Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 362

Summer Shrimp Zoodle Bowls.

Hello hello! In the heat of the summer we’re needing something fresh to cool off, I’m sure of it.

This is everything I want to be eating right now, except for ice cream sandwiches. You know. I didn’t think I should put an ice cream sandwich on top of zucchini noodles with shrimp, but I’m sure weirder things have been done in pregnancy. Maybe? Last time I was pregnant, I thought that mac and cheese crostini was an EXCELLENT idea.

I didn’t follow through. Thankfully.

But this! Not weird at all. Summer shrimp zoodle bowls full of all the summer harvest veggies. BROWN BUTTER SHRIMP. More flavor than all the things!

Look at these beautiful curly cues! I mean, still to this day, the spiralizer saaaaves me when it comes to veggies. It makes me want to consume the green things. It makes me look FORWARD to consuming them.

So first thing! A bunch of you ask me often how I keep my zucchini from being watery. Years ago (like in the first few weeks of my blog) when I made a stuffed zucchini recipe, I was taught to salt the zucchini and let it hang out on a towel for a while to draw out some of the moisture. I’ve done this with my zoodles and it seems to work too. Right before writing this I googled if that was even a thing and apparently it is! Woohoo!

So if you lightly salt the zoodles and press them in between some towels, after a few minutes they will release some of the water.

I like to sauté my zoodles in a bit of olive oil and garlic for extra flavor, but the key is that I still like them to be somewhat crunchy too. As long as I don’t ACT like they are pasta noodles, I love them. I like eating them with some texture and crunch, you know?

I AM THE TEXTURE QUEEN.

I neeeeeeeeed it.

That sentence above is a running joke in our house because Max runs around shouting that he “neeeeeds” things. Which he probably learned from me when he was trying to take my notebook or pen or something and I’m like “oh no buddy! I need that at the moment!”

What else what else! There are all sorts of summery things on this bowl. We have our zoodles topped with brown butter shrimp that is divine. DIVINE! And I’ve been weird about shrimp since I was pregnant with Max so if I’m loving it, you will love it.

Summer tomatoes because they are about to be the best of the season! Slice ‘em and season ‘em and try not to eat them all.

Grilled corn because hello it’s July and do I EVER share things without grilled corn in July? I think not.

And blistered shishito peppers! So much freaking flavor here, I can hardly stand it.

Oh oh oh! And some marinated fresh mozzarella. Can’t forget it. I also cannot do anything without cheese, in case you haven’t noticed. I’m sure you haven’t.

Lots of herbs, because I managed not to kill anything in my garden aside from one bunch of tomatoes that I accidentally snapped from the stem. Bah.

Nothing else, besides all of my freakout excitement in eating a big bowl like this that tastes amazing and is actually good for me. That’s real life.

Summer Shrimp Zoodle Bowls

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 zucchini squash, spiralized
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves
8 to 10 shishito peppers
2 ears of sweet corn, grilled or charred (or even leftover from dinner a night before!)
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or sliced, sprinkled with salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella balls
2 tablespoons fresh basil
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
salt and pepper to taste

shrimp

1 pound raw peeled and deveined shrimp (I like the larger grilling shrimp)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed



Directions:

Start by spiralizing the zucchini and hitting it all with a pinch of salt. Place it on a towel and spread it out, allowing it to sit and release moisture for a few minutes. Press another towel on top of it to soak up some of the water.

At this point, you can grilled the corn and prep the shishito peppers! If you don't want to turn on your grill, you can heat the broiler in your oven and place the corn and peppers on a baking sheet. Stick them under the broil as close as you can, watching the entire time, and rotate as they both char and get golden. Remove from the oven (or grill!) and let these things cool. Slice the corn from the cob.

I start the shrimp below, then set it aside on a plate. You can toss the zucchini noodles in the skillet that you used for the shrimp (which is DELISH!) or you can use a new skillet with a bit of olive oil and garlic. I toss the noodles over medium heat for a few minutes until they are just barely cooked. Taste one and determine if you need some salt and pepper to taste. Place the zoodles in one large bowl or a few separate bowls. Build the rest of your bowl, adding on the tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, grilled corn and peppers. Add a few herbs over top and you're good to go!

shrimp

Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Once it's dry, season it with the salt, pepper, paprika and cumin. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. Once it's melted and begins to sizzle, add the shrimp in batches (don't overcrowd it!) and cook on both sides until pink. The butter will brown as the shrimp cooks and you can whisk it occasionally to prevent it from burning. When the shrimp is finished, stir in the garlic (I stir a little in each batch of the shrimp) and cook for a second then place the shrimp on a plate. Repeat with remaining shrimp!

