Wholesome Mama https://wholesomemama.com Wed, 20 Jun 2012 15:24:44 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.9.3 205041228 Resources for Your Pre-Readerhttps://wholesomemama.com/kids/resources-for-your-pre-reader/ https://wholesomemama.com/kids/resources-for-your-pre-reader/#comments Tue, 19 Jun 2012 23:39:42 +0000 http://wholesomemama.com/?p=559

Recently, a friend asked what resources I have used with my daughter in preparing her to read. I decided to organize my thoughts and share what has worked for us so far.

My daughter, Annabelle, is well on her way to reading and it is exciting to watch her develop this new skill!

From the time she was just a few months old, we have read books to her before nap and bedtime and of course during the in between times just because. She has always had an amazing attention span and seems to soak up every word we say.

When she was about a year old, we purchased Baby Einstein’s Alpha Books. I highly recommend adding these books to your child’s library for a number of reasons. There is one small book for each letter of the alphabet, and three corresponding words/pictures inside each of those books.

I love how they help with letter recognition, building vocabulary all while being just their size and baby friendly. They come in a small storage box, which my daughter loved to put all the books away into. We would also lay out all the books in order and practice the ABC song. Our set is very well used as you can tell :).

When she turned three, I found Starfall.com. Starfall is an excellent resource for your preschooler. There are games and interactive songs that emphasize the sounds the letters make. I was surprised at how much she absorbed from just playing the games for a little bit every day.

Last week, I purchased an entire set of 6 boxes of the Hooked on Phonics curriculum from a garage sale. I am excited to open them up and work through them this summer!

I realize each child learns and his or her own pace and I think it is so important to pay attention to each child’s cues to set that pace. I am excited that my 18-month old son, Elijah is just now very interested in books. He hadn’t enjoyed sitting still for them until just recently and now he will seek books out and initiate looking through them and asking to be read to. It is also fun to see how much he loves the Alphabooks now too.

 

Learning should be fun, and when your child is naturally curious and interested in a subject it makes teaching seem effortless. It is very rewarding to see my daughter embark on learning a new skill set and see how proud she is of herself! 

What resources or ideas have you used with your kids?

]]> https://wholesomemama.com/kids/resources-for-your-pre-reader/feed/ 28 559 Carrot Cake with a Twisthttps://wholesomemama.com/recipe/carrot-cake-with-a-twist/ https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/carrot-cake-with-a-twist/#comments Thu, 31 May 2012 00:58:12 +0000 http://wholesomemama.com/?p=577

I’m back. I have missed writing and sharing with you all and feel like I have all these pent up thoughts ready to explode. It’s been difficult get organized, focused, and back in action. For some reason it has seemed completely overwhelming! Today, I am starting – one post at a time, right? 

We recently celebrated our daughter’s 4th birthday {isn’t she sweet?} and I decided to bake my first cake for the occasion! I can’t remember ever baking a cake from scratch on my own. I have made cookies and cupcakes and muffins and brownies, but never a cake. {And never a pie, either, but we’ll save that attempt for another day}.

This cake was moist, flavorful, and had one of my favorites as a star ingredient: coconut. I found this recipe online and made a couple of minor changes and I just have to say that this was the.best.cake.ever. I am not a huge cake fan, which is probably why I hadn’t ever baked one.

I will post the recipe, with the ingredients I used here for your convenience, but please note: it is not my creation, it is just simply too good not to share! Click here for more detailed pictures and instructions. I do have to warn you, this particular recipe is not allergy friendly. I didn’t make it with any substitutions to make it gluten or dairy free, although I am sure it would be fantastic prepared that way as well.

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Carrot Cake with a Twist

Carrot Cake with a Twist

Ingredients

  • 1 pound finely grated carrots
  • 4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups cane sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
  • Finely grated zest of 1 large orange
  • 2 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/4 cups shredded coconut
  • 1 cup golden raisins

Instructions

  1. Prepare two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper and oil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Coarsely grate the carrots in a food processor using the grater attachment.
  3. Next, chop them into finer pieces with the medal blade attachment in the food processor
  4. Mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, brown sugar, vanilla extract and orange zest.
  5. Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk.
  6. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture.
  7. Add the finely chopped carrots, coconut, and golden raisins.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
  9. Bake cakes for about 30-35 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.
  10. Let cakes cool completely in the pans on a wire rack.
https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/carrot-cake-with-a-twist/

