Mama Self Care: A Formula For Happiness

Let me warn you a head of time - this post has a couple diagrams (gasp!) but I hope that it'll all make sense to you.

Last year I did something that I haven't done in over 5 years - I invested myself in new friendships. You see, going from being a mom of one very easy going daughter to the mom of two daughters - one of which is feisty, has a fire of her own and honestly I didn't know how to parent yet. My husband is an amazingly supportive father but as a stay at home mom I felt the pull to reach out to other moms. It was to not only create social interaction for my daughters but also give me the fellowship and support that I needed from other women too.

I grew a lot last year. I put myself out there and I can proudly say that I've made a handful of very close friends whom I will cherish for the rest of my life.

But there was something missing, at least for me. Even though I replenished my bucket through social needs, I wasn't feeding myself. Growing on this foundation this year I've got a new game plan, which became evident to me at my recent MOPs meeting about self care.

Being a mom is important work, as we all know. It's one of the most rewarding things that I will ever do, but it's also by far been the hardest. Some days I'd trade the crayons, laundry, diapers, nursing, songs, open schedule, tantrums and puddle stomping for a long day at the office working for "the man." Because at least at my old desk I'd have a cup of coffee in peace without running the risk of finding a surprise at the bottom.

The rewarding, satisfying days truly outweigh the days that I slump into my bed at night; exhausted physically and mentally. But the simple checks and balances of "what kind of day" it was doesn't equate in motherhood. Some great days are worth 5 bad days and other times they are worth 15 bad days, does that make sense? Some days one great day will equal one bad day. But what many mothers will admit, in the quiet comfort of their dear friend's company - sometimes I feel like I am putting out a lot more than I get back. And it's true; I think all mothers go through this phase. I am one of them.

So it becomes a good exercise to take account for what it is that drains us and what fuels us. The speaker at my MOPs meeting asked us to think of ourselves as a circle and to describe things that "fuel" us. For her it was horseback riding. She can go into her barn and spend hours there, forgetting about the world. When she emerges she feels refreshed. What are some things that you do just for you, that truly refuel you? Blogging, most of the time, fills that for me. In cases like today, where I get to write out my personal thoughts and work through something, I feel renewed. I feel the same way after a really great conversation with a friend. Or coloring. Hiking. Travel. Or hanging out in the backyard watching "chicken TV" (just watching my chickens do their silly thing).

Then she asked us to think about all the things that we put out that drain us. Lord, I hate doing the laundry. I hate tidying up the house. I hate going through all of our bills and calling up whatever company overcharged us that month because it inevitably means I'm going to be put on hold for forever and bounced around to whatever department can help me - all during my toddler's nap time when I am hyper aware of every noise in the house (including my own) because God help me - that little girl needs her nap every day. I do not enjoy the process of teaching my pre-schooler the importance of eating her dinner lest she wakes me up at 3am asking for a string cheese because she went to sleep hungry. But those are things that we have to do. It's adulting. But it wears on us because it's parts of ourselves that we are putting out, and often times we do not have an equal amount going back in to fuel us.

This can change on a daily basis, there are many days where I am able to fuel myself to recover for how much I put out. Sometimes, it's a matter of looking at it over a season. This past year - I was definitely putting out more than I was putting back into myself. And part of that is the cost of having children that are 24 months apart. Penny, my older daughter, became a three-nager and as mentioned before - my Ruby .... well, my Ruby has always had a spirit of her own and she made sure to establish that very early in life. Over a period of a few months it felt like I was treading water; getting enough food, barely enough sleep, drinking coffee to make up for it and finding ways that I can cope. I didn't have postpartum depression but it was definitely a task of finding a way to find a new normal.

So when this diagram was presented to me, a light bulb went off. That's what has been going on all this time. I had very effectively created a mama tribe of support, many of whom were available literally at all hours (thanks Facebook messenger), but what I really needed to take account for was my formula for happiness.

The speaker showed us another diagram of how to begin brainstorming ways to fuel ourselves. To keep it brief, people have four areas of basic need. Biological, psychological, social and spiritual. She encouraged us to come up with 5 ways we fuel ourselves (to make up for all the ways we put out) for each of the categories. This way when we take account for the imbalance on a daily, weekly or seasonal basis, we have a list of things to draw upon to help make ourselves feel more in balance.

Examples of fueling yourself:
///Biologically: eating, showering (it's amazing how therapeutic a good hot shower can be!), exercise
///Socially: date nights, play dates, taking a class
///Psychologically: counseling, book reading, journaling, meditation
///Spiritually: worship, bible study, meditation

There's an amazing amount of cross over for these groups as well. For me, Jesus permeates into each one of these categories. Meditation crosses over on several categories and I personally think that showering hits at least 2, sometimes 3, categories.

These concepts are going to drive my formula for happiness of self care for this year. Because a happy, healthy mama is a great mama, right?

How will you self care this year?
Did either of the diagrams help you?