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!

And it has all these bright colors too, so obviously!

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Tuesday Things.

1. I’m officially in loooove with the Trader Joe’s coconut cold brew! In fact, it’s like 11:30 at night right now and I wish I could have some. On another note, the basil, burrata and sweet corn ravioli I got from TJ’s was super… gross. I was so unimpressed. Ugh. Need to recreate it and make it better!

2. This raspberry arugula salad is basically the prettiest thing I’ve ever seem.

3. All of a sudden I really want to start burning fall candles. Ugh, hate myself. I don’t want it to be fall, but I want some apple cider in my kitchen like whoa.

4. Last week I tried one of sunscreen face mists and it was the worst decision of my life. Even though I closed my eyes and used one or two sprays, it ran into my eyes all day long and I was the most miserable person on earth. Have you tried one you love? 

5. Okay I have a new show that I’m about to binge on: Younger! I never hear any of you talk about it sooo… have you watched it?! And yes, Eddie watches Game of Thrones but I just caaaan’t get into it. Except for Ed Sheeran’s part, bahaha. I watched with with him but… meh. Worst taste in the universe, right?

6. I’m curious: do you believe in writer’s block? I’ve read a lot of great things lately from popular authors who don’t believe in it. And based on myself, I don’t think I believe in it either. I know I procrastinate and get lazy and that keeps me from writing – generally not having enough discipline at times is what makes me “think” I have writer’s block, but it’s totally an excuse.

7. Yesterday I saw that the crying/laughing face (tears of joy) was the most popular emoji. It’s probably the one I use the most too. What is yours?!

8. Your response to our huge announcement yesterday was so incredible and made me so happy! THANK YOU so, so much! You make my life.

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HUGE NEWS! Introducing Sweet Peas Meals!

HAPPY MONDAY!

You GUYS.  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So many exclamation points are necessary here.

I am so excited to tell you all about a huge project that I’ve been working on for the last year… Sweet Peas Meals!

Maria and I have joined together to start a meal planning subscription service after hearing what you’ve been saying about weekly dinners, cooking the same thing over and over and not being inspired to cook balanced, delicious meals. The thing is: I TOTALLY GET THAT.

I get in ruts myself, making the same thing over and over. And I develop new recipes every week!

I am always on the lookout for new dinner ideas, easy snack ideas, heck – even lunch ideas!

Now that I have Max, I don’t WANT to spend an hour or two cooking dinner every night because I want to spend time with Eddie and him instead.

And I certainly, in no way, shape or form, can or want to spend hours meal prepping on Sundays. Talk about ruining the weekend.

That’s exactly what Sweet Peas is all about and why we wanted to start it. It’s totally for you if:

You want to cook fantastic meals throughout the week but don’t know where or how to start, and don’t want to spend hours doing it.
You already cook, but find yourself making the same things over and over and… over.
You buy a ton of groceries every week with good intentions to make incredible meals, but end up tossing a lot of it, unused, at the end of the week. I get this. My crisper drawer is occasionally where veggies go to die.
You are familiar with cooking but love having tons of IDEAS for new meals.
You don’t want spend three, four or even two (!!) hours doing meal prep each week.
You can’t figure out how many meals to make a week for your family and what the heck to do with leftovers or remaining ingredients.

We have put together an entire system to make meal planning FUN and EASY! While the main idea of our program is to serve your family (or yourself!) delicious, balanced dinners during the week, Sweet Peas is SO much more than that.

While Maria and I first came up with Sweet Peas last year, the whole program has been spearheaded by Jess, our content manager, who is absolutely amazing and has worked so hard to get our ducks in a row! The best part about the team of Sweet Peas is that we have three different lifestyles: Maria has a family of 4 and eats a vegetarian diet, I have a family of 3 and eat an “everything” diet, and Jess has a family of 2. We’ve spent countless hours coming up with a plan that works for all of us, where a few adaptations may be made.

