5 tips to be a pretty summer mommy

Quinoa:
For starters, anytime you choose a whole-grain product over one made from nutrient-stripped white flour, you wage war against belly fat. Quinoa contains twice the belly-filling protein as regular cereal grains, fewer glucose-raising carbohydrates, and even a handful of healthy fats. So start your day off with a cup of cooked quinoa combined with a 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of blueberries!

Green Tea:
Natural tea is one of the richest sources of flavonoid antioxidants which protect your body against free radicals-molecules that can damage cells. The powerful antioxidants found in tea are believed to help prevent cancer, lower cholesterol, stregthen the immune system and promote weight loss.

Eggs: Per 1 large scrambled egg,
A british study found that people who increased the percentage of protein-based calories in their diet burned 71 more calories a day (that’s 7.4 pounds a year!) Jumpstart your metabolism as soon as you wake up with a protein-rich breakfast of scrambled eggs!

Grapefruit:
A grapefruit a day in addition to your regular meals can speed weight loss. The fruit’s acidity slows digestion, meaning it takes longer to move through normal cells alone.

Yogurt:
Organic Greek Yogurt, protein-packed is a belly-blasting essential. Beyond the satiety-inducing protein, the probiotics may also speed weight loss. British scientists found that these active organisms boosted the breakdown of fat molecules in mice, preventing the rodents from gaining weight.

Avocado:
Avocados are a good source of healthy fats, omega-3, and are rich in monounsaturated fat, which is easily burned for energy. This creamy, green fruit is abundant in essential oils and B-complex vitamins that nourish your skin, inside and out and the nutritional value of avocado makes it good for indigestion, hair care, heart health, skin care, psoriasis, and bad breath.

Try adding these tips into your diet this week to look and feel better. Your kids will appreciate your super hero energy

Gluten Free Chocolate Banana Mini Muffins

Recently my son has noticed he is sensitive to gluten. Whenever he eats muffins, bread, or pasta, even though we use healthy whole grain versions, he seems to get a stomach ache. Even though he tested negative for celiac, we think he might have a gluten sensitivity, so we are trying to experiment with more gluten free recipes. We are going to take some typical gluten free recipes and try and make them healthier. This recipe is one of our first experiments. We were suppose to use two different types of flour, but by accident my 5 year old daughter put in 2 cups of teff flour- so we only used teff flour. We will let you know the results of this recipe, if you have any great gluten-free cooking tips we would love to hear them!




Ingredients

2 cups teff flour

1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons high-quality, unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 very ripe bananas
6 oz plain yogurt (make sure it's gluten free if desired)
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons melted butter, applesauce, or coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Tip: According to my daughter, if you don't have an ingredient in the house, try something else! We did not have applesauce, so we are substituting in coconut oil.

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350° degrees. Move the rack to a position in the lower half of the oven to prevent the crust of the bread from burning. Grease the pan you intend to use with coconut oil.
2. Stir together all the dry ingredients, making sure to tame the lumps of cocoa powder with a fork. Set aside.
3. With a standing mixer or hand mixer, beat the eggs lightly. Then, add the yogurt, vanilla extract, and melted butter. 

4. When the wet ingredients are completely mixed, gently add in the dry mixture.

5. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients until they are just mixed.
6. Scrape the batter into your the muffin pan. Pat down the top to make a flat surface. 

7. Place into the oven and bake for about forty minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

8. Let the muffins sit in the pan for five to ten minutes, then add chocolate chips on top, eat and enjoy!

Gluten Free Flour Substitutes
If you care for your recipes to be gluten free, you can try oat flour, which we love. We make our own by putting oats in the blender but you can also buy oat flour; its a great healthy alternative!

Another great gluten free flour is almond flour, which you can also make yourself by blending the almonds until it turns into a powder. Almond flour is low in carbohydrates and a great source of protein. It is an excellent substitute for regular flour. It's all natural, loaded with nutrients, in particular, vitamin E and magnesium and it's low in carbohydrates (about 24 net carbs per cup for fine-ground and blanched as opposed to 92 per cup of wheat flour), making a very good choice for low carb flour.

Coconut flour is another great flour to use. It has fewer digestible net carbs than other flours, and it even has fewer digestible carbs than some vegetables! With as much protein as wheat flour, coconut flour has none of the specific protein in wheat called "gluten." This is an advantage for a growing percentage of the population who have allergies to gluten or a wheat sensitivity.

You can also substitute up to 1/4 cup Teff Flour per cup of wheat flour in your recipes. Teff is packed with nutrition. It is higher in protein than wheat and has a high concentration of a wide variety of nutrients, including calcium, thiamin and iron. The iron from teff is easily absorbed by the body.

Easy Grab and Go Breakfast!

Easy Grab and Go Breakfasts

The Most Important Meal of the Day
It turns out your grandmother was right. A balanced breakfast is critical to start the day. It can better your child’s progress in education, sports and attention. The word breakfast literally means break the fast; the point of eating breakfast is to break the fast from an overnight sleep. A balanced breakfast includes a good carbohydrate, protein, and a healthy fat. These essential micro -nutrients supply the right mix of energy to sustain your child’s hunger until lunchtime.

However with our busy schedules, breakfast can feel like a chore. We often will resort to fast food on the run but fast food can be high in sugar and does not provide the necessary nutrients our bodies need.

If your child eats breakfast but still feels tired and hungry shortly after, it’s likely they are not getting the right energy fuels from the foods they’re consuming. A breakfast consisting primarily of sugary foods like fruit and fruit juice will just give them a quick, short, burst of energy. After an hour or so, their energy will plummet from the surge of sugar, leaving them hungry again and lacking energy.

try making these on a sunday ,freeze and eat throughout the week. Better then Kelloggs
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups milk
1 (8 ounce) container plain yogurt
¼ cup applesauce
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour-- or flour of choice--if wheat sensative try coconut or a nut flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 apple (peeled, cored and finely grated)

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, yogurt and applesauce until well blended. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in another bowl. Stir into the milk mixture until smooth. Fold in grated apple. Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddl, using approximately ¼ cup for each cake. Cook until bubbles form in the cakes and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook the other side. Serve warm with syrup or jam.

