Busy Mommy Media

Free Pinkberry Mango Frozen Yogurt Tonight

Rachel — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 19:24:26 +0000

Tonight Pinkberry is hosting “Mad About Mango Happy Hour” to introduce their new Mango frozen yogurt. If you visit Pinkberry tonight between 5:00-9:00 pm you can get a free mini mango Pinkberry with toppings and have a chance to win some great prizes.

These freebie events area always really crowded so I’d suggest you get there early. This is a great way for busy moms to treat the whole family to a fun night out without breaking the budget.

If you don’t want to brave the crowds, try this yummy recipe for an Orange Cream Smoothie that you can make at home with the kids.

Free Movie Rental for Redbox Fans

Rachel — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:34:20 +0000

Redbox movie rentals are great for busy moms. For only $1 you can get a great selection of new releases and Redbox Kiosks are located at convenient locations like the grocery store and fast food restaurants. We grab a movie on our way out of the grocery store all the time and it makes a great, frugal family fun night. Right now you can get a free movie rental just by becoming a fan of Redbox on Facebook to be used on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17, 2010). If you haven’t used Redbox before, give it a try.

I don’t know if they are offering this everywhere but here in CA they are now putting blu-ray movies in the Kiosks as well for the same price.

Friday Fitness: Red Wine Linked to Heart Health and Weight Loss

Pamela — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 01:08:45 +0000

For the last few years we have been hearing about the positive heart benefits you can get from drinking a glass of red wine. But a new study is showing that red wine might also help with weight loss. Many people, doctors especially, are reluctant to encourage the consumption of alcohol as a health measure. For obvious reasons, a lifestyle full of alcohol is also full of other issues including increased liver damage and diabetes. Most alcohols are also very high in calories in addition to the great level of sugar. This is why moderation is absolutely necessary. A glass of red wine with dinner every other night is acceptable while a bottle every day in not. Also if you are diabetic, you need to discuss it with you doctor.

What make Red Wine Heart Healthy?

There are several antioxidants in red wine called Flavinoids. Flavinoids can also be found in cocoa, apples, red grape juice, oranges and many teas. In red wine specifically, there is a flavinoid called Resveratrol, which helps to increase the good cholesterol – LDL. Resveratrol is an antioxidant that is found only in red wine (so drinking whites and blushes doesn’t count). This flavinoid is also thought to provide additional protection against artery damage by reducing the risk of inflammation and clots. However, be advised that red wine cannot take the place of any medication you may be taking to prevents clots. If you are not a drinker at all, there are some supplements available that contain Reservatrol.

Another Benefit has been discovered

A new study, of over 20,000 woman found that the woman who regularly consumed a glass of red wine lost more weight then woman who drank white wine, beer, or no alcohol at all. In the study they determined that the manner in which the liver processes red wine (in contrast with how it processes other forms of alcohol) actually creates heat energy instead of converting it to fat stores. Again, let me caution you against using alcohol consumption as a means of weight control. I am merely pointing out to you that drinking A glass of red wine with dinner or at a party is not as bad as drinking other alcoholic beverages. Please, please, please drink responsibly!

How much is a glass?

In terms of all these studies, the average “glass of wine” is five ounces – which should yield between 11 and 15 grams of alcohol. So don’t rush out and fill your humungous glass to brim. As I mentioned earlier it is so important to consume red wine in moderation. There is actually a diminishing return. Once your body has reached it’s threshold of the positive antioxidants, the alcohol will act just as any other form.

Tropicana Juicy Rewards Insider

Rachel — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 19:32:04 +0000

When my family drinks juice, we avoid anything with artificial flavoring or excessive amounts of sugar. It is important to us that the juice we drink is made up of actual fruit juice (we’re funny that way) so most of the time we end up choosing Tropicana. We’ve been fighting colds off and on for the past several weeks so Tropicana has had prime real estate in our fridge. There’s just nothing that makes you feel better when you have a sore throat than a big glass of orange juice. Tropicana has a new rewards system that I’m really excited about, not just because I’m a Juicy Insider and they gave me a gift card to redeem towards rewards. I love getting a deal on anything, especially things like family entertainment that we usually avoid without a coupon. The Tropicana Juicy Rewards program gives you a chance to redeem rewards points (that come with each carton of Tropicana and are worth up to $15 in savings) towards things like discounts on entertainment, discounts in local stores, and more.

