Mission: Organic Milk

We decided when Charlotte turned one that it would be worth the money for us to give her organic milk. I did a considerable amount of research into this subject and really think it will be worth it. Besides, we were already spending $35 a week on formula so milk that is $2-$3 more dollars per gallon is still better than that!

According to Karen Collins, R.D. from MSNBC, milk that is labeled "USDA Organic" must come from cows that have not been treated with bovine growth hormone (BGV) to increase milk production. A second important characteristic of organic milk is that the cows are not treated with antibiotics. The third requirement is is that the cows' feed is grown without pesticides. Some recent USDA reports have shown that nonorganic milk may contain low levels of certain pesticides. And the final requirement is that the cows must be given access to pasture. Some suggest that pasture-fed cows may produce milk that contains more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a special type of fat that may protect against cancer and other health problems.

The laws governing organic food production are the strictest in our nation, states Melinda Hemmelgarn, M.S., R.D. in her online article "Wake Up America! Benefits of Organic Milk Go Beyond Nutrition". She goes on to list all of the reasons that organic milk is far superior to nonorganic. It's a great article so check it out if you are interested in learning more.

After reading all of this convincing research on why to go organic, I was convinced. But then I started thinking... Are all organic brands created equal? Surely one must be superior over the others? So I started digging into that and found this survey that is done, and continuously updated, by the Cornucopia Institute: Organic Dairy Report.
Turns out that the brand we had been buying, Horizon, gets a 0 Cow Rating, which is the worst! Yikes! Our second go-to brand, Publix Greenwise, received a 2 Cow Rating, which is labeled as "good but questionable long-term commitment to organics". There has to be some better options out there!

There are three options that I have found using the Cornucopia Report that we will be trying over the next few weeks. I am going to update this post each time I purchase one of these options so I can get an adequate price comparison. Right now we are going through about a gallon a week of the Publix Greenwise brand ($5.00 for 1 gallon). The three brands I want to try all received a 4 Cow Rating (there are no 5 Cow Rating brands available that I can find) so they are comparable in quality but I do want to see how the prices/availability measure up to each other. The brands are:

1. Organic Valley ($4.29 for 1/2 gallon at Publix, $4.98 for 1/2 gallon at Ingles)
2. Ingles store brand, Harvest Farms ($3.57 for 1/2 gallon)
3. Whole Foods store brand, 365 Organic

According to their website, Organic Valley is sold at our local Publix store so it would obviously be the most convenient and will hopefully be the least expensive. I am not holding my breath though since I think it is only available in the half gallon size.
I work pretty close to an Ingles so I'll be running by there after work to get a gallon to test at some point.
Whole Foods is going to be the hardest to get to (so hopefully it won't be the cheapest!) and Jason would have to make a special trip over there every week on his way home from work.
I am hoping that Organic Valley is the winner because, after combing through their website, I am really impressed with their co-op of farmers. It even has a page introducing you to your local dairy farmers by region. Meet the Southeast farmers here.

I'll update each time we purchase one of these brands so we can locate the best milk for the best price!

Mission: Strawberries & Cream

In honor of Wimbledon beginning today, this seems like a good treat that Charlotte will enjoy!

Strawberries & Cream
3 cups strawberries
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar

Cut the tops off the strawberries and then cut them in half.
Whip the cream until it starts to firm up. After the cream becomes stiff, stir in the vanilla and sugar, then finish whipping the cream until it becomes truly stiff. Spoon the strawberries and cream into serving dishes in alternating layers and enjoy!

Mission: Toddler Meals List

The transition from formula to milk and solids was a tough one for me (and for me only... Charlotte has done great!) because I wasn't sure what to feed her. I wanted it to be healthy but with a full-time job I just don't have the time to always be in the kitchen whipping up gourmet meals and snacks. So I am going to start a list of ideas for meals and snacks and will plan on adding to it over time. Some of these are my own ideas and others have been borrowed from a wealth of great websites and blogs.

Snacks
Morning snack served with water. Afternoon snack served with 4oz. of organic whole milk.

