Friday, December 4, 2009
Getting Ready for the Holidays
Um, by the way, do you know that chestnuts actually explode if you put them on a fire without scoring them...? But, I digress, and that's a story for another time.
A few years back we had the grand idea of cutting down our own Christmas tree. Here in Colorado there are several places run by the US Forest Service, where one can make an adventure of this annual event.
So, we loaded up the car with our two girls (we've had one more since then) and Grandpa (72 years young) and thought we'd make a day of it.
An hour car ride later, and another hour or so of trudging up and down hillsides, and then finding out that the farther you go into the woods the father you have to drag the tree back... Long story short, it wasn't the Norman Rockwell day, but it was our own. We can now look back and laugh at dragging our Grandpa all over kingdom come to look for our Charlie Brown tree.
What I'm trying to say is, even if things don't come off quite as planned don't forget to enjoy all the little mishaps of the holidays. They make up some of our fondest memories, after all.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
New Product Spotlight - Fierce Hugs!
A little bit about Fierce Hugs...
Started by two friends, Fierce Hugs packs imagination, sustainability and a healthy eco-friendly lifestyle into remarkably soft organic baby clothes using 100% organic cotton. These high quality organic baby shirts are made with fair labor and are designed by independent illustrators for cool and original graphics. The result? Baby shirts that are delightfully eclectic and are playfully offbeat and mildly edgy in a fuzzy, baby-safe way!
These unique shirts make the perfect baby shower gift and come packaged in a cool eco-friendly gift box - sure to be the cutest gift at the party!
Check out the full line Fierce Hugs Organic Tees! We think you'll love them as much as we do.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Hello from the new owners!
Just a brief note of introduction. My husband and I recently purchased eOrganicBaby from Amy and Ashley and are very excited about our new endeavor!
We're diving in with both feet and are almost complete with the transition. Lots of things for us to learn and do! Please check back here and on the website often as there are changes happening by the minute (or at least it seems that way right now!).
Looking forward to our future interactions.
Lisa & David Carpenter
Monday, July 6, 2009
Chilled Veggie Bean Salad
Combine the following ingredients together in a medium sauce pan, bring to a boil. Stirring until sugar dissolves.
3/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup sucanat
Combine the following veggies and mix together with the vinegar mixture above:
1 can (16 oz) French style green beans, drained
1 can (17 oz) English peas, drained
1 can (12 oz) shoe peg whole kernel corn, drained
1 jar (2 oz) chopped pimento, drained
1 cup chopped celery
1 green pepper, finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
Cover and place in refrigerator for 12 hours, stirring occasionally.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Monday's Recipe
This is such a whimsical-looking mix, it’s bound to lure most any diner. It features ruote, a wagon wheel-shaped pasta, multicolored veggies and a snowfall of grated cheese.
The recipe is adapted from one that a friend shared with me years ago; you are welcome to adapt it further, as I do almost every time I make it--it’s just that kind of recipe. If I’m serving it as a main course, for example, I might stir in some slivered Organic Prairie Pepperoni Slices or cooked Italian Chicken Sausage rounds.
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
2 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water 20 minutes and cut into slivers
1/2 cup coarsely chopped imported black olives
1/2 cup each diced sweet red and green bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped fennel bulb
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic, mashed to a paste
1 1/2 cups Newman's Own Organic Lighten Up Light Organic Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (or to taste)
1 pound ruote (“wagon wheels”) pasta
1 package (6 ounces) Organic Valley Italian Blend Shredded Cheese
1/2-3/4 cup Organic Valley Shredded Parmesan, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Several whole basil leaf clusters
Instructions:
1. Combine tomato slivers, olives, bell peppers, fennel, onion, lemon zest and juice, garlic and dressing in a large bowl; let stand 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Cook pasta in lots of boiling, salted water until just tender; let stand for several minutes to drain well. Toss the still-warm pasta with the dressing-vegetable mixture.
3. Bring to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Stir in Italian Blend Cheese, half the Parmesan and the chopped basil. Just before serving, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and garnish with basil clusters.
Copyright by Terese Allen
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Cool New Onesies - Limited Time!
Check out these amazing onesies "Peacful Patriot" and "Wind Power". We just love Ire Star products and are so excited to offer you these awesome onesies from their organic baby clothing line for the smallest fashion fanatics! These onesies are only available for a limited time. To make it even better they are being offered at only $26 ( reg. $30). Cool organic onesies at a great price - what could be better than that?