Today's post has been sponsored by Gerber Good Start Formula. Each mama has her own journey of how she chooses to feed her baby and I'm excited to share about this ground breaking development from Gerber formula - Good Start is completely GMO free. Since becoming a parent myself, I have spent a lot of time making sure that the foods I feed my family are the best that we can afford. Not everything that we eat or drink is organic or non-GMO, but I do make sure to hit the important ones according to the Dirty Dozen list. Research shows that parents prefer foods made from non-GMO ingredients which is why Gerber not only make one single formula that is non-GMO, they made the whole line of Good Start formulas non-GMO to encourage consistent nutrition as your baby grows.

Thankful for YOU! / Smiling Tree Toys Giveaway

This post was originally part of the Thankful for our Followers Giveaway Hop

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2 years ago, I began the journey of taking my blog to the next level. When I started this blog in February of 2012, my goal was to keep an online journal / baby book for Penny. After a few months of writing about topics that were important to me, I saw my stats and numbers increasing!  As an attachment and natural parent, I found that my parenting style was supported and influenced by bloggers sharing their experiences and I wanted to be a part of that. There were so many occasions where I doubted my gut and instincts because what I was doing wasn't always the way my friends and family did. I never got harsh judgement, mind you, but I would get such relief when I'd find a blog post, written by another blogger, talking about and justifying some of the choices I was making.  This experience drove me to also become a source for moms in their journey.

One of the first businesses that I worked with was Smiling Tree Toys! I approached Kathleen because I loved the esthetic of wooden toys and their approach to providing all natural, safe products for families. We worked together on my first review and giveaway - Penny's first Christmas ornament! It was only fitting to work together again on Ruby's first Christmas ornament too.

I'm happy to see that even after two years, the quality and craftsmanship with Smiling Tree Toys remains the same, even though the popularity of the business grows! The ornaments (as well as any of the other wooden products in their shop) are created from sustainably harvested American Maple trees and finished with their homegrown Camelina oil and beeswax. These ornaments will be heirloom pieces for my girls; that will be hung on Christmas trees for many decades past my time and enjoyed by future generations of my family. And I think that's root of Smiling Trees Toys goal too - to create products that will be enjoyed for years and years while being respectful to our Earth and honoring the gifts it gives.

Smiling Tree Toys is expanding their product line this season - in addition to ornaments, rattles, balancing toys, wooden blocks, wooden musical instruments(and so much more!), they are launching Smiling Tree Home. Keep an eye on their facebook for more teasers and information!

Keep up with Smiling Tree Toys 

Facebook// Instagram // Pinterest // Twitter// Google+

And don't forget all the ways you can be social with
The Pierogie Mama!

Facebook // Instagram // Twitter // Pinterest // Bloglovin'

This giveaway is over - thanks to all for entering! 

Keep an eye out for more Pierogie Mama Giveaways.

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for my honest review, no other compensation was provided.

So I guess I'm Mother Gothel, she's a princess and princesses only eat princess food.

Two big things have been going on around here.

1. I have a very independent two and a half year old. She is fearless, bold, adventurous, feisty and just an all around kick in the pants. Every day she surprises me. These days dinner tends to get in the way of these imaginary adventures and she's been opting for on the go foods. 

2. Princesses. 24/7.

So more often than not we encounter days where the only food she wants to eat is "princess food." Does anyone have any idea what "princess food" means to a toddler? My best guess as to the most basic requirement of "princess food" is that it needs to be pink. What is a mama to do?

So like the wicked Mother Gothel, I've figured out how to sneakily disguise her essential nutrients, with the help of a my Cuisinart Baby Food Maker and Yummi Pouches. Mother knows best!

The first part of my master plan is to create an easy to eat, yet very "princessy" puree that even the pickiest toddler won't be able to resist. One of our standard recipes that I have created is Apple, Strawberry and Butternut Squash with a touch of cinnamon. Butternut squash is an excellent source of Vitamin A, fiber, potassium and magnesium. Apples are an additional fiber source, and pack some Vitamin C. Strawberries have lots of Vitamin K and are an antioxidant powerhouse. Combine all of those and you've got the makings of a healthy snack! Mwwaaaa hahahaha! 

The second part of my evil plan involves one of my henchmen, the Cuisinart Baby Food Maker.  It's an all-in-one appliance, meaning I can steam my apples and squash, then add my strawberries and puree, without pulling out tons of gadgets or adapters. That leaves enough time to meddle in my daughter's affairs, boil some toads and worry about my waning beauty while talking to magical mirrors or tending to a mysterious fountain of youth plant.

Finally, to ensure the assimilation of said wicked potion, Yummi Pouches make normally messy purees portable, so that was a no-brainer in my evil plot to ensure Penny eats healthy. We love Yummi Pouch because...

• The shape - it's a rectangle and super easy to clean. 
• Dishwasher and freezer safe. 
• BPA free, PVC free and phthalate free. 

In addition to pureed food, I like to prepare packs of yogurt, applesauce or smoothies thickened up with ground oats for quick on the go snacks.

Does this sound like a truly evil plan or what? Let me tell you, the unknowing princess surely fell victim to my tricks and walked away satiated.

