nutrition Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips

10 Ways to Prevent Osteoporosis Now!

Paula — Sun, 17 Nov 2019 14:52:14 +0000

How to Prevent Osteoporosis post may contain affiliate links as a service to readers. According to the American Orthopaedic Association, more than 30 million Americans have a pronounced risk for developing osteoporosis, or low bone density. So, learning how to prevent osteoporosis should be top of mind for many people. Although women over the age of 65 are more likely to develop osteoporosis, this serious health problem affects men as well, and impacts nearly 10 million adults in the United States. In Canada, those statistics are also high. Two million Canadians are affected by osteoporosis. An estimated 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men will suffer an osteoporotic fracture during their lifetime! Even more reasons to monitor bone health and make good lifestyle choices too. How to Build Strong Bones But there are steps that can aid in preventing weak bones and lowering the risk of severe bone fractures. Here are a few steps that can help you to build stronger bones and achieve better bone health. Ten Ways to Prevent Osteoporosis and Nurture Better Bone Health Get Moving Studies show routine exercise is the most effective way to increase and maintain bone density. A regimen of brisk walks and resistance, weight-bearing exercises, such as aerobics and weight-lifting, can preserve and greatly improve bone health. Get outside more. Take more walks. Always opt for the stairs when that’s an option. Small lifestyle changes can help increase your healthy activity and potentially prevent osteoporosis. Exercise Try to get moving and exercise more on a daily basis! If you know me, then you know that this is one of my missions in life. I strive to get to the YMCA several times a week for my workouts. Weight bearing activity can be very beneficial for bone health. Consume More Vitamin D Osteoporosis is not as widespread in men as in women because the male hormone, testosterone, stimulates the formation of new bone. However, since vitamin D is an essential factor in the body’s ability to absorb calcium (and everyone needs calcium to maintain strong, healthy bones), both men and women could benefit from increasing their daily consumption of vitamin D to the recommended dose of 800 to 1,200 international units (IU). In countries like Canada, much has been written about the lack of sunlight and vitamin D and impact on health. So consider adding vitamin D to your regular daily routine in order to prevent osteoporosis. Increase Calcium Intake The National Institutes of Health (NIH) suggests an increase in calcium intake for anyone over the age of 50. Since calcium plays such a vital role in overall bone health, it is recommended that adults take 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily, in two to three divided doses. This can help prevent osteoporosis. Get The One I Take Now – > This is the Calcium and Vitamin D supplement I take daily and like a lot actually because it also has magnesium in it. Easy Foods to consume that are loaded with calcium are: almonds, milk, yogurt, cheese, broccoli, seeds, beans and lentils. Here’s a more comprehensive list of calcium rich foods. Decrease Alcohol Consumption While a little alcohol in moderation is usually fine for most individuals, consuming more than three drinks a day can have detrimental effects on bone density in the long term. Chronic and heavy drinking disrupts the body’s ability to heal bone fractures and can even suppress the formation of new bone. Let’s be honest here – if you are having more than three drinks a day your health will be impacted. Time to reevaluate. Stop Drinking Completely Additionally, scientific studies show that, over time, there is a greater chance for actual bone loss recovery after someone stops drinking completely. Quit Smoking Cigarette smoking is not good for anyone, period. People who are concerned about maintaining good health need to quit. When it comes to preventing osteoporosis, smoking increases the risk for weak bones in many ways. Toxins from tobacco disrupt the natural balance of hormones that are necessary for bone health and for building strong bones. Specifically, research points to the adverse effect smoking has on calcitonin, a hormone which contributes to bone formation. Smoking cessation has a positive impact on bone density and overall bone health. Stop smoking now. If you are struggling to quit smoking talk to your doctor or pharmacist about a stop smoking program or tool. Talk to a Doctor One note of caution about implementing any of these suggestions: Consult a medical professional first. Before making any drastic changes in diet or embarking on any physical fitness routine, check with a doctor. Ask about bone density testing, if you are concerned, and especially if you have a family history of osteoporosis. Also if, as a child, you had a specific illness that was treated by steroids you may be at higher risk. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in my twenties due to medications I had to take as a teenager for Crohn’s disease. X-ray absorptiometry test The dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry test is one of the most accurate bone loss detection and diagnostic tests available. Investigate medication options if necessary. A Role for Medicine Consult your doctor or specialist as some medicines may help lessen risk of bone loss, contribute to bone formation. This might be an essential step to decrease any chance of debilitating bone fracture. In my late 20s I took a medication to support better bone health. I am not on that drug anymore. A Final Word About Bone Health Bone density is something that can be improved with diligence. Osteoporosis does not need to be inevitable if measures are taken to increase bone health.

