tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57800293964173252452011-07-08T03:12:52.756-07:00Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.comBlogger431100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-42235675283162114452009-08-19T11:50:00.000-07:002009-08-19T12:42:48.761-07:00

Veggie Treasure LasagnaMy husband is extra picky about lasagna! He doesn't like the thick texture of ricotta cheese so I use half ricotta and half cottage cheese and find that to be a great solution! I love throwing in colorful veggies like squash, spinach and zucchini. Lasagna is so versatile you can change it up to however you like it! Add some red pepper flakes for an added kick or throw in

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-90650986528120493192009-05-26T20:24:00.000-07:002009-06-03T08:32:45.321-07:00

It's called Chicken Nugget Casserole, but it is more like an easy version of Chicken Parmesian!With just five ingredients, tossed into a baking dish to cook for a half hour, this dish gets rave reviews from me!I used 14 oz Tyson Chicken Nuggets, 26 oz Organic Marinera, 1/3 cup shredded parmesian and 1/3 cup mozzerella cheese and some italian seasoning.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.In a greased

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-42155858284752033152009-02-03T22:09:00.000-08:002009-02-03T22:10:32.865-08:00

Please visit my blog by clicking this picture to learn about Tuesday and how to send a message of strength to her family.

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-79348415504291532792009-01-09T13:26:00.000-08:002009-01-09T13:50:42.869-08:00

I love Kashi! They have great organic food that doesn't taste like cardboard. Kashi seems to be genuinely interested in keeping their products wholesome, healthy and tasting great! A while back when they were having their "Steal a cookie" campaign, I joined their website community and it wasn't long before they sent me a teaser in the mail saying I was getting a surprise from them. Their

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-3499231728521615222008-12-14T10:07:00.000-08:002008-12-14T11:29:07.479-08:00

My 10 month old little boy, Micah is just barely cutting his first tooth, yet he seems to think he is too big for baby food. We have tried every which way to get him to eat baby food and he flat out refuses. I have been pretty creative when it comes to giving him regular food - baby style. Here is a quick and easy recipe for any baby:Banana PoppersTake 1/3 cup of cereal (I use Annie's Organic

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-2250208425085556482008-11-26T12:24:00.000-08:002008-11-26T13:04:49.539-08:00

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It's in Fall which is my favorite season and it's a holiday to celebrate everything you are thankful for. A time to reflect on what is important in your life and spend time with good friends and family. One of the greatest perks of Thanksgiving is EATING! It's the only time when it is a-ok to stuff yourself full and roll over to the couch for a nap.

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-48449423188868557242008-11-17T09:44:00.000-08:002008-11-17T10:01:59.045-08:00

If you are like me and the millions of other folks affected by the slow economy, then I bet you have shaved some of your day to day luxuries. I used to treat myself to Starbucks coffee once or more a week. Then it changed to drinking coffee at home, to no coffee at all. Now that the weather is cold I am craving a nice warm cup 'o joe in the mornings. The funny thing is I hate the actual taste

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-62896956149624064582008-11-16T11:55:00.001-08:002008-11-16T11:55:06.386-08:00

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-10093714003947211122008-11-16T11:15:00.000-08:002008-11-16T11:54:41.431-08:00

I took the above video of Micah and Dad eating. It's cute because he is feeding Dad but Dad has no manners and he spoiled my cute video, lol!We made spaghetti squash the other night and my 10 month old refuses to eat his baby food now because he wants to be like everyone else and eat big people food. My baby is all gums! Not one tooth! So finding something good for him to eat that won't choke

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-8014507379414349902008-11-14T22:45:00.000-08:002008-11-14T22:51:00.572-08:00

Wow. I've neglected my DD blog! My OTHER blog is taking up my posting time! I need to learn to give equal attention to both!I've also started working evenings and weekends and I think that has a lot to do with my poor blog management skills. So hopefully you will forgive me...In the meantime I have a dilemma. I have to make a main course for like 20 people. We are in brokesville right now

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-305507666156119042008-11-11T19:47:00.000-08:002008-11-18T10:53:35.216-08:00

It's faster than delivery. It's cheaper than delivery. It's even HEALTHIER than delivery!!Who knew homemade pizza could be so easy! For those of you who don't know your way around the kitchen I'll tell you right now it does not involve using Bisquick!I made pizza frm scratch tonight and it seriously took me less than a half hour! My whole family loved it! I can honestly say I do not think I

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-24857120479987486002008-11-10T13:16:00.000-08:002008-11-10T13:28:20.287-08:00

