Montessori Snacks Ideas for Kids

In the fall I started taking my son to a wonderful Montessori Mommy & Me program. It taught me so much about how to implement Montessori ideals into our home, including at meal time since the program included a group snack.

Whatever I didn't assimilate or remember my son did a great job reminding me. Such as letting him peel his own banana or orange. Yes, 2-year-olds can peel their own fruit. I knew my son could peel the darndest stubborn sticker off of any container, but it had never occurred to me before to let him peel his food.

So that got me thinking about snacks that he could prepare himself, or that would provide a learning opportunity. Below are some things we've done at home.

Note: Montessori jobs are to be done WITH supervision and along side an adult, especially food to prevent choking, cutting, etc.  You know your child, so use discretion according to your child's age and development.

Banana: Cut the top off so it's easy to open. If you have a dull spreading knife, let them use that to slice it. Give them a fork to eat it with.

Orange (peeling): Cut off the top section, and just loosen the peel so that they have a place to start.

Orange (juicing): Use a small handheld juicer Like This placed over a cup, cut the orange in half and show how to use your hand/arm to apply pressure to juice the fruit.

Peanuts: Arrange two bowls, one should contain the peanuts and the other the empty shells. Demonstrate and they will eventually get the point. Toby doesn't put the shells in the right place but still loves de-shelling them.  Even if they don't get the point immediately, they will.

Peas: Open them, show them the peas inside and let them decide whether to eat it whole or pick out the peas.  This is fun, even for me!  :)

Grapes or Berries: (or any other small or cut fruit assortment): Take a medium-size bowl and fill it with fruit.  Allow the child to use a spoon to dish up the fruit into their own bowl.  This is a favorite.

Hardboiled Egg: After allowing egg to completely cool after cooking, demonstrate how to crack and peel the egg.  This is sure to be a favorite, even if they don't want to eat it (like my son!!). :)

Strawberries: Let them take the stem off the strawberries with their hand.

Spreading Butter: Using bread, cracker, rice cake, etc., show them how to spread butter, nut butter, etc. using a dull spreading knife.

Obviously, the selection you choose will depend on the tastes and availability of your home and area.  Be creative and share your ideas in the comments below!  I'm always open to learning something new and adding to our snack menu!  :)

Epic Fail of a Morning

Operation "Cupcake"
resulted in burnt bottoms!!  :(

Ever have one of those days where nothing goes right, even the things you can usually control blindfolded?

This morning was like that for me.  I was in the kitchen all morning and every recipe I tried didn't turn out (or was not presentable), my hair was disheveled and spit-up all over my t-shirt and was in my pjs until lunchtime (which I personally can't stand), and I began to wonder about my own sanity and confidence.

But I thank God for days like today.  It reminds me of reality.  That things don't always go the way we want or how we want it but that it doesn't change our worth.

While the efficiency expert in me feels that this morning was wasted (I don't have a Martha Stewart-like dessert picture to show off today!), the mom in me realizes that I had a blast with my son cooking together in the kitchen.  And while I felt like everything was out of my hands and my son was learning nothing, maybe 30 years from now he will remember today and the sense that when things don't work out it is ok.  That we can learn from our mistakes.  That failure does not define us, a there is more to life than our task at hand.

As I write this one-handed with a sleeping baby girl occupying the other, I remember and I am grateful.

Grateful, because days like today remind me of my son, Sebastian, who I lost.  And I am grateful for him because he is the reason I can take a step back and appreciate today.  And I am thankful for today because it teaches me to love more and worry less about the things that don't really matter in the end.

Like burnt bottom cupcakes! ;)

Dear FDA

Dear FDA,

The car pressure light came on yesterday morning and so I had to take it to the tire center to have it checked out. While waiting, I saw this sign posted on the wall.

I'm asking that you replace the word "area" with "food", make it into stickers, and place it on any food exposed to pesticides.

Speaking of pesticides, check out this video from TED. It's under 20 minutes to watch, but is worth the time. And you really should educate yourselves on the potential harm that you are creating for our future generations, since the people of America trust you, even if they shouldn't.

The Toxic Baby

Sincerely,

A Concerned Mom

Almond-Flour Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Freezer Cookies

That's a mouthful!!  I thought of calling them "Yummy Almond-Flour Honey & Maple Syrup Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Freezer Cookies" but decided that you might be able to read the post in the time it would take to say it out loud!

