Momathon Blog

Lovely Links from the Garden

Sunny and warm here today, so I'm outside on my deck thinking about gardens and backyard parties. The hydrangea above is in a container on my deck—out of reach from the deer (and bears) that wander through my yard munching on everything. My neighborhood in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies has a "no fences" rule, so the only safe place for plants is container gardens on the decks. 

Here are a few of my favorite links for plants, backyards, and summer fun. 

• I am so ready for my first barbecue party of the summer after seeing Nicole's party plans. How about you?

• A true garden party needs a few retro aprons. I adore the dottie angel aprons, striped straws in lemonade, and cupcakes Melanie features in her post from Seattle today.

• You scream, I scream, we all scream for homemade ice cream!  Gotta try the yummy recipe via Erin and Bi-Rite Creamery.

• An upside-down tomato planter is on my to do list for June.

• One of my puppies will eat nearly every thing... So I love this handy Pet Poison Help app to determine which plants I should keep out of reach.

• For more gardening ideas, check out my garden posts and photos here, on Pinterest and Facebook.

Photo illustration above by me, Chris Olson and features plants in my garden—Instagram Valencia filter— and a lovely fence photographed by D Sharon Pruitt.

 

Sleepy? Try Out the Caffeine-O-Meter

Waking up at the crack of dawn has never been easy for me. With kids getting breakfast and heading to school before 6:30 a.m., a cup of coffee is essential for me.

Not all coffees and teas are created equal according to the caffeine-o-meter. A Starbucks Vanilla Latte sounds mellow, but it has 150 mg of caffeine compared to a 16 oz Dunkin' Donuts cup at 143-206 mg. As for tea, a 16 oz. Starbucks Tazo Chai Tea Latte has 100 mg. Who knows, maybe next time I'm feeling a bit sluggish in the morning I'll really go wild and grab a cup of ice cream. Did you know that 8 oz. of Ben and Jerry's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch has a whopping 84 mg of caffeine. And two tablets of Excedrin, Extra Strength has 130 mg.

According to research by the USDA as reported by the MayoClinic.com the following coffees, teas, and other drinks include the following amounts of caffeine. Note that the caffeine amount listed is specific to the size of the cup tested. For specifics on caffeine levels, continue reading.

Recipe: Sugar Bliss Lip Scrub

 

Winter seems to do a number on my skin and my lips. In the morning when I put on layer after layer of my favorite lip gloss, my lips feel great for a while, but the flakiness always returns.The only trick I've found to restore my lips is a homemade lip scrub. 

If you are longing for the days when your lips felt soft and smooth, then try this homemade lip scrub to make your lips ultra kissable. The sugar in the recipe exfoliates and softens your lips and the Vaseline moisturizes and soothes your lips.

Recipe: Sugar Bliss Lip Scrub

• Moisturize your lips generously with Vaseline or generic petroleum jelly.
• Add a tsp. of sugar into a small bowl.
• Lightly moisten your finger in water and dip it into the sugar.
• Apply sugar to both the upper and lower lips with your finger. Gently rub the sugar into the Vaseline for about 30 seconds in a circular motion and you will remove the dry, flaky skin.
• Rinse off your lips with warm (not cold) water. Dry off your lips and add your favorite lip gloss or lipstick.

(Lip photo by Apdk on Flickr) 

Tomato and Lemon Fettucine Recipe

This is a favorite fast pasta meal at my house. I love the fact it is a very forgiving recipe too. If you don't have fresh tomatoes, sun dried tomatoes work well. I even substitute lemon concentrate for fresh lemons when I'm in a hurry. (See Tomato and lemon fettuccine below)

Holiday Recipe: Chai Tea with Milk

 

Enjoy!

Photo by me, Chris Olson

Halloween Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
• 2 teaspoons butter, melted
• 1 pinch salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. 
• Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet with edges so seeds do not fall off.
• Bake seeds for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
• Stir occasionally.

Recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups

Photo: D Sharon Pruitt

 

Cooking with Kids: Easy Raspberry Tiramisu

 

 

 

Tiramsu–sometimes called "heaven in your mouth"–is a refreshing Italian dessert that's as much fun to make as it is to say: tih-ruh-mee-SOO. The raspberry version in this recipe is easy enough to make with the kids. I modified the original recipe by Dorie Greenspan and added family-friendly cooking tips so the kids can help you make this layered treat recipe. (Note: This is a no-fuss recipe, don't worry if you can't find fresh raspberries for the top layer–just use slightly thawed frozen berries.)

Kid-friendly directions below.

Summer and an Orange Blossom cocktail

 

The summer heat wave is on. Made me think of the refreshing Orange Blossom drink served at the Waldorf Astoria.

Orange Blossom

Equal parts

• gin
• orange juice
• Italian vermouth

Shake well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Or you can serve the drink in a Collins glass with ice cubes.

Drink recipe via the Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book and Esquire.

Roasted pumpkin seed recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1 pinch salt

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. 
• Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet with edges so seeds do not fall off.
• Bake seeds for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.
• Stir occasionally.

Recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups

Photo: Jenib320

5 bad fast food meals kids love

Even though I don't think I frequent fast food places, the evidence of stopping once in a while for fries or a burger is clear: Before my kids could read a picture book, they could "read" the Burger King logo sign. 

Sigh. We all know eating healthy meals and snacks is best, but many of us still crave a fresh salad with a gallon of dressing or a sugary fruit smoothie. Nutrition, it turns out, is not always easy to recognize.

Recently Dr. Susan Albers, a psychologist who specializes in eating issues and body image concerns, made a list of foods kids should avoid in Huffington Post. According to Albers, a recent study by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) examined fast food favorites for kids that are popular because they are heavily marketed. Turns out the nutritional content on these meals is less than favorable. Surprise. Surprise. Kids love junk. And I'm guessing that anything labeled a "Happy Meal" sounds good to a six-year-old.

According to Albers article, here are the five worst fast food kids meals (using data from PCRM's study):

Worst
McDonald's Mighty Kids Meal: Double Cheeseburger, French fries, and chocolate milk. 840 calories, 37 grams of fat

2nd Worst
Wendy's Kids Meal: Chicken Sandwich, French fries and chocolate Frosty. 770 calories, 34 grams of fat.

3rd Worst
KFC Kids Meal: Popcorn chicken, potato wedges, string cheese and soda. 800 calories, 1,800 milligrams of sodium.

4th Worst
A&W Kids Meal: Cheeseburger, French fries and soda. 780 calories, 9 grams of saturated fat.

5th Worst
Burger King's BK Kids: Breakfast muffin sandwich meal. 95 milligrams of cholesterol (exceeds the Institute of Medicine's limit on sodium intake.)

For more information on healthy eating habits, check out the Momathon health & wellness news.

Easy dinners with only 5 ingredients

 

Fast meals in my house must also involve no-fuss grocery shopping. That's why I love the meal ideas by nutritionist Robin Miller author of Robin Rescues Dinner and host of the "Quick Fix Meals" show on the Food Network.

Check out the TODAY Show video below featuring Robin Miller. In the video she shares two recipes for easy-to-make dinners using five ingredients that are under 500 calories.

Robin's recipes 

Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with roasted pineapple

• 1 pork tenderloin (about 1-1 1/4 pounds)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 slices center-cut (lean) pork bacon
• 4-6 cored and peeled pineapple rounds (fresh or canned in juice)

(Complete lasagne recipe at the link above)

Lasagne rolls with herbed cheese recipe 

• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 cup soft herbed cheese (such as Boursin or Alouette)
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 1/2 cups prepared tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

(Complete lasagne recipe at the link above)

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

For more recipes, click on Momathon recipes.

The high cost of low-cost foods

Finding a deal on a pantry staple at the grocery is a great feeling. That is, until you realize that the low cost of some foods comes with a high price--our safety. Critics of the centralized food production system note the current practices allow for lower costs, but the voluntary recall by large corporations means they are also overseeing their own safety measures. 

