You know I’m a big fan of elderberries. We’ve talked about them in the past. And they grow wild here in NEPA, so that’s a huge plus. But, even if they don’t grow in your area, you can purchase them dried pretty reasonably right here.
Elderberry Syrup is well known for it’s ability to boost the immune system and to fight coughs, colds, and flu. I make it regularly and Mike and I take a tablespoon (or so) of it most every day. Many recipes simmer the berries with cinnamon sticks, cloves, and ginger to add additional cold-fighting properties and make it taste even more yummy. These are fantastic and I always add them as well.
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Supercharge Your Elderberry Syrup
I love to forage and I’ve begun to wonder what other wild-foraged treasures could be added to my elderberry syrup to make it even more powerful – to supercharge it so to speak! While most of my additions may be foraged, they can also be purchased dried if they are not available in your area.
Rose hips – high in both vitamins C and A, rose hips are an immune booster and can help to prevent infections from both bacteria and viruses. If you can’t forage rose hips, purchase them here.
Juniper berries – have antiviral properties and have been used to treat bronchitis. If you can’t forage juniper berries, purchase them here.
Elderflower – like the elderberry, elderflower has antiviral and antibacterial properties and has commonly been used for colds and flu, sinus infections, and other respiratory issues. If you can’t forage elderflower, purchase it here.
Barberry – Berberine, the active ingredient in barberries has been shown to inhibit the growth of bacteria and may improve the function of the immune system. It has traditionally been used to treat sore throat, nasal congestion, sinusitis, and bronchitis. The root is effective as well. If you can’t forage barberries, purchase them here, or the root here.
1.
Combine all but the raw honey in a pot and bring to a boil.
2.
Simmer for about an hour.
3.
Remove the berries and other ingredients by straining. Cool to room temperature.
4.
Add the raw honey and stir until dissolved. Be sure to not add the honey while the decoction is still hot so as not to destroy the enzymes present in the raw honey.
5.
Refrigerate. Take 1 tablespoon per day to support your immune system.
This may be the recipe of the year! I adapted this from Dr. Oz’s website. He has a lot of great tips to boost your immunity this winter.
adapted slightly
Ingredients:
1 cup orange juice
1/2 a cantaloupe, cut up
1 cup strawberries
1 kiwi
Blend all of the ingredients together, and drink!
This smoothie is so good, we’ve been drinking them like crazy around here in an attempt to stay well. It seems to be working for me so far.
P.S. The glass in the picture is one of my latest thrifting finds – I got four of these for $2.00. Darryl says that we have “more than enough glassware now.” We’ll see.
Your fall is now complete because of this Super Moist Sour Cream Pumpkin Bread.
Now, before I share this recipe, I will acknowledge the fact that some people do not like the word “moist.” Some hear a phrase such as “this towel got a little moist” or “I just stepped on something moist” and suddenly their skin is crawling as if someone scratched their fingernails across a chalkboard. Indeed, the word “moist” makes some people shudder, and because of this, my sons think it is fun to use this word way more often than is needed. They wear this shirt with pride —>
Why? Because they are gentlemen who care about the feelings of others.
But now let’s talk about the word “moist” in the context of a baked good. I believe this gives it a wonderful and good meaning. After all, who doesn’t like their cake or quick bread to be perfectly moist? Especially when the alternative is that the cake or quick bread is dry and crumbly? Shouldn’t we, even those of us who don’t like the word “moist,” want our baked goods to be moist? Of course we should.
Rest assured, this bread is moist because of the sour cream, which makes it delicious and that’s all there is to it.
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.
This is the second in a two-part series of guest post from Donielle of Naturally Knocked Up, where you can always find great advice on foods for fertility. Now that you know how important your diet is before conception, let’s look at foods specific to promoting a healthy pregnancy.
Super Foods for Pregnancy - Our bodies are nourishing and building a new little life, one that needs plenty of vitamins and minerals.
Once you see those two little lines on the home pregnancy test, your world changes. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen them before and how many children you already have, your views on the foods you place in your body will be dramatically altered for the next couple of years while you’re pregnant and breastfeeding. While trying not to become obsessed with the perfect pregnancy diet, it is important to understand that eating needs to be different. Our bodies are nourishing and building a new little life, one that needs plenty of vitamins and minerals.
