it comes from one of my favorite websites of late, healthychild.org. you can pretty much find resources on just about anything and i just had to pass this little ditty to the mullies.
this recipe is a trapper keeper. it is a hot mama collaboration and i am so excited for you to try this crazy easy, adaptable recipe. sooner than later, these puppies will go straight into my beach bag for some sandy summer snack noshing!!
Christina's breakfast cookies (*mullies add ons)
1.5 c organic oats
*1/2 c oat flour (optional - i just ground some up in my processor to make a finer powder)
2-3 super ripe bananas (i used 2)
1 c unsweetened organic applesauce (i used one individual serving cup from the store or grate an apple)
*1 organic pear grated
sprinkle of cinnamon
*2 heaping spoonfuls of organic raw almond butter
handful of mini dark chocolate chips
handful of raisins
*1/2 tsp sea salt
additional variations:
handful of nuts
handful of cranberries
protein powder
(insert your extra goodies here)
preheat oven to 350 degrees. combine all ingredients in a bowl. form into serving size balls and bakc for 30 minutes.
smack myself in the face good. these cookies did not last the day - they became the kids' snacks and dinner dessert. yea baby! she even wrote it into my little recipe diary... that's some special christina sauce right there;)
i'm singing this video and today's chicago tribune article to the mullies on food revolution mundelein's facebook & twitter pages, my facebook page... it's that important. finally, the gmo conversation has some more research and a little doctor clout to boot. take some time out this weekend and watch it. yes please. this is it my friends, IT IT IT IT... and don't forget to share these babies far and wide.
let's become food patriots. doesn't that have a nice ring to it for memorial day? start making small changes or big changes, whatever you can handle. we all can make a 10% change with our grocery store dollar. if we build it, they will come. the spitz family almost lost their son to a raging bacterial infection that wouldn't quit. they started the food patriot movement and have a fabulous documentary that i'm hoping to bring to our school district next year. here is the spitz family's story in today's chicago tribune: antibiotics in livestock raising concern up the food chain.
might this be all connected? gmo's - sick food - sick animals - sick humans - superbugs - superweeds = super bad (i do so love that movie). oh boy oh boy. i love it when the dots start to connect. i just hope we haven't woken up to late. pry the fingers out of your ears - no more la la la nappy time allowed.
i no longer buy as much as i can in one shopping trip for the week. i make smaller, more frequent trips which was a major change for me. it was a drag at first, like i had the time to hit all these stores for certain items... here's what i have found: yes i go to the store more frequently but there are major upsides:
more fresh food that doesn't rot before i use it.
i no longer have to unload tons and tons of bags (1-3 tops!).
i'm done in 30 minutes or less.
i'm sticking to my budget.
a food change is hard because it's breaking habits and traditions. shopping habits change, kitchen habits change and taste buds change. that's a lot. now that we're on the "other side of someday" it's pretty darn fun to look back and see how the lanscape has changed... aaaaaah the evolution of a food revolution, that has a nice ring to it, doesn't it!?
farmer's market season is here and i can't wait to see how my shopping habits adapt for the summer months!! these lists are not an exact science. you can find these products at so many different stores, depending on where you live. i haven't had the time to really price compare, my head gets fuzzy thinking about it. can.only.do.so.much. i need to check out my local garden fresh, they have such an amazing selection and super great pricing... perhaps they'll make it into the rotation next time:)
yes there is a lot of organics listed. check out this lovely video from the harvard school of public health that explains how pesticides are being linked to ADHD in our children. and how about this one on GMO's and pesticides? super scary and unbelievable to the point of dismissal & jokes unfortunately. i also do not buy processed meats anymore (except for some nitrate/antibiotic free turkey). i hope you find some time to watch these videos i linked to and you can thank me later for blowing your brain up.
here is our updated playlist - read it and weep!
trader joe's
udi's whole grain sandwich bread & bagels
organic jams
organic nuts
rolled oats
organic lemons
frozen wild caught seafood
organic frozen strawberries
lollypops (no artificial colors!)
kind bars & lara bars (fyi - sometimes jewel has buy one get one free!)
organic marinara sauce
organic coconut oil (if i run out of the omega nutrition organic oil)
canned light coconut milk (my favorite, no added fillers!)
organic condiments
organic pickles
spices
aluminum free baking powder (all stores have this)
organic/free range poultry when available
goat's milk cheese slices
goat's milk cheese logs
organic vegetable stock
organic beans (black, garbanzo, great northern, cannellini)
organic salsa
organic tortilla chips
organic maple syrup
kale chips
organic dark chocolate
instant coffee crystals
organic, low sulfate wines
target
applegate farms oven roasted turkey by the pound for sandwiches (antibiotic and nitrate free)
organicville non-dairy organic gluten free ranch dressing (also making my own from scratch!)
organic condiments (they are really expanded their stock!)
tinkyada pasta joy brown rice pasta (elbow and spirals are the best!)
