Raising A Healthy Family

Gluten Free Mocha Brownies Recipe

2013-05-07T22:32:27Z

Coffee and chocolate? Yes, please! One thing I learned years ago, when I got my first taste of a gluten free brownie, is that gluten free brownies are so much better than their flour laden cousins – and add a little espresso kick to the mix and oh, how yummy!

Our friends at Abe’s Market have a recipe for Gluten Free Mocha Brownies that I am definitely interested in trying.

GLUTEN FREE MOCHA BROWNIES

15 Medjool dates, pitted, soaked and drained
¼ cup water
9 T raw cocoa
¼ cup agave syrup
¼ cup coconut oil, soft, not liquid
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
4 eggs
½ tsp baking powder
2 T espresso, ground fine

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Blend dates (in a blender) and ¼ cup water on high until it becomes a paste
3. Add eggs, cocoa, agave, coconut oil, baking powder, cinnamon and espresso; blend until smooth
4. Add garbanzo beans; mix on high until entire mixture is well incorporated, thick and smooth
5. Evenly distribute mixture into mini muffin tins (fills 30-32)
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes (until it passes the toothpick test); remove and cool on a wire rack

If you are like me, and want to take a short cut, try Pamela’s Gluten Free Brownie Mix or King Arthur’s Gluten Free Brownie Mix and just add the 2 T of ground espresso to the mix. You could substitute peppermint extract, almond extract, or add some walnuts to give your brownies a bit of gourmet flair!

Have you had gluten free brownies before? Do you prefer them from scratch or a mix?

Crayola’s Big Colorful Birthday Adventure

2013-04-23T20:23:08Z

Did you know that there were 8 original colors of Crayola crayons (now there are 120)? Did you know that Crayons are turning 110 this year? WOW!

To celebrate their 110th birthday, the 8 original crayons are throwing a birthday bash at the new fun-omenal Crayola Experience in Easton, PA, the world’s only interactive Crayola family attraction. Right now, they’re out on a colorful adventure to spread the news, and you’re invited to join the fun!

How can you join in on the fun? You can FOLLOW the crayons on their adventure, LEARN more about each color and enter to WIN a trip for 4 to celebrate their birthday and the Grand Opening of the all new Crayola Experience this coming May, 2013!

Visit the Crayola Facebook page and click “enter now” for your chance to be first in line when the Crayola Experience reopens.

The new Crayola Experience features four floors of new interactive exhibits and one-of-a-kind attractions that will bring the magic of color and your child’s creativity to life! The winner will be among the first to experience the fun, along with a three- night, all-expenses paid stay. It’s an experience your kids will never forget – and neither will you!

So, what is your all time favorite crayon name? I would have to pick Razzle Dazzle Rose, Macaroni & Cheese, or Fuzzy Wuzzy Brown. Why not test out your favorites with some free printable coloring pages from Crayola after you have entered to win the trip.

Disclosure: Crayola provided me with this information.

Gluten Free Spaghetti Squash Crust Pizza

2013-04-18T12:58:50Z

I have been eating Gluten Free for almost an entire year and I can not believe how much better my overall health has become! It hasn’t been nearly as difficult as I thought it would be and honestly, I don’t even miss most of the things I used to think I could not live without – like PIZZA. I have discovered that Glutino’s Spinach and Feta brown rice crust pizza is very good and I just discovered this new recipe for pizza made with a spaghetti squash crust courtesy of Abe’s Market – interesting!

Gluten Free Spaghetti Squash Crust Pizza

Ingredients

4 cups cooked spaghetti squash (approx. 1/2 large squash)
1 cup part skim mozzarella, shredded
1 egg
2 egg whites
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp basil, dried
1 tsp oregano, dried
salt & pepper to taste

Toppings

1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/4 onion, diced
1/2 cup Mama Jess Garden Good Pasta Sauce (or use Bean Good)
1 cup fresh arugula
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, part skim, shredded

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400. Line pizza pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine spaghetti squash, mozzarella cheese, egg, egg whites, garlic, spices, salt and pepper. Mix together until well combined. Set aside for about 5 minutes. Drain any liquid forming at the bottom of the bowl. Press squash mixture evenly into parchment paper lined pan.
Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes. While the crust is baking, saute the mushrooms and onion until mushrooms are soft and onions are translucent. Remove from heat. Remove pizza crust from oven when crust appears dry and golden.
Spread Garden Good sauce over the crust. Sprinkle your onion, mushrooms and arugula over sauce. Top with cheeses. Return to 400-degree oven and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbly and edges of crust are browned. Cool for about 5 minutes before cutting into the pizza. Tip: It may be easier to lift the parchment paper off of the pizza pan and place on cutting board.

