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Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Get More from Your GoGo squeeZ with Carrot-Cake Bars {Recipe}

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Food Fridays:

Being a part of the Go Go squeeZ squad team has many advantages including Go Go squeeZ at your fingertips! My daughter loves the stuff even though she won’t touch a whole apple or apple slice! Sometimes even the pickiest of eaters need a little extra push to eat food that is out of the norm.


Last weekend I met a mom and daughter duo at Whole Foods and asked them if they wanted to try Go Go squeeZ. The mom confidently informed me her daughter doesn’t like fruits or vegetables and wouldn’t like it. I said, “well perhaps she could just take it to try and if she hated it she could just bring it back and throw it in the trash. It was totally ok.”

They continued up the aisle and then a few minutes later made the loop to the other side. When she returned to the end of the aisle, the mom stopped me. “Wanna hear the good news?” she said. “That’s the first apple my daughter has ever eaten – she loved it!” I looked down at her cart and saw four packages of Go Go squeeZ.

While I get a smile everytime I think about it, I admit sometimes I like to mix it up! There’s all kinds of ways to use Go Go squeeZ, one of favorites is in my hearty apple pie pancakes I made on Dallas Good Morning Texas and this healthier version of carrot cake bars!

Carrot Cake Bars


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes

Ingredients

Nonstick Cooking Spray
2 cups whole wheat Flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
8 egg whites slightly
About 3 packagesGo Go squeeZ Apple Cinnamon or Apple Apple
1/2 cup cooking oil
3 cups finely shredded carrot
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

Instructions: 

Prehead the overn to 350 degrees. Grease a 15X10 inch pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, stir dry ingredients together: flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.

In another bowl, stil together egg whites, Go Go squeeZ, and oil.

Mix both bowls of ingredients together and then stir in shredded carrots.

Spread batter in pan and bake 25-30 minutes. Cool completely.

For icicing, beat together sifted powedered sugar and cream cheese until smooth.

Spread frosting over cooled cake and slice!

Optional: To add a little more to this cake, you could add 1/2 coupts of chopped walnuts.


    Healthy Summer Crock Pot Recipes To Keep You Out of the Kitchen

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    TV Tuesday:

     This morning I made a visit over to Dallas’ WFAA 8 Good Morning Texas to cook up some of our favorite take out recipes – done healthy! And best of all making them in the slow cooker, you aren’t slaving away in the hot kitchen! So bust out that crock pot and let’s get cookin’!

     Check out my healthy crock pot recipe redos for Carnitas Tacos, General Tso’s Chicken, and Chicken Parm!




    I have lots more healthy slow cooker recipes where those came from on my Pinterest!

    Do you have any healthy recipes you’d like to share? I’d love to test them out! 



    Go Red, White and Blue with Kenny’s Blue Cheese Potato Salad {Recipe}

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    Food Fridays:

     One of the great things about my job is that I get to work with some pretty amazing chefs and restaurants. This means most the time I’ve gotten to sample their menu or at least several different offerings. However, it doesn’t mean that I’ve tasted it all. So this week I was elated to finally get my hands on menu items I’ve described at Kenny’s Smoke House, in Plano but never had my taste buds get in on the fun. 

    I will admit – BBQ is not my first food pick. I can enjoy it, but I don’t normally crave for it. But my hubs does, so we make our rounds to the BBQ joints. But I will tell you that after biting into one of the juicy brisket slices, I was pretty well on my way to BBQ heaven. It was good, flavorful, juicy and just the perfect amount of fat and meat. And it smelled SO good. 


     But I had to move on to try more- the smoked turkey. Unfortunately by the time I got to the turkey, there wasn’t any left. (I had two kiddos chow down and finish it in a matter of minutes.) While I was dissapointed, I still had one more thing to bite into – Blue Cheese Potato Salad. 



     A great play on the classic recipe, this was my kind of potato salad, featuring the pungent flavor of blue cheese, bacon and red potatoes. Just looking at the bowl, it screamed “this is July 4th.”  And did I mention I took down the whole bowl? 

     So using my “insider connections,” I was able to get the recipe. Which is good because I needed to make more of this stuff and being that next week is Independence Day, now was the perfect time. And now I’m sharing it with you. 


