My Baby's Got a Secret (Part 3: Making Baby Formula)

In parts 1 & 2, I explained why (I and many others think) raw milk is healthier than regular, pasteurized milk from conventional dairy cows and why lactose intolerance doesn't have to stop people from enjoying dairy.

I'm not trying to declare a mommy war on people who use regular formula. Like I've said previously, I do use Earth's Best when traveling or when I forget to pick up more raw milk at Kimberton Whole Foods (they have pretty limited hours on weekends). It's my back-up, and anyone with mommy-brain needs a back-up! 

Do I think making fresh formula using this recipe is better? Well of course, or else I wouldn't be doing it. The ingredients, science behind them, and the fact that you know exactly how it's prepared cannot even compare to commercial baby formula.

[Fresh batch in the fridge]

I've heard plenty of people say that making baby formula is reckless. I'm sure it is if you're concocting something on your own (which I'm not). Here's the thing. I trust myself ONE MILLION percent more than I trust food manufacturers. They care about profit, not your baby's health. Similac, Enfamil, and Earth's Best have all had major recalls of their baby formula over the past few years. Melamine contamination and botulism are two of the reasons. Babies die from those things. DIE. Maybe I'm just a paranoid first-time, Mom, but that freaks me out. And frankly, I think it should freak everyone out. To paraphrase my Mom (who convinced me to make Flynn's formula), "People think if it's for sale at the grocery store, it's good for you." Nothing could be further from the truth.


Okay, enough of my ranting, let's get to the good part: Flynn's homemade baby formula!


Background
The raw milk formula recipe first appeared in the book Nourishing Traditions: The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats, by Sally Fallon Morell and Mary G. Enig, PhD. Morell is the President of the Weston A. Price Foundation. And Dr. Enig is kind of a big deal. She's an expert in the field of lipid biochemistry, a licensed nutritionist, a qualified expert witness, a nutrition consultant to individuals, industry and state and federal governments, a contributing editor to a number of scientific publications, the author of over 60 technical papers and presentations, as well as a popular lecturer. The best part? They are both moms who raised their children according to the nutritional principles they pioneered.

[Nutrient-dense oils & supplements]

Ingredients
- Raw Milk (whole raw milk from old-fashioned cows, certified free of disease, that feed on green pasture)
- Filtered Water
- Liquid whey (made from separated whole milk)
- Lactose
- Gelatin
- Bifidobacterium infantis (probiotic powder)
- Cream (good quality from grass-fed cows, not ultra-pasteurized)
- Cod liver oil (high-vitamin, fermented)
- Sunflower oil (expeller-expressed)
- Extra virgin olive oil (organic, unfiltered, never heated)
- Coconut oil (organic, extra-virgin)
- Nutritional yeast flakes
- Acerola powder

[Dissolving the gelatin & lactose in filtered water]

[My trusty blender]

So what do each of these ingredients do?


- Milk & water make up the base of the formula.
- Whey assists with the growth of beneficial bacteria in the G.I. tract.
- Lactose, a milk sugar derived from whey, helps make cows milk as rich as breast milk.
- Gelatin binds everything together in baby's stomach and aids with digestion.
- Bifidobacterium infantis contains the "friendly" bacteria most commonly found in infants; it promotes proper digestion and absorption and encourages the formation of antibodies against undesirable bacteria, viruses and allergens.
- Cream is an excellent source of healthy fats, which babies need to thrive.
- Cod liver oil is a rich source of vitamins A & D, as well as the essential fatty acids EPA & DHA (also called Omega 3's).
- Sunflower oil is a good source of different fatty acids.
- Extra virgin olive oil is chock full of antioxidants and healthy fats.
- Coconut oil is antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiparasitical, and antiviral. It supports good thyroid function, radiant skin and heart health. Coconut oil's medium chain fatty acids are converted by your body into quick energy and not stored as fat. Plus, I think it's naturally sweet taste makes baby's dig this formula!
- Nutritional yeast flakes are very high in B vitamins (1, 2, 6 & 12). It has a tannish color, which is why the formula isn't bright white like powdered formula.
- Acerola powder is derived from the acerola cherry, which is one of nature's highest sources of vitamin C.