Foods that make your skin glow!

Firm and Bright skin: Fruits and veggies! They prevent wrinkles. The colorful pigments that produce bright orange and red also refill antioxidant levels in your skin. The top 4? Sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cantaloupe, and berries! Replenish your skin’s supply of antioxidants, so they’re ready to scarf up free radicals whenever they make an appearance. Free reds are highly reactive oxygen molecules that damage cells and contribute to just about everything that can go wrong with skin, from dryness to crinkles.

Fresh and Juicy skin: Your body can’t store much wrinkle-fighting vitamin C, so you need to keep your supplies stoked. The easiest, simplest way? Have some citrus every day. Oranges, lemons, limes, and grapefruit. Actually, ounce for ounce, oranges are the top citrus C source but you can only eat so many, right? For variety, make lemonade, squeeze limes on melon. Keep skin’s vitamin C levels high. While C’s a nifty antioxidant, that’s not the key reason it’s here. It helps keep collagen- the supportive protein fibers that stop skin from sagging- strong and resilient.

Smoothing and Soothing: There’s a particularly potent antioxidant known as EGCG that does all kinds of good things for skin. The best place to find it is green, or white tea (not herbal). Brew a teapot full every morning, so that sipping four to six cups throughout the day is easy. Green tea “the roasting process that turns this green tea a brownish color also lowers its caffeine content”--handy if you’re caffeine sensitive. Give your skin a healthy dose of EGCG, which is a great multi-tasker. EGCG puts a damper on inflammatory chemicals involved in acne and sun-related skin aging; it also helps prevent skin cancer; and it has a loin-tamer effect on amino acid- and anything you can do to staunch the flow of the stress hormone cortisol helps keep collagen fibers intact.

The First Day of Summer

It is now officially summer. Making small adjustments to your to diet and daily routine can help your body adapt to the change in season. Summer is a great time to incorporate more produce and raw foods into your diet. Our bodies naturally crave more cooling, lighter foods like salad and fresh-picked fruit in the warmer months. Enjoying locally grown produce is also a great way to honor the natural environment in which you live. It helps you feel at home where you are, reduces your carbon footprint and supports your local community.

Also consider how your lifestyle reflects seasonal changes. In the summer, many people play outdoor sports, go on vacation and engage in high-energy activities. Make the most of these longer days and take your exercise outdoors. And don't forget to schedule some relaxation time for yourself. Summer is a great time to recharge your battery!

Kick off summer with a tasty recipe incorporating in-season produce. This sweet soup is a perfect appetizer at summer parties and barbeques.

Carrot Fruit Soup
Recipe from IIN grad Terry Walter's Clean Food cookbook

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Yields: 6 servings

Ingredients:
1 cantaloupe
2 peaches, peeled and cut into chunks
1 mango, peeled and cut into chunks
1 ½ cups carrot juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of salt
Blueberries for garnish

Directions:
1. Halve cantaloupe, scoop out seeds, remove outer skin and cut melon into chunks
2. Place in large pot and add peaches, mango, carrot juice, lemon juice, cloves and salt.
3. Bring to a simmer and cook 3 minutes to soften fruit.
4. Puree with handheld blender and refrigerate for 1 hour or longer.
5. Garnish with blueberries and serve.

The Integrative Nutrition team

Making the Perfect Burrito!

A burrito is a great idea for a quick, easy, and delicious meal. And, it’s very inexpensive!

Step #1: The ingredients

All the ingredients you need for a homemade burrito are whole-grain tortillas, organic shredded mozzarella cheese, and organic black beans. Guacamole, or sliced avocado, and salsa are optional to add in. I have included great recipes for guacamole and salsa below.

The ingredients sounds simple right? They are! Just be aware of the ingredients in the whole-grain tortillas. It is very important to understand what ingredients are really in the foods we are eating. A great rule to follow: do not eat anything you cannot pronounce! Labels and advertising can be very deceiving. For example, my intern bought whole-grain tortillas thinking they were a great choice for homemade tortillas because they were labeled “Carb Balance” “Heart Healthy” and “A good source of dietary fiber for your healthy lifestyle”. But once we turned the package over and started reading the 30+ chemicals that were actually in the tortillas, she realized that they were not “heart healthy” at all! Whole-grain tortillas should have 5 ingredients, all of which you can pronounce, not 35.

Food is suppose to nourish our bodies, not harm it! The foods we eat contribute not only to the quality of our health, but also to our susceptibility to disorders. While the right foods can be a source of nourishment, the wrong foods can lead to a variety of disorders and problems so it is important to learn how to label read and avoid the wrong foods!

Step #2: Cooking
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Warm the tortilla in a toaster oven then sprinkle it with organic shredded mozzarella cheese
Add the black beans and place the burrito in the oven until the cheese starts to bubble
Take the burrito out, add the guacamole and salsa (optional)
Fold and enjoy!

CITRUS GUACAMOLE
Ingredients
4 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed 
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon orange juice
1-tablespoon pineapple juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
Blue corn chips for dipping

Directions
1. In a large bowl, stir together the avocados, lime juice, orange juice, pineapple juice, cumin, cilantro and salt.
2. Mix in hot pepper sauce if using. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until serving. Place one of the avocado pits into the bowl to help keep it fresh. 

TOMATO SALSA
Ingredients:
½ can chopped tomatoes (store leftover tomatoes in a container, never leave them in the metal can)
¼ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 garlic cloves chopped (or the equivalent)
1 tablespoon of oregano
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (extra virgin is much healthier than pure olive oil)
3 teaspoons of lime juice
Add a bit of salt and pepper depending on how much you like.
Blue corn chips for dipping

This Saturday, come out and join the fun!

