mdbridge81

Suddenly…they’re home. Survival Tips from a Mom of 4 Who Schools at Home.

I can imagine the shock that parents are feeling right now, knowing that the weight of their children’s education, temporarily, lies on their own shoulders, in the midst of this

I can imagine the shock that parents are feeling right now, knowing that the weight of their children’s education, temporarily, lies on their own shoulders, in the midst of this quarantine. I am in a state of disbelief myself that they closed schools, and we don’t even use them. I’ve just never imagined something like this happening in my life time, and I’m sure that many are feeling the same. So, now that you are responsible for all of this, how are you going to survive your kids being home with you all day? How will you get them to do their work, from home? How will you get anything else done? I remember too well the feeling, myself. “What am I doing? I’m not a teacher. I don’t know how to do this. My kids barely even listen to me. I must have lost my mind.”

I lived in fear of waking up, one day, to a closet full of checkered prairie dresses and denim clad robot like children tossing seed to chickens in the backyard. We didn’t have a backyard then. We do now, and also a few chickens, but the children have grown into amazing, free thinking, well mannered, well educated young men, who are an absolute joy to us, and make us proud to be their parents, daily. No robots here.

If you are floundering at the idea of helping your kids learn at home, remember first that you are helping them learn. The bulk of responsibility for their education still falls on them. You will facilitate from the sidelines but it’s still, ultimately, between your child and his/her teacher. Keeping this in mind will take a load off of you, help you stay calm, and make you a better helpmate to your child and his teachers.

Here’s a few tips that may help you survive this quarantine with your beloved kiddos:

Wake Up Before Everybody Else

This is the most important thing you can do for yourself. It is so important to give yourself at least an hour or two in the morning, to drink your coffee, make a list of your goals and plans for the day, work out, eat a good breakfast. Take care of yourself first. This is a non-negotiable, in my house. This is not selfish. It is absolutely necessary to surviving this. Your day will get so hectic. You will need this. Please. Do it.

Get Fully Dressed Every Single Morning.

Yes it can be jeans and a t-shirt. No yoga pants, unless you are actually doing yoga, then yes, of course. Then..get out of them, and into something better. Do not fall into the trap. I’m not saying this to be shallow. Four days of sitting around in yoga pants reading, will have me in a deep depressive state, like nothing else on earth. Again, it’s about self care. Do your hair and makeup (mostly for moms…but, if that’s your thing Dad, you go.) like you are going somewhere. Yes, I know that you are not. That’s the point of a quarantine. Get ready anyway. Take lots of pictures with your kids, the dog, whatever. Play outside in the yard, if you have one. Walk the dog, if you can. Stay as active as this quarantine will allow. Stay out of public though.

Set Very Clear Boundaries At The Outset.

Because you are a parent first, any kid in his/her right mind is going to try to get around you on this school from home deal. You must be clear from the outset that it’s not going to happen. It all begins with this principle: Less talk, more action. Do Not give more than one warning. Do not beg your child to do what he or she is supposed to. One chance. That’s it. I know that this seems counter to my usual free range, democratic, hippie parenting style, but you first have to set up respect…then you can give them freedom. If they are defying you at first, give them loving consequences. No shouting, begging, wheedling, bribing. Just calm, clear appropriate consequences. No extremes. For my kids, this meant losing video game/youtube time, for that day. No gaming with friends online, no making videos with friends…nada. Keep in mind, during this social distancing, it’s their lifeline to the outside world. You should only have to do this once. It works.

Accommodate Your Child’s Learning Style as Much As Possible.

I know, I know, this seems impossible when you have more than one at home. Trust. I know. I had four that I was schooling from home. Take this time to really get to know them. Not who you think they should be, not who the school tells you they are, but them. Who they want to be. Who they are, right this minute. Then help them develop that character. Meet them where they are. Help them feel heard, and seen. What kids want most, is to be approved of. By you. They know more about themselves right now than you ever will. Trust this. Don’t tell them who they are, let them tell you, and go with it. Use this information to help them craft their dream life, not yours. Use fun tools, like board games, with little ones especially, to spend time, and get to know them better, while they are learning new skills. Find their level, and go there. Build with them. Bake with them. Read with them.

Give Them The Why.

When children truly understand the why of education, they become willing participants, as opposed to feeling as though they are being forced to do something that they don’t want to do. This helps to create a harmonious home, which is crucial when you are all together. All. Day. Long. Remind them, often, that they are doing this for their own future gain. Not for you, not for their teacher, but for themselves. Keep their eyes on their own life goals. Many times children feel as though they are just slogging through hours and hours of unnecessary work, for no other reason than somebody told them to. Of course they want to rebel. They need to see the path to their own goals. Add plenty of time for exploration into their day. Help them connect the dots.

Take Plenty of Brain Breaks.

You will all need them. You, more than the kids, if you are, at all, like me. Do some work. Grab a snack. Play a little. Do some more work. You are not at public school. Play by your own rules, as much as possible. Enjoy the freedom of it. Read, in front of them. Make lists. Show your children good learning habits, and good life habits. Lead by example.

Exercise.

Get as much exercise as this quarantine will allow. You are all going to need to blow off steam. Eat healthy, stay active. Exercise indoors. Exercise outdoors, if you have the space at home. Get out in nature, or bring nature indoors. Just stay active and connected.