And it gets better!

We offer a slew of optional breakfast and lunch ideas, if you’re into that sort of thing. We give you a super detailed shopping list that makes your time in the grocery store insanely efficient. We share a huge resource packet when you sign up – all of our favorite pantry staples and what not. New snack ideas each month that are easy and doable. The meal prep tips and tricks to do one day a week for an hour or less to make your life EASIER. Yes yes yes. And just exactly how to repurpose and use the ingredients you have in your fridge for the week. We share fun challenges too, along with brand new content each week in our newsletter.

Perhaps my most favorite part? An entertaining guide for holidays – and no, I don’t just mean Christmas. Our first one will go out with the August plan and give you all sorts of fun ideas for an end-of-summer Labor Day blast. PARTAY.

It is basically a DREAM.

I’d love if you’d head over to the Sweet Peas Meals site and check everything out – along with the three-day sample guide. You can follow us on instagram and facebook too! We have poured our heart and soul into this idea and we want to hear from you too. You can register for the plan over there where you’ll become a member of the Sweet Peas Community and your first program will go out next week, just in time for August 1st.

And if you have any questions, feel free to leave them below!

The post HUGE NEWS! Introducing Sweet Peas Meals! appeared first on How Sweet It Is.

Weekend Snapshots.

Can I just talk about how amazing our weekend was? Max had his first funnel cake (um, he pretty much just ate the powdered sugar) and my mom and I went to the James Taylor concert. It was soooooo good. This was my sixth time seeing him in concert, Bonnie Raitt opened up for him and I am amazed that at almost 70 years old they both can still jump around the stage. We ate at Vallozzis beforehand (because we’re always obsessed – they have the best arancini I’ve ever had) and I’m totally going to recreate that watermelon thing down there, trust me.

And today, we swam with our little fish all day! Best kind of weekend to remind you what really matters. 

p.s. I got this NEON ted baker bag at the nordstrom sale! I am in love with it.

This is how we celebrated national ice cream day, which was devoured by Max before we could have any.

Hope you had a great one!

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Currently Crushing On.

Hey hey and happy weekend! Um, can we just say that this is the best weekend ever because I’m going to the James Taylor concert?! Yesss. Cannot wait! Other than that we are just hanging out and soaking up all of summer that we can.

The other day I shared my favorites for the Nordstrom anniversary sale – along with the reasons WHY I love the stuff. My mom, aunt, cousin and I love to do long shopping days (we’ve done them since I was Max’s age, with my grandma!) and Max is the best trooper. We were at Nordstrom for close to eight hours on Thursday and he loves it! I found so many things from the sale that I loooove.

P.S. Also shared a baby #2 update late last night over on the baby page! It includes a few favorites too. Wild Friday night over here.

Stay tuned for a super huge and fun announcement next week. Eeeep! What are you guys up to this weekend? I hope you have a great one!

Allll of my favorites this week:

craving this corn, tomato and burrata pizza like whoa.

rediscovering my wild. i totally get this and LOVE it.

this is the most amazing balloon party i’ve ever seen.

honey lemon ricotta ice cream! give me allll the ricotta.

someone please deliver marshmallow crunch brownie bars.

this pan-seared citrus shrimp is incredible.

helllllo spicy watermelon sangria! YES.

minted baba ghanoush that looks super creamy and wonderful.

loving this fresh black bean salad.

ginger miso noodles – i need!

these smoky lentil tacos sound so good.

summer butter lettuce salad is everything i want to eat.

strawberry raspberry rosé slushies for all!

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Avocado Chocolate Mousse with Summer Fruit.

I’ve got your weekend treat!

Avocado chocolate mousse! More like avocado chocolate pudding. Piled high with fresh summer fruit that I am losing my mind over right now. I’m about to turn into a berry any minute now. For real.

Chocolate avocado pudding isn’t anything new around here. I used to eat some every single day, in fact! It is just SO good, and I’m of the belief that it DOESN’T taste anything like avocados. Now I know there are some avocado haters out there that say they can still taste it, so I might not be the best judge.

But! I go to great lengths to take away the avocado flavor, adding both melted dark chocolate unsweetened cocoa powder. And honey! Ooooooh it’s a dream. And salt. Even better.