This is what Ire Star has to say about their organics:
"Welcome to the line of organic cotton baby clothing by Irie Star! We've created a sweet and funky line of ecological baby shirts for the smallest fashion fanatics.
We use sustainable, clean, organic fibers for these shirts because we believe your baby should have a pure, healthy start in life. Not only that, but organic farming leaves the world green for their generation, and generations after that. That's pretty positive.
All shirts are designed and ethically made in the USA. Each shirt comes boxed for easy gifting."
Remember, these new onesies are only available for a limited time sooooo....HAPPY SHOPPING!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Cleaning Baby's Nursery
Check back next week for another new Recipe!
As important as cleaning your kitchen and bathroom your baby''s nursery should be top on your list of cleanliness.
In your baby''s nursery is an important room to keep clean. This simple list will help you keep on track with the basic cleaning details for baby''s room.
We spend hours and lots of money making sure this room is a haven for our special little ones, take the time to make sure it stays that way.
Use this simple baby nursery cleaning list to ensure your little one''s surroundings are taken care of.
With the hectic daily care of a baby you''re often left with little time to clean. Do your best to try and find a spare 5 minutes daily to keep the nursery a clean nurturing place.
In wiping down your baby''s room make sure you are using a non-toxic cleaner for. There are some great ones on the market that take care of odors and disinfect.
Daily -
For very young babies change the mattress sheet daily or every few days. Leaky diapers and other accidents are common and expected so be prepared to clear them up fast. Have several crib sheets for quick changes. Keep baby''s mattress fresh. If the mattress is not of the waterproof kind, purchase a couple of mattress covers so you can rotate these also. If you mattress itself is the waterproof kind wipe it down with non-toxic cleaner each time you change it. Takes just a few seconds and clears up anything that may have leaked through.
Change out the diaper pail and wipe it down with a non-toxic odor eliminating cleaner. If you don''t do it daily do it several times a week. A few minutes airing in the out of doors is a good idea also.
Air the room with the windows open for about 15 minutes. Try to do this in the morning.
You may need to do laundry daily with a small baby. Or at least several times a week.
Straighten toys and belongings. Put away clean clothing.
If you travel daily check diaper bag and restock. If not save this for once a week. A diaper bag list is a great idea to keep from leaving anything behind.
Weekly -
Dust baby''s room. A simple damp rag will do the job. Add a drop of lavender essential oil for a calming scent through the room.
Wash baby blankets.
Vacuum floor.
Wipe down changing table with a non-toxic disinfecting cleaner.
Monthly -
If you have curtains wash them. Don''t put dry clean only in baby''s room. Clean windows.
Wash baby''s bath toys. A quick swish in dish washing soap. Wash out baby''s bath tub.
Wipe out diaper bag. Spills can happen.
Semi-Annually-
Vacuum under baby''s furniture.
Clean out baby''s closet.
Baby will be a year before you know it and helping you clean shortly after that.
Use this simple cleaning list to keep baby''s room in top order.
Lists are the best way to stay organized. For a simply lovely way to stay organized see Household Notes .For more on cleaning your home visit Homemaking Organized
Copyright (c) 2007 Free Online Library
Monday, May 25, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
New Monday, New Recipe!
By Nava Atlas
Everyone likes fruity upside-down cakes; why not try the same approach with vegetables? This casserole, which is fun to make and even more fun to eat, has quickly become a family favorite. It’s a great way to use up small amounts of fresh or frozen vegetables; you can keep it simple or come up with more sophisticated combinations, as tastes dictate.
3 to 4 cups cut-up vegetables of your choice
2 tablespoons light olive oil
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
¼ cup wheat germ
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup low-fat yogurt or soy yogurt
¾ cup low-fat milk, rice milk or soy milk
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ cup grated cheese or non-dairy cheese of your choice, optional1. Saute the vegetables in olive oil until just tender. Set aside.
© Nava Atlas; excerpted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook by Nava Atlas
2. Preheat the over to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly oil and shallow, round two-quart casserole or a 9”x13” baking pan.
3. Combine the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center and add the yogurt, milk and vegetable oil. Stir together until well mixed.
4. Pour the vegetables into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the cheese, if using, then pour the batter evenly over the vegetables, gently smoothing it out with a spatula.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden and firm. Let stand for about 10 minutes, then cut into wedges or squares to serve.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Monday's Recipe
Turkey Burgers
Prep: 5 min, Cook: 10 min.
