Baked Coconut Lentils - Recipe

This is a delicious Indian-inspired version of baked beans from Whole Foods. Experiment with the spices, dates and coconut - add or subtract as needed. Tastes even better second day around.
Baked Coconut Lentils:
1 tablespoon EV Organic Coconut Oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1 pound Organic Lentils
1 cup pitted dates, chopped
2 teaspoons gluten-free reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce
1/2 cup shredded coconut

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in ginger and turmeric and cook 1 minute. Add 6 cups water, lentils and dates and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir in tamari and transfer lentils to a 2-quart baking dish or casserole. Cover and bake 30 minutes, then uncover, top with coconut and bake 15 to 20 minutes longer or until lentils are tender and coconut is golden.

Mama's Pissed Off

"Whether you give or share, are kind or not, never let your grace fall."

This have been kinda hard for me to do lately. I try, really I do, to be a patient and loving person, and especially to demonstrate those qualities to Nolan. But my crazy little man demands so much from me. Sometimes when my patience is wearing thin, something, or someone, else takes my focus, my "grace", and turns me into a real B!%#$!!

As the mom of a potty-training toddler, using the handicap bathroom (especially with a stroller) is very convenient. Of course, I always look for a family bathroom first, but if that is not available, the handicap one is second-best. I am sure other moms in my situation can relate to how frustrating it is when a perfectly capable person emerges from the handicap stall when there were plenty of empty regular stalls to use. It's even more annoying when that able-bodied person is yapping away on their cell while sitting on the toilet in the handicap stall. My heart breaks for the truly handicapped person who relies on the bars to literally use the toilet.

All public bathrooms need attendant to make sure that the faucets work, soap is full and there are plenty of TP and paper towels. Employments rates are low - here's a good job for someone!

This has happened to me on numerous occasions. With Nolan in the stroller, I am approaching the front door of a store. A person is either in front of me or coming out of the store, clearly sees me (makes eye contact), and then does not hold the door for me! I am usually so close that I catch the door before it closes all the way. How hard would that be to hold the door? On one occasion, it was an EMT/Fireman. As we both approached the door, he got to it first. I though he would hold it for me, but no, he just walked in and let the door close behind him. (he was off duty, getting lunch).

I was recently in a church's family bathroom. The room was large and had a little nook, with a plastic desk chair and a boppy. Is this where they expected their breastfeeding patrons to nurse their child? In a bathroom? And what about the other families that need to use that bathroom - wouldn't it be easier for everyone if the breastfeeding mom used another location? Strange.

Next time, just think about all the things a breastfeeding, stroller-pushing, potty-training, chasing-after-her-kid mom has to deal with everyday, and HELP HER OUT!

Humans....Animals Living in Captivity

"To forget how to dig the Earth and to tend the Soil is to forget Ourselves" - Ghandi

Ok, this is something that I have been thinking about lately and I'm gonna go a little far-out there on this post. Not because I think we should literally live like an animal. No, I enjoy modern technology, living in an air-conditioned house and shopping for my food (not hunting for it!). But, because I do want people to remember that we ARE animals, and to understand that we still have the same basic needs, physiology and instincts as an animal, even if we DO live in a modern world.

Food: You would not feed a dog something other then dog food and water. Treats are exactly that - a treat, to be given sparingly, maybe once a day. (I am also very picky about my dog's food, and prefer to feed her mostly real meat, quinoa and veggies as she would find in nature). You would not feed a dog a cookie or candy or soda - that would make them sick! So then why would you feed yourself or your kid that stuff? Eat what is innate for your body and prepare to be amazed how good you feel!

Exercise:  All people can agree that animals need exercise, but rarely make time to exercise themselves. Most people will take their dog to the dog park to run around while they sit on the bench. We feel guilty if the dog doesn't get to play because we know that they need it; its VITAL to their life! Guess what? Exercise is also vital for human life, too!  

Birth: Would you drive your dog to the vet to birth her puppies? That seems odd. No, you would leave her alone to nest and let her birth her babies when she is ready. You would not induce her, monitor her or even be with her. You would quietly wait, excited for the miracle of life. But when a human mother is in labor, it turns into an emergency. How quickly can we get her to the hospital? How quickly can she get the baby out? As humans, we enjoy the support of others with us during birth. But we have forgotten our instincts and trust in our bodies to do exactly what they were designed to do.



Mama looks happy and relaxed as she nurses her 4 pups

 Bonding and Breastfeeding: No one would even think about seperating a puppy from it's mother after birth. In fact, many species will reject the newborn if touched by a human. When you get a puppy, the owner will not give it away until the puppy has naturally weaned from the mother. For animals, we can all agree that Mother's Milk is all the baby needs. They all sleep together, nurse on demand, and are rarely interfered with. Why is this any different for humans? Why are human babies wisked away from the mother, cleaned off and given a bottle immediatly?

Someone once told me, "You're really calm and relaxed for a first-time mother." Am I? I try to follow Mother Natures path when parenting Nolan. I follow my instincts, and stay strong to what I believe. It may be different then other parents, but it is what works for us and I think it is what Nature intended.