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Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients together.
  2. To assemble the cake: Once the cakes have completely cooled, remove from the pans and peel off the parchment paper from the bottom.
  3. Put the cake on a cake turn table.
  4. With a thin serrated knife, slice off the very top of the cake by using a sawing motion.
  5. Then cut the cake in 2 equal layers.
  6. Slide the layers onto a cardboard round or any other flat surface.
  7. Put about 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese icing.
  8. Using an offset spatula spread the frosting evenly over the surface of the first layer.
  9. Repeat for the rest of the layers.
  10. Place about 2 cups of the icing on the top of the cake and spread evenly.
  11. Spread the icing onto the sides of the cake.
  12. Lift the cake off the turn table and place on the serving platter.
  13. Using the spatula spread the frosting and create swirls on the cake.
  14. Press coconut onto the sides and sprinkle the top.{Note: I don't have any fancy cake decorating tools/equipment, so I just place the cake on a large plate and frosted it using the back of a large spoon :)}
https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/carrot-cake-with-a-twist/

]]> https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/carrot-cake-with-a-twist/feed/ 3 577 Pasta with Kale, Cannelini Beans and Fresh Herb Vinagrettehttps://wholesomemama.com/recipe/pasta-with-kale-cannelini-beans-and-fresh-herb-vinagrette/ https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/pasta-with-kale-cannelini-beans-and-fresh-herb-vinagrette/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 04:01:21 +0000 http://wholesomemama.com/?p=556

Have you ever cooked with kale before? Kale is a dark, leafy green commonly known as a “superfood” meaning that it is packed with nutrition. It comes in several varieties – I used the curly kale for this recipe.

Up until a few years ago, I had never eaten kale, let alone known how to prepare it! My friend, Angie, shared this recipe with me when I asked her how to cook with it as I really had no idea where to begin. I think it is delicious and hope you will too.

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Pasta with Kale, Cannelini Beans & Fresh Herb Vinagrette

51

4 Servings

Pasta with Kale, Cannelini Beans & Fresh Herb Vinagrette

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pkg. Trader Joe's brown rice spaghetti (8 oz.)
  • 1 15 oz. can cannelini or great northern beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and roughly chopped (any variety)
  • 1/2 sweet onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 pieces cooked and crumbled bacon (I use Trader Joe's uncured, nitrate-free applewood smoked)
  • salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes
  • olive oil
  • freshly grated parmesan cheese (omit for dairy-free)
  • fresh herb vinagrette (recipe follows)

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, heat 3 T. olive oil.
  2. Sprinkle some salt, pepper and red pepper flakes over the hot oil. (caution: only sprinkle a few pepper flakes if you like it mild!)
  3. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook until onion softens (about 5 min.).
  4. Add bacon and cook another minute.
  5. Add kale and cook until it just begins to wilt (you can add more olive oil if necessary).
  6. Add beans and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and heated through.
  7. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat water and 1 T. olive oil to boil the pasta. Cook until al dente and prepare herb vinagrette.
  8. Drain pasta and return to saucepan.
  9. Add herb vinagrette and toss to coat.
  10. Add kale mixture and toss together as well.
  11. Divide among plates and serve topped with a generous amount of parmesan cheese.
https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/pasta-with-kale-cannelini-beans-and-fresh-herb-vinagrette/

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Fresh Herb Vinagrette

51

4 Servings

Fresh Herb Vinagrette

Ingredients

  • 1/4 c. assorted fresh herbs, finely chopped (I used 2 chives, 6 basil leaves and a handful of flat leaf parsley)
  • 2 T. red wine vinegar
  • 2 T. dijon mustard
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • a sprinkle of dry italian dressing packet (optional, but really good)
  • 3-4 T. olive oil

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl or glass liquid measuring cup, place herbs and vinegar.
  2. Mash together with a whisk and let sit a few minutes.
  3. Whisk in mustard and seasonings.
  4. Then whisk in enough oil to make it slightly thickened and mild enough to suit your taste.
https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/pasta-with-kale-cannelini-beans-and-fresh-herb-vinagrette/

Angie also suggests that the Fresh Herb Vinagrette would be great to marinade chicken, toss with some steamed potatoes, or use as a salad dressing.

Speaking of Angie, she has generously shared all kinds recipes, tips, and information with me over the years. I asked her if I can post some recipes from her kitchen here on Wholesome Mama and she said, “Absolutely!”

{She seriously could easily write an entire cookbook with all of her culinary expertise and creativeness so I am grateful to be able to pass on some of her recipes to you!}

What is your favorite way to prepare kale?

]]> https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/pasta-with-kale-cannelini-beans-and-fresh-herb-vinagrette/feed/ 1 556 Garlic Green Beans with Tamari Glazehttps://wholesomemama.com/recipe/garlic-green-beans-with-tamari-glaze/ https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/garlic-green-beans-with-tamari-glaze/#comments Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:37:22 +0000 http://wholesomemama.com/?p=547

There’s nothing like fresh green beans! This recipe is the perfect mix of sweet sautéed garlic and salty tamari. Feel free to use soy sauce instead if you are not sensitive to gluten.

