Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Mother’s Day! I’m so excited that y’all were interested in a Mother’s Day gift guide from me. These gifts are super fun and something I would totally love to receive for Mother’s Day. Let’s not waste anymore time, let’s get to chatting.

For the foodie:

• Ground Up nut butters – handcrafted nut butters that are made from clean ingredients. They’re Peanut-Free, Dairy-Free, and Gluten-Free, and contain No Palm Oil, Refined Sugar-Free. Truly what else could a mama want? Use “whatrobineats” at checkout for a discount on all they’re nut butters. My two favorite flavors are Oregon Hazelnut and Cinnamon Snickerdoodle.
• AWG Bread – by far the BEST tasting grain gluten free, organic, vegan, and paleo bread I’ve had. Shipped straight to your door and ready to slice and eat. My fav is their Rosemary bread.
• Nutpods Creamer – this stuff is LEGIT. I have been using the cotton candy creamer daily in my morning coffee and I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. It’s so good!
• Jojo’s Chocolate – This is a no brainer, who doesn’t want chocolate that taste good AND isn’t filled with yucky ingredients. My favorite is the Peanut Butter Delight Bites but you can’t go wrong with any of the flavors. I usually buy the 7-bar bundle to have all the flavors depending on my mood of the day. Use “robin10” for a discount on all Jojo’s chocolate.
• Terra Delyssa Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil – I never thought I could be obsessed with an olive oil but then this came into my life. I have this on auto shipment because I love it so much! I use it on everything you could possibly imagine. I’ve tried all the other flavors too, chef’s kiss!
• Kvv Ceramic Bakeware Set – Talk about CUTE! I’ve really gotten into this pink color. I love cooking even more when my cooking appliances are easy on the eyes. I use these weekly, especially for my cauli-oat bakes I use the middle size.
• Square Wine Glasses – True life, I don’t even really like wine. There is one, and I mean one, white wine that I’ll drink and you can only get it from one store. But I use these wine glasses almost everyday! I drink my kombucha out of it most days to feel like a true queen.
• W&P Porter Ceramic Mug – the best part about this travel mug? YOU CAN WARM IT UP IN THE MICROWAVE. What’s worse than filling your travel mug with coffee and not being able to warm it up? I know there are insulated mugs but they aren’t nearly as cute as these. Joel has the charcoal and I have the cream one!

For self-care vibes:

• Versed Skincare – I love everything Versed stands for. This is a company that I enjoy supporting and I use their product daily. My go-to is the Guards Up daily mineral sunscreen and Game Over Acne Drying Treatment. Use “whatrobineats10” for a discount on all Versed products.
• Beetles Gel Nail Polish Kit – Before Wylder was born I was doing my own nails all the time with this nail kit! There are so many fun colors and it makes me so happy to save money by doing my own nails. I can’t wait to have the energy to do my own nails again!
• Shiatsu Neck and Back Massager – this isn’t the exact massager I have, it’s out of stock, but I can confirm that having one of these is a must! I use mine almost every evening after putting both the babies to bed. Such a treat and I totally won’t blame you if you buy this for yourself right after reading this post.
• Sweet Almond Oil for Hair and Skin – I am very serious about my moisturizing, you won’t find me with dry elbows or hands! I use this almond oil on my entire body after every shower, bath, and throughout the day just on my hands and feet. Silky smooth and feeling like you just stepped outta the spa!

And of course, things to wear!

• BUTABY Rectangle Sunglasses – These are so cool and I’m so happy to see them coming back in style. Not into the rectangle? Try the cat eye!
• Large Claw Hair Clips – YAY! These make my heart so happy and I totally forgot how life changing it is to have these as an option for my hair. I’m in such a crazy time of life and throwing my hair up in a cute pastel large clip makes me feel put together.
• PAVOI 14K Gold Colored Lightweight Chunky Open Hoops – I can say these make me feel 100% when I wear them. They go with any outfit and don’t hurt my ears when wearing them all day. I got the medium size!
• Beyond Yoga Workout Set – I basically live in all my Beyond Yoga clothes, especially the Spacedye collections. I never know when I’ll have my moment to workout so I like to be ready. I also wear my Beyond Yoga sets multiple days in a row and no one cares because they are that cute! Use “whatrobineats15” for a discount.