The current egg recall by large-scale egg producers involves more than a half-billion eggs linked to a Salmonella outbreak. I recently wrote about the egg recall at BlogHer. The egg recall is only one of many current recalls including a deli meat recall from Wal-Mart. For more details on recalls check out: FDA: Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts.

Improved safety measures
Under current legislation the FDA does not have the necessary power to trace safety violations and impose a recall. The bipartisan Food Safety Bill (S510) under consideration in the Senate now might be the key to improving the situation by giving the FDA new powers to safeguard our food and track down violators.

Meanwhile, cook your eggs thoroughly and prevent cross-contamination by cleaning all surfaces and utensils.

For additional information on recent food recalls, check out these links:

FDA: Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts

Deli Meat Tests Positive for Bacteria - US News and World Report

Nationwide deli meat recall announced - CNN.com

Egg recall points up need for Senate action on food safety - Washington Post

Got egs? Read this - Momathon Blog

Got eggs? Read this

 

 
A growing number of people nationwide are getting salmonella infections from the recent outbreak linked to the tainted eggs from Wright County Egg in Iowa. This is not a regional outbreak--the number of eggs recalled is 380 million and growing.  

Recent FDA rules now make eggs safer, but unfortunately before the new July 9th rules large-scale egg producers did not have to comply with the safety measures that cover the refrigeration of stored and transported eggs, pasteurization, rodent control, cleanliness and a Salmonella prevention plan.

How to identify recalled brands
The Egg Safety Center has a detailed chart on recalled eggs listing the brands, codes, and possible stores. You can find it on this link: Egg Safety Center: Recall -- Effected brands and descriptions

Brands listed in recall according to a CNN.com article from August 20th include two recall groups:

Wednesday's (8/18) recall covers eggs branded as
• Albertsons
• Farm Fresh
• James Farms
• Glenview
• Mountain Dairy
• Ralph's
• Boomsma
• Lund
• Kemps
• Pacific Coast 

Eggs in this recall group are marked with
• plant numbers 1720 and 1942
• three-digit code ranging from 136 to 229

The earlier recall covered these brands

• Lucerne
• Albertson
• Mountain Dairy
• Ralph's
• Boomsma
• Sunshine
• Hillandale
• Trafficanda
• Farm Fresh
• Shoreland
• Lund
• Dutch Farms
• Kemps brands

 Eggs in this recall group are marked with 
• plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946.
• a three-digit code ranging from 136 to 225  

Reading the codes on packaging can be tricky. Note that the four-digit plant number begins with "P - " and is followed by the three-digit code.

The plant number begins with a P. The Julian date is a 3-digit code.

If you cook the eggs properly they are safe. However, cross contamination is possible if cooking utensils like pans and spatulas are not washed correctly. Of course, the recall is changing daily. Before consuming eggs please check the most update information. 

Salmonella infections symptoms

Please consult your doctor for complete information on the illness, symptoms, and treatment. The recent egg recall involves Salmonella enteridis. Symptoms can occur from 6 to 72 hours after eating an egg. Some symptoms include lower abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, chills, headache. Please consult your doctor for complete information on the illness, symptoms, and treatment. You can also check these links

     Salmonella Symptoms: Are My Kids Safe? - CBS News 

     Salmonella Infections - KidsHealth.org

     Salmonella infection: Symptoms - MayoClinic.com

     CDC - Salmonella enteritidis: General Information

For more information:

 CDC - Outbreak of Enteritidis Infections - August 19, 2010 - Salmonella

 This link includes detailed advice to consumers regarding identifying recalled eggs and how to handle eggs.

 FDA: Consumers -- Playing it Safe With Eggs

 FoodSafety.gov: Eggs and Egg Products

 Egg Safety Center

 Eggs, salmonella, recall: What you need to know - latimes.com

Photos above 1) Photo of one egg in a carton by Darwin Bell, 2) Egg codes on carton is a screenshot from the CNN.com online video.