Want to win a Cuisinart Baby Food Maker along with a 4 pack of Yummi Pouch Brights to put your dubious potions delicious creations in? Enter to win this fabulous prize pack by commenting below:

1. Visit Cuisinart's baby food recipe site and tell me which recipe you think your little one will go "goo goo" for. Please leave your best contact email address so that I can email you if you win. (See full rules below)

2. Gain an additional entry point by visiting Yummi Pouch's recipe page and leaving a comment here with a recipe that you'd  like from there too!

This giveaway has ended. Thank you to all who entered!

Rules: Entering this giveaway is completely optional; however in order to qualify to enter you will need to leave a comment answering question #1, and for an additional entry option you may also answer question #2 in separate comments. The winning entry will be validated. Open to the US only, aged 18 years or older. The contest ends at 6:00pm PST 7/25/2014. The winner has until 6:00pm PST 7/26/2014 to respond to the email notification. The Pierogie Mama is not responsible for prize fulfillment. The winner will be contacted at the end of the giveaway and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. 

Strawberry Picking #WordlessWednesday

Pssst.... Here's my Strawberry Pierogie Recipe, just for you :)

Naturepedic Mattress Review & Giveaway

This post was originally part of the Lucky Little Ones giveaway hop with Irresistibly Green, Just Add Cloth, Our Piece of Earth

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We're a bed sharing family - Penny slept in our family bed from night one through actually exactly 18 months old when we moved into our new house. We never got her a crib; she always slept in our bed where ever we where. Towards the end of our co-sleeping time we had her start out the night in a Pack N Play next to my side of the bed and I'd pull her up into my arms when she was done sleeping alone.

Transitioning her into her own bed was surprisingly very easy. I was so thankful and vindicated that we waited until she was truly ready (even though it was honestly more of the progression of my second pregnancy that pushed us towards that milestone) and because of that there was no muss and no fuss. We were gifted a handmedown cute little wooden toddler bed that came with a mattress and I set her up with her own special blankets and we incorporated the Sleep Buddy nightlight system.

I've always been aware that organic mattresses exist but just never took the time to research what the true benefits were. Big surprise, coming from the writer of this blog, right? I know, I tout the benefits of organic, green and natural where ever I can but to be honest we're not all perfect, are we? And mattresses honestly were a big hole in my research that I knew I needed to get around to.

I realized that my daughter, the great sleeper that she is, spends upwards of 16 hours a day in her bed. That's a lot of time to spend with a product that I know very little about.

I learned that Naturepedic is one company that offers organic, high quality mattresses (for babies, children and adults). Just like the organic food that I strive to feed my family, organic mattresses do not have the same chemical treatments done to them like standard mattresses do. Naturepedic uses organic, US grown cotton (read about all their certifications) and still maintains fire safety standards for mattresses. Fire safety has been on my mind since this past summer when the neighbor's house burned down and I watched it all happen in less than 10 minutes - and there was an unattended 9 year old inside. A mother's worst nightmare, for sure.

Switching to an organic mattress is a worthwhile investment for everyone in the family and Naturepedic's commitment to higher standards is really what has stood out to me:

Priority #1: No harmful chemicals. 
Priority #2: No allergenic materials. 
Priority #3: Natural, organic and renewable materials wherever possible. 
Priority #4: Practical design (e.g. easy-to-clean waterproof cover). 
Priority #5: Third party independent testing and verification. 
(source)

Materials aside, let's talk about our experience with the quality of the mattress.

Putting my daughter to sleep, though it is rarely with a fight, can be time consuming. Miss Penny loves to soak in her last minute snuggles with either myself or Adam as we lay her down for bed. We had spent countless hours laying in that little bed with her, gently guiding her to peaceful sleep. Her original mattress was not comfortable but I always chalked it up to being a pregnant adult trying to fit herself into a toddler bed with a toddler. Bless that girl for sleeping so well; I don't think I'd be able to do the same! 

We have had the chance to review the Naturepedic Organic Cotton Quilted Deluxe baby/toddler mattress for about 2 months. From night one, if it was even possible, Penny slept even better. This mattress has a quilted top but it is also very firm and flat (as is recommended by the CPSC). I can feel my weight being transferred evenly across the mattress as I lay with her and don't feel like she is rolling down into me when I lay with her for the time that it takes for her to fall asleep. When she calls for us in the middle of the night to rub her back or lull her back to sleep, I have found myself actually getting a little bit of sound sleep for the few times that I have fallen asleep in bed with her! 

I love supporting companies who do their research, provide high quality products and have a heart for their customers. We've been so pleased with Penny's mattress that when the time comes to replace our mattress I'd love to invest in a Naturepedic replacement for us as well. 

Here's your chance to win your choice of Naturepedic organic crib sized mattress! These fit both cribs and toddler beds.

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all who entered!

Disclosure: I received product in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. None of the above statements are meant to diagnose or treat any disease; please consult your care provider if you have any questions because I am not a health care professional! Just another mom telling you about my experience :)

Jonboy Caramels Review & Giveaway! #seattle #bmnlove

This post was originally part of the Feel the Love Giveaway Hop.

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Pictures speak a thousand words, don't they?

We recently had the opportunity to try Jonboy Caramels, a Seattle based company.

