The Nutritionist Reviews: February 2015

February 28, 2015

Urbini Dream Nursery Contest

I participated in a Blog Blast Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Urbini . I received a promotional item to thank me for my participation. Urbini has an awesome giveaway going on right now where you can win to convert a room into a first time nursery or if you are having another baby and the room needs updating. If you do not fit into this category, you can still participate and enter to win daily $50 Walmart gift cards. The grand prize winner will receive: an Urbini crib, changing table, 6 drawer dresser, Cubi play card, a home visit by Urbini designer Rachel Dacks. The second prize is a Urbini crib and the third prize is an Urbini Cubi play yard. To enter, post a picture to Instagram of the room you want to redesign and tag #UrbiniDreamNursery and #contest. Find out more information here . The giveaway starts 2/25 and ends 3/18. Enter the Urbini Dream Nursery Contest here: Urbini Dream Nursery

February 28, 2015

Simply French Market Review

I love Etsy. There are so many unique products on there that you cannot find anywhere else. My favorite are the customized items that are so perfect for your family that you just can't stop looking at them. I recently found an Etsy shop called Simply French Market . They sell different family tree items and more. Items include pillows, table runners, prints, shower curtains and more. For my review, I chose a pillow with my family tree information on it. I was not sure exactly how a family tree was supposed to be written and had fun learning and putting together my family's information. I LOVE how this pillow turned out. It makes a great conversation piece and looks great on our couch. I stuck with our grandparent's all the way through baby Adalyn for the pillow. We love it! Family tree pillows from Simply French Market retail for $45.00. Considering that this is a completely customized piece, this is a decent price! The pillow is nice quality too. A big thanks to

February 27, 2015

Adalyn 5 Month Update

So many new and excited changes this month for baby Adalyn! It has been a rough month for sleep but an awesome month for smiles and laughter. Clothing size : 3 month and 6 month clothing (some) Diapers : size 1, about time to move up to size 2 Weight : Weighed at home with clothes on but dry diaper- 13.8 lbs- so probably 13.4 Feedings : We started solids!! So exciting. I have a big post coming up on this topic next week. So far, we have only done carrots but I already made up green beans and sweet potatoes to start soon. I hope to make almost all of our baby food since it is healthier, cheaper and fun for me. Adalyn started to grab for our food and was sleeping very poorly at night so we thought that maybe she needed more food. We started food at just under 5 months old. I plan to do all vegetables for awhile and then move on to fruits. We are skipping cereals for now but may do some oatmeal eventually. (My parents and sister came over for Adalyn's first meal.

February 26, 2015

Chocolate Energy Balls

These chocolate energy balls are the perfect snack with oats, peanut butter, dried cranberries and more! Yum! Do I ever have an awesome recipe to share with you today! A mix of peanut butter, chocolate, cranberries and coconut- and totally healthy! I created these energy balls for a healthy snack that tastes like dessert. They are packed full of nutritious ingredients such as chia seeds and ground flax that help make you feel your best. Chocolate Energy Balls Ingredients: 1 cup gluten-free oats 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup chocolate peanut powder 1/4 cup ground flaxseed 1/4 cup chia seeds 3/4 cup shredded coconut 1/3 cup syrup 1/4 cup unsalted pumpkin seeds 1/4 cup dried cranberries 2 tablespoons water (or more to help stick together) Directions: 1. Melt peanut butter in microwave. 2. Combine all ingredients and mix very well. 3. Refrigerate mixture for 1 hour or until dough is cold and firm. 4. Roll into balls and store bites in fridge for up to 10 day

February 25, 2015

Chik'n Parmesan Sandwiches

My husband loves anything chicken parmesan. We are not vegetarian but love to eat a variety of meat-free foods for meals. We are Catholic and since it is lent, cannot eat meat on Fridays. I created these vegetarian sandwiches for us for dinner this past Friday for dinner. They turned out awesome! I used Quorn chik'n nuggets for the recipe and was very happy with these. I had not had Quorn products before. Troy and I both really enjoyed these and ended up eating all of the chik'n nuggets in the package. Chik'n Parmesan Sandwiches Servings : 2 Prep time : 5 minutes Total cook and prep time : about 20-25 minutes Ingredients: 4 slices of bakery fresh whole-grain bread, sliced thick 1 box Quorn chick'n nuggets 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese 1/2-3/4 cup fresh marinara sauce Directions: 1. Cook chik'n nuggets according to package. 2. Assemble sandwiches with 1 layer sauce, chik'n nuggets, more sauce and top with cheese. 3. Broil for a few minutes u

