Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

Today is a great day. I took the day for me. Glad I did too b/c there is a lot to catch up on. First of all, we have been busy making so much stuff at our house I want to share. I'm going with the most recent first. I feel like I hit the jackpot when it comes to jam. Talk about a healthy creation and everyone likes it. This recipe is for Strawberry Rhubarb Jam. Finding rhubarb was quite difficult so I'm planting my own this year. My friend Jen so graciously offered to split one of hers and with First Communion coming up in two weeks, my wonderful mother-in-law will bring it down. This rhubarb came from a generous cleaning client. It made 6 small jars.

*5 cups of strawberries stemmed and blended; I put a small amount of water in the blender but my blender is cheap.
*2 cups of chopped rhubarb
*1 cup of sugar
*2 cups of agave nectar (light)
*lemon zest from 1/2 lemon
*1 envelope of liquid pectin

Combine all of the ingredients. Simmer on the stove till it gets thicker. It will start out like water. You want it to get thick so let it simmer for a good amount of time. Mine began to boil after about 10 minutes. I stirred mine almost constantly. Take it off the heat, pour in one envelope of liquid pectin. Stir thoroughly then pour into jars. I like to pour it in when it's hot then sometimes you don't have to re-boil the jars for the pop.

Best jam I've every had!

P.S. Next week is teacher appreciation week....what a great gift!

Earth Day! Our OFFICIAL LAUNCH!

Wow! What a week it has been. Earth Day is upon us and that means the official launch. Look for some great deals tomorrow and through the weekend. Check out whotv.com. They are running a contest and you could win a $200 giftcard to All Natural Moms. I know it's on their facebook page. If you sign up for the contest and don't win, no worries because we will have some very special savings for ALL who enter.

If you live in the Carroll Area, we are very excited about our new radio and TV ads. We are on channel 10 and KKRL.

All Natural Moms is expanding with perishable grocery items and will have a list very soon for you to order from. If you live in the Des Moines and surrounding area or the Carroll and surrounding area, expect some free delivery. If you don't want to wait for our grocery list, feel free to email us a monthly grocery list and we will quote it. Anytime you purchase any groceries, you will receive 10% off any grocery items.

We want to know what we don't have that you want! Please let us know and we will get it. All Natural Moms is suppose to make life easier, simpler.

Thankful Harvest - Certified Organic and Grass-Fed Meat

Thankful Harvest, located in Holstein, Iowa, is owned and operated by Tom and Kristi German, and family.

Good Grass Grows Good Cows.
The Germans think of pasture-based farming as a living and learning collaboration with creation. Much of what they do is based on traditional, centuries-proven methods of plant and animal farming.

But, just as much, we draw from the latest in scientific understanding as we collaborate with other farmers, research institutes and ag extension services on the up-to-date learning available for fostering healthy ecosystems, cows, humans and communities.

In the case of our pasture raised beef, we see it as capitalizing on the original design and intention for cows.

Example that makes me love them so much. They use clover, which is a legume that they plant because it is nourishing to the cows and helps naturally fix nitrogen in the soil.

Why Not Do Better Than We Have to?

On this farm, they do some additional things that are not strict requirements of the Pasture Raised method:
•They put nothing into the soil that could harm soil life or groundwater. Our pastures are certified organic , and there is no use of chemical pesticide, fertilizers or herbicides.
•They apply naturally occurring minerals and nutrient compounds to nourish and build the soil, supporting its viability as a living food system.

Studies show that pasture raised (grass fed) beef is
Naturally high in:
•Health promoting Essential Fatty Acids
•Vitamin E
Naturally low in:
•Saturated Fats
•Cholesterol
•Calories

All Natural Moms chose this particular farm because they do what they say they will do when it comes to meat. They are open to what practices they have and welcome any questions and suggestions. Thankful Harvest will also deliver for free in the state of Iowa and will ship anywhere in the United States.

Just a Start on Childhood Nutrition!

