Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Recipe from Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld

I love this recipe!!! I make in bulk and freeze it for Payton.  It is full of yummy goodness and healthy goodness~ perfect my little picky eater.  I have altered a few things in the recipe just because I wanted to or just because i may not have had that particular item.  Either way, they have always turned out yummy! I will put my alternative ingredients in bold.

If you haven't heard of Deceptively Delicious, it is a must for moms out there!  Jessica Seinfeld is all about hiding the veggies into recipes for your picky eaters.  My little girl is really picky and does not care for veggies unless they are hidden.   Jessica suggests taking a day and pureeing the vegetables that you will use and then freezing them in the appropriate proportions.  It works great.  As well the cookbook has really good recipes that are enjoyed by all!  Next time, I will post the recipe for coffee cake, it is so yummy. I freeze it and bring out for guests and they think I slaved away that morning! Okay, I digress. Sorry.

Prep: 10 Minutes Total: 26 Minutes - Makes 12 Muffins - Packable

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread, chilled (used the light margarine as well) 
• 1 cup low-fat lemon yogurt (used any flavor we have had available and also whole milk yogurt for Payton)
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/2 cup yellow squash puree
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (whole wheat flour)
• 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Coat a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.  (I have used the mini muffin tins for Payton and they make a great size for snacks or a side item)

2. In a large bowl, beat the sugar and the margarine with a wooden spoon.  Stir in yogurt, blueberries, yellow squash puree, egg, lemon extract, and lemon zest.

3. Add the flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Stir in to combine, do not over mix- the batter is supposed to be lumpy.

4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Bake until the tops of the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center, 13-16 minutes.  Turn the muffins onto a rack to cool.

5. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or wrap individually and freeze up to one month. 

Got Greek?

I tried this yogurt for the first time this past week and it was Yummy!!! I heard a lot about how healthy it is and how tasty it is.  I tried the fat free yogurt and it was very creamy and full of lots of flavor.  Plus it is organic, even better. 

Why yogurt in general?

It's full of beneficial active cultures that help prevent bad bacteria from taking up residence in your body. The other benefits of yogurt is that it gives your body valuable nutrients such as calcium, protein, and vitamin B2.

Whats the difference in Greek Yogurt and regular yogurt?

Well it is alot creamer and full of flavor! As well, some say that it is a good alternative to using sour cream in recipes (plain flavor).  The Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt is full of all natural ingredients . 

For hundreds of years, Greeks have prized strained yogurt for its richness and creaminess, and because it makes a wonderful cooking ingredient that’s less likely to curdle when heated. Before the time of mechanical refrigeration, Greeks also knew that yogurt stayed fresh longer with the liquid strained off. Today we know that straining makes Greek yogurt richer in protein than regular yogurt, and lower in lactose.

Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt has 0% fat, just 90 calories per 5.3 oz.-serving*, twice the protein of regular yogurt, and fewer carbohydrates. Because it’s organic, our yogurt is also better for the earth. And we think it’s better for you, too.

Where can you find this brand of Greek Yogurt?

I find ours at either Kroger or Publix! Head to Oikos Organic for coupons.  It is a little more expensive than store brand yogurt but it is totally worth the extra expense.  Just remember to use that coupon when the yogurt goes on sale! As well the expiration date is longer on organic yogurt so stock up when you find great deals. 

Kid friendly?

Luckly yogurt is staple for my little toddler. She usually gets full fat yogurt and they do sell Greek Yogurt in “whole milk”.  I put the greek yogurt with apples and strawberries yesterday and she loved it!! Plus she isnt a huge fan of apples and strawberries, so the yummy creamy greek yogurt helped convince her that it was all yummy! :)

As well I bake a lot of yummy and healthy breads that call for yogurt for Payton. Next time, I will be using Greek Yogurt for extra flavor! (more posts on baking to come)

Check this out!!

Head over to Vintage Pearl for a WEEK of fun giveaways!!! Worth a few minutes to check it out!

You could have a chance to WIN some great items!

