when you say yes to class snack duty (again)...

Anyone else say yes to class snack duty? And sometimes you are Supermom, threading fruit onto skewers before the school bus pulls up.

But sometimes, you need some store-bought options that are still kid-pleasing, but low effort. Voila!

If you still want to be Supermom, you could bring in all four items for a regular snack smorgasbord. Or, I'd bring in the Snapea Crisps + Kefir smoothie (don't forget cups!) or fresh organic strawberries + Heart-to-Heart cereal if you're looking for pairings. If you want to go healthier than the snapea crisps (because really, they're a chip...) then how about steamed edamame. Kids love that, and many markets sell it already steamed.

green smoothies

On the heels of my super "clean eating" week, we've been on a green smoothie kick around here. Long after the five or so post-baby pounds came off my backside, the healthy habits have stuck. This smoothie makes a quick and easy breakfast or a healthy after school snack. Green smoothies were one of my children's favorite recipes from that week...after I got them to try them. The color is *bright*, so I tempted them by having a smoothie naming contest. I will spare you the names they came up with...

Go-To Green Smoothie

(makes 1 quart)

1-2 banana(s)
1 green apple, cored
1 orange, peeled
zest and juice of 1 lemon
6 oz spinach or kale (or a couple hearty handfuls)
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 scoop Vega One protein powder (optional)*
2 cups water or coconut water

Blend in a blender until everything is very smooth.

*If the smoothie was being enjoyed in lieu of our traditional make-ahead frittata, protein pancake, oatmeal breakfasts then I added protein powder to make sure we all had the good energy for school and play. I found this brand of protein powder at Whole Foods. It came in a bunch of flavors, but I just went with plain and let the fruits drive the flavor.

a perfect day... followed by another one

I am not going to lie... when I realized my little one's sniffle was probably enough to stay home from school for a day of rest, I heard screeching brakes inside my head. Mother's Day had been so perfectly relaxing, but today I really needed to hit the ground running again.

But as my little one sniffled in his footie PJs at breakfast, I knew the day would not go as planned. I am trying really hard to live in the moment, to enjoy these days with my kids. That is easier said than done for me. I wake up each morning with a million ideas swirling around my head... everything from my nutrition coursework and launching swellmom to writing this blog, volunteer work and the (never-ending) details of raising two young children. It is hard not to feel a bit thrown off when you're counting on 3 or 4 hours of preschool.

And then I remembered the perfect day we enjoyed together yesterday.

The heartfelt cards...

The day spent hiking. I'd watched my kids revel in nature, laugh, explore, create, run, alternating holding hands with me and their Meme, telling stories, asking questions, climbing boulders. They are two of the most incredibly kind, empathetic, curious, sweet boys in the whole world. Granted, I am bit biased. You'll just have to trust me on that one.

So, with memories of a perfect mother's day fresh in my mind, I read a post from Amy at Inspiring Moms. She wrote, "Your attitude is a game changer. It makes a difference and sends a powerful message to those around you-- your kids, friends... You have the ability to mold each moment into something wonderful, something meaningful, and something memorable. Make today a great day!" And, with a little expectation adjustment on my part, and the knowledge that everything will get done... just not today, it was a great day.

happy mother's day

Cheers to all you moms out there. May your day be filled with love, laughter... and a delicious meal cooked by someone else. And, if you find yourself with a few minutes of quiet time, I encourage you to make yourself a cup of coffee or tea and read this absolutely spot on article from mom, Kara Baskin. (Above photo credit: Shiva Sarram - friend, mom extraordinaire, professional photographer, and Founder of The Blossom Hill Foundation.)

sweet (clean-eating) treat: jam thumbprint cookies (gluten, dairy, refined sugar free)

I ran into a mom friend at the supermarket today who mentioned that she'd recently gone gluten-free. She was about to head home to try baking a treat with her son, and I promised to share a recipe from my recent "clean eating" week that I knew she would enjoy. As I mentioned a few days ago, I successfully did a 7-day "clean eating detox" (to be clear, this was nutritious food, not just juice), and took my family along for the delicious, healthy ride. My goal was to lighten up, figuratively and literally, but I didn't want to cook two different meals. It took some creativity, but I created 7 days worth of delicious "clean" family-friendly meals. This was the only sweet treat I made all week, and it won rave reviews. In fact, since then, I have made another batch because they are so yummy-- in addition to be relatively "good for you" as far as treats go.

