EZPZ Happy Mat

I have discovered the best toddler place setting!  The EZPZ Happy Mat is the answer to containing kid messes and keeping kids happy.  My 3 year old loves compartmentalizing her meals.  This mat keeps food separated and suctions to any surface to eliminate spills.  We use this on our granite countertops as well as wooden table and it works great on both!   The EZPZ mat also makes clean up a cinch!  Just peel the mat from the surface, rinse and place in dishwasher.   The mat is made from 100% food grade silicone and is BPA, BPS, lead and phthalate free.

I love how these mats can be used for any kind of food, even cereal with milk fits nicely!  We have had these mats close to a year and they still look brand new.  It is seriously genius, my only complaint is I didn't think of the idea first!  

ezpz Happy Mat - One-piece silicone placemat + plate (Blue)

ezpz

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Body Butter? Yes Please!

I absolutely love summer!  My 3 year old, Ella and I are always making lists of things we love to do once the weather warms up.  Living in Vermont, we spend as much time as possible outdoors soaking up the sun!  Spending time outside means bug bites and summer skin.  You know that feeling after a day spent outside in the sun where you skin feels hot and itchy no matter how many times you applied sunscreen? Well, I do!  And nothing has soothed our skin more than Beautycounter's Enrich Body Butter.  It is truly amazing!  I have been using our Hydrate Body Lotion for months and absolutely love it which is why I was hesitant to make the switch.  However, after one use of our body butter I am convinced.   Beautycounter's Enrich Body Butter contains shea butter and mongongo oil to quench and nourish your skin, while organic sunflower oil, aloe and chamomile soothe and smooth.   The body butter is rich and creamy but absorbs so quickly and effortlessly.  I have tried many body butters in the past that have felt greasy, but not this one!  Literally absorbs within seconds.  And the best part is I can use it on our entire family.  

http://www.beautycounter.com/gilliansmart/social/101394-June+2016?goto=body-hair%2Fmoisturizers%2Fenrich-body-butter.html

Homemade Pancake Mix

For the longest time I was making pancakes using a boxed mix, many of them just add eggs, oil and/or water.  As I started paying more attention to what I was putting in my body, I began reading the labels on many of these mixes.  I couldn't pronounce half of the ingredients, even in the mixes I thought were better options.  Once I had kids I decided it was time to make the switch to homemade pancakes...SO EASY!! I don't know why I never realized how simple pancakes are to make and the best part is you can make the dry mix ahead of time and store it so all you have to do is add the eggs, butter and buttermilk.  I love making pancakes weekend mornings with my daughter.  She loves to help with the pouring and stirring (and licking the batter!).  

Here is my favorite buttermilk pancake recipe:

2 c organic flour (or whole wheat flour/pastry flour)

1.4 c granulated sugar (or coconut sugar)

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 c buttermilk

Organic canola oil spray for griddle

1. In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, buttermilk and melted butter.

3.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mis until blended.  Your batter may have a few lumps which is fine.  

4.  Heat an oiled griddle to medium heat. 

5. Add about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake onto the griddle.  Once pancake starts to lightly bubble (about 2 minutes) flip.  Cook second side for about a minute.

6.  I keep pancakes on my oven on warm until they are all ready. 

7.  Serve with Vermont maple syrup.

2 eggs

2 Tbs melted butter

My Love for Wool Dryer Balls

I absolutely LOVE my wool dryer balls and highly recommend switching over.  Not only are they better for the environment, but also better for your health.   Here are my reasons for making this easy switch.

1. Dryer sheets are filled with toxic chemicals.  Wool dryer balls are 100% natural and safe.  

2. Wool dryer balls reduce drying time.  When drying a large load I use 6 dryer balls, smaller loads usually 3-4.  The dryer balls circulate and separate your clothes. 

3. You can create your own scent by adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil to each ball.  My personal favorite is lavender.  Just make sure to allow the oil to dry before mixing with your laundry.  

