Helpful Tips « Real OC Mom

Real Tip Tuesday – Natural Allergy Remedy

I suffer from pretty nasty allergies, particularly this time of year. I have had allergies my entire life – I used to get them as a young child. They improved somewhat when I had my tonsils removed, but when spring comes around, they definitely rear their ugly head again. Usually I can take some Claritin or Zyrtec to help, but then I feel like I’m in a fog the rest of the day.

Recently, I went to see an endocrinologist who combines Eastern and Western medicine. I’ve been feeling kinda’ blah, so I thought I’d give something different a try. Specifically, she incorporates Ayurvedic medicine into her practice. One of my complaints was my allergies. She shared a homeopathic remedy that I had not heard of before.

Organic Nasya Oil is a nasal lubricant made from sesame and olive oils. It comes in a little glass bottle with a rubber dropper. You take one little drop onto your finger, rub your fingers together, and rub it around the inside of your nose, then pinch your nose and take a couple of little breaths in to draw it up into the upper nasal passages. The oil lubricates the inside of your nose and helps keeps pesky allergens out.

I’ve been using it for the past 5 days, and I must say, it’s kind of amazing! We’ve had such strong Santa Ana winds around here, and yet, no allergies for me. Usually I’d be miserable – stuffy, itchy throat and eyes, sneezing, coughing, and I’ve had none of that since I’ve been using this stuff. In fact, I forgot it this morning, started feeling some allergies coming on this afternoon, and within 20 minutes of using it, all symptoms disappeared. I think I’m in love!

Oh, and little bonus – it actually improves mental clarity, too! So, not only am I using something to relieve my allergies, but it actually helps my mind feel sharper and more alert, instead of like a balloon.

If you want to give this little miracle bottle a try, you can buy it on my Amazon store HERE . I purchased mine from my doctor for $13.95, so this price is comparable to what I paid. It may also be available at Mother’s or Whole Foods, but I haven’t checked.

Disclosure: I get a small percentage (about fifty cents) if you buy from my store. I bought my own bottle and no one paid me to write this post – I just think it’s so amazing that I wanted to share.

Filed under: Health, Helpful Tips, Reviews
by real oc mom
1 Comment »

02
May
2011

Real Tip Tuesday – How to Get Your Child to Eat Her Lunch

My daughter has been in full-day school since she was four, so it’s been nearly three years now. And it’s been great except for one thing – lunch. Day after day, she would come home with a full lunchbox, having eaten only one or two bites of whatever I had prepared. Then she’d climb into the car, claim that she was “STARVING”, and either eat some of her lunch on the way home, or get home and dive into the fridge for something to eat.

If you know me or have read my blog at all, you know I’m big on healthy eating. So the thought that my daughter was going all day at school without much to eat caused me great concern. Particularly at her old school, where they were served a daily snack of graham crackers and orange juice at 10 am, then had lunch at 10:50 am. Well, that explained why she wasn’t eating – she was full on graham crackers and juice. But we all know how long that full feeling lasts, when the blood sugar spikes and then plummets, leaving her grumpy and tired by the end of the school day.

So, enter the new school this year. I packed her snack for her, snack time is at 10 am, and then lunch is at noon. Oh, happy day! Surely she will eat her lunch now, right? Wrong! She still came home every day with her lunchbox nearly full and, much to my horror, a nearly full water bottle, as well. Now not only was she not eating much, she wasn’t drinking much, either. Motherly concern set in, and I sprung into action. I knew I needed to do something, and fast, otherwise she’d end up not only grumpy and tired, but dehydrated, too.

First, we had a talk. I lectured her about the importance of good nutrition and hydration, particularly as an athlete (she’s a gymnast). I explained what happens to muscles when they are not properly fueled, and how the body breaks down when it doesn’t get enough food or water. And yes, her eyes glazed over. I remembered I was talking to a 7-year old and changed tactics quickly.