I pretty much got my first taste without Penny really understanding what was going on. But as soon as she saw the really pleased look on my face, my little girl looked up at me (with her hands outstretched) and said "mama - have?"

Yes baby, you may have one too.

Normally I keep sugary sweets out of my little tyke's hands, but what mama can resist such a sweet request?

It's also a major plus to me that Jonboy Caramels sources local ingredients, down to the cream and butter used as the base. They've opted for organic brown rice syrup instead of corn syrup; and their seasonal flavors, such as Balsamic Berry, uses raspberry and blackberry juice from local farms too.

We sampled a box of their Fleur de Sel Caramels and my initial hope was for them to last us through Valentine's Day - hah. Fat chance! These babies were gone in less than a couple days, between a snatch here and a grab there, and a 'well, I just have to have another one..' incident or two.

The texture was creamy and they melted in your mouth just like a good caramel should. These aren't the sticky, chewy caramels that make you worry about your dental health - my fillings remained intact after several samples of these. :)

Have I got you drooling at all? Well lucky you, Jonboy wants to share the love and give one Pierogie Mama a sweet sampler of their Fleur de Sel, Molasses Ginger, and Absinthe caramels. Oh boy!

Enter to win below!
This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all who entered!

Disclosure: Thank you Jonboy Caramels for hooking me up with this sweet treat! 

I love supporting a local Seattle company. All opinions expressed are my own. 

New Tot Happy Morning Food Pouches from Happy Family review/giveaway

The Happy Family brand of baby/toddler food has been a favorite in our house from when Penny started her journey in baby-led weaning. 

They offer a wide range of prepared foods that are all organic and non-gmo, which is super important to us. 

The new flavors in pouches that they've rolled out are:

All of Happy Family products offers the same level of care 

for what goes into your little one's tummy by making sure that everything is:

Organic
Non-GMO
BPA-free packaging
No added sugar
No artificial flavors or colors
No preservatives

When you read the ingredients label, you know exactly what is in there. Nothing along the lines of "mono____" or "daosdiasdxxic acid" (ok, the second one I totally made up but you get my point).
These were easy to share with Penny because they feature fruits that Penny already loves.

So who wants to sample (uhm, I mean have their little one) these delicious new flavors? 

One Pierogie Mama reader will win a case of mixed flavor Happy Tot Morning -
that is a total of 16 pouches, 8 of each flavor!

This giveaway has ended. Thanks to all who entered!

You can order Happy Family Happy Tot products online at Amazon 
or find the new flavors at Target!

Disclosure: I received free samples in exchange for my honest review. This post contains affiliate links.

Sour Cream Banana Bread with Coconut Oil {Tropical Traditions Organic Coconut Oil Review & Giveaway}

I'm a big fan of butter. Don't get me wrong. Butter just makes things better. Better with butter. But with heart disease being fairly prevalent in my husband's side of the family, I've really got to tone it down. After doing a little bit of research, I found that coconut oil is a totally viable and healthy alternative to butter in many aspects of cooking. You can substitute it as a frying oil, buttery spread and in baking. Tropical Traditions has graciously provided me with a jar of their Gold Label Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil so that I could give it a try with my tried-and-true sour cream banana bread recipe and we were all pretty impressed with the results!

Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is certified organic & traditionally made. This coconut oil meets our strictest standards and is handcrafted by family producers in the Philippines using traditional methods passed down from previous generations. Recent studies show that traditionally-made coconut oils have the highest amounts of antioxidants. Tropical Traditions also has tons of info if you want to learn what virgin coconut oil is and how to use coconut oil. 

You will need:
non-stick cooking spray
a mixture of 1/4 c of sugar 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon for dusting
1/2 c Tropical Traditions Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil
3/4 c raw honey (or 1 1/2 c sugar)
2 eggs
3 very ripe bananas
2 c sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 c flour
optional: Add 1/4 cup of mix-ins such as chocolate chips, golden raisins, organic shredded coconut or candied nuts).

You will do:
1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.
2. Spray 2 bread pans with your non stick spray.
3. Dust both pans with the cinnamon-sugar mix. You don't have to use it all, just enough to lightly coat the pan.

4. In a larger bowl, cream the coconut oil and remaining sugar together. Add eggs, bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Blend until well mixed.

5. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly incorporate into the banana mixture.

6. Divide batter between your pans.
7. Bake for 50-60 min, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
8. Allow to cool and enjoy with a smear of coconut oil.

Ready to bake some of your own banana bread with coconut oil? I thought so! Check out the giveaway below to enter to win a jar of coconut oil from Tropical Traditions. (ps - if you just can't wait - they are running a BOGO sale on their quart sizes of Gold Label! That's $20 for 2 quarts of amazing coconut oil!)

This giveaway is over - thanks to all for entering! 

Keep an eye out for more Pierogie Mama Giveaways.

Big long scary disclosure: I am not a health professional! Please consult your physician or other health official regarding any questions regarding health claims with any products. Nothing I have written here is intended to treat, cure or otherwise prevent any disease. I received a free sample of the product from Tropical Traditions for the review using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. This post contains affiliate links.   If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you. Giveaway is open to US residents, 18 years of age or older. Winners will be contacted via email and have 48 hour to respond before another winner is chosen. The Pierogie Mama is not responsible for prize fulfillment. 