My family is in the process of moving to San Diego, where there are tons of great family friendly activities, but since we are new to the area we don’t really know what the options are. The Tropicana Juicy Rewards program lets you redeem reward points for discounts but what I’m excited about is that it is giving me some great ideas for fun activities to do with my family. Some of the discounts are phenomenal. Today my family is heading out on a Whale Watching Boat Ride for 50% off. See you when we get back from our frugal family adventure!

Want a Tropicana Juicy Rewards Bonus Point?

* To get your bonus point:?
1. Go to www.tropicana.com
?2. Set-up your Tropicana Juicy Rewards account (just take a minute!)?
3. Visit the “Enter Codes” page within the site and get started with MOMCE-NTRAL
*?This one-time use code is valid for new accounts ONLY. Must be entered within 6 hours of creating your account.
Disclosure – “I wrote this review while participating in the Tropicana Juicy Insiders Ambassador program by Mom Central on behalf of Tropicana. I received 12 free Juicy Rewards points and a $50 Visa gift card to use in redemption of the points and to facilitate my review.”

Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce

Courtney — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 05:26:11 +0000

Eggs poached in tomato sauce is one of those really delicious dishes that you can tell came about at some point because someone was both creative and faced with leftovers that needed using up. However it originally came about, it’s a delicious combination that makes for a super easy meal any time of day that tastes like way more work than it was. I am a particularly big fan of having this for breakfast on weekend mornings or dinner when I get home from work and don’t really want to cook. The proportions I use here are rough and would feed either one very hungry person or two average people with an extra couple hunks of bread. If you want to scale it up you can bake the eggs in a casserole dish with the sauce rather than cooking it on the stove–the end result is just about the same and all methods yield scrumptious results.

Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
1 1/2 to 2 cups tomato sauce
2-3 eggs
1-2 tablespoons shredded parmesan (optional)
crusty bread for dipping

Directions:
Heat the tomato sauce over medium heat in a small frying pan (I’d recommend non-stick, if you have it) that allows for a depth of about and inch and a half of sauce. Add more sauce if you need to to get there. When sauce is simmering add the eggs, avoiding crowding so they don’t clump together. Allow eggs to simmer in the sauce until the whites are set and the yolks are cooked to your liking. Lift the eggs out with a spoon and place in bowls. Divide the remaining sauce between the dishes and top with a sprinkle of parmesan. Eat with crusty bread to soak up the sauce and scoop up the egg.

Variations:
-Add about 2 ounces of soy chorizo to the tomato sauce when it’s bubbling and cook the rest as usual for a spicier, heartier version.
-Add crumbled, browned bulk sausage meat or ground beef/turkey and simmer for a few minutes before adding the eggs.
-Leftover grilled or sauteed onions and peppers are also great additions, but add them in the last few minutes of cooking or after the eggs are cooked so that they don’t cook to mush while the eggs firm up.
-Serve the sauce and eggs over polenta, pasta or egg noodles instead of bread, or scoop up with tortillas.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

Lorie — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:53:37 +0000

About a month ago, I bought a wheat grinder. I felt like I was saving money by buying one because I could get wheat kernels from my church cannery for a lot cheaper price than at the store. I also don’t have to pay a lot of money for prepackaged mixes with whole wheat. Whole Wheat ones seem to cost at least twice as much. Now I have a ton of whole wheat flour and I am looking for what to do with it. I decided to make pancakes since my family really likes those. We even have them for dinner sometimes.

Why Eat Whole Wheat

There has been a lot of research about whole grains and whole wheat and I have read about lots of health benefits. Some of those include; women who eat whole grains weigh less, lowers our risk for type 2 diabetes, help prevent gallstones, are preventative against breast cancer, are also highly protective against childhood asthma, and not to mention they keep you going. With all of those benefits why not choose whole wheat?