And there we have it! Hope you found something for your mama or mama figure in your life… or yourself. I know I can be guilty of buying myself a gift or two when shopping for other’s. No shame! It’s called self-care. 😉 Photos are by my sweet friends, Brenna Weeks, from our visit to the The Flower Fields at Carlsbad.

Avocado Shamrock Shake & Feta Avocado Toast, in collaboration with Wholly® Guacamole.

Well hello there, tasty green breakfast, nice to meet ya! In collaboration with Wholly® Guacamole, I’ve made not one, but TWO delicious avocado recipes for you to enjoy tomorrow on St. Patty’s Day, or any other day.

Wholly Guacamole is America’s #1 refrigerated guacamole brand, made with hand-scooped Hass avocados and real, quality ingredients, good fats and fiber, and incredible taste—without all the fuss, hassle and unpredictable nature of avocados. I know what you’re thinking: guacamole in a shake?! The Wholly brand also offers single serve guacamole containers, like the Classic Minis, as well as Diced Avocados from Wholly Avocado, like you see in the photo above. The makers of Wholly  products make it easy for people to enjoy tasty avocados anytime, anywhere. I’m usually holding a baby in one arm so there’s no way I’m able to slice open an avocado whenever I need one. I just open a container and keep going on with my day! See below for deets for these easy, delicious recipes (both perfect St. Patty’s Day treats!):

Avocado Shamrock Shake:

• 1/2 cup Wholly® Avocado Diced Avocado
• 1/2 frozen banana
• 1/3 cup frozen riced cauliflower
• 1 + 1/4 cup unsweetened nut milk
• 1/4 tsp pure peppermint extract
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 8-10 ice cubes
• Optional coconut whipped cream and chocolate for topping

Instructions:

• Add everything to a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass and top with coconut whipped cream and chocolate shavings if desired. Enjoy!

Feta Avocado Toast:

• 1 single-serve Wholly® Avocado Smashed Avocado container
• 2 slices toasted bread
• 1/2-1 tbsp ghee
• 2-3 tbsps feta cheese
• Flaky sea salt
• 1-2 tsp chili onion crunch

Instructions:

• Toast your bread then spread a generous amount of ghee over one side. Top one slice with 1/2 of the Wholly® Avocado Smashed Avocado container then use the reminder to mash on the other side. Top each slice with feta cheese, flaky sea salt, and chili onion crunch. Devour!

Make sure to checkout eatwholly.com to find out more. Which recipe would you try first? Joel said this avocado shamrock shake tastes like dessert!

New ALOHA Coconut Chocolate Almond Bar, in collaboration with ALOHA.

Poppy Plotnik. Being so cute since 2018 that she gets all of my new ALOHA Coconut Chocolate Almond Bar. How could I say no to those cheeks?!

I’ve had quite the journey with protein bars. I’ve tried more than I can count and I can assure you that none have been half as good as ALOHA’s new Coconut Chocolate Almond Bar. What protein bar can you think of that makes you sad when it’s over because you want more? Yeah, I didn’t think your could think of any. This new flavor is organic, non-gmo, vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar alcohol free, and stevia-free. I love that I don’t have to sacrifice taste for nutrition, especially if Poppy is enjoying the bar as well. I’d choose this bar over an Almond Joy any day! And that’s saying something because Almond Joy’s were my favorite candy growing up. You can ask my mom for confirmation on that.

Having ALOHA’s new Coconut Chocolate Almond Bars in the house has become a life saver for a few reasons. One, I’m always on the go, even if we don’t leave the house that day! If I’m not tending to Wylder then I’m chasing after Poppy. Some days I only have time to grab a bar when hunger hits. Two, Poppy recently learned the word chocolate, ha! I can confidently give her one of the bars and know that her chocolate fix will be satisfied while getting 14g of plant-based protein and 9g of healthy fats from almonds and coconut. Can you say “mom win”?!

