>U Mom Knows Best: 2017

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Spicy Carrot Hummus Party Dip

 Looking for a stunning appetizer to serve at a party? Spicy carrot hummus has a pretty color with a delicious taste. Plus it is loaded with plenty of nutrition. Perfect for a vegetable tray or a charcuterie board. This Spicy Carrot Hummus is filled with tangy sweetness and topped with sunflower seeds and apricots — with just the right amount of heat.


  I love hummus as it is such a healthy spread that tastes great with veggies and crackers. I tend to eat it by the spoonful. I discovered spicy carrot hummus when I attended a conference and it was love at first bite. I just knew that I had to buy some.

 I was so happy that my local health food store carried this delicious hummus and it quickly became my favorite healthy splurge/snack that I treated myself to every week. The only problem was the cost. I hated spending 6.00 on a small container of hummus that I usually ate in one day. So I decided to see if I could make this tasty hummus myself.

 I looked at the ingredients on the container of the store-bought carrot hummus and was up for the challenge of recreating this delicious hummus made with carrots. So I bought the hummus ingredients to make the spicy carrot hummus. Once I started making the hummus, I decided to make a couple of ingredient changes. I did not have sriracha sauce so I substituted crushed red pepper for sriracha sauce.

My recipe for homemade spicy carrot hummus was successful and delicious. I loved that it made a large serving, more than twice the size of the store-bought hummus. Now I can eat more of this yummy hummus, more often. So grab the carrots and make this delicious healthy hummus!



Spicy Carrot Hummus is 

~ Made with plant-based ingredients
~ Allergy-Friendly
~ Gluten-Free
~ Loaded with protein
~ Perfect for parties
~ Loaded with nutrition
~ Easy-to-make
~ Full of fiber
~ Orange
~ The perfect dip for charcuterie boards


Carrots are

+ Healthy
+ Plant-based
+ Loaded with Vitamin A
+ A healthy snack


Ingredients Needed For Spicy Carrot Hummus
Carrots
~ Olive Oil
~ White Beans
~ Spices
~ Apple Cider Vinegar
~ Honey
~ Apicots
~ Jalapenos

Hummus is the perfect party food. So, make this spicy carrot hummus for your next party.  Your vegan friends will love it! Place the hummus in a bowl on a tray and add some cut-up raw veggies and some crackers. Make sure to make a double batch as your friends will enjoy this carrot hummus. The pretty orange color will amaze them and entice them to try the hummus made with carrots.


Looking for more hummus recipes? Check out these delicious hummus recipes

Beet hummus

White bean hummus

Spicy red pepper hummus 

Pumpkin hummus

Baba Ghanoush With Oven Roasted Eggplant




Make sure to Pin this recipe on Pinterest to save 



Easy Beet Hummus Dip ~ Made With White Beans

Looking for a stunning appetizer to serve at a party? Beet hummus has a pretty color with a delicious taste. Plus it is loaded with plenty of nutrition. Perfect for a vegetable tray or a charcuterie board.


 A couple of months ago I attended a health conference and they served these amazing hummus products. From regular hummus to a spicy carrot hummus, there were so many different flavors. Of course, I had to try them all and my favorite flavor was the beet hummus. The taste was so amazing that I had to buy it at my grocery store. It has become my healthy impulse buy when I go shopping. While I loved the hummus made with beets, I did not like the price.

 The last time I was at the store, I decided to try and make this delicious beet hummus at home. So I bought some can beets and can white beans. Then I searched the internet for a recipe and checked the ingredients on the last container of my store-bought hummus. The recipes that I found online did not have most of the ingredients that were listed on the store-bought container so I decided to experiment in the kitchen. I was so surprised that I was able to make a homemade version that is very similar to my favorite store-bought beet hummus. 


