Romantic Healthy Valentines Recipes Raspberry Cucumber Soup + Butternut Cheesecake

Good Food

Love is in the air and Valentine's Day is right around the corner. So what could be more romantic than a delicious heart-healthy and low cal but elegant dinner for two prepared at home? I can't wait to make these appetizer and dessert recipes by Chef Anthony Stuart, Executive Chef at Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa for my husband. These look really good, so you might want to consider making them both for your own sweetie. Add your loved one's choice of a main dish with your favorite sides for an amazing and memorable meal together.

Recipes

Chilled Raspberry & Cucumber Soup

Appetizer

Ingredients

• 3 cups fresh raspberries, washed
• 1 cup seedless cucumber chopped
• ¼ cup seedless cucumber finely diced for garnish
• ¼ cup  apple juice concentrate
• 3 cups water

Directions

• Combine all ingredients in a blender (except finely diced cucumber) and blend
• Chill and serve garnish with finely diced cucumber on top

Chef's note: Fresh basil or mint goes nicely with this dish

Crustless Butternut Squash Cheesecake
Dessert

Ingredients

• 1 Grainfield's corn flakes
• ¼ cup apple juice concentrate
• 1 bar cream cheese, fat-free
• ¼ cup cottage cheese
• 1 pkg Silken Tofu or ½ cup skim milk
• ½ cup roasted butternut squash, pureed
• ½ cup Splenda
• 2 tablespoon vanilla
• ½ cup egg whites

Directions

• Grind corn flakes in cuisenart until fine, mix with apple juice and layer in bottom of cake tin and bake for 3 minutes to set crust.
• Mix cream cheese with tofu & cottage cheese in cuisenart until very smooth.  In large bowl mix egg whites, splenda, pureed butternut squash & vanilla with spoon (not whisk).  Add to cream cheese mixture and mix until smooth.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes in a hot water bath.

FTC Disclosure: Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa provided the recipes and images for this story. Opinions are my own and I am not receiving any payment associated with this post. See complete FTC disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Morris the Cat Advice on Getting a Good Night's Sleep + A Fun Giveaway for Cat Lovers

Pets

Guest Post

by Morris the Cat

Live Well & Prospurr

9Lives Brand Ambassador

#Prospurr

Continuing our uber popular guest cat post series, I'm pleased to be treating Mommy Blog Expert cat loving readers to more hilarious advice columns from Morris the Cat of 9Lives cat food fame.

Anyway... I'm back with iconic 9Lives cat food spokescat Morris, giving advice to us lowly humans about how to sleep like a pro, and by that I mean, a cat. After all, they do sleep up to 140 hours a week – that's 3.5 times your typical 9-5.

To help on your quest to catch more Zzzs, Morris is also giving readers the chance to win a super-cool, human-sized bed in the shape of Morris himself... because who doesn't sleep better when snuggling up with a cat? Just go to his Live Well & Prospurr website to enter and check out his video with more sleeping tips.

Dear Morris,

I'm a cat but as you know, even animals have 'spirit animals.' Mine is an owl – a night owl to be exact. I love to play "catch the speck of dust" or "chase your tail in the middle of the bed" into the wee hours of the morning. My humans have no idea what they're missing out on. They just lay there snoring and swat at me when I come too close. How can I make them see that daytime is lame, and the real party happens under stars (the stick-on, glow-in-the-dark kind)?

Yours truly,
Hyper Harry

Dear Hyper Harry,

Sadly, this is a case you may not win. Humans need their sleep at night. You get to spend all day snoozing and they only get a few precious hours when the sun goes down. Your humans can, however, make sure that they understand why it is you're pouncing about and provide things to make nighttime more fun. For instance, your humans could consider getting a kitty condo or put out bags or boxes for you to explore. For extra credit, they can hide treats around the house so you can go on a midnight scavenger hunt. Or, if you're really lucky, they'll bring home a kitty best friend for you to play with whenever you please. Other cats might be up at night because they get hungry, in which case their humans could try an automatic food dispenser to provide small meals throughout the night. Remember, the more you let your humans sleep at night, the more energy they'll have to play with you during the day!

Kitty hugs,
Morris

Thanks for the pawesome nighttime tips, Morris! If you missed it, be sure to read Morris' most recent exclusive MBE cat advice column for more entertaining advice. Plus, don't forget to check back for the last installment of "Dear Morris," and in the meantime, check out his official website to see how you can live as well as a cat and enter the giveaway!

FTC Disclosure: Morris the Cat and 9Lives provided the inspiration, content and images for this story.  I am not receiving any payment associated with this post. See complete FTC disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.

Kids TV Safety Guide for Parents to Avoid TV Tip-over Injuries Super Bowl Sunday

Safety

While everyone is thinking about the Super Bowl this Sunday, there's something else that we all need to have in the forefront of our minds whether or not we have young kids ourselves. 

The sad reality is that too many children are being needlessly injured or worse by televisions that tip over. In fact, according to Safe Kids Worldwide and the Consumer Technology Association who brings the tech world CES every January, a child dies from a TV tipping over every three weeks here in the United States. 

It's a good thing these two organizations are marking National TV Safety Day on February 6 (the day before the big game when families will gather around their TV sets) with a public service campaign to educate the community. In addition to educating parents, caregivers and others about the importance of properly securing TVs, TV Safety Day also provides information about removing unwanted TVs from the home and recycling them through the Best Buy free electronics recycling program and others. 



Children younger than 5 years old are at the highest risk for accidents, with this age group accounting for the most TV tip-over injuries. Don't just consider TVs in the family or living room, either, because about 47 percent of TV and furniture topple incidents happen in a bedroom. In fact, I was shocked to learn as you will be that a recent study by CPSC estimates that a CRT TV can fall from an average-size dresser with an impact force of up to a whopping 12,000 pounds.

Top TV Safety Tips

1. Properly place your old TV. If you have a heavier, box-style TV, place it on a low, stable piece of furniture that is appropriate for the TV's size and weight.
2. Secure your flat-panel TV. Be sure your flat-panel TV is properly secured with a mount that has a safety certification by an independent laboratory such as UL, CSA or ETL
3. Recycle your TV. To find a location near your home that safely and responsibly recycles unwanted TVs, go to GreenerGadgets.org.

For more information about TV safety and how to protect your little ones visit SafeKids.

FTC Disclosure:  I am not receiving any payment associated with this post. See complete FTC disclosure information that appears at the bottom of MommyBlogExpert's main page and at the bottom of every individual post on this blog, including this one.