1. Seedless grapes (cut into fourths or halves)
2. Whole grain Goldfish crackers
3. Cheerios with a side of yogurt
4. String cheese
5. Cheez-It crackers
6. Ritz crackers with cheddar cheese slices
7. Hard boiled egg with a few cut grapes
8. Baked sweet potato chips
9. Fig Newtons
10. Banana slices with peanut butter on top
11. Kiwi slices and yogurt
12. Whole wheat toast with jam
13. Yogurt mixed with sliced berries
14. Apple pieces/slices dipped in Vanilla yogurt
15. Shredded cheese with a slice of lunch meat torn up
16. Ants on a log (raisins, celery and peanut butter)
17. Fruit/Yogurt smoothie
18. Frozen grapes
19. Yogurt Popsicles (freeze a cup of yogurt with a Popsicle inserted)
20. Fruit mix (watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
21. Crunchy Tofu Bites (crunch up Cheerios in a plastic Ziploc bag, add a dash of cinnamon, toss in pieces of tofu and shake well)
22. Apple pieces/slices with caramel dip
23. Pita bread triangles with spinach artichoke dip
24. Celery sticks with ranch dressing

Breakfast
All breakfasts served with 4oz. of organic whole milk

1. Organic vanilla yogurt, sliced raspberries and blueberries, 1/2 cup Cheerios
2. 3 Eggo Blueberry Pancakes, slice of ham
3. Tangerine slices, side of raisins, handful of Kix cereal
4.  Sliced peached, cottage cheese
5. Baked Oatmeal, side of raisins (3 cups oats, 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup stevia, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp baking powder, 2 eggs, 1 tsp sea salt - mix - bake at 350 for 20 minutes until top is spongy)
6. Whole grain toast with peanut butter, applesauce with oatmeal mixed in
7. Fruit smoothie (berries, whole milk or yogurt), Cheerios
8. 2 or 3 sweet potato pancakes
9. Sliced pineapple, whole wheat toast with strawberry cream cheese
10. Applesauce Pancakes
11. Whole wheat toast with sugar free natural jam, nectarines
12. Blueberry Breakfast Cake
13. Cantaloupe, banana, yogurt, orange juice, honey (after your doctor recommends giving this to your child) and vanilla extract smoothie
14. French toast (whole grain bread, eggs, cinnamon, vanilla and milk) top with frozen berries or low-sugar maple syrup
15.  French toast, side of mixed fruit
16. Whole wheat toast, light cream cheese, turkey sausage
17. Veggie and cheese omelet (try bell peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, etc), fruit cup
18. Buckwheat pancakes (I like Hodgson's Mill Buckwheat Pancake mix), sliced banana
19. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
20. Whole grain blueberry or cranberry muffin
21. Rice cereal fruit milkshake (whole milk, rice cereal, fruit of choice: blueberries, strawberries, mango, pineapple, raspberries, etc)
22. Banana slices from 1 banana topped with peanut butter, extra 4oz. of whole milk
23. Scrambled egg whites with cheddar cheese, hand full of Cheerios, sliced strawberries

Lunch
All lunches served with 4oz. of organic whole milk

1. Whole wheat Triscuits, cheddar cheese slices, ham and/or roast beef slices, sliced canteloupe
2. Pea Salad (1 bag of frozen peas, 1 cup chopped potato, 1 cup onion, 1 cup celery, 1 cup chopped tomato, 1 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Hellman's Light Mayo, 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp. dried mustard - mix everything and cool)
3. Tuna Salad Pita (light mayo, tuna, baby spinach leaves chopped)
4. Grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich
5. Turkey burger patty (no bun) sliced, baked sweet potato fries
6. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, steamed carrot sticks sliced/chopped
7. Crinkle carrots, sliced peeled cucumbers, spinach and artichoke dip, whole wheat pita bread triangles
8. Grilled American cheese sandwich on whole wheat, Dole mixed 100% fruit cup
9. Sliced pickles, green olives, black olives, cheese cubes, whole wheat pita
10. Spinach ravioli with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top, side of sliced strawberries
11. Lunch meat slices, cheese slices, whole wheat wrap rolled or torn, veggie medley
12. Cheesy Broccoli-Potato Mash
13. Whole wheat or grain toast, avocado and cream cheese smeared on toast, steamed carrot sticks and dipping sauce
14. Tomato, Cucumber and Onion Salad (Chop/slice veggies, mix with light Italian dressing or red wine vinegar and olive oil), kids chicken nuggets
15. Chopped cooked broccoli with cheddar cheese melted on top, warm whole grain pita
16. Grilled chicken patty seasoned with parsley and LIGHT pepper, baked sweet potato fries
17. Turkey and cheddar cheese sandwich on whole wheat, handful of Goldfish crackers

