Category Archives: Health

Sabroso Saturday: Basic Egg Salad Recipe #SabrosoSaturday

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It’s Sabroso Saturday (Translation: Tasty Saturday)! The day when we share recipes that have helped us stretch our budget, our imagination and our taste buds, without sacrificing our health.

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Why does it seem like summer vacation is the hardest time of the year for parents? When I was younger it was so much easier, perhaps because I was the one playing! Yet now with Andrew, my little Prince, at home, I’m cooking, cleaning and entertaining so much more than I normally do.  Even without the launch of my new business, Stiletto Media, I was racing around, but now that Andrew’s home I barely have time to make the meals I used to make!

If you live in New York City you know that take out costs a mini fortune. Just last week I spent as much as I normally spend on one month of groceries. I nearly fainted away when I tallied up those receipts and I soooo don’t even want to jump on the scale.  My jeans are mocking me enough!

So I’ve decided to teach the little one how to make some simple meals. I can survive on oatmeal, yogurt and a banana for breakfast/lunch but he likes a little more crunch. We’ve started with egg meals. They’re easy and he can make them quickly if he’s hungry. One of the first recipes I taught him was egg salad. I know that there are a million variations on the Internet but this is the basic egg salad version that I taught him. It’s simple. He can even get a little crazy, or not, with the veggies he throws into it based on how he feels that day. He’s not a normally get crazy type of food eater so I’m really hoping the thrill of making his own meal will take him out of that safety zone.

How do you spice up your egg salad? Let me know in a comment!

 

Ingredients

  • 4 hard boiled eggs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoon of mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon of mustard
  • chopped pepper
  • chopped onion
  • chopped celery

 

Preparation

  1. Chop hard boiled eggs into small pieces.
  2. Mix mayonnaise, mustard and eggs.
  3. Add chopped pepper, onion and celery. Add/omit as you like!
  4. Salt and Pepper to taste.
  5. Refrigerate for approximately 20 minutes. (The time it takes my son to clean off the counter and wash his own hands!)
  6. Serve on toasted bread.
  7. Enjoy!

 

NOTE: Before preparing the egg salad, I chop peppers, onions and celery and place them in their own covered bowl. This allows my son to add or not add to his delight. I also love having them already chopped because it makes meal preparation so much easier! All I have to do is grab and add. I can add it to omelets, tuna fish, beans, soups, salsa, and a slew of other things! I’ve even caught Andrew grabbing the bowl of chopped peppers and eating it like popcorn as he watches a movie!  He loves peppers and that’s one of the reason’s I decided to grow my own window sill pepper plant, which by the way is growing quite nicely!

:)

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Do you have a Sabroso Saturday recipe you would like to share? It’s easy!

If you are a blogger, you can share a sabroso/tasty recipe you have posted this week on your blog by adding a DIRECT link to it below.

If you do not blog but have a Latinalicious recipe that you would like to share, shoot me an e-mail at MsLatina (AT) latinaonamission.com with “Sabroso Saturday” in the Subject line. If I am able to make it at home and my family enjoys it, I will feature it!

Readers can view linked-up recipes by clicking on their names below.

Enjoy & have a healthy Sabroso Saturday!

Sabroso Saturday: Homemade Pickles (Pepinillos)

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It’s Sabroso Saturday (Translation: Tasty Saturday)! The day when we share recipes that have helped us stretch our budget, our imagination and our taste buds, without sacrificing our health.

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I learned how to make homemade pepinillos/pickles when Karl, my teen, was young. Thank goodness I did, because not only does he love them but so does Andrew, my ten year old! Word to the wise, once you have homemade pickles you’ll never buy store brought!

I got the recipe from a book I received at the Food Market almost 16 years ago. As you can see by the picture below it’s been through alot - don’t judge me ok  ;)

It’s simple and I’m sure it’ll get a lot of use during your backyard BBQs (Hamburgers and pickles? YUM!). Just remember, you have to leave it in the fridge FIVE days so plan ahead!

¡Buen provecho!

Farmer's Market Recipe Book

 

Quick Pickles

Ingredients

  • 7 cups cucumbers cut very thin
  • 1 cup onions cut very thin
  • 1 cup green peppers cut very thin
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon of salt
  • 1 Tablespoon of celery seeds

 

Preparation

  1. Cut cucumbers, onion and green pepper very thin.
  2. Combine sugar, vinegar, salt and celery seeds. Mix well.
  3. Pour mixture over vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for 5 days before serving. Stir twice each day (IMPORTANT).

