Looking for simple dinner? This is a tasty dish that is perfect for a spring evening by yourself or a dinner party with friends (in which case, you could pair it with a beautiful glass of Sauvignon Blanc!). It has the appeal of comfort food, but it’s definitely good for you—healthy fats, lots of green, and quinoa…all great things for you body. Enjoy!

Ingredients
Serves 2

For the fish:

• 2 pieces of wild salmon, around 5 ounces each (I’ve used salmon, but you can use any fish you like – check out Seafood Watch to see which catch is safest for you and the ocean)

For the herb salad (organic ingredients when possible):

• Small handful of picked mint leaves
• Small handful of picked basil leaves
• Small handful of picked basil leaves
• ½ teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

* Make this super simple dressing for the salad in a bowl; set aside until later.

For the Quinoa (organic ingredients when possible):

• ½ cup quinoa
• 1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced (I use a Microplane for this, but if you don’t have one, no worries)
• ½ cup diced celery (about 2 celery stalks)
• ¾ cup peas (feel free to use organic frozen ones if you can’t find fresh)
• 1 lemon
• Sea Salt (I try to use Maldon Salt whenever I can)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon of agave nectar (honey is totally fine if you don’t have agave nectar)
• 1 ½ (or more if you prefer) ounces fresh goat cheese, broken up into smaller pieces
• Medium size handful each of mint, basil, and parsley

Directions

1.         I like to toast my quinoa first, but it’s not necessary. It adds a nice nutty dimension to the quinoa. To do it, move the raw quinoa around in a dry skillet over a medium-high heat for about a minute. You’ll be able to smell the nuttiness that I was referring to. Then add the quinoa straight into a pot of boiling water. If you’re not toasting the quinoa, just start here. I cook my quinoa like pasta—in boiling water and drained. I usually cook it for just over 10 minutes, so that it’s cooked but still has a little bite.

2.         In a separate saucepan, heat up the extra virgin olive oil over a medium to low heat and add the onion and garlic. I like to keep the heat low here. The objective is to not let it color, but to make it soft and translucent.

3.         After about 2 minutes, add the celery along with half the lemon zest and a little bit of salt. Continue cooking over a low heat for another 3 minutes, or until the celery has become soft. It should still have some bite, and keep its lovely green color though.

4.         Then add the peas over the same heat for a further 2 minutes or so, until they are just cooked and still bright green.

5.         By this point, your quinoa should be just about ready, so drain that, and add it to the pea mix and remove it from the heat.

6.         Now is a good time to cook the fish, so just heat a minimal amount of extra virgin olive oil up in a pan and add the fish and cook on medium-high heat. I like mine pink in the middle (salmon can be served medium rare*), so do less than a minute on each side in a hot pan. However, adjust cooking time if you prefer well done (about 4 minutes on each side). Season with salt and pepper as you go.

7.         When you’re fish is done, and you’re ready to plate, add the fresh herbs to the saucepan with the quinoa, along with the other half of the lemon zest, a good squeeze of lemon, salt, and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Then add the goat cheese and give it a good stir.

8.         Taste for seasoning, making sure there is enough beautiful lemon in there to lift everything up.

9.         To plate, spoon the quinoa mix onto a plate and top with the salmon. Then quickly toss the herb salad in the dressing you made earlier and scatter over the salmon.

10.        Enjoy!

*Because the salmon is cooked to your liking, remember that consuming raw or undercooked seafood may increase your risk of foodborne illness. If you have any dietary questions, you should seek the advice of your physician or other health care provider.

~ Chef Jane Coxwell 

Chef Jane Coxwell believes the best meals come from thinking and caring about who will be eating them. Starting with a beautiful, approachable recipe means you can enjoy the process, which will make your food taste better.  The result is food that is colorful, vibrant and balanced without being fussy or demanding. Jane completed her culinary training in her native South Africa. She then traveled to France to begin work in the yachting industry, where she saw the opportunity to be involved in every aspect of a meal: buying the food, cooking it, plating it, and having direct contact with who she cooked for. She served as Executive Chef at Hall Wines in the Napa Valley, run by former US Ambassador to Austria Kathryn Hall and her husband Craig Hall. After cooking on their yacht, Jane was asked to cook for Clinton fundraisers and other events at the Napa winery. In 2009, Jane joined Eos, Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg’s sailing yacht. 

