Stuffed Roasted Pumpkin

A couple of years ago I took my kids to our annual pumpkin patch field trip with our dear friends from school. We talked about pumpkins (of course) and how we celebrate Thanksgiving. My friend Lorene told me that one of their Thanksgiving traditions is to make stuffed roasted pumpkin. I went home that day and told my husband that I would make this super amazing recipe for him and the family soon. Of course soon meant two years later! But hey… better late than never. Thank you Lorene for sharing this family recipe with me and all my readers.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized pumpkin

2 lbs of sausage (you can substitute ground beef or turkey if you prefer)

1 cup of celery, onions, and carrots

1 1/2 cup of minute rice (you can substitute with other grains)

1 tbsp of fresh thyme, salt, black pepper, and herbs of province (or any other ingredients you enjoy in a stuffing)

1 tsp of nutmeg

Enjoy!

Clean outside of pumpkin. Cut a circle around pumpkin stem in order to stuff. I'm super clumsy with knives but found this super handsome guy to help me (don't tell my husband).

Clean out inside of pumpkin of all pumpkin seeds and fringy, stingy stuff. Rinse inside. 

Sautee your celery, onions, carrots, and sausage. Cook meat about 2/3 done. It will finish cooking in the oven. Add herbs, salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Once that is cooked stir in rice and remove from heat. Note: I used quinoa and I would recommend to cook the quinoa half way before you mix it with the stuffing.

Place stuffing in pumpkin.

The stuffing should fill pumpkin at least 2/3 to top. If there's not enough stuffing inside, the pumpkin will collapse while cooking.

Put top back on the pumpkin. Place it in the roasting pan. Cover bottom of pan with 1/2 inch of water (you can also put some beer in the water for flavor).

Cook at 350 degree for approximately 2 hrs or until meat of pumpkin is tender. 

Half way. Check pumpkin frequently to be sure there is always water in the pan

To serve just scoop out stuffing and pumpkin meat. The pumpkin meat should easily peal back from the skin. It's FABULOUS! Must TRY!

Meet MomLikeThat - Nicole Hughes

Napa MomLikeThat Nicole Hughes is inspiring, thoughtful and giving. She's also a partner and founder in a cool new business named Olive and Poppy, a wonderful online boutique that captures stylish, wearable memories of the Wine Country. (Now, why didn't I think of this?!?!)

I met Nicole through our children's school and we instantly clicked. I love her style, personality and energy. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about her just as much as I enjoying having her as a friend! Thank you Nicole for taking the time to share your thoughts below. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

How would you describe yourself? 

Dependable, loyal, open-minded

What do you do besides motherhood?

I own an online retail business called Olive and Poppy with my business partner, Anne Siegel. We launched last year with a mission to modernize wine country keepsakes. I also do some independent consulting on brand development and marketing for winery clients.

What’s the best advice you have ever received?

You get more bees with honey! It always pays to be nice.  

What’s your beauty routine?

Oh gosh, not much. I’m a bit lazy in that area. I wash my face with “Yes to Carrots” and moisturize with “Dermaquest Zinclear” which has SPF. That’s about it.

What’s your signature scent?

I stopped wearing perfume when I started in the wine biz. I do love the smell of anything magnolia though!

What can’t you live without?

My kiddos and husband, of course. I mean, sometimes I can’t live with them either, but you know how that saying goes …

How do you balance your life?

I’ll tell you when it’s balanced! I have been trying to be more disciplined about my time: when I’m working, I’m working, and when I’m with my kids, I’m focused on being with my kids. Things go really wonky when I try to do too many things at once.

Who is your biggest role model?

My mom. She’s endured a lot, and she’s still the most genuinely kind and selfless person I know.

Do you have a family tradition?

I love traditions! We have a few. We always play “high / low” at the dinner table, which involves everyone saying the best and worst part of their day. And at the holidays, we always pick one night to surprise the kids and load them in the car in their PJs with hot chocolate to drive around and look at lights.

What makes a mom like that?

We’re all doing the same thing: trying to be our best selves and mothers and partners. It’s exhausting and gratifying, but knowing we’re in it together makes the journey a lot more fun!

