Healthy homemade gummy candy for kids

Although Oliver's toilet training days are just about complete he still often asks for a treat after using it. I've gotten pretty concerned about the number of smarties, Lindors and Easter eggs he's eaten and the trick of offering cherry tomatoes and blueberries just isn't cutting it anymore.

Solution? Healthy homemade gummy candies!

I came across the recipe, in various forms, a while back but could never remember to buy gelatin. Then when my mom had a package at her house, it was happenstance.

It takes only a few minutes to throw together and is ready to eat in about half an hour. 

Here's how you do it:

2/3 cup fresh fruit, washed and cubed

2/3 cup fresh lemon, lime or orange juice

2 T honey 

5 T gelatin powder

1. Warm the first three ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat until the fruit is soft like a compote. Allow to cool slightly. 

2. Blend with an immersion blender or stand up blender. (This is too dangerous to do while the mixture is hot so don't skip the cooling step.)

3. Whisk in gelatin. If it gets lumpy send for another blend. 

4. Pour into an 8x8 dish and refrigerate until set (about 20 minutes). Then cut into desired shape. Alternatively, use a mini mold for ice cubes or chocolate to get great shapes. 

They are sweet and tangy and have the perfect chew for an addictively yummy treat!

What to Pack for a Natural Hospital Birth

Packing a hospital bag for birth can actually be super fun because it makes you realized that THIS IS HAPPENING. Even if you're planning a home birth it's good to have one of these on the ready. My bag is super no-frills because I know if there's anything extra I need or if something goes awry, someone will be able to pop over to my house and pick it up. The joys of living five minutes from my city's birthing hospital.

If you already know that you'll be in hospital for an extended stay, throw in more clothes, any hair and makeup stuff you might need, and a few sanitary pads.

1. Stuff for mama

I already know I'll have my phone on me no matter where we are. Just a given. Heck, I bring my phone in the bathroom with me when I shower. (You know, just in case there's a break in and I need to call 9-1-1 from the locked room!) This means I have insta-access to anyone I want to text, and some music. I suppose headphones would be a good idea, but hey - if you don't want to listen to my house, get out of my birthing room. I pack a tank top because I want to be comfortable but covered up enough that I can share my photos with my male friends. I choose one that can get a little wet if I don't pull it up high enough in the tub. I also pack shorts for if I decide to go for a little walk, or for if my dad decides to come say hi in the birthing room and I don't want to be butt-naked. The new undies, tights and sweater are for after, once I've showered and am ready to go home.

2. Stuff for babe

I'll have to go through the things I've saved of Oliver's and pick a suitable newborn outfit to bring along. Sorry babe - you'll be wearing a lot of hand-me-downs. I will also pack a hat. We'll need a thin blanket for swaddling and a thick warm one for placing over baby in the car seat between the hospital and the warm car. And of course a little pouch of newborn diapers and wipes.

3. Practical items

First and foremost, the only item that you will require if you want to take your baby home: a newborn car seat. I arrived at the hospital, for Oliver's birth, without it installed, so my dad and Cal's dad had the daunting task of doing that and they still laugh about it. Of course the most important item of all: your health insurance card! I have my number memorized in case I ever forget at appointments but likely in the moment my memory will be playing second fiddle to my birth-focus. I'll also bring a copy of my birth wish list - it's not too extensive this time but worth having around. Iphone photos are great but I'm definitely going to pack my digital camera for higher quality images and some video. Now I just need to make sure I charge it! Lastly, a stash of easy snacks and drinks.
I recommend:

• a tetra pack of coconut water (or a glass jar of homemade Labourade, see recipe)
• whole grain granola/ trail mix bars
• a pouch of all-natural fruit snacks (like the ones at Starbucks)
• brown rice crackers
• fruit leather
• kale chips
• unsweetened applesauce
• homemade all-natural sports "gel" (blend a few dates with agave nectar, sea salt and lemon zest!)
  
   

And that's that! Throw it all in a bag and let your partner or doula know where to find it when the time comes.

4 dates (I used dried dates, soaked for a few hours)
1/2 cup raw agave nectar
1 Tbsp lime zest
2 tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp dulse (I skipped this, since I didn’t have it)
Sea salt to taste
- See more at: http://www.nomeatathlete.com/thrive-energy-gel-recipe/#sthash.HRafLo6b.dpuf

No-Noise Smoothie Solution

I've written in the past (or have I video blogged?) about my dilemma with making smoothies in the morning. I work early, early, early and I feel terrible cranking up a blender while the rest of my family is trying to sleep. So terrible, in fact, that if I only have whole bean coffee in the house I will brew it the night before to save the noise of grinding. (My brewer has a thermal carafe - no heating element - that keeps it fresh and hot for over 12 hours.) If I remember to have some ground coffee beans, then I go that route before I leave for work.

Well, this girl loves a fresh fruit smoothie. It's my second favourite breakfast, I think. My first is anything with eggs - also not a great "early morning, gotta get to work asap" option. So in conclusion: breakfast can be a little depressing for me unless I have the day off.