I reminded her of a friend of hers who got so dehydrated from being sick that he had to go to the hospital for an IV. (If you are reading this A, sorry to use your son as an example, but I was desperate!). My daughter is terrified of needles, so I had high hopes that this strategy would be effective. Nope, it wasn’t.

I tried all sorts of different foods. Now, I’m sure if I was willing to just give her lunchables every day, she’d eat those. But I’m not a fan of pre-packaged foods, so that was out of the question. But really, I tried all sorts of other things – soup in a thermos, edamame, sandwiches of all varieties, rolled up meats and cheeses…nothing came home eaten.

Until I pulled out the Laptop Lunch system again. She used this back in Pre-K, and it didn’t really do the trick, but I was desperate, so I figured I’d give it another try. And magically, it worked! She started coming home every day announcing that she ate everything or nearly everything in her lunch!

I didn’t pack different food, so that certainly wasn’t it. She said she just likes having only one container to open and being able to see all the food right in front of her. So, that’s it for us. We are now forever sold on the Laptop Lunch system.

I wish I would have figured this out sooner, because I could have shared the tip at the beginning of the school year, rather than the end. But for those of you who are desperate like I was, or who have kids in year-round school, or even in day camp all summer, this tip may just come in handy.

You can buy the Laptop Lunch system in my Amazon store HERE. They’ve got all kinds of cute patterns and colors for boys and girls, and replacement pieces are always available.

Filed under: Health, Helpful Tips
by real oc mom
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26
Apr
2011

Real Tip Tuesday – Where to Donate Kids’ Books

If your house is anything like ours, it’s chock full of kids’ books. We love, love, love books! But sadly, Real OC Daughter outgrows the books, and they are still in such good condition that we want them to find a good home. Well, was I sure excited to find out that April is community service month at Starbuck’s, and they are taking donations of children’s books all month long!

Starbucks and the Early Literacy Program

Starbucks is supporting the Early Literacy Program by conducting a book-drive in all their free-standing Orange County locations. For the month of April bring your new and gently used children’s books to any Starbucks. The books will be distributed to Reach Out and Read pediatric clinics, community events, and direct service programs all within Orange County to children ages 0-5. Please visit your local free-standing (not located in a grocery store. Target or bookstore) Starbucks, have a latte and donate a childrens book this month!

We have donated books to Reach Out and Read before – it’s a great program to help get kids all over OC reading and loving books. But we’ve got another stash waiting to be loved, and now I know where to go. You can read more about the early literacy program through Reach Out and Read HERE

So if you’re in the mood to do a little spring cleaning, take advantage of this great opportunity to help out kids in our community and tackle those bookshelves. You can even have your kids help you, and reward them with a little treat when you drop them off at your local Starbuck’s!

To find your nearest free-standing Starbuck’s location, click HERE.

Filed under: Doing Good in the OC, Helpful Tips
by real oc mom
2 Comments »

19
Apr
2011

Real Tip Tuesday – Clear shoeboxes

I recently picked up a box of clear women’s shoeboxes from one of my favorite stores, The Container Store. And boy was I in luck, because they’re on sale right now! I’ve been using them all over the house – in the playroom for small toys, card games and “collections”, in the office for extra office supplies, computer cables (like the chargers we don’t keep plugged in all the time), and stationery, in the craft area for crayons, scissors, glue, paint and scrapbooking supplies, and in the garage for small tools and emergency supplies. Oh, and I’ve also used them to help organize shoes in my closet. I bought the case of 20 boxes, not sure what exactly I was going to do with them all, and the case was empty before I knew it!

Normally, you can buy 20 boxes for $35.80, but they’re on sale right now for $29.80, which is only $1.49 per box. Such a deal!

They’re not huge boxes, so make sure you check the size before you buy. If you’re looking to store larger items or super tall stilettos, you may need the men’s shoe boxes. They are more expensive, but also on sale right now.

You can see the boxes HERE. You can also order online and pay ahead of time, and then just go pick them up at the store. How convenient is that?!?