I plan on making this over the weekend! What do you think – does it look good?

And if you are new to gluten free eating or want a bigger selection of gluten free products than your grocery store carries without paying ridiculous prices, check out Abe’s Market and get Free Shipping, too.

5 Spring Skin Care Tips

2013-04-11T13:06:39Z

Hello sunshine!! After what seems like a never ending winter it finally feels like spring around here. Not only is it time to do spring cleaning in the house and updating your wardrobe, but it is time to take a look at your skincare routine, too. After a winter routine of heavy moisturizers and keeping everything covered up, your skin is ready for a change in routine, too.

There are various ways to clean your skin from the outside and internally. You could use lotions, moisturizers, toners, juices and even just drinking water. HollyBeth Anderson, the founder of USDA-certified luxe skin care brand HollyBeth Organics, knows a thing or two about healthy skin, and offers up five easy ways — and the reasons behind them — to clean your skin for spring … and the rest of the year.

Eat Well
The old adage “you are what you eat” applies not only to our body, but also to our skin. What is lovely about spring and summer is that nature’s skin detoxifiers abound in red and blue, in the form of berries. Try eating what is in local, in season and fresh. Not only will you feel better but you will look better.

Exfoliate
Get rid of winter skin with a gentle exfoliator and stay away from harsh scrubs and chemicals that can damage your skin. Remember your skin sheds cells every minute, think of it as spring cleaning, sweeping away winter. When I was a child my mother would exfoliate with cornmeal which is the reason I created our award winning grits & honey scrub. What customers love about it is that it is not only an exfoliator but a moisturizer as the honey leaves your skin soft and supple. To this day her skin glows and I know it is from her routine of exfoliating and moisturizing.

Cleanse
This is so important. When I lived throughout Europe and Latin America doing international business development, people would always tell me to never use soap to cleanse my face, but to use cold cream or lotions instead. I eventually created, and now swear by, our gentle foaming cleansersthat are castile (a.k.a. olive oil) based infused with essential oils. Every country where I have lived, people swear by rinsing with cold water. Notice the people’s skin who you admire, apart from genetics I wonder if you will be amazed at how many use cool/cold water instead of hot water and how that affects their skin’s condition.

Hydrate
When the temperature heats up and perspiration abounds doesn’t mean your skin is getting oily, quite the contrary; it can become dryer and your skin can start to look dull once the sweat evaporates. You always want to drink plenty of water. Also, I mist throughout the day with a non-alcohol based mister/toner.

While we are on the subject of hydration I want to dispel a persistent myth that oils are bad for oily skin. Not true! Case in point: dry oils: Other countries know the secret of dry oils. While living in France, I learned that dry oils are the best moisturizer for both dry and oily skin. In Spain it is the coveted olive oil used on hair and the body. Why? A dry oil is non-comedogenic (read: non-pore clogging). One of my favorites that you will find it almost all of our products is camellia oil – it sinks right into the skin and has been treasured by Japanese geisha for years. Camellia oil also has uv protection properties

Moisturize
The area around our eyes starts showing ages first because the skin there is thinner. And squinting in the sun doesn’t help. It’s best to always use amoisturizing eye cream and apply it with your ring finger from the outside in. Beyond that, summer can cause our skin to become dry. Even if you have oily skin, you still need to replenish the moisture; misters or dry oils work well. Another moisturizing trick is to let your skin breathe by going without make up, just use your moisturizer, sunscreen and don’t forget your hat and sunglasses.

What changes do you make to your skincare routine as the seasons change?

30 Foods Your Orthodontist Hates

2013-04-08T23:51:39Z

When I originally posted this list in 2008, my daughter had just got her braces on. Well, 5 years later, she has just gone back into braces for the second time (to fix something different) and it is time for us to review what she can and can not eat with her braces on.

Our orthodontist gave us a great list of foods you should and shouldn’t eat with braces. I am publishing it here for two reasons – one, so I can find the list again quickly, and two, so you can find it quickly if you have a child with braces.

The following foods can break or loosen the orthodontic appliances in your mouth, so don’t even think about eating them – your orthodontist will not be happy!

