Healthy Recipes ~ Spicy Meat Loaf

photo by Suat Eman of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

photo by Suat Eman of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

As promised, I wanted to share a healthier version of the traditional family favorite – meat loaf.  This recipe is a modification of the one in my favorite cookbook, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig.

By personal choice, I left out the “1/2 pound of ground heart” and “1 tablespoon fish sauce” optional ingredients… just couldn’t go there. Feel free to include them in YOUR recipe!

Spicy Meat Loaf

serves 8

2 pounds of ground beef, ground bison, ground turkey or chicken or other meat choice (choose free-range, grass-fed meats or wild game for the highest nutritional value and the lowest toxic intake)
{for all the vegetable and spice ingredients, choose organic and fresh whenever possible}
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
4 tablespoons of butter (preferably organic and raw, from a happily grass-fed cow)
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon cracked pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 and 1/2 cups of whole grain bread crumbs (choose gluten-free, if you can find it… or make your own)
1 cup of real cream (from the same grass-fed, non-drugged cow that gave you her butter!)
1 whole egg (preferably free-range and organic)
4 tablespoons of tomato paste or naturally sweetened ketchup

Now, for the magic:

Saute the onions, carrots and celery in butter until soft. Add chile flakes, thyme, pepper and salt and stir. In the meantime, soak the bread crumbs in the cream.
Have a 9×13 inch pyrex pan ready. Use your hands to mix the meat with sauteed vegetables, soaked bread and egg.

Form into a loaf and set in the pan. Top with ketchup or tomato paste. Add about 1 cup of water to the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half.

Remember, that left over meat loaf makes a healthy school lunch option for your young ‘uns! Need more ideas for healthy family meals, especially for school? Check out The Healthy School Days Menu! Every choice matters… make sure you know the essentials of building healthy meals for your kids! It doesn’t have to be difficult – in fact, The Healthy School Days Menu makes it simple! : )

Healthier Nutrition… Even on Vacation Road Trips!

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This week, our family has headed out on a little vacation before the end of summer.

Road trip!

I was having a funny conversation with one of my neighbors as I was packing up our car on our departure day. She’s the mom to three kids and the grandma to several little people, so she knew a thing or two about traveling with kids!

She knows that we’re raising our kids in a healthier way, so she was wondering how we manage the issue of fast food restaurants and junk food while on the road. (Is this a trick question? Are there hidden cameras somewhere? lol!)

One word: Cooler.

Not that hard!

This is what I packed for our two days in the car, and our overnight hotel stay, and our first few days at our ‘real’ destination:
Lots of water, hard-boiled free-range eggs, turkey jerky (antibiotic-free, nitrite-free, free-range), carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, tomatoes, grapes, apples, bananas, plums, avocado, sprouted bread… and organic spelt pretzels!

It’s really not a big deal… nothing difficult. Sure, it’s easier and cheaper to stop at fast food joints or convenience stores along the way, but even on road trips, we maintain our ‘theme’ of building health. I know there will be plenty of opportunity for the kids (and their parents) to encounter tasty toxins while we’re on vacation, so I control what I can and then don’t worry about a little ‘indulgence’ later on.

For example, on our first night, we went to a restaurant where the kids had a salad and shared a bison burger… and they had sweet potato fries. Since they had already consumed umpteen servings of fresh veggies and fruit throughout the day, I don’t worry over the ingredients of the burger bun or fries… too much!

The next morning in the hotel, we started with a variety of fresh fruit and some hard-boiled eggs in our room. Then, I agreed that the kids could check out the hotel’s breakfast. Ugh. The hotel does a fabulous job of advertising their “free” breakfast throughout the guest rooms, hallways, stairwells… pretty much everywhere! Parents don’t stand a chance!

A major part of my goal with the kids is to teach them how to make healthIER choices… and still function in the real world… and not be *complete* outcasts in society! Lol! (We might need to relocate in order to accomplish that last one!)
So, I chose to let them have one mini muffin from the breakfast bar. Not bad, considering what the options were!

I was thoroughly saddened and dismayed by the food that other kids were eating at tables around us. Again, it’s not judgement – it’s real sadness. One little boy at the table next to us – he couldn’t have been any older than 3 – was eating a gigantic bowl of fruit loops with conventional cow’s milk, a plate full of various donuts and pastries, a bagel, a tall glass of orange juice… and he was also sharing a waffle twice the size of his head with his dad, loaded with syrup. Toxic, toxic, toxic.

It made my stomach hurt. My heart, too.

“Was he overweight?” you might be wondering. Nope, not at all. That’s just further proof that the issue of “childhood obesity” is NOT the complete issue at hand. “Childhood toxicity” is the bigger issue. Who CARES if this kid was overweight or not?! He’s obviously completely toxic and at risk for every single chronic illness on the planet.

We can’t wait for kids to become obese to start caring about what’s going in their mouths.

Back to the boy in the hotel. I understand his parents’ predicament, though. The breakfast was “free”… so there’s this sense that you *need* to fill up on it while you can. It seems like it’s a good value, right? Kids are expensive animals to feed! Also, you just want to fill those bellies so the kids are happy… satisfied… and perhaps less whiny in the car! (Not that I have ANY personal experience with that!)

BUT, that’s short-sighted thinking. Understandable, but short-sighted.

You can’t have health if you don’t supply the raw ingredients for it! We would be doing our kids an enormous favor if we taught them to FUEL up rather than FILL up.

Go ahead and load up on the free breakfast, if that’s what floats your boat. BUT, at least make sure those kids are getting SOME real food – some ingredients for building healthy bodies, high-performance brains, and happy, balanced emotions for life!

Back to School Nutrition Tips & Recipes ~ The Healthier Sandwich, Part Two

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Let’s continue our conversation about the all-American school lunch box staple – the sandwich.

In the first part of this article, The Healthier Sandwich Part One, I talked about the outside of the sandwich: bread.

Now, let’s take a look at the inside!