Twisted Oatmeal Raisin MckCookies

Got this recipe from MyCharmingKids.net . I made them the other day and they were YUMMY!!! As well, nutritious for your little ones and you of course. When I made them, I didn't have any raisins so I used dried cranberries and substituted whole wheat flour for the regular flour. Wouldn't even know there is whole wheat flour in them at all.

I am going to start posting more “Kid Friendly Recipes” as well as just healthy recipes that our family enjoys. I am all about sneaking in veggies and healthy nutrients into foods for my little girl. She doesn't eat any veggies that is visible. Oh well, there is more to stress about in life. :)

Enjoy!

Twisted Oatmeal Raisin MckCookies
3/4 c butter
1 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c raw sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 c flaxseed meal
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 T molasses
1/2 c raisins
1 1/2 c flour
2 c rolled oats
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with a mixer for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, raw sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Beat until combined. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and molasses. Beat in the flour. Stir in the oats, flaxseed meal and raisins.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle raw sugar on top. Press down gently with the tines of a fork. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are golden. Cool on a wire rack.

The word every woman hates to hear…

WORKING OUT!

If you love working out, then I am sure this post will be old news to you.

Truth is…I have a love/hate relationship with working out. I have always been one to workout, be healthy, and strive to be “in shape”. Now dont get me wrong, I might always strive to be healthy and “in shape” but God didnt bless me with the “skinny” genes! I have to work hard to maintain my shape and size and so this is why I have a love/hate relationship with working out.

Then I had a baby…oh how your body changes after pregnancy. As well, God didnt bless me with the “bounce back to the normal body and never looked like you had a baby in two months genes”. So I have had to work hard to loose the last 15 lbs that I probably shouldnt have gained to begin with the hard way, working out and dieting! Ouch!

The gym didnt work for me and my family due to time and a traveling husband. The only time I had to head to the gym was after work and then I would be getting home after 5pm and my sweet little one heads to bed at 7pm. Plus, I am not a fan of the gym nursery. So what’s a mama to do?

Order workout videos!

LOVE this workout video set!!!

It comes with 10 minutes of cardio, yoga, upper body, total body, and abs. Believe me, this will kick your butt! Obviously to get best results is to do three 10 minutes videos but if you dont have time, just do one or two! During the school year, I wake up at 5:30am (yes its the only time) and complete this work out in just 30 minutes and then off to shower and get ready for the day. It might suck waking up early but I feel so much better when I am done. Plus I dont have think about working out all day long.

Other videos I have and enjoy every once in a while.

These are great to rotate and even though you might think they are silly, it really is a great workout!

Gotta love some Billy Blanks. We use to do this workout in our dorm room in college!

A while back our dvd player broke so I used Comcast On Demand. There were some good workout videos on there!

Last but not least, I LOVE using our jogger stroller and taking Payton for a walk in our neighborhood and parks. This mama is NOT a runner. Pushing the stroller in a hilly neighborhood is enough for me.

Hilly Neighborhood + 20 lb stroller + 22 lb toddler =

Great cardio workout.

What is your workout routine?

Must haves for Moms

I am sure there tons out there that us moms think we must have. Purses, bags, wallets, pedicures ect. However I was thinking of useful items that might make our lives a little easier. Please feel free to comment on items that might make your life a little easier when it comes to being a mom. I am sure I will have other posts to come as I find items that I want to share with you. :)

Currently this items helps me a ton and for my little girl to be the independent toddler she so wants to be…

The Snack Trap

This great little snack holder is great because toddlers can use it, walk around, and it doesn't spill! I also love this great item because it keeps from our dog Otis eating all of Payton’s snack. Now that doesn't always stop Payton from feeding her snack to Otis. :) Plus it is great for car rides.

We purchased our Snack Trap at Babies R Us or you can purchase it online at the Snack Trap store or One step ahead.

They due sell the lids separate. Wasn't sure why but I have figured out the lid seems to loose its “firmness” after washes and uses. My only suggestion is that the snack trap doesn't work well with small snacks such as cheerios and baby gold fish. They tend to fall out of the container! Otherwise, it is a must have.

