Though I’ve been somewhat low in iron in previous pregnancies, this was the first time I truly felt the physical effects of the deficiency. And in fact, this isn’t only a pregnancy-related issue, but being low in iron be a common struggle for women as we routinely lose blood (and therefore iron) with our monthly…
By Kelly Smith, Contributing Writer When life gets busy, turn on your slow cooker! At least that’s my motto. And right now, things couldn’t be busier. With baseball season in full swing, I’m playing chauffeur to two active boys four days a week. My guess is … I’m probably not alone. It’s a common challenge of moms…
By Hilary Bernstein, Contributing Writer After years of marriage, date nights have the potential to become a bit humdrum. Especially when a husband and wife are tired from the busyness of daily life – of if they’re spending most at-home hours as dad and mom – date nights may even be pushed aside. Speaking from experience, I know…
This post was originally published at Simple Organic. Have you ever received a topical prescription from a doctor, such as an anti-fungal or anti-bacterial cream? Or used a topical pain reliever for a mouth sore (or for your baby’s teething)? What about a birth control patch that slowly releases hormones? Why do these products work…
Guest post by Tiffany Terczak I’ll be the first to admit — this is the time of year when we typically throw caution out the window. We toss aside “healthy” recipes and reach for the shortening and corn syrup and pre-packaged short-cuts that we’ve always used, all for the sake of tradition. I’m including myself…
By Rebecca, Contributing Writer There really is no such thing as a “typical” day in my house. I grew up without a mom, so becoming a mother four years ago was quite challenging to me in that I didn’t have an example of my own to emulate. This resulted in a kind of go-with-my-gut approach to parenting that…
By;Kelly Smith,;Contributing Writer Five years ago if someone would have told me that I was soon to become a grain-free food blogger and cookbook author, I would have replied, “what in the world?”; That’s because I had no idea that anyone wrote about food outside of the arena of cookbooks and cooking magazines. On top…
With back-to-school already in full swing for some Americans, and starting up in less than 4 weeks here in Canada, it seemed like we should talk about breakfasts for those busy school mornings. Especially for those that need to get out of the door by a certain time, but even for those of us who…
By Jami Leigh, Contributing Writer As the long, hot, lazy days of summer drag on, I dread starting my oven at night to cook dinner. We have a nice swamp cooler in our house but once that oven gets going (especially to make a 40-minute dinner), our house heats up and it just gets too hot!…
Image by Larry Hoffman Guest Post by Kate Tietje There’s nothing worse than looking at the clock and realizing you need to have dinner on the table, soon. Only you have no idea what to make. (Hmm…pantry staples to the rescue!) It happens to all of us. Some more often than others! With some simple…
Image by Miriam Our blender sees a lot of action once the warm weather hits. We’re smoothie fiends all year long, but our cravings go into overdrive during summer. For my family, there is nothing like a frosty glass of something smooth and sweet, not to mention how easy it is to use smoothies to…
I don’t know about you, but I just feel overwhelmed sometimes when it comes to making healthy meals for my family. After a long day of blogging, cleaning, housework, laundry, bills, and chasing down my very active twin boys, I just don’t have the energy (or the time) to put into making delicious and healthy…
One of my family’s favorite Christmas traditions is to make homemade gifts in a jar. And the wonderful thing is, they’re as much fun to make together, as they are to give to others! Simply layer the ingredients of a treasured recipe in a jar, then add a festive ribbon and tag, and there you…
This post was originally published in December 2012–but we thought you would love a reminder about these delicious holiday lattes you can make in your crock pot! By Rachel, Contributing Writer There is just something about the holidays that seems to make people want to warm up to a piping hot latte. Did you know…
By Emily McClements, Contributing Writer Young kids in the kitchen and saving time in the kitchen are not two things that you usually see together in the same sentence, right?! I’ll be the first to raise my hand and admit that when my kids are in the kitchen with me that we often waste more…
If there’s one thing we can agree upon it is that cooking real food takes time. I’ve learned that as my children get older, the less time I seem to have in the kitchen. With homeschool, sports and other extracurricular activities, sometimes you just need to get food on the table… fast! So, is it…
By Kresha, Contributing Writer I love big feasting holidays. I love the excuse to gather with people I love to give thanks for the blessings in our lives, I love the little traditions that spring up over the years, and I LOVE the food. But when it’s a large meal with more food than can…
One of the most important things I’ve learned over the years, especially since having children, is that optimal nutrition and care for our body’s well being is the key to staying healthy during the cold and flu season. Unfortunately, as we all know, the last few months of every year can be stressful for many…
By Natalie, Contributing Writer It’s Monday, September 9, 2013. This is week two of school. Ready. Set. GO! 6:30 a.m. I roll out of bed, shower, dress, throw in a load of laundry, bring up a tray of cured soap (I own and operate Apple Valley Natural Soap), grab some coffee and sit down in…
By Andrea, Contributing Writer In the next few weeks, the kiddos will be heading back to school and it will be important to give them a healthy breakfast so they can focus on learning. Oatmeal is an inexpensive breakfast staple. I can often find organic oats on sale at the bulk bins for just $0.49/pound….
By Kate Tietje, Contributing Writer One of the aspects we enjoy most about the summer is the warm weather. As soon as the sun starts peaking out and tendrils of warmth drift through the air, we are ready to go outside! We’re a bit past that now, seeing that it’s the middle of June. We’ve…
By Stacy Myers, Contributing Writer I get questions a lot from women who want to know how to get their husband on board with their new healthy diet. I’ve been very blessed to be married to a man who pretty much goes with the flow of my kitchen journeys – and I’ve taken him on a…
If you are like me, weekday mornings are very busy. You’re getting the backpacks packed, the curriculum prepared on homeschooling days, the water bottles filled and lunch boxes ready to go… and the very thought of breakfast puts me even more behind. So I love the thought of easy breakfasts. Who doesn’t?? Here is a rundown of…
Written by Rachel, contributing writer Are you working to ditch processed foods and put more real food on the table? This month we’re running a series called Real Food Made Simple: A Beginner’s Guide to Eating Better. Our goal is to answer the questions you might have and make the transition a whole lot easier!…