This is part of our ongoing series helping consumers better understand chemicals, chemistry, and product formulations. We translate the science, bust the myths, and give you an honest assessment, so you can make informed choices for your family!

Ingredient: Silver Dihydrogen Citrate (SDC)

What it is: Ionic silver in a citric acid solution.

What it does: Fights bacteria. Most personal care products are made with a lot of water and a variety of nutrients (consider all of the natural oils and botanicals in Honest products!) which make an incredibly hospitable breeding ground for microorganisms. What’s worse – the product might smell and look just fine, but be swarming with bacteria or fungi that are dangerous to your health. Effective preservatives are vital for ensuring safety!

Why we use it: Preservatives are especially difficult to formulate because they have to be strong enough to kill bacteria, but they also can’t impact the effectiveness of other ingredients. Of course, for The Honest Company, safety is key. Most conventional preservatives are linked to things like hormone disruption and even cancer. We were thrilled to discover SDC which is non-toxic, non-irritating, colorless, and odorless. In fact, based on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) toxicity categorization of antimicrobial products that ranges from Category I (high toxicity) down to Category IV, SDC is rated in the lowest toxicity category (comparable to tap water), while conventional preservatives typically fall into Categories I and II.

Another awesome feature of SDC is that it doesn’t appear capable of promoting antibacterial-resistant strains of microbes (a disturbing side-effect of many preservatives). According to Professor Simon Silver of the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Illinois,  “while bacteria have the genetic ability to develop a resistance to silver, they almost never do.”  In an interview with Forbes, Silver says that in “30 years of research, he has heard of it happening only twice. And as soon as the resistance develops, it quickly disappears because the kind of change required to protect against silver weakens the microbe dramatically.”

Why we’re featuring it today: Simply put, we get a lot of questions about SDC – particularly about its toxicity and whether or not it’s made with nanoparticles. We want to put your minds at rest on this one, so here are some additional details about SDC.

In regards to toxicity, hopefully the information above about its EPA categorization helps demonstrate how safe this ingredient is, but here’s a little more evidence just to emphasize the point:

• Silver is not on California’s Prop 65 list of carcinogens, reproductive toxins, or developmental toxins and there are no data indicating that silver causes developmental toxicity.

• Silver compounds are not skin or eye irritants or sensitizers and are not classified as “asthmagens” (respiratory sensitizers) by the Association of Occupational and Environmental Clinics or other sources.

• In a scientific review conducted by the EU’s Scientific Committee on Consumer Products, they deemed SDC to be non-toxic by oral exposure, non-toxic by dermal exposure, non-irritating, and that it’s not a skin sensitizer. (Though, they do call for additional testing for long-term impacts given the increased use of this ingredient.)

• The World Health Organization assessed the safety of using silver compounds for sanitizing drinking water and concluded that there have been no reports of toxic effects resulting from the exposure of healthy persons to silver.

In regards to SDC using nanoparticles, this simply isn’t the case. SDC uses ionic silver whereas silver nanoparticles are metallic silver. What’s the difference? Well, ionic silver is single atoms of silver that have lost an electron leaving them with a net positive charge. Metallic silver nanoparticles (aka “Nano Silver”) consist of many silver atoms (that have their electrons in tact) clustered together to form a particle 1-100 nanometers in size.

You’re probably thinking “what the huh?” We understand. It took us quite some time to understand it all, too. Without going into a full chemistry lesson, just let it be known they’re very different – in size AND in how they behave.

