For The Sake Of My Health: Going Gluten Free

Prior to September 17th, I guzzled, on average, one bottle of pepto each week. I had a stomach ache three or four days of every week. And, every month or so, I would have a "flare up" deeming me essentially useless and confined to my bed. This coming from someone who is accustomed to being so healthy, I don't even have a General Practitioner.  WTH?  (My sentiments exactly, although I might have used the letter 'F' more than once or twice).


Since February, I have seen three doctors and had full panels of blood drawn. All to be told there is nothing wrong with me. But, there was! I knew it. Until I found out what it was, I wasn't willing to give up. Thankfully, I did not have to search past a fourth (naturalistic doctor). Someone who finally listened to me and took a different approach to discover the culprit: gluten.


Normally, we write about parenting here, and I get it, this is not nearly as exciting as say, potty training stories. But, this is important stuff. Feeling like I felt, there was no way I was being the best Momma I could be to Baba. I just felt so dreadful. All the time. And, I can safely, gratefully and confidently say that I have not felt better in almost three years.


Backing up: what is gluten? Gluten is a protein composite found in several types of grain; mainly wheat, rye, barley and spelt. (Yeah, not sure I even know what spelt is...)


What's the thing about gluten? The thing is this, and it's simple: It's the only nature-based substance we put into our bodies that we cannot fully digest. Did you catch that? We can't actually digest gluten all the way and so it sits in our guts. And, often times it leaks out - into our blood stream. OK, enough about that.


Going without gluten does no harm whatsoever. There is no benefit to gluten that cannot be found elsewhere in our diet. So eliminating it made perfect sense. But, full confession here: I was super skeptical. I didn't want to hop on another fad bandwagon.


I'm not skeptical anymore. Coincidentally (or not), my last stomach ache was exactly 144 days ago.  (Yes, I am counting.  It's that big of a deal.)  In those 144 days, I have more energy than before I got pregnant. I sleep better than I have in at least three years. My hair is looking shinier than I can recall it ever looking. And, my skin has cleared considerably - with my crow's feet looking shallower than that time when I was 20.


Some people have no issue with gluten. It does not negatively impact them at all. And, if that's you, good on ya. If you're anything like me, and wonder why you're constantly feeling like you ate a balloon, you're not alone. Take 30 days and eliminate gluten. When you add it back in (if you even want to, you might be feeling so good!), watch for your body's reaction.


I couldn't be happier in my decision and rest easy in the fact that I listened to my body and made clear changes that have positively impacted not only my physical state, but also my emotional and mental well-being. Add my ability to parent Baba like she deserves and it's a home-run to me!

Please and Thank You.

Recipe: Vegan Banana Muffins with a Splash of Chocolate

Muffins are one of my go-to foods for my family.  I always have some healthy muffins in the freezer that are perfect for a quick breakfast or snack after a quick defrost.  Muffins also travel well!   

This recipe is mostly healthy but completely delicious.  It can be healthier if you omit the chocolate but also makes a great snack or dessert with the chocolate added in.

My two tips:
1. I use the silicone cups for baking because I have found freezing the muffins in paper cups results in cups that don't separate easily.
2. When freezing, separate muffins with wax paper to prevent sticking together. 

Enjoy!

Vegan Banana Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour (or flour of your choosing)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons golden flax meal and/or wheat germ
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, or other non-dairy milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 bananas, mashed
1 small bar of vegan dark chocolate (or chocolate chips) - optional

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, flour, baking powder, flax/wheat germ, and salt.  In a separate bowl, combine the almond milk, maple syrup, applesauce, vanilla, and bananas.  Once mixed well, stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.  Stir on chocolate (if using).
3. Spoon into greased muffin tin, silicone cups, or paper cups, and bake for 20-22 minutes. 

So easy even Daddy can do it!

My Kitchen Floor

I'm not really sure exactly when this happened, but suddenly my kitchen floor is constantly covered in food. When I say covered, and if you know me at all, that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it sure feels like it's covered.

How is it that one tiny human can turn the kitchen floor into a smorgasbord of whatever is on her tray, in addition to whatever she has found in the crevices of her highchair from her previous meal?

