Back-to-School Season Made Easy with ViveMejor

As the "back to school" frenzy begins, many Hispanic mothers find themselves trying to reorganize their family's day-to-day schedule to accommodate an ever-changing agenda. Gone are those leisurely days of summer, replaced by a more hectic morning and evening routine. During this busy season, mothers are encouraged not to let the added responsibilities get the best of them with help from Vivemejor.com, the one-stop lifestyle resource. The site offers Latinas valuable tips and advice, from both celebrity stylist Leonardo Rocco and Chef Marcela Valladolid, on how to manage the back-to-school season while still taking care of their families and themselves!

According to Rocco, no matter how hectic the back to school days get, it is still important to take time out for personal care, as it is an important part of stress management. To help busy Latinas manage stress during this time of the year, Rocco shares his top three personal care tips here:

1. "Turn your own bathroom into a place of rest and relaxation. Start by setting the ambiance by using some of your favorite scented candles which give soft lighting and create a pleasant environment. I also recommend using a body wash with an exfoliating agent, such as Caress(R)Evenly Gorgeous(TM) Body Wash & Beauty Bar with burnt brown sugar and karite butter, to gently message and exfoliate your skin in the tub. Exfoliation can increase circulation and have a calming effect to help you alleviate the stress of the day."

2. "Get enough sleep! Feeling tired and lack of sleep can cause you to drag and feel irritable, which can increase stress. It can also cause skin to look puffy and take on a wrinkled appearance, so make sure to prioritize a good night's sleep to stay well-rested and keep your skin looking youthful and radiant."

3. "To make sure all your personal care needs are covered throughout the day, I recommend putting together a portable 'beauty kit' to store in your car or office desk. There are some essentials all women should keep in this kit: a toothbrush, travel toothpaste, a mirror, comb, and lip gloss. It should also include one of my personal favorites this season, the new Degree(R) Women Fine Fragrance Collection, which has both an antiperspirant/deodorant and a body mist available in three amazing scents, so women can have one fine fragrance infused throughout their day."

After a busy day, the evening approaches and children return home to tackle numerous homework assignments while mom sets off to prepare dinner. According to Marcela, it is more important than ever to spend time with your kids during the start of the school year to learn about their new teachers, upcoming projects and overall excitement. With these easy and useful cooking tips, Latina moms will be able to cut down on the amount of time they spend preparing dinner and dedicate that time to sharing with their families around the table!

1. "When trying to come up with a quick meal idea that is both delicious and filling for the entire family, I encourage Latinas to also think nutritiously. Considerer whipping up a hearty bowl of spaghetti, which on average takes about 10 minutes to prepare! The carbohydrates in the pasta will give your family energy, and by using my favorite, Ragu(R) Old World Style(R) Smooth Pasta Sauce, you'll be giving your loved ones a full serving of veggies in every 1/2 cup of sauce!" Wash it all down with a cold glass of milk to complete your meal with healthy dose of vitamin D and calcium.

2. "Experimentation in the kitchen is a great way of surprising your family with new and exciting meals. To try new dishes, but without wasting time during the 'testing' phase, I recommend going to a reliable source, such as a trusted friend or website, so you can be certain that the recipes have already been tested to perfection. You'll get the chance to try something new, without wasting time with recipe trial and error!"

3. "Rice is a tried-and-true staple of the Hispanic meal. It can be served as the main dish or as a side to any vegetable or meat. To transform your rice from good to great in just seconds, I recommend using Knorr(R) Caldo con Sabor de Pollo. It gives your rice that delicious chicken broth flavor, without having to spend the hours it takes to actually make the broth."

This is just a taste of all the great information that can be found on Vivemejor.com, the one-stop lifestyle resource for Latinas to find valuable tips and recommendations on how to manage the back-to-school season, while still taking care of their families and themselves. For even more recipes, beauty tips, money-saving coupons and samples, don't forget to visit http://www.vivemejor.com!/

Free Family Meal Plan Lists for Latino Families

Latino families can eat healthy and save money without sacrificing freshness or flavor by downloading Meals Matter's free online Family Meal Plan and Shopping List.

This new tool helps families eat healthy by ensuring a variety of healthy foods from all of the food groups, including fruits, vegetables, low-fat or fat-free milk and dairy foods, whole grains and meats, beans and nuts. By providing a shopping list with ingredients to prepare a week of dinners for six people, families can save money by limiting impulse buys and extra trips to the grocery store.

