I decided to use up the remaining chicken thighs I had in the fridge to make a curry dish.

It’s a snowy, cold day in Michigan so a warm bowl with rice sounded perfect!

This was a one pot meal and took about 30 minutes to prep and cook. I used a small rice cooker to prepare the rice.

Here’s what you’ll need:

3 organic chicken thighs, diced in 1-2” pieces

1/2 organic yellow onion, diced

1/2 organic yellow bell pepper, diced

1 tablespoon ginger, freshly grated

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 handfuls of organic spinach

6-8 organic baby carrots, cut into matchsticks

2 tablespoons coriander

1.5 tablespoons red chili paste

1 tablespoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 15 oz can of organic full fat coconut milk

Fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Sautée onions and chicken for 5 minutes on medium heat.
2. Add grated ginger, coriander, red chili paste, garlic and curry powder. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes on a medium/low heat.
3. Add can of coconut milk, carrots, yellow pepper, and spinach. Stir and keep moving until spinach is wilted.
4. Add salt and pepper and bring to a low boil. Turn down heat to a simmer for 8-10 minutes.
5. Serve curry over rice and garnish with cilantro.

If you try this recipe let us know what you think! What are your favorite winter meals?

Some of my son’s favorite activities include crayons. Sorting crayons by color, rolling them off a table, throwing them in the air and occasionally coloring 😉

All the aforementioned activities pale in comparison to snapping crayons in half. ALWAYS! It’s not intentional most of the time, but we end up with a lot of crayon pieces.

I used to tape them together until I saw repurposed crayons at a favorite restaurant.

They melted down odds and ends into cute little animal shaped crayons. So I ordered some molds on Amazon and thought I’d give it a shot.

They were fun to make and seem to hold up so far!

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I like these molds, however, a smaller shape might have been better for small hands. They’ll grow with him and help develop his writing and grip!

These work great and do the job! A great winter time activity and fun for kids to fill the mold and create their own colors!

What are your favorite activities to do with your kids?

I discovered French Girl Organics when a woman in one of my FB groups recommended I try it after posting to the group about my quest to find organic makeup and skincare options. As a former makeup artist Ive been exposed to so many makeup and skincare lines that are full of synthetics and harsh ingredients. My skin just never looked or felt the way I wanted it to using those products. So, I made the decision to make the switch to cruelty free and organic skincare.

French Girl got their start on Etsy and now operate their own website. They are a Seattle based brand that has a knack for elegance. Their packaging is simplistic yet feels so high end. I decided to try two products to start. I decided on the Fleur De Rose-Facial Polish and Eau De Rose- Rose Floral Mist.

Fleur De Rose Facial Polish: Let me preface this with I WILL be purchasing this again and again. This gentle scrub contains French pink and white clays, antioxidants, flower petals and essential oils to leave your skin glowing and supple. I mix mine into my favorite cleanser (Milky Jelly Cleanser from Glossier) and use this mix a few times a week. You can also mix with water and let the paste dry as a mask. The clays draw out impurities while the rose calms and tones. This is such a standout product for me and now a staple in my skincare routine.

Eau De Rose Facial Mist: I am a face mist junkie. I LOVE a good face mist. I think they’re so refreshing and great for my dry skin. This facial mist contains Rose, Neroli and Lavender to help balance, hydrate and restore the skin. Facial mists are so great because they can be used before makeup, after, as a toner or just to balance and hydrate on the go. This one I use after I cleanse my skin and as a topper over my Josie Maran Sleep Mask. I love that the scent of this is actually Rose, not a weird synthetic floral scent but actually ROSE scented.

Overall, this brand is a clear winner. I will definitely share more products about this brand as I explore more of their range. What’s your favorite skincare brand or product?

Nicole & Carly

One of my resolutions for 2019 was to be better at meal planning and grocery shopping with mealtimes in mind.

I love cooking, baking and being in the kitchen, but I’m not always the best at planning ahead.

Now that I’m home with two little ones, I try to have staples in the fridge and pantry that can work easily into a multitude of lunch or dinner options.

Our two year old is a pretty decent eater. We do modify a good portion of our meals so he will eat. This should read, dice meal and sandwich between carbohydrates!

