Let’s Move!

Last month, Beyonce joined forces with First Lady Michelle Obama to promote the national Let’s Move! campaign, which aims to target childhood obesity. The singer offered up a re-worked version of her hit song, ‘Single Ladies,’ in support of the effort.

Let’s Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by the First Lady, dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier. Combining comprehensive strategies with common sense, Let’s Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years. Giving parents helpful information and fostering environments that support healthy choices. Providing healthier foods in our schools. Ensuring that every family has access to healthy, affordable food. And, helping children become more physically active.

With child obesity and diabetes raising in Kuwait, we definitely need the government, schools and private sectors to get together and create a similar awareness campaign.

5 golden rules for food success

1. Stick to a routine. Aim for three meals and two snacks.
2. Never force your tot to eat anything. Respect that your child has likes and dislikes, such as you do, just try again another day.
3. Use recipes. They’ll open up new ways of cooking and serving food to the whole family.
4. Be interested. If you don’t know what it is, or how to cook it, look it up.
5. Be sensible. Create a colorful meal. Everything brown on a plate isn’t healthy and won’t entice your little one to eat anything.

My Father’s Daughter by Gwyneth Paltrow

GOOP is weekly newsletter filled with recipes, travel notes and advice by Gwyneth Paltrow.  I look forward to reading it every week. You can imagine my excitement when I found out that she just released a cookbook called “My Father’s Daughter”. In the book she  shares her favorite family recipes along with personal stories of growing up with her father, Bruce Paltrow. She discusses how he has influenced her in the food she loves, how she involves her kids in cooking, and how she balances healthy food with homemade treats. And, for the first time, Gwyneth Paltrow offers a glimpse into her life as daughter, mother and wife, sharing her thoughts on the importance of family and togetherness.

Even though I’m a terrible cook, I can’t wait to flip through it.

You can purchase My Father’s Daughter here.

Do it delicious in the kitchen

I stumbled on a great website today called Do it delicious. This website is run by Jessica Seinfeld,  Author of  the New York Times bestseller Double Delicious and Deceptively Delicious and she is also the wife of the ever so funny Jerry Seinfeld. The website is a god send for people like me ( clueless in the kitchen) The idea behind this site was to  help her old friend Ally learn to cook. The site  is divided into different sections.

Recipes carries simple and easy recipes, they also come with video demonstrations, isn’t that  just perfect?!

The Market:

The Market is a collection of information and products to help new and seasoned cooks, alike. The  kitchen guide helps you  to learn how to stock your kitchen, decipher food labels, use fresh herbs and more.

Herbs 101 helps you identifiy each herb and tells you how to add it into different meals.

Know thy chicken teaches you  difference between organic, free-range, hormone-free and natural chicken.

 

Know your food label teaches you how to read the labels that come on food so you can make healthier choices for your meals.

 

You have to add this website to your bookmark. It is simply amazing.

Start your day with a healthy breakfast

I’m one to believe that how you feel in the morning reflects on how your day will turn out. I try my best to wake up with high spirits, but in this cold weather, it is a struggle! lol. The best way to start is to have a hearty breakfast, one that will boost your energy and get you all warmed for the day. Porridge is my weapon. Even though Nodi is not to keen on it, I have been trying to get him used to it, and I think it’s working.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oats
• 2 cups of water or you can use milk
• 1 small banana, mashed
• 2 tbsp honey

Method:

• In a saucepan, place the oats and the water.
• Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 mins.
• While the porridge is simmering, mash the banana and stir through at the end before serving.
• Lie some banana slices on top and drizzle the honey over.

Bon Appétit!

Alia Almoayed, Nutritional Therapist

Alia Almoayed is a Bahraini mommy of two adorable children, a Nutritional Therapist and Author of I Want Healthy Kids and I Want a Healthy Pregnancy. She is also the host of DARE TO BE HEALTHY, a weekly live internet radio show on the World Talk Radio network. I came across her video on You Tube called Kids Nutrition Secrets. She shares very good points that might help mothers with fussy eaters.

You can listen to her radio show here , read her blog here and visit her website here.

