I Want Some More Please: 4 Super Soups to Satisfy and Minimize

Food Fridays:

I have a confession. 

I'm slightly obsessed with soup. I mean really. 

Getting the soup monkey off my back with Corn Chowder at East Hampton Sandwich Co. 

While some women will go in the middle of the night for a preggo food fit, I'll drive hours away to score the perfect bowl of soup. And compound that with my pregnancy there's nothing stopping a good soup stop. At my OB/GYNO, there was this little cafe called Alonti and they served the most amazing "Italian Wedding Soup." While not a traditional recipe, but one with chicken, cream and wonderful goodness. So much so, that when I was pregnant with my second, it continued to be a part of my routine: first go to the appointment and then followup up with a big cup of the soup. 

And then one day, I went and it was gone. Closed down. Finito. (Good for my waistline, bad for my craving.)

So I went to the internet to scour for the recipe, but I quickly discovered this was going to be like trying to find the formula for Coca-Cola. I did get close with the photo below from a blog called "Cookinginflipflops.com," but unfortunately, the website doesn't work anymore. I was able to find a photo and filed it on Pinterest in hopes to at least remember what it tasted like and maybe one day get a recipe. 

Oh woe is me as tears of chicken broth come down my cheek. But then Pinterest came and brought me a kleenex and a recipe for it. While it was a close second, it still doesn't cure the sickness that ailed me (but it'll work in fix.)

While this photo is from cookinginflipflops.com, the site seems to have bit the dust, but has the most hits and photo links back to the soup. Coincidence? I think not. Alonti's not sharing.

While that soup will continue to be on my list of must-find must-haves, there's another "Italian" soup that makes me happy, especially when it's cold and gloomy (like the best day ever for soup): Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscano. With the ideal combination of greens, italian sausage, cream and spiciness, this soup is what makes their soup and salad lunch the best deal ever (for me, not them.) Again, through the magic of Pinterest, I also found a recipe for this stuff. Can't wait to make it soon to see how close it is.

Source: restaurant.food.com via Autumn on Pinterest

Unfortunately, just because soup is liquid doesn't always make it lowfat. (Have you checked out the fat count for the Tomato Basil Soup at La Madeleine?  - don't.) However, there are some soups that can help you do exactly that - lose weight. Which is particularly good when you've been eating either of the soups I've covered, you'll need something to help you knock off that extra few pounds you'll gain after bowl #10. 

And since it IS February, I've actually been divulging more HEALTHY soups.One of those you must look at is the Fat-Flush soup. It's a whole diet plan, but even if you don't care about the fat flush part, it is a great winter soup recipe!

Source: fatflush.com via Desiree on Pinterest

And I don't think talk about lowfat soups without including one of the biggest soup fads, the Cabbage Soup Diet. Again, I'm a little hesistant to eat anything consistently for 1 week, no matter how good it is. But you have to admit, it's a keeper. 

Source: successful-diet-cabbage-soup.com via Debbie on Pinterest

After making up gallons of soup like the Cabbage Soup, you'll be eating on it for days. So I was uber excited to find the ideal accessory for a soup-obsessed fan like myself: The Lunch Pot by Black+Blum. 

It's multifunctional and travel-handy with two bowls that come adjoined with its own little spoon. Also, if you  just want to use one of the bowls, it can fit inside each other. It's looks kinda like something IKEA would make and it sure is conveneient and works really well. And like all their stuff at Black & Blum, everything looks as though it belongs in an art gallery. 

Of course, with all this talk about soup, I'd be remissed to not bring up my favorite spring event, Empty Bowls, a soup fundraiser in Dallas and Fort Worth for the local food banks. It's a must go, so learn why here!

DISCLAIMER:
I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC's 16 CFR Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.")

Yank Those Yoga Pants: Get Fit Looks Fast and Cheap with Ellie {Special Discount}

Want-it Wednesdays:

As a mom, it's almost a requirement that if you don't work in a "traditional" office, your "uniform" is yoga pants. Whether you actually got up to work out, have the best of intentions to go work out or just upgraded from the PJs you changed out of, workout wear is THE look of the SAHM (and apparently the seat of power in Dallas.) For me, at least these last two months of trying yoga, pilates and even pole dancing, I feel like I've been nothing but workout pants - and basically combinations of the same three outfits. 

Not me and not my pants. But it is the uniform! (Photo: The Chive.) 

But never fear, mamachallenge is ready to find the new way to look fabulous while looking fit. That's why I was so excited when I found a new company that makes it easy to look good in your workout wear, cheaply and easily every month. 