5 quick questions:

Favorite restaurant: Farmstead in St. Helena

Favorite recipe: Chicken and Dumplings

Favorite dessert: Anything with coconut

Favorite drink: Rosé, rosé, rosé

Favorite book: I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb

Meet Our KidLikeThat and One Happy Girl

This girl is full of life and sass! She is such an imaginative, curious, beautiful, intelligent and happy little being. Leah is my baby who's not so much a baby anymore, but a real big girl. A girl who will tell you she's big now, but who still wants to be held and cuddled by her mama once or twice a day and get cozy with daddy on the couch. She started in the transitional kindergarten at the same school as her brother and sister this year. She couldn’t be happier and is stoked everyday to be there. She enjoys painting, making new friends, and singing "her songs" and reading “her books” of which she has about ten. 

With each passing day I find myself echoing those dear grandmothers at the market who remind you that, yes, it does go so fast. I want her to know that at this young age she has taught me more about life and myself than I have learned from any school or lesson. She has helped me to be more patience, and has given me countless moments of happiness.

// Target top - Similar skirt - Target boots //

Current Favorites

Fall is one of my favorite seasons of the year! Below are some of my current favorites. Make sure to follow me on Instagram @momlikethat for all the latest posts. 

Happy Monday everyone!

Pumpkin bread, pumpkin soup, pumpkin pie, pumpkin bars pumpkin stuffing (recipe coming soon), pumpkin waffles, pumpkin EVERYTHING!

Simply roasted artichokes recipe here

Can't put this book down. Such a wonderful story and very well written.

Basics with a tweed jacket for a day trip in San Francisco. Jacket (last fall) is from Nordstrom, tank top and jeans are from ANINE BING, booties (last fall) are from AnnTaylor.

I can't live without my green smoothie! (please ignore my chipped nail)

Orange happiness!

Love this chic and effortless look. Wrap from Nordstrom (in store only), button down from Old Navy, pumps from Banana Republic, and ripped jeans from Forever 21

Love all different types and shapes of squash.

My favorite combo: a glass of excellent white wine and Bistro Jeanty. 

My weekend casual look with Sonnet James dress. Boots are from Target (last fall), utility jacket (last fall) from Abercrombie, and purse (last fall) from Forever 21.

These boots are my absolute favorite. They are well made and super comfortable. Check out more styles here.

My Whole30 breakfast. Perfect refuel after my boot camp workout. Recipe here.

Baby Wipes To The Rescue

The other day “Naked and Afraid” was on television. If you're not familiar with the show, it's basically this: drop off two naked people in the middle of nowhere and allow them to bring one and only one item, and then film. I told my husband if I am ever on that show the one thing I would bring is a pack of “Baby Wipes”. Who needs a pot or knife when you can have baby wipes to help you stay clean in the middle of an insect infested jungle!

All my kids are out of diapers, but I still use this moist invention for everything. It’s one of the most essential items in my cleaning arsenal. I use them on the kids to clean off spaghetti sauce that they can never get into their mouths but is always well placed high on cheek bones and eyelashes. I use them at restaurants to clean up after the poorly tipped bus boys. I use them at playgrounds to clean off who-knows-WTF was on that slide. But I also use them to clean around the house - baseboards, doors, light switches, etc. They are magic!

Here are more ways to use them. Have a happy weekend everyone!

10 Things I Don't Like

1. Blue cheese. I can’t think of anything that smells worse than that.

2. Being late. I don’t like when everyone is waiting for me. It stresses me out!

3. Mice. Seriously, they REALLY freak me out.

4. Not enough sleep. I need at least 6-8 hours of sleep or I get super cranky.

5. Lamb meat. Never liked it and never will.

6. Public restrooms. I’m super OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) when it comes to toilets. I rather go in the nature.

