naturally attached

buckwheat waffles {vegan + gluten free}

Brigid — Sat, 25 May 2013 01:19:51 +0000

i have come to find out that gluten does not sit well with my body. in fact, my body hates it. this is all something so new and recent to me and i am still in the processing of observing my body’s reactions to different foods, waiting on doctor’s appointments, bloodwork, etc to make sure my nutrient levels are where they are supposed to be.

however, whether full blown celiac disease or just a slight intolerance, for right now i know my body does not work right when i consume gluten so i have been cutting out all gluten which is a total pain in the behind, by the way but is do-able so that brings me to my vegan, gluten free buckwheat waffles….

now you know connor and i love breakfast. pancakes and waffles are always a winner with connor but i had to rethink how i was making them so that i could eat them too, of course! normally i would use whole wheat flour but that’s not an option anymore. gluten = wheat, rye & barley. so that was a no go. there are plenty of gluten free options out there, i just had to familiarize myself with them. for example, there’s almond flour, quinoa flour, buckwheat, coconut flour and you can always buy a gluten free all purpose flour. i’ve really come to find out those options are better for you anyways. so, it’s a win-win in some ways.

i decided to give buckwheat a go. despite it’s name, buckwheat is actually neither a wheat nor a grain but botanically a fruit and it actually has a few nutritional perks over wheat! it’s much higher in the amino acid, lysine, a bit higher in vitamin E and it of course, naturally gluten free!

ingredients:

1 cup buckwheat
1 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tbsp coconut oil
1/8 tsp salt
2 tbsp baking powder
3 tbsp organic ground flax
1-2 scoops stevia
1 tsp vanilla

1. preheat waffle maker 2. combine wet ingredients – milk, oil (heat to liquid form if needed) and vanilla. mix well 3. combine dry ingredients – flour, salt, baking powder, flax, stevia. mix well. 4. pour wet ingredients into dry and mix very well. 5. pour into waffle maker and cook until desired texture is reached. mine takes about 5-7 minutes or so over medium-medium high heat.

i usually use my vitamix and throw everything in there and whip it all up and then directly pour that into the waffle maker or pan. it’s quick and easy but there are other times i go the traditional route with the the bowls so that i can give connor little more work with the stirring.

inhaling apples and waffles…

enjoy!

20/52

Brigid — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:08:11 +0000

“a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013″

dear connor, beach season has begun! this is you on our first beach day of the season. we took a little impromptu trip up to myrtle beach so we could visit with a friend. p.s. you have been wearing that same beach shirt since you were 6 months old. how does it still fit you? xoxo

dear penelope, i love you in this green dress while you snack on sophie’s feet. you’ve started doing a little army crawl this week too. there’s no stopping you now. you end up on the other side of the room in an instant these days. i see my future getting much, much busier in the next few months with TWO mobile kids. xoxo

as always, joining jodi from che and fidel for project 52.

find more weekly photos here.

my mother’s day

Brigid — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:54:22 +0000

last sunday was a happy day full of sunshine, good food and one happy mommy.

in a the morning kyle proclaimed that he was going to clean the house so as penelope drifted off to sleep connor and i sunscreened up, grabbed our tennis rackets and hit the neighborhood courts to hit some balls.

as i was getting connor into his bike i couldn’t help but peak through the window and smile at my sweet husband who was turning on music and gathering up his supplies. cleaning is not his thing but he knows a clean house keeps my mind at ease.

connor was so excited to go play tennis and i was just as eager to get him out on the court. tennis was a huge part of my life growing up and it’s fun to start sharing those moments with my kids.

when did he get so old?

he had me nearly in tears from laughing as i would say “ready?” he would lean forward, racket in front of his body, feet moving fast, jogging just slightly back and forth saying “i’m ready mommy!” it took me back 20 years to playing tennis with my dad. he would always yell from the other side of the court “move your feet!”

