When I first started my real food journey I was overwhelmed by how understocked I was on kitchen appliances and gadgets. Now that I’m getting married I’m trying to register for my *reasonable* dream real food kitchen. Suggestions?? If you could start fresh from the beginning what would you start with? I often come across a receipe that I would love to try only to discover I need equipment that I don’t have to make it. What basics to you suggest? If money wasn’t an object what would be in your dream real food kitchen?

~ Bethany

Oh Bethany [clasping hands], you really don’t know [funny bouncing movement as if about to wet pants] how fun this is going to be . . . for me. You see, if ever anyone needed a registry do-over it is yours truly, and I have earnestly been making up for it via Christmas and birthday presents ever since.

First things first – a lot of the stuff I am going to recommend cannot be found at Target or Bed Bath & Beyond. But not to worry! MyRegistry.com makes it easy for you – and your friends and family – to do everything via the web. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get started!

The Basics

Food Processor

My little 7-cup cuisanart has been maimed in every possible way  – including an “incident” in which it was partially melted – and yet it STILL works. It was retired though after Daddypotamus learned I have to hold it together while it “processes.” He bought me this 11 cup brushed stainless version and I love it!

Food processors make it so easy to whip things up in a snap: homemade salsa, banana walnut muffins, crackers, coconut butter, strawberry mint sorbet and so much more.

And it saves me money, too! Even after using the finest ingredients I always find that it costs less than the premade stuff at the store – AND it tastes better!  Plus foods that we simply won’t eat if they are store bought (such as peanut butter because of aflotoxins) become a delight that when they’re made from soaked and dehydrated peanuts at home.

Hamilton Beach Crockpot

Ah, this was hands down the most useful wedding gift I received – and it wasn’t even on my list! With a little prep while you fix your hair for, uh, bed (at least this is what I did as a newlywed), you can wake up to the aroma of slow-cooked cinnamon apples. Or get started in the morning and come home to a delicious, home-cooked meal.

The best part? It also doubles as a stock pot (one less item to ask for!). I use this recipe for perpetual soup just about every week because broth is so nourishing (and it helps with wrinkles and cellulite. ahem).

Here’s the thing, though: Lots of crock pots contain lead that leaches into food. If you plan to use your crockpot nearly as much as I do (and why wouldn’t you!?!?), go ahead and invest in a Hamilton Beach crockpot – they are the only ones I know of who are lead and cadmium free.

Cast Iron or Enameled Skillet

Teflon can release up to fifteen toxic gases and is not recommended for people with pet birds because the polymer fumes can kill them.

If you’re thinking that you need to ditch your nonstick stash pronto but don’t want to give up your perfect omelettes, don’t worry your purty little head. My cast iron skillet is non-stick heaven (though we don’t use it all the time for reasons listed here), and this enameled one looks pretty good, too.

Good Knives & Magnetic Knife Holder

Okay, I know for a fact that one of my friends (whose husband makes knives worth hundreds of dollars) is probably cringing right now. I don’t know much about knives and should probably not be advising anyone on the subject, but J.A. Henckel was recommended to me as a good middle-of-the-road option. I asked for this utility knife for Christmas and it is MUCH better than gumming my steak with my old set.

The problem with buying knives you’ll actually use is what to do with them when you’re . . . not. Storing super sharp objects in drawers for little hands to rummage through? No thanks. Fortunately there are these nifty magnetic knife holders that you can mount to your wall – keeps everything within your reach (but not theirs, though I know you’re not at that stage yet!) and looks kinda cool, too!

Natural Cutting Boards

Wood and bamboo cutting boards are more sanitary than plastic for two reasons:

1. They contain natural antimicrobials
2. Plastic takes longer to dry. The longer the surface is wet the more opportunity for bacteria to grow.

I have used all three in my career as a SAHM, and I must say this bamboo one is hands down my fave. It knicks less and is so easy to clean.

Safe Food Storage

These pyrex container are a great alternative to plastic storage, and they’re a two-for-one deal because you can bake with them, too! I love grabbing leftovers from the fridge and tossing them in the oven without having to switch containers (because let’s face it, we have enough dishes to do!).

Pyrex Bakeware

This should probably go without saying, but you’re going to want to have a few casserole/pie/quiche dishes around. Glass is a great alternative to aluminum and is easier to find than stainless steel. Highly recommend!

Stainless Steel Baking Sheet

For making warm, chewy pecan sandies of course! A lot of what passes for stainless steel these has a lot less nickel (which protects from corrosion) than you’d expect. To get around this look for high quality 18/10 gauge such as the American Kitchen line from Regal Housewares.

Stainless, Ceramic or Enameled Pots and Pans

There are a lot of options here: This cuisanart set is pretty affordable, but if you’re looking for something you’ll still be using on your 30th anniversary consider all-clad.  Or you can save TONS of money buy hopping on ebay and buying up some old vision cookware, which is a highly durable glass-ceramic blend that’s not made anymore. My mom picked up random vision pieces for me at resale shops and I used them all. the. time. Definite fave for the price!

And A Few Frills . . .

Okay, maybe frills and kitchen equipment don’t belong in the same categorical zip code for you, but these are some of my fave non-essentials!

Dehydrator

Great for drying nuts after they have been soaked and making beef jerky (a great on-the-go snack!) and fruit leather. If your farmers market has a sale on fresh herbs such as dill, basil and thyme at the end of summer you can take advantage by drying and storing for use throughout the year. So much better than store bought stuff!

BPA-Free Coffee Maker

**If** you drink coffee, this 12 cup stainless steel percolator and this french press are great BPA-free options, which is bad for you and any future children you may have the privilege to cuddle and/or be pooped on by.

P.S. We don’t drink coffee anymore, so I use it to make loose leaf herbal tea. Still a good investment!

Air Locks For Fermenting

I have a giant $100+ harsch crock, but if I could go back in time I would prefer to have these inexpensive fermenting jars. Many ferments (like sauerkraut and dilly sticks) do just fine in a jar, but others (like pickles) sometimes have mold issues. Airlocks prevent that, yay!