"Everyone can benefit from planning meals and using healthy shopping lists, but this is a change for families used to making frequent trips to the market or grocery store for fresh food items," said Los Angeles-area registered dietitian Monica Montes with N.E.W. Health Consultants.

The Meals Matter "Family Meal Plan and Shopping List" combines traditional ingredients like beans, rice, nopales, mango and tomatillos . It also offers healthier versions of familiar recipes like enchiladas that use plain yogurt instead of sour cream for more calcium, protein and potassium with fewer calories. In addition, a weeklong shopping list with enough items to prepare six servings of each recipe.

Planning, preparing and eating meals together at home is a healthy, fun and inexpensive way to stay connected as a family. Home-cooked meals are generally less expensive and more nutritious than meals eaten away from home, and children who help family members prepare and enjoy healthy foods will form healthy eating habits as well. So the web site also shares important tips in English and Spanish on storing fresh produce and cooking with children.

Resources for Combatting Obesity Among Hispanic Children

In this year’s June issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, a study was published noting that the "prevalence of overweight in the US population is among the highest in Mexican-American children and adolescents." Among other factors, this figure is attributed to poor diet, sedentary lifestyles, and low socioeconomic status. In a recent (and completely unrelated) news interview (I forget which one) a nutritionist was quoted as saying that grandmothers really did know best when it came to diet and meal planning. She went on to say that any grocery store products with more than five ingredients listed on the label might as well just be chucked in the trash, because those other unpronounceable ingredients tend to be preservatives and/or sugars.

So to help all you mamis out there, I have put together several resources to help you with meal planning….

First of all, if you haven’t read the book, Gordito Doesn’t Mean Healthy, by Claudia González and Lourdes Alcañiz, then you should. It is a wealth of information for parents looking to prevent and manage obesity in their children. Many Latinas have a deeply imbedded belief that a chubby baby is a healthy baby. In all that chubbalicious glory, they see a baby who is well-fed, lavished with love and affection, and a symbol of a mother’s excellent care. But research shows that more children are developing health problems such as diabetes (on average, Hispanic Americans are 1.9 times more likely to have diabetes than non-Hispanic whites of similar age,) high blood pressure, high cholesterol and eating disorders as a result of too much food intake, poor diets, and lack of exercise. This book includes the Latino-Hispanic Food Guide Pyramid (which includes traditional foods like jicama, papayas, corn tortillas and avocado) to guide Latina moms with photos of food portions appropriate for children. It also has a section on Latina mothers and breastfeeding facts that debunks myths. Menu suggestions for newborns to 19-year-olds are also inside. To purchase your copy, check out the Latin Baby boutique here.

Another super resource is the Latino Nutrition Coalition web site. It has recipes, health statistics, and regular updates about health issues affecting Latinos, as well as free education materials in Spanish and English like the downloadable bilingual shopping guide.

Many Latina moms who are second, third and even fourth generation Americans, have the additional challenge in that they have lost family recipes and are less likely to cook traditional wholesome dishes. For those of you looking for more traditional recipes that reflect our cutura, there is a variety of blogs passing along these tasty meals.

One of my personal favorites is A Little Cup of Mexican Hot Chocolate . . . And More: A Girl's Guide to Cooking Mexican Food Just Like Her Abuelita. Whew! A long name for a most delicious blog imparting recipes along with beautiful photographs and witty, charming stories rich in cultura.

The Panama Gourmet, Chef Melissa De Leon, also has a delightful site – www.CookingDiva.net - full of recipes from Latin America. Note of Caution: If you’re like me, you may gain 10 pounds just sitting and reading her oh-so-yummy recipes!

Next is Laylita’s Recipes. Filled with Ecuadorian recipes, her blog will immediately make your stomach growl and your mouth water. Her pictures are divine and entice you to run out and buy ingredients - even if it is 3 am!

Spain-Recipes.com offers a wonderful compilation of recipes from all over Spain and they even categorize them as to the dishes typical to each region. WOW! If you are an Española, get over there now! I almost cried when I found the one for croquetas de jamón…

For some excellent Peruvian dishes, check out Canela y Comino, Fighting Windmills blog and Dawn on the Amazon Captain’s Blog. Some super, wonderful recipes along with great stories.

From Argentina With Love will melt your soul with her Dulce de Leche recipes. Who knew there were so many things you could make with it? Rebecca’s blog is a beautiful thing – I’m not from Argentina, but I sure wish I was after reading it!

For the most sabroso Colombian dishes, be sure to dive into My Colombian Recipes. In addition to her wonderful recipes, Erica also gives you ingredient sources and even vegetarian dishes!