The Weston A. Price Foundation has made it even easier to obtain all of these ingredients by teaming up with the Radiant Life Company, who now sells a formula "kit" on their website with every ingredient, except milk, water, whey & cream which you need to buy or make fresh. This company only recommends the highest quality products for this formula. I'm talkin' fancy-ass olive oil that you can't even get at Whole Foods. I ordered a 3-month kit since Flynn still nurses and gets at least half of his daily milk intake from me.

[Bottle & funnel from Ikea]

In addition to the ingredients above, I use the following kitchen utensils:

- Blender

- Small saucepan

- Rubber spatula or whisk

- Measuring spoons

- Liquid measuring cup

- Funnel (if your storage container has a narrow opening like mine)

I took a Sharpie & wrote the amount of each ingredient needed on the actual ingredient container itself. That way, I don't need to look at the recipe each time I make it (which is every 2-3 days). I can pull all of my ingredients out and start cookin'. I was SO nervous the first time, because obviously it's important that it be prepared correctly for Flynn's sake. My hands were actually shaking a little bit. But after a few times, it's a cinch.

I won't bore you with the directions. It's a lot of "simmer this" and "measure that" - just like every recipe. If you want to check it out, go here.

[The downside? Extra dishes!]

This homemade formula tends to be a little thick because of the coconut oil and gelatin solidifying in the fridge - totally normal. Just warm it up like you would a regular bottle and it thins out. Flynn took to it right away, and we'll most likely keep making it for him until he reaches age 1. Although I've read that you can switch to plain raw milk once your child is eating a wide variety of solids, Flynn's been taking his time in that department, so we're not in a rush to phase the formula out. We want him to have all this good stuff for as long as possible. He had a minor cold over the winter, but since then, nothing. Even our pediatrician is impressed. (But shh, he doesn't need to know why!)

Obviously, this isn't for everyone. I consider myself a "high-energy" person. I love to be busy and have a hard time sitting still. After Flynn goes to bed, I'm washing diapers, making formula, baking banana bread, cleaning, etc. 

Unless The Bachelorette is on... then, get me to the nearest TV! 

Hometown dates tonight. Team Jef!

What do you guys think of homemade formula? Am I completely nuts?
Leave your comments below :-)

My Baby's Got a Secret (Part 2: Pasteurization & Homogenization)

Tim and I are relaxing on the couch with Indy, How It's Made is on Science Channel, and Flynn's diapers are in the wash. Today was an extra stinky diaper day. Once they start solids... things get REAL. That's part of the "fun" of cloth diapers. Even though I work, I still have the pleasure of seeing everything that came out of my sweet baby boy at the end of the day. This is definitely something only a mother could love.

Flynn still poops two or three times a day. He's never constipated and never gassy. Seriously... never! I credit 3 things: half of his milk still comes from me, the probiotic powder in his formula, and the fact that he's getting natural enzymes from raw milk. A digestive trifecta.

Here are some crazy stats for you:

- 40 million Americans are lactose intolerant.

- 75% of all African-American, Jewish, Mexican-American, and Native American adults are lactose intolerant.

- 90% of Asian-Americans are lactose intolerant.

[Even Leonard Hofstadter, everyone's favorite TV nerd is lactose intolerant]

This is my crude understanding of lactose intolerance. Bear with me, I'm no scientist. Lactase is the enzyme our bodies naturally create to digest lactose. Most people worldwide experience a drop in lactase production around age 5. When our bodies don't produce enough lactase, we become lactose intolerant. 

I realized I was lactose intolerant in college. Growing up, I fought my parents about finishing my milk and ice cream always gave me a stomach ache. Duh - my body didn't know what to do with it! I've tried going dairy-free a few times, but it's so hard. Those sneaky food manufacturers use casein (a dairy protein) in practically every processed food as a binder, especially cheese. Eating too much casein has also been linked to cancer.

So why is raw better?

Milk straight from a cow contains awesome enzymes specially designed to make it easier to digest. However, these enzymes (and all the other lovely nutrients in milk) are very fragile. Once milk is heated to a certain temperature through pasteurization, these enzymes are destroyed forever. The molecules that comprise them are literally flattened and the enzymes can no longer do their thing.

