Jen's Meat Veggie Mac & Cheese

Whenever I cook I always remind myself that the possibilities are endless. I add anything I think "may" be yummy or healthy to the dish.

Today I threw together a "healthy" mac & cheese. I fed the girls the meal for dinner and froze the rest into 1 meal packets. Remember, the possibilities are endless so change everything as you want.

-1/2- 1 lb grass fed ground beef
-whole grain pasta cooked, I used ziti
-2 cups of veggie puree (I used frozen organic broccoli & mixed veggie mix- steamed in water & then pureed in blender)
-1 sweet potato-cooked & blended with the veggie puree
-1 cup cheddar cheese
-1 cup velveeta cheese (not the most healthy, but oh well :))
-1/4 cup parmesan cheese
-1/2 cup marinara sauce
-italian seasoning & garlic powder to season

Mix all ingredients and bake covered at 350 for 30mins.

Other options.... add peas, finely chopped spinach, or fresh herbs.

My girls LOVED it... I even loved it and at what they didn't finish.

Cow vs Mother

This post is a spin-off of the post about cow's milk a few days ago.

Come on Moms/Moms to be.... can you honestly tell me that it makes ANY sense to wean a child at 12 months and begin feeding him/her milk from a mammal that weighs approx 400-1600lbs, is fed primarily corn, given antibiotics & steroids to "thrive", and is mistreated in a slaughter house? If you can honestly tell me how this makes any sense I would love to hear about what you have to say.

When I was pregnant with my 1st, I could not wait to experience breastfeeding. The first 4 months were great, but as she became more aware, distracted, and I became pregnant our breastfeeding relationship came to an end at 6 mos. I could not wait until she turned a year so she could start drinking milk... yummy, it does a body good! 7 months later we eliminated milk because of night terrors.

When I was pregnant with my 2nd, I was determined to make breastfeeding work (at least to a year). It's been a completely different experience this time around. Lucy is a boobie girl. She starts jumping up and down when I enter the room, smiling and giggling and cannot wait to come and eat. Too cute and melts my heart.

In the past 2 years, I've realized a lot about what I want for my family and myself. I've researched and learned so much about what I can do to benefit my children and I believe that breastfeeding is pretty high up on the list. I will not wean Lucy at 1 year because that is what the AAP says is acceptable. I will wean her when she is ready or if I have a strong desire to wean her. I have no idea when this will be.

I know friends, family, and strangers will criticize and judge me for this decision of extended breastfeeding because for whatever reason it is not widely accepted in our country. Will I let that bother me or sway my decision? Absolutely not.
If anyone can tell me how it makes any sense to wean a child and start feeding him/her cow's milk I will listen, but until then please keep your comments / feelings to yourself.

Come on people.... this is the natural thing to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ETA- I hope this didn't come off as a rant post..that was not my intention. What really triggered it is my curiosity as to why and how nursing your child for an extended period of time has become so "strange & gross" in this country. I really am curious as to why that is.

I Second That

I totally cut milk from my oldest when his night terrors were out of control. I noticed that one night after he had ice cream it was the worst! He was about 2 then. Now he is 3 1/2 and he ok with dairy and no more night terrors but we really don't consume much.

When my baby was born about 6 months ago he was miserable! He would cry non stop, the nights were the worst and he seemed to constantly be uncomfortable. This was so new to me, my other kids weren't like this. So I took him to the pediatrician and she said it was reflux. She, of course, gave me a medicine for him. I didn't notice much difference and I couldn't stand my one month old being on meds. I exclusively breastfeed and someone told me about eliminating all dairy, caseins and whey from my diet. So I did it and within a week, my baby was "cured." He started smiling and sleeping and seemed so much more relaxed. I figured that the whole family should pretty much go dairy free so we did. Now, five months later, I am easing my way back just so the baby has some exposure to dairy. He seems to be fine with it.

My husband and I are going to remain pretty much dairy free. The kids occasionally have cheese and they do eat a lot of yogurt. They don't drink cows milk, we don't even buy it. They love almond milk (you can get it flavored vanilla) and coconut milk. I miss food like pizza and grilled cheese but I don't think I will go back:)

Milk, it does a body "good"

We've all heard the campaign "Milk, it does a body good" and I have to say I've probably always believed that, but now I'm not so sure.