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Goat Milk Triple Berry Smoothies for Back to School #BornOnTheFarm

Paula — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 11:02:38 +0000

Goat milk was not on my radar until my daughter started having allergy issues when she was little. We took her to the doctor for chronic ear infections, among other things, and he suggested we switch her over to goat milk. So we did for a couple of years, and we saw a vast improvement. These days, we’ve started using it again occasionally for lunches, as well as for before school and after school snacks. It’s normal for us to have several different kinds of milk in the fridge at all times. For us, Goat Milk is a handy and healthy addition to the routine all year round. It helps make a quick lunch on the go in a smoothie. And when my kids are home at lunch, they reach for this product as an easy way to make a smoothie. That’s the best kind of lunch for us sometimes. Fast and nutritious. Plus it’s one I rarely have to think too hard about when I am tapped out of lunch ideas. Goat Milk is a Healthy Alternative to Cow’s Milk In addition to being really tasty, goat milk is also an excellent alternative to cow’s milk. This milk is usually well tolerated by those who are lactose intolerant, so that’s a big plus right out of the gate. It also contains more natural vitamin A and B and is naturally homogenized. Vitamin B3 or Niacin is nearly double to that of cow’s milk. All B vitamins help the body convert food into fuel. Fat molecules in Goat Milk are smaller with shorter chain fatty acids which are more easily digested. It also has just as much protein as milk. All of this makes it a perfect alternative to traditional cow’s milk for me and my family. Goat Milk Smoothies One of the biggest ways I’ve been using Hewitt’s 3. 8 % Goat Milk is in smoothies. With back to school just around the corner, I’ve been gearing up for smoothie prep. When school is in session, we all rely on smoothies for quick solutions to snacks. With all the protein and added vitamin A and B, this milk makes a healthy and tasty smoothie. That’s great because smoothies are a great way to start the day quickly and healthily. And they are also excellent for after school. I don’t know about you, but our family finds both lunch time and after school time crazy. It doesn’t take long before we are all running out of ideas for creative lunches. With teens, we are always on the go so smoothies hit the spot perfectly. FOR lunch or any time of day. In September, not only are the kids adjusting to their new school schedules, but all of the activities commence again and that means chaos. Or I should say it can mean chaos. Both my girls begin acting again and martial arts gets back to normal which is sometimes three nights a week. Then in addition to that one often does basketball at school and horseback riding too. Not to mention my workload increases again and meals become challenging. And homework!! GAH. I am stressing already. That leaves no time for lunch prep and it leaves all of us exhausted so smoothies work magically. Keep fresh fruit available all week long and keep Hewitt’s Dairy Goat Milk in 3.8 % or 2 % in your fridge for easy smoothie preparation. Hewitt’s is available in 1 litre cartons and 4 litre bags. Triple Berry SMOOTHIE WITH Hewitt’s GOAT MILK Smoothies are also the ideal solution to MOM I am starving when my youngest gets in from the school bus. Teens are always hungry. The other bonus of smoothies is that they are simple to make so my teens can do this themselves. (Younger kids can manage with some supervision too) All I need to do is stock the ingredients. Speaking of ingredients this is the recipe below. EASY before or after school smoothies with Hewitt's Goat Milk and a whole mess of healthy berries. Goat Milk: Easy, Nutritious, After or Before School Snacks Goat milk is a great alternative to cow’s milk, whether it be in smoothie, a recipe, or just a glass. Now that we’ve started using it again, I am reminded of how versatile this product is. It’s tasty, healthy, and easier on the digestive tract, all of which makes it a winner for my family. If you’re looking for a cow’s milk alternative or if you just want to add an extra health kick to your life, check out Hewitt’s Goat Milk. It’s our go to brand for a tasty, healthy alternative to cow’s milk. If you want to read more of my Gay Lea recipes here’s one that’s my favourite: Gluten Free Fireside Pie. And here are some easy tasty Memories of Mexico Nachos and Guacamole too. MORE ABOUT HEWITT’s and the Gay Lea Story: Hewitt’s Dairy is part of the Gay Lea Foods cooperative. Gay Lea us second largest dairy co-operative in Canada, owned by over 1,200 dairy farmers. They have 12 production facilities and distribution centers across Ontario and Quebec. PS, when doing a travel opportunity in Bruce County this July with my daughter I happened across one of those facilities and took a moment to stop and poke around a bit. Driving by on our way to Lion’s Head. Couldn’t help but stop @ptpamedia Look what we found. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. #explorethebruce #fun #travel #bornonthefarm #travels #travelislife #travelbloggers #food #familytravel #dairy #creamery #teeswater #ontario #freshfoods A post shared by Paula Schuck (@inkscrblr) on Jul 21, 2017 at 3:32pm PDT For More Recipes and Contests: Fresh fruit from Ontario even, plus fresh dairy from Gay Lea makes lunchtime and back to school nutrition easy. Don’t forget to check out the Gay Lea Facebook page for contests, recipes and more. I created this post as a paid ambassador with Gay Lea Foods and PTPA for 2017. My opinion is all my own and it is truthful. I only work with brands I love and use. Gay Lea is a part of our daily lifestyle. Gay Lea Foods is also giving away this great NINJA Supra Kitchen System Giveaway prize!! Gay Lea Ninja Supra Kitchen System Giveaway – August 2017

