Hair. Flowers. All of this. Paula O’Hara
Plates from West Elm
Pumpkin Walnut Hand Pies
Hudson Valley Table Setting from Ruffled
Gorgeous family shoot from Sassyfrass Studios
For those of us waking to cool mornings and brisk nights, let’s gather together and celebrate the changing seasons. Lucy and I are reading beneath blankets, and I’m sipping on a cup of tea. How are you enjoying fall today?
So I was the child toting around an inhaler on the playground, wheezing after tag and developing headaches from the shampoo my school used to clean their carpet. At an early age, my pediatrician announced, “Chemically Sensitive” and since that prognosis, my entire family has been wary of what comes into our environment and our home.
So when Seventh Generation and the Motherhood invited me to learn more about what we can do to protect our homes and our children, I jumped on board. I’ve become even more concerned about environmental toxins since getting pregnant last fall. And we’ve been very choosy when it comes to the types of products we use on Lucy.
As many of you know, Ryan and I cloth diaper Lucy 90% of the time. When we don’t cloth diaper, we use disposables made by Seventh Generation. Yes, they’re more expensive, but the cost is SO WORTH IT to me. Last week, I was able to join several other bloggers to talk about chemical exposure and ways we can keep our families healthy and safe. These are some of the startling facts I learned:
-There are over 80,000 chemicals registered for use in the United States and comprehensive pre-market safety testing is not required under any federal law.
-In the European Union, over 1300 chemicals have been banned for use in personal care products….in the United States only 11 chemicals have been restricted.
-Scientific evidence continues to point to daily chemical exposure as causing or contributing to the rise in childhood beheavioral disorders and diseases.
-Chemical exposure begins in the womb! In a recent study, more than 230 chemicals were found in the umbilical cord blood of ten newborns.
-Studies have found flame retardants, bisphenol-A and other chemicals in breasmilk.BREASTMILK!
And I could keep on going…seriously scary stuff. But the folks at Seventh Generation believe Knowledge is Power. We need to protect our kids from unnecessary chemical exposures (just like we protect them from a host of other dangers in this world).
Here are a few easy steps that I learned about:
1. Take shoes off at the door. We don’t just track dirt in on our shoes….we’re also tracking in toxins like lead, pesticides, gasoline residue and more.
2. Buy safer body care! Children are exposed to an average of 27 care products on a daily basis that haven’t been found safe for developing bodies.
3. Open a window. Even a few minutes a day can improve air quality.
4. Eat more whole foods. (You know I’m a big proponent of this one!)
5. Ban canned foods. BPA is in the plastic resin that lines most canned goods–from soups to sodas. Avoid canned food for lower exposure.
And there’s more…the folks at Seventh Generation are encouraging us to host our own Healthy Baby Home Party. You can do this in person (or you can hold a virtual party…much like what I’m doing right here!) We need to share this information with each other and empower our communities to say NO to the lax regulations on chemicals in the US. I’m urging my senators to strengthen and pass the Chemical Safety Improvement Act (CSIA) and you can too.
I’m also buying Seventh Generation wipes and cleaners. We cloth diaper, but when we do buy a bag (for travel) I always make sure to buy a brand that is free of chlorine (and many other chemicals that just aren’t good for our little ones!)
If you’re interested in hosting a Healthy Baby Home Party…please follow this link. I received a host of products and information that I’ll be sharing with friends and family in just a few weeks!
As a blogger, I receive A LOT of requests to share products or agendas with my readers. As many of you know, my site is free of advertisements and I don’t accept these outside requests often. But I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS IMPORTANT. For those of you with children and for those of you without them. We all need to join together to make our communities and our world a safer place for the generations to come.
If you’d like to learn more, please join me on November 14 at 1 p.m. ET for a Seventh Generation twitter party to talk about all-natural baby product options. And if you join the party, you’ll have the opportunity to win a MONTH’S SUPPLY OF DIAPERS AND WIPES. (Five winners will be picked! You just need to join the party and answer the fun trivia questions correctly)
Invite: http://twtvite.com/healthybabyhome
Hosts: @theMotherhood, @TheMotherhood25, @CooperMunroe, @EmilyMcKhann
Hashtag: #HealthyBabyHome
And I’ll be there too. I hope you’ll join!
This post was sponsored by Seventh Generation and the Motherhood. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November and December are upon us. My favorite months of the year. Yes, I am a winter baby, born just nine days shy of Christmas, but I love the end of the year for many other reasons. Gift-giving. Apple Cider. Over-sized sweaters. Carols sung by children on brisk early nights.
The opening of homes to friends and family. An elegantly set table with plates brimming: roasted vegetables, well-seasoned meats, and tender rolls.
While pies and cookies often take center stage during November and December, I often find myself looking for a dessert that is both new and familiar. A twist on a classic winter flavor that leaves a permanent mark in your guests’ memories.
