Yearly Archives: 2014

Fail Cukes For The Win!

Over the summer I planted a little garden (aka “a test plot”) to see if I could grow anything successfully. Although I had mixed results, I’m hooked. It is so fun to go into your garden and pick random delicious tidbits whenever you want. The boys just loved picking carrots and mint and gnawing on them while they hung out in the backyard. Here’s how the veggies (and fruit) grew:

Successes (I got a lot of these veggies and they were delicious):

  • Carrots
  • Parsley
  • Mint
  • Brussel Sprouts

Failures (None of the below grew and the plants died):

  • Tomatoes
  • Peppers
  • Zucchini
  • Spinach

Mixed results:

  • Strawberries – The plants did fine, but didn’t provide any fruit.
  • Cilantro – Some grew, but it didn’t thrive.
  • Broccoli – A couple plants survived so I had enough broccoli to nibble on for a snack.
  • Cucumbers – I planted them late so they only grew a little bit….

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Little cucumber balls! Could they be any cuter? Chefs, take notice. Plant late and you’ll have the cutest little garnishes!

I’m definitely planting again in the spring — and I’m going to expand my garden too! Any suggestions about what I should plant next year?

5 Ways to Reduce Chemicals in Packed Lunches for Grown Ups!

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 One of my husband’s favorite gluten breads

Lunch is such a pain of a meal to plan. I think it’s actually worse to pack my own lunch than Charlie’s. I do my best to make a good one for myself, but I still slip up. I went through a phase that I bought several gluten free microwave meals because it was so hard to find time to make my lunch in addition to the kids’ in the morning. When my tummy wasn’t happy with those meals, I had to revise my time-saving strategy.

Here are my top tips for rehabing your packed lunch:

1) Stop Eating Canned Soup

One of the principals I worked with would have a large can of soup everyday for lunch. He had bright red, flushed cheeks and I couldn’t help but wonder if he really should have been eating the much sodium and BPA every single day. Especially after reading BPA in Cans and Plastic Linked to Quick Rise in Blood Pressure in the New York Times, it made me  think canned soup should definitely not be part of a daily routine.

2) Stick with a Basic Sandwich

I’ve been packing myself a sandwich for lunch now for a couple months. I usually relied on leftovers from dinner, but I have been trying to lose weight and I’ve realized that I eat fewer calories when I pack a sandwich. I eat gluten free so I have gluten free bread, mayo, ham or turkey with a slice of swiss with a handful of spinach. Couple it with an apple and gluten free pretzels and I’m done.

3) Choose the Right Bread

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My husband is not gluten free, but he has learned about the value of eating whole foods. He no longer eats regular bread like the Roman Meal I grew up eating or the Wonder bread he ate. A paragraph of ingredients including chemicals, fillers, and preservatives are not good for people. My husband likes the bread he gets at a store called Garden Fresh. The ingredients are few and the taste is great (according to him of course!).

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4) Don’t Microwave Plastic Containers

Every day I see coworkers shove random plastic containers in the microwave. Some look kinda old and I wonder if plastics are leaching into their food. I use Pyrex containers when I do come to work with leftovers. Here’s what Harvard has to say about microwaving food in plastic.

5) Ditch the Microwave Meals

While my husband does choose a better bread for himself, I cringe that he still buys microwave meals. I know, just a few months ago I was doing it too, but he gets the really lousy cheap meals sometimes I wish he wouldn’t. I don’t belabor the point — I’ve learned to pick my battles, but I think for optimal health we need to avoid eating food made with chemicals in a factory.

What are your tips for better lunches for adults? Thanks for reading!

November Book Giveaway: Weelicious and Weelicious Lunches (Two Books!!)

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For the last book giveaway in November, I’m going big: two cookbooks from Weelicious!! I’m so excited to share these books with you! I think that they are perfect for a family that is struggling with picky eaters as well as a family that has great eaters, but is ready to try some new recipes!

