Amara Organic Baby Food

I am continuously amazed at how genius some people are. When I stumbled upon these organic dried baby food packets from Amara Baby Food, I had an "aha!" moment. I only wish I had found these a little sooner. Like six years sooner. They would have made life so much easier when I started this little journey called motherhood. Now I am making up for lost time though, as they have quickly become one of my favorite healthy ways to feed my children children on the go.

(Parents of older children, stay with me - because even though these dried baby food packets and for tinier tots, I have a sneaky way or two on how to make them useful for older children as well.)

These organic dried baby food packets make feeding baby so easy! Imagine getting all the healthy benefits of fresh homemade pureed baby food with out any of the time, effort, or the huge mess and clean-up in your kitchen. All you have to do is add a little water, formula, or breast milk to the contents of the packet and you have an amazing meal ready to go for your little one.

Not to mention the packets are light weight and mess free. Say goodbye to those cumbersome baby food containers! You can free up all that space in your diaper bag, and no longer worry about any accidental spills or breakages that might have previously occurred.

Now Baby Cute is just beyond the age of baby food, but I've loved feeding her a serving of the Oats n' Berries packet with her breakfast. It makes for a quick, easy, and healthy addition to what finger foods she might be eating.

We've been working on her utensil skills lately and clearly she's in love with the taste as much as I love feeding it to her.

And apparently so is L.C. Queen Elsa.

As for Cute, and L.C. they have no idea, but they love the Amara Organic Baby Food packets too! While I've tried my best to get my children to eat great right from the start, sometimes they need a little boost now and then. And never in my life have I heard either one of them utter, "Mom, I would absolutely love a large serving of kale right now! And can I get that with a large side of broccoli, please?". Not in my wildest dreams would that ever happen.

Long ago I was given a sneaky little trick to get kids to incorporate more fruits and veggies into their diet. A friend told me to mix baby food into their smoothies or into certain recipes. I love this little healthy hack because I feel like I'm totally beating them at the "anti-veggie" battle.

So when I received the dried baby food packets, I realized using my sneaky trick would work a lot easier now for some of my favorite recipes.

After school I mix up a quick smoothie of some fruit (usually a banana or strawberries), yogurt, a little ice, and then blend in a little dried baby food. Voila! Healthy snack that everyone is happy about. 

Later I realized that I'm not the only one who has thought of this genius idea. Upon visiting their website, and social media accounts, I noticed the lovely people at Amara also have some fabulous ideas for how to use their packets in other yummy recipes. 

If you're interested in testing out the Amara Organic Dried Baby Food, I was able to find the packets at Whole Foods, but spotted all the flavors on Amazon as well. 

Now tell me, what mom hacks do you have for sneaking in extra fruits and veggies into your children's diets? Inquiring minds want to know!

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Kitchen Confessions: The Tastes of Tessemae's

Thank you to Tessemae's All Natural for sponsoring this post. 

Since life lately has been nothing short of chaotic, our eating routines have been way off. We normally try to eat as healthy as possible, but between hospital visits and back-to-school prep our little family began to eat for convenience rather than what was best. Now that we aren't spending most of our days in the hospital cafeteria, and school is underway, I've made a conscious effort to get back to our healthier ways - and trust me it makes a world of difference in both the way we feel and our moods.

Mr. Cute was a little reluctant at first because apparently the jalapeno poppers in the hospital cafeteria are on point, and healthier usually means he's about to get hit with my nine hundred ways to make baked chicken. Little did he know I was about to blow his foodie mind.

Recently I was given the opportunity to try Tessemae's All Natural line of dressings and marinades. Let me just sum up my official taste test for you in one word: YUM!

How I had missed this deliciousness on one of my many hundreds of trips a week to Whole Foods or Publix is beyond me. Especially with the super cute anchor themed packaging. The nautical theme should have been a given to just jump in my cart.

If the nautically cute packaging  and all natural goodness didn't seal the deal, then the inspiration behind the brand surely did. I love that this is a homegrown family business inspired by their mom.

But now I know - never leave the condiment aisle without at least grabbing one of the 25 delicious flavors available. Honey Balsamic (as you will soon see) has become my new favorite go-to marinade.

While jumping back into our normal healthy eating routine did mean more baked chicken in our lives, at least it is baked chicken with a yummy flavor to it.

A few nights ago, I marinated chicken in the Honey Balsamic dressing and then did one of my favorite things - recreated a new meal the following day with the left overs. I was inspired by one of the many recipes listed on the Tessemae's website when I was looking for additional ideas for dinner. The Tessemae's recipe blog is amazing and packed full of yummy creations - several being Paleo and Whole30 approved.

This mango and chicken salad was delicious with the Tessemae's Balsamic Dressing sprinkled on top. I usually don't think of adding fruit to my salads, but when I saw a recipe adding mango I just had to try it. I sliced up my leftover chicken, and within minutes had a delicious lunch ready to go. It the right amount of light flavor for a summer lunch time!

I also used the Tessemae's Honey Balsamic as a marinade for pork chops. It was out of this world, and will definitely be a repeat in our house soon.

I am excited that we are getting back on our regular eating routine and hopefully from here forward if we have to be frequenting the hospital cafeteria for three meals a day, we can at least sneak in our own yummy dressings.

To learn more about Tessemae's All Natural

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Happy Eating!

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**This post was sponsored by Tessemae's All Natural as part of the Mom It Forward Blogger Network. All thoughts and general awesome opinions are our own. **

Kitchen Confessions: Coconut Peanut Butter Bars

Coconut. Peanut butter. Chocolate. 

