Watermelon Popsicles

We just finished eating watermelon popsicles.  Perfect treat for a hot summer day.  

Recipe: Watermelon Popsicles

Watermelon Popsicles
makes 10-15, depending on size

6 cups cubed watermelon, seeds and rind removed (about 4 pounds)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon freshly grated lime zest

Blend watermelon in a blender, or process through a juicer, until liquefied completely. Stir in lime juice and zest. Pour mixture through a sieve into a bowl, then spoon juice into popsicle molds with sticks inserted, and freeze.

My Favorite New Dressing

Most Friday nights my husband and I can be found at the most unlikely place, Casa de Luz.  It is an organic vegan restaurant that only serves in season produce.  We LOVE their salads and dressing.  The BEST.

If I had a small army to help, I would cook meals just like they do.  Since that not likely to happen we bought their sauce/dressing cookbook to at least mimic their salads.

Tonight we tried their Vinaigreta Dressing and it is my new favorite.  Probably just until I try another recipe!

Vinaigreta Dressing
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 Tbs. fresh basil or parsley chopped, or 1 tsp. dry
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup basalmic vinegar
1tsp. mustard
2 tsp. ume vinegar
Black pepper

Mix garlic, basil or parsley, olive oil, basalmic vinegar, mustard, and ume vinegar in blender.  Season with black pepper to taste.

Really fabulous!  And it keeps in the frig!  Yummo!!!!!!!!

The Dirty Dozen-The Foods That Are Best To Purchase Organic

We eat some serious fruits and vegetables around our house.  They are served at every breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack.  I try to purchase as much as possible from the farmer's market.  However, I still find myself visiting the grocery store a few times a week. 

The grocery store is often limited in organic foods.  I was glad to find this 2011 Dirty Dozen list to reference.  The EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce identifies the fruits and vegetables that contain the most contamination from pesticide residues.  Now I have a quick reference guide on which foods to skip if organic is unavailable and which foods I can save a bit of money on and purchase conventional. 

I was shocked to see apples topped the dirty dozen list.  Today I priced organic apples and there was NO price difference between most of the apple varieties.  

Quick note: I always purchase organic corn as I am trying to stay away from GMOs and corn is a huge GMO crop.

EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce

Dirty Dozen

Buy these organic

1

Apples

2

Celery

3

Strawberries

4

Peaches

5

Spinach

6

Nectarines
– imported

7

Grapes – imported

8

Sweet bell peppers

9

Potatoes

10

Blueberries
– domestic

11

Lettuce

12

Kale/collard greens

Clean 15

Lowest in Pesticide

1

Onions

2

Sweet Corn

3

Pineapples

4

Avocado

5

Asparagus

6

Sweet peas

7

Mangoes

8

Eggplant

9

Cantaloupe
- domestic

10

Kiwi

11

Cabbage

12

Watermelon

13

Sweet potatoes

14

Grapefruit

15

Mushrooms

I Would Make These Chocolate Chip Cookies Every Night

The hunt has begun for tasty gluten free options for our favorite foods.  Every momma has to have a good chocolate chip cookie recipe in her kitchen arsenal.  Right?

The funny thing is I can't even remember the last time I made chocolate chip cookies.  Maybe 6 months ago?  Now that 3 of 3 has to be on a gluten free diet, I find that I need a chocolate chip cookie recipe!  NEED!

I found this recipe on Elana's Pantry. All of her recipes look or sound fabulous!  Looking forward to trying them out soon.

Now I've got a recipe I don't feel guilty about making often for my sweet little people.  Blanched Almond Flour is the secret ingredient that allows all the members of our household to enjoy this treat!  I like that!

This recipe has been taste tested and approved by all in the house.  In fact we are wishing there were just a few more to try out.  We ran out of the most of the ingredients.

We used Bob's Red Mill Almond flour as that is the only almond flour the grocery store carried.  Loved the cookies even though the recipe states: Do not use Bob's Red Mill Almond flour as it does not yield successful results.

Since I thought these cookies still turned out great, I am looking forward to ordering some of the other almond meals.  The recommended almond flours are by Lucy's Kitchen Shop or Honeyville.

Go ahead, try it out.  Even if you are need not rid all gluten out of your diet, I think these almond flour cookies are fabulous!  

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookiesprinter friendly
2 ½ cups blanched almond flour *
¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup agave nectar
1 cup dark chocolate chips

1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl
2. Stir together wet ingredients in a smaller bowl
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry
4. Form 1" balls and press onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet
5. Bake at 350° for 7-10 minutes
6. Cool and serve

Makes 24 cookies

* Please note: Bob's Red Mill almond flour does not yield successful results when used in this recipe. For more information regarding this matter please see my FAQs.

