Why Hello Mellow!

New brand alert!
All natural.
Smells good.
Good for you.

Check it out: http://www.hellomellow.com/products

Dangers of Triclosan (Found in antibacterial products)

I watch channel 2 news at 11pm every night. Cannot sleep without watching it and part of the reason is their “feature” of the night.
Lately, it’s been right up my alley reporting on dangers and poisons found in every day items.

Several nights ago Triclosan was the topic. Oh Triclosan and I go way back…. I’ve known about it for as long as I’ve known about parabens. It’s a bad one!

What is Triclosan? Triclosan is a harmful chemical that is found in anti-bacterial and anti-fungal soap. It is a pesticide. It kills human cells. Its safety is under review with the FDA. Are you still using this? Are you still letting your kids use this? If you think that perhaps the small usage is has will not harm you or your children consider that you are polluting the environment with it, and that it’s polluting our waters and hurting the Earth.

Bath and Body Works is a huge offender of using this chemical in their products. If you shop there, I recommend you stop at once.

Do not fear, you can still be clean. Soap and water do the trick just fine, as well as alcohol based cleansers and my personal favorite product that I keep in my bag and at my desk – Clean Well. “Like” it on facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/cleanwell
Find out more info from their website here: http://www.cleanwelltoday.com/

You can buy Clean Well at Target, Whole Foods and Drugstore.com

Fish Oil and ADHD

This is a post close to my heart.

My daughter might have ADHD or be ADHD, I don't even know the correct term for it.
She also just might be a sassy-pain-in-the-ass who doesn't care what you think.

The jury is still out on that one.

But since I am a known figure at the school and in the psychiatrist's office, I do take her behavior and restlessness quite serious.
Recently I came across several articles online and in print about the benefits of fish oil and it's direct affect on ADHD symptoms.

I ran this by my BFF, who I run all things past - and my asks to her run the gamut (i.e. should I run away from my family while they sleep? or should I buy red shoes?) - and she concurred that this might be some solid advice.

I shared with her a link I found on amazon.com about yummy tasting gummy fish oil supplements.
She replied (oh how I love her) - Trader Joe's has a version for half the price.

Don't they really just have EVERYTHING one would need????

So, off I went to TJ's (always looking for an excuse) and I purchased some gummies for 8.99 and my daughter likes them and takes them with pride. She tells her sitter "they help me focus".

Might take three months to see the results, but improving at the end of second grade is better than NOTHING.

Real Food for Real Moms

If you are like me, and located on the East Coast, you probably woke up to something you thought you never wanted to see again - SNOW!
Haven't we had enough???

I spent this lazy morning in my pjs doing some food research and looking for something healthy to make. I love baking on mornings like this.

I decided to try a recipe I had posted on my bulletin board for healthy chocolate chip cookies! (Yes, there is such a thing!)
The recipe was courtesy of realfoodmoms (found in Parenting Mag) - so as the cookies were baking, I ran and checked out the site and their blog and was pleasantly surprised.

Real food moms also have a cookbook out and recipes on their blog - for those who need ideas for TONIGHT.
I am loving their use of beans.

Here's the blog for reading on this snowy President's Day.

And the recipe, if you are still in your pjs looking for a fun mom/kid activity is as follows:

2 cup of whole wheat flower
1 tsp of baking soda
1/4 cup of rolled oats
pinch of salt

- Blend above together
- For extra health-appeal, add some ground flax seed! A new staple in our house!

In a separate bowl, mix a stick of butter until creamy.
Add two eggs, one at a time
Add a tsp of vanilla
Add 1 1/2 cup of brown sugar.

Slowly fold the dry ingredients into the wet and then mix together. When blended, throw in semi-sweet chocolate chips OR some dark chocolate chunks.

Spoon out on non greased cookie sheet not too much and bake for 10-12 minutes.
I made two sheets but do not make the lumps too large - that was my first mistake!

Enjoy your day off, and your cookies, and find something healthy to make for dinner tonight.
I am off to see the Justin Bieber movie with two seven year old girls.
Help!

For the Mamas (& kids by default) : Great Book Reviews

Taking a break today from the healthy eating and habits topic to discuss emotional well-being. We have kids, we yell. We have friends, we get upset. We have sisters/brothers/inlaws that all irk us from time to time....so whether or not you have children THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU.

It's definitely a hard concept to grasp and the book is a bit repetitive - but the theory is this:

If you let your kids know that you understand how they feel, if you give them a chance to express those feelings of frustration, anger and other raw emotions - and you reflect that back to them, they will diffuse much quicker and there will be no need for screaming. (You can also try this with your mother in law- it works!)

What are these magic books?