I know I've mentioned before my love of treats, so I don't have to say it again.  It's strange, though, because I never really thought of myself as a sweet-tooth.  As a teenager I never binged (maybe because I was too conscious of my weight?), and I remember going to many a summer camps and being downright disgusted at the suitcase of sweets that many girls brought with them to camp while they somehow managed to stay stick thin.  I couldn't even look at sweets - even as a youngster - without gaining weight!!

I see it as a blessing now, because I feel that I was able to make some really good decisions when I was young, based on a real knowledge of how food affects my body.  I have never been able to eat gluttonously.  But on the other hand I won't be the person who was skinny all her life to wake up at 40 wondering what happened to her glorious no-work figure.  So in the end its really a wash.

My motto has been to eat what I want, in moderation, and choosing healthier alternatives when possible (like raw honey vs. white sugar).  I love making cookies and freezing the dough - that way I don't have to commit to eating a whole batch and I have something to serve when unexpected guests arrive (just give me 10 min!)!

These cookies are mildly sweet and are better if not thawed before baking.  If you must, you can make the cookies before freezing, but flavors will be milder and texture more cake-like.


Almond-Flour Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Freezer Cookies

Dough ready for freezing.

1 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup creamy, unsalted & unsweetened peanut butter
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups almond flour/meal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-2 cups chocolate chips, according to taste (I used homemade chocolate chips)

In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or an electric mixer, or by hand), beat butter at medium-high speed until creamy. Add maple syrup and honey and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes (or 5 to 6 minutes by hand). Reduce speed to medium-low and add in peanut butter, beating until fully incorporated, beat in eggs, then vanilla extract. Reduce speed to lowest setting or gently stir by hand; gradually add in the dry ingredients, scraping sides of mixing bowl as necessary, and beating just until incorporated; do not overmix. Fold in chocolate chips, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and place in freezer. For best results, wait until fully frozen before cooking (approximately 12-24 hours).
When ready to cook, spoon batter on cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 or until golden brown.
Best served slightly warm.

Our Daily Salad Bar

My favorite way to use up
peppers that have begun to wilt.
Waste not, want not.  I put these on everything!

Many healthy recipes call for expensive ingredients and lots of prep time. I don't usually have either but I also don't want to miss out on a nutrient-rich and tasty diet.

One of my solutions is to have a salad bar every night along with the entrée and maybe a side. I try to think of the salad as the main course, as this is where we get most of our nutrients.  The entree is more about protein and what keeps us full.

In addition, vitamin supplements are great and helpful but in most cases they aren't needed if you are eating a healthy, varied diet.

So, in order for us to not get bored with having salad just about every single day, I try to have lots of options and change it up every now and then. The more colorful the better.

I mainly shop in bulk, but I cannot afford waste so I have figured out what we can eat before it goes bad and use the rest in entrée recipes or snacks. If I don't think we can eat it all, I don't buy it. I use a lot of our salad fixings for snacks (as a rule my snacks are usually vegetables, fruits or nuts). If something starts going bad, I either sauté the vegetables and use it as a side (in addition to the salad), make a big stir-fry, etc.  One of my favorite things to make is roasted peppers or sautéed peppers. Just be creative. And don't over-buy. Test one ingredient out at a time until you are comfortable with it and make sure it's not wasted.

Speaking of waste, I've noticed that if you keep all your salad items separate, you will actually waste less.  Pre-mixed salad often gets soggy and unappealing.


Below are some of my "salad bar" combinations:


Savory Salad Bar (pictured to right):
Spring Mix or Kale
Avocados, sliced (not in picture)

Savory Salad Bar

Sweet peppers, chopped
Mushrooms, sliced
Carrots, shredded
Cherry or grape tomatoes
Bleu cheese, crumbled

Super Substantial Salad Bar:
Spring Mix or Kale

Avocados, sliced (not in picture)
Sweet peppers, chopped

Brussel Sprouts, finely chopped
Carrots, shredded
Cherry or grape tomatoes
Bleu cheese, crumbled

Summer Fruit Salad Bar:
Spring Mix or Kale
Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, pear, apple, or any other fruit in season (obviously, only when it doesn't cost $$$)
Bleu cheese, crumbled
Walnuts

Fall Fig Salad (my favorite!!!):
Spring Mix
Black Mission Figs (by themselves or good with any combination of berries)
Bleu cheese, crumbled
Walnuts
Topped with balsamic vinegar (we have 18-year-aged - it is D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!) and olive oil. YUM!!!


