Hope to talk with Your Kids

Any tips we can share to be able to talk with - and listen to - our kids, we will!

In any relationship, the positive power of communication is highly underrated!

Have Sippy Will Travel

10 Top Secrets of Portion Control - Cooking Light

Just in Time for Thanksgiving...you're welcome :) >>

10 Top Secrets of Portion Control - Cooking Light

Breakfast does a Body Good!

Great article from Nutrition Babes...check it out!  Thanks Lauren & Kathleen!

If you're a B.A.B.E, you always start off your day with breakfast...right!?!?

Topic: Breakfast
Author: Kathleen A. Siegel
2011-09-05 23:23:25

Start your day off right...with Breakfast!

Your mother was right; breakfast is the most important meal of the day!  We all know that nutrition is essential for proper growth and development in children.  And, starting the day with a good breakfast will have additional benefits as well. 

Breakfast promotes better performance

Studies have consistently shown that children who consume a good breakfast can actually enhance their performance on cognitive tests and in school.  Your body and brain need to be fueled to function well and last night's dinner is no longer providing it!  Consuming a complete breakfast will improve one's cognitive function, memory, punctuality and attention.

Breakfast promotes better behavior

Consuming breakfast at home or in school has displayed a decrease in behavior problems.  In elementary schools, studies displayed when children are hungry there is an increase in behavior problems such as hyperactivity, fighting, stealing, having difficulties with teachers and not following rules.

Breakfast promotes a healthier body

US researchers found that when teenagers regularly consumed breakfast, they were more likely to consume a healthier diet, exercise and have a lower BMI compared to the same age children who regularly skipped breakfast.  Studies have already linked skipping breakfast to a higher BMI.

All together, eating breakfast is a habit that promotes a healthier lifestyle.  Jump start your day with breakfast!

What makes a good breakfast?

An egg, slice of whole wheat toast, almond butter, a piece of fruit and a glass of low-fat or skim milk

Whole grain cereal, skim milk, a piece of fruit and yogurt

Whole wheat wrap, egg whites, low-fat cheese and an orange

Low-fat cottage cheese, fruit and a whole wheat English muffin

Whole wheat pancakes, fruit and skim milk

Think protein, fiber and add some color!

Check out some of our breakfast recipes, enjoy!

Banana Pancakes

Fruit and Oatmeal Breakfast Parfait

Grab-and-Go Breakfast Squares

Banana Bread

Strawberry Oatmeal Breakfast Pie

Frittata

Zucchini Bread Squares

Apple, Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal

Peach and Banana Ambrosia

What's the Scoop with Poop?

Everybody Poops

Well, now our B.A.B.E Blog has really gone down the toilet.  Haha..get it?  Come on, that's a little bit funny!  Poop.  Happens to be my favorite immature word; I just think it's funny. Happens to not be so funny if you're one of those poor gals that can't "go" very often.  For some reason, poop comes up a lot at my house - not sure what that says about me!?  What I have learned is that most gals don't "go" often enough and that's not a good thing.  Seems to also appear that I go more frequently than any human being alive today...and that's not a bad thing.


The basic scoop with poop is this:  the average person goes about twice a day.  The norm is anywhere from 3 times a day to 3 times every three days, so that puts us at about once a day.  If you eat 3 times a day, but only go poop one time, that means all that food is sitting in your gut, just hanging out.  Dying a slow, smelly, un-digested death.  When your food does not come out the other end on a regular basis, you can feel bloated and uncomfortable.  Want that nice flat tummy? Then you need to be, among other thing, pooping more.  Different colors, smells or consistency is cause for you to re-evaluate what you're eating.  The list is extensive & gross of what to check for, so here is the link and you can peruse while you're "in the library"...haha...we're full of bathroom jokes.....http://altmedicine.about.com/od/gettingdiagnosed/a/stools.htm.

Point is, what goes in, must come out -  and regularly.  For that to happen, make sure you are eating regularly, drinking your water, eating lots of fiber and your greens.  To your health....

Corn Syrup vs. Sugar - Dr. Weil's Daily Tip

All sweetness is not the same.....
Corn Syrup vs. Sugar - Dr. Weil's Daily Tip

Better at 40 Than at 20 | Health, Beauty, Fashion, Love, Careers and more - MORE Magazine

This more about how you feel than you're actual looks. This author, who happens to be 41, feels fabulous! I love my life, I feel like I look better, feel better & know more who I am & what I want.

How about you?

Better at 40 Than at 20 | Health, Beauty, Fashion, Love, Careers and more - MORE Magazine

Jumpin' in the Great Outdoors!

Sometimes, going downstairs or to the gym, indoors, just sucks.  Today was one of those days.  It had rained all morning and the sun was now out with a gentle breeze.  Birds were out & my cats were dying to get out - not to eat the birds; my cats are not allowed to eat my songbirds - house rules.

Jumpin' around in the backyard!

So, I spent 5 minutes & hauled all my portable equipment to my backyard.  I improvised on some exercises by using bands wrapped around a tree trunk, did my jump-ups on my favorite old log - I even have a name for this exercise - Stump Jumps!  I used a Swiss Ball instead of a bench and you can do push-ups anywhere.  It takes very little equipment to get in a good workout in the great outdoors!

I'm sure there are a ton of stats on how your endorphins really respond to fresh air or something and other things that really, I don't care about.  To be honest, it just plain feels good to get outside on a nice day.  The sunshine on your face, smell the smells and hear the sounds.  It's great to get fresh air and I felt really Rocky-like (like Rocky 3 or 4 or whichever one he fought Dolph Lundgren & had to train in a barn) improvising my exercises and equipment.  It was a good day.