Get Fresh Air, Often.

If you live out a ways, open your windows, let some cool, fresh air into your home. It’s cleansing. Let the sunlight in. Find some positive. Have a picnic in the backyard. With the kiddos, or by yourself, when you need a break. Try to add little luxuries to each day. For the kids and, for yourself.

Watch For The Up All Night Trap.

As any homeschooling parents learns, right quick, if you give them too much freedom, they will immediately abuse it. You guessed it. By staying up all night long. Doing what, you might ask? Right, again. Playing video games. The bane of every parents existence. Do yourself a favor and have them sign in their devices at night. For the love of all that’s holy, take the devices, after 9:00 p.m. Set clear rules and regulations, around video games from the start, or you will live to regret it. There is not much, more horrible, in this world, than having a full day of schoolwork to complete, with snotty, exhausted, miserable kids, who were up all night gaming with their friends online, while you truly believed that they were sound asleep. Turds. My kids are huge gamers. I can see the educational merit in quite a few video games, truly. We use tons of games for learning. They are a valuable learning tool, when used properly. I am not anti-video game, but they do not replace a solid education. That being said, there are so many great games online to help you through this trying time…which brings me to my next point.

Use Tech. Use Tech. Use tech.

There are so many great companies right now, trying to help parents through this. Get audio books, online. Use Amazon, Internet Archives. Project Gutenberg & Barnes & Noble, for free reading material. Tour Museums, from the comfort of your living room. Use the Smithsonian Websites, College websites, NASA, and the Space Center websites. Get access to as much info, online, as you and your children can absorb. Youtube has tons, and tons, of great fun educational videos. Do STEM/STEAM projects. Think outside the box. You will be amazed at what your children find fascinating and you may even end up learning a bunch, from them.

I hope this list helps you view your quarantine in a better light. I hope, as well, that you will take this unique opportunity to get to really know your children , and enjoy every minute spent with them. The most important thing to remember is your first job is to be a parent, then an educational facilitator, and to remember that this is a temporary assignment, that can turn out to be some of your best memories made, with your children. As mothers, we tend to put so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect, with everything. This just isn’t possible. All you can do is keep your goals in the forefront, take plenty of breaks, and keep your expectations of yourself, realistic. Take care of yourselves, and thanks for reading.

Find me on Pinterest & FB@canigetaramen.food.blog. We can be found on Insta@canigetaramen. Feel free to drop me a line in the comments:)

Stuck Indoors? Grow Some Microgreens.

The CDC has recommended that anyone who is over 60, and has certain health factors such as diabetes avoid going out as much as possible in the midst

The CDC has recommended that anyone who is over 60, and has certain health factors such as diabetes avoid going out as much as possible in the midst of this current coronavirus outbreak. My parents fall in this category, and they are not happy about being told to stay indoors. Being very vital individuals, the thought of sitting at home, now that they are retired together, is offensive, and quite frankly cramping their style. My sister and I have been urging them to stock up on medication and food and lay low for a bit until we see how this mess plays out. They are very grudgingly, half-obliging. I’ve been encouraging them to delve into growing some of their own food, for back up, and to learn something new while being stuck at home. Starting with microgreens. Microgreens are easy to grow, and provide up to five times the nutrition of mature greens. That’s an easy way to make sure your nutritional needs are being met, especially if you can’t get to the grocery store. Being diabetic, many of the foods that we use for food storage, are very high in carbohydrates, which is not great when trying to control blood sugar levels. Having access to whole, healthy, low carb foods is crucial to them both. With no idea how long this virus is going to plague us here in the U.S., I feel it’s necessary for them to have a back up plan, where groceries are concerned. Learning to grow some of their own food just makes sense. If you would also like to learn to grow your own microgreens, your going to need to gather up some seeds and containers. Any shallow container will do. You can certainly order all of the trays on amazon, but I just use what I have lying around, for now. When I have turned growing microgreems into a weekly habit, I will probably shell out for the lights, trays and a really cool indoor setup.

But for now…it’s just old milk cartons and a south facing window.

Here I’ve started radish, mustard, and spinach.

Let’s get started. We will start by putting around an inch of dirt in a shallow container, sprinkling your chosen seed liberally, then add a light layer of dirt over top. You should have no more than 1.5-2 inches of dirt when you are done. Then just add water. There are a couple of ways to do this. You can dip your tray in another tray filled with water to water from the bottom up, or your can spray thoroughly with a spray bottle, just make sure to not over water. It’s recommended to mist a couple of times per day. Follow these instructions and you should have beautiful delicious microgreens to add to your smoothies, salads, and sandwiches in a couple of weeks.

Have you experimented with growing microgreens? What are your favorites? Share your ideas in the comments, or on instagram @canigetaramen. I can also be found on FB and Pinterest @ canigetaramen.food.blog.

Am I the only one semi- freaking over Covid-19?