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25 Healthy Homemade Granola Recipes

Paula — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 14:45:44 +0000

I am not a crunchy granola Mom, but I do like to have options. And I really love having different healthy homemade breakfast and lunch recipes available to my family. Each of the members of my family love granola. So, I occasionally try to add it to their meals, or create something new for them with this great ingredient. These are 25 of my favourite healthy homemade granola recipes. The top of this list os Peanut Butter Granola from Bunny’s Warm Oven. My youngest daughter is the world’s biggest peanut butter fan. Combining peanut butter and granola will make her ridiculously happy. These two are bound to be huge hits with anyone who loves chocolate or peanut butter too – Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola Bites from True Aim Education and Skinny Dark Chocolate Chia Granola from Natural Chow! NUTS about Easy Healthy Homemade Granola Recipes: Nutty Granola with Rhubarb from In the Playroom Cranberry Coconut Granola from Life Over C’s Easy Homemade Granola from Thrifty Frugal Mom Healthy Granola Recipe with Hemp Hearts from 5 Minutes for Mom Cardamom Almond Coconut Granola Cereal from Natural Chow Cherry Almond Granola Recipe from Mess for Less Homemade Granola from Real The Kitchen and Beyond Easy Granola Recipe with Pecans and Cranberries from Rachel Cooks Chocolate Almond Granola from More Than Pancakes Homemade Granola from Garden Matters Fruity and Delicious: Apple Pie Granola from Budget Girl Pineapple Blueberry Granola from Flour on My Face Peanut Butter and Chocolate Fun! Crunchy Peanut Butter Granola Bites from True Aim Education Skinny Dark Chocolate Chia Granola from Natural Chow Peanut Butter Granola from Bunny’s Warm Oven Fresh Peach Granola and Yogurt Parfait from Bunny’s Warm Oven 4-Ingredient Granola from Life Over C’s A Healthy Twist: Easy French Toast Granola from A Simple Pantry Pumpkin Spice Granola from Budget Girl Cinnamon Pumpkin Granola (GF/Paleo) from My Life Cookbook Buckwheat Granola from Natural Fit Foodie Dark Chocolate Granola Apple Mug Cake from Crystal and Co Chocolate Cranberry Homemade Granola from Real The Kitchen and Beyond [tweetthis]I think some of these healthy homemade granola recipes are Canadian inspired. [/tweetthis] Maple Love: (I think these ones are Canadian inspired!) Homemade Maple Almond Coconut Oil Granola from The Rising Spoon Gluten Free Maple Pecan Granola with Cranberries from Everyday Eye Candy [tweetthis]Enjoy these 25 Healthy Homemade Granola Recipes![/tweetthis] Healthy Homemade Granola Recipes: There are a couple of gluten free options above too. The Cinnamon Pumpkin Granola from My Life Cookbook is a GF and Paleo option. And the last of these Healthy Homemade Granola Recipes is also gluten free. Dig out the granola, or go buy some from your local baking supplies and ingredients bulk food store and make something healthy and homemade this coming weekend. ENJOY! What is your favourite way to eat granola?