Pasteurization heats milk to just below boiling temperatures, while ultra-pasteurization forces milk through pipes and steam outside of the pipes heats it for 15-20 seconds at 171 degrees, and for 1-2 seconds at up to 275 degrees. Bacteria is killed, as well as all the good enzymes.

[See this website for more details]

Pasteurization is very helpful to Big Dairy because it extends shelf life dramatically and allows them to ship their products all over the country without the risk of it going bad. Obviously when you support a local farm and buy their milk, it's a much shorter distance from cow to store. I'm sure you've taken a whiff of conventional milk that's past it's prime - gag. Do you know what spoiled raw milk smells like? Sour cream! The way it's supposed to be if you think about it.

No homo

Now let's talk about homogenization, which is the process that removes cream from milk. When I buy raw milk, the cream naturally rises to the top and I have to shake it up before I pour it. According to my Mom, who grew up drinking raw milk on a farm and is still alive to tell about it, everyone used to just skim the cream off the top themselves and use it in their coffee. Now, the dairy industry uses centrifugal cream separators to speed up the process. And then we buy our cream separately with a bunch of additives thrown in. Makes total sense.

The Weston A. Price Foundation sums up the problem with homogenization better than I can: During homogenization there is a tremendous increase in surface area on the fat globules. The original fat globule membrane is lost and a new one is formed that incorporates a much greater portion of casein and whey proteins. This may account for the increased allergenicity of modern processed milk.

[The good old days]

Enter Digestive Aids

After pasteurization became the norm, people started feeling all icky after eating dairy. Instead of wondering WHY this was happening, they turned to drugs to solve the problem. Gas-X, antacids, Pepto, Mylicon for babies. The pharmaceutical industry started reaping the benefits of pasteurization big time. People wanted to enjoy their ice cream without the unpleasantness that followed, so they popped a few pills and ate it anyway. This paved the way for "alternative" milk products like Lactaid, and even lactase drops. Ahh, problem solved. Butttt, not really.

[Silly Lactaid, conventional cows are too sick to dance]

Who wants to rely on drugs their whole life just to eat dairy? If you choose raw dairy products, you don't have to. You're giving your body everything it needs to do its job.


In Part 3, I'll give you all the details about Flynn's homemade raw milk formula. Breast milk is always best, but I'm so glad I found a healthy alternative to commercial powdered formula when I needed it.


Are you lactose intolerant? If so, how do you deal with it? Do you love Big Bang Theory as much as I do? Discuss...

My Baby's Got a Secret (Part 1)

For the past 3 months, we’ve been supplementing Flynn’s diet with formula. We’ve told friends, family & even our pediatrician that we’re using Earth’s Best commercial powdered formula. It’s not a lie, because we do use it occasionally. However, the majority of the time we give him homemade formula made from raw cow’s milk. Or, as I see it, fresh milk from healthy & happy cows.

We've been keeping it hush hush because many people think raw milk is unsafe for adults, let alone infants. But you know what? I’m tired of keeping it a secret. I want people to know that there is something available besides powdered infant formula with questionable ingredients (see articles about that here & here).

I’m sure you’ve heard terrible things about raw milk. The USDA & FDA have entire web pages dedicated to educating brainwashing consumers about the dangers of it. The National Dairy Council wants you to fear raw milk because they represent the interests of large, factory farms that produce pasteurized milk and don't like competition. Raw milk has also been in the news recently because retail sales are actually illegal in some states and the government is cracking down on local farmers who distribute it. (It’s 100% legal in Pennsylvania, so don’t worry, we’re not breaking any laws.) 

First, let’s clear up a few things and talk about how raw milk compares to conventional milk. When I say "conventional milk," I mean pretty much any pasteurized, homogenized milk that comes from a grocery store. Organic milk is a small step up, but it's still pasteurized, homogenized and receives very little oversight from the government agency that slaps the "organic" seal on it.

According to the USDA, raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized. Pasteurization is designed to kill bacteria, such as E. coli, Listeria & Salmonella. The process of pasteurization also extends the shelf life of milk. However, if you look at factory farming practices in the U.S. and how conventional milk is produced, it makes complete sense that pasteurization is necessary to prevent pathogens from making people sick. Conventional milk comes from sick cows that are treated inhumanly.

