This is a guest post from Jamie Larrison of The Herbal Spoon. With Christmas right around the corner and advent officially begun, gifts have been on my mind lately. What to get for friends and family that they’ll like, they don’t already have, aren’t expensive, and that they’ll actually use. Handmade items fit the bill for everyone on my list, but I had to do some research first to make sure my DIY was safe. My first introduction to handmade skincare and bodycare items was through an … [Read more...]
6 Must-Have Herbs to Keep Your Kids Healthy This Winter {GUEST POST}
I told Donielle I wasn't all that into herbs and that she couldn't get me excited about them. She's going to try anyway. ;) A little peek behind the scenes for you today - as a blogger, I'm in a lot of "groups" online and interact with people from all over. We spend a lot of time talking both business and family, in text and in person on Skype/Hangout meetings, and I get to the point where I truly know these gals. They're good friends, and yet I've never met them. <<<such a weird … [Read more...]
How to Make Fish Broth That Doesn’t Taste Fishy (Plus Recipe for Cioppino)
This is a guest post from Craig Fear of Fearless Eating. Nothing quite stirs my soul like the taste of the sea in the form of soups made with fish broth. With each succulent slurp I feel a deep connection to the coastal places I’ve lived and visited. And yet, I know that statement sends shivers of fishy horror down many peoples' spines. I can hear the collective voice of fish haters everywhere… Fish broth?! Blech! As a Nutritional Therapist I am constantly reminded how off-putting … [Read more...]
Easy Naturally Fermented Apple Salsa Recipe
This is a guest post from Jo at Nourishing Time. Ferments are an area I feel I've been lacking in here at KS so I'm glad to welcome her with this yummy recipe! Fermented foods are key to healing your gut as I said in yesterday's post, 100 Steps to Healing Your Gut... Apple salsa is super simple, so delicious and quite versatile! We love to eat it on its own, or thrown into a yummy grilled chicken salad. When fermented, it adds a host of beneficial bacteria and increases the nutrients … [Read more...]
Healthy Gluten-Free Granola: So Easy, Even Your Kids Can Make It
Feeding kids healthfully is probably one of the hardest jobs on the planet and I'm not exaggerating. Especially when school is back in session and we have to not only feed them a healthy breakfast, but also pack them healthy lunches. Skipping breakfast is not an option. It can lead to irritable kiddos who misbehave or are not at their best at school. As a real food momma there have been times I've wished I could go back to the simplicity of a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Yet I know, while … [Read more...]
Is Wi-Fi in Your Child’s School? A Parent’s Guide to Taking Control
This post is by guest writer Andrea Fabry of It Takes Time. Nearly half of all elementary schoolers, even more middle schoolers, and 71 percent of all high schoolers have wireless access at school. These numbers are sure to be outdated soon, as more and more school districts add Wi-Fi and eliminate wired connections. Is your child’s school one of them? Note from Katie: My daughter is starting her third year of school as the first class to have iPads in the classrooms. Yes, every … [Read more...]
Un-Frazzled and Un-Entitled: 4 Ways to Have Drama-Free Time With Family {GUEST POST}
This post is from Parenting Expert and Author Amy McCready. Ever feel like there should be foreboding background music playing when it comes to dealing with family dinnertime? Trying to serve real food and have real family time - when you’re really just frazzled and overwhelmed? I get it. I’ve been there. But, you know how it goes - when we’re frazzled, our families are frazzled. And that’s the perfect recipe for drama, chaos, frustration and even entitlement…think kids watching us … [Read more...]
5 Easy Tricks for Make-Ahead Meals
This is a guest post from Jessica Fisher of Good Cheap Eats and Life as Mom. I believe all of us have time to prepare a home-cooked meal. C’mon, you could probably pull together a meal in less than 30-minutes, right? It might not be a five-course event, but it would be nutritious and probably represent all the food groups. Note from Katie: I always think I can make a 30-minute meal, but I'm always wrong! If you are frustrated that dinner prep always seems to take an hour even for "easy" … [Read more...]
5 Reasons Kids Just Aren’t Healthy Today
This is a guest post from Lydia Joy, certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and blogger at Lydia Joy. Too fat. Too lazy. Too wired. Too busy. Too self-centered. Too violent. Sigh. We hear enough negative things about the kids in America…that aren't all even true. Do we really need to hear more? This is a tough topic to write about, partly because no one wants to hear the truth. It's bleak, it's painful, it's raw for the mamas and it just plain old sucks. Before … [Read more...]
Why Cutting Gluten and Grains Didn’t Fix my IBS Symptoms {GUEST POST}
This is a guest post from Suzanne Perazzini, author of The Low FODMAP 6-Week Plan & Cookbook and Strands of My Life. I thought everyone hurt after they ate. No one talked about the condition of one's internal organs when I was growing up, so I didn't realize that the pain I felt after each meal wasn't normal. I'm so grateful that finally, the puzzle pieces started falling into place a few years ago when I discovered a surprising diet that would eventually make me … [Read more...]
