I love stealing ideas for dinner from other people's menu plans. Here is what we will be eating this week:
Monday - Chicken brocolli (and cauliflower) cheese bake
Tuesday - Roast beef (crock pot)
Wednesday - Grilled salmon
Thursday - Beef stew
Friday - Butter chicken
Saturday - Apple dijon chicken (crock pot)
Other things to make this week:
Trail mix
Chocolate chip cookies
Pumpkin "brownies"
Stuffed dates
Monday, October 11, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Let the fall cleaning begin!
The air is finally starting to feel cool and crisp. Around my house that means it is time to begin the annual tradition of fall cleaning. I of course clean my house on a fairly frequent basis. With two little kids and a dog there is hardly a day that goes by without at least a little cleaning. I kick it into high gear in the fall (and again in the spring) though. I love to air out the house and clean every nook and cranny before the weather becomes cold and we spend all day in the house. To keep myself organized I have a binder with several pages of cleaning and organizing tasks to be completed for each area of the house. I love crossing those tasks off the list!
If you spend much time in the cleaning aisle at the grocery store you might believe that you need all kinds of chemicals to get your house spic and span. I don't think this is true. The dirt might be gone but there could be a chemical residue in its place. I clean the majority of my house using vinegar, water, and baking soda. Ben is one of those toddlers that is into everything and not remotely slowed down by standard babyproofing. I can store my cleaning products under the sink with ease knowing that he can't be poisoned.
Vinegar is effective against some molds, bacteria, and germs. I fill a new spray bottle about 1/3-1/2 full with distilled white vinegar and fill the rest with water. This is a great multi-purpose cleaner. I use it to clean my kitchen counters, bathroom sinks, dining room table, and any other nonporous surface. It is also a fantastic window cleaner. I think it does a better job cutting through the greasy fingerprints that seem to appear constantly on my windows and glass door than commercial cleaners. Vinegar is an extremely useful and economical cleaner. I buy those huge containers of distilled white vinegar for a couple of bucks and it lasts about 6 months. $3 for 6 months worth of a multi-purpose cleaner is a great deal!
Have you ever seen those massive boxes of baking soda at BJ's and wondered who buys them? I do! Baking soda has a ton of uses, not just limited to cleaning. I like to clean the bathtub with baking soda. I hate to clean the tub with yucky chemicals and then give the kids a bath later. I feel like they are sitting in chemical soup instead of fresh water. I don't have that problem when I use baking soda. Baking soda is nontoxic and safe enough to eat. Sometimes I even add it to the tub to help with any diaper area redness. My kids love when I clean the drains with baking soda and vinegar. I just sprinkle in some baking soda and pour on the vinegar. The drain fizzes right up, which always makes the kiddos laugh. I then clear the drain with hot water. Here are a few more ways to clean with baking soda.
With a little bit of planning and elbow grease you can naturally clean your home. Here are a few websites that offer specific cleaning advice:
The natural way to clean everything in your house
66 All natural cleaning solutions
Natural cleaning recipes
What fall cleaning tasks do you have planned? How do you use natural cleaners?
If you spend much time in the cleaning aisle at the grocery store you might believe that you need all kinds of chemicals to get your house spic and span. I don't think this is true. The dirt might be gone but there could be a chemical residue in its place. I clean the majority of my house using vinegar, water, and baking soda. Ben is one of those toddlers that is into everything and not remotely slowed down by standard babyproofing. I can store my cleaning products under the sink with ease knowing that he can't be poisoned.
Vinegar is effective against some molds, bacteria, and germs. I fill a new spray bottle about 1/3-1/2 full with distilled white vinegar and fill the rest with water. This is a great multi-purpose cleaner. I use it to clean my kitchen counters, bathroom sinks, dining room table, and any other nonporous surface. It is also a fantastic window cleaner. I think it does a better job cutting through the greasy fingerprints that seem to appear constantly on my windows and glass door than commercial cleaners. Vinegar is an extremely useful and economical cleaner. I buy those huge containers of distilled white vinegar for a couple of bucks and it lasts about 6 months. $3 for 6 months worth of a multi-purpose cleaner is a great deal!