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I blogged about the first book back in 2012. The second book came out last year and I never blogged about it. I think I’ve already explained that last year was a very rough year for me. If you didn’t hear about this book last year, well here’s your chance to win it!

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I don’t know about you, but it’s hard to find inspiration to pack school lunches every single day. My current lunch-packing situation is tough because his lunches have to be nut free with the added complication of every packaged product has to be made in a nut-free facility. Charlie’s gluten free so I pretty much have to stick with the Enjoy Life brand. But it’s really a challenge because now he’s sick of everything I’ve been sending him! I’m cracking open this book again — I know it will save me!

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Let’s cut to the chase — to enter into the drawing for TWO Weelicious cookbooks, please comment below on or before Sunday November 30th. I’ll generate a random number and announce the winner the first week of December! Good luck!!

 I received copies of these books to review (awhile ago!). Regardless, opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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The winner of Paleo Cooking from Elana’s Pantry is #3:

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Congrats Aaron!

I considered not voting…

– I considered not voting on Tuesday.

– I considered not voting because I don’t relate with anyone running.

– I considered not voting because I’m not a white male.

– I considered not voting because I’m exhausted.

– I considered not voting because I don’t have a lot of money and I have an ordinary job.

– I considered not voting because I don’t feel very important or powerful.

– I considered not voting because I’m confused about who really means what they say.

– I considered not voting because I’m really depressed about where I think this country is headed.

– I considered not voting because I think the rich control everything anyway.

– I considered not voting because I stopped watching TV since there was no viewpoint that didn’t have an agenda.

– I considered not voting because I’m just a mom.

– I considered not voting because I know that on Tuesday I’m going to have to rush home to get something on the table to feed my hungry boys.

– I considered not voting because I don’t think my voice matters.

Then I read that 36% of people don’t vote. Those people don’t vote even though our ancestors fought and died for this right.

So on Tuesday I’m going to make time to vote.

– I’m voting because I don’t relate with anyone running — my voice matters.

– I’m voting because I’m not a white male — my voice matters.

– I’m voting because I’m exhausted — my voice matters.

– I’m voting because I don’t have a lot of money and I have an ordinary job — my voice matters.

– I’m voting because I don’t feel very important or powerful — my voice matters.

– I’m voting because I’m confused about politicians and their messages — my voice matters.

– I’m voting because I’m depressed about where I think this country is headed — my voice matters.

– I’m voting because I think the rich control everything — my voice matters.

– I’m voting because I stopped watching TV — my voice matters.

– I’m voting because I’m just a mom — my voice matters.

– I’m voting because even though I have to rush home and feed the family, my voice matters!

Dinner can wait!

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Charlie, 6 weeks old, when I voted in 2008! 

My baby is eating breakfast at school!

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 Charlie as the ring bearer in my sister’s wedding. He took this job very seriously!

Charlie started kindergarten this fall. He loves it, for the most part, and it’s been an education for me. In theory, none of this should be new information. This is my ninth year as a school-based speech pathologist. I know how things work (sometimes I think I know too much).

Even though Charlie is only in kindergarten, he has a long day. He participates in morning and after-school care and, because his kindergarten is half-day, he also attends a half-day enrichment program. He gets bussed around, which gives me anxiety, but I gather he enjoys it.

He is dropped off at school early because I work at an early school in another district. Earlier this fall, he mentioned that he wanted to have breakfast like the other kids. He told me that while he is in care, he sees kids file in and get breakfast. I inquired at the school, wrote out a check for $20, and we got an account and a pin number set up for him.

My husband and I carefully went over the menu with him. My husband, who is not gluten free like I am, eats unprocessed food most of the time. For example, he will only buy the Polish or Russian bread at the store because it has about five ingredients (wheat flour, yeast, salt). Because of Charlie’s health history, he has been gluten free for four years now. But we started experimenting with a little wheat and I feel like he is unaffected ingesting small amounts (as in once a week). I really do believe that he will need to be at minimum “low gluten” for the rest of his life.

