We are sure you already have your kids Halloween costumes picked out... but here are some of our favorite's made from old card board boxes and used tissue paper !
Thanks DailyGreen.com and Dayton Daily News for the ideas!
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Prevent Headaches with Food
Over 20 million Americans regularly experience headaches. I actually have one as I write this blog ;) Here at Peas HQ, we not only like to use our food as fuel but for it's healing properties too. Here are some ways to avoid headaches using foods!
First, stay hydrated; dehydration can cause headaches.
Second, get enough magnesium. Research has found that people with migraines have low brain levels of magnesium and tend to have generally low magnesium levels. Getting enough magnesium also helps prevent heart disease, diabetes, loss of bone density, and colon cancer. Below is a list of foods naturally rich in magnesium.
(chart above from the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, July 2011)
Lastly, try avoiding the following foods which may lead to dull headaches
First, stay hydrated; dehydration can cause headaches.
Second, get enough magnesium. Research has found that people with migraines have low brain levels of magnesium and tend to have generally low magnesium levels. Getting enough magnesium also helps prevent heart disease, diabetes, loss of bone density, and colon cancer. Below is a list of foods naturally rich in magnesium.
Lastly, try avoiding the following foods which may lead to dull headaches
- bananas
- cheese
- chicken
- citrus
- onions
- peanut butter
- sour cream
- fresh baked yeast products
Sources
- Prescription for Nutritional Healing by Phyllis A. Balch.
- The University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter from the School of Public Health, Volume 27, Issue 10, July 2011.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
What We Are Into Right Now
Embrace apple-picking season with this crunchy topping for sauteed or baked apples. Use any variety of apples or a mixture of varieties, but remember to leave the skin on to retain all the beta carotene! Because most of the fiber in apples is soluble, they can effectively lower blood cholesterol levels. To continue the heart healthy theme, we use a mixture of walnuts, applesauce and egg whites in place of butter.
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 3 tablespoons canola oil or melted butter
• 3 tablespoons applesauce
• 1 egg white
• 3/4 cup oats
• 3/4 cup flour (all purpose, whole wheat flour or a mixture)
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch salt
• 3 lbs of apples (about 6 medium apples), any variety or a mixture
• 1/4 cup apple juice
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Grind the walnuts very finely in a small food processor or mince finely on a cutting board. Mix in the oil, then the applesauce and egg white. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients including the brown sugar. Using a spatula, fold in the walnut mixture, using as few strokes as possible. When it looks like wet sand with some dry powder still free at the bottom, scatter across a silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet in pea-sized pieces. Bake for 7-10 min. until it is golden brown and begins to crisp. Let cool completely on the tray, then store in an airtight container.
To serve, remove the apple cores, leaving the skin on. Slice apples, about 1/2 inch thick. Saute apples with apple juice for 3-5 min. until tender-crisp, adding more juice or water as needed to keep the pan moist. Top with oat crunch and serve.
Alternatively, "bake" apples in the microwave. Core apples using a jack-o-lantern cutting technique. Once the top is removed, a melon baller works well to remove the seeds and core. Microwave, 4 min. for 2 apples, about 6-8 min. for 4 apples. Let cool at least 2 min. before serving with topping.
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 3 tablespoons canola oil or melted butter
• 3 tablespoons applesauce
• 1 egg white
• 3/4 cup oats
• 3/4 cup flour (all purpose, whole wheat flour or a mixture)
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch salt
• 3 lbs of apples (about 6 medium apples), any variety or a mixture
• 1/4 cup apple juice
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Grind the walnuts very finely in a small food processor or mince finely on a cutting board. Mix in the oil, then the applesauce and egg white. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients including the brown sugar. Using a spatula, fold in the walnut mixture, using as few strokes as possible. When it looks like wet sand with some dry powder still free at the bottom, scatter across a silpat- or parchment-lined baking sheet in pea-sized pieces. Bake for 7-10 min. until it is golden brown and begins to crisp. Let cool completely on the tray, then store in an airtight container.
To serve, remove the apple cores, leaving the skin on. Slice apples, about 1/2 inch thick. Saute apples with apple juice for 3-5 min. until tender-crisp, adding more juice or water as needed to keep the pan moist. Top with oat crunch and serve.
