Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Coquitlam Mommy Newsletter February 15/2011

I apologize for the delay on this Newsletter! I unfortunately was called in for dental work that has set me behind schedule and has taken a few days to get back on schedule. 

This week there were several changes on our Facebook Page due to their new 'page' updates. All Events and Discussions will now be listed on the side bar, as it is done on your personal page. We have also changed the name of our group on Facebook to embrace our growing community. We greatly appreciate your feedback and submissions for content. All of this is allowing us to meet the interests of our members and the diverse nature of our group. 

We are also still running a '5 Pound Challenge' on the Coquitlam Mommy Page. For those that have not signed up yet, please do! There is a $50 coupon for Lululemon up for grabs and only takes you sharing your fitness and nutrition tips that you use to get your self to your most comfortable you! If you havent signed up, you should check this out as the content has been very helpful for the group and keeps us buzzing on our walks and play dates.

Please be sure to also share our page with others as you never know what they will contribute or take away for their families. 

Last Weeks Highlights


Coquitlam Mommy Page Blog Highlights
Also there has been a huge amount of discussion about the programs that are cost conscious in the Tri-Cities area! As many of us are on EI or some sort of reduced income with the addition of our little ones, I have started to put together a local calendar to refer to for events under $5 or FREE! Check out this link on our Facebook Page for more info! Calendar Link

Coquitlam Mommy Page started with 9 women who had taken a prenatal class at Douglas College in Winter 2010. After having our reunion to meet all the babies, we discovered that all of our group was wanting to get out, get active with the babies and share our experiences. We started with a group walk at Rocky Point for 5 km that grew to numbers of 15 on sunny days in the summer, and we have grown from there. As the months have gone on we have shared everything from diaper choices, places to find deals, highchair options, breast feeding issues, events to attend together and everything else that a new mom may need to chat about. We are still growing and have been greatly inspired by all the new members that share and attend our events. In short we are here as a community for mom's in the Tri-cities and elsewhere to discuss issues and ideas with other moms. With all the information out there, it is fantastic to hear what real moms are doing. 



Lil Page Turners of the Week



Belly Button Book (Boynton on Board)The Belly Button Book by Sandra Boynton (submitted by Raheel SI found this book on sale at Winners one day and flipped through it in the store and was hooked. I loved the cute cartoon hippos and the belly button song in an instant. The author has a great sense of rhythm and rhyme. The illustrations are super cute and eye catching. Who wouldn’t want to spend time on Belly Button Beach where hippos spend their time walking in bathing suits too little, so you can admire the button on their middle!


On the Stereo for Lil Ears


Mainly Mother Goose
Mainly Mother Goose: Sharon Lois and Bram. After discussing Sharon Lois and Bram with a fellow mom, I have now opened my eyes to the fact that not all of us grew up with this crazy 3 musicians. If you have not purchased one of their albums I would recommend it as they are always great to sing along to!




This Weeks Event Highlights

Sasamat / White Pines Walk

This will be a refreshing walk for parents wanting to get out and enjoy a afternoon with their little ones. This walk take just over an hour and I recommend bringing a snack and a bottle. From the Port Moody Rec Center, it is a 15 min. drive to White Pines Beach.

Please read this article for more information on this walk. 




Baby and Me Snowshoe Guided Tour!

Another fantastic outing with the little ones at Mount Seymour. This is a great way to get active and enjoy the snowy weather with the family. For more information on this event see the above link.

Please read the following article on snowshoeing with your little ones.






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Sunday, February 13, 2011

Teresa’s Detox Drink – “To take out the Garbage”

Teresa’s Detox Drink

Please take a look at this fantastic smoothy recipe. This was shared by my auntie and is a go to for me when I am looking to do a cleanse! I add what ever fruit I am craving for the day (strawberries, mango, or berries).

“This is my aunt's recipe and this is her own views on health. Not to be taken as medical advice. Use at your own discretion.”