I know that the first thing we are told about this current coronavirus is not to panic. And I’m not… exactly. I am trying to prepare though. Just in case. I might have mentioned before that I have acquired a small case of germaphobia, while living in the Orlando, FL area. Being someone who grew up with tons of breathing room, pretty much a a free range kid, all of the people crammed together in tight, tight spaces eventually got to me. We have moved to rural Pennsylvania though now, so I have been slowly getting back to good. Until now. I am not in a full case on of freak out mode, but I am feeling perpetually uneasy, and probably will until I feel completely prepared to deal with this. I have been avoiding the news, for the most part, and trying to implement common sense solutions. While we were living in the city, we lived by all of the homesteading principles that we possibly could. We made our own lye soap. (Still do.)

We grew citrus and herbs on the patio, along with greens and tomatoes. (Here we can do that in the summer, of course.) We grew sprouts and micro-greens. (We are working on it, here.) We lived on the fully raw diet for years. (We still do raw food detoxes a few times a year for the health benefits.) We shopped at Whole Foods (I so miss you) and lived as green as possible for our circumstances. We home-schooled our kids. (Still do.) So, basically we lived by all the trendy homesteading principles, at the time. Now we live out…way out. The nearest Whole Foods is a 2.5 hr drive, We haven’t really met anyone like us here yet, and we are realizing how much easier it is to grow things in Florida, as compared to here. We really miss our life there…but we are making the best of it here. When we decided to move here, we were very clear on thinking that we wanted to homestead. We had pictures in our heads of wholesome family life, working in the sun, lush harvests, trendy farmers markets.

In Florida these things are fun. There’s tons of farmer’s markets, loads of interesting people with interesting ideas. You are always learning something new; every kind of exotic fruit and vegetable is available at the markets, and you can grow anything at home on your patio, or in your backyard.

The sun is always shining, so you don’t ever feel depressed, and your motivation is always at maximum because you are really happy. Here? Well…let’s just say it’s different. There you pay others to do all the work for you, to the point that you are bored to death if you are not at the beach or theme parks. Here it seems like the work never ends. And we have barely begun.

We had pretty big plans when we moved here, (we usually do) but we had a house to fix, land to prepare, business ideas we wanted to grow, kids to finish raising plus educating, and Hubs works two hours away, 50+ hrs a week…we’ve been fairly busy. Needless to say we haven’t achieved optimal food storage for six people, or gotten our gardens fully planned, even, let alone flourishing, and now there’s a possible crisis afoot, and I am so. not. ready. What to do? I’m sure I’m not alone in this place, so I’ll tell you how I’ve spent this weekend preparing, and maybe give you some ideas to help you get your kitchen stocked up a bit, as well.

Here’s what I’ve bought so far:

Dry Goods:

Rice
Dry Beans: Pinto, Black Beans, Chick Peas, Black Eyed Peas Great Northern Beans
Boxes of Pasta: Thin Spaghetti, Rotini, Fettucine, Macaroni
Rice Noodles
Flour (loads)
Yeast
Oats
Cake Mixes
Baking Powder
Baking Soda
Corn Starch
Corn Meal

Canned Goods:

Canned Pasta Sauce (like Hunts)
Evaporated Milk
Canned Pumpkin
Canned Fruit Pineapple, Peaches, Applesauce
Canned Pie Filling
Canned Corn, Peas, Beans
Canned Tomatoes

Frozens:

Bulk Frozen Strawberries
Frozen Mango
Frozen Broccoli
Frozen Corn
Frozen Peas
Frozen Brussel Sprouts
Chicken Breast
Turkey Bacon
Breakfast Sausage
Pork Loin
Imitation Crabmeat

Dairy:

Milk (one for fridge, the rest for the chest freezer)
Bulk Shredded Mozzarella, and Shredded Cheddar
Bulk Cream Cheese
Ice Cream
Cool Whip
Butter
Sour Cream (can be frozen, but will change the texture)
Eggs (not dairy, but we did stock up, for use, until the warmer weather when the chickens start laying more)

Medications:

Cold & Flu Remedies (for adults and kiddos)
Immune Support Tablets
Vicks Vapor Rub
Motrin
Tylenol
Cough Drops
Fire Cider

Spices & Herbs & Other cooking Essentials:

Bulk Oils
Vinegars
Garlic
Onions
Shallots
Leeks
Ginger
Turmeric
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Rosemary
Cumin
Chili Powder
Cinnamon

Drinks:

Coffee
Green Tea
Black Tea
Ginger Tea
Water
Coconut Milk
Gatorade
Milk

There’s so much more to be done, and as long as we have time, we will continue to add to our stockpile, but if a pandemic does strike, we have food enough for a couple of months at least, albeit, we might be living on rice and beans. Luckily, I have a fair amount of recipes for those as well.

So tell me, are you planning on preparing for a possible crisis with this coronavirus, if so, what are you stockpiling? Let me know in the comments. We can also be found on social media. FB@ canigetaramen.food.blog, and insta & pinterest@canigetaramen.

What the Heck is a Kitchen Consultant?

So many times I have seen people set admirable goals for their health and wellness, start out on a positive track, stick it out for a couple days, or even weeks, then suddenly revert back to the old habits that they were trying to shed to begin with. They, then, continue to start, then stop, over and over, each time feeling as though they are falling further away from their intended goals. Why do you think they struggle so hard to meet their dietary goals? Is it because they just don’t want it enough? No. That’s not it. I’ve seen people who are desperate to transform their lives, lose weight, build muscle and heal themselves from illness, but they just can’t seem to make it last.

