Hip to be Mom

Stuffed Portobello mushrooms

Feb 132012

I’m inexplicably drawn to portobello mushrooms. There’s no rhyme or reason. I just am. How else do you explain why I like to order anything with the word portobello on a menu? Or why I would walk to the mushroom aisle just to catch a glimpse of ‘em plump portobellos. What’s up with that? Am I nuts?

And since I’m so crazy about them, I’m sharing my favorite Portobello recipe, something I threw together on the fly on one of our vegetarian days.

Here’s what you need:

6 Portobello mushrooms, whole with stems removed
1 large tomato, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 sprigs of cilantro, finely diced
cheddar cheese
mozzarella cheese
olive oil

Fill each mushroom cap with a mixture of tomato, onion and cilantro and salt to taste. Add a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Top with cheeses and a generous sprinkle of black pepper and cayenne. Bake at 350C (180F) for maybe 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

That’s it. Such a refreshingly simple taste I promise you will love it. And the bonus is that portobellos have a fantastic meatiness about them that surprises me every time. It’s like I’m eating meat when I’m not.

Sunday Shopping: Free shipping on the I Heart Vans Collection, perfect for Valentine’s

Posted by Clairity 1 Response »

Feb 122012

I gotta tell you, I love, love, love Vans shoes. We have countless pairs of Vans and the girls love every single pair of them. The colors and designs are so upbeat they’ll brighten up your day. These are my personal heart-shaped favorites, so adorable on a girl’s feet on Valentine’s or indeed any day.

Hearts Authentic, Girls

Candy Hearts Authentic Lo Pro

Star Heart Stripes Slip-On, Girls

Glitter Hearts Slip-On, Girls

Shop the I Heart Vans Collection and receive free shipping on orders of $100 or more. Be sure to enter the coupon code – FREE100 – at checkout. Offer ends February 14, 2012.

Backseat driver

Posted by Clairity 1 Response »

Feb 102012

Some days, Raine hitches a ride home from classes with her girl friend from college. I do have my reservations though about her friend being a new driver and the fact that she drives her parents’ minivan complete with suv bike racks on the roof.

On the way home one day, they had a little adventure. Her friend couldn’t get the minivan out of the parking spot. The car beside her was parked too close and if you can believe how narrow and busy our city streets are, it’s obvious an inexperienced driver would need more room to maneuver out of.

According to Raine, her friend kept going backward and forward but for a long time, they were still pretty much in that same spot. Now I have to say that’s a pretty big vehicle for someone with a new driver’s license. I’m not even sure why her parents even allow her to drive it.

Finally Raine decided if they were going to get anywhere, she had to try to help and she began talking her friend into backing the car out. Thing is Raine (get this!) hasn’t even gotten her driver’s license yet! She’s had barely 15 hours of driving to her credit but obviously she’s been paying attention when I’m driving her.

So she instructed her friend on which direction to turn her steering wheel and eventually they broke free and were merrily on their way home. Raine’s comment about her friend’s driving – she still has a ways to go with her turning angle to maneuver the tight spaces. Look who’s talking .

But the backseat driver is right, of course. The way folks around here drive, they need the turning angle of an 18-wheeler to make a simple turn, even if they’re driving a teeny-weeny car, that’s what!

Eating healthier, and we try

Posted by Clairity 1 Response »

Feb 082012

We’ve been trying to eat healthier. Little by little. Whenever we can manage it. I won’t pretend it’s easy because a busy lifestyle like ours isn’t exactly cut out for that. With the convenience of eating out comes high sodium, high sugar, high fat and not so ideal methods of food preparation. But we’re trying and we’ve been pretty good with it so far.

We had Japanese (again!) last weekend and I ordered this scrumptious salmon doused in lemon juice and smothered with wasabi. Just ignore me, I’m raving about wasabi again .

Our home bakery comes alive every weekend. Me and the girls are in there with sleeves rolled up, hair tied back and elbow-deep in bread dough, kneading and rolling. No bread maker. It’s back to basics, the old-fashioned way. If our high metabolic rates won’t allow us to go without carbs, we’ll just have to pile on the wheat, nuts and fruit.

We are recent converts to oatmeal. We (yes, me included) have always balked at the word. But since we chomped down like 100 granola bars in the space of our 1-month winter vacation in Cali last year, I figured that was a darned good start right there. Now I make my own granola bars, so I can control the sugar.

My two salad haters are now salad lovers. So more greens it is. If time permits, I even make my own dressing.

There’s a ton of new (to us) foods that we’ve recently added to our list, like pumpkins and pomegranates. Are you trying to eat healthier? What changes are you making to your diet? What new foods are you trying?

Weekend wrap and pseudo-wisdom

Posted by Clairity 4 Responses »

Feb 062012

Past, present, future aren’t the only tenses in the English language. What can you do with 3 tenses seriously?
A loaf of bread for 35 bucks. Wouldn’t've believed it if I hadn’t see it with my own eyes. Is it made of gold powder?
Pixie haircuts are for those with flawless bone structures and facial features. Like Emma Watson .
Badminton and soccer are for girls. Bring on the Super Bowl!
Fascinated by Sweet Serendipity. Whenever I hear it in the car, I recognize it instantly. Don’t know the guy but love the video and the song. So upbeat, so good for the soul.

Walgreens Prescription Savings Club

Posted by Clairity Comments Off

Feb 062012

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

If you’re a busy mom, you’ll appreciate convenience and savings like nothing else. To ensure your family stays healthy, you will appreciate having a pharmacy like Walgreens just around the corner from where you live.

Walgreens is now offering a special rate on the annual membership to the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club. For a mere $35 a year family membership, you’ve got everyone in your immediate family covered and that includes your spouse, dependents below the age of 22 and even your pets. Individual memberships cost only $20 a year.

Your membership entitles you to fabulous discounts on more than 8,000 brand name and generic medications, flu shots, pet prescriptions and a host of other medical supplies. If your family needs flu shots, you know you’re going to save a bundle. The best part is even your pet prescriptions are covered.

You will also enjoy bonuses on Walgreen’s house brands and photofinishing services. You can also take advantage of their promotions posted up on your favorite social media platforms. To stay updated on the latest deals and discounts, simply like Walgreens on Facebook and follow Walgreens on Twitter. That way, you will not only enjoy the convenience but also save all year round on your family’s medical needs.