So he started buying his own breakfast. He eats at home and then he eats at school. Yep, two breakfasts. He usually eats toast or yogurt at home. Then at school he eats string cheese, yogurt, or juice. Eventually he told me that he ended up just buying whatever he wants. He told me that sometimes he eats pancakes, waffles, or cereal. Before I freaked out, I talked to my husband and he said he doubted he eats the whole meal, probably just bites. When he said that, it reminded me that Charlie told us that he doesn’t have a lot of time to eat in the morning. Where have I heard that before?

Overall, I’m happy that he’s feeling empowered by this experience. I’m learning to be okay with him eating more wheat and more processed food than I really want him to. Although I am anxious about how fast this is phase is starting, I think I’m keeping it from him. I know I need to let him figure out this new food environment and that he will eventually learn what his body needs. Soon the balance in his lunch account will be used up. I think I’m going to wait until he asks for it to be refilled.

 

My mom is dating a chicken farmer and 12 other things: An update

To me it feels like life hasn’t changed a lot, but it really has…

1) My kids are huge

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2) We had a great summer.

Coming from Wisconsin and living in Illinois, we virtually never go around the other side of Lake Michigan and visit Michigan. But this summer we spent a week in Saugatuck with my husband’s family and it was a dream to be together in one house right by the beach.

3) My mom is dating a chicken farmer

I’ve learned a lot about raising chickens and we’ve visited his farm twice now. If we can somehow figure out how to build a coop next year, then we might be able to buy a couple from him and have our own. The eggs below are cast off that he gave to us for free. The big ones were all double yolks. And check out that bumpy one! Did that one hurt coming out? If chickens could talk…

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4) I’ve changed jobs again.

Since leaving Chicago public schools in 2012, I’ve been in three different school districts. I’ve started my third district this fall and I think I’ve found where I fit. I feel a little like Goldilocks.

5) It’s my ninth year as a bilingual speech path

I can’t believe that I’ve been at this for almost a decade.

6) I’m not getting enough sleep.

I have trouble forcing myself to go to sleep when I know I should so I stay up. It’s a bad habit.

7) Two kids are expensive

I can’t believe how much two kids cost. Sometimes I wish I could have three, but we can’t afford it.

8) I picked blueberries for the first time this summer

When we were in Michigan, we went blueberry picking. They were the best blueberries I’ve ever eaten.

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8) I joined my son’s PTO

I haven’t been to a meeting yet because the first meeting conflicted with an event at the school where I work. However, the PTO is big and well-organized at my son’s school. I pretty much get a flyer or two and an email or two every couple days. What was surprising for me has been all of the events they plan for the kids, but so far I haven’t seen very much advocacy. That’s just my first impression…more to come.

9) I’ve gained 15 lbs.

I just kept eating after I stopped breastfeeding my baby in January 2014 and before I knew it, my pants were super tight. It’s very depressing, but I’ve finally started dieting this fall and I’m getting some breathing room in my clothes again. My diet consists of not snacking, not eating after dinner, and eating a simple, non-microwaved lunch (sandwich, fruit, and pretzels or crackers).

10) Gluten free experimentation

I’m still gluten free and I’ve been that way ever since I stopped eating school lunch. While I absolutely cannot handle gluten in any form, we experimented with Charlie and it appears that he can handle the occasional small about of wheat. What happened was he wanted to have some of the traditional Chinese bao. So we let him and he turned out ok. I believe he should probably always be gluten free for his health, but I’m feeling some relief that cross-contamination doesn’t play a role for him.

11) The baby started daycare…that had great food.

Daniel, who is now 22 months old, started at a daycare that is run by Russian-Americans. The food is brought in daily by a Russian caterer. One Russian custom is to serve soup at every lunch. Because of that, Daniel is very comfortable with soup and loves it when I make it at home (!). I’ve been really pleased with the food, from beet salad to borscht to real thick turkey slices, he loves the food and I’m so pleased. He does not eat gluten free at daycare, just at home.

12) I joined a gym

I joined an itty-bitty gym, just for working out. I finally can devote time to getting physically fit. I’m going there after the kids go down.

