Seventh Generation Free and Clear Wipes: Review and Giveaway

Posted on March 5, 2013 by vanderbiltwife

Someone makes a lot of messes …

There are honestly very few items that I am brand-loyal to. I tend to be a generic kind of gal, unless I’ve had a really bad experience in the past – or the brand name is on sale for cheaper than the generic.

But wipes are the one product where I almost always buy the same name brand. I’ve found they are simply the best.

Recently, I didn’t have a coupon and I couldn’t make myself pay a few extra bucks for the name brand I usually get. We ended up with a store- brand generic … and I’ve regretted it greatly. These wipes somehow managed to smell worse than the poopy diapers. I often felt like my hands smelled like they were BURNING after using them (??). Too weird.

So I was hesitant to review Seventh Generation’s new free and clear wipes, even though I love their company. I do cloth diaper, at least most of the time with David, and one of the big reasons is that I don’t want my kids sitting in chlorine. And yet, I’ve used wipes with chlorine for years. I can’t deal with cloth wipes … especially with my darling son, who poops more and worse than any child I’ve ever met.

I needn’t have worried! The Seventh Generation wipes are just as thick as my normal brand. They are actually unscented, unlike many “unscented” baby items I’ve come across. (The first thing my husband said about these wipes was, “Well, they don’t smell worse than what’s in the diaper.” High praise from him.) They are soft, clean well, and I don’t have to use 10 of them, even on a big mess.

The price isn’t too bad (those linked above have a $4 coupon on Amazon, too, right now!) especially considering they don’t have any yucky chemicals, dyes, etc. The wipes really mimic cloth; even if you use cloth wipes at home, these might be worth a try for when you’re out and about.

The best part is that I am giving away a package of these new Free and Clear wipes! Open to U.S. residents age 18 and older. Use Rafflecopter to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is a sponsored giveaway from Seventh Generation and theMotherhood. All opinions are my own.

$50 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway from #flatoutpizza

Posted on October 26, 2012 by vanderbiltwife

Remember my Flatout Pizza Party from last week? Want to make some flatbread pizzas of your own?

Today I’m giving away a $50 gift card to Wal-Mart and a great Flatout gift package, all wrapped up in a nice, zippered, reusable bag.

To enter, leave a comment with your favorite pizza toppings. For an extra entry, subscribe to Vanderbilt Wife via e-mail or RSS feed and leave me a comment telling me you did.

Thank you to theMotherhood, Wal-Mart, and Flatout Bread for sponsoring this giveaway. US mailing addresses only, please. Winner will be chosen on Thursday, November 1, 2012.

Pizza Party and Pumpkin Painting with #flatoutpizza

Posted on October 18, 2012 by vanderbiltwife

Earlier this week I was excited to throw a pizza party on our back patio. We live in a dorm on a high-school campus; but right behind our apartment is this lovely brick patio. And check out the view!

So we gathered a bunch of our on-campus friends and tried out the new Flatout Bread Thin Crust Flatbreads. They come in three yummy varieties: Spicy Italian, Rustic White, and Heritage Wheat.

Apparently the Spicy Italian is no joke. I was warned it really was quite spicy. I stayed far away from it, but my friends gobbled it up!

To make pizzas, you prebake the flatbreads for 3-4 minutes. Then add toppings and bake for another 4-5 minutes or so.

So as party prep, I prebaked. Even with it being an hour until they went in the oven, the flatbreads were still just right when they came out! Nice and crispy. I provided a whole bunch of cheeses, sauces, and toppings and let everyone go to town. (That’s my homemade pizza sauce. And that pesto, while not quite as good as homemade, was really excellent!)

I thought those were jalapenos. They weren’t. I think they were serrano chiles. I about killed my husband with them. Oops.

Everyone agreed that while the flatbreads made for a different pizza experience, you could really taste the flavor of the toppings. Everything I set out was devoured, so I think that makes for a good party! Here are our creations.

Mother and daughter! Daughter had just cheese. Mom had mozzarella, herb feta, olives, tomatoes, and mushrooms. The kind of thing we never get to eat at home because of the kids!

My husband’s on top: mozzarella, feta, pepperoni, tomatoes, chili peppers. Friend’s on bottom: fresh mozzarella, mushrooms, and pineapple. An exotic combo!

I thought this was cute. A husband and wife picked almost exactly the same things without knowing. Pesto, fresh and shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, and tomatoes. His just had mushrooms.

My beautiful creation: pesto with fresh mozzarella, herb feta, and a little bit of olives on Harvest Wheat. Perfect!

I was too busy eating to take pictures of Round 2, but I think the boys went to town on the BBQ sauce and everything else. Almost everything was gone by clean-up time!

My theme was Halloween Party, so I added a few seasonal touches.