Factory farm dairy cows:

-          Live in concrete & steel environments

-          Receive zero time at pasture

-          Are artificially bred

-          Are fed unnatural feeds like soy, cotton seed & corn

-          Are given feeds that contain GMO’s (genetically modified organisms that have never been tested for safety on humans, but have given lab animals cancer)

-          Live surrounded by piles of their own manure (E. coli, anyone?)

-          Have a short life span

-          Receive artificial growth hormones to help them produce more milk

-          Receive antibiotics to keep them from getting sick (most factory farm dairy cows have extremely painful mastitis from over milking)

[Typical Factory Farm]

It’s no wonder that this kind of milk has to be pasteurized. If it weren't, there would be serious bacterial outbreaks.

However, when you buy fresh, raw milk from a small dairy farm, you aren’t getting milk from sick cows.

Organic, fresh, raw milk cows:

-          Roam freely at pasture

-          Are fed natural feeds that they would choose in nature

-          Are never given feeds that contain soy or GMO’s

-          Are naturally bull bred

-          Live over four times longer than factory farm cows

-          Never receive hormones or antibiotics

-          Do not live in piles of manure, because they  have access to pasture

-          Are raised on small family farms that give consumers full access to tour, take photographs & review safety testing procedures

 (Source)

[Pasture-raised cows]

For more information, I recommend checking out the Weston A. Price Foundation website. They've started A Campaign for Real Milk to dispel the myths of raw milk dangers and to promote pasture-fed, unprocessed, full-fat milk. If you want to locate raw milk near you, click here.

I feel very lucky to live in a state that allows healthy, fresh milk to be sold retail. Before starting Flynn on the homemade raw milk formula, we had to decide which farm we’d get the milk from. Turns out we had quite a few options! Ultimately, we chose Camphill Village Kimberton Hills. They sell their dairy products through Kimberton Whole Foods and they receive high marks from The Cornucopia Institute who grades small dairy farms on criteria like how much information they disclose to the public, the health of their herd and if antibiotics & hormones are used. 

Camphill Village Kimberton Hills is a farm and also a unique community for adults with special needs. Not only do the residents have the opportunity to live interdependently, but they also work the land. How cool is that? They help to produce dairy products, run a CSA, bakery, café and do craft work like weaving, woodworking & pottery. We are planning a trip to the farm for their annual Hootnanny on July 14^th. It’ll be pretty neat to see where our milk comes from!

Stay tuned...

In Part 2, I’ll discuss why pasteurization & homogenization aren’t all that great, and why the lactose intolerant (like me) have no problems with raw milk.

In Part 3, I’ll tell you all the details about Flynn’s homemade formula: what else is in it, and how we make it!

How we do it: Making & Storing Baby Food

I always slightly dread the next stage in Flynn’s development because:

1) I fear change 

2) I like routines and 

3) I feel like if I have anything else to accomplish in one day, my brain is going to have a nuclear meltdown.

But then once that stage arrives, and I accommodate it for a few days, it’s no big deal. Two months ago, I was not looking forward to Flynn eating solids. I mean, I was excited to have him try new foods, but I had the nursing/bottle routine down and now I’d have to deal with baby food, also?! Ahh! But like all the other stages that have come and gone, it’s really not a big deal at all.

In fact, it’s pretty fun to make baby food. And did I mention it’s SUPER easy? Especially since their diet consists of one ingredient purees to start. Peel it & mash it. Steam it & blend it. Roast it & puree it. 2 steps! Maybe 3 if you include washing & cutting up produce. And buying it. OKAY 4, but let’s not get too technical…

[There is a newer version available here]

This book has been my go-to source for the recipes I’ve made so far, but it’s mainly inspirational because once you make a few of them, you’re like, “Wait, I needed a book for this?” That’s how simple it is. Pick pretty much any fruit or vegetable; decide how to make it soft enough to be pureed and just do that. Want pear puree? Core pears & cut into quarters. Steam until soft (7-9 min), remove skins and toss flesh into a food processor or blender. 30 seconds later, boom, done. Want apple/carrot/sweet potato/pea/green bean puree? Do virtually the same thing. Cook until soft, puree.

The recipes get more complex for older babies and start to incorporate multiple ingredients and spices, but you’ll already be a pro because you started out with one-ingredient meals.