Btw, celery seed is good for alot of things. It has calming properties and can be used in tea, soups, and a slew of other recetas / recipes! Read more about it here: Spineuniverse and on Wikipedia

Enjoy!

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Do you have a Sabroso Saturday recipe you would like to share? It’s easy!

If you are a blogger, you can share a sabroso/tasty recipe you have posted this week on your blog by adding a DIRECT link to it below.

If you do not blog but have a Latinalicious recipe that you would like to share, shoot me an e-mail at MsLatina (AT) latinaonamission.com with “Sabroso Saturday” in the Subject line. If I am able to make it at home and my family enjoys it, I will feature it!

Readers can view linked-up recipes by clicking on their names below.

Enjoy & have a healthy Sabroso Saturday!

Wordless Wednesday: Pepper Plant

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When I lived in Long Island, we had a huge backyard, almost half an acre. I loved it because I had a garden. But when I moved back to the city, I couldn’t take it with me. In the beginning it didn’t bother me. I love living in the city! But I missed my garden.

So what can a City Girl with country desires do?

Plant a window sill garden, using every available space!

This is my green pepper plant. I’m already envisioning what I’ll make when these get bigger!

The bottom little one fell as I was setting up the holding stick. What a difference from the one above!

Happy WW!

Feel free to link up your WW posts below.

Sabroso Saturday: Honey Strawberry Granola Energy Bars

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It’s Sabroso Saturday (Translation: Tasty Saturday)! The day when we share recipes that have helped us stretch our budget, our imagination and our taste buds, without sacrificing our health.

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Now that summer’s out, I’ve fully stocked my cupboards with ingredients to make some grab and go treats for me and the kids. Its a great way to teach them how to get around the kitchen, while also helping me save some chabitos/pennies! I have to admit it’s also a good way for me to get my sweets on without adding on the pounds.

The energy bars featured below are super easy to make. The recipe, another one by Bárbara Trujillo Gómez, is very simple. You don’t need anything special to make these snack bars. The ingredients can be found in any supermarket. Best of all, you can double the recipe and take them along on family outings or leave them in the fridge for those moments when you just need something sweet!

Let me know what you think!

Grab ‘n’ Go Honey Strawberry Granola Energy Bars
Serves 6

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup of honey
• Cooking spray
• 1 egg white
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• ⅓ cup of canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup coconut flakes
• 1 cup sugar-free strawberry preserves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Spray a 7 by 10 ¾-inch nonstick baking pan with cooking spray. Lay a piece of parchment paper over the pan big enough to allow excess paper to hang over the sides. Spray parchment paper lightly with cooking spray.
3. In a medium bowl beat the egg white until frothy.
4. Stir in oats, honey, oil, vanilla extract and coconut flakes. Mix well.
5. Set aside ⅓ of the mixture.
6. With a rubber spatula spread the remaining mixture into the prepared baking pan, pressing lightly to form an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
7. Spread the preserves over the crust of granola and sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the preserves.
8. Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the preserve filling is bubbling on the edges.
9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least one hour. Cut into squares and enjoy!

If you doubled the recipe, you can save the extras for later. Wrap them in parchment paper and store in the fridge. I am not sure how long they will keep because they don’t last longer than a day or two in my home.  I’m guessing they should keep for at least a week.

Also, if you don’t like strawberries you can substitute it with another fruit. You can also omit the coconut. My sons don’t like coconut so I make the recipe without it. If you liked this receta/recipe, you can find other recetas/recipes by going to the honey site.

¡Buen provecho!

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Do you have a Sabroso Saturday recipe you would like to share? It’s easy!

If you are a blogger, you can share a sabroso/tasty recipe you have posted this week on your blog by adding a DIRECT link to it below.

If you do not blog but have a Latinalicious recipe that you would like to share, shoot me an e-mail at MsLatina (AT) latinaonamission.com with “Sabroso Saturday” in the Subject line. If I am able to make it at home and my family enjoys it, I will feature it!

Readers can view linked-up recipes by clicking on their names below.

Enjoy & have a healthy Sabroso Saturday!

Sabroso Saturday: Whey Better Berry and Honey Energy Boost Shake

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It’s Sabroso Saturday (Translation: Tasty Saturday)! The day when we share recipes that have helped us stretch our budget, our imagination and our taste buds, without sacrificing our health.

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I love shakes! They’re a quick and easy way to get a nutricious balanced meal on the  go. They’re also perfect for hot, summer days when you just don’t want to slave away in the kitchen! Plus, as a Mom to a tween and teen, I know that they can handle making a shake on their own so I can grab some extra Zzz.

