Food, Inc. Hungry For Change?

I encourage you to get your hands on the documentary Food, Inc. (a Robert Kenner Film). It is powerful information. After watching it, I felt so empowered to make more changes in our family's diet. I believe that food is medicine and that what we eat can build us up or tear our bodies down. I realize that we can't be perfect all of the time, but we can make steps in the right direction.

I am so excited to support local farmers. I want my boys to be excited about fruits and veggies and know where they come from (not too far from our house). We will be choosing to buy from farmers that use responsible growing methods. How awesome to know that the fruit/vegetables will be more nutritionally dense because they were allowed to vine ripen and were not picked weeks before they were ready so they could be shipped?

Here are 10 simple steps things you can do to change our food systems:

1. Stop drinking sodas or other sweetened beverages (drink water instead...it is better for you and it will save you money. A good goal is to try to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces a day)

2. Eat at home instead of eating out (this will save you money allowing you to buy better quality food. Also, you will know exactly what is in your food)

3. Support the passage of laws requiring chain restaurants to post calorie information on menus and menu boards (if we saw this, we would probably make a healthier choice)

4. Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks (before I stayed home with the boys, I taught at a high school and it is crazy how many sodas the students drink throughout the day)

5. Meatless Mondays-Go without meat one day a week (this will also help cut your grocery budget)

6. Buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides (TN farmers/produce)

7. Protect family farms; visit your local farmer's market (Franklin Farmers Market, Nashville Farmers Market)

8. Make a point to know where your food comes from-READ LABELS (if you are local, I would love for you to come to one of my Wellness Workshops and I will share some simple steps on reading labels, identifying harmful ingredients in food and how to eat healthier. If you are not local, I can send you a link to a webinar that will share this information. Email me and I will get it to you)

9. Tell Congress that food safety is important to you

10. Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections

BPA Free Water Bottle for Kids

I have been looking for a water bottle for my 3 1/2 year old that wasn't a straw kid's cup, but that wasn't too big for him (some of the ones I was looking at were too large, a bit complicated or I was afraid he would chew through the straw if he had to bite it to get the water out).

I was in Target last week, and I decided to checked out their water bottle section (by the outdoor equipment, etc.) and I found one that was BPA free for $3.99, it is called EMBARK.

It wasn't until I got home, that I decided that I liked it even more! My older son was so excited about the water bottle because it looks similar to my husband's Nalgene. When we opened it up, we realized that the water bottle is 2 step. It has a straw that goes down in the the water bottle for younger kids so all they do is suck to get the water out OR for older kids, you can take the straw out from the inside and they can turn the water bottle up to get the water out. The pop up "straw" cannot be chewed through (YAY!) and goes down when not in use.

Well, we had to go back to Target because Brody had a meltdown that his brother had one and he didn't (oops...I didn't think that it would work for Brody, but it does because it is 2 step). Both boys have one now and we put their Bumpyname Orbit Labels on it (different colors) so they know which ones is theirs. My older son uses his without the straw inside and Brody uses the straw. PERFECT! They can even go in the top rack of the dishwasher.

I fill the water bottles up every morning with water, add ice and set them out so they can drink whenever they want. I am very excited! It was well worth it... $8 for both boys; if they don't last for a long time, we are not out that much money. Plus, it is a fun way to encourage them to drink water.

Get yourself a water bottle too and fill it up throughout the day. I like to add fresh lemons to mine. Model good health for your children. It starts with us :)

Summer Spinach Salad with Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing

The weather has been beautiful! Last night we had a barbecue out on our deck and we enjoyed this salad yummy salad with BBQ chicken, baked beans, corn on the cob and fruit tea.

Summer Spinach Salad

This recipe is free of milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish

Salad

1 bag of spinach leaves

1 container of fresh strawberries, sliced

2 ripe bananas, sliced

1 small can of mandarin oranges in their own juice, drained (I didn't have this on hand last night so you won't see it in the picture, but this is a great addition if you have it)

Directions

In a salad bowl, combine ingredients, serve dressing (below) on the side)

Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup onion

2 Tbsp + 2 tsp red wine vinegar

2 1/2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp ground mustard

1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds

Directions

Place ingredients in blender or food processor. Blend. Serve with salad.

