How To: Homemade Baby Formula

The science is out.  Nothing comes close to true breast milk, because there is an innate connection between baby and mother.  When baby latches onto mom's breast, baby's saliva tells mom's body what baby needs (more water, protein, fat, nutrients, etc).  Our bodies were amazingly designed!

BUT, that doesn't mean everyone is blessed with an easy time breastfeeding or the ability.  I do recommend trying everything you can to keep your natural milk supply going first before jumping into supplementing milk for your baby.  Explore all avenues before settling on formula.  You can try many things...supplements like fenugreek and nettle, extended naked chest time and "kangaroo care" with your baby, extra pumping time to increase your flow are a few common methods.  (Email me if you would like other methods, or contact your local Le Leche League.)  But sometimes no matter how hard you try you cannot keep your milk supply going, or the nursing experience does not go well for mom or baby (extreme pain, inverted nipples with a struggle to keep baby latched).  Or perhaps you are adopting a child and do not have access to donor breast milk.  After you have weighed out all your options, these are the cases where proceeding with a homemade whole food breast milk formula is a good decision.

Today I would like to share my whole food formula recipe that when used as supplement will be closer to a woman's breast milk than one with synthetic vitamins and nutrients found at the store. I will write next week about why I recommend making your formula at home using whole food ingredients versus buying a store bought formula.  There are many many many reasons why making your own is important for the better health of your baby.  For time's sake, I will save that conversation for another day. (I will come back to link it when I post it!)

This is my recipe for homemade whole food infant formula.  It is based off of Sally Fallon's recipe in her book Nourishing Traditions.  (Every home should have this book on the shelf!  It's a go-to wellness resource!  Thank you Allison for the best wedding present ever!)  I have edited Sally Fallon's recipe to make it allergen-free as most of my clients and their children have an array of milk/nut/grain allergies.  I have listed alternative options in parentheses.

Homemade Whole Food Infant Formula
Based on Sally Fallon's original recipe found in Nourishing Traditions
Makes about 36 ounces

LIQUID
2 cups of rice milk (make your own via this link) (you can also use raw cow's milk or raw goat's milk)
2 cups pure water (reverse osmosis + remineralized is best)
2 Tbsp full fat coconut milk (or organic 100% grass fed heavy cream)
2 Tbsp organic unrefined coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp fermented cod liver oil
1 tsp  extra virgin olive oil

DRY
1 Tbsp organic pea protein (or 1/4 cup organic 100% grass fed whey protein)
2 tsp gelatin from 100% grass fed cows
1/4 tsp Acerola powder
break open 3 capsules of colostrum

2 tsp nutritional yeast

break open 1 capsule of Kirkman Labs allergen-free Bifido probiotics 

Add the rice milk to the blender with all of the dry ingredients.  Blend on Low-Medium until blended smooth.  Add remaining liquid ingredients to the blender and blend on Low-Medium until smooth.  Pour into bottles and store in fridge with airtight caps up to 5 days.  Warm each bottle in a container of warm water on the counter before feeding, and shake well.

You may notice the cold formula will be chunky from the fridge -- that's just the coconut oil and other oils solidifying from the cold.  It will thin out once it is warmed.  Do not heat the formula on the stove top.

Disclaimer: Before using any infant or toddler formula with your child, please consult with your pediatrician or main family practitioner. No parents should use this information without first seeking advice from their pediatrician or primary care physician before starting a nutritional program with their children.

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Last night, I snapped this picture with our iPad and shared it on the Facebook page:

... And told you it was a Pumpkin Pie Smoothie.  You wanted to know how to make it.  I didn't realize I have never shared my recipe here with you before.  So here it is!  And who said you could only enjoy pumpkin in the Fall?  :)

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1 15oz can organic pumpkin puree
2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
20-30 drops pure liquid stevia, to taste
8 ice cubes
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
2 handfuls organic certified gluten-free rolled oats (optional)
coconut milk (optional)

Add all ingredients to blender and puree until smooth.  I recommend adding the protein powder last, after all other ingredients are blended smooth, to prevent foaming.  If you like your smoothie thick, replace half of the almond milk with coconut milk.