In blender add in order:
  • 1 cup of frozen or/ fresh Organic blue berries
  • 1 banana, fresh or frozen (peeled of course) if you don’t want it this sweet just omit or use only ½ of a banana.
  • 1 cup of water (pure is best)
Blend- while running add the following:
  • 1 Tbsp. Bentonite
  • 1 Tbsp. Flax oil (cold press is best)
  • 1 dropper full of Chlorophyll concentre
  • 1 quick shake of cayenne pepper
Stop blender and add:

1 scoop of Protein powder (I use Iso Gold Plain which is 100% pure Whey Isolate)
1-2 Tbsp. fresh ground flax seed or/ bran or/ oat bran

Start blender and blend only until mixed.
(If you over mix, the flax seed will start to gel your drink and than you have a pudding.)
Pour and enjoy at home or on the run.
Notes:
- Flax seeds will scrub your colon wall from top to bottom and allow you to up take your nutrients better. Flax seeds can be pre ground in a coffee grinder and stored in the freezer. Once the seed is cracked it begins to go rancid once the air hits it, as do all seeds and grains. Think fresh!
- Flax oil should always be sold out of a fridge and stored in a fridge once brought home. Rancid, remember. Never, never heat this oil it is to be used raw and when heated become carcinogenic. Flax oil is one of the most powerful anti-cancer nutrients available to us.
-Blueberries are packed with antioxidants and are thought to help protect the body against the damaging effects of free radicals and the chronic diseases associated with the aging process. Use organic, as berries are the most heavily pesticides sprayed fruits you can buy.
- Bentonite is clay. When this clay absorbs water it swells up and stretches open and act like a sponge. Toxins, pathogenic viruses, herbicides and will be absorbed. Buy at the health food store.
-Chlorophyll is the de-gasser of your colon. Your small intestines will love all that great green plant food that is in a form that is ready to use with no work involved. Buy at a health food store. It is sold in a small glass bottle with an eyedropper. Store in fridge..
-Cayenne pepper: A study published in the late 1990’s in a British journal indicates Cayenne may help boost metabolism while suppressing appetite. Cayenne pepper as well has shown to lower stress-related fatigue and depression
Cayenne can rebuild the tissue in the stomach and the peristaltic action in the intestines.  It aids elimination and assimilation, and helps the body to create hydrochloric acid, which is so necessary for good digestion and assimilation, especially of proteins. 

Please contact the site admin for more information on the author's details. I have been using this as a detox cleanse for several years and feel a 100% better at the conclusion of the week!
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Transitioning to Independent Eating (Submitted by Sharon Chong)

Tips for Transitioning from Feeding to Independent Eating & a Recipe for a Yummy Pasta Favourite! 

When your child is around eight or nine months and can sit on his own without assistance, he may be ready for finger foods which means it’s time to start that transition from feeding to independent eating!  My son, Logan, is now at this stage and I’ve been doing some research on what I can do to help him through these early stages of self-feeding.

First finger foods are foods that have previously passed the four day rule in pureed form and that dissolve in baby’s mouth or that can be gummed to a consistency which is easily swallowed.  You can test a food by trying it yourself and checking to see if you can easily squash the food against the roof of your mouth.  The following are types of finger foods commonly suggested when trying out finger foods with your little ones:

  • Dry cereals such as Cheerios & Nutrios
  • Snacky foods such as puffins and biscuits
  • Cottage cheese
  • Ripened fruit
  • Veggies
  • Short pasta (penne, rotini, etc.)
  • Boiled egg yolk
  • Chicken or Turkey
  • Semisoft cheeses
  • Bread

For an extensive list of finger foods, I recommend the wholesome baby food website regarding finger foods:  http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/babyfingerfood.htm. They list foods by fruit, veggies and other.  Also, they have several great recipes including Sweet Potato Fries and Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Nuggets.

From the many baby books I have on hand, one of my favourites is the Baby Whisperer Solves All Your Problems by Tracy Hogg.  What she emphasizes is that there are two key elements to successfully aiding your baby through independent eating: patience and creativity.