A look at February's selection. Each month it changes, so you don't get bored!

Ellie mixes essential fashion-forward looks with high-tech performance activewear for the most stylish fitness experience you’ve ever had!

Basically, you take a quick quiz about your style and needs and then gives you personalized looks just for you. And for $50 bucks a month you can have 2 pieces of workout wear from the top brands sent to your doorstep with free shipping. (Can't beat that, can you?) 

In case you aren't the type to make a commitment, you can still purchase the items you like at price, but being a part of the VIP club really saves you money, especially when workout wear doesn't come cheap!

So, if you're going to wear them every day, why don't you make life easier with a personalized package that is made to make you look great and is sent straight to you monthly at a great price.

If you use this link, you can get 20% off your first purchase when you click here or this banner!

Disclaimer: I am an affiliate of Ellie. 

Find Fido: New Technology to Find Your Pet 24/7

Try-it Tuesdays: 

This week is set to be all about protecting the ones you love and today we're talking about one of the most beloved members of your family, your pet. 

Meet our (other) baby, Birddie, pictured here in our family photo 2011. 

Our family pet is a black lab named Birddie. She has been with our family almost from the birth of our son in 2008. And like my other children, she also has a mind to go exploring - especially when our gate or front door gets left open, which unfortunately is more often than I wish. She has a tendency to get out so much that even my neighbors know her by name and bring her back to the house without even checking out her collar. And I can't even remember how many times I've ran down the street to try to catch her. I won't admit how many times she's been out, but I decided it couldn't  happen any more.  

Birddie meet Tagg.

This little thing is everything I had been looking for... Tagg—The Pet Tracker is an advanced pet tracking system equipped with GPS and wireless capabilities that enables pets to stay in touch with their owners.  The Tagg tracker is designed for dogs and cats over 10 lbs. and is a small, lightweight and durable device that attaches securely to an existing collar.  

Built to withstand all the running, digging and jumping of a pet’s busy day, the tracker is meant to be worn at all times, even while swimming.  The long-lasting battery can last up to 30 days, but actual battery life will vary based on usage patterns. And best of all you can track your pet from your IPhone! I know where my pet is at all times and what she's doing. And if she gets out of the "home zone" the program alerts you that your pet is out, as well as low battery and other alerts. (The only thing I can even say negative about this product is its battery life,which could stand to last a little longer, so make sure you follow the instructions in hope to maintain its maximum longevity.) 

While the cost is around $100 for the Tagg tracker, it costs around $8 per month to maintain GPS services with Verizon (you don't need another phone plan, it is embeded with the program.) But that's a small cost to pay to have the freedom of mind to know I can always find Birddie! 

Looking for something a little simplier to know where your pet is? 

Another way to keep your dog safe is with a LED collar and leash set from Dog-E-Glow. Dog-E-Glow collars and leashes illuminate their entire length and are seen up to 1,000 feet away for maximum visibility.

• Collar and leash lights are visible when turned on in a steady or flashing mode
• All products contain batteries that last up to 150 hours of use
• ALL of the Dog-E-Glow products are:
• Safe
• Lightweight and highly durable
• Weather resistant
• Made of high quality nylon sewn around (100,000 Hour) LED bulbs
• And did you see you can get your favorite college mascots or other fashionable designs?

Don't you love what technology can do to keep your family safe? 

DISCLAIMER:

I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC's 16 CFR Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.")

"I Ate All Your Cookies!" and other things you wish you could tell your kids {Book Review}

After all the fun of Valetine's Day crafts, cupcakes and cuddles, there was the aftermath of children very "high" on sugar from cookies and candy running crazy around my house. While I love my children more than life itself, it is days like these that make me want to tell them the things I'm really thinking like:

If honesty is the best policy, then getting a copy of this book from your pediatrician or OB should be a requirement.

"I Ate All Your Cookies"  admits all the secret truths that parents are thinking in their head, but will  (probably) never share with their children. From blowing the cover on who Santa really is to revealing that the dog is not actually living on a farm chasing bunnies, this book shares hundreds of relatable thoughts for any parent who has ever considered letting their kids know they really feel.

I Ate All Your Cookies: (and Other Things You Wish You Could Tell Your Kids)
Quinn Conroy
Sourcebooks
Buy

Looking for other other books to read? Check out some of my recents reads here!

DISCLAIMER:
I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC's 16 CFR Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.")