Reworked: The Green Green Smoothie

If you're here as part of the Green Green Smoothie craze....welcome!  Pinterest has opened a whole new portal to sharing my recipes with newcomers, and really for this one I think I need to be thanking a handful of you for originally sharing the Green Green Smoothie recipe on your boards!  (Thank you!!)  I'm used to seeing a few thousand hits on a daily basis here on my site as a whole.  But, the Green Green Smoothie has been blown out of the water with a thousand hits of its own every single day for the past month or so!  Hope y'all are loving the flavor of the smoothie (I think it's superb), and you can't beat its immune boosting power!

I wanted to share my reworked version of the recipe.  This is my Advanced Plan version, and I like it even better than the original.  And Dr. Dave is hooked (always a good sign)!  Tap in and enjoy!

Green Green Smoothie II
Makes 2 Servings

1 1/4 cups cold filtered water
2 handfuls organic spinach
1 organic cucumber, chopped
3 stalks organic celery, chopped
2 organic Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
Small handful fresh cilantro
Small handful fresh parsley
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cayenne powder (optional)
20-30 drops pure stevia liquid (optional)
2 Tbsp flax seed oil (optional)
2 tsp probiotic powder (optional)
2 scoops plain or vanilla protein powder (optional) (I use Natural flavor Vega O.N.E)

Add spinach, cucumber, celery, apple, cilantro and parsley to blender.  Pour water over top.  Starting the blender on Low speed, blend until smooth, gradually moving to High speed (that's the trick for getting a smooth blend).  Add lime juice, cayenne, stevia, flax oil, probiotic powder, and protein powder.  Combine briefly on Low until all the protein powder is just dissolved.  Serve immediately.

For a thicker smoothie, freeze the veggies and green apple first.  Also, check out my Top 10 Smoothie Making Tips.

Now get pinning this version!  It needs to catch up to it's brother!  You can find my Pinterest Boards here.  If you're a fellow pinner, check out the Healing Cuisine Board and Natural Health Board to stay plugged in,  And follow me, so I can follow you!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding

I've been enjoying chia seed pudding for a while now.  I had been using chia seeds sparingly in dessert recipes only prior to that.  I was a little skeptical over using them as a main ingredient in a dish.  If you haven't used them before, when you soak chia seeds in water they soften, plump up (similar to flax seeds) and turn into a gel.  They make a great egg substitute or thickener in many whole food recipes.  Finally, one day I decided to go all in and make the chia seed pudding many of my blogging friends were making.  It's simple!  Soak 2/3 cup of chia seeds in 2 cups of unsweetened almond milk.  Stir every 5 minutes for about 30 minutes and you've got chia seed pudding.  It's about the texture of tapioca, and growing up that was my kind of pudding.  I was ecstatic after my first bite of chia seed pudding!  I like to flavor with a little stevia and vanilla extract.  Yum!  You can also stir in a bit of cocoa powder to make it chocolate chia seed pudding.

Okay, so now that you know my basic chia pudding recipe, let me fast forward a couple years later to my favorite chia pudding of today.  I've been eating this quite often lately, a few days a week, ever since Trader Joe's started carrying organic raw Valencia peanut butter again.  I call this Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding.  If you have picky husbands or children, just leave the word "chia" out of the name and they won't ever have to know it's a healthy dessert!


Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding
Makes 2 Servings

3 Tbsp organic non-GMO black chia seeds (I like Nutiva brand)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1-2 Tbsp organic raw Valencia peanut butter (to taste)
1-2 Tbsp pure cocoa powder (to taste)
Stevia (to taste)
1/2 scoop protein powder (optional)

1.)  In a clean spice grinder, grind the chia seeds into a powder.  (This step is optional.  I alternate the way I prepare the chia seeds.  Sometimes I grind them first, sometimes I leave them whole and wait a little longer for them to gel up. Both ways are delicious!  Grinding allows them to gel up within minutes, so you can eat the pudding right away after blending.)