In my opinion, the hardest part was figuring out how to store the food so that it was also easy to transport to my Mom’s house (Flynn's "day care"). There are lots of baby food storage containers on the market but I just went with ice cube trays that I already owned. They're probably not BPA-free, but I'm only using them for a short period of time & I'm not heating them up, so I couldn't justify buying special trays.

Helpful Tip

1 cube = 1 oz. (or 2 tablespoons)

Every other week, I make 2 different purees (usually a fruit for breakfast, to eat alone or to mix with the Earth’s Best baby oatmeal he so loves, and a veggie for lunch). I fill up my ice cube trays with the purees and pop them in the freezer overnight. Then, I dump out the cubes and put 2 cubes each in plastic snack baggies. Everything is pre-portioned and ready to bring to my Mom’s house along with Flynn’s milk for the day. I can’t tell you how convenient it is to just grab a bag of this and a bag of that from the freezer in the morning. It keeps me slightly more sane.

To thaw, either put the cubes in a bowl and let them soften slowly in the fridge or give them a 30 second zap in the microwave and stir, stir, stir to get it all to the same baby-friendly temperature. If necessary, add a little water/breast milk/formula to thin out the puree. To thicken a puree (like pears, which tend to be watery) I add a little oatmeal.

[Flynn's first avocado experience]

There are foods baby’s love that don’t need to be cooked at all, like bananas & avocados. Flynn loves mashed avocado with a pinch of salt, and we often mix in banana with his oatmeal.

Learn from my mistake: When I first made apple puree for Flynn, I used Granny Smith apples because that’s what I like to eat. You should have seen his face - it was like I gave him a sour apple blow pop. Oops! A little cinnamon warmed him up to it though.

As far as baby-proof dinnerware is concerned, I haven’t bought any yet. My sis-in-law gave me a bunch of Gerber baby spoons, and I serve Flynn his food in small, ceramic ramekins. When he starts feeding himself, I’ll obviously need some kind of unbreakable bowls and plates that are BPA-free/Phthalate-free/Latex-free/PVC-free made of rainbows & sunshine. My mom has this cute bowl for feeding Flynn and she loves it because you can just mash & mix whatever you want right in the bowl and serve.

There are lots of pre-made baby foods available, but the freshest and most cost-effective way to feed your baby is to get in the kitchen and make your own. If you're an ingredient control-freak like me, it’s the best way to go.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t completely object to pre-made baby food. It definitely has it's perks! During our summer vacation in July, I say bring on the convenience of organic fruit in a pouch & disposable diapers! Everyone needs a break once in a while.

[Asparagus. Not a fan.]

What were your baby's favorite first foods? Do you have your own baby food making/storing routine? 

40 days

Flynn is starting to show an interest in solid foods and it's the cutest thing. We have him eat with us at the kitchen table during dinner (he sits in his bumbo seat) and he thinks the sight of us chewing is hilarious. He also loves when we make silly, loud chewing noises. Just recently, we noticed him opening his mouth and leaning forward... almost as if he's trying to take a bite of our food. But as much as we can't wait for him to try solids, we are holding off until he is absolutely ready. We'd also like him to be able to sit up on his own first.

The AAP now recommends waiting to start solids until 6 months of age, and I actually agree with them on this topic. So until May 6th (or for 40 more days), he will only be getting breast milk. Then, let the games begin! I am beyond excited to give him real food. Sweet potatoes, avocado, squash, egg yolk, banana... I can't wait to see his precious little eyes light up when he discovers that there is more to this world than just Mommy's milk! Cue the Aladdin song... a whole new worrrrrrld.

We received this book at Flynn's baby shower. It looks awesome!

Of course, I can't do anything the "normal" way, can I? I am interested in baby-led weaning, but need to read more about it. We are also skipping white rice cereal and going straight to more nutritious grub, like sweet potato and avocado. I just can't get on board with the idea of feeding Flynn a simple carb as his first food. What's the point? If it's not really that great for adults, it's probably not that great for babies. I will add oats & brown rice to his diet a little later.

Then there is the whole organic issue. I've always heard of the "dirty dozen" when it comes to selecting organic v. non organic produce, but now that I'm going to introduce it to my little baby's pristine digestive system, I can't stand the thought of feeding him pesticides. This website has the whole list of best & worst produce as far as pesticide contamination is concerned. Preview: Apples = the worst; Onions = not so bad; Oranges = right in the middle.