The other item that I love so much…

No Spill Bottle Caps

These bottle caps are great because they fit on water bottles for your little one to use when your are out and about. I purchased the pack of three where each bottle cap fits various types of water or juice bottles out there on the market. Dont worry, it tells you which one goes with what. :)

The only thing to watch out for…it isnt leak proof. If your little toddler is like mine, when they squeeze it, water will come out! However, it wont leak if just turned upside down. We enjoy using this on walks in the jogger stroller, road trips, or just to have the bottle cap in the bag for that just incase moment.

You can find the “No Spill Bottle Caps” at Babies R Us and the Snack Trap Store.

Thats all for now. I will post more under this “Must Haves” topic!

Sassy Mama

The joys of purchasing diapers and wipes…

Are there joys in purchasing diapers and wipes? Really? Let me know if you enjoy this purchase. The only way I get joy in purchasing diapers and wipes is when they are on sale and when I have coupons!

When my daughter was born I thought huggies or pampers were the only way to go when using diapers and wipes. I usually dont care about name brand items. (total publix or kroger brand girl here) However when it came to my little girl’s sensitive little hinny, all I wanted was the best! Then came the prices! Gees there was such a huge difference in prices when looking at huggies or pampers versus all the others. So then came my husband with his blackberry figuring out what brand had the best price. No joke, he would be calculating in the store! Got to love how men think. :)

Then came the quality test…

You want the best diaper for quality and price, right?

In our household we use…

This is the BEST price and BEST quality diapers we know that work for us. Where we live you can find them at Target and Wal-Mart. The coupons for Luvs are few and far between (probably because they know they are already cheap). However look out for your weekly coupons in the paper because at times they do come in there. As well, if you shop at Target, when you get your receipt, you always get a store coupon. At times they are $1 off Luvs diapers!

The diapers we have tried….

I do purchase these when they are on sale and I have a coupon to match with it! I have no complaints other than price. :) Also Babies r us has good sales on these with a coupon if you don't mind purchasing in bulk.

I havent tried these since Payton was really little but they just didnt feel that great. I know that I wouldn't want them on my bottom. Plus they are the same price as Luvs and Luvs’ quality is better!

Lets just say we had TOO many blow outs in the Babies R Us brand diapers! I even read in a baby book to try these diapers because of quality and price. After we had to clean up too many poopy messes, these diapers became “pee” diapers ONLY.

We just tried the Publix brand diapers because I had a $5 dollars off. Couldnt beat the price. They are good for the price but still doesnt beat LUVS!

Cant forget the wipes! Yes, my husband had also figured out the wipe to cent ratio. Even if I didnt purchase our usual brand, he would ask me if they were the same price per wipe!

The brand of wipes we use…

The refill packs are great for the pop-up containers and the they are soft and cheap!

AND

Great quality and cheap. Did I mention that I like Publix?

Also if there is a Publix near you, join the Baby Club and they send you coupons! Love it!

Happy Diapering!

Sassy Mama

Welcome!!

Welcome to the Sassy Mama!! I thought it would be fun to create a blog dedicated to just helping out families relating to ALL THINGS related to parenting. I am always wanting to know about good deals, what works, what doesn't work, where to get the best price for things, and new and improved products that help out parents!! I was telling a friend about something that I purchased for my daughter and she responded with "you put those ideas on your blog". What a great idea! So this is how "The Sassy Mama" was created.

I promise you that I am not a perfect mama and I try each and everyday to be a great mother to my little girl. My husband and I both know that each and every day we are blessed by God to have our little girl in our lives and we learn something new all the time! We are defiantly money savers and always are trying to find what places have the best deals and always shop around for "big" purchase items. I hope to offer good suggestions relating to baby items to toddler items. As well as things that relating to having a family!! As my little girl grows (she is 14 months) I will share with you things that might have worked for us or things that haven't worked for us! I hope to have this site has a open line of communication and let me know if there is something out there better for parents to share!

Sassy Mama