Are your kids “meat people” at lunchtime? A great choice then is to use fresh meats and meat that was roasted, baked, braised or slow-cooked… perhaps even left overs from dinner. If your kids love their deli meats, definitely consider upgrading to “clean” meats from free-range or grass-fed livestock that lack the hormones, antibiotics, nitrates/nitrites and other preservatives. Many of these are known carcinogens.

You’ve also got some meat ‘salad’ options like chicken or turkey salad, and tuna salad (although tuna tends to bioaccumulate mercury more than deep, cold water fish, like wild salmon). Opt for homemade mayonnaise or a brand made with real, clean ingredients.

Have you ever tried spreading the bread with mashed avocado? Equally as yum-o-la! Add some sprouts… perfect!

Basic Homemade Mayonnaise:

To make 1 and 1/2 cups…

1 whole egg at room temperature

1 egg yolk at room temperature

1 tsp Dijon or other favorite mustard

1.5 tbsp lemon juice

3/4 – 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (or sunflower oil, if you think the olive oil taste is too strong)

a generous pinch of sea salt

In your food processor or Vitamix, place egg, egg yolk, mustard salt and lemon juice – process until well blended (approx. 30 seconds). Add the oil drop by drop with the motor running. Taste and check seasoning. You might choose to add more salt or lemon juice.

For variations on your mayo, you could add fresh herbs or onions or cayenne pepper… or whatever floats your boat!

The meat loaf sandwich is another fun option for some kids. I’ll post a recipe for “Spicy Meat Loaf” soon.

Don’t feel like you always have to pack meat in the sandwich. You can also use healthy natural nut butters, like almond or cashew butter with naturally sweetened jam, apricot butter or raw honey. Or, skip the sweets altogether and just use something like bananas… like the banana tacos in The Healthy School Days Menu. They’re a hit with our kids… and with me when I’m in a rush to make lunch!

Another idea is to make veggie sandwiches with whatever your kids like – add some homemade cream cheese and, voila! Yummy and a nice change. Raw cheese sandwiches are a good option every so often, too. Spread your healthy bread choice with real butter or your homemade mayonnaise and some raw cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.

Moving beyond bread, you’ve got even more options to add variety… wraps, roll-ups, pita sandwiches… oh my!

One that might make heads turn in your kids’ classroom is the pita bread falafel sandwich: falafel with tahini sauce and thinly sliced cucumber and tomato.

Don’t forget about all the options for spreads, preferably your healthier homemade versions: guacamole/avocado spread, cream cheese and mayo varieties, and traditional condiments that lack high fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients.

Serve up those sandwiches with fresh veggies and maybe some fruit. Need more? Homemade trail mix, homemade ‘health’ bars and even the occasional homemade cookies are healthier options than packaged, processed lunch foods, snacks and desserts.

Find more ideas in The Healthy School Days Menu!

Healthy Recipes & Meals ~ The Big Salad!

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Last night’s dinner was “The Big Salad”.

It was one of those days where we really didn’t feel like cooking much, so we made a nice big salad for the 4 of us.

Ingredients & Preparation:

We started with freshly pressed garlic cloves, then added extra virgin olive oil, some balsamic vinegar and a bit of grainy organic mustard for our own salad dressing.

Then we added nearly the entire one pound container of organic baby lettuce mix, some broccoli, grape tomatoes, sunflower seeds, a few dried cranberries, 4 hard boiled eggs, a few slices of organic ‘clean’ deli turkey and some shredded raw Parmesan cheese.

I think that eating healthy foods leads to our family having healthy conversations, too! A major topic at the dinner table last night was the identification of all the foods in the salad and their health benefits, as well as a recollection of all the healthy foods the kids consumed throughout the day.

For breakfast they had: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and peach slices + eggs, turkey sausage and 1/2 piece of sprouted toast with butter from grass-fed cows.

Snacks (a.m. & p.m.): grapes, banana, apples, carrots w/ almond butter, cucumber slices, and another peach. Goodness gracious, these people eat a lot!

Lunch: ‘clean’ deli turkey sandwich and small salad.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating… these 2 need to get a job! ; )

(Need some help with feeding your kids healthy foods? That’s why I made The Healthy School Days Menu! More HEALTH for kids… less STRESS for parents!)


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Simple Nutrition ~ Better Health

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Something about this scene just cracked me up this morning… so I thought I’d share it!

This morning, the kids thought it would be ‘cool’ if mom served them their breakfast on a tray… out on the dock. Nothing like making me feel like even *more* of a servant!! Lol!

I said I’d be happy to ‘serve’ them if I could join them. Deal.

We had a simple breakfast. Generally speaking, “simple” typically means healthier, in my perhaps limited experience!

We started with fresh fruit: berries and pineapple slices.

Then came the “main course”: free range organic eggs cooked in real butter from grass-fed cows, seasoned with fresh basil, freshly ground pepper and sea salt, and topped with shredded raw cheddar cheese, AND 1/2 a sprouted sesame bagel with almond butter.

This morning’s featured beverage? Purified water, of course! Seems fancier when it’s on the dock, however!

If you subtract all the descriptive terms, essentially what we had was: fruit, eggs, 1/2 a bagel and water. Simple. Delicious.

If simple and nutritious is up your alley, then you’ll enjoy our family’s Healthy School Days Menu! Simple strategies and ideas for structuring healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks.

Back-to-School Nutrition Tips ~ The Healthier Sandwich, Part One

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Sandwiches are a staple in many school lunches. Day in and day out, kids are chowing down on this star of the school lunch box!

Especially since this is such a consistent part of our children’s nutrition, it would benefit them greatly if we could make the sandwich healthier… yes?

Too often, the usual sandwich ingredients consist of preserved, toxic meats, processed cheeses, processed refined breads, and condiments loaded with high fructose corn syrup, sugar, artificial colors, and polyunsaturated oils & trans fats. Ick.

Let’s talk about bread.

It was the introduction of baker’s yeast that propelled the modern sandwich to its current level of popularity. As compared to “old style” breads like sourdough and slow-rise that are generally pretty hard for sandwiches, the baker’s yeast makes bread softer… the way we’ve grown accustomed to.

We’d have a lot of broken teeth otherwise!