Bone Broth in a Crockpot: Guest Post at Apronista

What do you do with the leftover carcass when you have one of those 

succulent rotisserie chickens for dinner? The bones and "gunky stuff" that are left over are perfect for making bone broth (or chicken stock) in a crockpot! Check out my recipe over at 

Apronista's monthly Crocktober extravaganza! 

Nigh-Night with Penny and Jack n Jill Natural Toothpastes

When Adam gets home from work Penny always runs to the front door with open arms screaming (in a way that only a little girl can) "daa-deeeeeeeeeee! daa-deeeeee!"

He swoops her up in his arms and they go upstairs so that he can change out of his work clothes and usually change her diaper too. I hear them chatter on the monitor that I keep in the kitchen as I take this parenting swap as my chance to get dinner done in peace. He asks her about all the different animals, she brings out her favorite toy of the day and usually will play a quick game of hide and seek behind his hanging shirts in the closet.

They come down and if I'm on my game, dinner is ready. If not, he sits down in the living room and she will bring him book after book to read. Once dinner is ready, we sit down, say our special grace and eat.

Since starting our renovation our after work routine has been a turned on its head a little, but we're powering through for the next couple weeks to get this major push done and hopefully soon we'll readjust for a new routine in this house.

But the nigh-night routine usually stays the same. Around 7:15, Adam asks Penny if she's ready for "nigh-night," and she almost always responds with a very enthusiastic and vehement "nigh-night!" We always laugh - I'm pretty sure there is no other kid on this planet who is as excited about nigh-night. It's probably because it's the longest nursing session of the day and we really enjoy our snuggle time together for the last time in the day.

However, since Penny finally got her 4th molar in, it's been on my mind that we need to start a tooth brushing routine. I know some parents start it earlier, and we had tried a few months ago, but it was met with too much push back. We didn't even use toothpaste, just a wet toddler toothbrush. But the time seems right, so I contacted Jack N' Jill Natural Toothpaste for kids.

Jack n Jill Natural Toothpaste is an Australian based company that started making their product in 1949. They make the commitment to using organic calendula (a natural healing and anti-inflammatory property), organic flavors, is SLS, fluoride and preservative free. Their ingredients list only contains ingredients that parents can recognize.

I got the chance (well, I should say that Penny did) to review two of their toothpaste flavors, the tooth and gum brush and a toothbrush that I hope will change the world - their compostable, biodegradeable toothbrush that is made of non-gmo cornstarch. I am really hoping that the US will soon follow the EU, Australia and Japan in their GMO restrictions.

Let me start by saying this - the seriously delicious flavor of these toothpastes somewhat throws a wrench into the seriousness that is dental hygiene. After all, isn't brushing your teeth supposed to be boring and not an entirely pleasurable experience? Thanks to the great flavor of these toothpastes, Penny is super excited about mama brushing her teeth for her and it takes all the hard work of pinning your toddler down to get their little pearlies all clean. Gosh! ;)

All silliness aside, making her toothpaste taste like real food that she eats (instead of sugary bubblegum or whatever else flavors they make for kids now) is in total line with how I am raising my daughter to approach food. Food (and everything we ingest, really) should be real, taste real, not be full of fake chemicals or run the risk of nasty side effects or possible health issues down the road. It's really tough finding products that can fit the entire bill, be sourceable and affordable. But for Penny's toothpaste - I'm all set. Thanks Jack N' Jill!

Another thing you should be aware of is how Jack N' Jill toothpastes measure up on the Environmental Working Group (EWG's) scale (you may be familiar with their annual report on sunscreens). All of them score a ZERO on the scale. That's the best you can get.

Connect with Jack N' Jill online, on facebook, and twitter.

Enter to win a Jack 'N Jill overnight set here!

Don't miss out by following me on Facebook, Twitter, via email or BlogLovin'!

Disclosure: Thank you Jack N' Jill for providing me with products to review and facilitate this post. All opinions and words expressed are my own. (And just because I have to cover myself, - These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please contact your medical professional with any concerns.)

How to Store Summer Strawberries

Last week, Penelope and I visited a local farm that grows all organic berries. Oh my.

In about 2 1/2 hours, I was able to pick 13.5 lbs of strawberries. How does one accomplish this with a toddler? (Many moms have asked me!). Well, I started out wearing her on my back in the Ergo. She wasn't happy about this, but tolerated this for about half an hour. It was pretty tiresome to bend over or kneel while wearing her on my back, and I knew she wasn't too comfortable either.

Once she started squirming in true discomfort, I let her out and run. She's pretty good about sticking close while she figures out the situation when we're in new environments, so she ran around within 5 feet of me for another 15 minutes. She also took advantage of foraging berries from my basket or off the bush - which I was sure to let the proprietress know about! As it goes with toddlers, her courage grew quickly and pretty soon she was off running in different rows or checking out the tractors close by. Sometimes she'd sneak up behind me and I'd find her in my strawberries...When we got home, we prepared the strawberries for freezing. I like to use frozen strawberries in our smoothies instead of ice, so I froze almost all of it! 

