seasonal smoothie turned popsicle

We had the perfect amount of smoothie left over yesterday to make 2 popsicles.  The smoothie was made with a handful of kale, 1/2 banana, 1 apple, a tart plum, 3 tablespoons of greek yogurt and some ice.

The popsicles all the same plus a little more fun!

stainless steel popsicle molds: let summer begin!

We recently discovered that Sam loves ice and ice cream (not surprising).  I just ordered these ONYX stainless steel Popsicle molds on Amazon and I can't wait to get them and start making all kinds of different Popsicles for Sam and his friends.  I may even do some adult pops for those warm summer nights on the patio :)

I ran around the neighborhood to Sur La Table, Crate & Barrel, Land of Nod and Whole Foods looking for a non plastic alternative....no luck!  I'm trying to avoid plastic whenever possible (see here for an explanation) and also reduce waste.  This stainless steel set of molds costs about twice as much as the plastic ones, but they will last a lifetime and you can fill and replace them separately where with many of the plastic ones you have to pull the entire batch out at once. 

As soon as I get them, I'll post some recipe ideas and pics.

Happy Summer!

slow cooker enchilada pie: meatless monday ideas

Do you ever struggle with providing nutritious, wholesome foods that your family will love?  I know, I sound like a commercial, but only because it's so true...it's tough to make a meal that offers a good portion of your vitamin and mineral requirements for the day but still gets rave reviews from even the pickiest eater in the house.  And doesn't take hours to prepare.

Enter Enchie Pie....

My little guy traditionally doesn't love broccoli (I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that I couldn't stand it during my first trimester pregnant with him) and my husband doesn't like sweet potatoes.  So naturally, I'm determined to find a dish that will make them both change their minds...and I really think I have.

Toddlers should get at least 1 cup of vegetables daily and older children up to age 6 twice as much.  As anyone with a toddler or preschool aged child probably knows, this can be really difficult some days!  I can't stress enough how important it is to expose them early and often to a variety of healthy foods, especially vegetables.

The step by step guide to Enchie Pie:

Ear infection treatment and prevention

In the last 4 days two of my friends have told me about their young sons, both under two years who have had ear infections that just won't quit.  Both babies were put on multiple rounds of various antibiotics that wouldn't cure the infection.  Finally they had to get daily antibiotic shots....ugh!  There's nothing worse than seeing your baby in pain and feeling that there is nothing you can do about it.

Dr. Lawrence Rosen, MD,  founder of one of the countries first green, integrative primary care practices, The Whole Child Center was featured in this month's issue of Kiwi Magazine and addressed this issue of chronic ear infections.

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution: the fight is back on!

Jamie Oliver is awesome!  His cooking show is fun and inspired and his dishes real yet simple enough for any home chef to master (and he has a certain British charm that I find hard to resist).  But it's his food philosophy that I truly love! 

Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution started tonight and it's eye opening!  If you haven't seen it I would highly suggest checking it out!   He's trying to make us aware of what our children are really eating and transform school lunches into something that will actually promote the health and nutrition of our children...what a novel idea!! 

Here are his 3 ideas for starting your own food revolution at home...

Know what you’re eating. In addition to making school lunches healthier, Oliver wants to help Americans become savvier about food — including where it comes from and how it affects your body. He emphasizes fresh, locally grown foods instead of packaged, processed ones that may contain filler ingredients with no nutritional value. Although it may be cheaper or easier to load your freezer with ready-to-serve foods, Oliver encourages families to invest in their health and take the time to cook fresh meals as often as possible. If frozen chicken nuggets are one of your grocery-list staples, for example, consider making your own with fresh chicken cutlets. Offer the kids oatmeal for breakfast instead of pop-in-the-toaster pastries.

Don’t obsess over fancy food labels. Sustainable, organic, free range: While these are all hot trends now in the food world, Oliver would rather see families just focus on buying more fresh foods than get caught up in deciphering such "healthy" labels.

Cook with your kids. Eating meals as a family has proven benefits (studies have shown kids who eat with their families get better grades and are less likely to use drugs and alcohol than those who don’t), but preparing meals together may be even better. Cooking can encourage kids to try healthy ingredients they otherwise wouldn’t touch and teach them about proper portion sizes. It’s also a fun way for you to bond. And you'll arm teens with skills they can use to prepare healthy meals after they’ve flown the coop for college or to live on their own. Give each kid their own age-appropriate job: For example, little ones can rinse vegetables while older kids saute them.

Bravo Jamie, Bravo!!

best plastic-free children's cup

BPA-free plastic seems to be all the rage these days as the "safe, non leaching alternative".  But a recent study in Environmental Health Perspectives featured in the very informative blog, inhabitots, suggests that even plastics labeled BPA-free could be leaching chemicals with estrogenic activity.  This means that chemicals that mimic the action of the sex-hormone estrogen could be present in our children's food and drink consumed from plastic containers.  Ugh, we though we were doing so well....

We currently use a mixture of glass and plastic bottles for Sam and a few different sippy cups.  It's time for a plastic-free overhaul!

I don't love any of our sippy cups, especially the stainless steel one we have.  After doing a little research, I think I found the sippy for us...for now.  Pura makes stainless steel baby bottles that can be converted to sippy cups and are compatible with many bottle manufacturers' nipples (born free and think baby to name a few) and make their own sippy spout.  They are also completely plastic free!  The only downside I've found so far is that it doesn't have a straw, which I wanted.   I'm thinking I could squeeze a stainless steel straw through the nipple hole...is that a little extreme??  Maybe, but maybe not....

Does anyone else use a plastic-free bottle or sippy they love?

straight from the source

Grapefruit is in season...get it while it's good! 

Try it with avocado for a great snack for you and your little one.

PS, babies should have at least 1 serving of a vitamin C rich food per day...done!

showering the darling new babe

Beautiful, practical & eco-conscious gifts for the newest bundle in your life...

*Oeuf Neckie found at Hadley Baby , one of Chicago's best baby boutiques, is a unique gift that helps transform the lives of women and children in Bolivia.

*This Kicky Pants layette was my favorite when Sam was a newborn...so soft, so sweet and so easy to change the diaper.  The bamboo fabric is great for wicking moisture and helps keep baby warm in cool weather and cool on hot days

*Lotus Springs makes these onesies (available at Hadley in Chicago) that feel amazing and have a simple design that keeps the focus on that adorable babe!

*These kate quinn organics pants found at Grow in Wicker Park are part of Sam's "uniform"...love them!  Her entire line is really great, actually.

*This blanket from Skip hop will get so much more use than you would think.  I really like that this one is BPA, Phthlate and PVC-free (unlike some of the others out there) so there's no chemically smell to interfere with the smell of the dog droppings you' re not sitting in thanks to this blanket!

*Tooli's nightlight was a life saver when Sam was a newborn...so much so that I bought a second!  The LED bulb will last forever which is a good thing because we're still using it daily!

*Giggle's better basics long sleeve undershirts are more expensive than the other brands, but the kimono style might be worth it if your baby hates having clothes pulled over his head as much as mine. 

*This beautiful wear it daily jacket from Lotus Springs is made from eco-friendly bamboo that absorbs excess moisture and breathes easily to prevent overheating.