A couple of weeks ago I received a copy of Drinking for Two: A Collection of Nutritious Cocktails for the Mom-to-Be. Before I go any further, let me just say that NO, I am NOT pregnant. However, I know that a lot of my followers are new or expecting mamas and I like to make sure I'm providing useful information for everyone around here! Anyway, Drinking for Two was created by two dietitians who felt like moms-to-be deserved a book filled with delicious and nutritious mocktail recipes. The drinks are all plant-based and non-alcoholic, low in sugar, and easy to prepare. I've included a link at the end of the post so you can shop the book - it would make a great gift for a mom-to-be! 

With the holiday season upon us, it's time for holiday parties, Thanksgiving meals, Friendsgiving celebrations, and everything else that comes with this joyful time of year. We've got parties and we're entertaining left and right. We're eating, we're drinking, and generally being overindulgent. But what happens when you can't (or don't want to) drink alcohol? It doesn't mean you have to be left out! I teamed up with Dr. Jenny Schell of Concierge Postpartum Care, and we made one of the delicious recipes from Drinking for Two, and chatted about all the different reasons why we might not drink on a particular day. You can check out our video here. Our answers ranged from pregnancy, to being on antibiotics, to being sensitive to those around you who cannot or do not drink, and to having to be up bright and early the next morning because your kids are still going to be up at 6 am (that's me!). 

This drink is perfect for the holidays and would pair well with a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. It's got cranberry, citrus, and thyme. It's also got ginger, so if you're suffering from nausea during your pregnancy, this could be a good one for you! Plus, it's really tasty! Dr. Schell and I were very pleasantly surprised when we tried it. 

So whatever your reason, mix up a couple glasses of this, and I promise you will be grateful in the morning!

Serves 2

Ingredients
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tsp ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup 100% cranberry juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1 cup seltzer
Ice
Additional thyme and cranberries for garnish

Tools
Muddler
Citrus juicer
Shaker

Preparation

1. Muddle ginger and thyme in the bottom of a shaker. 
2. Add the cranberry and orange juice; fill the shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. 
3. Divide the shaken mixture between two ice-filled lowball glasses. 
4. Top with seltzer and stir. 
5. Garnish with thyme sprigs and fresh cranberries if desired. 

If you want to make a version with alcohol, I would add 2-3 oz of vodka to this! 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

Links: 

Drinking for Two

Lowball Glasses (similar) here and here

Last week I shared my recipe for pumpkin cheesecake, which is something I make every year for Thanksgiving. The first year I made it, the cheesecake cracked, and I was so bummed. Being the perfectionist that I am, I needed to figure out a way to cover it up. Enter salted caramel! I used it to fill in the cracks and make the cheesecake look prettier, but it made the cheesecake EXTRA tasty, so it has become a permanent addition to the recipe. It's also nice to have a little extra in the fridge to add to your coffee in the mornings (trust me on this). 

This one is from Two Peas and Their Pod and it's one of the easier ones I found (you guys know I'm all about simplicity!). The most important thing is to watch the sugar. If you let it go too long you'll get super hard caramel. If you don't let it go long enough it will be grainy and chunky. So make sure the kids are occupied when you do this! 

Ingredients

•  2 cups granulated sugar
•  12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into pieces
•  1 cup heavy cream at room temperature
•  1 tablespoon Kosher salt

Instructions

1. First, make sure you have all of the ingredients ready. Once you start the caramel sauce you have to pay close attention so you don't burn it. To begin, heat the sugar over medium high-heat in the bottom of a heavy 2-3 quart saucepan. When the sugar starts to melt, start whisking the sugar. The sugar will clump up, but keep whisking. It will continue to melt. When the sugar is melted, stop whisking. You can swirl the pan to move the sugar around.
2. Continue cooking the sugar until it reaches a deep amber color. Make sure you watch the pan very closely. This is where it is easy to burn the caramel.
3. As soon as the sugar reaches the dark amber color, carefully add the butter. Stir until butter is melted. 
4. Remove the pan from the heat and slowly pour in the heavy cream. Whisk until cream is incorporated and caramel is smooth. Whisk in the fleur de sel or Maldon sea salt flakes.
5. Let the caramel sauce cool for about 10 minutes in the pan. Pour the caramel into a large jar and cool to room temperature. Put the salted caramel sauce in the refrigerator. Store the salted caramel sauce in the refrigerator for about a month.

xoxo, 

​Jenise

For the last couple of years, we have hosted Thanksgiving in our home. It is something I absolutely love to do, and it's the one day a year where I really enjoy going all out. I love to set my table and create a welcoming setting for our loved ones to enjoy. I love to make our Thanksgiving spread a really classic, traditional Thanksgiving meal. Turkey, stuffing, sweet potato, the works. But since I know that not everyone is a huge fan of pumpkin pie, I wanted a twist on a classic Thanksgiving staple.