silk brand unsweetened almond milk
spices
costco
packaged dried fruit (for lunches & snacks)
bunny bars (organic gf granola bars...sometimes they are not there and i cry)
organic sugar
organic quinoa
bulk spices
organic diced tomatoes
organic hemp seed
organic frozen berries mix
organic rice milk
kettle potato chips
all ways healthy - corner health foods - whole foods market kildeer large mixed organic produce box (fruits & veggies - AWH only)
local honey (AWH & CHF)
probiotics and vitamins king bio homeopathic sprays (they have something for everything - AWH & CHF)
goji berries, chia seeds & vegan plant protein powder for smoothies
gluten free & vegan baking items
herbal teas
dandy blend instant herbal beverage (AWH)
organic chocolate sauce
local pastured eggs (AWH)
local & organic poultry and meat (1-2x's meat per week tops & red meat is a rarity now- WFM)
wild caught seafood (WFM)
sheep's yogurt (WFM)
cacio de roma sheep's milk italian cheese (WFM)
raw goat's milk feta cheese (CHF)
yeast (for bread making)
nutritional yeast (for zesty cheezy sauce making without the cheese)
freshly ground organic peanut butter (literally right in front of you! WFM)
organic raw almond butter (WFM)
udi's gf breads
organic ghee (clarified butter, casein and lactose free -WFM)
misc online
coconut palm sugar (wherever i can find it cheapest)
amazon subscription service for bulk (4 box sets) bob's red mill gluten free flours (gf-flour blend)
omega nutrition organic coconut oil (aroma free!) 32 oz containers
happy happy memorial day weekend!!! may your picnics be stuffed with amazing real food:)
poppies are my favorite flower and i have a TON this year in my garden!!
my portrait of kristy=andy warhol zombie!
my girlfriend kristy invited me to come with her to bottles and bottega for a little blogger get together downtown on monday night. we had such an amazing time!! i tell you what, getting out, eating, drinking and painting was just what the doctor ordered after quite an eventful foodrev weekend. i.will.be.back. thank you so much for having us stephanie and i can't wait to see you again!
*bot·te·ga [boh-tey-guh]: the studio of a master artist, in which students learn by participating in the work.
i love that! whether it's painting or cooking... that's the way i like to learn, with my own hands!
ps
kristy and i met andrea herrera, president of amazing edibles gourmet catering and we've been invited downtown for a cooking class! whoooop whoooooop!! andrea provided super delish food for all of us to nibble on as we attempted to paint like picasso. we also met justin koury of evolution wines for the wine tasting. come to find out, he is super passionate about whiskey and bourbon... helloooooooooo bunny, i'm taking you there someday as YOU are the one that got me into that elixer!!!!
my girlfriend asked me yesterday, "what do you say to someone when they ask about your opinion between food and ADHD?" well, here's where i am at: i'm not a dr or a nutritionist. i don't know if an elimination diet of some sort will help every child. nobody knows. that's the kicker. it's somewhat uncharted. we have no lovely conclusive research out there to draw upon. just little studies here and there and the feingold organization who has been doing this since the 70's - there is a good chart for ya. that was enough for me along with the fact that two mom's i know successfully tweaked their food and conquered symptoms years ago with their sons. i had nothing to lose by working with a nutritionist and looking at our food first. if it didn't work, well, we'd be onto the next...
so in a nutty, uncharted shell, this is what i tell the brave souls who ask:
1. find, borrow and fake the confidence to find your own pace & make real food tweaks for your family. my favorite saying as a coach is, "fake it until you make it!!!" yes please. i did and still do everyday.
2. find a nutritionist or doctor who supports you and kick out the fake food from your kitchen.
3. get a hot new apron.
4. play awesome music in your kitchen every night.
5. keep a diary & take advantage of the amazing food tube... lessons in a half shell. the internet rocks my kitchen.
6. adjust your budget to allow for better quality food (i hate and love my cash diet all at the same time).
7. laugh at yourself a lot.
there is nothing to lose.
have no regrets.
7 is my lucky number.
go after what you want baby.
we found our own course and that is what i am so very excited about. you don't have to have a child with issues to gain BIG from focusing more on real food and cooking more often from scratch. you don't even need to have kids for that matter! we have the power and the freedom to chart our own map at the pace we can handle. i drew mine different from my girlfriends who sketched it out before me. and yours will be different than mine. variety is the spice of life people!!
this whole cooking from scratch thang has me fascinated and wanting to stuff my cheeks. not only with great quality food, but with the HOW. school lets out in less than two weeks and my hot mamas and i are going to be lighting it up in our kitchens and all around. the mullies is going on foodie field trips to local farms, cooking classes and all sorts of fun stuff. then we're gonna get busy in the schools. with the inception of our new district 76 wellness committee, there's going to be lots to do:) ...oh, but then that would mean summer is over and i don't want to talk about that right now...