needless to say, we had a blast. our next stop was the playground where connor cooked me soup, salad, quinoa and of course chocolate in the little play house. to top off a fun morning we stopped to say hello to the ducks and fish at one of the neighborhood ponds.

when we got home it was gift time much to my surprise. i told kyle not to get me anything. i’m not the kind of girl that says that just to say that either. i really do mean it. i would so much rather save money than it be used on presents but i decided to suck it up and happily accept my gifts that were, i have to admit were all totally awesome.

who wouldn’t immediately smile seeing a card like that? kyle knows how to pick ‘em. so for the presents, a new pair of toms, a new dress, alba body scrub and exfoliating gloves, and beautiful flowers!

the best part? when connor came in to give me my bag of goodies i said “ohhhh connor, what’s that?” and he said “ugghh.. it’s a bag!”

as the day ended kyle and connor whipped me up THE BEST gluten free, vegan i’ve ever had. it was so tasty i had to hold myself back from eating the entire thing in one sitting.

after the kids went to bed we enjoyed some wine and some sweet treats.

this day was a good one. this weekend was a good one, in fact. we celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary and mother’s day. each of those days were days i wouldn’t have if it weren’t for my husband so he deserves a big, public thank you for giving me a wonderful life and 2 beautiful children.

life is good.

18/52 & 19/52

Brigid — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:12:53 +0000

it’s a catch up week for me today on project 52. we’ve been busy and i just did not get a second to put them all together these past 2 weeks. hope all you moms out there had a great mothers day. i’ll share all my goodies with you soon! xoxo

18/52

“a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013″

dear connor, this is you at our local children’s museum. “look mommy, a huwa-hoop! i gonna huwa-hoop!”

dear penelope, i’m going to soak in these sweet moments of you sleeping since it doesn’t happen too often these days. i love you.

19/52

“a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013″

dear connor, watching the boats, the water and the crabs while being in daddy’s arms is your kind of heaven. you told your sister you loved her this week for the first time. i have never heard you tell anyone you loved them, not even me or dad so to her you say it to your sister completely unprompted melts my heart.

dear penelope, you are crazy and silly and ridiciously happy all day long. you love getting a grasp on our faces and squeezing as hard as you possibly can while laughing. you also like to bite my nipple while nursing now and laugh but, we won’t get into that today…… no one can get you laughing as hard as your brother can. you two are about to have some fun time when you can get up and run around with him!

as always, joining jodi from che and fidel for project 52.

find more weekly photos here.

i had it coming. my daughter hates sleeping…

Brigid — Sat, 11 May 2013 23:56:08 +0000

i feel like i haven’t caught up with you guys on a personal level lately. i’ve wanted to. i’ve needed to. i just haven’t had the mental energy to. i’ve been sleep walking the past few weeks…

penelope, my sweet, sweet wonderful penelope is the world’s worst sleeper. world’s worst! ok, maybe i’m being dramatic but she definitely right on up there with ‘em. i knew i had it coming to me. seriously, how could i have not? connor was the most awesome sleeper ever! he still is majority of the time but there was no way i was going to be so lucky again. i love her and she is awesome in literally every other aspect but just not with the sleeping. maybe this is a phase, maybe it’s not. either way it is what it is right now and i’m just chugging (sleepily) along trying to enjoy it all and not become over frustrated/cranky/annoyed at the situation because i know there’s only so much i can do. some babies are sleepers and some aren’t. it’s really quite simple but that doesn’t mean it’s not exhausting on mom…

so here’s her deal: she’s always needed me to be close when she’s falling asleep and more times than not needed to be nursed to sleep which i don’t have a problem with. what’s really exhausting is this:

we nurse. she falls asleep. i put her down. she stays asleep… for 10 minutes. wakes up. i comfort her. she falls back to sleep… for 10 minutes. i nurse her. she falls asleep… for 10 minutes. i cave. tell kyle goodnight. go to bed with her. now that i’m settled in next to her she stays asleep for at least 3 hours until she’s ready to nurse again.