Foods for Pregnancy: Overview
I loved Nina Planck’s book Real Food for Mother and Baby and absolutely adore the way she outlines a good pregnancy diet. Like myself, she was finding it hard to eat the gargantuan amounts of food recommended by many nutritionists. (Here’s a fun interview with Nina Planck here at Kitchen Stewardship.)
Her basic outline is this: during the entire pregnancy the baby needs B vitamins (which can also help lower morning sickness symptoms!), Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. To get these nutrients a woman would eat:
Nutrients more specific to the first trimester are Vitamins A and D for proper organ development. These nutrients can be found in butter, eggs, and seafood.
Second-trimester nutrients are calcium and protein for good bone and muscle development. Meat, fish, poultry, milk, cheese, and eggs are great sources of these essential nutrients.
For the third trimester, we’re looking at brain development and Omega-3 fats are pivotal. The best source around is going to be fish! And if you can’t afford to buy a lot of fish, buy a good cod liver oil supplement instead.
Just like eating before conception helps us to build nutrient stores for baby, continuing to eat well during pregnancy has benefits beyond measure. And while a diet rich in variety is essential to make sure we consume plenty of different nutrients, there are also a few stand out foods that every pregnant woman should eat.
Food #1 to Eat During Pregnancy: The Egg
Eggs are an incredible food during pregnancy!
The egg truly is an incredible food source during pregnancy! It has the much-needed protein, vitamins A and D, as well as bits of iodine and omega-3 fats (when you choose organic and pastured eggs, see the nutrition facts on eggs). To get as much nutrition as you can from these little powerhouses, make sure you buy eggs from a trusted source; one where you can ask what they are fed and how they are taken care of. (Local Grand Rapids Real Food Resources)
The eggs should always be eaten whole. Did you know that the yolk itself is not a baby chicken? Nope. The yolk is what feeds the baby chicken and its the part of the egg that contains most of the nutrients! So make sure you eat those yolks! Even better if you can add in a couple extra yolks to your scrambled eggs or omelets. (save the whites for facials) Raw egg yolks are also a great addition to smoothies as keeping them raw is even more nutritious (just make sure that when you consume them raw that they are from a trusted source).
Genevieve from Mama Natural offers great week 2 week pregnancy updates. I wish I had these when I was pregnant!Weekly Pregnancy Updates
I’m so happy to introduce you to Genevieve from Mama Natural. I’ve loved her video series for years and have also met her and she is just the sweetest, most genuine woman!
Genevieve & the Mama Natural Team with input from a registered nurse & student midwife have developed week to week pregnancy updates like you’ve never been able to find before.
Find out what’s happening with mama & baby each week
High in Omega-3 fats and the all important DHA for brain development, fish should be part of each and every pregnancy diet. These wonderful fats aid in proper hormone balance during pregnancy and fish also has a healthy dose of vitamins A and D as well as much-needed protein.
Yet, it seems this is another food that is very often vilified because of the toxins that may build up within fish.
We need to understand: The benefits outweigh the risk.
Recipe for Salmon Patties
Yes, toxins like mercury may be all to common place in seafoods. We are slowly destroying our oceans and the wildlife that live within it via pollution and overfishing. This is important to remember and will guide us on how to choose the fish we consume.
The most important thing to look out for and avoid, while eating fish during pregnancy, is the very large fish. The large size often means the fish is older, leaving more time to build up a toxic burden. It also means that it’s higher on the food chain; again leaving more room for toxic buildup. Salmon and other small fish are perfect choices.
Also, make sure tobuy wild caught fish! Farmed fish, unfortunately, consume a diet not meant for fish at all (lots of corn!) and they severely lack in many essential nutrients. If you can’t find a local source for nutrient dense wild salmon, try ordering from an online supplier like Vital Choice.
One last tidbit about those fragile omega-3 fats – you need to lightly cook fish, cooking only until it is done. High heats like grilling and frying can damage those precious fats so that your body can’t use them.
Food #3 to Eat During Pregnancy: Beef (and other parts)
Beef is a wonderful source of omega-3 fats, iron, protein, and B vitamins. The other parts of the cow, you know….like the liver, are also great during pregnancy! If you aren’t keen on eating beef liver, use the coupon KS10 for 10% off desiccated liver capsules from Perfect Supplements.