In general, when I go grocery shopping my cart is compromised of about 60% produce and 40% everything else (dairy, meat, dry goods).

My fridge looks like a farmers market explosion!  Except I hardly shop at the farmers market... That's another story to be told one day.

We love a sprinkle of bleu cheese on our salad, but good substitutions are: grated Parmesan (did you know it has more calcium per ounce than any other cheese?), feta, Gorgonzola, etc.

Basically, the way to maintain a healthy lifestyle is to have fun with it and keep it exciting.  Food is not just for nourishment, it is for enjoyment too... Otherwise, God would have made all foods the same!

What do you put on your salads?  What are your favorite toppings?  Tell me in the comments!!

Café de la Afternoon

My pretty latté cup

Have I mentioned my love of treats? Especially in the afternoon. Ahh, nothing like taking a minute to get the kitchen clean for the first time all day and drink a special latté (while both kids are napping, if I'm lucky... Don't get jealous - my 5-month-old usually wakes up every 30 minutes during the 2 hour duration of my son's nap wanting to nurse!).

Since I don't get much alone or "me" time, I make up for it by doing little things that feel special - like using a pretty latté cup when I'm making my coffee. As crazy simple as it sounds, some days this really does something to help me relax and get me through the day.

Because my afternoon coffee break is so helpful to my sanity, it was the sugar in my coffee which was the LAST thing I gave up for my flour and sugar-free diet. Using honey or maple syrup sounded savage to me. Coffee is a beautiful gift from God and I wanted to give it the dignity it deserved.

Seriously, though, honey does have a bitter aftertaste by itself so I was very skeptical of its ability to sweeten my cup of joe. However, after trying both it and maple syrup I found that - while maple syrup is more subtle - I also seemed to need twice as much as the honey to attain my desired sweetness. In addition, the bitterness of the honey seemed to marry the robustness of the coffee and it was just one beautiful cup of bliss.

If you love a good Peets or Starbucks but find yourself out for a coffee less and less, this is a great solution. It's better than Starbucks and so much cheaper - you could have it daily.

My husband and I are both coffee snobs so we order Lavazza Italian coffee from Amazon, as normal store-bought coffee is too bitter for our tastes. Illy is also good but costs more than the Lavazza on Amazon.

I love this thing!!  So much
cheaper than an actual espresso
machine and still produces
incredible coffee.  YUM!

Honey Latté

1 shot espresso (or more if desired!)
1/2 cup milk
Honey to sweeten (I use one spoonful but some people use more or less)


Prepare espresso using a machine or percolator (pictured to left).  Warm or steam milk and add to espresso with a spoonful of honey.  Now sit, relax, and pretend your baby didn't just wake up!!  ;)


Note to self: Grind coffee prior to putting kids down for nap!!

Household Tornado - Part 2: Maintenance

So now that I've addressed the purging comes the big question:

How do I get my toddler to actually pick up after himself?

Good question. When I first started asking my son to clean up his toys, he gave me that deer-in-headlights look.  I'm thinking, "Why is this so hard!?!  You just got all your toys out in 5 seconds flat, now just put them back!!"

But if I step back for a second and get on his level I understand he is too overwhelmed to know where to begin.

The first couple times I had to sit with him to instruct him. I learned a lesson in the process: DO NOT DO IT FOR THEM!  Otherwise when you ask them to clean up, they will tell you, "No, Mommy do it!" as mine did.  Haha... Funny, kid!

So this is how I got him to start cleaning up on his own:


Step 1:

I purged and organized his toys (see my previous post: Household Tornado Part 1: Prevention).

Step 2:

Identified one type of toy he should put away first, such as all the balls. I allow myself to encourage him or sit with him, but I cannot do it for him.

Step 3:

Once one kind of toy is put away, moved on one-by-one (cars, trucks, dolls, animals, books, etc.) until everything is put away.



Breaking it down allows them to start identifying one object from another in a big assortment and eventually they will be able to do it in their own.

I had only done this method a couple times and then one day I said "Nap time!" and when I turned around he had cleaned up everything by himself. Not only was I giddy with happiness, but he was beaming as well.

He knew it was a job well done.

