We are only a few weeks off from our first cold snap. Please remember that where I live in Florida a cold snap in October only means we won’t hit 90 degrees for a day or two. But I’ll take what I can get. To ready myself for the frigid temps, I have begun my annual boot shopping extravaganza. Tennison is getting in on the fun this year too. At 4, I think she is ready for a REAL pair of boots. I have always loved the look of Frye boots but for some reason never purchased a pair. It’s time to give my AmEx a good workout. It sadly atrophied over the summer.
The Veronica Slouch would look casual cool with my faded black skinnies or my gray skinnies or my army green jeggings. Throw on a snug long-sleeved tee with some tousled hair and you have got yourself one sexy look.
Grayson once slept with a new pair of shoes for a week straight. At the time, I thought that was strange. But with the irresistible 4 1/2 inch heel, and incredible leather quality, I can actually picture myself snuggled up to the Harlow Campus Boot.
I am really digging the Engineer 12r. It is a classic, all-American boot. That pesky budget needs to be minded so I will only be able to buy one pair. Decisions, decisions. While I think, let’s move on to Tennison’s…
My choice for Tennison. Girly and cute yet practical. What 4 year old wouldn’t appreciate pink leather??
Tennison’s choice. She actually said “Yee-haw! I’m a cowgirl” and galloped out of the room when she saw this pair. We’ll see.
*Okay, decision made. I’m going with the Veronica Slouch. It’s gorgeous and seems like it would be the most versatile. What’s your favorite Frye boot?
Written by Lea Barlow •
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It is quite possibly one of the cutest sights to behold…babies in leg warmers. Today, H&H welcomes HappyCrawlers, a company dedicated to protecting those precious little legs by providing comfortable and stylish leg warmers. They are not just for crawlers. Take a look at the versatility…
A perfect accessory to complete your little ballerina’s look.
Unlike typical leggings, these leg warmers make quick diaper changes a reality.
They also provide sun protection for those dangling chunky stroller legs.
Boys can get in on the fun too! Protect your tumbling toddler’s knees with my favorite boy patterns, Striking Stripes and Oh My Stars.
For today’s giveaway, HappyCrawlers is offering 3 pairs of your choosing! Even if your kid’s have outgrown this stage these adorable leg warmers would make an excellent gift idea.
Rules of Entry:
1. Send an email through the H&H Contact page and state your favorite pattern.
2. ‘Like’ the HappyCrawlers Facebook page (optional)
3. The contest will run through Friday. A winner will be selected at random and posted on Saturday morning.
4. *Reader Bonus: Use the coupon code HHMOM and receive 10% off all orders. How great is that?!
*Good Luck!*
Written by Lea Barlow •
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Last year I posted some rather fantastic dip recipes that proved to be major party pleasers. Who doesn’t like large amounts of cream cheese and chips?? But this football season I am going to try and be more responsible. Hopefully, the guys won’t notice all the missing cheese. Here are five dips that at least won’t leave you feeling guilty come Monday…
Roasted Red Pepper & Almond Dip
Serve this delicious dip with celery, sliced cucumber, or whole wheat crackers.
Nonfat vegetable cooking spray
1 large garlic clove, smashed
1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 roasted red bell peppers, halved, membranes removed
1⁄2 cup organic raw almonds, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt, Pepper
Preparation
Coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
Place cooled roasted red peppers in a food processor, and pulse until coarsely chopped.
Add the almonds, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
Pulse just until coarsely ground.
Slowly add the oil, and pulse one or two more times.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Black Bean Dip
2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
4 teaspoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons water
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 scallions, green parts chopped
2 tablespoons canned green chilies, chopped
Preparation
Combine beans, tomato paste, water, garlic, lime juice, cumin, salt, and cayenne in a food processor. Puree until it reaches a dip-like consistency. If you find it’s lacking something, add more. Pour into a bowl.
Add scallions and green chilies to dip. Stir thoroughly to combine. Top with extra scallions and a few lime wedges. Serve with pita chips or vegetables.