This is my current favorite dessert at the moment. If you read my Tuesday Things then you probably know that I haven’t been into dessert at all yet this pregnancy. It was sort of the same with Max, maybe until I hit 34ish weeks. I want cold and creamy things but don’t want things that are unreasonably rich and sweet. Which is why I think I’m majorly into fruit desserts this summer.

Can we even COUNT the number of cobblers I have made since June? I think not. It’s a BUNCH.

But this avocado pudding, while being satisfying and seemingly indulgent, hits the spot for me. It’s not TOO sweet (it’s however sweet you want to make it, really), and when it’s cut with a little bit of unsweetened coconut whipped cream and topped with lots of summer fruit?

I’m so into it.

ALSO.

I adore this idea for a party or cocktail hour – in little shot glasses or cups. It’s perfect! Best dessert ever.

So the thing is that while I’d definitely consider this a dessert, back in the day I’d make a small serving and have it in the afternoons to take away that sweets craving that hits around 3PM. I could even eat it and still go to yoga a few hours later without feeling like I actually ATE dessert, you know?

I haven’t regularly made this in the daytime since Max was born, but since he loves it so much, I’m going to do it as a once-a-week treat or something.

You can make and serve it anyway you’d like it too – coconut cream on the bottom or the top, whatever fruit you have on hand, all that jazz. Or just the deeeelish chocolate fluff. Make it your own!

Annnnd now we can all get on with our weekend in the most chocolate-y way.

Avocado Chocolate Mousse with Summer Fruit

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

4 ripe avocados
1/4 cup coconut milk
4 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder
3 tablespoons honey (or more or less to sweeten)
2 ounces of dark chocolate (72% or higher), melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
coconut whipped cream, for layering or topping
chopped strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries and peaches
fresh mint for garnish



Directions:

Remove avocados from the skin (and pit) and place in a food processor. Blend until combined and creamy.

Add in the milk, cocoa, honey, chocolate, vanilla and salt, blending until pureed, scraping down the sides when needed to combine. Taste and season/sweetened additionally if desired. Blend for a good 1 to 2 minutes until completely creamy.

You can serve this anyway you'd like: plain, or topped with coconut whipped cream - or layered with it! I like to sliced up the berries and fruit and throw it on top, then add a few fresh mint leaves.

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!

P.S. we can definitely play on this whole healthy fats thing too, right?

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My Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Favorites! (Beauty, Womens, Baby/Kids & Home!)

Hi hi! I’m doing an extra mid-month favorites post today in honor of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I didn’t really care about this sale up until two years ago, when I got some amazing things that remain my favorites to this day! (I’m looking at you Blank NYC jackets, Zella leggings, Barefoot Dreams, etc.) The last two years, I’ve also got almost all of Max’s shoes for the next year (because of course I want the neon Nikes) on sale and a few other fall things. I love that this is all fall clothing, even though it can be hard to get in fall mode in the middle of summer

But! SO many of these end up being my favorites throughout the year, so I wanted to share. I was even more excited when I woke up this morning because there were a lot of things that weren’t in the catalog. I wrote out exactly why I like these things so it’s not just a shopping post. Lots of notes below! I may even update this as the days go on.

This is in no way sponsored and I’m not affiliated with Nordstrom at all, but there are general affiliate links below! I shared my favorite clothing items for me, things for Max and babies in general, some home products (HELLO CANDLES) and all the beauty things I’m freaking over. Early access for the sale starts today, but it goes until the beginning of August. Since I have a few requests to do a post for this sale, I wanted to get it up now in case you’re shopping early. Woohoo!

CLOTHING



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Halogen Cashmere Wrap. I am the only person ever to not own a cashmere wrap! I’m getting one this sale and might even get one as a gift.

Halogen No Closure Blazer. Absolutely loving this blazer. It looks like one that I got from Nordstrom Rack four years ago and live in every fall and winter. Definitely grabbing one.

Zella Live In High Waist Leggings. Love love love these leggings. For working out or living in! They are really comparable to the LuLulemon Wunder Unders.

Spanx Faux Leather Leggings. Don’t let the name sway you! I had a pair of these last year, put them in my favorites a few times and I LOVED them. Super soft and stretchy.