Kalorik Glass Bowl Deep Fryer

This is the next thing to knock out on my wish list! These GAPS-friendly sour cream and onion chips are simply addictive and I want to make them in mass quantities. If you are going to make chips, though, you’ll need a . . .

Mandoline

I have a pricey one, which I regret because I only use it to make chips. This one from OXO is about half the price and looks pretty good!

Abeego Reusable Wrap

Another item at the top of my wishlist, this alternative to saran wrap is made from a hemp/cotton fabric infused with a blend of beeswax and plant extracts.

Vio Liv Jars

Bio-violet glass that uses beneficial wavelengths to reshape the molecular structure of water, and drastically reduce food spoilage? Yes, it does sound kind of crazy now that you mention it. But after talking to Kathleen at Radiant Life (listed on my resources page), I really think there’s something to it. Make sure to check out Vio Liv section on their website. It shows a photo of two tomatoes – one which was stored in a regular glass jar for 7 month and another that was stored in a Vio Liv jar. They are totally different, ya’ll. I’m intrigued. (Plus I love apothecary jars and their oh-so-pretty).

And Last, A Glass Pitcher

Just because I think they’re pretty. Having an herbal blend on the counter to sip on is not a bad way to while away the afternoon.

So That’s It!

My real food kitchen, more or less. Now Bethany, don’t you feel like we totally bonded over this registry experience???? Hope that means my invite won’t get **lost** in the mail!

What Are Your Real Food Kitchen Must Haves?

Photo credit: Southern LivingSimilar Posts:

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Daddypotamus & I Have New Year’s Date

With our couch, a couple glasses of merlot, and a white board. It’s not what you might think, though. We don’t resolve. Or resolute. Or however you say that. 

Instead, we look at what’s draining our time/resources/joy, and we make action plans. I highly recommend it.

If You Have Real Food Goals . . .

For this coming year, this is the sale for you. Say, for example, you want to eat out less. Why not sign up for a meal plan – they’re around $1/week – to keep things interesting in the kitchen without spending hours on menus and shopping lists. Or maybe you want to learn to make inexpensive, probiotic rich foods/start GAPS/reverse food allergies. We have stuff for that, too. Oh, and if there is a little on in your life that will be starting solids this year, my new ebook Nourished Baby is only $13.29 today! To get these year-end prices just click the links below and use coupon code SUPERSALE

This 30% sale ends Sunday night,
January 1st, 2012, at 11:59 pm Pacific time

Meal Plans

	Simple Dinner Meal Plans from Nourished KitchenPrice:$85/yr or $10/month Now:$59.50/yr or $7/month Each week you’ll receive a simple, healthy and nutrient-dense menu featuring Meals come together in about 40 minutes, feature seasonal ingredients and you’ll enjoy cooking tips, make ahead lists and a shopping list that makes cooking traditional foods easy. Plus, coming in December, you’ll receive full access to Jenny’s 500+ real food recipe database.Meal plans are suitable for dairy-free, grain-free, gluten-free, and GAPS/SCD dietsbut don’t compromise on taste. 6% of proceeds go to the Weston A Price Foundation and Farm-to-consumer Legal Defense Fund.
	Grain-Free Meal Plans from Health Home & HappinessPrice: $16.00 or $130 Now: $13.30 monthly (applies to recurring) or $91 yearly (30% off both) GAPS and SCD compliant meal plans- 3 meals a day, 7 days a week.
	Weekly Menus by Mail from CheeseslavePrice: $85/yr or $10 per month Now:$59.50 or $7 per month Each week you get menu plans for 3 full dinners plus one breakfast, dessert or snack. Kid-friendly, nutrient-dense traditional foods (including superfoods like organ meats & shellfish and lacto-fermented foods EVERY WEEK) from around the world including French, Italian, Japanese & Tex-Mex. All recipes are gluten-free.
	3 Months, 6 Months or 12 Months GAPS Legal Meal PlansPrice: $21, $37.80, $71.40 Now:$14.70, $26.46, or $49.98 GAPS and SCD legal dinners with side dishes for 6 nights of the week, delivered to you via e-mail every Friday for 3 months, 6 months or 12 months. A main dish plus a side dish for each day, plus a shopping list and a list of what to prepare ahead of time. Simple recipes to make life easy on you!

 Classes

	Get Cultured from Nourished KitchenPrice: $199 Now: $139.30 Ever wondered why yogurt is so good for you? Want to build immunity and enhance digestion through real, whole foods? Learn how to prepare enzyme-rich fermented foods, yogurts, condiments, salsas and chutneys in your kitchen with over 50 video tutorials, 100 recipes and 60 tutorials, plus the free 36-pg e-book Get Cultured: Probiotic Recipe from the Nourished Kitchen.
	Real Food For Rookies Price: $190 Now: $133.00 (30% off) Are you overwhelmed with all you’ve heard from the “experts” about what you should be eating? Learn the basics in this 12-week online class, including how to fit Real Food into your busy schedule and into your budget. Go with Kelly into the kitchen, to the farm, and to the store where she’ll teach you what it took her years to learn!
	Reversing Food Allergies Online Cooking ClassPrice: $199 Now:$139.30 (30% off) Planning to get start the GAPS Diet in the new year? Now’s the time to sign up and save!
	Real Food Nutrition & Health E-Course PLUS E-bookPrice: $100-$115(depending on how you purchase the book that goes with it) Now:$70-$80.50 (30% off) Homeschooling? Want a curriculum inspired by the same love of wholesome, traditional foods that you find in the cookbook Nourishing Traditions, the work of Weston A. Price, the Slow Food movement, and farmer’s markets everywhere? Annoyed with the sub-par Nutrition standards of the USDA and the typical Nutrition textbook? This class is fun and engaging . . . no boredom allowed!

E-Books

Nourished BabyPrice: $18.99 Now:$13.29 Learn how to decode your cravings while nursing, why you should skip rice cereal and what the latest research says about introducing peanuts, eggs and other “allergenic” foods. Plus, enjoy over thirty nutrient rich recipes that are specifically designed for the little tummies, but also meant for the whole family to share and enjoy!