This is how I prepare berries for freezing (this is perfect for organically grown, though I would probably take greater care in cleaning them if they aren't organic).

You will need:
A big bowl of water
Distilled white vinegar
Berries of choice
Cookie Sheets
Cleared out space in your freezer
Freezer Bags

You will do:
1. Fill a bowl with a mixture of 2/3 cold water to 1/3 white vinegar.
2. Place berries into the bowl, allowing them to soak for about 5 minutes. Agitate with your fingers and rub off any dirt.
3. Place on a cookie sheet. I prefer mine not to touch each other, though if you don't care it doesn't make a difference.
4. Freeze for several hours. I just left mine overnight.
5. Once frozen solid, transfer into freezer bags.

I did reserve some for delicious strawberry shortcakes.. Which I made 2 nights in a row ;)

Monthly Its: Six - Two Thirteen

 Want to know what's been on my screen lately? 

My "Monthly Its" list will show you exactly that!

Firstly I'm really excited to introduce my sponsors for the month! Lisu from LeLa Studios makes lunch bags, totes, binder pouches and kids' messenger bags for school. Her prints are fun, unique and stylish. Our whole family has been using this lunch tote - Adam carrying his lunch to work and it's been a great place to keep Penny's snacks cool while we visited the zoo.

Hello my name is Lisu, the creator of LeLa Studio, an art lover, designer and crafter.  After graduating from Art Center College of Designs  I worked as a photographer at  major advertising agency for six years then got married and now am a stay at home mom of three.  With our busy family schedule I need something for myself to take me away from the daily family routine.  I am thrilled to see LeLa Studio is flourishing after being on Etsy for one year. It has been a fantastic experience for me.  I love what I do and best of all is being able to share my vision and creativity with a lot of people from different parts of the world.  At home, I have three lovely kids and a 200% supportive husband.  My workshop is full of fabrics. As a kid, I loved to go fabric store with my mom, it was like a candy store for me. Now it has become  an addiction but I am happy that I can use the fabrics I buy for my shop.  I enjoy it very much!!  

Wow, 3 children and she runs a successful business! Go Lisu! 

For you cloth diapering mamas be sure to check out Buttons Cloth Diapers ASAP! Amy, who is only weeks away from welcoming her second baby (a little boy!), is the sweet mama who is behind these super affordable cloth diapers. Be sure to come back here because 6/21 I'll be giving away a set of two covers and inserts here!

What else can I share with you?

• Did you know that most plastics aren't truly recyclable? On that thought, enter to win a handmade lunch tote through 6/20 from my lovely sponsor LeLa Studios, a pair of handmade sandwich baggies from Baby's Growing Up Green and a Citrus Zinger water bottle from Zing Anything.

• I really wish Planet Wise was around in the 1980's - check out my giveaway for a set of awesome wet/dry bags to accompany you on your summer travels! Perfect for cloth diapering families but sooo many other uses, like the pool or camping. This will be live from 6/11 - 6/25, check back daily because I've got tons of opportunities to increase your changes of winning.

• 8 tips for maintaining sanity when your partner is away.

• It's parenting, not syphillis. 

• Blueberry Lemon Oatmeal Bars - lawdhelpme!

• Most of us are familiar with the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean 15," right? Where do GMOs come in?

• A fruit/veggie wash that uses ordinary household ingredients

• I'm no sewing pro, but I *might* try making this baby girl 4th of July dress!

I hope you found a few things worth checking out here! Please keep an eye out for those upcoming giveaways and be sure to check out LeLa Studios and Buttons Cloth Diapers over on the right hand side.

Toddler Friendly Smoothies Using Avocado

I recently discovered how amazing it is to add an avocado to smoothies. My household has a certain love affair with avocados, so I decided to give this a shot after a friend recommended it to me. Not going to lie, this was an amazing discovery. I think avocado needs to find its way into every corner of my cooking. Into my cereal, into my coffee.. yea, that part I was kidding about.

Avocados are considered the perfect food by many, it's been said that an avocado contains many of the nutrients we need to survive. It's a great first food for babies as well - Penny was chowing down on slices by the fistful when we introduced her to foods via baby-led weaning. Hanna from Endless Simmer hilariously recants the etymology behind the word: "...avocado is a derivative of ahuacatl, which happens to be the Aztec word for testicle.  The avocado grows in pairs, dangling from the tree so suggestively that even the Aztecs noticed, pausing long enough from their daily blood sacrifice to chuckle to themselves and bestow the avocado with its legacy."  Will you ever look at avocados the same again? ;)


But isn't the hardest part first selecting the perfect avocado? Avocado Central has a great interactive widget to help you determine the stage of your avocado's ripeness.

The Freckled Avocado
mmm, our favorite!