Need I say more? 

I'm not one to turn down a sweet treat, and most definitely not a sweet no-bake treat. These little squares of yummy are about to blow your mind.  

I found this yummy recipe a few weeks ago, when I was looking for an easy dairy-free dessert, and we cannot stop eating them. Literally the second I make a batch they are gone!

 The moment I saw coconut I was in love - its a serious addition people. But once I read these no-bake bars were also gluten-free, and refined sugar free I was all in. 

We've given them quite the test run - rumor is I might have eaten it as breakfast one day (hey, it's healthier than a donut). I even made a few batches at the beach. Listen, if I am going to bake (or no-bake) on vacation, you know it has got to be tasty. 

These Coconut Peanut Butter Bars are super easy to make and I promise you will be thanking me every sweet bite you take. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of old fashioned oats (gluten-free)
• 1 cup of unsweetened, shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup of almond meal
• 3/4 cup of natural creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 1/4 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of vanilla 

For the topping: 

• 1/4 cup of chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

** For the refined sugar free topping use:

•  1/4 cup of unsweetened chocolate chips, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
• 1-2 tablespoons of honey

Instructions:

For the bars: 

1. In a small bowl mix coconut, almond meal, and oats. Set aside.
2. In a large, microwave safe bowl gently melt peanut butter and honey together until smooth. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. 
3. Add vanilla and salt. 
4. Add the dry ingredients and mix together. 
5. Spread into an 8x8 pan. 

For the topping & putting it all together: 

1. Melt the peanut butter and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between. Cook until chocolate is melted and smooth.
2. Drizzle and spread the topping mixture over the bar mixture. 
3. Set aside to cool until hard. (Place in refrigerator to cool faster.

Then it's time to serve and enjoy!

Make sure to store any leftovers in the refrigerator so that they don't "melt". 

I have yet to make it to this stage. 

#goals #willpower

Let me know how you like this yummy no bake treat!

Or do you have a favorite no bake recipe that I need to try - sharing is caring! 

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Getting Juiced About Bundle Organics

I remember when I was pregnant with Cute. I felt like that 40 weeks dragged and I could not wait to meet our sweet little guy. The weeks would drag on and I would happily document each week with a belly pic and an entry in the journal Carrie Beth purchased as a gift for me.

Fast forward a few years, and add another child into the mix, and this third time around feels like it is flying by. And by flying I mean at warp speed! I blinked and realized I am already over halfway through this pregnancy. When did that happen?!?

Due to our situation, I have a ton of ultrasounds throughout my pregnancies. At my last appointment, I couldn't believe as we were going through the normal ultrasound routine that 3.0 all the sudden looked like a baby. A real non-alien looking baby with solid features. And not just a baby, but one of my babies! I instantly recognized that she looked just like her older brother and sister. So crazy!!

Realizing how much of a blur this pregnancy has been has made me realize just how fast paced life has been lately. We've had a lot going on and I often feel like we are being pulled in a million directions everyday. We've joked about this before but often I do often feel like we rush from one activity to the next, we live in the car, and sadly a ton of our meals (at least mine), come in some sort of package.

I try to be as healthy as possible and during pregnancy I try to up my game a bit knowing it's not just about me anymore. Sure I will grab the occasional donut (or two) for breakfast, but for the most part I try to be cognizant of what I consume.

I tend to drink my calories, especially in the morning. Smoothies and juices are my go to quick meals for breakfast and lunch. They are quick, easy, and I tend to leisurely sip on them throughout the morning while running from place to place. I was so excited when I found the Bundle Organics Prenatal Juices.

Not only did I find an organic juice that was yummy and not too "green" tasting, the Bundle Organics juices are specifically for pregnant and new moms (or really due to the vitamin content - any woman looking to up their intake). With additional folic acid, calcium, Vitamin D, iron, and Omega-3 fatty acids added into my daily diet I can ensure that both baby and I are getting the nutrients we need even when I am rushing in between my daily tasks.

I have been instructed to take a crazy amount of folic acid each day. I take two different varieties and it usually adds up to a lot of pills each day. It is nice that instead of swallowing some yucky pill I know I can get at least an extra 200mcg when I drink one of the Bundle Organics juices. I don't know about you but delicious juice over a pill sounds better any day.

The Bundle Organics juices come in three flavors: Kale Lemon Ginger, Orange Carrot Berry Ginger, and Dark Berry & Veggies. I have taste tested all three flavors and each is unique and tasty in its own way, but I have a clear favorite. The Orange Carrot Berry Ginger has won my taste buds over. I tend to like more citrus flavored drinks and this one is delicious. The added ginger is also nice, and I wish I had heard of these during the first trimester when I needed the ginger to settle my stomach all day long.

It hasn't been long since I had my last baby, but it is amazing that just like life itself has been flowing at warp speed, so has the research and availability of baby products. So many more fun and unique items have become available since Little Cute's birth and with 3.0 on the way I love getting the chance to find these new things that make being a mom just a little bit easier. Bundle Organics juices have definitely been a fun (and tasty!) surprise that has given my day a little boost. I can't wait to see what else the next few months hold.

And maybe not as fast. Mommy would really really like time to slow down just a bit before I blink and 3.0 is five!

To learn more about Bundle Organics Prenatal Juices:

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Savvy Sassy Moms Review

Mainely Mama's Review

Do you have a favorite prenatal care product? Or what prenatal care items have you found to make your life just a little bit easier? 

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***I received these products as part of the Savvy Sassy Moms Product Scout Group.  All opinions are my own.***