Ice
Nuts
Beef jerky
Slim jims
Caramels, Rolos candy
Frozen candy bars
Tootsie Rolls
Lollipops
Candy Canes
Gummy Bears
Fruit Roll ups (the dentist hates these too – she calls them sugar glue)
Nerds
Fun Fruits
Hard Taco shells
Granola bars
Bubble Gum (sugar free stick gum is okay)
Snickers
Twizzlers
Butterfingers
Taffy
Starburst
Skittles
Peanut Brittle
Now & Laters
Jolly Ranchers
Sugar Daddies
Runts
Air Heads
Doritos
Cheetos

Or basically anything hard, sticky or chewy. Also don’t suck on lemons or limes.

Some foods can be eaten if you use caution like:

Potato chips – break into small pieces and chew with back teeth
Popcorn – one or two pieces at a time
Raw fruits and veggies – cut into small pieces – don’t bite with front teeth
Corn on the cob – cut off cob
Chicken, steak, pork chops, ribs – cut meat off bone and then eat
Soda – brush teeth immediately after finishing or at a minimum rinse with water

If your child has a bracket pop or come off, contact your orthodontist immediately!

When To Start Music Lessons

2013-03-10T17:52:16Z

There are many reasons why kids should be encouraged to learn music. Children who take part in music lessons have more developed language and reasoning skills than those who do not. Several studies have shown that children who sing or play an instrument consistently do better in school than their non-musical friends. Music is also a way of self-expression, and is often seen as a form of therapy.

Some parents try to rush children into music lessons, but when is the right time to start learning? This article discusses a few points that parents should be aware of when enrolling their kids in music lessons.

Age Isn’t Just a Number
The brain begins to properly understand music around the age of three, although many formal music schools ask that students be at least five years old. This is because at five, children are better able to focus on a task for longer periods of time. Before that, parents are encouraged to work with their children to figure out if they are more attracted to singing or to a playing musical instruments, as well as to identify which instruments their young are most fascinated by. Adults can also teaching them about pitch by singing a note and asking them to repeat it.

Size Is Also a Factor
Another reason many instructors will not take a student under five is due to the size of the musical instrument. At the age of three, most children still have very small hands with little physical strength. By the time they are five, they will have gained more strength, making it easier to hold a guitar or stretch across the keys on a piano. Of course, size is not directly related to age, so some younger students may be big enough to handle the instrument while some older students may still be too small or weak to do so.

Take Cues From Your Child
The most important thing is to take cues from your child. If your son is constantly banging on that forgotten piano in the living room or your daughter loves her toy guitar, you might have a naturally talented musician in your family. Listen to your child singing along to the radio. If they’re showing a lot of interest and aptitude, it’s time to start looking into private music lessons or classes!

Pay Attention to Continued Interest
Once you have enrolled your child in music lessons, pay attention to if their interests continues or drops off. If you find that your daughter isn’t practicing her piano when she is supposed to, or that your son is making up excuses to avoid going to music class, they may be feeling too much pressure. If that is the case, speak to them and also their teacher. Sometimes, all it takes is a switch in the lesson material to make it more interesting, easier or challenging, depending on what your child needs.

Of course, even if your child loves music, they may not be ready for formal lessons until they are a little older. It may be tempting to force your child to stick with the lessons to learn discipline and responsibility. However, keep in mind that if you force them before they are ready, they may start to resent music.

Think About Alternatives
If your child is too young, too small or just doesn’t seem to be taking an interest in formal lessons, try a different approach. There are many programs for kids that simply engage them in discovering music, without a formal lesson plan. Children can bang on the drums, sing along to songs, or simply explore different instruments.

To conclude, remember that when it comes to making a decision for your child, it’s best to follow your intuition. If you think your child is ready, look into it. If you don’t, wait until you are sure. By waiting until the right time, you’ll ensure a worthwhile experience for both you and your child.

Amanda Williams is a staff member and blogger for TakeLessons. Since 2006, TakeLessons has helped thousands of students discover their passion through music, by matching them with the top local music teachers across the nation. These certified music instructors specialize in teaching guitar, piano, singing and more.

Weekly Family Meetings To The Rescue

2013-03-10T17:16:09Z

In the business world, it is very common – if not expected – to have weekly office meetings to check in, delegate tasks, assess project progress, identify areas that need improvement and so on. Has it ever occurred to you that your family could benefit from this same sort of concept? I have been reading Family Inc: Office-Inspired Solutions to Reduce the Chaos in Your Home (and Save Your Sanity!)
and I can not believe how a few simple changes have already made such a huge impact in our family life.