2.)  Add almond milk and chia seed powder into blender.  Blend on High for about 15 seconds, until smooth.

3.)  Add all other ingredients to blender.  Blend until smooth.  (Add more almond milk if too thick.)  Transfer to serving dishes and enjoy.  Will last in fridge for 3-4 days.

Green Green Smoothie

Smoothies are always fun to create. It's especially fun to make green smoothies, hiding the sometimes bitter and pure vegetable flavors in a refreshing glass of energy. Feel free to twist around my Green Green Smoothie below. I throw in usually whatever we have on hand. Kale instead of spinach, a frozen cucumber or fresh grapefruit instead of banana. Play around with ingredients and see what new creations you can come up with in your blender!

Green Green Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1 1/2 cups organic unsweetened almond milk
1 head organic Romaine lettuce, chopped
2 handfuls organic spinach
3 stalks organic celery, chopped
1 organic Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped, frozen
1 organic pear, cored and chopped, frozen (Core Plan only)
Small handful fresh cilantro
Small handful fresh parsley
1 organic banana, frozen (Core Plan only)
3 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 scoops plain or vanilla protein powder

Add almond milk, romaine lettuce and spinach to blender. Starting the blender on Low speed, blend until smooth.  Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the celery, apple, pear, cilantro and parsley. Finally, add the banana and lemon juice. Finish with 2 scoops of your favorite protein powder. Serve immediately.

Raz-Apple Smoothie

A tasty tart and tangy smoothie!

Raz-Apple Smoothie
Makes 1 Serving

1/3 cup organic unsweetened coconut water or almond milk
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, chopped, frozen
1/3 cup organic raspberries, frozen
1/4 cup full-fat organic Greek yogurt or coconut milk
8 drops pure liquid stevia
1 scoop plain or vanilla protein powder
Ice (optional)

Blend together the frozen apple and raspberries with coconut water until smooth.  Add in remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Gluten Free Blueberry Loaf

Enjoy this delicious blueberry bread.  Simple to stir together and pop in the oven.  Makes for a filling breakfast smothered in soft butter with a cup of tea!

Gluten Free Blueberry Bread
Makes 1 Loaf

1 cup fresh ground flax meal
1 cup almond flour, sifted
1/2 cup shredded coconut flakes, unsweetened
1 scoop unflavored whey or pea protein
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
6 tsp Stevita Spoonable stevia powder
1/2 cup xylitol
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup raw walnuts, chopped (optional)

5 free range eggs
1/3 cup filtered water
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tbsp organic unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen thawed

1.)  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a medium loaf pan with coconut oil and line with unbleached parchment paper.  In a large bowl, stir together flax meal, almond flour, coconut flakes, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, spoonable stevia, xylitol, sea salt and walnuts.

2.)  In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs with the water.  Add the vanilla, melted butter, and melted coconut oil.  Whisk until smooth.  Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry while stirring until combined.  Fold in the blueberries.

3.)  Pour the batter into the pan evenly.  Bake for 60-70 minutes.  The crust should be quite brown and firm to the touch when done.  Insert a knife in the center and when it comes out clean it is ready.  Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.  Run a knife around the edges to loosen the loaf and turn over on a cutting board.  Let cool on a wire rack before cutting and serving.

Sweet-n-Spicy Ginger Smoothie

Happy Father's Day to all dads and dads-to-be today!  What are you making for the special man in your life?  If you're not yet sure, I encourage you to try out my newest salad creation: Grilled Hamburger Salad!  It's quick and easy to make, and helps dad stay on his Maximized Living Nutrition Plan while still enjoying all the flavors of his favorite burger.

Stay tuned for Picnic Week starting tomorrow!  I've mastered 8 new picnic-friendly recipes that are simple to make and easy to tote!  Excited to share them with you over the next eight days.