Even though he just started his blog in January, everyone seems to be raving about Eric Rivera’s Cooking Blog… and after looking at his Puerto Rican recipe for mofongo served with a sofrito soup broth, I totally understand. Too much work for me, but easy fun for a 27-year-old Puerto Rican culinary school student, I guess!

New to cyberspace is the Tiki Tiki Blog, written predominantly by four Latina moms. Already the gazpacho, churros and salsa fresca recipes are flying, but you can also find links here to their personal blogs, such as Marta Darby’s My Big Fat Cuban Family, which features a healthy dose of Cuban recipes.

In the next post, I’ll share my list of favorite books and blogs to help get your kids off el sofa and corriendo y brincando, climbing and exploring.

Latino Nutrition Coalition Provides Tools to Help Latinos Eat Healthy

It is no secret that Latinos are at higher risk for certain health issues, such as diabetes and premature births. In some cases genetics, income level, or environment may directly affect the risk. However, in other cases, nutrition may be a contributing factor.

The Latino Nutrition Coalition (LNC) is an education program implemented by Oldways, a non-profit organization dedicated to food issues and improving lifestyles by encouraging healthy eating and drinking. The LNC is an alliance of chefs, scientists, policy makers and others who are involved in identifying nutritional issues within the Latino community and working towards positive changes using education programs and tools such as the Latin American Diet Pyramid and the Camino Mágico Supermarket Guide.

Their web site is an invaluable tool for mamis who are looking for a little help with planning family meals and snacks. I was pleasantly surprised to find it. With pages available in both English and Spanish, the site has a variety of helpful pages, like information on health issues directly affecting Latinos, and one which includes more detailed descriptions of Latin ingredients to accompany the Latin American Diet Pyramid.

In addition to providing free downloads for education materials like those mentioned above, it also has a great collection of traditional – yet nutritious – recipes, such as Green Plantain Tortillas, Paella, Peruvian Quinoa and Orange Salad, and other meals from all over Latin America.

To check out their site and get more recipes like the one below, visit www.latinonutrition.org.

Colombian Beef and Sweet Potato Stew
A hearty stew for a cold day.

Ingredients
1 pound cubed, lean beef1/2 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon pepper1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil3 cups peeled sweet potato, cut in 1 inch pieces2 teaspoons garlic, finely chopped1 dry bay leaf1 cinnamon stick1 large onion, cut into eighths1 (28 ounce) can low-sodium stewed tomatoes8 dried apricots, cut in halfchopped fresh parsley

Cooking Instructions
1. Remove excess fat from beef, cut into cubes,and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat
3. Cook beef in oil for 5 minutes, stirringoccasionally, until brown.
4. Mix beef and remaining ingredients, exceptapricots and parsley, in a crock pot, and cook onlow for 8 hours or until beef is tender.
5. Stir in apricots and cook on low for about 15minutes until apricots have softened.
6. Discard bay leaf and cinnamon stick, andsprinkle with parsley.

Makes 6 servings.

María, María, How does your Garden Grow?

I heard the other day on some morning program, that due to the struggling economy and the First Lady’s example, everyone is now planting a vegetable garden. Over the past 9 years or so, my husband and I have made an annual attempt at planting a garden – not always with much success. Rabbits, deer, drought, flood, and an occasional feral hog(!) are but a few of the anti-veggie garden challenges we have encountered.

And yet, we keep trying.

¡Oralé! This year, we said, things will be different. Since moving to NC 2 years ago, we are finally in our own home and actually have the acreage to plant a sizeable garden. My industrious husband and daughter carefully enclosed our side porch and converted it into their personal greenhouse. As if by magic, seed trays, potting soil, watering cans and fluorescent lights suddenly appeared. Trips to Lowe’s began to center around the seed section and I started finding seed packets in the dining room, kitchen and my daughter’s bed. Plant catalogs started multiplying next to the couch in the living room. And lately, every evening brings eager whispering floating into the house from the side porch as they monitor the seedlings’ growth.

Regardless of whether or not we actually successfully grow a single vegetable, this year is different. It is the first time both our kids have had the actual experience of "farming." Maybe not on a big scale, but they are learning about starting a project and following it through. The last few weeks has found them out in the garden picking out the roots, sticks and rocks as Daddy goes around with the tiller. My kids are fascinated by the differences in the seeds. Tiny, big, pointy, flat, round...seeds come in so many shapes and sizes. They’ve been learning about the effects of light, water, temperature on one little seed. The biology lesson is immense!