	Get REAL With Food – Starter Kit Price: $197 Now: $137.90 (30% off) Overwhelmed by the idea of feeding your family REAL food every day? Don’t know where to start? Our get REAL with Food Starter Kit will give you everything you need to feed your family REAL food at least 80% of the time…starting Today! 6 CD Set, 19 eCookbooks and the Adventurous Eater Guide!
	Real Food Ingredient GuidePrice: $10 Black Friday Price: $7.00 (30% off) Do you want to use more nutritious ingredients in your kitchen, but feel confused about which ones to choose? Do you need help deciphering food labels at the store, or knowing which foods to buy at your local farm? Grab this guide now for only $6.00!
	Real Food Party Planning GuidePrice: $12.00 Now: $8.40 (30% off) Does having people over stress you out? I’ve made it easier for you with the tips I’ve learned about planning ahead for a shindig. Maybe you’re a “natural” host or hostess and entertaining is no big deal, but if you’re someone that would like help organizing whatever event is in your future, this guide will be just the thing. This will help you de-stress the whole experience, so you can enjoy yourself as much as your guests are sure to!
	What Can I Eat Now?Price:$20.00 Now:$14.00 (30% off) If you’re planning to start the GAPS Introduction Diet in the new year, this step-by-step guide is a MUST!

	Real Food Nutrition & Health E-bookPrice: $19.95 (depending on how you purchase the book that goes with it) Now:$13.97 (30% off) Apalled by the sub-par Nutrition standards of the USDA? Sickened by the incomplete and industry-funded guidelines of the typical Nutrition advice? This Real Food Nutrition & Health E-Book is for you!
	Real Food Nutrition & Health FOR KIDS E-book Price: $19.95 $13.97 (30% off)Do you want to teach your younger children about Real Food? To avoid the twaddle put out by the USDA which features their sub-par Nutrition standards? A beautiful book full of f un illustrations, coloring pages, and activities for younger children?
	A Whole Food Holiday Price: $21.95 Now:$15.37 GAPS and SCD recipes for the holidays. Dips with crackers, stuffed mushrooms, prime rib, turkey, ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, faux potatoes, green bean casserole, pumpkin pie, apple pie, chai tea, hot chocolate, egg nog, and MORE!

Photo credit: Maple MamaSimilar Posts:

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I Deleted A Friend’s Facebook Comment Yesterday

To be frank, sometimes I am a chicken. I want to hold hands and sing Kumbaya, but she wanted to know what I thought of  this post where Cheeselave writes:

Around the age of 4 to 6 months, supplementation from solid foods is necessary, as breast milk does not contain specific nutrients that are needed by the baby by the time he reaches 4-6 months old.

As you can imagine, not a lot of Kumbaya going on over on that post. The two nutrients that Ann Marie mentions are iron and zinc. So – because I immediately regretted deleting the post and will not do it again – the big question we’re going to tackle today is: Is breastmilk enough for the 4-6 month old? Okay then, let’s jump in!

But First . . .

I’d like to say that Ann Marie and I are friends and she saw the nuts and bolts of this post before it went live. No drama here. In fact, I’m pretty sure she will hold my hand and sing Kumbaya! Now let’s get started . . .

In her book Real Food for Mother & Baby Nina Planck says:

 Your milk, and the milk of all mammals, lacks iron. In addition to being iron-poor, milk also contains lactoferrin, which ties up any random iron floating about. At first glance, this seems like an error, given that all living things need iron. With such a firm hand limiting the availability of iron to the nursling we must suspect a deliberate strategy on nature’s part.

Sure enough, there is logic to the missing iron. E. coli, the most common source of infant diarrhea in all species, depends on iron, as do other pathogens. As mentioned in the discussion of prenatal iron supplements, sequestering iron – keeping it out of the way of hungry microbes – is the body’s response to infection.

 A low-iron diet protects newborns from iron-loving microbes. As iron expert Sharon Moalem described it to me, lactoferrin is like an armored truck: it transports iron safely to its destination, protecting it from marauding bacteria. Breast milk, in other words, is iron-poor by design. What iron it contains is easily aborbed by your baby.

But That’s About Newborns!!!

What about as baby gets to the 4-6 month range? Well, studies show that breast milk changes composition over time to meet the varied nutritional demands of infants/babies/toddlers. For example, milk from women who have been nursing longer than one year has a substantially higher fat content.¹ Around 4-6 months iron in breast milk remains low. So that means babies must not need it at that particular stage in development, right?

Not so fast.

According to Dr. Nancy Krebs, their iron and zinc needs do increase at this stage. But I wonder, does the fact that breast milk continues to be iron-poor tell us something about how things are supposed to go here? I think so.

Babies are ready for more “tummy time” around 4 months and start crawling around 6-8 months. This means that the time they need more iron **just happens** to coincide with when they will be coming into contact with the ground more. Before the last few hundred years that would have meant coming into contact with dirt, which contains . . . IRON & ZINC!! (Or at least it should . . . modern farming practices, ugh!) So babies poke around in it and then suck on their fingers . . . voila! Iron goals attained.

I believe that breast milk composition reflects an innate understanding of how this process is supposed to unfold. Kinda takes the “I Make Milk – What’s Your Superpower?” saying to a whole new level, huh?

Of course, in addition to our sterile modern environments there is one more obstacle to making sure babies have adequate iron stores: immediate cord clamping after birth. According to the British Medical Journal, waiting for at least three minutes to clamp the umbilical cord following birth improves a baby’s iron levels at four months. Children whose healthcare providers wait to cut the cord experience numerous benefits, including an infusion of 1-2 months worth of iron (27-47 mg) and a  blood volume increase of 25-40% over babies whose cords were cut right away. ²

So What Does This Mean For Baby’s First Foods?