I received this recipe from Barbara Trujillo Gomez, a fitness expert, yogo instructor and a American Heart Association volunteer (LOVE!). She’s also joined forces with the National Honey Board to come up with some creative ways of cooking with miel/honey.

Honey, a natural energy booster and sweetener, is perfect when you are watching your weight or trying to get fit. Its organic, inexpensive, and can be used as a sugar substitute. Personally, I’m a sugar addict. I blame it on my genes. A meal doesn’t feel complete unless I have something sweet so honey is sure to help me lose weight. Hopefully, that means you’ll see a more svelte Ms. Latina at BlogHer! ¡Wepa!

Below is Barbara’s Whey Better Berry and Honey Energy Boost Shake recipe. (What a mouthful huh?) You can find other recetas/recipes by going to the honey site.

Whey Better Berry and Honey Energy Boost Shake

Ingredients
Serves 2-3

  • 3-4 tbsp honey
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup skim milk
  • 1 scoop vanilla whey protein
  • 1/2 cup strawberries
  • 1/2 cup blueberries
  • 1/4 cup raspberries
  • 1/2 banana
  • 3 cubes of ices

Preparation

  1. Slice strawberries and banana
  2. Combine all ingredients in a blender
  3. Blend.

You’re done! Just make sure that the ice is crushed and all ingredients are well mixed before serving.

¡Buen provecho!

NOTE: You can use any fruit combination; however, keep in mind that berries are full of antioxidants!

 

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Do you have a Sabroso Saturday recipe you would like to share? It’s easy!

If you are a blogger, you can share a sabroso/tasty recipe you have posted this week on your blog by adding a DIRECT link to it below.

If you do not blog but have a Latinalicious recipe that you would like to share, shoot me an e-mail at MsLatina (AT) latinaonamission.com with “Sabroso Saturday” in the Subject line. If I am able to make it at home and my family enjoys it, I will feature it!

Readers can view linked-up recipes by clicking on their names below.

Enjoy & have a healthy Sabroso Saturday!

Sabroso Saturday: New Pots, New Recipes

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It’s Sabroso Saturday (Translation: Tasty Saturday)! The day when we share recipes that have helped us stretch our budget, our imagination and our taste buds, without sacrificing our health.

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I’m not sure if you noticed, or were just to kind not to mention, that last week I missed a Sabroso Saturday recipe post. Part of it is that I have been very busy with family, but its also because of a surprise my youngest gave me.

It seems he, in his great enthusisiam to help me clean the pots, damaged or threw some of them away.

I know you must be wondering how my 10 year old could have done such a thing. Well, let me tell you, it had me just as baffled when one day I was looking for my cooking pots and this is how I saw the bottom of one pot.

Old Pot

No, my dear readers that is not an image of the crackle nailpolish that’s all the rage right now. That’s the bottom of my rice pot which he scrubbed so vigoriously. It seems he was sooooo excited to help me with the dishes that he put all his might into taking the pegao /burnt rice off the bottom. (FYI, some Latinos intentionally make the bottom of the rice burn because of the taste/ flavor it obtains while cooking) Anyway, my youngest thought he should use a fork or spoon to remove the pegao from the bottom of the pot not realizing that he was actually scraping my pot. Don’t you just love it?!

As for the missing pots, he thought I had placed several pots by the side of the sink so that he could dispose of them when he completed his second chore, taking out the garbage. I must admit the garbage is under the sink so the excuse may seem plausible if I didn’t know how much he loves doing dishes.

After those incidents, I went on hiatus. If the dishes could not be washed properly, I could not cook. They would eat sandwiches, cereal or air! Hmpf.

Thankfully, for them,  they were saved before starving. My mother, their Mama, brought me this beautiful set of pots and gave them to me this week!

New Pots

What does this mean for you? Well, I’m cooking again and doing it with sabor, so make sure you check out next week’s receta/recipe!  As for the pots, what do you think?

Should I start washing  them myself? Let me know in a comment!

Till next week eat hearty, eat healthy and eat well!

Abrazos/Hugs!

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Do you have a Sabroso Saturday recipe you would like to share? It’s easy!

If you are a blogger, you can share a sabroso/tasty recipe you have posted this week on your blog by adding a DIRECT link to it below.

If you do not blog but have a Latinalicious recipe that you would like to share, shoot me an e-mail at MsLatina (AT) latinaonamission.com with “Sabroso Saturday” in the Subject line. If I am able to make it at home and my family enjoys it, I will feature it!

Readers can view linked-up recipes by clicking on their names below.

