the smart after school snack!

Is it just my kids that totally have a blood sugar crash as soon as they walk in the door after school?  Our conversation usually goes like this... 

ME:  "Hey kids, how was your day at school?"
KIDS: "Terrible."  (while starting to cry)
ME:  "Oh really that's too bad.  What happened? "
KIDS: "Everything.  No one likes me. I hate school.  I have no friends. Kids were picking on me.  My teacher yelled at me. I got pushed down at lunch. I hate my life!"  and the list goes on...
ME: "Wow, that sounds like a terrible day! (said as I hand the kids a snack.)

Our conversation fifteen minutes AFTER they have a healthy snack of protein and complex carbohydrates.

ME: "So you had a bad day? I'm sorry."
Kids: "Not really.  It was actually pretty good.  I made a new friend.  I got an A on my spelling test.  Oh and I had fun on the bus playing with this girl.  Can I have a friend over?"

This is seriously what happened a few days ago.  I figured out the reason for the break downs. Their blood sugar levels are so low from eating lunch at 11 am and then having to wait til 3:30 for a snack.  That's why it's important to give your kids HEALTHY after-school snack.  Don't let them snack on chips and sodas or cookies.  Here's a great opportunity to give them something substantial when their bodies need it the most.  Have it ready for them right when they walk into the door.

You know that while they were gone at school, they probably traded half the good things in their lunch for junk food and were probably fed sugar because there's a birthday party just about everyday so they aren't missing out on sugar. What they are missing out on is protein and some good complex carbohydrates. It's incredible how their moods will change as soon as they get some nutrients. They think more rationally which will help them in completing the hours of homework we are so lucky to get to do everyday.  :)

Peanut Butter Ball recipe
High in protein, essential fatty acids, and fiber.

1 cup peanut butter or almond butter (i made both separately and then mixed 1/2 and 1/2)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 T sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 T sesame seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup currants (or raisins or dried blueberries)
Stir in 1/3 cup of brown rice syrup.
dash with salt
2 T unsweetened coconut

It looks pretty sticky and gooey.

Roll into balls with coconut flakes.
Then put balls on a greased pan to put in the fridge.

Make a big batch of these and after hardening them in the fridge, store in freezer bags in the freezer and pull out ten minutes before kids come in the house also have a shake ready for them. 

Here's the one I use!

MOOD-STOPPER SHAKE

1 cup Unsweetened Almond Milk or chocolate almond milk (can use rice milk as well)
1 cup water
1 T flax oil
1 Avocado (optional--maybe don't put in if you've never tried it before-adds a creamy texture)
2 frozen banana (can use fresh)
2 large green chard leaves
handful of frozen strawberries
1 T cacoa chocolate powder (optional)
1 scoop protein powder

Life's so much better with great nutrition.  And EASIER when you're a parent.

Who doesn't like muffin tops? (recipes found here)

Whenever I make muffins, I think about Seinfeld and the muffin-tops episode.  What's funny is my kids don't like eating the muffin tops as much as the rest of the muffin.  I think that's comical since the top is the best part!!! Muffins are a great way of serving up omega fatty acids, fiber and whole grains.

Here's a few recipes I made this past weekend for a family brunch we had after my son was baptized.  They were all delicious.  We had over 40 people over for brunch and this was just one of the things I served on the menu.  I also had home-made granola and yogurt AND quinoa & strawberries (see recipe below).

Peaches& Blueberry Oat Muffin

1 pint peach sauce (or 1 can blended peaches with juice)
1/2 c organic sugar (I used honey or agave)
1/2 c sunflower oil
3 hormone-free eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract (not imitation)
Blend well.

Add in the dry ingredients
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups spelt flour (can use whole wheat or 1/2 brown rice flour, 1/2 whole wheat)
1/2 cup blueberries (can use dried, fresh or frozen)
1 cup oats
Mix and pour in sprayed muffin tins.
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Makes around 2 dozen muffins.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

1 pint of Unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup honey, or organic sugar. I used sucanat (a healthy alternative to cane sugar).
2 eggs
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Mix well

Add dry ingredients

1 tsp Cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 cups spelt flour or whole wheat flour

Mix together for less than a minute. Pour in greased muffin tins. Bake for 15 min at 350 degrees. Makes 2 dozen.


Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup vanilla organic yogurt
3 eggs
1/4 cup sugar (try alternatives like honey, sucanat, agave, maple syrup)
1/4 cup sunflower oil
Mix well


Add dry ingredients

3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp soda
1 1/2 tsp powder
2 T poppyseeds
2 cups whole wheat flour, I used 1/2 rice flour and whole wheat flour.
Mix for 1 minute. Pour in greased muffin tins. Bake for 15 min at 350 degrees.  Makes 2 dozen.


The lemon poppy seed were the favorite.  Funny thing is they had rice flour in it and no one even noticed.  They looked probably like they had white flour in it.

Quinoa & Strawberries

Cook 2 cups quinoa  in 4 cups of water according to directions until fluffy. (boil water first before adding quinoa)

After quinoa is finished, pour into a bowl with the following:
1 1/2 cups coconut oil
1 1/2 cups chopped almonds
1 tsp salt
1 T vanilla extract or maple extract
1 T cinnamon
1/2 cup agave nectar or 2 T stevia (go by taste.  I like mine not so sweet.)
8-10 cups cut up strawberries.
This was a large batch.  Probably served 25 people.

Life's Miracles

I've been working aggressively on my garden.  It never ceases to amaze me the absolute miracle of planting a seed and a plant appearing a week or so later.  Some days I sit and stare at my beautiful little plant starts, I call them "my babies", and marvel at the miracle of it all.  I feel so blessed and grateful to the Lord for the abundance of good food that has been given to us.  I don't know what it is about gardening that is so refreshing.  It's hard work, back-breaking at times but so rewarding.  I love being in the sun.  Our church has encouraged us to plant gardens because it's more economical.  And for those of us that buy organic, it is definitely more economical.  Fresh vegetables and fruit right outside your back door.  I LOVE IT.   For those of you who don't have a backyard to plant a bunch of vegetables you can still enjoy fresh greens.  Buy a large planter, fill it with some potting soil and plant some Kale, Chard and Collard greens.  They are easy to grow and the leaves look beautiful. They aren't picky about their atmosphere and they are some of the highest nutrition foods available to us.  I also put them in my flower garden to add some green. 






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Adequate Nutrition to prevent disease

Another way to prevent disease is by getting adequate nutrition.  This is definitely a problem for the busy American family where fast food and cold cereal are so convenient not to mention cheap.  I know lots of people that say they can't eat better because it costs too much.  I think it would shock people to discover how little I live on and yet can provide nutritious and healthy food for my family of 6.  So I think most people want to eat healthier and just don't know where to start.  Here's where I suggest to start.  Start small and take baby steps towards the following.

1. Have a hulk juice everyday! It's quick and easy and greens are packed with nutrients.  A great way to get daily nutrition into kids and yourselves. (see recipes)
2. Buy less processed foods.  The reason is simple. They are filled with chemicals and genetically modified foods that don't have adequate nutrition.
3. Make meals from scratch instead of using boxes or cans.  This will take a bit of practice but I promise the food will taste 100% better and is 100% better for you. 
4. Substitute whole grains into your baking.  Get rid of white flour.  Honestly try replacing it with brown rice flour or spelt flour or whole wheat flour or even oat flour.  This is a great way of adding fiber and nutrition into the foods you bake.
5. Take supplements.  I try to get most of my nutrition from the foods I eat because supplements are expensive.  However, I still take several vitamins daily to make up the for deficiencies in my diet.  For example, I take fish oil and Calcium and Vita D to name a few.
6. This might be hard for you but decide to not buy fast food more than once a month.  Choose something from home instead.  This is self explanatory but studies show that the liver becomes extremely toxic after consuming 1 fast food meal especially in children.   
7. Buy plenty of fruits and vegetables.  Cut up veggies and put them on the counter with a dip.  The kids and I snack on carrots, cucumbers, jicama, celery, tomatoes, peppers, etc.  Even if you think your kids won't eat it just set it out and don't say anything.  You'll be surprised how they'll walk by and grab a carrot or 2.  
8. Have dried fruit, fruit leather and nuts/seeds in your bag instead of fruit snacks. 
9. Cut out refined sugars, things with high fructose syrup. 
10. Make healthy treats (see my blog for ideas).
11. Get the family involved with the shopping and making the food and you'll have less resistance to making the change.

