FOOD ON THE FLY: Tasty Taco Salad

It's not unusual to open the fridge and find not a damn thang to make.  This becomes a serious dilemma when you've got a house full of hungry tummies.  In these all too common instances, we suggest conjuring up the best speedy, tasty, healthy mishmash recipe to satisfy your increasingly cranky brood.  And with that, we bring you our Food On The Fly: The Tasty, Veggie, Taco Salad...In 15 minutes flat!  The so-called "secret" ingredient here is Trader Joe's Peruvian Style Chimichurri Rice with Veggies....The perfect amount of spice, texture, and color. www.traderjoes.com   We've got the freezer stocked with frozen foods like these to help jazz up an otherwise ordinary meal.  

Ideal for cast-iron skillet cooking, we throw on the rice, a tad bit of EVOO and fold in a can of pre-rinsed organic pinto beans.  Let it cook down into the most wonderful, protein-packed mixture of rice and beans.

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While that's cooking, mix the following ingredients into a big salad bowl

1 bag Organic Arugula

1 Handful Kalamata Olives

1 Yellow Heirloom Tomato

1 Handful crushed low-fat Blue Corn Tortilla Chips

EVOO -Spray

1 Pinch Salt

A whole lotta pepper

Simply Spoon the desired amount of rice and beans onto the salad.  And top off with a colorful trio of (homemade) guac, sour cream and salsa. 

GIVEAWAY WINNER!

Haute Mommies, if you tuned into Haute Mom's Life at PodcastOne.com or iTunes this week, you know that firecracker mommy and Cute Booty Lounge Designer, Kelly Nishimoto stopped by to chat.  Not only did she offer some pretty kick-ass tips on how to potty-train your babe in no time...she shed light on the real reason our feet actually grow during pregnancy and the implications behind it.  In true Kelly spirit, she also agreed to a SAWWWWEEEEET giveaway for our listeners!  Last night, we crowned one lucky winner two pairs of pants from my Instagram page @adriannacosta ! Lemme tell ya, this is one VERY deserving mom-of-four who's beat all odds by surviving cancer twice!  If in any small way we can help bring a smile to that haute mommy's face, well our job is done!  Stay tuned for more weekly giveaways on the show and check out the rest of our no-holds-barred interview with Miss Fashionista herself, Kelly Nishimoto!!

 http://www.podcastone.com/haute-moms-life-with-adrianna-costa

NAPA: 5 STOPS IN 24 HOURS!

Hautties, you all know I'm a HUGE believer in taking time away...for ourselves, sans kiddies.  Be it a quick 24-hour escape or a 7-day retreat to paradise, it's not a luxury but a true necessity.  It can be as low-budg but effective as a night camping under the stars with your partner OR a fabulous luxe getaway to say, Wine Country!?  We opted for the latter this time and lemme just say, it was EVERYTHING and MORE!  If you're looking for an excuse to disappear, here's HML's advice on how to do it: NAPA: 5 Stops In 24-Hours!

1. STAY: CALISTOGA RANCH - Like no other property on the map, Calistoga offers a top-notch, exclusive vibe deep in the forrest while capturing the nostalgic feel of your favorite childhood family camp.  Think next-level luxury meets rustic cabin in the woods.  Each room is it's own "pod", with a remarkably stunning outdoor living space complete with fireplace and sitting area.  If staying is not an option, at the very least walk the grounds, enjoy a glass of wine and drop by the pool terrace for a bite of the sensational fresh shrimp rolls (makes my mouth water)  www.calistogaranch.com

2. PLAY: STAGLIN WINERY - Staglin offers some of the most delicious wines in the region but what really gets us is their "great wines for great causes" motto.  Since opening, Staglin has donated more than $800 million dollars in charity!  Pretty incredible!  That includes their own fundraiser The Music Festival For Brain Health which raises awareness for mental health in honor of their family member who was diagnosed with Schizophrenia.  Reservations are a must and often hard to land...so get on it asap :) http://www.staglinfamily.com