Choosing the right nutrition for your child starts at birth, and continues throughout life. A good foundation starts with breastfeeding. Many mothers these days have a full-time job and are responsible for many household tasks and if it’s your second or third child, it just gets more difficult to find the time. My son was allergic to my breast milk which I found out at 2 weeks when he wouldn’t quite screaming. He also had reflux so we had to start cereal at a very young age that still continues in his bottles at age one. Making the right choice in formula can sometimes be the key. My kids were never picky. As long as I stuck with milk or soy, I’ve been fine. Now that we are at the end stages of formula, I’ve learned a lot about the importance of picking organic. Organic formula is simple. It’s not processed and doesn’t contain any chemicals, pesticides or genetically modified ingredients. Organic formula is a little more expensive but when looking at the cost, look at the value of none of the bad ingredients that can cause many more serious problems in the future.

Organic baby clothing is becoming a choice of many as we are finding that pesticides are used to grow cotton fibers. Some pesticides are categorized as carcinogens and can be toxic. If fact, it’s estimated that 25% of the world’s insecticide use and 10% of pesticide use is used on conventionally made cotton. Choosing organic clothing is a huge stand against toxic farming. It takes a lot of chemicals just for one outfit. Soaking a shirt’s fibers in pesticides is sure to make some of it stick. When it’s washed, the pesticide comes to the surface and causes the problems. Organic cotton is more durable, dyed with organic dye and is much softer than conventional cotton.

Buying organic for your baby will instantly help decrease the risk for behavioral problems, developmental delays, learning disabilities and ADHD or hyperactive. Kids are known to eat what their parents feed them. As a mother of three I will tell you that my kids will work it for all it’s worth. We do not make separate meals for the kids. The majority of the time we all eat the same things. I will not give into not eating some of everything. It’s important to remember what my pediatrician has said time and time again. “Children are not able to starve themselves. They will eventually eat.” I’ve also read somewhere that it can take up to a dozen exposures to food and could be more with veggies for kids to actually just try them. Giving it to them over and over and being consistent with you persistence is known to make for a positive outcome.

Childhood obesity is on the rise. Many parents feel the need to start cereal at 4-5 months. Starting solids prior to 6 months has proven to be a component to the obesity pandemic in children. My children’s generation is being called the “Triple Xs” and are said to be the first generation to not out-live their children. Part of our responsibility as parents is to be informed consumers that make the most beneficial decision for our children. Product labels can tell you all the information you need to know about the ingredients in the product and whether it’s safe to use on or give to your child. Read a box next time before you cook it. If you can’t understand half the words on there, I can’t imagine it’s a good idea to put it into your body. Remember, cancer has not got a cure, but there is a large informational system out there that shows many many cases of the effects of changing your diet to overcome cancer and the risk of cancer. Many pesticides, insecticides and Genetically Modified Organisms like high fructose corn syrup are showing up much of what we eat and are showing up in cancer research. It’s a scary combo just for convenience.

The Truth About What We Put in Our Mouths

According to the World Health Organization, each day 9 out of 10 children in America, age 6 months to age 5 are exposed to a combination of 13 different organophosphate insecticides in the foods they eat.
There was a study in 2007 that was on the front page of the Los Angeles Times. It talked about how 200 chemicals which are found in everyday consumer products cause breast cancer in animals. The research shows that by decreasing your chemical exposure and intake, you can prevent getting the disease.

If the food that you eat is not labeled “organic,” it will most certainly contain pesticides. Pesticides are designed to kill and are toxic to your body and your neurological system. Farmers today can choose between 21000 different kinds of pesticides to spray on their crop. Before 1950, pesticides were not used on farm crops and 1/3 of farmer’s crop was lost each year. Farmers use pesticides to cure problems such as bugs and weeds in hopes of maintaining and profiting from their growth. The funny thing is farmers today still lose 1/3 of their crop.