Chickpea Cilantro Dip
An innovative twist for the traditional hummus:
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro (fresh is best)
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
Salt to taste
Preparation
Using your fingers, slip the skins off the chickpeas. Place in the mixer and puree. Add yogurt, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice and water and blend until smooth. Serve with fresh bell peppers, cucumber sticks and celery.
Healthier Hot Artichoke & Garlic Dip
two 14-ounce cans artichoke hearts, organic if possible, rinsed and drained
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (divided)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese or Italian 4-cheese blend, organic if possible
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
6 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced (use less if you are not a garlic lover)
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest, preferably from a Meyer lemon
smoked paprika or cayenne pepper, to taste- optional
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Chop artichoke hearts by hand (or use a food processor for a smoother dip).
In a large bowl, mix the artichoke hearts with 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella or 4-cheese blend, Greek yogurt, garlic, and lemon zest. Note that if you want a smooth dip, you can puree all the ingredients in a food processor; I personally prefer a chunky dip.
Transfer to a suitable sized baking dish (I use a round pie plate) and sprinkle with the reserved 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.
Cover the dish with foil and bake until the dip is heated through and bubbly, about 20 minutes. You can uncover it for the last 5 minutes so it browns a bit on the top, if you like. Sprinkle with the optional smoked paprika or cayenne pepper, and serve warm with sliced baguette, pita bread, all natural chips or rice crackers, and/or raw vegetables.
Almond Coconut Dip
1 cup raw almonds (pre-soaked overnight in water)
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
1 tbsp raw agave nectar
*Raw agave nectar is a natural, unrefined sweetener that can be used anywhere you would normally use white sugar. Raw agave is pulled from the agave plant of Mexico. It’s absolutely nectar-like and is actually sweeter than refined sugar, but it doesn’t spike your blood sugar. Because it is raw and unrefined, all of its nutrients and enzymes are intact.
Preparation
Drain almonds.
Put all ingredients into a high-speed or other powerful blender and blend until ingredients are thoroughly mixed together. Almonds should be completely shredded.
The mixture should have a thick consistency
Written by Lea Barlow •
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1. Eating all the time. I typically eat at 6:00, 8:30, 10:30, 12:00, 2:30 and 5:00. Each mini-meal is between 150-300 calories. The only caloric items I consume after 5 pm is one Famous Amos cookie and a glass of red wine. Okay, maybe 2 glasses of wine if my husband and children have been grating on me.
2. Downsizing. The easiest way to enact portion control is to eat from smaller plates. We only eat off salad plates in my house. You naturally put smaller amounts of food on a tinier plate. *Tip: Unless you are hosting a dinner party anytime soon go ahead and pack your large plates away. Your only option becomes the small plate. You WILL eat less.
3. Schedule, schedule, schedule. It’s simple physics, “a body at rest stays at rest a body in motion stays in motion.” I packed on a few pounds in August mainly due to the heat, and lack of activity during the long days of summer. Not so shocking is the fact that I lost those 3 pounds plus one more for good measure two weeks after the kids started school. We are constantly on the move again and couldn’t be happier. Well, Tennison is actually still adjusting to the structure of VPK but mom couldn’t be happier.
4. Dumping the conveniences. This is the old ‘take the stairs instead of the elevator’ scenario. I burn calories wherever possible. Whenever we are at the mall we all take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator. When we have lighter loads at the grocery store, I just grab a basket and fill it up. I give the kids each a bag and haul the rest of the groceries myself to the car which is usually parked far away. Putting the little monsters to work helps teach them that leading an active lifestyle encompasses more than just standard exercise.
5. Watching the liquids. This one is huge. It surprises me how many people still overload on sugary drinks. A big part of staying thin is drinking a ton of water every single day. Do not touch any sugared “vitamin” waters, creamed or whipped coffees and never let a soda hit your lips. I drink coffee in the morning with a little organic skim milk and water the rest of the day. Personally, I would rather preserve those precious calories for actual food versus a beverage.
Written by Lea Barlow •
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