Household Tornado - Part 1: Prevention

Being that I live in California, I'm not actually talking about the weather outside when I use the word "tornado". But it is quite amazing how a 2-year-old can replicate an Act of God in 5 seconds flat with an "economy of toys" (as I've heard our limited assortment called). It's amazing how he can take a few toys and have them evenly dispersed throughout the house within a matter of seconds. I liken it to those annoying backyard squirrels that bury their nuts all year long in my backyard. My grass is a nut graveyard. How on earth they keep track of them, I'd like to know?! In 10 years will their great-great-great-great-grand squirrels dig them up?! "Look what grandpa left us from 1,000 squirrel-years ago!!!". Toby must be taking notes because he buries his toys in the strangest places!

Can I give a remedy for something I myself cannot control? No. Kids will have toys and will leave them all over the house until Kingdom Come. However, what I CAN control is the number of them.

Controlling the quantity of toys is not just a matter of cleanliness, it is also good for their development (thank goodness a pet peeve of mine is backed up by child development!).  Huge quantities of toys can be over stimulating and often 90% of them don't even get used.

If you are wanting to simplify and de-clutter your child's toy plethora, here is a step-by-step process to de-clutter and make life more manageable:



Operation: Simplify

1. Remove all toys broken, pieces missing, etc.  Place them in a "donation" or "garage sale" pile (or if you are high tech, eBay!). 

2. Separate the wood/real/educational/high quality toys from the plastic toys.  You should now have 3 piles:

a) to be donated
b) high quality toys 
c) all other toys

3. From pile c) eliminate the "filler" toys that they kids do not play with and are not educational, stimulating or sensorial. Move said toys to pile a).
The first time I did this, about 80% were in this category. Besides being clutter and unused most of the time, most plastic toys are full of BPA and other toxins that are absorbed through the skin. If you have a teething baby who puts toys in his/her mouth, they are getting a chemical cocktail every time.

4. Depending on how many toys are left, you may want to divide them into sets and only keep one set out at a time.
We have only one set but we have also purged many times.  Until you get to this point, change up the sets periodically - usually every other month or so.  This not only allows your child to appreciate their toys more (they get so excited - it's like Christmas every time!), but it also allows them to play with everything. Sometimes I think they actually explore less if they are overwhelmed.

Doesn't it feel good to purge?!

"Don't Do For Them What They Can Do Themselves"

This is the motto that I’ve tried to follow recently with my kids. I’m not sure if it is true or not, but I heard that Mother Teresa used that motto with the poor in Calcutta. For example, she would nurse them back to health but then would teach them how to care for themselves once they were able. This isn’t because she was stretched or had a coldness of heart. This is because she had an understanding of the human psyche and the need for a healthy sense of pride and ownership of ones own person.


I don’t believe that self-confidence is solely a result of praise from others. It is a result of knowing your own self-worth. There are some people who if all the people in the world praised them they would still have a deep inner doubt of their own attributes. Others don’t need praise to know that they are worth something. So what is the difference? I know there are many factors – some of which we can do nothing about, but one piece of the puzzle is how a child is raised. I want my kids to have a sense of accomplishment and a desire to do good things without me holding their hand in order to feel secure.



I don’t think treating my kids like they are endlessly dependent on me is helpful. Yes, they are vulnerable and needy (especially when they are young), but each phase of their development come with a whole new set of things that they are able to do on their own.


At 2-years-old, my son isn't going to make peace between countries or climb Mt. Everest. But with encouragement and love, I pray to instill in him the knowledge that one day he could.



Obviously, this is done in baby steps. And it takes more time out of an already cramped and busy day. But helping to empty the dishwasher (my son particularly loves putting away the silverware), wiping the kitchen table, clearing his dish, putting his socks in the drawer, helping with dinner... These are all things that slowly demonstrate to him that he is a capable person and that I trust him at his particular level. I don't even have to praise him (though I do anyway!), I see in his eyes a pride of what he has done.


I think a lot of us moms feel at times like our job isn't as valuable as it really is because we can't see the forest through the trees. We see chores, hassle, work, whining, endless cleaning, etc., when in reality there is nothing more important than what we are doing: forming a PERSON. He's not going to be a child forever.


I worked in finance before becoming a mom, so the word “investment” has a very particular meaning to me. If you think about what we do as parents, this is the best investment we have or will ever make. Wow. I’m not sure about you, but it makes me think.


