Pumpkin Never Goes Out of Style

Long time no post I am enjoying my NYC blogger meet-up this weekend but wanted to post a little something for Sunday.

Sunday dinner is a very big in the Mom on the Run house. It is a time for all the member who live in our house to actually sit around the dinner table and enjoy each others company. Usually I create a new menu dish that is unique and tasty and my sister-in-law Amanda makes a great desert to compliment the dish. We make a great team in the kitchen and our families appreciate our efforts.

Amanda makes great deserts, which totally is a godsend for the baking challenged like myself. Not only are her deserts tasty, but they are not bad for the health conscious. I love what the recipes that use pumpkin. Pumpkin is my new go to food for a sweet treat. There is just something about it that makes my tummy happy.

The desert she made last Sunday was the infamous Hungry Girl. Now I am the first to admit that I am not a huge Hungry Girl fan. I mean not to offend anyone with my dislike, but she doesn’t use the healthiest most natural products in some of her recipes. A girl can only have so much Fiber One.

This recipe is on the exceptions I make to Hungry Girl. Actually I took the recipe and modified it a bit to fit Mom on the Run Standards when I try to recreate it myself.

Hungry Girl’s Pumpkin Smash

Adapted by Mom on the Run

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz Pure Pumpkin Can
• 1/2 cup of Turtle Mountain Farms Coconut Milk
• 1/2 cup of egg whites
• 1/2 cup of Stevia or any other sugar substitute
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix well.

Place mix in a rectangular baking dish and bake for 45 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

This was a great Sunday dinner desert that the whole family enjoyed. It was a cross between a pudding and a custard. Lots of flavor and very filling. The best part………It was super easy to make That alone give it a two thumb approval rating from Mom on the Run.

I will recap my most exciting weekend later tonight. I had so much fun with the NYC bloggers. I wish I lived closer so we all could hang out more

The Importance of Hydration

Thank you to anyone who participated in yesterday’s Bake Sale for Haiti. I can’t wait to see you the highest bidder is for my Chocolate Cherry Chip Cookies. I promise they are going to be amazing

While I have been recuperating both doctor’s stressed to me for the need to be hydrated sot that I could get better faster. This is usually not a problem for me but when I am sick drinking water is the last thing that I want to be doing. I found this article that helped remind me why hydration is so important.

Hydration-A Great Sensation

By: Sandy Killam-Hall, MS, RD, LD

Water is by far the most essential nutrient to the body. It is part of every cell, tissue and organ and accounts for 60 percent of body weight. Water is a basic requirement for all living things. We tend to forget how important it is until we get too little or in rare incidences, too much.
Not supplying your body with needed water leads to dehydration, which stresses the heart and raises your core body temperature quickly, especially during exercise or in hot weather. The combination of dehydration, exercise, and heat can lead to heat related-illness and heat stroke, a potentially life-threatening condition. Even mild dehydration, as little as one to two percent of your body weight, can make you feel tired.
What goes in comes out. Everyday you lose about 2.5 liters of water through normal sweating, exhalation and elimination. To function properly, you need to replace this daily water loss by consuming beverages and foods.
How much water do I need? The National Institute of Medicine recommends about 2.2 liters, or about nine cups for women, and 3 liters, about 13 cups for men everyday. Certain conditions may increase or decrease your individual needs. In general, signs of a well-hydrated body include:
• Pale yellow or colorless urine (Urine is darker first thing in the morning)
• Quenched thirst
• Feeling well
Sometimes you might need more (or less). When you are ill, you need more than a pill. Health conditions such as fever, vomiting, or diarrhea cause your body to lose extra fluids. A large infection or wound on your skin can increase your needs as well. Drink more water or oral
rehydration solutions (Sports Drinks or solutions sold in pharmacies such as Pedialyte) to replace what you have lost. People with heart, liver, kidney, or adrenal diseases may need to limit the amount their intake.

With all that being said I have found a new way to keep myself hydrated……I introduce you to SODA STREAM.

Soda Stream has been floating around the blogosphere for a few months. Mom on the Run had the opportunity from The Soda Stream Company to review a soda maker and give my opinion on its usefulness for a busy family.