Beet hummus is 
~ Made with plant-based ingredients
~ Allergy-Friendly
~Full of potassium
~ Great for your blood pressure
~ Loaded with protein
~ Perfect for parties
~ Loaded with nutrition
~ Easy-to-make
~ Full of fiber
~ Purple
~ The perfect dip 

Canned beets vs fresh beets

 The first time I made this beet hummus recipe I used can beets and can white beans as I did not feel like roasting beets or cooking beans. The flavor of my first attempt at making beet hummus was so delicious. Then I just had to try making my beet hummus recipe with fresh roasted beets and the flavor was so good and so similar to using can beets.

 So it is really a matter of time and preference for making the beet hummus with canned beets or fresh beets. Both types of beets still made a delicious pretty purple hummus dip.


Easy recipe for cooking fresh beets

 If you want to use fresh beets for this delicious beet hummus recipe, then I have a super easy recipe for cooking beets in the pressure cooker. The best part of roasting the beets is the pressure cooker is you don't have to peel the beets before cooking. Of course, you can also roast the beets in the oven and I included that recipe as well.



 Check out this recipe for roasting beets in the pressure cooker or instant pot. Once you make beets in the pressure cooker, you will never buy canned beets again. Roasting the beets brings out an amazing flavor and sweetness. 

How to roast beets in the oven

 I have made this beet hummus several times since I first made it will canned beets. Canned beets are a quick way to make this beet hummus but if you have the time, I highly recommend using roasted beets that you roasted in the oven. The roasted beets give this hummus a better flavor. I start with fresh beets and then use this recipe for easy roasted beets in the oven.

 My husband used to not like beets, his mom would serve him boiled beets, but when I make roasted beets in the oven he loves them. The other night I boiled beets and now I understand why my husband did not like beets. When you boil beets, all the flavor goes down the drain with the cooking water. That makes for one bland beet. Roasting the beets keeps all the flavor of the beets as you don't use water.


Beets are

+ Healthy
+ Plant-based
+ Loaded with Fiber
+ Full of potassium
+ Great for your blood pressure
+ Delicious
+ Purple
+ A healthy snack

 Beets are a healthy food and they are loaded with nutrition. Beets are also great for your blood pressure. As an athlete, I love eating beets in my smoothie as they also are known for their endurance properties. I love making high-protein beet pancakes to snack on during the day. Beets are my favorite vegetable as they taste so good and I love the purple color.

Ingredients needed for beet hummus
~ Beets
~ White beans
~ Spices
~ Olive oil
~ Apple cider vinegar
~ Honey

 Hummus is the perfect party food. So, make this easy beet hummus for your next party. Just add some cut-up raw veggies and some crackers. Make sure to make a double batch as your friends will enjoy this beet hummus. The pretty purple color will amaze them and entice them to try the hummus made with beets.

Tip:
~ Add a tablespoon of beet powder to the hummus for a more vibrant purple color. Check out this recipe for homemade beet powder.



Make sure to Pin this recipe on Pinterest to save for later


Want more hummus recipes? Check out these delicious hummus recipes

~ Spicy carrot hummus

~ White bean hummus

~ Spicy red pepper hummus

~ Pumpkin hummus

~ Baba Ghanoush With Oven Roasted Eggplant

>

Friday, December 29, 2017

Ten Healthy Must Have Products For The New Year & A Giveaway


Start your New Year off with these healthy products. 


  The New Year will be here soon and for most, it is a way to make a fresh start in their life. Make this the year that you are going to improve your health. That may mean to some eating healthy or healthier. It may mean starting exercise or increasing your exercise. It may mean eating more fruits and veggies. I am sure you have some healthy goal in mind that you would like to achieve. For me, it is making more healthy dinners for my family and helping my family eat better. I also want to do more running.  I have a list of great products that I will be incorporating into my new healthy year goals. I hope that some of these products may be ones that you would like to try or use. Keep reading to find a wonderful giveaway!

