fitflops

I got my first pair of fitflops yesterday...yay! I bought them gently used off ebay ($15) so can't beat that. I know that probably really freaks some people out...so just for them...I sprayed them with Lysol disinfectant cleaner, which kills viruses, bacteria, mold and mildew in just about 30 seconds, so I'm good to go:)
Just like everyone had said, they are really comfortable...I wore them around the house last night and surprisingly I did feel little muscles in my legs, that I don't usually feel, working. I think I am going to like them...if you are interested in a nice pair of flipflops that are comfy and possibly could be giving you a workout while you walk...try 'em out.

going raw

My newest health kick has been to eat more raw food...I sort of became obsessed for awhile reading all I could online and looking at all kinds of recipes...there is so much out there. It was actually a bit overwhelming but I have found a few recipes I really like and make regularly.

The whole idea is that eating foods in their natural state, raw, is healthier and easier for our bodies to digest and use. Once a food is cooked or heated to a certain temperature the natural enzymes are destroyed and therefore your body isn't able to use those enzymes for proper digestion. I have read different numbers as far as the temperature goes...anywhere between 105-118 degrees seems to be the number. Here are some good websites to help you get started and answer the questions you will have:

Beautiful On Raw
Eat Raw
Rawmazing

Studies have shown that eating a raw food diet can reduce your risk for cancer and can aid in the treatment for fighting cancer. Raw foodists also have a lower chance of having any kind of cardiovascular problems. If the SAD (standard american diet) is linked to causing all the heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, etc, then the best thing to do is stay as far away from the SAD as possible, right? I'm thinking eating more raw food is the complete opposite of SAD and the road I want to be on as far as lowering my risk of those health issues for me and my family.

Why not eat our food the way God created it? We are always messing with things trying to make it better, particularly to food, adding so many other ingredients (I suppose to make it taste better) that the original nutrition in the food item gets lost and often times the food item itself isn't even recognizable anymore.

I don't have a desire to go 100% raw...for me that would be impossible. My personal goal is to make all of our snack foods raw and more raw side dishes for meals. So maybe that would equal out to about 50-75%. Combined with the shakes we've been having...I'd say thats good for me. It is definitely hard to get used to it and to get used to such a different way of cooking/baking. I do like using the food dehydratoer and I am still experimenting with different recipes finding what we like.

You can be a lazy raw foodie by basically just eating an apple with lunch or more salads with dinner, or you can go all out and start sprouting/soaking your nuts and seeds. Start using the food dehydrator to create all kinds of unique desserts and even make your own crackers and chips. However you choose to do it...just eat more raw.

It just makes sense to me...why cook your apples, when you can just pop an apple in the blender, add some cinnamon, coconut and dates...and in about 30 seconds you have tasty, nutritious, applesauce:)

You'll see...the results will be RAWsome!

* just wanted to mention that, although I wish I had, I did not make the raw blueberry peace pie. I actually couldn't find the recipe for that particular pie, but this raw blueberry pie recipe

seems pretty simple.

property laws of children

This makes me laugh every time I read it...just something that came in a little book I received as a gift called, Words of Wisdom for Moms.


Property Laws of Children

If I like it, it's mine.
If it's in my hand, it's mine.
If I can take it from you, it's mine.
If I had it a little while ago, it's mine.
If it's mine, it must never appear to be yours in anyway.
If I'm doing or building something, all the pieces are mine.
If it looks just like mine, it is mine.
If I think it's mine, it's mine.
If I saw it first, it's mine.
If you are playing with something and you put it down,
it automatically becomes mine.
If it's broken, it's yours!

so, so true:)

leave the skin on

A lot of a vegetable's vitamins and fiber are located in the skin...so who decided that we had to peel the skin off of our carrots and potatoes in order for it to be edible? Its completely natural to eat a carrot right out of the garden with skin on. The dirt won't hurt you...just scrub the veggie under cold water with a scrub brush. I also leave the skin on potatoes when making mashed potatoes...it saves so much time and adds more nutrition and flavor:)

So unless you are entertaining guests who would be totally offended by the site of a carrot in its natural state...leave the skin on.

...it doesn't look so bad, does it?

why nutbars?