We also let the kids do pumpkin painting. I had intended for them to make really adorable Tiger pumpkins with felt ears and pipe-cleaner whiskers. But once they got ahold of the paintbrushes they just went to town. Oh well.

(Libbie did start by TRYING to paint stripes on her pumpkin!)

We really had a blast and everyone loved the pizza. Stay tuned – next week you’ll have a chance to win your own #flatoutpizza prize pack and a $50 gift card to Wal-Mart so you can have your own party!

Thank you to theMotherhood, Flatout, and Wal-Mart for sponsoring our party. While this is a sponsored post, all opinions are my own.

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin in Garlic, Herb, and Red Wine Sauce

Posted on January 28, 2012 by vanderbiltwife

Right now I am participating in the most fun and interesting blog campaign I’ve ever done. The Pork Board and Publix are promoting “the other white meat” as a great way to get lean protein and eat more healthfully this year.

For four weeks, I’ll be sharing recipes for a specific cut of pork. This week, it is pork tenderloin.

We’ve decided to share the pork wealth by inviting some friends over to help us eat the pork each week. I hate having leftovers sitting forever in the fridge, and I love having people over, so it worked out well!

Orange-Ponzu Pork Tenderloin with Stir-Fry

Yesterday I made two tenderloin recipes: this Grilled Orange-Ponzu Pork Tenderloin with Cabbage and Carrot Stir-Fry from the Pork Be Inspired site and a recipe I concocted myself from several sources, Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin in Garlic, Herb, and Red Wine Sauce. To accompany the slow cooker pork, I made Jalapeno Creamed Corn as well.

Both platters were beautiful and went over well. Here were the thoughts from my panel of judges (my husband and three other adults):

The texture of the grilled meat was better than the texture of the slow-cooked tenderloin. (I used a grill pan, because I don’t have an outdoor grill.)
The Asian recipe could have used some spice. If I made it again, I would definitely add red pepper flakes to the stir-fry.
No one seemed to worry about the pink pork. The new standard is to cook pork to 145F so it doesn’t get dry. (Thanks to my sponsors for my lovely new digital meat thermometer! I’m so excited to finally have one.)

All in all I was pretty happy with both dishes, although I personally enjoyed the slow-cooker pork more. Here is the recipe … but make sure you read the blurb that comes after it!

Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin in Garlic, Herb, and Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients

3 T dried minced onion
1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 c. water
1 c. red wine
3 T soy sauce (LaChoy is gluten-free if you are on a GF diet)
3-4 large cloves garlic, peeled and cracked
2 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed of silvery fat
black pepper

Instructions

In slow cooker, mix all ingredients except pork and pepper. Place pork in slow cooker and flip to coat well with liquid and spices. Sprinkle pork with black pepper.

Cook on low 3-4 hours or until pork is cooked to 145F. To serve, slice tenderloin and serve with jus from the slow cooker.

[The first six ingredients are just a homemade dry onion soup mix. If you are in a hurry or don't stock many spices, you can substitute one package of soup mix.]

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So, hey! At the end of this four-week series, I am giving away a great package including coupons for $40 of fresh pork, a meat thermometer, a reusable bag, a pedometer, and a nice reusable water bottle. To enter, comment on any post in the series. You can comment once on each one, and then you’ll have four entries! I will choose a winner after the fourth post goes live around February 17.

Just leave a comment answering this question: what tenderloin recipe from the Pork Be Inspired site looks good to you? I think I’d like to try Pork Egg Rolls and Pork Tenderloin Cancun with Chorizo Potatoes.

Thank you to the Pork Board and theMotherhood for sponsoring this series of posts. I received coupons, a gift card, and a stipend for my time and groceries, but all opinions are my own.

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Cooking with Kids and The Motherhood

Posted on July 6, 2011 by vanderbiltwife

You might remember that on June 15, I helped co-host an online cooking class with The Motherhood about cooking with kids. You can find a complete recap on their site.

Here are some of the highlights if you couldn’t make it to the class:

When the school year ends, most kids want to use summer vacation for playtime and forget about “learning” for a while. But learning doesn’t need to be about sitting still, reading books and doing homework – interacting in the kitchen can make learning FEEL like playtime.

“We use cooking as a teaching opportunity in many aspects,” acknowledged Stacie, The Divine Miss Mommy.

Ways to incorporate learning into fun kitchen time:

Practice reading and comprehension: Ask your child to read the recipe and help you follow it to prepare the dish.

Practice math skills: All recipes use basic math like counting, measuring and following step-by-step instructions.

“I love teaching my daughter about measuring since they are covering that in school. It kind of sticks in your head easier when you understand 1/4 or 1/2 cup, etc,” said Tammy, Tammy’s Two Cents.