Personally, I believe it means we should interfere less and trust more when it comes to birth, breastfeeding, and weaning. We should eat nutrient rich diets – the idea that baby “gets all they need” despite bad food choices is pure hooey – and introduce our babies to nutrient foods when they are ready.

So what does this look like? Although spoon feeding has become accepted method for introducing solids, a new approach is gaining in popularity that deserves attention. Baby Led Weaning encourages parents to skip the spoon and let babies feed themselves. Although I don’t agree with the nutritional advice in their book, authors Gill Rapley and Tracy Murkett do make a compelling argument that babies don’t learn the proper swallowing/gag reflex if there are fed primarily by a spoon. In addition, there is the risk of overeating when another person is in control.

 Many babies worry that their baby or child isn’t eating enough. Food is intrinsically linked with nurturing and love: we all want to show our babies how much we love them and feeding them is one way to do this. At the same time, we can feel a sense of rejection when our child turns down the food we have prepared for them. These emotions, combined with unrealistic expectations of how much food babies should eat, meant that many babies – and older children – are regularly persuaded to eat more than they need. This can mean that the child simply learns to overeat or, in extreme cases, it can lead to problems such as food refusal or phobias; either way, the development of normal appetite control is at risk.

Persuading young babies to eat food they don’t want is especially easy to do if they are spoon-fed, Babies who are allowed to feed themselves will naturally manage their own intake – they simply stop eating when they are full.”¹⁴

In addition, spoon feeding can “encourage babies to eat more quickly than they would do naturally, interfering with the sensation that tells them when they have had enough. Eating too fast is another food behavior that has been linked with obesity in adults and children.”

 

My Experience

Katie & Her Bucket 'O Dirt

It is often said that many breastfed babies mostly taste and explore (aka play with) foods until 8-15 months. That is my experience with my own children. Neither of them expressed the slightest interest in food at 4-6 months, so instead of trying to coax them to eat I just bought microbe rich dirt from my local organic supplier and let them play in it. It was my way of getting them iron/zinc in a way that was natural.

No baby should be force-fed at 4-6 months, but of course this is not what the Weston A. Price Foundation is saying. They encourage parents to watch for signs of readiness, etc. Mine were not ready so I found another way. Other moms in my circle have shared that their babies reached for food very early. As long as low milk supply due to breastfeeding problems (like Micah’s tongue tie) has been ruled out I say go for it!

My favorite “first food” is fermented cod liver oil rubbed on a baby’s bum. This is, of course, recommended by the Weston A. Price Foundation. According to Dr. Campbell-McBride the skin will only absorb whatever vitamin A & D it needs from cod liver oil so I don’t worry about giving too much. The other two foods recommended are egg yolk (which is extremely close to breast milk in terms of digestibility and nutrient profile) and shaved raw liver (a nutrient dense superfood).

Ironically, neither of these were Micah’s first foods. Each baby has internal wisdom about what their body needs. We were drinking a lot of bone broth at the time and that is what he showed interest in, so that’s what we went with. Does that mean any food is acceptable? Eh, I don’t think so. I felt comfortable offering broth because Dr. Campbell-McBride recommends it as a first food to help seal the leaky gut.

What’s That, You Ask?

I’m not trying to sensationalize fears about introducing foods too early. Unless a family has a history of allergies I think it’s really a non-issue with the Baby Led Weaning approach. Historically children have put ALL KINDS of things in their mouths – it is natures way of priming their immune system. When a baby chooses to taste something here and there of their own volition it’s a gradual process. That’s a totally different picture than coaxing heaping spoonfuls into the mouth of a little one. So in my opinion there’s no need to fear early solids any more than you would fear your baby gnawing on a stick or leaf. As long as they are at the developmental age where they can sit up and put things in their mouths I think it’s fine.

Kristen of Food Renegade said it best in a comment she left on this fabulous post from Nourishing Our Children.

In my mind, it’s kinda like the issue of when to introduce grains. Babies don’t produce pancreatic amylase (the enzyme needed to digest grains) until they’re at least a year old, sometimes two! So, how can a momma know when to introduce properly prepared grains? When her baby’s molars come in! That’s usually at the same time that they start producing pancreatic amylase. In other words, there are visible, outward signs of baby’s internal digestive development.

In the same way, babies have outward, visible signs of being ready to eat solids — namely sitting up on their own, developing the pincer grasp, and losing the tongue reflex that pushes food out of the mouth. (Essentially, when they are able to feed themselves.) For all three of my kids, this happened somewhere between 6 to 8 months old. They weren’t “late bloomers” or anything of the sort, this is just how their little bodies grew. I’ve met 4 months old that could do all these things, and I totally marveled since it was so outside my own experience.

And In Case You’re Wondering . . .

I did spoon feed Micah the broth. Hypocritical, I know! But from that point forward I ditched the spoon and let him eat what he was interested in, which happened to be meat/liver and vegetable stews prepared in digestion enhancing broth. He made a huge mess, but letting babies eat with their hands is very helpful for developing manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination. And besides, it doesn’t matter how much they get in their mouths at first. The goal is to help them explore new tastes in a fun and exciting way so they’ll become adventurous eaters. So yeah, let’s focus on our babies instead of timetables, offer but don’t pressure, and relax!

What do YOU think???

Questions about baby nutrition? Check out my new ebook, Nourished Baby!

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Happy Thanksgiving, ya’ll! If you haven’t seen our family’s special message to you, check it out here.

This year I am very grateful to have checked another goal off my bucket list . . . I was invited to join Real Food Media! If you’re not familiar with them, RFM is a blog network that is committed to supporting YOU in your quest for real, nourishing food.

See how my chest is puffed out in this pic cause I am SO PROUD to be part of this group? (Okay, don’t look. I promise Micah is ALWAYS pulling on my shirt because he wants to nurse. I don’t mean to walk around like that! )

Anyway, to celebrate Black Friday and show our appreciation to our readers, the Real Food Media bloggers have come together to offer an amazing 40% off on many of our e-books, classes and meal plans.

