I’ve been withholding this recipe for far too long. I developed it over the course of a couple weeks during the chilly spring, when turning on the oven was an excuse to add extra heat to the house. I had so many cookies from all the test batches, I started delivering them to my neighbors!

Well, one of my neighbors is a baker and before she retired had owned a restaurant in the PNW. So she knows a thing or two about baking and claims to be very hard to impress. She was amazed by these cookies; couldn’t stop talking about them. Told me I needed to sell them locally. On and on. It was very flattering! I mean, I know I like these cookies, but to have someone as legit as she is, with all her...

I recently had the opportunity to sample some Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day products. I have such an affinity for those cute little sample packets! Aren’t they pretty?

I passed out samples amongst friends, neighbors, and local HLW community members, and then sprayed my sticky counters down with the Basil scented Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day Countertop Spray (that’s an affiliate link, there).

The scent was…overpowering. Whew! It was pleasant, and not terribly fake and chemically, but it was strong; too strong for me. Furthermore, it lingered. Even after I wiped the counters and cupboards down with a damp rag to remove the residue, the scent permeated the whole house for almost 12 hours. I like the...

Kristina writes:

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve started working out really hard in the mornings. I like to get some circuit training in by doing Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred, then I usually try to get more cardio in by hopping on the treadmill, or jogging outside. The problem that I’m running into is that I’m ravenous, and a little light headed by the end. I’m drinking plenty of water (I think) throughout the workout, which makes me think that this is a food/fueling problem. I don’t like to eat before my workouts because I’m not usually hungry, and I feel better while working out if I don’t. But maybe there’s something I should eat, that will fuel my workout without making me feel...

Last month, I had the opportunity to sample the Fresh Express Salad Kits, as a promotion of their “30 Day Salad Swap.” I shared a few coupons with friends and tried out two kits for myself.

My first challenge was finding the kits. Since I don’t shop at Safeway or Albertsons, and only very rarely make a Target run, I had to go out of my way to find them. When I did find them at Target, I was disappointed to find that they stocked only one organic option. Leafy greens are some things I always try to buy organic, but I made the concession because of the coupons I’d been given.

I chose the American Mix (iceberg, romaine, carrots, red cabbage, and radishes), and the 50/50 Mix (spring mix and...

Ever since I’ve started talking more about our eldest daughter’s neuro-psych assessment, I’ve had many conversations with other parents about their kids and whether or not they should spring for the same type of evaluation.

Often, the hesitation is about the child being labeled; about the stigma of a diagnosis. Perhaps there is fear that the school will be uncooperative. And there’s that underlying and very human dread which says, “If you ignore it, maybe it will go away.” We all know this is a lie, but sometimes it causes us to second guess our best wisdom.

So here was my most recent response to someone wondering about Executive Function Disorder (EFD), which is the deficit part of...

I’ve been seeing various food bloggers talking about the delicious health benefits of Turmeric Tea for a few weeks, but it didn’t really appeal to me. I don’t keep turmeric in my spice cabinet, so I didn’t even have the opportunity to try it out. However, my massage therapist offered me a sip of hers at my appointment a couple weeks ago, and I was smitten. The very next day, I went to the spice shop and bought some turmeric powder. I’ve been tinkering with my recipe ever since!

Just look at that orangey-yellow goodness. ;)

If you want to read more about the power of turmeric, please go check out this great article by Wellness Mama. She is an amazingly resourceful and prolific blogger;...

I don’t have a picture for this one, yet. I keep eating it too fast! (It’s also not that photogenic.)

Comfort foods are hard to come by when you’re on an elimination diet, and while this stuff should never be referred to as “cheese,” it scratches a certain itch for something savory, hot, and gooey. It’s delicious spooned into the mouth with homemade sweet potato crisps.

This recipe is from the dim recollection of what I did last time I made the queso. Following this recipe is going to get you 95% there, but please follow your heart and your tastebuds to get it just the way you like it. :)

Cashew “Queso”
1 cup raw cashews (I always soak for a few hours, then rinse and drain)
2 cups water...Continue reading →