NYC Mom Lifestyle and Easy Recipe Blog
Need a recipe for making a vegetarian version of Chicken Matzoh Ball Soup? The recipe includes fresh vegetables, a vegetable broth, and matzoh balls, with options for reducing sodium and making it vegan-friendly. My middle kid is a pescatarian, so anything I cook — especially holiday dishes — has to ...
So your kid is going to college. Are you ready? Are they ready? While we can't help you feel better about your kid taking this huge life step, we can help you with packing for their dorm life. It's definitely an adjustment to sharing a small room with a stranger who could become a close friend. Add ...
Family betrayal, a clever disguise, and a centuries-old force that threatens to keep two lovers apart...the Hong Kong Ballet will premiere "The Butterfly Lovers," later this month at Lincoln Center in a dazzling performance you do not want to miss. An eternal love that defies all expectations. ...
I recently went on a big trip overseas and I tried to take as many things as I could that would make my life easier for travel. However there were some hits and some misses. I'm going to tell you what I loved, what wasn’t so great, and what I wish I had packed. So if you are packing for an ...
Working parents, so you need a dinner that can be on the table in under 30 minutes and will easily use ingredients you may have on hand? This Instant Pot Garlic and Herb Chicken and Rice can do that! It doesn't take more than 5-7 minutes to prep and takes 14 minutes after your IP comes to pressure. ...
I recently worked with SnapDragon Apples on social media posts and loved what I created so much that I wrote this post. I was not compensated for this blog post, but there are affiliate links.If you and your family love snack time (and let’s be honest, who doesn’t?), this easy and tasty Apple Snack ...
While we were recently in Budapest and Israel, I fell in love with chicken schnitzel. It's just breaded chicken cutlets, right? Well, kind of. But the taste is a thousand times better. What makes it special, according to All Recipes, "Schnitzel is a slice of meat, often pounded until fairly thin, ...
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, ...
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 ...
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. ...
Updated for 2025When it comes to Jewish cuisine, one dish stands out as a true classic - brisket. The tender, flavorful, and slow-cooked beef brisket has become a staple at Jewish family gatherings, holidays, and celebrations. My father passed away the end of March of 2022 and I try to honor his ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 plus size workout clothes, as well as ...
I've been trying to stay away from the sweets, but when I heard about the easy homemade chocolate peanut butter cups that my niece in New Jersey had been making -- I knew I had to try to make them for my family. This easy no bake dessert only has two ingredients and can be ready in an half an hour. ...
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 ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
I could not love this recipe more! These Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Energy Bites taste delicious and are a little healthier than regular cookies! Have fun and make them with your kids for a delicious snack! These are vegan, but Instructions: Add together all ingredients in a big bowl and mix. ...
Matzoh Pizza is absolutely a favorite during Passover, but did you realize that you could add toppings? Around a couple of years ago, we started getting a little fancy with our Matzah Pizzas. I can't take total credit -- my husband had been excited and we came up with some ways to make it even ...
Foodwise, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday! But after a few days, the thought of eating AGAIN, isn't as appetizing. So make Turkey Barley 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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
We just dropped my oldest child at college for his Freshman year. This day has been coming for a long time and I'm not sure how to feel that it happened. Does he realize that entering college is a big deal? Does he realize how much his life will change as he starts his studies and goes to a new ...
I recently came back from a trip to San Francisco, where for 3 glorious days, I had some R & R with my husband, before I covered the PBS Annual Meeting started. We played tourist and had a wonderful time. But one thing I didn't have to worry about was my purse. I tested out Travelon's ...
“
"