Menus from NYC (and more) on your iPhone

 

Where do you want to go for lunch or dinner today? Now you can use your iPhone or iPod touch to check out restaurant menus using the free MenuPages app. You can search for restaurants by type, or location. One of the best features is skimming a list of nearby restaurants to decide where to dine. Once you decide on a restaurant, just tap the icon to bring up the menu as well as restaurant hours and location.

 

 

Cities included on MenuPages
MenuPages includes the following cities: 

• NYC
• San Francisco
• LA
• Philadelphia
• Washington DC
• South Florida. 
• NEW: Restaurant recommendations for travelers in London and Paris.

If you don't have an iPhone or iPad you can access MenuPages.com on your laptop.

MenuPages is also on Twitter.

(MenuPages artwork above from MenuPages.com.)

My apron love affair

I have always loved aprons. And why not, they can be a fashion statement and at the same time keep your dry clean-only sweaters free of cake batter. 

One of the best parts of being an apron girl is the fact aprons come in so many cute and affordable styles. Feeling like a girlie girl with lots of ruffles or maybe designer chic with sleek lines? Just pick the apron to fit your mood. Some of my faves are the aprons at Anthropologie including the vintage inspired Jessie Steele cupcake aprons worn by the characters Charlotte York-Goldenblatt and her daughter in the new movie Sex and the City 2.

Baker's Delight Apron - Anthropologie.com. A sweet little apron for mom's little sweetie, covered in dozens of cherry-topped cupcakes and iced with pretty pink piping. (Front pockets, Cotton, Machine wash, 20.75"L, 18.5"W, 19" ties, Imported, style #883112) $24.00

  

Move over cupcake, the macaroons are here

 

 
A new tasty treat is vying for the cupcakes top spot this year. Just in time for Easter. Could it be the coconut macaroon looks like the grass in your Easter basket. Or maybe we just love the outlandish unfoodly colors they come in--hot pink, sunshine orange, snowball white, and neon green. 

Macaroons are a classic French dessert. The first macaroons were an egg white and almond paste variety called almond meringues. The crisp crust and soft interior reminds me of the fabulous amaretti cookies so delicious with a latte.

Popular for the observation of Passover because they need no flour or leavening, the Italian Jews developed the coconut macaroons.

Recipe links:

Parisian Macaroons @ Martha Stewart

Coconut Macaroons II @ All Recipes

(Photo: Mezuni via Flickr)

More frosting, please

Good news frosting lovers. According to Redbook, the popular cupcake frosting "shots" are only 45 calories apiece. That means you could eat seven to equal the calorie count in one cupcake! Plus you don't even have to leave the house. Just go to Buttercream Cupcakes & Coffee and they will ship the shots to you. 

And if you can't get enough frosting or cupcakes, become a Buttercream Cupcakes & Coffee friend on Facebook.

 

(photo: Buttercream Cupcakes & Coffee)

Childhood obesity: Will we live longer lives than our kids?

In the rush to get everything done in a day, maintaining a healthy lifestyle with healthy meals and exercise often seems impossible. If you are like me, then getting take-out or fast food is a big temptation when you feel like you have no time to cook dinner. Unfortunately, when eating out becomes the norm, eating healthy is not always an option. 

Childhood obesity is a growing trend that threatens about one in three kids in the U.S. Increasing rates of obesity in America means that for the first time in our history, kids may face a shorter lifespan than their parents.

That's why First Lady Michelle Obama is encouraging doctors, nurses, parents, and community leaders to join Let’s Move, a nationwide campaign to change the trend and solve the epidemic of childhood obesity.

The First Lady's nationwide initiative's goal is to raise a healthier generation of kids. Let’s Move aims to give families the support needed to live healthier lives by eating healthy and getting more exercise.

4 key components of Let’s Move

1. Improve the information and tools families need to make healthy changes.
2. Improve quality of food in schools.
3. Improve access and affordability of food including eliminating "food deserts" in the community.
4. Increase physical education for kids to get them moving.

Can a dairy girl survive lactose intolerance?

