sarah's sustainable life

it’s school time again! for me and many other moms, it is time to resurrect the art of packing the old lunch box. it can be such a hassle to perform this task day after day, but we moms know how important it is to send our children with healthy, filling, and (for some of us) vegetarian lunches. i have written about lunch packing before, but mainly in the context of packing lunches for my husband to take to work. today, i will give you a few tips on packing a worry-free lunch your kids will love to eat!

1) keep a chart of lunch options handy. this takes a little time, but it is SO worth it!! using help from websites and cookbooks (like the vegan lunchbox and the sneaky chef), i put together complete meal outlines in calendar form. this way, i can plan ahead and have the supplies on hand and make sure there is good variety in josiah’s lunchtime diet. (jennifer mccann recommends using the school’s lunch calendar as a guide so that your child can have similar lunches and not feel left out.)
2) have your child help. whenever possible, allow your child to help in the planning and preparation of the food. kids are more likely to want to eat the food you pack when they feel they’ve had a voice and a hand in it.
3) know when to say when. there will be days you just don’t have time to make everything from scratch; that doesn’t mean you need to give in and send your child with processed meat on white bread and potato chips! there are SO many brands of wonderful, ready to eat lunch box fillers that are high on nutrition and easy on the environment. revolution foods, ella’s kitchen, tasty brand, and go raw are all great choices. remember, though, you will pay for the convenience in money, so try to go homemade as often as possible.

to be continued later this week…

josiah is getting to that age where he prefers to pick food apart before he eats it. the problem? sometimes he doesn’t eat everything he picks off, and the first to be forsaken are the odd looking veggies. i have taken a cue from the sneaky chef and created this pizza sauce with all picky kids in mind. this has been, for me, the best way to get josiah to eat kale. today’s recipe: loaded pizza sauce!

2T olive oil
1medium sweet onion, sliced thin
1cup each kale and spinach leaves, washed and dried
1whole roasted red pepper, seeded and stemmed
2cloves garlic, minced
28oz can diced tomatoes
1/4cup tomato paste
1/2tsp sugar
1T red wine vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

In a large soup pot, heat olive oil to medium. add onion and cook 5 minutes. stir in remaining veg and saute about 3more minutes, until greens are lightly wilted. pour in diced tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and vinegar. simmer a few minutes more, then use your stick blender to puree into a smooth sauce. season with salt and pepper to taste and use as you would any pizza sauce. (should be enough for one large pizza or two smaller) if you do not have a stick blender (get one!), you can puree this in batches in your food processor or stand blender, but you’ll need to let in cool a little first.

*kale & spinach – high in many minerals and a great source of vitamin A
*red bell pepper – lots of vitamins C & A, also a healthy dose of vitamins E, K, and B6.
*garlic – high in calcium (bet you didn’t know that!), it is also a great source of vitamin C.

i wanted to share with you some healthy snacks i’ve recently found that my son LOVES, and maybe your kid will, too. they are definitely worth a try, not too expensive, widely available, and extremely nutritious.
preemptive disclaimer: i do not get paid by companies to endorse their products! all that i share with you at sarah’s sustainable life comes from a wish that you will have success feeding your family healthy food that they’ll love.

kim nori – that is, roasted, lightly salted seaweed sheets that look like little crackers. there are many brands on the market; we get ours from whole foods (because it’s easy). my son is CRAZY about these, calls them “sea chips”. prior to this, i had no success getting him to eat nori. if you think highly nutritious sea veg are out of the question for your toddler, give these a try!

fruit & veg smoothies: not juice, but prepackaged smoothies. why? because they toss into a lunchbox or diaper bag without worries about spillage or spoilage. and the label is very clear, there is nothing inside but organic (usually) fruit and veg. our favorite is ella’s kitchen because they have such a great variety of veg smoothies. c’mon, you know kids eat fruit just fine, what we really want to sneak into those snacks is more vegetables!

dried veg: that’s right, DRIED. sound on the bland side? trust me. not only are they tasty, they are perfectly suited to toddler taste buds. no salt, no sugar, just crunchy dried veg that are fun to munch on in place of crackers, pretzels, or other starchy, nonperishable foods you may be tempted to pack for the trip to the playground.

not long ago, SOMEBODY (and i won’t say who) introduced josiah to the idea of jelly on his peanut butter sandwich. this was very disappointing to me, as he had always enjoyed plain peanut butter just as much as i do, and there was no extra sugar involved. after that introduction, however, he was hooked on a multilayer sandwich. trying to think outside the box (which i’m not the best at), i decided to use this as an opportunity to introduce more veg into our diets. it turns out, PB is a remarkably versatile player that goes well with just about every taste and texture imaginable. here, i give you a list of some of the most successful peanut butter and vegetable pairings i’ve had!