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Electric Spiralizer – A 3-in-1 Powerhouse #Giveaway

Paula — Sun, 11 Dec 2016 10:20:25 +0000

The Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer is even better than the original. As always, you can make fun veggie noodles, but this 3-in-1 model also features two other blades – a ribbon cutter and a grater – making the 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer a multi-function tool in the kitchen that helps make healthy meal prep easier. 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer Makes Healthy Cooking Easier With this handheld spiralizer, healthy cooking just got a lot easier, and I absolutely love that. I try to eat a healthy diet. Not only will it extend my life, but because I have GI tract issues, it helps keep me feeling better on a regular basis. Using this machines spiral cutter blade, I can cut out un-needed gluten, carbs, and empty calories and add an extra kick of veggie goodness by substituting zucchini noodles for traditional pasta. I can also make potato gratin – made with more healthy alternative ingredients – look super fancy by using the ribbon cutter to give it an interesting look. And with the grater blade, I can easily grate anything I want! [tweetthis]Enter now to win the Hamilton Beach 3 in 1 Spiralizer. Canada only. [/tweetthis] The 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer also makes healthy cooking more comfortable than ever. This hand held motorized slicer features a comfortable grip handle, and because it’s electric, there’s no manual turning or cranking required. That saves a ton of post cooking hand and wrist aches, and I love that. With an extra long 5 foot cord, 2 speed control, and easy cleanup, This 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer makes life easier on the cooking and cleanup front. You can’t ask for more than that! All Kinds of Cooking with One Machine Although I’m using the Spiralizer to cook more healthy options, you can really use it for almost anything, and that’s important. I can’t tell you how many kitchen gadgets I’ve put in “the giveaway box” because they did one thing and just weren’t worth the space that they took up in the kitchen. That doesn’t happen with the 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer. It’s compact size means it takes up a minimal amount of space in my kitchen, and its versatility means anyone can use it for just about anything they desire from my zucchini noodles to vegetable salad, cucumber ribbons, curly fries, and more. It’s such a great, multi-function tool. If you’re looking to simplify your life, consider the Hamilton Beach 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer. Ease of use, versatility, and easy cleanup make the 3-in-1 Electric Spiralizer a must have kitchen gadget for anyone who loves to cook. And it’s fantastic at giving families more options for nutritious meals. I have one of these to give to one of you as well. Follow the instructions for a chance to win. I received product for consideration here on this site. My opinion is all my own and it is also truthful. Entry-Form