“Even my 2-year-old can work on her counting! ‘We need 2 cups of flour…’” added Jessie, Vanderbilt Wife.

Kids can start helping in the kitchen from a very young age – it’s just about assigning age-appropriate tasks.

Toddlers can help by snapping green beans in half, tearing up lettuce or helping you mix batter by hand. Grade-school kids can begin measuring dry and liquid ingredients, cracking eggs, juicing lemons, etc. Work out a progression of skills in the kitchen as your children grow.

“Fruit kabobs, veggie kabobs are great for little hands to assemble, or a good teriyaki chicken kabob can be assembled by the older kids,” noted Vanessa, The Sew*er, The Caker, The Copycat-Maker.

“My toddler loves dumping things into a mixing bowl (coordination!), counting, stirring, placing items (like on a pizza),” suggested Jessica, Vanderbilt Wife.

Jenna, A Mom’s Balancing Act, added, “My 3 year old loves helping wash the vegetables.”

And rounding out the toddler skill set, “When my youngest was two, she could set the table, hand us utensils and we even let her stir. She loved it!” said Stacie, The Divine Miss Mommy.

Going beyond quality time and healthier eating, there are a whole host of benefits to cooking with your kids, and you can find many of them in this article from Web MD: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/cooking-with-your-children

Additional tips for cooking with kids (shared by Jessica, Vanderbilt Wife): http://onceamonthmom.com/top-ten-tuesday-cooking-with-kids/

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I would definitely encourage you to attend one of the cooking classes at The Motherhood if you’re ever able. I always enjoy chatting about food, everyone gives great suggestions, and the sponsors chip up some fun prizes! There aren’t any scheduled right now that I can tell, but keep a lookout.

The Motherhood chat was sponsored by ConAgra, and I was compensated for my time.
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Some Kitchen Fun

Posted on June 13, 2011 by vanderbiltwife

When I told you I was taking a monthlong break … I kind of forgot about a few things I had promised to do. Oops!

First, I was lucky enough to participate in the Secret Recipe Club at Amanda’s Cookin’ this month! It’s a fun swap where you are assigned a blogger and make a recipe from his or her site. Someone else will make a recipe from my site, too! But none of us know who’s been assigned to our site.

I made a recipe from Itzy’s Kitchen. Erica is eight months pregnant and still teaching fitness classes. So, yeah, we’re so much alike! (Ahem.) She seems like a sweet girl, though, and her recipes are healthful and good for those watching their waistlines.

I want to involve Libbie in cooking one day, so I decided to see what I could find on Itzy’s Kitchen. When I saw Chocolate Coconut Oat Granola Bars, I knew they would be perfect for cooking with a toddler. Why? One bowl. Lots of ingredients for Libbie to dump in. Plus, granola bars are pretty much her favorite food on the planet.

I made a few adaptations to the recipe to just use what I had on hand—which Erica recommended, anyway! Here’s what I did to the recipe.

Chocolate Coconut Oat Bars

Yield: about 14 bars

Serving Size: 1 bar

Chocolate Coconut Oat Bars

Adapted from Itzy's Kitchen

Ingredients

1.5 cups oats
.5 cup unsweetened coconut
.75 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
.5 cup packed brown sugar
.5 tsp cinnamon
.25 cup raisins/craisins (I used a mixture)
.5 cup chocolate chips (I used chopped-up baking chocolate, because that’s what I had)
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 eggs

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all dry ingredients well; then add in oil and eggs. Stir until combined.

Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or grease with butter. Press mixture into the bottom. Bake 20-25 minutes on 350 until firm.

Let cool completely in pan, then cut into bars. I used a brownie pan (11×7, I think) and it made 14 bars.

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And hey, speaking of cooking with kids …

On Wednesday, I’m co-hosting a chat about cooking with your kids during summer over at the Motherhood. It’s called “Reddi” for Fun Summer, and we’ll chat about making cooking fun and educational for your kids, swap summer menu ideas, and brainstorm some yummy desserts.

Click on that link and join us for the chat Wednesday, June 15, at 1 p.m. Eastern time.

The Motherhood chat is sponsored by ConAgra, and I will be compensated for my time.

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Sometimes You Feel Like Breakfast, Sometimes You Don’t

Posted on April 26, 2011 by vanderbiltwife

Congratulations to the $10 PayPal winner, thight!

Or is that just my problem?

I’ve never been a big breakfast eater. Except for those times my dad made us breakfast so we could be smart for tests or big days at school, I rarely ate much, if anything, before I headed out the door to classes.

Then I graduated college, got married, and got a job I had to be at by 7:30 a.m. I soon realized that if I didn’t eat breakfast, I would be gnawing my arm off by 9 o’clock. And if I didn’t eat the right things, arm-gnawing would commence as well.

