Haute Tacos

We LOVE entertaining but with a 5-month old, it can get pretty challenging.  In order to make things more palatable, in every sense of the word, I start by doing 3 things.  1. PICK A THEME  2. PLAN AHEAD   3. THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.

In this case, we were craving Mexican (what else is new) so I decided on tacos.  Knowing that our friends were coming at 7pm, I started prepping around 3pm, working around my little munchkin's eating/sleeping schedule.  Dicing tomatoes, jalapenos, cilantro, onions, and whatever else tickles your taco (EWWWW)  Anywhoo, on to #3.  The last thing I do is scour the fridge and cabinets for ingredients I have that don't necessarily go with the meal but could add a little excitement, a little flavor.  Ah ha!  Zucchini and squash.  Done and done.  I had a healthy dinner ready to go, a happy well-fed baby boy, and carnivore guests who admitted to loving my herbivore menu of veggie tacos.  LIFE...IS...GOOD!  Here's how it all breaks down:

Taco Filling
• 2 big yellow squash
• 2 zucchini
• 2 cans organic black beans

Guacamole 

2 Avocados, handful of pickled jalapeños, handful of cilantro, 1 diced tomato, salt and pepper for taste (mix together)

Shell

2 Guerrero corn tortillas per person (110 calories, 1.5 grams of fat) http://www.pasionguerrero.com/es

Toppings

Salsa homemade or in this case, I used fresh, pre-made salsa from the market

Light shredded Mexican cheese for sprinkling on top

Top off with cabbage for crunch

 Preparation
1. In a saucepan, spray olive oil.  Saute zucchini and squash mixing in black beans once veggies are cooked down.  Add spices for flavoring.
2. Warm tortillas in oven at 250 degrees
3. Spoon bean/veggie mixture onto tortillas and add toppings to your liking.
4. If you're brave, I encourage you try Trader Joe's habanero hot sauce on top. www.traderjoes.com Only a drop or two, you don't want it to ruin your meal!

ENJOY!

Hollywood's New Form Of PDA

Hollywood moms are showing some major PDA...with their little bundles of love. Breastfeeding for social media, magazines and photoshoots seems to be all the rage these days for some celebrity moms. The latest to grab headlines, Alyssa Milano who shares a tender moment nursing her brand new baby girl, Elizabella on Instagram. So, Haute Moms Club is this totally progressive or just TMI?! We want to know what you think.

I Can't Live Without...

 

There are 2 products I just can't live without.  Both treat a stubborn baby rash, but only one is so good it's used as an ingredient in everything from custard to gravy.  Haute Mom's Club, introducing a very old and very new product - 1. Corn Startch 2. Dr. Smith's Diaper Rash Spray

Call me crazy but I've never actually owned cornstarch.  When it comes to cooking, I guess I'm just more of a flour gal, myself.  But this week, the trusty, white powder become a key ingredient in my life as a solution to treat my main man, not my main dish.  Gibson's starting to teethe pretty intensely and as many of you know, with that comes a steady stream of drool that travels down a baby's chin and ever so cleverly, wedges itself between his/her neck and chest.  This is not only messy as hell but uncomfortable for the baby as clusters of red, irritating bumps start to form.  I tried lotion (bad idea) destine (worse) and Aqua Four (didn't hurt, certainly didn't help) until my experienced mommy and MD daddy suggested cornstarch.  Really??  Truth is, it's a bit messy but lemme tell you, it's a friggin miracle.  I applied cornstarch on the little red bumps, which helps prevent moisture from accumulating.  Within 24 hours, little Gibby's rash was 50% better and in a couple days, almost 100% clear.  Sometimes it's the remedies that have been around forever that actually work best...and then again, sometimes it's a new spin, in this case spray, on an old product that makes this Haute Mommy very happy!

Let's face it, diaper rash sucks, for the diaper changer and changee (he he)  And applying medicine is always messy...gets under my nails, all over a wiggly baby's butt and always takes longer than it should.  I was introduced to Dr. Smith's diaper rash spray http://www.doctorsmiths.com #DrSmithsSpray a couple weeks ago at the Red Carpet Safety Awareness event hosted by Ali Landry.  There were a ton of brands hawking lots of products.  This is absolutely my favorite.  It's a touch-free spray that starts heeling diaper rash the second you use it.  It's quick, clean, and the baby seems to always find humor when it hits his butt.  A definite must, this one won't break the bank and will make life just a bit easier.  Enjoy the tips.  Lemme know what you think.