Alo Airbrush High Waist Legging. I love the detail on these leggings too! And high waisted forever please.

Barefoot Dreams Circle Cardigan. I have a Barefoot Dreams robe and it’s the softest thing ever. Grabbing one of these too because they feel like heaven. I’ve always resisted because I don’t know how often I’d wear, but I figure with the new baby coming, it will be the most comfortable thing.

Blank NYC Moto Jacket. AHHH! So excited that these are in the sale. I have two from last year and they are one of my most favorite things ever. I think it’s amazing that they actually have a black one on sale!

Blank NYC Blush Leather Jacket. Another one too, in freaking blush! I already have a similar one to the one above in a blush color, but absolutely loooove this one.

Nordstrom Lingerie Pajamas. These are SO ridiculously soft. I got a pair last year and love hanging out in them in the winter, so I definitely want another pair for when I have the baby!

Two Way Camisole. My mom and I love these. She’s actually had a few for years and never stops talking about them. One side is v-neck and the other is scoop.

Rebecca Taylor Faux Leather Skirt. I am dyyying over this skirt. Not something I could wear now when I’m pregnant (and I don’t want to get a bigger size just for that at this price), but I might bite the bullet and get it for the winter.

Tahari Wool Blend Coat. I cannot even HANDLE this blue color! I love it so much. Also, most of my coats are Tahari. I’ve worn some since I was in college and they are still in great condition ten years later. I love this brand so much.

There are a TON of jeans that I have my eye one, but at 6+ months pregnant I don’t want to spend on jeans at the moment since I won’t be able to wear them for a few more months and then who knows how my body will be. Are there any you are loving?! Would love to know which brands and which styles.

SHOES & BAGS



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Rag and Bone Margot Bootie. Rag and Bone booties are some of the most comfortable and hold up SO well.

Dolce Vita Studded Sandal. Dolce Vita is probably my favorite shoe brand. I love everything they made AND they are comfy. These are super cute and I really like ’em in gray.

Vince Camuto Split Shaft Bootie. I’ve wanted one of these since last year and am so excited to get it! I just don’t know which color I want…

Vince Camuto Francia Bootie. I also LOVE this bootie and the block heel. I don’t need both pairs but love this one as much as the above. Plus, all the Vince Camuto shoes I have are so comfortable.

Kendra Scott Pendant Necklace. If you’ve followed along with my favorites over the last few years, you know this Kendra Scott necklace is a huge fave! I have it in a few colors and buy it for gifts all the time.

Bauble Bar Pinata Statement Earrings. I l=have loved Bauble Bar for years and think these are the cutest!

All Saints Crossbody Tote. I’m skipping out on buying a larger bag this year because I’m super into a new backpack I got that doubles as a diaper bag and with kids, I just know I don’t need another kind of bag at this stage in my life. But I LOVE this bag and the light slate blue color.

Madewell Transport Leather Tote. I’m also a HUUUUGE fan of the Madewell tote and still use mine daily (it basically doubles in my car as a catchall for things I need for Max) even though it’s a burgundy shade. I love these bags so much.

Ted Baker Neon Tote. I’m never going to turn down anything Ted Baker because HELLO bright florals and neon.

BEAUTY



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Keihls Creme de Corps. This is an awesome lotion that I used for years – and it smells incredible. I’m going to grab one of these big bottles for our master bath.

Jo Malone Cologne Set. You know I adore all things Jo Malone! If there is a scent in here I don’t care for, I’ll use it as a gift. But a lot of my loves are in here (wood sage & sea salt, grapefruit, dark amber & ginger lily!)

Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon Set. This was my GO-TO scent last fall and winter and I like even more than the original black. If you love warm, amber, musky cologne-like scents, you’ll love it.

Supergoop Sunscreen Mist. This is a pretty great price for three of these mists. I use Supergoop as my sunscreen and it’s great.

Supergoop Hand Cream Set. This was just in my favorites last month! I use this religiously because I am so obsessed with using sunscreen on my hands, and this is the best one I found that doesn’t FEEL like sunscreen. I keep one at my kitchen sink.

Slip Silk Pillowcase Duo. SO! This has been in my cart in the last two years and I’ve never ended up buying it. I really want one to prevent hair breakage and am thinking this is the year. My cousin and I are going to split this package since we both don’t need two.

