Special Needs, Natural Living, and Figuring Out What Really Matters

Special Needs, Natural Living, and Figuring Out What Really Matters

Guest post by Virginia Miner

A little over six months ago, my husband stepped off an airplane with our brand new daughter, whom we adopted from what was one of the worst orphanages in the EU.

Ana was nearly 13 years old and weighed 24 pounds, not due to her birth diagnosis of cerebral palsy, but rather to the neglect and abuse she had suffered for over a decade. She has a variety of special needs.

Ana has been with us for 6 months, but we started the adoption process 25 months before she entered our home.

I had lots of time to think about how to care for her, and how that would fit with my very strong preference for natural food, body care, and health care.

Some stuff has been easy. Because I don’t use random chemical cleaners, she doesn’t have exposure to such things in our home. I don’t use care products with fake fragrances, but use things like my Shea butter lotion and essential oils.

Ana gets comfy magnesium baths to help her calm down at night, and if she is ill, I always use natural remedies rather than anything over-the-counter. It is especially important to me to avoid OTC stuff because of her low body weight and unknown medical history.

Those things are the low hanging fruit; the lifestyle habits that are easy to extend to another family member.

Food, on the other hand, has caused many more struggles. Way back before Ana was in our home, I thought to myself, “What she really needs is the GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome, described by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride) diet.”

I still think that’s true, but ideals aren’t always achievable.

At first Ana would only eat sweet things; fruit pouches, vanilla Pediasure, baby food… All the things that make my foodie heart cringe. She is not able to drink unthickened liquids due to low muscle tone in her mouth, and she is unable to spoon feed herself, so finding ways for her to get adequate nutrition and hydration was nerve-wracking.

Her gastroenterologist was all about Pediasure (oh, the horrors!) so I decided to figure out if I could clone its good properties. That was when we discovered sweet potatoes.

Ana loved sweet potatoes and I doctored them with coconut oil, collagen powder, bone broth, and other meat and veggies. If it was all blended up in the blender she would happily eat it without complaint. For about three months she was on the sweet potato diet and over that period she gained 10 lbs, going from weighing as much as my 1-year-old son to weighing as much as my 3-year-old son. My natural foodie mama heart was so proud.

And then Ana quit eating. She lost weight, gagged on anything in her mouth, and we had a nasogastric feeding tube placed to keep her alive while we figure out what’s going on with her eating. And what did they recommend that we pump through her tube three times a day? Pediasure.

Oh, how I have struggled.

What was going on? I was giving her good nutrition- why did that have to stop?

I think God is trying to teach me what’s really important, and it’s not actually food. Real food is great, but it has no moral value.

Pouring Pediasure into Ana’s feeding pump is not a sin. She is in a family, not alone in a crib. She is fed and hydrated, not just barely kept alive.

My job is to trust God with Ana (and my little boys) and not rely on my natural foodie skills to get us through every bump.

Truly, God is in control and I am not, and that is a very good thing.

Have circumstances ever forced you to compromise things you thought were so important? How did you respond?

Virginia is a child of God, a wife to her high school sweetheart, and a mother to three children. A musician by training, she now spends her time preparing delicious food, trying to get her children to eat said delicious food, and then scrubbing the same delicious food off the floor and washing it out of garments. She is in the process of improving her backyard garden so that the food she makes can be even more delicious. In her spare time (haha) she loves reading, playing with her cute kids, and hanging out with her awesome husband. Connect with her on her blog.

Original article and pictures take redandhoney.com site

Sore Throat Spray and Gargle

Sore Throat Spray and Gargle

Sore throats are no fun, really.

I know I didn’t need to tell you that, you already knew that having a sore throat is one of the worst, yucky feelings there are. Of course, you could spray your throat with an OTC throat spray and that does help quite a bit. You could suck on sore throat drops, and that can also help with a cough. But, what about something that is just as effective but more gentle?

In our family, the transition between summer and fall is when allergies, sore throats and coughs hit hard.