The best part: it is simple, fast and your kids will be asking for more!

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Garlic Green Beans with Tamari Glaze

Garlic Green Beans with Tamari Glaze

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 3 cups fresh green beans, ends trimmed
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. tamari
  • freshly ground pepper

Instructions

  1. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium heat until hot.
  2. Add green beans and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add garlic and continue to stir until green beans and garlic are starting to brown and the beans are crisp-tender.
  4. Add tamari sauce and stir to coat.
  5. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste.
https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/garlic-green-beans-with-tamari-glaze/

]]> https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/garlic-green-beans-with-tamari-glaze/feed/ 2 547 Brown Rice Pilaf with Almondshttps://wholesomemama.com/recipe/brown-rice-pilaf-with-almonds/ https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/brown-rice-pilaf-with-almonds/#respond Sat, 17 Mar 2012 04:15:30 +0000 http://wholesomemama.com/?p=533

When my husband and I changed our diet to include whole grains, one of the changes we made was switching from white rice to brown. White rice has been stripped of a good portion of its nutrients and contains less fiber. Brown rice has a slightly nutty flavor, and like other whole grains, is more filling than its white counterpart. You can read more about the comparison between white and brown rice by clicking here.

I created this rice pilaf recipe out of a desire to put a little pizzazz into plain brown rice. This is the perfect recipe to introduce friends or family members to brown rice if they are used to eating white.

I guarantee your kids will love it {and your hubby too!}

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Brown Rice Pilaf with Almonds

51

Serves 8

Brown Rice Pilaf with Almonds

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup celery, chopped
  • 1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
  • 1 tsp. "Better Than Bouillon" Organic Chicken Base (buy mine at Costco)
  • 1 tsp. Spike All Natural Seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
  • 4 cups brown rice, cooked (I use Lundberg's short grain organic brown rice from Costco)
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Instructions

  1. Heat large skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add olive oil and butter once the skillet is hot.
  3. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and celery and cook until the onions become translucent and the celery begins to soften, about 8-10 minutes.
  4. Add the almonds and stir frequently until they are lightly toasted.
  5. Add chicken base and seasonings and stir until dissolved.
  6. Add rice and thoroughly mix together until heated through, about 5 minutes.
  7. Stir in fresh parsley and serve.
https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/brown-rice-pilaf-with-almonds/

What is your favorite way to eat brown rice?

]]> https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/brown-rice-pilaf-with-almonds/feed/ 0 533 Gripe Water: All Natural Reliefhttps://wholesomemama.com/recommended-product/gripe-water-all-natural-relief/ https://wholesomemama.com/recommended-product/gripe-water-all-natural-relief/#comments Tue, 13 Mar 2012 16:49:57 +0000 http://wholesomemama.com/?p=494

I wanted to take a minute to tell you all about a fabulous product made specifically for babies with stomach discomfort due to colic, teething, hiccups or excess gas. Gripe Water is an all natural, herbal digestive aid made without parabens or alcohol. Not only is it safe to give to your baby, it actually works!

image courtesy Amazon.com

I feel very blessed that neither of my babies were colicky or had excessive gas on a regular basis. When they were fussy and obviously uncomfortable, this stuff is like a miracle! It eases their pain so fast, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t tried it before

I have personally recommended this product to friends and family who have had the same results  as me so I am confident in its ability to work for you too.

]]> https://wholesomemama.com/recommended-product/gripe-water-all-natural-relief/feed/ 3 494 Sarah’s Simple Salsahttps://wholesomemama.com/recipe/sarahs-simple-salsa/ https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/sarahs-simple-salsa/#comments Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:22:05 +0000 http://wholesomemama.com/?p=430

It’s time to spill my secret. {My secret salsa recipe that is!}

The secret is this: I use canned tomatoes with green chilies as the base. So simple. I always keep them on hand in my pantry so I can throw this together in no time.

I don’t know about you, but Chips & Salsa has always been one of my favorite foods. I am a sucker for fresh & flavorful Mexican food!

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Sarah’s Simple Salsa

51

Sarah’s Simple Salsa

Ingredients

  • 1 14 oz. can Fire Roasted Tomatoes with Green Chilies
  • 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies
  • 1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 medium sweet onion
  • 1/2 sweet pepper (red, yellow or orange)
  • 1/2 jalapeno, seeded (or leave the seeds in tact if you like it HOT!)
  • 1/2 lime, juiced
  • 1/2 tsp. sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Instructions

  1. Place cilantro, onion, & jalapeno into food processor and pulse until desired size.
  2. Add tomatoes, lime juice, salt, and garlic powder and pulse until desired consistency.