3. INDULGE: FRENCH LAUNDRY - For some, a trip to Napa means dining first, "wining" second.  And for that, they indulge in Thomas Keller's 3-Star Michelin rated, The French Laundry.  We're fans here simply because they offer a beautifully executed Vegetarian menu for those who'd rather cabbage than caviar but it'll set ya back a few hundos at minimum.  The basic tasting menu (with no add ons or wine) starts at $310  http://www.thomaskeller.com/tfl

4. GRUB: LA LUNA MARKET AND TAQUERIA - An absolute MUST for Mexican-Food worshipers and/or those drinking their way through wine country.  This hidden-gem literally at the back of a convenient-style mart will keep your belly full for a day of "tasting" AND a big fat smile across your face.  The food is traditional, delectable...try it all http://www.lalunamarket.com

5. SHOP: FOOT /CANDY - Alright I'm totally shooting myself in the foot here (pun intended) because we're about to tell you about the BEST...KEPT...SECRET.  If you adore designer shoes, wear a size 7 or 7.5 but can't stomach spending top dollar to line your closet?!  Foot Candy Shoes is your new obsession.  It started when a local winery owner, Perry counted his wife's shoes...500!!!  He realized Carolyn's love for beautiful "foot candy" rivaled his of wine.  They'd travel internationally and find their favorite respective flavors and bring them back to Napa.  So...how do we benefit?! Well, Carolyn has been incredibly generous by selling some of her lightly-worn or never-before-touched high-end heels to us, the public at a deep discount.  Only thing is, all the consignment shoes are a 7 or 7.5  Cha-ching!  What do ya know!?  Just so happens that's my size.  Christian Louboutin, Lanvin, Jimmy Choo...they're all there, and lemme tell ya, it's a sight to see.  I scored these Louboutins for $250...new, they'll set you back around $700!  Yes GIRL Yes!!! www.footcandyshoes.com

Deliver Me...Tasty, Healthy, At My Door!!

I LOVE to cook!  Like really, REALLY LOVE to cook!  I like searching for healthy, beautifully ripe ingredients, discovering new recipes and executing the hell outta them.  I LOVE the finished product and must say I do basque a bit in my own culinary glory when the ol hubz takes a tastes and approvingly states, "Damn baby, that's GOOOOD!!"  Sheesh, why so surprised?!  Anywhoo... cooking, with kids, and a job and everything else piled high on top, isn't for everyone.  And that's quite alright.  In fact, these days there's a solution for moms who can't handle the heat...they eagerly let someone else, perhaps someone more equipped, into the kitchen.  Enter, First Spoonful meal delivery service! FirstSpoonful.com Maybe not the first of it's kind, but it's certainly one of the best.  

Their mission is to create a healthy solution for busy parents by preparing and delivering only the finest, organic foods in portioned-out meals for kids and adults.  They take the thinking out of eating which is such a great luxury for parents on the move.  A few other perks: Delivery comes straight to your doorstep, pick up is as easy as placing emptied bags out front...and the meals will cost you less than eating out.  So, if you're in the LA area and looking for a quick (healthy) fix for your family, this may be just what the doc ordered!

Haute Mom's Life Comes To Life With PodcastOne!

We've been bursting at the seams to share some exciting news with you guys!  HML's has teamed up with the ultimate, Podcast One www.podcastone.com to bring HML to life in a brand, spanking new weekly podcast!  Starting June 9th, Haute Mom's Life will show you how you can HAVE IT ALL, while you DO IT ALL!  We break down stories and headlines that are important to us.  Plus, in a totally chaotic world, we teach you how to simply and enhance your life with simple tips, tricks and trends.  Each week we interview a fascinating person, be it a celebrity, mommy blogger, designer, musician and more and run through our weekly segment: Haute Mom's Hot 5 - a list designed to share with listeners what celebs in the spotlight are swooning over these days...straight from their lips.  Fun, informative, and super candid, Haute Mom's Life Podcast is where it's at ladies!  Check out our 1st show June 9th - on PodcastOne.com - or download em at iTunes!  We LOVE you guys and THANK YOU for the support!