* 1 clove garlic, crushed
* 3 Tbs. lemon or lime juice
* 2 Tbs. parsley, chopped
* 1 lb. ground turkey, formed into 1 patty per serving
* 4 hamburger buns
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* 2 Tbs. mustard
* 1/2 cup sliced dill pickles
* 1/2 onion, sliced
Prepare grill or broiler. Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Season turkey patties with pepper to taste. Arrange patties on a broiler pan. Broil 4 minutes. Turn and drizzle with lemon mixture. Broil another 4 minutes or until cooked throughout. Drizzle with any remaining lemon mixture. Serve on buns with desired condiments.
Courtesy of: organic.org
Saturday, May 2, 2009
We want to hear from you !
Saturday, April 18, 2009
(Last) Monday's Recipe
Very Veggie Broth
This is a favorite recipe from The Petit Appetit Cookbook as it is a basic broth recipe for a baby’s bottle or sippy cup. It delivers a punch of calcium and vitamin C for a child (or any age) needing a liquid diet or vitamin pick-me-up. Serve warm or cool in a cup or bottle for baby. Also this broth freezes well in ice cube trays for later use.
Makes about 3 cups; 6 servings
1 quart cold water
1 cup organic cauliflower flowerets, (about 3 to 4 ounces)
1 cup organic broccoli florets (about 2 to 3 ounces)
1 cup organic collard or dandelion greens, rinsed and roughly chopped
1 cup rounds organic carrots, (about 3 to 4 ounces)
Place water in a medium pot with a lid. Add vegetables and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cover pot. Cook for 1 hour.
Strain broth and reserve vegetables. These can be pureed or mashed for baby.
Lisa Barnes is author of The Petit Appetit Cookbook: Easy, Organic Recipes to Nurture Your Baby and Toddler, Williams-Sonoma: Cooking For Baby, and lives in Sausalito, California.Image Credit: © Rmarmion | Dreamstime.com
OrganicToBe.org | OrganicToGo.com
Friday, April 10, 2009
Recipe of the Week
1 ¼ pound organic butternut squash, about 3 cups
Oven Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash into quarters; remove seeds and place cut side down in a baking pan. Pour ¼ cup water in bottom of pan. Bake squash until fork tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and scoop out flesh.
Puree the squash in a food processor after cooking, until you’ve reached the desired consistency. You may want to add 1 to 2 tablespoons water, breast milk or formula to thin.
Microwave directions: Cut squash in quarters (this may be difficult, depending on size) and scoop out seeds. Place squash, skin side down, in a microwave-safe dish. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and cover tightly, allowing one corner to vent. Microwave on High for 10 to 12 minutes. Check for doneness, cool and proceed with recipe above.
For older babies, cut flesh into chunks that he can pick up and eat himself.
Lisa Barnes is author of The Petit Appetit Cookbook: Easy, Organic Recipes to Nurture Your Baby and Toddler and lives in Sausalito, California.Monday, March 23, 2009
Cool School Lunches
As you know by now, all parents have a different idea of what is healthy food and what is not. For years, you have had the opportunity to hand select and monitor what your child eats for lunch. Now it is time to test their ability. It is only natural for your child's eyes to wander and notice, and be envious of, what the other kids are eating. Here are a few tips that may help your child's lunch be healthy, fun and get noticed by the other kids.
The lunchbox: It is important to have the right gear and the lunchbox is an important asset. Consider letting your child pick out his own lunchbox or purchase one and let him decorate it with paint or markers. Make sure your child's name is on it with a permanent marker or paint. Most schools will not provide a refrigerator to store lunchboxes, so you should select an insulated one with a re-usable freezer pack to keep the lunch fresh. Or, instead of using a freezer pack, you can freeze a bottle of water, and add it to the lunch box. It will keep the lunch cold and fresh during morning classes and by lunch time it will have thawed and be ready to drink.
More gear - containers: Those gimmicky, salt, fat and sugar-filled, "Lunchables" trays are very popular with kids. Not because they taste so good, but because look so cool. There is no reason a homemade lunch needs to look dull and unappetizing. Buy colorful containers in different shapes to pack your child’s lunch. They are better than plastic bags and less wasteful too. If your child is drawn to characters, buy some stickers and decorate the containers. Put your child's name on the containers, but it is inevitable that some containers may not make their way home. Another option is to purchase inexpensive or "semi" disposable containers that will not disappoint you if they accidentally end up in the trash.
