I began this whole “Mom Journey” almost 9 years ago, well, 10 if you count pregnancy! I knew that when she was born, I wanted to give her the best. It was a matter of extreme importance that my child receives the best there was to offer in nutritious foods and health solutions. I’m going to tell you about some reality checks that threw my plan off course, and how It turned into the best thing in the long run. With this quick glimpse into my life as a Mom of now 5 kids, I hope to impart the lessons that have molded my perspective on what it means to live a wholesome and balance life. Perspective is a powerful tool and when used properly and positively can empower your life beyond measure; create the lifestyle you’ve always envisioned by investing in eating the best foods available and more importantly choosing REAL food. Natural sourced with no mankind intervention.
I started my oldest’s life off the best way I possibly could! Through breastfeeding her; they say that’s the best, emotionally, and physically for her. While breastfeeding I always heard from others “I didn’t get pregnant until blank months after I stopped nursing.” Naturally, I thought breastfeeding was a type of “natural birth control”….Until I took a pregnancy test and found out I was pregnant with my 2nd child when my oldest was ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD!!! Yes, I cried! Not because I was sad to be pregnant, but because I felt like I was loosing precious bonding time with my first born.
But perspective is key! Life doesn’t always go quite as we plan it; life goes on, right? It did for me until I was faced with a daunting task: what I was going to feed my child now that I was loosing my milk supply!? I heavily researched and researched; online, offline, asking fellow parents, I reached out to anyone who would lend an ear! I wanted to delve into the intricacies of making my own baby formula ( I would later find out that intricacies were definitely not the right choice of words). From a health standpoint, I knew that there was simply too much junk contained within pre-made baby formula; I didn’t feel comfortable with that route. The other route I took was to buy my baby organic baby food because she should get the best..right? WRONG! Ya know how much I was spending on food for someone who weighs only 15 lbs. Well, lets be real, $6-9 per day just to feed her seemed outlandish…not to mention how much it would be when she upgraded to 2 containers per meal. Wow, potentially $200 a month. RIDICULOUS. So I did what any smart person would do! I used it as an excuse to buy me a WONDERFUL VITAMIX Blender! In part, yes important to feed my little bundle of joy with the best food possible, but also, who doesn’t want a Vitamix! It paid for itself after 2 months… almost.
From that day on I grabbed fresh fruit, veggies, beans, lentils; any sort of natural food that I could get my hands on! I would have fun making delicious baby food. Now remember folks…if you don’t like the taste, what’s the chance baby is going to like it? Slim to none! So taste the food, and remember that rice, potatoes, starchy veggies (peas, corn), and Oatmeal thicken, so be sure to water down. And most importantly, remember have fun! You’re providing your little baby with the best nutritional sustenance available!
I am now a powerful Mom who offers the best food options for her kids. I begin with their first food to teach them to eat REAL food that nature produced, not boxed manmade foods. In our household we do something called a: “no thank you for helping,” where they must at least have a bite encouraging our kiddies to expand their palette experience. This has opened my kids to love brussel sprouts, avocados (I think these are GROSS, but I eat them because they are healthy), beets, spinach, and even the dreaded smelly trees: broccolis
Here’s a joke that my husband thinks is so funny but it totally not true in our home…. “what is the difference between broccoli and boogers? …. Kids will eat boogers!…..ahh gross I know!”
Keep this perspective in mind: Teach them while they are young to eat live food and to never shy away from trying all kinds of natural foods! Challenge their palettes so they can grow into balance eaters and they will be empowered when they are older to live happy healthy lives!
I use empty pouches to store food & formula, so it’s an easy grab out of the freezer and go solution. Here is a link:
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=45778176&cp=&parentPage=search
One way I eat REAL food that is fresh is by ordering through www.bountifulbaskets.org. See if they are in your area. You order on Monday/Tuesday, then pick up at the location you selected on Saturday (sometimes Friday night). A Conventional basket is a small laundry basket full for $15, or an organic basket for $25. They also offer cases, fresh bread, granolas. I know this option is readily available to some of you guys, but there are bound to be farmers markets, farm to table locations where you can obtain the best nature has to offer in real wholesome foods!
Recipes:
Veggie Delight
2 large carrots, scrubbed clean (I don’t peel because there are essential minerals in the skins from the ground)
1 stalk celery
2 large potatoes
1 tsp onions (green onions, white, or yellow)
1 cup water
1 drop CPTG doTERRA Cilantro Essential Oil (Great at supporting your body eliminate heavy metals)
pinch of Pink himalayan salt (Essential minerals in Himalayan salt)
Cook on low tempature for 10 min once boiling
dump into vitamix or blendtec and mix for 5 minutes
Smooth Fruit Mix:
1 avacado
2 cups strawberries
1 pear
2 drops of CPTG doTERRA Citrus Bliss Essential Oil (Great at supporting a healthy gut)
Mix in Vitamix/Blendtec unitil smooth. I like the consistency to be the consistency of ketchup, so they can easily such out of their pouch.
SuperFood Mix:
1 Large Avacado
4 Cups of Blueberries (I prefer Fresh, mix a little longer than 5 min if frozen)
2 stalk of Kale with stem removed
1 bananna
2 drops of CPTG doTERRA Wild Orange Essential Oil (Great support for digestion)
Mix all ingredients in Vitamix/Blendtec for 5 min.
Simply Tropical:
1 Avacado
2 mangos
1 drop CPTG doTERRA Tangerine Essential Oil
Mix 5 minutes in Vitamin/Blendtec for 5 min
Poppey Spinach Power:
1 Cup steamed Butternut Squash
5 Cup Fresh Spinach
2 banannas
½-1 Cup water. Start small, then add more if needed.
Put squash in blender while still warm, then add other ingredients. Allow them to all blend together for 5 minutes or longer.
Invest in you and eat REAL food,
Cachay
