Our Lunch Box

Make your own deodorant at home

2011-07-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

I haven't worn anti-perspirant for at least a couple of years, mainly because of all the health concerns that comes with wearning an anti-perspirant. Just do a quick search on The Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Database and learn more about the dangerous ingredients used in the severely under-regulated cosmetic industry.

My old brand's label shamefully reads: "Ask doctor before use if you have kidney disease." I don't think one should have to consult a medical professional on their deodorant/anti-perspirant choices. Besides, your body was designed to sweat out toxins; why block a main outlet for the toxins to exit your body? I don't like the idea of using chemicals to get my body to stop sweating.

Since I've shunned anti-perspirants, my only option has been deodorant, which only masks the stink. I've been using a great brand, Kiss My Face - Peaceful Patchouli, for at least a year now and have been very happy with it. However, I love homemade recipes for common cosmetic products. I came across a great one from my friend's blog: Homemade Dutch Apple Pie. Since it's going to be in the 90s all week here, I thought it'd be a good time to try out this recipe.

Here's my take on it:

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon baking soda
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon corn starch
5 tablespoons coconut oil, liquified
10-15 drops essential oil (I used lavender and orange)

Mix baking soda and corn starch in a bowl. Add coconut oil and combine, then add your essential oil. Press into an old deodorant container. To use, hold against skin and allow for the mixture to soften a bit before applying. It's recommended that you also use your hand to spread it around your entire pit.

**UPDATE** I wasn't unable to get my mixture to set properly into a deororant container, so I scooped it out and put it in a glass jar. I took about 1/2 teaspoon out with my fingers and spread it around. It was in the upper 80s here yesterday with very high humidity (felt like 99 degrees out!) and this stuff held up very well.

What's your favorite homemade cosmetic recipe?

Coconut Butter

2010-11-23T13:13:00.000-08:00

A friend recommended a fabulous blog to me, called Heather Eats Almond Butter. On the site was a recipe for coconut butter. I've been using coconut oil for a few years now (one brand I like is Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil), but I've never heard of coconut butter. I have read that it can cost upwards of $15 depending on where you live. I use it as a facial/body moisturizer and in my cooking. Two of my kids' favorites are on popcorn and in place of butter while making grilled cheese (it gives it a slightly sweet flavor).

Solid at room temperature but with a low melting temperature, coconut oil is primarily a saturated fat. However, it contains medium chain fatty acids and is considered one of the good fats.

I usually just use the coconut oil straight from the jar. This coconut butter recipe from Heather Eats Almond Butter uses finely shredded coconut. I found some organic shredded coconut from Harvest Health Foods for $3.50/lb.

Here's what to do:

Take approximately 12 oz. of organic shredded coconut and place in a food processor. You'll need to process it for about 15 minutes to make sure you really get all the oils out of the shreds - it will basically liquify. Pour into glass container and let set at room temperature. No refrigeration necessary.

Check out Heather's Web site for variations on coconut butter, including Chocolate Coconut Butter.

Juice!

2010-09-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

I'm currently doing a three-day raw food diet with my mom. I eat fairly healthy (on most days), but every once in a while, I can tell that my system has been overtaxed by the foods I eat (Friday Family Pizza Night, anyone?), the environment I live in and the natural stressors in my life.

I'm on day two right now and have drank my breakfast for the past two mornings. I find that it keeps me full and peps me up a bit more than the heavier granola or whole food bar that I usually eat.

This is a very basic recipe that I used for this juice, which changes each time I make it.

The basics:

6 stalks celery
4 medium apples
1 whole beets (including stems and leaves)
6 carrots
1 lemon
1-2 inches of fresh ginger (gives it an extra kick!)

Juice, drink and enjoy!

I've had a Breville juicer for just about a year now and I really love it. Easy clean-up and massive juicing power.

2010-07-08T10:02:00.001-07:00

Here's a re-print of an article I did for Natural Awakenings - West Michigan magazine in April 2009. School lunches have gotten a bad rap, and rightfully so! But in many cases it's not through lack of effort or passion - it's through lack of money.

The photo here is from Countryside Elementary (Byron Center Public Schools). Every elementary school has a full-service salad bar in the lunch room, and makes an effort to serve healthy food within their budget.

Byron Center Public Schools Celebrates Michigan Week with Local Fare on the Lunch Menu

By Julie Hurley

It doesn’t sound like your typical school hot lunch fare: a Michigan cherry burger on a wholegrain bun, roasted asparagus, mixed fruit shortcake on an Awrey’s Biscuit and Peterson Farms apple slices, but it is what Byron Center Public Schools (BCPS) will be serving up to its students during Michigan Week, held May 17-21.

These are just a few of the spotlighted local items on the BCPS hot lunch menu, which coincides with the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference in Detroit during the same week. Although the Kent County school already features as many locally sourced items as budget and time allow, this is the first year that they are publicly highlighting and featuring them for all to see.

Susan Meyer, Food Services Director for BCPS for the past 10 years, said that the school lunch program gets a worse rap than what they deserve.

“The West Michigan Food Services Director’s Group, which meets every month, began talking about this last fall,” she said. “We wanted to market our programs in a better light than what we had been receiving. We wanted to get out there and show everyone that we’re using local products as much as possible.”

The marketing committee from this group began working with Gordon Food Service to come up with products for the schools to choose from. They gave each district a template from which they could choose some or all items to feature on their menu.

“Close to 100 districts across the state, with a lot from west and northern Michigan, have chosen to participate in the program,” said Meyer. “It’s a good showing for the first year and it’s something we’re going to build upon for future years.”

Although the menu sounds basic enough, it’s not an easy thing to pull off in an oftentimes underequipped school kitchen.

“Take our fresh Michigan asparagus for example,” said Meyer. “Because many of our schools don’t have actual ovens, we’ll have to roast it in our central kitchen and then truck it out to each school. We have to time it correctly and not cook it too far ahead of time and risk it getting soggy. We want the kids to like it.”

Meyer, who has trained in culinary arts and has owned her own wedding and catering business, firmly believes in cooking foods in a healthful manner and preferably from scratch.

“No matter how badly we want to make food from scratch, it’s not financially possible,” said Meyer. “The lunch budget is all on it’s own. We don’t take from the general fund. Each year we have to make that budget and also try to make money to buy updated equipment when we can.”

Based on the national average for producing a lunch, BCPS and other public schools across the nation gets reimbursed up to $2.68 for free or reduced priced lunches served, which includes labor. Districts also receive $.25 per full-priced meal served to help offset food and labor costs.

“It’s not an easy thing to just buy natural foods, considering our financial restraints,” said Meyer. “The labor and time involved in the food prep drives the prices up even more. Not only that, but we don’t even have an oven in many of the school kitchens to cook raw, fresh foods, including chicken. We’d also have to cut back on the lunch choices at each school.”

This could be a big deal, especially at the high school, where there are over 20 lunch choices for the students.

“Our high school is one of the best high schools around; no one could complain about that,” said Meyer. “The kids can choose from veggie burgers, grab-n-go salads, made-to-order and sub sandwiches, among many others. The salad bar even has enough protein on it to forego a hot item like chicken nuggets.”

BCPS hasn’t raised prices of its lunches in four years, and depending on the budget the school may have to revisit the subject in the near future. If parents asked for more made-from-scratch and non-processed foods with the understanding that the cost would be higher for lunch, Meyer could take it to the BCPS Board of Education and raise prices with the School Board's approval.