But today! I came up with a revolutionary solution. The no-noise smoothie.

The recipe is as follows:

2 standard-size jars of pureed fruit baby food (organic preferred, homemade if you're able)
1 cup almond milk
1 scoop any greens or protein powder you like

You simply throw it all in a mason jar - jam-sized works great - and shake it with the lid on. Then drink! The fruit is already pureed and it tastes great! No added sugar!

You may be wondering why the mom of a 2 year old, and an unborn-year old, has jars of baby food in her fridge. Plus I'm so pro-homemade, what's going on?! Well, it was actually for a baby shower game that I'd put together for a friend. I had a leftover jar of peaches, and pears. I had no clue what to do with it (I'd already thrown the jar of sweet potato into a soup...) so this morning I thought: you know what? Calvin, stay sleeping, I am making a baby food smoothie! I shook the peach and pear food with almond milk and was amazed! No noise.

One jar of baby food, even organic, typically goes for under $1 at any store. So this is a pretty cool recipe to have under my belt now.

Just thought I'd share my great excitement!

How to Make Dried Fruit Without a Dehydrator

Maybe it was the bag of "smoothie fruit" hanging out in my freezer that I kept having to pass by each morning (because starting a blender at 5:45am is really mean.)

Maybe it was the tidal wave of "healthy alternatives to Halloween treats" that other bloggers had been posting.

Or maybe it was the six hour train trip to Chicago looming in the back of my mind.

But I knew I needed a bowl of dried fruit, pronto!

Well, guess what? As hippie-dippy as you may think I am, I do not own a dehydrator. This is partially due to the fact that I lump being frugal in with being "green". I am so surprised at the number of self-proclaimed Earth-lovers who own an Excalibur, a fancy yogurt-maker, a Vitamix, a 10-layer sprouter, a nut-milk maker, an expensive juicer... and more! While I'm jealous, and can see the logic (and almost taste the deliciousness) I can't help but smile at the lack of 'eco-kitchen appliances' I've managed to get by with.

When I want to juice: I blend in a mini blender and strain. (Or I bring my produce to my mom's house.)
When I want to make nut milk - same process. Add a bit of sea salt, vanilla and stevia.
When I want to sprout, I toss some soaked seeds in a mason jar and top it with cloth held by a rubber band.
When I want to make yogurt, trusty mason jar comes out again, this time warmed in a crock pot.
When I want to can some preserves, well.. I head to my mom's again. She's got that nice big pan that does the trick.

And when I want to dehydrate, I do the lazy-Amy-method. Follow along.

So here I have a big bag of "smoothie fruit" from the farmers' market. Cal picks this up for me from time to time, and if I was smart I'd use it on my days off when I can eat a leisurely breakfast at a reasonable hour. But on those days all I want is an elaborate cheesy egg breakfast, since that's too much work before a morning shift. So smoothies often go by the way side, hence this bag.

Step one: preheat oven to the lowest you can get it. Mine was 170F.

Step two: prep your fruit. Mine needed to be thawed. Then I tossed it with lemon juice. If you're using apples for dried apple rings, try peeling, coring, and thinly slicing them, then tossing them with lemon juice and cinnamon. If you're using grapes for raisins (or cranberries, or cherries) leave as is. Bananas can be thinly sliced also.

Step three: lay in a single layer on a baking sheet. Mine was lined with a slip-mat but you could use parchment or nothing at all.

Step four: let them dry. For hours! Mine took 5 hours to dry.

Step five: store. Since ours won't last even a few days a small lidded container was perfect. If your fruit isn't perfectly dried you might like to leave it in an open container to dry out more, but if it seems nice and dehydrated you can store it in an air-tight container for quite a while.

Healthy Snack Ideas - With Real Photos

Thanks to my husband's generous gift of an iPhone 5, I have been snapping nonstop photos of my meals and snacks over the past month.

Sometimes it's hard to conjure up a healthy snack which Ritz crackers, caramel popcorn and ginger ale are at our finger tips and require no imagination. But if our only obstacle is igniting your creativity then I am up to the challenge!

Use some of these suggestions, along with a few photos of things I've eaten recently (or served to Oliver). They range in prep time, cost, flavour preference, and even health-factor, but I love them all.

• A mini whole-grain wrap or pita stuffed with egg salad, chicken salad, tuna salad or fresh veggies
• Pita wedges, baked, dipped in hummus
• A hard-boiled egg and cherry tomatoes
• A mug of vegetable soup 
• An olive, aged cheddar and fig plate
• Pumpernickle toast with natural peanut butter and dried fruit
• Leftover quinoa/rice/other grain with chopped cucumber and vinaigrette added
• A bowl of oatmeal with maple syrup and walnuts
• A mini pizza on a whole-grain english muffin (toppings: mushrooms, green pepper, pineapple)
• Puffed cereal, edamame and cheddar cheese chunks

 

•  Carrot sticks, kiwi, pickles, trail mix with a peanut-butter and pistachio coated date

• Homemade yogurt with fresh fruit, sunflower seeds and pepitas

 

• Guacamole!