Jam-Filled Thumbprint Cookies

makes about 2 dozen cookies

(gluten, dairy, egg + refined sugar free)

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup maple syrup*
2 cups raw nuts of choice (I used 1 C walnuts + 1 C almonds)
1 1/2 cups arrowroot powder
3 Tablespoons cinnamon (optional)
dash of sea salt
about 1/2 cup 100% fruit jam (I used Dalfour brand)


Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Melt the coconut oil to room temp. Cream the coconut oil and maple syrup (or other sweetener) together using a mixer. In a Cuisinart, process the nuts until they are a fine meal. Add the arrowroot powder, cinnamon and salt, then pulse to combine all dry ingredients. Blend the dry ingredients into the oil/syrup mixture. Batter will still be kind of crumbly, but it will come together in your hands as you shape 24 (or so) balls of dough and place them on the cookie sheets. Using your thumb (get it, thumbprint cookies!) make a divot in each ball of dough, then fill with a dollop of jam. Bake for 12 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

*I used maple syrup as the sweetener, but you could substitute agave or raw honey, if you are looking for a sweetener with a lower glycemic index.  Here is the recipe in action, for those who like to follow along visually:

After melting the coconut oil a bit from its' solid state, I creamed the coconut oil and maple syrup (or other sweetener) together using a  hand mixer. 

In a Cuisinart, I processed the nuts until they were a fine meal. 

Then, I added the arrowroot powder, cinnamon and salt, and pulsed it a few times to combine all of the dry ingredients.

Then the dry ingredients were blended into the oil/syrup mixture using my hand mixer. The batter was still kind of crumbly, but it came together in my hands as I shaped 24 (or so) balls of dough and placed them on the parchment lined cookie sheets.

Using my thumb (get it, thumbprint cookies!) I made a divot in each ball of dough, then filled with a dollop of jam. (I made half of them strawberry and half of them apricot.) Then I baked them for 12 minutes, or until the edges were lightly browned.

They will store well in an airtight container for up to 5 days... if they last that long! Hope your family enjoys these cookies as much as my family did!

clean eating as a family - doable or recipe for disaster?!

You know the saying, "when mom is happy, everyone is happy"? Well, when mom (yours truly) is doing a Spring Cleanse (whipping up 5 to 7-days of no-sugar-added, gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan, dairy-free meals so I can clear out the winter blahs and regain my energy for the most active and social season of the year), then it should come as no surprise that the rest of my family is also enjoying the same meals. The trick is coming up with family-friendly recipes that fit this scope. (And remembering that it's just for 5 to 7 days...)

I don't preach this to my kids. I just serve up the meals with a smile, and sit down to eat with them. We eat healthy foods most meals, so it's not like it's a huge shock to their systems. The things that are missing that week? The treats: store-bought popsicles/ice cream, yogurt tubes, chocolate chip cookies, frozen pizzas, etc...

The trick is to be really organized that week. Make up a meal plan of your favorite "clean" recipes ahead of time. Pick a week when it's doable from a scheduling and cooking standpoint. I could go *totally insane* trying to do this as a busy mom. Instead, I like to think about it as filling our plates with the good stuff (meals that highlight veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, healthy fats, and whole grains) so we crowd out-- and don't miss-- the foods that drag us down. Now, is it realistic for us to be eating this way all the time? No. We eat out, we go to parties... and you all know that I am an "everything in moderation" kind of gal. But these reset weeks 3-4 times/year help me, as mom, get my mojo back. And my family comes along for the healthy, delicious ride. In the next few posts, I'll share a few of my favorite family-friendly (and super simple) "clean eating" recipes. First up: edamame hummus. Make a batch at the beginning of the week to have on hand for snacks, served alongside a veggie platter or gluten-free crackers. (Mary's Gone Crackers ones are a favorite here if you want something crunchy.) Many supermarkets also sell a prepared version, which is great. Just check the label... the fewer ingredients the better! Really, it should only be: edamame + olive oil + and your/their choice of flavorings such as lemon juice or spices/herbs. When we make it for our home, I add walnuts to pack an added nutritional punch, but if I think the batch might be making it into school lunches that week, I leave the nuts out. Do you have favorite clean eating recipes that your family enjoys?

swellmom!

As some of you know, I am working on a *really* exciting new launch. swellmom will help busy moms get back in a groove of taking care of themselves. Whether it's pregnancy weight still lingering (and your child is heading to 1st grade...that's ok, trust me, I've been there) or frazzled mealtimes (believe it or not, been there too), the goal will be to teach you simple recipes and sustainable wellness solutions so you can feel stronger, happier and more balanced as you excel at the hardest job you'll ever have. Anticipated launch of these services is between November 2012-January 2013, but if you want to start getting some scoop now, head on over and "like" swell mom on FB.

super easy kale pesto (and the many meals it became)

I am a huge fan of anything I can throw into the Cuisinart that results in a delicious meal in minutes. Lately, I have been making a lot of pestos. But not just any old pestos. These bad boys are filled with the nutritious goodness of my Superfood du jour: kale (and heck, walnuts aren't too far behind). Here's one of my latest and greatest kale pesto recipes:

Kale Pesto

(makes 6 servings + plenty leftover to use different ways throughout the week, or to freeze)

3/4 -1 lb kale (fresh, tough stem removed, or frozen)

1/2 cup raw walnuts

5-6 cloves of garlic

1 cup olive oil

zest of 1-2 lemon(s)

salt & pepper to taste

Pulse all ingredients in a Cuisinart until pureed. I served this over our favorite pasta on night one.