Going Topless at My Wedding

If you look at past posts, I'm all about talking about my kiddos - but I don't always talk about my husband. I guess I feel that part of my life is personal, so while I blog about some pretty embarrassing things on mamachallenge.com, stories about our relationship has been off-limits...until now. 

I have planned some pretty awesome events at some really cool places like AT&T Pebble Beach, The Academy Awards and the Miss USA Pageant. So when it came to planning my own wedding, I either wanted to go royal wedding or very intimate. Money helped me make the choice, so seven of our family/friends flew to Puerto Vallarta for a vacation/wedding. 

It was the perfect choice for us.  We did everything we ever wanted to do for our family;  from massages on the beach, golf by the ocean (with the alligators), tequila tour and of course, our very no-nonsense wedding ceremony (at least it was supposed to be.) 

Taking place around sunset on the beach, facing the ocean, barefoot in the sand and sunglasses on the face. With our wedding party standing behind us, the preacher started the vows to becoming man and wife. It was the incredible moment where you look at each other and realize the intensity of what you are about to do and how your life will change in just a few minutes. 

About 10 minutes into the ceremony...somewhere between "Will You...Yes," I saw my betrowed (and the rest of our family) all turn their heads to something on the beach behind the preacher. 

O.M.G. 

A woman, who of course wasn't so ugly [read: hot], dared to walk right by my wedding ceremony - TOPLESS! Yes, she did. Even the photographer turned his head AND took a photo, although it somehow didn't end up in the wedding shots! 

(No, I don't have a photo of this so don't ask.)

I was a little upset to say the least at the time since the ceremony itself was only about 20 minutes long and she took up about a minute of it, but now, seven years later, it IS pretty funny. Only that would happen to me!

Humor is what made me fall in love with my husband, so this little moment was only fitting. While there are MANY days I'm not laughing, it's moments like these that remind me that laughing is the best medicine to dealing with the hard challenges we face everyday (especially if it's paired with bubbly!) 

On this Valentine's Day, I hope you have great stories to remember and make your smile. I'd love to hear them if you want to share! 

Last-minute Love-Filled Heart-Shaped Pick-Up for Valentine's

Love Week, Day 3!

Continuing with our week devoted to all things LOVE, I thought I'd share a couple of places you can find some heart-shaped foods just in case you need to show some love at the last minute.

Papa Murphy’s Pizza:

Famous for make-and-take pizza, get your own heart-shaped pizza and take it home to make for dinner for only $7. Best of all, $1 goes to the North Texas Food Bank.  

Papa John's Pizza:

Show your love with a large 1-topping thin-crust pizza and Cinnapie for $15. (You can even get D-E-L-I-V-E-R-Y!)

Edible Arrangements:

With 50% delivery right now, you can still have one of their healthy heart bouquets sent to your loved one or bring one home for the family.  

Dunkin Donuts:

Butter up your office and pick up some Dunkin’ Donuts’ heart-shaped and filled Cupid’s Choice and Cupid’s Cocoa donuts. (Really sweeten the deal and pick up coffee, too!) 

Sprinkles Cupcakes:

The original cupcakery offers its Raspberry Chocolate Chip cupcake only in February. The chocolate chip-studded Belgian dark chocolate cake is topped with luscious raspberry frosting and a pink heart decoration. 

For more Valentine's Day fun, check out these posts:

Heart-Shaped Food Fun for V-Day

Healthy Valentine's Day Treat with Easy S'Mores Flaxseed Cupcakes {Recipe}

The Cake Mamas Would Rather Wear Than Eat

Virgins Saints & Angels New Line Brings Out the Princess (or Witch) In You

Valentine's Day Downloadable {Freebie}

Love Week Continues! 

In addition to my normal tasks this week, I'm playing party planner for both kiddos Valentine's Day parties. For the boy, we went with downloadable stickers that said "You Rock" on Pop Rocks and for my daughter, I had to create something a little bit more special. She's changing schools, so I wanted to do something to say goodbye - even if she's not even two yet. 

I already had some Play-doh in reserves (from last Valentine's Day clearance) and then had to come up with something to pair with it: 

While the artwork isn't amazing, if you'd like to use it, I thought I'd share - just in time for Valentine's Day. 

Get this Valentine's Day downloable PDF here.

For more Valentine's Day fun, check out these posts:

Heart-Shaped Food Fun for V-Day

Healthy Valentine's Day Treat with Easy S'Mores Flaxseed Cupcakes {Recipe}

The Cake Mamas Would Rather Wear Than Eat

Virgins Saints & Angels New Line Brings Out the Princess (or Witch) In You

Healthy Valentine's Day Treat with Easy S'Mores Flaxseed Cupcakes {Recipe}

Love Week Begins! 