ugh. and repeat that for nap time as well. and take in to account that she’s up 2-3 times during the night.

personally, i’m totally cool with nursing her to sleep, laying with her until she falls asleep and co-sleeping. i want to be close to her and i want to be doing all those things for her and i’m grateful that i am home to have all those bonding moments. i just want her to stay asleep for a period of time, at least in the evening. i just crave a little alone/husband/free time in the evening. i know, i know, this is motherhood and this is what we signed up for. it’s not always easy and all that jazz but i wouldn’t be human if i didn’t admit that it’s driving me a little insane some days. (and by the way, as i’m writing this she’s bouncing up and down, smiling and laughing at me in her exersaucer and i’m feeling a little bad whining about her sleep habits. oh baby, you have me wrapped around your finger.)

kyle tries to help but it’s really no help. the effort and compassion for my situation is appreciated but as much as penelope loves playing with her daddy, he is not yet an acceptable person to comfort her, in her eyes anyway. the lid completely blows if anyone besides me goes in there to help her.

i’ve tried switching up sleeping arrangements, bedtimes, routines, sound machines, etc you know name it and i’ve tried it and i got nothing! so most days she gets her naps in during walks or eventually konks out on the couch or while i’m wearing her and i’m good with that for now. it’ll be totally different 3 months from now, one way or the other so i can’t stress about it. that will only drive me crazy.

in the meantime, i’ll just cross my fingers for a few evenings a week where i can sit down, have a glass of wine and relax.

on another note, i mentioned here that connor and i had sort of lost touch with each other for a little while. we were a mess. not finding a rhythm and having tantrums like you wouldn’t believe. we’ve done a complete 180 and everything has been so incredibly awesome and fun with him lately. woohoo! i’ll write more on that soon. ok, soon-ish. meaning whenever i can find the time! add it to the long list of half written posts! ha!

{DIY} faux roman shade – no sewing required!

Brigid — Sun, 05 May 2013 02:08:04 +0000

finally! a window treatment for my kitchen window above the sink. check that one off the list! i have told myself for the past TWO years that i would get around to buying or making one and alas, it happened!

this project was so simple and cost next to nothing. i picked up 2 yards of this fabric at hobby lobby on a 30% discount for a total of $12 and i only used maybe 1 yard of the fabric on this project so we’re looking at about $5-6 total for this particular project! hobby lobby is always, ALWAYS having sales up for 50% off or more so check back there often you and can get really deep discounts on a variety of items. so for this window i took a cue from sherry over at young house love and went with a faux shade. i didn’t particularly need a functional, closing shade. we never closed the blinds on them before and didn’t think we would ever really need to so this “faux” shade works just fine for this window. it’s more of a decorative, warm up the room kind of window treatment so if you are looking for something similar check out how i whipped this up in an under an hour….

materials:

fabric (i used maybe a yard total. you’ll have to do your specific measurements to decide how much you’ll need)
fabric glue
pins

steps:

determine where you want your shade to end. for me it was about 13 inches from where i wanted to hang it (which was close to the ceiling) to about a quarter of the way down the window.
i measured the width of the window and added 2 inches (1 inch on each side for hemming) and took the 13 inches and added about 12 inches to that to account for an inch of hemming on the bottom and the looping i would be doing to make the roman shade effect.
i cut those measurements, laid down my fabric and measured and pinned an inch (for hemming) on both sides and the bottom. you won’t need to for the top.
i used my fabric glue to secure the hemming on each side and gave it a minute to set.

5. next, i ran out to the shed to look for a scrap piece of wood to use to secure the shade to the wall. i grabbed a piece of shoe molding we had left over and cut it the width of my window. i laid it along the top of my fabric, wrapped it around a bit and secured it with white duct tape. (yes, seriously. duct tape) you could use a heavy-duty glue too, i’m sure! if you don’t have any spare wood you could always go to a home improvement store and pick up a cheap piece of wood and have them cut it for you.