    Kenny’s Smoke House Blue Cheese Potato Salad

    4 Lbs Red Skin Potatoes (Chopped, 1/2 Inch)
    2-1/2 Cups Blue Cheese Dressing (Favorite)
    1 Tsp Salt
    1 Tbs White Sugar
    Pinch Cayenne Pepper
    2 Tbs White Vinegar
    1 Cup Bacon, Cooked, Chopped
    1 Cup Blue Cheese Crumbles

     Place cut potatoes in boiling water and boil until soft (approx 15 minutes).

     Drain potatoes and let cool.

     In a separate bowl, combine all other ingredients except bacon and blue cheese to make dressing. Mix well with whisk.

    When potatoes have cooled to where they can be touched (still warm) combine with dressing and mix well. Crush some potatoes so that it comes together and is not too soupy.

    Refrigerate until chilled.

    Garnish with bacon and blue cheese.

    Enjoy! 

    Enjoy the Sweet Life with Quick Almond Joy Brownies #WhatsYourID

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    Want-It Wednesday:

     This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.


    The summer time brings a much-needed slower pace for moms. Well, not really, with all the activities and events planned from the moment the kids are out of school until the day they get back. However, it does give you a reason to enjoy some of the sweet things in life like brownies. 

    One of our family favorites, I was looking to jazz up the baked chocolate concoction with something a little more fun, flavorful AND QUICK. But it’s too hot to sit in the kitchen for hours, so with the help of a brownie mix, some cupboard staples and my International Delight Almond Joy Creamer, I was able to whip up a dessert like our family favorite 7-Layered Bars, but this time was even better with Almond Joy Brownies. 

     QUICK ALMOND JOY BROWNIES

     Ingredients:
    1 Box of Fudge Brownie Mix (I used Betty Crocker)
    1 cup almonds (I used slivered, but you can use chopped)
    1 cup chocolate chips 
    1 cup flaked coconut 
    1 cup of International Delight Almond Joy Creamer

    Directions: 
    Make brownies as instructed on the box, but opt for the cake-like brownie recipe.) 
    Bake for about 15-18 minutes until the brownies are set, but not necessarily cooked. 
    Take the brownies out of the oven and begin layering. First with the coconut and then the chocolate chips. 
    Next add the creamer over the brownie mixture. 
    Last add the almonds. 
    Bake the brownies for 20-25 minutes at the same temperature or until the toppings look browned. 
    Take out of the oven and allow to cool before cutting. 



    TIP: 
    Unlike chocolate chip cookies, these brownies get even better after some time out of the oven. We ended up putting these in the refrigerator for a day and when they came out again, I couldn’t get everyone to stop eating them. The added coolness gave it a little crunch and with the heat of summer, it was nice to bite into a cool brownie. Trust me, it’s worth the wait! 

     What’s Your ID? International Delight is looking for their most passionate flavor fans. Put your ID on the map to enter to win a Magical Trip, play games and discover more unexpected delight. Share your ID flavor at http://whatsyourid.com. 

     This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.


    Mad Men Moms: 50 Shades of Don {Recipe}

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    Mad Men Monday:

    It’s time for another Mad Men Moms roundup of last night’s Mad Men.

    While it may have been Mother’s Day, the show definitely went to a new whole new level of whoa. See what we had to say about an even deeper level of Don. (Oh, my!)

    But before you settle into our chair, make sure you get your Mad Men cocktail ready…this time we are making up a Vodka Gimlet (aka vodka and limes in a cup.)

    Vodka Gimlet

    1½ oz vodka
    ¾ oz lime juice
    3-4 lime slices

    Pour vodka and lime juice into mixing glass. Shake and strain into martini glass. Add 3 to 4 slices of lime.

    Recipe and photo from AMC’s official Mad Men.


    Now settle in and let us know what you think of this episode of Mad Men!

    And if you missed other episodes of Mad Men Moms, make sure you get the whole scoop: 

    Pizza Can Make You Skinny? {Recipe + Offer}

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    Try-it Tuesdays:

    Sometimes this girl discovers the newest fitness routine, sometimes she eats the newest dish, either way she’s still trying it out for the sake of her readers, right? At least that’s what I keep telling myself. 