With the recent spotlight shown upon the school lunch by television programs like Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, many people are starting to take a closer look at the school hot lunch, including our nation’s decision-makers. The Healthy School Meals Act of 2010 (H.R. 4870) will “help schools offer plant-based vegetarian options if they choose to do so. It directs the USDA to conduct a pilot program to determine what healthful plant-based protein products children like and are easy to prepare for school breakfasts and lunches. Based on the findings of this pilot, the USDA is directed to then add such products to the commodities list, thus reducing significantly their cost.” (http://www.healthyschoollunches.org/legislative/hsma.cfm)

Research has shown that introducing just one low-fat plant-based meal a week can begin to correct a child’s poor nutrition. Since 2050 students take hot lunch each day at BCPS, this could make a significant difference in the health of the community.

Luckily BCPS is ahead of the curve. There’s a full salad bar at every school, including all elementary schools and it’s been a non-carbonated beverage school for the past seven years. It’s also one of only two schools in Kent County that does not have a contract with Coca-Cola. Even so, more changes do need to be made and she believes that everyone can begin to work in a more positive direction with what they already have.

“We need to teach kids to make healthy choices. Portion control is one of the big things many don’t teach. It’s simple: calories in, calories out,” said Meyer. “I believe in moderation. In leading by example, I try to help others understand that the food in people’s lives makes a difference. “

Homemade fresh pesto

2010-06-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

My family loves pesto. In the past, I've bought the Kirkland brand of pesto from Costco, which was pretty good and decent in price. This summer, I've decided to make my own pesto from the basil from my garden. My husband's co-worker sent me this recipe, which I was hesitant to try at first because it contained heavy cream, but oh my ... it's really good.

I served this on toasted cibatta bread with grilled chicken, mozzarella, paremesan and fresh lettuce. Later in the week, I made some quinoa and used the leftover pesto as a sauce. It was fantastic!

Fresh Pesto

4 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 to 1/3 cup of toasted pine nuts
3 cloves fresh garlic
1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (add more if your pesto is too dry)
1 hot pepper (optional)
1/4 cup heavy cream

Put everything in a food processor and mix until you have a sauce thickness to your liking. Pour sauce into saucepan and heat until it's warmed through. While the sauce is heating, whip the heavy cream. Add 1 to 4 tablespoons of the cream to the sauce, depending on your taste (I used about 2 tablespoons). The sauce should remain somewhat thick.

Add to your favorite al dente pasta, toasted cibatta bread sandwiches, quinoa. Another great dish with pesto is cooked penne pasta, and lightly steamed veggies like broccoli, asparagus, shallots, carrots ... and whatever other favorite veggies you have on hand. Enjoy!

Kale chips

2010-06-24T05:20:00.000-07:00

I usually don't post two days in a row, but I had to share this stupidly simple recipe for kale chips. I used the kale that I'm growing in my garden for the first time.

This healthy snack was gobbled up by my kids and me within 15 minutes.

If you can, use organic kale. It's number eight on the Dirty Dozen list for pestacide use.

Preheat the oven to 350. Take one head of kale and remove leaves. Wash and dry thoroughly. In a large bowl, massage kale leaves with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season lightly with sea salt and spread out in one layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake in oven for 20-30 minutes, or until crisp. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

The final result is a very light and crispy chip that tastes incredible. Be careful, though, the chips can be messy because of how flaky they are. My kids ate these straight off the cooled baking sheet and asked for more right away. We'll be having fun this summer experiementing with different flavors, like adding nutritional yeast, tahini, soy, chipotle, cajun, etc. Enjoy!

Vegan tortilla soup

2010-06-23T10:28:00.000-07:00

My husband and I are big fans of tortilla soup. I've tried to make it several times, but it never seemed to taste right. I finally found the winning recipe that my mom emailed me from a book called The 30-Minute Vegan: Over 175 Quick, Delicious, and Healthy Recipes for Everyday Cooking. Even if you're not vegan, there are plenty of flavorful and adaptable recipes that the whole family will love. For example, I add cooked chicken and shredded cheese to my husband's bowl to round his meal out.

I've made it several times since the first try and it's always been a hit with the whole family. It also freezes well. I make two batches at a time to make sure I have plenty on hand.

Mexican Tortilla Soup

1 tbs olive oil

1 cup yellow onion, chopped into medium dice

1 Anaheim or Jalapeno Chile, seeded and sliced thinly

4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1 15oz can diced tomatoes, preferable fire-roasted

1 15oz can black or pinto beans, drained

2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

2 cups water or vegetable stock

2 tbs soy sauce

1/2 medium size avocado cubed

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

In a medium size pot, sauté the olive oil, onion, Anaheim pepper and garlic over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the tomatoes, beans, chili powder, cumin, water and soy sauce. Cover and allow it to simmer for 10 minutes or so while you prepare the avocado and cilantro.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a handful of tortillas and a sprinkling of avocado and cilantro.

Fresh tomatoes, basil and asparagus

2010-06-02T06:43:00.000-07:00

Since the weather has warmed up, I've curiously found my appetite waning a bit. Curiously because I have a huge appetite and usually have food on my mind during most of my waking moments.

A couple of weeks ago, I had ordered some patio garden containers from VP Farms on 76th Street, and when I went to pick them up, I also bought a couple of heirloom tomatoes and fresh Michigan asparagus. They looked too good to sit on my countertop, so I sliced up the tomato and steamed the asparagus. My patio pots contained, among many other things, three gorgeous basil plants, so I plucked off a few leaves and sliced those up. A drizzle of olive oil, a few turns of freshly cracked pepper and a sprinkle of feta cheese, and I had a very filling and simple - yet light - lunch.

My garden is now complete. I have four pots of lettuce (pictures coming soon), one large tomato pot, one pot of just basil (fresh pesto, anyone??), and a pot of cilantro, parsley and oregano. In the ground I have broccoli, collard greens, melon, beans, kale, cucumbers and snow peas. I have no idea what I'm doing with any of them, so we shall see what happens.

Grilled pesto and parmesan sandwich

2010-05-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

I love sandwiches, and grilled sandwiches are some of my favorites. Here's a very simple recipe for a grilled pesto and parmesan sandwich that can be made in minutes.

2 slices whole grain bread (the crustier, the better!)

1-2 tablespoons of pesto

1 tablespoon shredded parmesan cheese

2-3 slices of tomato

1 small handful of flavorful lettuce

1 tablespoon coconut oil (or butter - please, no margarine!!)

Slather on the coconut oil and assemble sandwich, leaving out the lettuce. Place on griddle pan until the bread is browned on both sides. Add lettuce to the grilled sandwich and enjoy!

Variations: Try adding grilled chicken, portobello mushroom,

Walnut, gorgonzola and cranberry salad made with lettuce from VP Farms in Caledonia

2010-04-17T06:59:00.000-07:00

Spring is just around the corner! That means local farmers markets, roadside produce stands and greenhouses are going to start popping up all over the place. This is my favorite time of year!

One such place that opened a couple of weeks ago is VP Farms on 76th Street in Caledonia. Local home of the Vertical Garden Kit, VP Farms focuses on proving fresh fruits and vegetables as well as helping people grow their own using innovative methods of growing.

Since they also supply local restaurants with their produce, including The Green Well Gastro Pub and Bisto Bella Vita, picking up some fresh lettuce to make my favorite simple go-to salad from them is always a good bet.

Here's the recipe:

2 cups lettuce

1 tablespoon gorgonzola cheese

1 tablespoon cranberries

1-2 tablespoons raspberry balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon raw walnuts

1 tablespoon olive oil (I use a sprayer and spray the top layer of the salad)

Mix together and enjoy! This is a very versatile salad, and you can pretty much throw anything in there that you want. I've added: avocado, grilled tilapia, dulse flakes, sugar peas, red pepper slices, chicken - the possibilties are endless.