These are great holiday gift ideas for friends, family, teachers, new parents, grandparents, chefs and newbies…anyone you love! Just click the links below and use coupon code BLACK40 for 40% off. If you’ve been eyeing one of these products, don’t procrastinate! This special offer starts today, November 24th and ends Sunday, November 27th.

	Happy Healthy Holidays from Nourished KitchenPrice: $129 Black Friday Price: $77.40 Have you ever wondered how to make your favorite holiday foods a little bit better? How to make eggnog? Pecan pie without white flour or corn syrup? A healthy holiday fudge? Learn how with this online cooking class & get immediate access to over 200 real food recipes, holiday meal plans and 30 instructional videos. 6% of proceeds go to the Weston A Price Foundation and Farm-to-consumer Legal Defense Fund.
	Simple Dinner Meal PlansPrice: $85/yr or $10/month Black Friday Price: $51 (less than $1.00 a week!) or $6/month Each week you’ll receive a simple, healthy and nutrient-dense menu featuring Meals come together in about 40 minutes, feature seasonal ingredients and you’ll enjoy cooking tips, make ahead lists and a shopping list that makes cooking traditional foods easy. Plus, coming in December, you’ll receive full access to Jenny’s 500+ real food recipe database. Meal plans are suitable for dairy-free, grain-free, gluten-free, and GAPS/SCD diets but don’t compromise on taste. 6% of proceeds go to the Weston A Price Foundation and Farm-to-consumer Legal Defense Fund.
	Real Food For Rookies Price: $190 Black Friday Price: $114.00 (40% off)   Are you overwhelmed with all you’ve heard from the “experts” about what you should be eating? Learn the basics in this 12-week online class, including how to fit Real Food into your busy schedule and into your budget. Go with Kelly into the kitchen, to the farm, and to the store where she’ll teach you what it took her years to learn!
	Real Food Ingredient Guide  Price: $10 Black Friday Price: $6.00 (40% off) Do you want to use more nutritious ingredients in your kitchen, but feel confused about which ones to choose? Do you need help deciphering food labels at the store, or knowing which foods to buy at your local farm? Grab this guide now for only $6.00!
	Real Food Party Planning GuidePrice: $12.00 Black Friday Price: $7.20 (40% off) Does having people over stress you out? I’ve made it easier for you with the tips I’ve learned about planning ahead for a shindig. Maybe you’re a “natural” host or hostess and entertaining is no big deal, but if you’re someone that would like help organizing whatever event is in your future, this guide will be just the thing. This will help you de-stress the whole experience, so you can enjoy yourself as much as your guests are sure to!
	Grain-Free Meal PlanPrice: $16.00 or $130 Black Friday Price: $9.60 monthly (applies to recurring) or $78 yearly (40% off both) GAPS and SCD compliant meal plans- 3 meals a day, 7 days a week.
	What Can I Eat Now?Price: $20.00 Black Friday Price: $12.00 (40% off) If you’re planning to start the GAPS Introduction Diet in the new year, this step-by-step guide is a MUST!
	Reversing Food Allergies Online Cooking ClassPrice: $199 Black Friday Price: $119.40 (40% off) Planning to get start the GAPS Diet in the new year? Now’s the time to sign up and save!
	Real Food Nutrition & Health E-Course PLUS E-book  Homeschooling? Want a curriculum inspired by the same love of wholesome, traditional foods that you find in the cookbook Nourishing Traditions, the work of Weston A. Price, the Slow Food movement, and farmer’s markets everywhere? Annoyed with the sub-par Nutrition standards of the USDA and the typical Nutrition textbook? This class is fun and engaging . . . no boredom allowed! Price: $100-$115 (depending on how you purchase the book that goes with it) Black Friday Price: $60-$69 (40% off)
	Real Food Nutrition & Health E-bookPrice: $19.95 (depending on how you purchase the book that goes with it) Black Friday Price: $11.97 (40% off) Apalled by the sub-par Nutrition standards of the USDA? Sickened by the incomplete and industry-funded guidelines of the typical Nutrition advice? This Real Food Nutrition & Health E-Book is for you!
	Real Food Nutrition & Health FOR KIDS E-book Price: $19.95 $11.97 (40% off)  Do you want to teach your younger children about Real Food? To avoid the twaddle put out by the USDA which features their sub-par Nutrition standards? A beautiful book full of f un illustrations, coloring pages, and activities for younger children?
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What are your thoughts on not eating meat while pregnant? (I am a vegetarian.) What other foods/beverages/supplements do you think are or aren’t necessary or beneficial?

~Christin

I’m so glad you asked, Christin! And by the end of this post I hope you still are, too. Let’s jump in, shall we?

One-Thousand, Six-Hundred & Seventy-Seven Days Ago . . .

I peed on a stick. But just a little, because I was holding the rest for the backup tests! A trip to Walgreens and two tests later it was official. A tiny little being – my baby – was going to grow to watermelon proportions and then try to exit an area no wider than a garden hose, and I  needed olive juice. Pronto.

It’s funny looking back, but yeah, food was the first thing that made me feel like a mother. There were BLECH!!! days and MOREMOREMORE!!! days, but I welcomed each craving and aversion as my body’s sacred wisdom about how, when, and what to eat.

But What If I’m Craving Doritos & Ding Dongs?

Hmmm . . . I did make that sound a little too easy, didn’t I? Sadly, the “experts” spread so much dietary misinformation that we – and our bodies – are thoroughly confused about what a healthy pregnancy and breastfeeding relationship looks like. For example, in their effort to encourage every mother to breastfeed some advocates say that baby will get “all they need” from breast milk even when the mother’s diet is poor.

That is simply not the case, as was demonstrated in the very public prosecution of a vegan couple whose breastfed baby died from critical deficiencies in vitamins B12 an A. I hesitate to mention this because it is not my intent to drag these parents through the mud. However, I think this tragedy perfectly illustrates the impact of nutritional misinformation on real life outcomes. Like what, you ask?

