Free Mozart Music Downloads for Babies and Toddlers

Image by SantaRosa OLD SKOOL

The good people over at Munchkin.com have generously put together free Mozart Musical Soup downloads for all of us.

You can either download the entire albums (Wombsong Collection and Mozart for Toddlers) or you can choose individual songs.  They also have the songs broken out by: Wake Up, Play Time and Sleepy Time.

No sign up is required, simply visit the Munchkin website and click on the links to download!

Champagne Citrus Turkey Recipe!

Image from Flickr by tuchodi

Are you looking for a new Turkey recipe?  My husband thinks this is the BEST turkey recipe ever.  Only one drawback: you cannot stuff the turkey since you are putting other aromatics in the cavity.  But, if stuffing is not big on your list, this could be THE turkey recipe for you:

Champagne Citrus Turkey

• Turkey sized oven bag
• 1 (12 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
• 1/2 cup butter, cubed
• 1 apple, cored and quartered
• 1 orange, quartered
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2/3 (750 milliliter) bottle champagne (you can also use Prosecco or Spanish Cava)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Rinse turkey, and pat dry. Gently loosen turkey breast skin, and insert pieces of butter between the skin and breast.  Place oranges and apples inside the turkey’s cavity.  Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Place turkey in an oven bag, and pour champagne over the inside and outside of the bird.  Close bag, and place turkey in a roasting pan.
3. Bake turkey 3 to 3 1/2 hours in the preheated oven, or until the internal temperature is 180 degrees when measured in the thickest part of the thigh.  Remove turkey from bag, and let stand for at least 20 minutes before carving.

You can also drain all of the juice from the bag, skim off as much fat as possible and make the best gravy you have ever had.  Also goes extremely well with my killer Sweet Potato Casserole recipe.

Do you have a can’t miss Turkey recipe?

Thanksgiving MUST: Sweet Potato Casserole

Image from Flickr by NatalieMaynor

My family may hunt me down for sharing this with you: Our Highly Classified Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe.  You have to trust me, this is the recipe of all recipes.  Every time I serve this, I get begged for this top-secret recipe.  This is the dish that can turn sweet potato haters into lovers.  Not joking.  And now, I will share it with you.  Shhhhh.

Highly Classified Sweet Potato Casserole

• 4 sweet potatoes which, once cooked (I use the microwave set to potatoes to get the job done quickly) should equal approximately 3 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1/2 cup milk

Mix the above together and pour into a lightly greased 9×13 pan.  Now, onto the topping . . .

Topping:

• 1 cup brown sugar (doesn’t need to be packed down)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter chilled, cut into pieces
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Take brown sugar, flour and butter and pulse in food processor until the butter pieces are pea-sized.  Mixture should be crumbly.  Don’t mix too long or you will end up with a dough-like topping.  Mix together with pecans and spread over the top of casserole.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

YUM!  This is a staple at my family’s Thanksgiving table.  My husband actually requests this at other times of the year as well.

Enjoy!

Perfect Breakfast

Image from Flickr by megan.chromik

I recently got back from a trip where I stayed in a hotel where breakfast was prohibitively expensive.  We had no coffee maker in the room and I forgot the breakfast bars (Luna bars) that I normally travel with for this exact predicament.

Therefore, the best option within walking distance (no car) was the local Starbucks.  Curses!  You might remember how I feel about buying coffee shop coffee.   And I wasn’t in the mood for pastries for breakfast either.  That was when I discovered these little yogurt parfaits with granola.  I am addicted.  Immediately upon arriving home, I set about figuring out how to recreate this breakfast wonder at home.  After a couple of attempts, I have it down:

Yogurt/Granola parfait:

• 1/2 cup of plain yogurt (if you want to get fancy, you can use a Greek strained yogurt like Fage)
• 1/4 cup granola of your choice
• small handful of dried cranberries or fresh fruit
• teaspoon or so of honey

Stir it up and enjoy.  So delicious!

So there.  I have recreated something that cost me $4 a pop for under a $1 per serving at home.  Nothing beats that and a cup of your own fresh-brewed coffee.

Save money – make your own baby food!

I don’t think most moms realize how easy it is to make your own baby food.

