Sunday Picnic

Perfect Play Dough

Remember the days when you were a kid- you could spend hours making funny shapes and animals with play dough? Hunter and I made our own homemade play dough today. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a cold, wintry day than building a “play dough” snowman with my son.

Here’s a very easy, non-toxic version of the stuff you used to get out of that yellow plastic container.

Perfect Playdough

• 2 cups flour 
• 1 cup salt 
• 2 cups water  
• 4 teaspoons tarter sauce (don’t ask!) 
• 2 tablespoons vegetable cooking oil  
• Food coloring- here you could use the store bought coloring. India Tree makes natural food coloring you can purchase online. Watercolors are also good for coloring the dough. 

Mix all ingredients in a medium pot. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until dough is no longer sticky.  Allow to cool completely.  Knead your dough.  Add essential oils or extracts from your spice cabinet.  Here’s some ideas for perking up your kid’s scent and teaching them the association between smell and color.

Red- rose oil

Orange- orange extract or essential oil 

Yellow- lemon oil/ lemongrass 

Green- spruce oil 

Blue- eucalyptus 

Violet- lavender 

Brown- vanilla or almond extract  

Store in airtight containers(we used mason jars) in a cool, dry place. Your play dough will last for months.  Be creative and have fun!

Xo 

Brown Rice: Not Just for Hippies anymore

Ps. I love you

                                   

Do you ever wonder why you love someone?  Do you sometimes forget to show them you love them.  We all have a tendency to hold back at times- caught in our head and not living in our hearts.  I recently did this writing exercise and was suprised by the range of emotions that came up.  

Please try this:  Take a paper and write a love letter to someone you love fully, completely.  Someone you trust with all your heart.   It can be your husband, your child, your mother or father, your friend or maybe someone who has fallen out of your life.  Tell them all the ways that you love and appreciate them.  While writing it know that this person will never read this letter - it is for your eyes only.  As you write, become aware of how you feel writing this letter.

Put the letter in a box, shred it, whatever you feel-  you may even decide to give it to this person years from now… or not.  

much love, 

an apple a day

       

This past weekend we were blessed with some much needed sun and crisp temperatures here in the northeast.   We spent our family Sunday visiting a local apple orchard.   What better way to spend the last days of fall foliage than picking some fresh juicy apples!   Here are some of the many health benefits of apples, as well as a few fun, easy recipes to make with the kids. 

Doctor always said, “an apple a day”.  Here’s why!   Apples are abundant in the fall, they contain nutritious properties that have the ability to cool the body after a long, hot summer, while also cleansing the body in preparation for a cold winter, when we have a tendency to eat more food.  Apples are high in calcium, vitamins A and C, quercertin ( a natural anti-inflammatory and allergy reliever), and can eleviate an upset stomach (rich in fiber).  It’s the perfect snack food for young children.  My son likes to eat the apple whole without cutting it up.   It’s healthy for him and amusing-  for both of us.    

It is important to know that apples are part of the “dirty dozen”, meaning they are on the top 12 list of produce that is heavily sprayed with pesticides and chemicals.   It’s best to choose organic whenever possible.   Quick tip:  If a sign in your grocer doesn’t say whether it’s organic, simply look at the sticker on the fruit or vegetable.   If the code on the label starts with the number “9”, then it’s organic. 

Keep your apples stored in your refrigerator crisper for up to 2 months.   

Who has time to make apple pie?  My mother-in-law recently shared this very easy and delicous apple compote recipe.   I used my tart Rome and Ida Red apples from our peck of apples, but you can used any tart apple, like granny smith.    My son loves this with his morning vanilla or plain yogurt.   Add to your morning grain or oatmeal.   If you are an icecream lover, you’re in for a real treat.   Apples a la mode!  

APPLE COMPOTE- 

• 6 cups of diced and peeled apples
• 1/4 brown sugar (you can omit this altogether if you are watching your blood sugar or use a few teaspoons of maple syrup or agave for some added sweetness)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• dash of salt 
• 1/4 cup of water 

Simmer in a medium pot for about 1/2 hour.  Serve as you wish or savor alone.  

APPLE QUESADELLAS (serves 2)-  Your kids will love these!  

• 2-  8” whole grain or whole wheat flour tortillas 
• 1/2 apple cored and peeled- diced 
• 1/2 cup of organic shredded cheddar cheese 
• 1 cooked piece of boneless chicken thinly sliced and cut into small pieces (bake in the oven on 350 degrees for 1/2 hour) *
• 1 avocado (optional) 

*For vegetarian quesadellas, omit chicken and add rinsed, canned black beans instead for added protein.  

Lay your tortillas out on a flat surface.  Evenly divide your apples, cheese, chicken and sliced avocado onto your tortillas.  Fold in half to create a moon shape.  

Heat a frying pan on medium-high heat.  One at a time, place your tortilla on the hot pan, cook for about 1 1/2 minutes, pressing down on the tortilla with a spatula.  Flip and do the same on the other side about 1 minute.   Remove from heat, allow to cool for 5 minutes, then cut into triangles- perfect for little hands.  