We’re always trying to incorporate new flavors and textures into his diet. For dinner yesterday, I came across a great recipe for orange chicken and it just sounded good!

We don’t eat a lot of meat based meals and they’re definitely not my son’s preference, but we do try and mix it up and expose him to lots of different foods.

This recipe was quick! 25 minutes to prep and cook and I had most of the items on hand.

Here’s what you’ll need:

3-4 organic chicken thighs

1 medium carrot, chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/3 cup diced onion

2 tablespoons avocado oil

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

3/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup maple syrup

3 tablespoons tamari soy sauce

1/4 cup salted cashews, chopped

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

I found this recipe here

Directions:

1. Stir fry onions, celery, carrots, and chicken for 8-10 mins on medium heat.
2. Mix cornstarch, fresh ginger, tamari soy sauce, maple syrup and orange juice.
3. Pour over stir fry and bring to a low boil. Don’t leave on heat for too long. 1-2 minutes at most.
4. Check chicken temperature with a meat thermometer. Should be at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Plate and serve. Top with cashews and sesame seeds.

As I mentioned earlier in the post, I did make a some modifications:

Chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts

Maple syrup instead of honey

Avocado oil instead of canola oil

Added diced onion

Added sesame seeds as garnish

The recipe includes rice which I didn’t make. You could also mix it up and try cauliflower rice as something different!

Everyone liked this meal and my son ate it all! If you try it, let us know what you think!

Nicole and Carly

Hi everyone! I used to be pretty good about making smoothies for myself. Lately, I spend so much time in the kitchen making meals or cleaning up that smoothies felt like extra work.

Today, I wanted to use up some ingredients in my fridge to make room for my grocery haul.

This is probably one of my favorite smoothie combinations! It’s great for extra vitamin C during cold/flu season and the ginger has a great warming effect! Plus, I love any smoothie where you can add extra greens! This was the perfect smoothie to get me out of my slump!

Here’s what you’ll need:

1/2 frozen banana

1 whole peeled naval orange

1/2 inch thumb of ginger

2 handfuls of spinach

5-6 ice cubes

1/2 cup of nut milk

1/4 cup of drinkable dairy free yogurt

1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Splash of vanilla

Dash of cinnamon

Shedded coconut for garnish

You could also modify this by adding more banana or date for a sweeter smoothie.

Hemp hearts or chia seeds would make a great topping or blend right in!

Let us know what you think! What’s your favorite smoothie to make?

Hi Friends! Today I wanted to share my vegan pasta salad recipe. I think this is great for moms that need a quick meal that keeps and for busy working gals that need meal prep ideas! This is also a great way to get the little ones to eat their veggies!

Ingredients:

Black Bean Pasta (I get mine at Trader Joe’s)

Red and Yellow Pepper

Sweet Onion

Broccoli

Italian Dressing

Vegan Cheese

1.Cook pasta about 8min, rinse with cold water and set aside to completely cool.

2. Saute the onion, and peppers. Set aside to cool. (you can chop and use ingredients uncooked if you wish)

3.Blanch the broccoli. Cook in boiling water for 3-4 minutes then immerse in cool water.

4. Combine all ingredients in a bowl when cool. Mix in Italian dressing. Save some dressing to top it off before eating.

5. Sprinkle with desired vegan cheese of your choice. ( I suggest a soy mozzarella)

Enjoy!

Nicole & Carly

Hi! Welcome! We are two sisters born and raised in Southern Michigan! Nicole is the oldest and has two beautiful little boys, Cam and Ian. She is a Grand Valley State Alumni and has a vibrant passion for all things organic and green. She has introduced this passion into her parenting style. Nicole or Nikki, as I like to call her ( little sis rights) will be bringing the parenting tips and tricks to the table. And I’m Carly! The little sister. I am enjoying life in sunny Orlando. I am a dog mom and major, HUGE lover of all animals and living things. I am a former makeup artist, and a Valencia College Alumni. Now I spend my days running a brokerage in the real estate industry.

Well, now that we have met, Nikki and I cant wait to share everything from parenting tips, food, beauty and wellness. We aren’t experts but we are passionate about living well and clean. You’ll learn more about us as we become friends and why Nikki and myself are so into this way of living. We hope you enjoy! See you soon!

-Carly