Enjoy & have a healthy Sabroso Saturday!

Sabroso Saturday: Make Cooking Easier and Master Meal Planning!

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It’s Sabroso Saturday (Translation: Tasty Saturday)! The day when we share recipes that have helped us stretch our budget, our imagination and our taste buds, without sacrificing our health.

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As a working woman, my time is precious. Having two growing boys doesn’t make it any easier. They eat all the time! Ordering out is easy. Eating unhealthy is easy. Finding the time to cook AND make it healthy can be hard. Many times I felt as if I was always in the kitchen, cooking or cleaning. It was hard. It was a time sapper.

Watching others who seemed to be able to do it, made me realize my mistakes. It wasn’t that cooking was hard! It was that I was unprepared! Their suggestions have made my life easier and I hope they make yours easier as well!

Till next week, eat hearty, eat healthy and eat well!

¡Buen provecho!

RICE

My family eats alot of rice. They would eat it everyday if I let them. Knowing this, I always have it on hand. It makes life easier for me when I’m rushed. That’s why I cook it ahead of time and freeze it. Doing this allows me save time during the weekday rush and also helps us eat healthy (I store it in single servings.) The boys can easily take it out of the freezer and pop it in the microwave when needed and I don’t worry about how they’re eating! Win-win.

 

Plain Rice:

 

  • Cook rice as you normally would.
  • Wait for rice to cool and separate into single servings.
  • Place the servings into ziplock freezer bag. I use the small bags and wash them after use (Saves money right?).
  • To cook, take one ziplock bag of rice from the freezer, remove from bag and place on a microwavable plate. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of water over rice. Do not cover.  Microwave for 1 minute (varies per microwave). Fluff with a fork and serve with meat and sides.  

For variety, you can also use the cooked rice to make stir fried rice or vegetable fried rice, which brings me to my second suggestion.

  

VEGETABLES

My boys would never eat veggies if I didn’t make them easily accesible. Shoot, I’m sure I wouldn’t either if I didn’t prepare them for easy eating! They’re healthy, provide a ton of vitamins and fiber and much healthier than sweets. I also save money by doing it at home myself – two great motivators! 

  • Cut veggies and fruits to bite size portions for snacks and salads.
  • For omelets and vegetable fried rice, cut bell peppers, onions, mushrooms and any other veggies you normally enjoy. Pack in ziplock bags. If you will use it within a few days, store in fridge. If not, freeze for future use.

 

MEATS

 
I’m a fan of meal planning. Having a theme makes my life easier and the boys pretty much know what to expect.  One week may be chicken week, another ground turkey, etc. I can cook ahead and also use left overs for the next day’s meal.

Example: If  its ground turkey week, I would make the Budget Friendly Meatballs  (double or triple the batch according to your family size). I would use the recipe to make Spaghetti and Meatballs on Mondays, use left overs on Tuesday to make Amarillo Relleno (Stuffed Sweet Plaintain) - smash the meatballs to put inside the amarillos/sweet plaintains, have 2 meatless nights (see below), make Chili on another night and on Sunday enjoy dinner with extended family/friends before heading home to plan next week’s meal.

  

MEATLESS DINNERS

I always have two meatless days in the week, sometimes three, depending on my budget and how I feel. On those days, we may have breakfast for dinner, homemade pizza, fish, or vegetable dishes, like  the Sabroso Saturday: Vegan Stuffed Peppers. Meatless nights give us variety. Since the meals are easier to make, its also a great night for the boys and I to cook together.

 

 

Do you meal plan?  Share in a comment below! 

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Do you have a Sabroso Saturday recipe you would like to share? It’s easy!

If you are a blogger, you can share a sabroso/tasty recipe you have posted this week on your blog by adding a DIRECT link to it below.

If you do not blog but have a Latinalicious recipe that you would like to share, shoot me an e-mail at MsLatina (AT) latinaonamission.com with “Sabroso Saturday” in the Subject line. If I am able to make it at home and my family enjoys it, I will feature it!

Readers can view linked-up recipes by clicking on their names below.

Enjoy & have a healthy Sabroso Saturday!

Sabroso Saturday: Cheesy Plantain Stuffed Chicken Breasts

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It’s Sabroso Saturday (Translation: Tasty Saturday)! The day when we share recipes that have helped us stretch our budget, our imagination and our taste buds, without sacrificing our health.

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I discovered this receta/recipe almost 10 years ago while looking through some old cookbooks. Over the years I’ve changed a few ingredients here and there to make it healthier. Since the healthy changes haven’t taken away any flavor from the meal, the boys love the combined flavors of the chicken, green plantain and cheese making it a  family favorite.