Anything else you are wondering about?

Giveaway winner is… and grocery shopping where??

Thanks for your patience! The lucky number was…

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And commenter #9 was:

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Nicole H!! Thanks so much for entering!! Please contact me and I’ll send you your books!

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Where do you shop for food? Five years ago I went to Aldi and I thought there was a lot of processed food. I didn’t return until two years ago when we moved. There is an Aldi close to my house and I had to check it out. The Aldi has a great selection of produce now. Within the past year they also introduced organic products, including produce. That was a revelation.

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I really prefer organic tomato products and Aldi has them. Also, since canned beans are usually pretty inexpensive, I find choosing the organic not to boost up the cost that much. Also cashew butter at Aldi? That was exciting. These products are just a small sample of the organic and unique offerings. For example, I just bought organic baby kale at Aldi last week.

Then about two months ago they launched a gluten free line under their own brand name “Live G free.”

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I found gluten free pasta, cookies, frozen pizza, bars and frozen lasagna and I can say they are all delicious. Again, they have tons of gluten free products like crackers, wraps/tortillas, and baking mixes. I don’t always buy packaged pizza and lasagna, but they are nice to have in the freezer for an emergency.

At this point, I can’t justify shopping anywhere else. They have everything I need and it’s affordable! In fact, the discounts on their gluten free products compared to the same products at other stores are so good they’re unbelievable.

Aldi did not pay me to promote them. I wrote this all on my own. I’m a believer.

Plant Your Own Fail Garden: Meet My Rabbit-Proof Test Plot

I’ve spent most of my life trying not to make mistakes. Now that I’m in my thirty-sixth year, I realize that maybe that wasn’t the best approach. Being afraid to fail is no way to live life.

I’ve been intimidated by the idea of planting a garden. I decided to just go ahead and plant anything. I’m calling it my family’s “Test Plot.”

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I let my son choose the plants and seeds. We built our test plot in April and we actually started planting then too. In our area that’s a huge gamble. Here’s a breakdown of the cost of a test plot:

  1. 4 pieces of reclaimed wood = Free
  2. 8-10 large bags of soil, $2.50 each = $20
  3. 4 metal stakes, $2.75 = $11*
  4. 2 rolls chicken wire, $2.50 = $5*
  5. Plants range from $3 to $5
  6. Seed packets range from $2 to $4
  7. Staple gun (to attach chicken wire to bottom and sides of wooden box)*

*only required if you have a rabbit problem, which we do!

The costs are not out of reach when you consider that once you set it up, you have the box itself for a long time. Also I should note that in general you should be careful with reclaimed wood because it might leech into your food.

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So in April we went to Menards and bought whichever plants and seed packets my son wanted. If I was being a perfectionist, I would not have let him have such a big role. But this is our test plot so it doesn’t matter if it goes wrong.

He chose strawberries, brussel sprouts (he likes roasted brussel sprouts) , and cilantro. I picked out spinach, parsley, peppers, and tomatoes. We planted everything in April.

Are you laughing yet? I knew that our hard frost date is May 17. It was a huge risk. Luckily it did not drop below freezing from mid-April on. But it got awfully close. Ready to know what died first? The tomatoes were stone dead within two or three days. Then the peppers started to fade. As did the spinach.

But my son’s choices held steady. The brussel sprouts and the strawberries thrived. The spinach and the peppers hung in there.

Then we grew broccoli and carrots from seed in the little seed starters. I don’t even know if that was the right way to do it. Well, the broccoli immediately died. But the carrots are doing great.

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I tried to label everything in the picture above. You can see that it’s sort of chaotic, but you know what? It’s okay. I’m just testing things out and next year we’ll construct a larger raised bed and plant our success stories. After the season is over I plan to experiment with other different plants next year in our test plot.

The most important thing is that we did SOMETHING, ANYTHING with dirt and trying to grow stuff. My son brought a little neighbor girl over to look in our test plot garden. He was so proud. Yep, my work is already done.