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A Taste of Sunshine on Flatout Hungry Girl Foldit Flatbread

A Taste of Sunshine on Flatout Hungry Girl Foldit Flatbread

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It’s cold in Pittsburgh, and as many of you know, winter in this part of the country is cold and gray and lasts a long time. Recently, not too far from here, Punxsutawney Phil – weather forecasting groundhog extraordinaire – predicted an early spring for 2013, but as far as I’m concerned, it can’t come fast enough.

Last night, with visions of sunny, warm days dancing in my head, I wandered around my kitchen trying to decide what to make for dinner. I ended up pulling these items out of my refrigerator:

That would be lime, mango, avocado, baby lettuce, cilantro, sliced roasted chicken and Swiss cheese, all destined to become layers (or juice, in the lime’s case) on my Flatout Hungry Girl Foldit flatbread in 100% Whole Wheat with Flax (available at Walgreens).

Here’s the finished cold sandwich:

It tasted like summer. When my husband saw what I was doing, he stole some of my already-sliced ingredients and made the same sandwich, but he put his flatbread (piled with cheese and chicken) in the toaster oven before adding the fruits and veggies. The hot/cold flavor and texture combination added a nice touch.

The Flatout Hungry Girl Foldits are delicious and pack fewer calories and carbs than your standard sandwich bread. Check them out at Walgreens in flavors including 100% Whole Wheat with Flax, Rosemary and Olive Oil, Traditional White and SLIDERS Classic White.

Disclosure: This post is part of a blog campaign The Motherhood is managing for Flatout. Regardless of our business relationship, I love the Flatout products and eat them regularly, and this blog post was not a required part of the campaign.

Support Art Education with Blick Art Room Aid

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Do you believe art is an essential part of your child’s education? Then you already know how important art education is — and how schools are struggling to keep their art programs alive.

 That’s where Art Room Aid can help! A program of Blick Art Materials, Art Room Aid is helping teachers across the country enlist the aid of parents, families, friends, and other art advocates to fund their art projects and keep creative learning going.

Want to learn more? Join this Twitter Party to find out how you can support art education, make sure art continues to play a role in your children’s lives, and spread the word about Art Room Aid in your community. We’ll be discussing projects you can do with your own kids, and sharing sources of inspiration.

When: Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2 p.m. ET

Where: We’ll be on Twitter – follow the #BlickARA hashtag to track the conversation. See this Twtvitefor more info and to RSVP.

Hashtag: #BlickARA

Prizes: We will give away five total prizes – two $25 Blick gift coupons, two $50 Blick gift coupons, and one $75 Blick gift coupon.

Hosts: @theMotherhood, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann

For more information on Art Room Aid, check out this website. You can also browse art supplies from Blick here.

Hope to see you at the party this afternoon!

Survey Predicts Food Buying Habits

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Last fall, The Motherhood worked with global PR agency Fleishman-Hillard to conduct a national survey of over 1,000 moms, with the goal of identifying moms’ grocery shopping priorities for 2013. (A big thanks to our fabulous network of bloggers, who helped us distribute the survey and provided their own feedback!) We asked for thoughts on meal planning, grocery shopping and cooking preparation, along with technology in the kitchen, couponing and other hot topics.

And now the results are in! With a whopping 96 percent of American moms planning to make changes in their food-buying habits this year, according to the survey, we’ve uncovered a few interesting trends to watch in 2013. Here are some of your top priorities for grocery shopping and cooking in the New Year:

– Save more money on groceries (78%)

– Buy healthier (68%) and less processed (49%) food

– Be more organized with weekly meal planning (67%)

– Make meals ahead and freeze them (51%)

– Prepare more meals at home to save money (42%)

If you made a resolution to become more organized with meal planning this year, then you are not alone. Of the moms we surveyed, more than two-thirds (67%) said they wanted to be more organized with weekly meal planning, and more than half (51%) said they would like to make meals ahead and freeze them. As one mom told us:

“Meal planning makes a huge difference on my budget. Everyone gets to say what they want, we make the weekly meal plan and then everyone is happy. Especially me, because I don’t end up buying and making things they won’t eat.”