Getting Your Family Used to Whole Wheat

My family has not really been used to eating whole wheat. My husband says he hates it. When you buy wheat kernels, they come in hard red or hard white. The hard white seems to have a taste that is more acceptable to people. I also have started my family out slow by using a 50/50 mix of white and wheat flour. I feel better knowing I am at least getting some whole grains in them. They have really seemed to accept this alternative and they are really shocked that they like the foods I am serving with the added wheat in it. I think this helps get them used to whole wheat instead of adding it all at once.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

These pancakes are adapted from a Cooking Light recipe. I do not know why they called them Whole Wheat pancakes because they do have the white flour in them too. I do know that they are really good. I think you could add all wheat flour and these would still be good.

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes

¾ cup whole wheat flour

¾ cup all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups buttermilk (see note below)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1 large egg

1 large egg white

Cooking spray

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined. Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray and then pour on pancake batter. Use about ¼ cup batter. Wait until bubbles form and edges are set and then flip.

Makes 12 pancakes.

Note: As a substitute for 1 cup butter milk, place 1 tbs lemon juice in a 1 cup measuring cup and then fill the remaining with milk. Just ½ those amounts to get the other ½ cup. Let the milk mixture sit for a couple of minutes before using.

Syrup For My Pancakes

If you want to make the perfect pancake, you need good syrup to top it. I try not to buy any syrup anymore because I have the basic ingredients already in my kitchen and it really is so easy to make. Here are two I use a lot:

Homemade Maple Syrup
4 cups white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 cups water
2 teaspoons maple flavoring (or vanilla)
Mix the water and sugars in a pot and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the flavoring. Cool and pour into container. You do not need to refrigerate the syrup.

Buttermilk Syrup

1 ½ cups sugar

¾ cup buttermilk

½ cup butter

2 Tablespoons corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons vanilla

Place first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook for 7 minutes stirring to prevent scorching. (Mixture will foam.) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Note: Don’t let the name scare you, this taste like a caramel sauce and you will not want to go back to maple syrup after trying it.

Saving Time with Pancakes

I like to make pancake mixes. I just take all the dry ingredients in the recipe and place them in a zip lock bag and label it. This makes it real easy; all I have to do is add the wet ingredients. These pancakes also freeze well. I like to double the recipe and I use them for a quick breakfast during the week. Just lay out the pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet or another pan. Freeze until solid and then place in a zip lock bag and label what it is and the date you froze them. To serve, I just reheat in the microwave.

Hungry Monkey Book Review (Giveaway)

Courtney — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:17:27 +0000

Full disclosure: I asked for this book. I was given a free copy to review but I actively sought it out when it was published because I was already a fan of Matthew Amster-Burton’s blog, Roots and Grubs, and I was very much looking forward to reading his book. I wasn’t disappointed. While it is a cookbook, it is also part memoir of his experiences teaching his daughter Iris to eat and learning to look at food in new ways while doing so.

Amster-Burton and his wife were already foodies (and very big fans of cheese) when Iris joined their family. Upon learning of her impending arrival he describes his first thought as “Are we going to have to eat fifties rejects like sloppy joes for the next eighteen years? Or feed our kid food we’d never eat ourselves?” He read books on feeding babies and toddlers and wasn’t terribly impressed with much of the information he found, so he eventually decided to write his own and Hungry Monkey was born. He states at the end of the introduction that this effort is “the book I wish someone had handed me before Iris was born so that I would have known that breastfeeding is challenging (even for dads), that there are two simple rules to take a lot of the stress out of feeding kids, and that it’s okay to feed a baby sushi and spicy enchiladas. Most important, I would have been reassured that having kids doesn’t require dumbing down your own menu: if you love to eat, a new baby presents an opportunity to have more fun with food than ever before in your life. And yes, more frustration.”

