Yo-J

Growing up, our family trip to Minnesota was a highlight of the summer year after year after year (32 years for me, to be exact). When you have someplace that is special, the people, places, and things that make it so awesome stay with you forever. It might be a trip to Benjamin Franklin for nail polish. It might be that plastic goo that you can blow bubbles with. Maybe it's Yo-J. Anyone remember Yo-J? We bought it every summer at the little grocery store in Aitkin, Minnesota. And it was delicious. YOgurt and Juice: Yo-J. Go make yourself some. Feed it to your children. Use different juices. Whatever (see? already tossing the "whatever" around...see previous post).

Homemade Yo-J

• Organic homemade plain yogurt
• Organic blueberry juice
• Organic lemon juice (just a tiny dash)
• Local honey
• Whisk away
• Drink

There is nothing involved in this recipe. You probably do it all the time. But I hadn't made Yo-J in awhile and this morning it was a lovely treat for the three of us girls. Speaking of treat... John and I don't go big when it comes to gifts, especially for each other. Hell, I bought him drumstick chopsticks this year. Seriously. Chopsticks on one end, drumsticks on the other. He told me that he loved them and I believed him. However, he surprised me with a killer tabletop photobooth - it has the screens on two sides and the top with a backdrop and then two lights that shine in from the outside. I took the pics above with it and I am loving the quality. Thank you, dear! While I was sitting in the kitchen savoring my Yo-J, it seemed strangely quiet for having two small people in the house with me. I found the girls, in my workroom, posing their little critters in the photobooth and taking pictures with my camera. They took these pictures - 100% on their own. Now I'm not feeling so smug about my pics, because theirs are damn good. 

Breakfast of champions

Breakfast is a meal of such importance, such power. We are "breaking" the overnight "fast", for crying out loud! Say you sleep 8 hours a night. That is 8 hours without a drink, without a morsel of food, without anything to quench your body's need for nourishment. Our bodies NEED breakfast, and in this house we meet that need head-on! 

Super porridge and fresh orange-apple juice

The girls had the oh-so-popular bowl of porridge this morning. At least once a week (if not twice), I toss into the blender:

• 1/2 C. organic brown rice
• 1/2 C. organic barley
• 6 T. organic millet

I then keep this concoction in the fridge to use in the mornings. To cook, I boil 2 C. water, add a heaping 1/2 C. of ground porridge mix, and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Today we added some cinnamon and nutmeg, honey to sweeten, and topped it with raisins.

Now, the "pow" this morning was our smoothie. By 8:30 this morning, the girls had consumed (shared between them):

• 2 whole organic carrots (juiced)
• 1 organic apple (juiced)
• 1/2 C. yogurt
• 1/2 C. organic baby spinach leaves
• 1/2 banana
• 4-5 frozen strawberries

We needed a super breakfast today to make sure that the Abby and Elise's bodies are loaded with cold-fighting powers to give the runny noses a fond farewell. Today is extra special because our buddy, Cohen, is here ALL day! The 3 tots are snoozing, I'm blogging, and the dog is lying in the sun. Everyone is happy...

Mid-morning snack time!

Playdoh! Here's a great homemade playdoh recipe.

Carrot cube craze!!!

Just in case you're wondering, the frozen carrot juice is GREAT! We've been adding the cubes to smoothies (froze it in ice cube trays), and between the carrot cubes and fresh spinach, our smoothies' veggie quotient is increasing by leaps and bounds! As a side note, Sara (one of my dearest and oldest friends), mentioned that carrots are one of the few veggies that nutritionally provide more when eaten cooked; most fruits/veggies are best for you raw. Carrots are a fibrous vegetable, which in their raw form, are harder for your body to extract the nutrients from than when those fibers are cooked/softened. After some research (thanks for the prompt, Sara), I discovered that carrot juice is the exception to this rule. Carrots are best for you either boiled/steamed or juiced! Yahoo! 

This morning, it wasn't really a smoothie, since we were mostly out of frozen fruit. It was just more of a blended juice. Into the blender Elise helped add:

• 1 banana
• 6 carrot juice cubes
• handful of fresh spinach
• 2 big spoonfuls of plain yogurt
• orange juice
• blueberry juice

Color wasn't so great, but taste was all that mattered on this one!

Fresh juice

30 carrots = 32 ounces of carrot juice.  That's what I learned today on my first juicing-quest. I bought a 5-pound bag of organic carrots.  I borrowed Uncle T's fine juicing machine.

And I FINALLY disposed of 5 remaining vials of breastmilk in the freezer. WHAT?!?!? Yes, I had 5 containers, 15 ounces, of pumped breastmilk that I just. could. not. get. rid. of.

Liquid gold...

I am pretty hardcore when it comes to breastfeeding - when I decided to become a mother, I made a commitment to provide my child (errr... children) with the very best that I possibly could. And, without a doubt, that belief is why I spent naptime today juicing carrots. I STILL feel that it is my responsibility to provide the girls with the richest nutrients that I can. I pumped and froze breastmilk... I steamed, blended, and froze baby food... and today I juiced and froze fresh carrot juice. Smoothies. That's what I want carrot juice cubes for - to add to our smoothies for some extra veggies and goodness. And yes, a tear or two were shed over the boob-milk. Some of you understand, right??? 

Isn't it so pretty???

After the girls woke up, they were excited to see the carrot juice that I'd really talked up before they went to sleep.  The color was amazing and the taste was so fresh.  It was a perfect addition to our afternoon smoothie snack:

• Fresh spinach leaves
• Frozen mango
• Frozen blackberries
• Orange juice
• Fresh carrot juice

And it gave everyone plenty of energy for a walk and outing to the park!

Which was much needed, since the girls were up and dressed by 6:30 this morning! Nothing beats new boots and freedom of fashion expression!

From breastmilk to carrot juice, 

the quest continues to keep our family happy and healthy!