Exfolikate. This is a GIANT bottle and I used this only once or twice a week like clockwork. I keep it in my shower and use it in there. It’s also super gentle on my dry skin. This will last FOREVER.

Jouer Liquid Lipstick Duo. I’m considering grabbing these because everything in my favorites last month was Jouer! I LOVE the lip toppers I bought. And these colors look right up my alley.

SKII Trio. So I have wanted to try the SKII essence FOREVER. I’ve bought the masks during the Sephora VIB sale and I love them – they are a serious splurge though. I’m considering jumping all in to this trio so I can test it out.

Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Lipstick Set. I really LOVE the lipstick in this set and have it in a few shades. Love the pencil too!

Charlotte Tilbury Bronze and Blush Glow Set. Kicked myself last year for not getting this. I’ve seen so many good reviews on it!

Fresh Sugar Lip Set. This has my favorite lip balm of all time, the Advanced Therapy! I also really like this color too.

HOME



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Diptique Candle Set. This is the only time I buy these candles since they are ridiculously expensive. Love using them for gifts.

Nest Reed Diffusers. I always talk about these come holiday time, but they are my favorite reed diffusers and I have them in every bathroom. I’ve never smelled the bamboo scent, but I love the grapefruit.

Voluspa Candle Set. Also ADORE Voluspa candles! These make my faves almost every month.

Pineapple Pool Float. Ha! This may sound ridiculous but this is when I buy all those expensive pool floats, like the big pink flamingo!  They always have one or two on sale.

Barefoot Dreams Cozy Chic Throw. Obsessed with this for all the reasons listed above with the cardigan, but mostly because this is such an awesome Christmas gift!

Picnic Time Wicker Basket. This is insane but I’ve wanted a picnic basket all year, because throwing everything in a cooler (dishes, utensils, etc) can be a mess. I LOVE this one.

Aromatherapy Diffuser. I don’t need an oil diffuser because I have one that works perfectly fine, but…. I love this one.

BABY & KIDS



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Babiators! Max absolutely lives in his Babitors. On the 4th of July we had to drive back home because I forgot them. His little eyes are so sensitive and these are just the best. I’ve never seen them this cheap.

Little Giraffe Baby Blanket. My cousin bought one of these for Max when he was born and it is the SOFTEST blanket ever. I love to give these as gifts.

Little Giraffe Hooded Towel. Same as above, but in towel form for baths.

Nike Free RN Sneaker. I always get Max’s Nikes during this sale for the entire year. Absolutely loving the bright blues!

Adidas Tubular Shadow Knit Sneaker. This is another one I am loving for him!

PLAE High Top Sneaker. I bought Max a pair of these during the sale last year (in a size up, so he still wears them) and they might have been our favorite shoes all year. Absolutely obsessed with this brand.

Patagonia Snap T Fleece. I love having one of these for Max in the winter. Because mostly, I love the adult version too!

Patagonia Wind & Waterproof Vest. I bought Max one of these last year during the sale and it’s super nice because it’s not really bulky.

Tucker and Tate Hooded Denim Jacket. We have one of these from H&M last year and I get so many questions on it. Super cute if you want to have a baby straight out of the Breakfast Club.

Splendid Stripe Romper. This doesn’t come in Max’s size this year, but in general I love everything by Splendid because it is SO SOFT.

Nordstrom Bodysuit & Baby Leggings. My SIL bought Max a version of this before his was born and the Nordstrom brand is ridiculously soft. I’m going to grab one of these because it’s gender neutral!

Nike Dri Fit Hoodie. I bought one of these earlier this year on sale and love how lightweight it is.

Tucker and Tate Lowcut Socks. We’ve received this socks as gifts two years in a row and they are awesome quality.

The North Face Windbreaker. Also have one of these for Max that I got on sale at the end of the year. It was amazing on vacation when it was windy and rainy. Super lightweight and so easy to carry in your purse.

Keen Seacamp Shoes. You know we ADORE our Keens! I bought two pairs this summer for Max because he wears them nonstop. Only downside is they start to stink… but throw them in the washing machine and you’re good for a few weeks.

Freshly Picked Moccasins. So excited these are in the sale! We loved these as Max was crawling and learning to walk. He wore them for a few months after too!