1. Start the New Year off with a healthy gut 




 Did you know that your gut could be the source of many problems in your body? A healthy gut could help improve many things beyond digestion in your body. I take a daily probiotic to keep my immune system healthy and it also helps me be regular. I also notice that I no longer have yeast infections since I started taking probiotics. The probiotic that I will be using this year is one that is made for a women's body.  A woman's microbiome is different from a man's so it is smart to support your gut, skin and vaginal and immune health with specially formulated
NEW advanced gut health probiotics that are made for women. These Genuine Health probiotics have 50 Billion CFU to support the gut along with other ingredients to support the emotional, urinary, and immune system. They are also Gluten Free, Non-GMO, Soy Free, and Vegan.


Use my code Tara18 to save 20% off all orders at Genuine Health. 



2. Increase your water intake with a delicious sparkling water.


      Water is always good for us and most people do not drink enough of it. Make drinking water more enjoyable with a naturally refreshing delicious 0 calories flavored sparkling water
Waterloo Sparkling Water comes in six delicious fruit flavors and also plain. With flavors like:
Watermelon
Black Cherry
Coconut
Grapefruit
Lime
Lemon
You will never get bored with water again. These delicious waters are made with natural ingredients and also have no sugar or sodium in them. The water also goes through a 5 stage filtration! So increase that water intake with Waterloo! 




 3. Enjoy your daily turmeric


Turmeric is a wonderful supplement that supports a healthy inflammatory response in the whole body. I like to call turmeric my natural pain reliever as it helps with those aches and pains that I get from working out at the gym. A couple of weeks ago, I had a trigger finger from using my son's pull-up bar too much. I took this supplement and it gave me wonderful pain relief. I like to also like to take turmeric daily as it is great for overall health and vitality. Gaia Golden Milk makes taking turmeric so delicious. It is sweetened with dates and I love mixing it into a glass of nut milk for a delicious nourishing afternoon treat. 




 4. Give yourself a healthful and relaxing aromatherapy session



  My days can get crazy and stressful so I like to take a break with a unique aromatherapy pillow that helps me relax. AiroSpa™ Pillow, www.airospapillow.com, is a unique, simple to use, affordable, multi-purpose stress reliever and aromatherapy pillow that can be used at home and travel anywhere.  It has a built-in fan and air-flow vents along with a  face-down angled construction so you can relax and breath in the included essential oils that will help relax and calm you. This unique pillow can also be used for massages, sleeping, snore relief, and so much more. The included essential oils are lavender, rose, chamomile, geranium, jasmine, and ylang-ylang. I like to bring this inflatable pillow when I travel since it deflates to fit in my carry-on bag.



5. Track your fitness with a unique tracker                                   
                                                                                            

   A fitness tracker can help motivate you so you can reach your health and fitness goals. The Healbe GoBe 2 Smart Life Band fitness tracker does so much more than tracking your steps. This comfortable fitness tracker monitors a total of nine key parameters. These include:
calorie intake
calories burned
energy balance
water balance
stress level
emotional state
heart rate
sleep quality
distance traveled/number of steps per day
I love how easy it is to charge the fitness tracker with the included purple cord and charging base that plugs right into my computer. I am able to see my fitness progress whenever I want through an app on my phone. I can also set reminders on my tracker to remind me to drink more water. When it vibrates, I then reach for a glass of water. The bands also come in other colors like purple, blue, yellow, and more.




 6. Make your protein powder more functional.


Get more from your daily protein drink. These delicious 100% natural vegan protein powders are not only free of dairy, soy, and gluten but also have added benefits to keep your body healthy in the New Year.  I enjoy the Chai Turmeric Maca after working out!

Check out the benefits of these functional flavors:

COFFEE: This powerful antioxidant promotes and enhances physical performance.

MCTs: Medium Chain Triglycerides are linked to weight loss and better cognitive function, occurring naturally in coconuts.

MATCHA: This green tea with slow-release caffeine is high in antioxidants and has been used in Eastern medicine for its brain-boosting effects (due to high levels of L-Theanine).

TURMERIC: A powerful anti-inflammatory used for centuries in Indian medicine.

MACA ROOT: Nutrient-dense and claimed to enhance fertility and energy.





