Bento Box Bandwagon

I'm jumping on the bento box bandwagon for school lunches because

1) it's easy and eco-friendly lunch packing
2) it forces you to create healthy variety
3) Tripp's teacher kind of told me I had to!

Finding the perfect bento box, however, was a bit of a challenge. Below, I review 7 popular bento style lunch containers and give my opinion on the best one. 

We'd been using a mix-match of reusable sandwich bags and containers all smashed into a lunch sack. I was feeling adequately eco-conscious with these products but still stressed about packing lunches in the morning. Turns out, other moms had similar swag because the teacher said lunch was just awash of opening 73 containers per hungry toddler.

No longer! You must send your child with one divided lunch container.

Sounds pretty easy, right? Bento style eco-friendly lunch boxes are all the rage right now; surely I can find one in a flash. Why, I'll just run over to whole foods, they've always got stuff like that...

Not so my friends.

In fact, whole foods sells the worst kind. One container plus lid filled with 4 or 5 other containers plus their lids such as this.  Way too many pieces! Not teacher approved.

Therefore, I'm writing this post because, after an exhaustive search, I have found a good solution and feel the need to share my findings.

Sidenote: It really was exhausting. I went to 5 different stores (stupidly with kids in tow) and did a ridiculous amount of online research, extensively reading reviews and everything! I was emotionally tormented: Do I pay a million dollars for a lunch box or do I just buy something easy that will ruin the earth and cause my kids cancer? Like, ridiculous. Hence, sharing of information below.

The challenge: Find an eco-friendly, affordable single container but divided lunch box for kids. 

The lunch box winner is: Lunchbots! 

But let's start with why the losers suck first.

Easy Lunch Boxes: Basically this is a glorified disposable plastic container you could buy at target. It claims to be of more sturdy and better materials, but it is still made of plastic. It is not leak proof and all the reviews say that the lid tends to come off too easily in transport. It's about $14 for a set of 4, which is economical, but it seems like you'd have to replace frequently unless you hand washed, but who has time for that? Next.

Planetbox: Ok, honesty corner, this product seems awesome! It's made of great quality stainless steel and has multiple portion controlled compartments. It comes with "little dipper" containers for messier foods like applesauce, yogurt, salad dressing that fit within whole. On the negative, it is slightly heavy and a larger size so you'd need to buy their carrying bag; it won't fit in a regular kid's lunch sack. Bummer. So for the whole shebang it will cost about $60. per kid. Yikes! Yeah, I just can't do that for a 3 year old and an 18 month old. I really really wanted to, but we're on a budget here. Next.

GoGreenLunchBox: This one was looking promising. Leak proof, divided container. BPA-free plastic, but still plastic. Hmm. Ok, price? $35 for container and carrier. Yeah, nope. Next.

EcoLunchBoxes: Looks great, better on the price at $25, but too many parts. Need a single container divided box. Next.

thinkbaby: Stainless steel, leak proof, $13, sweet! but not divided. and small. boo. Next.

Steeltainer: Stainless steel, leak proof, divided, $12, woohoo! but really really small, only holds 11oz. Tripp eats like a starving gorilla. Next.

Soooo, I'd already gone a week and a half after Tripp's teacher requested the new style box and still had nothing. It was time to make a decision. I finally bit the bullet and bought the Lunchbots Trio...

It's not perfect, but it fits most of the bill. Single container, 3 compartment box, high grade stainless steel, holds 20oz of food and is yours for 20 bucks. The only major drawback is that it is not leak proof. Lunchbots does sell leak proof containers, but they are not divided. Are you making one soon, Lunchbots?! I'd buy it in a heartbeat, fyi.

In the meantime, I feel pretty good about this decision/purchase. Here are the lunches for tomorrow:

Yes, they are different. Because Scarlett only eats cheese. Scarlett won't even touch the clementines, and Tripp won't eat the carrots or cucumbers, but I'm working on offering them healthy options...

Perhaps from time to time I will share my lunch creations and ideas with you. They won't be anything fantastic, but they will be practical as I try to give my picky kids healthier and less processed meals.