Husband and I have come to conclusion that AK is, in fact, not a dainty girly-girl. Duh. Her legs fashion a Dalmatian, her knees consistently skinned and I often wish her shirts were disposable. Therefore, when eating, she somehow becomes her food. Blueberries are one of her favorites. Lord, help me.

Husband, who is slightly on the neurotic side has often said to me "when is she going to stop being so messy when she eats?" My answer is usually, "What?" I have absolutely no earthly idea. Maybe we should ask her - "darling daughter, when might you actually get the food into your mouth without smearing it all over your entire face, bib, under your bib (you're magic!), your feet, the high chair and most importantly the floor?" When you're two? Three? Five? Eight? Hell, I don't know. Maybe it's just part of her character - she eats with voracity and pure enjoyment.

Her favorite thing ever is husband's homemade mashed potatoes. I personally think he puts crack in them and I would imagine she would agree if we had that conversation (we're not going to, don't worry). I give her a spoon. And, she finds it useless. Really? Mashed potatoes with your hands? Yes. Her whole hand. Which goes in her mouth, her hair, the sides of her highchair and every other which way. She eats them, with gusto, but it's almost like an art project in the process.

So, daily - no, make that thrice daily, I am picking up chunks of food from the floor, "sharking" the smaller bits, wiping it down and then swiffering it so as to avoid massive smears.

I do this more for myself than anything else and it's my choice. Yes, I could leave it until the end of the day, but I can't, you see. That's not who I am as a person. My house, even with an (almost two) year-old is meticulous and I will have it no other way. I don't waste my time cleaning up while I could be spending it with AK, but she also needs to learn that cleanliness is important and we clean up after ourselves. So, she helps. (Kind of).

One of these days, I will look back with nostalgia when my young lady is sitting at the table eating a meal with us - without painting the kitchen with it - and I will scroll to a picture in my phone that will likely leave her saying something like "Mom! Don't ever show anyone that picture." Sorry, kid. I love you, though.

Until then, professional floor cleaner I will be.

The Disaster that is Dinnertime

File this one under: Things I said I would never do before I became a parent.

I will not be a short-order cook. I will not have picky eaters for children. I will not cook only kid-friendly meals. I will not let my kids watch TV during mealtime.  I will not....

You get the point. I have now broken all of these in the last week.

Over the past few weeks our meal times, specifically dinner time, has turned into something that my husband and I can hardly believe we are actually living.  Like, in real life.  It is something we smugly thought, prior to kids, that we would NEVER have to experience.  Because we would not allow our children to do behave in such ways.

Our precious little cherubs, you see, have apparently been conspiring to turn our dinner time into one of the most stressful, chaotic, and dreaded parts of the day complete with more whining, crying, and screaming than should exist in an entire day let alone one meal. 

CJ has always been a child we had to convince to eat.  He has hungry days and then no appetite for weeks.  It took a while to be ok with this fact but we did eventually get over it and stop trying to actively shove food down this throat.  Lately, however, he is skipping meals altogether rather than his normal 5 or 6 bites.  And so the desire to shove said food has resumed.

EM has been the complete opposite of CJ when it comes to eating and appetite.  (As she is turning out to be in most things when compared to her brother.)  Let's just say that when she started eating solid food around 9 months, she found a new best friend.  She has been known also, after consuming her meal, to finish what is remaining on her brother's plate.  Meal times have had to revolve around this girl's appetite, because when she is hungry, you better have that food ready. 

So lately, as I already mentioned, CJ has been actually refusing dinner. We decided that, fine, he can just go play while we eat and no food for him.  Three days later of this and sister jumped on that bandwagon: if brother isn't going to sit and eat then neither is she.  And there goes our one good eater.  Now we have had about a week of basically forcing two kids to sit and eat their (child-friendly) dinners.  I think the most consumed by either has been 3-4 bites. 

And, they are hungry.  Because around 7:30/8 pm, right before bedtime, both of them start demanding snacks.  And that is just not gonna fly around here. 

Last night, neither kid wanted to sit but both were a cranky mess and definitely needed to eat.  CJ ended up on my lap eating which was totally working until EM got jealous because she was not also on my lap.  A mini-temper tantrum ensued and voila, sister ended up on one leg and brother on the other.  Neither wanted Daddy's lap.  (Lucky Daddy.)  I felt I had reached a new low.  BUT, they both ate their dinners.