    This time I was able to try out one of the coolest things to hit the fast-food scene in a while – Sbarro’s Skinny Slice™. 


    I love that restaurants are now offering healthier options that aren’t just salads, but the things you actually want to indulge in (and pizza is ALWAYS at the top of my list.) And the”skinny” slice didn’t taste like anything was missing at all, especially with roasted red and green bell peppers, portobello mushrooms and sweet, caramelized onions topped with a sprinkling of mozzarella and pecorino romano cheeses. Did I mention that it was only 270 calories? That’s AMORE! 



    Back in March I got to get my hands on a piece for a special sampling at Blissdom. I mean LITERALLY I got to put my hands on the crust and throw it in the air like real Italian style (well maybe it was a reproduction of pizza crust, but I tried.) Don’t believe me? I have the photos to prove it. 

    But don’t just take my word for it, go ahead and try it yourself with this special offer from Sbarro for a free slice of the Sbarro Skinny Slice™. 
    Download the coupon!

    Too hungry to wait until the next time you go to Sbarro? Don’t worry, they even shared a recipe for an at-home version of the Sbarro Skinny Slice™. 

    Sbarro Skinny Slice Pizza at Home
    Prep Time:  20 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 8

    1          yellow onion, thinly sliced
    1          tablespoon olive oil
    1          package prepared pizza dough or crust
    1/2       jar tomato pizza sauce (approximately 10-12 ounces)
    2 1/2    cups fresh portobello mushrooms, sliced
    1/4       cup roasted green bell peppers (packed in water), drain and julienne
    1/4       cup red bell peppers (packed in water), drain and julienne
    1          cup shredded mozzarella cheese
    1          tablespoon grated Pecorino Romano cheese
    To caramelize onions, sauté in a pan with olive oil over medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly browned.  Do not burn.
    Preheat oven to 425°F.
    Roll out pizza dough on a 17-inch round pizza stone.
    Spread tomato sauce evenly across the dough. Sprinkle mushroom pieces over the dough, and then evenly spread onions, green and red peppers. Top with cheeses.
    Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and crispy and cheese is melted. Cool for 1 minute. Cut into 8 slices and serve.
    To skip the work and find a Sbarro eatery near you, visit www.sbarro.com. 


    5 Things to Do with Your Strawberries Before You Throw Them Out {Recipes}

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    Are you one of those people that starts off every grocery trip with putting a pint of strawberries in your basket then only to find you throwing them out (AGAIN) because you never ate them before they went bad? 


     Yes, me too. Our family LOVES strawberries and in the spring time I love to buy them. But unfortunately sometimes good ideas don’t always get executed and I can tell you from personal experience brown strawberries don’t make them taste sweeter. 🙂 However, I really hate throwing those strawberries away because no one took the time to cut them up and enjoy them. At least with bananas when they get old you can throw those babies in the freezer and whip up banana bread, banana shakes and anything else banana you want.

     So it got me thinking – why can’t you do the same thing for strawberries? Why can’t you just have a few recipes that you know you can use those strawberries before you send them to the bottom of your trash can?

     Dang Good Strawberry Cake 
    This cake doesn’t just take lots of strawberries, but everything else you have in your refrigerator. I can’t believe how easy it was and it was THAT good. I made this for my Mother-in-Law for her birthday cake last year, but I’m pretty sure we didn’t send it home with her. We kept it and ate every bite.

     

     

    Here’s also a couple I found on Pinterest as well!

     Canned Strawberries

     No Cook Strawberry Freezer Jam

     Strawberry Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

     Hippie Juice

     Hope you find some great alternative ways to enjoy those strawberries! 

     
     
     
     

    Out of Ketchup? Healthy Homemade Recipes When you Run Out {Recipe}

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    “We’re out of ketchup!” Isn’t that worse thing to hear when you’re making a hot dog or french fries? Don’t worry we have healthy homemade recipes for you to make when you find out you’re out at home!