And today, for me, was the best day of all. Today we actually sewed seeds in straight(ish) little lines. Okra, gourds, tomatoes, corn, bell peppers, carrots – all planted in carefully marked rows. There is just something innately satisfying in feeling the dirt between your fingers. Watching mis niños staring intently into a hole, their tiny hands carefully dropping in a seed and then covering it up, brought such a feeling of satisfaction and contentment.

It reminds me of my abuelita, who used to plant rows of corn in the backyard of her Dallas home. Tomates y chiles of every shape and color tumbled out of pots scattered around her back porch. Roses, irises, canas and a variety of other flowering plants were there, too. But it is the corn that made the biggest impression on me. Probably because I spent hours sitting in the middle of the rows, staring up at the sky, their towering stalks like a green wall between me and the rest of the world.

How many of you, I wonder will be planting a garden this year? Why? To save money? To eat healthy? To teach your children? Maybe, for the sheer enjoyment?

Panama Gourmet's Perfect End-of-Summer Recipe

It is so hard to believe el verano is almost over. My kids are running me ragged and we are all looking forward to school starting. Despite a cool front that has moved in (50’s tonight – woohoo!) the days are still muy caliente!

And while surfing the internet looking for cool down recipes, I found the most wonderful site!

Chef Melissa de León is the founder of The Panama Gourmet. The ultimate Cooking Diva, one look at Melissa’s resumé will make your head spin. She has studied cooking all over the world…esta chica must be busier than the columpios at recess! At any rate, her blog is filled with wonderful recipes that I think many mamás would be eager to try. I had a hard time narrowing down my recipe choice for today, but I think I have found the perfect one for the end of the summer…

Papaya Nieve
(recipe and photo taken from panamagourmet.blogs.com)

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh, ripe and sweet papaya, cubed
2/3 cup light brown sugar or light corn syrup
3 tablespoons fresh lime (or mandarin orange) juice
a pinch of cinnamon (optional)
water

Directions:
Puree papaya in the blender with enough water to make 24 oz.
Combine papaya puree with the other ingredients and transfer to the ice cream maker. Then, follow the directions of the ice cream maker to freeze and finish this nieve.
For better taste store the nieve 3-4 days in the freezer.

To check out the Cooking Diva’s recipe-filled blog with its , click here.

Agua Fresca to the Rescue

For some reason my pants seem to be fitting a little too tight lately. I'm confused since I just got back from a camping vacation and you'd think all that hiking and "roughing it" would have had the opposite effect. Perhaps I have been indulging in a little too much chocolate (Reese's peanut butter cups, to be exact.) So yesterday, I decided the time had come to cut back on the sweets. I finished off the small(ish) bag of mini Reese's that was in my fridge and vowed not to buy any more - at least until I shrink or my pants stretch.

Keeping this in mind, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Hibiscus Tea (or Jamaica Agua Fresca) is a natural weight-loss aid. Served cold or hot (I prefer it cold,) this agua fresca is loaded with Vitamin C and contains a number of enzyme inhibitors that prevent the absorption of sugars. AND it has anti-bloating properties, helping the body to shed excess fluid. It has been a long time since I've had a cold glass of hibiscus tea (I believe I was in Mexico at the time,) but my mouth is already watering at the thought and tomorrow I go in search of una tienda mexicana so that I can load up on these flowers.

To make Jamaica Agua Fresca, soak a handful of dried hibiscus flowers in a small pot of just boiled water. Let soak for a half hour or so and then strain the tea into a pitcher and add cold water and ice for a refreshing, soothing and tasty drink on a hot summer day. Throw in a few berries for decoration y voila! To be enjoyed anywhere and by anyone.

For a more complicated and equally yummy recipe, click here.

WARNING: Allowing small children to drink this may result in empty pitcher.

An Avocado Day!

Today was an avocado day for me. Rich and exciting and yummy. No matter the situation, they always make me happy. Wish I had had some to eat today. And to celebrate today's bounty, I am passing along some great recipes. But before I do, let us contemplate the many wonderful qualitites an aguacate has...

...more than 25 essential nutrients that our bodies need, including folic acid, Vitamin E, Potassium, B vitamins and fiber, and protein not normally found in fruit.

...phytonutrients that are thought to prevent many chronic diseases

...phytochemicals such as lutein, glutathione and beta-sitosterol.

..."nutrient boosting" qualities because it allows the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.

...both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat and (again) potassium which help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

And now to the recipes! Both tops ones were taken from http://www.avocado.org/ and they have lots more, Amigas!