Walnut and avocado fettuccine

2010-02-05T13:11:00.000-08:00

I'm always on the lookout for new recipes. When a friend told me she was doing a fast through her church that calls for avoiding meat, poultry, fish, dairy, caffeine, yeast, sugar and things with preservatives, I was very interested in whatever recipes she tried. She shared this very simple Avocado and Walnut Fettucini that was so delicious that I had it for lunch and dinner last night.

The original recipe calls for:

12 oz. whole wheat pasta

4 Tbs. olive oil

2 tsp. garlic, minced

1/4 c lemon juice

10 sun dried tomatoes

1 cup chopped green peppers

1 cup chopped walnuts

2 diced avocados

Boil pasta according to directions. I found a great brand at Meijer that cooks up in just four minutes called Al Dente Pasta Co.'s Whole Wheat Blend Plus Flax Roasted Garlic Fettuccine.

While pasta is boiling, whisk oil, lemon and garlic together and add to a large serving bowl. Add remaining ingredients, then add pasta and toss well. That's it!

For the bowl pictured above, I omitted the green peppers because I didn't have any.

Caramel apple wrap recipe

2010-02-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

My kids were famished after helping me clean the house, so I pulled something together I call the Caramel Apple Wrap. All of the ingredients (except for one) are healthy and combined make a very yummy snack for kids.

Take a whole grain wrap and spread with 1-2 tablespoons of raw honey and 1-2 tablespoons of peanut butter (make your own, learn how to here!). Add 1/2 of a sliced apple and sprinkle with 10 or so chocolate chips. Then wrap and sprinkle with cinnamon.

My kids downed these within 15 minutes, and said that they were "Deee-licious!

How a raw food diet changed my eating habits in 14 days

2010-02-04T13:44:00.000-08:00

On Jan. 16 I began a 14-Day Raw Food Challenge that was created by a husband/wife team that I freelance for. Week 1 consisted of blended soups and smoothies and week 2 consisted of adding a raw chewable meal for dinner. I didn't make it through all the recipes and I did cheat here and there, but I learned a lot about hunger and mindless eating. I used to think I was hungry all the time, so I'd find myself mindlessly eating all the time, mostly on processed foods (from the health food store, of course!). Once I started fueling my body with the nutrients it needed, I noticed that my hunger regulated itself and I didn't mindlessly eat. I lost a couple of pounds (that are still gone!) and I feel healthy and light.

I look at food in a different light now, including what I feed my kids. They need to eat more vegetables, so I try and make meals appealing with a lot of variety. For dinner the other night, I wanted them to have a spinach salad, so I pulled one together using organic croutons, strawberries and blueberries, some shredded cabbage and some parmesan cheese. I used a bit of ranch dressing and the kids ate it up! No, it wasn't raw, but both kids happily gobbled up a cup of spinach and a half a cup of cabbage in one sitting. That is success to me!

Turn those stinky socks into a cold/flu remedy!

2010-01-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

Although I usually share my experiences with food and young children here, I couldn’t resist sharing this natural remedy for the cold/flu. If you have kids, you know how they seem to be a germ magnet. I spoke with Lisa Miller of Lisa Miller Wellness and she shared a simple remedy you can do at home with your child to help ease the yuckiness of the cold or flu.

It’s called “Magic” Sock Therapy. And, no, the “magic” of the socks aren’t their stinkiness – make sure to use a clean pair of white cotton socks. Submerge them under really hot water for a few minutes and then wring them out. Put them over your child’s feet and then cover up with some wool socks.

After the socks cool off, repeat the above steps (using the same pair of cotton socks) for one to five hours, or until you’re well. The socks pull congestion through your head, down your body and through your feet. Make sure to bundle up well with some warm clothing and/or a blanket, because as the socks cool off, you’ll start to get chilly.

You can use this on yourself as well, and Lisa advised that it was best to do at night.

Protect your brain with this granola recipe and start the new year out right

2010-01-07T10:39:00.000-08:00

I recently read a book called Crazy Makers: How the Food Industry is Destroying Our Brains and Harming Our Children, by Carol Simontacchi. This book is an amazing and scary read. Amazon.com says "according to [author and] certified clinical nutritionist Carol Simontacci, the food industries that give us packaged, processed, artifically flavored, chemical-ridden, artifically colored, nutrient-stripped psuedo foods such as sodas, processed soups, sugared cereals, and fiberless bread 'wontonly destroy our bodies and our brains, all in the name of profit.' We Americans (adults and children) eat 200 pounds of sugar and artificial sweeteners each year ... The reason, according to the author, is that we're starving our brains with lack of nutrition."

Not only does this contribute to obesity, but it also causes mood swings, depression, violent behavior, ADD/ADHD and anxiety, among many other things. If you have a New Year's Resolution to eat healthier, or if you have an unexplained health issue, you might want to pick up a copy of this book. It may lead to an "ah-ha!" moment for you and start you on the path to wellness.

Thankfully, the author does not just leave the reader hanging with the scary statistics. She also offers up some healthful recipes that are heavy on flavor and nutrition and low in sugar and artificial anything. One of my favorites is a homemade granola recipe to help fill the nutritional void that many of us experience.

I've personally made this more than several times. It's great for breakfast with a little bit of rice milk or as an afternoon snack.

Granola with Fruit and Nuts:

4c rolled oats

2c oat bran

1c raw sesame seeds

2c raw sunflower seeds

1c unsweetened coconut flakes

1c almonds, chopped

1c walnuts, chopped

1c raisins

1c dried apricots, diced

1c dried papaya or figs, diced

1/2c olive oil

1/4c honey

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large roasting pan, mix together the oats and oat bran, seeds, flakes and nuts. Over a low flame, heat the oil and honey together until the mixture is very thin and easily poured. Drizzle the oil and honey mixture over the dry ingredients, mixing constantly, until all the pieces are coated evenly. Bake the granola, stirring thoroughly every 15 minutes or so, until lightly browned, 45-60 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the fruit. When the granola is baked and cooled slightly, mix the fruit with the granola and stir thoroughly to mix. After the granola is completely cooled, store in food storage bags or plastic containers in the refrigerator.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

What to eat when you're sick - a simple vegetable broth recipe

2009-11-02T17:57:00.001-08:00

So you got sick. Now what? Lisa Miller of Lisa Miller Wellnesssays that it's critical to continue to fuel your body with the right foods and liquids.

When people are sick they usually don't want to eat," Miller said. "It's important to drink broth, or other fluids, to keep hydrated, and to get your vitamins and minerals to fight off the illness."

The heat of the broth will help to think mucous and clear congestion. You can drink this broth several times a day.

What you'll need:

A few cloves of garlic

8 cups water

1 large onion, chopped

1 large carrot, sliced

2 large celery ribs, sliced

1 cup of mushrooms

1 bay leaf

(any other vegetables or scraps of vegetables you have lying around)

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients to a large soup pot. Bring to a simmer and then cover. Simmer stock for approximately 45 minutes or until the vegetable become very tender. Strain the vegetables and broth through cheesecloth or a nut bag for a smooth consistency. Feel free to eat the vegetables, or puree them for an easy and healthy meal.

You can also check out this simple juice recipe to boost immunity and to hydrate your body.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net; they've been an invaluable resource for many of my posts - thank you!