    Do-it-yourself condiments are a simple trick to having the added tasty flavors without ingesting preservatives, additives and wasted calories. And best of all, when you run out of the store-bought stuff you actually can make a quick substitution rather than make a last-minute run to the store OR just going without (FYI – my family doesn’t’ go without ketchup EVER.) 


     
    ketchup
     
    Rachel Berman, Director of Nutrition for CalorieCount.com, a free health and wellness site that provides diet and nutrition information to 5 million members worldwide has put together recipes that help reduce the amount of saturated fat, sodium, added sugar, and calories you typically get with the usual condiments. These recipes will help you take small steps towards your health and weight loss goals plus help you when you run out of the stuff you need.
     
    Recipe (makes about 4 cups):
    1 large onion, quartered
    2 cloves garlic
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    2 teaspoons salt
    30 oz. canned tomato paste/puree
    ½ cup brown sugar
    1 tablespoon honey (or molasses)
    ¾ cup red wine vinegar
    1 teaspoon paprika
     
    Wrapped in cheesecloth:
     
    1 stick of cinnamon
    ½ teaspoon whole black pepper
    ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
    3-4 whole cloves
    6-7 sprigs fresh thyme (can break sprig into pieces)
     
    Directions:
    1.  In a blender, blend the onion and garlic into a puree.
    2. Heat up the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the puree. Add the salt and stir the mixture until very slightly browned. (2-3 minutes)
    3. To the pot, add the canned tomato paste, brown sugar, honey, and red wine vinegar. Let simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, uncovered, stirring every 5 minutes.
    4. After 15 minutes, throw in the cheesecloth filled with spices. Let simmer for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until there is about half the original volume remaining.
    5. After volume is reduced, stir in 1 teaspoon paprika and let the mixture cool.
    6. Spoon out the cheesecloth pack and place ketchup in jars.
    You can store DIY ketchup in containers or mason jars in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.
     
     
    Recipe (makes about 4 cups):
    1 large onion, quartered
    3 cloves garlic
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    30 oz. canned tomato paste/puree
    ½ cup molasses
    3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
    ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    1 teaspoon paprika
    1 teaspoon chili powder
    1 teaspoon salt
    ½ teaspoon pepper
     
    Directions: 
    1. In a blender, blend the onion and garlic into a puree.
    2. Heat up the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the puree. Stir the mixture until very slightly browned (2-3 minutes).
    3. Add the tomatoes, molasses, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce. Stir well and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
    4. Stir in the spices and let simmer for another 30 minutes, or until the mixture is reduces by about a half. Stir occasionally.
    5. Let the mixture cool and then transfer to jars.
    Notes: 
    • Keep in containers or mason jars in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
    • DIY BBQ sauce cuts sodium in half from typical store-bought brands.
     
    Recipe (makes about 1 cup)
     
    ½ cup buttermilk
    ½ cup plain non-fat yogurt
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
    ¼ teaspoon pepper
    ½ tablespoon parsley leaves, finely chopped
    ½ teaspoon dill, finely chopped
    1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped
     
    Directions:

    Mix all the ingredients together and then refrigerate 1-2 hours before use
     
    Notes:
    • Yogurt replaces mayonnaise to help drastically reduce the amount of fat and calories found in store-bought brands.
    • The home cook can play around with spices: dill, oregano, basil are all good options.
    • There’s no added sugar!
    • Buttermilk can be made at home too, by using 1 tablespoon white vinegar/lemon juice and adding enough milk to make 1 cup.
    • Store this in a jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.
     

    Healthy Apple Pie Pancakes with Go Go squeeZ

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    Hopefully today you’ve found me because you saw me on Good Morning Texas on WFAA 8 Dallas. If you came to me because you always visit here, then welcome back for this Me Monday!

    On mamachallenge.com, I like to find solutions to the challenges that moms face everyday that are healthy, inexpensive, easy and fun.  

    ApplePiePancakes Go Go SqueeZ

    One that’s near and dear to me is: breakfast! I love breakfast but with two kids I don’t have the patience, time or the money to spend going out for a two-hour brunch experience. 


     
    Of course, one of everyone’s favorite breakfast items is pancakes – but nowadays these aren’t your grandma’s pancakes. These babies are all different flavors and toppings.
     
    So inspired by the pie trend, today we are going to Apple Pie Pancakes with Cinnamon Butter that will taste like you’ve spent hours cooking them up, but actually took about 10 minutes to put them together!