Think of the money saved!  Plus, you control the ingredients and know exactly what your little bundle o’ joy is eating.

Want to start with green peas?  No problem.  Cook peas as normal.  Put them in the blender – add a little of the cooking water, breastmilk or formula.  Blend until smooth.  Buy little containers or use ice cube trays to store and freeze.  When you are ready to use, thaw and serve or briefly warm in the microwave.

Done!

Apples, carrots, spinach – any other fruit or vegetables your baby likes – exact same process!  I bought a butternut squash and peeled, cubed and roasted it and then pureed it with a little water.  I had more then 10 servings that I could freeze.

Trust me, you will be amazed how easy this is – and you will save those last minute trips to the store as you are about to use up your very last jar of baby food.  And to top it all off, the baby food tastes SO much better!

Here is a wonderful online resource for making baby food:

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/

The Mother List is Going Gluten Free!

Image by Whatsername?

About 4 weeks ago, I started thinking more about my family’s diet.  How well are we eating?  What is my 2 year old learning about food?

One of the first steps this family has taken is going Gluten Free.  As a side note: I was and always have been a HEAVY gluten eater.  The thought of cutting out my pastas and breads made me quake in my boots.

However, after lots of research and realizing we needed some dietary changes, we dove in.  Many people have a gluten intolerance and don’t even know it.  And even more important to me: some studies link gluten to ADHD and autism – we’ll look at that more in depth later.  But seriously, can it hurt to introduce less grains and more veggies and colorful foods into your diet?

I happen to have a great friend that is a naturopathic doctor – Courtney Jackson, N.D., of Summit Natural Health in Colorado.  I went to her for the skinny on Gluten and Gluten Intolerances:

GLUTEN INTOLERANCES AND YOUR HEALTH

Gluten is a sticky protein found in wheat, rye, kamut, spelt, and barley that makes bread and baked goods springy.  A gluten intolerance is common in our country (1/133 Americans) and can be the cause of numerous health concerns.  Most people can connect digestive problems like bloating, diarrhea, and constipation to a food intolerance However, a gluten intolerance will commonly cause weight gain, headaches, moodiness, acne, difficulty conceiving, joint pain, and increased susceptibility to illness in adults.  In children, a gluten intolerance can cause increased irritability, attention deficit, and failure to thrive.

Things to know about a food intolerance:

1.  A food intolerance is the result of an abnormal reaction of the immune system and symptoms may not appear FOR HOURS TO DAYS after ingesting the food.

2.  A food intolerance differs from a food allergy, which is a specific response of the immune system that produces an IgE antibody.  Wheat happens to be one of the most common causes of food allergies.

3. In some people, gluten intolerance may be so severe as to cause an autoimmune response that destroys the small intestine called Celiac disease.  Even without true Celiac disease, people can still react negatively to gluten.

Blood tests are available to help you discover if you are intolerant to gluten.  Or, you can take all gluten out of your diet for 4 weeks and see if your symptoms resolve and your sense of well-being improves.  There are many gluten-free grains available to enjoy, including rice, corn, oatmeal, potato, quinoa, and amaranth so those who are gluten-intolerant do not have to feel deprived.

Benefits of getting off your food intolerance include increased energy, improved mood, weight loss, improved skin, and healthy bowel function.

Summit Natural Health uses naturopathic medicine to help people discover and treat food intolerances.  They provide a comprehensive evaluation to our patients that places a food intolerance in the context of their total health history.  Removing a food intolerance and supporting the body with whole foods and appropriate nutritional supplements can significantly improve well-being.

Pesticides Linked to ADHD

Image by santiago nicolau

As a mom, I have been encountering more and more parents whose children have recently been diagnosed with ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder).   Parents are feeling pretty helpless when they receive the diagnosis and often wonder, “Why my kid?”

Interestingly, a new study was just published in the Pediatrics Journal that links pesticides to ADHD in children ages 8-15.  The study tested urine samples of 1139 children and found children with “higher than the median of detectable concentrations had twice the odds of ADHD.”

We are finding more reasons to avoid pesticides and we recently published a list of the foods with the most pesticides (foods to always buy organic) and the foods with the lowest level of pesticides.