Fundamentally, ionic silver’s positive charge makes it naturally attract pathogens (which are almost all negatively charged) and then the ions absorb oxygen, which kills the bacteria by interfering with their respiration. This antimicrobial property, along with its non-toxicity, has given silver an essential role in medicine for thousands of years. And while for most of that time people didn’t understand why silver was so effective. We now know it’s the power of the ions!

Any other questions about SDC? Let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to answer them!

Christopher Gavigan (also a CEHC board member), Jessica Alba, and Dr. Landrigan (CEHC director who presented the award and helped edit Jessica’s book).

The Mt. Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Center (CEHC) honored co-founder Jessica Alba with the Champion for Children Award, recognizing her as a leader in the children’s environmental health movement. In front of a crowd of almost 800, Jessica shared how her personal experience with childhood illness—like severe asthma, allergies, and even kidney surgery—inspired her journey to ultimately advocate for toxic chemical reform and create The Honest Company.

Image courtesy of Mt. Sinai Hospital.

“It made me determined to create the safest, healthiest environment for my two little girls and children everywhere,” Jessica said. “The CEHC and director Dr. Philip Landrigan’s groundbreaking research have been a true source of inspiration for our work at Honest and my and new book, The Honest Life…. With [their] vision and commitment to the cause, we’ve been able to turn research into real action — providing solutions to childhood disease and spearheading meaningful regulatory reform.”

In their desire to discover and resolve why today’s children are suffering from diseases that were virtually unheard of a generation ago, the CEHC and Dr. Landrigan have made great strides in researching and identifying the environmental factors that cause them:

• Dr. Landrigan’s landmark discoveries on lead toxicity ultimately convinced the U.S. government to remove lead from gasoline and paint.

• Dr. Landrigan authored a groundbreaking report that found children to be uniquely susceptible to the effects of pesticides, changing public policy on pesticides and other toxic chemicals and serving as the blueprint for the only federal environmental law that contains explicit provisions for the protection of children.

• Currently, one in six American children suffers from a developmental disability; however, genetics alone accounts for only about one third of cases. With its Autism and Learning Disabilities Discovery and Prevention Project, the CEHC employs a multidisciplinary approach to discover the environmental causes of these common conditions.

• The CEHC’s Endocrine Disruptor Research Program examines the effects of exposures to BPA, phthalates, pesticides, and perchlorate on children’s health. Currently, it conducts two large pregnancy cohort studies that analyze the developmental effects of prenatal exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals. Researchers also study the impact of early exposures on childhood conditions like obesity, breast cancer risk, early onset of puberty, neurodevelopment, and reproductive outcomes.

• The CEHC has been able to ban BPA from baby bottles, sippy cups, formula, and receipt paper in areas of New York and Connecticut.

As leaders in the children’s environmental health movement, CEHC and Dr. Landrigan have truly made a difference.

The Honest Company was proud to sponsor and participate in the Greening Our Children Benefit Luncheon, work alongside other like-minded vendors at the Green Expo, host a Q&A with bloggers, and support CEHC initiatives through a silent auction. The afternoon was a great celebration of the CEHC mission, one Honest will continue to advance by exemplifying and promoting social, corporate, and government responsibility in children’s health.

To learn more about the CEHC, visit its Web site and check out these great resources for parents while you’re there.

Every spring, many of my patients walk into my office blood shot, teary eyed, sniffling, and stuffy.  Their seasonal allergies can be very debilitating to day-to-day activities and the medications can be sedative. In my practice, I offer people natural solutions to carry them through the spring and help them actually enjoy the season of renewal.

Natural therapies for seasonal allergies are geared towards three basic goals:

• Enhancing the liver’s ability to detoxify
• Reducing inflammation
• Reducing histamine levels

These tools provide relief without the extra chemicals, are non-sedative, and address the underlying cause of the liver’s inability to properly detoxify.

Our liver is our body’s filtration system that traps toxins entering the body through our respiratory system, digestive system, and skin. It is arguably the hardest working organ, as it’s constantly converting hazardous material into safer compounds to be excreted.