Patience consists of allowing your baby to play, feel, and even squish their foods between their fingers.  Before each meal, place the chosen finger food in front of your baby and allow them to explore with it.  You can even feed yourself as babies do love to imitate their mommies and daddies.  If not successful, don’t worry!  At some point your baby will decide to amaze you and coordinate his little fingers to put that food in his mouth. 

Creativity comes with not only the types of food you offer your baby but the form in which you present the foods.  To name a few, veggies can be cut into shoestrings and baked liked fries; pasta can be mixed with your favourite veggies (see below for You-Build-It Lasagna, a favourite for mommy, daddy and baby); fruit can be baked; and chicken can be breaded and served as baby chicken strips!  One of the Coquitlam Mommies, Brittany, shared that she even rolls Quinoa into balls so that her daughter Aydenne can pick it up and feed it to herself!   

I know a lot of Coquitlam Mommies are going through the same thing right now so if you have any suggestions that have worked for your little ones, we’d appreciate you sharing!  Good luck to all and here’s to having fun, being creative and helping our little ones take their first steps towards independence!!


You-Build-It  Lasagna from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
3 ribs celery, trimmed and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 ½ Tbsp low-sodium tamari
Freshly ground pepper
4 cups fresh spinach

Pasta:
1 lb dry lasagna noodles (I use whole-wheat rotini so that Logan can eat it too)
2 cups tomato sauce
2 ½ cups non-fat cottage cheese
6 cups grated low-or non-fat mozzarella cheese (I use 3 cups to lower the calories)
1 ½ cup goat cheese (I cut this out all together, again to reduce calories)

Instructions:

Step 1
Preheat oven to 375F. In large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, celery, and carrot.  Cook 5 minutes until veggies are soft.  Add mushrooms and sauté for another few minutes.  Stir in tamari, pepper and spinach.  Let spinach wilt.

Step 2
In a large saucepan bring water to a boil.  Pour a little olive oil into the water to prevent sticking and cook pasta noodle al dante.  Drain noodles and run under cold water to prevent over cooking.

Step 3
Spread ½ cup or more tomato sauce on the bottom of lasagna pan that’s been coated with a non-stick cooking spray.  Place a layer of pasta noodles on top.  Spread ¾ cup cottage cheese on top of the noodles along with 1 ½ cups of grated mozzarella cheese (or in my case ¾ cup), ½ cup of goat cheese (or in my case none), and one third of the spinach vegetable mixture.  Repeat the layers until you run out of ingredients.  End with tomato sauce on top.

Step 4
Bake in hot oven for 35 minutes.  Sprinkle more grated mozzarella on to of the lasagna and return to oven for another 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside for 20 minutes before serving.


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Sunday, February 6, 2011

Coquitlam Mommy Newsletter - Feb 6th, 2010

Coquitlam Mommy Page Highlights and Events:





CM has had a lot of interesting content offered to our page this week as we continue to grow! Thank you to all of our readers for your active participation in CM Facebook Page and Blog. Our Page is also currently running a '5 Pound Challenge' that will remain open till the end of the month. The prize for this competition is $50 Lululemon gift certificate. The admission price for this prize you ask? This is a challenge to get out there, get active and share your eating right recipe's with the group so we can drop 5lbs in a month, challenge begins in Feb and ends in March 1s

Lil Page Turners of the Week






In the Night Kitchen (Caldecott Collection)



In the Night Kitchen (Caldecott Collection)  This book was a classic in my house as a kid and one that my brother and me requested as adults for our collections to share with our children. I love reading this to my son... he giggles at many of the cute lines in this book and many of them take me back to my childhood. "I'm not milk and the milks not me. I'm Mickey". Be forewarned that there are some silly animations to go along with this sorry and a bit of nudity as Mickey goes on his search to save the day for the bakers;

On the Stereo for Lil Ears



Here Comes ScienceHere comes science - They Might Be Giants - As a long time fan of They Might Be Giants, I was happy to see their kids album to add to my favorites. This one comes with an instructional DVD. This album covers everything from photosynthesis,  why does the sun shine to the electric car. This one is a bit of a odd pick but a unique album for science lovers and new age parents. 