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Five Fun School Lunches

Paula — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 00:31:32 +0000

I am a proud MOM of a tween and teen. Most of the time they make their own lunches. Most of the time. Not always. The youngest is still bit hit and miss, but that’s okay. They are both pretty good at packing a balanced lunch, but on occasion we have all been guilty of packing boring school lunches. Anyways, a decade of packing lunches, or supervising kids packing lunches, I have learned a few pointers to pass on and motivate them to build some good habits. Let’s face it lunch can be a totally boring meal. It’s the one I am most likely to skip (and I know that’s terrible believe me!) Sandwiches, soup, meh. Here are some ways to help your older kids have less boring school lunches. [tweetthis]Lunches can be totally boring unless you have a few tricks in your toolkit. [/tweetthis] IT’S A WRAP – keep wrap supplies on hand and they can build their own wraps. My kids love wraps. It’s our go to lunch when sandwiches are getting too boring and you can hear them starting to argue about taking lunch at all…be sure to keep flatbread around and they can easily build a more tasty protein filled wrap that’s just the right size. Both of my girls light up when they realize there are wrap supplies available. They rarely light up when it’s just a sandwich day. Leftovers: Why Not? – Make extra food the night before with an eye to sending some for lunch the next day. Keep a thermos around and tell them they are free to take the leftover noodles or chicken leg. My kids LOVE leftover noodles and will take them anytime they are available. Flat Breads and Dips – Although this is rarely my first choice, flatbreads and dips can be tasty and once in awhile why not? We keep TZATZIKI and RED Pepper Dip sometimes and if there’s flat bread around and the right containers then the kids can grab flatbread and some dip for lunch. Rollups – the cutest rollups I have seen are the little fake sushi ones with peanut butter and jelly. But I am aware you cannot take peanut butter to most schools. However there are great peanut butter substitutes for kids at school. You can use Wowbutter or any other yummy substitute. You can also use ham and cheese, if the cheese is cream cheese and roll them up and the kids can cut them to size and take in their lunches for a change of pace. FUN NOTES – see below for the PDF and the printable document so you can print these off for children of any age and tuck them inside their school lunches. I still occasionally do this when the kids do not expect it. They find them and still love having a little note in their lunch that reminds them of home. They typically find them before the other kids see so no big embarrassing moment there at all. Also my kids will occasionally take initiative and make a sibling’s lunch too, when making their own. I have seen my daughter make her sister’s lunch and pop a cute note inside. So print these out and they can use them to surprise each other occasionally. See this school lunches printables link below to generate the full sized printable lunch notes. lunchbox notes

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Read Your Nutrition Labels #FocusontheFacts

Paula — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 03:25:24 +0000

Reading nutrition labels is something I am hot and cold at. I tend to remember for a significant period of time and then life gets busy and I race through the grocery store just to get home. I mean let’s be completely honest here – grocery shopping is FAR FROM SEXY. In fact it’s like polar opposite of sexy. It’s a chore many days. So who can blame anyone for wanting to get the chores done quickly. I know I have room for improvement. I know it. There was a time there about 2-3 months ago when I read EVERYTHING. Every label was scrutinized. I scanned them all for sodium content and sugar when I had my