As usual, there’s a blessing and a curse with our so-called ‘advances’ in nutrition. The baker’s yeast allows for a a quick-rise bread that’s ready faster. That’s nice. But, this quickness results in the phytates in the whole grains NOT being properly neutralized. That’s the inherent problem with conventionally prepared grains in the first place… whether we’re talking about whole grains or refined grains and flour.

Then, add to that, the other toxic ingredients in conventional breads – preservatives, dough conditioners, artificial ingredients, sugars, high fructose corn syrup. Trouble’s brewin’.

The good news is that there are some alternative bread choices out there that are definitely healthier. Most are still made with brewer’s yeast, but at least the grains are first allowed to sprout. You can usually find these in the freezer section of grocery stores. (The photograph in this post is of a common brand that’s now found even in many mainstream markets: “Food for Life”.) Real sourdough bread is another good option.

We also like to use sprouted wraps even more so than breads. I give several examples of menu options using these wraps in The Healthy School Days Menu. It’s not just a “lunch thing”, either. We use them for breakfast wraps and at dinner time. I even bake them once in awhile for homemade “tortilla chips”.

Pita bread is an acceptable option, since it isn’t made with yeast. But, the dough hasn’t been allowed to sour, so it’s not the choice for those with grain sensitivities.

Now, how about those sandwich fillings and all the extras ? We’ll get to that in Part Two!

(Or, if you can’t wait, you can get your OWN Healthy School Days Menu here!)

Back-to-School Nutrition Tips

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The thought of providing a variety of health-promoting, kid-approved foods throughout the school year can certainly feel overwhelming!

There’s breakfast to consider, then snacks, lunch, more snacks, dinner, maybe another snack… those kids can seem like bottomless pits at times!!

I’d like to chunk this subject of kids’ school days nutrition down into simple tips and strategies so we can feel less overwhelmed.

Let’s consider breakfast.

The average North American breakfast typically revolves around some type of refined, processed grain – like cereal, toast or bread, bagels, quick-cooked oatmeal, and a variety of pastries.

If we were to discuss the negative consequences of this single food choice alone, this would be a very lengthy article! Suffice it to say, there is an ever-increasing number of health professionals who agree that grains are not a requirement for optimal function.

Whoa! What did she just say??

That’s right – we do not ‘need’ grains. Especially cereal-type grains. Amongst other physiological ramifications of consuming grains, inflammation is one of the biggest problems that results. The more refined, the worse it is. It’s a horrible way to start the day!

So, what’s a parent to do? Certainly ‘whole’ grains are an improvement over toxic refined grains. Better yet, choose more ancient grains, sprouted, soaked or fermented grains.

So far, I’m not really making your life any easier, am I?!

Sorry about that – just wanted to make sure you’re aware of the consequences of grain-centered meals… despite the fact that sources like the food pyramid won’t provide this information. Money apparently speaks louder than health.

Let’s get back to breakfast.

Here’s a hierarchy of improvements to consider making:

1) If you can eliminate refined grains, go for it!

2) If elimination isn’t a realistic option right now, at least reduce the consumption of refined, processed grains.

3) Upgrade your choices of grains when possible – at the very least, start with whole grains, and make sure there’s no high fructose corn syrup. Look for high fiber content and low sugar. No artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors.

But, THE most important thing to focus on with breakfast is to create a BALANCED meal.

In order to provide the raw materials for optimal brain function, balanced emotions and mood regulation, and maximized physical performance, we need some healthy protein, natural fats and some fresh fiber.

I discuss these and the 5 basic food groups our kids require for optimal health & performance in The Healthy School Days Menu. It’s simple and clear enough that kids, too, can learn how to make healthy choices and structure health-promoting meals and snacks. I think it’s important that they understand the importance of the choices they’re making. It’s a mom thing!

Speaking of being a mom, I understand the temptation of serving cereal for breakfast. Kids love it. It’s cheap (or can be). It’s quick, easy and convenient. What’s not to love?!

I also understand that it might not be realistic for you to completely eliminate these types of foods from your kitchen. That’s OK – there are still ways we can add better health to this meal.

If you’re serving grains for breakfast, you can dramatically improve the overall health value of that meal by ADDING some fresh fruit, and a REAL food source of protein (that often comes with its own natural source of fat).

Need an example?

Let’s say your kids are still having cereal for breakfast. Without even getting into the quality of the cereal or the quality and source of the milk, an immediate and simple improvement to that meal would be to start them off with fresh fruit first.

Then, give them something with protein and natural fats, like a whole egg or a handful of raw nuts. If you can swing it, there are some excellent clean breakfast meats that lack the toxic chemicals and nitrites/nitrates… or you can just serve a bit of protein left over from last night’s dinner.

I like to think of it as “diluting” the negative effects of the grains!

You know what you’ll notice as you add protein, natural fats and fresh fiber (fruit & veggies)? Your kids will have more (balanced) energy, better focus, more balanced moods, greater performance… and a number of other overall health improvements… just by ADDING some things.

Just imagine what you’d see if you started to reduce some of the toxic things from their diets!

That’s a topic for another discussion! Baby steps! ; )

If you need help in figuring out what to serve your kids, and WHY to add or avoid certain foods, that’s why I created The Healthy School Days Menu for my OWN family! I’d love to see it help YOUR family as well!

Back-to-School Nutrition Basics for Kids

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Lately, I’ve been talking a lot about children’s nutrition in our practice as families get ready for Back-to-School.

Parents are concerned about providing the best foods for their kids, and avoiding the worst ones, in an effort to maximize health and performance.

Easier said than done, right?

There are some common challenges I consistently hear from parents:

1) They’re not really sure which foods are healthy! Marketing hype tends to cloud the issue.

2) Their kids (and oftentimes, their spouse!) are not on board with this mission to get healthy.

3) They’re concerned that it’s too expensive to ‘eat healthy’.

4) They’re struggling for ideas to add variety to their family’s meals.

5) They already feel like they’re short on time, and don’t know how they can devote any MORE time to food preparation.