Coquitlam Mommy Page Events for the Week



Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:



Coquitlam Mommy Page Blog Highlights



Also there has been a huge amount of discussion about the programs that are cost conscious in the Tri-Cities area! As many of us are on EI or some sort of reduced income with the addition of our little ones, I have started to put together a local calendar to refer to for events under $5 or FREE! Check out this link on our Facebook Page for more info! Calendar Link

Coquitlam Mommy Page started with 9 women who had taken a prenatal class at Douglas College in Winter 2010. After having our reunion to meet all the babies, we discovered that all of our group was wanting to get out, get active with the babies and share our experiences. We started with a group walk at Rocky Point for 5 km that grew to numbers of 15 on sunny days in the summer, and we have grown from there. As the months have gone on we have shared everything from diaper choices, places to find deals, highchair options, breast feeding issues, events to attend together and everything else that a new mom may need to chat about. We are still growing and have been greatly inspired by all the new members that share and attend our events. In short we are here as a community for mom's in the Tri-cities and elsewhere to discuss issues and ideas with other moms. With all the information out there, it is fantastic to hear what real moms are doing. 






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Friday, February 4, 2011

Roasted Veggie Mash from Raheel Shaharyar

4 beets
2 Carrot
2 Parsip
2 Potato
optional: dried or fresh herbs, garlic, onions 
or other aromatics for more flavour

Peel veggies and slice in to wedges of relatively 
same width. Toss with olive oil. Bake until 
tender at 400 degrees. Mash with fork or 
puree to desired thickness.
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Eat Clean Almond Butter/ Peanut Butter Cookies = Guilt Free (Submitted by Sharon Chong)

  • 1 cup natural almond butter or natural peanut butter ( I use 1/2 of each for my preferred texture)
  • ¾ cup sucanat (see below for a link to what this is! You can get it in the organic isle at superstore on the left hand side of the organic bulk foods)
  • 1 large egg (you can also use 55 ml of egg whites so make it extra clean)
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. sea salt
  • 3 oz. dark chocolate chips (70% cocoa or greater- I use Swiss Delice chocolates that are 72% cocoa which you can buy a 1300 g bag from Costco for $12.99. They come in individually wrapped pieces and I just break them up. Super cheap b/c dark choc chips are expensive! 3 oz is about 16 pieces)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl until blended. Stir in chocolate.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let cool for 5 minutes on baking sheets. Move to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

And voila- yummy, guilt free cookies!!


Here is the link for the sucanut:http://www.wholesomesweeteners.com/brands/Wholesome_Sweeteners/Fair_Trade_Certified_Organic_Sucanat.html
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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Mediteranean Couscous Salad (Eat Clean Diet Book) Shared by Sharon Chong

Mediteranean Couscous Salad (Eat Clean Diet Book) Shared by Sharon Chong  

1 cup dry whole wheat couscous3/4 cup low-fat, low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice (i just use one large orange)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp lime juice (juice of one lime)
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup cucumber, chopped and seeded
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup goat cheese or feta cheese ( i used feta)
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Cooking Steps:
1. Bring stock and orange juice to a boil. Add couscous and stir. Then turn off heat and cover pot tightly. Let stand and don't peek!

2. Make dressing by combining olive oil and lime juice. 
Whisk and set aside.

3. Back to the couscous. Remove lid and fluff grains with a fork. Add chopped vegetables. Crumble cheese over the salad and drizzle with dressing. Add oregano and season with sea salt and ground black pepper.

In addition, I added chicken for some protein and to complete it as a meal on it's own. I used one chicken breast and seasoned it with sea salt, black pepper, dried oregano and dried basil. I then pan fried it using olive oil cooking spray til it was done and added it to the completed salad.
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