Funky Monkey: Fruit That Crunches

My mom found Funky Monkey treats for the boys for Easter (she found them in the dried fruit aisle at Target). The boys liked them and they were a fun treat. They both liked freeze dried fruit and we always end up with just "O's" when we buy Trader Joe's Triple Berry O's because the first thing they want is the freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. How can you go wrong with freeze-dried bananas with a touch of cinnamon? :) The bag isn't very big, my 3 1/2 year old polished off the bag in one afternoon, but he really enjoyed them.

Funky Monkey Snacks are freeze-dried, a unique and modern process that maintains nearly all of the flavor and nutrients found in fresh fruit, unlike other types of fruit-based snacks. There is no added sugar, preservatives, coloring or flavoring.

Funky Monkey (freeze-dried fruit)

• 100% Real Fruit


• 100% Fat Free


• 100% Organic


• All Natural


• No Sugar Added


• Vegan


• Gluten Free


• Kosher/Parve

3 servings of fruit in one 1 oz bag

Funky Monkey Snacks
800-783-1326
http://www.funkymonkeysnacks.com/

Groupon Deal:9 Fruits

Hey Locals...Michele told me about a great deal offered from Groupon today 4/7 for 9 Fruits.

Check out this link to see how you can get Two Medium Smoothies from 9 Fruits for only $5 (you will see it on the right hand side of the screen)

If you purchase the deal (limit 2 per person), it expires on 7/08/10 but that gives you plenty of time to grab two smoothies next time you are in the Cool Springs area.

Cilantro Lime Coleslaw

Here is an easy side that has lots of color and is full of flavor.

Cilantro Lime Coleslaw

This recipe is free of milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish

Ingredients

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp lime juice (usually 1-2 limes)

4 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp crushed red pepper

a dash of coarse salt and pepper

1/2 bag of coleslaw

1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

Directions

In a bowl combine first six ingredients and whisk together until blended. Add the coleslaw and cilantro and mix well.

*This can be made ahead and chilled in the refrigerator

*Most of the time, I double this recipe so we have leftovers (or if we are going to have guests for dinner)

Fruit Tea

Easter has really snuck up on me. Today I will be doing resurrection eggs with the boys, grabbing last minute items at the store to cook for this weekend and putting Easter Baskets together.

We have a beautiful weather forecast here in TN on Sunday and I am looking forward to a light Easter dinner followed by an egg hunt outside and flying kites.

I wanted to share this Fruit Tea recipe (from my friend Lyndi), I love having a "special" drink to serve in pretty glasses for Easter dinner.

Fruit Tea

This recipe is free of milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar (OR 3/4 cup of unprocessed, local honey as a natural sweetener...we love this!)
1 cup water
3 cups strong tea (I always use decaffeinated)
1 cup lemon juice (I will be using fresh lemon juice)
2 cups orange juice
2 cups of pineapple juice
OR 4 cups of pineapple/orange juice mixture

*Optional: steep some fresh mint when you make your simple syrup (I love having mint in our garden, it makes the fruit tea taste extra special). Throw mint away when your simple syrup is done.

Directions
In a small pot, mix sugar and 1 cup water together and heat until it makes a simple syrup (sugar has dissolved). Meanwhile, put 3 cups of water in a pot, bring to a boil and then add 3 large teabags (double this if using small teabags) and let it sit for about 6-8 minutes (until it is dark and strong). In a gallon container add sugar mixture, strong tea, lemon juice, orange/pineapple juice and then add water to make a gallon. Stir. Put in refrigerator to chill before serving.

Optional garnish: fresh mint, lemon or orange

*Another idea I like: pour some of the fruit tea into an ice cube tray and freeze. Add to the "tea" so it doesn't get watered down.

credit: image is from http://www.bfeedme.com