Today is cleaning day for me, which means I should be cleaning right now instead of blogging! I had to take a break after doing the dishes because I am frustrated right now. We have been so hard to save money and I just threw a ton of it down my garbage disposal.I try and make home cooked meals every night. Sometimes if we are out and about we may stop for something but most of the time we

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-85845456020738633692008-11-07T09:55:00.000-08:002008-11-07T10:26:01.985-08:00

All summer long I have been excited for Fall. I love when the weather has a nice crispness in the air and the trees make that rustling sound as the wind blows them down our sidewalk.What I don't like is when Fall turns into Winter and it gets so cold your nose and toes feel like they are going to fall off!It is times like this when a nice big bowl of chili is perfect!Here is a recipe I made last

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-58698516186325921592008-11-04T12:03:00.000-08:002008-11-04T12:15:31.034-08:00

I posted more about my thoughts on voting today on my other blog: Mad Boastings of a Cheapskate Mom

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-36146106428576224552008-11-03T08:49:00.000-08:002008-11-03T09:10:53.715-08:00

Or Ketchup? Well I meant to say Catch Up, lol!I think the nasty strep has left our home. Finally. My two older boys are still on antibiotics but they both are playing and going to school again so Mommy gets a break and I can come here and play again!When I was sick my hubby did the shopping and he bought like 10 kiwi's from the grocery store. I have no idea what to do with kiwi fruit so when

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-83842891442337640182008-10-29T07:38:00.000-07:002008-10-29T07:53:19.762-07:00

Our family has an unwanted visitor that is lingering around and refusing to leave. It's Strep. No matter how many vitamins we take, or how clean our home is, this little booger keeps attacking my family and taking them down one by one.First it was my husband. The day after we got back from Wisconsin he woke up with it. Then my oldest son got it this weekend. I got it the day after he did.

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-72335371736809089812008-10-26T17:00:00.000-07:002008-10-29T08:31:20.758-07:00

I uncovered this gem online earlier today. I am in the process of reading this and feel it is worth sharing. There is a lot of valuable information regarding how supermarkets lure you to buy foods that are not good for you. It goes into great detail to explain how produce is altered with many chemicals and processes before we put it in our baskets. I always thought apples were safe to buy

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-44104606213638611432008-10-26T16:38:00.000-07:002008-10-26T16:59:04.526-07:00

My 11 year old has strep throat. It seems to be making it's way around my family and I am knocking on wood, avoiding cracks in the sidewalk and throwing salt over my left shoulder in hopes of steering clear of getting strep!My husband had it last week and he bought some sore throat drops. He gave them to my son to ease the discomfort. Austin, being the savvy label reader he is came downstairs

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-68956847147266257232008-10-23T09:09:00.000-07:002008-10-23T09:30:15.306-07:00

It's hard to eat healthy on the go. With my boys I often find myself pulling my hair out trying to get them presentable and packed up for school. It can be extra hard to prepare a quick wholesome breakfast for them to take on the go. That is where these breakfast sandwiches come in handy. I'm not talking about those greasy Jimmy Dean Microwaveable sandwiches! If you have eaten those you

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-76446466110369792572008-10-22T09:34:00.000-07:002008-10-22T09:59:21.980-07:00

Here are some pictures from our cuisine yesterday.My son wanted pizza for lunch so I grabbed the bag of Pita Pockets and did not cut them in half. We brushed olive oil seeasoned with herbs on the crust, then tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese and chose our toppings. I chose green olives and Zach chose Bologna and green olives! Yeah - he's 5 so it seems everything he eats has either

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-21464336601344134152008-10-21T09:27:00.000-07:002008-10-21T11:52:21.373-07:00

Nothing says lovin' like comfort food! You don't have to skimp on quality ingredients to make a nice warm filling dinner your whole family will love!Tonight I am making Smothered Burritos. I replaced the white flour tortillas with Whole wheat tortillas. Be sure to read the ingredients because I've been fooled by "Whole Wheat" tortillas in the past. They bleach out the wheat flour and use

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-33247623295961194062008-10-17T08:25:00.000-07:002008-10-17T09:30:42.439-07:00

Ok so I made the Squash Stew last night and it was really good. I boiled down the squash so the soup was a nice creamy texture and then added all the veggies. I forgot to add the diced tomatoes and it still tasted great but I think the tomatoes would have added even more to the dish. I do plan to add this to my recipe box and make again. I plan to post a picture once I get all my vacation

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-26089107453081335012008-10-16T10:49:00.000-07:002008-10-16T14:03:48.417-07:00

I love fall for many reasons. Dressing in layers makes me feel thinner, watching the leaves change colors, getting ready for the holidays, and squash is bountiful and cheap!I love making new and exciting recipes using all kinds of squash. For the next few days I will be posting great Squash Recipes.Tonight I am having Chicken with Acorn Squash Stew. It is starting to get chilly here in the