So, what’s the solution? Just give up… give in… and feed our kids the easiest, cheapest, most convenient foods that cause no fuss or resistance from our children? Umm… sorry, Charlie. I understand the financial and time constraints that many families face… but I’ve got to focus on HEALTH here. I’ll let the savvy marketers and conventional food manufacturers take care of the “cheap, easy, convenient” elements! They’re SO good at it! ; )

Trust me, I also understand the “resistance” kids can put up. First, I don’t believe in a militant approach to nutrition… contrary to what you may think! I DO allow our kids to have ‘tasty toxins’ often enough… provided they’ve been respectful of their bodies’ innate genetic requirements for health and have provided ample fuel for optimal function already.

A real life example play out like this:  “You’d like to have {fill in this blank with a more toxic food choice}? Ok, let’s make sure you’ve had enough protein, natural fats, fresh fiber (veggies & fruit) and pure water already today.” Simple. Bodies need fuel to perform and function. The better the fuel, the better the performance and function.

So, no nutrition military here… BUT, I DO wear the Nutritional Pants in our family! One of my most important jobs as a parent is to protect my kids and keep them safe. Conventional foods – and conventional thinking about food – is not safe. It does not ensure a healthy future. We can do better for our children… and it’s not as hard as you may think.

I think that improving the nutrition and health of kids is a two-party job. Parents need to acquire up-to-date and accurate nutrition knowledge AND commit to providing healthier options at home (while providing fewer toxic options). Kids, on the other hand, would be more accepting of mom and dad’s efforts to improve their health if THEY TOO had a better understanding of nutrition and health basics. Knowledge is power!

These are some of the major reasons I made The Healthy School Days Menu. In a simple, straightforward manner, it teaches the entire family what the basic requirements are for proper nutrition, as well as how to create healthy meals and snacks that follow the basic ‘rules’ of healthy physiology.

Although recipes are good, I feel that a basic understanding of Nutrition is far more important. It’s like that old saying about ‘teaching a man to fish…’. Once we learn “how to fish” (i.e. what our bodies need for health, and how to create this in simple meals and snacks), we’re good for life!

That’s why I’ve loved teaching our kids with this menu. They’ve gained the tools and keen strategies for making healthIER choices for life… not necessarily perfect, but definitely healthier! They know what their bodies need and how to provide it. Anybody can follow a recipe – but that doesn’t teach us how to make healthy choices for life. Knowledge first, recipes second! (I provide both, by the way!)

As far as the time and money issues, I have some tips that help. It may not make it perfect… but it’ll help!

I admit, many “healthy” foods do seem to ‘cost’ more. I have two major thoughts on that subject:

1) Consider all the money being spent on toxic, harmful garbage food first – there’s SO much money spent on things like junk food, fast food, convenience foods, packaged processed snack foods, desserts, breakfast cereal, pop, juice drinks, sports & energy drinks, coffee drinks, and so on… even just decreasing spending in one or two of these areas would free up some funds to upgrade basic choices, like the quality of meats, eggs and so on, as well as allow us to invest more in health-promoting foods like vegetables and fruit.

2) Healthy “fuel” is an investment in both current and future health. Every choice does matter, good and bad. Although there is not ONE magical key to guarantee excellent health in the future, nutrition is certainly ONE of the keys. We’ve scientifically moved beyond the age of ignorance where anyone could possibly get away with the argument that what we eat doesn’t really matter all that much! It matters.

The other issue is time.

The two major shifts that have helped ME feel better about the time involved in eating healthier are:

1) See #2 above! When I feel overwhelmed with food selection and preparation, I remind myself that it’s one of the most important and loving things I can do for my family… and myself.

2) Meal planning (utilizing the Circle of Health and 4 Golden Rules of Nutrition that I discuss in The Healthy School Days Menu) have saved my sanity!

I’ll write more about how I introduced the Dr. Mom version of Meal Planning to our family in an upcoming post. It has saved us a ton of money, saved me the headaches of scrambling for meal ideas at the last minute and helped with overall stress reduction. I build in some room for spontaneity, too… ‘cuz that’s just how I am! : )

Anyhow, if Back-to-School nutrition is a concern of yours, and/or you’d like to raise your kids with a better understanding of nutrition and health, you can find out more about The Healthy School Days Menu by CLICKING HERE.

Have some healthy family recipes you’d like to share? Great! Leave a comment with your family favorites!

Healthy Recipes ~ Turkey Breakfast Sausage

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Need some ideas and tasty ways to add protein to your family’s breakfast?

Remember, a nice, clean source of protein at breakfast, along with fresh fiber and natural fats, is an EXCELLENT start to your day. It optimizes your brain chemistry, revs up your metabolism, regulates moods, balances blood insulin levels… and much more!

This recipe is a modified version of one found in “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon.

Turkey Breakfast Sausage
(serves 6… unless my children are there, then it might just be enough for 3!!)

1 pound of ground turkey (preferably free-range and drug-free)
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon each cumin, marjoram, pepper, nutmeg, oregano, cayenne pepper, and ginger
1/2 teaspoon each dried basil, thyme, sage
1-2 teaspoons sea salt
2 tablespoons whole grain bread crumbs
1 whole egg (free-range, organic), lightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter (preferably organic, from grass-fed cows)

Mix all ingredients and chill well. Form into patties and saute in butter.

To store in freezer, form into patties and store in an airtight container, using parchment paper to line the container and separate the patties. (Do NOT use microwave to defrost!)

Remember… call me when breakfast is ready!

Can you imagine just adding something as simple and nutritious as these sausage patties to your family’s breakfast? What a powerful upgrade to make to their nutrition. Add some fresh fruit, too and POW! You’ve got yourself an excellent breakfast!  If there are still grain-based foods or dairy on your breakfast table, do your best to make sure the grains are sprouted and the dairy is raw, unpasteurized and non-homogenized. Less toxic, more nutritious.

Need more ideas for healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks… and a foundational understanding of nutrition? Check out The Healthy School Days Menu.

Healthy Foods & Recipes ~ The Sweet Potato

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Our family LOVES sweet potatoes! The flavor, the nutritional quotient, the color… it all makes me happy!