Find more information on the study in the Pediatrics Journal website and seriously consider avoiding pesticides in your household!

Girls’ College Reunion Part 3

So, after a fabulous arrival day at the W Scottsdale, it was priority numero uno to hit the pool first thing Saturday morning.

And what a pool we had:

Oooh ahhh.

We heard the W pool can be a little busy on Saturdays, so we had a daybed reserved.  This turned out to be the best idea ever.  We could all sit comfortably from our perch and watch the scene around us.  I have to say, simply for pure people-watching enjoyment, this pool was perfect.

My awesome husband sent the champagne and orange juice (for Mother’s Day) and we all got to enjoy!  What could be better for a girls’ weekend than mimosas by the pool?!

Yes, this is me, braving a picture in a bikini so you can see the daybed!

This was before all the people showed up!  Every one of the cabanas behind us was filled.

We had a great day at the pool, chatting and getting caught up on the last 10 years.  Wow, it flew!

After cleaning up that evening we did a quick happy hour in the Living Room at the W:

It was a great, quiet place to relax before heading out to dinner.

The setting for dinner that night was The Old Town Tortilla Factory.  This place rocked.  It had tons of outdoor seating in the a scenic patio.  Even more importantly, it had perfect margaritas – no mix, with fresh lime juice – in generous portions!   The menu had great options and one of our gals is gluten-free and they even had a special menu just for her.

We made it an early night after dinner as some of the group was sadly, flying home early the next morning.  And because it was Mother’s Day that next morning, I decided it was the perfect time to hit the spa:

And yes, it was just as peaceful as it appears in the photo.  Especially on a Sunday morning!  The atmosphere (music, lighting and all) was perfect and I got an unbelievable facial.  I had never been to a Bliss Spa before and have to say that I will definitely try to visit more as soon as possible!

As for the W Scottsdale, they certainly took their Whatever/Whenever policy seriously: they arranged for umbrellas at the pool, fans for the rooms and anything else we could think of (one of our gals said she had friends request a bucket of snow and they actually got it)!

And then, it was time to return to the airport and get back to reality after a great weekend.  But I was pretty excited to see my family!

Scottsdale College Reunion Part 2

The Girls’ Reunion Weekend really felt like it started when I got an awesome pre-trip email from the W Scottsdale.  I loved that it had the weather for the weekend, links to info we may need, and all the happening events.  That saved me some time searching.

A few of us arrived early, having left Denver very early Friday morning. . . as in 6am early.  We planned it that way to maximize pool time and it worked beautifully.  We hopped off the plane at 9:30am and met up with another gal arriving from New York.  We then jumped in a cab and were in front of the hotel in 20 minutes.  So far, perfect.

I have to say that the W Scottsdale lived up to every claim and description I had heard.  The decor was super sleek and funky while still being very comfortable and plush.  We got two rooms for the 6 of us, so 3 to a room.

A pic of our awesome digs:

And no, there was no jumping on the beds or pillow fights, but we did enjoy these fabulous rooms!

Girls’ College Reunion Part 1

A few months ago, an email chain started circulating amongst some of my college friends.

The topic: our 10 year reunion.  What?  Somehow, I had been in denial about the fact that ten years had passed from college graduation.  However, there it was, typed on the computer screen in front of me, staring me in the face.

The plan: to spend a weekend in the Phoenix area.

After some research on all of our parts, the overwhelming response from Phoenix/Scottsdale locals and travelers alike was to stay at the W Scottsdale.

The beautiful W Scottsdale:

Isn’t she pretty?

I had never stayed at a W before and wasn’t sure what to expect, but I did know that it going to be ultra trendy, sleek and a very happening spot.  It was also in the best location with an amazing pool.  A far cry from my daily life as a mom of a 2 year old!

Amazingly, 6 gals out of the original 8 on the email committed to being there.  One of the missing two lives in Sydney, Australia, so travel was tricky and the other missing gal was finishing up an extreme 200 hours of yoga teacher training that weekend.  Ouch.

So, preparations were under way for a fabulous weekend.  Now we just had to wait . . .

More tomorrow!