What the Flax?

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What the flax.

Cancer prevention? Check. Energy boost? Done. Brain development? You bet. Stronger immunity? Yes please. You know how everyone and their mom is talking about the importance of omega-3 fatty acids these days? Flaxseed has more benefits than a hot man on a single mom’s night out. In addition to the above, it stabilizes blood sugar levels, reduces the incidence of a.d.d. + makes you prettier by creating healthier, clearer skin and nails. Plus, it is super easy to find in almost any grocery or health store, and can be added to any recipe. Seriously. Name one. Just add a pinch and enjoy your delish eats while knowing your body + brain are both better for it. The yellow flag? Kids don’t need very much at all so don’t go all flax-obsessed. One half a teaspoon is more than plenty per day for a kiddo.

Here are 5 fast ways to add it to your family’s day:
1.       Mix it into greek yogurt or oatmeal in the morning.
2.       Bake it into muffins. Or banana bread. Or cinnamon rolls. Seriously. Any recipe.
3.       Put it in your [almond] milkshake and then find out if it REALLY brings all the boys to the yard.
4.       Add it to your spaghetti sauce.
5.       Sprinkle it on your salad.

Enjoy + Stay well!

-Kare

Grab A Ladder

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A ladder and a warm soapy cloth is all that’s needed at times. One day, when I reached up to pull something off a high shelf in my kitchen I realized, “This kitchen is due for a scrub down!”   I know we never see the top of our cabinets but climbing up and cleaning them is needed every once in a while.   When I finally got up to the top of my cabinets it caused a trickle-down effect. I cleaned the top of them, then I cleaned the door fronts, and then I cleaned the cobwebs in the corners…and so on and so on.

WAIT! Don’t get overwhelmed and don’t feel like it all has to be finished in one day. But, when you stand up on that ladder look around and see your house from a different perspective maybe you will see the dust on top of your refrigerator or on the top of your light fixtures.  Then you will have a list in your head for the next time you get a 10 minute window. I can get to surface cleaning and straightening weekly but this deep cleaning stuff gets away from me at times.

One tip I learned is: don’t try to do it all at once. I get overwhelmed if I know I can’t finish it before naps are over or before it’s time to run out the door.  So I try to pick one thing that I can finish in ten to fifteen minutes and then I get it done.

~ Anna

Apple Carrot Muffins

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RECIPE TAKEN FROM ELAINE COOLEY

By: Elaine Cooley
“Reports elementary school teacher Elaine Cooley from Louisville, Kentucky, ‘This recipe was given to me by the parent of one of my students. These fruity muffins are moist, tender and taste almost like carrot cake. They freeze well, too.’”

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups raisin bran cereal
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 3/4 cup finely chopped peeled tart apple
  • 3/4 cup grated carrots
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

  1. In a bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the egg, buttermilk and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in apple, carrots and walnuts. Fill paper-lined muffin cups or cups coated with nonstick cooking spray three-fourths full. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-23 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm.

Footnotes

  • Nutritional Analysis: One muffin equals 199 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 18 mg cholesterol, 256 mg sodium, 32 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 fat.
    Photo Cred from AllRecipes.com

Scared to Sweat

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You are scared to sweat.  That’s why you don’t hit the gym.  That’s why you don’t workout in front of people.  That’s why you avoid any kind of exertion other than lifting your baby a million times a day.  Which, don’t get me wrong, is a fabulous workout in itself.  There is truly a way to sweat and not be scared about it.  Here are some tips that might help you combat that fear.  And  if you aren’t afraid to sweat in front of others….you get major props.  We like you fearless people.

TIP #1

WEAR A HEADBAND
Yes, there is a great option out there to fight off the salty streams that will not break the bank and is totally fashionable.  It’s the headband!  They sell at your local drugstore for less than $10 or less than $5 and come in packs of 5.  They are stretchy, fun colored and non only match your workout attire, but are the #1 defense against sweat in the eyes.  Just put one on over your ponytail and make sure that the beginning of your hair is covered all around your forehead, temples and back of the neck.  Try it and you’ll be amazed.

WEAR A WRISTBAND
Here’s another great way to fight the sweat.  Buy a cheap terrycloth wrist band, think TENNIS player and you’ll get what I mean, and watch it work!  Wear this comfy option on your wrist and just give a quick swipe or pat on the forehead and T-zone whenever you feel it’s necessary.

LAYERS
What?  How can this help me keep sweat at bay?  Won’t I just sweat more?  Yes and no.  You will sweat more if you wear 3 sweatshirts to the gym, but if you have a stretchy, absorbent tank top under a loose fitting Tshirt you will experience the wonder.  Your tank will be filled and your t shirt will stay relatively dry.  This is especially good for a boot camp or sports conditioning class when you really get the heart pumping.  You will look drier than you really are.

BRING DEO/ANTIPERSP.
Throw some of this classic defense into your gym bag or purse and you’ll be set when you feel you need that extra boost.  Can’t hurt to keep one in your car too incase you ever find yourself in a spot where you need an extra swoosh.