I haven’t been able to pinpoint WHAT the allergies are, but it happens every year between mid August and mid September. When Mr. Hippy came down with is sore throat and cough that almost happens every year at this time, he needed something fast. So, here’s the sore throat spray and gargle we make:

15 g elderberry(immune support)

3 g lavender (calming, anti-bacterial)

3 g lemon balm (anti-inflammatory, sedative)

1 cup (8 oz) water

infuse the herbs by mixing together in a cup, adding the boiling water and allowing to steep for 20 minutes. Strain, and then add

2 T. apple cider vinegar (soothing to the throat)

1 T. raw honey (soothing to the throat)

Stir to mix. We gargle with 1-2 T. every hour or so, as long as the sore throat persists.

You could also place this in a spray bottle and spray the back of the throat with 2-3 sprays as needed. This would be safe for children and adults, over the age of 2 (due to the possibility of choking when sprayed at the back of the throat)

Be sure to pin this to your favorite board for later

Original article and pictures take thehomesteadinghippy.com site

Sneaking veggies round-up

Sneaking veggies round-up

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I saw an article in the Chicago tribune , discussing whether hiding vegetables in your kids food is a good idea. I found it interesting. I am going to admit this now. Even though my husband and I tend to eat healthy, we still struggle with getting our almost two-year old to eat his vegetables. Now that he is almost two, he is becoming even more defiant. There are days when he takes one look at the vegetables on his plate and flat-out throws them on the floor. ( He is punished accordingly as appropriate as we know how to punish a two-year old)

We still have A LOT of work to do. I still believe that as he continues to watch us eat healthy, he will still improve. He has gotten better at, at least TRYING each thing on his plate before he decides he doesn’t like it.

I am not necessarily a huge fan of hiding vegetables in just cookies and then using those to supplement this issue. But if you take time ( as I did) to browse the internet, there are some fun and healthy ways to get your kids to eat their veggies without necessarily ” ticking” them into thinking that they are eating a cookie or cake”.

I find that perhaps changing the texture of the vegetable is all I need to get my son to like it.

I have rounded up some fun ways for kids to enjoy vegetables. The ( Kind of) Sneaky way.

Us Mom’s can be pretty sneaky, you know.

10) Learn how to make Roasted Cauliflower ” Cheese” Mac and Cheese at this blog

12 And i will give you 1 sweet one… Spinach/ Carrot Brownies from Mommy Trade Tricks

I hope you like this collection. If you have a recipe that hides vegetables or a vegetable dish more kids friendly, please feel free to link it in the comment section. I will give you a shout out to my Facebook community as well:)

Original article and pictures take makethebestofeverything.com site

Smoothies for Every Season {25+ Unique Smoothie Recipes for All Year Long!}

Smoothies for Every Season {25+ Unique Smoothie Recipes for All Year Long!}

It’s no secret that I LOVE smoothies.

But one thing I’ve noticed is that I easily get in a rut with making the same smoothies over an over again.

I toss in some spinach, some berries, a banana and either water or almond milk–and call it a day.

To spice things up a bit, I decided to curate a list of unique smoothie recipes for each season of the year. My state of North Carolina actually experiences every bit of fall, winter, spring and summer…and I’m excited to try each of these out this year!

With this round-up of smoothie recipes, I’ve tried to focus on the foods that are in season–which will actually make these smoothies even cheaper to whip up!

Smoothies for Fall

Pumpkins and apples reign fall, and these smoothie recipes leave nothing to be desired!

Peanut Butter Banana Apple Smoothie @ Kevin and Amanda

Pumpkin Cream Smoothie @ The Humbled Homemaker

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake @ Crumbs and Chaos

Creamy Pumpkin-Cranberry Smoothie @ Tessa The Domestic Diva

Apple Pie Smoothie @ Kitchen Stewardship

Applecado Smoothie @ Keeper of the Home

Smoothies for Winter

These smoothies include winter greens and citrus fruits–along with pomegranate and cranberries. And check out the yummy holiday favorite mixed in!

Sweet and Simple Winter Detox Juice @ More Than Mundane

Creamy Clementine Smoothie @ The Humbled Homemaker

Mango Turmeric Vitamin C Smoothie @ Live Simply

Real Food Eggnog Smoothie @ Don’t Waste the Crumbs

Pomberry Smoothie @ Tradishen

Smoothies for Spring

Spring greens, cherries–and I didn’t even realize until I was researching this post that kiwi, papaya and grapefruit are considered in season in the spring as well!