Our liver filters two quarts of blood per minute, extracting 99% of viruses, bacteria, environmental toxins, and more before recirculating it through the rest of the body. Pollen is considered an external offender by the body, so the liver packages it to be excreted as well.

Once filtered, these toxins need a way out.  Our body’s three exit strategies include the skin, urinary tract, and digestive tract.  If these areas are not optimally functioning, they will recirculate back to the liver.  Seasonal allergy symptoms are a result of the liver’s inability to keep up with the workload it is dealt.

Here are five strategies for dodging seasonal allergies:

1. Pour a Cup of Nettles Tea

Nettles tea remains my number one seasonal allergy weapon. Nettles is an herb that specifically grows in the springtime for situations like allergies. It is highly nutritive to the liver, and studies have shown its ability to reduce histamine levels.  For most of my patients, this alone does the trick.

I usually prescribe 3-4 cups per day in the form of tea instead of capsules because the hydration helps flush toxins more efficiently. You can brew it ahead of time and drink it hot or cold.

2. Decongest – Bromelain & Quercitin

Bromelain is a compound found in pineapples, and quercitin is a compound found in various fruits and vegetables. These antioxidant compounds combat congestion in the nasal cavities and chest by stabilizing immune cells and reducing inflammation. These both typically come in the form of capsules.

3. Up Your Fiber

The average American gets a total of 15 grams of fiber per day, where primal predecessors were getting upwards of 120 grams of fiber per day. Fiber assists in regular bowel movements and also binds to toxins for excretion. Increasing your daily intake of vegetables, seeds, and whole grains improves detoxification and chronic disease in the long term.

4. Adequate Hydration

By drinking plenty of caffeine-free fluids, your body is better able to flush toxins from your system. To determine hydration repletion, the general rule is to drink half your body weight in ounces of water per day. Herbal teas (including nettles tea mentioned above) can count towards your daily water goal.  For every cup of caffeinated beverage you consume, it’s best to add an extra cup of water to compensate for dehydration.

5. Break a Sweat Daily

This can be a double-edged sword for allergy sufferers. You may want to exercise outside, but you have a flare up every time you try. Consider exercising indoors until you have a handle on your allergies. Our skin is our largest organ and sweat is a great vehicle for excreting toxins. Aside from exercise, dry saunas are another tool for enhancing detoxification if you have the access.

The content presented above is for informational purposes. Please consult with your doctor if you are interested in implementing any of these suggestions to ensure it is safe for your personal health care needs.

- Dr. Thalia Farshchian, N.D.

Dr. Thalia Farshchian is a Naturopathic doctor. As an expert in women’s health, digestive conditions, hormone conditions, autoimmune disease, weight loss, and environmental medicine, Dr. Thalia’s extensive health toolbox includes herbal medicine, diet and nutritional supplements, lifestyle modification, intravenous therapy, bio-identical hormones, and conventional medications when necessary. You can follow Dr. Thalia on her Web site, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter (@DrThaliaND) where she regularly posts her medical insights, recipes, and latest findings in healthy living. 

This post is solely for informational purposes. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for medical advice. Before undertaking any course of treatment or dietary changes, you should seek the advice of your physician or other health care provider.

This sleek, classic men’s wallet makes for a timeless gift for dads, grads, or the minimalist-loving guy in your life. Handmade by MotorStreet, an Etsy artisan, the wallet/thin card case is built to last. The leather is hand-picked, stitched, treated, packaged, and sent. The designer shares, “I love knowing that every item I make will find a good home.” We love that, too.

Image by MotorStreet

We spend a lot of time thinking about every ingredient that we include in our formulas, and wanted to share some of the exciting things we’ve learned about lavender (which is currently used in our Lip Balm and brand new Healing Balm). It’s a delicate little flower with some amazing super powers!