Steak Dinner Marinated in Dark Beer
And yes, iron is a metal and normally we think of keeping metals out of our bodies, but this one in particular is very useful. Within the body, iron helps to carry oxygen to the lungs as well as move blood through out the body. A woman’s blood volume actually increases by about 50 percent during pregnancy – so iron is definitely needed! This blood also feeds the placenta, and without the placenta being properly nourished, a baby’s growth may be stunted.
The source of your meat makes a difference. Conventional factory farm beef cows are fed a diet high in grain (not their normal diet) and are often time subjected to antibiotics and various hormones. These hormones may upset the delicate balance of your own hormones, so buying organic, grass-fed beef is very important.
*One of the ways to help your body absorb and utilize iron is to make sure you’re getting enough vitamin C into your diet as well.
Food #4 to Eat During Pregnancy: Probiotics
One of the biggest things we can do for our children’s future health is to consume lots of probiotic foods. It will offer the building blocks for proper digestive health and set the stage for their own ability to absorb nutrients from the foods they eat their entire life.
As mothers we pass on our own gut flora to our children, so if we consume healthy amounts of probiotic foods, their immune system will be stronger. This means they’re less likely to get sick, and should they get sick, less apt to suffer severe symptoms. Not only that, it’s pivotal to have a proper balance of bacteria within your body before birthing. Without enough good bacteria in the body to fight off unwanted yeasts and bad bacteria, a woman and her baby could be subjected to all kinds of health issues. Chronic yeast infections, eczema, thrush, mastitis, fatigue, and even severe diaper rashes can all be caused by a yeast overgrowth in the body. If you have a hospital birth, you may also be asked to get a group B strep test done. Having the right balance of bacteria in your body can directly effect the outcome of this test!
To find probiotic foods, look for yogurt (with no sugar – sugar defeats the purpose of eating probiotics) kefir, kombucha(though if you do not drink kombucha prior to pregnancy, keep this one out as it may have a slight detoxing effect on the body), and properly lacto-fermented foods like sauerkraut or root slaw. Use them daily! Consume them as often as possible!
Miessence Probiotic Superfoods
Miessense probiotics are created with naturally fermented, certified organic superfoods. It’s a powder made of 26 different fermented foods…and it’s green as green can be.
All too often, though we have great intentions, we fail to make good on our promise to eat the “Perfect Pregnancy Diet.” So what happens then?
I firmly believe that we should gain most of our nutrients from foods. Real, wholesome, nutritious foods. But sometimes supplements are necessary. Our foods, even when grown organically, may not have the same level of nutrients they would have had before industrial farming took over. Study after study has shown that supplementation of certain nutrients can drastically alter the baby’s health.
Sometimes supplements are needed, and I for one take them during pregnancy to make sure that any ‘holes’ that might be in my diet are filled. Baby’s health is just too important.
But what supplements should you take?
I for one, along with many other health professionals, moms, and people who just read about nutrition, think that a fish oil is a wonderful addition to supplement any pregnancy diet. You will need to make sure the fish oil you consume during pregnancy is free of mercury and other such toxins. I also think that a cod liver oil supplement is great during pregnancy as it offers ample amounts of vitamins A and D.
Many folks would show concern for many of the fish oil supplements found in normal grocery and drug stores. I agree as the processing of it may denature certain nutrients. It may also be hard for your body to process when taken long-term.
But.
Yes….but. I also know women who have used that cheapo fish oil to help them overcome major issues like PPD and had wonderful success. So I just can’t get myself to tell someone not to take it if they can’t afford the expensive stuff. I think in this case, the benefits may outweigh the risk.
A multi-vitamin can also be beneficial during pregnancy. To increase those benefits, look for a vitamin made from raw foods, like the ones from Garden of Life. They’ll be easier for your body to process and the nutrients will be more readily available for you to use. Whatever you do, try to stay away from synthetic vitamins. They’re tough on your body and some may do more harm than good. (Katie here: I’m taking the Garden of Life prenatals every other day and the prescription whatevers on the days in between, because you can only get the high dose of folic acid in prescription vitamins. Folic acid is especially important in the first trimester.)
But again, if you absolutely can not afford the more expensive raw vitamins, I’m also not going to tell you not to take any at all. Like we’ve discussed, studies have shown dramatic differences in things like the rates of spina bifida when a woman takes extra folic acid for pregnancy. If you truly and wholeheartedly believe that you need to take a multi-vitamin supplement during pregnancy, buy the best that you can afford. Leave the rest in the hands of God. We can rest in the fact that we are doing what is within our power….he will handle the rest!