I think we all have ways we can improve on with our nutrition.  The food we eat should fuel an active, healthy lifestyle.  If the food you eat doesn't do that, then get rid of it. If your diet is full of processed foods, make a change.  It took me about a month to get used to not buying processed foods but after awhile you don't miss it, kids don't miss it and you get into the habit of just whipping up the food from scratch.  Set a goal and work towards that goal each day.  Take the little steps towards a healthier lifestyle.  I know you can do it!

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER

Do you drink enough water? 
Are your kids drinking enough? Find out my methods for keeping track in a fun way. How can you tell if you aren't getting enough?  Keep reading to find out!!


How much water should we drink?

Well, probably not this much!!! My friend's darling girl, Kate is taking my advice seriously to drink more water.:)

Drink At LEAST 1/2 ounce of water for every pound of body weight every day.  That means if you weigh 150 lbs then you need a MINIMUM of 75 fl ounces of water EVERY DAY. 128 ounces = 1 gallon

I use glass canning jars.  They are sturdy and durable and don't break like other glass cups.  I also know exactly how much liquid they hold.  The small jar is 4 ounces. The pint jar is 16 ounces.  The quart jar is 32 ounces.

 

So as parents, keeping track of how much water our children drink is important. I guarantee your little ones are similar to mine and don't just love to sit down to a nice glass of water.  Here's some tips.

• Make the water accessible for young children to reach and just hard enough for really young toddlers to not be able to poor it all out.
• This is what I use.  Available at health food stores.

 

•  Keep track in a fun way. I made these tags for our glasses.  They are super easy to make (see instructions below).  The kids get a tag every time they drink a glass.  If the kids drink the # of cups they need to, then at the end of the day they get a reward.  Be creative with rewards.  It doesn't have to be treats :)  
• Pack water in the car. Always have water with you.

Try stainless steel water bottles for your school kids or for on the run.

• Encourage your kids to drink water if they just ate a meal an hour earlier and they are back in the kitchen saying they are hungry.  A lot of times we are thirsty when we feel the urge to snack or eat in between meals.  GREAT WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT TOO!

You can see that Miles is on his 2nd glass of water since there are 2 tags on his jar.  The kids think this is really fun.  And then I don't have to guess if they've had enough water especially on hot summer days.

When I say drink water, I mean drink good water (not tap water). Water that has been filtered.  There's all different types of water available to us.  There's Reverse Osmosis Filtered Water (RO), Distilled Water, Electronically Charged Water, Alkaline Water, Spring Water, Bottled Water, and many more I'm sure.  I'm not a water expert and everyone's got their own theories.  I have tried all kinds of water and have chosen to use primarily RO water and Alkaline Water because I have these available to me and I like how they taste.  Obviously, convenience is important and cost is another issue.  The bottom line is make sure you have some sort of filtered water that you can drink everyday.  Stay clear of bottled drinking water.  Most of the time it's just tap water put in a bottle and isn't filtered at all.  Besides, studies show that the plastic bottles are causing all kinds of diseases because of the leaching and chemicals in the plastic (another subject), not to mention waste problems. So for now stick with using bottles that are BPA free.  I use the blue BPA free 3 and 5 gallon water jugs and glass gallon jars as well. And avoid water that is too cold, the studies I've seen say that ice cold water is harder to absorb.

For best results, sip on water all day, and juice, milk, and sodas don't count.  Avoid soda because it actually causes more dehydration. 

Signs of dehydration.