• 1 ripe avocado 
• 5 medium to large frozen organic strawberries 
• 1 cup of plain or vanilla flavored Greek yogurt 
• 2 Tablespoons of local honey

The Tropical Avocado

• 1 ripe avocado 
• 1 peeled and frozen banana 
• 1 cup of plain or vanilla flavored Greek yogurt 
• 1 cup of fresh orange juice 
• 2 tablespoons of local honey

The Chocolate Avocado

• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 cup of plain or vanilla flavored Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder

The Red Avocado

• 1 ripe avocado 
• 1 cup fresh orange juice 
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries

A few that we'd like to try:

Beet- Avocado: from We are Not Martha

• 2 small beets
• 1 C vanilla soy milk (I used Silk Light)
• 3/4 C frozen berries
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 C baby spinach
• 1 scoop (10 grams) chia seeds

Avocado Apple: from Cooking Classy

• 1 medium ripe California avocado
• 1 large granny smith apple, chilled, cored and sliced
• 1 ripe banana, peeled and frozen
• 1 Navel orange, chilled and peeled
• 2 cups packed spinach
• 1 cup almond milk, chilled
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 tsp agave nectar or honey, or to taste (optional)
• 8 ice cubes (about 1 1/3 cups)

Avocado Mango: from Reboot with Joe

• 1 cup mango (fresh or frozen) 
• 3 handfuls spinach
• 1/4 avocado 
• 1 cup almond milk- add a little water if you like your smoothie thinner 

Do you like to add avocado to your smoothies? What is your favorite combination? 

The Pierogie Mama Whips Up Strawberry Pierogies!

Welcome to the April 2013 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Family Recipes

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants are sharing their recipes, their stories, their pictures, and their memories.

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Uhm, I'm a little embarrassed. I've been keeping this little blog for over a year and I have not once posted a recipe about pierogies. For shame!!

If you are unfamiliar with what the heck a pierogie is, you've come to the right place. In this blog's context, The Pierogie is my daughter, Penelope. That was what we called her before learned that she is a girl. For the rest of the world, a pierogie is a Polish dumpling. Kind of like ravioli, as the dough is very similar to pasta dough (with the exception of salt and olive oil). It is by far my most favorite food in the world and brings so many memories to mind each time I make them.

I am Polish by heritage - both of my parents immigrated from Poland, I grew up speaking Polish and all of my family still lives there. Growing up, I gained "aunts" and "uncles" via my parents' Polish friends and those sort of became my extended family. One of which is the lovely mama behind The Perogy Project - where she concocts both traditional and pretty-freaking-amazing off the wall renditions of pierogie fillings. Although pierogies are definitely made year round, my mom and I go into a pierogie making frenzy each year for Christmas Eve, Wigilia in Poland, and make several hundred...all of which are eaten. During my last visit to Poland at the age of 16, I got to make pierogies alongside my maternal grandmother and great-grandmother.. A memory I will always cherish. Those ladies make pierogies the old fashioned way - completely by hand. For me, although I love the old-worldedness of crafting your food with your hands, I confess I am often too rushed to take the time to knead out the dough by hand. Instead, I ensure this important task to the workhorse of my kitchen - my beloved KitchenAid.

The recipe I'll be sharing with you today is one of the easiest ways to prepare pierogies. It is one of my favorite ways to eat pierogies - with sweet strawberry filling.

You will need:
Dough:
3 cups of flour  + 1/2 a cup in case
1 egg
a tall glass of cold water
Filling:
3 cups of chopped strawberries
1/2 teaspoon of cream of wheat
1 teaspoon of sugar

You'll do:
1. You can use a KitchenAid or your hands for the dough, but truth be told even if you start out with the KitchenAid, you will eventually switch over to kneading with your hands so be prepared (take your rings off). Mix the 3 cups of flour, egg and about 1/2 cup of the cold water. The goal is to get the dough into play-dough consistency. So add more flour or water as you see necessary. Eventually you'll see the dough come mostly together, so remove it from the mixer and start kneading by hand until it is well incorporated. The dough should not be sticky or overly dry.

2. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set aside to rest for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare your strawberry filling by chopping the strawberries. I used frozen organic strawberries today because strawberries are not in season. Transfer the strawberries into a bowl, sprinkle with the cream of wheat and sugar. The cream of wheat is to help keep the filling together a little. If you don't have any on hand, it is not absolutely vital.

3. Working with a little bit of dough at a time (and keeping the dough you're not using covered so it doesn't try out), roll it out on a floured surface. Keep both sides of the dough and your rolling pin lightly floured. Roll it out to be about as thick as you would see ravioli dough being. You can see that I can almost see my fingers through the dough, but you don't want it too thin (the pierogies will break) or too thick (the dough flavor will overpower your pierogies). It's sort of a learning process.





4. Using a raviloi/pierogie press (I bought mine at a kitchen store) or a large cup, press out circles in your dough.




5. If you are using the pierogie press, lay a circle onto the press and fill the center with filling. You don't want to overfill it, because that will cause the pierogie to break when you boil it. If you don't have a pierogie press, you can easily do this by hand. I go back and forth between how I like to make mine - I enjoy putting the time and effort into hand pressing these pierogies together, but using the press is faster and they tend to seal better. It's up to you.



  

6. As you press each pierogie together, lay them on a well floured baking pan. If you leave them on an unfloured surface for too long, the dough will stick and you will have a ruined pierogie. Sad!




