Healthy Homemade Granola

This fabulous recipe for Healthy Homemade Granola comes to you from my new friend Sara D. This batch has almonds, dried apples, and dried cranberries. Doesn't it look absolutely scrumptious?

Healthy Homemade Granola

Dry Ingredients:

6 cups rolled oats (you can also use a combination of rolled grains)

2 cups of raw almonds and/or walnuts (or other nuts)

½ cup ground flax seed

½ cup wheat germ

Optional: ½ cup unsweetened coconut,½ cup dried fruit (add after cooked) –date pieces, cranberries, cherries, apricots, mango

Wet Ingredients & seasonings:

2 individual cup unsweetened applesauce (about 1 cup total)

1/3 cup honey or maple syrup

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 Tablespoon ground ginger½ tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients together, and then stir into dry ingredients. Stir well to mix thoroughly.

Spread the mixture into two baking dishes. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until evenly golden brown. Stir every 10 – 15 minutes to ensure even browning.

If you use fruit, stir once it is cooled. Store in airtight container.

Recipe and Photos courtesy of Sara D.

Eleven Shoes {Giveaway}

With Autmn's arrival and Winter at our doorstep, I find that I am all about the shoes and boots right now! With 4 active little ones and a background in physical therapy, I am always on the lookout for quality footwear that will provide an optimal fit for developing feet and stand up to the wear and tear my munchkins are sure to heap on them.

Enter The Mom Reviews. I've been following this wonderful little blog for a while now and must say that she has some of the best little giveaways! Stop by now for your chance to win a pair of shoes from Eleven Collection for your little cutie. My favs are the Finn (pictured above) and the Julian Boot...just too cute! Don't delay...the giveaway ends 10/12. Good luck!

Photo courtesty of the Eleven Collection.

Yummy Nummy Dinner!

Thanks to Danielle of "Brown Eyed Gal" for spotlighting this super yummy recipe from Food Network Magazine. Comfort food at its best!

Photo by Antonis Achilleos, courtesy of Food Network Magazine

Ingredients:
1 small red onion, halved
1 1/2 pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1 to 2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Kosher salt
Pinch of sugar
8 corn tortillas
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella and/or Monterey Jack cheese
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
3/4 cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese


Directions
Preheat the broiler. Slice half of the onion into thin rings and set aside. Place the other onion half, tomatillos and serranos on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until the vegetables are soft and slightly brown, 7 to 10 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer the vegetables and any liquid to a blender, add the broth and puree. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the sugar.
Meanwhile, stack the tortillas, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave just until warm and soft, 1 minute; keep covered. Toss the chicken with 2 cups shredded cheese in a bowl. Spoon a portion of the chicken mixture down the middle of each tortilla. Add a few cilantro leaves and roll up. Place the enchiladas side by side in a lightly oiled 9-by-13-inch baking dish and brush with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Broil until crisp and golden, 3 minutes.
Pour the tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Return to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with the onion rings, queso fresco and any remaining cilantro.

Per serving: Calories 626; Fat 32 g (Saturated 13 g); Cholesterol 98 mg;
Sodium 1,056 mg; Carbohydrate 46 g; Fiber 6 g; Protein 47 g

Happy Birthday!

Whew! After a weekend full of celebrating and outdoor fun, I finally have a chance to say "Happy Second Birthday!" to my little Micah Moo!! What a sweetie :)

Baby's Bliss {Review & Giveaway}

Forever in search of all-natural products for my household, I was thrilled when I was approached by Baby's Bliss to do a review of their Nipple Cream for MommiesTM. Designed to soothe and moisturize irritated and sore nipples, this all-natural cream is made with calendula, avocado, and shea butter, all of which are known to have wonderful healing and anti-inflammatory properties.

As the mama of a 6 month old who recently sprouted all of her front 4 teeth (top and bottom!), I can attest to the soothing properties of this particular blend. My little Ellie-Bean has always had a good latch and never caused me or my nipples much pain, but with the addition of her new chompers, I've sustained a puncture or two! What I love about Baby's Bliss is that it's both effective and lanolin-free, so I don't need to wash it off between feedings. Plus, it's non-greasy formula doesn't stain or leave my clothes with a sticky residue like many commercial brands.

