Month: August 2017

Cuban Rice -Gluten Free & Vegan

Cuban Rice -Gluten Free & Vegan

I created this cuban rice when I was coming up with my Vegetarian dish, inspired by Ropa Vieja. I love me some cuban food. This rice perfectly compliments the recipe I came up with for my gluten free/vegan version of Ropa Vieja. Originally I was juts 

Vegetarian Inspired Ropa Vieja -Gluten Free & Vegan

Vegetarian Inspired Ropa Vieja -Gluten Free & Vegan

One of my favorite dishes when I eat out to cuban is no loger something I can eat. I miss it, the flavor is insane! But I don’t miss the way meat makes the arthritis come back full force and then my hands begin to pound. 

Teaching Colors without Flashcards

Teaching Colors without Flashcards

Thank you Oriental Trading for collaborating with me, by sending product, for this educational post. As always all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

It doesn’t matter if you child doesn’t know their colors yet or if they have mastered them. I am listing fun ways to work on color and introducing mixing colors!

1. Read books about colors.

There are a lot of great options out there. Some are specific to color and some we read the pages and then discus the colors we see. Here are some of our favorites for discussing colors: The Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, RAINDROPS A Shower Of Colors by Chieu Ann Urban, A Color Of His Own by Leo Lionni, Brown Bear Brown Bear by Eric Carle, Elmers Colors by David McKee & Pip The Little Penguin boy Roger Priddy to name a few.

2. Create a Colorful World

Oriental Trading has more than just party goods! There are so many amazing educational products. They have a new site for all of their educational items…. this isn’t just the place you shop for parties. Back to the colorful world.. we love using our Let’s Mix Color Paddles to see things in the room in a new color. She is also seeing that if she looks at a blue object with the yellow paddle it turns that object green. We also put two paddles together to see what color they make. It’s more advanced then learning colors. Since she already knows her colors… she even knows teal…I’m scaffolding her learning & we are moving on to something a bit more advanced.

Check out Learn365 for other educational goddies.

3. Paint

For beginners when painting talk about the colors they are using and if your child is starting to talk, ask you child to repeat you. For those who know their colors or are very close to mastering them, ask what each color is as they dip. You can even be silly and say, “Oh I love that blue” if they are using yellow. Allow them a chance to say, “No, that’s yellow!” If they don’t respond you can then say, “Nooo, mommy is being silly, that’s yellow, not blue.” For advanced kids work on mixing colors. For example: give them red and yellow and as they mix the colors ask them what color it made. 

4. Talk About Colors All Day

When Izzy and I run errands to the grocery store or Target I ask her about what we are seeing. “What is it?” “What color do you see?” “Let’s count them.” Learning colors is something she picked up on quickly because we introduced colors in so many aspects of her life.

XO Eryka

Guest Post- Stang & Co

Guest Post- Stang & Co

When I started blogging I had no idea that I would be meeting so many wonderful women. I have found a tribe of uplifting and encouraging women on my journey as a blogger. Today I’m sharing a guest post of gorgeous Mackensey, a sweet boy 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi ~Gluten Free & Vegan

Sweet Potato Gnocchi ~Gluten Free & Vegan

Pasta Lovers Unite! I love PASTA! Seriously, it’s quite possibly my favorite food. Being gluten free isn’t a choice for me. It really has improved my health. My IBS is pretty much history, my anxiety has dropped significantly, I sleep more soundly and I have 

Homemade Vegan & Gluten Free Gummies

Homemade Vegan & Gluten Free Gummies

Special thank you to My Fruit Shack for collaborating with me on this post. We loved trying out these gummy molds. As always all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

My toddler Izzy LOVES gummies!

Most toddlers do, right?

So on my quest to feed myself and my family healthier foods I decided to create homemade, preservative free gummies! They are also gluten free and vegan.

I failed on my first attempt, but if you fail, you try, try again.. right?

These amazing molds are from My Fruit Shack.

These are super easy to make and I made the recipe super simple with minimal ingredients. I made 3 types: cherry, orange and strawberry.