California Avocado Zucchini Soup
(picture above © Courtesy of California Avocado Commission)

Ingredients
4 Cups fat free chicken broth, divide in half
1 med. onion, finely chopped
4 green onions, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ tsp salt or to taste
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 Cups zucchini, thinly sliced
2 large ripe California avocados, seeded, peeled and chopped

Directions

In large pot with lid, heat 1 cup broth, onion, green onions, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
When boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Stir occasionally.
Add remaining broth and zucchini and bring to a boil.
Cover and reduce heat to low.
Cook for 20 minutes.
Remove lid and allow to cool slightly.
In food processor, puree zucchini, broth and avocado in batches.
Return to pan and warm gently.
Serve in soup bowls and garnish to taste.

Chilled California Avocado-Cucumber with Thai Basil and Mint Soup

Ingredients
5 California avocados, diced
1 ½ quarts Buttermilk
1 (1 lb.) Kirby (hot house) cucumber, peeled
24 Thai basil leaves
24 Mint leaves
1 tsp Salt (or to taste)
1 ½ oz Finely diced red onion
3 oz Roma tomoato, seeded and diced
1 oz Green onion, thinly sliced
12 Thai basil flowers, with leaves

Directions

Puree avocado with next 5 ingredients; cover and chill at least 3 hours to marry flavors. Reserve.
Shortly before service: Fold together red onion, tomato, and green onion.
Per Order:
Pour 1 cup soup into a serving bowl; garnish with 2 tablespoons onion mixture and 1 basil flower.

Serves 12, yields 3 quarts.

My "If All Else Fails" Recipe

(I got this one out of Women's Day Mag last year)

Throw 2 ripe avocados, 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk and chicken broth, 1 seeded jalapeño (optional), 1/2 cup cilantro, tsp ground cumin, and 1/2 tsp salt into a blender and blend until smooth. Garnish with extra slices of avocado.

Mmmmmmmmmmm.....

My next post will include some wonderful beauty recipes that use aguacates as the main ingredient.

Hasta mañana, Chicas!

Pregnant Latinas at Risk?

¡Ay, la comida! As a Latina, much of my life has centered around food. My great-grandmother, mi 'buelita, actually owned her own restaurant in Dallas. Granted, that was before I was born, but probably 80% or more of my childhood meals were made by her. I was spoiled with strong, rich dishes that cannot be replicated now that she has passed away. I have spent many of my adult years prowling through suspect hole-in-the-walls and fine, uppity restaurants trying to find the same culinary masterpieces she used to create. I have not been successful.

Now that I am so far from my hometown, I have distinct moments of withdrawl in which I feel like I'd give my youngest child for a plate of gallina y fiambre (just kidding, y'all.) Sadly, I never developed the patience and love for cooking that my 'buelita had. Even if I had, I know that I could never have figured out her secret recipes. (I am told that my grandmother actually has all of them written down and stored in a secret hiding spot that she refuses to share with the rest of us.)

I know that I am not the only Latina who indulges in family recipes or seeks out traditional dishes. And, unfortunately, this propensity can have a negative impact for pregnant Latinas.

I enjoy reading the newsletter that the North Carolina Healthy Start Foundation publishes. It's called Maternidad Latina: Promoting Child and Maternal Health. Their Jan/Feb issue focused on the topic of listeriosis, a serious infection caused by eating foods contaminated with the listeria bacteria. This bacteria can be found in foods like deli meats, soft cheeses and anything made with unprocessed milk. Pregnant women and their unborn children are one of the main groups of people affected.

Unfortunately, pregnant Latinas (especially first generationers) are at very high risk for contracting the bacteria, because soft cheeses - like the quesos frescos pictured above - are a popular and traditional ingredient for many of our Latin American dishes. Some Latinas even think that these homemade quesos and raw milks are healthier. And many Latinas haven't ever heard of listeriosis - Hey! To be honest, I hadn't either until I was pregnant with my kids. And even then, my OB/Gyn only told me to stay away from deli meats.

Sadly, this lack of knowledge can have some really bad consequences. The bacteria can cause some very serious complications for pregnant women, including premature delivery, miscarriage, stillbirth, and severe health problems for newborns.

The best thing you can do if you are pregnant, is to avoid unpasteurized dairy products and deli meats. And, of course, cooking food thoroughly and maintaining a clean area for food preparation are important as well.

So if you have a sister, cousin, daughter or amiga that is expecting un bebé, help spread the message and tell her about this post.