Homemade Salsa

Today my cousin, Olivia, and I experimented with making our own salsa.  This week's CSA box came loaded with all the ingredients we needed.  My oh my.  We put a huge bowl of salsa away in no time.  AWESOME.

Here is our recipe:


Ingredients

3 tomatoes, chopped (we used blanched tomatoes)
1/2 cup finely diced purple onion
1 jalapeno finely diced
2 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons lime juice

Directions

In a medium bowl, stir together tomatoes, onion, peppers, salt, and lime juice. Chill for one hour in the refrigerator before serving.

We didn't chill the salsa but used cold tomatoes.   Too hungry to wait!  Our recipe was adapted from this recipe.  Here is a link to detail the tomato blanching processing.

Why The Tears?

Made my first gluten free trip to the grocery store today.  As I strolled the gluten free aisle, I had to fight back tears.  The choices seemed so limiting.  Two sides of one aisle at the grocery store.  One aisle.  As I perused labels on other aisles my chest began to tighten as I read statements such as "made in a facility that processes wheat, dairy, nuts, soy."

Stress.

Breathe, Natalie, breathe.  Don't hyperventilate!  Just breathe.

Even as I type this post, I feel my heart rate increase and my chest feels full and heavy.  And then great, big sighs are exhaled.  Whew.  

I had to stop and ask myself, "Why the tears?"  I mean really, Natalie?  The entire purpose of this blog is to educate myself on the food we eat and then make CHANGES to our diets.  

So many of the needed changes are already in place anyway!  Why the tears?

For 9 months we have been eating organic fruits and vegetables and grass fed meats when possible,  cutting down on refined sugar, and reducing the amount of processed foods and fast foods.  By just eliminating the processed foods in our diets I had already removed most of the gluten culprits from our diets.

Could it be that I associate gluten foods with convenience and happiness?  Like the cakes, cookies and brownies that make my little people's eyes light up?  Or the occasions when we are in a hurry to get out the door so the hidden stash of graham crackers, saltines, or goldfish, are pulled out and served.  

Why the tears?  We eat limited amounts of gluten anyway.  Why the tears?  Why the tight chest and anxiety?

I think it can be boiled down to this: before, it was a choice.  I could have days, okay weeks, that I backslid on the lifestyle I wanted.  But now it is an absolute necessity.  There is no end, no rest for busy weeks or weekends.  There is only the constant diligence and questions that go along with the gluten free diet.  And that seems to cause me the most stress.  It is UNENDING.

So this blog post today is to acknowledge the tears that have stained my face and the mourning swirling around in my heart.  This too shall pass.  I'll pull it together and get my emotions under control.  It just seems a daunting task right now. 

Big, huge thank you to all of my friends that have reached out to offer their help and expertise.  I will be leaning heavily on you while I make this family transition to a gluten free diet.

With a grateful heart that is currently in a bit of mourning, 

Natalie

Safe Food Storage For Kids

BPA, lead, plastics and the likes have caused me to rethink the plastic cups, plates, and bowls we have been using.  Over the past few months I have dwindled down our stash of plastic sippy cups and started buying Corelle dishes.  The dishes are great for the girls but not so much the littlest, 3 of 3.  The dishes have survived many falls and very sturdy, but we have had a few shatter.

So today when I saw this that Zulily was selling Kinderville non toxic dishes, cups and storage containers for kids I was thrilled.  Zulily is a website that offers daily deals on all things kids and mommas.  Kids items are usually clothing, toys, books, and accessories.  For the mommas there are often awesome purses, maternity clothes, spanks, and other great items.  Here is a link to sign up to for Zulily and it is free!  http://www.zulily.com/invite/nlovins929 If you use this link to sign up for Zulily I get a credit after your first order!  And then you can use your link to post on facebook or twitter and get credit for yourself!  Love Zulily.

Here is some information from about Kinderville from Zulily.  The discounted Kinderville dishes, cups and storage is only on sale until Saturday at 6am.  I'm going to order right now.  I want to rid my house of plastics!!!

Product Reviews

Kinderville: Safe Food Storage
Kinderville was founded by parents who were frustrated with finding toxin-free ways to serve and store their daughter's food. Now that they've done all the hard work, every family can enjoy these products knowing that they're free of BPA, Phthalates and lead. All are safe to use in the dishwasher, freezer and microwave as well. They're perfect for sending to daycare, school or playdates too!

