Shake, Shake, Shake

Oh my goodness, it's been ages, crunchy chic peeps! Ages! Life just got busy after my last post in late 2013, and the blog fell by the wayside. To sum it all up: I have taken on various full- and part-time jobs, raised a healthy, high-energy, sassy little girl (she's 4 next month!), moved 3 times, launched a busy consulting business with my husband, and we are now renovating an old home we purchased back in September. It's been nutty. And this year, my new year's resolution was to sllllloowwwwww dowwwwwwn. So after this home renovation, that's what I plan to do. In any event, I AM SO HAPPY TO BE WRITING AGAIN, and I hope this post finds you all feeling and doing really well. I've been so delighted to keep up with many of you through my Crunchy Chic Facebook page over the years, to share tips and advice, offer support and guidance, and just be a listening ear, a sounding board, and a support system for you. It's been my distinct honor and pleasure, and THANK YOU for trusting in me! You have also offered so many kind words and measures of support for me as well, so I cannot share my appreciation enough.

Okay so re-introductions and thanks out of the way, I want to move on to a topic that's very important to me and my family. And that is the NUTRITIONAL SHAKE. You may have read my post, How I Bounced Back After Baby, in which I discussed the program that helped me before AND after pregnancy. A program I recommended highly and still do! But this particular post is about the idea of building any good nutritional shake program into your life, whatever brand you choose...and I will recommend my favorites.

The nutritional/super food/protein shake has been one of the absolute BEST "weapons" in my nutritional arsenal. Both for myself, and for those I love. I had protein shakes on and off growing up, thanks to the original Crunchy Chic gal in my life--my mama. And I credit Isagenix and my Isagenix friends for re-introducing the concept shortly before I became pregnant with Noelle, as a weight-loss and cleansing program that REALLY worked for me. I drank them throughout my pregnancy as well, including in the early months when I could stomach little else. They were honestly a god-send because they offered complete nutrition for me and my growing baby, they gave me energy, and they were, above all, palatable to a queasy mother-to-be. I continued "shaking" long after pregnancy for weight-loss and energy, and, to one degree or another, to this day for overall health. They've done a lot for me.

But this post isn't about me and my experience with shakes, it's about my daughter Noelle who has been happily drinking them since she could enjoy solid foods. She just loves them! And mamas, here's the kicker: every time she asks me for and guzzles down one of mama's homemade shakes like it's a real treat, she is taking in high quality, organic, easily-digestible protein, mega greens, organic fruits, and a variety of other super foods including spirulina, sprouts, coconut oil, hemp oil, bee pollen, chia seeds, maca, and more. Let's speak frankly...what toddler gets that kind of regular nutrition without an almighty blender? You can see WHY I am so happy about this. To know that my growing girl is getting everything she needs to be truly, truly healthy in every way is, well, everything to me as a mother. I know how difficult it can be to get little ones to eat well--it's serious work (and often a battle!) to steer development of a pallet, and make no mistake, it does develop largely based on what we give them. Now, put that "mama guilt" aside (I know it well), and make a plan to incorporate nutritional shakes into your child's diet, and you can feel really good about what they're getting. So let's get down to it: some of my favorite brands for the shake protein, and the additions I love. Like anything else, it's all personal. Do your own research, experiment a little, and see what you and your family like best. But this will give you a start:

FOR PROTEIN, I LOVE:
(Plant-based) Nutiva Hemp Protein (Organic)
(Plant-based) Garden of Life Raw Protein (from raw, organic sprouted plants)
(Plant-based) Arbonne protein (this can be an easy intro as well, because the flavor is great! You can order through a local rep/sign up for an account)
(Whey) Isagenix organic whey protein from grass-fed cows, pasture-raised on small New Zealand farms (they offer chocolate and vanilla and can be another easy intro, because of the yummy flavor)

FOR ALREADY-PREPARED ADDITIVES, I CHOOSE 1 OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING:
Garden of Life Perfect Food (super green fruit and veggie formula)
Garden of Life Perfect Food ENERGIZER (raw organic green super food)
Healthforce SuperFoods Vitamineral Greens ("beyond organic"--they even use filtered water!)
Earth Circle Organics Raw Organic Maca (for natural hormone-balancing, energy and overall health)
Manitoba Harvest Organic Hemp Oil (I always have this on-hand for yogurt, oatmeal/muesli, etc REFRIGERATE!)
Organic Chia Seeds (any good brand! Offers excellent protein AND cleansing properties)