Notes

The flavors combine best after refrigerating for a couple of hours, but I make it and serve immediately all the time because fresh salsa is just too good to resist!

https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/sarahs-simple-salsa/

I use this salsa on anything – scrambled eggs, salad, with chips, as an appetizer, or alongside any Mexican meal I prepare.

Once you try homemade salsa, you’ll never want to go back!

]]> https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/sarahs-simple-salsa/feed/ 3 430 Fresh Spring Rolls & Dipping Saucehttps://wholesomemama.com/recipe/fresh-spring-rolls-dipping-sauce/ https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/fresh-spring-rolls-dipping-sauce/#respond Fri, 09 Mar 2012 18:01:36 +0000 http://wholesomemama.com/?p=463

I never knew that fresh spring rolls could be so easy to make! The main thing to account for is the time it takes to prep all the ingredients and then assembling them. My dear friend taught me how to make these and shared this recipe with me {hi Angie!}

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Fresh Spring Rolls & Dipping Sauce

51

Fresh Spring Rolls & Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

    Fresh Spring Rolls
  • Rice paper (I got mine at Fred Meyer in the Asian aisle. Mine comes in a round clear package and the brand is Banh Trang Spring Roll Skin and is made in Vietnam)
  • Chinese style BBQ pork or cooked shrimp
  • lettuce
  • bean sprouts
  • shredded carrots
  • cilantro leaves
  • green onions (thinly sliced)
  • cucumber (julienned)
    • Classic Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
  • 1/3 c. lime juice
  • 3 T sugar mixed in 2/3 c. warm water
  • stir above ingredients to dissolve, and then add
  • 4 T fish sauce
  • 2 T soy sauce
  • 2 T sweet chili sauce
  • 1 red chili seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, thinly siced
  • 2 T shredded carrot

Instructions

    Fresh Spring Rolls
  1. Let the rice paper soak in a bowl of cold water until soft and pillowy then remove and assemble rolls (lettuce, meat, bean sprouts, carrots, cucumber, cilantro and then green onions). Best if rolled and served immediately. If you want to chill for later, dampen a paper towel and place over top.
    2. Classic Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
  2. Stir in the sugar until it is dissolved.
  3. Mix all together and let stand at least 30 min, or until ready to use.
https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/fresh-spring-rolls-dipping-sauce/

I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

]]> https://wholesomemama.com/recipe/fresh-spring-rolls-dipping-sauce/feed/ 0 463 Kid Friendly Gluten-Free Snack Ideashttps://wholesomemama.com/dairy-free/kid-friendly-gluten-free-snack-ideas/ https://wholesomemama.com/dairy-free/kid-friendly-gluten-free-snack-ideas/#comments Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:42:12 +0000 http://wholesomemama.com/?p=396

The picture on the left is a selection of the produce in my house this morning. We eat a lot of fruit and vegetables!

{I do have a great resource for being able to keep fresh produce on hand that I will share in a future post.}

In between meals, my kids usually need some fuel to keep them going. I do my best to avoid sugary snacks as I know how bad that is for their health and will cause their blood sugar levels to spike and then plummet. I like to make sure they are getting a good balance of protein, veggies/fruits, fats and whole grains (rice, corn, quinoa, gluten-free oats).

I am far from perfect, but I do my best! My family’s health is really important to me and I know how critical these early years are for kids.

Since eating a (mostly) gluten-free diet, I have had to be a bit more creative with snacks. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

  • veggies & hummus
  • apple slices with peanut or almond butter
  • hard-boiled eggs
  • nitrate-free ham/turkey cubed (I let my 3 year old use toothpicks with these – she thinks that is so great!)
  • smoothies made fresh in my Vitamix (my 1 year old practically hyperventilates when he hears/sees the blender going)
  • any whole fruit or veggie, raw or lightly steamed with real butter and sea salt

What are your snack ideas?

 

]]> https://wholesomemama.com/dairy-free/kid-friendly-gluten-free-snack-ideas/feed/ 2 396 Latelyhttps://wholesomemama.com/general/lately/ https://wholesomemama.com/general/lately/#comments Wed, 07 Mar 2012 04:27:16 +0000 http://wholesomemama.com/?p=387

Lately I have been…

packing our belongings into moving boxes

nurturing sick kids

dreaming of our new home

 planning out each detail

            thanking God for each blessing new and old

     thinking about this space and what I want to share

choosing to put priority on other things besides blogging

      looking forward to settling in and focusing on writing once again

{Thank you for your patience!}

]]> https://wholesomemama.com/general/lately/feed/ 2 387