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-53746872273730215602008-10-14T09:32:00.000-07:002008-10-14T12:47:49.849-07:00

My friend Grocery Mama has a link to a Blog called The Secret is in the Sauce and they are having a Blog-a-thon today!! I have never heard of a blog-a-thon but when I popped over there I saw they are giving out super cool prizes like every hour!Come join the fun here!It's a great chance to explore new and exciting blogs!! I love making new friends in the blogging world!! Since my blog is new - I

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-83770363953853419202008-10-14T08:34:00.000-07:002008-10-14T09:23:13.734-07:00

Road trips are always an adventure. In the past part of our adventure was the places we would stop to eat. All of them were fast food grease pits that left us groaning in pain because we would all stuff our faces then climb back in the car and sit for long periods of time.Packing all healthy alternatives in a couple of coolers this time around was GREAT! We ate sandwiches and pretzels and veggies

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-42865607989553628322008-09-30T13:26:00.001-07:002008-09-30T13:58:56.207-07:00

My family is going on a road trip tomorrow. We are driving from Colorado to Wisconsin. I have 3 boys ages, 11, 5, & 8 months and I only hope we all make it there with our sanity intact!In the past we ate on the road. Good ol' gas station hot dogs and Culver's Drive thru. Burger King, McDonald's. We ate so much junk and loaded up on coffee and energy drinks. It's no wonder we all gained weight

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-35902460518820299222008-09-30T12:45:00.000-07:002008-09-30T12:50:31.124-07:00

blueviolet!I chose my winner from random.org - here is the link: http://random.org/lists/I'll be sending you an email soon to get your mailing address. Congrats!!!

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-88549852702020014292008-09-30T11:04:00.000-07:002008-09-30T11:33:16.318-07:00

I was so excited to see so many entries to my giveaway! I had fun reading each of your responses. Believe it or not there were 3 people who got the answers right. Some of these foods are tricky. I will explain some of the most common wrong answers below:Wrong Healthy Answers:Breton Crackers - These have coconut oils and shortening in them! They sure look healthy though!Bear Creek Soup Mix: To my

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-68832953258127821202008-09-25T14:27:00.001-07:002008-09-25T15:54:41.484-07:00

Welcome to my Pantry Raid - You Are What You Eat Style!I promised pictures of my pantry and fridge to see just what exactly I am eating and feeding to my family. I have to say my cupboards are looking a little bare as we are getting ready to go out of town in a week and we did not go grocery shopping this weekend like we usually do.I took the liberty of sharing my pantry one shelf at a time. I'll

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-9197779988993150832008-09-23T11:19:00.000-07:002008-09-24T12:29:32.766-07:00

I am addicted to BBCA's You Are What You Eat show! Holistic nutritionist Gillian McKeith is just brutal when she confronts people who are over-eating and unhealthy. My favorite part is when she is raiding their cupboards and fridge. Which makes me wonder what she would not like about my own pantry and items in my refrigerator. So as soon as I uncover my digital camera (it's hiding in my desk area

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-74826300169564580222008-09-20T15:41:00.000-07:002008-09-20T16:06:02.798-07:00

Nothing makes chicken or pork taste better or look prettier than dressing it up in a thin layer of fine bread crumbs. Especially when you are eating healthy. You want to feel like you are eating comfort food now and again and baking a nice crispy chicken breast makes for a tasty dinner.Imagine my surprise when I saw that Progresso Bread Crumbs have partially hydrogenated oil in their

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-38743356643774207632008-09-18T21:30:00.000-07:002008-09-18T22:06:03.264-07:00

A bit off topic but Thanks to my lovely friends at Qwest my internet went down after I switched my phone service from Qwest to T-Mobile VOIP service. We did the math and realized that paying over $50.00 a month for a home phone was crazy when we could pay $10.00 a month for T-Mobile at home since I already had a T-Mobile cell. This includes unlimited local and long distance so we jumped on board!