It's flu season: Boost your immune system with this simple juice recipe

2009-10-21T11:42:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again. It's fall and we're experiencing fewer sunny days (meaning less natural vitamin D from the sun), the kids are back in school and germs are liberally being passed around - and around and around.

According to Mike Adams, editor and founder of NaturalnNews.com, "fresh cabbage juice cures ulcers and prevents cancer. Fresh celery juice alkalizes the body, boosting bone density and healthy immune function. Fresh parsley juice is anti-cancer and cleanses the entire digestive tract of toxins. Almost any edible plant can be juiced and they all contain powerful natural medicines: Carrots, cucumbers, pears, pineapple, oranges and much more."

A juicer is a very valuable appliance to have in your home. One very cheap way to begin juicing is to try and score one off of freecycle.org to see if juicing fits into your lifestyle. Remember, though, that the more powerful the juicer (like the Breville Juice Fountain), the more juice your fruit will yield; very important when buying more expensive organic produce. When selecting produce to juice, make sure to refer to the Dirty Dozen Guide put out by the Environmental Working Group to determine what fruits and vegetables are more likely to contain pesticides and chemicals.

Give your immune system a boost with this simple and versatile juice recipe.

What you'll need:

Juicer

1 bunch of organic parsley

1 handful of organic spinach

3-inch piece of ginger

3 medium-sized organic apples

2 stalks of organic celery

3 large organic carrots

Directions:

Juice the above produce in the order listed, according to the manufacturer's directions.

Fresh juice should be consumed right away, as it will begin to oxidize as soon as it hits the air (plus it tastes better!). If necessary, it can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

Bottoms up!

I am the Grand Rapids Healthy Food Examiner for Examiner.com

2009-09-12T07:51:00.000-07:00

I've been on a search for a "job" where I could get paid for talking about healthy foods, restaurants, foods, recipes, etc. and I finally found one! I am the new Grand Rapids Healthy Food Examiner for Examiner.com.

You can visit my page here: tinyurl.com/healthyfoodexaminer.

So far, I've written five articles on school lunches, The Green Well Gastro Pub, my green smoothie recipe, my homemade nut butter recipe and am working on three more articles on VP Farms in Caledonia, Sisters Natural Foods in Byron Center, and a stay-at-home-mom blogger who makes most of her food from scratch.

If anyone has any restaurants, recipes, or other story ideas that relate to healthy food, please let me know! I'm always on the lookout for new story ideas

The above image is from VP Farms, located at 3422 - 76th Street in Caledonia. It's hundreds of tiny little basil plants - and they smell wonderful! If you get a chance to check this place out before the season's over - go for it! Everyone I've talked to there is extremely helpful.

It's A Wrap!

2009-08-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

I constantly find it mentally draining to figure out what I'm going to feed my kids every night. My husband and I rarely ever eat at the same time as they do, and we almost always eat something different from the kids. For that matter, my husband and I usually eat something different from each other as well.

Trying to appeal to the whole family, I decided that a wrap was the ideal vehicle. I could prepare a variety of stuffings and we each could choose our own. The one pictured here is made with chicken cooked in my electric skillet (more on this FABULOUS piece of cookware later), mexican blend of cheese, low-fat vegetarian refried beans, and a salsa that I made out of blueberries, corn and tomatoes. It was a hit with my kids, and later that evening my husband and I had a more traditional burrito with chicken, hot sauce, refried beans and lettuce.

I've been really enjoying hitting the farmers markets in the area this summer, and picked up some excellent corn that I cut straight from the cob and put it into the salsa raw. The blueberries were also from the farmers market and the tomatoes were from my garden. I tossed everything in together and seasoned with a little sea salt. It was especially good with crunchy, salty tortilla chips.

Healthy Popcorn and Light Sabres

2009-08-12T10:47:00.000-07:00

After a recent work trip, my husband came home with two light sabers (or "light savers" as Bodin calls them). We decided to watch the actual Star Wars series with the kids to see if they liked them. I prepared a batch of our favorite popcorn and we all settled in. Reese, in between handfulls of popcorn, kept asking: "Where's Luke? Where's Luke?" After some fights between the kids with the light sabers (Mine is the red one!!) we finally got through the first two movies, and they really liked them!

Both kids almost always want a snack before bedtime, so I try and find healthy ones that I don't feel guilty about sending them to bed with. For the life of me, I cannot remember where I found this recipe, but it's one that I've been making regularly for a few years now.

Brown-bag air-pop your kernels in the microwave. I just place 3-4 Tablespoons of kernels into a brown lunch bag and stick it in the microwave. No oils required!

Then, I take my oil sprayer (usually filled with grapeseed or olive oil) and spray the popcorn. Then, sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and nutritional yeast, and you have a great-tasting and healthy fiber-filled snack. My kids shove each other's hands out of the bowl to finger-scoop some of the excess flavorings; it's sooo good. Nutritional yeast is very good for you. Here's an excerpt from: http://www.efn.org/~sundance/NutritionalYeast.html:

"Nutritional yeast contains 18 amino acids (forming the complete protein) and 15 minerals. Being rich in the B-complax vitamins, it it vital in many ways and particularly good for stress reduction. The B-complex vitamins help make nutritional yeast such a valuable supplement, especially to the vegetarian."

You can get nutritional yeast at any health food store. It's very inexpensive and lasts for a long time. Happy popping!

First Tomato of the Season

2009-07-11T07:30:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to share a photo of Reese pointing out the first tiny tomato of the season. I started a patio garden and everything is progressing nicely. I'm looking forward to explaining to my kids what's happening and incorporating these fresh ingredients into recipes.

Do I Look Like a Cool Dude?

2009-07-03T05:18:00.001-07:00

I went grocery shopping the other day, and when Bodin got out of the car, he struck a pose and said to me, "Do I look like a cool dude like this, Mom? Will you take my picture?" After attracting the attention of my fellow shoppers by laughing so loudly, I whipped out my camera and took a picture. I have NO idea where he learned this (but probably from TV), but it was so cute. I squeezed him hard and told him he was my favorite boy.

For lunch yesterday I made the kids something they ate at Festival '09 in downtown Grand Rapids. Now, at first this seems like a fairly unhealthy, indulgent and 'snacky' meal, but I realized that each ingredient isn't particularly offensive. It's a tortilla wrap with peanut butter, honey, sliced banana and chocolate chips. I used a mini LaTortilla, homemade peanut butter (I haven't bought Jiff in at least five years!), raw and organic honey, a banana and a sprinkle of chocolate chips. Roll it up and voila! The kids ate it up!

Making homemade peanut butter is SO simple. Take a food processor and just grind up the peanuts until they are smooth and creamy. It takes about five minutes for about two cups of nuts for me. My favorite is cashew butter, which I usually add a bit of grapeseed oil to because it gets rather dry. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Ramped-Up Mac 'n Cheese

2009-06-30T12:18:00.001-07:00

After golfing on Father's Day, we went out to an Italian restaurant afterward (see picture of Reese entertaining the group with her aDORable personality and heartbreakingly good looks). Knowing that any dinner choice I made there would be bad, I went for the pizza for Bodin and mac 'n cheese for Reese. Reese didn't have a single bite of hers, so we took it home. The next day, I doctored it up with some steamed broccoli and some baked chicken nuggets. Unfortunately, neither one really liked all three items together in one bowl.

But, remembering that it sometimes takes kids up to 10 times to try a food and like it, you bet I'm going to keep trying with this one!