They start out striving to eat perfectly, based on the program they choose, thinking if they make just one little mistake it will all come crashing down, and all will be for naught. This extremist mindset sets them up for failure every single time. Then what happens? Their thinking moves from “this was a failure” to “I’m a failure”, sending them spiraling into shame, making them less likely to try again. If they do muster up the courage to give it another go, it’s with a preconceived notion that they will not, actually, succeed. Every time they put themselves through this cycle, they are less likely to succeed in their long term, healthful goals. Have you ever found yourself in this cycle? Maybe you are in this cycle still? There is someone out there who can help you find success.

What your kitchen consultant knows, that you don’t, is that what you need most is a mental shift, designed to alter your relationship with food. Someone who can help you understand where your food comes from, why you need to make healthier choices and what your food is intended to do for you, and for your health. Someone to help connect you to the food that you choose in practical, useful, real world ways.

The most common plea for help I hear goes along these lines “I wish someone would just come to my house and teach me how to do this.” I get it. It’s overwhelming. As always, the key to success is preparation and planning. Not everyone knows what that looks like. Or how to apply it to their specific goals.

An organized kitchen is a great place to start. Having the proper tools on hand, and knowing how to use them to simplify the cooking process. Knowing what to cook each day, and how each meal will help you on the path to your current goals. Learning how to organize and use herbs and spices in your kitchen, knowing which ones to purchase next, to prepare delicious, healthy meals that you will look forward to eating. Knowing when and how to splurge a bit and enjoy your life, while still staying true to the plans you have made for your health. Knowing where to purchase fresh, local produce, affordably, while helping your local economy, farmers and entrepreneurs.

A kitchen consultant can help you clearly define these goals, align them with your current experience and mentor you through each process to success. They will actually come to your house and give you the hands on guidance that will help to put you on track to your best life. With my holistic, systems thinking approach, together, we will create intentional goals, and a kitchen space that will support those goals. If you decide to make this investment into your health, we will explore a growth mindset, and help you develop a personalized, winning strategy, designed to meet your specific nutritional needs. If you live in the Western NY area, and think you could benefit from a kitchen consultation feel free to contact me at mdbridge8181@gmail.com.

Well,Butter My Biscuits and Call me… for Hot Dogs?

I can’t believe that I’m promoting a hot dog on this blog. (Of course, that means there’s a story coming…)

I can’t believe that I’m promoting a hot dog on this blog. (Of course, that means there’s a story coming…) I’ve been struggling to name this weird little hot dog/hoagie/hero thing. Whale of a dog? Umm. No. (No whales were used in the making of this sandwich.) The Seafarer? I’m sure it’s been done. I asked the kids…the Scurvy Dog?? Eww. And the Hubs contribution and my personal favorite: Sahlen for Seafood;) All fails. It might be nameless, but if you have to eat a hot dog, this is the one to choose.

So, short story…yesterday was my son’s birthday. You know how I feel about birthdays buuut Mr. Low Key wasn’t feeling it. He was in a great mood, but didn’t want to be fussed over. At all. Bummer. But he was going to be here for dinner, so I asked him what he wanted. Yup. You guessed it. Hot dogs. Gross. But it’s his birthday, so he gets what he wants. Out of 21 birthdays, I’m going to guess that he has chosen hot dogs for about 17 of them. So, I had a feeling this was coming.

A droll little anecdote… Picture this. You are sitting in morning program at the local public school. All the kiddos are being asked what they want to be when they grew up. All the parents are fondly smiling, as little Timmy clearly states that he’s going to be a professor, and little Tamika’s going to be an astronaut, and this one’s going to be a doctor, and she’s already accepted to Harvard Law. But wait. “Oh, you, little tyke, with the blonde hair over there…what do you want to be when you grow up?” A NYC hot dog vendor. Yep. Mine. That one’s mine.

He’s had an affinity for hot dog type foods since he was old enough to chew, and my father-in-law would sneak him Vienna sausages when I wasn’t looking. (Gag.) Thank God he outgrew his taste for those nasty little things, but he still loves an occasional hot dog. But, not just any hot dog, mind you. It’s got to be Sahlen’s. For those of you who haven’t heard of Sahlen’s, they are a Buffalo, NY treasure, if you can call a hot dog a treasure. The only one worth eating though, in my opinion, and the only one allowed in my house, if there’s has to be a hot dog in my house, at all. So we, obviously, went with that. As you know, on birthdays, I must fuss, but I also must respect his wishes if he says he doesn’t want me to. Dilemma. My solution was to make the hot dog a big deal, instead of the birthday. That’s a little weird. I just realized.

I say again, if I’m forced to eat a hot dog, it must be an epic hot dog. I didn’t want just any roll, so I looked and looked for something to strike my fancy, but nothing did. Then, as we were perusing the seafood aisle, I remembered the Cheddar Bay biscuit mix that the boys had leftover at home, so in a snap decision, choosing to pair it with pre-made seafood salad, and a shot of cocktail sauce, this Whale of a Seafarer, Sahlen for Seafood, Not Scurvy Dog was born. If you are a hot dog purist, this is not the dog for you. If you are a brave soul, the adventurous type, the captain of your own ship, here’s what you’re gonna need:

2 packets of Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix
Paprika
Pre-Made Seafood Salad (or you can make your own)
Sahlen’s Hot Dogs
Cocktail Sauce

First you are going to make the biscuit mix into hot dog rolls. This is simple and fun. Mix water and cheddar cheese into 2 packets of mix, stir, and spoon onto a baking tray in a roll shape, and smooth the tops down, with a tiny bit of water. This could get a bit messy. Bake in 425 degree oven for about 10-12 minutes.