Whether lunch pics make it on the blog or not, I promise you one thing, my lunches will never have a happy face cut out of cheese and grapes and lemongrass roots. I mean, they are cute and all, but c'mon! What kid's lunch stays like that by the time they get to school? And what mom has time to cookie-cut all that crap out? Not I. Waste of time I say. There is no way those raisin dinosaur eyes and pine nut saw-teeth stay put unless your 4 year old carries her lunch box like its a silver platter at downton abbey...but, I digress.

So, are you going to jump on the bento bandwagon too? Will you give Lunchbots a shot? What are you sending your kids with this year? Let me know! (unless you found something better and cheaper in which case I am mad at you for not telling me sooner! but tell me anyway!)

Enjoy!!

In Austin, I bought my Lunchbots at Whole Earth Provisions, but they are also available online at Lunchbots.com with free shipping nationwide.



**as much as I wish I received free swag from this blog. I don't. These views are entirely my own and not promoted by any brand or product**

Chicken and Avocado Pasta

My mother in law found this creamy avocado pasta recipe on pinterest. I was a little skeptical at first because it claims to be an alfredo substitute without using cream and/or eggs. hmmm...i only love eating pasta covered in creamy extra fatty goodness...but hey, i'll try it anyway, could use a healthier pasta sauce alternative...

IT.WAS.DELICIOUS! 

So good in fact that I've made it twice in the past 8 days! Though I wouldn't say it tastes like alfredo sauce, it is absolute creamy goodness with healthy-ish fats from avocado instead of just plain old bad for you heavy cream. 

Original recipe here: flourishingfoodie 

Couple notes and changes: the avocado sauce came out a bit thick after pureeing. I skipped the olive oil in the sauce and added a half to one cup of reserved pasta water to thin it out as needed. I found the roasted tomatoes really made the recipe. I used organic splendido grape tomatoes and doubled the amount of tomatoes when I made it a second time. 

I added sauteed chicken with a little red pepper to round out the meal. 

To make the chicken: 

1. Cut two chicken breasts in half and then slice across into strips
2. Salt and pepper chicken
3. Heat tablespoon of olive oil in non stick pan over med-high heat
4. Add half an onion or large shallot, chopped. 
5. Cook until onion is translucent and starting to brown
6. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 1-2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper flakes
7. Stir for 30 seconds and then add chicken 
8. Let brown on one side for 3-4 minutes, turn to other side and cook until done

Oh, did i mention that this recipe was also EXTREMELY easy? Well, it was! Basically four steps: throw tomatoes in oven, boil pasta, puree avocado, saute chicken. Mix and you're done!

Buon Appetito!

(ps: so psyched to explore more recipes on the fantastic FlourishingFoodie blog!)

Earth Day 2012: Try Compostable Diapers

Cloth diapers are the most eco-friendly, but they can be difficult. More power to the mammas who use them. I tried with Scarlett, but with frequent leaking and staining clothes, I eventually gave up. It was never easy or quick to change her and (here's my vanity) I didn't appreciate the extra bulkiness of them.

I struggled, though, because I really really wanted to make an eco-friendly diaper choice. What do the statistics say? Oh yeah, SIX THOUSAND "disposable" diapers PER child end up in landfills FOREVER. Ick!

Luckily, I found a fantastic green alternative: compostable diapers!

They work just like traditional disposable ones, but are fully biodegradable and are made without chemicals, plastic, chlorine, baby seals, etc, etc.

image via

We have tried a few different brands, and Nature Babycare is the best. The diaper is softer than traditional disposables, fit is great, breathable, made from natural and renewable materials, and can hold Scarlett sleeping 12 hours without a leak.

image via

 The Nature Babycare tag line is perfectly accurate: go green without giving up performance. 

There is only a small price difference from traditionals, and you can order in bulk from amazon for extra savings. Plus, you have that extra piece of mind for your child and the world (yay!). Nature Babycare products are also sold at stores like Whole Foods and diapers.com. I'm sure you can find some near you!

So this earth day, give compostable diapers a chance!

And let me know if you tried them!