The Green Smoothie

2009-06-23T16:10:00.001-07:00

I'm starting to drink more and more green smoothies, made with fresh greens (spinach, beet greens, etc), frozen fruit, water, BoKU Superfood, rice protein powder and a little agave nectar. They are SO good for you, even though the taste takes a bit to get used to. Here's a picture of my morning's creation.

My kids will drink these, too, especially if I doctor them up a bit, adding more fruit and less greens. We call it "Super Juice!" (yes, we always say it with an exclamation point) and tell them it makes them run fast.

The Beach and the Farmers Market

2009-06-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

My mom and I went to Oval Beach in Saugatuck today - it was SO hot the sand absolutely blistered our feet! But, it was a lot of fun. The concessions stand actually had homemade hummus and pita bread and carrots on the menu (for $7), so we all shared that. I fed the kids one of those horribly processed Smuckers crustless (what the crap is so bad about the crust!?) peanut butter and jelly sandwiches along with some pretzels. They had an organic juice box as well.

Feeling bad about the sandwich, I've decided to make dinner from scratch. We stopped at a new farmers market in Saugatuck and I picked up some potatoes, a spring lettuce mix, some strawberries and some sugar peas.

I'm making almond/parmesan/oat crusted chicken breast served along with some homemade pesto using basil from our garden. As a side, I'm roasting the potatoes with some rosemary and garlic salt. For dessert, we're having fresh strawberry "cake" - made by placing the cut strawberries in my new pot and covering it with some organic cake mix. With the lid on and the heat turned on low, dessert will be ready in 15 minutes, and will keep warm for at least an hour. It turns into this cobbler-like gooey yummy mush of a dessert and everyone loves it.

I'm excited to be back to this blog! Look for pictures of my meals and my kids to come shortly!

Stay-At-Home-Mothering and Lunches

2008-12-04T10:36:00.000-08:00

Been a while since my last post. I'm now an official stay-at-home mom (although I do some freelancing on the side and am an Independent Distributor for Moxxor, which is a VERY potent omega-3 and antioxidant supplement - check out www.mymoxxor.com/julieh).

I love that I can control what my kids are eating during the day. While they were at daycare, I know that they were given snacks that wouldn't make my 'approval' list at all.

However, I'm not as creative as I'd like to be and am constantly trying to figure out what I want to feed my kids. Personally, I would love to become a vegetarian, so I've been avoiding chicken (already don't eat red meat, pork) somewhat. However, chicken is such a staple and a meal-rounder that it's hard to avoid.

Kids had grilled cheese with raisins today. I've been reading about the many wonderful healing properties of coconut oil, so I'm replacing butter and other oils with coconut oil. It's really good on a grilled cheese. Bodin likes to open up his sandwich and

stick the raisins inside, which makes it taste sort of like cinnamon bread. Reese did the same, but only because she likes to copy her brother.

Snow and winter are miserable; I can't wait for next summer. The kids will be a little older and easier to get out and about with. I want to visit farmer's markets to get them to try new fruits and veggies often. I'm always open to kid-friendly veggie/healthy recipes. My awesome aunt got me a subscription to Vegetarian Times last year and I'm going to sit down with all of my back issues and go through the recipes that I think they would like. Tough sell is going to be Justin. :)

Mad dashes and coconuts

2008-08-22T11:12:00.000-07:00

This mothering gig is HARD! This past week (and upcoming week also) was a difficult one, work-wise. Lots of travel. Next week, I'm on the road every day, traveling at least an hour one way. Makes for long days. Last night, after making dinner for the kids (reheated homemade pizza), I completely forgot about making their lunches and it was a mad scramble in the morning to pull something together. Betcha can't guess what they got for lunch today! Yep, PIZZA!

Along with that, they each got a baggie of black, seedless grapes and a banana.

Prior to dinner last night, I decided to introduce the kids to an actual coconut. I got out a Phillip's head screwdriver and the hammer and took the kids outside in the grass. Bodin helped me pound three holes into the top of it, and I poured the milk into two cups. Bodin tried it and didn't like it. Reese tried hers and liked it. I gave her a refill and she dumped it all over my lap. Coconut milk is sticky!!

Here's a picture of our coconut.

The First Tomato

2008-08-15T05:46:00.000-07:00

Finally! My evergreen tomatos are finally starting to come over to the "red" side. My first red tomato has finally ripened on the vine. I was starting to get worried that I would have to scour the Internet for "Fried Green Tomato" recipes.

I was so excited that I had to take a picture of it

Mini Taco Bowls

2008-08-15T05:36:00.000-07:00

This is a dinner that I threw together when I couldn't come up with anything interesting for the kids.

I cooked up 1lb of ground turkey meat with a taco seasoning packet.

Then, I filled up about a dozen Baked Tostitos chips with the taco meat, cheese, little bit of romaine lettuce and a touch of salsa.

Big hit, simple meal!

The 'Whatever' Smoothie

2008-08-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

Bodin now requests smoothies, which makes me SO happy. Here's one that I've made him and Reese in the past.

1c water
1/2c red grapes
1 scoop rice powder
1c fruit, regular or frozen (strawberries, bananas are our faves)
1c fresh spinach
1 scoop of 'greens' (health food store)
1T agave nectar (health food store, and (surprisingly) Meijer, in the spice aisle)
1-2T coconut oil (health food store). Add this after everything else is blended, and then pulse for 10 seconds or so. It hardens under a certain temp (in the 70s), which makes it hard to blend.
2T cacao nibs (health food store). Add these after the coconut oil, and pulse *maybe* one or two times. Chunks are good.

Blend!

I have a BlendTec blender, with a 2hp motor, so my blender can "juice" this entire blend with no problem. You may need to blend at earlier parts in the recipe to get everything mixed together.

Also, these amounts are my best estimate. Add more or less depending on taste. Rice milk can be subbed for the water...obviously you can use whatever fruits you prefer. Kale can be subbed for spinach. This is truly a Whatever Smoothie, and you can make it what you want. The more you make them, the more you learn what works and what doesn't. Just remember to drink your mistakes, there's still a LOT of nutrition in them.

Combo post

2008-08-01T09:53:00.000-07:00

Justin and I are going to the Neil Diamond concert tonight at Van Andel. I'm somewhat ashamed to say that this will be my SECOND time seeing Neil in concert. First time I won tickets off the radio, this time we're forking over our own money to watch him. Either way, it'll be a good time. Kids are doing a double overnight with the grandparents. I think they're pretty excited (both the kids AND the grandparents).

So, since I've missed I-don't-know-how-many days, I'll post items from their last two lunches:

*Ricotta and sun dried tomato stuffed chicken breast.

This was from Fresh Market and it was really good. They had it for dinner last night and it went into their lunches today.

*Fruit salad: apples, grapes, blueberries

I strongly recommend getting Rubbermaid's produce saver; the green-topped ones. It works amazingly well.

*YoKids yogurt "tubes"

*Cashew butter and strawberry preserves sandwich on whole grain bread

*HonestKids juice pouch

The Meal That Keeps On Giving

2008-07-25T05:41:00.001-07:00

I went to a neat little store yesterday called Making Thyme Kitchen. It's located on Cherry Street in Grand Rapids. It a little store that prepares ready-to-cook meals that are available to pick up, take home and pop into the oven (or microwave, or stovetop). Last night I picked up Mexican lasagna, quinoa fruit salad and mashed sweet potatos for the kids' dinner. Quite an ecclectic mix, I know.

The Mexican lasagna and sweet potatos didn't go over well with either kid, but I think that's because Bodin knew he was going to get to drive his new car after dinner and just wanted the whole ordeal to be over with. They both ate the quinoa fruit salad and really loved it. It contained quinoa, pecans, dried cherries/apricots, orange juice, and other stuff that I can't remember.