Grill Sahlen’s to preferred doneness. For me, that’s pretty much burnt. (Is burnt a word?)

When both are ready, fill Cheddar Bay Buns (that’s fun to say) with dogs and top with a heaping spoonful of seafood salad, sprinkle with paprika, and add cocktail sauce on the side. Yes, I know that seems like an odd combination, but it works! (If you are not a fan of hot dogs, like myself, cut it in half lengthwise and fill it mostly with seafood salad.) Take a giant bite and enjoy this strangely delicious nor’eastern experiment.

I’ve got it! The neptune. It shall forever be known as the King Neptune dog. No, maybe the Kraken. Yeah, that’s it. Now I am going to go make myself a detox smoothie, try to forget this monstrosity ever existed, and pray, to never again, have to type the words “hot” and “dog” together, in conjunction with this blog.

Have you tried Sahlen’s hot dogs? Do you think you can top this nautical dog? If you have different/better ideas, please share in the comments, or on insta@canigetaramen. Follow us on FB and pinterest @ canigetaramen.food.blog.

Self Care Motivation. Find It and Keep It.

I sometimes get questions from people, who are struggling, asking me how I find the motivation. For the bigger things such as eating well, as a rule, or sticking to a fitness routine; but also

I sometimes get questions from people, who are struggling, asking me how I find the motivation. For the bigger things such as eating well, as a rule, or sticking to a fitness routine; but also the little things, like throwing on makeup, and getting out of my yoga pants. 😉 This always surprises me a little because I don’t think of myself as someone who always has their stuff together. (I spend my fair share of time in yoga pants.) I think of myself as someone who is always striving to get my stuff together. The reason I do these things daily is because I enjoy them. They make me feel like I have my stuff together.

If I wake up, have coffee, work out, and start my day with a healthy meal choice, I feel like I’ve already won today. The rest of the day breezes by. That’s not to say that there aren’t any struggles, but I feel prepared to handle those struggles. If I wake up, have coffee, rush out the door without my self care routine, my whole day is a disaster. That sounds melodramatic, but it’s actually not. Everything in my day will be a little bit off, and I will struggle throughout the entire day. The reason for that is, my self care routine grounds me. I find strength in it. It’s routine. It’s necessary. It’s what taking decent care of myself means to me. Taking an hour in the morning to get myself together.

I remember when my kids were all under 10, and in public school, that feeling of the sky falling, if I dropped the ball, on anything. It’s no joke. It will land on the mother. That’s why mothers are so intent on doing everything perfectly. You know it will land on you. It does. Kid makes a mistake? It lands on you. Spouse makes a mistake? It lands on you. I can go on and on about the injustice of this, and I do, but it hasn’t changed anything yet. It’s no wonder we never feel like we can take a minute for ourselves. We already know who’s going to pay for it. But it’s OK.

People are going to judge you no matter what you do. Nobody can be perfect all of the time. You will make mistakes. People will make comments. Mothers are now stretched so thin, that they can’t possibly meet all the demands on them, without occasionally making a mistake. But you still have to make time for yourself. I don’t, necessarily, mean days at the spa, or 12 hr. shopping sprees, these things are fun, and occasionally necessary, but they are not going to help you achieve a daily self care routine that helps you shape your best self, over time. For me, it’s more about checking in with myself every morning, making sure I’m eating well, moving often, setting goals, attaining a level of personal and career growth that I am happy with, while taking care of my family, to the best of my ability.

If I take my top priorities and break them down here I’ll end up with these five, in this order :

Family/Relationships
Career/Education
Health
Financial Health
Home (organization & cleaning routines)

But when I schedule my day it looks more like this:

Wake up & Caffeinate.
Morning Workout.
Breakfast Smoothie.
Make daily work lists, school agendas, schedules, goals, charts.
Manage household accounts, (lists, schedules, meal plans.)
Get ready for day (shower, brush teeth, hair,makeup, etc)
Make healthy breakfast for kiddos.
Start their schoolwork. (ex. book work, writing projects, art projects, stem etc.)
Complete my own work. (ex. soaping, writing, designing labels, building blogs, etc.)
Break for healthy lunch.
Clean up from lunch.
Finish afternoon work. (Both, kids & I.) Sometimes we take this on the road, through tech, because we have errands and appointments.
Cleanup from school.
Get some time outside.
Start dinner.
Dinner time.
Clean up from dinner.
Put house to rights for next day.
Try to get some more work done.
Get ready for next day. (check for appts. organize papers, make lists., charge devices, plan meals, etc.)