Just in time for all the fun of Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day this week, I'm focusing on all things I love...so it's only fitting I'd start with food. This time I'm trying to merge healthy and tasty for my family together! Check out my healthy Valentine's Day Treat - Easy S'Mores Flaxseed Cupcakes! 

Flaxseed is full of healthy goodness!  

A 2010 study in The Journal of Nutrition suggests that flaxseed may help reduce belly fat. The reason is flax's potent nutrients: flaxseed contains the highest plant-based levels of omega-3s and phytoestrogens called lignans than any other food. This Heart Health Month the need to maintain a healthy weight is critical. Both the USDA and U.S. Health and Human Services have advised in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 that weight management is the top priority for the welfare of all Americans.

A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down...enjoy the flavor of s'mores with the healthy benefits of flaxseed!

EASY S'MORES FLAXSEED CUPCAKES

1/2 cup of Linwoods Ground Organic Flaxseed or Ground Flaxseed, Cocoa, Strawberries & Blueberries blend

1/2 cup flour or whole wheat white flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

5 tbsps cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp stevia powder or 1/4 tsp stevia syrup

1 cup water

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsps vinegar

1/2 tsp molasses (agave syrup)

1 cup marshmallows

1 cup Hazelnut spread (Nutella!)

6-8 graham crackers

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Prep cupcake liners in cupcake pans and spray cupcake liners with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking. Mix dry ingredients together thoroughly with a whisk. Add in remaining wet ingredients and stir until completely blended.
3. Immediately spoon in batter into cupcake liners about 2/3 full.
4. Depending on your taste, place some marshmallows in the liner and make sure to cover them with batter.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.
6. Allow them to cool a little bit and then spread a small layer of Nutella on the top like icing.
7. Take about half the graham crackers and crush them into a fine sand texture.
8. Sprinkle some of the crackers on the top of the cupcake.
9. Use the leftover crackers and insert into the cake as decoration. 

Recipe makes six cupcakes. Each cupcake has four teaspoons of Linwoods Ground Flaxseed, about 2.13g of Omega-3s! 

Linwoods provides healthy vitamins and nutrients naturally through their six tasty blends of seeds, nuts, and berries. All blends are gluten free, GMO free, dairy free, yeast free, vegan and have no added sugar. Linwoods’ sprinkles Super Foods onto any dish including onto smoothies, yogurts, soups, salads, casseroles, baked goods, and more.

Linwoods Super Foods come in 6 varieties.

Ground Organic Flaxseed

Ground Flaxseed, Walnuts, Brazil Nuts, Almonds and Q10

Ground Flaxseed, Sunflower, Pumpkin, and Sesame Seeds and Goji Berries

Ground Flaxseed & Goji Berries

Ground Flaxseed, Cocoa, Strawberries & Blueberries

Shelled Organic Hemp

DISCLAIMER:

I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC's 16 CFR Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.")

Heart-Shaped Food Fun for V-Day

Food Fridays:

I was working really hard this Valentine's Day to be the mom I've always wanted to be. 

Photo Credit

Make a heart-themed breakfast, volunteer for the class party, create the perfect quirky valentines for my kiddos and all that other crap. I really, really thought I was going to have time to do it all.... 

...we'll it didn't happen (surprise!) 

So I resorted to Pinterest (suprise #2) to get some ideas (read: steal) and then be inspired for some creativity to get going on my own family and school party planning. 

Unfortunately, I was ready for all the things you can do with HEART-SHAPED FOOD! I was thinking things like pizza, pancakes and heart-shaped cut fruit, but these pins are so much more! So rather than try to put together a few ideas for Valentine's Day, I'm totally going to show you my favorites from Pinterest. 

Hopefully these will make you out to be the heart-filled mom you are hoping for (or at least save your ass if you've forgotten that next week is Valentine's Day!) 

Source: blogs.babycenter.com via Autumn on Pinterest

Source: workmanfamily.typepad.com via Autumn on Pinterest

Source: itswrittenonthewalls.blogspot.com via Autumn on Pinterest

Source: babble.com via Autumn on Pinterest

Source: yeowzers.blogspot.com via Autumn on Pinterest

Have fun with your cookie cutters, mamas!

Virgins Saints & Angels New Line Brings Out the Princess (or Witch) In You

Every little girl dreams of being a princess. Except this one. 