Win it! 1 lucky winner will receive their very own Nipple Cream for MommiesTM by Baby's Bliss. And to sweeten the pot further, I'm throwing in a pair of reuseable Cloth Nursing Pads from Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby Boutique.

To Enter:

Stop by Baby's Bliss and take a look at their wonderful products, then come back here and leave a comment about your favorite

Extra Entries (please leave a separate comment for each):
1. Become a follower of my blog
2. Blog about this giveaway with links back to this blog and Baby's Bliss (please include the blog address in your comment)
3. No blog? No problem! Tell a friend about this giveaway and cc: me on the email @ contactus at bullfrogsandbutterfliesbabyboutique dot com
4. Add my button to your sidebar

** Please leave your email address with each entry or make sure that it is accessible through your Blogger profile

Winner to be selected using http://www.random.org/ random number generator
Giveaway open to all US Residents
Deadline to Enter: October 10th
GOOD LUCK!

Beibi Shoes {Review & Giveaway}

Beibi is the latest addition to the Wee Squeak lineup of fashionable footwear for wee ones. Unlike the original Wee Squeak line, Beibi shoes do not squeak, but still come in the wide variety of adorable colors and styles for boys and girls we've come to expect from Wee Squeak. Available in sizes 0-24 months, these babies are designed to meet your fashion needs from infancy through the toddler stage.

Recently, I had the opportunity to test a pair of Burke Pink Baby Shoes by Beibi. I was impressed by the quality of the fit of these adorable shoes, as well as the reinforced stitching, a design characteristic I find myself looking for in all children's shoes. The sole is very flexible while still providing the support that little feet need as they venture out to take those first few steps.

Now your little one can have his or her very own pair of Beibi shoes by Wee Squeak. The makers of these yummy little shoes are offering one lucky Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby reader their choice of style and size from the Beibi line!

How To Enter:

Stop by Wee Squeak and take a look at their new Beibi shoes collection, then come back here and leave a comment about your favorite style

Extra Entries (please leave a separate comment for each):

1. Become a follower of my blog

2. Blog about this giveaway with links back to this blog and Wee Squeak (please include the blog address in your comment)

3. No blog? No problem! Tell a friend about this giveaway and cc: me on the email @ contactus at bullfrogsandbutterfliesbabyboutique dot com

4. Add my button to your sidebar

** Please leave your email address with each entry or make sure that it is accessible through your Blogger profile

Winner to be selected using http://www.random.org/ random number generator

Giveaway open to all US Residents

Deadline to Enter: October 7th

GOOD LUCK!

Ellia C. Naturals Giveaway!

Pure. Natural. Luxury. That's the philosophy at Ellia C. Naturals. Specializing in natural bath and body products for the whole family, Ellia C. Naturals takes great pride in using the finest organic, wildharvested, and naturally sustainable ingredients to create incredibly luxurious body care products. And now, it's your chance to try one of their handcrafted, cold-processed artisan soaps for yourself!

The Giveaway: One lucky Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby reader will receive a bar of Ellia C. Naturals "French Connection" shea butter soap. This decadent bar is loaded with skin healing organic shea butter and purifying french green clay. Weighing in at a minimum of 4.5 oz., this treat for the skin makes a wonderful facial bar, as well as a super conditioning shaving bar!

To Enter:

Stop by Bullfrogs & Butterflies and check out the other great cold processed soaps we've added from Ellia C. Naturals. Then, leave a comment letting us know what other nutrient-rich bar you would like to try.

Extra Entries (please leave a separate comment for each):

1. Follow our blog

2. Add our button to your sidebar

3. Blog about this giveaway with a link back to Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby

4. No blog? No problem! Send an email to a friend telling him/her about our giveaway and cc: me at contactus(at)bullfrogsandbutterfliesbabyboutique(dot)com.