Monday Mission: Make Your Own Cranberry Juice {GUEST POST}
This is a guest post from a generous reader, Linda, who responded to my request for "reader driven" Monday Missions. I have frozen cranberries that I never know what to do with, so I hoped this recipe idea would be helpful to others, too, especially while cranberries are on sale this month (and usually clearanced out after Christmas, FYI). And yes, I know it's a Tuesday...can I have a "bye" on keeping my calendar organized since I'm still on partial maternity leave? Everyone loves … [Read more...]
Large Family Logistics: Real Food on a Budget {GUEST POST}
The following is a post from Georganne Schuch of Mom To Many Girls. Feeding a family, especially a large family, requires the financial savvy of an accountant, the gourmet finesse of a chef crossed with the flexibility of a short-order cook, and the organizational skills of a project manager. And that’s just for starters. Once you stray into the territory of healthy eating or real food foraging or whatever the vogue phrase-of–the-day is, you need to mix all of the above with the tenacity of … [Read more...]
Has Morning Sickness Got You Down? Learn the Ultimate Secret Remedy {GUEST POST}
The following is a guest post from Emilie from The Toups Address. Down for the Count That's where I live during the entire 1st trimester of my pregnancies, and this one was no exception. Nausea, vomiting, dizziness and total general fog! It’s no fun and any momma that has experienced these horrible symptoms knows exactly what I’m talking about. I mean how am I going to take care of these two toddlers daily with 24/7 stomach virus symptoms with no end in sight? Could it be a Magnesium … [Read more...]
Does Your Diet Affect Your Hormones? {GUEST POST}
This is a guest post from Jennifer Dages of The Entwife's Journal and Purposeful Nutrition. At first glance many people would say no. Hormones are a whole separate system from what you eat. There shouldn't be any relationship. But the truth is the two are closely related. Common Health Issues Insulin Resistance Insulin resistance is the condition when the insulin needed to move glucose into the body's cells is not sufficient and the pancreas needs to pump out ever increasing levels of … [Read more...]
Well-Sourced Beef: What You Need to Know {GUEST POST}
A couple of years ago I had a guest post on sourcing beef from field to table. Food research and thoughts are always changing, so I'm excited to welcome Caryl Elzinga of Alderspring Ranch today to give a great overview of how to source beef for your family. Sourcing The Best Beef You want to be a good steward of your money and your family’s health. You know what you want when you buy beef. You want it grass fed, and to you that means the animal lived on pasture and ate pasture until it was … [Read more...]
Maple Roasted Acorn Squash Soup Recipe {GUEST POST}
This is a guest post from Renee Kohley of Raising Generation Nourished. Acorn squash is one of my favorite fall veggies. I am actually a sucker for all things squash in the fall, but the sweet flavor and buttery texture of acorn squash gets me every time. It is simple to work with (i.e. you won’t break your knife trying to cut it!), and doesn’t require a lot of prep or secret ingredients to make it taste incredible. Looking for more soup recipes? You won't want to miss the eBook Winter … [Read more...]
Are You Sitting Down? Why You Shouldn’t Be {GUEST POST}
A few years ago, family friends invited us over to their place for lunch. The wife is Slovak and the husband is Egyptian, and the smell of falafel frying, fava bean soup simmering, and cumin with tomatoes was enough to make my mouth water long before lunch was ready. I was a little surprised that when we went to eat, they laid out a tablecloth on the living room floor and we all sat down on the floor. This is a guest post from Naomi Huzovicova of Almost Bananas. I shouldn't have been … [Read more...]
One Simple Item to Put in Your Refrigerator to Make Life Easier {GUEST POST}
Please welcome Lisa Woodruff from Organize 365 back this week with her final guest post. I really enjoyed reading this post and love her creative ideas! Make sure you check out her whole series. I remember the first time I put a Lazy Susan inside of my refrigerator. Refrigerator organization is not easy. For years I have continued to refine what works in my and my clients' refrigerators. The number one tip that I use in every single refrigerator is using Lazy Susans. When I first took a … [Read more...]
10 Ways to Use Shoe Boxes to Organize Your Kitchen {GUEST POST}
Katie's Note: I'm so happy to have Lisa Woodruff from Organize 365 back again this week after last week's "paper clutter reduction" post resonated with so many readers. I trust her professional organizing tips can help you organize your kitchen supplies wherever you are in your real food journey. Quick and Easy Organizing You don't need fancy organizers, new cabinets or a professional organizer to make a big difference in your kitchen. Often, simple organizers that you already have around your … [Read more...]
Organizing Your Kitchen: 7 Kinds of Paper Clutter (& Some Friendly Disagreement) {GUEST POST}
This post is part one in a series of three from Lisa at Organize 365. She'll be focusing on ways to organize your kitchen this month and I hope you come back each week to read more and then visit her blog to find ways to organize your entire home. What I love most about having Lisa as a guest is two-fold -- both how much I'll learn from her and how many times we'll totally disagree! I picked up a few new gems from this post but also a few I know absolutely would not fit my style...and that's … [Read more...]