Cherry Mango Water Kefir Smoothie @ The Humbled Homemaker

Detox Smoothie @ Gimme Some Oven

Green Monster Spinach Smoothie @ Iowa Girl Eats

Strawberry-Grapefruit Smoothie @ Whole Living

Kiwi Berry Punch @ Simple Green Smoothies

Smoothies for Summer

Berries galore, plus mango, watermelon and peaches rule these summer smoothie creations!

Creamy Raspberry Vanilla Smoothie @ The Nourishing Home

Strawberry Avocado Smoothie @ The Corner Kitchen

Blueberry-Banana Green Tea Smoothie @ The Humbled Homemaker

Strawberry Watermelon Slushies @ Live Renewed

Triple Berry Smoothie @ The Humbled Homemaker

Bonus Smoothies: Anytime of the Year

These smoothies are not season-specific, but they look oh-so-yummy (and I know my peanut butter one is absolutely delish!).

Skinny Oatmeal Cookie Smoothie @ Gimme Some Oven

Healthy Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie @ Happy Food, Healthy Life

Thick Peanut Butter Smoothie @ The Humbled Homemaker

Need even more smoothie inspiration? My friend Stephanie over at Keeper of the Home recently published a post with a month of smoothie recipes!

My Favorite Smoothie Making Machine

Did you hear the news?! Blendtec recently gifted me with one of their phenomenal blenders, and I’ve been BLOWN away by how powerful it is compared to my Ninja Pro!

I know not everyone can afford a high-end blender (I know I couldn’t!), but if you make smoothies often–or need a food processor/blender all-in-one–a Blendtec is worth saving your pennies for! Read why the Blendtec is my favorite kitchen appliance ever!

What are your favorite smoothie recipes?

Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post. Thank you for supporting my site!

Original article and pictures take thehumbledhomemaker.com site

Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup

Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup

This delicious Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup Recipe has quickly become a family favorite. If you love stuffed peppers, you need to try this soup!

Cris here.

We love this soup. And, by we I mean everyone but especially Miss Add. She loved it so much that she asked me to pack it in her lunch all week!

Cookin’ Cris’ Dishes Cooking Show: Crock Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup

NOW UPDATED with Cooking Show Video!

So I threw all the leftovers in my favorite individual soup containers and sent them right along with her much to her delight!

Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup

The base of this soup starts with browned ground beef and onion and layers in the flavors of the peppers, tomatoes and broth to make a fantastic soup that will have everyone coming back for more!

We used one of our favorite varieties of diced tomatoes in this soup to give it some added flavor. Both the Basil, Oregano and Garlic and Roasted Garlic with Onions varieties would be fantastic in this soup.

Which Slow Cooker to Use?

I’m often asked which slow cooker I would use for a specific recipe. Since there is a browning step involved in this recipe, I love to use my one of my favorite stove-top safe slow cookers that let you take the crock straight from cooking on the stove and throw into you slow cooker and continue cooking. One dish to clean up (vs. the crock AND a skillet) and anyone who knows me, knows I am ALL for that! Also– love the non-stick surface of this slow cooker.

But now that I also have an automatic stirring slow cooker that I love for soups like this!

Quick Cooking Video: Slow Cooker Stuffed Pepper Soup

We also have a quickie video of this recipe:

Note: If the video isn’t loading properly, you can watch it by clicking the button below.

Affiliate links were used in this post.

This recipe was shared on The Weekend Potluck.

Original article and pictures take www.recipesthatcrock.com site

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili

Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Chili

This buffalo chicken chili is velvety, rich, and creamy. It’s hearty and filling, packed with lean protein. You can make this in your slow cooker!

Guest post by Kelley of Lavender and Cream

A buffalo chicken recipe is like a little black dress…it’s always “in,” and it always impresses. It’s a winning combination of two simple (yet delicious) ingredients that sends me over the moon.

Some people fawn over their lovers; I get doe-eyed for buffalo sauce.