A white bagel with jelly might get me two hours before I was starving again. A homemade breakfast burrito on a whole-wheat tortilla? I wasn’t even hungry at 11 o’clock, my usual lunchtime. Behold the power of protein and fiber!

Last week I was asked to help co-host a chat at The Motherhood about having a healthy breakfast. That link will take you to a recap of the chat, and here are some of the highlights I’ve gleaned for you:

Think outside the breakfast box. There’s no reason you can’t serve your kids half a turkey sandwich for breakfast if that is what they will eat. Christine shared that her son has an egg allergy and looking to other sources for breakfast protein will work for their family. Libbie often asks for peanut butter and jelly for breakfast, and as long as it’s on whole wheat I don’t see a reason not to oblige. (We also use natural peanut butter and simply fruit-type jams.)
Concentrate on dietary fiber, calcium, vitamin D, and potassium. These are the four nutrients Americans are likely not getting enough of, according to the new Dietary Guidelines. Great sources of fiber can be fruit with skin, flaxseed, beans and legumes, and vegetables. Sneaking veggies and flaxseed into your food can be fun! My Chock Full of Healthy Muffins have apple, carrot, flaxseed meal, AND oat bran. What a way to stuff some fiber in your face early in the morning!
You NEED breakfast. It helps refuel your body after a night’s sleep, kick-starts your metabolism for the day, and should supply about 20% of your dietary needs each day.
Make breakfast convenient. You know I am all about freezer cooking, and there is always something for breakfast in our freezer. Muffins, pancakes, waffles, breakfast burritos, egg cups … they all freeze well. Lately we’ve enjoyed having baked oatmeal for breakfast, too; one batch can last Libbie and me a workweek.

Are you a breakfast person? Leave me a comment telling me what you had for breakfast this morning and I will pick one commenter to win $10 (given through PayPal) that you can use to buy ingredients to make your favorite breakfast!

I thought outside the breakfast box this morning and had leftover ham and scalloped corn from Easter, as well as an apple.

Rules: You must either have your e-mail linked to your Blogger account or provide your email in your comment. I will pick a winner on Friday, April 29. You will need to be able to receive funds via PayPal to win.

The Motherhood chat is sponsored by Kellogg’s, and I will be compensated for my time and efforts.

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Whole Wheat Banana Bread Muffins & A Breakfast Chat!

Posted on April 18, 2011 by vanderbiltwife

Do you have as much trouble with breakfast as I do?

Usually in the mornings I am trying to check my e-mail, nurse the baby, feed Libbie, get us all dressed, and maybe manage some coffee. (Reheated! No time to make fresh!) A lot of days it gets to be 10 a.m. and I haven’t actually eaten anything myself.

I was excited when The Motherhood asked me to help facilitate their chat on healthy breakfast options! I love breakfast food and I am interested in what everyone has to say. Maybe I’ll learn something about how to eat breakfast before it’s lunchtime. Here is their blurb on the chat:

Join Sarah Woodside, registered dietitian for Kellogg, and Liz Ward, registered dietitian, author and one of the Kellogg’s Breakfast Council members, to discuss the nutrients a good breakfast should provide, options for healthy breakfasts on the go, recent research findings on nutrition, and more. Sarah and Liz will speak to us via live streaming video, while we chat and ask questions through a real-time, text-based conversation.

I’ve participated in several of the chats at The Motherhood and have found them to be a wealth of knowledge and a lot of fun conversation. (Check out the synopsis on “Creating an Efficient Kitchen”!) I hope you’ll join me this Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at 11 a.m. Eastern time to watch the video and chat.

Meanwhile, you can start working on healthy breakfasts with this recipe I’ve been tweaking. I’m still not convinced that it’s perfect, but this recipe for Banana Bread Muffins has been healthified and has the VW stamp of approval.

Whole Wheat Banana Bread Muffins

2 bananas
1/3 cup coconut oil or melted butter
1 egg
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar or sucanat
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups whole wheat flour (preferably white whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour)
1 T baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 T flaxseed meal
12 walnut halves

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease 12 muffins cups or use paper liners.

Cream bananas, oil/butter, egg, honey, sugar, and vanilla with a mixer or a wooden spoon. Add buttermilk, then dry ingredients (all remaining except walnuts). Stir until combined.

Spoon into muffin tins. Press a walnut half into the middle of each muffin.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Makes about 12 muffins.

These muffins are definitely “lightly sweet,” not commercial-bakery-muffin-sugarfest. If you like a more cupcake-like muffin, you can add a powdered-sugar glaze or more sugar into the batter.

The Motherhood chat is sponsored by Kellogg’s, and I will be compensated for my time and efforts.