A Healthy Dinner, Pasta With Ground Turkey and Broccoli

I have to confess that I haven't had much luck staying away from all the holiday goodies lately.

I've been making cupcakes, and cookies and fudge lately, and sampling everyone else's yummy food and treats, and I'm beginning to feel the effects.

I need to bring in some healthy eating during the holidays, and not just indulge in heavy holiday meals.
This great tasting recipe for Pasta With Ground Turkey and Broccoli is just what I need to eat better and feel better. It's easy to put together, and the ground turkey is readily available at your grocery store.

I first published this on Popcorn and Pearls, but it's delicious enough to share it here, and I'll be making this again tonight.

Have A Merry Christmas With M&Ms and Forza Motorsport 5 #FueledbyMM #shop #cbias

Christmas is less than two weeks away, and I'm proud of myself for having already gotten most of my shopping done. There's a rumor going around in my family that Santa just might be bringing us an Xbox One this year. Wouldn't that be fun?

So I decided that it must be true, that Santa will deliver that highly coveted Xbox One to our house, and I will make it even merrier by buying the Forza Motorsport 5 game to go with it.

I got a little crafty when I wrapped the game, and I know my family will get some laughs when they see how I decorated the package. It's perfect for under the tree, and I love that it's a little tease of the Xbox One that they all want.

I went to Walmart to look for Forza  Motorsport 5 and I was relieved to see they had some in stock. I know this is a very popular game, and I wanted to be able to make sure I had one on Christmas morning.

Plus, Walmart has an easy way to get a $10 eGift Card when you buy this game and a qualifying bag of M&Ms.

We love M&Ms, so a snack and video games is a favorite way my family likes to spent time during the holidays. The 'kids' that love playing the video games in our family are mostly in their 20s and 30s now, but they pretty much revert to being ten year olds, and have a lot of fun together.

Gingerbread Cupcakes With Gingerbread M&Ms

Baking gingerbread is one of the easiest ways to get me into the Christmas spirit. I just love the way it smells, and the delicious taste, too.

I usually bake it in a pan and slice it up, but cupcakes are more fun for my grandchildren to eat, especially when they are topped with yummy buttercream frosting and Gingerbread M&Ms. This is a fun recipe to let the kids help with on those long days of winter vacation.

Recipe for Gingerbread Cupcakes with M&Ms and Buttercream Frosting:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup Gingerbread M&Ms, chopped

Aurorae Yoga Backpack and Candle Review and Giveaway #sponsored

I've been doing yoga for quite a few years now. Believe me when I say that it has made a huge difference in my happiness in life.

I always encourage people to look into starting a yoga practice, and science now backs up the facts that yoga is good for you, both physically and mentally.

Having the right mat and yoga accessories is crucial to having a successful practice, and the company I like best for that is Aurorae Yoga.

They offer everything you need, including mats, comfortable yoga wear, props, accessories, and more.

Celebrate Birthdays With Hallmark Cards From Walmart #birthdaysmiles #shop #cbias

When you have a large family like I do, there are always lots of birthdays to celebrate. Some of those birthdays fall around the holidays, and I love giving Hallmark cards to send happy birthday wishes to the ones I love.

I really try to make an extra special effort for these holiday time birthdays, because they can so easily get overlooked in the rush and busyness of the season. My son-in-laws' birthday is on Christmas Eve, and he always remembered never feeling like his birthday was special when he was growing up.
Since he married into our family, we always have a party for him on Christmas Eve.

Mini Blueberry Muffins

I don't know about you but I love anything that comes in a mini form and mini muffins are no exception. They are perfect for a quick little snack for you or your little ones. Put them in a Christmas cupcake liner and you can call it a holiday treat!

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup margarine, at room temp

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries or 2 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

Ergobaby Doll Carrier Review and Giveaway

I love ergobaby, they are a quality company that carries beautiful items to help with all of your baby wearing needs. Ergobaby's ergonomic design is what gives you the ability to wear your baby longer. Not only do they have great carriers for you little one, but they have carriers for your little one to carry his or her "baby", how cute is that! The child-sized Ergobaby Doll Carrier is perfect for toting beloved dolls and other toy friends and is a great gift for a new big sister or brother. Kids are always wanting to be like mom or dad, what a great gift. The Doll Carrier can be worn in the front or back position and is made of 100% cotton.

The power to Choose Energy #sponsored

 

It’s the season of savings and everyone is surfing the internet to find the hottest deals. I bet you never thought that you save big by shopping for your energy provider! At this time of year saving money on your energy bills is a must. There are so many extra expenses, from your heating bill that seems to skyrocket in the winter, all of the extra energy it takes for things like your Christmas tree and outdoor lights, to all of your holiday shopping expenses. I don't know about you but I would like to spend my money elsewhere, paying high prices on for your energy source when you don't have to seems like a waste.

Christmas Cranberry Walnut Bread

I'm always looking for easy recipes for quick breads, especially this time of year. A loaf of a yummy quick bread makes a wonderful homemade gift, or as a treat for yourself at home with a cup of tea or coffee.

This recipe for Cranberry Walnut Bread is a favorite of mine. The cranberries have a delicious tarty taste, and the orange zest in it gives it a hint of citrus.

Now Open: Elinor Friend Playground at the San Francisco Zoo

For my son's 4th birthday we were looking for something special to do. For his first birthday we took him to the Sacramento Zoo and his love of giraffes began there. We wanted to experience a large zoo with more animals and attractions to see. The San Francisco Zoo was the perfect answer for us. We had a wonderful time at the Zoo and we were able to have a preview of the new Elinor Friend Playground. The new playground has 3 different themed playgrounds that are each unique and offer different play experiences.