The Musings of a Working Mom

I love a great deal - especially when it comes to makeup since I spend so much on it anyway (well I try not to but sometimes I don't have the willpower to resist the temptation and well...you know the rest of this story!  Well, recently NYX Cosmetics was on Hautelook  and so of course I decided to take the plunge and purchase a couple of sets to try out at up to 40% off their retail prices.  Normally, I would wait until there is one of those buy one get one 50% off sales on NYX products at Ulta but then I get lazy and I don't make it to my local Ulta and then I lose my chance to pick up some NYX products (for that time anyway).  Anywho, my point is that NYX Cosmetics are a great value makeup line!  I have some of their eye shadow singles, jumbo eye pencils, lipsticks, lipglosses and eyeliners and I have to say that I am not at all disappointed with the quality of these products.  They have great pigmentation and color payoff.  The eyeliners are very soft and creamy and super

I know that there are some mom's out there that either don't have the time to make it to the gym or don't feel comfortable working out with other people...and that's OK.  I have a couple of great sites that you can get a great workout all in the privacy of your own home, and with very little equipment required. The first site is Bodyrock.tv .  This free site is great.  They provide you challenging and quick exercises. You can get a great workout in as little as 12 minutes!!  But don't get me wrong, just because your workout is done in 12 minutes, doesn't mean that you aren't going to work out so hard that you think you might throw up!  YEP...you are going to work your butt off but it will all be worth it in the end.  Also keep in mind that if you find the exercises to be too challenging, not to worry and definitely don't quit.  There are modifications for every exercise, and you can work up to doing the challenging moves.  This just gives you somethi

We have a bit of a dilemma in our house: I eat meat but my husband is a lacto-ovo-vegetarian...so cooking meals can be a tad challenging.  To be honest with you, I don't have the time nor the energy to prepare 2 separate meals at the end of the day, so I pretty much eat vegetarian for dinner (which I have no problems with).  Having said this...our meals need to be creative so we don't get bored.  I have a great and easy recipe that is delicious, healthy, vegetarian and can be substituted with all sorts of different ingredients to suit your taste buds. Stuffed Peppers Makes 4 servings 1 cup dry orzo, pastina, Israeli couscous (or other small pasta) or quinoa (my current fav) 3 cups baby arugula, spinach or other greens 1/4 cup crumbled feta/goat/Gorgonzola or other soft cheese 2 Tbsp Pesto Salt and Pepper 4 small Red Bell Peppers, halved and seeded Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400F.  Cook pasta or quinoa according to package directions in salted water, drain (note

I know what it means to be fatigued and exhausted!  After all, caring for 3 young and energetic kids, while working, exercising and tending to a house leaves very little energy left at the end of the day! Fatigue is generally not an ailment by itself but rather a classic symptom of some other problem like poor nutrition, stress, inadequate or excessive exercise, overworked, insomnia or poor sleeping habits or PMS, just to name a few.  Fatigue, if left untreated or resolved, can lead to personality or mood changes with the tendency to become easily angry, impatient or depressed due to persistent exhaustion - and we all know these are not behavioral characteristics to have when trying to care for our children, our families and ourselves!! So what causes fatigue?  Generally speaking, fatigue can be linked to increased amounts of stress, anxiety, depression, inadequate or excessive sleep, lowered immunity and chronic infections, anemia, and fluctuating hormone levels (seen during pregnan

I admit it, I have been over-plucking my eyebrows for more than 15 years now and the result is that I have sparse and overly skinny brows.  I hate it and no matter how much I try to get them to grow back in, they just won't - the damage has been done.  But thank goodness for makeup!!  I have been filling in my eyebrows for about 10 years now, mostly with an eyeshadow.  I just prefer shadows to pencils as I find them to look more natural and not too "drawn in" looking.  I started out with an Elizabeth Arden "brow" shadow and then I found MAC Espresso eyeshadow works just as well.  I wanted to soften the color a bit so I switched to MAC Charcoal Brown which looked softer and more natural than Espresso.  I have also tried the Anastasia Brow Kit  which comes with 5 different eyebrow stencils, a wax, 2 shades of shadow, a highlighter and a matte eyeshadow.  This kit is nice and makes filling in your brows as easy as it can be - place stencil on brow, fill in, set! 

With the weather being so awesome lately, we decided to fire up the grill and grill something, but what??  Pizza of course!!  What, pizza?  Yes, pizza.  Pizza cooks so fast when "baked" on the grill and tastes amazing.  I simply rolled out some store bought pizza dough (Trader Joe's) and placed it on my pizza peel (on some corn meal to help it slide off of the peel without any sticking issues).  I let it "bake" on the grill for about 4 minutes, placed it back on my pizza peel grilled side down, added my toppings and back on the grill until the cheese melted, about another 4 minutes.  Of course with this method, you have to have all of your ingredients ready before you get the dough on the grill but it's so worth the extra effort in the end.  I made 2 pizzas last night - the first one has become our favorite: goat cheese, caramelized onions and arugula, and the second one was a caprese pizza with fresh tomatoes slices, fresh mozzarella cheese and fresh basil

With this unseasonably warm weather we have been having lately, why not try making a cool and refreshing appetizer or a main dish that is delicious and healthy.  I found this easy recipe in my Everyday Food Magazine last year and have used this recipe as an appetizer for a dinner party as well as main dish with my family.  These Vietnamese Spring Rolls are so colorful, healthy and very tasty...your kids will love eating this new twist on "egg rolls"! This particular recipe is vegetarian but you can substitute shrimp or chicken to make different variations for a large group or a party.  There are two yummy dipping sauces that are great on their own with these spring rolls but even more delicious when combined to create a sweet but slightly spicy dipping sauce.  Try making these rolls as an appetizer or even as your main dish this weekend and get your kids involved in assembling the rolls.  Enjoy... Vietnamese Spring Rolls Everyday Food, July/August 2010 Yield Makes 8  