Dinner
All dinners served with 4oz. of organic whole milk

1. Macaroni and 4 Cheeses 
2. Spinach lasagna
3. Lime Chicken Fajitas - chicken sauteed in lime juice, chopped tortilla torn, shredded Mexican cheese
4. Toddler Meatballs with tomato sauce, cup of steamed broccoli
5. Homemade Hamburger Helper
6. Vegetable Soup - (low sodium beef broth, lean beef or turkey, potatoes, stewed tomatoes, corn, carrots, peas, green beans), sweet potato biscuit
7. Fish sticks, cauliflower steamed and dressed with melted cheddar cheese
8. Sizzling Stir Fry (chicken, broccoli, baby carrots, water chestnuts, yellow bell pepper, low sodium soy sauce, garlic powder, water) with brown rice
9. Rotisserie chicken slices, steamed cabbage slices, whole wheat pita bread
10. Turkey meatloaf, side of corn, brown rice, cinnamon apple slices
11. Turkey, sweet mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli with feta cheese on top
12. 1 grilled chicken tender, quinoa, 2 asparagus spears seasoned with lime juice and garlic
13. Whole wheat grilled cheese sandwich, side of tomato soup for dipping or spoon feeding
14. Almond Crusted Chicken Fingers, mixed veggies (squash, zucchini, carrots) steamed
15. Cheddar Cheese Quesadilla - 1 whole wheat tortilla folded in half, stuffed with cheddar cheese (add veggies for extra fillings)
16. Whole Wheat Pepperoni Pizza with Pumpkin Puree
17. Shredded pork lightly seasoned, steamed chopped carrots with cinnamon and unsalted butter mixed in
18. Lean ground beef or turkey browned and seasoned lightly, black beans, lettuce shreds, shredded Mexican cheese
19. Broccoli and Cheese casserole
20. Turkey burger, whole wheat bun, sliced strawberries, steamed zucchini
21. Whole wheat noodles in unsalted butter, Parmesan cheese and a side of veggies with tomato sauce
22. BBQ Chicken Tender, side of peas, sweet potato crescent roll, handful of sliced grapes
23. Steamed broccoli and asparagus with zesty cheese sauce for dipping and a whole wheat bread option

Mission: Cheesy Broccoli-Potato Mash

1lb yukon Gold potatoes cut into wedges
3/4 pound broccoli crowns chopped
3/4 cup shredded fontina cheese
nonfat milk
teaspoon of sea salt
fresh ground pepper

Place 1 in of water to boil in large pot. Place potatoes in a  steamer basket and steam for 10 minutes. Place broccoli on top, cover and steam until the potatoes and broccoli are tender, 6 to 8 minutes more. Transfer the broccoli to a large bowl and coarsely mash with a potato masher. Add the potatoes, cheese, milk, salt and pepper and continue mashing to desired consistency. Serve immediately.

Mission: Pack 'n Play Review

Before we had Charlotte we decided that it would be a good idea to purchase two pack 'n plays, one for upstairs and one for downstairs. In hindsight this was probably unnecessary but now we have one to loan out to grandparents so it does still get used.
We knew the one downstairs would also be used a great deal as a changing station so we wouldn't have to go up and down all day changing diapers. (This also lead to our first "run out and get it from the store" purchase of a second Diaper Genie the day after coming home from the hospital!) So we selected two very different pack 'n plays. Here they are, along with the reasons that we chose them.

Graco Pack 'n Play Playard - Posie

 I thought it was a fabulous purchase. It had the Newborn Napper Station, lights, music and vibration and also a changing table with diaper stacker on the side. Plus, it came in this pretty flowered design.
Well, we never used the Napper Station... I had the fear of God instilled in me by the hospital nurses that babies must always be laid flat to sleep and I was afraid that the Napper wasn't flat enough and that something would happen to her (total New Mommy Syndrome, I know!). So we just let her sleep in the bassinet part and took the Napper out. She did actually enjoy the vibrating feature and this allowed me to take several showers. She wasn't a good sleeper at first so I honestly didn't even have time for a shower during the day at times without the vibrating bassinet (and then we got a swing, hallelujah!).
The worst part about this pack 'n play is the Changer. Charlotte was 9 lbs. and 21.5 inches the day she was born and she never fit into this changer, she was always too heavy. It is only supported on one side (the right side in the above picture) so it always slanted to the left and made it practically impossible to change her. I complained to Graco a few times about it and basically just got a "Sorry you don't like our product" response from them. I just hated having to deal with this when I had a far superior product that we were using downstairs. Now I'll get to that one!