 In tandem with meal planning, 41% of moms said they wish to be more organized in how they shop and one-third (33%) said they would like to make fewer trips to the store. Moms noted that they enjoy grocery shopping when they can do it alone and use it as “me” time – but that isn’t always possible. One survey respondent pointed out:

“I’d like grocery shopping if someone else would give me a list and send me ALONE I would enjoy it.  But I’m usually with one, two or three kids and that’s hard.”

Incorporating nutrition into meal planning is a common goal for moms this year, with more than half (53%) reporting that they want to start cooking healthier meals for their families. Half of those we surveyed said they are reading food labels more now than last year, and 49% said they want to buy less processed food in 2013.

Buying healthier food includes reducing consumption of junk food, high fructose corn syrup, food dyes, pre-packaged foods, sugar and gluten. Moms told us that price will be less of a factor than health concerns when it comes to avoiding certain foods or brands, and that’s based on TRUST. Moms are steering clear of processed products that include a long list of confusing ingredients and setting their sights on “real food,” as one mom said.

Of moms buying healthier, just 2 percent exclusively buy organic products – but 56 percent sometimes buy organic, and more than a quarter of respondents (29%) said they want to buy more organic foods in 2013.

Finally, while moms tend to take their spouses’ and kids’ preferences into account when it comes to food and brand choices, she still reigns supreme when it comes to the final meal. As one respondent told us:

“Mostly, I decide upon the menu and what I serve is dinner. I refuse to be a short order cook, but I do consider my kids’ likes and dislikes when planning.”

If you’re looking for tips and ideas for meal planning, grocery shopping and making your kitchen more efficient, check out this blog post for GREAT advice and tips from moms like you. It covers everything from keeping an orderly kitchen to saving time and money by freezing meals. If your goal is to cook healthier, then make sure to read this blog post for easy ways to give your meals nutritious makeovers.

Based on survey feedback, moms turn to websites like All Recipes (23%), Pinterest (19%) and Food Network (15%) most often in the kitchen – so take a look for new meal ideas of your own.

It’s been fascinating to get a close look at upcoming food trends in 2013, and we can’t wait to see what unfolds. Happy New Year!

Technology to Help You with Meal Planning

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In a recent survey conducted by The Motherhood in partnership with PR agency Fleishman-Hillard, we learned that 96 percent of American moms plan to make changes in their food-buying habits in 2013; 67 percent want to be more organized with weekly meal planning, including taking fewer trips to the grocery store and making dinners ahead of time and freezing them.

Can you relate to these resolutions? We certainly can.

While many of our wonderful bloggers create their own meal planning templates, we understand it’s not always easy to organize meal planning on your own! That’s why we looked into some of the top meal planning tools and compiled them here for easy review.  You can check them out below!

Plan To Eat

Lisa from The Tripped Up Life told us about this helpful meal organization tool! This online resource stores all of your recipes in one place and lets you filter them by searching for specific ingredients, serving sizes or prep/cook time. We love that Plan to Eat has an automated shopping list maker based off of the meal plans you create either by week or month! They’re offering a free 30-day trial now if you’re interested in giving it a try.

Food on the Table

Create a weekly meal plan, and this free tool organizes the groceries you’ll need by department. Not only that, but Food on the Table will search your local grocery stores for the best sales on ingredients you need! You can also easily print shopping lists based on the meal plans you create.

Menu Planner

With this $2.99 app, you can create meal plans, store recipes, and keep track of what’s in your pantry. It also generates shopping lists for you, telling you exactly how much of an ingredient you need. One of Menu Planner’s unique features is the ability to track your calorie intake based on meals. The only downside we can see is it can be time-consuming to enter every ingredient.