Myth #1: Protein is Protein

Say you’re two months pregnant (it’s fun to pretend, right?!?!?). By now baby is about the size of a kidney bean with earlobes and cute – albeit slightly webbed – little fingers. You’re eating protein everyday because you know it is the fundamental building block baby needs to grow some eyebrows so he/she won’t look permanently surprised. But are vegetable proteins as good as animal-based proteins?

In a word, no.

Our bodies synthesize protein by breaking apart amino acids from food and then reassembling them for specific tasks. Of the twenty amino acids needed to form protein our bodies can make twelve “on site” (children can only make 11). The rest we have to get from food. Vegetable proteins are “incomplete,” meaning that they contain only a few of the essential amino acids needed. Because the body cannot warehouse protein like it does fat, we need to stock up every. single. day. And unlike animal-based proteins that have everything we need wrapped up in just the right proportions, incomplete proteins simply don’t cut it.

“Not only do we need all the eight (nine for children) essential amino acids in our diet, we also need them in our body in just the right proportions and at the same time. It does little good taking in a few essential amino acids one day and getting the others later in the week. The body simply cannot make effective use of them unless it has them all together at one time. Missing one of the essential amino acids is like trying to read a novel in which every ninth page is missing, except that our imaginations can fill in the plot line whereas our bodies cannot fill in the missing amino acid,” says research and author Dr. Kummerow in his article for the Wise Traditions Magazine, “Protein: Building Blocks of The Body.” (emphasis mine)

Is it possible to create complete proteins with a vegetarian diet? Yes, but it is vital to avoid soy AND you’ll need to carefully measure and combine foods to provide the full range of amino acids. And because plant-based sources have lower concentrations of amino acids overall you’ll also need to eat much, MUCH more than - say – a piece of chicken that contains all nine in high concentrations. This unfortunately, leaves very little room in the belly for other important nutrients!

Myth #2: Carrots Contain Vitamin A

What, there isn’t there vitamin A in carrots? But they teach that in school!  No . . . and this is exactly my point about nutritional misinformation.

Nutrition labels often say that a food has X amount of Vitamin A, when what they really mean is that it has beta carotene. Contrary to popular belief, beta carotene is NOT the same as Vitamin A. It is a precursor . . .and a poor one at that! True bioavailable Vitamin A is found only in animal products such as fermented cod liver oil, pastured butter, egg yolks, liver, and seafood.

Why do we need Vitamin A?

“In Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Price described the early work on vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy and the preconception period. In diverse species of laboratory animals, this deficiency produced spontaneous abortion; prolonged labor and death of the mother and her offspring during labor; eye defects including the complete absence of eyes; defects of the snout, dental arches and lips; displacement of internal organs including the kidneys, ovaries and testes; and deafness due to degeneration of the nervous system.”

We now know that vitamin A is necessary for the differentiation and patterning of all of the cells, tissues, and organs within the developing body. It is especially important for the development of the communication systems between the sense organs and the brain. Even mild vitamin A deficiency compromises the number of functional units called nephrons in the kidneys, which could predispose a person to poor kidney function later in life.

Vitamins For Fetal Development: Conception To Birth

Just like with protein, it IS possible to get vitamin A from carrots. But only if you eat them by the pound and have flawless enzymatic function. Even then, I am very doubtful that anyone would be able to obtain optimal quantities.  For example, the Weston A. Price foundation recommends 20,000 IU a day for pregnant women (4). In a head-to-head comparison, 100 grams of carrots yields roughly 1,145IU of Vitamin A, whereas 100 grams of beef liver yields 25,800.³ One-hundred grams of carrots is about 2/3 cup, so you’d have to eat about 15 cups of carrots per day to meet the recommendation! (assuming the conversion from betacarotene can be made)

After baby is born, vegetarian parents need to supplement their children with bioavailable (animal-based) Vitamin A because  their immature digestive systems are unable to make the betacarotene/Vitamin A conversion¹. For more information and dosage recommendations, check out The Vitamin A Saga.

Myth #3: Baby Will “Steal” To Get What They Need From Mama

Okay, that’s actually true, but **only** if mama has it to give.  In a 2001 study of North American women, researchers found that their breast milk did not meet the minimum requirements for many essential nutrients, most notably vitamin D.  And “[w]hile protein levels in human milk remain constant at about 11 percent under various conditions, levels of fat and lactose—both essential for the development of the nervous system—vary widely,” says the Weston A. Price Foundation.

In addition to being a critical factor in developing baby’s bone structure, Vitamin D  also has protective effects against Whooping Cough and has been shown to virtually eradicate the risk of type 1 diabetes if given during the first year of life.²  It also promotes proper hormone function. We don’t think of babies needing hormones, but actually they do! Hormones are what cause their rapid development, which is why a deficiency in Vitamin D can stunt growth. Where do we get vitamin D? In the winter months lard, liver and other animal products are the only source.

Without supplementation, pregnant women not consuming meat, fish/shellfish, or eggs by the dozen can also develop  B Vitamin (aka folic acid, B6 & B12) deficiencies, which has been linked to neural tube defects like spina bifida.

And That Is Why . . .

In my humble – face so close to the floor I can lick the tile – opinion, vegetarianism and pregnancy are not a good match. It’s not that we can’t get some of our needs for met through plant sources, but we cannot get all of them met that way. We’d just have to eat too. much. food.

Animal-based foods, in contrast, are “nutrient dense” – meaning that small portions of these foods contain much higher concentrations of the vitamins, minerals and micronutrients we need. Incorporating raw dairy and eggs can meet some of these needs, but not all.  

And while eggs and dairy contribute a lot to a nutrient-dense diet, there are certain nutrients they cannot provide to make up for a lack of meat in the diet. As we already discussed, women need about 20,000IU of Vitamin A per day while pregnant. Beef liver contains 25,800IU of Vitamin A in 100 grams, which means it knocks out an entire days recommendation in one serving. On the flipside, an egg (50 grams) only contains about 280IU, which means you’d have to eat about eighty eggs per day to get the recommended amount!

So there you go, Christin. My thoughts on vegetarianism and pregnancy. Still glad you asked?