Kinderville products are made of high-grade silicone, which is a safe, durable and pliable rubber-like material. It's great for food storage because it's hygienic, hypoallergenic and resistant to bacteria. Plus it doesn't contain any toxic chemicals, nor does it react with food or beverages. You'll also love how easy it is to clean.

From plates to jars and ice-treat molds, Kinderville helps families stock kitchens with everything little ones need (or simply want!) to make snack time safe, colorful and simple.

Today Pushed Me Over The Edge

Yesterday I was standing on the edge and today I jumped.  I had contemplated the jump for awhile.  I played around with the idea, tried it out for a time, and enjoyed the results.  However the jump requires a big commitment and the entire family needs to be on board.  So I never really got hard core.

Today that changed. My husband and I received 3 of 3's allergy test results.  And with this news my family and I are jumping in with both feet.  We are going hard core gluten free, but in a week.  The rest of our clan is going to get tested next week.

I want to have all members of the family tested as I need to know if the girls are free to eat out and about as they please or if they are full time anti-glutenites too.

When I received the test results from the doctor I was STUNNED by what I learned.  3 of 3 is not allergic to milk, or almonds or eggs.  He is allergic to GLUTEN.  His hives may be brought on by the gluten.  Or the gluten may be causing him to be sensitive to other foods as it can cause chronic health conditions.

Either way, that is not what I expected to hear.

Throughout the appointment our doctor enlightened us about gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity, and celiac diesease.  First off, in her experience 90% of the gluten intolerance issues are passed on from the father.  I had no idea!!!

And that is one of the reasons we are all going in for a great big family blood draw and allergy test.  Doesn't that sound like such a wonderful bonding experience?  Taking a 3 year old and a soon to be 6 year old to get blood drawn.

The doctor went on to say that when she started her practice, 1 in 200 patients had gluten issues.  Years later, it went up to 2 in 100 patients.  I could hardly believe it when she said currently she is finding at least 50% of her patients are testing positive for gluten allergies.  "A study looked at the blood tests of ten thousand people from fifty years ago and compared them to tests on 10,000 people today. The study discovered a 400% increase in full-blown celiac disease."  link  The same article said that around one third of the population has gluten intolerance and 1 in 100 has celiac disease.

Our doctor said the top indicators of gluten intolerance she sees in her patients were foggy headedness, sluggishness, bloatedness, skin problems such as eczema, seasonal allergies, especially allergies to mold, and joint pain.  GI tract issues were not even mention in the top indicators!

Gluten intolerance triggers an autoimmune response in the body.  "Symptoms can include irritable bowel disease, canker sores, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, osteoporosis, anemia, cancer, autoimmune disease, MS, and neurological problems such as depression, anxiety, dementia, schizophrenia, nerve damage, migraines, epilepsy, and autism."  Link  Heart disease, liver disease and cancer are also linked to gluten issues.

So this momma is going to make it her summer mission to learn everything about gluten, every hidden source, every gluten free treat and recipe and basically learn how to become a hard core anti-glutenite.  Gluten, it's on!  You are so out of here!

I Had A Wholly Cow!

Remember the phrase, "Don't have a cow?"  I sure do!  I think I said it daily for many years.  Probably most of the time to my poor parents!

But I did have a cow yesterday.  A Wholly Cow!  Now I'll never say "Don't have a cow" again!  In fact, I will probably say something like, "Hey, who wants to have a Wholly Cow?"  Gosh. I'll probably say that phrase weekly in the summer.

Okay so if you know me you probably know 2 things about me.  First is that I like really like to save money.  I'm not so much a coupon clipper for the grocery store as the coupons are often for items that are not really healthy or things I wouldn't normally buy.  I do like coupons to restaurants, especially restaurants I frequent.

The second is that I'm not the girl to take to a "hole in the wall" joint or dive restaurant.  Really, I'm not.  Best to not even mention it to me.  On many occasions, my husband has suggested small, out of the way places he's heard good things about, or even eaten at, but when we arrived I had to say, "I'm sorry, I just can't."  And we drive on to a more appealing location.

I guess the coupon to the restaurant Wholly Cow got the best of me.  I had driven by it many times and it was the sign out front that always caught my attention.  It read, "Local Grass Fed Beef Burgers."  Problem for me was the sign was just outside of a convenience store.  I don't do convenience stores.

Well, I THOUGHT I didn't eat in convenience stores.  Apparently I do.  And apparently I like it.  Very much. And apparently I want to eat there often!

So yesterday, my party of 5 ventured out and tried it.  Coupon in hand we arrived at Wholly Cow which is located inside the Star-Grill Convenience store on South Lamar.