Out of Milk

Manage your grocery shopping with this free app! Create shopping lists and log what you already have in your kitchen so you never buy something you don’t need! You can also easily share and email lists among friends and family.  A unique feature for Out of Milk is the Barcode Scanner—the ability to specify price, quantity, unit, coupons and notes!

Evernote

Have you ever cooked a winning meal and think, “I need to make this again!” But then months later, you can’t find the recipe? This free app helps you remember the recipes you love by keeping them organized in one place, along with details like when you cooked each recipe, making them super easy to find!  One of this app’s cool features is that it lets you discover new, local restaurants, mark the ones you’ve already been to, and flag the ones you want to visit in the future.  And with Evernote, you can easily share all food experiences via Twitter, Facebook and email.

My Fridge Food

Do you often find yourself scrambling to see what you can whip up for dinner at 4 o’clock based on what you have in your kitchen already? You can let this site do that for you! Simply check off the ingredients in your fridge and pantry and find recipes that only include those ingredients. Bookmark recipes and create shopping lists based on the recipes you want to make. This is a great way to avoid wasting ingredients!

Pinterest

Pinterest serves as an extremely popular menu planning tool. Not only can you browse amazing new dinner recipes, but you can search for specific recipes based on the food ingredients you already have in your kitchen! You can title your Pinterest boards with the week’s date and then mark the different pinned recipes with designated days of the week. For more on how to use Pinterest in meal planning, check out this post off of Mommy Kudos blog.

Free Online Templates

If you’re still having trouble coming up with your own template, a simple Google search will provide different planning templates that will either give you the inspiration you need to create your own or allow you to download free templates to use!

When it comes down to it, you have to do what works best for you. Every family’s schedule and meal styles are different, so don’t be afraid to try several different approaches to meal planning before you find the best one for you!

Healthier Holiday Table: The Best Smoothies

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I always love getting emails from Christine Koh because she’s always up to the most interesting things.   Just the other day she asked if I would join a blog relay for the American Cancer Society’s More Birthdays talking about a “Healthier Holiday Table”, a project she’s working on with our good friend Morra Aarons-Mele, and write about a favorite healthy recipe to get us all thinking about healthy living this holiday season, and I jumped at the chance.

I have a special place in my heart for the American Cancer Society.  I’ve lost my best friend, my mother-in-law, father-in-law and stepfather to cancer and have too many dear friends and family who have or have had cancer.

In support of all the good that the American Cancer Society does, here’s my favorite smoothie recipe – layered with all sorts of healthy goodies (that the kids and others won’t even know are there):

Start with the basics: frozen berries and bananas.  All good there – pretty much typical smoothie starters – and you can choose any other favorite fruits.

 

 

Then add the goodies, starting with baby spinach, nuts, yogurt and a liquid – juice, almond milk or water.

 

The spinach and nuts probably sound pretty gross, but once you hit the blend it, the green gets swirled into nothingness and the fruit masks the spinach and nut flavors – and you’re left with a delicious smoothie that’s full of healthy greens and protein.

And voila – you’re serving your family fresh greens.  And they’ll LOVE it!!

 

 

This isn’t the best photo of the smoothie, but I wanted to show you how you really can’t see the spinach.  Your kids won’t suspect for a second!

Time for a quick side note:  I used to use a hand blender that did a pretty good job mixing, but recently made the big investment into a Blendtec mixer (remember their hilarious YouTube videos where they blended anything you could think of for publicity stunts?) after doing extensive research.  The competing blender is the Vitamix but it is even more expensive and from what I could find, doesn’t perform any better.  Getting the Blendtec has changed my smoothie making life.  You hit the ‘smoothie’ button, and a few minutes later, the machine turns off automatically and you have a perfect smoothie with all the lumps gone.  If you and your family love smoothies, might be worth considering.