I need to fit each priority in the space that makes the most sense with my scheduled day. If I don’t get my workout in directly after coffee, it’s just not going to happen because my day gets hectic as soon as the small one’s feet hit the floor. I need to fuel up on a quick, high energy breakfast (why I choose smoothies) immediately after or I’m probably not going to get breakfast at all. Next, I take a minute and start planning my day. I usually do this standing up, guzzling a bit more coffee, while I work. I quickly jot down all of the necessary tasks to accomplish first so I have a master list, of sorts. If I get through that before anyone wakes up, then I break the tasks down further, into a more detailed list, that I can check against, throughout the day. Once everyone is up, clean, and fed, we all get to our respective jobs, and work independently until lunch, with the kids, taking occasional direction from me. After lunch we clean up quickly, regroup, and finish up our work. Once the schoolwork/my work is done for the day, I try to send everybody off for at least a half hour so I can just breeeathe, for a minute, and maybe grab a cup of green tea ( or more coffee).

Then it’s time to clean up our papers, notebooks, supplies, laptops etc, put them away, ideally, until the next day, and prepare for dinner. This is usually a much bigger ordeal than it has to be, because I love to teach the boys how to prepare different healthy meals, and they will often join in, which is really fun, but also messy. So, of course I could do it much faster, not to mention neater, alone, but where’s the fun in that? After dinner, we do another quick clean through, and set up for the next day. By this time, everyone is so sick of looking at each other 😉 that we all go find something quiet to do. Alone. Books, video games, writing. This is where I may try to get a little more work in. If I’m just completely over working for the day, I may do some drawing, painting, reading, or just stretching, to decompress, which I also consider part of a great self care routine.

Self care is going to look different to you, depending on what your priorities are. Only you can decide what takes the top five spots in your life. The only way to find time for the important things is to let go of the things that are not so important. When you have decided which things are most important, create a schedule that allows you to incorporate them into your life daily. Feel free to start small, adding in one thing at a time each month until your are giving your full attention to the things that matter most to you. Before you know it, you will be living your best life, full of authenticity and self-motivation.

What tips do you have for staying motivated every day? Feel free to leave them in the comments. I can be found on insta@canigetaramen, & on pinterest and FB @ canigetaramen.food.blog. Thanks for reading!

Take Your Daily Yoga Practice On The Road

I know you. You’ve been working hard, making time for your daily practice on the regular. For months. You get it, girl! You’ve made so much progress.

I know you. You’ve been working hard, making time for your daily practice on the regular. For months. You get it, girl! You’ve made so much progress. You’re finally feeling completely limber, you’re Chaturanga is practically perfect, and you’ve finally nailed your headstand. You’re feeling pretty bad apple, until you look at the calendar and realize it’s almost vacation time again.

Remember that last vacation/camping trip that you took? You may have missed an entire week (or two) of yoga, then, adding in the less than stellar meal choices available, felt sluggish and unhealthy by the time you returned home. And that’s okay. Everyone needs a break now and then, but if you would like to skip the vacation hangover moving forward, then bring along this portable yoga/meditation studio on your next (camping) trip. What you are going to need, first, is a tent that you can stand up in. It doesn’t have to be fancy, mine is just an Ozark Trail Tipi Tent, that we pitch in our yard in the summer, near the firepit, for a shady reading spot.

This inexpensive tent is perfect for an on the go studio.

This tent claims to be for 7 people, but there’s just about enough room in it for two or three people to be comfortable. I just found a small hole in ours, so I am suddenly in the market for a new Tipi style tent, but I haven’t found exactly what I’m looking for yet.

You’re going to need a few things to make it feel like a zen space.

Tapestries, scarfs, (I like Jacquard Pashminas), some cushions, and your yoga mats, are all you really need to make a perfect mobile studio, but there are tons of fun little extras that you can bring, if you have room, of course. The tapestry pictured here is from Amazon, and is ridiculously affordable, so you won’t need to worry about ruining it.

If you love Pashminas too, I bought this one at a market in The Finger Lakes Region, but they can easily be found on Etsy or Amazon. I buy them in many colors so I always have something light to throw on if I’m in yoga pants and need to feel a little more covered up, or I need a swimsuit cover to toss on while on vacation. I also use them to add some appeal to my ugly drapes;)

A fun addition to this space would be these inflatable floor poufs.

These also make a great choice for extra seating outside.

These can be used for meditation cushions, and extra seating.

Be sure to bring along some sage. You can use it to smudge, or keep mosquitos out of your campsite.

Learn more about smudging with this set.

A little Tree of Life statue could be a great addition to your space, bringing a relaxing vibe…

I love these little Yoga Frogs.

Get these cheerful little frogs for your space.

You certainly don’t need all of this, but adding a few fun elements to your yoga space can make your practice more enjoyable.

Finally, you are going to need a great yoga app to take along on your trip. I have used Down Dog for about fifteen months, and I absolutely love it. It gives you the ability to customize your practice daily, depending on your skill level and the amount of time you have to practice. You can even save and download your favorite practices to use offline as well. I hope I’ve given you some ideas on how to stay true to your yoga practice, even while traveling. If you have anything to add, please feel free to leave me a comment. Share pics of your studios on instagram @canigetaramen. Find us on FB and Pinterest @ canigetaramen.food.blog.

Finding Success in the Mediterranean Diet.

