Set up a UGMA account for your kids and secure their future beyond college This blog post is in partnership with Responsival. As always, all opinions are my own. If you've read my blog before, you know that we have opened 529 plans to help pay for college for all 3 of our kids. It helped us to ...
Smart Shopping for Back-to-School: Maximize Cash Back
This post contains affiliate links. As the back-to-school season approaches, families are gearing up for the annual shopping spree. From notebooks and backpacks to laptops and clothing, the list seems endless. However, with some strategic planning, you can turn this shopping season into an ...
Air Fryer Eggplant Fries with Marinara Dipping Sauce
Who's an eggplant fan? If you love breaded eggplant but want some guilt-free snacking, enjoy these crispy, flavor-packed Air Fryer Eggplant Fries with Marinara Dipping Sauce. In this recipe, we'll showcase a recipe that's not only delicious but also incredibly easy to make. Whether you're a culinary ...
Air Fryer Lemon Dill Salmon
This post contains affiliate links through Amazon and Instacart. I receive payments for clicks, purchases, and/or registrations made through affiliate links in this post. Please see our disclosure policy for more information. While I'm a fan of salmon, I was looking for a new way to prepare it. ...
Gourmia French Door Digital Air Fryer Oven Review (+ Giveaway)
I recently tested out the Gourmia French Door Digital Air Fryer Oven, and it has completely transformed my air fryer use. This is an upgrade to the latest air fryer I had been using and I love this sleek and versatile appliance. With the two large racks and the French Door Design, it really does ...
Fun Out-of-the-Box Birthday Gifts for Close Friends
I like to make a big deal out of Birthdays for family and friends. After all, Birthdays are an annual celebration of life, and what better way to mark the occasion than with thoughtful and enjoyable gifts? While the hunt for the perfect gift can sometimes be tough, there's one trend that continues ...
Ninja CREAMI Low Fat Chocolate Ice Cream
You scream, I scream, we all scream.. for the best Ninja CREAMI Low Fat Chocolate Ice Cream! I've been using my Ninja CREAMI Deluxe 11 in 1 Ice Cream Maker for the last 6 months and I'm so attached to it. Here's the low fat Chocolate Ice Cream that I make on repeat. It tastes just like a Wendy's ...
Why You Need to Set Up a Baby Registry: A Guide for Expectant Parents
Parenthood is like no other journey you've ever had before. Preparing for the arrival of a new family member is an exciting yet challenging experience. Among the many tasks on an expectant parent's to-do list, setting up a baby registry often falls to the wayside. However, creating a comprehensive ...
Helping Israel: A List of Places You Can Donate To
Here at The Mama Maven, we mourn the victims of Hamas's Terrorist Strikes in Israel. So many people have messaged us via social and asked us how to help. This list will be edited in real time and if you want to send any resources our way to promote, please email at themamamaven At ...
Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream Maker Review + Non-Dairy Chocolate Mint Ice Cream Recipe
Confused as to what the differences are between the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 Ice Cream Maker? I was too. While I bought the Ninja CREAMi Breeze this summer and loved it, unfortunately, it broke a few weeks ago and I decided to upgrade to the Ninja CREAMi Deluxe 11-in-1 because I wanted more ...
Mixed Berry Sorbet – Ninja CREAMi Recipe
If you read my Peach Sorbet recipe, you know I am obsessed with my new Ninja CREAMi Ice Cream Maker and I whipped up a Mixed Berry Sorbet. While I am busy testing out recipes, this is one of my favorite sorbets. This one is pretty simple. You need mixed berries (I used a blend of frozen ...
Air Fryer Breaded Flounder
My family loves breaded fish -- since I prefer to make most things in my air fryer, it was a natural move to start air frying it. But, while I was able to master breaded chicken, I had issues with air frying breaded flounder and other fish. It just seems to fall apart. I prefer air frying to ...
Meatless Monday: Spaghetti Fauxlognese (Vegan)
For the past 7 months, I've been primarily plant-based. Obviously this has changed many things in the way I eat. I strive for most of my meals to be plant based and that includes adding more meatless favorites to my menu planning. Which has actually been surprisingly easy. My daughter is a ...
My Father Passed Away
My father passed away this week. Avery Stephen Johnson always had a story, was brilliant and could also argue for days. He preferred to go by the name Stephen and always told us that his mother was confused after his birth and meant to name him Stephen Avery. Of course Avery is a cool, trendy name ...
When Your Child Is Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes: A Guide for T1D Parents
I am not a medical professional, but a parent of a child with Type 1 Diabetes. I am my child's primary caregiver and I was trained by our Endocrinologist's office, but this no way qualifies me to give medical advice. If you have an issue with your child's Type 1 Diabetes care, please reach out to ...
Packing for Diabetes Camp for the First Time
We dropped my son at diabetes camp recently and while I've been to sleepaway camp for years and my daughter has also been at that sleepaway camp, diabetes camp is slightly different. It's still a sleepaway camp but it's a great place for children who have Type 1 Diabetes to go and still have that ...
Air Fryer Za’atar Spiced Chicken Drumsticks
If you love Israeli or Middle Eastern food, chances are you're already a fan of Za'atar (you might spell it Zaatar) - which is a spice blend containing toasted sesame seeds, thyme, marjoram, coriander, oregano. Last week I picked up Trader Joe's Za'atar Seasoning Blend and loved it. I had some ...
Family Trip to Philly: Crayola IDEAworks at the Franklin Institute
This post is sponsored by Epson. As always, all opinions are my own. There are affiliate links in this post. Ever take a trip to Philadelphia with your kids? Epson recently asked my family and I to check out Crayola IDEAWorks at the Franklin Institute in Philly recently and it was amazing. I'm ...