7. Heavy metal music. I just don’t get it.

8. Big crowds. I get super stressed and anxious.

9. Bad drivers. Especially the ones who won’t let you merge on highways. 

10. People who can’t be happy for other people. Remember to cheer for all your friends and acquaintances.

Whole30 Results and Celebration

Well, we did it! A Whole30 five week challenge and a combined 15 lbs down for us! We went to Espetus in San Francisco with the family to celebrate. We did not totally pig out even though it was all you can eat! Below are pictures of our fun day. I also want to share some notable, non-weight related results:

CLEAR SKIN - For the first time in my adult life my skin is clear of eczema! It makes me feel so much more confident about myself. And I'm saving money - I’m not wearing foundation and am using much less makeup overall. I asked my dermatologist about this and she said it’s likely because I omitted dairy, processed foods and sugar. 

BETTER MOODS - I noticed that this time around I have less intense mood swings (especially during that time of the month). Both my husband and I noticed that I was a lot more balanced.

BETTER SLEEP - Unless the kids are in and out of our bedroom all night long, I’m sleeping between 6-8 hours each night. I feel rested and energized every morning.  

MORE MUSCLE TONE - I’m able to see all my hard work at our boot camp workout pay off through toned muscles. I lost an inch at my waist and an inch off my belly. Definitely feeling stronger!

WEIGHT LOSS - I lost three pounds and my husband lost 12 pounds in the past five weeks. I was going to boot camp four days a week, so I’ve likely put on muscle weight.

OUR FUTURE PLANS - We like the way we feel when we follow the Whole30 diet, so we’re going to stick with it using an 80/20 balance. That’s roughly four meals a week to indulge in other things. 

Happy Tuesday everyone!

This Brazilian Mojito is out of this world. So GOOD!!!

Traditional Brazilian appetizers - fried plantains and cheese bread.

My semi Whole30 plate from the buffet.

The meat keeps coming until you tell them to STOP!

Our dessert was hot Belgium chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream and cafe bom bom (expresso with condense milk). Definitely NOT Whole30 compliant.  (For the record, we're already back on Whole30!)

Fall Fashion Trends for Moms On the Go

Looks for this fall is the 70’s vibe, ponchos, plaid, flares, stripes, pop of red, animal prints, fringe, and lots of brown suede. Below are some of my favorite fall looks for moms on the go. Have a sweet weekend!

// Forever 21 hat - H&M poncho - ANINE BING boots (similar here) //

// Old Navy plaid shirt - ANINE BING jeans - Koolaburra sandals //

// H&M striped top - Gap jeans - 3.1 Phillip Lim platforms //

// Anthropologie top (similar here)- H&M ripped jeans - Target sneakers //

// Target chambray - Nordstrom flare jeans - The Mode Collective sandals (similar here)  //

// Nordstrom suede fringe sandals //

// Topshop jacket (similar here) - Old Navy striped top - J.Crew boyfriend jeans - ANINE BING boots //

Whole30 Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast is by far my favorite meal of the day. I like eggs, fruit, potatoes, and if I’m being honest, chocolate croissants and pancakes. Because I’m avoiding those last two for the remainder of my Whole 30 challenge I need to brainstorm healthy and tasty options each morning. I do a lot of prep ahead of time and cook after I drop off the kids at school. Here’s what I prepared last week with my new spiralizer toy. I hope you get some ideas for your own meals. 

Sweet potatoes spirals with spinach and baked eggs. Cook the potatoes first with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder for about 10 minutes then add the spinach. Crack eggs on top then cover it with foil for 5-7 minutes depending on how well done you like your eggs. Sprinkle red chili flakes and serve.

This dish is the same as above but I used white sweet potatoes and carrots instead.

I like to roast potatoes in big batches then eat through out the week. Roast at 350F for an hour.

This is my very easy scrambled eggs with roasted potatoes, fruit, and veggies. 

Yellow squash with marinara sauce and grilled shrimp. I stir fry squash noodles then add sauce and grilled shrimp on top. I don't like to eat before my workout so I made this dish as a late breakfast and early lunch. Great way to refuel!

Fall Beauty Favorites

With fall weather just around the corner I have already started to notice the dryness affecting my skin. So I'm adjusting my routine slightly to add more moisture back in and to protect myself from eczema. These are my must-haves for my daily beauty routine and all are affordably priced. 

// CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser - CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion - CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion - CeraVe Moisturizing Cream - Neutrogena Toner //

Meet MomLikeThat - Kasama Lee

Kasama is a sweet and inspiring mama. I’m so glad I’ve had the chance to get to know her. I love her personality and energy! She always makes me smile.  I hope you enjoy reading about her just as much as I love being around her.

Have a wonderful weekend!

How would you describe yourself? 

Passionate, Spiritual, Fun

What do you do besides motherhood?

I speak, train, coach and consult in personal growth and leadership development. The particular groups I am passionate in working with are women entrepreneurs who are moms.  Being a mompreneur myself for the past 13 years, I realize how much junk we carry on our shoulders that sometimes we lose balance without even stopping to notice it.  I just started blogging around these topics and am loving the feedback.  Come on over and grab some nuggets at www.kasamalee.com/blog.  I hope it will serve you!

The other group is our next generation, the teens.  I started a teens leadership program to work with middle school and high school students to help them strengthen their self-confidence, leadership and life skills.  I know what I do positively impact them for the rest of their lives and I am honored to be able to share what I love with them.

I also believe in being a contribution.  I serve in the causes I care about like serving on the leadership team at my church.  I serve on the boards of the Boys And Girls Club, American Canyon Community and Parks Foundation and serving as a Youth Engagement Chair for Relay For Life.

What’s the best advice you have ever received?

Leave this world a better place than how you found it.  Staying focused on the issues that affect communities leaves me no time for personal drama.

What’s your beauty routine?

Haha!  That's definitely an open-ended question with a long list of answers!

Let's just say my favorite items are Vitamin C cream, Oil of Olay moisturizer, my Nyx eye liner and my Clinique eye concealer (thanks Fanny Woo for teaching me the last two).

What’s your signature scent?

Obsession by Calvin Klein

What can’t you live without?

My faith, my 3 boys (hubby and my two sons) AND my "me" time.

How do you balance your life?

I have my morning ritual where I get up 45-60 minutes earlier than my kids before school so I could pray, meditate, visualize, reflect, journal, read and do my Tae Bo.  I recently turned off my social media notifications on my cell phone.  I check them when I want to check them.  It's been awesome!

Who is your biggest role model?

My mom...hands down.  She remains one of the toughest, most forgiving and most loving person I've ever known.

Do you have a family tradition?

Oh yes.  We do mini recharge getaways.  We would spend 1-3 nights camping or staying at wonderful places we've never been to.  It's our sacred family time together.  We learn a lot about each other during these times.  And then there's basketball games on Saturdays where our boys have been consistent players almost all year round.  It's a great way for them to learn about being part of a team and respect.

What makes a mom like that?

I believe we never stop growing.  So my motto is to strive to be the better version of myself everyday.  As long as I make sure I schedule an appointment everyday for my self-care, there'll be plenty more for others to benefit.  You have to put the oxygen mask on yourself first so you could save others.

5 quick questions:

Favorite restaurant: Yo Sushi (local dive)

Favorite recipe: Crockpot chicken adobo (Filipino dish, I'm Thai, go figure!)

Favorite dessert: Green tea ice cream

Favorite drink: Red wine and cucumber water

Favorite book: Heaven Is For Real

Creative, Healthy and Delicious Paleo-inspired Meals

If you read my last post you know that my husband and I are on a five week fitness reboot challenge. I'm happy to say we've completed week two and are feeling stronger and healthier! Food is a big part of this challenge and I've became more adventurous by trying ingredients I don't normally use such as cauliflower and zucchini. Here are some of my favorites dishes. Enjoy!

BREAKFAST

Cauliflower tortilla toped with eggs, bacon, and bell peppers

Sausage, asparagus and baked eggs. Cook the sausage first then add asparagus with salt and black pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Crack eggs on top of the asparagus and then broil for 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle red chill pepper on top before serving.

LUNCH

Leftover salad bowl. Steamed broccoli, diced cucumber, radish, pineapple, roasted potatoes, and pork adobo over romaine lettuce.

