Reader's Choice!

Already suffering a bit of writer's block even though I have many ideas, I can't seem to choose! 

I'd love to know what topic you're interested in for my next post!

Here's what I've got:

-Budgeting & How to Save: A Few Good Tips

-Weekly Savings Finds on Healthy & Organic Foods

-Essential Oils: What's all the hype about?

So that's what I've been pondering! Feedback is greatly appreciated :)

Time to Wean? Nursing a Teething Toddler

Well let me just say that I am still a fighter and I am continuing to nurse my little one, despite her shark teeth and "mean-girl" behavior.  I have no doubt that this is the point many mothers decide it's time to wean their babes from the boob and it's probably due to pressure from family or friends more than the pain itself. Don't get me wrong, the pain from a true bite HURTS! Especially when you continue to nurse on that side to prevent another uncomfortable problem, engorgement! Ugh! Motherhood during the infant-toddler-hood definitely get its credit but mothers really do deserve a Medal of Honor. I know some days I'd love to be acknowledged for the hard work I put in most days. But the fact of the matter is, it goes mostly unnoticed and the one person you truly want a 'Thank You' from is the one person who can't even comprehend what that means yet, your little babe. The precious bundle of innocent joy that has now turned into a feisty, irritated, and demanding little shit, whom you love dearly with all your heart and have no idea how it got this way. Let me tell you right now that it is very very common for our babes to be this way and it will one day pass, hopefully sooner than later for most of us!  It makes sense that they are this way, I mean they can't yet communicate with words how they feel nor have they learned ways to cope or manage the instant frustration they feel when they can't get what they want.  Not only that, but the pain they must feel as their entire mouth is swelling up since about 4 months and these hard, sharp, bony spears are piercing through their sensitive gums every few weeks or months. I would be frustrated too if my mommy wasn't making the pain go away fast enough!

That leads me into nursing. There are so many benefits to breastfeeding from the moment they're born through much of their early years.  One most important to me is how breast milk provides antibodies and immune support for their little bodies, preventing most allergies and illnesses from developing. Another amazing benefit is the proteins that help your babe's physical and neurological development... GENIUS! Okay, maybe not genius, but close. 

But it's the COMFORT of being closely nestled next to the one person who is always there for you. This beautiful and biological reason is what keeps me trucking along through the pain. Your breast becomes a safe-haven for your little babe when they are tired, frightened, upset, sad, overwhelmed, uncomfortable, sick, and in pain. Personally, the pain I feel every so often when she has to bite down for whatever reason, seems minor compared to the pain she feels all the time while she's teething. So I don't mind (and I say this now after I've just woken up from getting a few hours sleep) her night-wakings when she wakes up, 2-3 times a night, from the annoying and irritating ache of her gums and all she wants is to suckle the pain to a more tolerable level and she goes back to sleep for a little longer.  I don't mind the occasional, though recently more frequent, chomps like an alligator, to relieve some achy tension, because I know that by allowing her to nurse, she is getting all that she needs from me and that's the best I can offer her.  

Now I do mind, but have to keep reminding myself that it'll one day end, when she grabs my face and almost tears my skin off when she's frustrated. I'm still working on my reaction to that, but a firm NO and some un-attention for a moment hopefully gets the point across that this behavior is not acceptable.  I can only hope that as she learns to communicate through words, that we come to a point where I can "rationalize" with her.

What have your experiences been as a first-time mom? Did you continue to nurse through it all? Did you wean? 

The Spice of Life! Green Goodness Smoothie

I'm just started learning about using various spices for their nutritional benefits. I must say that growing up, I assumed spices were something people had a ton of, barely used, and were only used for flavor. Now in my 30s, with my own spice cabinet, I'm finally starting to figure out which ones enhance the flavor and which ones have the best bang for your health buck!

Not all spices are created equal, either! One should consider purchasing organic over conventional (especially if you desire the nutritional benefits) and look into brands that use non-GMOs.

I plan to replace my conventional spices with brands like Simply Organic or Frontier (both a part of the Frontier family and I'm not getting paid to promote them). I would love to just go out and purchase a whole set of them but as you know, organic is not cheap. One tip I found helpful is to buy organic spices as you need them for a recipe here and there, so eventually you'll have an entirely organic (and non-GMO) spice cabinet! 

One particular spice I've come to love at the moment is Turmeric! It's actually what gives ballpark mustard its deep yellow color! Who knew? Also it's one of the main spices used in Curry powder. It's a natural anti-inflammatory and helps encourage healthy cell growth in your digestive tract and colon, making it a great spice to add for anyone suffering from IBS, IBD, or Crohn's. It's even used to aid in cancer prevention! 

Other than adding it to your meals, try it in your morning smoothie! Add a little extra flare to your taste buds! 

OTM Green Goodness Smoothie Recipe

1-2 handfuls of chopped kale (or spinach)

1 cup of mixed fruit (pineapple, mangos, strawberries, apple)

Half a banana

Tbsp of Chia seeds

Tbsp of Almond Butter

Tbsp of Sunflower seeds

Tbsp of Honey

Tsp of TURMERIC

1/2 cup Almond Milk

1/4 cup Good Belly Probiotic 

Blend all ingredients together. I add Apple Juice as needed until I have a smooth, liquid-y consistency!

Makes approx. 3 cups so share it with someone you love!

The Kitchen is Calling! Replacing eggs with Chia seeds

Finally back from a hiatus and it feels damn good!

I've been itching to get back in the kitchen and make amazing recipes I find on some fabulous blogs! One in particular is The Food Babe, she is a pioneer when it comes to informing the public about harmful ingredients in the things we love and actually has gotten some large companies to remove them from their products! Kraft Mac n Cheese and Chick-fil-A are two that know her well!

Feeling motivated to make yummy, good for you, feel good food from organic, whole ingredients, I decided its time to get back to the kitchen and back to blogging! 

I'm sure most people do this, but I find some of my best tips by reading the comments under a recipe I've just found! Like substitutions or tips from their experiences. I decided to share my experiences making these two very yummy recipes I found from FoodBabe Recipes. Enjoy!

Almond Butter Brownies!!

I substituted a Chia seed/water mixture for the egg though if I could have found my coffee grinder, I would've used the Flax Seed. So 1 Tbsp Chia Seed + 3 Tbsp water for each egg. Let sit for 15 minutes before using and it'll gel up! Very cool and a sneaky way to get Chia's amazing benefits to your family! ;)

They were ooey-gooey yummy and I could have eaten the entire batch in one sitting! I'll be making this again very soon!

Noodle-less Vegetable Lasagna!!

I used the Chia/Water mix instead of egg here too and it didn't seem to make a noticeable difference when mixed with the Ricotta so I will definitely do that again! Any way that I can sneak healthy stuff into food I will because I'm a sneaky mama! LOL

I also wanted to add a little extra B12 since this was a low-protein meal. I did this by sprinkling about a 1/4c of Nutritional Yeast flakes (it has a subtle nutty-cheesy flavor, so I figure it'd go unnoticed... And it did! Yay me!)

Sorry there are no "hot out of the oven" pics... It was devoured! :)

Have you been called back to your kitchen? Tried either of these recipes? I'd love to hear your thoughts!