Tonight, I tried a few new methods.  Methods I don't feel my mother would approve of but I have reached the point of "whatever works."  First, we all took bites together.  This was met with enthusiasm and both kids loved it. Score.  EM was allowed to stand, in her highchair, while eating.  But she was eating.  CJ, meanwhile, enjoyed a game of take one bite for each finger on my hand and I will have no fingers left to tickle you with.  In the end, about 3/4 of both dinners were consumed and I am happy with that. 

I need a longer term fix however.  We need to get our mealtimes back on track because we cannot exist like this. It's just not fun.  And, I am not creative enough to keep coming up with new games to get these kids to eat.

What do your mealtimes look like?  Any suggestions to get us back on track?  Up until recently, we have always been so proud of our ability to pull together a family dinner time most days of the week.

Definitely breaking some rules here but she's eating!

Easy Meal Idea: Smoothies

Ok, ok, so smoothies are not some genius new idea. I know.  Also, they are so last year and now everyone's juicing, yes?  Well, I may be a bit behind but hear me out.

Smoothies are truly the quickest meal option out there to really jam pack a meal in a cup - something a tired or cranky kid is far more likely to drink when they do not feel like eating.  It also makes the perfect, healthy snack on-the-go and recently I have been using this for our pre-soccer practice snack for my three year-old.  Just make ahead and store it in the fridge or in a cooler bag with an ice pack. I have suggested this to several friends recently who wanted some healthy meal ideas for their kids and none had this in their rotation.

We drink a lot of smoothies in this house.  Usually, I make an entire blenders worth and doll it out at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack until its gone.  It really does fine in the fridge all day.  By dinner time, I just add a few ice cubes and re-blend and no one knows the difference. Bonus: the toddler and the pre-schooler both can't get enough of this "special" drink.  Double Bonus: Pour yourself a glass for a filling snack or part 1 of lunch (I usually have a smoothie while my kids eat lunch and follow it with a salad once they go to nap.)

I generally just blend whatever I have on hand but always include: a frozen fruit, a liquid, fresh fruits or vegetables, and some plain yogurt.  Fresh fruit is the key ingredient as it adds enough sweetness for the kids to think its a treat.


Surprisingly, the Cusinart does a pretty good job blending.
Currently saving up for the holy grail- a Vitamix!

My Go-To Smoothie:
1-2 cups Unsweetened Almond or Coconut Milk
1/2-3/4 cup Organic Plain Whole Milk Yogurt
1 cup Spinach or Kale (tear Kale into pieces)
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup fresh mango
1 tablespoon all-natural peanut butter
1 banana (I also peel and then freeze bananas for thickness)

Other Ideas:
Apples
Frozen Strawberries, Rasberries, Mango, Blackberries or any other frozen fruit (I also wash, dry and freeze fresh fruit when it's on sale to save on cost)
Avocado
Protein Powder (I use a vegan powder from my local health food store)
Chia Seeds
Fresh Watermelon
Fresh Pineapple
Citrus Fruits (We have Orange, Lemon, and Grapefruit trees in our backyard so I use that!)

This list could go on and on, but you get the idea.  Happy Blending!

"Mom, I'm busy, do not distract me right now."

The Baby Food Band Wagon

It seems nearly everyone is making their own pureed baby food these days.  There are gadgets and expensive appliances galore to assist you in accomplishing this task.  It has, no doubt become the "it" thing to do.  But, let's just remember: this is something that moms have been doing for years, and without all of the expensive equipment.

When I was a baby, my (self-proclaimed, slightly hippie) mom cooked anything and everything for dinner for my father and herself, added some of it to her blender, and viola - dinner for me!  She did not try one food at a time for 3 days to see if there was a reaction, she just fed me the whole meal.  Granted, food allergies nowadays make this type of introduction to food somewhat more difficult; however, I have basically utilized her method of baby food preparation and serving. (NOTE: How you introduce is entirely up to you. With my second child, I was much less nervous. Sarah stuck with the three day rule at least through the Stage 1 Purees).