I think I’m going to go buy another case. My head is swimming with ideas for them – fill one with sunscreen and goggles for pool or beach days, organize snacks in the pantry, put one in the car with activities to entertain the kiddo, tackle the cupboard underneath my bathroom sink…..I’m feeling inspired!

Who knows, they just might inspire you too!

Filed under: Helpful Tips, Organization
by real oc mom
1 Comment »

05
Apr
2011

Monday Meal Planning – April 4th

Okay, how is it April already?!? My daughter’s first grade year is almost over, and I feel like it just started. It’s crazy how fast time is flying by! I guess that’s good – it means I’m busy. But that also means I don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I’ve got house projects underway, and I’m feeling the pull to spend more time with the kiddo. So, I need a week of super easy-peasy meals.

Monday – meatless as usual. I’ve got potatoes, so stuffed baked potatoes are in order. I’ll heat up a can of rinsed, drained organic black beans, steam some broccoli or cauliflower, and put out additional toppings for the family to get creative. To bake the potatoes, preheat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with foil. Scrub the potatoes vigorously and cut slits in top. Coat top with butter or olive oil, salt and pepper, and bake for 40-50 minutes, until done. Once they are all baked, cut them open and put some butter inside to make them nice and moist. Add the beans and veggies, then hand them over to the family so they top with a choice of shredded cheese (cheddar and parmesan), diced tomatoes, sliced olives, chives, salsa, or sour cream. Sliced fresh fruit on the side, and dinner is done. Super easy.

Tuesday – we haven’t enjoyed beef in awhile, so I think I’ll try some out tonight. I’ve got a steak salsa verde from Dream Dinners in my freezer, so I’m going to use that. If you don’t have a Dream Dinner on hand, here’s a similar recipe from Martha Stewart (don’t worry – it looks really easy!). I’d suggest making the salsa verde ahead of time and, if you’re going to use her super-easy green bean side dish, let your kids wash and snap the green beans to help out. And consider making a couple extra servings so you can use the steak for tomorrow night’s dinner.

Wednesday – I’ll use the leftover steak to make rice bowls. Steam up some brown rice (make sure to throw in a teabag of green tea while it’s boiling for that extra boost of antioxidants!), heat up any leftover black beans (or open a new can if needed), and slice the leftover steak into thin strips. Fill bowls with rice, beans, and steak, and then add those toppings left from Monday night!

Thursday – I found something really exciting last week at Costco – they now sell organic ground turkey! We eat quite a bit of ground turkey in the Real OC House (as you may have noticed), so I was thrilled to find an organic brand at my favorite store. I’m so excited about it, I’m going to use it to make up some feta turkey burgers, from AllRecipes.com. I’ve made these before, and my family loves them! I use regular black olives instead of kalamata, and if your kids are on the pickier side, you may want to set aside a batch of meat without the feta and olives mixed in. You can serve them traditionally, on a bun (I recommend whole wheat), or in a pita. I’ll make up some tzatziki sauce for the burgers (good recipe here, but note this makes 12 servings, so you may need to change the number of servings to suit your needs), along with some sliced cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and any other raw veggies I have on hand for dipping.

Friday – Ahhhhh…..Friday at last! We’re going to have salmon tonight. Super easy, yummy salmon. Have you tried the frozen marinated salmon from Costco yet? It’s wild Alaskan salmon (not farm raised – hooray!), marinated in a light teriyaki-ish sauce. It bakes up in the oven straight from the freezer and you don’t need any cooking skills for this one. LOVE it! It’s made by Morey’s and comes in a black and red box with six vacuum-sealed fillets per box. I’ll serve it with a side of rice or baked potato, and a side of steamed veggies or a green salad, depending on what I have left over.

How about you? What’s your family eating this week?