Alternatively, "bake" apples in the microwave. Core apples using a jack-o-lantern cutting technique. Once the top is removed, a melon baller works well to remove the seeds and core. Microwave, 4 min. for 2 apples, about 6-8 min. for 4 apples. Let cool at least 2 min. before serving with topping.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Take A Seat
We recently checked in with one of our biggest supporters, Melanie R. Silverman, a Registered Dietitian who specializes in pediatric nutritional care. We asked her what was on her mind these days. Her answer: "meal time" and here is what she had to say about it:
Meal time behavior and manners is probably something you hope your child develops, but let’s be face it, on the big list of what you want for your child, health, happiness and a college education certainly beat good manners at the table. What if we considered moving the importance of meal time behavior and manners up the list because I am beginning to believe that the health, happiness and college education you want for your child starts at the kitchen table. Here is how it works…
1) Watch your snacks. If dinner is at 6:30pm and you gave a few handfuls of cheesy crispy kiddie crackers at 5:00pm to “hold them off”, you are in for it; they are not going to eat and those cheesy crispy kiddie crackers just displaced your dinner. Spread out your meals and snacks by at least two to three hours so the kids come to the table hungry and do a decent job eating the nutritious food you prepared.
2) Sit together. Make sure that everyone in the family is seated together at the table. While kid tables are adorable, don’t separate the kids from the adults during meal time. Gather around the table as a family. Eat. Talk. Laugh. Meal time should be fun.
3) Correct behavior. Kids learn by observation. How will they learn to use a fork, drink from an open cup, cut their food or place a napkin in their laps if you do not show them? Meal time also gives you an opportunity to spend time with your kids which teaches them how to talk, listen and communicate effectively.
So how do these three tips get your child healthy, happy and into
college? If your child is coming to the table hungry because you spread the snacking out, the probability goes way up that he or she will actually eat the nutritious food you took time to prepare. Your child is now healthy! Research has shown time and time again how valuable the family meal is for children because shared meals can provide a sense of community, love, and support. Your child is now happy! Colleges are looking for people with high cognitive abilities that can also relate well to people. Eating as a family at the table gives your child exposure to both aspects of development. Your child is going to college!
Pull up a chair to the kitchen table and have your child take a seat. The meals you provide are so much more than just calories.
photo credit: kitchen table from www.thekitchn.com
Meal time behavior and manners is probably something you hope your child develops, but let’s be face it, on the big list of what you want for your child, health, happiness and a college education certainly beat good manners at the table. What if we considered moving the importance of meal time behavior and manners up the list because I am beginning to believe that the health, happiness and college education you want for your child starts at the kitchen table. Here is how it works…
1) Watch your snacks. If dinner is at 6:30pm and you gave a few handfuls of cheesy crispy kiddie crackers at 5:00pm to “hold them off”, you are in for it; they are not going to eat and those cheesy crispy kiddie crackers just displaced your dinner. Spread out your meals and snacks by at least two to three hours so the kids come to the table hungry and do a decent job eating the nutritious food you prepared.
2) Sit together. Make sure that everyone in the family is seated together at the table. While kid tables are adorable, don’t separate the kids from the adults during meal time. Gather around the table as a family. Eat. Talk. Laugh. Meal time should be fun.
3) Correct behavior. Kids learn by observation. How will they learn to use a fork, drink from an open cup, cut their food or place a napkin in their laps if you do not show them? Meal time also gives you an opportunity to spend time with your kids which teaches them how to talk, listen and communicate effectively.
So how do these three tips get your child healthy, happy and into
college? If your child is coming to the table hungry because you spread the snacking out, the probability goes way up that he or she will actually eat the nutritious food you took time to prepare. Your child is now healthy! Research has shown time and time again how valuable the family meal is for children because shared meals can provide a sense of community, love, and support. Your child is now happy! Colleges are looking for people with high cognitive abilities that can also relate well to people. Eating as a family at the table gives your child exposure to both aspects of development. Your child is going to college!
Pull up a chair to the kitchen table and have your child take a seat. The meals you provide are so much more than just calories.
photo credit: kitchen table from www.thekitchn.com
Melanie R. Silverman MS, RD, IBCLC is pediatric registered dietitian and lactation consultant in Laguna Beach, California. You can learn more about her private practice at www.feedingphilosophies.com and what her feeding philosophies are at blog.feedingphilosophies.com
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