To find an apple picking farm in your area visit PickYourOwn.org!   

In good health, 

Walk into autumn

“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” - Albert Einstein

Autumn is here.  One of our favorite family activities on the weekend, is taking hikes through some of the many, gorgeous trails in Connecticut.  For those of you live in the Northeast, we’ve had tons of rain and balmy temperatures.  Like myself, maybe you’ve been couped up in the house with your little one for one too many days.  Put on your wellies and rainjacket, break out the stroller & raincover and get out for a walk. We have yet to feel the change of seasons, but drier days are just around the corner… and so are cooler temperatures.  Enjoy this awesome time of year.   We all know how quickly winter comes.   

Don’t live near the woods?  Take a walk around the block or your local park.  Studies show that walking is one of the best forms of low-impact exercise, can lower anxiety (don’t know anyone who couldn’t use a bit of that!), and beat depression.  Not only is it good for you, it’s healthy for your kids to see & feel nature and breathe in fresh air.  Show them the changing colors on the leaves, splash in some puddles, let them explore their senses by touching the dirt (bring your baby wipes), collecting rocks, leaves, whatever.   Getting in touch with the earth is just as grounding for your children as it is for you.  

Here some local hiking wesbites in the tri-state area: Connecticut, New Jersey, & New York.   If you live anywhere else across the country or overseas, this great site, Pick a Trail can quide you to the best trails in your area.   

Don’t forget to hydrate!   

In Good Health, 

Get Your Green Smoothie On!

One of my favorite things to do mid-morning is share a green smoothie with my 13 month old son, Hunter.  This green drink is so easy to make.  You don’t need a fancy juicer for this one.   Simply dust off your blender (yes, the one you used last time to make your scrumptous margarita).  Get your kids involved in the process.  If they are old enough, have them chop up some of the vegetables and let them watch the veggies blend into this smooth, vibrant drink.  The more involved they are, the more likely they are to give this delicious drink a taste.   

We’ve all heard about these green juices.  Dare we try them?  They are green, aren’t they, so they must taste kind of bad and be healthy for you…  Well, no and yes.  They CAN taste really good AND be good for you.  Here’s why you may want to reconsider. 

Green leafy vegetable are loaded with immune boosting and detoxifying properties.  Vitamins include vitamins A, K, E, and C.  Green vegetables are high in calcium, iron, potassium, chlorophyll and fiber.  Studies are finding that eating kale can help fight cancer cell growth.  Green is also associated with the liver, our center for creative expansion and emotional balance.  Other benefits include blood purification, improved circulation and more energy.  Need I say more?  

Green Smoothie: 

• 1 organic green apple (cored, skin on- more fiber)

• 1 peeled cucumber (very hydrating) 

• 2 stalks of celery 

• 3 kales leaves (spines and stem removed)** 

• 1 whole squeezed lemon 

• 1 kiwi (less sugar than a banana and more potassium)

• Optional:  If you want a smoother consistency you can add avocado after you are finished blending.  

**In place of kale you can use spinach leaves, collard greens, broccoli, swiss chard.   Play around with it.  

Combine all ingredients in a blender.  Blend and serve. 

Next time you are at your local health food store, have them whip you up a green drink or check out Organic Avenue or The Juicy Naam, both in NYC.  They are have some of the bext juices around.  Give it a try and see how you feel.

In Good Health, 

Redesign your cereal bowl

Many people have been asking for my morning grain breakfast bowl recipe.  Filled with so many wholesome ingredients to keep your energy sustained until lunch, this dish has become my morning ‘breakfast of champions’.  The key here is to make a batch of brown rice early in the week, so that all you have to do is scoop some rice into a bowl in the morning and add your toppings.   This takes less than 5 minutes.  

I use a pressure rice cooker (which I bought online at amazon.com for very cheap).   To make your own:  Combine 1 cup organic short grain brown rice (rinse well) with 2 - 2 3/4 cups of water and a dash of salt (to aid in digestion) in a large pot.   Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and let it set for approx 45- 50 minutes.  It will be tempting, but do not stir.  Turn off heat, leave another 10 minutes -  voila! you have your cooked rice. 

Your breakfast bowl: 

- cooked brown rice,  other options are quinoa, barley, oats

- pumpkin seeds 

- sunflower seeds

- walnuts, almonds, pecans or a bit of any combo for added protein 

- black sesame seeds (an excellent source of magnesium and calcium)

- chia seeds for omega 3 and calcium

- flax seeds  

- cinnamon to stabalize blood sugar 

- organic raw agave for a bit of sweetness 

- optional:  berries.  I chose strawberries here, but some antioxient rich, superfruits alternatives are goji berries, dried cherries, blueberries, raspberries. 

I you are in the mood for more of a ‘cereal with milk’ breakfast, you can add almond, soy or hemp milk.   I keep all of my seeds in shakers, so I can sprinkle on as much as I need and keep my “toppings” in small glass jars.  It makes the process very simple in the morning.   You can easily find these ingredients at your local supermarket, Whole Foods or online.  

Enjoy!  You will be amazed at how good you feel.

In Good Health,