Filed under: Helpful Tips, Meal Plans
by real oc mom
1 Comment »

03
Apr
2011

Real Tip Tuesday – Easy Healthy Salad Dressing for Kids

Real OC Daughter likes one salad dressing and one only – Hidden Valley Ranch. And I’ve given it to her for quite a few years now, because it meant she’d eat salad, broccoli, carrots, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and all sorts of raw veggies. I tried to avoid reading the list of ingredients because, well, it’s kinda icky. I mixed it with an equal part of plain yogurt to cut some of the dressing out and make it a bit healthier (thanks “Sneaky Chef”!). But finally, I decided enough was enough. No more ranch!

Okay, truth be told, she was kind of sick of it. But I didn’t want her to give up eating salads and raw veggies, so I had to find another solution.

I tried a mix of 2 parts olive oil to 1 part rice vinegar. She LOVED it! I mean, really, really loved it! I think her exact words were “Mom, that salad dressing is as good as eating dessert!”. Okay, I know my kid can be a little strange when it comes to eating, so yours may not be quite as enthusiastic. But, in truth, rice vinegar is a very mild, slightly sweet vinegar without the usual “tang” that other vinegars have. So your kids might just like it, too!

Oh, and by the way, it also makes a great healthy dressing for adults! It’s delicious on coleslaw, instead of the traditional mayonnaise-based dressing, or drizzled over sliced cucumbers with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Filed under: Helpful Tips, Recipes
by real oc mom
3 Comments »

28
Mar
2011

Monday Meal Planning – March 28th

Well, another week flew right by! I did pretty well on my meal plan for last week. I had one minor change – I stayed at Real OC Daughter’s gym Monday night to watch her class, which meant we didn’t get home until 8 pm. And I certainly wasn’t going to whip up the pasta at that point! So, we scrounged together some leftovers from the weekend, added a side of sauteed broccoli, and pushed the past dish until Wednesday night. Which meant I didn’t make the grilled chicken Wednesday night – less cooking for me!

My farm box last week had carrots, snap peas, romaine, cabbage, broccoli and oranges. I used the broccoli Monday night – sauteed it in olive oil and garlic for about 2 minutes, then added a small amount of water to the bottom of the pan and put the lid on to steam. Tuesday we enjoyed a modified coleslaw – chopped cabbage, carrot curls (made with veggie peeler), and snap peas dressed with olive oil and rice vinegar. Wednesday we had a nice romaine salad with diced tomatoes, olives and a balsamic vinegairette, and Thursday I sauteed some onion and garlic in olive oil, added diced carrots and the remaining snap peas and cooked over low for about 5 minutes. Friday night we used the rest of the lettuce and the tomatoes I had purchased for another salad. We ate the oranges for snacks and with lunch.

So, here’s my plan for this week:

Monday – still trying to keep it meatless on Mondays, so I’ll go for huevos rancheros. Throw some whole wheat tortillas into the oven to crisp them up, top with some super easy pinto beans from the freezer (canned beans work, too), jarred salsa, and a fried egg. Then add some shredded cheese, avocado, and tomato – yum!

Tuesday – Grilled chicken and roasted veggies (whatever I’ve got), along with a batch of my mom’s Spanish rice that I didn’t get to make last week.

Wednesday – I’ll keep it easy for myself and cook up some ground turkey for turkey tacos. Since I already have some tortillas, cheese, avocado and salsa on hand, this will be a snap! A crisp green salad might be nice on the side, depending on what veggies I have on hand.

Thursday – My housecleaner will have come today, so I don’t want to do anything that will totally destroy the nice, clean kitchen (I want to give it at least 8 hours!). Trader Joe’s chicken gyoza cooked up in my veggie steamer will be perfect! (If you don’t have a veggie steamer, you can cook them on the stove, but they do splatter a bit, so be prepared). I’ll also steam up some veggies along with the gyoza. And for dipping sauce, I’ll mix a batch of 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar and 1 tsp sesame oil together.

Friday – Leftovers! We’ll probably have rice bowls, with the Spanish rice, chicken or ground turkey, and any leftover veggies, topped with cheese and salsa.