February 24, 2015

Peanut Butter and Jelly Parfaits

I love the flavor of peanut butter and jelly together so I came up with this healthy and quick recipe that combines the PB&J flavors and tastes great. Peanut Butter and Jelly Parfaits Ingredients: 1 5.3 oz container of blueberry Greek yogurt 1/2 Van's blueberry PB & J bar, cut into small pieces 1/4 cup frozen blackberries (or any berry) 2 tablespoons PB2 2 tablespoons water Directions: 1. Microwave frozen blackberries until they form a sauce (about 2 minutes). 2. Combine PB2 and water- runny consistency is best because it makes layering easier. 3. Layer Greek yogurt, PB2 and blackberries until you run out of ingredients. 4. Top with pieces of PB&J bar. Enjoy! This easy snack, breakfast or dessert only takes about 5-8 minutes to make and is very filling. My husband who doesn't even like yogurt or eat fruit that often thought it was delicious. I don't know how I never thought of this combo before but it was awesome and

February 23, 2015

The Importance of Food Hygiene

Source The importance of food hygiene Food hygiene isn’t just something for caterers to worry about. Households must also take this issue seriously. If you’re not careful when it comes to food safety, you could put your family at risk. This brief guide explains why, and it offers some simple tips to help you keep unwanted infections at bay in your home. The risks of poor hygiene There is no denying the dangers of poor food hygiene. Every year, millions of Americans fall ill because of the things they eat and drink. Microorganisms including bacteria, molds and viruses found in produce can lead to a host of unpleasant symptoms, including stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea . Common causes of poisoning include E. Coli, salmonella and the norovirus. While the majority of people get better without the need for treatment, the most serious cases can lead to blood poisoning and even kidney failure. Anyone can get infected in this way, but some people, including babies and the e

February 23, 2015

Diono Rainier Car Seat Giveaway

Adalyn is growing so fast and will very soon need to switch from an infant car seat to a convertible car seat. Safety is very important with a baby, especially in tough driving conditions such as snow and ice. I did some research on the best car seats and something that kept coming up as a highly rated brand was Diono. We were sent the Diono Rainier convertible car seat and booster to review. The rainier model of car seat is new from Diono. It has extra deep side walls for additional side impact protection. Something else important to me is being able to rear-face past the time that Adalyn would be in an infact seat. This car seat is rear facing from 5-50 lbs and forward facing from 20-90 lbs. For kids 50-120 lbs, it can convert to a booster seat up for up to 57 inches tall. It has adjustable head support and EPS foam that surrounds the childs head and body. The Diono Rainier is available in different colors including white houndstooth, purple, blue, grey

February 22, 2015

Olive & Birdie Review

Shopping for clothing for Adalyn is easily one of my most favorite things to do. There are just so many cute clothing options out there for little girls. I recently found an Etsy shop called Olive & Birdie . It is run by Christina Kondret. Her site features all different glittery onesies for babies and toddlers. We were sent some of the following onesies. I love this pineapple onesie for Adalyn! It goes perfect with her all gold ensemble that she is wearing above! I chose this lemon outfit for the summer which will be super cute! My favorite item that I was sent is this deer onesie!! My husband, dad and brother are all hunters and this will be adorable for her to wear this coming hunting season. For Adalyn's one year birthday (don't come too soon!!), she can wear this bodysuit which says one on it. For these onesies, you can choose either long sleeved or short sleeved and they are Carter's brand. The onesies are soft and look great! Most of the

February 21, 2015

KicKee Pants Review

I have been having so much fun shopping for summer clothing for Adalyn. I recently found some super cute clothing from KicKee Pants for her. I was sent an adorable romper and skirt for her to review. I was sent the flamingo bike diagonal romper to review. She will look great in this this summer. The material is very soft and stretchy. This is honestly one of my favorite pieces of baby clothing. I love how they make it look like a one strap top with just a little strap on the one side. We were also sent the lotus berries bubble skirt. I chose this because I am a huge fan of fruit. Whenever my family sees fruit baby clothing, they often want to get it for Adalyn since it is so me. This skirt will be great for the summer and the fall with tights and a long sleeved top. Items range in price and most are around $25-35. Something that I like about the site is that they have recommendations for items that would pair well with each piece. This is great for ideas of what will look go

February 20, 2015

Stay Healthy During Cold and Flu Season

Getting sick is so tough! When you or your family is sick, everyone struggles. According to the CDC, this is one of the worst flu seasons in awhile. I have been sick once with a nasty cold this cold and flu season. Taking care of yourself and following these guidelines can help you stay healthy. Here are some of my tips for staying healthy and avoiding sickness: - Eat right - I believe that eating right is such a vital part of staying healthy during cold and flu season. Include tons of fresh produce, especially foods high in vitamin C which can help with cold prevention. Also, drink lots of fluids, eat whole grains and healthy proteins. - Get your flu shot - According to the CDC, getting your flu shot is the single best way to help prevent getting the flu. Troy and I both got our flu shots in about November of this past year. - Wash your hands - Washing your hands is super important in preventing the spread of sickness. Wash your hands often and thoroughly. - Exe