1) PB and pumpkin: in a food processor, whip together equal amounts of creamy peanut butter and cooked pumpkin flesh (canned or fresh) with a small grate of fresh nutmeg or cinnamon. serve on toasted whole grain bread. josiah’s favorite!
2) PB and pickles: spread a thin layer of creamy peanut butter on each slice of bread. line with a layer of thinly sliced, VERY CRUNCHY sweet pickles. my favorite!!
3) asian PB lettuce wraps: on a large lettuce wrap, spread a good spoonful of crunchy PB. sprinkle on bean sprouts, grated carrot, whatever asian veg you have around to use up, and a drizzle of sriracha hot sauce or soy sauce (or both). roll up and enjoy. different, but delicious.
4) PB and slaw: spread a thin layer of creamy peanut butter on each slice of bread, then pile on with lots of leftover sweet and sour coleslaw. you won’t believe how good this one is:)
if someone in your family has a peanut allergy (or you are packing sandwiches for school), feel free to try these with almond, soy, macadamia, or other nut butters. i have not tried them with these, so i can’t guarantee the same yumminess, but it never hurts to try.

it has been almost two and a half years since josiah was born. i remember the sweet, wonderful moments we spent together in the hospital those first few days. i also remember the first time i encountered a dirty baby and a clean diaper and had to figure out how to put them together. those were some challenging times, and i was surprised that i could even figure out how to fold and pin the darn things, let alone worry about there being a more “green” way of doing it! but as it turns out, there are some very easy ways of greening the diaper experience that i had to learn for myself over time. today, as i am facing the end of diapering (YEAH!), i will share with you the tips i picked up along the way that could have made my journey a little easier and a little greener.

if you choose disposables:
*look for diapers that have not been processed with chlorine. this is easier on your baby’s sensitive skin and helps avoid chlorine seepage in landfills.
*empty the diapers just as you would a cloth one – all solid waste into the toilet!
*look for reusable covers with a disposable liner; most of these liners are biodegradable, flushable, and/or compostable.
*DO research ahead of time. if you are expecting your first, don’t do what i did and wait until you are in the hospital to figure it out. there are many great websites and online forums.

if you choose cloth:
*talk with other moms who use cloth. until i moved to texas, i didn’t know anyone else who used cloth, but it is becoming more popular these days and it is good to have advice from those who practice cloth diapering on a regular basis.
*go for the goods! research the web, ask around, get the best diapering system you can find. i know it seems expensive, but it will still be much cheaper than disposables! (fyi, i’m still using the diapers, pins, and covers on josiah that i got at my showers.)
*you actually don’t need to soak, rinse, or flush a diaper. just shake solids into the toilet and drop the diaper into a plastic-lined pail after a change. when full, pour into the washer and run a cycle with a dye free detergent, reset washer, add more detergent, and wash again on hot. this eliminates the need for use of bleach.
*if cloth diapering is simply a money saving issue for you, you must check out the diapering hyena. her website has lots of frugal tips for raising children, including lots of insight on cloth diapers.

the more time josiah spends around other children, the more often he seems to come home sick. what can i do? i don’t want him to live in a plastic bubble, but i HATE feeding him medication. while searching the shelves of the drug store for homeopathic solutions, i have come to realize that most of them are nothing but bottled home remedies that our families have been using for years. today i am going to share with you some of my most trusted home remedies that are safe for children! maybe your family has used these, too…

for a cough: boil a cup of water. add a few spoonfuls of honey* and a good squeeze of fresh lemon. honey coats the throat, relieving coughs, while the lemon cuts through with a good dose of vitamin C (which helps reduce histamines).
for constipation: cut leaves from organic strawberries. wash them well, then boil them in some good, clean water. strain out leaves and drink liquid. you may need to add a little sugar to get your child to drink this; it’s a very effective, natural laxative, but it does not taste great.
for a sty: any piece of real gold jewelry should be sterilized, then rubbed on the sty. there is a chemical reaction that will kill the sty very quickly.
for bug bites: make a paste of baking soda and water and smear a small patch on the bug bite. this dries out, keeps the itch away, and pulls out any poison.
for indigestion, heartburn, or nausea: grate 1tsp fresh ginger into one cup boiling water. allow to steep for 10 minutes, then strain out the ginger and drink the “tea”. though research for thousands of years has proven ginger as an effective treatment for these ailments, scientists still aren’t sure quite why.

