Crunchy Baked Chickpea Recipe

I love trying new foods, so when a friend offered me a roasted chickpea, I popped one in my mouth. Mmmmmm. Crunchy. Yummy.

The taste almost reminded me of fried chicken. I know it sounds weird, but these little roasted beans were good. Since I've tried them at her house, I've made two batches of my own. The first batch was neglected because I was multi-tasking and I over cooked them.  But, the second batch tasted just right.

Now, today, I want to share the recipe for roasted chick peas. They're all natural, pretty healthy, and they satisfy that crunchy, salty craving.

 You only need 3 ingredients:

  • 1 can of Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
  • 1.5 tablespoon of Olive Oil
  • 1 teaspoon Goya Adobo Seasoning

Here are the directions:

Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 400 degrees F.

Pour the can of Garbanzo Beans into a strainer to remove excess liquid. Rinse the beans with water.

 Each little Chickpea has a skin on it.  You can either remove them all one by one by gently pinching it between your fingers, or roll the beans between a paper towel. This is the most hands-on time consuming part of this recipe.  

 

 Then, put the Chickpeas on a baking tray and pour on the olive oil.  I find that using my hands to toss them around is the the best way to coat the chick peas evenly. Next, sprinkle the chickpeas with the Adobo seasoning. Roast them in the oven for for about 25 minutes or until the beans are light golden brown (as shown above). Every 5 minutes or so, grab an oven mit and give the tray a little shake. 

The best way to see if they're ready is to taste them.  They should get to the point where they are dry roasted and golden brown.  As soon as all the moisture is out of them, they're ready!

Have you ever made these before? Do you think they would satisfy your savory cravings?

Florida Fun With Kids: Captiva Cruises Review

Ever since I was a little girl, I've been traveling. My parents would take us on spontaneous road trips. In college, I hopped around Europe during study abroad. Now, it's fun to enjoy new experiences with my own family.  But, I'm usually a 'one and done' type of girl. I don't envision myself revisiting the same place over and over when there's a new adventure waiting somewhere else. Even in America alone, there are so many places I want to go. But, my recent trip to Ft. Meyers, Sanibel & Captiva Island was different.  Even before we left, I knew I wanted to go back. Take a look at these photos to see why.

My husband was looking through some flyers and found an afternoon Beach and Shelling Cruise leaving from McCarthy's Marina. We made a reservation, and then, the next day, drove through Sanibel and and arrived at this little dock on Captiva Island. Even before we got to the dock, I knew we were in paradise. Seriously... I am not exaggerating. This place is absolutely beautiful!

We were slathering on our sunscreen, when all of sudden, there was a dolphin sighting. We had chance to quickly watch a couple of dolphins jump through the waves near the boat.  The adults were just as excited as the kids to catch a glimpse of the dolphins.

After a short cruise, we arrived at a secluded beach which is actually Florida State Park. Look at this water!  I know I don't have the words to do this justice. It was beyond beautiful.

I've never seen anything like this.  Now, do you see why I want to go back?

The kids had a wonderful time here. They liked playing on the old wood, swimming in the crystal clear water and exploring.

Our time on the island went by way too fast. Before we knew it, it was time to get back on the boat. My little guy was soothed by the sound of the crashing waves and fell asleep on the trip back to the dock.  The rest of us enjoyed the breeze and the amazing views.

One day, I want to do this cruise again, but next time, we'll choose the full day vs. the half day. Out of everything we did on our vacation, this was the best! 

For more info about this cruise, vistit: http://www.captivacruises.com/

This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Fun for Kids Friday: Crafts, Activities and More!

Friday keeps sneaking up on me.  I don't know where the days go, but a few more hours in each day would be so helpful! Right?

Thanks to everyone who linked up and visited last week.  There are some very creative mamas out there and I can't wait to see what you've been up to.  So, let's get to it...

Do you have any fun ideas you want to share? Leave a comment or link up!

