of Barilla Microwaveable Meals too!

{Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Barilla and received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate. All photos and opinions are my own – Only the best products we test make it onto Sunshine and Sippy Cups – these rock, and I know you’ll love them as much as we do!}

Posted by Meagan Paullin on September 10, 2012 Filed Under: Busy Mom Solution, Food | 23 Comments

8 Perfect Indoor Grilling Recipes for Fall

When you think Best Buy, you probably don’t think about cooking, right? You probably think gadgets and games, computers, Geek Squad assistance, stuff like that. But – Best Buy is so much more than just smart tech – they also have super smart solutions you can use in throughout your whole home. As a member of the Best Buy Blogging Board, I get to learn about a lot of the cool new products they’re carrying for fall – but never would have expected a gadget that can feed my family breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Learn how I do it with my totally awesome new kitchen helper – the Griddler, by Cuisinart. {And prepare to have your mind blown – this thing rocks.} See it in action here…

Grilling isn’t just for summer anymore – Indoor Grilling Made Easy with the Griddler

Awesome, right? You can use it as a griddle or grill – or half and half – to cook up a super hearty breakfast for you and the fam in the morning. Then it can be used to make perfect paninis at lunch time – or use it to make quesadillas or grilled cheese. At dinner time, you can make just about anything you can think of – veggies, steaks, chicken, kabobs, pork, steaks… This baby makes it super simple to cook them all. LOVE it. You know what else I love? That I was able to clear out a whole kitchen cupboard now that I have the Griddler – I donated our quesadilla maker, the sandwich maker, our small grill, the old super small panini maker, and the waffle maker {you can buy waffle plates for the Griddler too!} – this gadget does everything that ALL of those things can do, in one super cool looking appliance.

Eight Indoor Grilling Recipes

Want some mouth-watering inspiration for using the Griddler? It can convert to a contact grill, panini press, full grill, full griddle, half grill/half griddle – and even a waffle maker with the extra attachment plates. That means that you can cook a crazy-huge variety of stuff on it – Check out some of my personal favorite indoor grilling recipes:

Bacon-Stuffed Pancakes: This totally amazing idea for stuffing your pancakes with bacon can be cooked using the griddle pans of the Griddler. I’ve made these a few times – and they are definitely a “man-pleasing” breakfast choice, lol.
Breakfast Griddle Sandwich: This is sooooo good – great combination of sweet and savory. Again, like many breakfast choices, you’ll make this using the griddle plates.
Snickers Grilled Dessert Panini: I was part of a group project to come up with recipes featuring Snickers minis {see my Snickers Football Snackadium recipe} – and I came across this idea that another member of the group came up with. SO on my list of to-makes this week!
Vegan Philly Cheese Panini: SUPER great idea for switching up a usually Philly sandwich into a healthier vegetarian version that’s sure to please even most meat-lovers. Can’t wait to try this one too! And the Panini plates on the Griddler make it a snap!
Homemade Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Chicken Burgers: This copy cat recipe is seriously delicious. I’d actually never tried the original, and have never had any type of Chili Lime style chicken. But it was love at first bite. For reals.
Grilled Corn with Parmesean Butter: This super simple recipe from Rachael Ray is perfect for cooking on the full grill plates – and the perfect side dish for any meal! And, did I tell you how easy clean up is, since the grill plates pop right into the dishwasher? Love that.
Grilled Tandoori Chicken: Cook up this amazingly good main course using the grill plates – the drip pan catches any bits of grease, the chicken cooks super quickly since the Griddler cooks both sides at the same time, and you’ve got a totally easy clean up when you’re finished.
Red Wine Grilled Steak: See those beautiful grill marks on the steaks? Hard to believe that this was cooked indoors! This is my own recipe – incredibly simple, and is a perfect fit for cooking up quick on the Griddler. I ove that you can get serious steakhouse quality meals cooked on this thing. Rockin’.

You’re getting excited, aren’t you? The Griddler is a busy mom’s best friend – Easy to use, simple to store, cleans up in a snap, and versatile enough to cook up anything you need to please picky eaters, finicky foodies, and starving teens. But – it’s not the only awesome kitchen problem solver that you’ll find at Best Buy – I’m telling you, check out their awesome selection the next time you’re there. They’ve got tons of stuff that I never would have expected, and awesome prices. Just like they’re total pros at choosing the smartest tech to fit your families needs – they’re also pros at choosing cool home, health, and beauty gadgets to fit your needs too {remember the Fitbit weight loss super star?}. Seriously – Check Out this Week’s Home & Appliance Offers! You’ll love it. Check out a few more of my faves…

Best Buy is your Busy Mom Solution Headquarters!

Seriously – how cool is it that Best Buy is now stocking other non-techy solutions that help solve the challenges of our busy lives? OXO makes some of the smartest kitchen gear – the POP containers are a super cool way to ensure that you don’t waste money on groceries, since they help keep all of your pantry staples stored safely and air-tight. {Plus, they’re a total-space saver since they’re rectangle shaped and easily stackable!} Their reusable water bottle means you cut down on waste by not buying and throwing away a ton of disposables. And there are so many other cool pieces – Cocktail shakers, avocado slicers, measuring cup with fat seperator, and more! You’ll find them all at a Best Buy near you, or on BestBuy.com.

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8 Perfect Indoor Grilling Recipes for Fall {Learn how to make indoor grilling easy!} sunshineandsippycups.com/2012/09/how-on… Follow @bestbuywolf for more tips!

— SunandSipCups (@SunandSipCups) September 9, 2012

Learn more about the unexpected products perfect for the whole home that are available at Best Buy on Pinterest!

{Disclaimer: As a member of the Best Buy Blogging Board and Product Ambassador team, I received compensation for this post in the form of the reviewed product or a gift card. All opinions and overuse of the words awesome and amazing are 100% my own. Only the best products reviewed make it onto this site – I love the Griddler & Best Buy, and know you will too!}