Dip Into Delight

This is by far one of my most popular snacks for playdates, parties, and meetings. I make it in large batches and it keeps for a couple weeks in a closed container in the refrigerator. Its a great way to get the kids to take in some raw nutrition. The kids eat it after school, for snacks, desserts and we've even poured it in the morning green smoothies. Celery dipped into this is awesome!

This is especially great for moms who want to transition their kids off of processed and artificial foods (its fast and simple to make). Its tasty and sweet so there are never any complaints about it being "health" food. This is a recipe included in the first part of the Transition To Nutrition program in the works.


Raw Caramel Sauce

3/4 cup raw almond butter
1/2 cup maple syrup or raw honey
4 Tbsp unheated coconut oil
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
5 soft dates, pits removed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp himalayan salt or celtic sea salt
1/4-1/2 cup pure water for desired consistency

In a blender, blend all ingredients with only 1/4 cup water until smooth. Add more water to reach desired consistency - The more water added, the thinner the sauce.


One last note: Be sure to give the teeth a brushing after consuming fruit and sweet snacks. My oldest has always eaten a lot of fruit although no processed sweets. He ended up with a handful of cavities due to high fruit and not enough brushing. We now eat for good bone and tooth health, and are sure to brush after eating fruit and sweet snacks with a natural xylitol toothpaste or Living Libations' Wild Child Healthy Gum Drops.

Less Is More

We had brunch with friends today and my fellow mama friend and I commented on how we like giving our children space to just "be" without any planned activities, organized sports or playdates.

Tonight, I opened my Parents Tao Te Ching and it opened to this page:

48. Less Is More

Your children do not need more.
Each day adds more facts,
more gadgets,
more activities,
more desires,
and more confusion
to their lives.

Your task is to subtract.
Each day seek to remove,
to clarify,
to simplify.
Society's wisdom adds,
and confusion grows.
The wisdom of the Tao subtracts,
and serenity flourishes.

******

If each day one minute less was spent doing something, and one minute more was spent being present, in simple pleasures, with your children...in two months you would transform your life, and theirs. One minute less.

Good words to sleep on tonight.

Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffins

Road Trippin' with the mini muffins


The family's been mostly grain-free for the past 3 months and we're feeling good!

Why eggs and why so many? Eggs are a natural source of choline - a nutrient that is essential for healthy brain function and for all the cells in the body to function normally. They're high in assimilable protein, folic acid, vitamins B6, B12, iron, calcium, phosphorus and potassium. The egg is one of the few foods to naturally contain Vitamin D. I'm going to try these muffins without eggs too and if results are good, I'll post the recipe.

Coconut flour is naturally sweet, so less sweetener is needed. It can be found in any health food store. Its more expensive than other flours, but remember you need MUCH LESS, so it lasts much longer.

This Coconut Flour Blueberry Muffin recipe is to LIVE for! Its gluten-free, high in protein and has no refined anything (sweetened with raw honey). If you make them, please post below and tell me what you think!

1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted
1/2 tsp celtic sea salt or himalayan salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
grated zest of 1 lemon
6 eggs, organic and pastured if possible
1/3 cup raw honey (so the enzymes are intact to help break it down)
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted but barely warm
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (Wyman's wild blueberries are my choice when our summer supply has run out)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium bowl, combine the coconut flour, salt, baking soda and lemon zest. In a large bowl, mix eggs, honey, melted coconut oil and vanilla until well combined. Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth, then add blueberries. Pour into greased muffin tins (I grease mine with coconut oil). Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tested done. Or use mini-muffins tins and cook for 15 minutes or until tested done. Kid approved!

Finding The Balance of Work and Mothering

After spending the past 3 weeks working diligently on my business, staying up until 1:00am and then waking at 6am, the imbalance is quickly setting in.

Always being an adventurous soul, I decided to jump in with both feet to really get my business Vitality Ventures up and running in full form. Its a business that's been almost dead for over 5 years.

Although I'm so happy to be doing what I love, I admit that I'm exhausted. This rolls over into my boys' lives as well, meaning that I'm trying to get work done while they eat lunch or while they're playing in the backyard. I miss playing with my children.

Therefore, I enter the ring, fighting with balance once again.

What Holimamas out there have found the balance between work and family without putting their children into childcare a few days per week? Is it possible?

Babysitters are great, but what about changing the paradigm a bit so that we work as community? What if every community created their own babysitting cooperative?

Parents could take turns watching each others' children while work was being done by moms and dads, appointments were attended to and shopping and tasks were easily taken care of.

Its time we Holimamas and parents created solid community again. Communities of trust, understanding and companionship.

Here goes! My local community childplay co-op is beginning!

Stay tuned for updates to this exciting project to bring community back!

Good Mood Food Part Deux

Buddha Bowl

Raw Cacao Torte

Raw Fruit Breakfast "Pizza"

Arame-Hijiki-Kelp Noodle Salad

Summertime Burrito

Kale Chips

Strawberry Soup w/ Macadamia Creme

Coconut Rice with Edamame

Coconut Buckwheat Lime Animal Cookies

The 3 Year Old Special

Blackberry Swirl Raw Vegan Cheezcake

Goji Thumbprint Cookie

Quinoa Pie with Butternut Squash

Hearty Miso Soup

Almond & Coconut Flours Banana Muffins

Good For You - Good Mood Food

raw vegan thai wrap


basic lentils


sprouted garbanzo bean burger


coconut covered raw vegan chocolate truffles