My favorite is How to Talk so Your Kids Will Listen & Listen So Your Kids Will Talk

Best price I found online is at amazon.com.

This is sold at all major book stores if you are the brick and mortar type.

A great runner up and the original work the above book is based on is: Between Parent and Child.

To be green - I borrowed and read both of these from my local library but I think it might be wise to own one so that you can refer back to it.

Nothing will change over night but these are good skill sets to learn.

Happy reading!

Shopping Green

If you've been reading this blog, you might be wondering "Green, Healthy, Organic Mom - how do I shop for green products? I am short on time and need to have this info at my finger tips!"

Well today's post is dedicated to cosmetic and body product shopping.

Here are some tips.
If you can afford it, I personally like Target and Fairway for organic products such as body soap, shampoo, conditioner, creams, etc. Burt's Bees is sold at most drug stores and is an excellent brand for kids.

Now, if you are looking for yourself - look no further than your local T.J. Maxx and Marshalls because wowser, they have a ton. I found paraben-free exfoliant for three dollars, hand creams, shampoos, hand soaps and household cleaning items for way under ten dollars each (and sometimes under five!)

Also, I love Sephora's site for easy shopping - they brand their items with the "Naturally Organic" green seal.

Check back tomorrow for an updated post on "how to shop in the supermarket". What are you talking about Green Mom - is there an actual method? Why yes, there is.....

Pregnant Women - Take Note

I was just watching the 11o'clock news, which my parents instilled in me and I do EVERY NIGHT unless sick or OUT (the latter being very rare) when I heard a segment that lasted 30 seconds and was rushed and jammed into the newscast.

Apparently, a test for pesticides and other harmful illegal chemicals was done on American pregnant women - and the results were frightening.

The full article is here.

The quick conclusion was to eat organic, stay away from make up with harmful chemicals in it - and probably stay away from non-stick cookware- which is just begging for some research and a dedicated blog post from me.

Check back soon to see what you should be cooking with.

Now tell me, isn't this scary?? And we wonder why childhood cancers and autism is so high!

Do you take your shoes off?

Seems even Dr. Oz agrees that taking off your shoes in your home prevents unwanted chemicals and other disgusting waste from entering that can make you and your family ill.

Here is some back up research. Now take those shoes off and buy your tooties some slippers!

Full Article is Here.

The proof for the pudding is here:
3. Your shoes: Do you keep your shoes on in your house? Yes, this is a controversial issue -- those who like to keep their shoes on, thankyouverymuch, may take offense to rhetoric about removing shoes at the door. But, there has been a mounting amount of research in the past years indicating that what we track in on the bottom of our souls could be making us sick -- from chemicals lingering on sidewalks and roads to the microbes you picked up in the public restroom. In fact, some health experts consider taking shoes off in your home as a way that anyone can improve their health. Even the super-doc Dr. Mehmet Oz suggested this year that it was on his top-5 list of things he'd recommend people do. So take those shoes off, darlings!

Why I love Trader Joe's - The Christmas Edition

Hello Readers!

OMG- what an awesome holiday season it has been for me and TJs. Bargains and fun all in one place!

I started off right after Thanksgiving by purchasing their annual Advent Calendars. For exactly one dollar each - your child can count down the days to Christmas starting on Dec 1st. For those of you thinking Advent-wha? the concept is that each day your child unwraps small piece of chocolate, thereby counting down the days to Christmas. So, that's 24 chocolates for one dollar!

The deal was so incredible, I went back and got six more for my friends! (Err,I mean for my friend's kids :-))

Next up - the MOST ADORABLE gingerbread man kit. He came already baked but the kids decorate it with candy and icing that are all provided in the box - and all said decorations were made from all natural ingredients (no dye!).

This one was pricey at 3.99 a pop but made the kids quite happy. The cookie was also very yummy itself.

For the Mamma's and the dark chocolate lovers there was the return of the dark chocolate star cookies. Yummmmmm does not even describe it.

Today however was the topper, the angel on top of the Christmas tree, the star purchase of the YEAR (insert drum roll here) Weighing in at .99 cents- yes you read that right - I purchased a DIY cookie kit, complete with dough, two cookie cutters and icing for decorating up to four Christmas cookies. Now we haven't used it yet because my angels turned into devils somewhere around 4:30 and I decided to start drinking at 6, but check back next week for a full review.

I had one last score - a box of star shaped chocolates, also for a dollar, that were a variety of dark chocolate, milk chocolate and white chocolate. It seems the milk ones were all broken and hence the sale. Those puppies are coming with me when I go a-visiting.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Green Gift Ideas for Christmas!

Hello!

A few years ago, Mattel was under big fire for releasing toys made in China that had unsafe levels of chemicals.
I learned very quickly that it's hard to buy "safe toys" but since my kids don't put stuff in their mouths anymore, I have tried to let loose a bit.