• dry lips, cracking and dry skin
• feel hungry all the time
• dry mouth
• constipation
• weight gain or unable to lose weight
• headaches

• fatigue 

In all my research for fighting disease, drinking plenty of water was at the top of all the lists.  It's essential for every process of the body.  So here's my challenge.  DRINK WATER instead of SODA or JUICE.  Start bringing water with you wherever you go.  My families have made fun of me for years for lugging water around, but when you are on the go and not home very often you need to be sipping on water to get the minimum amount needed daily.  If you are prone to headaches, try drinking more water instead of grabbing for pain relievers.  Just like in anything teach your kids moderation and to not drink too quickly just because it's fun to get the tags.  Have I made you thirsty?  Go grab yourself a nice tall glass of filtered water.  I love it!! I've got mine right hear. CHEERS!
  


 Directions for making the tags

1. Print pages of names typed in fun fonts, colors and sizes.  I have 4 for each kid. Make back ups just in case. Great project for the kids to do.
2. Cut out each name and glue to fun paper that is a little larger than the name.
3. Cover with packing tape on both sides.
4. Cut around the tag.
5. Put a hole punch through the top corner.
6. String rubber band through the hole punch.

Near and DEAR to us all

Recently a few of my dear family members have been diagnosed with some serious diseases.  My heart aches for them and what they are going through.  We all have people we care about.  I learned a few years ago the hard way that it's easier to prevent a disease than cure a disease.  I'm living proof that it can be done because I'm here today disease free after being sick for nearly 10 years.  But the road took determination and lots of prayer.  So to any of you that are on the path to healing, I know you can do it.  Our bodies are incredible creations with endless possibilities.  As I was thinking about my family especially my children, I was thinking about how I want for them a life that is disease-free.  I know as parents we want to protect our children from getting hurt but sometimes we forget to protect them from getting sick

Here's a list of things you can do now to keep you and your children free from serious sickness in the future.  The time isn't when they get sick to change.  The time is now. Remember, it's easier to prevent.


BASIC STEPS (start here)
#1  Drink Purified Water -the rule is 1/2 ounce of water per pound of weight  (see post WATER)
#2  Get proper Nutrition-(see post NUTRITION)
#3 Walk Everyday--(see post EXERCISE)
#4 Keep those Bowels moving at least 2x a day (see post HEALTHY BOWELS)
#5 Good Digestion take enzymes and probiotics (see post GOOD DIGESTION)

My next 5 posts I will go into more detail for each category.  Keep reading!

Garden time

It's garden time.  Would the weather please cooperate!!!! I'm so excited.  I'm using every possible space for my garden this year.  If you haven't started your plant starts yet, now's the time to do it.  It's super easy and much less expensive.  I bought the little greenhouse from Walmart (i think it costs $7).  Then I planted peppers (red, yellow, green, and jalapeno), celery, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, leeks, and onions.  These plants need a longer season than Utah offers so its best to get a head start on these.  You'll be able to transplant them easily.  If you haven't already gotten your peas, beets, carrots, chard, and lettuce in the ground you can do those plants anytime.  They are fine with the cold weather and even the snow.  Beet greens offer a lot of nutrients and are a great addition to your green drinks so be sure to plant beets that you can use just for beet greens. They are high in Magnesium which most Americans are extremely deficient in.  Chard is also a good one for your green drinks.  Chard grows under extreme circumstances. For example, I planted a row of swiss chard last august and kept it covered all winter.  My plants are now thriving and will be ready to use very soon.  Who would have thought??  Kale also grows thru the winter.  I have 2 kale plants that I kept covered that are growing very well now.  Between Kale and Chard you get 10 of the 12 essential vitamins.  They are an essential part of the green drinks.  I planted a variety of kale and chard.  There are several types. This will help you rotate the greens you use.  If you have any questions about gardening, I'd be happy to help.  I'm also willing to help get you started and come over with a shovel and my gloves.  For those of you who don't think its worth it, just try it.  There is nothing better than going out to my garden and picking fresh vegetables and herbs.  Green drinks taste way better to me.  The plants are fresh and have more enzymes and nutrients.  Kale and Chard can be grown in planters as well so there's no excuse.  Get to it:)