does your family have some “folk” remedies? feel free to share them with all of us – we’d love to know!!
*a regular dose of raw, local honey has proven effective to treat pollen allergies, but be cautious giving your children raw animal products!

what a happy day when jell-o brand changed their formula and the sugar-free instant pudding mixes no longer contained powdered milk! that was about the time i decided to stop buying the outrageously expensive (though incredibly delicious) soy pudding cups in the specialty market and make my own! this recipe has been highly approved by myself and my son, and has put pudding back on the menu for a quick and easy dessert or a nutritious addition to a lunch box. today’s recipe: tofu chocolate pudding!

1box (1.4oz) jell-o instant chocolate pudding mix*
1 package (12.3oz) lite silken* tofu, chilled
1/2-3/4cup almond milk
a few strawberries or raspberries for serving

in a strong food processor, puree the tofu with the almond milk until smooth. sprinkle over with pudding mix and blend to a creamy texture. scoop into four serving bowls and dot each serving with a few raspberries or slices of strawberry. chill until ready to serve.
*A FEW NOTES on this recipe – you can use any flavor pudding mix, just check the ingredients for milk. also, you needn’t use the sugar-free; if you are worried about artificial sweeteners, just use regular instant, but NOT cook & serve, pudding mix. PLEASE be sure to use silken tofu (the kind in a box) rather than water-packed chinese tofu!! the amount of almond milk will depend on how thick you like your pudding.

*tofu is a great source of complete protein, calcium, and iron.

i make this at least three times a week during the summer because, well, it gets hot in south texas during the summer! i created this recipe accidentally and have been experimenting with it ever since. believe it or not, folks, pureed frozen banana comes to a perfect soft serve texture! i am giving the base recipe today, but you can add whatever your family likes (a big scoop of peanut butter or sliced fruit to the batter, or top with chocolate and sprinkles to serve). i hope your family likes this simple, healthy, cheap summertime treat as much as we do! today’s recipe: sarah’s banana soft serve!
(for 3 servings)
3 medium-large bananas, peeled and frozen
3T each agave nectar and almond milk
a few drops real vanilla or almond extract
a good, STRONG food processor
chilled ice cream bowls

put frozen bananas into the food processor and pour over with agave nectar, almond milk, and extract of choice. allow to sit a few minutes, then blend on high until creamy and smooth. (you may need to add a little extra almond milk, but don’t add too much! it will cream out eventually, i promise!) scoop into chilled ice cream bowls and serve with favorite toppings (or naked)!
*bananas are high in vitamins C & B6 while being fat free and very low in sodium.
*almond milk is a good source of protein and is naturally creamy and sweet while lower in calories than dairy milk or soymilk.
*agave nectar, if you are able to find the right brand, can be high in iron. it also has a low glycemic index.

the modern mom has so much pressure to be a super woman. we feel guilty for just about everything, and everyday there is a new commercial to make us feel even more that we are not doing the best that we can for our children. who has time to research the newest, most cost effective, and greenest ways to raise a child? ecomom does! this website was founded to “address the connection between the health of our environment & the health of our children…committed to making eco-conscious living easy, affordable, & rewarding with education, support, tools & products.” there is an online community, a blog, and a newsletter. not to mention easy online shopping for all products green, from organic foods and eco chic clothing to counter top composters and green party ideas for kids, this website is as complete as an environmentally conscious mother could want! check it out – you will NOT be disappointed!

ravioli, the perennial kids’ favorite finger food, has been boring too long. it’s time to spice it up nutritionally! today’s recipe: broccoli & cheese ravioli! my son loves these, and i think your kids will, too:)

2cups chopped broccoli florets
8oz firm chinese tofu, drained
2oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
1/2tsp garlic salt
1package wonton wrappers
olive or canola oil

steam the broccoli until just tender. combine broccoli with tofu, cheese, and garlic salt in a food processor until creamy and uniform. place about 1-2tsp broccoli filling on the center of each wonton wrapper; fold over and seal with a little water. brush or spray filled raviolis with a little oil, then brown over medium – medium/high heat (may need to add a little extra oil to the pan). great served as a finger food with a little dipping sauce of your (or your child’s) choice.

*broccoli – good source of protein, vitamins E, A, K, B6 & C, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, fiber, is there anything this food can’t do?
*tofu – a great source of complete protein, calcium, and iron.
*cheese – very high in complete protein and calcium (we’ll overlook the fat for now)