I recently came across this great article in Parenting magazine that pretty much sums up all of the "diet" advice I give to my patients and "new mommy" friends who are looking to lose that baby weight.  The key is to keep it simple and don't over think it - it's not a DIET but rather a behavioral and lifestyle modification (Psst - diets don't last long and they don't work - changing the way you do things and being consistent works!).  These are tips that can be easily adapted to your current lifestyle and can help keep your weight in check year after year.  I hope that you find this article helpful...Enjoy. http://www.parenting.com/article/the-hungry-new-moms-diet-plan

It's so exciting to pick up your mail and find that pink box waiting for you!  It's here - my March Birchbox .  This month's theme is different - the Birchbox team partnered with Teen Vogue and created a sampling of items that they felt will "help you get ready for all your spring formals and special events".  The items included in this month's special box are: Essie - Luxeffects : Layer this glittery top coat into polish for an eye-catching look. Kate Spade New York - Twirl :  You'll adore this flirty scent, which is a modern update on a timeless fruity floral. Kerastase - Elixir Ultime :  Add this nourishing oil to your hair regimen to hydrate, smooth, and sleekify your strands. Tarte - LipSurgence lip tint :  This long-lasting stain adds rich pigment and is designed to boost the moisture levels in your lips. Twistband - Hair Tie :  Give your ponytail a makeover with these colorful, snag-free elastics. ModCloth Exclusive Offer -

Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation  - 1 oz., $34, sephora.com I know - not another foundation review!  I have a problem, yes I know it but I am obsessed with finding the perfect foundation, and concealer, and longest lasting kohl eyeliner and well...you get it.  And until then, I have to continue testing out new foundations until I am completely satisfied - which won't ever happen so I guess that I'll have to keep on with my search.  So...I purchased this foundation last year sometime in August/September during Sephora's Friends and Family sale.  I have always been intrigued by this British makeup line but felt that it was a bit out of my price range but I would be willing to purchase some of the products through a sale.  I ended up purchasing this foundation along with 2 lip glosses.  And I have to say that I really like this line...but again I'm going to have to wait until another sale to pick up some more of their items.  But as for this foundation...it

As a mom and a Dietitian, I frequently get asked what are great first finger foods when introducing solids to their little ones.  I have come up with a list of delicious and easy finger foods for those little experimental eaters!  I know that there is a lot of concern regarding food allergies and the timing of food introduction, so when in doubt, trust your inner gut and always consult with your Pediatrician.  Also check out this site endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics site as well this great site . Here is my list of great first finger foods: 1.  Multi-grain Cheerios or other O shaped cereal 2.  Soft, ripe, cubed banana pieces 3.  Diced, ripe avocado 4.  Diced, cooked sweet potatoes/white potatoes/butternut squash/acorn squash (steam or bake but don't boil) 5.  Soft, shredded chicken, white fish (low mercury fish like tilapia), beef or turkey 6.  Very ripe, peeled Peaches or Pears 7.  Small cubes Tofu 8.  Scrambled or Hard Boiled Egg -give the whites after 8

Busy mom's love one-pot/one-dish meals.  After all, we are so busy rushing home from work, running errands, picking up the kids from school or their after school activities and the last thing we want to do is dirty lots of pots and pans trying to make a quick, healthy and delicious meal.  That's why I love this recipe - your entree is made in a parchment packet and the best part is that you simply throw the packet away when you are finished with your meal!  This is a great recipe to get your kids involved in making their meal by placing the items in the parchment pocket and most kids love mild white fishes like Tilapia.  I found this recipe in Parents magazine last year but have made many variations along the way.  You can mix and match your veggies based on what your kids and family like to eat.  If you have time, you can serve this dish with a side of quinoa to help boost your nutrient and protein intake!  Enjoy... Baked Tilapia and Veggies in a Parchment Packet Serves 4

OK - so we all have that collection of broken pieces of crayons that the kids refuse to use anymore but what to do with them?  Don't chuck them quite yet - you can make new crayons with them.  If you have the extra cash, you can buy the Crayola Crayon Maker but why spend the money when you have all the tools you need to do the same thing at home??  Place the broken crayon pieces into fun baking molds or into lined muffin tins (or mini muffin tins) and put them into the oven at 300 F for about 10 minutes or until the crayon pieces have melted completely. Take out of oven and allow to cool and set. Your kids end up with really cool shaped crayons and you can create any color that you want - even swirly crayons!  The kids will love their new recycled crayons and hopefully you won't need to buy new crayons for a long time.  I hope that you find this tip helpful...Enjoy!

What are BB Creams?  Otherwise known as Beauty Balms or Blemish Balms - these have taken the beauty world by storm lately even though they have been on the Asian beauty scene for quite some time.  These balms are multitasking creams that work to address many skin issues that we women deal with.  The formula was reportedly created by German Dermatologists who were looking for a treatment for patients who underwent laser skin surgery - they created a balm that had soothing and skin regenerating properties.  It was discovered by various Asian actresses for beauty purposes and well...so the craze began in Asia.  BB Creams are a all-in-one product - they can act as a primer, a tinted moisturizer, a foundation, concealer, an anti-aging serum, pimple treatment and sunscreen.  Wow - talk about the perfect multipurpose/multitasking product for mom's with very little time to spend on getting themselves ready in the morning!!!  This month's Real Simple Magazine has highlighted 7 BB Cre