About 2 months ago, Lila was having night terrors at least 2x a week. It involved about 3 hours of her waking & crying, us rocking and cuddling, sleeping with her etc. It was getting ridiculous. Chris and I would go to bed wondering if tonight was going to be another sleepless night. My best friend told me her son had night terrors also around Lila's age and suggested I try giving up cow's milk and eliminating other dairy products after 2pm. I was willing to try anything. So I switched Lila to almond milk (same calcium & vit D as cow's milk) and eliminated all cheese & yogurt after 2pm.

She has not had a night terror in 2 months!!!!!!!! Can you believe that? I absolutely HAVE to believe that it really was the cow's milk that was causing these horrible sleepless nights. Ironically, about 3 weeks ago we were eating sausage and pepper sandwiches for dinner. Lila begged for a piece of provolone so I gave it to her. That night she had a night terror. Unbelievable.

Honestly, I have to say that Lila has been in a much happier mood in general since giving up the milk. It's really unbelievable.

For us, this was the only problem I found with cow's milk, but I know others that give up cow's milk find they have less congestion, less ear infections, skin rashes disappear, and in general just feel better! We all like the almond milk (I actually like it better) so I think we will just stick with it.

Here is a quote from an article I read online. Kind of grosses me out and definitely turns me off of milk.

Rense.com defines cow’s milk as, "An unhealthy fluid from diseased animals that contain a wide range of dangerous and disease-causing substances that have a cumulative negative effect on all who consume it." All cow’s milk contains fifty-nine active hormones, scores of allergens, fat, cholesterol, and measurable quantities of pesticides, herbicides, blood, pus, bacteria, and viruses. You also have to consider that the milk you drink contains trace amounts of whatever the cow had eaten previously. Your milk also may have been from a diseased cow, which you could easily get sick from. Diseases such as diabetes, influenza, bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, heart disease, and cerebro-vascular condition have all been linked to the consumption of cow’s milk.

All I can say is do your research and if you find that you or your child has allergies, congestion, upset stomach, etc consider giving up dairy and see how it improves. You may find a world of difference!

This discussion will lead me to my next post... check back in a few days!

Spinach Pesto Turkey Burgers

Last night I made turkey burgers and they were really good! At least I like them... Chris doused his with Frank's Red Hot Wing sauce. LOL. Lila & Lucy had the leftovers tonight and they both really liked them.
I'm not good with amounts because I just eyeball everything. sorry

-a little less than a lb of ground turkey
-a BIG handful of fresh organic spinach chopped up very very fine
-1/2 a medium onion chopped
-1/4 cup bread crumbs
-a heaping tbsp of pesto (store bought)
-salt & pepper
-2-3 cloves fresh garlic minced

Combine all ingredients. Form into burgers and cook on the frying pan with a light dusting of olive oil. Cook for about 7 mins on each side I guess? I didn't time it so I'm not positive on the time.
Serve on a whole grain bun and top with parmesan cheese, fresh basil, and romaine lettuce.

Baby Led Weaning (BLW)

A few months ago, I found some Mom forums online talking about BLW. I was intrigued, so basically I started stalking their posts & reading all about BLW. I knew I had plenty of time to research since Lucy wouldn't start solids until at least 6months. After reading & researching I decided to give BLW a try this time around. Lila gave up purees at approx 8 mos so I figured it was worth a try. I started Lucy a little before 7mos with BLW and now at 7.5mos she still is not really "eating" much, but loves to play and taste the food. REMEMBER.. the baby does not NEED food for nutrition. All they need is breastmilk, so BLW is all about exploration, tasting, learning to swallow, etc. Lucy's been doing well! She's had just about everything we eat at this point... fruit, veggies, meat, bread, rice, cous cous, yogurt, applesauce etc. It IS MESSY! Luckily we have a dog :) I usually put her under the faucet after meals because she does get messy! I have to admit, I was nervous about choking at first, but after learning about it and talking with Moms online it eased my fears. I NEVER took my eye off of her for the first week, which was good because I saw the way she was learning to swallow. I had to remind myself... Red face, lots of weird noises, coughing, watery eyes = GOOD.