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-9158336112620921712008-09-15T14:32:00.000-07:002008-09-15T14:37:41.164-07:00

I gave up diet soda and coffee a week ago and let me tell you I was a caffiene junky! I had 3-4 sodas a day and I enjoyed a good cup or two of coffee each morning. Recently I discovered how bad diet soda was when I heard it can weaken your bones. Well now that I am over 30 I can't ignore the strength of my bones so buh-bye soda-pop! I figured since I was giving up soda I might as well cut way

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-42487983005829003892008-09-14T13:46:00.001-07:002008-09-14T13:53:50.679-07:00

Every Monday I get together with other parents from our church and we fellowship and enjoy home baked goods. Tomorrow I am signed up to bring dessert. I bought a box of organic lemon cake mix last time I was at Whole Foods and now I am trying to figure out how to turn this boxed mix into something fabulous that all the other ladies will oooh and ahhh over -- well that is a little self indulgent

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-71372133515436462052008-09-13T13:11:00.000-07:002008-09-13T14:06:25.881-07:00

In one of my last posts I confessed that I have a love affair with ice cream. When I think of ice cream in a healthy good for you form, yogurt is the next best thing. I am picky when it comes to yogurt because the wrong kind can look downright nasty. It is a total turn off when I open the lid to a yogurt only to discover a huge ring of water separated from chunky curds of unappealing sliminess. I

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-67165126262237754792008-09-12T12:43:00.000-07:002008-09-12T13:10:51.652-07:00

I started my morning by getting on the scale and to my surprise I had lost 2 more lbs! That is a total of 5 lbs in 3 days! I think it is water weight and I am sure the weight loss will slow down soon - but in the meantime I am very impressed with this Pocket Diet! I am eating healthy and light and I feel better throughout my day. I am also sneaking in some pocket meals for my family. I am

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-83389341237226367252008-09-11T09:34:00.000-07:002008-09-11T10:02:41.987-07:00

Since I am confessing my bad habits I thought I would toss this one into the mix! I seriously live for ice cream. After a long day of chasing my boys around and taking care of my home, I feel I deserve a reward. Once the kiddos are all tucked in bed I make a beeline for the freezer and my long awaited moment with creamy deliciousness.I justify my love affair with ice cream because I buy the slow

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-7795155063598590742008-09-10T09:19:00.001-07:002008-09-10T11:18:34.402-07:00

I didn't try the Pita Diet yesterday. I was just not ready to be creative. I felt bad at the end of the day (After my Root Beer float!) so today is a new day and I really am in the mindset to go for it - with one exception - I cook dinner every night for my family. Good wholesome yummy nutritious meals so I cannot sit at the table and eat my 3rd pita of the day while they are all gobbling down

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-27460714222735406592008-09-07T15:08:00.001-07:002008-09-07T16:38:19.260-07:00

We had Pitas for dinner a couple nights ago and since then I have been devouring Pita pockets like crazy! I found a link on the back of the package for a site called The Pocket Diet at http://www.pocketdiet.com/It's an interesting concept centered around portion control. Whatever you can fit into the pocket you can eat. Eat this 3 times a day and add 2 snacks such as yogurt or cottage cheese and

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-59005719849473658452008-09-06T15:15:00.000-07:002008-09-07T16:37:45.284-07:00

Making smart choices when it comes to eating on the run is not easy - especially when you love sweets! I am a sucker for a good mocha and our neighborhood welcomed a Starbucks just s few blocks from my home. I go there about once a week to meet with friends and it is hard to resist their creamy concoctions. So imagine my excitement when I was introduced to their new beverage - a cold smoothie

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-27482428192505010232008-09-06T07:21:00.000-07:002008-09-07T16:37:14.115-07:00

Roast Beef & Bleu Cheese Pita3 Slices natural Roast Beef 2 tablespoons crumbled Bleu Cheese4 Slices tomato2 oz of sprouts1/2 tbsp light mayonnaise1 tbsp red wine vinaigrette dressing1 whole wheat pita pocketIn a small bowl combine mayonnaise with the red wine vinaigrette dressing until smooth. Set aside.Place two slices of the roast beef on a plate and top with bleu cheese. Lay the last piece of

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-72188250792933785652008-09-04T09:58:00.000-07:002008-09-07T16:36:37.576-07:00

Today's Raid: Breakfast Cereal for Kids Malt O'Meal's Coco Roos (knock off of Coco Puffs) vs. Barbara's PuffinsOf course the Coco Roos will win any day over the Puffins on looks alone. Hello! They are made with Chocolate! But as a parent, when your child goes screaming down the cereal isle "Moooooooooooom I waaaaaaaaant this one!" You check out the bag and notice that it is made by Malt O'Meal

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5780029396417325245.post-50358600164841818732008-09-03T19:17:00.000-07:002008-09-03T21:25:16.633-07:00

I never gave much thought to the food I ate. Whether I cooked a quick meal at home, or grabbed something from the drive through, eating was something I did because I had to.After I had my second son I found myself almost 2 years later laying on my bed and weeping because I had not kicked the last 15 lbs of my baby weight. A friend of mine told me to join Weight Watchers online. I joined their

Tamara Dawnnoreply@blogger.com1