Today, I am sharing what we had for breakfast this morning.  My tummy was feeling a little uneasy (thanks somewhat to the little person living inside of me I'm sure), so I wanted a gingery smoothie to help ease it.  This smoothie turned out very tasty!

Sweet-n-Spicy Ginger Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings

1 1/2 cups full-fat organic Greek yogurt
1/2 cup full-fat organic coconut milk
1/4 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp fresh lemon zest
1 Tbsp fresh ginger root
12 drops pure liquid stevia
2 scoops unflavored or vanilla protein powder
1 cup ice
Pinch of cayenne (optional)

Blend ingredients in blender until smooth.  Serve immediately.

Come back tomorrow for the kick-off to Picnic Week!!

A Quick Fix: Blueberry Kale Protein Smoothie

Hi guys!  Dave and I just enjoyed this tasty smoothie after a morning workout.  Delicious!  If you've never yet tried kale blended in your smoothie, seriously give it a try!  You can't even taste it!

Enjoy! :)

Last Chance to Enter the Giveaway!!

Hi all,

Just a reminder to enter the Season's Eatings holiday e-book GIVEAWAY!  This is the last day you can enter.  Contest closes at 11:59pm CST tonight.  Be sure to check back here tomorrow at 9:00am CST to see the winner!  Good luck to all!

Here is a tasty smoothie recipe for these wintery days.  We enjoy for breakfast or an after dinner treat!  A great breakfast or snack to serve your holiday guests.

Apple Pie Smoothie
Makes 2 Servings (1 if you're really hungry :)

1 organic Granny Smith apple, cored and diced, frozen

1/2 of an organic cucumber, peeled and cut in chunks, frozen

Large handful of spinach or kale, frozen

1/2 of a large avocado

2 Tbsp raw pumpkin seeds, walnuts or pecans

1 Tbsp cinnamon (to taste)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp vanilla extract

10-15 drops pure liquid stevia

1 1/2 cups unsweetened organic vanilla almond milk

1 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder (Maximized Living Perfect Protein or Garden of Life Raw Meal are great options!)

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth, stopping to stir and scrape sides as needed.  Consume immediately.  Who ever said you can't enjoy apple pie for breakfast?  :)

Now, don't forget to enter the giveaway!  It's easy, and you might win a free copy of Season's Eatings!

Strawberry Lime Shake

Strawberry Lime Shake

1 cup organic unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup organic full fat coconut milk
1 cup frozen organic strawberries
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 scoop grass fed/organic protein powder
1 Tbsp coconut oil (optional)
1-2 tsp lime zest (optional)

Add all ingredients into blender and blend speed until smooth.

Spicy Sweet Kale Shake

Spicy Sweet Kale Shake
2 Servings

1/2 bunch kale, rinsed
1 frozen banana
1/4 c seedless red grapes (I like to freeze first)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
1 dash cayenne pepper (to taste)
1/2 c ice
1 scoop flavorless protein powder
1/2 c water
sprinkle of stevia (optional)

Blend all ingredients until smooth.

[TIP:  You can also use frozen kale -- when you bring it home from the store, wash the leaves, destem them then chop up.  Store in freezer in individual containers, just enough per container to throw into your smoothie.  I do this with kale, spinach, broccoli and cabbage for our smoothies.  Freezing the greens first helps you taste them less in the shake!]

Easy Go-To Snacks

Does that tummy grumble on a Tuesday when the clock hits 2:53p only send your mind off your work and dreaming of that vending machine on the next floor down?  Think again people!  Giving in even once a week for a candy bar or pastry loaded with chemicals, altered grains, food dyes, and refined sugars will set you back on your path to healing!  Having healthy snacks will help to keep your blood-sugar level and your appetite in check.  I recommend eating healthy, GOD snacks throughout the day to keep your metabolism balanced and to eliminate temptation for unhealthy treats.