Whenever I see a new buffalo recipe on Pinterest, you better believe I’m trying it immediately. Everything from buffalo wing hummus, to buffalo cauliflower–you name it, I’ve eaten it! But one thing I hadn’t tried before? Mixing buffalo sauce with chili.

I knew I had to use ground chicken (no brainer). But how would I transform buffalo sauce into a stew? Surprisingly, it was simple.

Not only is this delicious, but it’s a healthy recipe. In fact, it’s deceivingly healthy. This buffalo chicken chili is velvety, rich, and creamy. It’s hearty and filling, packed with lean protein. It tastes so incredibly indulgent–without the guilt.

My secret? Low-fat cream cheese. It gives the sauce a heft and thickness without all the added calories and fat.*

Another selling point? This is a slow cooker recipe. It doesn’t get any easier than this one–toss all the ingredients into your Crock Pot, turn it on low and let the sweet (actually, spicy) smell of buffalo sauce permeate your home.

Can’t you smell it already?! Ahhh…buffalo sauce.

Note from Erin: If you’re looking for a place to get affordable chicken in bulk, check out Zaycon Foods. I have been getting chicken breasts there for as low as $1.69/lb! Zaycon also carries other meats, including wild Argentine shrimp! Their prices are typically a fraction of the price you would pay in the grocery store! Check out Zaycon here. You can also earn Zaycon credits with each new customer YOU refer: $5 the first time they order and pick up at a sales event, $1 every order after that. There’s no limit to how many friends you can refer and how much you can earn!

What’s your favorite way to eat buffalo sauce?

Hi, I’m Kelley! I’m a freelance writer, social media enthusiast, food lover, and blogger at Lavender & Cream. My blog focuses on nutritious food that tastes amazing, as well as healthy lifestyle tips and weight loss encouragement. You can follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Original article and pictures take thehumbledhomemaker.com site

Slow Cooker “Cabbage Patch” Detox Soup

Slow Cooker “Cabbage Patch” Detox Soup

Raise your hand if you may have overdone it just a little bit with the sugar cookies, fudge, and booze over the holidays?!? While those treats taste great as we’re enjoying them, they often leave us feeling lethargic, puffy, and cranky. That’s no way to start the New Year! Instead of starving yourself or crash dieting, how about getting back on track with a balanced lifestyle…starting with this Slow Cooker “Cabbage Patch” Detox Soup? It’s an easy and delicious way to treat your body as it deserves to be treated — nourished, valued, and loved.

When I call this a “detox soup,” I don’t mean the kind of detox soup that tastes like garbage and leaves you in a perpetual state of hunger. Nope, not here! Instead, I prefer to load up on satisfying, filling, real food ingredients that fuel my body, give me energy, and keep me full until the next snack or mealtime. We’re detoxing from the junk — nothing artificial in here, nothing that will spike your blood sugar, and nothing with empty calories. Just wholesome, delicious nutrition!

I love that you only need 10 minutes to toss the ingredients into a Crock Pot, and then you can come home to a healthy dinner or easy lunch that’s high in protein, full of filling fiber, and loaded with veggies! This is a great option to throw together on the weekend so that you can stock your fridge or freezer with quick meals for the week ahead. I serve my soup with a side of avocado toast for healthy filling fat to round out the meal, but that’s just my preference. A grilled cheese sandwich would also be tasty for dunking!

I based this recipe on my grandmother’s classic Hamburger Soup, which she used as her own “detox soup” for years. If you prefer a vegan option, I’ve noted those simple swaps in the recipe, too.

And as you recover from the holidays and work to get your diet back on track, just remember that it’s all about balance. Nourish your body with a giant bowl of Cabbage Patch Detox Soup, get some exercise and fresh air, read a good book, enjoy time with friends, and treat yourself to your favorite indulgences. There’s nothing wrong with a cookie or some chocolate — especially after a big bowl of soup!

Cooking Just for Two? Cut the recipe in half to make 4 or 5 servings, and freeze any extra soup that you don’t want to enjoy right away. It keeps in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months!

Original article and pictures take www.theseasonedmom.com site