TOP 10 HALLOWEEN COSTUMES FOR EVERY HAUTE MOM

With Halloween creeping up, it's only fitting to talk costumes. This year is all about Frozen, duh, and like evey year, you'll find a plethora of sexy____________ (fill in the blank: Devil, Nurse, Bee, Pirate and so on).  If you, like us, are so over it, it's time to think outside the Halloween Box to find something unique, cool, comfy and potentially semi-homemade.  Here's some inspiration for all you Haute Moms and your beautiful bambinos.Our top 10 Halloween costumes for 2014 on this Haute Mommy Monday!

For the Pregnant HOT, Haute Mom (get it, get it??) BUN IN THE OVEN - $40 - Party City http://www.partycity.com

$40

For the pregnant and brave Haute Mom: Homemade BEACH BUNNY AND HER BALL

For the Haute Mom looking for an easy, creative costume solution: FOOTBALL BABY

For the Haute Mom 2-b with a serious sense of humor: WHITE TRASH WIFE, modeled by Leanne Rimes

For the Haute Mom with a comfy, cute, cheap Halloween baby: LOVE YOU TO THE BONE $8 www.oldnavy.com 

For the Haute Mom with a sweeeeet little girl: COTTON CANDY BABE

For the 2 in 1 Haute Mom: POPCORN AND THE POPPER

For the ambitious Haute Mom: OLIVE OYL AND SWEE PEA

For the wise Haute Mom who dresses up, without really dressing up:  CHARLOTTE AND HER WEB

For the brand new Haute Mom: THE NEWBORN CARROT $40 www.partycity.com 

5 Day Food Challenge

 

It's so easy to fall into a cooking rut.  Same 5 meals night after night until spaghetti and tomato sauce feels more like a bad relationship, something you keep going back to but can no longer stomach.  Well, it's time to breakup with your pasta and sauce even if it feels impossible.  Despite what you may think, there ARE plenty more fish in the sea.

Haute Moms Club, it's time to try something new!  This week, I challenged myself to 5 days of new recipes, kicking off with a healthy twist on an Italian Classic, Eggplant Parmesan. It popped out of the bottom oven- looking every bit Top Chef!  Crispy from the panko bread crumbs, cheesy from the buffalo mozzarella and parmesian and seriously hearty, a perfect dish for fall.

If that's not enough, my hubby full on fist-bumped me to share his approval. That does not happen every night.  So kuddos!  I paired our eggplant with veggie meatballs from www.traderjoes.com for a little protein boost and a ridiculously deelish, fairly priced ($13) glass of white wine. (92 rating) http://www.shoppersvineyard.com/store/pc/Hermanos-Domingo-Molina-Torrontes-113p20886.htm

Ladies,  I now challenge you: 5 nights of creative, new meals for you and your family. They don't have to be expensive, or time consuming, but they should be different and damn tasty!  And if you, like me, have a crying baby in the background, just pause, for a small breastfeeding break. Here's the healthy, hearty, eggplant parm recipe I plucked from http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/eatingwells_eggplant_parmesan.html Try it out...Lemme know what you think.

Active Time: 25 minutes,   Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

2 eggplants, (about 2 pounds total) 3 egg whites 3 tablespoons water 1 cup fine dry breadcrumbs 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, (1 ounce), divided 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup slivered fresh basil leaves 2 1/2 cups tomato sauce 3/4 cup grated part-skim mozzarella cheese, (3 ounces)

PREPARATION Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat two baking sheets and an 8-by-11 1/2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut eggplants crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Whisk egg whites and water in a shallow dish until frothy. Combine breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, salt and pepper in another shallow dish. Dip the eggplant slices into the egg-white mixture, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. (Discard any leftover breadcrumbs and egg white.) Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, turn the eggplant slices over, and bake until crisp and golden, about 15 minutes longer. Stir basil into tomato sauce. Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange half of the eggplant slices over the sauce, overlapping slightly. Spoon 1 cup of the remaining sauce over the eggplant and sprinkle with half of the mozzarella cheese. Add a layer of the remaining eggplant slices and top with the remaining sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake, uncovered, until the sauce bubbles and the top is golden, 15 to 20 minutes.

NUTRITION ON HEALTHY EGGPLANT PARM

Per serving: 203 calories; 6 g fat (3 g sat, 2 g mono); 13 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 12 g protein; 8 g fiber; 563 mg sodium; 777 mg potassium.

VS.

NUTRITION ON TRADITIONAL EGGPLANT PARM

1,053 calories per serving, 30.4 grams saturated fat, 1,965 milligrams sodium,  Deep-fried eggplant, Breadcrumbs, 4+ pounds cheese