4. Wool dryer balls will save you money in the long run.  After the initial investment of about $15 you won't need to buy dryer sheets or fabric softener every again.  And your wool dryer balls will last years! 

5. Kids love them! My girls are always "helping" with the laundry and love playing with our dryer balls. 

Wool Dryer Balls - 6 Pcs - XL Size - Baby Safe & Unscented Natural Fabric Softener - 100% Organic, No-Fillers New Zealand Wool Dry Balls

Poziteev

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Snacks on the Go

I try really hard to get my girls to eat healthy foods.  It is of course more of a challenge with my 3 year old as I am trying to teach her to make healthy choices.  Overall both girls are awesome eaters.  I find snack time to be a challenge and often redundant. I am always looking for new ideas, especially for on the go!  It is really easy to choose processed snacks filled with added sugars and little health benefits.  I am always grabbing granola bars and cheddar bunnies to stick in my bag because it is effortless.  And just because it says organic doesn't mean it is good for you.  The best thing you can do is avoid processed foods as much as possible.  I am trying really hard to instead choose real, nutritious food.  I have created a list of some of our easy favorites as well as some that take a little time and planning, but it's worth it.  Cutting up fruits and veggies on Sunday night to have for the week is a great way stock your fridge with healthy snacks for the on the go.  Homemade granola bars are easy to make and kids love to help make them! I will include a recipe for those at the end of the post. Please comment with any other ideas! 

Snack Ideas:

*Organic string cheese or better yet, cut up cheese squares

*Apples

*Bananas

*Orange slices 

*Grapes

*Mixed berries

* Cubed melon (especially this time of year)

*Cucumber slices

*Red pepper sticks

*Carrot sticks

*Hummus

*Yogurt pouches (be careful of sugar!)

*Applesauce pouches

*Chia Pouches, by Mama Chia (Ella loves these!)

*Mixed nuts, I always have a jar of a homemade mix (peanuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios, etc)

*Homemade muffins

*Homemade granola bars (see recipe below)

*Raisins, Craisins, or our new favorite Golden Berries

*Dried mango slices 

*Chickpeas

Flexible Granola Bar Recipe:

I found this recipe on Pinterest and have adapted it.  The base of the recipe is oats, butter, honey (or maple syrup) and brown sugar.  After that, you can really add whatever you like. The key to these granola bars is waiting about 2 hours before cutting so the bars can firm up.  You can add chocolate chips, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds or nuts.  I always like to add chia seeds or flax seeds as well. 

You will need:

* 2 1/2 c old fashioned rolled oats (I like to use organic that I buy in bulk for our local market)

*1/2 c chopped almonds

*1/3 c honey or maple syrup

1/4 c butter cut into small cubes

1/4 c brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 c dried cranberries or raisins

1/4 c mini chocolate chips (why not?)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and line a small baking sheet with foil.  Lightly spray or coat with melted butter.
2. Add oats and nuts to small baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes to lightly toast (stir about halfway) then add to a large bowl.
3. Combine butter, honey or maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Cook on medium-low until butter melts and sugar dissolves. .
4. Add mixture to bowl with oats and almonds.  Mix well and let cool about 5 minutes.  Once mixture is cool add cranberries or raisins and chocolate chips.  Stir to combine.  The chocolate chips will melt a little which is fine. 
5. Transfer mixture to your lined pan and use rubber spatula to press down mixture.  Press hard so bars will stay together once cooled and cut.
6. Sprinkle a couple tablespoons of chocolate chips over mixture and press firmly again.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 
7. Once mixture is set, remove from foil and cut into 12 bars.

These bars will store in an airtight container for about a week.  You can leave out or refrigerate.  