Growing up, I was always annoyed that my Mom wouldn't buy sugary cereals, like Lucky Charms. And now just look what I'm doing! Gah. I am my mother after all. If Flynn is anything like me, he'll love sleeping over at his friend's houses and eating their cereal. And if he's anything like my husband, he'll like Kool Aid. And have a full beard at age 14.

<3 Meg

P.S. - You can read more about why we're skipping traditional rice cereal here.

Forget babies, let's talk dogs.

Bored with all the baby talk? Me, too! So I wanted to share a little about how we take care of our FIRST baby. Our labrador retriever, Indy! His name is short for Indiana Jones, but he is nothing short of adventurous. Keeps us on our toes, makes us clean the house a little more, and loves to lick our faces & feet. We adore him.

I never really gave it much thought before we got a dog, but now I'm such a believer in giving our sweet little pup the best stuff out there. My husband and I are literally seeing first hand how our dog's diet is a positive influence on his health and appearance.

We try to eat healthy. We buy processed snacks and indulge in desserts now and then, but the majority of our diet is made up of whole foods and I make homemade meals almost every night. We buy organic when we can, avoid added sugars and preservatives and also supplement with vitamins. In my mind, human or animal, any member of our family is going to be treated the same.

We got Indy from a reputable breeder when he was 8 weeks old. From the time he was eating solids, she fed him (and his brothers and sisters) Purina Puppy Chow. While researching dog breeds, my Mom sent me a few articles about typical dog food (like Purina) and what goes into it. Ugh, let's just say it was pretty disturbing.

Here are the first 5 ingredients in Purina Puppy Chow: Whole grain corn, corn gluten meal, chicken by-product meal, whole grain wheat, animal fat.

It doesn't sound terrible, until you realize that animals are like people. What happens when you load them up with processed grains (especially corn) and animal byproducts? They gain weight. They are more likely to develop diseases. They are unhealthy. They have digestive problems. The only healthy things in entire ingredient list are dried carrots and dried peas and they are pretty far down, which means there isn't much in there. Ironic that Purina's motto is "Long Live Your Dog".

So, we decided we were going to switch Indy away from Purina and try one of the newer holistic dog foods on the market. There are more and more available now, which is exciting! I had heard about Blue Buffalo brand and we decided to give it a try. After slowly weaning Indy off of Purina and onto Blue Buffalo, we still weren't impressed. The ingredients were definitely better, but his stools were unpredictable (sometimes loose, sometimes he was constipated) and often times, he didn't even finish the portion we put in his bowl. I'm not saying this dog food is bad, it just didn't agree with Indy so we were ready to try something else.

Indy loved these treats during Puppy Kindergarten & when we were housebreaking him!

Around this time, my Mom went to a local street festival and happened upon a Natural Balance pet food stand, where they loaded her up with free samples. She dropped them off at our house and we decided to see if Indy liked it, because we certainly liked what we learned about the products. (We'd never heard of it before, but once we started Puppy Kindergarten, it turned out to be the brand that the trainer recommended, so we figured it was worth a try).

Could Indy have gone any more BONKERS over this dog food? He went insane and gobbled it up so fast. We ended up giving him the rest of the dog food samples for meals & treats until they ran out, and then continued feeding him Blue Buffalo because we still had a whole bag of it left. Guess what? Once he had a taste of Natural Balance, he wanted nothing more to do with his old food. He was so over Blue Buffalo and would barely touch it. The next bag of dog food we bought was Natural Balance and now we're customers for life.

Just for a comparison... here are the first ingredients in a bag of NB: Sweet Potatoes, Venison, Potato Protein, Pea Protein, Canola Oil, Potato Fiber, Flaxseed

They also carry wet canned food & yummy "food rolls" that are GREAT for treats!

Indy's coat is sooo shiny - he almost glistens in the sun and we constantly get compliments on it. His poops are always normal, which leads to happy anal glands (graphic, but it's a part of our lives) and his stomach is rarely upset. He is also one muscular dude! 7 months old and he looks like he hits the gym twice a day. Sorry ladies, he's neutered. Playful, full of energy, social with other dogs/people/children, protective of us when strangers come to the door... just an all around happy & healthy pup!