Today from 11:00-3:00 join me at the 5th Annual Health Fair at The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine on Amsterdam and 112th! Bring the kids too, I will have fun activities for them to try and great health tips to share!

85% of Kids' Drinks, Snacks Could Contain High Levels of Lead

Testing by the Environmental Law Foundation found that 85 percent of the nearly 150 kids' juice and fruit products it tested contained levels of lead that exceeded federal limits for children. This is a great link with a lot of very important information.

http://www.inhabitots.com/2010/06/11/85-of-kids-drinks-snacks-could-contain-high-levels-of-lead/

Camp lunch

Kids love to eat what they help prepare. So instead of bearing the burden of what to pack for your children’s lunches each day, only to find that half the food comes back uneaten, enlist their help. It’s a win, win situation! You will find they eat healthier, have less waste, and you save time, aggravation and money.
While at first this might seem time consuming and inconvenient, with some proper planning and a couple of easy tricks it can be fun and easy. It also enables us to share some great quality time with our children.


Tips
Sit down once a week and plan lunches together. If kids have a vested interest in their lunch, they’re more likely to eat it.

Slip them a note. A simple note to say I can help make their day.

Invest in “cool” lunch equipment. An insulated lunch bag and a thermos will enable your child to take a wider variety of foods for lunch, such as chilled pasta, salad

Send favorite left over dinner foods

Occasionally include home-ade--items like cookies, or muffins chips,

Delicious Recipe for Oat Bars!

Ingredients:
3 cups raisins
¼ cup lemon juice
2 T honey
Pinch of salt

For the dough:
2 cups oat flour
2 cups quick rolled oats
½ cup oat bran
½ cup sugar
2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
½ t. salt
1 ½ cups soymilk

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 9x13” baking dish with parchment. Set aside.
In a small saucepan mix the raisins, lemon juice, honey and pinch of salt until well combined. Add enough water to cover and turn on the heat to medium. Bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat and let the filling simmer until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed and raisins are very tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the crust. In a medium-mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, bran, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon and salt until well mixed. Stir in the soymilk, mixing until just combined.

Assemble the bars. Spread half of the dough into the prepared dish. Spread the raisin filling evenly on top of the crust, followed by the remaining dough. Sprinkle with extra sugar if desired, and bake until golden brown, about 25-35 minutes. Remove, cut into bars and serve warm or cold.

Magnificent Mommies Tips For A Flatter Summer Belly

I decided to write this newsletter because this is the time of year my phone starts to ring off the hook. Everyone wants to lose weight fast before they reveal themselves in their bathing suits. While I have many great tips I wanted to relay, some simple, effortless, and surprisingly unknown effective tummy-flattening secrets.

Tip 1: Breathing. It is one of the most effective ways to relieving stress. Stress is the culprit to late-night binging on pints of Ben and Jerry’s. There is scientific evidence that stress in itself can lead to developing excess belly fat. The stress hormone cortisol may cause your body to store more fat cells around your waist. Try taking 10 deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth ten times a day. This seemingly easy tip produces amazing results.

Tip 2: Sweeteners and Sodas. Another misconception I come across everyday is that if you consume a lot of artificial sweeteners and consume a lot of diet soda that you are saving calories and will lose weight. That’s a huge misconception. Aspartame and Splenda are what I call “Frankenstein foods”. Our body screams in horror when we digest it and does not recognize it, so in effect does not know how to break it down.

Tip 3: Fat does not make you fat. In actuality, a little bit of fat everyday helps to reduce fat in your body. My favorite fats are coconut oil, my new addiction. I use it for baking, cooking and even spread it on my toast. Some of my other favorite fats are almonds, avocados, nut butters, and olive oil.

Tip 4: Water. When you are craving sweets drink a large glass of water and squeeze your favorite citrus in it (orange, lime, or lemon) and drink and see within 15 minutes if your sugar craving goes away.

Tip 5: Sleep. Try to get a full 8 hours of sleep.

Tip 6: Swap your morning coffee for a cup of green tea.

Tip 7: Fill your plate with as many antioxidant fruits or veggies at every meal as possible. They replenish the body and brain, full of fiber, making you feel satisfied, unlike a quick bag of chips that would leave you craving more.

For more helpful tips: visit us on at magnificentmommies.com or Dawn Lerman on Facebook.

Dawn Lerman, MA, CHHC, LCAT
magnificentmommies.com
646-283-7051

Westchester Weekend Cooking

Had a great time baking/cooking with my friend Michelle and our kids in Westchester over the weekend. We decided to take some classic recipes; brownies, oatmeal cookies, macaroons and hummus and amp up the nutrition by adding in and swapping out various ingredients. In our hummus we added sweet potatoes, in our brownies and oatmeal cookies we used coconut oil instead of butter, and our macaroons were based on a raw food recipe. So, instead of baking we just chilled the batter in the freezer. We also made a sandwich with ratatouille and goat cheese and an amazing bean dip. Four kids two moms and a lot of delicious food!

Healthy Tips for Your Family This Summer

Eliminate All Products Containing Partially Hydrogenated Oils.

Eliminate all skin products with parabens or mineral oil, including sunscreens and moisterizers. They are highly toxic.

Give Adequate Time for kids to eat breakfast: Allowing children enough time for a proper breakfast can prevent transient hunger that leads to mood swings and digestive disorders which compromise childrens immune systems.

Eliminate High Fructose Corn Syrup: Americans consumed on average 62.6 pounds of HFCS in 2001 according to the USDA. Many of the products on the market containing HFCS are geared towards children.

Support Local Farms: Locally grown foods are are beneficial for a number of reasons... fruits and vegetables sourced locally are fresher so they taste better, resulting in kids eating more of them. The purchase of locally grown foods support the local economy and strengthens the local food system. In addition, many children are consuming more calories daily than needed, as well as choosing foods and snacks that are low in nutrients.