Why Beautycounter

About 6 months ago I joined an amazing company called Beautycounter.  I first learned about Beautycounter through an old friend of my husbands who I didn't really know.  As I read through her email I became interested in the company mainly because the founder was a graduate of UVM.  Us alumni have to support one another!  I learned about the mission of the company, did some research on my own, and tried the products.  I was impressed!  Not only are the products amazing but Beautycounter is directly working to try and get regulations changed in the personal care product industry.   The United States has not passed a major federal law to regulate the safety of ingredients used in personal care products since 1938.  The European Union bans or restricts over 1300 chemicals from their personal care products, the United States, only 11!!! These two facts completely boggled my mind.  How is it possible that our government has such little regulation on products we all use every single day?  This is a human health issue and we as Americans deserve better.  

I have been aware for a long time about the importance of what we put in our bodies.  I remember about ten years ago watching the documentary Food Inc with my dad and it completely changed the way I eat.  However,  I was naive to what I was putting on my body. I thought that I was choosing safe products and was fooled by the terms "organic" and "all natural" that I was reading on labels.  Companies are able to put those false labels on their products because of the lack of regulations. Companies are also able to use terms like "fragrance" on their labels which is actually a trade secret, meaning those companies don't have to disclose what ingredients are hidden behind that label.  Scary stuff, right?  Take a moment to download the Environmental Working Group's app called Healthy Living.   This app ranks your personal care products (and food) on a scale from 1-10 with 1 being the least toxic.  It is a great place to start when thinking about cleaning up your lifestyle.  

I chose to work for Beautycounter for many reasons.  The final reason was because of my daughters.  I want them to grow up in a safer America.  I don't want them to have to spend time reading labels and innocently being exposed to harmful chemicals.  Teenage girls are the most at risk when it comes to levels of chemical exposure.  Did you know that only about 10% of the 10,000 chemicals found in personal care products have safety data?  And even crazier is the Food and Drug Administration allows companies to use chemicals known to be extremely harmful (lead, formaldehyde, and phthalates) in the products we use everyday.  Listen, I get that it is impossible to live a totally clean lifestyle and you can drive yourself crazy trying.  But I do believe that there are many things we can control such as the food we eat and what we put on our bodies.  And with that said, I will do my best to use the information I have to make healthier choices for myself and my family. 

Joining Beautycounter has allowed me to be apart of the change that is going to happen.  I had the opportunity to join 100 other consultants as well as Beautycounter's leaders in Washington, D.C. to meet with senators from all 50 states and have our voices heard.  It was an experience that will be with me forever and I can say that I helped change regulations to better the health of ALL Americans. 

Here are some amazing facts about Beautycounter:

*Beautycounter has banned over 1500 ingredients from our products, setting a new healthy and safety standard.

*We are a B Corporation. B Corps are for profit companies certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. 

*Beautycounter partners directly with the Environmental Working Group, the Breast Cancer Fund and Healthy Child, Healthy World.  

*Our mission is to get safe products into the hands of everyone.  We are doing this by trying to help change regulations in the United States.  

*We are a direct retail brand.  This means we sell our products through a variety of avenues.  We have consultants that help educate and inform as well as help personalize your shopping experience.  You can also shop directly through Beautycounter's e-commerece website.  And finally we have strategic partnerships with brands like Goop, J-Crew and Target.  Our limited Target partnership will launch in September and last 3 months or until supplies last.  Beautycounter has created a smaller, exclusive line for Target that will allow many more Americans to access our beautiful and safe products.  

I love educating others on our mission.  Please don't hesitate to reach out to learn about the many ways you can get involved in Beautycounter. 

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

I was introduced to rhubarb about 7 years ago by my mother-in-law when we were living in West Virginia.  I had never tasted it, let alone cooked with it.  For those of you who (like me) are not familiar with rhubarb, it is a vegetable but is often combined with fruit as a dessert.  Rhubarb stalks are similair in appearance to celery, and have a strong, tart taste.  