Here’s an interesting excerpt from “Nourishing Traditions” (one of our family’s nutrition “bibles”!) by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig, Ph.D.:

“There’s probably no vegetable with a higher betacarotene content than the sweet potato. This is the betacarotene that protects us against cancer, colds, infections and other diseases. The carotene content of sweet potatoes actually increases as the vegetable is stored throughout the winter.

But remember that our bodies can only convert carotene to vitamin A in the presence of bile salts. That’s why it’s so important to eat sweet potatoes with butter, egg yolks or cream. {How much do you love me NOW for letting you know it’s GOOD to have butter with these!!?? Mind you, we’re talking about REAL butter here… preferably from grass-fed cows.} These fats stimulate the secretion of bile and help the body to convert carotenes to all-important vitamin A. These wonderful fats also make sweet potatoes taste delicious.

The sweet potato is a good source of iron, potassium, niacin and vitamin C. It contains fiber and is very rich in vitamin B6, a vitamin that is highly protective against heart disease. Last but not least, the sweet potato is rich in magnesium, another nutrient that protects against heart disease.”

One of our family’s favorite ways to prepare sweet potatoes is Sweet Potato Dollars. Simple, pretty quick, fun!

For the four of us, I’ll usually use 3 sweet potatoes ~ give or take. I also use real grass-fed butter (approx. 3 or 4 tablespoons melted), sea salt, some freshly ground pepper, and a bit of extra virgin olive oil (a couple tablespoons).

I peel the potatoes and slice them crosswise into “dollars” – each approximately 1/4 inch thick.

I prepare a cookie sheet or two by spreading or brushing the butter along the bottom. Sometimes I’ll use a mix of melted butter with a bit of olive oil… most  times, I just drizzle a little olive oil on the sweet potatoes after they’ve cooked.

Next, arrange the slices in a single layer and brush with the rest of the butter. I sprinkle with the sea salt and freshly ground pepper. I’ll mix it up by adding allspice or cinnamon sometimes, or garlic & chives at other times… pretty much whatever is floating my boat on that particular day!

Then, bake for approximately 45 minutes at 350 degrees in a conventional oven, or approximately 20-25 minutes in a convection oven.

Call me when they’re ready!

Oh… and you wouldn’t believe the cheers when you bring out the sweet potato “fries” from the kitchen!!

A Healthy, Nutritious, Active Day for the Kids ~ Not “Hard”, Just Intentional!

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Last night was one of those nights that made me feel good about my performance level as a mom! (I’ll take it whenever I can get it!)

The kids had a nice variety of health-promoting foods and activities throughout the day:

They started with a nice, healthy breakfast of fresh fruit and eggs with 1/4 sprouted bagel. Then we did some home schooling – a little math and geography without them really realizing we were “doing school”! Hee Hee! Then they had some fresh fruit and nuts for a snack. Then the kids did yoga while mom and dad worked out. Then lunch time – fresh veggies and almond butter wrap. Then it was major play time for the kids ALL afternoon – tons of swimming and trampolining and boating with our neighbors.

We capped it off with a really nice dinner – a BIG healthy salad. It still just makes my heart sing to see my kids sit down and chow on a bowl of salad that’s bigger than their heads!

While hubby grilled the organic free-range chicken breasts for the salad, the kids and I prepped the rest. We started with pressed garlic and extra virgin olive oil in the bowl. Then we added the organic mixed greens (an enormous amount!), then chopped broccoli, tomatoes, chick peas, some sliced almonds, and some grated raw Parmesan cheese. I threw in the chicken, added some balsamic vinegar, freshly ground pepper, a tiny bit of sea salt, tossed it all… and voila!

Yummy and nutritious.

Are you looking for new ideas for healthy breakfasts, lunches and snacks for your family? I’ve got a simple solution we’ve been using in our family for years! Check out “The Healthy School Days Menu” for simple menu ideas, nutrition strategies and “guidelines” the entire family can understand.

Healthy Nutritional Choices for Healthy Kids & Families ~ The Wonderful Egg!

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We go through a lot of eggs in this household! In fact, I’m wondering how much room hens really need to roam… because that might be on my list of things to do one of these days: raise free-range hens for their eggs!

In all my spare time.

It seems like it wasn’t all that long ago that my daughter wasn’t all that crazy about eggs. When she first started eating solids, she loved eggs and that lasted for a few years. Then we went through a couple of years where it was hit and miss… and I had to sneak eggs into things.

Now, we’ve turned a rather large corner in the egg department: these kids want eggs every single day for breakfast! Well, hot diggity dog! I am thrilled to prepare eggs for these little cherubs in the morning! What a fabulous, nutritious start to their day.

Eggs are a powerful source of healthy protein AND fats, so I know it’s the perfect food to build their bodies and their brains right from the start. Every physiological, mental and emotional function in their bodies is enhanced just by eating a “power food” like the egg.

I usually have eggs for breakfast, too. Unless I’m planning on having them for lunch. I think we’re egg-a-holics! We put raw eggs in our smoothies, we eat hard-boiled eggs as snacks and we quite often put them in salads. I’m not talking about eggs at every meal in the same day! But it’s at least once a day we’re having eggs.

What kind of eggs?

I would NOT be so keen on eggs if I wasn’t buying a high quality variety. That’s extremely important. In fact, I don’t usually order eggs in restaurants if we’re ever out for breakfast (which is rare) because the idea of toxic, chemical eggs from factory chickens is enough to send me running to the nearest bathroom stall! It completely grosses me out!

We buy fresh, free-range, organic eggs.

Not omega-3 eggs – that’s not the best ‘version’ of omega-3, by the time it makes its way into those eggs. I’ll stick to pure fish oil, grass-fed meats and wild salmon (for the rest of the family!) as our source of omega-3′s.

Buying a certain type of egg for the omega-3 label is like buying yogurt for the acidophilus or probiotics! Crafty marketing – not much benefit.