The American Cancer Society has offered up some tips:

· Eating lots of fruits and vegetables can help reduce your cancer risk. The American Cancer Society recommends eating at least 2½ cups of vegetables and fruits each day.

· Choose whole grains instead of refined grain products. Here are some innovative ways to add more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains to your day while watching your refined carbohydrates, sugar, and fat intake.

· Limit how much processed meat and red meat you eat. Some studies have linked eating large amounts of processed meat to increased risk of colorectal and stomach cancers.

Be sure to checkout all the Healthier Holiday Table recipes here.

You can also follow #HealthierHolidays and @morebirthdays on Twitter!  And @EmilyMcKhann@CooperMunroe@TheMotherhood too!

Find Help for Chronic Pain: Q&A with an Osteopathic Family Physician

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Last week, The Motherhood hosted 10 bloggers at a wonderful, informative virtual briefing session with Dr. Jennifer N. Caudle, an osteopathic family physician. Dr. Caudle provided us with interesting insights into the world of chronic pain and encouraged those of us who suffer from chronic pain to seek help.

 We’re sharing the information from her presentation and the following Q&A below in the hopes that you, too, will benefit from her expertise!

What is Chronic Pain?

– Chronic pain is pain experienced for more than three months

– Chronic pain impacts more Americans than cancer, diabetes and heart disease COMBINED

– More than 76 million Americans live with pain every day1

– When pain is not properly managed, it’s difficult to live productively – just one of the reasons why addressing chronic pain is so important

What Causes Pain?

– Medical conditions – arthritis, muscle aches and pains, etc.

– Injury or trauma

Wintertime Woes

– The winter months can mean more pain, especially for people 45 and older

– Freezing temperatures, slips and falls on icy ground, and shoveling snow are top triggers for winter aches and pains, especially common among older adults

Celebrating in Pain?

– Two out of five Americans admit that if they experienced physical pain during the holidays, they would wait until the holidays were over to talk to a physician

– While the holidays are hectic, ignoring or under-treating your pain comes at a high price because it can lead to more pain

Holiday Chores Are More Appealing?!

– 50% of Americans put talking to a physician about pain at the bottom of their holiday to-do list, preferring some other holiday chores instead, including:

1) Taking down holiday decorations by themselves (55%)

2) Shoveling snow on their own for an hour (44%)

3) Waiting in line to return or exchange gifts on the day after Christmas (33%)

Don’t Let Pain Get in the Way of Your Holiday

– Pain does not have to prevent you from enjoying the holidays

– No matter what time of year, it is important to talk to your physician about the cause of your pain

– Managing your pain is not a “one size fits all diagnosis”

– Comprehensive care, including appropriate use of pain medications, can help you find relief and enjoy the holidays

Visit osteopathic.org/pain to take our “Living with Pain?” quiz and download a pain checklist to discuss with your physician

1 National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2006 With Chartbook on Trends in the Health of Americans. Hyattsville, MD: 68-71

Q&A Session with Dr. Jennifer N. Caudle, osteopathic family physician

Q: I’m in chronic pain, and my MD has not been able to help. I’ve been thinking about visiting a DO. Can you tell me how a DO approaches chronic pain differently from an MD to treat it more effectively? Will visiting a DO help me when an MD hasn’t been able to?

A: There are two types of licensed physicians – MDs (medical doctors) and DOs (doctors of osteopathic medicine). We both do four years of medical school, attend residency programs and have to take board certification tests. Our training is similar, but DOs believe in a comprehensive approach to the patient. We look at the entire patient to make a diagnosis and treatment, and we are also trained to use our hands. A DO could be a great option if your MD hasn’t been effective. You want to look for a DO who does manipulation (hands-on treatment) in their office. It’s an added benefit of being treated right when you go to the office.

Q: What do you do about the pressure to use medications?