Have you ever seen those massive boxes of baking soda at BJ's and wondered who buys them? I do! Baking soda has a ton of uses, not just limited to cleaning. I like to clean the bathtub with baking soda. I hate to clean the tub with yucky chemicals and then give the kids a bath later. I feel like they are sitting in chemical soup instead of fresh water. I don't have that problem when I use baking soda. Baking soda is nontoxic and safe enough to eat. Sometimes I even add it to the tub to help with any diaper area redness. My kids love when I clean the drains with baking soda and vinegar. I just sprinkle in some baking soda and pour on the vinegar. The drain fizzes right up, which always makes the kiddos laugh. I then clear the drain with hot water. Here are a few more ways to clean with baking soda.
With a little bit of planning and elbow grease you can naturally clean your home. Here are a few websites that offer specific cleaning advice:
The natural way to clean everything in your house
66 All natural cleaning solutions
Natural cleaning recipes
What fall cleaning tasks do you have planned? How do you use natural cleaners?
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
This is news???
These headlines made me laugh. Why do we need journalists to tell us these things???
Overeating in pregnancy make bigger babies
Meth use in pregnancy endangers mom and baby
Suppressing anger can make you a mean drunk
Study: Teen internet addicts more likely to develop depression
Overeating in pregnancy make bigger babies
Meth use in pregnancy endangers mom and baby
Suppressing anger can make you a mean drunk
Study: Teen internet addicts more likely to develop depression
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Avoiding flu shots
This time of year you can not run to the grocery store or Target without seeing an advertisement for a flu shot. Vaccines are a very personal issue so I am in no way trying to persuade someone who WANTS a flu shot to not get one. I just want to offer a bit of support for those who choose NOT to get vaccinated.
My children and I have never had a flu shot (Paul has because they were mandatory in the Air Force). I choose not to get the vaccine because we have healthy immune systems. I also am a bit paranoid about all of the immunizations given to young children so I don't want to add anything else to the mix. The first time I declined a flu shot for my children the doctor called me a bad mom and told me it would be my fault if my son died from flu complications. Nice. It is worth pointing out that Ben was only 4 months old at the time and the flu vaccine is not FDA approved for babies under 6 months. Needless to say we switched pediatricians.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition weighed in on the flu shot vs. no flu shot issue in the March 2010 issue. They reported a study out of Japan that suggests that adequate levels of vitamin D are 800% more effective at preventing influenza than flu shots. More studies are needed but appears to be promising information.
It makes me happy to know that taking vitamin D supplements can be so beneficial. Our immune systems are growing stronger by the day. We are avoiding the flu while still avoiding formaldehyde and thimerosal (flu shot inactive ingredients).
My children and I have never had a flu shot (Paul has because they were mandatory in the Air Force). I choose not to get the vaccine because we have healthy immune systems. I also am a bit paranoid about all of the immunizations given to young children so I don't want to add anything else to the mix. The first time I declined a flu shot for my children the doctor called me a bad mom and told me it would be my fault if my son died from flu complications. Nice. It is worth pointing out that Ben was only 4 months old at the time and the flu vaccine is not FDA approved for babies under 6 months. Needless to say we switched pediatricians.
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition weighed in on the flu shot vs. no flu shot issue in the March 2010 issue. They reported a study out of Japan that suggests that adequate levels of vitamin D are 800% more effective at preventing influenza than flu shots. More studies are needed but appears to be promising information.
It makes me happy to know that taking vitamin D supplements can be so beneficial. Our immune systems are growing stronger by the day. We are avoiding the flu while still avoiding formaldehyde and thimerosal (flu shot inactive ingredients).
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Staying healthy while traveling
It can be really easy to eat junk when you are traveling. The junk is RIGHT there. There are big macs, french fries, and chocolate donuts at almost every exit. You don't need to eat them though. You can stay healthy while traveling.
1) Preparation is the key - you NEED to pack snacks!
We usually start long car trips either very early in the morning, around 3 a.m. This way we can drive for a while before we need to feed the kids breakfast. In theory they would fall back asleep after being put in the car but my kids are always so excited to be traveling that they stay awake for hours. When bellies start grumbling we pass out cheese sticks, homemade trail mix, raisins, apples, bananas, and/or nuts (chopped for the little one to avoid a choking incident). This usually holds the kids for awhile.
2) Choose your restaurants carefully.
At some point we usually end up at a restaurant. We can get the kids dressed (remember, they were plucked from their beds still in their jammies), teeth brushed, get out our wiggles, and eat a somewhat healthy meal. We always choose a sit-down restaurant over fast food. A real restaurant usually has a larger menu with more options and are willing to customize a meal. For breakfast, Cracker Barrel is a good choice. They offer a low carb meal that has eggs, bacon, and tomatoes. It oddly comes includes bread too - just leave that alone. Most restaurants serve some sort of salad for lunch or dinner. Just make sure you order meat (chicken, shrimp, steak, etc.) on top of the salad or you will be starving by the time you are back on the highway. If you really must eat fast food choose Chipotle. Here is an excellent post on how to order at Chipotle.