The conversational tone of the book makes it a very quick read. The chapters are set up with a recipe or several at the end, and the experiences that led to their creation or use preceding them, as well as arguments for or theoretically against feeding them to kids. Many of the recipes also include tips for parts your kids can help you with under the heading of “Little Fingers.”

The recipes themselves cover a pretty vast selection of things, everything from simple foods like “Baby Chicken and Mushrooms” (feeds several babies or one adult and one baby) to Pad Thai and Enchiladas. In the course of describing these dishes Amster-Burton often makes an argument in favor of whole foods and against the fear of things like cheese, sugar and spicy foods. One of my favorite recipes from this book is from the chapter on snacks, which extoles the virtues of cheese and the yumminess of the crunchy cheese that results from cooking enchiladas. The recipe is for Frico, which are wafers of cheese baked until crunchy. They are ridiculously easy and taste great, which is a common feature of many of these recipes. There are some that are more involved but all are well written and easy to follow. While I’m not sure that my own spicy heat tolerances would allow for Iris’s favorite dish of Ants on a Tree (cellophane noodles with ground pork and red chile), I am sure that even if I skipped all the dishes in the spicy chapter I’d still have a pretty good assortment to choose from.

All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone, not just parents of small kids. The recipes are all ones that can be adapted to just about anyone’s lifestyle. Because of the varieties of recipes involved it’s quite a well-rounded cookbook in it’s own right and worth picking up just for that reason. The included section at the end of favorite convenience foods is also a great resource for any busy kitchen.

Enter to Win

One lucky winner will receive a copy of Hungry Monkey by Matthew Amster-Burton. This giveaway is open to the U.S. and will end on March 24, 2010.

Enter the giveaway by commenting on this post.

Please see our site’s Terms and Conditions for a complete list of our contest and giveaway rules.

In compliance with the new FTC Guildlines, please note that this is a sponsored post. I was given a copy of Hungry Monkey by Matthew Amster-Bu to review free of charge. However, I was not paid for the review and the opinions are my own.

Additional Entries

After having commented on this post, you can earn additional entries by doing any of the following. Make a separate comment on this post for each extra entry you qualify for.

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Wordless Wednesday – Chinese New Year Dragon

Rachel — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:48:56 +0000

I realize that Chinese New Year is over but I loved this picture from our trip to the Chinese New Year Parade in L.A.

Baked Kale Chips

Courtney — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:07:34 +0000

This method of cooking kale is my new favorite. Kale chips made by baking the leaves with a little olive oil and salt results in an almost potato-chip like treat that is genuinely good for you. You can season them with whatever spices you like or keep them simple and plain. There is no easier way to eat green leafy vegetables, or at least no way more genuinely enjoyable (and that’s coming from a true salad lover). Make a batch of these today and you’ll probably make three more before the end of the weekend. Even my dog begs for these chips, and I’m pretty sure I could convince my dad to try one too. These more than make up for the minimal effort involved in making them.
A note on the type of kale–I’ve been having a hard time finding the best variety of kale for these–flat, or lacinato kale. The batch I made for the picture is from a bunch of curly kale. I think the result is a more evenly crunchy one when you can find the flat kale, but the chewiness of the center rib and thicker middle of the leaf in curly kale is actually kind of appealing, though you’ll need to watch it closely to make sure you don’t burn the frilly edges. Whatever kind you’ve got, wash it thoroughly and dry it very well and you’ll do just fine.

Baked Kale Chips

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and/or other spices to taste

Directions:
Wash the kale and spin it dry in a salad spinner if you have one, otherwise drain well and finish with paper towels. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If useing curly kale, break off the bottom third or so of the stem where there isn’t much actual leaf. Rip the leaves into large pieces. Toss gently in a large bowl with the olive oil to coat lightly with the olive oil, using your hands to make sure you get all the leaves. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and scatter the leaves in a single layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and whatever other spice you choose and bake for 10-15 minutes until the leaves are crisp but not brown, keeping a close eye on the pan so that the leaves don’t burn. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before tearing into the chips.

Winning Wednesday – March 10, 2010

Jennifer — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 04:36:01 +0000

Welcome to Winning Wednesdays, your home for the latest and greatest blog giveaways. Sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and start entering!