Super Foods for Pregnancy - Our bodies are nourishing and building a new little life, one that needs plenty of vitamins and minerals.
Thank you, Donielle, for your always excellent info and perfectly KS balanced perspective on natural fertility – do visit her over at Naturally Knocked Up for the Sugar Detox Challenge, great recipes, and the Natural Fertility Workshop. Donielle is a Master Herbalist student, and natural momma to two littles after struggling with infertility. She has a passion for spreading the word on how food truly affects our fertility.
Advertising Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. See my full disclosure statement here.
Original article and pictures take www.kitchenstewardship.com site
For everyone who can’t get their kids to break away from Skippy or Jif. To all who can’t get used to the taste of plain, natural peanut butter. To each person who doesn’t want to struggle to spread homemade creamy peanut butter onto a piece of toast. This recipe is for you! (And for me, because while I love homemade, natural peanut butter – I can’t get enough of this new recipe!)
You’ve read the ingredients in Skippy and Jif, right? Unreal. Literally. It does have some peanuts in there somewhere, but it mostly has hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup. Poor Peter Pan. I doubt he wanted his good name tarnished like this.
And now, to replace that popular grocery store item, I bring you this completely real food, non-hydrogenated, nothing scary, all natural, wonderful, spreadable, smooth, creamy, delicious peanut butter.
The first day I made this, I licked so many spoonfuls I lost track of trips back and forth to the kitchen. After one such trip to the kitchen, once I finished what was on my spoon, I actually found myself sucking the life out of the spoon, apparently in hopes that more of the deliciousness would secrete out of the metal? Then I realized what I was doing and went back to the kitchen for another spoonful. Someone just bring me the jar!
I was not alone. Matt and the kids acted like this was candy. Maybe we’ll make it into a sandwich someday, but for now, we’re getting our protein fix one spoonful at a time. Ah-mazing. Here is the recipe already:
1 cup natural peanut butter (tutorial link below)
4 Tablespoons palm shortening
Wondering where to get Palm Shortening? My favorite source is Tropical Traditions. Spectrum brand Organic Vegetable Shortening (which is made with 100% palm oil) is also good, and can be found at Amazon, or health food stores. Just do not use regular vegetable shortening (like Crisco) – otherwise you’re right back at the not-so-good-for-you peanut butter.
Over the weekend, I made about 8 cups of this peanut butter. I figured my food processor was already messy, my palm shortening was already out, so why not make this effort worth my while? I now have 4 pint sized jars of this peanut butter in my fridge. Well, 4 pints minus several dozen spoonfuls.
Alright – what do you think? Will your family love this?? (The answer is yes.) What kind of peanut butter do you like at your house?
Original article and pictures take heavenlyhomemakers.com site
Today’s “less than $1.00″ theme includes ideas for fun you can have with your family during the summertime. I am so excited to be soaking up the sunshine (free) enjoying food off the grill (yum) and taking a break from formal school work with the kids (summer break rocks). Here are a few ideas for ya:
Free kids activity book
Many of you have this eBook already, but for those who don’t – you can get it free. It contains 101 fun pre-school project ideas – and many of them are great for summertime fun! These ideas all came from you, my readers. We put it together several years ago and it’s a fun one! Since this book is FREE, and many of the activities listed inside are inexpensive to do, this definitely qualifies for our “less than $1.00″ theme!
This Homemade Bubble Bath idea has been on my site since my 14-year old turned 6. Needless to say, this 5’11” teenager with a deep voice doesn’t take bubble baths anymore. But he sure did enjoy this when I made it for him for his birthday 9 years ago. (I wish his birthday gifts were still this inexpensive!)
These Easy Fabric Bracelets are really fun to make (even I can do it!). They cost about 8¢ each. If you have girls in your life, making these bracelets might be fun to craft some hot afternoon.
Note: There are affiliate links in this post. See full disclosure.
Looking for a sugar free diet plan? Looking to curb your sugar cravings or sugar addictions?
We know how hard it is. We know the struggle. We’ve all been there. Sugar is addicting right? Sometimes we just can’t stop ourselves from grabbing a piece of chocolate or a cookie as a snack. It tastes so good!!