This Apple Cardamom Cheesecake is just that: an elegant twist. The classic fall gem, the apple, is caramelized with a sprinkling of cardamom and then layered between graham crackers and cheesecake. I promise you, everyone who tries it will be asking for the recipe (and will be sharing your dinner party with friends).
Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, and it’s long been used in Nordic kitchens to enhance baked goods. This holiday season, I’d encourage you to use spices outside of the typical cinnamon-ginger-nutmeg trilogy. It’s remarkably simple to elevate a dessert from ordinary to extraordinary, and the key can often be found in your spice cabinet.
McCormick Spices offers a lovely jar of Cardamom that can be found at any major grocery store. So the next time you have dinner guests coming, pick up a few pounds of apples, two blocks of cream cheese, and a glass jar of cardamom. You won’t regret it (we had a hard time saving this cake for our friends!)
Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Collection Cardamom, Ground
Glazed Apples:
4 medium apples (2 pound) peeled and cored
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet Collection Cardamom, Ground
Filling:
2 packaged (8 ounces) each cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
4 eggs
Preheat oven to 325°F. For the Crust, mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Press firmly onto bottom and 1 inch up side of 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
For the Glazed Apples, cut apples into thin slices (about 1/4-inch thick). Add remaining ingredients to apples in large skillet. Cook on medium heat 5 to 10 minutes or until apples begin to caramelize, turning frequently. Arrange apples on bottom of crust.
For the Filling, beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, vanilla and lemon peel. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Spoon evenly over apples.
Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until center is almost set. Turn oven off and allow cheesecake to cool in oven 1 hour with door slightly ajar. Run small knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on wire rack.
Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.
Simple shots of our life this past week. Tune back next Friday for a similar post. I’d also love to have you follow me on Instagram (@cakestand) if you’re interested in more photos of food and baby. (Because I certainly can’t get enough of her)
Wearing her Texas onesie. (Courtesy of her Auntie Mal)
Have I told you that these two are THE BEST OF FRIENDS?
We’re taking bets on when she’ll start crawling.
My beautiful sister with my lovely girl.
Baby and moose.
The best feeling in the world.
SPONSORED POST
I’ll be the first to admit it: I’m a coffee snob. Laura watches Lucy on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and I steal away to a coffee shop about a half-mile from my house. Now, I don’t do Starbucks anymore (that wise decision happened well over two years ago) but lately even local coffee shops have been letting me down. Once you’ve had good coffee (roasted within a week or two) and espresso (expertly poured) you can’t go back. Especially, when a bad latte costs as much as a good one.
So I’m typing while watching this barista in front of me steam milk. She seems like a sweet girl, and I know she doesn’t mean to be sloppy, but I want to snatch her up and place her behind a barista who knows what she’s doing. I don’t like this coffee shop, in fact, I’m growing to hate it, but it’s close to home (and my daughter) which means I’m here at least twice a week. However, in a few hours, I’ll go to my favorite coffee shop (with Lucy in tow) and I’ll enjoy a good cappuccino. For three dollars, I’ll taste the rich intensity of espresso with each sip. The milk will NOT be frothed into shampoo-like bubbles. Instead, it’s smoothness will compliment the espresso. Not overpower it. And I’ll smile (inside and out). Yes, I’m thinking about coffee way too much.
So enough with this coffee shop rant. But when you spend so much time in the food world, your standards improve. Coffee is but one example. I’ve also become particular about meat. Ryan and I are conscious of the processes and additives that go into much of our country’s meat, and because of the often despicably low standards, we make do with less. Because quality is much better than quantity (at least in my opinion).
So when Parma Ham contacted me about featuring their prosciutto, I was happy to create a recipe. Because Parma Ham is free of additives and preservatives. Four ingredients go into their meat: Italian pigs, salt, air and time. And I promise you can taste the difference. Yes, you can buy a cheap ham at the grocery store this holiday season (just like you can buy another awful cup of coffee), but if you’re like me, you know that it’s worth it to find that which has been crafted with care.
These Parma Egg Cups would be perfect for a holiday brunch. Easy and elegant, they’ll leave you feeling relaxed and your guests feeling impressed.
One package pre-sliced Parma Ham
4 eggs
1/2 TBSP olive oil
4 oz sliced mushrooms (1/2 standard package)
1/3 cup goat cheese
2 TBSP chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter four, 6-ounce ramekins. Line each ramekin with slices of Parma Ham. (I used about two slices for each). The parma ham may hang slightly over the sides of the ramekin.
Saute mushrooms in olive oil over medium high heat until soft. Gently spoon mushrooms into ham-lined ramekins. Carefully crack an egg into each ramekin, being sure to not break the yolk. (You may want to crack the egg into another bowl and then pour the egg into the ramekin…this ensures your yolks stay intact!). Sprinkle egg with goat cheese and chopped walnuts. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until egg whites are set. If you like your eggs runnier, remove 1-2 minutes earlier. Serve warm.