Annabel’s Essential Guide To Feeding Your Baby & Toddler

Annabel Karmel’s recipe books are on my must have list when pregnant. I have most of her books and all I can say is that they are amazing. All her recipes are easy to follow don’t take a lot of time and taste really good.

She has finally introduced a great App that provides everything you need to know about feeding your baby and toddler. The App includes 70 tasty and nutritious recipes for your baby and the whole family. There are some great videos included as well that show Annabel cooking and demonstrating handy cooking tips.

The App is available to purchase on the iPhone App store.

A great take on dessert tables

We have seen a huge rise in dessert tables lately, at baby showers, birthday parties and receptions but rarely do we see a fruit and vegi table. A savvy mom came up with this great idea for her son’s birthday. Instead of having the kids load up on sugar and sweets she arranged an assortment of fruits and vegetables in a fun way that was both appealing for the kids and their parents.

What do you think of the gorgeous artichoke and purple cabbage arrangements ? I LOVE IT!!

images via my bride story

Super foods

Unexpected (and delicious!) foods that will provide the nutrition you need during pregnancy.

1. Figs: Serving Size: 1 cup (about 8 dried figs)

Figs are a great nondairy souce of calcium and iron. Iron deficiency can cause anemia, especially during pregnancy, thanks to the increase in your blood volume and growing demands by the baby for iron to produce millions of red blood cells. The same number of figs will also provide your body with 23 micrograms of vitamin K, which is needed for proper blood clotting and bone formation.

Tasty Tips If you don’t like the seedy texture of dried figs, try fresh ones. Or, purée them, then use the purée as a sweetener or fat substitute in recipes. You can make fig purée by combining 8 ounces of dried figs with 1⁄4 to 1 ⁄3 cup of water in a blender.

2. Chives: Serving Size:  2 tablespoons, chopped

Seen as a garnish, chives tend to be overlooked. But, these small, mild-tasting green onions are a source of folate (the synthetic form is folic acid), iron, fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B₆, calcium and magnesium. Folic acid may be the most important nutrient of the first trimester. Without it, your baby has an increased risk for structural defects that could be fatal.  It can also help with constipation during pregnancy.

Tasty Tips sprinkle some on your salad or soup. Or go with the all-time favorite use and sprinkle them on your baked potato. More great ways to eat them: Mix chopped chives into softened cream cheese before you spread it on a bagel, cracker, tortilla chip or slice of bread. Stir them into dips or add them to hummus.

3. Pinto beans: Serving Size:  ½ cup, dried

Pinto beans are one of the healthiest foods on Earth. There is copper iron and phosphorus .Copper aids in forming red blood cells; iron is important for making hemoglobin, the substance in your red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to your baby; and, phosphorus works with calcium to ensure that your baby’s bones and teeth are growing properly.

Pinto beans are also packed with fiber, One of the best strategies for helping to avoid the nausea and vomiting commonly experienced during the first trimester is to keep your belly feeling satisfied and full. Foods with a high fiber content can be an ally in your battle against morning sickness.

Tasty Tips The healthiest way to eat beans is to buy dried beans and soak them overnight first. If you are using canned pinto beans, be sure to rinse them well first to remove the extra sodium. For bean dip, cream a can of pintos in your blender or food processor. (Use a little veggie broth if you need to add liquid.) Then, pour the beans into a microwave-safe container and heat them.

4. Leeks: Serving Size:  1 cup, raw

Leeks are the vegetable equivalent of a super multivitamin-mineral tablet. They are a nondairy source of calcium, which is essential for the development of your baby’s bones. Plus, calcium may help combat some common symptoms of pregnancy, including irritability, insomnia and back and leg pains. One serving of leeks also contains folate as well as  vitamin B, which is necessary for your body to metabolize energy from the carbohydrates, fats and proteins in your diet. There’s also evidence that vitamin B₆ can help alleviate morning sickness.

Tasty Tips Leeks have a very mild, sweet flavor, making them especially appealing when you’re suffering from morning sickness. If your stomach’s sensitive but you can’t face plain broth, try adding sliced leeks and shiitake mushrooms with minced fresh ginger. To prepare leeks, cut off the fibrous green tops and the base, then slice the stem in half. Rinse thoroughly to remove any hidden grit, and cut into small pieces.