Last week I spent a few days helping…

Last week I spent a couple of days helping a family member set up their kitchen for the Mediterranean diet. Having a history of excessive plaque in their arteries, this person, who eats fairly healthy now, decided to double down their efforts to improve their health, and asked for my assistance. Of course, I said yes. Organizing the kitchen, shopping for healthy food and helping people reach their goals?

It’s been said hundreds, if not thousands of times, that the Mediterranean Diet is the proven best diet for heart health and overall quality of life. It is simple to follow, you look forward to eating the fresh, healthy meals that you cook, and you can enjoy a glass or two of wine with friends. It’s very relaxed, no strict rules to follow, no guilt, just living your best life, for you. The purpose of food is to nourish, not punish. I can’t strive this enough. Many people truly believe that they can’t be healthy without some measure of self torture. I find this so depressing. Who wants to live that way? Not I. Eat the whole grain bread. Eat lots of healthy fats. Drink the red wine. Enjoy your meal times with family.

After helping said family member put their kitchen to rights, I was inspired to come home and reorder my own kitchen. For me, this was putting away all unnecessary appliances, and making sure the ones that are useful to me have a permanent place on my counters. I intend to use my crockpot a couple more days a week, to make life simpler. We have a lot of people coming and going around here, nobody is really eating together often, so the crockpot is a no-brainer. I put away my stand mixer for a while, because I don’t intend to do much baking from scratch at this time. I downsized the amount of dishes in my cupboards, and utensils in my drawers. The coffee pot stays where it is. That’s my lifeline. Keeping the kitchen minimalist, and tidy is part of a winning lifestyle, for me. Now the kitchen feels ready to work again.

Part of staying on program is keeping a well stocked, yet frugal kitchen, and we all know how easily that can get out of control. One of the biggest obstacles that I have to eating healthy, on a budget, is my love of weird, exotic ingredients that no one, except me, ever eats. I love to try to new things. I love to learn to cook with new ingredients. My family doesn’t love to try new things, for the most part, so it’s really a waste of the grocery budget. I’ve learned to limit these expenses, by only purchasing what we regularly eat, or if I just have to try it, I only purchase a tiny amount for myself. I’m going to give you a list of the most common frugal ingredients to stock up on to live your healthiest life, with minimal torture.

Frugal Must Haves:

Dried Legumes (White beans, Red Beans, Black Beans, Lentils)
Brown Rice
Whole Wheat Pasta
Pita Bread, or Naan
Organic Frozen Greens (Spinach, Kale)
Organic Frozen Fruit (For Smoothies)
Frozen Vegetables (Brussel Sprouts, Asparagus, Broccoli)
Olives (Kalamatas are our favorite.)
Lemons, or Lemon Juice
Pre-Cooked Rotisserie Chickens (Freeze Extras)
Chicken Tenderloins (Fresh or Frozen)
White Fish (Fresh or Frozen)
Canned Tuna
Turkey Bacon
Organic Tomatoes
Eggs
Potatoes
Organic Tomato Sauce
Feta Cheese
Onion
Garlic
Plain Yogurt
Cucumbers

Things to Splurge On: (Discretionary)

Good Olive Oil
Greek Yogurt
Quality Red Wine (for drinking and cooking)
Dark Chocolate
Green Tea
Greek Coffee
Raw Honey
Phyllo Dough
Dried Dates
Walnuts
Fresh Mint
Fresh Oregano

This list will get you started with the Mediterranean Diet, making simple meals like Chicken Gyros, made with chicken pulled from a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, topped with tzatziki sauce, spinach and tomato. Naan pizzas are easy to throw together when made with olive oil and garlic, loaded with feta, vegetables and a little turkey bacon. Marinate some chicken tenderloin in lemon, olive oil, and oregano, and serve with pasta and vegetables. This Spanish tortilla is a go to meal in our house:

With 2-4 ingredients you can toss this meal together in under 10 minutes. Chip a few slices off a potato, scramble 2 eggs and you’ve got the basis for a Spanish tortilla. You can add some green onion, top with some feta and you’ve got an impressive breakfast, a light healthy lunch, or an easy weeknight dinner, adding a little Serrano ham and green olives.

Keep Greek Yogurt on hand, for a delicious, healthy snack of yogurt, honey and almonds. If you need something sweeter, look to recipes that come from regions like Israel, Turkey, and Greece. These are likely to be made with dates and nuts, making them a healthier choice than cookies or candy loaded with refined sugars. Baklava can also be enjoyed in moderation, with coffee, for a luxurious treat. Indulge in Greek/Turkish Coffee. Don’t have a Briki (Greek coffee pot)?

This set has everything you need to get you started.

Part of finding success in this lifestyle is to regularly indulge in daily, small luxuries. Simple, delicious food, an affordable (drinkable) red wine, bold coffee, dark chocolate. Meals with great friends and family, add meaning to your life. Plenty of long walks keep you young. Indulge in both, often. Add more movement into everyday. Pay attention to the small improvements. Celebrate every little success. Embrace this lifestyle, as a gift you are giving yourself, not a punishment for your past choices.

What is your lifestyle philosophy? Do you agree that life is meant to be lived, and loved? If you have any suggestions for building a lifestyle that you love, maintaining a healthy kitchen, or simplifying the Mediterranean Diet, please feel free to leave me a comment. I can be found on instagram@canigetaramen, and on FB & Pinterest @ canigetaramen.food.blog.