It all made a lot of sense to me and seemed as though it was the "natural" way to feed a baby. Here are some thoughts about BLW that really intrigued me!

-gives the baby control of the food
-creates more independence & confidence in the baby
-you are not force feeding a baby with a spoon
-let the baby choose when to start eating (at least 6mos)
-let the baby learn on their own & eat at their own pace
-much easier... you can give the baby EVERYTHING so baby can eat your meals

Here are some DO's & DON'Ts of BLW
*DO offer your baby the chance to participate whenever anyone else in the family is eating. You can begin to do this as soon as he shows an interest in watching you, although he is unlikely to be ready to put food in his mouth until he is about six months.

*DO ensure that your baby is supported in an upright position while he is experimenting with food. In the early days you can sit him on your lap, facing the table. Once he is beginning to show skill at picking food up he will almost certainly be mature enough to sit, with minimal support, in a high chair.

*DO start by offering foods that are baby-fist-sized, preferably chip-shaped (i.e., with a 'handle'). As far as possible, and provided they are suitable, offer him the same foods that you are eating, so that he feels part of what is going on.

*DO offer a variety of foods. There is no need to limit your baby's experience with food any more than you do with toys.

*DON'T hurry your baby. Allow him to direct the pace of what he is doing. In particular, don't be tempted to 'help' him by putting things in his mouth for him.

*DON'T expect your baby to eat any food on the first few occasions. Once he has discovered that these new toys taste nice, he will begin to chew and, later, to swallow.

*DON'T expect a young baby to eat all of each piece of food at first – remember that he won't yet have developed the ability to get at food which is inside his fist.

*DO try rejected foods again later – babies often change their minds and later accept foods they originally turned down.

*DON'T leave your baby on his own with food.

*DON'T offer foods which present an obvious danger, such as peanuts.

*DON'T offer 'fast' foods, ready meals or foods that have added salt or sugar.

*DO offer water from a cup but don't worry if your baby shows no interest in it. A breastfed baby, in particular, is likely to continue for some time to get all the drinks he needs from the breast.

*DO be prepared for the mess! A clean plastic sheet on the floor under the high chair will protect your carpet and make clearing up easier. It will also enable you to give back foods that have been dropped, so that less is wasted. (You will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly your baby learns to eat with very little mess!)

*DO continue to allow your baby to breastfeed whenever he wants, for as long as he wants. Expect his breastfeedingfeeding pattern to change as he starts to eat more solid foods.

*If you have a family history of food intolerance, allergy or digestive problems, DO discuss this method of weaning with your health advisers before embarking on it.
Finally, DO enjoy watching your baby learn about food – and develop his skills with his hands and mouth in the process!

Here are some pics of Lucy having her meals :) As you can see........ it is MESSY! I usually feed her in just her diaper.






Here are a few sites on Baby Led Weaning where you can read more about it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby-led_weaning
http://babyledweaning.blogware.com/
http://www.rapleyweaning.com/
http://www.baby-led.com/
http://www.tribalbaby.org/babyLedEating.html
There are lots of videos on youtube.com - just search for 'baby led weaning'.

Green Smoothies

I feel like we are good in the fruit department, my kids inhale just about every fruit there is in record time. Veggies are a different story. A couple of years ago I read an article about green smoothies. My husband and I jumped right into making them for breakfast after reading the many benefits they provide. Now, two years later, all of us drink them everyday. They taste amazing and provide all of our veggie needs first thing in the morning, not too mention they are an amazing source of energy!

Here is what we put into them:

frozen berries from trader joes

one banana

frozen mango or papaya

almond milk

flax seed

fruit juice (whatever we have but trader joes makes an awesome banana orange juice)

whatever other fresh fruit we have

spinach (lots of it) or kale

I know some people add yogurt but since we are pretty much dairy free we use the almond milk. My kids INHALE these and I feel so much better about them getting their iron and vitamins this way:) Try one, you will be surprised!