I know we are all busy in this day and age, and I know even I can't always take the time to do everything I want to with my kids. But what has helped me is to be conscious of slowing down and trying to get back to the basics. If dinner takes 10 more minutes to get on the table it will be OK. The world won’t end. And if by allowing my son to help put away the laundry it doesn't make it to the drawer perfectly, they can still wear it. What's important is that they are learning. And I am learning, too.


And what more important lesson is there than that they are worth the time and they are loved?

Berry Breakfast Shake

This yummy shake is how my toddler and I start the day, and is one of the few ways I can actually get him to eat greens.

Before my husband did his detox diet last summer which led to our cutting out wheat flour, refined sugars and processed foods, my son would eat 2 packages of flavored oatmeal or a bowl of shredded wheat with banana. Both seemed healthy to me at the time, but I didn't realize the amount of sugar and natural/artificial flavors in the oatmeal and even the seemingly harmless shredded wheat has BHT added to the packaging - a chemical banned in some countries (don't even get me started on this!).

When I started learning more about reading labels and what is in our food, we started eating this breakfast shake (that I adapted to our own taste/needs) and soon my son joined as well. At the time, I was pregnant and now I'm breastfeeding and its a great source of protein and nutrients the body needs.

We all love this healthy start to our day and now I don't crave anything else in the morning.




Berry Breakfast Shake

1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 banana
1 tablespoon flax seed or meal
1 tablespoon almond butter
1 cup spinach, cleaned (optional)
1/2 cup frozen berries

Combine all ingredients in blender or Vitamix and blend until smooth. Enjoy! Makes 1 serving.

Note: It's best with whole milk but you can also use it with others (unsweetened almond or coconut milk, rice milk, etc. Just make sure there are NO artificial or natural flavors added if you buy it from the store). However, if you do use an alternative milk you will want to omit the spinach because it is too overpowering.

Say "Goodbye!" to Paper Towels...

...and "HELLO!" To washcloths!!

I love when going natural and saving money go hand and hand. It's happening so much more than I had expected! YAY!!!

I am a neat-freak, and I HATE clutter on the counter. But this simple basket from Target doesn't annoy me because its pretty, and it takes the place of the paper towels that were already there. I keep it next to the kitchen sink and just grab one when I would have normally grabbed a paper towel. I love it!

When I first decided to use washcloths in place of paper towels, I thought I'd keep the paper towels on the counter just in case. When we were going through a roll in 2-3 days (I have a toddler, remember!), now it's been 2 weeks since I put the washcloths out and we are still on the same roll we were on when we started. It's so exciting, especially since the cost of the washcloths from Costco (pack of 24!!!) was the same price as a 12 pack of paper towel rolls.

I can't wait to see how much I've saved over a years time!

I love to hear about how you have made natural and economical discoveries, so please share in the comments!

Rice-Box Montessori Job

This is our newest Montessori job. My son is 2 1/2, and it's good that it only took 5 minutes to put this together because his hands were in the rice before I had emptied the bag!

If you do something like this at home, make sure to do it on a blanket or huge towel. Otherwise the ease of the job will be negated by the amount of time you will be spending cleaning up the rice. Also, supervision is essential. Once the look of concentration is gone, put the activity away. Otherwise you will soon have handfuls of rice thrown everywhere!!!

I like this job because I can use it indoors or outdoors on a nice day.

Supplies:
1 tub
1 bag of rice
Cups, shovels, strainers, lids, buckets, trucks, etc.

The only thing I had to buy was the cheap rice (we buy the organic to consume but no need to spend $$$ if its just for play) and the $1 strainer at Target.

I was getting so excited about all the things to put in it that I had to create two options - one with cups and the other with trucks, otherwise it can be over stimulating.

He's going to be at this for hours!!

Peanut Butter Pecan Date Bites

When I was growing up I had a 12-pound cyst (you read that right - twelve pounds!!!!) growing on the outside of one of my ovaries that we didn't know about. I was slightly chubby, so it didn't become really obvious until I was in my mid teens. I worked at a gym as the receptionist when I was 15-18, so I tried almost every diet known to man as well as exercised like crazy. It seemed like the more I exercised the more my belly grew! It makes sense now because the more I lost weight elsewhere the more my stomach was emphasized.

Due to my countless diets and weight-consciousness, I can't stand diets and love to have some kind of treat every day. It's almost like a reassurance to myself. It also keeps me from bingeing. I've tried going on diets since my cyst removal and I just end up eating twice as much! The less I diet the healthier and more balanced I seem to be.