I draw the line on makeup.
My daughter has received make up and lip glosses as gifts a few times now, given the grab bags at dancing school & girl scouts.
After a quick inspection to see "made in china", I disgarded said products as soon as she wasn't looking.

This year, she had her sights on a beautiful Justice make-up kit. But....I cannot do it.
I did a little research and found this lovely and girly safe make up kit.
Little Earth's Beauty http://www.earthsbeauty.com/review.htm made by Earth's beauty is the perfect solution.

I will be ordering one today!

Since I know I have fans with kids of all ages, please see the daily green's lovely slideshow of "green toys".
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/green-toys?click=getstarted#fbIndex1

Happy Shopping.

Ho, ho, ho!

Healthy Dinner Tonight!

A few years back, Jessica Seinfeld was all the rage amongst mommies everywhere with her Deceptively Delicious cookbook where by you sneak veggies into food so kids don't know how healthy they are eating. She was then sued by the author of the Sneaky Chef - and then Jerry was sued for defamation of character, and it went on and on.

Anyway, I didn't have much luck with some of her suggestions and recipies.

Recently, however, a friend turned me on to Gwenyth Paltrow's site and newsletter entitled GOOP (www.goop.com)

Today's post was about Jessica's new website and cookbook about making healthy things from fresh for busy lives (I'll take one of these for Christmas, please!)

Here's the website if you want to check it out yourself!
http://www.doitdelicious.com/

This is her mantra:
We are all about simple and easy recipes as well as great tips and advice about cooking and shopping for food. Our hearts are with those who are just starting their adventures in the kitchen—those who are intimidated and possibly even terrified—so we will always keep it real about what it takes to get a meal on the table. You will find us in and out of the kitchen digging up great finds at supermarkets, farmers’ markets, roadside stands, restaurants and food trucks; and, hopefully, finding that hidden gem of a recipe, and highlighting that gadget that makes life easier for you in the kitchen. Our goal is to get everyone cooking—from the very beginner to those who are already comfortable but looking for fresh recipes and fun tips.

Here's a sample & simple recipe:

Prep: 15 minutes
Total: 25 minutes
Yield: Serves 6
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, separated
3 cups low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cauliflower puree
1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets (about 2 1/4 pounds)

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, sauté the chopped garlic in 1 teaspoon of the olive oil until it begins to turn golden brown. Add the chicken broth, turn the heat to high, and reduce by half, about 8 minutes. Add the lemon juice.

In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch. Slowly stir the cornstarch mixture into the boiling chicken broth. The mixture will thicken quickly. Add the cauliflower puree. Sprinkle in parsley, if desired. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

Meanwhile, begin heating the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Whisk the egg whites and egg in a shallow bowl. Combine the flour, salt, and garlic powder on a large plate. Dredge each chicken cutlet in the seasoned flour and then dip in the egg mixture. Drop the cutlets directly into the heated skillet. Sauté 4 to 5 minutes per side, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Add the lemon sauce and cook 2 to 3 minutes more to combine flavors. Serve.

Calories: 333, Carbohydrate: 18 g, Protein: 45 g, Total Fat: 8.5 g, Saturated Fat: 1.5 g, Sodium: 565 mg, Fiber: 3 g

A fan is born!

Parents of School Aged Children: READ UP

I was talking to some moms outside my daughter's dance class the other day when the subject of lice came up (Yuck).
Apparently, it's going around in a neighboring school.

One of the mom's told me that lice do not like the smell of rosemary - it apparently repels them - and someone has made this into a product for this purpose.
Fairytales haircare is organic and natural and good for your child's hair regardless of the anti-lice capabilities. If you have a knotty hair kid like I do, this spray will do dual purpose as a leave-in conditioner and protector of unwanted pests!


It's sold at smaller pharmacies and specialty beauty shops or you can always buy online.
They also have summer care products that are natural and chem free!
I got myself some - and we are now using it daily. (Don't forget to spray behind the ears)


Stock up and prevent today!

Cake Friday! Tried and loved!

My daughter turned seven on Monday, which meant I needed to make her cupcakes and something healthy to take to school and share with her class. I love making and eating cupcakes but since I have become all to aware of chemicals and other nasty items in our food, I read the back of a traditional cake box (it was Betty Crocker I believe).

Did you know that yellow cake mix has yellow dye in it??
Frosting is just as bad - it has high fructose corn syrup and a ton of other unidentifiable items in it. I am done with those items. Done! What are they thinking???

Thank goodness I am now a regular shopper at Trader Joe's and they have some new products out that I used and will review for my readers.