Pay Attention to Portion Size: Oversized packages can be especially confusing to children, who may not look at nutrition labels regarding varying portion sizes - especially worrisome because children and teenagers are getting a greater percentage of their calorie intake from snacks.

Serve More Whole Grains & Beans: The body needs good carbs and fiber to keep hunger at bay and create proper elimination and provide good B vitamins for energy. Eating whole grains may also make kids feel more satisfied for a longer periods of time so they are less cranky during those long camp days. My favorite carbs are brown rice, millet quinoa and oatmeal.

Decrease Refined Carbohydrate Foods & Snacks: Highly refined carbohydrates are rapidly absorbed into the body much like ingesting simple sugars, resulting in a spike in glucose levels. This causes individuals to still feel hungry or to become hungrier sooner, only to consume even more food. This repetitive pattern is believed to contribute to the obesity epidemic. It also increases the risk for Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Please join us at Sephora

Please join us at Sephora for a very special event hosted by skyn ICELAND and Magnificent Mommies! A panel of health and beauty experts will lead a discussion on the effects of stress on health and skin, the importance of eating right, and easy ways to stay in shape and look great. Beauty experts will be on hand. Magnificent Mommies and skyn ICELAND will be teaming up at Sephora for a bunch of exciting Mommy Beauty Events, free facials, health consultations, raw chocolate sampling, free samples and much more. Get ready to be energized! May 18th @ 76th & Bway 10:30am
www.magnificentmommies.com

A few things to do to help your kids to eat healthy.

Get kids cooking: If your children are involved in preparing meals, they'll be more interested in eating what they've created. Take them to your local farmers market or store, and let them choose fresh ingrediants for fruit salad, soups, trail mixes and muffins.

Make a schedule: Children need to eat every three to four hours. In a day they will be eating three meals, two snacks, and lots of fluids. If you plan for these, your child's diet will be much more balanced and they will be less cranky. When I pick up my kids from school, I always bring a healthy snack to combat meltdowns and easily wisk by the icy truck loaded with sugar and artificial flavors.

Plan Meals in advance: A good meal doesn't have to be fancy, but it should be balanced: A protein, a fat, and a good carb. Some good choices are, whole-grain pasta or brown rice, green and a colored veggies, and a protein source like grass fed meat or hormone free chicken or beans. I often make a simple entree ahead of time and then freeze it, so at dinnertime- I just heat it up.

Don't become a short-order cook: In my practice i meet too many moms who buys into the idea of kids food. Children love to pretend they are grown up and they love to imitate their parents, so why make them inferior meals. In my house i make one meal for everyone. I have never purchased from a kids menu or bought them foods marketed to kids.They dont have to eat everything but they need to try everything and since they shop with me everyone gets a chance to voice their opinion . But since most of our shopping is at the farmers market are meals are focused around fruits, vegtable,s and hormone free chicken, beef, beans and grains.

Introduce new foods slowly: Try to make meal time fun. If your kids don't love veggies cut them in difffernet shapes and dip them in hummus, salsa, tziki.

Mornings: Up your fiber in the morning by adding flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and fresh fruit to whole-grain pancakes ,waffles, oatmeal, and yogurt.

Have fun: The more creative the meal is, the greater the variety of foods my kids eat. We make smiley-face pancakes and give foods silly names. (Broccoli florets are "baby trees" anything mini is always a hit too. I often use cookie cutters to turn toast into hearts and stars, which the children love.

Be the change you want: If you're constantly on a diet or have erratic eating habits, your children will grow up thinking that this sort of behavior is normal.

As Michael Pollan says, "...if you crave junk, make it yourself. Remember, you, not your kids are in charge of the foods that enter the house.

Dawn Lerman, MA, CHHC, LCAT
magnificentmommies .com
646-283-7051

A Poem to My grandmother (Beauty)

I remember you on this day. As the person who loved me, and kept me strong when everything else seemed to go astray.

As I raise my kids, with both hope and fears, I remember the impact that you lay upon me those first nine years.

You kept me strong, when much could have gone wrong. You taught me to walk – actually to run straight, down my own path.

It’s only been a year but I still keep listening to hear... oh how I miss your laugh.

I saw you this day, just last year, and for some reason I thought you would always be here, despite your ninety-six years.

You did your work and moved on. I will never forget all those days, my first nine years.

I love you always.

Dawn

Spring is finally here!!!

This is a great time to get inspired and take charge of our life and our health!

Diets rich in leafy greens such as dandelion, watercress and arugula have antioxidants and disease fighting properties that play a major role in the prevention of cancer and other diseases. Eating seasonally keeps us looking and feeling great.

Spring is the best and most natural time of year for a cleansing diet. The daily toxins in today’s environment have so overloaded our body’s systems and organs that they are no longer capable of detoxifying on there own, in short our systems need help.

Environmental pollution, junk food, caffeine alcohol, sugar poor elimination and stress all point in one direction- accumulation of toxins and lack of vitality. Completing a detoxification program can make you feel lighter happier and refreshed.

There are many different cleansing theroies and I will be blogging about my favorites as the month continues. So clean out your cupboards and head to your local farmers market!


Dawn Lerman, MA, CHHC, LCAT
magnificentmommies.com
646-283-7051

“FEEDING THE WHOLE CHILD” - Speaker Panel

TUESDAY, APRIL 20, 6:00 P.M. @ Academy of St. Joseph

Bring your questions and join us! Learn innovative ways to help improve your children's brains, bodies and overall health simply by changing what they eat.

FREE! OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!

* The best way to “sneak” veggies into your child’s diet
* Why certain additives cause attention changes
* Best protein sources
* When to buy or skip organic
* Combat picky eating
* How nutrition choices affects cognitive function
* Food and your fertility

This promises to be a lively, highly informative, very interactive evening Speakers include: Dawn Lerman, MA, CHHC, LCAT, holistic health coach, founder of Magnificent Mommies * Cristina Chitel, from whole food school lunch provider Red Rabbit * Laura Lagano, MS, RD, CDN, nutritionist specializing in healing attention, developmental, learning and fertility issues * Stefania Patinella (Chef Stef), whole foods chef and Director of Food and Nutrition programs at The Children's Aid Society * Cathy Venezia, MS.d, behaviorist who works with picky children and their caregivers.