A Healthy Treat - Recipe

Ever had a pizzelle?  I've been fortunate that from time to time, one of my Italian-heritage friends have made some & given me a stack.  They are those fun little round, flat, usually anise-flavored cookies that ladies make for special occasions like Christmas.  Usually has a good deal of butter or oil in them.  Well, you know this B.A.B.E just can't do that, so I experimented with my own recipe & even my husband & daughter were won over!  Healthy & tasty; it's a win/win!  Time to share:

Tasty pizzelles..check out our healthy version!

1st step> get a pizzelle maker.  I went on Amazon & ordered one, easy breezy.
Recipe:
1 cup whipped butter
1 cup organic cane sugar
1/4-1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 egg whites
2 Tbsp. vanilla
2.5 cups whole wheat flour
1/8 cup milled flax seed
1/8 cup bread flour (if you don't have this, it's not a deal breaker, just use more whole wheat flour)
3 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Cardamom to taste.  I had never had Cardamom, so I just gave it a good sprinkling until I could smell it.
Sprinkle of Cinnamon (way lighter than the Cardamom)

Follow the directions on your Pizzelle maker & sprinkle with powdered sugar when done (on the wax paper).

After eating & sharing a ton, I froze the rest of my pizzelles in stacks of 6.  My plan is to give them as gifts on those occasions where you just wanna say "I'm thinking of you", or when my belly is saying "I'm hungry".  Whichever.

How to Nourish Your Child’s Body and Mind

From the awesome gals @ Nutrition Babes  (Thanks Lauren & Kathy), some great thoughts on how to teach, and keep, your kids healthy:

How to Nourish Your Child’s Body and Mind

Feeding children is not an easy task.  Between picky eaters, after school activities, weekend sports, etc, it’s tough to be consistent.  If the old adage, “you are what you eat” is true, we need to pay extra attention to what we feed those little growing bodies.  When the body receives optimal nourishment, kids perform better at school and in all of their activities.  Proper nutrition will help temper the behavioral highs and lows associated with poor eating habits.  This information could fill more than a book, so a blog requires some simplifying.  Here is our list of major guidelines for healthy eating for children:

1. Breakfast is critical!  Bodies need fuel to get going the same way your car needs gas.  We can’t expect our kids to think clearly and perform well in school on an empty tank.

2. Eat every 3-5 hours.  Skipping meals or not planning ahead can cause kids to experience a dip in energy levels and concentration.  Make sure your child has a snack if there is a long stretch between breakfast and lunch. The same goes for after school if they have activities, or if dinner is late.

3. Balance meals and snacks.  It is essential to have a mix of carbohydrates (preferably whole grain), fat, and protein at each meal to optimize blood sugar stability.  Just a bagel with jelly will cause them to feel hungry much sooner than scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast.  Think about having one serving from each “food group” at every meal.

4. Add whole grains at least ½ the time.  Whole grains are essential to helping kids get their daily fiber intake, as well as stabilizing their hunger as they are digested more slowly than refined white grains.

5. When possible, avoid food dyes, additives and preservatives.  While some studies have linked food dyes and preservatives to increased hyperactivity in children with ADHD, new studies are linking these chemicals to hyperactive behavior in kids that do not have ADD.  This one is tough.  Most “kid” food is made with colors not found in nature.  Look for foods colored with fruit or vegetable dyes, not red 40 or yellow 5.  Look for short ingredient lists, organic foods and minimally processed foods.  If your third grader can’t pronounce the ingredients, they probably shouldn’t be eating it.

6. Wash produce well, even if you are not eating the peel!  When cutting fruit like a cantaloupe, most people will not think to wash the outside.  There can be harmful bacteria on the exterior of fruits and veggies that can transfer to the inside flesh when cut.  Make sure to wash all produce well before cutting or peeling.  If you are washing edible fruit like berries, consider using castile soap.  It’s a natural soap that will help remove some extra pesticide residues. 

7. Pay attention to sodium!  New dietary guidelines recommend a major cut in sodium, even for kids.  The new recs are 1500mg per day, or about 2/3 of a teaspoon.  Limit processed and fast foods.  Read labels!

8. Stay hydrated the smart way. Depending on their age and activity level, children will require anywhere from 4-11 cups of fluid per day.  The best choices are water, skim or 1% milk.  Whole milk is no longer necessary after a child’s 2^nd birthday.  Limit 100% fruit juice to a total of 4-6 ounces per day.  Instead of soda, add a splash of juice to seltzer.  Try to avoid sugar sweetened beverages that are a source of empty calories, especially sports drinks and caffeinated or herbal energy drinks. 

9.  Eat the colors of the rainbow.  Try to get your kids to choose several servings of produce per day.  Fresh is better, but make sure that if their choice is canned or frozen that it does not contain high fructose corn syrup or added sugar.  Ideally, half the plate at each meal should be filled with fruits and vegetables.

10. Heart disease can start as early as 9 years of age.  Just because your child is thin, does not mean it is OK to feed them junk food.  That food is still affecting their arteries, and learning healthy habits at a young age will decrease the likelihood of becoming obese later.

Make food fun.  Take the kids to the store and help them choose your groceries.  Include them in the cooking when you can, and expose them to new and different recipes.  Proper nutrition starts early.  Healthy habits now will lead to healthy adults later.