Brussels sprouts with bacon and mushroom. Recipe here

DINNER

Polpette Di Vitello. Recipe here

Don't they look fantastic? My kids couldn't stop eating them!

Zucchini noodles. 

Zucchini noodles with Polpette di vitello and pesto sauce. To make zucchini noodles I highly recommend this.

Pork chops with my homemade pesto sauce (one cup of basil, 1/4 cup of almonds, 3 cloves of garlic, salt, black pepper, and 1/2 cup of olive oil) Blend them together till all ingredients are mixed.

Garlic mashed cauliflower. Recipe here. Our blender is this.

It was so good that my father in law, a true meat and potato Oklahoman, thought the pork sat atop mashed potatoes!

See Summer Better with Warby Parker

Do you know what I like about sunglasses? They hide your face just when you need them to. Sure they block out sunlight and make you appear cool or in some cases intimidating. But the reality is that I often use them to hide the dark circles that blanket my sleepy eyes from my kids coming in and out of their rooms in the middle of the night. But that’s not what this post is about. I want to share with you a new, super cool company called Warby Parker.

By circumventing traditional channels, designing glasses in-house, and engaging with customers directly, they are able to provide higher-quality, better-looking eyewear. They believe that buying glasses should be easy and fun. It should leave you happy and good-looking. Another service that they have is the Home Try-On program. This program is just genius for busy moms like me. You can pick five of your favorites frames and take them out for a spin and return them in five days. All at no cost! 

Below are some of my favorites of the season (dark circles on eyes not shown). Have a happy long weekend!

Haskell in Crystal

Winston in Ginger Lemonade

Lowry in Whiskey Tortoise

Bates in Striped Pacific

Back To School For Mommy

I can't believe how fast this summer flew by! My kids have been back to school for a week now. We are finally getting back to our morning routine and everyone is happy and on time. I usually wake up thirty minutes before my kids so I can have a little me time and get ready for the day. Below are some of the outfits I put together for a mommy on the go like me. Enjoy!

// SONNET JAMES dress - Vans sneakers //

// ANINE BING plaid shirt and dress - Birkenstock //

// Old Navy hat - H&M top (old similar here) - J.Crew jeans //

// Zara top (old similar here) - ASOS scarf - Gap jeans - Nine West pumps //

// ANINE BING plaid shirt, dress, and boots - Sam Edelman clutch //

Whole30 - A Five Week Challenge

If you follow me on Instagram you know that I had too much fun with the family over the summer. We went on an epic five-week, Western states, national park road trip. Do you know how much junk food is out there when you're on the road? As much as I tried to order healthy meals for my family it was very hard in this part of the country. As a result, my husband and I decided to reboot with a five week fitness and Whole30 challenge. Our goal is to only eat whole foods and exercise. No processed foods, sugar, dairy, grains, legumes or alcohol, and work out at least three times a week.

Over the weekend I prepped and cooked up a storm of healthy dishes. I like cooking or grilling big batches of bacon, grilled chicken breasts, sausage, and pulled pork at the start of the week for quick and easy meals later with salads, eggs, and stir fry veggies. I also like simple ingredients that I can find at any store. For those of you who have asked about recipes or want a little inspiration for your own clean eating cooking regimen, below are a few of my favorite meals.

Remember clean eating should be easy and fun and not hard or complicated. I like to think of it as mixing and matching clothes. It gets me inspired!

Enjoy!

Roasted spaghetti squash at 375F for an hour

Stir fried asparagus, sausage, and red pepper on top of spaghetti squash

Leftover veggies over scramble eggs for breakfast

Kids like clean eating!

Slow cooker Kalua Pig. Recipe here

Sixteen hours later...

Riced cauliflower for some tortillas. Recipe here

Cauliflower tortillas with pulled pork and veggies

Pulled pork wraps with fresh fruit

Asian salad from Costco (I don't use the toppings or dressing) with leftover meat and homemade dressing (olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper)

Chatbooks - The Answer to All Your Instagram Photos

Chatbooks is a service where you can have all your Instagram pictures delivered in cute little printed books. It’s perfect for busy moms like me who pretty much stopped organizing pictures of my kids five years ago. It’s so fun to look at all the old photos and share wonderful memories with your friends and family. I’m totally obsessed!