{Another easy change is to use biodegradable wipes. These are usually less expensive or the same price as traditionals.}

things for when mom and baby come home from the hospital

Before her baby was due last august, my friend emailed me and asked, 

"what are some items to have at home when mom and baby return from the hospital?" 

This is what I wrote back to her based on what I used most the first week or two at home. Since I am gathering these things for myself again this week, I thought I'd share with other moms-to-be. 


Ha, I didn't even think of anything for baby!  All you need for baby are diapers and swaddle blankets. I guess I'd have some burp cloths too. The baby is fine; here is what you need for yourself!

1. extra sheets for your bed 

You will be leaking as your milk comes in, and probably having night sweats getting rid of all that excess water you are carrying around, and you'll still have some bleeding. Its all sorts of bodily fluids coming out all at once. Unfortunate, I know. Sorry to scare you, but, it's what happens. Last thing you want to do is clean your sheets everyday. Just get an extra set or two. Seriously. This is the number one thing I wished I'd had coming home from the hospital, and it was not mentioned in a single pregnancy book, blog, website, pamphlet, etc. 

2. lanolin/nipple cream for the boobs

If you plan on or are thinking about breastfeeding, this is necessary for those first few days, possibly weeks. Put on after every nursing session, even if you are not chapped yet. Be preventative about this to avoid pain later. (note added: for more about my breastfeeding experience and unsolicited advice on the topic, click here) 

3. pads and pantyliners 

Regardless if you deliver vaginally or have a csection, you'll have some bleeding for up to 4-6 weeks post delivery. You will probably only need large pads for 5-7 days, and then pantyliners after that. If you ask your post-partum nurse nicely, she might send you home with the large hospital pads and lovely gauze undies for first few days at home! Remember, no tampons for 6 weeks post delivery. 

4. spanx 

I had something like this. anything that holds your tummy in with a little compression feels great. Your abdominal muscles are stretched to oblivion and your uterus takes a bit of time to shrink back down, so it just feels nice to have something snuggling you in. Gives you a little support. (They do sell these thick-velcro-abdominal-wrap-things specifically for post partum support, but they look and feel like a bulky back brace. Also, they seem itchy and hot, and only conducive to wearing a moo-moo over.) I think spanx are great. You'll use it more because its basically like underwear and easy to wear any shirt with it. I affectionately called it "ma girrrdle." (note added: I just bought this nursing tank with tummy control by Glamourmom and think it'll be a good addition to my tummy tucking undergarment repertoire. Austin moms: bought at Special Addition, highly recommend this store for all nursing needs)

Moms: What would you add to the list? 

What did you use most the first weeks home that no one told you you'd need?

Feeling crafty: Austin sewing and knitting stores

The third trimester nesting feeling is definitely kicking in. Besides washing the bassinet sheets, newborn onesies and all my nursing gear for baby prep, i've also been feeling a little crafty lately. inspired by my mother in law who asked me to pick out some fabric for summer dresses she wanted to make for Scarlett, I checked out some local Austin stores and started some projects myself. 

Project 1: Scarlett Summer Dresses

Nana Sue found an old pattern that her mother used to make dresses for her, and then she used to make for her daughter. Now she wants to make some dresses for Scarlett. Yay! I couldn't be more thrilled and loved picking out fabric. the pattern is similar to this with bloomers, and it's reversible. 

image via

these are the fabrics i picked out from The Common Thread. left top and bottom for one reversible dress and right top and bottom for another. oh, i die of cuteness. and they are organic cotton, bonus! The Common Thread is a great store with delicious fabrics and very helpful and knowledgable staff. they also have sewing classes!

Project 2: baby blanket for baby2

Then I was off to the highly recommended and did not disappoint knitting store, Hill Country Weavers, to pick out yarn for a baby blanket for baby2. I'm using this seed stitch pattern free online from lion brand and picked out machine washable/dryable yarn made by berroco. here's my progress so far. 

Project 3: big sister and little sister/little brother shirts

i saw this on pinterest, but it was sold out on esty, so i figured i'd just make it myself! i found these remnant fabrics in my craft box and think they'll be just right. i'll make one for Scarlett, but will have to make a "lil sis" and a "lil bro" option for baby2. 