1. Find up your new kid-friendly blog posts and add your link below.
2. Please grab a button.
3. Link directly to your project post and please don't link to stores or non-blogs.

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By linking up, you agree to be featured in an upcoming 'Fun for Kids Friday' post with an image from your post and a link to your site!

Free Kid's Activity: Build a Terrarium at Lowe's

Lowe's is having a FREE Kid's Build & Grow Clinic this Saturday that you won't want to miss! 

We've participated in Lowe's clinics and my kids have really enjoyed them. This week, each child can  build a terrarium for free, plus they get a free Apron and a patch. This clinic is especially cool because your child can use their terrarium to start their very own garden!

When: Saturday, April 28th from 10:00am - 11:00am

Where: At your local Lowe's Store

*** Click Here to Register on the Lowe's Website ***

Thanks to Manasota Family Fun for the tip!

Losing Baby Weight Via The K.I.S.S. Method

When I was about 12, I had a History teacher who gave his students this advice when writing: "Use the K.I.S.S. method."  Keep It Simple, Stupid.  I'm starting to feel like I need to adopt this same method when it comes to getting rid of baby weight. When I look at the big picture, losing 30+ pounds seems like such a daunting task. It can get overwhelming and frustrating, but I need to keep it simple. 

I've lost about 15 pounds since early February. I'm happy that I'm making progress, but I'm also a little frustrated that I haven't done more. Then, yesterday, it hit me. It's time to get back to basics. Cutting out every carb under the moon might speed up weight loss, but, for me, it's not practical for the long term. I'm going to keep it simple: work on short term goals, and focus on counting calories and exercise. That's it.

I know there are a lot of other moms who read this blog that are also trying to lose weight. It doesn't matter if you've been watching your weight since you were 13, like me, or dieting for the first time, it is tough. Everyone is different, but it's always nice to know someone else is going through a similar situation. I'm completely content knowing that my weight loss isn't going to happen overnight. Fifteen pounds is a big accomplishment, and if in another few months, I've lost another 15 pounds, I will be thrilled. But, for now, I'm keeping it simple and taking it one day at a time.

How to Cut Down on Junk Mail & Plant A Tree

It was raining cats and dogs yesterday, so I didn't get to do anything very 'earthy' for Earth Day. But, reducing, reusing and recycling is really important to me. One of my pet peeves is seeing catalogs in my mailbox that I don't want or need. I've pretty much stopped the catalogs from being delivered by calling the publishers and removing our address from the mailing lists. But, there are a few other things we can do to help cut down on junk mail.

If you have an iPad, take a minute to download the Catalog Spree app here and plant a tree! Catalog Spree is an eco-friendly app for catalog shopping via your iPad. They've partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant one tree for every download of Catalog Spree during the month of April.  Isn't that cool?

Whether you have an iPad or not, here are 3 more ways to cut down your junk mail:

1) Go to OptOutPrescreen.com to "Opt-In" or “Opt-Out” of credit & insurance offers that are often mailed to your house. This is a centralized service to accept and process requests from consumers.

2) Call your credit card companies and ask to be removed from their internal marketing lists.

3) Go to DMAchoice.org to tell the Direct Marketing Association which mail you prefer not to receive. I've read that they are responsible for a very large majority of all direct mail advertising sent in the U.S. For any mail that isn't sent by the DMA, you can always write to companies that send you junk mail via the enclosed prepaid envelopes that often come with this type of mail.

Did you do anything fun for earth day?  Do you have any other tips for cutting down on junk mail?

Cowboy Caviar Recipe

Spring is officially here, and we're getting a sneak peak at summer too.

You know those days in the summer when it's just too hot to cook? You want to throw some food on the grill and not even think about turning on your oven. For days like those, 'Cowboy Caviar' is the perfect summer side dish. My sister doubled this recipe for a recent party, and it was such a hit!