Academy of St. Joseph is located at 111 Washington Place Reservations are recommended: email Stephanie Pedersen at stpdrsn@concentric.net or info@aosj.us www.academyofsaintjoseph.org

Dawn Lerman, MA, CHHC, LCAT
magnificentmommies .com
646-283-7051

The Best Investment For Your Childs Future

Chef Program-

In this workshop, children and their parents will learn how to cook and prepare nutritious snacks, appetizers and deserts, as well as learning the value of a well balanced diet. Through this workshop, kids will gain an understanding of why they should eat certain foods, which will affect their short and long-term health. Children will also learn essential cooking skills, such as how to hold a knife, handle fresh produce, steam, boil, fry, and sauté. We will visit local farmer's markets to purchase ingredients. In each session we will prepare healthy dishes such as Veggie Chili, Mango Salsa, Guacamole, Homemade chips, Warm Quinoa Salad, Veggie-stuffed Tortilla’s, Warm flax bread, Homemade Tortilla chips, and Chocolate Candy made from the actual cocoa bean as well as muffins, cookies and much, much more. Classes in your home are tailored to your child's likes and dislikes and personal needs.

For more info go to www.magnificentmommies.com


Dawn Lerman, MA, CHHC, LCAT
magnificentmommies.com
646-283-7051

Mailbu Kitchen Makeover

I have spent the last couple of days in Malibu, California doing a family makeover. The father hired me after being diagnosed with cancer. He said If possible, to try to enlist his kids in the healthy eating makeover plan. He didn’t however think it would be possible to change their junk food ways and he didn’t want to force them to do anything they didn’t want to do.

After our initial shopping trip, one of the teenage boys was there with his friends and when we unpacked the groceries they were bummed that there was no junk food. They were originally disappointed. But on the main table in the living room, I layed out hummus, Muir's organic salsa, blue corn chips and made some cheese tortillas with sprouted tortila shells and organic mozzerela cheese. Within moments, there were about 20 kids around the table demolishing all the food. I proceeded to pour them smoothies made form organic strawberries and peaches.

When they saw i was making dinner, all the boys asked if they could stay. Not only did they stay, I got them to help in preparing the dessert which consisted of bananas covered with chocolate on a stick. We had an nice assembly line going. One boy was putting the bananas on the stick, another was melting the chocolate, and another was dipping the bananas in coconut. For the final touch we sprinkled on raw coco nibs.

For dinner we had grass fed burgers with minced onion and red and yellow peppers and homemade sweet potato fries. During dinner all the kids started asking questions about why processed food was bad, the difference between organic and conventional, and if i can write down everything they ate. One boy said “I am so glad, this is the best food I have ever eaten.”

Day two, the boys made their own Popsicles from apple juice they made in the juicer and were experimenting with making carrot juice, celery juice, and even asked if there was any broccoli to throw in. Pictures coming soon. What started out as one dad trying to learn how to eat healthy by himself has turned into a neighborhood project. Our breakfast which was a huge success was french toast made from spouted bread dipped in a mixture of eggs, rice milk, cinnamon and chia seeds, with a topping of fresh strawberry sauce, prepared by melting frozen strawberries with a little bit of water. Two more days left with this family. On the menu tonight: pepper steak made from tempeh and brown rice stir fry.



Dawn Lerman, MA, CHHC, LCAT
magnificentmommies .com
646-283-7051

Just Say No to Agave

Since the FDA makes no effort to enforce food-labeling laws, consumers cannot be certain that what they are eating is what the label says it is. New sweeteners like agave syrup were introduced into the market to make a profit, not to make consumers healthy. Clever marketing has led mane consumers to believe that the high level of fructose in agave syrup makes it a safe and a natural sweetener. Agave syrup labels do not conform to FDA labeling requirements, thus deepening the false illusion of an unprocessed product. As we have demonstrated here, if a sweetener contains manufactured fructose, it is neither safe, nor natural, especially at levels up to 70 percent.

Agave syrup is a manmade sweetener which has been through a complicated chemical refining process of enzymatic digestion that converts the starch and fiber into the unbound, manmade chemical fructose. While high fructose agave syrup won’t spike your blood glucose levels, the fructose in it may cause mineral depletion, liver inflammation, hardening of the arteries, insulin resistance leading to diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and obesity.

If you want something sweet, eat a piece of fruit, not a candy bar labeled as a “health food.” If you want to create something sweet, use sweeteners that are known to be safer. For uncooked dishes, unheated raw honey or dates work well. For cooked dishes or sweet drinks, a good organic maple syrup, or even freshly juiced apple juice or orange juice can provide delicious and relatively safe sweetness; dehydrated cane sugar juice or maple sugar may be used in moderation in cookies and desserts that contain nutritious ingredients and good fats such as butter, egg yolks and nuts.

However, to be healthy, we cannot eat sugar all day, no matter how natural the form. One should limit total sweetener consumption to less than five percent of daily calories. For a diet of 2500 calories per day, that’s less than three tablespoons of honey, maple syrup or dehydrated cane sugar juice, or several pieces of fruit. And many people do best by avoiding sweeteners completely.

The lack of standards in the health food world comes as depressing news; but let this news encourage you to consume more pure and unrefined foods and sweetener sources. Good health depends on wise food choices, and wise food choices depend on constant vigilance.

Dawn Lerman, MA, CHHC, LCAT
magnificentmommies .com
646-283-7051

Healthy Winter Snacks for Your Tweens!

What is a snack? A snack should be just be a mini meal containing a protein, a fat and carbohydrates. As the mother of two and lecture circuit health educator, I live by the proverb, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Our children’s health is being greatly compromised by sedentary lifestyles, electronic environments, and most of all, poor snacking choices.