6.now i had the top of my fabric adhered to the wood and the 3 other sides hemmed. now for the looping effect. this took some fiddling around to even it all out and decide how long i wanted my loops to be. i just pulled the fabric under to create the loop and took tiny pins and secured the loops. i used probably 4-5 pins per loop so it held evenly and well. i did 2 loops and then let the bottom of the fabric hang. (i know this is hard to explain. keep referring back to the pictures to get the idea)

7. after all the fiddling and securing of pins i ran an iron over it to smooth it out and called kyle in to do the hanging. all we needed to do was hammer 2 nails into the wood straight to the wall on either side and that was that! hanging it like this also keeps the fabric secure and tight where i wrapped and taped it to the wood.

and that is that. please don’t mind our half taken apart, ugly light in front of the shade (it kind of ruins it, huh?) a new one is on our list! this is really simple, really easy and makes a world of difference in the kitchen. it really warms it up and adds a little punch with the design!

let me know if you have any questions! i know this one could be a little tricky to catch on to…

{recipe} ayurvedic curry powder

Brigid — Fri, 03 May 2013 02:29:27 +0000

i’m completely enthralled by ayurvedic medicine. everything about it intrigues me and kyle and i have been exploring many aspects of these ancient medicinal traditions from india. i already dove into oil pulling with success and now i’ve learned from ayurvedic doctor kulreet chaudhary about this curry powder that can help improve digestion and reduce fat in your body by incorporating all six tastes that ayurvedic medicine recognizes – sweet, salty, sour, bitter, astringent and pungent.

in order to feel full and satisfied, you must have all six tastes present in your food. the average american diet usually only has three of these six tastes – sweet, salty and sour so this curry powder is an easy way to incorporate all six tastes into every meal. cook with it or sprinkle it as a topping. we have put it on everything – salads, sandwiches, even in my morning shake!

this curry powder includes turmeric, which is one of the safest, most ancient and easily accessible home remedies in the world. turmeric has gained recognition for its potential for lowering cholesterol, reducing blood sugar in diabetics, relieving arthritis, supporting liver function, improving digestion, reducing menstrual cramps, reducing inflammation in the colon, wound healing, fighting cancer and preventing alzheimer’s. its broad medicinal uses are due to its anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antioxidant qualities.

so, why make it yourself, right? certainly you could go pick up a ready-made curry powder on the spice aisle however dr. chaudhary advises against it. most of these don’t have the right balance of spices and may be too spicy and overpower the other tastes.

making this stuff is so easy and pretty foul proof so have at it! this can be ground up in a coffee grinder. we used our vitamix. we actually ended up doubling this recipe just so we didn’t have to make more so soon.

start with grinding the following ingredients together first:

5 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (really great for digestion and fighting gas and for us breastfeeding mamas wanting to increase our supply!)
1 large bay leaf
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 small (1 1/2 inch) cinnamon stick
5 cloves

next, add:

2 tsp turmeric powder

we’re both pretty in love with this spice and with the bonus of improved digestion and some fat cells being zapped, even better! let me know how you like it!

i’ll be sharing a few more ayurvedic remedies over the next few weeks so check back often!

17/52

Brigid — Wed, 01 May 2013 00:58:25 +0000

“a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013″

dear connor, here you are on a much needed afternoon out on sullivans island. you have been challenging lately and we’ve struggled a bit to connect. you are just a two year old trying to figure it all out and well, so am i….

dear penelope, i just love how you sleep. who couldn’t eat up those little feeties?

as always, joining jodi from che and fidel for project 52.

find more weekly photos here.