Road Trip Smoothies

The weather here has been unseasonably warm the past couple of weeks, which has put me in the mood to take inventory of our camping gear. Yes, I know it’s going to snow this weekend.

The weather here has been unseasonably warm the past couple of weeks, which has put me in the mood to take inventory of our camping gear. Yes, I know it’s going to snow this weekend. Buckets of snow. I’m staying positive though, and looking forward to spring, plus, I’m willing to drive a few hours south, to get some camping in; hopefully soon. Our philosophy when it comes to camping leans toward keep it simple, but there are some things you can’t live without. We usually take a couple larger tents, air mattresses for all, sleeping bags, cast iron cookware, and a coffee pot. Now that we are stable homeowners we seem to be acquiring more and more gear, but I prefer to travel light when possible. The one thing that I hate about camping is feeling like everything I eat, while camping, is convenience food. The kids tend to eat things like pop-tarts and cereal bars for breakfast, and then we grab meals on the fly the rest of the day, unless we are hiking, then we bring light, healthier meals with us. As you know, how you start your day affects your productivity for the entire day, so I try to start mine with green smoothies, every day possible. Unless of course, I’m camping. I try to eat fruit for breakfast, or something healthy, but it’s just not the same. Having just recently rediscovered my love of camping, I am not well versed in the latest gadgets available to make life easier when camping. I have spent a lot of time as of late researching all the cool things I have missed. There are much cooler camping gadgets than these personal smoothie blenders, I’m sure, but I can’t think of anything more useful to me, personally. A blender that I can take camping, or hiking, is about the greatest invention, for me, that has ever existed. You know I’m going to buy this. Which one though? They have differing features like cup size, number of cups, types of batteries, display screens and bases available, have varying levels of portability, a few you can run while charging, most can’t, and they come in every color you can think of. Choices, choices. Here’s my top picks:

This fun little blender also comes with an ice tray and funnel!

This little gem is great for tossing in your gym bag.

The next road block, then, is how to keep your fruit frozen, on the road. There are of course various coolers that can easily maintain a core temperature of 40 degrees, but that’s not going to keep it frozen for very long.

If you’re looking for a simple cooler, no brand is better than a YETI.

This one is a basic model, but is actually electric; it’ll cool down to 40 degrees and can keep things at a toasty 130 degrees as well, if that’s your thing.

Pricier than most, but this one is the ideal cooler for all situations.

This should cover everything you need to take your smoothie game on the road. I can’t wait to try this out on my next excursion, not sure I’ll be splurging on the Dometic cooler yet though. If you decide to, though, let me know if you love it. Likewise, if you have any tips for keeping camp food super healthy, please share them in the comments, or on insta@canigetaramen. Find us on FB or Pinterest @ canigetaramen.food.blog. Thanks for reading!

Mango-Berry Sorbet Smoothie

Well, it’s a week into the New Year. Perhaps, sticking to those healthy changes, that we all vowed to make, is starting to feel a little less appealing than it did seven days ago. Maybe

Well, it’s a week into the New Year. Perhaps, sticking to those healthy changes, that we all vowed to make, is starting to feel a little less appealing than it did seven days ago. Maybe less important, as well. It might be, that you are starting to question why you made this choice, and why you want to maintain it, when everybody else has gone back to pizza, burgers and beer. I want you to remind yourself of the goals you set for yourself. Find the self-love that brought you to your decision, and reaffirm it. And then partake in a tiny indulgence. Sometimes all it takes to find your commitment again is a really good treat.

The smoothie that I’m sharing is the ultimate healthy treat. It tastes like dessert, but is packed with vitamins, and minerals. Loaded with antioxidants(mango and berries), healthy fats (almond butter), and immune boosting ginger, it will keep you on track, help fight winter colds, cure your sweet tooth. You’ll be convinced that your slurping on a calorie laden concoction, straight from your local smoothie bar. But this is so much better!

There is nothing like a raw food smoothie to help you stay on track when you really want to quit. When you’ve beaten the sweet tooth with something satisfying yet insanely healthy, you will feel on top of the world, and ready to tackle all your healthy living challenges.

Here’s what you’ll need.

For Mango Smoothie Base:

1/2 banana
1 C. Mango
1 inch Knob of Ginger, peeled
1 Tbsp. Almond Butter
1/2 C. Coconut Milk
Tiny Pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt

Add fruit and coconut milk to blender, mix well. Add in remaining ingredients, mix for 45 seconds. Pour into glass.

For Berry Sorbet Topping:

1/4 C. Blackberries
1/4 C. Blueberries
1/4 Coconut Milk

Blend together in blender for 30 seconds, or until and icy sorbet texture is formed. Scoop onto top of mango smoothie with an ice cream scoop. Add a straw. Enjoy!

I hope this little treat helps you revive your dedication to your healthy goals this week. Sometimes, it’s all about putting one foot in front of the other and taking it one day at a time. If you have a ‘save the diet’ smoothie recipe please feel free to share it in the comments, or share pics on instagram@canigetaramen. We can also be found on Pinterest and FB @canigetaramen.food.blog. Thanks so much for reading!