These date-bites (can also be used as a Lara-Bar recipe) are the perfect treat. They are easy-peasy and take about 8 minutes to make (once you've made them a couple times). My husband and son LOVE them.



Peanut Butter Pecan Date Bites
2 cups pitted dates
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup pecans

Yummy dough!!  It's at this point that I have
to hurry to shape it before my toddler eats it all!!  :)

In food processor (or Vitamix), combine dates, peanut butter and pecans. Pulse a couple times until just blended and texture resembles course meal (using my Vitamix I keep it at level 2 and use the Vitamix tamper to keep the dough from getting jammed). DO NOT OVER-MIX! If you do, the dough will seem greasy.

Scape out the meal on to a large piece of parchment paper and shape into 1-inch balls (or, you can use a spatula to shape into a square and cut into bars like "LaraBars"). Makes approximately 14 balls.

Keep in an airtight container.

These are good for about 5 days, but are best in the first 2 (if they are not consumed first!!).

The Poor, Lonely Peanut Butter Cup

Sometimes I wonder if I'm too much of a health food snob and my kids are going to be junk food addicts when they grow up because I don't let them have it very often.

Today at my parents house was some leftover Easter candy, including dark chocolate peanut butter cups. I gave one to my son and then brought out some grapes. When I came back to the table, this (picture below) is what I found.

That poor, lonely peanut butter cup. Rejected for green grapes. Oh the shame! ;)

The Dangly Dilema

So, when I was pregnant the first time I was told to enjoy my dangly earrings while I could, because once I had my baby I'd have to say goodbye to wearing them for several years...  I was like, "what?!!!!"

Ok, I love cute accessories. They can make a dull everyday-outfit look put together and classy. And I'm all about being a classy mom. As a matter of fact, I remember babysitting for a military mom when I was a teenager who always looked cute and she just gave off that vibe of loving life and her homemaking job. I thought to myself "That's the kind of mom I want to be!".

Now don't get me wrong, I know that giving up my earrings wouldn't invalidate me or my looks or whether or not I'm a good mom. And I WOULD give up wearing earrings if need be (my kids are WAY more important). While looks aren't everything I am a firm believer that when people present themselves respectfully that they are given more respect in general and that it comes off that they have an important job. I know that moms who dress well are no less valuable and that it doesn't determine the "good" moms from the "bad.  But from an outsider looking in I think the mom who dresses well appears to be enjoying her job a bit more.

So don't go thinking I wear suits and 3-inch heels to "work" everyday!  Lately I've been wearing dark-wash jeans with a tee and cute but comfortable flats. It's accessories do the work while not sacrificing comfort.

So I came up with an alternative to giving up my style when I had my son. I bought dangly earrings with quick release (lever) backs.

I. Love. Them.

So, for my own legal safety let me say to wear them at your own risk!  ;)  But really, they are great because, in theory, if your baby grabs your hoop it just comes right out.  The earring, not your ear!  ;)

Here is a simple example:

Natural Fabric Softener and Static Eliminator

Did you know that common fabric softeners have chemicals that are absorbed through your skin? I had never questioned my dryer sheets until someone I knew who was seeing a fertility specialist advised her to stop using them. I was shocked. I really shouldn't be, but as a culture we are so trusting of what we buy on the shelf...

What I've been learning lately is that the natural and chemical-free alternative is actually WAY more economical and, incredibly, it's simple. I'll write a post later about household cleaners, but in all honesty you only need a couple basic non-toxic ingredients in your house and you can use them for EVERYTHING. One such ingredient is vinegar.

I had no appreciation for vinegar until we lived in an apartment with a front-loading washer. The mold buildup was constant (I'd often run empty loads with bleach to clean it, besides the obvious wiping it out and leaving the door open when not in use). Nothing seemed to get rid of the awful smell on our clothes. Then I remembered someone mentioning it as an odor eliminator, so I gave it a shot and started putting a little bit in all our loads of laundry. Miraculously, my clothes started smelling normal again and the mold buildup in my washer decreased.