We were really just doing our part to keep Austin weird I guess.

Favorite burger EVER!  EVER!!!!  I am trying to cut down on gluten products and mentioned that to the owner.  He suggested that I have the burger with a portabella mushroom bun.  I can't even describe it.  I'll only say, that I will probably never eat the bun again.  It was out of this world.  Then I found out that navy seals and elite bikers eat burgers like that.  Oh yeah, I'm on my way, baby!

And of course one can't eat a burger without fries.  We ordered both sweet potato fries and french fries.  They are fried in peanut oil which is much better than the canola oil most restaurants use because canola oil is almost always genetically modified.  The fries were gone as soon as they were cool enough to scarf down.

Not only does Wholly Cow serve hormone free, chemical free, grass fed beef, they also use organic produce when it is in season.  Here is a link to an article describing the health benefits of grass fed beef.  There is a HUGE benefit to grass fed beef compared to grain fed beef.

And the convenience store is also different from most.  Farmer's market produce can be purchased there daily.  How great is that?  Also there are many natural drinks featured as well as desserts made from the fabulous Fredericksburg peaches.

And I have to mention the owner and staff.  They were so friendly and provide customer service that is unbeatable!  The entire dinner was absolutely delightful!  That is saying something coming from a mom of 3 kids ages 20 months, 3 years old, and 5 years old.  Usually taking those folks out for dinner makes for a challenging if not miserable time!

Wholly Cow is totally Austin and absolutely satisfying!  Love to find restaurants that embrace healthy practices for family favorites!  I am so going to have another Wholly Cow!  And soon!!!!

Where Have You Been All My Life?

And Why Couldn't We Have Met Sooner??????  You know, when I was younger and probably in greater need of you?

Those are the questions I am asking myself over and over.  I am just sitting here in silence wondering why I have never tried this before.

Raw Milk.  Really, why have I never tried you before?

For starters it could be because I don't particularly like milk.  Love milk products such as cheese and ice cream.  Almost hate milk.

Almost hate, but then how can you really hate something that produces such heavenly treats as cheese and ice cream.  Manna from heaven!  Hardly a meal goes by without a serving or two of some type of cheese.  And ice cream, need I say more.

I have been interested in trying raw milk.  The thought kind of grossed me out if you must know the truth.  Bought in hook, line and sinker to the idea that milk must be pasteurized or it'll kill ya!

Grossed out no more!  And I'm still alive.  I just drank a small amount to be sure.  Hee hee.

In serious like of raw milk.

Just dipped organic double chocolate (almost oreos) cookies into the milk.  I'm quite a happy girl.  I'm interested in trying this raw milk out again tomorrow.

Wondering if I'll still be in serious like, love or back to the "not so much" phase of milk.  Tonight, raw milk did my body, mostly my tongue, good!

Tomorrow we shall see...

Just went back for another glass.  It is REALLY GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  My husband concurs.  Raw milk just might be our new norm.

Here is an interesting website about raw milk if you are interested.

It Got Me AGAIN!

Summer after summer I venture out into the balmy 102 degree afternoon to cool off in the refreshing waters of the pool.  And it never fails, year after year, the first few times I am LOBSTER RED.  The crazy sun and I aren't very good friends as evident in my fluorescent white wrappings.

Why I forget year after year to bathe myself in sunscreen before I step foot in a pool baffles me.  I guess subconsciously I would rather be red than fluorescent white.  Still, one would think the sheer pain would trigger some type of memory response.  Not so much. 

It's one thing to turn myself into a lobster but it's an entirely different beast to turn my children into lobsters.  

Well, last week my little kindergartener had her end of the year school party.  It was a pool party.  Oh no!  With my track record 1 of 3 was destined to have some redness and a bit of pain.

Hurray for the host momma that provided sunscreen because I did forget AGAIN!!!!  I lathered up that baby girl and off she headed to the pool.  

Ummm, do you see the parts in her hair in the above picture?  So did I.  After washing her hair the next day.  Bright red lines on her scalp.  She commented about how they hurt. 

Oh why didn't I think of that?  Next time sun, you won't get us.  I'll be armed!

Hopefully.

So this momma is on the hunt and heading to the store to get the safest sunscreens for my family.  I thought other mommas would like to check out the information below to arm themselves with weapons against lobster red sun-induced burns.  

Happy sunburn-free summer!  May your days be filled with joy, laughter and memories of a lifetime!

Here is the Environmental Working List's 2011 list of the best/safest sunscreens.  And just to make sure you're not using the potentially dangerous sunscreens on your precious babies, here is a link to the EWL's hall of shame sunscreens.