7. Replace your workout shoes                                                                                                             
                                                                                                      

The New Year is a great time to replace your workout shoes. Shoes get worn out over time and can cause more than foot problems. Working out in excessively worn workout shoes may increase your risk of repetitive injuries in the feet, legs, and pelvis. Look for signs like these
  • The outer sole has worn through to the white midsole
  • The midsole feels too soft and collapses easily under pressure. You may see longitudinal creases in the midsole
  • The heel counter becomes mobile and less supportive
  • Your toes wear through the toe-box, and the shoe upper tears
  • One shoe sole becomes asymmetrically worn compared with the other
  • One or both shoes no longer stand up straight when placed on a flat surface
Play it safe and treat yourself to a new pair of shoes. OESH’s new LEA sneaker is a unique healthy, eco-friendly footwear designed to complement the daily movements of an active woman’s lifestyle. These shoes are ultra comfortable and so soft. They are also flexible and have a spring in them that responds to your movement. These are my favorite workout at the gym shoes!





THE MAGIC IS IN THE SOLE.

The heart of footwear is the sole. That’s especially true for OESH.



Most athletic shoes are designed to cushion heel impact using toxic foam materials (typically, ethylene vinyl acetate), then control foot movement with contoured, one-size-fits-all footbeds. But heel impact isn’t when peak stresses and strains to the body occur, nor is it healthy to force all feet into rigid, generic forms.

In contrast, the OESH Sole is a gentle elastic spring, compressing when the foot is fully planted (at the instant the body’s measured stresses and strains are at their peak) and releasing energy in tune with your natural movement to the next step. Moreover, the OESH Sole is perfectly flat in all directions so your foot can move the way you choose to move, always promoting healthy circulation and muscle activity.


8. Boost your immunity with a delicious tea recipe





The New Year happens to be the most vulnerable time for your immune system. Tetley Tea has crafted a delicious, DIY “Medicine Ball” recipe with its two “Super Tea: Immunity” teas, which are expertly blended with vitamin C to help support your immune system.  This must-taste winter tealixir pairs Tetley’s Immunity Super Teas with hot lemonade, sweet honey, and refreshing peppermint.

Winter Tealixir

- 1 Tetley Immunity Green Tea bag (smooth green tea cleverly combined with Vitamin C, lemon, and honey)

- 1 Tetley Immunity Peach Orange Tea bag (a lovely peach and orange infusion with Vitamin C)

- 8 oz. hot water

- 8 oz. hot lemonade

- Honey to taste (suggested ½ tsp)

- Optional: 1/8 tsp. peppermint extract OR 1 pump peppermint syrup

1. Steep Tetley tea bags in hot water and lemonade for 3-5 minutes

2. Stir in honey to taste and optional peppermint flavor of choice 




9. Fall in love with this healthy gluten-free pasta 


Modern Table delivers delicious and easy-to-make meals and mac & cheese to those who want their food to do more than tickle their taste buds. Ready in 15 minutes or less, their pastas are chock-full of plant protein. 



These delicious pastas are non-GMO, vegetarian, gluten-free, soy-free and dairy free. With six meal kit varieties, three mac & cheese, and three plain kinds of pasta, I am sure you will find one or more that you will enjoy. Check out my full review and enter to win all 12 boxes of Modern Table pasta.

Giveaway
    I have a Modern Table Sampler Pack to giveaway to one of my lucky readers. This huge pack contains 12 boxes of delicious pasta. To enter to win just head over to my website for a chance to win this awesome prize.



10. Treat yourself once in a while






While a healthy lifestyle is great, it is Ok to have occasional sweets once in a while. Denying yourself a favorite food can backfire and cause you to binge on junk food. So enjoy that sweet treat once in a while, just have a smaller portion and reach for a better for you treat that is made with natural ingredients. The Lovely Candy Company just launched two new better for you treats – Honey Gummy Bears and Dark Chocolate Honey Patties. Known for their premium quality confections – which are free of high fructose corn syrup, gluten, and artificial colors and flavors – the Chicago-based company has expanded its product line to offer more delicious options! I love that their Dark Chocolate Honey Patties are made with only three ingredients: honey, cacao and a little bit of flavor. The Gummy Bears are made with honey and get their natural colors from ingredients like vegetable juice, spirulina extract, and beta-carotene.