Snacking has become a major pastime for many tweens. It occurs when they’re least supervised and vulnerable to advertising’s trances. Snacks curb hunger and provide energy and nutrients when meals are not an option but the quality of those snacks are key.

You'd be amazed at how many mothers I counsel in my practice who remain unaware of the damage junk food does to their children’s bodies and minds. Over-processed snack foods loaded with sugar, salt, partially hydrogenated oils, antibiotics and other unpronounceable food additives are linked to allergic reactions, mood swings and obesity.

While intelligent media is now focusing on tween obesity, this is just one aspect of what poor quality food does to our bodies. Compared to 20 years ago, kids today are at greater risk for developing asthma, allergies, behavior and skin problems, and even cancer. These health issues are definitively connected to poor quality food and snacking choices. You might say it's the by-product of "convenience.”

Our grandmother’s old saying, “you are what you eat,” has never been more true and vital! What we eat does matter. While every individual is unique and there’s not one diet that suits everyone, what holds true is that our health greatly improves when we make some simple, organic, wholesome dietary choices.

While revolutionizing our children’s snacks may seem time-consuming and inconvenient, with proper planning and a couple of easy tricks, transitioning to a healthy lifestyle can be fun and easy.

Here are some tools and suggestions for healthy snacks to keep your body nourished between meals.
Bring your tween to the grocery store when you're selecting snacks and ingredients; make them part of the shopping plan.

Have your tween help prepare their snacks in advance.

Below are a few of my kids favorite snacks:

• 1. Yummy homemade muffins sweetened with fruit juice
• 2. Trail mixes, ie: dried fruit, nuts, honey-sweetened granola, goji berries
• 3. Cheese sticks and apples with almond butter
• 4. Apples dipped in peanut butter cinnamon and flax seeds
• 5. Peanut butter, a banana, flax seeds
• 6. Grilled cheese, on whole grain bead with tomatoes and avocados
• 7. Peanut butter and jelly on with flax seeds whole grain bread
• 8.Whole Grain Pretzels and carrots sticks dipped in hummus
• 9. Smoothie: milk or yogurt, protein powder, fresh or frozen fruit
• 10. Ants on a Log: celery, cream cheese and raisins

Tip: flax seeds, usually available ground, are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids which help the brain function, aid immunity and make the skin glow. All with a delicious nutty taste!

Winter Banana Oatmeal Cookies

3 cups oats

1/2-teaspoon salt

dash of Cinnamon

1/4-teaspoon baking soda

1/4-cup raisins or cranberries
3 ripe bananas

1/4-cup applesauce
A little butter in mixture and on baking sheet
Mix all ingredients together-- roll them into balls and bake
on 350 degrees for 15 min or until crispy.
Tip: proper Snacks help maintain a healthy weight and immune system. Kids who snack do better in school and are more likely to participate in physical activities. They tend to eat healthier overall and keep their immune systems strong.

Dawn Lerman, MA, CHHC, LCAT
magnificentmommies <http://www.magnificentmommies.com/>
646-283-7051

There is no investment more important then the health of you and your children

As a mother of two children, an educator, and a health councilor; I live by the expression, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Our children’s health is being greatly compromised by lifestyle, environment, diet and exercise. You'd be amazed at how many mothers are unaware of the damage they are doing to their bodies (and their children’s bodies) when they feed them over processed, pasteurized, and microwaveable foods loaded with partially hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, antibiotics and unpronounceable food additives.

My best advice to creating life long health is to get your children into the kitchen. My kids love creating their own recipes and feel an amazing sense of pride and accomplishment when they have created something really delicious. They love measuring, mincing, slicing chopping, kneading , spinning lettuce, whipping and folding, baking, and mostly eating. It is a great way to get your children to experiment with various cuisines and it increases their nutrition and enables us to spend quality time with them.

My kids love these pancakes and what's best is they can prep them the night before. The more time they are in the kitchen the less time they are on the computer or watching TV.

Sofia's overnight pancakes
These are flour-less and taste absolutely delicious!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups organic quick oatmeal or rolled oatmeal slightly ground
1 cup rice milk
1 apple juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon baking powder - no aluminum
1 teaspoon baking soda - no aluminum
1 teaspoon of flax
1 teaspoon of wheat germ
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup coconut oil

Directions:In a medium bowl mix together oats, milk and juice . Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning blend in all other ingredients. Let stand 20 minutes. Adjust batter consistency with milk or apple juice. Portion batter using 1/4-1/3 measuring cup and cook batter on a hot skillet with coconut oil. If using a skillet to make pancakes cook pancakes until bubbles appear on top, flip and cook until lightly browned on both sides. Serve with fruit of your choice for garnish or before cooking fold in blueberriesraspberries or sliced bananas. YUMMY!!

Can be Casein-Free and Gluten-Free (check for gluten-free oats).

Blueberry Cobbler With Buckwheat Crust

I made a blueberry cobbler with a buckwheat crust tonight--- It was super yummy. i am always expermenting with new
ingredients. Buckwheat was super easy to use and according to Dr Andrew Weil, it is a nutritional powerhouse.

"Buckwheat provides vitamins B1 and B2, the minerals potassium, magnesium, phosphate and iron (buckwheat contains more iron than cereal grains), and it has nearly twice the amount of the amino acid lysine found in rice. Buckwheat bran (farinetta) contains rutin, a flavonoid known to reduce cholesterol, lower blood pressure and maintain the strength and flexibility of capillaries. A recently discovered compound in buckwheat called fagopyritol seems to have potential to help manage type II diabetes." - Dr. Weil on buckwheat

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/QAA70306

RIverbank Park Wellness Lecture, NYC.

Today with some of my star pupils at the Riverbank Park Gymnastics Program.