The Happy Mat. I talked about this when Max was really into throwing food (and dishes!) off of his high chair. I liked taking this to restaurants and using it at home.

Aden & Anais Silky Swaddles. If you follow my baby page, this is another item I’ve raved about since Max was born. The Nordstrom exclusive swaddles are the softest – so much softer than the ones you get at Target under the same brand. These make awesome baby gifts too.

Como Tomo Baby Bottles. I think these were the only bottles I ever listed in our favorites while Max was itty bitty. They are silicone and… feel like boobs. They do! I bought them for my SIL who is due any day now. Eeeep!

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Piña Coladas… Minus the Rum!

I’m doing this.

Like really doing this! I’m showing you how I have been making a piña colada mocktail so I can drink it on the hot summer days right now. If you’re pregnant too or if you don’t consume alcohol, I think you might be suuuuper into this. We are talking frosty, coconutty pineapple goodness that tastes like you’re on a tropical island!

Cannot even handle it.

My most favorite part of this? It’s that I swirled some syrup from a jar of Luxardo cherries into the top of the drink.

Made me feel so darn fancy. Not to mention it tastes like HEAVEN.

Here’s the thing. Piña coladas have been a huge thing for me. Basically all of my life. No, I mean it’s not like I was drinking them as a child. But I was so obsessed with the flavor and the scent (maybe picking it up first at an Orange Julius stop in the mall or something?) that it probably was one of the reasons coconut has always been a favorite flavor of mine.

I mean we are talking piña colada EVERYTHING. I would get candles, lip gloss, body wash, shampoo, air fresheners, all that jazz. The faker the scent, the better, I’m sure. I was, like, 12. Not 22. Don’t worry.

Once I actually was of legal drinking age, I wasn’t so much into the piña colada drink idea but I’m sure I ordered many just because of how pretty they looked. An umbrella! A pretty straw! A cherry swirl!

As if I’m not girly enough.

And! The only time I was slightly distracted from the loveliness of coconut and rum is after a few too many nights of Malibu rum in college. We actually HAD a piña colada candle in our dorm room (illegally, I might add) after all these nights of Malibu and we had to get rid of it because even unlit, the scent made us so sick. It was baaaad. You know.

So glad I got past that and didn’t ruin coconut for life.

Let’s do it! Here’s what you want:

Some frozen pineapple, for extra frostiness.

Coconut milk AND coconut water. KEYS. We are turning the coconut water into ice cubes!

Also, coconut cream, if you can! We are serious about coconut over here.

Freshly squeezed lime juice! This is important. It makes it taste a lot more legit.

Even if you DO drink alcohol and are in a position to do so (aka, not knocked up), you might be verrry tempted to try this and call it breakfast. Or just add the rum. Shhhh. I won’t tell.

Piña Colada Mocktails

Yield: serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup frozen pineapple cubes
1 cup coconut water ice cubes (from about 16 oz of coconut water)
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut cream
1/2 cup pineapple juice
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
maraschino cherry syrup, for swirling if desired
fresh mint, for garnish
fresh cherries, for garnish



Directions:

Note: to make the coconut water ice cubes, pout the coconut water in an ice cube mold the night before and freeze!

To make, add the frozen pineapple, coconut water ice cubes, coconut milk, cream, pineapple juice and lime juice to a blender and blend until frosty. Serve immediately, adding a swirl of maraschino cherry syrup on top if you'd like and garnishing with fresh mint and fresh cherries.

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!

Is equally as cute in a coconut, FYI.

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Easy Cheesy Zucchini Roll-Ups. {Video!}

[this post is in partnership with my favorites, DeLallo Foods! I’m created some delicious recipes and videos that you’ll see over the next few months. xo]

Guys. How do we even handle this cheesiness?!

It’s intense. Over the top. Outrageous!

And it’s all covering a green vegetable which means it’s actually good for us. YESSS. Cheesy zucchini roll-ups are where it’s AT.

This is a recipe that I’ve been making for an entire YEAR now and have yet to share. If you followed me on instagram or even snapchat last summer, you saw it allllll the time. It was my go-to way to get in a veggie. And an excuse to use an enormous amount of cheese.