Offer plenty of choices: Provide small servings and many choices—variety is a key to healthy eating. Providing your child with plenty of variety is not hard or time consuming. Many lunch foods can be prepared, in advance, in large quantities. Each morning, simply fill up small containers with different foods. Quick lunchbox food suggestions include:
- Dried fruit
- Nuts
- Fresh fruit pieces or a piece of whole fruit
- Applesauce (no sugar added)
- Celery sticks filled with cream cheese and raisins, or white bean dip
- Sugar snap peas with Ranch dressing for dipping
- Yogurt or a smoothie
- Lunch meat roll-ups with cream cheese and an asparagus in the middle
- Hard boiled egg
- Cheese cubes or string cheese logs
- Peanut butter (or sunflower butter) and apple slices or crackers
- White bean dip or hummus with carrots and mini pita breads
- Whole grain crackers or pretzels
- Trail mix made from cereal, nuts and dried fruit
Simple Lunch Box Recipes
Pineapple Kabobs
Ingredients:
- Pineapple chunks (1/2-inch pieces)
- Marble cheese cubes (1/2-inch pieces)
- Slices of nitrate-free ham cut into 1-inch squares
- Toothpicks
Directions:
Assemble the mini-kabobs on a toothpick in the following manner: Ham square, pineapple chunk, ham square and a cheese cube.
Veggie version: Substitute teriyaki-flavored baked tofu for the ham/cheese. Baked tofu can easily be sliced into small cubes and is very tasty with the pineapple.
Trail Mix
Directions:
Combine any or all of these ingredients in an airtight container and toss gently to mix. Store airtight. Lasts for weeks.
Ingredients:
Dry snacks: cereal (low in sugar—under 5g per serving), small pretzels, graham cracker or rice cake pieces, or animal crackers.
Dried fruits: Cherries, apricots, raisins, mangoes or coconut flakes (Tip: big pieces of dried fruit can be cut up easily using kitchen shears).
Nuts and seeds: sliced almonds, pecan pieces, cashew pieces, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or peanut pieces.
Kiwi Wraps or rolls
These wraps can be served as a traditional wrap sandwich or slice it into pieces (like a sushi roll) for bite sized treats.
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter or sunflower butter
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese
- 1/2 kiwi
- Tortilla—whole wheat or plain (squared)
Remove the skin from the kiwi and slice it into thin rounds. Spread peanut butter over half the wrap and cream cheese on the other half of the wrap. Arrange the kiwi slices evenly over the cream cheese. Beginning on the cream cheese end, gently roll up the tortilla forming a log shape. The peanut butter will act as the glue to keep it together. Serve.
About the authors: Cheryl Tallman and Joan Ahlers are sisters, the mothers of five children, and founders of Fresh Baby (www.FreshBaby.com). Raised by parents who love fresh foods and entertaining, their mom, a gourmet cook, ensured that they were well-equipped with extraordinary skills in the kitchen. Both with long track records of business success, they decided to combine their skills in the kitchen with their knowledge of healthy foods and children to create Fresh Baby. Cheryl and Joan put a modern twist on the conventional wisdom that when you make it yourself, you know it’s better. Their goal at Fresh Baby is to make the task of raising a healthy eater a little bit easier for all parents. Visit them online at www.FreshBaby.com and subscribe to their Fresh Ideas newsletter to get monthly ideas, tips and activities for developing your family's healthy eating habits!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Organic Recipes
Happy Monday Everyone,
Let's talk food! Every week, Ashley or I will submit a new Organic Recipe for those hungry little mouths...some we created ourselves, some that we "borrow" from others! Feel free to post your recipes for natural goodness here! Send pictures, personal notes, etc - we love to hear from you!
I'll get the ball rolling. And since I'm a foreigner in the kitchen, I'm starting with a simple, yet timeless classic.
For a healthy, filling breakfast, lunch or snack, try peanut butter and bananas on bread (all organic, of course=)). My girls love it. And so full protein and good stuff, kids feel like they're getting a treat, and you're sending them off with lots of healthy energy!!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Spring Arrivals
Monday, March 9, 2009
East vs. West
Even though I'm not from the East, I spent the past week on the Westcoast and I have to say, I definately noticed something...the focus on green and organic living was way stronger there than I've noticed elsewhere. Now, I have to add my disclaimers in: I was in a very affluent area and surrounded by mostly "new" moms with their firstborns. So the time, effort and financial resources avaialble to them are greater than those perhaps availble to "middle-income" America.