Here’s a little about what we’ve learned…

Lavender essential oils have been used both cosmetically and therapeutically for centuries and are considered to be some of the mildest of known plant essential oils. Since it’s been used for so long, there’s oodles of anecdotal evidence, but what do the scientific studies say? Although some of the data is still inconclusive, there does seem to be both scientific and clinical evidence revealing some pretty exciting stuff:

• Research shows that using lavender oil on the skin helps numb pain and heal wounds (cuts, sores, abrasions, burns, stings, etc.). It works wonders on the skin, alleviating acne, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, rashes, and stretch marks.
• Other probable benefits that need additional research include antibacterial benefits, blemish control, skin cancer prevention, and the ability to counter the damaging effects of UV radiation and inhibit allergic reactions. Awesome!
• In addition to the benefits to skin health, ample research has also confirmed that the scent of lavender produces calming, soothing, and sedative effects.

During our research, we also found various Web sites expressing concern over the use of lavender – primarily because of estrogenic properties and cases of contact dermatitis. So, we looked into that, too – and here’s what we found:

In 2007, several doctors released a brief report linking tea tree and lavender oil to male prepubertal gynecomastia (breast growth) because three boys who were using products containing these ingredients were diagnosed with the condition. Since then, the report has been mentioned widely online and has caused much confusion and, we’d say, unnecessary worry.

There were many flaws in this report including:

• This wasn’t an actual study and the conclusion the doctors made was based on an extremely limited sample.
• There was no analysis of the individual products the boys were using, so there’s no way to be sure it was actually the lavender oil or some other ingredient or contaminant (with more evidence of potential hormone disruption) like parabens, phthalates, or pesticides – all common in conventional care products.
• The report stated that once the boys stopped using products with these oils, the effects completely disappeared, so it seems as though whatever the culprit, it was more like a rare allergy than anything inherently toxic about the products.

What about other testing for estrogenic impacts? Well, there was a follow-up test that indicated a hormonal effect, but it was in vitro (test tube) testing which simply doesn’t translate to actual human exposure. (Also, it should be noted that over 4,000 components of plants have shown some degree of hormonal effect – that’s just the chemistry of nature and life!)  Another follow-up study testing lavender oil as it might impact humans in real life exposures (using the model regarded as the “gold-standard in vivo test for estrogenic activity”) showed NO evidence of estrogenic activity.

And, what about contact dermatitis?

Well, skin allergies to lavender oil can happen, but it appears quite rare – and might possibly be due to oxidization (which happens when the oil is stored improperly). Considering that lavender is one of the most widely used essential oils and the cases of reported allergic reactions are so few and far between, we really don’t feel it should be considered an irritant. (Though, please consult your family doctor if you’re still concerned about it.)

All in all, the long list (and evidence) of benefits far outweighs the concerns of risk – and we’re excited to include it in some of our newest formulations!

References

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Cassella S, Cassella JP, Smith I 2002 Synergistic antifungal activity of tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oils against dermatophyte infection. The International Journal of Aromatherapy 12(1):2-15

Cavanagh H, Wilkinson J 2002 Biological activities of lavender essential oil. Phytotherapy Research 16(4):301–308

Cherng J-M, Shieh D-E, Chiang W 2007 Chemopreventive effects of minor dietary constituents in common foods on human cancer cells. Bioscience, Biotechnology & Biochemistry 71:1500-1504

D’Auria FD, Tecca M, Strippoli V et al 2005 Antifungal activity of Lavandula angustifolia essential oil against Candida albicans yeast and mycelial form. Medical Mycology 43:391-396

Edwards-Jones V, Buck R, Shawcross SG et al 2004  The effect of essential oils on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus using a dressing model. Burns 30:772-777

Gattefossé RM 1993 Gattefossé’s aromatherapy.  CW Daniel, Saffron Walden

Ghelardini C, Galeotti N, Salvatore G et al 1999 Local anaesthetic activity of the essential oil of Lavandula angustifolia. Planta Medica 65:700-703

Goiriz R, Delgado-Jimenez Y, Sanchez-Perez J et al 2007 Photoallergic contact dermatitis from lavender oil in topical ketoprofen. Contact Dermatitis 57:381-382