We eat the WHOLE eggs – yolks and all. The yolk has incredible nutrition benefits that I don’t want to miss. Eating only egg whites sets the stage for nutritional deficiencies. Now, if we were professional athletes eating 12 or more eggs per day, well then, I might have yolks in half of them and the whites for the rest! Alas, I’m not yet eating a dozen eggs per day!

In all seriousness, I don’t feel it’s necessary to avoid yolks… EVEN IF you’re trying to shed fat. The yolk and the white work together, providing the greatest nutritional (and metabolism-enhancing) benefits in unison. I feel what’s FAR more important is to FUEL your body up with balanced meals and snacks throughout the day… and to eat CLEAN. If you’re already consistently eating meals and snacks that are primarily composed of clean protein, natural fats, and fresh fiber (veggies or fruit), and you’re NOT eating toxic foods or drinking toxic drinks or living a toxic life, and you’re STILL carrying excess body fat… then we can talk!

(In fact, I talk about creating a fat-burning lifestyle here: “The 7 Essential Keys to Shedding Toxic Fat & Unwanted Pounds”.)

When we’re cooking eggs, by the way, we only use pure coconut oil (DEE-licious flavor combination and mega nutritional benefits) or real, grass-fed butter. Both are stable, natural fats to cook with. We do NOT use refined, processed polyunsaturated oils like vegetable oils. They are toxic.

Back to the kids and their healthy breakfasts…

I can’t tell you how GOOD it feels to start my kids’ day with the RIGHT fuel to enhance and protect their health. For me, seeing my kids eat healthy foods has always given me the deepest sense of satisfaction… and relief! It’s one of those moments when I feel like I’ve “gotten it right” as a mom.

Their breakfast always starts with fresh fruit – we mix it up, depending on the season and availability. Then, we move on to the protein – like eggs and “clean” non-toxic chicken or turkey or venison sausages or bacon, for example, or some clean meat left over from dinner the night before – and perhaps some sprouted grains. No refined grains.

If I’m in a rush on a particular morning, and I’m thinking I’m going to get away with some fruit and 1/2 a sprouted bagel with some grass-fed butter and almond butter on top (which is still a nice, balanced meal, mind you!)… I suddenly find myself cornered in the kitchen by two little people who are begging for eggs!

My, how their taste buds change!

It makes me laugh, though! And then, of course, I always oblige and make some eggs!

In the 8 years I’ve been a mom, I’ve found there are 4 things I just can’t say no to with my kids:

1) Can we read together?

2) Let’s say a prayer!

3) Can we cuddle, mommy?

4) May I please have some eggs? (or veggies, or fruit!)

Ahh… makes my mother’s heart happy!

If you’d like more suggestions and recipes for healthy kids meals (that your entire family will enjoy), check out Dr. Mom’s Healthy School Days Menu.

Healthier Birthday Celebrations

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104_0771

Wow! These last few weeks of school are insane! Everything under the sun gets jam-packed into the schedule… including all the birthday celebrations for kids whose real birthdays are in the summer months.

It has been almost a daily event to hear of “tasty toxins” of some sort being served for some “celebration”.

I understand. I don’t agree, but I understand!

Today, we celebrate our daughter’s birthday in class. I just wanted to share what SHE made for her classmates to enjoy as a snack. Fruit kabobs.  Strawberries, blueberries, grapes, pineapple, watermelon and blackberries. (We forgot the kiwi… oh, so sad! Mom will have to enjoy that all by herself today!)

No, it’s not an original idea… I know plenty of other parents who have done the same. I just thought it was pretty cool that SHE wanted to make these for her friends.

Again, it was ONE example of her mother possibly getting through to her on some level! Lol!

(For MANY simple ideas for healthier kids’ breakfasts, lunches and snacks, check out Dr. Mom’s Healthy School Days Menu!)

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HealthIER, Not Harder! Simple Solutions for Making a Meal Healthier.

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images pizza

A few nights ago, despite the fact that I had already planned our healthy dinner, my hubby and kids ganged up on me and begged for pizza. Not just any pizza… TAKE OUT pizza!!

I guess every once in awhile that urge just takes over!

(In all fairness, hubby had a REALLY long day at work and just wanted an easy, “comfort food” type of dinner. I get that.)

Since I had really wanted to keep things “clean” for dinner that night, I did the next best thing. I ADDED “clean” to the dinner.

While the kids and I were waiting for dad to get home with the pizza, we munched on carrot sticks, peppers and tomatoes. Then, along with pizza, we had salad (with broccoli), steamed asparagus and Brussels sprouts.

It’s how I can mentally overcome the guilt associated with feeding my kids toxic &/or deficient food, apparently! Hey, whatever works!

It works out well, though. They start off with one piece of pizza (actually, 1/2 a slice, because most restaurants serve bigger-than-necessary slices) along with their veggies. With all those veggies, they aren’t loading up with a whole lot of pizza – usually 2 pieces (1/2 slices) at most.

So, to offset some of the toxic &/or deficient effects of a  less-than-healthy meal:

1) add some purity and sufficiency (e.g. all those veggies)

2) serve smaller amounts of the toxic food (e.g. 1/2 slices of pizza)

No, it’s not a “perfect” meal… but it’s definitely healthIER! And, it’s definitely simple! (I think I gave up on “perfect” a long time ago!)

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A Breakthrough Nutritional Moment!

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images fruit

This morning, I joined our son’s Junior Kindergarten class for their Environmental Studies Program “breakfast walk”. It was some nice time spent with my son as he showed off his knowledge of and passion for all-things-relating-to-nature! The kid definitely knows his birds and tracks! Cute.

Anyhow, back in the classroom after the walk, the kids and parents were treated to ‘breakfast’. It was a pretty simple spread, that was thoughtfully arranged and adorned with signs of nature. Very nice.

The first items in the ‘buffet line’ were a plate stacked high with an assortment of bagels and an assortment of various flavored (brand name, conventional) cream cheeses. My son bee-lined it to the pink cream cheese… because he had never seen it and thought it MUST be made with strawberries or raspberries to be so pretty and pink!