I don't feel guilty about eating these treats as I eat healthy 80% of the time. So a treat with natural ingredients is not going to sabotage my diet. In fact, a handful of Gummy Bears will give me that happy energy to help me get outside for a fast walk.

Want to discover more healthy products? 
Then click on the link to read about 10 Must-Have Kid Products For Winter Survival

http://www.momknowsbest.net/2017/11/9-must-have-kid-products-for-winter.html

I received the above products to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own

Get a Healthy Meal On The Table With Modern Table Meals & a Giveaway

      Looking for easy healthy meals for the New Year?


  My boys love mac & cheese. While I love how easy it is to make boxed mac & cheese, the nutrition in this meal is not what I like. So when I discovered a healthy mac & cheese that is loaded with nutrition and tastes great, this mom was very happy. I was also very happy that I could make this delicious creamy pasta in 15 minutes.

 Modern Table makes more than healthy mac and cheese, They have several kinds of healthy, loaded with protein, pasta meal kits in addition to their mac & cheese and plain pasta. All of these nutrient-rich yummy kinds of pasta are non-GMO, vegetarian, gluten-free, soy-free and dairy free. They also have 16 or more grams of protein per serving! So now pasta is a regular meal in our house.


When Modern Table sent me a huge package filled with their pasta meal kits, my boys could not wait to try them. The boys decided to try the Cheddar Broccoli flavor first.  I loved that the box had broccoli in it along with a mix to make the cheese sauce. This meal was easy to make. My youngest gave this meal a thumbs up as he loves broccoli, in fact, I would have added more broccoli to the dish if my son did not eat up the broccoli that I bought yesterday. I loved this meal too as it had a nice cream cheese sauce. I usually do not eat pasta but these are so good. These meal kits will be a staple in my pantry for quick and delicious meals. Check out some other healthy items that I am loving Here.

          Go discover all the delicious varieties of Modern Table Meals. 
                                           https://www.moderntable.com/


Giveaway
      I have a Modern Table Sampler Pack to giveaway to one of my lucky readers. This huge pack contains 12 boxes of delicious pasta. To enter to win just head over to Modern Table https://www.moderntable.com/ and check out all the varieties. Then let me know which one you want to try first. Make sure to do some more entries on the giveaway form to increase your chance of winning.

This giveaway is open to US residents 18 years of age or older.  Chances of winning this giveaway depend on the number of entries. All entries will be verified. The winner will be notified within 48 hours of the end of the contest and will then have 24 hours to respond to the email or a new winner will be chosen. Void where prohibited.

FREE Del Monte Fruit Refresher or Fruit & Chia


FREE Del Monte Fruit Refresher or Fruit & Chia Receive ONE (1) FREE Del Monte Fruit Refresher or Fruit & Chia (14 oz.). Available in most stores.

Exp 01/14/2018



This Friday, December 29th, 2017– ONLY, you can load a coupon to your Kroger (or Affiliate) Plus Card for FREE Del Monte Fruit Refresher or Fruit & Chia
Although 12/29/2017 is the only day that you can load the coupon, the coupon offer is redeemable through 01/14/2018

                                https://kroger.softcoin.com/programs/kroger/freefri/

Friday, December 22, 2017

Free Barilla Ready Pasta


Free Barilla Ready Pasta Receive ONE (1) FREE Barilla Ready Pasta, any variety (8.5 oz.). Available in most stores.

Exp 01/07/2018


This Friday, December 22nd, 2017– ONLY, you can load a coupon to your Kroger (or Affiliate) Plus Card for Free Barilla Ready Pasta
Although 12/22/2017 is the only day that you can load the coupon, the coupon offer is redeemable through 01/07/2018

                                https://kroger.softcoin.com/programs/kroger/freefri/

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

The Benefits Of A Bidet

                                            Have you ever tried a bidet?