Gould MN, Malzman TH, Tanner MA et al 1987 Anticarcinogenic effects of terpenoids in orange peel oil. Proceedings of the 78^th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 28:153

Guba R 1998/1999 Wound healing: a pilot study using an essential oil-based cream to heal dermal wounds and ulcers. The International Journal of Aromatherapy 9(2):67-74

Hartman D, Coetzee JC 2002 Two US practitioners’ experience of using essential oils for wound care. Journal of Wound Care 11(8):317-320

Henley D et al 2007 Prepubertal gynecomastia linked to lavender and tea tree oil. New England Journal of Medicine 356: 479-485

Herz R 2009 Aromatherapy Facts and Fictions: A Scientific Analysis of Olfactory Effects on Mood, Physiology and Behavior International Journal of Neuroscience 119(2): 263-290

IFRA 2009 Standards, including amendments as of October 14^th 2009. International Fragrance Association, Brussels. http://www.ifraorg.org

Kerr J 2002 The use of essential oils in wound healing. The International Journal of Aromatherapy 12(4):202-206

Kim HM, Cho SH 1999 Lavender oil inhibits immediate-type allergic reaction in mice and rats. Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacology 51:221-226

Kunicka-Styczyńska A, Sikora M, Kalemba D 2009 Antimicrobial activity of lavender, tea tree and lemon oils in cosmetic preservative systems. Journal of Applied Microbiology 107:1903-1911

Kunicka-Styczyńska A, Sikora M, Kalemba D 2011 Lavender, tea tree and lemon oils as antimicrobials in washing liquids and soft body balms. International Journal of Cosmetic Science 33:53-61

Lis-Balchin M (Ed.) 2002 Lavender: The Genus Lavandula. Taylor & Francis, Inc.

Meneghini CL, Rantuccio F, Lomuto M 1971 Additives, vehicles and active drugs of topical medicaments as causes of delayed-type allergic dermatitis. Dermatologica 143:137-147

Opdyke DL J 1976 Monographs on fragrance raw materials. Food & Cosmetics Toxicology 14 supplement

Politano V et al 2013 Uterotrophic assay of percutaneous lavender oil in immature female rats. International Journal of Toxicology 32(2):123-129

Prashar A, Locke IC, Evans CS 2004 Cytotoxicity of lavender oil and its major components to human skin cells. Cell Proliferation 37:221-229

Sakurada T, Kuwahata H, Katsuyama S et al 2009 Intraplantar injection of bergamot essential oil into the mouse hindpaw: effects on capsaicin-induced nociceptive behaviors. International Review of Neurobiology 85:237-248

Sakurai H, Yasui H, Yamada Y et al 2005 Detection of reactive oxygen species in the skin of live mice and rats exposed to UVA light: a research review on chemiluminescence and trials for UVA protection. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences 4:715-720

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For the fourth and final Honestly Ultimate Baby Shower, we gathered to celebrate Los Angeles winner Jessica Turner for her dedication to family and friends—truly exemplifying the phrase “love thy neighbor.” Kidville Brentwood was transformed into a sweet hippo haven to honor Jessica and her husband as they prepare for the arrival of baby Jonah. For mom-to-be Jessica, the shower was a special moment to reflect on the meaning of Mother’s Day and the loving spirit of her adopted son’s mother, who unexpectedly passed away. The afternoon was full of love and community, and we’re grateful to have been a part of it.

Get to know a little bit more about Jessica in her own words…

Honest: What surprised you most about winning the Honestly Ultimate Baby Shower?  

Jessica: I am Honestly so shocked because I know how many deserving moms there are in the world and I never would have dreamed of being honored or recognized in this way. 

Honest: Would you share your favorite quote or excerpt from your friends’ nomination essays?

From my friend Traci’s essay: “Jessica has dedicated the past year to helping this little boy overcome his challenges and teach him how to serve others in the way that she has always selflessly dedicated her life to.”