5. Artichoke: Serving Size:  1 medium artichoke

Feeling sluggish? Reach for an artichoke. This vegetable is a great nonmeat source of iron, which is an energizing nutrient. There’s another energizing nutrient in artichokes: folate. Besides helping to prevent birth defects, folate helps your body metabolize proteins, the building blocks for the hormones and enzymes that help your body keep going.

During your pregnancy, you may suffer from constipation, which can be alleviated with some extra fiber in your diet. Artichokes are wonderful sources of fiber. And they’re often recommended to soothe indigestion, another common pregnancy complaint.

Tasty Tips For a truly decadent delight, dip steamed artichoke leaves in melted organic butter mixed with freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you use oil-based jarred artichokes, enjoy them in a salad and use the oil as part of the dressing. Canned artichokes are almost always packed in water, but have a lot of added sodium; rinse them before eating.

6. Pumpkin seeds: Serving Size: ½ cup

Part of the healing that occurs on a regular basis in your body during pregnancy is the repair of muscles. As your uterus grows, your back, abdominal and hip muscles are required to stretch in new ways. With sufficient protein in your diet, these muscles will be better armed to keep up with their new tasks. Adding pumpkin seeds to your diet will help boost your intake of protein. These tasty seeds also contain sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and many other minerals involved in muscle health and hydration. One of the most important minerals required for healing is zinc—1 cup of pumpkin seeds provides close to half of your daily needs.

Tasty Tips Research has shown that roasted seeds have far more protein, minerals and fiber than raw ones. You can buy pumpkin seeds raw and roast them at home: Melt organic butter or heat macadamia nut oil or olive oil and toss in the pumpkin seeds to coat. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Season with turmeric, garlic or cayenne pepper. Roast at 300° F until crisp.

7. Tahini: Serving Size: 2 tablespoons

A paste made from sesame seeds, tahini contains all of sesame’s nutrients, including healthy oils called omega-6 fatty acids. A few tablespoons of tahini will help with proper cell integrity and healthy nervous and immune system function.

Proper development of your milk glands, placenta and uterus is also dependent on having sufficient levels of healthy fats in your body. Tahini is also a good source of thiamin, phosphorus, copper and manganese, all key to your baby’s healthy development.

Tasty Tips Tahini is great on crackers, in hummus and other dips, or as an ingredient in salad dressing. It’s easy to make your own hummus: Drain a can of chickpeas and cream them in a blender or food processor (add a little vegetable stock if they’re too dry). Add tahini, garlic, lime juice and cracked black pepper, to taste. The texture will get thicker and the flavors will blend better if you let the hummus chill in the fridge for an hour or more before eating.

8. Fresh Basil: Serving Size: 10 tablespoons fresh basil (whole leaves)

Basil is a pregnancy superfood. This fresh herb is a good source of protein, vitamin E, riboflavin, and niacin; plus, it’s a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B₆, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese.

Basil is also packed with iron, vital for keeping your energy levels up; calcium, essential for strong bones and teeth; and folate, vital for many processes, including fetal cell growth and division. Whenever possible, choose fresh basil, because it contains more of these nutrients than dried basil.

Tasty Tips Enjoy the fresh, spicy leaves in a caprese salad. It’s super-easy to put together: Line your salad plate with buttery lettuce leaves (like Boston or Bibb lettuce). Then create a circle of alternating half-slices of tomato, mozzarella cheese and basil leaves, fanning them on top of each other. Drizzle olive oil (and balsamic vinegar if you like) over the salad and add a sprinkling of salt—you need that iodine.

9. Molasses: Serving Size: 1 tablespoon

Manganese is an essential mineral that plays a role in normal bone development, and that’s important for your growing baby.
Vitamin B₆ plays a role in your sodium-phosphorus balance, which determines how much water you have in your body. And potassium is another mineral involved in water retention. Getting enough vitamin B₆ and potassium may help shrink your swollen feet and ankles.

If possible, look for organic, unsulphured blackstrap molasses, which contains fewer contaminants.