And one thing about affluent Moms - they love to be the first to find the next best thing, and they love to dress their kids in the latest fashions (this is a generalization, of course). And since organic is still considered the "new" thing to most, it was great to see all of these cute babies and toddlers being fashionable, comfortable, and best of all-green!
The great thing for me is seeing the general movement towards raising eco friendly and green-thinking kids. People are finally starting to see the benefits and therefore are really excited about teaching their children how to live long, healthy lives in a cleaner world.
Well, off to promote green living...until next time!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Fleurville Bags
Fleurville has just released the Sling Tote in a new design..."Cocoa Stripe". Its a great addition to their amazing line of bags. I love that it is so gender neutral!
Fleurville is a company we are proud to be associated with and here's why....
"At Fleurville we want to help change the way people feel about products for parents. One increasingly important attribute in our products is environmental sensitivity. You already know that we are one of the few PVC-Free companies in the industry and that we are also rolling out Green-LAM™, our cleaner lamination fabric treatment. We have something new, Re-Run™.
Be a minimalist. Take only what you need. These are some of the guiding principles that shaped the development of our new fabric, Re-Run™. As parents, you are aware of how much stuff you must buy to take care of your baby and how short the product's life is. We wanted to develop a fabric that could minimize your impact on the environment and the amount of gear that goes into land fills everywhere. Re-Run™ is made from recycled plastic water bottles. By buying this product you keep bottles from going into landfill. You are using a product again, so it is a re-run.
We wanted to develop a new fabric for people who want products made of a simple nylon-like fabric that had great environmental properties. By purchasing products made with Re-Run™ you are helping to influence the way that companies make decisions about resources while you set an example for your children."
"Green-LAM™ is created with ®Fleurville's very environmentally friendly polyurethane laminate Green-LAM™. Green-LAM™ has superior attributes like moisture–repellency, UV-resistance, and overall durability. Most other bag companies use PVC for this application. We don't. We hope you share our commitment to teaching children responsible stewardship of our environment.
All of our MotherShips, Sling Totes, Lexie Totes, Mod Pods, and Escape Pods use this green fabric technology!!!"
"PVC-free What does this mean to you? It means that any of our products with this mark are guaranteed to be free of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. PVC is the only major plastic that contains chlorine, so it is unique in the hazards it creates. PVC production fuses vinyl chloride molecules with toxic metals such as lead and cadmium, which are added as plasticizers and stabilizers. Because of the chemical properties of chlorine, the by-products of PVC production tend to be far more toxic, more persistent in the environment, and more likely to build up in the food supply and the bodies of people than otherwise similar chemicals that do not contain chlorine.
Many other bag manufacturers use PVC because it is cheap. We don't."
So on top of all that their bags are amazing looking! Great patterns, great style, and they LAST. I have been trough 2 kids with my Mothership and it still looks fantastic.
See our full line of Fleurville products at www.eorganicbaby.com today.
Have a great one,
Ashley
Saturday, February 14, 2009
We are happy to introduce.....Nap and Nod
I am so excited to let you all know about a new product line we are carrying "Nap and Nod". Nap and Nod was founded by a wonderful designer, Lindsay, who lives in Vancouver, BC. Lindsay creates the most beautiful Organic Bamboo Sleep Sacks for babies. Each sleep sack is unique as she uses a mix of patterns and colors. When these arrived the other day I couldn't believe how soft they were not to mention cute, cute, cute! I wish I had one of these when my children were still infants!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Valentines sugar overload....
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Looking for designers.....
Thursday, January 8, 2009
POSH PADS are here!!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
We have some exciting new products coming in the next week or so. POSH PADS are a 100% organic nursing pad in some really cool designs. Also we are adding some Organic Bamboo sleep sacks form Nap and Nod! They are soooo soft for baby and are designed so beautifully. We are really excited about both of these new items! They are due in any day so keep checking the website!
We would love to hear your comments and suggestions about eOrganic Baby. Please feel free to contact us at anytime. If you know of any amazing start-up designers of organic baby clothing let us know!
All the best for 2009,
Ashley and Amy