Soda Stream information:

Making carbonated water and soft drinks is simple! Turn tap water into sparkling water in under 30 seconds, with no clean-up. Enjoy the freshness and convenience of homemade soda and protect the environment at the same time. No heavy bottles to carry, store at home or throw away. Fizz to your taste and add the flavor of your choice to make your favorite drink. Simple to clean and reuse. With a variety of colors and silhouettes, you’ll be sure to find a soda maker to match with any decor.

I chose the Pure Soda Stream to review (there are 3 other types of machines to choose from). It was the best machine for our kitchen as we have many stainless steel appliances and I liked the bottle sizes that were compatible for this machine.

The Pure soda maker adds elegance and practicality to any kitchen. It is easy to clean and takes minimum space on counter tops. Among the Pure features are: automatic access gas release mechanism, customized carbonation level, and metal drip tray.

My Pure soda maker in Action!

The Soda Stream is also a way to not have so much waste in the environment.

How Does SodaStream Help the Environment?

SodaStream is an "Active Green" product, meaning that consumers  are actively reducing their CO₂ footprint every time they make soda  or sparkling water at home instead of buying it from the store. The more the system is used on a daily basis, the more CO₂ footprint the user actively saves. (This differs from "Passive Green" products, which use green-friendly production processes, but their products are not inherently helping the consumers save on their daily footprint.)

I will have to say that we do use our soda maker on an everyday basis. I am a fan of sparkling water with a splash of POM Blueberry Pomegranate juice. Can we say the tastiest beverage ever!

My girls personally love the soda flavors that were also sent to us to sample.

Daijia’s Favorites:

Cream Soda

  Coke        

Lemondade

Tajiah’s Favorite:

  Orange    

Root Beer

Now as you know I really pride myself of providing healthy food for my girls. Soda is a once in a while treat for them. Soda Stream is a bit of a healthier alternative to the “regular” soda on the market

Regular Flavors

Regular sodamix flavors contain less sugar, calories, carbohydrates and sodium than national drink brands, and they contain no high-fructose corn syrup. Each bottle of concentrated sodamix makes the equivalent of 12 liters (33 cans) of soda!

So for a once in a while treat this is a great alternative for my girls to drink.

So the Mom on the Run Final Verdict:

Pro’s:

• Once you buy a Soda Stream Soda Maker, you’ll never spend a dime on sparkling water again.
• Great Flavor Selections that are reasonably priced.
• Eco friendly – You eliminate the packaging waste from cans and bottles, and the pollution produced in transportation of the bottled beverages!
• Healthy Living Friendly. No calories in water, no calories in carbonated water with flavor essence. 1/3 the calories in “original” SodaStream syrup itself compared to leading store brands.
• No electricity needed! Just sit in anywhere in your house and you don’t have to worry about plugs.
• You can carbonate any flavor combinations your heart desires.
• It makes for a fantastic gift!!

Con’s:

• Start up cost can be pricey– Pure’s starter kit is $149. However, SodaStream has other machines that perform the same function and start at $89.95.
• You have to exchange the CO2 canisters once they run out. One whole carbonator carbonates 50L+ of water. For a family that uses it daily this can be an obstacle. They do offer exchange program. I actually bought an extra canister to have on hand as a back up.

How do you get one of these fabulous Soda Makers?

Click on the Soda Club button under my blogroll. They have some great deals and sales on all soda makers.

You can also go to BJ’s Wholesale Club because they are also selling a selection of machines and soda syrups there as well.

Mom on the Run Disclosure: I was provided a Sodastream soda maker by Sodastream for my review. I was allowed to keep the product, but the opinion I am sharing remains my own. No other compensation was received for this review.

Gluten Free Chocolate Cherry Chip Cookies to the Highest Bidder

***Attention Mom on the Run Fans***

Public Service Announcement

The great Diana over at the Chic Life is organizing an amazing bake sale to support relief efforts in Haiti. I love Diana’s blog and energy to organize bloggers in such a meaningful event. Mom on the Run wanted to support this event by volunteering her gluten free baking services for the cause. I have decided to make a yummy batch of Gluten Free Chocolate Cherry Chip Cookies for the sale. They are not to be missed! Bin on them today

There are many other great bake good items to bid on as well. The minimum bid is $10.00 which is a steal for many of the items for sale. Go on over to Chic Life and place your bid now. Great ideas for Valentine’s Day presents as well.

Next Page »