Filed under: Helpful Tips, Meal Plans, Recipes
by real oc mom
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28
Mar
2011

Real Tip Tuesday – Get Your Kids in the Kitchen

Are your kids helping you in the kitchen? They should be! Meal preparation is a great way to get kids interested in what’s for dinner, have them help prepare it and encourage them to actually eat it!

Before my daughter even turned 2, she was helping out in the kitchen. We would slide a chair up to the counter for her to stand on, and she would tear up the lettuce for salads and put in all the veggies I chopped up for the salad. And funny thing…she loves salad! She likes ranch dressing only right now, but we’re working on expanding that.

Now that she’s older, there are a lot more things she is able to do in the kitchen. I let her chop some of the softer foods, with supervision, clean and scrub fruits and veggies, mix ingredients, stir the pots on the stove, and measure and add ingredients together using a recipe. She loves being involved in what the family will be eating for dinner, and she gets so excited to try out something when she has helped make it.

Yes, it can take a little longer and make things a little messier when you let your kids into the kitchen. But just think about all the amazing skills you are giving them! They are gaining reading and math skills, learning cooperation, boosting self confidence and getting kitchen experience (an important life skill), plus learning to enjoy healthy, fresh foods. I also love the way it encourages conversation – when my daughter and I are working together in the kitchen, we can talk with ease.

So that’s my tip for today – let your kids into the kitchen and you just might be surprised at what they can do, and what they will eat! Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post on a great place for kids to learn some kitchen techniques, including an exciting giveaway!

Filed under: Helpful Tips
by real oc mom
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21
Mar
2011

Monday Meal Planning

A good friend and loyal reader was recently lamenting that she just can’t seem to get herself organized enough to plan her family’s meals for the week. She’d like to be more organized with her shopping and cooking, but her family is pretty particular about what she cooks, and she’s lost her motivation. The funny thing was, she seemed to think I “have it together” when it comes to meal planning, and asked if I’d consider posting my weekly meal plan. In truth, sometimes I do have it together, but most of the time, I really don’t. There are plenty of nights we have bacon and eggs, leftover whatever I can throw together, or sandwiches for dinner. I try, but like moms everywhere, sometimes unexpected events come up, I don’t have time to get to the store, or I’m just plain wiped out. And even if I started the week with a plan, (usually it just floats around in my head along with all the other stuff), well, the plan gets changed. Hmmm…kind of like parenting in general, right?

That being said, I’m going to try out posting my meal plans for a few weeks, and see how it goes. I’ll throw them out to you, along with corresponding recipes, and if my plans change, I’ll let you know what I did instead. But will you give me feedback, too? Let me know if you try the meal plan, or even a single meal, how it went over with your family, whether you’d make it again, etc. I love comments, because, well, they keep me motivated and satisfy my writer’s ego.

One thing to note – right now, we pick up a CSA farm box from our local farm on Mondays after school, and I never know what’s going to be in that box. Usually, it’s veggies that I use as my side dishes and fruit that we eat for snacks and dessert. But sometimes, if there are a ton of vegetables in there, I might decide to make up a big pot of soup or batch of stir fry. That’s one of those “unexpected” things that would make me change my weekly plan.

So here goes….my meal plan for the week ahead.

Monday:

Baked penne pasta with tofu, side of veggies

This meatless recipe is one of my favorites from a terrific cookbook, The Sneaky Chef. We always try to eat vegetarian on Mondays because it’s healthy for our bodies AND our budget. I will serve up a side of veggies, but it will depend on what comes home in our CSA farm box that we pick up from school Monday afternoon (hopefully something green). The leftover pasta will be great in Real OC Daughter’s thermos throughout the week for lunch, and as quick lunch for me. The recipe is available HERE (and the amazing cookbook is available in my Amazon store HERE). Oh, and helpful hint…if you’re short on time, instead of making her “orange puree” recipe, just buy small jars of organic sweet potato and carrot baby foods to use instead.