Here's the recipe for Cowboy Caviar:

2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons Olive or Canola Oil

1 clove minced Garlic

1 firm-ripe Avocado chopped

1 (15 oz.) can of Black Beans

1 (11 oz.) can Corn kernels

2/3 cup Thinly sliced Green Onion or Red Onion

2/3 cup chopped fresh Cilantro

1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes, drained or 1/2 pound chopped Roma tomatoes

1/8 teaspoon Pepper

You just mix all of these ingredients together, refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and serve.

Since everyone doesn't share my love of Cilantro, I will put the cilantro on the side and let my family add in as much or as little as they want. You can also spice this up with some hot sauce or spicy Ro*tel tomatoes.

Have you ever had Cowboy Caviar before? Do know know of any other variations to this recipe?

Note: My sister gave me this recipe.  But, if anyone knows who created the original 'Cowboy Caviar' let me know so I can give them credit.

Easy Speculoos Cookie Butter Bars

If you would have asked me a month ago what Cookie Butter was, I would have said "I have no idea." And, if you would have told me that I would be creating my own yummy new recipe using Cookie Butter I probably would have laughed at you.

Cookie Butter is a little hard to explain.  In a nutshell, it's a creamy spread that looks just like peanut butter, however, it is actually made with speculoos cookies, and it's totally nut free. Imagine the texture of peanut butter but the taste of cookies.

Here's the recipe for these Easy No Bake Cookie Butter Bars: 

  • 4 cups of Whole Pitted Dates
  • 2 cups of Raw or Toasted Almonds
  • 1/2 cup of Chocolate Chips or your Favorite Chocolate Bar
  • 4 tablespoons of Trader Joe's Speculoos Cookie Butter (can be substituted with Peanut butter)

1) Put the almonds into a food processor untill they are finely chopped.  You really can't over do it, so just keep going until they are crushed very finely. The finer the better.

2) Add in your chocolate to the crushed almonds, and keep pulsing until they are completely mixed in.

3) Then, add in the dates to the food processor and keep processing it until the dates are chopped into very small peices and everything is well mixed together. 

*My food processor couldn't handle a mixture this large, so I had to split it up into two smaller batches.  

4) Finally, once you have the almonds, chocolate and dates all mixed up, transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in 4 tablespoons of Cookie Butter. The mixture will still be somewhat crumbly.  

5) Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 glass baking pan.  Wet your clean hands with some warm water, and press the mixture evenly into the baking pan.  Once  the mixture is spread evenly, I used the bottom of a pint glass to smooth it out.  Cover it and refrigerate for 2 or more hours.  Cut into squares and enjoy!

These No Bake Cookie Butter Bars were inspired by a homemade LaraBar recipe from Rebecca at Foodie with Family.  She has some amazing recipes on her blog and her original Homemade LaraBar recipe is fantastic just the way it is.  The only reason I changed it was because 1) my husband doesn't like peanut butter and 2) I like putting my own personal spin on things.  So, out went the peanut butter, in went the cookie butter, and you have a super easy recipe that is perfect for any time of day.

What's your favorite no-bake recipe?  Let me know.

  • 4 cups of Whole Pitted Dates
  • 2 cups of Raw or Toasted Almonds
  • 1/2 cup of Chocolate Chips or your Favorite Chocolate Bar
  • 4 tablespoons of Trader Joe's Speculoos Cookie Butter (can be substituted with Peanut butter)

1) Put the almonds into a food processor untill they are finely chopped.  You really can't over do it, so just keep going until they are crushed very finely. The finer the better.

2) Add in your chocolate to the crushed almonds, and keep pulsing until they are completely mixed in.

3) Then, add in the dates to the food processor and keep processing it until the dates are chopped into very small peices and everything is well mixed together. 

*My food processor couldn't handle a mixture this large, so I had to split it up into two smaller batches.  

4) Finally, once you have the almonds, chocolate and dates all mixed up, transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in 4 tablespoons of Cookie Butter. The mixture will still be somewhat crumbly.  