I better get working because baby could arrive any day now!

What projects are you working on these days?

diaper bag/on the go activity for toddlers

I had a stroke of genius when I put this together for our three weeks of holiday travel as a plane/road trip activity, and it proved so useful that I've kept it in the diaper bag ever since. Perhaps I saw it somewhere else and I'm not giving proper credit, but perhaps I thought of it all on my own! Either way, it's incredibly simple, and you must do.

I pull this out at restaurants, while shopping, long car trips or pretty much anytime Scarlett is nearing break down when we are in the public eye with seemingly no escape from stares and silent judgments from strangers...ugh! But then, like magic, I resume the appearance of an emotionally stable mom with a well behaved child!

Items needed:
Baggie
Markers
Paper

Directions:
Place markers and paper in baggie and keep with you at all times for an emergency activity

Of note:
1. I use clementine art natural and earth friendly markers, which have very impressively lasted a long time. I was sure they were going to dry out in days, but they are great. Wash off easily, and no serious worries when the babe will inevitably put marker in mouth. We have a few of their products - modeling dough and crayons too - and love them all. Check em out at clementineart.com

2. I use a little notebook I found from a gift shop I can't recall, but anything would work. Recycle old computer paper by cutting in small squares and stapling together. A post-it notepad would work great too, with the added benefit of fun from the sticky backing. Scarlett loves anything 'sticker' these days.

I most recently used this when a friend and I, and our collective 3.5 children, were eating lunch at Walton's, Sandra Bullock's cafe in Austin. The kids were on the verge of a scene, but us mammas had barely taken a bite. enter magic baggie o' fun! The girls loved scribbling up the pages and putting the caps on and off the markers a hundred times. Us mammas were able to enjoy our salads and sandwiches, and, AND, AND, imagine this, have a conversation!

if you don't have something like this in your diaper bag, get it ASAP.

Or, if you have similar baggies o' fun, please share your own genius ideas! Thanks and enjoy!

eating "dinner" and austin farmer's market

my in-laws have a ranch in the hill country outside of austin. it's a full on ranch with cows and horses! pretty neat stuff for a city-girl from the north. besides relaxing trips there enjoying the country side and having babysitters grandparents so close, we also have the added perk of having lots of "dinner" in the freezer!

"dinner" was the first cow raised on their land that has now become actual dinner. dinner was born on the land, only fed grass from the land, received no antibiotics, nothing artificial, allowed to roam and play with the other cows, etc, etc...dinner lived the life, man. (he was named dinner to avoid any attachment issues for my mother-in-law raising him from a little calf. she knew he was going to be dinner eventually...so might as well call a spade a spade, right?)

anyway - talk about locally sourced organic free-range lots of healthy buzz words au natural beef! pretty cool, huh? and, even better, turned out pretty darn delicious!

last sunday, i pulled out two steaks from the freezer and made our first "dinner" dinner. we don't have a grill so i used this ridiculously easy recipe where you sear the steaks on the stovetop and then broil in the oven. very quick and easy and turned out delicious. make it for valentine's day tonight!

i paired it with roasted brussel sprouts from the austin farmer's market, which have been plentiful and delicious lately. sprinkle generously with salt, pepper and olive oil and then roast at 350 for 20-30 minutes, depending on your crispiness liking. (i like em crispy!)

Enjoy! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

amazing! go buy this right now!

it's summer. 

it's sunny. 

it's hot.

 it's a battle to stay protected from the sun. 

i've recently discovered these two amazing things that are genius. 

genius, i tell you! 

go get them for your baby and yourself immediately. 

numero uno: supergoop sunscreen swipes!

seriously, if you thought spray sunscreen was amazing, this is even better. doesn't require you to stand in a jumping jack position for 10 minutes while it dries. doesn't make you look shiny or feel sticky. despite it's name, doesn't leave you with a handful of leftover goop like regular lotion sunscreens normally do. 

all you do is wipe the little wipe on your and your baby's skin. so easy! and not sticky and not gross. i pretend it's a washcloth (which scarlett loves in the bath) so she helps me wipe it on. plus, i use it for myself and my face even. i fear i'm not explaining properly how amazing it is. i normally hate the process of putting sunscreen on and this i actually look forward to because i'm still so fascinated by how awesome and easy it is. just try it and you'll understand!