These girls were eager to learn some tips on staying healthy for the winter.

lecturing at WHF on staying healthy when temperatures drop

This has been a busy month of lectures, lunch and learns, and cooking classes. The big question that is on everybody’s mind from children- to parents- to seniors is, how can we protect ourselves from the s flu naturally?

Some of my best tips for STAYING HEALTHY this flu season are as follows:

Eat leafy greens every day. Kale, spinach, seaweed and algaes are excellent sources of vitamin D, the immunity-booster we usually get from sunshine in the summertime. Some other great sources we can supplement with in the winter include wild salmon, sardines, sweet potatoes, butter and Carlson’s cod liver oil.
Vitamin C. Kiwis, Goji berries, grapefruits, oranges are great sources of vitamin C, the antioxidant we’ve known for decades to be powerful in fighting colds and flu. It is also found in cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, cayenne pepper, turmeric and broccoli.
Snack on almonds and sunflower seeds. They not only supply vitamin E, an antioxidant that fights off free radicals and keeps skin soft and young looking, but also are a great source of essential fatty acids to keep body systems running smoothly.
Enjoy your garlic! Garlic was once worn as a garland to ward off disease. This superstition actually has scientific basis as eating garlic can provide a variety of health benefits, including a boost to the immune system that can help defend against nasty bugs.
Spike it with ginger. Ginger, long used as a folk remedy, can open nasal passages, soothe nausea and help the immune system work.
Increase your omega 3 intake. My favorite sources of omega 3's are nuts, fish, avocados , olive oil and fish oil.
Avoid sugar and processed foods. Sugar suppreses the immune system almost immediately, and a strong immune system is key to fighting off flues and other illness.
Get plenty of sleep. If your body is overly tired it will be harder for it to fight the flu and other viruses.
Decrease stress. We all face some stress every day, but if stress becomes overwhelming then your body will be less able to fight off the flu and other illnesses.
Exercise. When you exercise, you increase your circulation and your blood flow throughout your body.
Wash your hands and face. Washing your hands will decrease your likelihood of spreading a virus to your nose, mouth or other places. Be sure you don't use antibacterial soap for this. Antibacterial soaps are completely unnecessary, and they cause far more harm than good.
Complex carbohydrates. Finally, don‘t overlook the power of complex carbohydrates from whole grains, sweet potatoes to beans. Our bodies need complex carbs for energy!

Pumpkin Cranberry and Apple Crumble

Pumpkin has a nutritious dose of potassium and the cancer-fighting antioxidant beta-carotene. It also provides vitamins C, K, E and plenty of minerals, including magnesium and iron, as well as fiber.

Pumpkin Cranberry and Apple Crumble

Ingredients
:

1 pound pumpkin or butternut squash cubes

4 apples, peeled and chopped 2 apples

2 teaspoons butter (or cocunut oil)

1/4 cup agave nector or sugar. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/4 cup dried cranberries
For the crumble topping:


1/4 cup whole-wheat flour 
1/4 cup almond meal
1 cup rolled oats (
1/4 cup maple syrup or agave3-4 tablespoons butter (Put butter in the freezer when you start the recipe.)

Preparation
:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cut pumpkin or butternut squash into same-size cubes, about 1/2 inch square. (About 4 cups cut cubes.)
3. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in large non-stick frying pan and sauté squash over low heat while you cut up apples. As you peel and cut apples into small pieces, add it to frying pan, then add agave, cinnamon, apple pie spice and cranberries. Cook the mixture until pumpkin or squash is soft, about 10 minutes.
4. While the mixture cooks, combine flour, almond meal, oatmeal and agave in a plastic bowl. Remove butter from freezer and using the large side of a metal grater, grate pieces of butter until you have 3-4 tablespoons, as measured by the markings on the side of the butter Then use a pastry blender or fork to combine the mixture until the butter is well distributed and the mixture looks crumbly.
5. Pour cooked pumpkin/apple mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish.


6. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the top of apple/squash mixture in an even layer.

My Grandmother's Old Fashioned Chicken Soup

Makes 4 servings

This soup works great for dinner, snack and thermos lunches! For a richer soup, feel free to add sweet potato to the mix. In my house, my kids love to add different shaped pastas to it. The final product will stay fresh for four days and can be kept in the freezer if needed.

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 onion, peeled and sliced thinly
1 whole chicken
3-5 whole garlic cloves, peeled
4 cups spinach or kale leaves, or broccoli
4 carrots
4 stalks of celery
2 stalks turnips
A handful of fresh dill
2 low sodium chicken bouillon cubes
2 teaspoons of turmeric
Two ounces of fresh ginger, grated

Directions:

1. Throw all ingredients into a pot of water.

2. Skim any fat off the top.

3. Bring to a boil and allow it to cook for a minimum of two hours.

Hummus Wrap: Lunch Made Simple

There is something magical about the beginning of a new school year. As a kid, it was the feeling of excitement that anything was possible. Whether it was making new friends, leaning a new subject or sport, it was the excitement that in someway we would be changed. As a mother, I still feel this excitement. So at the beginning of every school year, I sit down with my children and set goals. And as a life long foodie where better to start than the kitchen.

Kids love to eat what they help prepare. So instead of bearing the burden of what to pack for your children’s lunches each day; only to find that half the food comes back uneaten, enlist their help. It’s a win, win situation! You will find they eat healthier, have less waste, and you, save time, aggravation and money.

While at first this might seem time consuming and inconvenient, with some proper planning and a couple of easy tricks it can be fun and easy. It also enables us to share some great quality time with our children. Stay tuned next week for some of my favorite shopping, preparation and getting your kids to eat healthy tips.