** Please leave your email address with each entry or make sure that it is accessible through your Blogger profile

Winner to be selected using http://www.random.org/

Giveaway open to all US Residents

Deadline to Enter: October 3rd

GOOD LUCK!

And the Winner Is...

Picture provided by When & Where Invites

...Our Family with the comment "I subscribe". Congratulations on winning the fabulous prize from When & Where Invites! Enjoy shopping :)

Autumn is Almost Here!

September 22nd is officially the first day of Autumn. Stop by Bullfrogs & Butterflies now to get in on our End of Summer Sale goodies while they last!

Super Surfing Finds!

It's amazing how many wonderful stores you can visit in the comfort of your own home thanks to the web. No more tired, aching feet from the too-cute shoes you just had to wear out on your shopping excursion. No more overflowing vehicle from all the goodies you found. No more huge gas consumption from all of the fabulous stores you just had to go to across town!

In my shopping travels across the web the past few days, I've come across 2 great finds that are worth sharing. The first is http://www.allchildrensfurniture.com/. I'm in love with this site! They have everything you need to outfit your little one's room from major furniture pieces to fashionable room decor. In the next couple of weeks, I'll be doing a review of one of their wonderful items as I undertake a "Mudroom Makeover" in my home...part of my Back-to-School organization efforts in the new house :)

The second site is http://www.csnbunkbeds.com/. Since my older fellas are sharing a room this go 'round, we've been considering bunk beds to conserve on space and provide a larger play/reading area in their room. Who knew there were so many fabulous options for bunk beds? If you find yourself in need of an online shopping excursion, these are 2 great stops to add to your journey!
* Photo courtesy of CSN Bunk Beds

A Fabulous Prize!

* Image provided by Jump Start

I just received my winnings from a fabulous giveaway by Jump Start and I am stoked! My kindergartner and preschooler will now get to try their hands at Pet Rescue, the latest installment in the video learning game world.

Mind you, I am not a supporter of video games in general played for hours on end (not judging anyone who is, I just think there are many other activities that I can engage my kids in that stretch their imaginations so much more). However, I must say that I have been impressed with our limited selection of Leapster 2 learning games and the Wii Sports that we got for the boys to provide indoor "exercise"/fun on inclement days. And now I am excited to add Pet Rescue to their collection.

This adventure contains 5 discovery worlds where kids navigate through stories in search of lost pets. Each discovery world contains a guided story that leads them on a learning adventure through more than 70 learning lessons and activities that teach over 75 essential skills. As kids progress through the adventures, they improve their pre-reading skills, memory, creativity, motor skills, listening and much more. Thank you Jump Start for offering such a fabulous giveaway!

Get Your GLOW On!

Just in time for Halloween, these cuties are perfect for dressing up that special costume or just having some fun in the dark! All Glow Bugs designs have unique glow-in-the-dark eyes and are crafted using non-toxic paint. Get yours HERE, but don't delay...these babies are only available until October 15th and can take up to 2 weeks for delivery (due to high demand).

Check Out What's New!

Bullfrogs & Butterflies is pleased to be the exclusive distributor of Ellia C. Naturals bath and body products. Come join us as we debute their fabulous line of shea butter and goat milk cold processed soaps!

Crafted by hand in small batches to ensure quality and freshness, these bars are made from the highest quality natural, organic, wild-harvested, and sustainable ingredients. There's no skimpin' on the good stuff here...these babies are loaded with Nature's own goodness to provide you with a luxurious bathing experience!

We'll debute more fabulous products from this wonderful line in the weeks to come, including goodies for Mama & Baby, so be sure to check back!

End of Summer SALE!

Stop by Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby Boutique today for some fabulous goodies!

Breast Cancer Awareness Week

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month may be October, but the lovely ladies over at Mammalicious Finds are giving it a jump start by hosting their own Breast Cancer Awareness Week from August 31st to September 4th. Be sure to stop by to show your support, get access to some valuable information links, and get in on some fabulous giveaways. Check out all of the action HERE.