Rhubarb is a seasonal plant and impossible to find during the colder months.  I have gotten rhubarb stalks in our CSA farm share the past two weeks and couldn't wait to bake my family's favorite dessert, strawberry rhubarb crisp! This is must try recipe and a total crowd pleaser.  

This recipe was adapted from Ina Garten's recipe for The Food Network.

*1 1/2 tsp Orange or Lemon zest (I always have lemons on hand but not oranges)

*5-6 stalks Rhubarb, chopped

*1 large container fresh organic strawberries, chopped

1 c Flour

1/2 c Brown Sugar

1 1/4 c Granulated Sugar

1 Tbs Cornstarch

1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

1/3 c Freshly squeezed OrangeJuice

1 stick butter, softened 

1 c organic oats (I have used both old fashioned and quick cooking)

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Combine chopped rhubarb, strawberries, and 3/4 c granulated sugar, and zest in a medium bowl. 

2. Dissolve corn starch in orange juice and mix into fruit. 

3. Pour mixture into an 8x11 inch baking dish.

4. For the topping, combine flour, remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, brown sugar, salt and oats in a large bowl.  Cut in softened butter using a pastry blender or fork until mixture looks crumbly.  

5. Sprinkle over fruit to cover completely.

6. Bake for 1 hour or until top is golden brown.  If mixture is bubbly but top is not brown you can place under broiler for about 2 minutes. 

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. Our favorite is Alden's Organic Vanilla Bean. 

DIY Homemade Bug Spray

Summer has not even started,  but as we head into Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer the mosquitos are already in full effect!  Our family spends a ton of time outside as soon as daylight savings time hits.  After being cooped up most of the winter, spending time outdoors is a necessity.  And my least favorite part of summer is the BUGS!  We get eaten alive by mosquitos! I have tried a few different natural bug sprays but they are pretty expensive and not always affective. Plus once you invest in Essential Oils you will find a ton of other great uses for them. 

Check out this safe, homemade recipe for mosquito repellent.  I made enough to fill two 4oz cobalt glass spray bottles. 

*8oz Witch Hazel (I found lavender which is amazing because lavender is a bug repellent)

*2oz distilled water

*20 drops Eucalyptus essential oil

*20 drops Lemongrass essential oil

*20 drops Citronella essential oil

Mix all together and that's it! Make sure to shake bottle before each use. 

* 

6 New, High Quality, 4 oz Cobalt Blue Glass Bottles, with Black Fine Mist Sprayer

PSC Products

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Finger Food Ideas for Little Ones

I recently had an old friend from high school send me a message on Facebook asking me how I get my little ones to eat so well.  I definitely don't have any tricks and I am very fortunate to have two kids that overall eat very well.  

With both girls I made most of their food. My older daughter ate purees longer because I was so worried about choking (typical first time mom, right?), but the second time around I knew better.  Anna, my younger daughter started finger foods much earlier and really enjoys them.  She loves the independence of feeding herself.  Both girls love food and love meal times.  I think sitting down as a family and enjoying a meal together is so important to creating healthy eating habits.  

Anytime a friend asks for tips about getting their little one to eat better, I usually give the same advise.  Keep introducing and reintroducing!  Kids go through so many phases and their taste buds constantly change.  Anna loved avocado when I first introduced it, and then she wouldn't eat it for awhile and now she likes it again. Keep offering and they will come back around.  I also tell people to spice it up!  Kids love flavor.  Traditional baby food is so bland.  My kids both love garlic and onion, you can try fresh herbs and spices or powdered, both do the job!  My last piece of advise is to order the book Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron.  I used this book with both girls.  It gives great suggestions on foods to introduce based on age. It was my baby food bible! 

I created this list of my girls favorite finger foods.  I would love to hear comments on anything your kiddo's love. I am always looking for new ideas. This list is based on a baby between 7-8 months old, which is when  I started introducing finger foods.  Anna was an early crawler and was able to sit up on her own so make sure you baby is ready, there is no rush! 