i want to learn how to cook like a rock star. period. all i want is for my kids to say, " i like your food mommy!" they will eat tons of veggies when i cook them right. i want my kids to learn how to cook better than i do... to be foodies for life. it's my freakin mission to pick every brain, visit any kitchen i can to figure out how to make amazing food from scratch and pass it along to them and whoever is looney enough to come along with me for the ride. i have some experience charting under my belt. my first round was pitching and softball... after i figured out how to pitch well, i struck out 21 batters in a row, threw 3 perfect games in a row and got to wear northwestern purple for 4 years. round 2 is cooking and my kids... hmmm what kind of fun will i have with this one?!
welcome to my new, self-imposed, uncharted mullies kitchen klass adventures without the tuition i can't afford (the kids need braces man), a strict scheduled curriculum or an official degree... just me bugging somebody to teach me something. hmmm, perhaps i should get my hands on an outline of what one does learn in culinary school... this will be some fun times. i'm getting all tingly thinking about it.
the mullies is going to get hot & saucy this summer. believe it.
i signed up for two FREE cooking classes with chef michael maddox at the fremont library yesterday:
summer french pastries on wed, june 12 @ 7pm & knife skills: from purchasing to sharpening and handeling on wed, july 31 @ 7pm.
oh yea baby, here we GO!!!!! and always remember, "uncharted rhymes with farted".
as excited as i am in this picture, that's how tired i am today. can you believe all this organic produce that whole foods kildeer donated!? i could curl up and sleep the entire day off today. so excited to share these pictures & tell the story of this amazing 1st annual event that went off without a hitch.
the day started with a crazy fun food revolution day hangout. it was such an honor and thrill to be asked to participate with this amazing group of individuals. must keep pinching myself.
food revolution day google hangout participants:
1. Jamie Oliver - UK
2. Anna Lappé (moderator) – US
3. Ambassador Lindsey Shifley -US
4. Ambassador Oscar Hinojosa - Mexico
5. Ambassador Juna Alawadhi - Kuwait
6. Google chefs Jason Crayne & Norell Van Krieken - US
7. Google chef Bill Billenstein - US
8. Whole Foods Franklin Store Marketing Manager Nicole Roll + Ambassador
Shane Valentine – US (Ben from the London store may also join us live in the
wow wow wow, thank you food revolution for asking me to HANG!!!
tommy is literally sitting next to me right now asking, "mommy are we going to have a lot of pinics? are we going to have 5 picnics?" yes tommy, we are going to have lots of picnics... we are just getting started.
i hope you enjoy the waterfalling pictures from friday's picnic. stacey, christina and megan: you crazy hot mamas, i'm loving making a difference with you at my side. megan, thank you so very much for capturing the event! (btw, we had another wonderful photographer shooting and i'm looking forward to sharing talie's pictures too!)
i'm so excited to introduce you to two very special people in my life who were an integral part of of the picnic. meet courtney lyons and carole childers! carole is a certified nutritionist (C.N.) and a licensed dietitian nutritionist (L.D.N.) in the state of illinois and owner of All Ways Healthy Natural Foods in Lake Zurich IL. i learned about carole and her daughter courtney through a neighbor and fell in love with her holistic approach to health through her private practice as a nutritional counselor. carole spoke to our 200+ crowd at several points sharing tips and her simple, real food philosophy: "making small changes in the way you live can make a big difference in achieving a happier and healthier life."
and drum roll...
introducing my new partner in crime. here she is, briana cardone, the new food revolution long grove ambassador. hollah, we are gonna make some trouble together girl. did i tell you she's a chef?!? i'm going to be her vanna white. hee hee!!
so this song is dedicated to briana, all my hot mamas, carole & courtney, whole foods (tanya, you are amazing) and to ALL the food ambassadors & sponsors out there who rocked it out this past weekend all across the globe.
passing out my maps and frisbees. alex, jen and holly from village homesteading mundelein helping me with these too. thank you so much!
tons of kids, tons of sports and activities... it was a bagging ball of a time!
how cute are these arts and crafts!? little lake county went all out for the kids and provided crazy cute "green" projects for all. thank you!!!
the greater mundelein libertyville junior league (GLM jaycees) hosted their free bike safety event with us! anyone who brought their bike in received free tune ups and helmet safety checks!! thank you so much for partnering with us!!
the night before, bri and i baked two types of muffins together, banana and blueberry. they were uber delicious and went gonzos fast!
oh heather, how did i not get a picture of you!? thank you so much for being a part of this juice plus!
miss dawn morris joined us and led a super fun yo-pi workout. bri and i of course were the first to join in... we love this stuff. dawn shared her real food story and inspired us all to get moving!!
workin it...
not only is holly kim a new mundelein trustee, but she's also a member of village homesteading mundelein! loving her energy and i know she is going to make in incredible impact on our wonderful town!!!
nothing better than firemen and a fire truck! my bro is a countryside fire fighter and i don't know who was more excited when their big red truck pulled in, me or all the kiddos!!?!?!?
me, mary (marketing specialist extraordinaire!) and my awesome dad. oh mary, what would we have done without the support of the mundelein park district! the facility was oh so perfect and they are sure lucky to have you! thank you so much!
and that's a wrap! food revolution day 2013 is in the books! looking forward to opening the next page ...right after a nap or two.