Its really quite simple, and bonus, CHEAP.

Pureed Baby Food:
1. Chop, steam or cook desired food(s) for pureed food. (yes, you can combine foods in the cooking process. eg. peas and carrots)
2. Add said food(s) to food processor. (I had a large 12-cup model which was perfect. However, you can use a blender or even a hand-held mixer)
3. Add approximately 1/2 cup to 1 cup liquid, depending on food and desired consistency. Liquid choices: water, cooking water from steamed veggies, pumped breast milk, formula)
4. Puree or mix foods to desired consistency (Note: when first feeding baby solids, you want food as smooth as possible.  Then, as they become more accustomed to it, you can leave some chunks in it for a little more texture)
5. Add pureed food to containers for freezing. (i.e. ice cube trays, pureed baby food storage containers)
6. Freeze and defrost when ready to consume!

AK: 0  Beets: 1

See, it's really that easy!  I typically would aim to make about 2-4 weeks worth of food at a time consisting of 5-10 different combinations of food.  And this would last me anywhere from a few weeks to the entire month depending how much food my baby consumed at that particular time.

Babies usually do not eat pureed foods for too long, so really why invest in all of the expensive stuff?  My second baby, EM, only ate pureed foods for about 3 months before she was over it and wanted the REAL thing. 

Now, for what to make.  Obviously at first, simple, one-item purees are best as your baby gets used to chewing, swallowing, and different tastes.  Then, two to three-item combinations can be introduced to incorporate more than a vegetable or a fruit, and include a grain or protein.  The below recommendations both myself and Sarah had a lot of success with for all three of our children.  Just remember- this is by no means an exhaustive list, so be creative!

Stage 1 Purees:
Carrots
Banana
Avocado
Butternut Squash
Sweet Potato/Yams
Peas
Mango
Green Beans
Pears
Apples
Pumpkin
Beets

Stage 2 Purees:
Broccoli/Cauliflower
Carrots/Spinach
Peas/Carrots
Black Beans/Sweet Potato or Pumpkin
Ground Turkey/Spinach/Carrot or Sweet Potato
Ground Turkey/Sweet Potato or Butternut Squash
Whole Wheat Pasta/Parmesan Cheese/Organic Marinara Sauce (A favorite of AK's!)
Soup (if it has chunks in it, just puree it up a bit)
Mango/Banana
Apple/Banana
Apple/Pear

Recipe: Bringing the Quiche Back!

I haven't seen many quiches on restaurant menus lately - are they a thing of the past?  Not in our house, they're not!

A quiche is a really smart idea, if you think about it:  protein, grains and veggies - all rolled into one delicious little meal.  And, who says a quiche can only be eaten for breakfast?  Not me.

I love this recipe because it's easy, it's healthy and it's hearty.  I must confess, though:  It's Tracy's. However, this weekend, I played domesticated diva and cooked up a fury of meals for AK for the next few weeks. I remain thankful for my freezer - it's earning its keep these days.

Crustless Mini Veggie Quiches

1 cup flour (I used whole wheat, but All Purpose would work just as well)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 cup shredded cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and jack)
1 cup milk
2-3 cups finely diced veggies (I used broccoli, spinach, onions and tomatoes, but you could really throw anything you had on hand in).
2 eggs, beaten

Mix salt, flour and baking powder together in one bowl.

Mix remaining ingredients together in larger bowl.

Now mix both bowls together.

Pour into greased and floured muffin pan.  NOTE:  You can certainly make this in a 8x8 square pan, but I chose to use a muffin pan to give me individual portions.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes.

These freeze nicely and keep in the fridge for several days. They also re-heat nicer than a full egg product due to the added flour! Enjoy.

Recipe: Not Just Your Mom's Meatloaf!

Full Disclosure: This was originally my Mom's meatloaf recipe. But, I have adapted it to truly incorporate all four food groups, in addition to being a complete and healthy meal for your child.  You will not need to feel guilty about anything else your child eats (well...everything in moderation of course!) with this as your main course.