Oro Epic Road Trip Part Five: Big Fork, Monatna

We left Glacier National Park and stopped at Big Fork and then Missoula, Montana to wash up and regroup before heading to our next tent camping destination. Here are photos from our quick stay. Enjoy!

Beautiful view of Flathead Lake.

Front lake view and lunch at The Raven in Woods Bay near Big Fork.

Another view from the restaurant. The water was crystal clear. 

We took the time to learn some history in Polson, south of Big Fork. This was at the Polson-Flathead Historical Museum. 

A very interesting place to visit and the curator is happy to show around.

My husband surprised the kids with the musical Annie at the Big Fork Summer Playhouse.

Peasant bread from Grateful Bread Cafe and Bakery

Summer Styles You Can Easily Transition To Fall

Today I'm sharing some of my current favorites. All these pieces can easily transition into the fall by adding a light jacket or a trench coat. Happy Wednesday!

// Old Navy top - Old Navy skirt - ANINE BING boots (old, similar here) //

// ANINE BING sunnies (old, similar here) - Target chambray shirt (old, similar here) - Nordstrom flare jeans - Mode Collective sandals //

// ANINE BING hat (old, similar here) - Target lace top (old, similar here)  - Abercombie & Fitch lace skirt (old, similar here) - Sam Edelman booties //

// Anthropologie top (old, similar here) and wide pants - Bauble Bar bib necklace //

La Taberna

Downtown Napa's transformation over the last decade has been remarkable. I have witnessed it go from tired, old-time and sleepy to invigorating, modern and bustling. With a new Napa town center planned for 2016 there is even more to come. This is great for a lifestyle blogger and foodie like me. On Friday we visited a fairly new place to the scene that I've been wanting to try for a while - La Taberna. Known for good drinks and tapas, I found the food superb, had great presentation and, for tapas, was generously proportioned. In short it was fantastic, and we couldn't stop ordering dishes. The atmosphere is great and not too loud, but it's definitely not a family friendly place. You would have to order the entire menu multiple times for a family of five like mine. If you are looking for a place to grab a drink, have a few bites with friends, enjoy a date night, or simply start your weekend, then come here. And if you're lucky like us, get seats by the window and enjoy Napa's new downtown with some people watching. 

Paloma Rosa: manzanilla sherry, lillet blanc and grapefruit. Refreshing!

First dish: Squid a la Plancha. Perfectly cooked with a smokey flavor. Yummo!

Second dish: Patatas Bravas. Let me tell you this dish was bravo alright!

Third dish: Baby corn. It might look messy, but you can taste each ingredient in it's own component!

Four dish: Bocadillos de Cerdito. It was perfectly executed! A must try!

Fifth dish (I told you we couldn't stop ordering): Empanadas de Pato. Growing up in Argentina, I'm very particular with empanadas, but these surpassed my expectations. Definitely mi favorito!

Last dish: Judias de Arroz. May be I was getting full, but this dish was my least favorite of them all. But still finished it :)

And for dessert we ordered the "Flan". It was very custardy and creamy. Perfect with cafe con leche!

And last but not least the chocolate and peanut butter mouse. AMAZING! 

Oro Epic Road Trip Part Four: Glacier National Park, Montana

We left the beautiful Lakeshore Lodge in Sandpoint, Idaho to begin the real adventure - the first tent camping of our epic road trip. First stop was Glacier National Park. Mysteriously I became really sick right after we go to our campsite. I could not remember much from our three days there, but somehow managed to take some pictures. Enjoy!

Have a great weekend!

We stopped at the general store to buy wood. This is the view from the store. Breathtaking!

Our campsite. Too bad I spent most of the time being sick in the tent.

At the visitor center to get maps and Junior Ranger workbooks.

She got her Junior Ranger workbook and it's all business.

Was able to capture amazing scenery during our drive around the park.

A short hike before it rained on us.

The famous Weeping Wall. 

Only shot of the family. Thank you selfie stick!

Hubby took the kids fishing.

Goodbye Glacier National Park!