This page may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases 

  For most people, the thought of using a bidet sounds weird and gross. A bidet experience is not something that people want to talk about as it can be one of those taboo conversations. Well, I am going to change your thinking about bidets and leave you wanting one. I have always been curious about how a bidet works but have never had the opportunity to try one. I would have included a bidet in my recent master bathroom remodel but hubby said no and there just was not the space for one. Installing a bidet would have also meant paying a plumber big bucks to add the necessary pipes. So my hope for a bidet was removed from my mind. That hope recently came true when I discovered a bidet system that I could install on my existing toilet. I just knew that I had to try this bidet as I wanted a pampered tushie. I also liked the idea of saving money on toilet paper.


                                    I received a bidet to facilitate this post.

  My wonderful bidet arrived and I could not wait to use it! My kids were curious about what a bidet was. Once they found out they thought it was really weird. I took the unit out of the box and read the instructions. As I was reading the instructions, my husband rolled his eyes at me and said: "that is not going into our bathroom!" I quickly told my husband that my new bidet was going on my princess potty and reminded him of how he would not let me use the potty light that I had purchased several months ago. I call the toilet in my master bathroom a princess potty because I am the only girl in a house of four boys and they are not allowed to use it. I do reluctantly let my husband use my princess potty as for the fact we share the same bedroom.



15 MINUTES IS ALL IT TAKES TO A SPOTLESS BOTTOM 
– ALL DAY, EVERY DAY 
Superior Bidets attach to any standard toilet without a need for a plumber or electrical. 
Your bidet comes with everything you need to turn your bathroom into the new favorite room in the house.



  I was glad that the instructions showed me that it would be easy to install the bidet to my toilet. My nine-year-old son was excited to help me install it. I am glad that the boy likes to work with tools. My son grabbed a wench and a screwdriver and we set off to my bathroom to install my new bidet. My son helped me take off the toilet seat from the potty. I was able to disconnect and reconnect the hoses on the toilet. I was happy that my son and I were able to do the install ourselves as I knew my husband would not help. It was super easy to install the bidet and it took us only 15 minutes. Once the bidet was on the toilet, I had to test it out to see if it was working. Since my son was in the room, I tested it out without my tushie on the seat as I was not going to drop my drawers in front of him. So I turn one of the dials on the bidet and water shot across the room. My son and I started laughing hysterically. We were so loud that my husband and the teen came upstairs to see what the commotion was. My younger son showed them the water on the wall. Then my teen just had to know how the bidet works. So this time I placed a towel in front of the potty and demonstrate the bidet. My teen then asked: "so this thing shoots water up your but?" I said, "yes" and he replied, "that is so weird!"


  I could not wait to try my new bidet out. So I kick everyone out of my bathroom so I could sit on my princess potty. I really did not know what to expect. So I dropped my drawers and sat down on the potty. I turned the cold water dial on and water sprayed on my tushie. I was amazed that it did not hurt and the water was not cold. The water made my bottom feel so clean and refreshed. The best part was that I did not need to use any toilet paper or wipes on my bottom!  My unit did come with a warm water dial but I choose not to connect that as it would have meant drilling hole in a wall. If the water gets cold in the winter then I may connect the warm water to my bidet.

When I was done trying out my new bidet, I told my husband about how it felt on my bottom. I also told him that the water was not cold. Later that evening, my husband went upstairs to use the bathroom. I did not ask him if he tried the bidet but I think he did as he was up there for a while. I am so glad that I installed a bidet on my princess potty as it does a wonderful job of cleaning my tushie. My tushie loves being pampered. I also love not having to use toilet paper to clean my tushie as all that does is smear the poo.


POOPING JUST GOT A WHOLE LOT BETTER 
A Superior Bidet is a high-tech device that easily attaches to your toilet and uses water to help transform your toilet hygiene forever. Use it once and you’ll feel cleaner than you’ve ever felt.

Would you be brave enough to try a bidet?





I leave you with this funny video about bidets.



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