Diet sodas and drinks on the market labeled as “lite,” “sugarless” and “no sugar,” all contain artificial sweeteners. These are known hazards to our body. The cravings for carbohydrates and the hunger are both cause by aspartame. It also contains methanol which the body breaks down into FORMALDEHYDE! This is what’s used during the embalming process and it’s a known fact that formaldehyde causes cancer. In addition to aspartame, many of the drinks our kids and us are drinking, for that matter, contain high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which is made from genetically modified corn and processed with genetically modified enzymes. When you go to the store next time, just look for GM or products labeled genetically modified. You will find them in 61% of what’s in the grocery store including flours, cereals, oils, salad dressings, mayonnaise, pies, chips, cookies, fried foods and candy coatings. GM means that genes are taken from one organism and inserted into another via a virus…..all this to speed up the process in making food. No one knows what the effects really are to the human health but every study, and they are so many, that I looked at had debilitating effects as a result to the human health. It makes sense if you think about it. It can’t be good to eat something that had a virus pumped into the cells to change the DNA of that plant. Corn, soy, canola oil, cottonseed oil and papaya all have GMOs in them. Only products with ingredients that are certified organic by the USDA are sure to not include harmful products and really are safe and healthy for our family.

It’s important to not just think about what you’re eating but what you are absorbing. Each cell in your body absorbs each and everything you put into your mouth. What’s good for the earth is good for you and your family’s tummy. Experts are very concerned with the rise of obesity and poor quality of diet and are forgetting that the nutrient content of the food going into our mouths. It’s important to think of the long term effects of the insanely high amounts of pesticides, antibiotics, and processed manufactured ingredients in nearly everything we are putting into our mouths. If the research shows it to be harmful to animals, don’t you think it would have harmful, probably worsening effects to human health?

Organic standards are developed by the USDA or United States Department of Agriculture. They are there to make sure that certified fruits, vegetables and grains are grown without the use of fungicides, pesticides, insecticides, chemical fertilizers and herbicides. They are also there to make sure food is made without the use of genetically modified, irradiated or treated with human or industrial remains. There is a seal now from the USDA requires in order for a product to be certified organic and can be found somewhere on the packaging. All Natural Moms is always looking for the best for our families and will always strive for organic and all natural food ingredients.

I wanted to end with this….

Reviewing 41 published studies comparing the nutritional value of organically grown and conventionally grown fruits, vegetables, and grains, certified nutrition specialist Virginia Worthington concluded there were significantly more of several nutrients in organic crops. These included: 27% more vitamin C, 21.1% more iron, 29.3% more magnesium, and 13.6% more phosphorus. In addition, organic products had 15.1% less nitrates than their conventional counterparts. She also noted that five servings of organic vegetables (lettuce, spinach, carrots, potatoes and cabbage) provided the recommended daily intake of vitamin C for men and women, while their conventional counterparts did not. Worthington said the results are consistent with known soil dynamics and plant physiology.

Source: “Nutritional Quality of Organic Versus Conventional Fruits, Vegetables, and Grains,” by Virginia Worthington, published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Vol. 7, No. 2, 2001 (pp. 161-173).

Why is it so important to drink organic tea and coffee?

Drinking tea and coffee dates back thousands of years. Tea is something we use for many healthful reasons. Catechins are antioxidant that researcher believe can help in the treatment of a variety of cancers. It’s terrible that tea is very much sprayed with pesticides. On the other hand, both tea and coffee contain antioxidants. Beyond tea’s ability to work medicinally, it also contains fluoride. With the regular use of tea, you can improve your bone health; reduce the risk of kidney stones and amount of cavities. There are three benefits to tea catechins, anthocyanins, and phenolic acids which all are a part of reducing the harmful bacteria growth in the intestine. Green tea has the buzz of being good for you. That’s because green tea is not treated and makes it the freshest form of tea. It also contains the most phytochemicals which are the helpful things in preventing cancer risk. It’s strange to me that green tea happens to be the least popular in the United States but in other countries it is the most popular.