DRINK
If you are sweating, especially if it’s buckets, you need to have that water on hand.  So make sure you are always bringing water on your exercising.  Whether it’s a run, or a home workout, or even if you feel you haven’t broken a huge sweat.  Your body is still exerting energy and it needs to be replenished.

 

 

Mini Yogis

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After recently going through a divorce, the director at our son’s school mentioned that he was showing a few signs of ‘stress’.

Stress? In my two-and-five-month old? That was sure a heavy thing to hear as a mother. But the more I thought about it, the more motivated I felt to find creative and positive ways to encourage Marcus to explore and express anything he might be feeling about the new shape our family was taking on.

I bought books. We did even more artwork than usual and expressed our own emotions through play. All really awesome. You might know from my bio that I am HUGELY thankful for and passionate about yoga. It led to incredible soul searching, growth, healing, and love and continues to be a truly integral part of my life. I don’t know why I didn’t think sooner to introduce Marcus to yoga! I did some reading and wanted to share some of the awesome benefits of yoga for wee ones:

According to yogajournal.com, yoga for kids encourages self esteem and physical awareness. Encouraging cooperation and compassion is a great gift to a child. It improves flexibility, coordination and also lets kids explore their inner yogi light. And more importantly, lets them share it.

Yoga poses are so instinctual and natural – they come with important lessons on growth, animalistic instinct, natural goodness and openness to the energy around you. If we took on a more childlike approach in our own yoga, to explore and play with our space and bodies the way really, only children do, who would be learning from who?

So now, Marcus and I go to yoga together. I hit up hot yoga in the heated room while he explores kids yoga in the room temp studio next door. I notice after the class he is very grounded, his energy is really peaceful and positive, and he’s talking more about his feelings. I can’t help but believe it is having a positive impact where any stress is involved.

So basically, we both get to work out, miss each other for that solid hour, but somehow experience and explore the same foundations of such a great lifestyle/activity? Plus it benefits our inner qualities and relieves stress physically and mentally?

That’s what I call a win-win.

Namaste,

~ Kare

 

Ps. For more ramblings on our everyday life and our adventures in yoga & more, check us out here!

Fresh Scent

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Sometimes my house just needs a fresh scent. In the spring it’s open windows but during the colder months after the fresh cut Christmas tree is out I need a new scent. It’s on days that all I have time for is to throw the toys in the baskets and run out the door I also try to throw a clean scent in my warmer. When I walk back through the door my house smells fresh and sometimes I’m even motivated to do a quick sweep of the floor or counters. It’s just the little things that make a huge impact.

~ Anna

Photo credit Natalia Sevriukova

Leek Soup

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Potato Leek Soup with Bacon

Courtesy Foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 1/2 cups cubed crusty bread
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped
  • 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas (do not thaw)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Make the croutons: Melt 1 tablespoon butter, then mix with the paprika in a bowl. Add the bread cubes and toss. Spread on a baking sheet and bake until golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

 

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. Discard all but about 1 tablespoon fat from the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then add the leeks and garlic; cover and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, 2 cups water, the potatoes and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.

 

Puree half the soup in a blender (remove the filler cap to let steam escape), then return to the pot. Add the cream and bring to a simmer. Add the peas and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the croutons, bacon and parsley.

 

Per serving: Calories 446; Fat 25 g (Saturated 13 g); Cholesterol 91 mg; Sodium 555 mg; Carbohydrate 42 g; Fiber 6 g; Protein 15 g

 

Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

Tough Mudder

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We decided last week that a tough mudder race was going to be the goal for 2012.  Labeled as the most hardcore 10-12 obstacle course designed by British Special Forces, it sets out to “test your all around strength, stamina, mental grit, and camaraderie.”  Some of the obstacles along the course include running through a pit of live electric wires, army crawling underneath barbed wire, ultimate monkey bars across a mud pit, running up a ski hill holding a log.

Obviously, it will take some training to get prepared for the tough mudder.  That is why they post a training program on their website and their minimum requirements are:

Good physical condition
Being a runner (or running regularly)
Able to do 15-25 push-ups in a row
Able to do 6 pull-ups in a row
Able to swim 50 yards without stopping

I like how they put it at Tough Mudder:

“Tough Mudder is about completing a fearsome challenge and discovering a new sense of accomplishment, not about running your knees into the ground or testing your maximum lung capacity….most [participants] are regular people who take care of themselves and are looking for a true all around challenge, a super fun day with friends, and a goal on the calendar that will force them to step up their workouts.” 

There is a Tough Mudder Workout that consists of 16 exercises that are supposed to work every part of your body.  Here are some of the exercises, straight from toughmudder.com.

Exercise 1 – Running Man
High Intensity Interval Training in running by mixing sprinting with regular running.

Exercise 2 – TM Push Up
Do a pushup and then twist your torso and lift your top hand so you are in a side plank with your top arm extended in a vertical line from your bottom arm.  Bring it back down and do another pushup.  Switch sides.

Exercise 11 – Quick Feet
Some people call these mountain climbers.  Start in a pushup position and bring your knees up to your chest and back alternating legs rapidly.  Like you’re running on the spot.