So, because I've read that you need to present a food 10 times to a child to get them to like it, they got that meal in their lunches for Friday, along with a baggie of red grapes.

Pizza, pizza!

2008-07-17T04:59:00.000-07:00

My husband came home last night from a two-night work trip and the kids were really excited to see him. Bodin wanted to play with his new sprinkler and then wanted to play with his Spiderman slip 'n slide. As they played, I made dinner and lunch for the kids.

Here's what they had in Thursday's lunch:

*Pizza wrap: Sun-dried tomato wrap (from Sister's Natural Foods in Byron Center), mozzarealla, organic tomato sauce and turkey pepperoni (Hormel. Yes, it has sodium nitrate). I heated the wrap in a saute pan with a little bit of coconut oil. Then I added the rest of the ingredients, let the cheese melt and then wrapped it up and slice it in half.

*Broccoli (again, from Sister's Natural Foods in Byron Center) satueed in coconut oil and celtic sea salt.

*YoKids yogurt tube, strawberry

*Cashew rice treat for Bodin and an organic breakfast bar for Reese.

*HonestKids juice box for Bodin. Reese gets organic milk (Stoneyfarm) at school.

Mmmm, now I'm hungry!

Day late, but worth the wait ...

2008-07-08T19:48:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a busy one!! On Thursday, our neighborhood association put on some decent fireworks, so we kept the kids up straight through their bedtimes to watch the fireworks. Bodin ended up being a wiggly worm throughout the whole show and Reese turned into a zombie. It was still fun, though, sitting out on our deck watching the fireworks. Holidays are so much more fun with kids.

On Friday, we took Bodin to see his first movie, Wall-E. He did really good, didn't talk out loud a whole lot. But he also asked if we could go home near the movie's end. I think it was just a tad too long for him.

Sunday was Bodin's birthday; my baby boy turned three! Can't believe it. Justin and I got him a power wheels car that ended up not working the morning we gave it to him. It's currently in the shop (i.e., at Toys R Us) for repairs. I'm sure there's a life lesson in there about owning your own vehicle, but I'm just ticked that he couldn't drive it on his birthday morning. We'll get it tomorrow.

So, thanks to my mom and the birthday party she had for Bodin at her house, we scored some leftovers. Here's what was in their lunches for Monday:

*Turkey hot dog

*Mandarin oranges

*RiceWorks chips

These are from Costco and are SO good, especially with hummus

*Bag of carrots

It's almost the weekend!

2008-07-03T11:25:00.001-07:00

We bought Bodin and Reese a sandbox/picnic table combo the other weekend. It was one purchase I didn't think all the way through; along with their mac 'n cheese (organic), they also consumed sand and grit. Didn't seem to bother them, though.

For today's lunch:

*Brown basmati rice, chicken, pine nuts, pesto and parmesan

This is way easier to make than you think. I bought a rice cooker from Meijer that cooks rice/pasta in the microwave. I make a large batch and it lasts for a few days in the fridge. Chicken is from a rotisserie chicken from Costco, along with pre-made Pesto (Kirkland, from Costco), pine nuts and parmesan.

*YoKids yogurt

From Stonyfield, organic

*Baggie of grapes

*HonestKids juice

Thanks again Aunt Ellen!

Friday's feast!

2008-06-27T12:02:00.000-07:00

I did not feel well all day Thursday, and after dragging myself through the workday, the thought of making a dinner for everyone just exhausted me. I hadn't been grocery shopping in a week and there was nothing in the house. I stopped by a place called AliKat Kitchen on my way home from picking up the kids. They have ready-made meals that you cook when you get home. I chose chicken fajitas, which came with marinated raw chicken and veggies, tortillas, cinnamon carrots and a frozen veggie medley. I tossed the chicken a veggies in a stir fry pan, and the carrots in the microwave, and 30 minutes later, dinner was ready. Both kids gobbled it right up.

So, of course, they each got a chicken fajita in their lunch the next day.

That, along with:

*Cashews and dried papaya

*Organic applesauce

*Carrots

I'm really glad it's the weekend!

Slacker!

2008-06-26T06:45:00.001-07:00

I was wondering when this was going to happen ... I haven't posted all week about my kids' lunches. We dealt with some possible food poisoning this weekend, and I haven't felt right all week. I still managed to pack a lunch for school, though.

Here's a list of what they've eaten over the past few days. I can't remember it all, so I'll add to this as I think of it:

*Peanut butter (organic) and preserves (organic) sandwich

*Organic cashews with diced dried papaya

These two items are yummy together!

*Carrots

*Grapes

*Homemade lasagna (thanks Mom!)

*HonestKids juice

Leave the dish towels alone!

2008-06-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

My sweet daughter does this thing that drives my absolutely batty. Whenever she gets bored, pissy or mad that I won't/can't pick her up, she'll take the dish towels that I conveniently hang over the handle of the oven and toss them methodically onto the floor, one by one. It's so frustrating!! It's gotten to the point where I won't hang them up anyone, and resort to using paper towels. Then guilt over the wasted paper towels takes over and I'll hang a couple more towels up. It's one of the insignificant and endearing things I will remember about Reese when she grows up.

I forgot to make the kids' lunch one night after my husband and I finished our dinner. In the morning, it was a mad scramble to pull something together. I can't remember what day it was. I was thankful that I had some pre-bagged and pre-packaged things around the house to throw in their lunch boxes. This is a hard gig, but I'm proud to have it.

Wednesday, the kids went to my mom's house, so no lunch that day. On Thursday they had:

*Chicken and turkey sandwich on whole grain bread

You can see the nuts in the bread, it's so yummy!

*Mandarin oranges

*Dill and cilantro roasted potatos

I finally used some herbs from my garden and sauteed some organic potatos in some olive oil and served it up to the kids for dinner Wednesday night. Add some ketchup and they gobbled them right up. Leftovers went into their lunches.

*Baggie full of grapes and blueberries

A 5k, Chinese Food, and Sunburn

2008-06-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

For me, this past weekend started out with a 5k race, the Brian Diemer Classic in Cutlerville. It's my seventh 5k (I think) since I took up running in April 2007. I ran my first 25k in May of this year, and thought that 5ks would be cake after that. But, after my big race, my running tapered off. I'm working to correct that. Running makes me feel so great, especially mentally. I can't tell you how great of a mood I was in for the rest of the day on Saturday.

Sunday, Father's Day, the kids and I went over to my mom and stepdad's house while the guys played golf. We got Chinese food from THE best Chinese restaurant ever - Abacus - and ordered Mongolian chicken. Nothing comes close to the flavors of this dish. I'm sure it's terrible for me, but it's a once-in-a-while treat. We also took a pontoon boat trip. I got sunburned during the kids' nap. I laid down on a chair and drank wine and read US Weekly, In Touch ... I suppose it was bad karma.

In Monday's lunch they got:

*Chicken pesto pasta

Penne noodles, basil pesto, pine nuts, parmesan, black pepper.

*Baggie full of grapes

*Carrots

In Tuesday's lunch they got:

*Spinach/artichoke bites

*String cheese

*Carrots/dip thingy

*Baggie of grapes and blueberries

Top Chef I am not

2008-06-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

I love the Bravo channel's Top Chef. I would love to hire any TC reject (except for Lisa) to cook for my family for a month. That's been my fantsay for a while. I would love to hire a personal chef to grocery shop, meal plan, and cook for my family. Forever. I have been entertaining the thought of going vegetarian for a while, and I think it would be tough doing it on my own. But I don't know if I have it in me. My dear husband would balk at the idea, and possibly laugh and display his signature sigh and eye roll. (I start out a lot of sentences with "So. Today I read on the Internet that [insert any new non-mainstream health discovery]."