high blood pressure readings. That was an eye opener. “Don’t buy anything processed,” said my general physician. That’s a hard thing to do. I have cut down in the last few months. I have dramatically tackled my sodium and caffeine intake. I am getting better at reading labels. And I scrutinize with extreme caution any time I have my niece or nephew visit. They each have life threatening peanut allergies. So I read labels with an eye to keeping them safe, if they are ever staying over, or visiting. But what about the in between times? Like the day to day label reading and nutrition information. Recently I attended an event in Toronto that reminded me how important it is to read those labels habitually. Make it part of your grocery buying process. The facts might surprise you. Together groups of Moms and influencers went shopping. Then we partnered up and compared foods that were in similar food groups by reading the label. There were a few surprises. For instance one group had chosen a jar of sauce made with butternut squash. Prior to reading the label they each thought it would be healthier than the traditional spaghetti sauce brand they grabbed from the shelf. Turns out they were wrong. The amount of added sugar in the butternut squash product was way higher than a regular branded sauce. Our group had snack foods. We compared Half Moon snack cakes and Nutella muffins that looked like cupcakes. At 500 calories a muffin the Half Moon snack cakes won for me. 500 calories? That, I told our group would go right on my derriere. I am all for snacks and treats once in awhile BUT not if they are going to tip the scales for me and make me unhealthy. The Fact Finding Mission was held at a Toronto Metro grocery store and hosted also by the lovely Kristina Matisic, cofounder of Anna and Kristina’s Grocery Bag. Kristina was there to talk about the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign. The current phase of the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign encourages Canadians especially parents of children aged 2 to 12 to use the “Serving Size” in the Nutrition Facts table (NFt) on packaged foods to compare similar foods. By using the “Serving Size” and “Percent Daily Value”, consumers can choose foods that have more of the nutrients they want to consume, such as fibre and calcium, and less of those they don’t want, such as saturated and trans fats and sodium. Nutrition Facts Education Campaign: Focus on the Facts is a partnership between the Retail Council of Canada, Food Consumer Products of Canada, and the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers and Health Canada. The Nutrition Facts Education campaign is part of a broader government effort to help Canadians choose healthier foods by learning how to read and use the nutrition information on food labels. The NFEC Focus on the Facts messages and tips will still apply for future changes to the NFt. Serving size and %DV (daily value) are the core concepts behind the present Nutrition Facts table and are the focus of this campaign. These will continue to be important concepts for consumers to use when comparing foods. This summer Focus on the Facts and the new NFEC campaign messages will be travelling throughout several cities in the attempt to educate more Canadians on how to read nutrition labels. Takeaway 1: When using the Nutrition Facts table start with Serving Size, found under the header Nutrition Facts, then look at Percent Daily Value (% DV); then use the % DV to see if the Serving Size has a little or a lot of a nutrient 5% DV or less is a little and 15% DV or more is a lot. Takeaway 2: Stay away from fats, trans fats and sodium. For more information you can check out: Canada.ca/NutritionFacts or Focusonthefacts.ca. Right now you can take a limited time quiz and win a $300 grocery gift card from the RCC, FCPC and CFIG. Take the quiz at FocusontheFacts.ca I received perks for attending this event. My opinion is all my own.