Tasty Tips Try it as a sweetener in your oatmeal, smoothies or yogurt, and in breads and other baked goods or in ginger tea. Or, it makes a yummy barbecue sauce for pork or chicken.

source fitpregnancy

Bento mommy

Can you believe that this is a little girls school lunch? It looks so good, I wouldn’t want to eat it heheh. I mentioned on a previous post about bento lunches and how popular they are becoming in Europe and the States. Guess what? We have a very creative bento mommy right here in Kuwait. She created the adorable  hello kitty lunch. She has an amazing talent when it comes to creating delicious pieces of art. I managed to interview her and get some tips, tricks and a little inspiration for magical lunch boxes

Enjoy!

I’m so excited to finally contact you Please introduce yourself to our wonderful readers.

I’m a mother of 2 very precious children, a wife of a wonderful husband. I love making bentos for my children and love to see the big smiles on their faces when they see them!

What is a bento lunch?

Bento is a Japanese style lunch box packed with a healthy balanced meal presented in a very appealing way. In Japan its a tradition that homemakers pack lunches for their kids, husbands and themselves! Bento lunches usually contain rice, cooked veggies and fish or meat. Food can be packed neatly in a simple way or sometimes food can be cut and shaped to form famous cartoon characters or cute animals, people, and then garnished with fresh veggies cut using special flower shaped veggie cutters.

How did you get interested in bento?

It started more than 2 years ago just before my eldest started going to a pre school I looked up on the Internet for tips on packing healthy lunches for children then I found out all about bento, I fell in love and got addicted to making them.

Do you need any special products to get started making bento lunches?

Not at all! I’ve been asked this question several times by moms! I started making bento using a normal plastic container instead of the traditional Japanese bento box, in fact, one of my best bento, the Simpson’s bento,  viewed 13465 times so far on flickr, wasn’t made by using any special tools. For a start all you need is a plastic container like lock and lock that is not deep and some cute small cookie cutters and/or garnish cutters.

Are there certain foods that should be used for bento lunches?

You can use any kind of food your kid like; but cold sandwiches and rice balls are good food for bento as they’re usually best served at room temperature. I also sometimes pack mini pizzas and mini cheese fatayer and other kinds of small savory pastries for a change and they are also good at room temperature.

Why is there such a focus on the presentation in bento lunches?

In Japan it’s in their culture; not only food, everything should be presented in an attractive manner. No doubt making appealing bento is the best way to beat other junk foods that our children are exposed to everyday starting from in schools to TV commercials. It’s obviously working, no wonder today bento is very popular in North America and Europe! You want kids to associate cute, happy and pretty with healthy food, specially now days with all the temptation of empty calories junk food. We see how bakers come up with all sort of ideas for making the cutest most whimsical cupcakes and birthday cakes for kids. Why not make their nutritious and balanced meals look as cute?

It looks like bento takes a lot of effort and time, can a working mom who is always on the go prepare a bento lunch?

Absolutely yes! Almost everything can be done the night before and in the morning you or anyone just puts everything together! Just adding eyes and nose with a mouth to a sandwich will not take a long time and will guarantee a smile on your little one’s face. It doesn’t have to look perfect! Some of my bentos are really easy and speedy although they look hard to make! Its all about the small touches that take the least time and effort and most can be done ahead! Examples: lining the box with lettuce and using tiny cutters to cut carrots and cucumbers. Using silicon cups for cut fruits and veggies. Don’t have time for that? Cut the sandwich with a cookie cutter instead of normal knife and get cute picks and put them on the sandwich.

How do your kids respond to the lunches?

They just love them! I can really see how it encourages them to eat healthy. They do sometimes ask for hard stuff that is almost impossible to make and once they see my version of what they have asked for they get disappointed!

What is your favorite bento lunch that you’ve made to date?

Although I think people in general loved my “The Simpsons” bento the most, for some reason I love my hello kitty valentine’s bento the most so far

Would you recommend parents to try bento lunches? and why?

Of course! Bentos are really fun to make and kids will love to help making them! It will encourage healthy eating in a fun way! If you don’t have time you can always make something simple!

Can readers request bento boxes from you for special events, parties etc?

Yes, that will be possible soon, however, as I will be at a starter stage I may not be able to take big orders (no more than an order of 25 boxes max in one day).

For more information on bento lunches or to place an order contact her on info@bentomommy.com

You can also check out some more amazing bento lunches on her flickr page.