What do YOU think???

Questions about baby nutrition? Check out my new ebook, Nourished Baby!

Photo credit: Flequi, Lunarcaustic, Michele Catania,  Simona BalintSimilar Posts:

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Pasta Is Done When You Throw It Against The Wall . . . And It Sticks

Hungry for a baked potato? Stab some holes in a spud and microwave for 10 minutes. How about some blueberry muffins slathered in margarine for dessert? Grab a box from aisle five.

If you’re wondering, I’m summing up my culinary education from birth to eighteen for you here. Ahem. 

Learning to cook real food was not something that happened gradually for me. One day I can’t even look at the bones from the my extra spicy Wingstop order, the next I have fish heads in my cabinet . . . and they are looking at me!

But Oh, I Had Motivation

Tens little finger and ten little toes to nuzzle and squeeze and kiss and coo over. I wanted a BABY. . . and a baby was the last thing I could have. Blood tests revealed that years of lowfat dieting had lowered my cholesterol to nearly undetectable levels – lower than those long distance runners who don’t get periods. It’s embarrassing to admit now, but when I first heard the numbers I thought it was a good thing! Um, no. Cholesterol is necessary for producing the hormones that sustain a pregnancy, she told me. Fine, then. I went home and drank 8 oz of olive oil straight. (Do not ever do this! You will puke for 10 hours!)

I wanted cholesterol. I wanted a baby. I wanted my horrible acne, acid reflux, anxiety and chronic exhaustion to just GO AWAY. I wanted all of those things and more, but what I NEEDED was real food. So, with Nourishing Traditions in hand, I hacked away at my old food habits until every single one was gone. No one else I knew was eating this way and honestly I kind of felt like the unibomber while concocting ferments in my kitchen. It was hard. And frustrating. And because of all the failures I had to throw out, it was expensive too.

And If I Were On That Journey Today . . .

It would be totally unnecessary.Truth is, the nourishing lifestyle is NOT complicated, but making the transition on your own can be. As much as I would like to invite each of you into my kitchen and show you firsthand what a rich experience traditional cooking can be, I simply can’t. Maybe if we get our dream house I can invite some of you, but not the ones that live in Belgium ; – )

If you’re muddling through the transition to real food and don’t want to wait for my new kitchen, Jenny at Nourished Kitchen is enrolling now for her updated and fully revised How To Cook Real Food eCourse complete with 45 video tutorials, over 100 recipes, worksheets to help you develop your own recipes, tips for sticking to your budget  and lifetime access to all teaching materials. This is the most comprehensive Nourishing Traditions-style cooking course I have ever seen. She’s even added a class on grain-free cooking for those of us who have abandoned bread and all it’s cohorts.

Interested?

You can check out the course details here and here. The class is $199, but by registering before September 15th at midnight you’ll save $50, which drops it to $12.50 a class.

UPDATE: Hey! Jenny  just sent me an email offering Mommypotamus readers a $25 discount IN ADDITION to the $50 early bird price PLUS a 3 month subscription to her meal planning info. Thats $105 in discounts! The discount code is MOMMYPOTAMUS

Or you can go here to sign up!

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Silly Me!

In yesterday’s post on cultivating your child’s inner foodie I forgot to mention one of the BEST ways to get them to eat their greens: Make a Wild Salad! You get to go outdoors, eat good food, identify plants, “cook” together, experience new flavors – all in one salad bowl!

All you need is whatever you would normally put in a salad – tomato, cucumber, avocado, and pecans are some of my favorites. Hard boiled eggs are good, or bits of real bacon are also great! You can have some lettuce on hand in case you don’t gather enough wild leaves, or if you want something familiar to blend in with the new flavors.

To Your Normal Salad Fixin’s, Add Some Wild Plants!

Here is a list, with photographs, so that you can go out and collect with confidence. You can find these plants in your yard, around woodsy edges of a playground, or any other public park/nature trail that hasn’t been sprayed with pesticides/herbicides. Please keep in mind (and teach your children) three important rules about collecting wild food:

1. Always ask permission before you pick a plant, just like we ask permission before we play with our friend’s toys. Asking permission shows respect for the plant, and reminds us that we do not “own” nature: we live together here. When the plant says you may, don’t forget to say thank you! Remember that this plant is alive, and when you pick the leaf, the plant is sharing its life with you.
2.  Only take a small amount from any given area. You need to leave enough plants there to grow and go to seed so that more will grow next year, and you need to leave enough leftover for the animals to eat. Perhaps you agree that you will only take one leaf off of any given plant, or one flower for every five flowers that you see. This will help keep your harvest sustainable!
3. Never take the strongest, largest plant from a patch. That plant is the grandmother plant, and she is the “backbone” of the whole clump. To keep the whole patch healthy, take only a small amount, and allow the strongest plant to remain untouched.

 Now, Go Out And Collect!

Dandelion

Slightly bitter, but delicious, and abundant! Dandelion provides many minerals, improves digestion, and aids in kidney function.

Possible look-alikes are Chicory or Wild Lettuce, both edible. Chicory is good for your liver, though Wild Lettuce is a bit more bitter.

Violet Leaves

Slightly sweet, and extra fun because they’re heart-shaped! Violet is good for a heathy immune system. (Possible look-alike – Garlic Mustard. Edible, and delicious!)

Sorrel

“Irish Clover” – each of the three leaves is a perfect little heart. Sorrel has yellow flowers and a wonderful sour taste that kids seem to love. If sorrel grows near you, it’s sure to be a favorite!

Henbit or Ground Ivy

These two plants are related, and you may have one or both growing in your area. They’re members of the mint family, and although they don’t taste like peppermint, they are delicious! You can eat the leaves and the flowers, and even the stems if you’d like some crunch! (Possible look-alike – Deadnettle, also a edible mint family plant)

 Lamb’s Quarters

Frequently referred to as the single most nutritious plant known! They grow everywhere – even in the desert – and have a pleasant mild taste. Often called “Goosefoot” – the leaves look like goose foot prints, and often have a bit of white “dust” on the baby leaves.