To stay on track, have easy go-to snacks with you throughout your day to keep you on track and your hunger at bay.

-  Nuts and Seeds:  Raw is the key here, as roasting damages the sensitive healthy oil in the nuts.  Raw almonds, cashews, shelled sunflower and pumpkin seeds are protein-PACKED and very easy to store at your desk, in your purse or gym bag.  Try adding raw coconut flakes, carob or cacao chips, dried blueberries and strawberries to make a simple HEALING trail mix.  Skip the M&Ms, and Craisins as they've got a lot of sugar and probably a lot of chemical additives.  And avoid the peanuts, too, unless they're organic Valencia (the only peanuts without the naturally occurring toxic fungus called Aspergillus flavis which most people are allergic to).

-  Half an Avocado with Lime:  Have you tried this yet??  A great source of energy when you need it!  Fill up on good GOD fats!  Mash up half an avocado with a squeeze of fresh lime juice and sprinkle of sea salt.  You can do that in the morning and store in the office fridge til snack time.  The lime juice will keep the avocado from turning brown!

-  Hard Boiled Eggs:  Should be a staple in your office fridge, organic hard boiled eggs can nourish you thru a few hours until you can clock out.  Boil a dozen on Sunday and take a couple with you every day thru the week.  One egg holds 6g protein.  And eat that yolk!  Free-range eggs are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids!

-  1 cup Full Fat Greek Yogurt:  While raw yogurt is always the best, we often can't find it easily in our grocery isles.  Greek yogurt can be found at most grocery stores and is processed a little differently than the regular homogenized yogurt you find on the shelves.  It's thicker and richer than the regular stuff and seems almost like a dessert!  Greek yogurt has about 50% more protein than regular yogurt, too.  A cup of Greek yogurt is packed with 20 grams of protein.  As long as you're buying organic, get the full fat because it's the least processed.  Americans are deeply deprived of good Omega 3 fatty acids in our diet -- we get them from healthy fats found in meat, eggs, fish and dairy!  Opt for full-fat whenever possible -- the rule applies only for raw or organic sources of dairy.

-  Protein Shake:  Studies are showing Americans aren't eating enough protein for their height and weight, and thus are losing lean muscle mass.  This means our bodies eat away at our muscle when we don't eat enough which also causes our cells to age prematurely.  Make sure this doesn't happen to you!  Get yourself a good, grass-fed whey protein mix (we use The Organic Whey) and a Blender Bottle and keep them at your desk.  You can mix the shake up with just water, or keep a quart or two of organic almond milk in the fridge to add creaminess!  Throw in a scoop of greens (we use Dynamic Greens from Nutrition Dynamics) to add in your phytonutrients and antioxidants, and you've got a pretty well balanced snack ready to gulp down, very little sugar or carbs!!

-  These Fruits are A.O.K:  Granny Smith apples (perhaps with all natural Valencia peanut butter?), strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.  Enjoy these fruits throughout your day as long as they're organic!  If weight loss isn't your concern, feel free to enjoy some melon, orange, peach, grapes, pineapple, mango or cherries every so often (o r g a n i c).  Be careful with these and any other fruits as they are high in sugar (although it is natural sugar, better than the white stuff) and higher in carbs that will slow down fat burning.

-  PaleoBars or Nutiva Hempseed Bars:  PaleoBars are made to fit into the Paleo Diet, which has some similar principles to the Maximized Living Nutrition Plans.  They are great organic nutrition bars balanced in good fats, protein and carbs created to tide you over until your next meal.  Nutiva bars are USDA organic hempseed bars, rich in Omega 3s and protein.  SO GOOD!  Dave and I enjoy both of these bars a few times each week, especially on the days we slacked and didn't do the grocery shopping for fresh produce.  They are great to throw in our lunch bag or purse and go!  PaleoBars can be ordered from Designs for Health and Nutiva bars can be ordered from Nutiva.