Then I blended part of the batch with a can of chickpeas to make a protein-rich hummus, which I served in cucumber cups at a mom's night out...

And last, but certainly not least: toasted pieces of hearty bread were smothered in the pesto, topped with a blend of mozzarella and Parmesan and popped under the broiler to become another quick meal. (I am pretty sure I served it for both a breakfast and a quick dinner that week...)

Pestos also freeze beautifully, so go ahead and make a big batch. What's your favorite combination of pesto ingredients? I'd love to hear!                                                

Hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine! - Eila

my :30 seconds - look who made Forbes!

It's one thing to have someone stop you in the supermarket aisle to tell you how much they loved a recipe they found here on the blog. That, of course, makes my day. And it's just as-- maybe even more-- exciting to find out my enchilada video is featured on Forbes! How cool is that? Oh, and those other lifestyle edits Samantha Ettus shared to make tomorrow easier, I am totally going to try the other 7.

the (super easy) kale salad that makes me swoon

I love this kale salad. In fact, I love it so much that we had fresh batch after fresh batch night after night over spring break. It's just so simple, so healthy, and so delicious. And my kids love it, which is a bonus.

The Kale Salad That Makes Me Swoon

8 oz kale, chopped*
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (preferably unsweetened)
1 T toasted sesame oil
4 T sesame seeds
salt & pepper, to taste


Toss everything in a big bowl with your hands, massaging the dressing into the kale. This will make it a little bit more tender. Ideally, let the salad sit for about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld....though I have been known to just dig in.


*Out at my parents' home in Idaho, we can get organic kale pre-chopped, ready to go at their supermarket. This is a luxury, and probably the reason why I initially became so enamored by this salad. The prepped kale by them is curly kale + a few shredded carrots and a bit of shredded red cabbage. I think the curly kale I get out there is a lot more tender than the curly kale I find in our local supermarkets, here in CT. So, if I'm prepping it myself, I like to buy the dark green, wide leafed variety, which is called lacanito, dinosaur or Tuscan kale, depending upon your produce section. All you have to do, if it's not pre-chopped, is remove the though center vein and then either tear the kale by hand or rough chop it into bite-sized pieces. Hope you and your family enjoy this simple salad as much as we do!

peek at Easter weekend 2012

fabulous weekend together, full of fresh air, adventures and homemade food...

kale/broccoli/spinach frittata + fruit salad + blanched green beans with a simple mustard vinaigrette and slivered almonds + homemade sweet/fingerling potato hash... and a variety of treats + mimosas with friends + a gorgeous weekend to boot

oh, a quick reminder that you have until 3pm (EDT) Monday, April 9th to enter the give-away for 4 (super cute) sectioned plates!

hooray! sectioned plate give-away

Last Sunday's post about how I feed my children the same foods we're having, but sometimes plate them differently struck a happy chord with many of you parent readers out there. It's such a simple concept, right? Well, I think it's high time one of you got a set of your own sectioned plates so you can try this around your dinner table. I have 4 of these fun bicycle-themed sectioned plates that I am more than happy to send to one lucky reader (in the U.S.). To be entered to win, leave a comment (here, on this post) letting me know your favorite spring-oriented family-friendly recipe from the full plate blog. And, if it's something that you've either tried (or want to try) but are hesitant to b/c you need a tip or two to make it more family-friendly, feel free to let me know that and I'll do my best to help you out!

The fine print: comments will be entered in the drawing until Monday afternoon, April 9th at 3pm (Eastern time). Readers with a U.S. mailing address are eligible to win. (Sorry, intl postage is out of my budget at this time...and I don't want to wait in a looooong post office line to deal with customs forms....) If you are also a subscriber to the full plate blog, you get not one, but TWO chances to win. I will use random.org to choose the winner, using some way more complicated than it needs to be method of assigning numbers to all of you, that I'll let my 5 and 9-year-old come up with.... I am paying for this give-away out of my own pocket, so I think those are all of the nitty gritty details/rules we need to have!


Tip off for loyal full plate readers and subscribers: I plan to do a second sectioned plate give-away over on full plate/meals in a snap's Facebook page this week! So.... I encourage you to go on over there and like that page too, for the details when I post 'em + another chance to win!