When my kids were younger, I did all the meal planning, the majority of the cleaning, planning their schedules and keeping the peace. But now, I have a high school junior who can drive, has a job, does sports and has a girlfriend. I have a high school freshman who volunteers at the hospital twice a week, plays sports and has a busy social life. And I have a 5th grader who is just as busy as her brother and sister. That doesn’t include my commitments and my husband’s either. It was starting to get crazy around here and I was feeling like the single point of failure for the entire house – not good!

It was time for a change and I had read just enough of Family, Inc. to get started pulling it all back together.

We have started having family meetings on Sunday evenings. In addition to using this time to get everyone’s schedule on paper and deconflict any transportation issues, we also talk about things that need to be purchased, each person picks a daily task to be responsible for and each person picks a bigger weekly project/chore to tackle. We plan the menu for the week and plan fun, too. Once the draft plan is agreed upon, my youngest and I put it together into one big chart and off it goes – to the refrigerator for the week so there are no questions.

Topics we cover in the family meeting:

Schedules by person by day
Dinner plans for each day
Chores that need to be done daily
Chores/bigger house related projects we need done that week
What needs to be spent – from who needs new shoes to which cars need gas
What everyone has planned for fun
Allowances for the previous week are given out during this time, too – so we don’t forget and end up with huge IOUs to the kids.

We are three weeks into the new way of thinking and it has been so much more calm around here! Everyone seems to be more respectful of each other’s needs, daily chores are getting done without a fight, and some big things like cleaning out the refrigerator and dusting ceilings fans are getting done, too.

How do you manage schedules and management of family obligations in your house?

Infographic: Most Dangerous Countries to Drive In and Other Interesting Driving Facts

2013-03-07T17:19:46Z

Having just gone through a very humbling Driver’s License Ceremony (not sure if that is what you would call it) with my 16 year old son, where a Judge addressed a room full of new drivers and their parents and talked about the importance of safe driving, I find the infographic below interesting and in some cases frightening.

Via: InsuranceCheap

Unfortunately we live in the outskirts of what is considered to be the city with the MOST dangerous drivers!

The Judge did cover all the basic safe driving topics, but the one thing he made clear to the new drivers that I found interesting is that while some accidents occur as the result of inexperienced driving or someone else’s poor decisions, the MAJORITY of accidents are the result of BAD DECISIONS such as speeding, alcohol/drugs, and texting while driving. Those are conscious decisions drivers make – if you end up in court as the result of an accident and one of those things was a major factor – do not expect leniency from the courts!

I encourage you to share this infographic with your young drivers and talk about the difference between an “accident” and a “poor decision!”

10 Yummy Gluten Free Baking Mixes

2013-02-25T20:09:33Z

One of the things I worried about most when I first decided to eat a gluten free diet was figuring out what “substitutes” tasted good and which ones didn’t. Luckily, I had a lot of advanced experience because my brother’s family has been gluten free for years and any time we get together for family events, they were always gluten free. Over the past year I have just about got my gluten free pantry stocked, have decided what mixes I like, which ones I don’t and where to find them – either locally or online.

Abe’s Market has been a great find on this journey – not only do they carry a large selection of gluten free ingredients, mixes and snacks, but they have plenty of other specialty food, environmentally friendly products for your home and even gifts you just don’t find everywhere. Below are my favorite baking mixes from Abe’s Market that I have personally tried and keep in my pantry. Oh, and use WINTER20 to take 20% off everything at Abe’s Market until March 15th!

Have you tried any of these gluten free mixes? Do you have a favorite? The King Arthur Gluten Free mixes are by far my favorite, but the best Carrot Cake I ever had was made from a Pamela’s mix. My recommendation is to try a few different brands and see which ones suit you best!

PS – Don’t forget – Use the coupon code WINTER20 to take 20% off everything at Abe’s Market until March 15th!

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip and Walnut Cookies

2013-01-31T12:41:41Z

I have shared my love for King Arthur Gluten Free Cookie Mix before, but I just had to share it again!!

Yesterday afternoon my sweet 11 year old daughter decided that I needed a treat and asked to make me gluten free chocolate chip cookies. And what kind of Mom would I be if I said, “no?”

She used the King Arthur Gluten Free Cookie Mix (I buy it online at Abe’s Market because finding it in my local stores is really hit or miss), 2 cups of chocolate chips and 1 cup of chopped walnuts – YUM!! The cookies baked up nice and soft. And then they passed the ultimate test – the 16 year old boy test – who quickly gave them a two thumbs up as he poured himself a big glass of milk and helped himself to a stack of the cookies.

Thank you King Arthur Flour for making such awesome gluten free mixes!