A couple of people have asked me why I call my kids nutbars. It all goes back to 1992 and two words...Waynes World. I was in junior high and my friend and I LOVED that movie! We pretty much had the entire movie memorized and would quote lines from the movie all the time. So in 1993 when Waynes World 2 came out, you can guess how excited I was to see it!
For those of you who haven't seeen it (shame on you:) Waynes World 2 is about Wayne and Garth putting on a concert called Wayne Stock. They hire Del Preston to help them. There is a scene in the movie where Del is training the roadies in bootcamp type scenarios:




At the end of the training he starts lecturing them but goes off topic...the dialogue from the scene is below:

Del Preston: (Goes off-topic from stage positioning) In the event of capture, I will distribute cyanide capsules which are to be placed under the tongue like so: (puts one under his tongue) Any questions?
Garth: I have a question: When exactly did you become a nutbar? (Wayne and Garth snigger)

So as you are picturing the scene in your head, I know you are thinking...HILARIOUS! I tried so hard to find the clip, but you'll just have to rent it to see for yourself. Ever since then I have loved that line, "when did you become a nutbar?" After having kids and realizing how crazy and silly they are, the word nutbar just seemed to fit perfectly for them. So now you have the story...and just for your enjoyment, here is one of the funniest clips from Waynes World 2.

blueberry green monster smoothie

I thought I would share with you another green monster drink I have been making for my nutbars and myself lately...a blueberry green monster. We usually will have this smoothie for our morning snack and have our regular green monster at night with dinner. This smoothie is a great way to add fruit into the equation...

1 cup frozen blueberries (or mixed berries)
1 banana, frozen or not
two handfuls of raw spinach and/or handful of kale
about 1-2 cups raw almond milk (or other milk product) or just water
1 t cinnamon

Blend and enjoy! There are so many variations...you could add, coconut, carob chips, carob powder, other fruits or berries, nuts/seeds, almond butter, yogurt, granola. The list can go on and on so experiment to find what you and your nutbars like best. The great thing is...they don't even know there is spinach in it (well, unless they see you put it in) but it doesn't turn green, and it certainly doesn't taste like veggies. They will drink it up...and the best thing about this smoothie is...

...the blueberry shake face on your nutbars afterward:)

i love nutbars!

I have two nutbars...


...the photos pretty much explain it all...but here are a few signs that YOUR kid could possibly be a nutbar:

If your 5 year old doesn't leave the house without her dental floss ...she might be a nutbar.

If your 2 year old has become obsessed with trucks, points them out wherever you go and will not stop staying "truck" until you acknowledge him...he might be a nutbar.

If your 33 year old husband can not eat a sandwich without chips or cookies without milk ...he just might be a nutbar too.

I love my nutbars!

What do your nutbars do?

applesauce or butter

which would you rather eat?

1 cup of applesauce (0 grams fat) or 1 cup of butter (176 grams fat)

Start substituting equal amounts of applesauce for recipes that call for butter/margarine/oil...you will hardly notice a difference but your body will:)

If you just can't go all the way, at least substitute half the butter. I do this pretty much for all my baked goods...cookies, breads, cakes, etc.

Happy baking!

drink green

Since everyone is going green these days... thinking green, being green, driving green...doesn't it make sense that we would be drinking green? Everyone knows we need a lot of veggies everyday, but how many of us are really getting enough? I sure wasn't. I tried eating more veggies with lunch and dinner, but it was hard and difficult to get my kids on board, particularly with raw veggies. That is until I joined the Green Monster Movement. It is a movement to help motivate people to start eating, or should I say drinking, more veggies. A green monster is basically a veggie shake or smoothie. You can be very creative in making up your own green monster recipes...the trick is to drink it from a martini glass or other fancy cup! It just makes it better.
I would say most people drink their green monster in the morning, however, I have been making mine at night and the whole family drinks it before dinner, with dinner, or after dinner. One nutbar loves it and always asks when I'm going to make it. The other nutbar, not so much a fan, but he drinks it begrudgingly, knowing he will not get anything else to drink until it is gone. Here is the recipe for the griswold green monster:

1/2 avocado
2 celery sticks
4-5 red lettuce leaves
a handful of cilantro
juice from 1/2 or whole lemon
2 cups coconut water (this can also be replaced with 1 cup water and 1 cup orange juice or pineapple juice)

Blend all ingredients, pour into a martini glass, garnish with a lemon or lime wedge...and ENJOY! Can't you just feel yourself becoming healthier? I have even heard about adding a beet to create a pink monster...oooohhhhh...aaaahhhhhh.

Angela Liddon started the movement...visit her website for more recipes and tips.

So get off your computer for five minutes and drink a green monster! Join the movement, have fun with it and reap the benefits...more energy, weight loss, healthy skin, and more!
Let me know how it goes for you and share your recipe if you want...
Cheers!

mission as a mom

Hi there, and welcome to home, health, and nutbars. This is going to be my way of sharing the experiences I have had and the information I have learned about health to friends, family, and strangers. I have always lived a pretty healthy lifestyle, but now that I am the mother of two nutbars, I feel like it is my mission as a mom to keep them as healthy as possible. My hope is that by doing this they will live a much more productive, happier life and be able to avoid the chronic health problems and diseases so many people live with today. So I will be posting health tips, recipes, and ways to keep your home a much healthier happier place for the entire family. Thanks for reading...