    Apple Pie Pancakes
     
    1 envelope pancake mix 
    1 c. water
    1 c applesauce (I use 1-2 packages of Gogo squeez)
    1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    ¼ nutmeg

    Stir together the ingredients and cook.

    Heat your griddle or pan to 375 degrees.  (To test griddle, sprinkle with a few drops of water.  If bubbles jump around, heat is just right.)  Grease griddle with butter or cooking spray.  For each pancake, use slightly less than 1/4 cup batter.Cook pancakes until bubbly on top and dry around the edges.  Turn to cook other sides until golden brown.

    Apple Topping

     
    1-2 bags of kids apples – the browner the better/peeled or unpeeled
    2 tablespoons butter
    1/4 cup brown sugar
    2 teaspoons cinnamon
    2 teaspoons corn starch
    ¼ c. water
     

    In a large bowl mix together chopped apples with all dry ingredients.Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add apples, stirring frequently. When a sauce starts to form (about 3 minutes) add some water, about 1/4 cup at a time until you have the amount and consistency of sauce desired. Cook for about 10 minutes. Serve warm.


    Cinnamon Butter
    1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
    3 tablespoons good honey
    1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
     
    Combine everything in a bowl and whip with an electric mixer until smooth. Enjoy!

    Looking for more delicious food ideas? Then follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

     Don’t miss this #mamachallenge moment:
     
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    Food Fridays: Celebrate St. Pat’s with Irish Street Tacos {Recipe}

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    Food Fridays: 

    Today’s Food Friday is actually from one of my favorite places to eat (and drink) in Dallas, the BBC! I’ve been working with them for a couple of months and they truly have a great team and know how to have fun – especially on St. Pat’s. So since this weekend is St. Patrick’s Day, I’m sharing this great and SUPER EASY dish for Irish Street Tacos shown today on today’s D: Living! 



    IRISH STREET TACOS

    This dish is easy to make and has a southern twist, it consists of corned beef, sauerkraut, Russian dressing and tortillas.

    For the Meat you will need:
    Corned beef 3#
    Water 3 Quarts
    Spice packet 1 Each
    In a medium stock pot add your corned beef and water. If the corned beef comes with a spice packet add it to the water. Bring to simmer and let cook until meat is tender but not falling apart, (about 2 hours) you want to be able to cut it into strips. If your corned beef doesn’t come with a spice packet, you can add your own spices. I recommend: 6 peppercorns, 3 bay leaves, and about 2 tablespoons of salt.

    For the Russian dressing you will need:
    Mayo 2 Cups
    Ketchup 1 Cup
    Dill relish ½ Cup
    Hard boiled eggs 3 Each
    In a mixing bowl add all ingredients and mix well, and then chill before serving.

    For the Sauerkraut you will need:
    Sauerkraut 2 cans (about 16oz)
    Bacon 6 strips
    Yellow Onion (Medium Size) 1 Each
    Oil 2 Tablespoons

    To start open the sauerkraut and drain off juice, set aside. Next cut the bacon into about ½ inch chunks, set aside. Next dice the onion (small to medium dice), set aside. In a medium sauce pot add the oil (medium high heat), when oil is hot add the bacon to the pan and let render till it is almost crispy, then add the onion and cook till translucent. Turn down heat to a simmer so not to burn the bacon. Once the onions are translucent, add the sauerkraut and stir till well incorporated. Turn off the heat, and cover.

    To serve:
    4” corn Tortillas 24 ea
    When the beef is tender, place on a cutting board and slice into 4 inch long strips, if the meat is really thick, cut the strip in half. Lay out the tortillas and place the corned beef down the middle and then top with sauerkraut (as much as you like, me personally I like a lot). Then top with a dollop of Russian dressing and serve. You may serve this with some chopped cilantro and diced raw yellow onion, just for some extra flavor. Serve with Green beer. Delicious!

    Garnish with swiss cheese.

    Looking for something fun today in DFW for St. Pat’s Day? Make sure you check out all the fun they are having at the BBC — with a bagpiper, green beer, brunch, balloon drop and whole bunch more! 


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