Coffee is the drink of choice in America and we as mom’s average about 3-8 oz. cups a day. Coffee has many benefits and in the amounts that average with moms, we get many of our vitamins and minerals. Coffee has 4 times the antioxidant that green tea does and also has more antioxidants than red wine. It also is a big help to alertness and stimulates performance. When it comes to health, coffee has shown to decrease the risk for rectal and liver cancer; Parkinson’s in men and decreased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Unfortunately coffee is one of the most chemically treated food crops. Much of the coffee that is imported into the US comes from countries that use chemicals banned here. Coffee owns the second highest commodity spot and as a mother, it can be very important. I’m not however interested in the chemicals, pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers that come along with it. These chemicals are known to cause cancer, nervous and reproductive disorders. Many women I’ve talked to say coffee can hurt their stomach. Some of those women have taken the leap to try something different and state it’s made a huge difference. I had regular coffee on afternoon in desperation from the convenient store and its coffee that I had drank many times before. That afternoon my stomach ached terribly. The organic coffee was so much different. I knew then that if I’m going to drink it, it must be organic. Caribou does serve organic coffee and it didn’t hurt my stomach when I stopped there. I’m not aware of any other coffee shops that brew it. I encourage all to because it’s so much better. Part of the big issue is how it’s made right. We the coffee that we drink is sold for 8 to 9 dollars a pound but it’s bought for 11 or 12 cents a pound in lower poverty countries. Smaller growers can’t compete with the big commodity driven companies in places like Kenya. One article talked about how all the women and children work on the harvesting while the men spray trees all day with pesticides and harsh chemicals. It said 6 to 11 hours. I found out that shade coffee is better than that grown in the sun. Organic and Certified Fair Trade ensures that we are paying a fair price for healthy or nontoxic coffee and we can feel good that the farmer that grew it is getting paid what he should.

Natural Living Expo Followup

Wow! What an exciting 10 days it's been! We have had such a great time connecting and networking with so many people. The Natural Living Expo brought so many different people who wanted to learn more and were open which was great! As a result of having a booth this weekend, we have found a meat producer, Wallace Farms. They have everything and the best part is he will deliver all over the state and better yet, ship anywhere in the US and already does. He has BOTH organic and grass-fed which is extremely difficult to find. Wallace Farms can make any size of package from big to small. We will be adding a Meat Section for ordering with every option he has. We are very excited to ad this service to the website and are happy to be working with Wallace Farms to do it.

Beyond the meat farmer, we were able to speak with so many vendors.....dairy farmers, produce farmers, a diaper service, clothing makers, lawn resource makers, jewelry maker (the jewelry is made out of a nut), early childhood education, cleaning supply companies, cleaning companies, acupuncturists, Attachment Parenting International, baby room design, photographers, cookware, clothing lines, midwives, a cake maker, a bra fitter (essential bodywear), a compound pharmacy....you get the idea. I want to tell you that all these individuals are local and a fantastic resource for any Mom. I was especially excited that the expo was free. So many times when wanting to go to something like this you would have to pay $5 plus just to get in the door. We are speaking with many of these local companies to have them at your fingertips from our web store. If we don't carry it, we want you to find it simply and fast.

The Steez tea was a hit at the expo. So many were thirsty and a ice cold sparkling fruit drink was just what they needed. Our families instantly fell in love with it when we tried it and we knew other would too. It's sweetened with stevia so no bad sugar source. It has ZERO calories and only 10mg of sodium. I don't want to forget, it's green tea but it doesn't taste like green tea; however, it's packed full of antioxidants which we are always in need of. It's a glass bottle though so it's difficult to ship. We will continue to set it local so around the Des Moines and Carroll area and in between for sure. Email us and ask how you can get it.

The camelbacks were also a big hit. We had them on sale and free water all weekend with those water bottles. Thank you Culligan out in Valley Junction for donating the water system and water for the show.

We had so much fun this weekend and will definitely be there next spring at the new location - Vets Auditorium. Thank you to Tizzy with the Natural Living Team and Michelle with Silent Rivers. This was a hit in all aspects. Glad to have met you and we can't wait to continue this partnership.

Our hope is that we can continue to help Moms streamline the craziness and simplify their life by eating and living healthier with Certified Organic food, clothing and supplies Moms need to run their household.