When I was planning out my videos for DeLallo’s, I knew that we had to share the roll-ups because theirs is the only sauce I ever use! I’m obsessed with the Pomodoro Fresco Marinara. Eddie ends up buying four or five jars each weekend and if I’m in a pinch, I’ll use it for pizza too. SO GOOD.

(p.s. remember you can shop all my DeLallo faves HERE.)

By the time we shot the video last year, it was nearing September and I was too afraid that most of the good garden zucchini was on its way out, so I kept it for this year when we could be in PRIME zucc time.

Well.

IT’S TIME!

This is one of our favorite dishes, period. I say dishes, because for Eddie it is more of a side dish but for me, it can easily be an entire meal. As soon as this comes out of the oven, I cannot even STAND to wait to take a bite. The golden, bubbly cheese on top? Ugh. So freaking delish.

Taste buds, look out.

So yes, the trickiest part is slicing the zucchini thinly enough so you can roll it up without it breaking. A few pieces may break and that’s totally fine! But ideally you want super thin strips so we can pack it with cheese and sauce. And hopefully still serve it in adorable little roll ups.

Also! You can totally add meat or sausage to the inside of these roll-ups too. I choose not to because I just don’t love either, but Eddie loves them even more bulked up.

Have we seen enough cheese yet?

Okay wait! One more cheese pull. Just one.

Cheesy Zucchini Roll-Ups

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

2 to 3 zucchini square, cut into super thin slices (you want 9 to 12 long slices)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated provolone cheese
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning
1 jar DeLallo Pomodoro Fresco Marinara Sauce 
1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
fresh basil and oregano for topping



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 9x9 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a bowl, combine the ricotta, provolone, parmesan and italian seasoning. Mix until combined. Place a tablespoon or so on each slice of zucchini and carefully roll each up, placing it in the baking dish. If your zucchini breaks - no big deal! It will still come out great. Repeat with the remaining zucchini and ricotta. I like to put 9 to 12 pieces in this dish, based on the size of the zucchini. If you want to make a 9x13 dish, I would double (at least!) the ricotta mixture.

Cover the zucchini with the marinara sauce. Top with the mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden and bubbly. You can broil that last minute for more bubbliness! Remove it from the oven and top with extra fresh parm and the fresh herbs. Serve immediately, just remember - it's hot!

Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!

Annnd now we’re done. That’s enough cheese. If there is such a thing.

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Tuesday Things.

1. I’ve seriously been considering doing the whole online grocery order + pick up option, but I weirdly ENJOY goig to the grocery store. Max loves going too. But I do dread the large grocery shops I do for big recipe development days. However, I’m also super picky about fresh herbs and lettuce that I pick. How do I know that I’m going to get the best ones?!

2. LOVE these 5 ingredient energy balls. I’ve made a ton before but never with these ingredients!

3. Since I have no life and am the most boring (read: basic too) person on the planet, let’s discuss Target self checkout. I looooathe Target self checkout. I do not go to Target so I can check myself out. I want the full blown #momlife experience. I use self-checkout at my own grocery store, but at Target? No. They forced me to use it last week and I want to boycott the store.

4. Also, all these new brands coming to Target! I’m excited. Guess the boycott won’t last.

5. Pretty sure that my tomato plants have strangled my jalapeño peppers. They are out of CONTROL.

6. I haven’t been watching any TV this week (I KNOW) so I started rewatching The Affair. And I also rewatched some old True Blood episodes after hearing that Nelsan Ellis who played Lafayette died. So sad, I loved him! I’m also debating watching The Handmaid’s Tale but am terrified and afraid it will give me nightmares. I am a child.

7. The best beach towns for food lovers! I love this post – and we’re still planning on heading somewhere next month for a little trip!

8. I mentioned this in my vacation post, but I’m reallllly not into sweets at the moment and do you know how bad it is? I got ice cream four different times on vacation because everyone else was getting it and I wanted to want it… and ended up tossing each one after a few bites. SO WEIRD.

9. Are you going crazy today for amazon prime day?! I’ve always found it to be a pretty big letdown in the past, but I secretly want to get an amazon echo and these packing cubes. AND!!! You guys can get a copy of Seriously Delish for under $14!! However, my heart is obviously with the Nordstrom anniversary sale that starts later this week. I CAN’T WAIT.

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