Tuesday:

Turkey meatloaf, mashed potatoes and veggies

I buy ground turkey in bulk at Costco and keep it in the freezer. It comes in handy for all sorts of recipes, one of which is my turkey meatloaf (see recipe below). I also have some potatoes leftover from St. Patrick’s Day dinner last week just begging to be mashed up with some butter and salt. Again, I’ll throw in something green from our farm basket, either steamed broccoli, or a crisp green salad, depending on what’s available.

Wednesday:

Grilled chicken, Mom’s Spanish Rice, and side of veggies

I also buy organic chicken breast at Costco and keep it in my freezer. Tuesday night, I’ll take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge to defrost. Then Wednesday morning, I’ll toss it in a container with some Bernstein’s Italian dressing (also from Costco) as marinade. By Wednesday night, it will be ready to toss on the grill (thanks, Real OC Dad!). I will whip up a batch of my Mom’s awesome Spanish rice (get recipe HERE) and steam or roast a side of veggies to go along with it.

Thursday and Friday:

Leftovers

By Thursday, I’m getting tired out, and I won’t really feel like being in the kitchen for too long. So, leftovers it is! We’ll enjoy the meatloaf and some veggies Thursday night. The grilled chicken and Spanish rice will be dinner Friday night, either in their original form, or, depending on what veggies I still have, thrown into a large stockpot with some chicken broth and cooked up as soup. You can see my tips for making great soups at home HERE.

Good luck and healthy eating to you and your family!

Oh, and as promised, here’s my quick, easy recipe for making turkey meatloaf. Feel free to add in additional finely chopped veggies – spinach, carrots, or celery all work great in this recipe – if you have them on hand.

Real OC Mom’s Turkey Meatloaf:

1 medium brown or sweet onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic

1 egg

1 cup bread crumbs

1/2 small can tomato paste

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 – 1.25 lb. package lean (not extra lean) ground turkey

ketchup

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease a loaf pan.

Combine first 7 ingredients in medium-sized mixing bowl. Mix well. Add ground turkey and mix lightly with fork. Do not overmix or turkey will get tough.

Place mixture in loaf pan and form into loaf shape.

Bake in oven, tented with foil for approximately 40 minutes. Remove foil and drizzle ketchup over top of loaf. Bake 10 minutes more. Cut into center and ensure meat is thoroughly cooked. Meatloaf will be slightly red due to tomato paste, so check texture of meat for doneness.

Slice and enjoy!

Filed under: Helpful Tips, Meal Plans, Recipes
by real oc mom
5 Comments »

20
Mar
2011

Real Tip Tuesday – Hazardous Waste Disposal in Orange County

Spring is just around the corner, which means it might be time for a little spring cleaning!

This time of year is a great time to get rid of things you just aren’t using. But sometimes, it’s hard to know what to do with certain items. Clothes, toys and housewares are easy – those can be donated to a number of organizations. But some things can’t be donated or put in the trash. Where do you send that experimental gallon of paint you never got around to using, the bug spray that didn’t really get rid of any bugs, or the old PC that doesn’t work anymore? Most trash services offer an annual hazardous waste pickup, but that never seems to correspond to my cleaning moods. And there are places that offer disposal containers for specific items, like Whole Foods Market, which has a battery disposal container, but I often have other things to get rid of, too.

Fortunately, there are 4 hazardous waste disposal sites located all around Orange County – Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Irvine and San Juan Capistrano. We have personally used the one in Irvine numerous times over the years. It’s easy and convenient – just load the items into the back of your car into your trunk (no more than 15 gallons or 125 pounds per trip, please), drive into the center anytime Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am until 3 pm, and stay in your car while the workers unload the hazardous waste for proper disposal.

So now, just in time for your spring cleaning, go ahead and tackle that garage, junk closet, or cleaning supply bin. You do have a place to take that icky stuff that isn’t supposed to go in the trash.

For locations and more details, click HERE. Happy cleaning!