He asked if he could have some. I said, “Well, let’s read the label together and YOU can tell ME what you think. Fair enough?” “Sure, mom!” I kid you not, I got to the third ingredient and he said, “Never mind. I don’t really want to eat that.” I must have been suffering from a slight case of heat stroke because I then said, “Are you SURE? You can try a little bit of it on a piece of bagel to see what it tastes like…”

He said, “No thanks, mom. It’s not very healthy… I’m just going to have some fruit!”

My jaw left skid marks on the JK classroom floor! My kids are suckers for refined grains when offered in school… the crackers and snacks that are offered by various grown-ups for whatever reason. They typically jump on the opportunity to have some of what we don’t really have at home!

He simply bypassed the bagels, cream cheese and pastries and headed straight for the watermelon, fruit kabobs and banana pieces. Wow! I was totally impressed! I think some of my nutritional preaching actually sinks in every once in awhile!!

If you’d like simple ideas, tips and strategies for healthy kids’ snacks and meals, check out the Dr. Mom’s Healthy School Days Menu.

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Simple Nutrition Choices ~ HealthIER, Not Harder!

Today is another one of those days where our kids have lots of opportunity to add toxicity to their diets!

There were birthday celebrations at school, complete with sweets, plus “Dessert Theater” tonight at the school, plus some well-intentioned parents who brought “treats” in for all the kids. (Huh?! Not a “treat” if it subtracts from our health.)

So, I’m putting on my Nutrition Police pants this afternoon.

The birthday sweets had to come home. It’s a family agreement we have. “No ‘tasty toxins’ until mom and dad have taken a look at it, and until we’ve discussed the ingredients, and until we’ve considered what else has gone in your body today, and until we’ve discussed the consequences – good and bad.”

We needed to make sure that all the veggies and protein that went to school this morning with the kids made their way INTO the kids before we added any toxicity. Simple. Fuel up with your health building foods FIRST. Then we’ll talk! They had pretty much eaten all of their healthy foods… but we made sure that those last couple pieces of broccoli were safely tucked into their little digestive systems!

Next, we cut the cupcakes in half. They each had half now and can half later or tomorrow… depending on how health-building the rest of the day is. We’re supposed to head out to a certain restaurant before the event tonight – a restaurant that hasn’t yet discovered a little thing called FRESH food or VEGGIES!!

So… we go back to “fueling up first”.

I’ll give the kids some (more) fresh veggies and some clean protein & fats (like a free-range, organic hard-boiled egg) for a mini meal before we go… then I won’t worry if they’re not all that hungry in the restaurant where their choices aren’t great.

Water is the only beverage today, which is normal for them. Why complicate matters for their cells on a toxic day like today by adding more sugar and toxins?!

They don’t need to feel “deprived”. They’re learning how to make better choices – not perfect ones – when it comes to food, diet and nutrition. Food is fuel. It can also be the center of social gatherings. Future health is dependent upon balancing the two and upgrading our choices whenever possible.

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Teaching Kids to Cook HealthIER Food

images salad bowl

images salad bowl

Well, the official spring break “Dr. Mom’s Food Revolution” is over! Jamie Oliver’s “Food Revolution” served as one of the main sources of inspiration for this little project with the kids.

It was fun to let the kids stay up late and watch Food Revolution the other night. They were saying things like, “HEY! I can cook that!” and “Mom… this is what YOU’RE doing with US! Do you think Chef Oliver got the idea from YOU??!!”

Of course I told them he did! (Lol!)

Anyhow, we never did get around to making those bison burgers we had planned on. It was the perfect opportunity to teach the kids about taking meat out of the freezer early enough so that it’s thaw enough to make into burgers! ; )

Instead, we made one of our family favorites – Southwest Bison Wraps.

We start by browning grass-fed ground bison in a skillet over medium heat using coconut oil. Then we add garlic, sea salt, ground pepper, red pepper flakes,  and cumin with a bit of water. We throw in some black beans and occasionally add some salsa at this point. (We did on the night in question.) We serve the wraps in either a big piece of Romaine lettuce or in a sprouted grain tortilla/wrap – we did both on this occasion. Then we top it with grated raw cheddar cheese and more salsa and serve it up with some veggies and/or salad.

Speaking of salad, that was the other ‘meal’ I had my daughter help create. She normally likes to help with salad anyway, but this time I had her make the dressing, too. (Conventional salad dressing is loaded with toxic trans fats/omega 6 fats and artificial colors and flavors.)

I think every kid should know how to make a health-promoting, delicious salad before they move out on their own. Just imagine how different the health of our population would be if we all ate salad every day… or at least a few times each week. (With NO toxic junk in it, that is!)

We started by pressing a clove of garlic in the bottom of the salad bowl. Then we added some extra virgin olive oil and a bit of fresh lemon juice… mixed it up. Then we added our organic greens, broccoli florets, tomatoes, carrot slices, almond slivers, pumpkin seeds, hard-boiled eggs, and grated raw Romano cheese. We added a couple dashes of balsamic vinaigrette and some fresh ground pepper, tossed it, and … voila! Dee-lish!

Even though spring break cooking lessons are over, the journey will most definitely continue. This week they WILL learn to make homemade chicken soup and those yummy bison burgers.

So, what was my point with this little adventure of ours? Do I expect the kids to be able to whip up meals on their own now? Using the stove, convection oven, griddle and sharp instruments?! Nah! But I wanted them to see how meals come to be in the first place. They don’t come from boxes or drive-thru’s or even on our plates in a restaurant without somebody PREPARING that food in the first place.

I wanted to open the door for them so they could take their first steps into the world of preparing REAL foods that support their health. I wanted them to feel confident about developing a new skill set. I wanted them to understand that there IS a difference in the types of foods and ingredients out there… and that our health, our bodies and our brains will respond differently based on the types of foods we choose.

One of the most critical steps we can take to restore our health as a culture is to start cooking REAL food at home again. Nope, it’s not always easy or convenient. Our health deserves more than that.

If you like this little article, you might also enjoy: http://drmomonline.com/Jan09/http://drmomonline.com/nutrition/teaching-kids-how-to-cook-healthier-foods/

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Teaching Kids to Cook HealthIER Foods

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images

The spring break “Dr. Mom’s Food Revolution” cooking lessons for the kids continue!