Natural Balance is more expensive because of the high quality ingredients (like venison, sweet potatoes, brown rice & real chicken). It's about $15-20 more per bag than other non-holistic brands. But, like I said at the beginning of this post, we knew when we adopted a puppy that we were going to treat him like a member of the family and to me, giving him the best dog food we can afford is one of the ways in which we accomplish that.

Look at that face!

Disclaimer: Neither of us have any affiliation with Natural Balance, except that we feed it to our dog!

Amy's Homemade Granola Bars

My sister-in-law, Amy, e-mailed me this recipe and I immediately wanted to try it out. It's one of those rare baking recipes that doesn't have to be exact. LOVE. You can also customize it by substituting and adding ingredients. DOUBLE LOVE.

Ingredients

2 c. oats

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. wheat germ

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 c. flour

3/4 c. raisins

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. honey

1 egg, beaten

1/4 c. applesauce

1/4 c. olive oil

2 tsp. vanilla

1 brown banana

Directions 

Mix everything together and press into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Let cool and cut into bars.

Some possible additions/substitutions include: pumpkin puree, chopped apple, coconut, chocolate chips, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, sunflower seeds, flax seeds (instead of wheat germ), whole wheat flour (instead of white)... and whatever else your heart desires.

They are fantastic as a quick snack or to grab in the morning as you're heading out to work. Or (I'll put on my future mom hat) to give your kids when they're begging for a snack before dinner. Relatively healthy & not a total meal ruiner.

Hot Soup on a Hot Day

This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger (from Food Network). She's pretty rad and her soothing voice puts me into a trance.

It's pretty quick & easy. You don't have to let it simmer for an hour or anything lame like that.

Summer Corn & Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

4 cups fresh corn kernels or 2 (10-ounce) packages frozen, thawed

2 cups nonfat milk (I used almond milk)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 medium red bell pepper, diced

1 medium zucchini, diced

2 cups vegetable broth

2 plum tomatoes, diced

3/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Directions

Put 2 cups of the corn and the milk into a blender or food processor, until smooth. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and zucchini and cook, stirring until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the remaining 2 cups of corn and the broth and bring to a boil.

Add the pureed corn and tomatoes and cook until warmed through, but not boiling.

Add the salt and season with pepper.

Serve garnished with the basil ribbons.

We enjoyed it with some garlic naan bread on the side.

Surprisingly refreshing, even on a hot day!

Snack Attack

I've always had a cheetah-like metabolism, but since I've had a baby inside me who's been stealing all my nutrients, I've been crazy hungry day and night. I gave in to some cravings early on to keep myself from vomiting (never did, by the way, I just love bragging about that!) but now I'm buckling down and making sure my snacks in-between meals are both filling and healthy.


[An everyday lunch during work.]

Clearly gaining weight is essential during pregnancy, but I'd like to stay in the 25-35 lb. range, which is what is recommended for my starting weight and body type.

These snacks are in my kitchen right now.

(Warning: I may start drooling as I type...)

Greek Yogurt

(Chobani lemon & pomegranate are my favs)

Roasted Cashews

Pistachios

(great for prime time TV munching)

Bananas & Peanut Butter

Granny Smith Apples

(tart & never mealy)

Strawberries

(rinse & enjoy plain)

Oranges

(you'll feel like you're playing pee wee soccer again)

Cheese & Whole Wheat Crackers

Avocados

(with a sprinkle of sea salt or squeeze of lime)

Pretzels

(look for the fewest ingredients possible)

Olives

(very high in sodium, so watch that)

PB&J Sandwiches

(homemade jelly courtesy of the Amish)

Have I broken down and raided the snack machine at work for Peanut M&M's? Heck yes! Life without chocolate would be a miserable existence. But no, I don't do that everyday. Or even every week. I still drink a cup of coffee every morning. Full caffeine. And eat fish often. And I accidentally breathed in paint fumes while I was refinishing a mirror over the weekend. Whoops... sorry, baby.

At least I'm acing the exercise part!

Reffing a lacrosse tournament in June when I'm 18 weeks and another one in July when I'm 22 weeks. I wonder what Baby Annan will make of all the whistle-blowing?