5) Pour the mixture into a 9 x 13 glass baking pan.  Wet your clean hands with some warm water, and press the mixture evenly into the baking pan.  Once  the mixture is spread evenly, I used the bottom of a pint glass to smooth it out.  Cover it and refrigerate for 2 or more hours.  Cut into squares and enjoy!

These No Bake Cookie Butter Bars were inspired by a homemade LaraBar recipe from Rebecca at Foodie with Family.  She has some amazing recipes on her blog and her original Homemade LaraBar recipe is fantastic just the way it is.  The only reason I changed it was because 1) my husband doesn't like peanut butter and 2) I like putting my own personal spin on things.  So, out went the peanut butter, in went the cookie butter, and you have a super easy recipe that is perfect for any time of day.

What's your favorite no-bake recipe?  Let me know.    

Fun for Kids Friday

Welcome back to Fun for Kids Friday! A big thank you to everyone who links up & visits every week. Before we skip to the new linky, there are a couple of fun ideas that I want to share with you from last week...

Sunny Mama has a very cool idea for anyone with a child who is always collecting things during nature walks.  Just get some clear contact paper, preserve the collection, and hang it in the window for your child to enjoy.  It's a great way to continue the conversation about nature and all of the different elements that make up our Earth.  Wouldn't this be a fun way to showcase the findings from a natural scavenger hunt too?

Have you ever made a Summer Bucket List with all of the things you want to accomplish over the summer? Kelly from Little Wonder's Days is preparing her list and will soon be hosting a Summer Bucket List link party too!  I wonder what will be on her list.

Do you have any fun ideas you want to share? Leave a comment or link up!

1. Find up your new kid-friendly blog posts and add your link below.
2. Please grab a button.
3. Link directly to your project post and please don't link to stores or non-blogs.

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By linking up, you agree to be featured in an upcoming 'Fun for Kids Friday' post with an image from your post and a link to your site!

FREE Admission to National Parks & Other Earth Day Deals

Did you know that April 21-29 is National Park Week?  All next week, you can take advantage of free admission to more than 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees. Isn't that a great excuse to get outside with your kids?

Here are some other Earth Day Deals:

Bring your travel mug into Starbucks on Earth Day and they’ll give you a free brewed coffee or tea to say thanks for doing your part. Click Here for Details on their Facebook Page.

Receive a FREE reusable shopping bag at The Disney Store when you bring 5 plastic shopping bags to any Disney Store to be recycled. *While supplies last. Limited quantities. See store for details

Target will also be giving away one reusable shopping bag per guest, near the Guest Service desk in stores. Get one before they're gone!

Pottery Barn Kids has teamed up with National Geographic to give away a free packet of Sunflower Seeds.

Do you know of any other deals?  Leave a comment and let me know.

Earth Day Craft for Kids: Recycled Bird Feeder


Back in January, I wrote about 5 Easy Bird Feeder Crafts for Preschoolers & Big Kids and I've been wanting to try out a new bird feeder craft with my son. This morning we made an easy bird feeder from a recycled toilet paper tube, peanut butter and bird seed. 


Just take an empty cardboard toilet paper tube. Spread on some peanut butter. Cover it in bird seed. Easy as 1,2,3! You don't need any string because you just slip it on a branch and let the birds enjoy.

This was a great craft for a few reasons:

1) It's very earth friendly, which is perfect since we're celebrating Earth Day this week.

2) My son is 4 and only needed minimal assistance with this project. He was excited to spread on the peanut butter, cover it in bird seed and in less than 5 minutes the whole project was complete!

3) If you're in a classroom setting, this would be a fun and inexpensive project to do with a group of kids. I would recommend doing it outside, if possible, because the birdseed can get a bit messy.  But, overall, it's a quick and simple spring craft.

 

What are your plans for Earth Day?