A few more items we’ve added to the menu in the last couple days are: black bean & cheese quesadilla, bean burritos, egg burritos, Mexican chicken and rice and slow-cooked steel cut oats. (No, not all in the same day!)

For the quesadilla, we used sprouted whole grain wraps, organic raw cheddar cheese, organic black beans, and we cooked them in coconut oil. Then we made a pretty simple guacamole with fresh lime juice and minced garlic. The kids peeled and chopped (yikes!) some carrots and steamed some green beans.

For the two different types of burritos, we used the whole grain wraps again. The bean burrito was made with organic refried pinto beans, topped with the raw cheddar and a bit of organic enchilada sauce. We served the burritos with carrots, peas, tomatoes and a bit of broccoli.

The egg burritos were made with organic free-range eggs cooked in coconut oil with some sea salt, freshly ground pepper, a bit of minced garlic and cumin. We added a bit of the raw cheddar. The kids made a fresh fruit bowl to go along with the burrito: strawberries, blueberries, and clementine orange slices.

The Mexican chicken & rice was awesome! We slow-cooked organic chicken breast in a skillet on the stove top in coconut oil and fresh lime juice and then we added enchilada sauce later. We added a brown rice/wild rice mixture and a few black beans. Yum! The kids steamed fresh asparagus for themselves… and left us on our own to make  our salad! Apparently, the lesson was over for them once the hunger pangs hit a certain point!!

This morning they learned how I prepare the steel cut oats. We start out by mixing an egg or two (depending on how much I’m preparing) with a bit of milk (raw, organic, unpasteurized and non-homogenized) in the bottom of the pan on low-to- medium heat. Then we add the oats along with some water or more milk… or a combination. We also add raw flax seeds, a little raw honey and cinnamon. Once the oats have cooked, we top with banana and fresh berries.

The last few things I plan to teach them this week are: how to make bison burgers, a big salad and maybe a noodle/veggie dish of some sort.

Chef Jamie Oliver’s got nuthin’ on these little chefs!

Fun stuff!

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Teaching Kids to Cook HealthIER Foods

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imagesThe journey continues… spring break “cooking” lessons for the kids! As I’ve previously mentioned, “The Naked Chef” Jamie Oliver and his Food Revolution has been one of the sources of inspiration for this little project of ours.

Families need to get back to cooking REAL food at home as often as possible in order to truly reverse the trend of obesity and chronic illness.

The kids gave me a list of foods and meals they wanted to learn how to make and together, we’re making them and talking about how to upgrade the ingredients so that the food is a healthIER version.

After French Toast we decided to make scrambled eggs. A kitchen essential, in my book.

They already knew how to just “fry” a plain ‘ol egg and how to hard boil one.

We talk about the importance of choosing the right type of eggs first – fresh, organic, free-range, whole eggs… as well as the healthiest fats and oils to cook with – stable fats like pure coconut oil or real butter (if medium to med/high heat).

With the scrambled eggs, we mixed with real milk that’s organic, unpasteurized and non-homogenized for the safest and most nutritionally valuable option. We talk about the VAST differences in this kind of nutritious and safe milk vs. the kind they see on television commercials and other advertisements.

I need them to know about the differences in food options.

Then, to finish off the eggs, we simply added sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Simple and yummy.

The next day, they wanted to add some variety to the eggs, so we added raw organic cheddar cheese, some garlic chives from the garden and a bit of asparagus.

They’re becoming egg masters these days! Not a bad thing. Real, whole, non-toxic eggs are a GREAT source of nutrition for a great price.

What are some of YOUR favorites to cook with your kids… or what were some of the first things you taught your kids to make in the kitchen?

If you like this article, you might also enjoy this one: http://drmomonline.com/nutrition/teaching-kids-how-to-cook-healthier-foods/

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Teaching Kids How to Cook Healthier Foods

The Naked Chef - Jamie Oliver
The Naked Chef - Jamie Oliver

The Naked Chef - Jamie Oliver

Recently, I’ve been following The Naked Chef, Jamie Oliver and his efforts to change the health of America and the trend of obesity with his Food Revolution.

His approach has gotten my attention more so than the countless politicians and bureaucrats that make empty promises and unsupported claims to “fight obesity”. Jamie has a better plan that goes beyond taking soda pop out of schools.

Families have to get back to cooking REAL food. Sound familiar?!

I decided that since the kids are off school this week, I’d take advantage of our ample “together time” (i.e. “Mom… we’re bored!!!”) to teach them how to make some very simple dishes in the kitchen. Also, I knew it would be important to explain the different ingredients and why we choose what we choose to make a recipe.

They’re clearly learning that not all food is created equal!

I’ve kind of procrastinated about this little adventure for awhile, knowing it involves sharp instruments and hot surfaces! Sure, sure… they could easily master making a bowl of cereal or piece of toast or PB& J’s (actually, almond butter) for themselves… but that’s not exactly a health-building direction!

Anyhow, we set out to learn some new recipes and some kitchen skills. (My mother is now laughing hysterically at me from her perch in Heaven!! I am NO goddess in the kitchen, to say the least!)

The first recipe on the kids’ list was French Toast.

First things first – healthIER ingredients. We started with  free range organic eggs (health-enhancing yolk included) and organic, unpasteurized, non-homogenized milk. We added some organic cinnamon just for fun. Then we dipped our organic sprouted whole grain bread in the mix and placed it on the griddle that had already been ‘greased’ with real butter from grass-fed cows.

Once the toast was nicely browned, we topped it with a bit of real, organic maple syrup. (Sheesh, the stuff is priced like liquid gold!) We served it up along with some fresh fruit and a free-range, organic chicken sausage.

Yep. They’re little pigs!

Cooking adventure #1 was a great success! No major egg messes… no burns. Life is good!

Stay tuned for more updates from Dr. Mom’s Kitchen this week!

If you liked this little article, you might also like http://drmomonline.com/nutrition/healthier-not-harder-adding-a-dose-of-health-to-conventional-breakfast/

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