 

I'm midwest girl at heart. I love milk. I love love love cheese. Pretty much anything dairy is on my yummy list. So what can a dairy gal do to survive lactose intolerance?

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Most people with lactose intolerance can enjoy some milk products without symptoms." 

That's good news, not only because I love the taste of dairy products, but because milk and other dairy foods provide essential nutrients, such as calcium, vitamins A and D, riboflavin and phosphorus. 

How can you minimize the symptoms of lactose intolerance? Drinking less milk more often works for some people. Or you can try limiting drinking milk to only at meal times because this slows down the digestive process. If you still experience problems, you can try lactose-reduced or lactose-free products. Some people like soy milk, nondairy creamers, or rice milk. I prefer lactose-free milk like Lactaid. 

Not all dairy is created equal. Check out the lactose content before your indulge. Hard cheeses like cheddar or Swiss tend to have lower lactose content. Yogurt and other cultured milk products can have lower lactose levels because during the culturing process the yogurt may produce the enzyme that breaks down lactose. However not all yogurts are made the same way. Some yogurt products have milk added after the culturing process.

Lactose can be hidden in non dairy products. Yikes! I learned this the hard way. Lactose can be added to prepared foods. Check the label's ingredient list for 

• whey
• milk 
• milk powder 
• ingredients that may contain milk byproducts
• malted milk
• butter milk
• dry milk solids
• lactose

Check the ingredients list for lactose in prepared foods including: 

• cereal
• instant soups
• baking mixes
• salad dressings
• milk chocolate

Gotta love the healthy calcium alternatives. Calcium rich foods that don't include lactose:

• broccoli
• leafy greens
• almonds
• oranges
• canned salmon
• calcium fortified products, such as bread, juice

For more information on brands of foods you might like to try, check out the Joy Bauer's Food Cures article featured on the TODAY Show.

Are you lactose intolerant? I am not a medical specialist or dietician, this article is posted here to provide ideas that will get you thinking about the options. Please check with your medical professional first for professional guidance with lactose intolerance.

(Image above of "pink milk, from the pinkcows, from pinkland" by  from PR'eyes')

Do I really need a CookVook?

 

The $9.99 price tag is my excuse for not downloading the Woman's Day Cookvook: Healthy Eating for Everyday Living iPhone app. According to WD, the CookVook provides healthy recipes in an "elegant, fun and easy to use application." Sounds like an interesting app, but this app only contains 45 recipes including Chicken Tortilla Soup and Cioppino. 

What makes it a cookvook? Video. It contain a how-to video for each recipe including a video that explains how to clean a leeks. (That video actually sounds useful in my quest to keep the germs out of my kitchen.) The CookVook is based on their hardcover book, The Woman's Day Cookbook for Healthy Living. If I was really bored, missing home-cooked meals and sitting in an airport terminal, then maybe this would be fun. But the CookVook's small cooking repertoire doesn't seem very practical when I am searching for new and interesting recipes. 

Another option...
Last year WD introduced their first iPhone app called the Cooking Assistant which is FREE. This app contains thousands of simple recipes tested by the cooks at WD. And it has a cool cooking time calculator and a shopping list feature so you can import the ingredients from a recipe into a shopping list feature. 

Bon Appetit from the Geeky Mom at Momathon.

Okey-Dokey: Kids Can Cook Gnocchi

 

 

It's still vacay at my house... 
So here is a favorite post from a few months ago:

Who knew gnocchi was so simple to make? It's the perfect meal to make with the kids. Only five ingredients! Potatoes, egg yolks, flour, salt & pepper. I'm loving this delicious dinner recipe that won't cost a fortune. Gnocchi is a great alternative to pasta and it's easier to make than mashed potatoes.

You can watch Amanda Freitag, executive chef of The Harrison in NYC, create a yummy meal with gnocchi that your kids will love to help you make in the TODAY show video clip below. (You can see the super simple gnocchi recipe at this link.)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

(photo by Marco Fedele)

Simply Delish Peppermint Bark Recipe

 

Looking for an easy last-minute holiday candy recipe? Here is one of my favorites: Last Christmas I wrote a post about an easy and delish recipe for classic peppermint bark. You can check out the recipe and a how-to video on the TODAY Show with Chef Kathleen Daelemans. Full recipe is available on the Today Show website.