Trader Joe's now makes a cake and frosting mix - without harmful chemicals!
For your reading pleasure - please visit this post and blog - which I found today and cannot wait to read more about. Two ladies write a blog and a book called "Cooking with Trader Joe's"- I think I am more excited about that than I am that it's Friday!!

So - I used the cake mix and there were two options on the back - make with oil or make with butter. I chose the oil version - but my BFF told me the butter is simply divine. I have to admit, it did not taste that good when I licked the spoon (and the inside of the bowl) but after it came out of the oven, it was just as good as any other cake mix.

Now - the frosting takes a bit of getting used to. It's butter cream frosting - so it's not what our kids are traditionally used to eating but it was good (however fattening). Although my daughter often says "Trader Joe's stuff has less chemicals in it but it doesn't mean it's all good for you" Well said Meg!

Next up - Sunday night baking for her class treat.
Our school only allows "healthy" birthday snacks so this one is always tricky. However, I had been eyeing up a recipe on the side of the Multi grain Pancake and Waffle Mix. It was called a "Blueberry Coffee Cake" and boy was it easy. I folded in frozen organic blueberries, used the multi grain mix in place of bleached (yuck) flower - some eggs, oil, and wallah - I got a lovely square cake that I cut into mini squares and they were moist and delicious.
I cut back on the amount of sugar and substituted some pure Vanilla for an extra little kick - cause that's how I roll!

Delish! A must try for all!

Why Anti-bacterial Cleaners and Soaps Are Very BAD!!!!

Most moms, especially new moms, are a little over protective when it comes to protecting their young against germs.

While this makes sense in theory, using anti-bacterial soaps are actually bad for the environment and the greater good of man.

Here's a quote I found online:

"In general, anti-microbial and anti-bacterial products harm beneficial microbes as well as harmful ones. Remember, not all bacteria is bad! The use of antimicrobials may cause resistant strains of microorganisms and that's bad for everyone. Warm soapy water remains the simplest anti-bacterial treatment.

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/organic-parenting/microban?click=main_sr#ixzz12jSXuI2s

and yet another from Web MD:

In three separate studies, the researchers showed that the chemicals -- triclosan and triclocarban -- have potential to affect sex hormones and interfere with the nervous system. They also may become suspects in the search for causes of autism.

Read More: http://children.webmd.com/news/20080529/safety-debate-on-antibacterial-soap

Now unfortunately, I have had to cut out my trips to bath and body works. Once my favorite store, they are full of these offensive products.

What is safe?

Alcohol based cleansers for your hands.....and for a "green" solution - Try Clean Well All-Natural Hand Sanitizer (which is alcohol free! safe for little ones).

This choice is also economical as the label boasts that a spritz nets you 4x more uses per ounce than regular gel

www.cleanwelltoday.com

This moms is your lesson for the day. Quite shocking but very true!!

Tell me: Will you eliminate these from your home?

For you Mama!

Today's post is dedicated to the Mama, as we need to take care of ourselves as well!

Someone who works in the beauty industry once told me "a woman uses 30 products before she leaves the house".

That got me to doing some serious thinking.
My first thought was - no way!

And then....I counted based on my morning routine:

1.soap

2.shaving cream

3.shampoo

4.conditioner

5.body cream

6.deodorant

7.acne cream

8.face repair cream

9.facial moisturizer

10.hair gel

11.foundation

12.blush

13.concealer

14.mascara

15.eyeliner

16.eyeshadow

17.lipgloss/lip moisturizer

18.hairspray

19.handcream

20.perfume

- So it was not quite 30 but my god - 20! It's a wonder I make it out of the door!

Every one of these products has chemicals in it. So does your toothpaste, mouthwash, clothes, etc.

Kind of blows your mind, right? No wonder cancer is rampant and on the rise.

Today's post is dedicated to trying to take the above list and make as many of them as I can be "all natural choices".

Here are some suggestions on easy swaps:

Hand/body cream: Yes to Cucumbers - Completely Cooling Body Butter

Skin care prodcuts - Have to admit how this one got started.....Kate Gosselin apparently leaked that she uses Ole Henrickson products which you can click here to buy. (Apparently the eye cream is botox in a jar!)

After some research, I found out his products are almost all natural but are definitely paraben free.

Lip Gloss/Moisture - Kiss My Face lip gloss and or Burt's Bees wax for lips.

Hair products- I started using Aveda after I got a strong recommendation from a friend. Turns out that all their ingrediants are NATURAL!!! Bonus!

Forget about the perfume, do you really need it? Not only is it expensive but it's chemicals sprayed on your skin and being absorbed directly into your body. Save it for a special occasion I say!

Hope you consider your morning routine and try to make your choices as healthy as possible!

Love, Mama