As a parent I expected to receive push-back from our kids about vegetables. I’ve become almost immune to that look of horror when a new veggie shows up at dinner and the kids are all sure they’re going to HATE it. But they try it and, most of the time, do just fine. However, I’ve been surprised at how many adults still view veggies as something to be avoided at all costs. We want our Read more…
‘What’s In Season?’ is a lot easier to write this time of year! The stores are packed with fresh goodness from all over the country. In case you haven’t noticed, that includes a bunch of berries. Blueberries are packed with vitamin C, A & K, folate, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and calcium. They’re also well known for their phytonutrients (plant nutrients)…this is where all those beautiful antioxidants come from that are linked to disease prevention. When Read more…
Most moms I know are overwhelmed…noses to wipe, food to buy and cook, floors that constantly have dirt/popcorn/toys tracked across them, more work than time, flower beds full of dandelions and that child who always pops up asking you to play with them at the exact moment you have no extra time/energy. Becoming a parent means we’ll always be tired before bedtime! However, when we take a step back we might find that we’re doing Read more…
This weekend I encouraged us to set some boundaries so we could approach Mother’s Day with a bit of self control. How did it go? Did you meet your expectations? What choices did you make that were awesome? What choices make you cringe this morning? If you’re like most of us you made some great choices (veggie omelet on Sunday!) and some not-so-great choices (4ths on that amazing chocolate cake. Oops.) And I bet you’re Read more…
Five years ago I planted asparagus seeds in our garden, not realizing most people skip this step and just buy shoots. It took a bit of patience and quite of bit of weeding to keep my baby asparagus from being swallowed by grass, but it’s paying off this year! For a plant that takes so long to get going, it goes a bit crazy once it’s established. I’ve been harvesting a handful every morning and Read more…
Tomorrow is Mother’s Day…a holiday that can make us sing with gratitude or cry in frustration depending on what we expect and what actually happens. I still remember the first year I thought my kids were old enough to ‘get it’ and I was hoping they would at least make me a card. I did not sing with gratitude when they proudly announced, ‘We know it’s Mother’s Day! What are you going to do for Read more…
It’s FRIDAY! We made it through another week, faced our battles, overcame our obstacles…now it’s time to slow down a bit and relax. Sleep a little later. Maybe veg out and watch a little TV. And likely let a few extra treats sneak into our meals. There’s nothing wrong with slowing down, but for many of us those few extra treats have turned into weekends of free-for-all eating. You know the routine: salads all week, Read more…
Spring has FINALLY arrived up here in Iowa and the world is waking up…along with dandelions, crab grass and lots of other weedy plants. Thankfully, there are also tulips, irises, rhubarb and asparagus! The trick is to keep the stuff we don’t want away from the stuff we do want. We have a huge yard and a huge garden and a busy life, which can make keeping up with yard work a bit intimidating. 🙂 Read more…
Precision Nutrition posted this recently and it hit home because this is something I struggle with too….and I know I’m not alone. There are several ways to fight this condition and one highly effective tool can be a nutrition tune-up. Most serotonin — the happy-making neurotransmitter — is made in the gut, not the brain. Poor GI health could prevent its production, meaning you’ve got less of those good, happy chemicals in your brain. If you Read more…
Monday morning through Sunday afternoon we try hard to focus on whole foods and keeping extra sugar to a minimum. We have 5 kids and we don’t live in a bubble so this is a formidable task, but it’s the goal. However, Sunday night is dessert night in our house and we enjoy it! I frequently have one of my girls in the kitchen with mixing up a batch of brownies, ice cream or a Read more…