increase your energy level + overall wellness with alkaline foods

Brigid — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:51:18 +0000

having an alkaline balanced body is something that i had heard of a while ago but never really dove in with my typical research to find out how and why until more recently. i never thoroughly wrapped my brain around the concept and the importance of how incorporating more alkaline rich foods can impact energy levels and overall wellness. now i’m kicking myself for not educating myself sooner! the thing is, i’m sort of obsessed and always trying to find the best foods that will help my body function at peak performance. my vegan diet definitely incorporates this science but now, i’m glad to have even more knowledge behind why what i’m eating is great for my body and soul and not just eating it because i think it’s supposed to be good for me.

so my goal is to still run circles around my kids 30 years from now and i hope yours is too! ;) so i gathered up some info to share with you guys so you can do the same!

the lowdown:

acid = bad
alkaline = good

when our bodies become too acidic this adversely affects our health at the cellular level. we become prone to sickness, disease and fatigue. our acidic level is developed from foods choices as well as stress. when our bodies are alkaline, energy levels are higher!

having a low body pH (too acidic) is associated with:

bloating and water retention
acne and other skin conditions
weak hair or nails
trouble maintaining weight
trouble losing weight
joint pain
headaches
irritability
cramps
indigestion
frequent colds
allergies
kidney stones
fatigue
loss of bone mass
reduction of growth hormones which results in loss of muscle mass and increase in body fat production.
increase in free radicals (organic molecules responsible for aging, tissue damage, and possibly some diseases) and the loss of cellular energy production <— THIS IS A BIG ONE! you need enough alkaline foods to neutralize these free radicals before they cause cellular damage!

so how do we fix this?

through healthier food choices, of course ideally, to be at peak health our diet should consist of 60-80% alkaline forming food and only 20-40% acid forming food. unfortunately, the opposite is usually true, with breads, refined carbohydrates, meat, and dairy being the main part of the our population’s diet. one of the BEST ways to alkaline your body is through leafy greens, mostly due to the level of chlorophyll in them. try eating alkalizing foods raw or lightly steamed to ensure you are consuming the most nutrients you can. check out this chart below…

little tidbit: it takes 32 glasses of alkalizing mineral water to neutralize the acidifying effects of one 8-oz. soft drink!!

it’s also super important to increase water consumption. if you are dehydrated your body will not have enough water to allow elimination of waste and it will build up in other organs and tissues eventually decreasing their function. strive to drink about 70 oz of water every day to support acid removal by your kidneys. i have one of those big camelbak water bottles and try to finish off at least 2 full ones a day. throw in some lemon to super alkaline your water!

let’s get real -

of course, there’s no way we’re all going to get away from taking breads, coffee, pasta, etc from our diet and that’s ok, for me anyway. coffee, tea, yes please! already tried to cut that out once and i am NOT ready for that just yet. i have however transitioned into drinking it black or with just a splash of almond milk. as for breads and pasta, i never get white and always look for quinoa pastas. make small changes everyday. replace one typical processed food you eat often with a vegetable everyday, try out healthier alternatives, or make your own foods without added sugars, dairy products and wheat. just like I did with our quinoa pancakes or chickpea burgers. you can do it and you’ll feel so good the more and more you do and more the time you give your body to adjust!

so this is all just becoming knowledgable about what makes your body work at its peak and how you can feel better everyday. food truly is the best medicine. we only have one life, one chance so for me that means making the best of it, passing on healthy lifestyle tips to my children and feeling good while i’m doing it!

find more info, recipes and resources from the alkaline sisters!

a cloth diapering update | what i’m loving (and what i’m not) + rules i’m breaking

Brigid — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:56:20 +0000

i’ve had a lot of people ask me if i’m still using cloth diapers so i thought i’d give you guys a little update.

here we have part of my stash. charlie banana on left, bumGenius on right plus my cloth wipe solution &
handmade etsy cloth wipes. (link to the etsy shop i bought from is below.  keep scrolling...)

i wrote my first cloth diapering post way back when. at that time i had recently started using cloth with connor and was primary using bumGenius elementals and Thirsties wraps. now i only have one in diapers! (pssst…. have you read about connor potty training himself?) and have added to the stash. while i am still using those my cloth diapering methods have evolved and i tend to break those way too strict washing rules.