AND MY OWN FLAIR:
Banana (sweetens naturally) or berries (relatively low glycemic index, MUST BE ORGANIC!)
Honey (always try for local, raw honey--meaning it hasn't been super heated and retains enzymes/probiotics)
Stevia (if you are avoiding sugar altogether, use stevia to sweeten)
Bee Pollen (actually supports the immune-system and if local, can reduce allergy symptoms!)
Raw Organic Almond Butter (any good brand!)
Virgin/Raw Organic Coconut Oil (adds energy and SUPREMELY good, healing fats)
Organic cinnamon and turmeric (both anti-inflammatory--inflammation is a major source of problems)
Coconut, sheep or goat yogurt (yogurt is a fabulous addition because of its pro-biotics and creaminess!)
Non-dairy milk, like coconut, hazelnut, cashew, hemp, etc. OR milk kefir (fermented and yummy!)
...choose your faves, just add ice and blend!

I always say with anything: don't get overwhelmed, just pick a few things and try them. It gets easier once you start. Make them for breakfast OR as an afternoon snack. Or both! And feel really good about it.

Happy shaking, crunchy chic friends!

As always, please feel free to ask me a question in the comments section OR on my Crunchy Chic Facebook page.

Facing Dry Skin?

Happy winter everyone! In a few short days, it's official. Winter brings such beauty and wonder. Some of my favorite things are associated with this time of year: snow, the holidays and festivities, warm, cozy fires, hot coco and rich coffee, warm sweaters, thick coats and big scarves. I love winter! But there is one thing I don't love, and that's dry skin. If you're like me, I have to get prepared for the cold season, particularly in northern climates. I stock up on my favorite products now not only for me, but for my daughter as well, as she has proven to have her mama's sensitive skin. In order to keep the dry, chapped, cracked, and parched lips and face at bay, I rely on some tried and true faves. So if you want to learn how to keep your skin--and your baby's skin--moisturized and hydrated this time of year, read on to learn how I do it the natural way!

Thinking Outside the Pie Box

Happy Thanksgiving! I don't know about you but this 4-day weekend has been delightful and very busy around our house. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, just me, Aaron, Noëlle, my sister Cailin and her new husband, Jon, and my mom (Noëlle's Jama). We drank wine starting at noon, swayed to 20s jazz on Pandora, and cooked up a storm, which always includes a plethora of desserts. Jon and Aaron have nearly insatiable sweet teeth, and my mom is a self-proclaimed pumpkin pie fiend. Aaron loves it equally, so pumpkin pie is a staple. Now, the challenge with desserts around here is that my mom is allergic to a lot of the common allergens, particularly wheat, milk, and chicken eggs, and for health reasons, she hardly eats any sugar. But it's not just her--as I have shared with you before, for health reasons we also limit Noëlle's intake of wheat and dairy as well as sugar, since too much sugar is hard on the pancreas. If you know about baking, you know that eggs, wheat, sugar and dairy are key dessert ingredients. But that doesn't stop us! It's a challenge to me to think outside the pie box, so to speak, to come up with delicious and nutritious desserts for all to enjoy. So today, in the spirit of the Holidays and pumpkin season, I am here to tell you about a recipe for coconut milk, gluten free, low-sugar pumpkin pie! I made it this weekend, and it had my mom and Noëlle asking for seconds...and thirds...and fourths. Read on to learn how to make this pumpkin pie for those you love!

The Season of Giving Hope

It's the Giving Season, y'all! What does that mean to you? Do you give just to your family? Your friends? What about total strangers? In early December I will write my annual Crunchy Chic Gift Guide to help you buy gifts for friends and families consciously and stylishly, but today's post is about giving to TOTAL STRANGERS and those in-need. My family and I always participate in philanthropic endeavors during the holidays. We have volunteered and donated many things to many organizations. Then, about a month ago, Aaron showed me the video I have posted here, and it gave me an idea for a new way to give this year.

This video reinforced for me that the total impact of giving hope to someone, of allowing a person to feel confidence, love, and respect, has the potential to be massive. I want to participate in that. And I invite you to join me! Let's spread our giving arms wider than ever this year to be the loving, humanitarian crunchy chic gifters that we really are! Let's give the gifts of love, hope, and happiness to those who could really use them. The more of us who participate, the more of the world can be touched! Read more to learn about ways to give and the idea that has me really excited for Giving Season 2013!