Homemade Vegan & Gluten Free Gummies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup Fruit (your choice) I used 2 oranges (fresh squeezed juice), strawberries and cherries (pitted).
  • 1 tbsp Agar Powder
  • 1/4 Cup Water
  • Optional: 1 tsp sugar in the raw or 1/8 tsp sweet leaf stevia

Instructions

  1. Wash your fruit.
  2. If you are making strawberry gummies, chop them up and cut off the top. Place them into a measuring cup to insure you have the right amount. Blend with water. For oranges, cut & squeeze the juice into a measuring up. For the cherries, remove pits and place into a measuring cup. Pour cherries and water into a blender and mix.
  3. Pour water and fruit mixtures into a pot.
  4. Add the agar powder and optional sweetener at this time.
  5. Turn the burner on high and once the mixture starts bubbling turn to medium and keep stirring for 2-4 minutes until the mixture thickens. Use a dropper or spoon (depending on thickness) into the molds.
  6. Freeze for 2 hours then pop the gummies out into containers and place in the fridge when not eating. These stay good for about 1 week.
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https://busylittleizzy.com/2017/08/10/homemade-vegan-gluten-free-gummies/

Have fun making these and enjoy!

XO Eryka

 

 

Hospital Gift Basket (Get Well & New Moms)

Hospital Gift Basket (Get Well & New Moms)

Special thank you to CleverMade for collaborating with me and sponsoring this post. Also thank you Arla Creations for collaborating by sending the personalized bag. As always all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Everything I share related back to something going on in my life. Right now I 

14 Things I Didn’t Know About Being A Mom Until I Became One

14 Things I Didn’t Know About Being A Mom Until I Became One

Special thank you to Banky Girl Creations for collaborating with me & for the gifted mom gear. 1. Recovery from birth may be more traumatizing than the actual birth. Am I right? And maybe it’s more traumatizing because no one warns you!!! Everyone says how 

Simple Veggie Bowl  -Vegan & Gluten Free

Simple Veggie Bowl -Vegan & Gluten Free

If you are looking for plant based and gluten free meals, this is one of my favs!

Do you watch my IG stories or follow my feed? Sorry not sorry for the delicious plant based diet overload! My arthritis in my hands is practically non existent and I’m only 2 weeks in.

As most of you know I’m gluten and dairy free for the past 2 months for my IBS flares. I found dropping these foods also helped with my anxiety! Yes, look it up. I did it for the IBS and realized I was sleeping better and less anxious.. real talk people.

So anyway my husband took me to some place that had this delicious vegan veggie bowl and it sparked an idea in my head. I knew I could whip up some fun thing just like this at home. I wanted to share one of my favorite lunches that is even yummy cold for lunch the next day. (My husband loves taking this to work.)

 

Simple Veggie Bowl -Vegan & Gluten Free

Ingredients

  • Rice (Your choice, I used Basmati)
  • Veggies (Any you like: onions, peppers, broccoli, green beans, carrots)
  • Lentils (red or green, I used red)
  • Mina Harissa Spicy (Moroccan Red Pepper Sauce)
  • Spices: Salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin)
  • Avocado Oil
  • Water

Instructions

  1. Cook rice per the directions on the package you buy. (I usually cook 1 1/2-2 cups uncooked, depending how much I want left over) If you don't want any/much left over do 1 cup uncooked.
  2. Add 1tablespoon turmeric to the water as the rice cooks.
  3. While rice is cooking cut and place some oil and vegetables on your large cooking pan or multiple smaller ones if you need. (I like to have multiple stir fries on my rice, so I cook them in separated areas)
  4. Cook lentils per directions on bag. (I usually cook 1/2 cup uncooked.)
  5. Once rice is just about finished start cooking the veggies. I like to use cumin, turmeric and salt & pepper for flavor.
  6. When rice is cooked, plate so you can slowly add the veggies as they finish up cooking.
  7. Serve with hummus and spicy red sauce.
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https://busylittleizzy.com/2017/08/01/simple-veggie-bowl-vegan-gluten-free/

I linked my spicy green rice recipe, also great with this bowl.

Have a blast with this one guys! Let me know if you have any questions.

XO Eryka