S1 by Safety 1st Satellite Premier Playard - Pegasus

 Now this is a playard! The storage compartments are fantastic and the hamper is awesome to have downstairs. The changer is supported on both sides so it is extremely stable and Charlotte (all 25 lbs of her!) still uses it to this day.
We used the bassinet part up until she was about 5-6 months old. She was then past the weight limits and had also started crawling. She really liked the music that it played and also liked watching it light up and the bears on the mobile move around.
The difference in quality between this pack 'n play and the Graco are huge. This one is much sturdier and we have really used it to it's fullest potential! The one problem is that is is a little challenging to find pack 'n play sheets that fit it well. We just used the Graco brand sheets and then tucked the excess into the sides but it would be nice to be able to easily find better fitting sheets.

Something I just learned about today was the introduction of a brand new playard by 4moms (maker of the mamaRoo, which we have and I'll review later and also maker of the famous Origami stroller which we can't even come close to affording!). This playard is named the "Breeze" and is expected to come out this August. It is being billed as "the easiest playard ever" and does actually look pretty cool. Watch the demo video here. I hope it's not going to cost over $800 like the Origami does! Maybe I can get them to send me one for free if I do a review on it... I guess that would mean that I actually have to have people that read this blog... Need to start working on that!

Mission: Zucchini & Cheese

This is a recipe that can be used in place of macaroni and cheese if you would like a more healthy option!

Zucchini & Cheese
1 large zucchini
1 cup mild cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
*Onion flakes
*Salt & pepper, to taste
*1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped

*These items are optional if you want to create a "grown up" version for the adults!

Melt butter in a large frying pan. Grate zucchini into pan and cook at a medium temperature until it is soft and mushy. Stirring occasionally.
Add the cheese and stir until melted.
If desired, add the jalapeno, onion flakes and salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring often to keep the cheese from sticking to the bottom.

We often experiment with other kinds of cheeses (pepper jack, mozzarella, etc). You can use more or less cheese to suit your tastes and also add many different toppings. We have even added a little sausage!

I have never tried to freeze this and I don't imagine it would do too well. The leftovers, if there are any, can definitely be saved in the refrigerator and eaten the next day but I probably wouldn't try to freeze it.

Mission: Veggie Pancakes

We made these last night after Charlotte had gone to bed so I didn't have a chance to let her try them. But Jason and I had one and thought it was pretty good. I'll post an update after I have given her one of them later. They are in the freezer now and seem to freeze well.

Veggie Pancakes
Adapted from wholesometoddlerfood.com
Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Pancake Mix (found this at Fresh Market, also available to some Publix stores)
Grated carrots
Grated zucchini
Grated cheese (your choice, I used mild cheddar)
Wheat germ

Prepare buckwheat pancake mix as directed on the box (you'll need milk, oil and egg). Add in about 1/4 cup grated carrots and 1/4 cup grated zucchini. Stir. Add in a couple of handfuls of grated cheese and about 2 tablespoons of the wheat germ. Stir again.
Fry gently in olive oil until done on both sides. You could add in many more things... Different veggies, chicken, turkey or ham.

***UPDATE***
We gave one to Charlotte for dinner tonight and she loved it! It was really easy to reheat. I just put a frozen one on a cookie sheet in a 350F oven and placed a piece of tin foil over it to prevent it from burning. I heated it for about 5 minutes on one side and then 5 minutes on the other and it was perfect!

Mission: Book Review - Your Baby's First Year Week by Week

Your Baby's First Year Week by Week
by Glade B. Curtis and Judith Schuler

I faithfully read this book every Thursday night for the past year while not really following much of the "advice". I did like reading some of the milestones even though Charlotte seemed to be far past them each week.