what i’m loving + what i’m not

first off, the new additions: charlie banana one size pocket diapers which i really, REALLY love! let me say that again. I REALLY love them and you know they are sold IN target stores now! woot, woot! you guys, these have surpassed my bumGenius’ as my faves. they are super soft, dry quickly, are less bulky and the outer layer stays dry on penelope’s tush. no down sides to be honest. ok, well, you do have to take a few extra minutes to stuff them but really, it’s no big deal.

my bumGenius elementals are still in the round-up and are still holding up strong with penelope! they are well made and definitely a quality diaper. it’s nice not having to do any stuffing with them. still, the only downside is drying time. it’s usually not a huge deal since i just hang them all outside for majority of a day to dry in the sun but if you were to get them as your sole diapers and not have many more diapers in your stash it would kind of stink to wait on them. i hear the bumGenius freetimes dries quicker but have yet to try those.

as for my thiristies wraps – blah. they are okay. i do still use them but usually when the other two are all dirty. they are last on the list for sure. they have started to snag and have some loose threading despite being primarily air dried and tend to leak much more quickly than the others.

as for my rule breaking…

the dirties most definetly sit in the pail for way over the suggested 3 day limit. i have always heard that you shouldn’t let them sit for more than a couple of days. well, sorry cloth diapering experts but that’s a big negative over here. i usually wash them once a week and they do just fine. so, don’t stress if you don’t get to them more than once a week ladies (and gents?)
i dont rinse, wash, rinse. i rinse, wash, extra spin. i rinse cold, wash hot and then turn on an extra spin at the end. in fact, i do the extra spin with all my clothes. an extra spin will always squeeze out a bit more water so they will dry fast. which is a plus when you are using a dryer too because you won’t have to run it longer and eat up more energy than necessary. (anything producing heat eats up the most energy in your house) and of course this helps them air dry quicker too!
i add in some vinegar or sometimes some baking soda to the rinse cycle just for good measure. sometimes i sprinkly some baking soda in the wash cycle if i’ve forgotten during the first rinse. no specific amount. i just toss some in there. a little extra freshening up never hurt anything. oh, and we wash with ECOs laundry detergent if you are wondering.

it seems like the “rules” of cloth diapering are always conflicting from one source to the next so from a girl who has used cloth for a while now, i say do what seems to work for you. test out different methods. a lot has to do with what kind of water you have as well, hard or soft.

a few extra tidbits:

we use the honest company’s disposables for overnights and travel. i love them! they are decently priced, ship fast, are all natural and hold up really great overnight. check them out if you haven’t yet. plus they have a ton of other eco friendly products and really affordable bundle prices available.

we use a regular stainless steel trash can with a top with a pail liner for the dirties. we keep it in our downstairs half bath since most of the diapers are changed downstairs.

the diaper sprayer is still the most wonderful thing for stinkies. worth the purchase!

laying stained diapers out in the sun really works. try it with other clothes too!

i ordered those super cute cloth wipes too from the JaneNGrace store on Etsy and love them! aren’t they so cute? she has a lot of great designs to choose from and they don’t have to be used JUST for wipes. there are so many possibilities. think of all those paper products you are tossing in the trash every day!

i use a wipe solution of: water, california baby wash, olive oil

i really don’t use specific measurements. mostly water, a decent squirt of wash and a bit of oil. (the oil helps the wipe glide along the tushy) i keep it in a squirt bottle. squirt it on the wipe, rub the wipe together and then wipe, wipe, wipe! i have found it really is much easier to use cloth wipes too as well since you are throwing it all in one place anyway!

so that is that for the cloth! i really love using them. the $$$ saved is ah-mazing! i always find something so satisfying about glancing out my back doors and seeing them drying on the line knowing i’m not contributing to the endless amounts of trash being produced every day. i kind of have a fear that i will miss using them once penelope is out of them. they’re so cute! am i crazy?