While, I'm pretty sure there was a time I wanted to wear a tiara and be Snow White (although this quiz says I'm a Cinderella), my dreams were really to be the witch - cackle, magical powers and all. Thankfully, high school drama musicals allowed me that opportunity to live out my fantasy as well as every Halloween where I love to donn my hat while I take my children trick-or-treating. (Isn't that convenient?)

However, the celebrity-loved line, Virgins Saints & Angels now makes it possible for me to fulfill my fairytale fantasy and look good doing it any day of the year with their new line inspired by ABCs "Once Upon a Time." (If you haven't watched this one; make sure you catch up first on Netflix to get the rundown on this fairytale-come-to-life Sunday show the whole family can enjoy. It's kinda complicated the first go-around, but be prepared to be hooked.)  

Not only does my inner witch love these pieces, but that small sliver of me that still loves Madonna in her "Like a Virgin" days, adores it. How could you not? Take a look at some of my favorite pieces I coveted during the preview event on Feb. 7 at Swag. 

Not me, but totally wanted everything around her neck! 

I'll do the laundry with a smile if I can do it with that tiara! 

Virgins Saints & Angels makes it fashionable to wear dragons, daggers and spiders year-round.

you say Valentine's Day, my pretty!?! 

You too can get your little paws on this line. And if you have a little time on Friday, Feb. 8 from 1-4 p.m, you can also meet the lady who made fairytales come to life with the Virgins Saints & Angels' Cheryl Finnegan at Swag. The global trunk show runs until Sunday, Feb. 10 or you can always order a piece online at Swag!

Why I Give My Heart to CHDs (Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week, Feb. 7-14)

To-Do Thursdays:

I'm often asked why I started blogging. 

Like many moms, it was a way to document my feelings as a mom and all the "things" that come with it. For me, it was actually a therapeutic band-aid/call-to-action and I felt like I was obligated to share my story and experience as a new mother of a beautiful son that also was born with a congenital heart defect. 

Photo of celebratory cupcakes made for CHD Awareness Week. (Photo credit.)

Thankfully, it wasn't the worst thing ever written and it resonated with other moms who like me, felt overwhelmed, undereducated and totally alone. Somehow, our story helped us connect so we could feel like we weren't the only ones together. 

That was almost five years ago -- and today I have an even more beautiful son with an amazing, caring and relatively healthy heart. And I'm still blogging.

It's not as healthy as yours or mine, but no longer do I fair daily that he is turning blue. No longer do I have to keep him home in "a bubble" to shield him from illnesses like the flu. No longer do I have to think that he could stop breathing at night. My worries for the most part, thankfully, are just like any other parents, for now. 

But I certainly don't take that for granted. Each year since my little man was born I've tried to make sure to do what I can to educated others about congenital heart defects (CHDs). Sometimes I've gone big with ceremonies, mayoral proclamations or TV segments. Sometimes I've written an article. But it's hard no matter what. It's like opening a wound that I wish would heal and go away. Unfortunately, it doesn't "go away." 

I'm reminded each time I take off his shirt or give him a bath. It will never go away. And neither should my efforts.

But I'm not the only mom of a child with a CHD. What I thought was such a rare thing since I had never heard of it until Jackson, actually is more common than most people think with 1 in 100 babies born every year with a CHD. And thankfully with new technology and awareness, more of those children, like my son, are born and live a wonderful life with their CHD. But that's not enough. There still could be more children saved - as infants in utero and as teens with undetected CHDs with a simple screening. 

Unfortunately, these screenings haven't made the priority list for many state governments or there isn't enough funding to make this possible for the public. Thankfully, committed parents and organizations have banded together to offer these screenings and awareness as much as possible, but that's not enough. 

So now as my little baby turns into a boy, I'm faced with new adventures as a mom. And there will be many other adventures as a mom of a CHD kiddo. Just recently I asked my son if he knew what the mark on his chest was. 

"Of course, Mama," he said. "It's because so many people love me, my heart got too big." 

While one day I'll need to explain that a little more, his explanation is better than anything I could ever explain. 

That's today's challenge. And as he gets older there will be more. I can only hope I can continue to carry the mama challenge torch in efforts to reach one more child and one more mom affected by CHD.

Please support CHD Awareness Week, Feb. 7-14, 2013. 

To learn more about CHDs, please see: http://tchin.org/aware. Looking for more stories of families affecting by CHDs, just take a look here. Free heart screenings for children ages 12-22 will be offered on Feb. 15 in Dallas. For more info, visit Today's Mama.