ALOHA recently joined a small group of companies dedicated to “better business” by becoming a certified B Corporation! B-Corp certified businesses meet the highest standards when it comes to social and environmental performances, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance profit and purpose. This renews every two years so B-Corp companies have to stay on top of it

Head to ALOHA.com to learn more and to grab some Coconut Chocolate Almond Bars for yourself. Now which do I bite first: the bar or Poppy’s cheeks?

Vegan Banana Bread

And the crowd goes wild for another banana bread recipe! So maybe banana bread has been overdone this last year but I had to share my recipe since it’s National Banana Bread Day. I topped it with cacao nibs but the opportunities are endless.

Vegan Banana Bread:

* 1 + 1/2 cups of gluten free 1-to-1 all purpose flour

* 1 tsp of baking soda

* 2 tsp of baking powder

* 6 tbsp of nut butter (I used almond butter)

* Pinch of flaky sea salt

* 1/2 cup of maple syrup

* 1/2 cup of milk of choice

* 1 + 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract

* 3 medium extra ripe bananas, mashed

Instructions:

* Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a bread pan with non-stick spray and lime with parchment paper.

* Whisk wet ingredients together before mixing in dry. Pour the batter into the bread pan and top with anything you’d like. I did cacao nibs.

* Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

* Let cool slightly before removing from the pan and slicing! I covered a warm slice in maple butter.

Air Fryer Tacos

Yeah, I’m that girl who sticks anything and everything in her air fryer. I wanted crispy tacos last week for lunch and didn’t have time for the oven to heat. That’s when my air fryer casually strolled out of the closet, onto the counter, and started making me tacos. Aren’t air fryers the best?

Air Fryer Tacos (serves 2):

• 4 corn tortillas (or taco size tortillas of choice. You can also use two regular size tortillas for a quesadilla)
• Protein of choice (I used shredded chicken but you can use any cooked protein or plant protein)
• Cheese (I used almond mozzarella cheese from #traderjoes)
• Roasted veggies of choice (I used leftover roasted carrots, onions, and brussel sprouts)

Instructions:

• Spray the part of your air fryer basket that the tortillas will sit on, this will prevent them from possibly sticking to the bottom.
• Warm your tortillas slightly on the stove top or microwave. Fill your tortillas with goodies and place in your air fryer. My air fryer can fit four!
• Cook at 400°F for 4-5 minutes, or as long as your air fryer takes to make the tacos crispy. Be sure to flip half way to crisp both sides.
• Serve with jalapeño sauce and cilantro!

Plant Based Charcuterie Board in collaboration with Back to Nature.

There’s a whole lotta love that went into this festive plant-based charcuterie board! What do you get most excited about when you see a charcuterie board? For me, it’s the crackers. I need to have a solid base to layer all the other charcuterie board goodies on to.

This is why I was jumping for joy when I heard that Back to Nature was launching two new hemp seed cracker flavors at Whole Foods Market – Cranberry Hazelnut Hemp Seed Crackers and Rosemary Raisin Pecan Hemp Seed Crackers. Both new cracker flavors are perfect on their own or dressed up with all the goodies from my holiday plant-based charcuterie board! Let’s talk about what’s going on this delicious looking board.

I like a little bit of savory and a whole lotta sweet on my charcuterie boards. I started with green olives and habanero jam. Then, organic red grapes, raspberries, dried apricots, and dill pickles. Next up was the star of the show, Back to Nature’s new Rosemary Raisin Pecan Hemp Seed Crackers. They are baked with hemp seeds, rosemary, raisins, and pecans! I am seriously surprised that any crackers made it onto the board, I couldn’t stop eating them! I added some raw pecans, plant-based cheese, raspberry dark chocolate pieces, and fresh thyme to finish it off. This setup is perfect for any occasion, Joel and I enjoyed this for lunch right after I finished shooting!