Easy Air Fryer Steak Fries (Steak Frites)
We eat a lot of potatoes in my house. My go-to is steamed in my Instant Pot, but sometime I mash them or cut them up into cubes and roast in my air fryer. I find it really easy to cook potatoes and delicious, but this night I wanted french fries. My daughter had enjoyed some earlier in the day, but ...
Air Fryer Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wings (Gluten Free)
My oldest child LOVES spicy foods. So when he gets a choice of snacks, he wants Buffalo Wings and me to use hot sauce. So recently, I broke out my air fryer oven and made Air Fryer Spicy Buffalo Chicken Wings. He was so thrilled with the result. I was going to cook them the same way I made my ...
Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup with Kale
This post contains affiliate links.I'm a huge fan of lentils, especially lentil soups. But since I adore my Instant Pot, could I adapt my favorite red lentil soup recipe for it? Why yes, I could totally make Instant Pot Red Lentil Soup and it came out fantastic. This is based on a recipe that my ...
DIY Candy Cane Hot Chocolate Bombs
This post contains affiliate links.Hot Chocolate Bombs are all the rage, but did you know that they are super simple to make? Just get some chocolate disks or melt chocolate chips, get a silicone mold (I just used my egg bites mold, but you can buy molds at the craft store or on Amazon), hot ...
Easy Baked Eggplant Parmesan Rounds
This post contains affiliate links. As always, all opinions are my own. I love cooking for my family. Were upstate at my in-laws' house for the month of July and cooking for seven people wasn't easy. Eggplant Parmesan is something my family adores, but it's a lot of work. By using liquid egg ...
8 Great Options for Plus Size Workout Clothes
By Maytal 2 Comments
This post contains affiliate links. In the last few years, I got a lot more serious about my workouts and found that I didn't really have enough workout clothes. Enter online shopping for the win! No contact, no problem! We've come up with some great ideas to keep you cool and comfy with these 8 ...
The Kartrite Resort and Indoor Waterpark Visit
Updated January 2022. There are some pictures from our visit in December of 2019 and you wouldn't see anyone masked or distancing in those photos. After a really long fall and as winter started, I wanted to take a breather with my daughter and celebrate her 14th birthday. We were up at my ...
Instant Pot Quinoa Salad with Feta
Recently my sister-in-law made this super amazing quinoa salad. I'm the first to admit that I'm not a fan of the superfood, but the way that L made it was absolutely wonderful. As in everyone enjoyed it, even my picky eaters. Why? Because it had cucumbers, feta, and tomatoes in it - and served cold, ...
Instant Pot Turkey Breast
This post contains affiliate links. Contrary to popular belief, making a turkey is always in style. My father, for no apparent reason will just whip up a turkey with all the trimmings on a whim. However, I just don't have the same inclination. Making things in my instant pot or air fryer has ...
Packing My Kid for Sleepaway Camp + Downloadable Packing List
This is not a sponsored post, but does contain affiliate links. I'm linking to products I used so it may help you pack for your child. I do get a small commission if you buy through my links, but it doesn't affect your purchase price. Check out my Amazon Storefront Idea list with so many items ...
10 Simple Tips to Get Your Kids to Eat Their Veggies
This post contains affiliate links. We all know we need fruits and veggies, but even as a fruit and veggie lover, I find myself struggling to get my daily share. Imagine being a really picky kid and it becomes even worse! Imagine having three kids and a husband that are picky eaters (yes, that's ...
Family Recipe: Turkey Barley Soup
Foodwise, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! But after a few days, the thought of eating AGAIN, isn't as appetizing. So make Turkey Soup! This is based on my Uncle Bob's recipe, which was originally my grandmother Rosalind Johnson's recipe. The recipe calls for using the bones from the turkey to ...
Lactose Free Saag Paneer Recipe
Saag Paneer is one of my favorite Indian dishes. The combination of spinach and cheese is absolutely delicious. However, I have to be careful with dairy, as I am lactose sensitive. My husband kept this in mind and decided to make it for me using tofu instead of cheese and making his own cream using ...
Tips to Rock Your Holiday Road Trip
Planning a road trip over the holidays? It can be really busy on the roads and stressful, so you will want to be ready for your road trip –and making sure you get cash back on gas, grocery stores, and restaurants can be a big savings help. We’ve got some great ideas for holiday travel planning that ...
Instant Pot Korean BBQ (Kalbi)
I've posted about Korean BBQ (Barbecue) before -- my former neighbor Helen had taught me to make it ten years ago. While I don't always use my former neighbor's recipe for the Korean BBQ sauce (https://www.themamamaven.com/love-korean-bbq-korean-bbq-short-ribs-recipe-kalbi/), it remains ...
Baked Turkey Sausage and Peppers (No Sauce)
I've mentioned before that I love Sausage and Peppers. I usually make my father's recipe with tomato sauce - but my husband wanted a lighter version of this, so I changed things up a little. I didn't use any tomato-based sauce, I used lean turkey sausage, and baked the dish. I served it over brown ...
Dairy/Parve Lunch Ideas for Kosher Schools
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. There are affiliate links within the post. Updated 2023. Looking for kosher dairy/pareve lunch ideas for kids? While I am not kosher, many friends and my brother-in-law's family are, plus my children have attended kosher schools in the ...
Brownie Batter Protein Ice Cream (Ninja CREAMi)
For our next protein ice cream, I knew I had to make a brownie batter ice cream. I'm a new affiliate of Clean Simple Eats and have been incorporating their protein powder into my life on my health journey. I chose Clean Simple Eats protein powder for a reason. With 20g of protein in each serving, ...