7. You can freeze these immediately (see below for freezing instructions) or cook them up right away. Prepare a pot of boiling water, dunk 5-6 pierogies at a time and boil until they float.










8. To serve, lay them on a dish and slather in unsalted butter with a sprinkle of sugar! Sooo good. These remind me of summer afternoons visiting with my babcia in Poland.

9. To freeze: Arrange the pierogies on a floured baking sheet, as instructed above. Freeze in your freezer until they are solid. Transfer them to ziplock bags for up to 3 months - if you can practice enough self restraint not to eat these morning, noon and night!

Alternatives:
This dough recipe can be used for all flavors of pierogies. The Perogy Project features a recipe for Saskatoon berry filling (for you Canucks), or you can replace blueberries in my recipe above, meat fillings (such as beef, pork, chicken, turky), potato and cheese ("Ruske," my favorite!), sauerkraut and mushroom.. Oh yes, the possibilities go on.


And as we Poles say,

***

Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• German Red Cabbage: A Family Tradition — At Living Peacefully with Children, Mandy shares her favorite dish and a part of her family's history.
• Rotisserie Chicken Recipes for Meal Planning — Becky at Crafty Garden Mama shares a new recipe that is in her family's meal-planning rotation. Check out how she uses a rotisserie chicken to get through the week.
• Grandma Wicken's Sugar Cookies — Jana Falls at Jananas talks about how special her Grandma's sugar cookies made her feel.
• Recipe: Seed and Bean Burgers — ANonyMous at Radical Ramblings shares one of her favourite frugal recipes that is also super-healthy and totally delicious.
• PULLING Dinner Together For the Kids – Crockpot Pulled Pork — Lisa at The Squishable Baby PULLS dinner together for the kids.
• The Best Banana Muffin Recipe (Gluten Free & Vegan) — Dionna of Code Name: Mama's adventures in gluten free baking have not been 100% successful. But today she is guest posting at Fine and Fair to share a banana muffin recipe that will knock your socks off!
• The Pierogie Mama Whips Up Strawberry Pierogies! — Bianca at The Pierogie Mama shares her family's recipe for strawberry pierogies…a sweet, summery version of the Polish dumplings that she affectionately named her daughter after.
• Mom's Cookbook — Tree at Mom Grooves digs into the big book her mom created for her six daughters and shares a favorite family recipe.
• Crispy Duck Confit — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama takes the liberty of starting a family recipe tradition with this super simple, totally delicious crispy duck confit.
• Stovetop BBQ Chicken — Amy at Me, Mothering, and Making it All Work shares a yummy BBQ chicken recipe that you can make on the stovetop in less than 25 minutes, fridge to table!
• Twice-Baked Sweet Potato Casserole w/Bacon — Martine at Whey Beyond the Naked Truth shares a naked food twist on an old family favorite!
• Strawberry Panna Cotta — KerryAnn at CookingTF.com shows you her favorite dessert, a quick and easy Strawberry Panna Cotta that she enjoys so much, she had it instead of a birthday cake this year.
• Special crepes for a special day — Mikko at Hobo Mama is learning to cook his grandma's signature holiday meal alongside his dad.
• Three Favorite Family Recipes: To Eat, To Wash, To Play — Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings is back with three family favorites: gluten-free vanilla orange sugar cookies, DIY powdered laundry detergent, and something fun for the kids: homemade "Flubber"!
• Black Bean Soup Forever — Mercedes at Project Procrastinot shares a soup recipe that's been around forever.
• Do you want to know a secret? — SRB at Little Chicken Nuggets lets go of her mac and cheese recipe, a comfort food favourite for friends and family for years.
• Creating Our Own Family Recipes — Emily at S.A.H.M. i AM shares how she's trying to create meals that her girls will want to pass down to their own children some day.
• Vranameer Chicken: A Family Recipe — Luschka at Diary of a First Child shares a recipe that reminds her of childhood and more specifically, of her mother. It's a South African take on sweet and sour chicken and what it lacks in healthy it makes up for in tantalising to the taste buds.
• One Recipe, Three Uses: Dishwasher Liquid Detergent, Dish Soap, and Hand Soap — If you love saving money and time, you'll love this green recipe from Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama, guest posting at Natural Parents Network.
• Our Family's Favorite Pies — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares recipes and tutorials for the quintessential American dessert.
• Deliciously Easy Crock Pot Chili — Lactating Girl shares her crock pot chili that is not only quick and easy, but awesome.
• All-Purpose Crock Pot Pork — Crunchy Con Mommy's simple "recipe" for cooking perfect pork in the crock pot is for whatever mood her family is in!
• Family Rules: A Recipe for Harmony — Cooped-up kids + winter weather + frazzled parents can all blend together into a recipe for disaster. Dionna at Code Name: Mama shares what brought back the peace in her house.
• Favorite Healthy Family Recipes — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares her family’s healthy eating experiences along with links to free printable vegetarian recipes that her family has created with love.
• Grandma's Banana Bread — Megan at The Boho Mama has early and fond memories of her grandma's banana bread. It's love in a loaf!
• Family Comfort Food — Jorje of Momma Jorje shares a recipe handed down that moms have made for their kids, for regular meals as well as to comfort.