Amazon has nailed it with their first run of Amazon Original Series for kids.

My girls adored Annedroids - featuring a super smart, Punky Brewster-esque female lead and her human and robot sidekicks. The show hit three major sweet spots for me: smart, not cynical, and a racially and socioeconomically diverse cast of characters. I love that the kids’ parents have roles and are not cast as idiots, and that the focus is not on “boys and clothes and popularity.” The science is iffy, at best, but the real draw is the interest in tinkering and building, not accurate STEM instruction. ;)

I was a little skeptical about Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street, as I am with most shows aimed at...

Of all the natural immune boosting remedies you could make at home, elderberry syrup has the best scientific support backing its use to combat and prevent the flu.

Until now, I’ve been purchasing my elderberry syrup from Honey Gardens Apitherapy, online. It’s wonderful tasting and effective, but it’s also really, really expensive. Prohibitively expensive for a family of five to take every day!

I recently started making my own elderberry syrup and I’m never going back. Making elderberry syrup is so easy and cost effective! It takes less than an hour, and the ingredients are easy to source either online or in your pantry. There are plenty of recipes online; here’s the HeyLauraWhat way. :)...Continue reading →

(I posted this originally as a personal Facebook status, but because it has resonated with so many people, I wanted to make it more widely available for sharing.)

I’ve been struggling for words to add to the conversation revolving around the recent exposure of the prejudice and violence endemic in this country. And I realize, I don’t have to add to the conversation; I just need to listen better to what is being said.

Our refusal to engage in other people’s realities and listen to their stories is what truly divides us in any situation. A lack of compassion always divides.

I’ve spent the last few weeks just trying to listen, trying to build my compassion in an area where my knee jerk...

This is the Holy Grail of sandwiches. It is amazing. That is all.

Full Disclosure/Update/Confession
It’s been many years since I created this recipe. I’m no longer vegetarian and have cleaned up my diet considerably. So, we now make it with pastrami or roast beef, and homemade mayo. It is still incredible. You should make it however you can, and enjoy.

Laura’s Crazy-Ass Sandwich
- one hoagie roll, hot dog bun, or in a pinch - two slices of bread (hoagie roll is best, but I made it on a plain English muffin once, too)
- 1/4th cup sauerkraut
- 1/4 cup cranberry relish (either chunky or smooth is fine - I think the smooth from the can is best; homemade might mess up the taste profile)
-...

This is the copycat-attempt I made after we enjoyed an amazing hot drink at our local juice bar. It is spicy, invigorating, and leaves you feeling deeply nourished.

Now, I don’t have a juicer, but I figured that my Vitamix  was up to the task of liquifying this unusual mix of ingredients. The texture is a little thicker than juice, but it’s not weird like a hot smoothie.

Beet Toddy

1 inch knob of ginger, peeled (with a spoon!)
1/4 cup parsley, packed
7-10 mint leaves
20 oz apple cider
10 oz water
8 oz beets, steamed and peeled (I used that handy package from the salad section at Trader Joe’s)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric

Blend in a high speed blender. Serve hot. Be well....Continue reading →

A few weeks ago, my recipes for the best (gluten free!) oatmeal raisin cookies and Wonder Bars were chosen to be in the Tropical Traditions Coconut Flour Recipes booklet and I was awarded $100 in gift certificates to Tropical Traditions for payment for my recipes. Awesome, right?!

I went on a little shopping spree and I picked up this 15 pound pail of raw organic honey to get us through the winter. We use honey medicinally (as well as liberally on our toast), so I knew it was going to be a great investment.

This honey is amazing. When I popped open the lid, my girls and I dove in and had a few (medicinal, of course!) spoonfuls. It is creamy and mild - but not boring; sweet but not...

If Twilight, Harry Potter, and Outlander had a summer fling and made a baby, it would be Deborah Harkness’s All Souls Trilogy.*

I have to admit that I’m enjoying this fluff reading quite a bit. If you are looking for something quick and lightweight to take on vacation, this will totally scratch that itch.

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