Head over to Back to Nature’s website, https://backtonaturefoods.com/coupons, for a $1 off 1 a box print at home coupon. Trust me, you need both of these new cracker flavors in your life asap!

Pumpkin Carrot Cake

Over the last two weeks I’ve become pretty passionate about one thing and that thing is this pumpkin carrot cake. I’ve made it twice and I already plan on making it again this weekend!

Pumpkin Carrot Cake:

• 3–4 large carrots, peeled and grated (2-cups packed)
• 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour (or all purpose flour)
• 3/4 cup almond flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup unsweetened milk of choice
• 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2 cup cream cheese of choice, room temperature
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons monkfruit powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9×9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Peel and grate the carrots. Place grated carrot on 2 pieces of paper towel and squeeze out as much of the moisture as possible.
• Measure out 2 cups of grated carrots and place into a large bowl along with the rest of the dry ingredients and mix.
• In a medium bowl, mix together wet ingredients.
• Add wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.
• Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• While the carrot cake is cooling, make the cream cheese frosting. Place all ingredients into a medium bowl and mix until smooth.
• Frost the cooled cake and sprinkle some cinnamon on top if desired. Refrigerate leftovers for up to five days.

Have you ever tried pumpkin and carrot cake together?! I has been my go-to lately and I can’t see myself stopping anytime soon.

Cilantro Lime Baked Alaska Salmon, in collaboration with Alaska Seafood.

Poppy makes her first savory dish on IGTV! Not only was it our first savory episode, but Poppy was an absolute gem the entire filming process. Working alongside a toddler isn’t always easy but days like this when filming just makes it worth it!

In collaboration with Alaska Seafood, Poppy and I made a Cilantro Lime Alaska Salmon baked in foil to celebrate the launch of #SeafoodSunday. #SeafoodSunday is a new mealtime tradition that brings your favorite nutritious, sustainable protein from the waters of Alaska to the people around your table. #SeafoodSunday is also the perfect time to try a new recipe and express yourself through food or find comfort in a favorite dish. This couldn’t have been more perfect for this week’s #BakeWithPoppy episode! We had so much fun preparing this dish and of course eating it at the end.

Seafood from Alaska is always wild and sustainable. It has immunity-boosting benefits and is naturally high in nutrients the whole family needs, including omega-3 fatty acids that are essential to children’s development and overall brain health. All of this is super important in my kitchen. Not only am I feeding myself, my sweet husband, and Poppy girl but also my growing baby boy that’s due at the end of October. Nothing but the best for my growing family! #AskforAlaska or look for “Alaska” on packaging and on menus to guarantee that you are getting wild and sustainably harvested seafood.

Alaska also follows flash frozen processes, which means fishermen often freeze their catch right on the boats to lock in quality and preserve nutrients. I thawed my salmon for this recipe, but you can also cook it directly from frozen (just give it a quick rinse under cold water before and up the oven temperature to 450 before following my instructions below). You know I’m all about keeping things simple!

In addition to our Alaska Salmon dish we made air fried brussels sprouts and coconut cilantro lime rice. I can’t believe how incredible these dishes tasted together! Poppy devoured her entire plate and asked for seconds. That’s my girl!

Cilantro Lime Alaska Salmon baked in foil:

• 1 large Alaska Salmon fillet (there are five Alaska salmon species: coho, pink, keta, king and sockeye — I used sockeye)
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ lime, juiced
• ⅓ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 350F and line a medium size baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray and lay the salmon in the middle of the foil. Lightly pat the Alaska Salmon dry with a paper towel.
• Drizzle olive oil on top and use a silicone brush to spread the olive oil all over the salmon. Do the same with the honey before seasoning, squeezing the lime juice over the top, and sprinkling on the cilantro.
• Fold the edges of the foil up but not over the salmon and bake for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the oven to broil and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, squeeze more lime juice on top if desired, and plate!