I like the spin this recipe gives my weekly chicken meals. Its also very economical!  The addition of the plaintain increases the price of this chicken meal by about a dollar, maybe less, depending on where I purchase them.

Best of all, the Cheesy Plantain Stuffed Chicken Breasts are  cooked in such a way that it’s much healthier than using fried plaintains as a side dish!  

Till next week, eat hearty, eat healthy and eat well!  

¡Buen provecho! 

Cheesy Plantain Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 Tablespoons of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter
  • 1 medium plaintain
  •  Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of nuts ( I like sunflower seeds but you can use chopped pecans or any you like.)
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 slices of cheese ( I use American but you can use any kind!)
  • PAM

Preparation

  1. Heat oven to 375°. Spray a baking pan with PAM.
  2. With a knife, create a pocket in the chicken by cutting a slit in the side of each chicken breast. Set aside.
  3. In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter until sizzling. add sliced plantain. Not sure how to prepare a plantain? Follow steps 1-4 from the  Baked Plantain Chips recipe.
  4. Cook plantain over medium heat till golden brown, flipping once. Remove from skillet and salt to taste.
  5. In the same skillet add the remaining butter and sunflower seeds. Cook over medium heat. Make sure you stir constantly. Remove after 1-2 minutes.
  6. Add sugar to sunflower seeds and stir.
  7. Stuff each chicken breast with 1/2 slice of cheese and cooked plantains. Top each with cilantro and remaining cheese. Close the chicken.
  8. Place stuffed chicken the greased baking pan. Spoon sunflower seeds on top.
  9. Cover pan and bake for about 15 minutes.
  10. Uncover pan and continue baking until chicken is no longer pink (app. 10 minutes)

 

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Do you have a Sabroso Saturday recipe you would like to share? It’s easy!

If you are a blogger, you can share a sabroso/tasty recipe you have posted this week on your blog by adding a DIRECT link to it below.

If you do not blog but have a Latinalicious recipe that you would like to share, shoot me an e-mail at MsLatina (AT) latinaonamission.com with “Sabroso Saturday” in the Subject line. If I am able to make it at home and my family enjoys it, I will feature it!

Readers can view linked-up recipes by clicking on their names below.

Enjoy & have a healthy Sabroso Saturday!

FREE Mother’s Day Card to Benefit Go Red For Women #GoRedCorazon

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Go Red Billboard in Times Square, NYC 

As one of the Go Red For Women and Go Red Por Tu Corazon spokeswomen, I am passionate about heart health. Knowing that women and Latinas especially suffer from heart disease and that we can lower our risks by eating healthier has inspired me to make changes in my family’s lifestyle, which I hope to pass onto YOU, my readers. It’s one of the reason’s I started Sabroso Saturday! I use it to share and find healthy heart healthy recipes.

As a non-profit, Go Red For Women obtains funds via donations and sponsors. This year Macy’s, Go Red For Women’s national sponsor, is raising funds for Heart Health with FREE Mother’s Day cards. You can help contribute and help raise the amount donated  by  sending a FREE Mother’s Day card from Macy’s Facebook page through May 8. Just make sure you select Go Red For Women as the charity. If you do, Macy’s will donate $5 for each card created, up to $400,000 total!

As one of five non-profits competing for those dollars, your support is important so please create and send at least one card between now and Mother’s Day. 

If you want to send cards to multiple people, be sure to create separate cards for each person to make them count.

Also, feel free to share this information on your Facebook or Twitter account using the sample post below.

Macy’s w/donate $5 to Go Red For Women 4 evry FREE Mother’s Day card sent. Just select it as the charity! http://on.fb.me/ln0TtY #MsLatina

From my heart and countless other women’s heart’s thank you!

FREE or Discounted Mother’s Day Gifts

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Did you wait till the last minute to purchase your Mother’s Day gift and now don’t know what to do? DON’T DESPAIR!

It’s not too late! Here are a few ideas that I thought were worth sharing.

  • Cook a home made meal. Get ideas by downloading this Free eCookbook, featuring 28 pages of Mother’s Day recipe ideas for brunch and dessert. Click HERE to download the Free eCookbook. Don’t want to cook? Present the cookbook as a gift, including the ingredients to one of the recipes!

 

 

FTD and Blooms Today have Next Day or Same Day delivery, while Restaurant.com gift certificates can be delivered electronically for those Moms that are far away. 

Use the coupons below to get the best deals!

 

 

 

Have a fabulous Mother’s Day!

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