{Thanks to the Moffatt Girls for the inspiration}

Win 250 Die Cut Business Cards from UPrinting.com

So many moms I know have recently started their own businesses and they're really an inpiration. It's so cool to see more and more women taking the bull by the horns and making their own opportunities. Even though a good amount of advertising and networking is done online, it's also extremely important to have nice quality business cards too.

If you recently started your own business, work for a company that never gave you business cards or want some fresh new business cards, you have to enter my new giveaway sponsored by UPrinting.com. Click here for the giveaway.

 

5 Reasons Why I Like Using Spray Paint On Old Toys

Maybe I'm too easily amused, but I think it's amazing how a little bit of spray paint, can transform an old toy in a matter of seconds.

Yesterday, my boys were gardening and soon found themselves fighting over a rake. We actually have two kid-size rakes, but one is shiny and new and the other one was old, bent and rusty. It still worked fine, but the kids both preferred the new rake.  So, we went to the garage, grabbed two cans of spray paint.  After less than a minute of spray painting, the the old wooden handle became shiny silver, and metal prongs were painted shiny black. It was simple, cheap and solved our little dilemma.

This isn't the first time that spray paint saved the day. I've also used it to spruce up other outdoor toys like hockey sticks and dump trucks that were looking shabby. Time after time, the results have been great. 

Here are 5 Reasons Why I Like Using Spray Paint to Spruce up Old Toys.

  1. Spray paint is cheap.  I've seen it at stores for under $2 a can.
  2. Spray paint dries really quickly. My son's rake air dried in the hot sun for about ten minutes and then it was ready to use again.
  3. It's fun to watch toys transform. Many kids tend to have a short attention span, but spray painting has got to be the quickest way to transform an old toy into like-new condition.
  4. There are so many different types of spray paint.  Th cheapest spray paint comes in basic colors, but you can also get plastic fusion spray paint, metallic spray paint, glow in the dark spray paint, and other types too.
  5. In a world of reducing, reusing & recycling, it teaches kids that there are other options instead of just throwing away toys that don't look good anymore.

Obviously, you wouldn't want to do this for toys that a young child may put in their mouth and you always want to read the directions and precautions on the can of spray paint. I'm not a DIY expert - just a mom trying to keep my kids happy and save some money too.

Have you ever used spray paint to revitalize old toys?

 

Read my full disclosure policy here. This post contains affiliate links to Amazon.com.

 

Weight Loss: Rockin' a Bikini by August?

While we were away on vacation, my son asked if I would be wearing a bikini by August.  Although, I wish I could say "Yes," it's highly unlikely that I will be anywhere near a bikini this summer. But, even buying a smaller bathing suit (without one of those little skirts) would make me SO happy!

My son has always been extremely detail oriented and, as he gets older, it's something I've come to appreciate. He's probably the most organized person in our household. He takes such good care of his things. On a different level, he's also very socially aware and compassionate, and he knows I'm on a mission to lose weight. 

I try not to talk about weight loss in front of my boys too much, but, they notice that I may be skipping certain things at dinner and exercising more.  While we were away on vacation, I didn't stress about diet or exercise, so I was just happy to keep off the weight that I lost on my DietBet.

But, it's already starting to get warm here in the Philly suburbs and it's a huge wake up call that summer is quickly approaching. The first 10 pounds were pretty easy to lose.  Now it's time to start changing my eating habits, increasing my exercise and really trying to make some more progress before summer.  I'm going to be trying a new diet soon (which I'll be blogging about along the way). 

It's definitely not easy, but I'm determined to make it happen.

“Why choose to fail when success is an option?”

- Jillian Michaels

Fun for Kids Friday: Back from Vacation Edition!

Can you believe it's Friday again? 

This past week, my family was vacationing in sunny Ft. Myers & Sanibel Island Florida. I love it there! The beaches were beautiful, the skies were clear and we had an amazing time.  I'll be writing more about our trip this weekend.  And, I'm also back on track with my weight loss, which I'll be writing about too. 