-  Olives:  Are you an olive lover??  If you are, indulge!  We all know how good olive oil is for us.  Olives in general are a very healing fruit.  Olives are rich in iron, Vitamin E, fiber and copper, as well as rich in healthy omega-3s.  Olives will aid in decreasing inflammation, dissolving away free radicals from the body and help to prevent an array of diseases (heart disease, arthritis, colon cancer, etc).  When choosing olives for their health benefits, always opt for those that have been traditionally cured (as opposed to lye-processed).  Keep a container of them at the office whenever you have that salty, flavorful olive craving!

-  Hummus:  Check out my recipe for hummus.  Dave and I make almost a quart of hummus every week -- rich in protein, Omega 3s, and depending on what you put in it (garlic, red peppers, cayenne..), it can be a great immune system booster!  Enjoy celery, peppers, broccoli, or cucumber sliced up and dipped in hummus as your mid-afternoon snack!  Gluten-free rice crackers or whole-grain seeded crackers are other dipping options if your body can tolerate.

- Half Cup Unsweetened Apple Sauce with Pecans:  For me, when it's coming up to "that time of the month", my pallet switches and I'm craving sweeter and sweeter foods.  So this is my snack tip for those times you just need something sweet.  However you do need to plan ahead and make this one at home at least a day ahead of time.  I take 2 Granny Smith apples (diced) and a squeeze of lemon juice, perhaps a sprinkle of stevia if they are particularly sour apples, and add that all to a small pot with 1/3c water.  Put a lid on and simmer until apples are soft.  Mush up with a potato masher and put in my glass Pyrex container for the next morning.  I top this yummy, fresh applesauce with cinnamon and raw pecans to put those sweets cravings to a halt!  You can also do raw apple sauce by putting all the ingredients (less water) into your food processor and pureeing until smooth.  Voila!  Also great topped with a little Greek yogurt and unsweetened dried cranberries.

-  An Ounce or Two of Dark Chocolate:  Organic (does this sound like a recording yet?) is always best, and be sure to stick to 70%+ intensity chocolate, meaning little to no sugar has been added.  Chocolate at 70%+ is very rich in anti-oxidants.  Every so often, a little bit of the right chocolate is a good thing!

Berry Coconut Breakfast Smoothie

Berry Coconut Breakfast Smoothie

1/2 can organic coconut milk (whole fat, unsweetened)
2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded organic coconut
1/4 tsp stevia powder (or to taste)
1 tsp organic vanilla extract or almond extract
one scoop vanilla protein powder
6 frozen organic strawberries (or other organic berry)
2-3 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend.  Add more ice if needed to thicken up and blend until desired consistency is achieved.  This makes a beautiful creamy smoothie that is not too sweet.

Shamrock Shake (GUEST POST!)

This is a St. Patrick's Day inspired recipe from my friend Lyra at Back on Track Family Chiropractic in Wisconsin.  I caught the words "Shamrock Shake" as I skimmed through my News Feed on Facebook and my eyes halted on Lyra's status which had this recipe laid out, ready for me to try!  And no people, this is NOT the chemically created shake that you get from a drive thru window, oh no.  This is a health-creating, nutrient and God fat rich energy shake.  Thank you Lyra!!  It is so good!

Shamrock Shake
Makes 1 Serving
 
1 avocado
1 1/2 cups ice
1 cup organic spinach
a few drops food-grade peppermint oil
30-40 drops pure liquid stevia (to taste)
chocolate chips to choco it up (optional)
1 scoop protein powder (optional)

Add all ingredients to blender and mix until smooth.  I didn't have the chocolate chips on hand, but can't wait to try (it still tastes great without chocolate)!  The second time I enjoyed this smoothie this week, I added half of a frozen banana and it was very yummy with the mint.

I was looking for a simple St. Patty's day quote to end this post with and besides a plethora of paragraph sized quotations, I came across this which I will leave you with.  Happy St. Patrick's Day.

Why should you never iron a 4-leaf clover?  You don't want to press your luck.  :)