Ella and Anna's Favorite Finger Foods:

*Roasted Butternut Squash with olive oil, salt and pepper

*Cheese (any kind!)

*Bread with hummus

*Avocado with hummus

*Cottage Cheese

*Black Beans

*Chickpeas

*Roasted Broccoli (cut small)

*Scrambled Eggs

*Blueberries (cut in half)]

*Applesauce (homemade in a crackpot with cinnamon and maple syrup)

*Roasted Carrots with maple syrup 

*Crackers with peanut butter

*Avocado Toast

*Peas (smashed) 

*Cucumber Sticks (around 10 months)

*Ripe melon cut into small pieces (honeydew is a big hit!)

*Peeled apple (around 10 months) I give Anna the whole apple and loves it

Mixed Bean Salad

This is one of my favorite recipes. It is super easy, healthy and my entire family loves it! Both my 3 year old and 11 month old eat a ton of this and it also makes great leftovers!  The best part of this recipe is that you can use so many different ingredients based on what you have in the house.  My dad makes a ton of great salads and this is a modified version of something he created.

Ingredients:

*Remember- you can add different ingredients you have on hand or leave things out if you don't have them.

1 15oz can mixed beans (make sure you are using BPA free)

1 avocado cubed

1/4 red onion chopped

half cucumber chopped

half red pepper chopped

3 TBS olive oil

Juice from 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse beans and place in bowl

2. Add cucumbers, red pepper, and onion (you can also add cherry tomatoes once they are in season)

3. Mix in olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper.  Stir to combine all ingredients.

4. Just before serving add cubed avocado

You can add any fresh herbs you like. I particularly love adding chives and parsley, yum!!

Blend11

I am loving this new mix of superfoods I found at my favorite local grocery store.  Someone from this Australian based company was handing out samples and I figured I would give it a try.  I have to admit when I took my first bite of these superseedes mixed with yoghurt I had mixed feelings but I figured I would try a bag because who doesn't love superfoods?

After a few days of mixing this blend with my yogurt and berries every morning I have noticed a huge difference in how I am feeling.  This stuff totally helps with digestion! I love the healthful benefits as well as added protein. You can add to smoothies, shakes, yogurt or anything else you can think of.  I have added it to oatmeal for added nutrition and it is delicious! 

Here is list of what exactly makes Blend11 so amazing. 

Chia seeds – Protein, calcium, magnesium, iron, omega 3’s, fibre, anti-oxidants.
Goji Berries – Anti-oxidants, amino acids, traditional medicinal qualities (kidney, liver, eye tonic etc)
Cacao nibs – Anti-oxidants, magnesium, amino acids.
Amaranth – Protein, manganese.
Millet – Low -reactive, alkalising grain.
Pepitas – Zinc, fibre, essential fatty acids.
Sesame seeds – Calcium, magnesium, fibre.
Linseeds – Essential fatty acids, fibre, phytosterols.
Buckwheat – Chromium.
Coconut – Lauric acid (good fat, immune support)
Almonds – Calcium, magnesium, fibre.

FYI you can order online if you can't find it locally. 

Ella's Granola

This is my favorite granola recipe, simple and delicious!  I almost always have a jar of this sitting on the counter and it has definitely become a staple in our family.  I got this recipe years ago from my husbands (now my) aunt.  I remember having it at the very first Christmas I spent with my husbands family.  Family recipes are always extra delicious and I have now passed it on to my 3 year old Ella.  She does all the pouring, mixing and tasting!

Ella's Granola:

*all quantities can be adjusted according to taste

4 cups organic old fashioned rolled oats

1 cup organic unsweetened coconut

1 cup pecans

1 cup sliced almonds

1/4 c Vermont maple syrup

1/4 oil (coconut, organic canola)

Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  Spread on a cookie sheet and bake at 275 for about 45-50 minutes.  I stir every 15 minutes or so to make sure everything stays even.  Let cool and enjoy!