Makes 6-7 servings
Ingredients
1 to 2 garlic cloves
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Sea salt to taste

3-4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste

4 tablespoons tahini or plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large flour tortilla or whole wheat wrap

1 cucumber
1 red pepper

Directions
1. Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and drop in the garlic cloves. Process until they are chopped and adhere to the sides of the bowl. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, and process until very smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.
2. Warm a large flour tortilla for about 10 over a burner, just until flexible.
3. Lay it on your work surface and cover with lettuce leaves, leaving a place desired amount of hummus (about 1/4 cup) on top of the lettuce on the bottom half of the tortilla. Top with the red pepper and cucumber.
4. Fold the bottom edge of the tortilla over the filling. Fold in the sides, then roll up, squeezing the tortilla so that the roll is compact. Place the roll on a piece of plastic wrap. Fold in the sides of the plastic over the ends of the wrap, and roll up tightly to secure. Refrigerate for at least five minutes and for as long as 24 hours.

Advance preparation: The hummus will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator. . The wrap can be made a day ahead.

Use the extra hummus for after school snacks. Have a fresh assortment of raw veggies and pita wedges.

Preparing for the funeral--- or life tribute

Going in and out between sadness and disbelief. My sister just informed me, that my grandmother , although still alive will be passing on friday. She is only hanging on by machines.

She will be buried next week in a cemetary in LA and my grandfather who passed 25 years ago will be flown from chicago to LA, so they can be buried together.

The last time I saw my grandmother it was her 95th birthday and she was filled with life. She was dancing as she always did whenever a tune she liked came on. I was not in LA this week to witness the changing of my lively grandmother into a vegetable. My mother told me not to come and to remember her how she was. I only got to say goodbye to her on the phone. My 5 year old daughter held my hand as I told Beauty i loved her. Sofia excitedly interrupted my phone conversation to tell Beauty how lucky she was because she was going to go live with the fairies.

Sofia my daughter is only a little bit older then I was, when I gave Beauty her name. One night when i was leaving beauty's house she said :good bye my little beauty" , and I thought that was her name ,so I continued to call her Beauty. The name stuck and became contagious. She was Beauty to all that knew her.

Mourning

How do we adopt to change, when life changes quicker then we are ready to change? How does one embrace letting go, and what does saying goodbye really mean.

This is big week for me, in terms of letting go, and learning how to use my pain for motivation rather then retreat.

One of my friends said to me this morning, how necessary the mourning process is. Whether it is loss of a relationship, a loved one, (or for my son, the loss of one lego piece that will totally impact his whole project.) Every loss is valid.

If we don’t take the time to cherish what we are letting go of, honor what we loved, and remember how it has helped us, we will not allow ourselves to truly be alive in the present. And the present is just that, a present.

Many people are asking me why this blog is called growing up with fat dad, when I have not even addressed weight and food yet (It will come)

I grew up with a dad who was fat. He was fat because he did not know how to nourish himself and because he did not know how to nourish himself, he surely could not nourish anyone else.

We never had food in my house, because my dad might eat it, so we lived on diet soda and frozen meals. I was always hungry. My dad was consumed with himself and his fluctuating weight. My mother was young and not a homebody or a nurturer. I was always hungry. Hungry for food, hungry for nice clean clothes, hungry for someone to notice when I ran away from home and hid in the closet for hours, just hungry… Hungry for someone to care for me because I was a child and I needed to be cared for. But On Friday nights I was never hungry.

On Friday nights my grandfather would pick me up for the weekend and when we would get to my grandparent’s home, there was always homemade vegetable soup, raisin challah bread, a warm bubble bath, and a fluffy clean hand washed beautiful lavender smelling nightgown. It was at my grandmother’s home, where I learned what true nourishment is. It is where my tears were dried.

The smells of fresh cooked food, kind loving words, a freshly drawn bath and a beautiful lavender smelling nightgown would battle any feelings of deprivation. My grandmother taught me how good it feels to be cared for, and how to feel compassion, for the ones who cant love us back.

As a mom I struggle with trying to physically provide my children with all the luxuries I would like to give them, and protect them from ever feeling pain, but at the end of the day, all I can do is let them know how much they are loved, dry their tears, and fill their plates with the best organic foods. As a mom I don’t ever want my children’s stomachs to grumble.

More about Beauty—my Grandmother

I have never written a blog before, or vented my feelings publicly. I am not sure if I am bogging to share my story, share my sadness, or to connect with other like-minded people.

My grandmother is in the hospital dying, and I feel a great sense of loss and sadness. With that said, if I let myself fall into that despair I would definitely not be a honoring her life, or helping her to find the peace that she deserves to pass.

At 95, my grandmother Beauty was never old, never sick and never anything short of being dressed to walk the “red carpet”. Beauty avoided being around people who complained about their aches, their pains, and their woes. She tried to surround herself with children, and people much younger then herself, who had a zest for life.

She loved Vera the violinist, Phyllis her bossy daughter who kept her on the move 24-7, Glen, her zen like son, who would let her eat anything she wanted, April her other grand daughter who could sing better then Barbara Streisand, Genie her gorgeous and talented sister, who she believed could do anything, her great grandchildren, Dylan Sofia and Sean, and mostly she loved me, and would so hate to see me sad.

In writing this, I am trying to honor her life, and keep myself focused. Her dream was for me to be on the Oprah show and share my plays and stories. And while this Blog is not the Oprah show and her hospital bed is not the studio audience, perhaps it is a place for me to write about what matters most.

I will end this blog with this quote: “It is not the number of breaths we take but the number of moments that take our breath away.”

Beauty 94 years young -2008

Beauty

Beauty-

You will be the light in my heart that is always there.

You will be the voice that whispers, someone cares.

You will be the spirit that carries me through the fright.

And the encouragements that will help me, turn dark to light.

You are in my kitchen when I cook, and the inspiration for my book.

I hope you hear me talking to you each day, as your voice has helped me to lead the way.

When I was little, you called me your little beauty; and in turn I named you,

You touched every one you ever met. Your spirit and fancy hats no one will ever forgot.

You danced and smiled till the end, I hope papa is waiting for you when you descend.

You called me your hero but you were mine. You are the light inside that makes me shine.

I love you

Dawn—(your little beauty)