Mom's Mini-Meatloaf

2 lb organic ground meat (I use a combination of turkey, chicken and sometimes beef for extra flavor)
½ cup milk
½ cup Ketchup
2 eggs
2 cups veggies minced finely (I usually do a combo of carrots, zucchini, kale, celery, onion)
1 small tomato finely diced 
1 cup oatmeal
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground pepper
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
1 rounded tbsp. ground flax seed
1 rounded tbsp. ground wheat germ

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. 

Make sure your veggies are minced finely.  The secret after all is that your kids don't notice them.

Add to bowl all remaining ingredients.

Mix thoroughly.

Add enough meatloaf mix to each muffin cup to fill but not overflow the cup. 

Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes - cooking time may vary by oven. 

Yields about 20 mini meatloaves.

When cool, place in large freezer-safe container.  Place wax paper between layers to prevent sticking.  Defrost separately and enjoy!

I use these for quick meals, school lunches, meals on the go, and anything else you need a quick, healthy meal for.  My kids both devour these mini-meatloaves, even on days they are feeling rather picky. 

P.S.  I gave this recipe to Sarah and she confesses that it's now her go-to for AK!

The Day I Got Reprimanded by AK's School for Not Packing a "Perfect" Lunch

I made a pact – with myself and with my newborn child – that I would do my absolute best to nourish her body with healthy foods.  As a full-time working mom who made all of her baby food, it’s been a commitment.  But, then again, I nursed her for 13 months, so I get commitment and I remain committed.

With AK in school every day, I pack her lunch the night before (thanks to T for slapping me upside the head for attempting to pack it in the morning – and for what reason?!)  Her lunch includes all of the necessities – grains, fruits, veggies, dairy and protein.  Recently, however, she’s been resisting her veggies.  I know, I know, shocking, huh? I know it’s a phase, so I do what any veggie-loving momma would do – I put them in everything else.

The Barilla brand of pasta makes pasta with veggies packed right into it – a full serving of veggies in every serving of pasta.  Yes, please.  I put grated carrots in her turkey meatloaf and grated everything into her pasta sauce (broccoli, carrots, kale, etc…)  I also pack her an organic baby food pouch with fruits and veggies in it on top of her full lunch every day.  That way, if she ditches the blueberries, I have tricked her by ensuring she gets those key nutrients in other ways. 

So you get it – I pack healthy, I am healthy, blah blah blah.  Then imagine my surprise when I go to unpack AK’s lunch one day to find this pretty little note from her teachers.  “Dear Parent – please remember to pack food from all food groups for your child’s lunch.”  Included on this pretty little note is a drawing of the five food groups, just in case I had forgotten.  Forgotten?  I am like the antithesis of forgetting. 

Confession alert:  I freaked out.  A little.  OK, a lot.  I picked up the phone, called T, who is my source of support on everything baby  (Duh.  We’re writing this blog together) and I went off.  “Don’t they know…”  “Who do they think they are?”  “Did they not know what that was????”  After I released on her (what are best friends for) and gave her more than an earful, I took my best fine-tipped Sharpie and went to town on that pretty little note.

I wrote down everything I had packed, what food group it had come from and probably inserted just a little bit of attitude.  I then put that pretty little note back in her lunchbox to ensure that they read it the following day.

Fast forward to the following day:  AK is home sick from school.  In a series of messages to the teachers, I tell them they won’t see her, they exchange pleasantries regarding her recovery and then I get up the nerve:

ME:  Quick question:  the note that was in AK’s lunch box yesterday – did I forget something in her lunch?  I was surprised, as I am quite cognizant of what goes into her lunch and consequently her body each and every day.  (Yes, this message took restraint.  I was still quite heated)

THEM:  You are one of the few parents that do an outstanding job on their child’s lunches.  We just had to put this reminder in everyone’s lunchbox because we don’t want to single any parents out.  We are doing this because, sadly, some parents are not getting the proper nutrients into their children during the day.  And, we assure you that this is in the best interest of the children.  Therefore, please don’t feel offended.  You make awesome lunches for AK.  Sincerely, AK’s teachers

ME:  (Tail between legs)

Lessons learned:

1.  Not every thing from your child’s school is directed at you personally.

2.  Trust yourself and your intentions.

3.  For heaven’s sake woman, breathe.