plus, major importance factor when choosing sunscreen is that it's free of harmful chemicals, parabens and fragrances, no animal testing and has full uva/uvb protection. yay! 

thank you to nana sue, who first found it and bought it for us. love it! 

numero dos: organic sun cover by RoSK

it's a super light weight, spf 30 protection, made of organic cotton, AND it has ties! ties on a blanket! you just tie it right on your stroller and it covers the baby's ass-white pale vulnerable little legs. it's so light weight it doesn't make the baby hot, and did i mention it has ties?! it won't blow away! or get kicked off and lost while on a walk! you can also tie it to your bjorn or ergo or other carriers for sun protection. 

i'm partially so excited about this because last summer i struggled to keep the adan & anais muslin blankets as a sun cover on the stroller. they are fantastic for swadding and i used them all the time for that, but they kept flying up and off the stroller, or it took ten years to try and secure it down with makeshift knots. but the worst part, i thought i was protecting little scarlett's porcelain skin, but i learned the hard way that they are not sun protective, even when doubled up. enter this rosk sun cover deal on babysteals, and i'm seriously happy with my impulse buy slash best online purchase ever!

well, hope this helps if you haven't heard of these things already. 

i just wanted to share my new found faves!

enjoy the summer!

stay protected!

early morning dancing queen

it's true. i let Scarlett play with electronics. yes, i put her in compostable diapers and feed her organic formula from bpa free bottles and deny her the joys of overly plastic-y toys, but i do let her play with electronics powered by lithium ion batteries.

and yes, i'm aware of my inconsistencies.

i try to hold on to my ideals, but, ya know, 430am is re-heeeeaally early! on days when she gets up at the butt crack, the ipad is the only thing that keeps her happy and in one place while i hope {in vain} that we will both fall back asleep.

anyway, the other morning, Scarlett turned on the itunes and started jamming out to kings of leon. all by herself! genius baby with good taste in music! it was so cute and she was so into it, i had to video. check out her dance moves!

breastfeeding: the boobs and the baby

I knew I wanted to breastfeed my new baby. with its nutritent and immune benefits, there was no question I was going to try it at least. first off, i was lucky i was able to (some mammas can't due to supply issues, latching, etc). second, i feel lucky i was able to nurse Scarlett for seven months, even though i had high aspirations of nursing her for one year. i know there are a few mammas out there who say from the very beginning that they do not want to breastfeed and choose formula first, but i think for most mammas it is not really a choice of to nurse or not to nurse or when wean or when to start formula. the boobs and the baby dictate nursing no matter what your original and best intentions may be.

when i first met Scarlett in the recovery room 2 hours post birth, (yes, woe is me, i didn't get to meet my baby right away because i was put completely under for the c-section. perhaps i will write about that one day...) anyway, the L&D nurse called it right away, "oh, you're gonna have trouble with that," she said as Scarlett tried to latch to the right side. what? i could barely comprehend let alone keep my anesthetized eyes open but i heard the word small. it couldn't be my boob as i was recently very proud of my d-cup status. it was the nipple, apparently. "let's try the left." success.

it was clear from the beginning that Scarlett favored the left. (just like her father. what? tmi?) the nurses and lactation consultants tried all sorts of medeival tricks to help "draw the right nipple out," which were partially successful. she would eventually latch on but it was questionable if she was getting anything from old righty. the pediatrician was concerned though because the day we were supposed to leave the hospital, Scarlett had lost 10% of her body weight, which is the cut off for more than normal. apparently my mothers old rule of "never wake a sleeping baby" only applies to older babies, not two day old neonates who need to be woken to feed every 3 hours minimum. scene of david and i in the hospital smiling: our baby is perfect sleeping all the time, babies are easy!

