Quick School Bag Lunch

Tired of packing PBJ for school lunch? I know that my boys are tired of eating it. I tried something a bit different for their lunch and they loved it. Check it out below, and please feel free to share any school lunch ideas you may have.

I packed a delicious lunch containing:

Applegate Farm's - natural pepperoni

Sorrento Stringsters - mozzerella string cheese

Harris Teeter Naturals - organic baked snack crackers

Horizon Organic - chocolate milk

organic green grapes

 

Mini Breakfast • Big Smiles

Van's Natural Food Chocolate Chip Mini Waffles

I have found a new go-to for a quick breakfast that pleases my hungry boys. We usually do not have much time in the morning, so I try to have easy breakfast items available, like muffins, cereal, bagels, waffles... My boys love Van's Natural Foods Chocolate Chip Mini Waffles. Try this quick trick for added yumminess.

For 2 hungry school age boys, you will need:

some natural peanut butter

1 banana

4 Van's chocolate chip mini waffles

Step one:

toast the waffles

Step two:

pull the mini waffles apart

Step three:

top each mini waffle with peanut butter

(I use Natural Jif)

Step four:

top each dollop of peanut butter with a slice of the banana

(I like organic Chiquita bananas)

Step five:

serve up to those hungry kids with a tall glass of juice or milk

Enjoy!

Do you want a soundtrack for your walk around National Mall? There's an app for that!

This is too cool not to share. Washington DC-based music duo Bluebrains’ is set to release the first 'location aware' album. Simply title 'The National Mall' this app is a site-specific piece of music that responds to the listeners location within the stretch of, you guessed it, The National Mall in Washington DC. This is the first in a series of location-aware albums Bluebrain will create. 


HOW DOES IT WORK? ‘The National Mall’ works by tracking a users location via the iPhones built-in GPS capabilities. Hundreds of zones within the Mall are tagged and alter the sound based on where the listener is located in proximity to them. Zones overlap and interact in dynamic ways that, while far from random, will yield a unique experience with each listen. The proprietary design that is the engine behind the app will stay hidden from view as the melodies, rhythms, instrumentation and pace of the music vary based on the listeners’ chosen path. ‘The National Mall’ is an ambitious project that will allow users to listen to and interact with a work of music in a way that’s never been possible before.


'The National Mall' will be available in the Apple App Store in the coming weeks. 


Click Bluebrain to learn more.

I never thought I would be...

I never thought that I would be...
the mom who blogs about eating habits;
the girl who Rocks the RED for her hometown CAPS, although they are down 3 in the best of 7;
the CAPS fan that makes chili in prep to watch game 4 of round 2;
but here I am.

False Alarm Chili w/ all natural beef and sausage

organic green peppers, onions, diced tomatos and kidney beans.

Served with all natural sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.

Let's go CAPS!!!

Change Your Life by Changing What You Eat

Feingold Program - The Basics

One of Many Posts

Did you know that certain things that you eat could contribute to behavioral and health issues. These issues may include:

• ADD/ADHD
• Asthma
• Autism, PDD, Aspergers
• Bedwetting
• Depression
• Dyslexia, Dysgraphia

• Learning Disabilities
• Ear Infections
• Eczema, Hives (Urticaria)
• Eye Muscle Disorders, Strabismus, Nystagmus
• Headaches, Migraines
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Seizures
• Sleep Disorders, Nightmares, Night Terrors
• Speech Difficulties
• Tourette Syndrome
• Violence, aggression

Several studies on food dyes and flavorings, diet and ADHD, and more have shown that certain synthetic food additives can have serious learning, behavior, and/or health effects for sensitive people. The Feingold Program (aka Feingold Diet) is a test to determine if certain foods or food additives are triggering particular symptoms. Think of it as the way people used to eat before "hyperactivity" and "ADHD" became household words, and before asthma and chronic ear infections became so very common.

The program is split into two stages. Stage One is the initial period during which specific items are eliminated from diet for at least four to six weeks.

The items to eliminate are:

• Artificial (synthetic) colors/dyes

• Artificial (synthetic) flavors
• Artificial (synthetic) sweeteners - Aspartame
• Artificial (synthetic) preservatives - BHA, BHT, TBHQ

• and Natural Salicylates - a natural form of aspirin

After you feel comfortable with the response received from Stage One, move onto Stage Two. In this stage you carefully reintroduce salicylates into the diet.

If you would like to learn more, I highly suggest visiting the Feingold website. Although foods additives can induce many different symptoms in different people, the majority of families who use the Feingold Program do so to help a family member with behavior and/or learning problems. Try it before medicating a child with ADD/ADHD. Try it while medicating a child for ADD/ADHD. Just try it. I'm positive you will notice a favorable response in yourself and in your children. 

Check back for more updates and GOOD LUCK!

xo

The post would not have been possible without the amazing information at www.feingold.org.

Homemade Cookies and Cream Milkshakes = Yummy Treat

It has been way to long since my last post. The family and I were enjoying Spring Break with family and friends. It was a much needed break from day to day work. I hope that everyone out there had a safe and enjoyable time as well.


During our fun time, my husband Ross made the family delicious Homemade Cookies and Cream Milkshakes using nothing but the best ingredients. No Oreo's here! He used Newman's Own Newman-O's. Blended with Breyers all natural chocolate ice cream (in the black box), a little organic milk, and topped with homemade whipped cream and a strawberry garnish. These milkshakes were all natural and all gourmet.


Delicious. Thanks honey for the yummy treat.