We’ve just created this awesome meal plan for helping you stop this addiction — at least for 1 week. Give it a try. Follow the sugar free diet plan for 1 week and see how you feel. Anything is possible. See if it makes a difference in how you feel, your health and your well being. You might even lose weight! You can do anything for a week right? I think so, in fact I know you can! Give it a try. See Free PDF below. We also highly recommend The Keto Beginning. It’s a low carb, low sugar, high fat diet. Great for sugar addictions, great for weight loss. Become a fat burning machine with THE KETO BEGINNING and FAT FUELED Bundle now!
It’s a more long term plan that can help you stay on track with your sugar free diet plan. If you try the week plan and like how you feel, why not go all the way with the The Keto Beginning plan??
What is The Keto Beginning?
It’s a proven program that includes only whole-foods. It’s designed to help you bust sugar and carb cravings and gets you on track to becoming a fat burning machine! Click here to learn all you get when you sign up. The plan includes the following plus much, much more:
Beginners guide – 17 chapters with everything you need to know about keto
30-day meal plan.
Weekly shopping lists.
20 Keto specific recipes.
Access to the Exclusive Keto Beginning Facebook group for support, resources and inspiration.
What can I eat? What can’t I eat when following the Keto Beginning plan?
The Keto Beginning plan includes a 30-day meal plan, to guide you the whole way. No second guessing what you can and can’t have. You should eat whole nutrient-dense foods. Nothing processed or highly refined. It’s generally suggested to keep your carb intake between 5-10%, your protein intake between 15-30%, and your fat intake between 60-75%. However, this isn’t a requirement – just a suggestion.
See Sample Week Meal Plan Below for a sugar free diet: * NOTE: avoid the larabars with chocolate chips, as the chocolate chips may contain added sugar. The ones with fresh fruit or nuts are okay – however it’s up to you to watch your carbs as fruits contain carbs.
1 Week Sugar Free Diet Plan Notes:
Get Larabars here. * NOTE: avoid the larabars with chocolate chips, as the chocolate chips may contain added sugar. The ones with fresh fruit or nuts are okay.
For salad dressing – make your own using one of these healthy clean eating salad dressing recipes (skip the ones with honey added if you can for this week of sugar free – this will help with sugar cravings).
If you have any questions about the above FREE Sugar-free diet plan (meal plan) OR The Keto Beginning plan, email me: kelly@healthyhappysmart.com or leave a comment below!
Original article and pictures take healthyhappysmart.com site
For a limited time, I’m offering my popular eBook, Your Retreat, for FREE to all my email subscribers! Your Retreat will guide you through the how and why of giving yourself a personal planning day, and includes 35 printables to help you start planning and dreaming!
You’ll find a link to download the eBook at the end of every email. Sign up for free email updates below or click here.
Original article and pictures take thehumbledhomemaker.com site
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the minced onion and garlic powder. Drain off any fat and return to skillet. Stir in the sloppy joe sauce and bring to bubbling. (Homemade sloppy joe recipe here.)
Heat a waffle iron and spray with non stick cooking spray.
Roll out 2 biscuits as flat as you can. Place 1 onto the waffle iron, top with spoonful of sloppy joe meat and pinchful of cheese. Place the other flatted biscuit on top and then press the waffle iron shut. Grill in the waffle iron for 3 to 5 minutes, or until biscuits have cooked through.
Repeat for all biscuits.
Serve Stuffed Sloppy Joe Waffles with fresh fruit or veggies.
Original article and pictures take 344apz3bh6di1m0sag1etg3fxyz.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com site
This strawberry banana coconut smoothie is as pretty to look at as it is to drink!
This strawberry banana coconut smoothie is 100% for sure the easiest smoothie you will ever make. It’s so silly simple I wondered if I should post it, but it’s my favorite right now, so I figured why not?
If you remember, one of my New Year’s resolutions was to drink more smoothies. And I’ve actually kept that resolution! I have the blender on the counter, ready to go, and most days I make sure I make a smoothie either for breakfast or a snack.
I’ve even gotten brave and started adding greens to my smoothies. (I was nervous, but guess what? They still taste great!) I’m sure you already knew that, but it was a surprise to me. :)
Green smoothies are good, but lately I’ve been favoring this pretty pink smoothie. With the frozen bananas inside, it’s like drinking a frosty strawberry milkshake.
Print
Such an easy breakfast, but such a tasty one, too! Of course you can use your favorite non-dairy milk, and you can always add some greens even to this recipe, but it would ruin the pretty pink color. :)