3) Bring bubbles!
Sitting for long amounts of time isn't good for you but is near impossible for little ones. Bring bubbles, balls, and frisbees to use at rest stops. When Hannah was 23 months old I drove (with the help of my mother-in-law) from Colorado Springs to Northern VA. That is 30 hours of driving! We stopped at rest stops along the way so that Hannah could run and chase bubbles. When it rained we stopped at Walmart and let Hannah walk around until her little legs were tired. If there are no other options you can stop at a fast food restaurant with a play area to play for awhile. There is no rule you have to eat there just because you are using the play ground.
How do you stay healthy while traveling?
1) Preparation is the key - you NEED to pack snacks!
We usually start long car trips either very early in the morning, around 3 a.m. This way we can drive for a while before we need to feed the kids breakfast. In theory they would fall back asleep after being put in the car but my kids are always so excited to be traveling that they stay awake for hours. When bellies start grumbling we pass out cheese sticks, homemade trail mix, raisins, apples, bananas, and/or nuts (chopped for the little one to avoid a choking incident). This usually holds the kids for awhile.
2) Choose your restaurants carefully.
At some point we usually end up at a restaurant. We can get the kids dressed (remember, they were plucked from their beds still in their jammies), teeth brushed, get out our wiggles, and eat a somewhat healthy meal. We always choose a sit-down restaurant over fast food. A real restaurant usually has a larger menu with more options and are willing to customize a meal. For breakfast, Cracker Barrel is a good choice. They offer a low carb meal that has eggs, bacon, and tomatoes. It oddly comes includes bread too - just leave that alone. Most restaurants serve some sort of salad for lunch or dinner. Just make sure you order meat (chicken, shrimp, steak, etc.) on top of the salad or you will be starving by the time you are back on the highway. If you really must eat fast food choose Chipotle. Here is an excellent post on how to order at Chipotle.
3) Bring bubbles!
Sitting for long amounts of time isn't good for you but is near impossible for little ones. Bring bubbles, balls, and frisbees to use at rest stops. When Hannah was 23 months old I drove (with the help of my mother-in-law) from Colorado Springs to Northern VA. That is 30 hours of driving! We stopped at rest stops along the way so that Hannah could run and chase bubbles. When it rained we stopped at Walmart and let Hannah walk around until her little legs were tired. If there are no other options you can stop at a fast food restaurant with a play area to play for awhile. There is no rule you have to eat there just because you are using the play ground.
How do you stay healthy while traveling?
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Autumn in a jar trail mix
Autumn in a jar trail mix
(recipe inspired by Martha Stewart)
1 c. raw pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
coarse salt
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 c. almonds, toasted and chopped
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1. Coat the pumpkin seeds with the extra virgin olive oil and salt. Bake at 375 for about 8 minutes or until golden.
2. Mix all of the ingredients together.
Simple and delicious (oh wait....that's a different magazine)!
(recipe inspired by Martha Stewart)
1 c. raw pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
coarse salt
1/2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 c. almonds, toasted and chopped
1/2 c. dried cranberries
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1. Coat the pumpkin seeds with the extra virgin olive oil and salt. Bake at 375 for about 8 minutes or until golden.
2. Mix all of the ingredients together.
Simple and delicious (oh wait....that's a different magazine)!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Nutritional supplements
I spend a lot of time researching recipes, ingredients, and nutrition in general. The more I learn, the more I realize how much there is that I still don't know. Take nutritional supplements for example. I know that some are necessary, some are a complete waste of money, and some can be downright dangerous. The trick is to figure out which category each supplement falls into. That is still largely a mystery to me.
Currently, I only take a D3 supplement (5000 IU - oil based). I know that I probably should take a multivitamin but I have yet to find one that doesn't make me nauseous.
What supplements do you take? Do you have a multivitamin that you recommend? Any links to help decode the nutritional supplement mystery?
Currently, I only take a D3 supplement (5000 IU - oil based). I know that I probably should take a multivitamin but I have yet to find one that doesn't make me nauseous.
What supplements do you take? Do you have a multivitamin that you recommend? Any links to help decode the nutritional supplement mystery?
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