I did have some major discrepancies with the book such as letting a baby cry it out, when to start solids, how many naps per day they should be taking, etc. Also I found that a lot of the information directly contradicted what the AAP recommends which is something that I definitely do not take lightly and so for that reason alone I really cannot recommend this book to anyone. I just don't want some people to read it and take that advice to heart.

One other major thing it recommends is weaning your baby from breastfeeding at 16 weeks. While I did not breastfeed I do think that it's a major accomplishment for those that do and I know that it is recommended until your baby is at least 12 months old. So I'm not really sure why the book would make such a recommendation.

I have read several other books this past year and will try to do separate reviews on all of them at some point. My favorites were Baby 411 by Denise Fields and Ari Brown, M.D., What to Expect the First Year by Heidi Murkoff, Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp and, of course, On Becoming Babywise by Gary Ezzo and Robert Buckman, M.D.

Mission: Toddler Meatballs

Eating meat has been a bit of a challenge for us in that there's just not a lot that she has liked so far. That's probably because I found it really hard to make meat baby food myself. It always turned out like some sort of gross paste. Now that she is eating table and finger foods it has become much easier.
This is a good recipe for meatballs because they freeze well and reheat really quickly.

Toddler Meatballs
Adapted from wholesometoddlerfood.com
1 pound ground turkey*
Bread crumbs
Wheat germ
1 egg
Spices such as garlic, pepper, basil, thyme, oregano and parsley

*Ground beef can also be used but I prefer the ground turkey.
Mix the ground turkey with approximately 1 cup of bread crumbs, 1/4 cup wheat germ, 1 egg and the spices that you have chosen. Vary the measurements as you blend the ingredients, you may require more or less bread crumbs.
Roll into balls (about the size of a golf ball or a little smaller), bake at 375F until golden or for about 25-30 minutes. Do not allow these to burn. Cover the pan with tin foil for the first 20 minutes or so to prevent this.
Use a small baking pan so you can shake and roll the meatballs around - helps to even the cooking.
Cool completely then toss all in a plastic freezer bag, making sure to get as much air out as possible, then freeze.
To reheat, I simply pulled a couple directly out of the freezer and stuck them in the microwave for about 30 seconds and they were good to go.

Mission: Applesauce Pancakes

Now that Charlotte is off the bottle and drinking whole milk exclusively,  I have been trying to come up with wholesome meals for her to eat every day without spending every waking minute cooking for her. She has been drinking 4 oz. of organic whole milk four times a day and doing great. I really think she likes how cold the milk is straight from the refrigerator. She loves waffles and pancakes for breakfast and her current favorite food is whole wheat toast! Since she loves bread so much I decided to try out some applesauce pancakes. These have been a big hit and, the best part about them, they freeze really well! So we can grab one from the freezer, pop it in the toaster and voila!

Applesauce Pancakes
Adapted from wholesometoddlerfood.com
 1 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 cup whole milk
1 beaten egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups applesauce*

*I made my own homemade applesauce for this but I think jarred would be fine as well. I used the Baby Beaba and three Fuji Apples. I peeled the apples, cut them into chunks and then steamed them in the Beaba using water level 2. Then I ground them and added in a few dashes of cinnamon along with all of the cooking water. It made about 2 cups worth of applesauce. Plenty for the pancakes and some leftovers for later!

Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a medium mixing bowl. Combine butter, milk and egg.  Stir into dry ingredients. Add vanilla and applesauce; mix well. Spoon batter into a hot, well-greased griddle or frying pan. Make pancakes as large or small as you like.

Once these were done and completely cooled, I wrapped each pancake in wax paper and then put them all in a gallon sized freezer bag. They are ready to go for meals or snacks and have been a big hit with Charlotte!

Mission: Start A Blog!

So I've decided to start a blog, mainly for myself, to keep track of the many things "Mommy Related" that are going on in my life currently. I almost wish I had started when I was pregnant with Charlotte but I think I would have been too overwhelmed at that point!
I really wanted to be able to keep track of the things that worked or didn't work and also that she ate or didn't eat, etc. So this will probably be a lot of product reviews, recipes (both for baby and toddler and beyond!), tiny pieces of advice, book reviews and just general thoughts about being a wife and mommy to a precious little girl and soon-to-be little boy!