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The Most Meaningful Mothers Day Gifts #WorldVisionGifts

Paula — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 13:05:20 +0000

Mother’s Day is not a day I take lightly. I am a Mom because of a gift from someone brave and caring. Two different birth Moms gave us the gift of both of our girls. We are adoptive parents and might never have been parents without someone else’s sacrifice and brilliant gift. I am always mindful of that. My parenting experience started with a gift. The most precious gift of all. My own journey to parenthood very much reminds me of the power of the local and the global community. Each one of us depend ends on others for so many things. This year I am also very mindful of someone I am missing. My Mom passed away two years ago on Mother’s Day. I can choose to be sad and heartbroken that day or I can choose to remember her while celebrating all the gifts she gave me too. World Vision Canada makes that choice simple for me. The World Vision Canada gift catalogue has five gifts that honour mothers in developing countries. That’s something I know my own mother would support and she would love to know that I was thinking about her while using my voice and choosing the most meaningful Mothers Day Gifts. This year I am opting to give a gift that matters on behalf of my Mom and on behalf of both of my daughter’s birth mothers. I have already chosen the Healthy Mom and Baby package from the World Vision gift catalogue. The Healthy Mom and Baby package is great value – it doubles in value – because the Canadian government also donates when you give Healthy Mom and Baby package. Protect a Pregnant Mom and Ensure safety of her baby $100 https://catalogue.worldvision.ca/Gifts/Forms/Gift.aspx?giftId=3368 There are also four other items you can choose for meaningful Mother’s Day gifts this year. I would be thrilled to receive any of these. I know that helping a Mom in a developing area of the world makes a stunning impact on the entire community. When I travelled with World Vision Canada to Colombia last year I witnessed how a meaningful gift can change lives. The ripple effect is incredible. When one child is sponsored or helped with a gift from a Canadian they have a chance to grow up healthy and many go on to become people who give back to their city and country, like Johan. When one Mom is helped with a World Vision gift she has the ability to raise her child up out of poverty. She is able to give her own baby a better start and she can empower others as well. For instance, this group of women in Morales Duque are an amazing example of a community changed by gifts from others. They impact the present, by helping other families generate an income, they help children to have a safe space free from violence and drugs and in doing that they alter the course of the future for children, families and entire communities. This really can’t be overstated. A $100 gift has a stunning impact and is a very small amount for many of us in Canada. Educate a Girl – this Mother’s Day help a girl rise above poverty with this gift. Help a young woman go to school and achieve her dreams. $60 https://catalogue.worldvision.ca/Gifts/Forms/Gift.aspx?giftId=2469 Stylish cuff bracelet. Handmade by artisans in India. This has an intricate vine pattern on it. $100 https://catalogue.worldvision.ca/Gifts/Forms/Gift.aspx?giftId=407 Start a Business – help a mom start a business and she can change the lives of many. $100 https://catalogue.worldvision.ca/Gifts/Forms/Gift.aspx?giftId=1669 Where else on earth could $100 have such an impact? Where else is $100 enough to help a startup business take hold? This is incredibly impactful. I will look hard at doing this in 2015 as well. This gift builds success. Two hens and a rooster – the most popular catalogue gift. This offers families a source of food and income. Two hens can produce up to 150 eggs a year. $50 https://catalogue.worldvision.ca/Gifts/Forms/Gift.aspx?giftId=1552 World Vision Canada is in over 90 countries worldwide, which also means that when disaster strikes they are often some of the first workers at the scene of earthquakes, tsunamis, wars, famines, droughts etcetera. Right now, I am following their good work doing disaster relief in Nepal. For more information and to see what they continue to do globally to help others remember to follow World Vision Canada on Facebook and on Twitter. Please consider meaningful Mothers Day gifts this year, both for giving and receiving. Disclosure: I am a World Vision Canada Mom. I also coordinate World Vision Canada’s blogger outreach program through Thrifty Mom Media and as such I am compensated. My opinion is all my own.

