Month: April 2016

Celebrating the Small Things… Like a New Steamer Basket

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I am WAY too excited about my new steamer basket ??? !!!

I lost the legs of the last one, or two. We are always steaming veggies for the kiddos, especially for my youngest who only has a few teeth!

If you don’t have one of these pick one up. They are inexpensive and you can pick one up at the grocery store!

You lose a lot of nutrients from boiling the veggies. Steaming can cut down on nutrient losses and help you offer soft veggies to the littles who are learning to eat them!

It’s as easy as making noodles for Mac n cheese! ??

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Operation Garden Expansion

Operation garden expansion in progress!

Home gardens big or small help you
-save $ on fresh produce
-eat more veggies
-experiment with more veggies based recipes
-teach the littles where food comes from
-AND teach the littles how good fresh veggies are!

Win, win, win, win, and win!

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We are tilling for the first time this year and starting to compost.  In prior years we have worked with pots and raised beds.

Consider trying something simple like a pepper plant or a cherry tomato plant in a large pot for starters!

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Exercise Or Diet?

 

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Exercise or Diet?

(Part One)

Which is more important?  I get this question a lot.

The truth is:

They both offer profound health benefits and decrease risks of chronic disease such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and depression. They both can help with weight control. Therefore, in my opinion, they are BOTH important.

What you eat is a choice you make multiple times a day, 365 days a year. Physical activity is a choice you can choose to make 150-300 minutes a week for health benefits.

My thoughts are:

*balance– a balance of enough but not too much food and exercise

*moderation of everything- exercise and all foods… especially indulgences- most foods can fit

*variety– of diet and activity so you don’t get flavor fatigue and to prevent boredom and setbacks

How much activity is enough?

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Anything is good!

Physical activity guidelines for Americans (Adults) recommend 150-300 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75-150 minutes of aerobic activity each week and at least days 2 a week of strength training with most major muscle groups for health benefits.

  • To learn about what is considered moderate, aerobic or strengthening activity visit:
    http://health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/chapter4.aspx

And don’t forget about the littles! They are learning healthy habits and patterns now. Encourage 60 minutes of physical activity a day, including muscle and strengthening activities at least 3 days a week.

  • To learn more about physical activity recommendations for youth visit: http://health.gov/pagui/guideliht//health.gov/paguidelines/guidelines/chapter3.aspx

Stay tuned for more tips on nutrition, healthy diet and self care!

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High Fiber Pancakes

High Fiber Whole Grain Pancakes

These yummy pancakes are a family favorite of ours. They are easy to make and very nutritious. As an excellent source of whole grains, this high fiber breakfast food can help keep you full all morning! Try serving with a scrambled egg and cup of fresh fruit (or 1/2 cup canned in light juice or water), or making and egg sandwich  for a great balanced breakfast!

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Ingredients

•3/4 cup milk (May use almond milk or other nondairy milk sub)
•2Tbsp vinegar
•1cup white whole wheat flour
•2Tbsp ground flax
•1tsp baking powder
•1/2 tsp baking soda
•1/2 tsp salt
•2 Tbsp honey
•1 egg

Optional:

  • •1Tbsp vanilla extract
  • •For holiday pancakes add 1 tsp nutmeg and cinnamon.

Directions: 
1. Mix milk and vinegar and let sit 5 minutes to curdle.
2. Whisk dry ingredients.
•If you have a little helper, proportion the dry ingredients, have them put all the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk.
3. Add honey, egg and wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix
4. Warm skillet over medium low heat
5. Spray nonstick spray or grease pan as desired
4. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto greased pan and flip when begins to bubble and rise.

Additional Variations:    

  • For low fat pancakes use fat free or low fat milk.
  • The milk and vinegar mixture may not curdle as well with nondairy milk
  • For egg allergy or vegan pancakes sub 1Tbsp flax meal with 3 Tbsp water. Mix to paste and add as egg replacement.
  • Sub milk for nondairy milk for dairy allergy or vegan pancakes.

 

 

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Want to eat healthier?

Want to eat healthier?

Have you tried visiting a local farmers market lately?

Ever considered a crop share?

Eating local stimulates local economy and usually also means fresher foods! How so? Nutritional quality of food changes as food ages. Fresh food not only tastes better but also offers better nutritional value. Purchasing foods from farmers markets, local farmers and CSA’s may mean fresher and healthier meals for you and your family! (Find out what a crop share is here: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/)

Purchasing local food also stimulates local economy, and also allows you to get to know and trust your farmer and where your food is coming from.

Buying fresh foods and participating in a CSA may also promote healthier eating habits by increasing the amounts of fresh fruits and veggies coming through the house.

Recipes are readily available via the Internet.  Check out recipefinder.com as well!

Stay tuned for our gardening and fresh fare series this spring and summer!

Check out these websites to find farmers markets and CSA:
http://m.localharvest.org
http://www.localfarmmarkets.org
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml
http://www.pickyourown.org

Check out these local Ohio CSA’s and farms:
Green Bean Delivery:  http://greenbeandelivery.com/
Fulton Farms Organic: http://www.fultonfarmsorganic.com
Full of Graze Farm:  http://www.fullofgrazefarm.com
Berry Hill Farm:  http://www.berryhillfarm.biz

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