A "Baby-Led" Lifestyle

"Baby-led weaning", "Baby-led sleeping", and "Baby-led eating solids" might be new "Buzz words" to some parents, but this concept is really old. While many "experts" believe that keeping a baby on a schedule is best and certain milestones should happen at specific stages in a baby's life, I think that the babies are the experts! Babies are incredibly smart, more then we give them credit for. They are not aware of "stages", or days, weeks and months, or even time. They are very in tune to their bodies, and know what they want, when they want it. We must remember that in the first years of a babies life, they are developing and growing very fast and every day is different for them. Their "schedule", whether its sleeping, eating or playing will vary. It doesn't mean that they are not on a schedule. They are - their schedule! And that means sometimes when a baby takes a longer nap, they needed it, and yes, you may not get to the store, but that is what your baby needed to stay well!

Think about a time when you were extra tired and really wanted to sleep in or take a mid-day nap. This is your body's way of recovering or fighting off a cold. If you powered through your day, ignoring your needs, you might end up sick.

By letting your baby lead, with your gentle guidance of course, you are meeting your baby's needs.

Some might say that "Nolan runs the show", but for our family, the baby-led lifestyle works best. We do not fight over schedules because we let Nolan lead the way. He knows best what he needs. When Nolan seemed interested in solid foods, we let him try a little, and slowly added more and more into his diet. If he did not like something, we never pushed it, but just tried introducing it another day. By only offering healthy foods, those are the foods that he had a taste for and an option to choose from. Now that he is older and can recognize foods, keeping only healthy foods in the house is imperative. If he opens the refrigerator or cupboard and sees something he wants, he can have it. Starting Solid Foods...When?, Starting Solid Foods...What?, Starting Solid Foods...How?

I have not stop nursing him because he still uses my "liquid gold" for comfort and to help him fight off colds. He will wean completely when he is ready.

When it came to using the potty, it was a slow and gentle introduction. We are still working on it, but always with praise.

We co-sleep, and Nolan has mostly followed our sleeping schedule. And sometimes recently, he will choose to sleep on the floor on some pillows. I think his way of finding his own space and "practicing" sleeping on his own. He is weaning himself out of our bed. We have never had a "bed-time" fight, because we all go to bed together and he feels safe and secure. Sometimes he will fall asleep while we watch evening TV, sometimes he won't. As for naps, he usually takes a nap around 1:00pm - 3:00pm, but again that varies from day to day.  I know he is tired around that time, but instead of forcing him to the bed at a certain time, we cuddle on the couch or in bed, nurse and he eventually falls asleep when he is ready.



7/2011:
Rocky Mountain National Park, CO.



When it comes to playing, climbing and exercising we let Nolan try what he wants when he is ready. I have noticed that he will observe everything from the sidelines first and then try. Or he will play first on the item he is familiar with (say the swing), before progressing to something new (the rock wall). With our guidance and supervision, we let him climb, hang, swing, jump, swim., bike and roll. I try not to be that "over-protective" parent. This is the only way he will learn his body's limits.

By following Nolan's lead, we save alot of time and tears. He is happy, content and secure; and we feel that we are happier, less-stressed and better parents.

Guilt-Free Sandwiches

I love sandwiches! I could literally eat one every day for lunch - peanut butter and jelly, BLT's, grilled cheese and tomato, and any other combnation of bread, cheese and meat.

Problem - almost everything on that sandwich is not good for you. Traditional Bread - full of inflammatory grains, sugars and preservatives; Mayo - check out that label first!; Deli Meat/Bacon - can you say sodium, preservatives and I don't know of a deli meat that is grass-fed free-range; Cheese - unless is raw, organic, unpasteurized cheese, I would not eat it. Again, look at ingredients in the label; Peanut Butter - Peanuts are inflammatory, and oils that PB is made with (corn/cottonseed/safflower) are also inflammatory and GMO; Jelly - check your labels for organic fruits, no HFCS or aspartame.

Solution - learn some simple alternatives to switch to that will keep you satisfied. And, you might just fall in love with a "new" sandwich.

• Bread - we only use Ezekiel Bread, which is USDA Certified Organic, and made with sprouted seeds/grains. You can also look for gluten-free breads made with rice flour.
• Mayo - you can make your own, or look for organic and/or vegan alternatives.
• Meat - avoid deli meat at all costs. Instead you can use thinly sliced or ground chicken, turkey, beef (organic, free-range, antibiotic/hormone-free)...and see my "meat alternative" below.
• Almond Butter - use this instead of PB. And, you can make your own in your blender. Almonds, coconut oil, a little salt, honey and cinnamon.
• Jelly - you can made your own fruit purees from organic fruits. And, I love almond butter and banana toasted sandwiches.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers:
Grill up a large Portobello Mushroom. While it's grilling, lightly brush both sides several times with a mixture of Balsamic Vinaigrette, S&P, and Ground Cumin, Oregano and Basil. When tender, remove, place on a Ezekiel Bread Hamburger Bun. Add spicy mustard to bun and top "burger" with and a slice of raw Cheddar cheese, alfalfa sprouts and avocado (and any other veggies you like). Portobello Mushrooms are thick and have a "meaty" texture. You will think you are eating a hamburger without the guilt!

Grilled Eggplant Sandwiches:
Cut eggplant into thin circles (my new favorite type is the Japanese/Oriental Eggplant!). Brush with EVCO, sprinkle with S&P and your favorite seasonings and grill until soft. Place on Ezekiel Bread, or Food for Life Gluten-free Rice Bread. Add mustard/mayo. Top with raw mozzarella, tomato and arugula. Toast lightly to melt cheese and enjoy! Very filling and tasty!

If you choose to make these sandwiches vegan, just substitute the cheese.