Winning Ways

This week’s tip involves Twitter. Most blog giveaways I come across give you an extra entry for tweeting about the giveaway. You then need to leave your tweet link in a comment as proof that you tweeted. If you are new to twitter, you may not know what a tweet link is. After you hit the update button to submit your tweet, your tweet then appears on the list below. Immediately below your tweet, there will be a time stamp stating how long ago you tweeted the giveaway info. Click on that time stamp, then copy and paste the URL. That URL is your tweet link. Now you can get all those extra entries for tweeting!

Featured Giveaways

Enter to win a copy of Hungry Monkey by Matthew Amster-Burton @ Busy Mommy Media (3/24, US)
Enter to win 5 lbs of Tropical Traditions Organic Whole Grain Wheat @ Miss Organic’s Kitchen (3/17, US and Canada)

Giveaways for Moms

Enter to win a Home Party Prize pack that includes gifts from Creative
Memories, Scentsy, Dove Chocolate Discoveries and more @ The
Busy Woman’s Guide to Surviving Motherhood (3/15, US only)
Enter to win a copy of the book Countess of Scandal by Laurel Mckee @ Busy
Moms Who Love to Read (3/16, US and Canada)
Enter to win a beautiful Crystal and Freshwater Pearl Necklace @ The NewNew (3/12)
Enter to win a Bioken Enfanti Set @ Sea of Blossoms (3/13)
Enter to win a H2Pro Presto Turbo Flat Iron @ Beauty Junkies Unite (3/16)
Enter to win a beautiful Sea Glass Pendant @ Seaphemera (3/31)
Enter to win a pair of Easter socks from Sock Grams @ The Busy Woman’s Guide to Surviving Motherhood (3/22)

Giveaways for the Young or Young at Heart

Enter to win an adorable Butterfly room decoration @ In Through the Out Door (3/11)
Enter to win a Step 2 Easel for Two @ A Mom Can Dream (3/21, US and Canada 18+)
Enter to win a Dora or Toy Story Toy Box @ 28 Peppermint Grove (3/17, US and Canada 18+)
Enter to win Evorakids Probiotic Teeth Cleaner @ Frugal Wife Blog (3/14, US and Canada)

Giveaways for Baby

Enter to win a Boppy Newborn Booster and Protective Cover @ A Psych Mommy (3/18, US only)
Enter to win Sweet Bitty Bows @ Stockpiling Moms (3/11)
Enter to win a Liz Lange Diaper Clutch and free Pampers Cruisers product coupon @ The B Keeps Us Honest (3/14)
Enter to win an Anka Highchair @ TicTacDough (3/13, US only)

Giveaways for the Foodie

Enter to win a 32 oz jar of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Coconut Oil @ Dimes 2 Vines (3/20, US only)
Enter to win a $25 Subway gift card @ Mommygaga (3/12)
Enter to win an Easy Lunchboxes set @ Audrey’s Giveaways (3/12, US and Canada)
Enter to win a TCM Oscar Party pack – complete with popcorn, candy, a martini shaker, coasters and more @ Simply Being Mommy (3/12, US only)

Giveaways for House and Home

Enter to win a pack of springtime gardening seeds from Hometown Seeds @ Eatin’ on the Cheap (3/12)
Enter to win a Lysol Healthy No Touch Hand Soap System @ Simply Stacie (3/12)
Enter to win a Rubbermaid Drawer Organizer @ Shannon Blogs Here (3/12, US and Canada)
Enter to win 4 bars of Vegan Soap @ Journal Envy (3/23, US and Canada 18+)

Jen’s Giveaway Pick

I love that you can use the Wii to get in a good workout! I am not a huge video game player but I do love the Wii for exercise. It makes it so fun, it doesn’t even seem like I am working out.

Enter win a Jenny McCarthy’s Your Shape for Wii @ Mommy Musings (3/14, US only 18+)

For more blog giveaways, visit Great Blog Giveaways. Remember, you can’t win if you don’t enter!

Until next time,

Jen