From my friend Leigh’s essay: “She’s inspired me so much to pay it forward and do something selfless; I am now 11 weeks pregnant with my friend’s baby. I’m a surrogate because of Jessica and how she inspired me to do something bigger than myself.”

WOW.  So humbling!

Honest: Please share with us a little about your story and what it means to your family to win the shower.

Jessica: Almost a year and a half ago, one week before Christmas 2011, my downstairs neighbor and dear friend, Deanna collapsed in her home.  Her son, Sean, came running upstairs to tell me that his mom, a single mother, needed help.  When I found her, she was unresponsive and taking her very last breaths she would ever take on her own.  Deanna died just a few days later from a Pulmonary Embolism.  Sean has been with us since that night and after much discussion amongst our family and Sean’s, we decided to pursue permanent guardianship of Sean, which was granted in March of 2012.  It has been a tough year dealing with all of our emotions in the wake of our loss.  Sean had some pretty major behavioral problems that we have had to correct and also was incredibly far behind in school.  I am so proud to say that, today, Sean is thriving in all respects and we are honored to call him our son.  

Winning this shower was so unexpected and the word “humbling” doesn’t even come close to explaining it.  My husband works 3 jobs to provide for us… I have never seen a man so tirelessly commit himself to his family….To be spoiled a little bit is incredibly fun! We are so grateful!

Honest: What are you looking forward to most once your baby arrives?

Jessica: I am SO excited to see all of my boys together for the first time.  Our last experience as a family in a hospital was the most devastating experience of our lives. I can’t wait to deliver (at a different hospital of course) and have Sean and our 3-year-old Elijah come to the hospital to experience our joy and happiness as a family.  It will be such a positive thing for all of us to grow as a family together and I can’t wait until we are complete with Jonah in our arms!

Honest: What’s one piece of advice you’d share with other parents about creating a safe, healthy, and nurturing home?

Jessica: I think the most important thing you can do for your kids is to teach them compassion for others.  When your children can respect other people’s circumstances and recognize a person in need, they immediately become a valuable person to society.  We always stress to our kids that we go through things in life so that we have the opportunity in the future to help someone else go through the same things.  Sometimes the road gets bumpy… Life is not without many struggles but if we are there to hold the hands of those in need, we are serving God’s greater purpose for our lives.

Thank you so much for sharing our story!  XOXO

Play dough remains a childhood classic because what’s not to love about squashing, poking, pounding, rolling, and sculpting this flexible medium. But beyond being a fun afternoon activity, it’s a great learning tool for kids.

If you make your own, your children will avoid toxic ingredients (like PVCs softened with phthalates) and learn about science, math, and kitchen safety through cooking. They’ll expand their imagination with creative play by making figures and building their current obsessions (ponies or garbage trucks, anyone?). And their use of tools to cut, roll, or make an impression will teach them about shapes and improve their dexterity.

Did we mention that making your own worry-free natural version is easy to do at home, inexpensive, and fun for everyone? Here’s a classic stove top recipe that makes smooth, durable play dough—guaranteed to provide hours of entertainment.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/3 cup salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Natural food coloring

Directions

• Mix together all the ingredients, except the natural food coloring, in a saucepan.

• Stir over low-to-medium heat to cook.

• Once the dough begins to thicken, add the food coloring. Natural food coloring creates pretty pastels, but doesn’t produce the bright hues seen in conventional store-bought brands. If you want more than one color, divide the recipe equally from start to finish between two or more pots. Or consider making your own natural food coloring with homemade juice dyes. Simply combine a quarter cup of food (think bright ones like blueberries, beets, turmeric) with two cups of water, then simmer on low heat for an hour. Once done, cool, strain, and use it in your play dough recipe.

• Continue stirring until the mixture begins to gather around the spoon—it will be much thicker and start to take on a smooth texture.

• Remove the dough and cool on a plate or other non-stick surface.

• To extend the play dough’s shelf life, store it in an airtight container.

• And, of course, have fun! Check out this great post on 39 ideas for playing with play dough from Artful Parent. What would you add to that list?