• Banana, toasted cashews and mini-muffins

• Lemon poppyseed loaf, mixed fruit

• A slice of flourless dark chocolate cake bathed in mixed berries

Whole foods!

There are a million, bazillion ideas out there about how to eat right. How to eat to lose weight, how to eat to clear acne, how to eat to better the planet. Everyone has their opinion and who knows whether they practice what they preach.

But ultimately, isn't the best and simplest way to chose how you'll eat is to focus on whole foods? With no emphasis on calories, food groups, serving sizes or micronutrients - just a tendency to reach for things that have been minimally processed. It's so easy.

Whole, or natural foods, come from the Earth. They were put here for us to enjoy. Their nutrients are in perfect combination, not altered like processed foods. They often come perfectly packaged (a banana in a peel), at the perfect temperature (mother's breastmilk for an infant) and perfectly filling (you'll have trouble eating a full bowl of higher-calorie ground beef, but try eating a bowl of low-calorie watermelon and you won't have much trouble!)

Eating this way is cost effective because you can purchase most whole foods at a farmers' market. I also recommend purchasing large orders of meat from a farmer so that you can become familiar with all the different cuts (Head to Tail Eating).

Whole foods are also great for the environment. They don't use the plastic packaging, factory production, and long transportation that, let's say, a Twinkie would.

If you want a fresh new look on whole foods with interesting facts about their history and biology, and with delicious tips about how to enjoy them, check out my Whole Foods series on Pinterest. I've been "borrowing" gorgeous photos, like the one above, for each whole food. Please stop by and leave a comment, or click the Ask link to post your question to me.

http://amyjoyharrison.tumblr.com/tagged/whole-foods

Try it Tuesday: Best & Worst Produce to Buy Organic

Unless you're made of money transitioning to organic won't happen overnight. Despite my frequent fantasies of throwing out all of our things and restocking with organic, we still house garbage like Heinz ketchup and Old Spice deodorant.

So if you, like me, want to go-orgo over time you should know which fruits and veggies should be your priority and which can take some time.

The Environmental Working Group has come out with a list of 12 fruits and vegetables, known as the "dirty dozen" that should be the very first that you transition to organic with. They are notorious for high pesticide levels.

The offenders are:

1Apples

2Celery

3Strawberries

4Peaches

5Spinach

6Nectarines – imported

7Grapes – imported

8Sweet bell peppers

9Potatoes

10Blueberries – domestic

11Lettuce

12Kale/collard greens

Here are my suggestions.

There are 8 items on this list that you need to begin growing in your own garden right away (celery, strawberries, spinach, bell peppers, potatoes, blueberries, lettuce and kale). If you don't have land, rent through the Community Gardens program in your city. Though they don't keep long fresh, most of these fruits and veggies can be put by with a few easy steps. Chop celery or bell peppers into the size pieces that you'd use for a stirfry or other similar recipe, then freeze as such in a freezer bag. Strawberries and blueberries can be made into jam or sauce and canned in mason jars. They freeze well also. Spinach and kale can both be blanched and frozen in glass storage containers. And potatoes should last in a cool, dark place but if they go green, throw them out. Lettuce is the only trick... try growing it indoors all year ground with a simple grow light that you can purchase in any hardware store.

Organic apples can be u-picked at Avalon Farms in Innisfil (near Barrie) which is my recommendation, or any organic farm in your area. Peaches, nectarines and grapes are often found organic in the grocery store. If you don't see them there, request them.

These 12 items are a great place to start when transitioning to organic.

Crisps and Crumbles and Cobblers, Oh My!

So you want to incorporate more local, seasonal foods into your diet but plain berries and stone fruits in a bowl just won't cut it? Try making a delicious dessert and before you get confused about all those crazy fruit dessert terms, here's a crash course:

Cobbler - sweetened fruit with a baked biscuit crust either dropped in pieces or spread over the whole surface

Pandowdy - the same idea as a cobbler except midway through baking the crust or biscuit pieces are broken up and pushed into the saucy fruit layer

Grunt, or slump - a steamed fruit dish typically made on the stove top with a dumpling-like pudding incorporated on top

Buckle - a sweet cake with the fruit incorporated right into the batter, topped with a strusel

Crisp - sweet fruit on bottom with a "crumble" topping usually made of butter, flour and/or oats and sometimes nuts, differs from a crumble in that the topping is crunchy; in the UK a crisp is called a crumble

Bird's nest pudding - usually made with cored and sugared apples, surrounded by a crust (like a nest)

Betty, or brown betty - fruit between layers of buttered crumbs; it's a brown betty if you use brown sugar; similar to the French charlotte

Clafouti - fruit is topped with a pudding and then baked

Sonker - deep dish version of a cobbler; popular only in the Carolinas

And lastly, in case you're interested, the difference between a tart and a torte is that a tart is a miniature pie with no topping, baked with a classic pastry crust; a torte often has little to no flour in its crust with more of a ground nut or breadcrump based dough rolled to coat the bottom.

So now you know!