I'm a grazer. I eat all day long - literally. I'll eat breakfast at 7 a.m. on the way to my kids' daycare; usually an all-natural bar of some sort. Snack at 10:30ish. Lunch at noon. Snack at 3 p.m. and dinner around 8 p.m. I'll sneak a few nibbles of my kids' dinners if I'm hungry. Lately, though, the quality of my snacks have been abysmal (and not in the Joey Tribbiani way). I'm still eating like a 25k trainer, which I no longer am. I used to run 12-14 miles on Saturday mornings, and run at least 10 miles during the week. Ever since my May 10 25k, I've ran four times. Bleech. I'm soft, flabby, bloated ... NOT fun. Time to get back on track.

Ok, for Thursday's lunches I packed:

*Thai noodles with chicken

This was leftovers from dinner with my mom and stepdad. Whenever my husband is out of town, I mooch over to their house to try and feed everyone. Thanks Mom! Love ya!

*Organic sugar snap peas

*Mandarin oranges

*Meijer organic yogurt

*String cheese

Finally the sun comes out!

2008-06-10T12:16:00.000-07:00

Man, what a dreary and depressing past few days, weather-wise. I'm finally connecting cloudy days to my complete lack of motivation. This rain has been killing me, not to mention my newborn patio garden. My plants are soaked to the root; I hope they survive. I planted tomatos, cilantro, sage, dill, basil, lavender, and a few perennials. I'm planning on planting some peas tonight. The kids are fascinated with it. I can't wait to eat from our own garden! Reese currently eats from our garden (she shovels fistfulls of soil into her mouth when we're not looking), so I'm hoping to show her that real food will come out of these pots of dirt and leaves.

Today, the kids got:

*Bean/cheese burrito for Bodin

*Spinach artichoke bites for Reese

*Baggie full of grapes

*Carrots/ranch dip thingy for Bodin

*Brown rice krispies treats (Glenny's).

I tried one (ok, TWO!) of these myself and they're really good. All organic and made from brown rice. No funky hfcs or artificial preservatives.

Detoxing from the weekend

2008-06-09T11:00:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we celebrated my husband's birthday with his family. The kids got cupcakes, ice cream, and Rice Krispies treats, and the adults got strawberry cheesecake (and ice cream, too!). Then on Sunday, the kids and I went over to my mom and step dad's house while the guys golfed. Lunch for them was a whole wheat tortilla with melted cheese, bananas, raisins and Sun Chips, and a dessert that I'm not remembering somehow. I think it was used as a bribe to get the kids to do something. I'm not above that.

To top it all off my husband and I got Maggie Moo's ice cream last night (ice cream and organic yogurt being my only dairy exceptions), so I'm suffering from a severe ice cream hangover. Lunch today for me was an organic baby greens salad with: 1/2 avocado, sugar snap peas, red grapes, organic vinaigrette dressing, and organic croutons. I'm going to see if my kids will enjoy this concoction tonight with dinner.

In their lunches were:

*Bean/cheese burrito for my son

The natural ones from Costco.

*Spinach/artichoke bites (Morningstar) for Reese.

*Baggie full of red grapes

*Carrots/ranch dressing thingy for Bodin.

I went to a health food store and bought some organic cereal bars and, believe it or not, BROWN rice krispies treats. I'll test these out later this week. I also bought some organic cashews and will be grinding up some cashew butter later this week. I've never bought organic cashews before.

So much fun!

I lucked out!

2008-06-06T06:20:00.000-07:00

Wednesday evening, I picked up my kids from my mom's house - she watches them on Wednesdays. For lunch, she made the kids this stuffed chicken parm with spaghetti noodles, and sent home the leftovers for me to use in their lunches on Thursday. Score! LOVE IT when that happens.

Here's Thursday's lunch:

*Stuffed parm chicken with spaghetti

*Mandarin oranges for Reese and a carrot/dip thingy for Bodin

*Organic animal crackers

I got a ginormous tub of these from Costco. It lasts forever and it a great snack for many occasions. One time, I melted down some chocolate chips and let Bodin dip the back of a few cookies. Let them sit in the fridge for a few hours, and you have a fun, homemade 'dessert' that's fun to make and eat.

I found out Reese refused the cheese/bean burrito that I sent with her earlier this week. Time to come up with new main courses. Since I was short on time and inspiration, they got a repeat from earlier this week.

Friday's grub:

*Cashew butter and strawberry preserves sandwich

*Organic applesauce for Reese and a carrot/dip thingy for Bodin

*Grapes

I'm glad it's the weekend!! I'm going to try and pre-make some lunches that I can freeze 'n grab.

Did he really just call me "ma'am?"

2008-06-03T07:36:00.000-07:00

Oh lord, I'm getting old. I remember being 18 and thinking that 30 was more mid-life than prime-of-life. It was impossible to be cool at that age, and now here I am at age 30. I feel young(ish) on most days, and I look now at high school students and think they seem impossibly young.

As I was leaving the grocery store yesterday, two kids dressed in grungy clothes and stylishly dirty hair approached me with, "ma'am? do you know what time it is?" I checked out my BlackBerry (way cool) and told them. But as I started walking to my car, I realized that I'd been "ma'am'ed." What gave it away? My in-between hairstyle (can't decide to grow it out or cut it short) or the faint crow's feet around my eyes when I squint. Or was it the grocery cart full of "family food" items like two gallons of organic milk or the clear plastic produce bags sticking out of my re-usable grocery bags?

Either way, I'm still trying to figure out if ma'am suits me. I don't feel old enough yet.

For lunch yesterday, the kids got a repeat of Friday's lunch. After my grocery store trip, they got a new selection:

*One all-natural bean/cheese burrito. I can't remember the brand, but it's from Costco and didn't have any red flag ingredients in it.

These need to be nuked. Deep down inside, I don't think microwaves are the safest appliance, but I still use one. My husband would flip if I dissed the microwave. Baby steps.

*YoKids yogurt for my daughter

My daughter really likes to feed herself, so I thought I'd let her daycare teacher deal with the mess on this one. :)

*Organic carrot/ranch dip packet for my son.

Instead of cheese 'n crackers in a plastic tub, picture the same packaging only with healthy carrots and "dip-dip," as my son calls it.

*Baggie full of red grapes

Both my kids love these and gobble them up like candy.

More information on school lunches

2008-05-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

Here's an article I wrote for naturalnews.com on the state of school lunches and why they're so bad. My hope it to one day soon get involved with my kids' school and help them work toward offering more healthy choices.

School Lunch in the Era of Processed Food: To Buy or Not to Buy?

(NaturalNews) This should not even be a question for most parents. But, unfortunately it is. When asked what she thought of the school lunch program in public schools, Camele McIntosh, certified holistic health practitioner and store manager for Harvest Health Foods in Grand Rapids, Michigan, responded, "Disgusting. It's absolutely disgusting."

She packs a lunch full of organic foods for her children on a daily basis and sees the decline of the school lunch program as the result of a lack of caring on the part of a large portion of American people.

"Nobody cares anymore, nobody respects the organic farmer. They think it's best to buy cheaper products to save money, but in the end, those products rob us of our health and cost us even more money," she said.