But, right now, I wanted to share a couple quick photos that my 4 year old took while we were at the beach.

I wish we didn't have to leave the beach.  It was so relaxing and we all had a blast.

Now... back to reality. ; )

Do you have any fun ideas you want to share? Leave a comment or link up!

1. Find up your new kid-friendly blog posts and add your link below.
2. Please grab a button.
3. Link directly to your project post and please don't link to stores or non-blogs.

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By linking up, you agree to be featured in an upcoming 'Fun for Kids Friday' post with an image from your post and a link to your site!

Weekend Activity: Make a Game Show Chip Drop Game at Lowe's

Looking for something to do with the kids on Saturday? 

Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics are FREE to the public and occur every other Saturday at 10am. This weekend, let your kids build a Game Show Chip Drop Game.

Date: Saturday, April 14th

Time: 10am

"Your child will love building this kit as much as playing this classic game show game! Bring your child to Lowe’s and they can build their own Game Show Chip Drop!" -www.lowesbuildandgrow.com

Just find a Lowe's near you to register in advance for this FREE kid's clinic here.

20 Summer Crafts For Kids

Sun, Sand & Surf...  I'm in the mood for summer!

Take a look at the 20 cute ideas that I just added to my 'Summer Crafts for Kids' Pinterest board. You can learn how to make:

If you're looking for good kid-friendly summer crafts, keep an eye on this board as I add new ideas over the next few months. And, if you need a Pinterest invite, or have an idea that you think I should add to the board, let me know.
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Family Travel On A Budget

Travel is one of my greatest passions.  My husband and I actually met while I was traveling, and now, we love to travel with our kids.  We always look for deals on hotels, car rentals, and entertainment. But, my goal is to have an amazing vacation and not feel like I'm on a budget.   

Here is how we do it:

1) First things first...  check the Best Blogs for Local Fun Guide to see if your destination is there.  Blogs can be a great source for local information on everything from 'Kids-Eat-Free' nights at local restaurants to free family events in the area. 

2) Use Ebates when booking your hotels, rental cars and airfare.  Last year, I booked our hotel through Ebates and saved over $10 just by connecting through their site.  Every little bit helps!

3) Check websites like Expedia and Travelocity.  They can be great tools when comparing prices from different companies.

4) We usually save a bit of money by booking in advance.  It seems like whenever I've tried to book a hotel at the last minute, all of the cheaper rooms are gone. Booking months in advance gives you the opportunity to choose from the largest selection of hotel rooms and rental cars which can lead to big savings.

5) Book your flights on Tuesday night.  I've heard this before from travel experts and it really does work.

6) TripAdvisor is also a great source for information.  Last year we booked an inexpensive beach-front hotel as part of our vacation.  Sometimes, seeing a really good price will make me think "is it cheap for a reason?", but by reading the reviews at TripAdvisor you can see what previous guests have said. Through TripAdvisor, we found an inexpensive hotel with a fantastic location and very good reviews. It worked out really well.

7) You've probably already heard of Restaurant.com, but you might not think of it when you're traveling.  It's a great way to save on restaurants all across the country. And, they often have coupon codes for 70% or 80% off their discounted gift certificates. 

8) Be prepared.  Bring essentials like sun screen, snacks for the plane, and things to entertain the kids. It helps to prevent over-spending at tourist traps.

9)  Sometimes, your place of employment might be a good place to get discounts.  My husband's company offers their employees discounts for rental cars.  So, we always take advantage of this discount when traveling and it really cuts down the cost.

10) A hotel room with a mini fridge and a microwave is always great.  You can easily have an inexpensive breakfast or a late night snack within minutes.

By planning ahead and using on-line resources, you can save money for some of the things you may want to splurge on.  It is your vacation so have fun, relax and enjoy!

Read my full disclosure policy here. This post may contain affiliate links.