Air Fried Brussels Sprouts:

• 2-4 cups brussels sprouts (depending on the size of your air fryer, you can also roast them in your oven)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Spray your air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray and add your brussels sprouts.
• Drizzle the olive oil over the brussels and add the seasoning before tossing together. Air fry at 400F for 15-20 minutes, or until the brussels are crispy.
• Remove from the air fryer basket and plate with the salmon.

Coconut Cilantro Lime Rice:

• 1 cup white jasmine rice
• 2 cups full fat coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• Sea salt to taste

Instructions:

• Rinse rice through running water a few times.
• Combine rice, coconut milk, and sea salt in a saucepan. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Remove the lid and reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until desired doneness.
• Stir in lime juice and cilantro. Plate alongside your salmon and brussels, enjoy!

Comment below if you make this recipe and don’t forget to watch this episode of Bake With Poppy here!

Poppy’s Funfetti 2nd Birthday Cake!

I’m still smiling ear to ear with how much everyone loved this cake. Especially how much Poppy kept saying “happy Poppy” the entire time she ate her mini cake!

I’m not as confident in my baked goods as I am in cooking but the outcome of this bad boy definitely helped!

Poppy’s Funfetti Birthday 2nd Birthday Cake (makes one 8” cake):

• 2 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-natural rainbow sprinkles
• 1 tbsp almond flour (for dusting the sprinkles before mixing into the batter)

Birthday Cake Crumble:

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3/4 cup gluten free 1-to-1 all-purpose flour (I did not try this with almond flour)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp all-natural rainbow sprinkles
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and cooled
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Frosting:

• Miss Jones vegan cream cheese frosting(it’s honestly my favorite and the reason I don’t even bother making frosting anymore)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Prepare your 8-inch pan by spraying it first with non-stock cooking spray and then cutting a circular round of parchment paper to fit the base of your pan. Place the circular parchment round inside the cake pan.
• Place the coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract in a bowl. Whisk until well incorporated and then add almond flour, sea salt and baking soda. Mix until batter is well combined. Whisk the sprinkles together with the 1 tbsp almond flour before pouring them into the prepped batter. Then pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool before removing it from the cake pan.
• Turn your oven down to 300° F to bake the Birthday Cake Crumbled and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the sugars, flour, baking powder, sea salt, and all-natural sprinkles on low speed until combined. Add the coconut oil and vanilla, mix until it begins to come together and small clusters form.
• Use your hands to make more clusters as needed, and transfer crumbs to the prepped baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before topping on the cake.
• Assemble your cake as desired! I cut the cake in half to make layers and left the sides a little “naked”. I just cut out two circles in one of the cakes I made to create Poppy’s small cake since I didn’t have a mini cake pan. Here’s the link to the toy I used as her cake topper and the 2 candle!

Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like linked from her birthday party. It was truly a magical day!

Paleo Cherry Shortcake

When you just don’t feel like strawberries. Paleo cherry shortcake was on the dessert menu last week and I can’t stop thinking about it. It was perfect topped with my vegan date caramel sauce too.

Paleo Cherry Shortcake:

• 3 tbsp melted and cooled coconut oil
• 2 eggs (I have not tried flax egg)
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cup almond flour
• 1 tsp baking powder

Toppings:

• Scoop of dairy free vanilla ice cream, coconut whipped cream, or your favorite vanilla yogurt
• Small handful of chopped cherries
• Drizzle of homemade vegan date caramel sauce (soak 8 pitted dates in hot water for 15 minutes. Dispose of the water and blend the soaked dates together with 1/4 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, pinch of sea salt, and 2 tbsp maple syrup. You will need to scrape down the mixer from the side of the blender multiple times until the caramel is smooth. Add more milk if the mixer is too thick. Refrigerate for up to two weeks!)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 F and spray two mini 6” cast iron skillets with nonstick spray or two 6” cake pans.
• Whisk together eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth.
• Stir in the almond flour and baking powder until smooth and completely combined.
• Equally distribute into both cast iron skillets and bake in oven for 15-18 minutes.
• Let the shortcakes cool a little before slicing and topping.

This was actually my first time making shortcake and I can’t believe it took me this long. Who even am I?