Black Bean + Butternut Squash Nachos

I promise there are chunks of butternut squash under all of the cheese...and I also promise you that these are some of thee best nachos ever!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, butternut squash is the perfect meat replacement.  It's substantial enough that it can hold its own in a dish, and it's healthy too {never mind the mounds of cheese!}.

{ingredients}

2 1/2 cups 1/2-inch cubed butternut squash (12-ounces, or about 1 small-medium peeled, seeded squash) 

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 

15 ounces cooked or canned black beans, drained and rinsed 

1/4 cup chopped yellow onion 

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more cilantro for garnish 

1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend {we use cheddar and pepper jack}

Tortilla chips

{method}

Really...it's a no brainer! I follow the recipe for these enchiladas to prep the butternut squash and create the salsa. Then, lay out foil over a cookie sheet pan and spread the tortilla chips in a single layer. Spread the salsa mixture over the chips and cover with the cheese. Put the broiler on high and cook until the cheese melts. 

Best part is that you can puree the leftover butternut squash {just don't oil or salt it before roasting} for baby! Win-win.

xo natasha

Linked to: Tasty Tuesdays

Cupid's Arrow

Card | Necklace | Shirt | Tray | Leggings | Earrings | Print

Is it just me or are arrows everywhere?  Maybe it's because Valentine's Day is around the corner, but I think arrows are here to stay.

I recently found out that Maya Brenner {she makes the initial necklace that I adore} collaborated with Stella and Dot and created more adorable options.  I love this arrow necklace...and think it needs to be my next jewelry purchase.  You can find the original here.

I've also recently become obsessed with Hello Apparel...they make the cutest clothes, especially for babies.  Loving these leggings too!  Of course, these Candy Kirby Designs arrow leggings are equally as darling.

I just can't get enough of arrows...there are tons of cute ideas for Cupid's Arrows out there right now {like here, here and here!}.

Are you loving arrows as much as I am?!

xo natasha

Six Month Favorites

Oh how fun the six month mark is!  We've got food and toys galore!  Here's the breakdown:

OXO Tot Sprout Chair: We love this highchair.  It comes in tons of fun colors and is easy to clean up.  Plus it's a great modern style that can grow with baby!

B. Toys Zany Zoo: Seriously, such an adorable toy and so fun for baby.  I love how sturdy and solid the quality is and baby loves all the fun, interactive aspects.  I know Ethan will love it more and more as he gets older.

Boogie Wipes: These wipes are amazing...they really grab the boogies while being gentle on the nose.

Fisher-Price Walker: I love me some sax and this toy has some great tunes and is great for Ethan now as he sits and will become even more engaging as he learns to walk.

Sassy Simple Fascination Station: This is a great toy for the highchair tray.  It sticks right on and has fun sounds and gadgets for baby to play with.

Earth's Best Oatmeal: We skipped the baby rice and went straight to baby oatmeal.  Ethan really enjoyed it mixed with a little breastmilk.

Ella's Kitchen Baby Food: There are tons of food pouch options out there, but Ethan really likes this brand.  They're all organic and have interesting mixtures of fruits and veggies.

Boon Bath Tub Appliques : Bath time is our favorite time and these little appliques are super fun.  Ethan usually ends up chewing on them for the most part, but they stick on the bath walls too!

B. One Two Squeeze Blocks: Another fun chew toy...these blocks are great for squeezing, stacking and more!

xo natasha

Baby Ethan: Week 32

Weight: I'm thinking we're pushing 17 pounds now?  We won't find out until his nine month checkup.

Health: We've had a stuffy nose the last couple of nights which has made sleeping a challenge.  It got so bad one night, he was refusing to nurse.  It was heartbreaking to see him struggle so much.  

Sleep: See above...it's been a little rough lately.  Mostly getting him to go down initially.  Once he's out, he's usually still sleeping 4-5 hour stretches.  

Social: Ethan got to spend time with his buddy Beckett this past week.  Beckett is almost exactly a year older and likes to copy everything Ethan is doing.  It was really cute to see them interact.  I know they'll be best buddies soon enough!

Diet: Ethan is still nursing when I'm with him or getting a combo bottle.  Also still on the purees.  It seems Ethan really prefers fresh food, like sweet potato or butternut squash.  He's kind of gotten over the baby cereal for the time being.  

Clothes: 6-12 month and 9 month jammies or 6 month onesies and pants.  What happened to my little baby??

Baby Gear Love: We finally introduced Ethan to a bigger tub.  We got the Hoppop Bato Bathtub which is a great transition tub.  It's big enough to allow baby to sit up and play with his toys, but we don't have to fill the entire tub.  My only complaint is that there is no texture at the bottom so he's pretty slippery in there.  

Crying: Pretty non-existent...except for when he can't breathe through his nose, which I can only imagine is pretty tough right now!

Likes: He loves sitting and playing with his toys...and then rolling around.  Ryan calls it "exploring".  He also loves "talking" and making loud shouty noises...oh and flapping his arms wildly.  It's his happy dance!

Postpartum: Nothing too new in this department!  

Milestones: I feel like Ethan is definitely more and more on the move.  Maaaaaybe we'll have a crawler before long!  And Ethan has been mouthing words, like "ma" which gets me all excited!

xo natasha