Toss everything in a bowl and savor the flavors AND the moment . . . your kids are going to remember this forever!!!

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What Is The #1 Most Important Key To Health?

Genetics? No, food! That’s my own professional opinion, of course! I have had clients walk in with cervical cancer, with auto-immune disease, with all manner of illness, and in some cases the *only* thing we changed was diet! Although many doctors and certainly mainstream culture will tell you that food doesn’t really have an impact on illness – recently I even saw an article in a popular health magazine, written by an MD, claiming that sugar has no effect on children! – in my experience, it is the single biggest factor in a client’s recovery.

But why wait till we’re adults? We can teach children about good food choices – and believe it or not, they will listen! Begin now to teach your children to avoid sugar and to abhor processed foods. How? Knowledge! Knowledge is power, even when you’re five.

This is not my leg!

In my family, we tend towards varicose veins. But varicosities are not necessary just because my mother has them! I’m only 37, but my legs are veiny enough that even my daughter, when she was five, could see that it wasn’t healthy. (I have since had a lot of luck in resolving my varicosities – you can read about it here).

Since varicose veins go along with “thick blood” – which is nothing more than saying a person eats too many sweets and carbohydrates – they become a very visible lesson for my daughter. I can explain to her directly that her food choices will impact whether or not her legs look like mine. Hereditary illnesses don’t *have* to be hereditary – so explain to your children that they can avoid the illnesses specific to your family by choosing to skip the corn dogs.

What are good food choices? Well, to put it very simply, good quality meat, vegetables, and fruit. Make sure to get good fats – olives, avocados, high quality animal fats, and coconut are some good choices. Avoid processed, packaged food, sugar, anything made with flour, and “fake” fats such as corn oil or soybean oil. (What do I mean by “fake”? Well, if I give you an ear of corn, you can’t give me corn oil – they need solvents and factories to get that oil out. But if I give you an olive, no problem. Stick to fats that don’t require technology.)

So now you have the Why and the What – here’s the How:

To nurture your child’s inner foodie, start at the beginning: head to your local grocery store or farmer’s market – together. Make thoughtful food choices together. Talk about what would be healthy. Plan a meal. Even if your family has previously been a take-out family, you can still do this!

Start on a day without other commitments: a Saturday or a Sunday may work best. Buy foods together, and agree ahead of time that you won’t buy anything in a package. You can find a recipe before you go or just be inspired while you shop – whatever you’re more comfortable with. Make sure to get plenty of vegetables, some good quality meat, and fruit for desert. It’s ok if this shopping trip takes a long time: the journey is the destination!

Once you get home, cook your food together! It doesn’t have to come out perfectly – it’s a good thing for children to see adults make mistakes and learn from them. If it doesn’t come out well, make some notes about what you would do differently next time. Make sure to spend plenty of time talking about your commitment to eating healthy, whole foods – even if this is a new commitment for you! Not only will your children benefit from watching you grow and change, but they’ll help keep you honest too.

But what if your child is a picky eater? Well, to great extent, allowing your child to help pick out the foods will help. After that, here are some more suggestions:

• Play flavor games – Teach your kids that flavors are not “good” or “bad” (or “yucky”!) – give them other words such as “strong” or “pungent” or “intense”. Pick one night a week for the whole family to experience a new flavor – just as an appetizer before the meal. Maybe you’ll try fresh sage leaves, or a bit of horseradish, or an exotic fruit. Make sure to include a full range of flavors in your flavor exploration, so that your children don’t always expect flavors that don’t appeal to them. Share your experiences together as a family – what did everyone think of the flavor? Where do you feel it on your tongue? Does it taste like anything familiar? There are lots of things you can say without saying “I like/hate this”.
• Don’t provide alternatives – Instead of making a separate “kid friendly” meal, let your child eat what you are eating (although if it is quite spicy-hot, you might want to give them a milder version before you add all the spices). Make sure to plan some elements of the meal that will also appeal directly to them, so that everyone at the table has something to enjoy.
• Plan meals together – Perhaps each member of the family chooses a dish for the meal. Take turns for who will chose the entree and who will choose sides. Sure, you’ll end up with some very eclectic dinners, but you’ll be giving everyone at the table a chance to share something that they like. If your children are older, they can even be responsible for preparing their dish!
• Run out of foods you want to avoid – Your children have certainly already had the experience of “oops – we ran out of X”. And they also have certainly seen you forget something that should have been on the grocery list. Use that to your advantage now! It’s ok if they’re disappointed, and you can even apologize – while you’re offering them a healthier option! After a while, they’ll either figure it out, or they’ll forget. Either way, it will give you a breather in the moment when they’re asking for their Crunchy Cocoa Corns.
• Get Creative! – Is your son a fan of dinosaurs? Then serve brontosaurous burgers for dinner! Save bones from chicken legs, and the next night, mold ground beef around them to that their “hamburgers” have a bone sticking out! Let them smear it all over with ketchup. In fact, if you have the time, go ahead a make a caveman costume he can wear to dinner. Is your daughter into princesses? Give her a fancy plate with the foods you want her to eat arranged in a fancy way, and let her wear a fancy dress and tiara to the table. Let her drink from a fancy teacup or a wine glass. Or tell them they have to eat the meal, but they have the choice: eat with fingers, or toes? (They’ll only choose toes once – it’s really too much trouble!)

Any of these ideas will absolutely be more work than what is required to serve chicken nuggets (even the organic kind). And on top of work, and the laundry, and soccer practice, and guitar lessons, it might feel like Just Too Much™. But it’s a short term investment for a very large long term payoff. Take a month, plan ahead just a bit, put off some projects, and remind yourself that you’re asking for some pretty big changes from your kids, it’s ok for you to give them a little something silly in return. And if that’s not feasible, then make changes one at a time! Or pick one night a week to be “Healthy Food Night”… Anything you can do to get the ball rolling will make a difference!

How do you encourage healthy eating in your home???

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