If you'd like read more Maternidad Latina issues, click here.

For more information on listeriosis and pregnancy, click here.

Para información en Español, click aqui.

The Benefits of Breastfeeding

Una amiga mia just had a baby. So sweet. I was surprised when I get a little email from her mamá saying that she is having trouble nursing the baby. While researching some information for her, I stumbled across an article that described how in many countries, mothers are under the impression that feeding their babies formula must be better than breastfeeding because it is more expensive.

Yak! If that is the reason for giving your baby formula over breast milk, then keep reading...

Did you know...

That human breast milk has over 300 ingredients, including interferon, whiteblood cells, antibacterial and antiviral agents, while formula has only 40 ingredients?

It also resembles blood more than milk due to the many live cells called macrophages, which kill bacteria, fungi and viruses?

Human milk has been shown to kill cancer cells in a laboratory dish and has been used in oncology?

In some parts of the world, donated organs are bathed in breastmilk for its protective factors?

In an effort to spread a little knowledge about the wonderful benefits of breastfeeding (both for your baby as well as for you!!!) here are some links worthy of your attention...

To read a wonderful list of benefits to both babies and mothers, click here.

For information on the importance of human milk, click here.

Folic Acid for Latinas

Well, as promised, I am dedicating the next few posts to pregnancy and breastfeeding. To start off, I'm providing you a link to one of the most important issues for pregnant Latinas, and that is the importance of getting enough folic acid. As a group, Latinas have the highest rates of neural tube defects during pregnancy. Many Latinas don't have access to proper health care during their pregnancies, and as a result most likely don't even know what Folic Acid is. But this vital nutrient is a type of B vitamin that helps with tissue growth and cell function. It helps prevent certain birth defects including spina bifida, a condition where the backbone and spinal canal do not close before birth. As a result, newborns may suffer partial or complete paralysis in their legs and the exposed spinal cord is very susceptible to infection.

Good sources of folic acid include citrus fruits/juices, beans/legumes, and dark green leafy veggies, to name a few.

Since folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that is excreted in the urine, it is hard to overdose on folic acid, so I strongly suggest that all of us Latinas take a multi-vitamin every day. Even if you buy some children's vitamins and pop one in your mouth with breakfast, that would be sufficient. And the other advantages of taking prenatal vitamins include longer, stronger nails, beautiful skin and healthy shiny, hair. You can't beat that!

So get out there, Ladies, and eat some folic acid!

For more information on folic acid, visit the March of Dimes web site here.

For more information on Latinas and pregnancy, check out the National Latina Health Network here.

Post Pregnancy Weight Loss...

During both my pregnancies and afterwards (as I nursed each baby), I kept my rose-colored glasses on which helped me to envision how skinny I would become as I nursed my kids. But strangely enough, it didn't happen in the blink of an eye as I was expecting. In fact, after weaning my daughter at a year (she basically weaned herself), I was still waiting for the miraculous moment that all my little fat cells would suddenly disappear. Then 6 months later, I was pregnant again, and it was "Oh, well. I'll lose it all again when the next one is born and I start nursing."
Here I am almost two years later and I am still 10 lbs heavier than I was before I got pregnant the first time. But now I am a little more complacent and relaxed (I state, typing this with one hand while sticking a Reese's Pieces in my mouth with the other).
But imagine my excitement as I read about the fantastico info released by the USDA last week. They have now released their first food pyramids for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers as well as a pyramid for mothers who are trying to lose weight while breastfeeding. Yippee! But wait...too late for me --- BUT NOT FOR ALL YOU expectant and new mamás out there. Take advantage - you will definitely appreciate it later!

To check out the site in English, click here.

Para Español, aqui.

Avance for Parents

A wonderful program for parents, Avance's philosophy hinges on the fact that they believe parents are the first and most important teachers for their children. They teach parents to be advocates and role models for their children. Their main focus is parent education and they guide parents through the stages of emotional, physical, social and cognitive development of their children with special topics that range from the importance of reading and effective discipline to nutrition. Such a wonderful resource to help parents (especially first-time parents) be the best parents that they can.

See here for more information.

¡Buen Provecho!

Last week I discovered a wonderful web site called Rodrigvitz Style. It has a festive collection of oilcloth products created by owner, Stephanie Hilvitz. In the tabletop section, she has some great chalkmats for sale. Reversible, one side is blackboard oilcloth and the other side has a pattern of your choice (there are three to choose from). Chalk is included! An excellente idea for making mealtimes more interesting for your toddlers....
For more information, see here.