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Best Melon Recipes

Paula — Fri, 24 Apr 2015 01:01:39 +0000

Nothing screams summer like ripe melon. Cantaloupe, honeydew, canary, watermelon. Such a sweet special treat that begs to be eaten outdoors. I personally enjoy all of the melon varieties. But my favourite is honeydew. Or maybe canteloupe. How about you? You will find one or two great new things to make with melon here on the best melon recipes roundup. Best Melon Recipes: I am pretty traditional with melon. When we eat it we typically just have it sliced or chunked, or placed in a fruit salad. I love the Melon White Chocolate Shortcake Parfait and the Watermelon salad in this collection of recipes I gathered for you. I think I need to try the watermelon salad. Which of the best melon recipes appeals to you? Best Melon Recipes roundup. To be honest this watermelon grilled bites recipe is one I have yet to try but this summer I am on it. Grilled fruit can be scrumptious. These sorbets are all easy and it won’t be long until melon is fresh again. Can’t wait to shop at the local produce markets starting in May. This is a great little barbecue tool for grilling veggies and fruits. Post contains affiliate links as a service to readers

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Kid Approved Chicken Udon Noodles – Cooking With Kids

Paula — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 03:44:54 +0000

Chicken Udon Noodles to the rescue! As my children get older, time is even more precious and demands on time are somehow even greater than ever before. But eating meals together is still important. Sometimes as a family we battle finicky appetites and hormones. That can be challenging. Very honestly, I can tell you that my tween and teen were so much less picky when they were small. As toddlers they ate everything I gave them. I never ever heard: “What’s for dinner?” or “Can I just make myself a sandwich instead?” So cooking can be more challenging than ever. It’s deflating when someone comes to dinner and turns their noses up at what’s being offered. After all, making a meal, nourishing your family and then serving it to them is an act of love. There’s nothing better than a delicious meal served and enjoyed together. As my kids grow into teenagers, my goal in the kitchen shifts a bit. My kids have always been great helpers in the kitchen. They loved to wash dishes, or chop food, or wash vegetables, and they often helped with easy crockpot meals even from the age of two years old. If they could stand at a stool in the kitchen and help, and they were interested, then I had them working with me. Cooking together was time well spent and it was also time spent nurturing pride in the kitchen. So, now that my girls are older, the goal is to have them growing more independent in the kitchen. My daughters are both quite into Asian food, as long as it is not super spicy. Japanese food is something they adore. My sister-in-law is Japanese and she cooks amazing traditional Japanese food that the kids are always happy to try. Many Ways to Make Udon My one daughter has been asking me to make udon noodles for quite some time. But we didn’t want a soup and we didn’t really think that a fish based udon recipe would be a huge hit here. With a husband who has a seafood allergy we need to be a bit cautious with fish and we don’t cook seafood for family meals. (I only eat seafood when I am out at a restaurant) Everyone here loves chicken and everyone here enjoys Japanese, so why not start with chicken udon? Why Not Opt for Chicken Udon? I brought home some packaged udon noodles from the grocery store a couple of weeks ago and the kids were stoked. We brainstormed what to make together and then we also shopped for the ingredients together. We came up with something we all LOVED. In fact, we are making this chicken udon meal again this week. It was simple and tasty and there was enough here for two nights or a couple of thermos lunches. My younger daughter took a batch of this to school for lunch the next day. I have never seen her eat so much in one sitting actually. We modified traditional chicken udon noodle recipes, and cut out the spicy sriracha and left the green onions off of the kids dishes, because those are two ingredients they cannot tolerate. At some point in the future I might sneak these two things in just tiny amounts into the dish to get them accustomed to new flavours. But not now. A Favourite The Kids Can Help Make The dish was delicious and the kids loved it. Payton helped make most of this. The grating and stirring are fun for her and executing a recipe almost entirely by herself (with a small amount of supervision and help from me) made her proud. I believe kids enjoy the food they help to make, better than the food they are simply served. Active participation in the process often makes a huge difference here. Plus any opportunity for them to use chopsticks or hashi makes the meal so much more fun! See recipe below! A Few Family Favourites are All You Need The aim of the game is to get a handful of recipes each girl feels comfortable making before they leave for college or university. To be honest that process began years ago when they were toddlers. But I believe it’s really never too late to cultivate a love of cooking and baking together. Over to you… What’s your favourite family meal that you all enjoy and cook together?

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Are Your Getting Enough Fruits and Veggies? Printable Fruit and Vegetable Journal

Paula — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 05:25:43 +0000

Healthy eating and healthy living is a constant goal here. We each exercise a lot and we are a very active family in my opinion. In fact my kids are involved in many sports and we try to balance that out by building in our own sports and fitness goals and activities too. One area where we all need help though is eating. We strive to include enough fruits and vegetables daily, but don’t always get there. Eating well can be challenging for any family. There is always room for improvement. I have a brutal sweet tooth that is hard to get a handle on. But this year so far I have targeted my high blood pressure issue by making my diet over. In fact I eliminated a lot of sodium. Never ever do I add salt to anything now and I seek out foods that are lower in sodium. And also I have trimmed my caffeine consumption. So now I have dramatically reduced my coffee intake. But am I getting enough fruits and vegetables? Actually, I know I can do better with that. We squeeze salads in often but because of my Crohn’s Disease and high blood pressure I have some restrictions on food already so it can be challenging to get all the nutrients I need. Some vegetables don’t work for me and neither do some fruits. Sometimes I can fix that by adding smoothies. Do you get enough fruits and vegetables daily? Do your kids get enough servings of fruits and vegetables? Did you know that you are supposed to get 7 to 8 servings of fruits and vegetables if you are a woman and you are over age 35. If you are a kid and you are roughly my daughter’s ages 11 to 13 then you should get 5 to 6 servings. The Canada Food Guide recommendations can be found here if you are interested in more detail. Either way, regardless of your age we all need to be conscious of healthy eating and strive to add more fruits and vegetables to our diets. This printable fruit and vegetable journal can help you and your children to keep track of what you are eating and strive for healthy eating habits. I have some other printable healthy eating and food journals on Pinterest. All these printables are free by the way. To access the printable you can either right click on the above image and save to your computer and then print it out or you can download from the PDF link below. The PDF link below is typically clearer and bigger so I always recommend that. Printable Fruit and Vegetable Journal – red-green

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