The inexpensive homemade version is a great gift idea too. The candy recipe only has four ingredients:

• bittersweet chocolate wafers or chips
• white chocolate wafers or white chocolate
• canola oil
• peppermint candy

If you don't want to make the peppermint bark at home, check out the yummy Williams-Sonoma Original Peppermint Bark ($26.50 for a one-pound tin).

You can watch a short how-to video on making the peppermint candy on The TODAY Show. below. (Note: The TODAY Show clip starts out talking about cookie swaps with homemade gingerbread and then the next item they discuss is the peppermint bark.)

Party foods that make kids happy according to Oprah.com

Looking for food ideas that will please both young and old party guests? Check out these kid-friendly recipe ideas from Oprah:

• Sausage Rolls with Worcestershire Sauce
• Lemon Pepper Dry-Rub Ribs with Vegetables
• Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins - Food to Make Kids Happy - Oprah.com
• Classic Hot Chocolate
• 12-Layer Chocolate Cake

(image by ajagendorf25)

Spritz cookie recipe

Okay, mommies. Show of hands. How many of you wait till the very last minute to make holiday cookies?

Here's a quick and easy recipe for those of you procrastinators like me. (It may look familiar to some of you, I posted this recipe last year too.) Enjoy! Note that you will need a cookie press to make them. Here is the recipe:

Buttery Spritz cookies are not just tempting, they are addictive. So make sure you whip up a batch with the kids so you don't eat the whole batch yourself! This spritz recipe is perfect for baking with the kids because mixing the 5-ingredient dough is a snap. Plus your kids will love using the cookie press to make the cookies.

Buttery Spritz

1 cup butter or margarine

2/3 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1 tsp flavoring (almond or vanilla)

2 1/2 cups flour

Heat oven to 400. Mix butter, sugar, egg yolks, and flavoring. Add flour to mixture. Select the cookie press shape you want to use. (Each time you fill the press you can change the cookie press shape.) Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, force the dough through the cookie press (see the photo below) onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 7-10 minutes--be careful not to overbake. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Happy baking!

Classic Cold Remedy: Easy "Homemade" Chicken Noodle Soup

Fall officially starts today. Celebrate the autumnal equinox with a heartwarming and cold-chasing bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup.

image: BitchBuzz

Chicken noodle soup works double duty by minimizing the symptoms and duration of a cold. If you are a busy mom like me, making homemade soup means improvising on Grandma's recipe. Turns out that if you start with Knorr's chicken noodle soup (the best chicken noodle brand according to researchers at Nebraska Medical Center) you can add nutrient rich ingredients to make your own "homemade" version.

Almost Homemade Chicken Noodle Recipe:

1) Start with 2-3 cans of chicken broth OR use chicken broth packet(s) and add water as directed. Adjust amount of liquid broth according to the number of servings needed.

2) Bring chicken broth to a boil. 

3) If you have cooked chicken on hand, add about a cup of shredded or diced chicken

4) Add  a few of your favorite chopped frozen (or fresh) veggies that offer healthy benefits as defined by MensHealth.com and Everynutrient.com:

• carrots include beta-carotene to help the immune system
• peas are a good source of carotenes, vitamin C & K, B vitamins, magnesium and protein
• green beans are a source of vitamin B6, fiber, folic acid, and magnesium
• celery contains phytochemical compounds known as coumarins that can enhance the activity of certain white blood cells and celery juice helps maintain electrolyte levels
• onions and garlic are antivirals
• bell peppers is a salicylate w/ anti-inflammatory benefits

4) Add your favorite spices to taste such as thyme or cayenne pepper (this hot spice can multi-task and works as a decongestant)

5) Add egg noodles or vermicelli noodles (approx. 1 cup)  OR add rice

6) Simmer until veggies are tender, about 30 minutes or so.

Bon appetit!