the doc reluctantly let us go home with the promise of coming in the next day to have Scarlett weighed. i was producing milk and Scarlett was getting some to eat, but i could not say with confidence that "my milk had come in." it was only the day after that (6 days post birth) did i know that my milk had come in. and boy, did it come in! engorged! sidenote: you hear that word, engorged, when you are pregnant but you think naively that it means kinda swollen like when you are about to get your period like. this is not engorged. no, engorged means rock hard boobs, like seriously, rock hard. coupled with bright red chapped nips and continuous leaking like a dripping faucet equals nobody come near me or look at me because i'm going to not wear a shirt for a week because it hurts so much even organic cotton nursing pads still freaking kill and i'm probably going to mouth out swear words for the first 15 seconds of Scarlett latching on and wonder how in the world did the human race survive if this is what is necessary...

exhale. it got better. thankfully, after the first two weeks, nursing became a lot easier and pretty painless. Scarlett was gaining weight so the pediatrician was no longer worried. we had a routine with a rocking chair, the boppy pillow, foot rest, burp cloths, hooter hider, nipple cream, the whole nine yards. alright, i thought, i can do this. this is good.

but still there was a problem with the right side. it is normally recommended that you alternate the side you start on with each feeding. if i started on the left, Scarlett would not take from the right later on, so i always started on the right. this way she was she was most hungry and most likely to latch on that side. This worked for a little but i couldn't fool her for long. i'm not kidding you, she could tell before the nursing bra was unhooked that she didn't like the right side. oh, she would scream at the right. before even trying to latch on. how did she know? her lying position? a different smell? the right was sending off radio waves signaling that milk wouldn't come out as fast? its awful watching your baby scream at your breast in frustration and hunger. luckily, i had an easy fix. i could switch her over to the left and peace was immediately achieved. for some mammas though, this happens on both sides, or they don't produce enough and the baby screams when the breast is empty. ugh! its no wonder they start formula. at around two and a half months i quit trying to force feed her from the right. i would feed her from the left and then pump on the right. she was full from lefty alone so i used what i pumped to build up a store for when i returned to work.

i've already written about how pumping sucks. literally. pumping hurts whereas after the first two weeks, nursing doesn't. it's kind of a hassle. there is the equipment. the time it takes. someone needing to hold the baby while you do it. the washing of the equipment. so you can imagine that i wasn't stellar about pumping the right each time i fed Scarlett. and we all know about supply and demand, so obvs my supply went way down on the right. it got to the point where i was only pumping once a day and producing about 1-2 ounces. so not worth it...

at about five months i was down to the left lone ranger. the size difference was ridiculous. i searched high and low for a nursing bra that would help my situation. three different specialty maternity stores were no help. i believe the lady at victoria's secret said it best, "oh thank god its just from nursing, i thought you had a deformity." true story. i ended up buying a chicken cutlet looking thing to help even things out.  

i had resisted giving Scarlett formula until one day it happened out of necessity. we were at a wedding in upstate new york and a babysitter was staying with Scarlett at the hotel. i was trying to pump enough to be out all night, but the boob was just not cooperating. out of desperation and fear that baby S would scream all night, we bought formula and told the babysitter to use it as a last resort. the babysitter reported that Scarlett sucked down six ounces like a hungry starving bird and then miraculously slept eight hours straight that night! when we got home after this experience, we continued giving Scarlett one formula bottle before bed. so the starting of formula was kind of unplanned, but since it was helping us her sleep more, we kept using it.

then i went back to work. after a couple weeks of pumping it was clear that i couldn't keep up with her demand by only pumping three times a day at work. those stores i built up over three months before returning to the hospital: gone in days! she would drink whatever i had pumped the day before and then get formula for the rest of the day when that ran out. pretty soon, even on the days i was home, it was clear she was still hungry after nursing so i'd end up giving her formula bottles in addition. from here on out, it becomes a slippery slope. you give a bottle and don't pump and then you don't produce enough for the next feed and have to give a bottle to get the baby full for that feed and on and on and on.















in january, work was extremely busy so i would miss pumping time pretty frequently. supply decreased exponentially. then even when i had the time to pump i wouldn't because nothing was coming out. i tried to rebuild supply. really, i did. i drank some tea. i pumped extra times during the day and before going to sleep. but it was gone. i'm getting bored with myself, is anyone still reading? basically, it got to the point where i was only feeding Scarlett if she woke up in the night and for the first feed of the day. and then that wasn't enough so she'd get a bottle anyway. and then she slept more and more through the night, so nursing became pretty nil. weaning wasn't an issue because it just decreased naturally.