Wally's Ear Oil

The most common use of antibiotics in babies/toddlers is for ear infections and from my research many studies have found that children who take antibiotics for ear infections have more recurring EIs than those who let the infection clear up naturally. Unfortunately, many of these children end up with tubes also :( In my experience, it's always hard to tell if a child has an EI... babies/toddlers pull at their ears when they are teething, tired, or have an actual ear issue. Lila never has a fever, but at times does tug on her ears so I've suspected she had an EI. At her 6mo appt, Lila's old pediatrician said it looked like she was just getting over an EI and she prescribed an antibiotic to her. I got home and thought "WTF? Why would I give her an antibiotic when she has just gotten OVER the EI? Her body fought it!" Pissed me off that the pedi would do that... so we never went back. Anyway, I started googling and talking with some Mom's online about natural remedies for ear issues. One Mom suggested Wally's Ear Oil. I bought it and have LOVED it ever since. If Lila is tugging or rubbing her ears I will use the oil for 2-3 days and then she is absolutely fine. Every time we go to the pedi she says her ears look great. It also works for swimmer's ear, which we are now facing with so much swimming. I buy it at vitacost.com-- there is a link on the side of the blog.

Here's a review for Wally's Ear Oil
Wally's Ear Oil Review

You can find more reviews if you just google Wally's Ear Oil reviews.

This is a great website with wonderful info about chronic EIs, remedies, and diet changes that can help tremendously. Cow's milk is often a huge culprit of EIs.

http://www.natural-cures-ear-sinus-infections.com/

Here's to healthy ears!

Calendula Lotion

All of my kids have had cradle cap and it really grosses me out. So does the oil that you are supposed to put on it. I found Calendula lotion made by California Baby. It has been amazing! My son's cradle cap is almost gone after only two uses. It's all natural and it can be used all over the body for dry skin and even eczema! Wow!

Salmon Cakes

I saw this recipe in Parenting magazine a few months back and Chris made them for Lila. She liked them a lot. Today we made them for lunch with sweet potato fries (baked) and caesar salad. They are really delicious!
Salmon Cakes

Chicken Nuggets

Obviously they are a household favorite. But I saw Jamie Oliver's show and he did a demonstration on what is really inside nuggets. I was horrified, to say the least. Did anyone else see it?

Anyway I found some chicken nuggets that claim to be all natural, white meat only. Does this mean they are ok? I am going to do some more research and then update this post!

Throwing away the goldfish...

I wish! LMAO! Lila loves goldfish, as do all toddlers (& Moms for that!), but I TRY to give her healthy snacks whenever possible and keep the goldfish, graham crackers, & other not so healthy snacks to a minimum. Like any crazy household with kids, it takes time to break out the cutting board and cut an apple, so goldfish come in handy as we all know. When I do have time and there isn't a baby crying or a toddler clinging to my leg I do try and give Lila (& myself) healthy snacks. Here is a list of some ideas... please comment and add some others!

-raisins (all time fav)
-fruit--- fresh or frozen. I buy any organic frozen fruit and Lila loves them. Great for teething too!
-any veggies - Lila's favs- cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, or broccoli
-green smoothies (Thanks to my blog partner!)- spinach, a little OJ, a banana= YUM!
-cheese
-yogurt
-peanut butter toast
-hard boiled egg

Other suggestions welcome!

Me as a Mom

I have three kids all about 18 months apart and I have done different things for each child. I feel like I am learning more each day about healthy living and I strive to do what I can to keep my family healthy. I have had two drug free child births, I breastfeed, babywear, cosleep (in the beginning) but I also weaned my oldest too early, have done cry it out and utilize the swing and bouncy when necessary! I am learning as I go!!!

My oldest child is greatly affected by what he eats so that is really what started my "research" into healthier living. I am learning everyday about new things and trying to improve my family's lifestyle.

So far we avoid hydrogenated oils, use natural household cleaners, avoid plastic containers, eat organic when we can, order meat from a grass fed farm, avoid medicine, seek homeopathic remedies, limit dairy, high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors.

I am a stickler with our schedule for naps and bedtimes and I love organizing and creating systems in our home.

So I guess in a nutshell, I love being a mom, I love learning about keeping our kids healthy and I love talking about it, too:)