When we moved this past fall into a place with an old-fasioned top loading washer, the mold wasn't an issue anymore so I stopped using vinegar.  Then I found out that vinegar is a natural softener so I stopped using my dryer sheets and used a splash of vinegar instead. I was surprised that my clothes were actually MUCH softer than with the dryer sheets!  For the first few days I wondered why people would use dryer sheets at all, until I did a load containing my husbands shirts and not only did I have to pull the shirts apart (because they were sticking to one another), but my hair was reacting as well!! Ok, so vinegar does work as a softener but sure doesn't take care of static!

So, I had to go back to the drawing board.

Have I mentioned that I LOVE search engines!  In no time I had found that you can buy super-inexpensive chemical-free dryer balls (such a wool) and they last up to 2 years!

I am LOVING all the money savings that are the consequence of a chemical free house!!!  Here I thought that I'd be paying MORE to protect my family, but in the end I'm saving! It's crazy!

Ok, one more tip about vinegar I was given by a Hungarian friend of mine: wash your new clothes with vinegar water the first time and it will seal in the color. It won't bleed as much and will stay brighter for longer.

Here is some more info on the chemicals in your dryer sheets:
http://www.naturalnews.com/034617_fabric_softeners_toxic_chemicals_laundry.html

What My 2-Year-Old Wants for Lunch

People often ask me how we eat a flour and sugar free diet (and almost completely non-processed foods). Honestly, it's as easy as just not buying stuff with flour and sugar. Once you do that, you start to appreciate the simple stuff and get creative.

The picture I'm attaching is of the lunch my 2-year-old son requested today (and has been requesting lately) containing banana, blueberries and pecans (he likes other nuts, too but my preference for him are pecans because they are a softer nut). I find that when all he (and we, for that matter) can eat are healthy, whole-food options, we don't struggle as much with maintaining a well-rounded diet as if there was junk food in the cupboard.

My 19-year-old niece and I were discussing last weekend how your taste buds adjust when you cut out processed foods. Processed foods are so full of natural and artificial flavors that your taste buds get used to them (basically chemicals) instead of real, authentic flavors. When you do the switch to real foods, at first everything seems bland. However, your taste buds adjust (I think it's like a detox!!) and you begin to be able to appreciate real flavors again and processed foods start tasting as artificial as they really are!!

I'll end with a thought I had today... Spices are nature's "natural flavors"...

Natural Flavors in My Turkey?!!

I was at the store today and noticed they are now carrying organic ground turkey! YAY! Until I read the label: "organic ground turkey with natural flavors". Natural flavors?!! Really? Plain and simple turkey isn't good enough?!

So I did some research and this is what meat companies are allowed to put in our meat:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/help/faqs_flavorings/index.asp

Regardless of whether or not you care about natural flavors in your meat, I want to stress how important it is to read labels. Find out where your food comes from and what they put in it. Just because it says "packed in the USA" or "distributed by ____" which has a domestic address, doesn't mean they didn't get the product from overseas. For example, a certain brand of "organic" nut bars sold at Costco are made with ingredients from China.

It used to be that people ate from their own farms or local farms and knew the people who grew their food. Now, the food could be grown on another planet and people wouldn't have even noticed the difference!!

Today it Begins!

So, here I am, beginning a new blog...  I already feel like a crazy lady, I mean - how much more counter-cultural can you get?  Catholic, mom, homemaker, homeschooling, anti-chemical, believing in stewardship of God's creation... I mean, really.  I'm different.  But you know, that's ok.  As a matter of fact, I am beginning to rejoice in it and appreciate who I am.  And oh, am I still learning!  I thought for half a second about confessing in my first blog post that we actually had In-N-Out for dinner tonight, but then I realized I'd probably never be taken seriously as a "natural" mama again!  But if you are a mama yourself, you know that sometimes your best ideals and standards for yourself sometimes have to be sacrificed for the sake of your family.  In this case, it was my not having the opportunity to get to the grocery store this week so I had limited resources in the freezer.  Not an excuse, just a fact.  I do believe that every once in a while it's ok to make an exception and that probably going to In-N-Out, which is the ONLY fast food place that I even remotely trust, won't kill you.

But honestly, the focus on this blog is not about what will or will not kill you, but about what can help make life easier, healthier, simpler, and more enjoyable.  I believe in "Doing little things with great love" as Bl. Teresa of Calcutta said, but in all areas of my life.  Even in the food we eat, the home we keep, and the relationships we have.

So here we are, you and I, beginning this journey together.  Thank you for reading and allowing me to share what I have been learning on this journey called life.  

Now it's time for me to go make a batch of yummy almond-flour peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. :)