sometimes i miss it and am a little sad that i'm not still nursing. i miss the cuddle time and her skin against mine, her falling asleep completely satiated in a milk coma. its a biological love response when you are nursing your baby. it's pretty powerful and amazing to produce sustenance for another human being. think about it, you make food! but then again, i think i made it pretty far along despite the one boob challenges. and really, returning to work was the final nail in the nursing coffin. so i guess it's the boobs, the baby and the bringing home the bacon that dictated my nursing experience.

what about you and your baby? was nursing easy-peasy? or did you have some struggles along the way? please share so us mammas can all learn from each other!

someone doesn't really like asparagus

but if i mix it with potatoes she seems to like it a little better

quinoa

i was so energized from successfully making baby food for Scarlett that i even made myself a healthy lunch! left over red quinoa {from dinner last night} mixed with fresh organic chopped spinach, a little olive oil, balsamic vin and shaved parm. yums.

fyi, this is a rare occurrence. the healthy part and the lunch part. i don't even know what i've been eating these last five months. nothing good or good for me, i'm sure. lunch gets kind of lost in the day while of taking care of a newborn. but now that she is eating healthy big people food, shouldn't i too?

also, ps, quinoa is my new fave food to make. just like making rice, but easier and quicker.
2 parts water to 1 part quinoa.
boil water.
add quinoa.
cover.
turn off heat.
sit for 13.
done.

serve warm for din instead of rice or potatoes. but save the leftovers in the fridge. add anything to it as a salad for lunch the next day. so easy and so delicious and so nutritious. it's a whole grain and a protein, low carb, gluten free. perfect! now if only i could figure out how to pronounce it correctly...

sweet pea and the triple b

i went to the triple b today and purchased a cuisinart immersion blender {with the 20% off coupon, obvs}. i'd wanted one of these for a long time and finally bought one under the guise of its necessity in making homemade baby food. i immediately went home and {unnecessarily} used every single attachment piece to make organic sweet peas {and a mess} for sweet Scarlett. 

{recipe plus great info about introducing slash making baby food in this cookbook}

 {thanks for the great present aunt christine!}

as expected, the first veggie trial did not go so well.

Scarlett wailed in her outside voice, "dubs-t is this mamma?" don't think she made one swallow. the eating of the first vegetable trial was over pretty quickly. 

later on though i struck a genius cord and remembered the cookbook suggested mixing it with a little rice cereal. i added some pumped ta-ta mums to thin it out and create the illusion of familiarity. perfect solution. she ate it all up! yay for veggies!

and yay for mamma's new toy! totes love it. more recipes, stories and pictures about homemade baby food to come. i'm so excited!

What foods has your baby loved? How did you make it? Any fave recipes or suggestions?

thanksgiving feast

in honor of celebrating the holiday based on eating, here are some pics of Scarlett's first experience with food. organic brown rice cereal, YUMS!

excited about it.

trying it.

eeeehhh. 

i'm good with foot.
 

pampered baby

after bath time, Scarlett gets pampered with a little infant massage and fantastic smelling calendula baby cream, by weleda. seriously, it smells so good. it's amazing, organic, all natural, delicious-i-want-it-for-myself-totally-worth-it lotion. check the weleda website for a video on infant massage. Scarlett loves it and it's a nice bonding time before bed.

fave organic toys

Scarlett's new fave toy (as if she had a previous, more like first fave toy). look how she's hugging it! i melt. reaching for things and bringing them to her mouth is her new trick this week. sounds like nothing, but an important developmental milestone. oh, so proud!

green sprouts teether bear for sale here. super soft organic terry cotton, made in usa, bpa-pvc-phthalate-etc-free, everything-bad-that's-in-other-plastic-toys-free. i pretty much love everything from this brand. so happy that she does too!

how is this thing moving, she wonders. holding a green sprouts rattle. this toy is even biodegradable, made from cornstarch - how cool is that?