In 2006, more than 30.1 million children consumed a hot lunch each day under the National School Lunch Program, according to the USDA's Web site. Although all food served under this program meets Federal nutrition requirements, decisions about what foods are served and how they are prepared is decided upon by local schools.

Ann Cooper, known as the Renegade Lunch Lady and author of the new book "Lunch Lessons: Changing the way we feed our children," said the current state of school lunches across the country is probably even worse than most people think.

"It's all frozen, processed foods," she said. "Google any school district in the country and you'll find menus filled with pizza pockets, corn dogs, chicken nuggets."

Originally, all of the food served in public schools was homemade and cooked on site. By the time frozen foods became more prevalent, it was time for all of the lunch ladies and their equipment to retire.

"Big business said to the schools, 'why cook when you can easily use all these frozen, prepared foods?'" Cooper said.

Part of the issue is obviously money – specifically not enough of it. The main challenge for many school districts is to pull together a menu that fits into the budget, while also trying to appeal to hundreds of tiny palettes that have grown up with a diet filled with mostly processed foods. Food that is good for them usually doesn't taste good to them. Unhealthy food is generally cheaper to buy, and contains preservatives, high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) – all the fixings that make things taste especially good to children (and adults as well, for that matter) and keep them coming back for more.

Cooper said that schools are reimbursed $2.30 for every hot lunch served. Two-thirds of that goes toward payroll and overhead, which leaves about $.80 left, which must include the required serving of milk.

"How is it possible to serve a healthy meal to children on less than $.80?" Cooper asks.

"What part of the chicken does the McNugget actually come from anyway?" is a question that was posed in Morgan Spurlock's documentary "Super Size Me." As funny and tongue-in-cheek as it may be, it's a question that most parents should ask with regard to the food that is being served in schools.

A quick call to the food services director at the school can let a parent know what their children are eating and where it's coming from. A school in Kent County, MI is trying to make an effort to offer more healthful choices, such as no fried foods, baked selections, lean meats and more veggies. However, parents should watch out for the HFCS and trans fats that come along with packaged and processed foods. Although a child may walk away with a tray full of baked chicken, a side of green beans, canned peaches, mashed potatoes, and juice, it's probably not as healthy as it looks. There more than likely is butter and salt in the green beans and mashed potatoes, and HFCS and added sugar in the peaches and juice.

So, what can parents do? It may sound extreme, but we might have to go back to the old fashioned way of preparing food. In 1914, a health officer in Florida did an experiment in a rural school to see the results of giving each child a half a pint of milk each day. In addition to the milk, they eventually served a bowl of soup along with the milk.

The results were so outstanding, that according to the USDA Web site: "a group of mothers and the principal planned and carried out the project serving the children a hot bowl of soup with crackers and one-half pint of milk. The meat and some of the potatoes were donated by the mothers. They also furnished the utensils, and the principal supplied the vegetables grown in the school garden."

Obviously, during the early 1900s, all mothers were stay-at-home-moms and could devote a generous portion of their time to a project such as this. They never had to worry about a commute, a full-time job, their children's extra-curricular activities and the chauffeur duties that come along with them. But these are our children, and every effort should be made to ensure them a lifetime of healthy eating habits and the chance to know what real food tastes like.

Cooper said that parents can begin by checking to see if the Wellness Program in their school district is being implemented and followed, and to make sure everyone involved is being held accountable. Don’t be afraid to be vocal at PTA and school board meetings.

"It is everyone's responsibility – not just the schools, and not just the parents – to teach healthy food habits," Cooper said. "Of the children born in 2000, 40 to 45 percent of them will have diabetes and be insulin-dependant. This is the first generation that has a lower life expectancy than that of the previous generation."

Switching to more natural foods will not only improve the physical health of children, it can have benefits on their mental health as well.

"There are people out there, including children, who are helped physically and mentally by eating organic," said Kathleen Wood, a certified clinical nutritionist and employee with Harvest Health Foods. "Kids are realizing they are feeling a whole lot better when they eat the right stuff. They stay away from the bad stuff – it makes such a difference to them."

McIntosh also believes that switching to more natural and organic foods and being more in tune with what one's body can and can't handle can make quite an impact.

She recalled a woman who had come into the store frequently with her seven-year old autistic son, who was unable to speak. She and the woman got to chatting one day and McIntosh suggested that the boy may have a gluten and/or dairy intolerance. The mother cut both out of his diet and came back to the store two weeks later.

"Within two weeks of cutting these foods out of his diet, the little boy started saying Mommy and Daddy. She was ecstatic – it was the first time that she had heard her little boy talk to her," McIntosh said.

How I've gotten to this point today...

2008-05-29T20:13:00.000-07:00

Ah, the school lunch dilemma. My kids, now 2.5 and 15 months, both started going to daycare when they were seven and a half months old. They both made the transition to the toddler room around one year. During this time, big changes were happening to their diets. No more formula (looking back, I regret giving this to them. More on that later); time to start on whole milk (still leary of that); and time for complete grown-up meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

This meant that I had the option of packing them a lunch or electing to pay for school lunch. Now, this was back in 2006, way before I had become more knowledgeable in the types of food that my family was eating. I was excited at first to learn that I could pay just over $2 a day for my son to receive a "complete" meal during lunch. The thought of packing a lunch every night was just too exhausting at the time. I was pregnant with my daughter and could barely find the energy to feed myself at dinner.

Over the course of pregnancy with my daughter, I found a Web site called naturalnews.com. It's a constantly updated site that has tons and tons of information on how to better live and lead a healthier lifestyle. I strongly recommend signing up for the newsletter. It's free and is packed full of useful tips and health-impacting information.

I decided to make a 2008 and beyond New Year's Resolution: pack my kids' lunch instead of opting for the school's hot lunch offering. Since the first day of school in January, I've only elected hot lunch one time and it still annoys me to this day. I just got too lazy and didn't get around to packing it one night after about five rounds of "Time to go to bed!" with both my kids. My husband was out of town and I was ready for some serious couch time. I overslept the next morning and had just enough time to get both the kids and myself dressed and out the door. At school, I had a choice of the pepperoni pizza or baked chicken, with various side dishes. To trick myself into thinking I was taking the 'healthy(er)' route, I opted for the pepperoni pizza and asked that the teacher pick off the pepperoni before serving it to my daughter. My son got the chicken. Never again, I swore to myself!

Over the course of the past five months, I've gotten comments from my kids' teachers about the different foods that I pack in their lunches each day. Comments like "they eat better than I do!" So I decided to start a blog in hope that I can help people out there do the same thing, and to also keep me on my toes, creating healthier meals for my kids. I want my kids to crave veggies and not potato chips! I'm not saying that I'm packing the perfect lunch for them every day, but I'm betting it's better than 90 percent of what other kids are eating. It takes time and planning, but it's one of my top priorities as a parent.

For today's lunch, I packed them:

*Peanut/cashew butter and natural strawberry preserves sandwich on whole grain bread.

Reese gets homemade ground cashew butter because of the peanut allergy issue, and Bodin gets homemade ground peanut butter. They go crazy over this stuff as I'm grinding it, I kid you not!

*One container of Mandarin oranges.

High on the sugar side, but they're packed in their own juices, and contain no hfcs.

*One mozzarella string cheese

I'm still leary of the whole dairy thing. I don't drink cow's milk anymore; instead I opt for rice or almond milk, but usually drink water.

*Organic juice box (usually really watered down) for my son and my daughter gets either water or organic whole milk.

Costco discontinued the brand of juice I was giving to my son every day (Honest Kids) so now I'm looking for an alternative. Ideas, anyone??