A: We have lots of ways to deal with chronic pain. There are medications for nerve issues, pain, etc. But there are other options – aqua therapy, physical therapy, ultrasound, aerobic exercises. Remember that with chronic pain, often times a multi-factorial approach is great. Having a dialogue with your doctor is important.

Q: Going to a doctor is expensive. Multiple visits means it’s going to cost more. How can I treat my pain without spending so much money?

A: One of the things I find it’s important to do as a doctor – ask patients if they’re able to afford their medications and visits. Broach the topic of what you’re able to do. If you have financial restrictions, talk with your doctor so you can come up with a plan that works.

Q: How do you exercise through pain, and should you?

A: The question becomes, what is the cause of the pain? I would need a diagnosis of the problem to better be able to guide. Your diagnosis is going to determine what is recommended. Depending on the injury, exercise might not be recommended. People with arthritis would benefit from low-impact activity, while those with something like an ACL tear should stay off their injury and avoid exercise.

Q: When is it appropriate to visit a DO – for any type of pain or just certain types?

A: You can think of MDs and DOs, in terms of medical knowledge, skill and standard of care, as the same. However, DOs can use Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) – hands-on manipulation – to treat most types of pain. Anything from back pain to knee pain to pain from pregnancy, etc. We also use OMT to treat headaches, upper respiratory infections and things like that – it’s broader than just pain treatment and is appropriate for all ages, from kids to adults to elderly patients.

Q: What are your suggestions for helping adult parents with their pain? Should we go to the doctor with them?

A: With some patients, they feel like it’s honorable to “deal” with the pain. That’s not true. You don’t have to suffer with pain all the time. There are options. The first step is to find out if your parents are in pain – they’ll often keep quiet about it because they don’t want to be a burden. Ask them, talk with them frankly about it, and if they’re in pain, take them to the doctor.

Q: When should I see a DO as opposed to a physical therapist?

A: Physical therapists rehab injuries, but they’re not as involved on the front end in diagnosing the injuries. If there are questions about the underlying cause, that’s the time to see an MD or a DO. Based on your diagnosis, a DO will decide if OMT is appropriate, and they can do that right in the office, and decide from there if you need to see a physical therapist.

Q: How does a DO compare to a chiropractor – which isn’t a physician but also treats people with that very hands-on approach?

A: Both chiropractors and DOs use their hands to diagnose and treat common musculoskeletal issues. The difference is the philosophy and how we treat a patient.  As doctors, DOs are equipped to deal with your whole person and anything that might be causing you pain.

Q: How can stress affect your body and result in chronic pain?

A: How you feel mentally affects the entire body, which is why – in my practice – I find it’s really important to pay attention to what’s going on in someone’s life. It can exacerbate pain you might have. Stress manifests in different ways, and everything in the body affects each other. It’s important to have both a healthy body and a healthy mind.

Q: I suffer from migraines. What could a DO do for me?

A: We know of a number of triggers for migraines, and there are a number of OMT techniques we use for migraines. Headaches don’t just affect the head – they affect the neck and scalp as well. OMT is a great way to help with migraines.

Q: Is it possible to actually make a condition worse by “pushing through it” as opposed to taking it easy?

A: Yes, there are certain causes of pain in which “pushing through it” is problematic. Pain can be caused by injury or trauma. With trauma in particular, it’s really helpful and wise to get that pain checked out. You want to make sure nothing is broken or ruptured, and that exists with regular pain from other conditions, too. The most important thing with chronic pain is to understand why you have it. Only when we know the diagnosis and cause can we say if it’s okay to keep going with your regular activity.

Q: I’m having chronic hip pain, and my MD said it’s inflammation. What can I do?

A: Inflammation is a very broad term. It doesn’t mean anything specific, other than there’s an area of reactivity in the body. Something is aggravated (joint, muscle, etc) – and the body is trying to work to fix it. Why is this happening now, what is going on and how can we fix it? It’s important to be affirmed in how you feel. You can go back to your doctor, try a new doctor or go to a specialist to find out what’s going on.