My cousin Olga makes this incredible Pumpkin Cheesecake, so the first year we hosted, I asked her for the recipe. I've really enjoyed making this cheesecake year after year, and you can bet that I'll be making it again this Thanksgiving! I like to top it with Salted Caramel - it really gives it an incredible flavor. 

I haven't quite figured out how not to make it crack, but it tastes amazing regardless, so if you're on the hunt for a delicious dessert recipe for Thanksgiving, look no further! 

INGREDIENTS
Crust: 
 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 20 single square crackers)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling: 
3 packages (8 oz each) Neufchatel cream cheese (softened)
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
5 eggs
1 can (16 oz) solid pack pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS
CRUST:

1. Butter 9-inch springform pan.
2. Combine crumbs, sugar, butter, and cinnamon in small bowl.
3. Press mixture over bottom and halfway up sides of pan.
4. Chill at least 1 hour. 

FILLING: 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
2. Beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth. 
3. Beat in brown and granulated sugars until well combined. 
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Beat in pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. 
6. Pour mixture into prepared pan. 
7. Bake in preheated oven at 325 for 1 1/4 hours or until just set in center. Tent with foil if over browning occurs. 
8. Gently run thin knife around edge of pan. Cool cake in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate, covered, overnight. 
9. To serve, remove side of pan. 
10. Optional: drizzle with salted caramel. 

Let me know if you make this favorite of ours! I'd love to know how it turns out! 

xoxo, 

​Jenise

Did you enjoy this post? 

Check out some of my other Thanksgiving posts: 
My Thanksgiving Tablescape
Classic Bread Stuffing
Salted Caramel Recipe

Here's a snack your kids will love. I used to make these for Caleb all the time when he was younger, but it had been a while since I last made them! I forgot how much he liked them. Today I made a batch and not only did he really like them and asked me to put them in his lunchbox for snack tomorrow, but Chloe liked them a lot, too - and she is my picky eater. 

They're pretty simple to make and they're a healthy alternative to chips and goldfish! 

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F. 
2. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. 
3. Dry the chickpeas. Pat them very dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels. They should look matte and feel dry to the touch. Remove any skins that come off while drying. 
4. Toss the chickpeas with olive oil and salt (or spray with your cooking spray) and make sure they are evenly coated. 
5. Roast for 20 to 30 minutes. Stir the chickpeas or shake the pan every 10 minutes. The chickpeas are done when golden and slightly darkened, 20 to 30 minutes total. 
6. Toss chickpeas with the spices. (I put the spices on before and they burned.) Stir to coat evenly. 

​
Enjoy!!

xoxo, 

​Jenise

Deconstructed Smoothie Bowl 

Ingredients
1/2 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp of your favorite peanut butter
​Fresh fruit (we used strawberries and blueberries)
​1 tbsp local honey (only if baby is over 1 year old)
1/2 tsp chia seeds


Directions

1. Put yogurt in bowl.
2. Drizzle peanut butter over the yogurt
3. Sprinkle berries over the top. 
4. Drizzle with honey.
5. Top with chia seeds. 

Click below for the printable version!

It's so easy and Chloe has devoured this every time I've prepared it for her. 
​I first tried Pic's Peanut Butter a couple of years ago and we loved it. It's an Australian company that only uses 100% Australian Hi Oleic peanuts. This smooth no-salt peanut butter (they have a salted option, and a crunchy one, too), is so smooth and has such a rich, nutty flavor. The ONLY ingredient in this particular one is peanuts. That's IT. So I know exactly what it is that I am giving my kids. 

I like to use local honey because it helps with allergies and also because I want to support local growers as much as possible. The one we buy is an Orange Blossom Honey and it's delicious. 

Let me know if you try this recipe, and how your kids like it! 

xoxo, 

​Jenise