This is Day 87 of the Green in 365 series! On Tuesday we talked about some of the benefits of Baby Led Weaning, and today I want to share some tips on how to get started with solid foods for your baby. To begin with, you need to look for signs of readiness in your baby. Some of the signs that he is ready to start solids are: Baby can sit up unassisted and has strong neck control. Baby begins reaching, or "asking" for food while your family is eating. Baby makes … [Read more...]
Starting Solids: Benefits of Baby Led Weaning {Green in 365: Baby & Child Care}
This is Day 85 of the Green in 365 series! We talked last week about breast milk being baby's perfect first food, and this week I wanted to talk about starting your baby on solid foods. Around the time that my son was ready to start solids, I learned about a method of feeding called Baby Led Weaning. We didn't start feeding him with this method right away, because I didn't feel like I had enough information about it, but when he was nine months old, we began feeding him … [Read more...]
Grain-Free Treats: “Cookie Dough” Bites
These grain-free "cookie dough" bites are addictive! It's hard to eat just one or two! And at our house, the whole batch is gone the same day I make them, I'm lucky if I can get these to last us two days! They are an easy, healthy, and delicious grain-free snack! Grain-Free "Cookie-Dough" Bites Ingredients: 1 1/3 cup raw almonds 1 1/3 cup raw walnuts 1/4 cup flax seed meal 1/2 cup coconut flour 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/3 - 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/4 -1/2 cup mini … [Read more...]
9 Ways to Conserve and Reuse Water {Green in 365: The Kitchen}
This is Day 58 of the Green in 365 series! By Sara Shay from Your Thriving Family Drought Advisory. Be Water Wise. Don't Waste Water. You've most likely heard how much water we waste and misuse right? Since moving to an older, larger house I have been watching an astonishing water bill. It has also made me aware of how much water has been going down the drain, along with our money and resources. So it has made me change my ways while standing at the kitchen … [Read more...]
Featured Ebook of the Month: Your Grocery Budget Toolbox {Green in 365}
This is Day 47 of the Green in 365 series! This month's Featured Ebook of the Month goes right along with our theme of going green in the dining room and kitchen. Your Grocery Budget Toolbox is 150+ pages that will help you through the process of feeding your family real, whole, and healthy foods while staying within your budget. This comprehensive guide walks you through setting up your budget, including how much you should be spending on the different food categories within … [Read more...]
Use the Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen {Green in 365: The Kitchen}
This is Day 43 of the Green in 365 series! Clean eating begins in our kitchen and the foods that we choose to bring into our homes. Saving money is on the top of almost everyone's priority list, but so is feeding our families good, nutritious food. One of the ways that our family stretches our grocery budget while still purchasing and eating organic food, is to use the EWG's Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen lists. They list common fruits and vegetables in order of those with the … [Read more...]
Green in 365: Eating Seasonally and Locally in Winter
This is Day 17 of the Green in 365 series! One of the best ways your family can go green this year is by making more eco-friendly food choices. And one of the best ways to make eco-friendly food choices is to try to source your food locally and in season as much as possible. If you live in a climate like we do, where most of the ground is covered with snow right now and the temperatures hover around freezing, this can be a hard thing to figure out. How do you eat seasonally … [Read more...]
Homemade Chai Tea Latte with Dairy Free Option
Don't you just love a hot drink on a cold day? One of my favorite specialty drinks is a Chai Tea Latte. In the past I would buy the boxes of pre-made chai concentrate, but I could go through a box in just a couple days, and they are not cheap! So last year I started making my own chai tea concentrate at home and love being able to enjoy a chai latte at a much more affordable price! Recently as the temperatures have cooled, I thought that I would have to abstain from this favorite drink … [Read more...]
Apples! Homemade Sauce, Butter & Tea
On Wednesday this week my kitchen was busy place; applesauce in one crockpot, apple butter in another crockpot and apple tea simmering on the stove. One of my favorite fall traditions is usually going to the apple orchard and picking apples and bringing home pounds and pounds of apples for all kinds of delicious treats. This year, the unusually warm spring weather left many of the apple crops in our area of Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan damaged or destroyed. So, we didn't take our … [Read more...]
Real Food Recipe: Health(ier) Pumpkin Cookies
I was in the mood for a treat last week, and wanted to spend some time with my kids in the kitchen. I was looking through my Pinterest boards (as always) for inspiration, and saw these pumpkin cookies that I had pinned last fall and never made. I recently discovered that I have an abundance of canned pumpkin in my basement, I think I stocked up last year and then kinda forgot about them, so pumpkin cookies it was going to be! But, looking over the recipe I knew I needed to try to make them a … [Read more...]