Why isn't there a YouTube video for coping with seeing yourself on camera too much?!

Oh the joy of editing your own videos.  You truly learn a deeper level of hate for yourself! ha ha, j/k but it is slightly on the tortuous side.  I decided that if I were ever (I should be more optimistic and say WHEN) have my own show, I cannot ever be in charge of hair and make-up.  These webisodes are very clear evidence that styling myself is certainly not my strongest quality!  

I am very thankful though, that I had Pete and Jim there to help me... to make me clap every time we cut so that I was not completely losing my mind during editing!  I tell you what, Final Cut Express is some darn tricky software.  Every time I start to get a handle on it and feel like a pro, something happens that makes me realize I am anything but.  For instance, I was slicing and snapping footage together, cross dissolving, pulling clips from the viewer into the canvas, working my magic... and then I realized I have no idea how to add text or add new clips without shifting all the other clips- ahhhhhh.  Someone rescue me... anyone!  

I do think, despite all this negative talk, that it will be very gratifying once all these videos are finished and I have added music and made them look bad ass ;)  ...hopefully that will happen sooner than later! 

8 episodes, 6 kids, 1 crazy day!

We had a lot of fun but it has been pure craziness for the past... oh, 3 weeks! Totally worth it though and I could not have done it without Jim and Pete (of course), all the parents who brought their kids to cook with me and most of all, my mom!
We filmed episodes for Healthy Child's website, but here is the catch... I HAVE TO DO THE EDITING!!! If this whole experience (meaning from developing the concept of Nourish This on) has taught me anything its that if you want to achieve something, anything important to you, you better be prepared to work your ass off! If I was unwilling to step into other rolls... production, sales, manager, and now webisode editor- I would not get anywhere!
It is definitely a good lesson to be learned. I believe more every day and with every project I try to complete that persistence is the seed to success. If you don't give up on yourself, no matter how frustrating the process may be at times, you will reach your goal eventually. Its those who give up, who surrender to the speed bumps (and sometimes mountains) in their way who don't reach their dreams. It is difficult not to at times, believe me, I have to fight off the urge to surrender, go back to teaching or art therapy and then I realize that is not really an option for me. This is what I love to do, this is what drives me to work harder and keep going so no, its really not an option for forfeit at any point.
So, I will learn Final Cut Express! Yes folks, I will. It may take me about 8 years but stay tuned, it will happen! Ha ha
Well, I better get back to my online tutorials or it will take 8 years! I posted a few pics from the shoot. It really was so much fun, I loved being back on camera in the kitchen!

New Healthy Child Widget!

Food Dyes... What Were They Thinking?!

Ok, I think that people in this world are going a little mad.  

Healthy Child has a Facebook page and they post current information/articles periodically.  Today I read a post about food dyes from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy providing a Guide To Food Dyes.  

Not so shocking was the fact that food dyes are found in processed foods like sprinkles, all sorts of candies, and even things like lime sherbet.  Clearly food dyes are used to attract children, a clever marketing scheme, but a disturbing thought.  Food dyes have been linked with provoking hyperactivity in children and linked with several other health issues in children.  

Here comes the really maddening part... this article reveals that food dyes are also used on produce to enhance the color and make them more appealing to the consumer!  You think you are doing something healthy by providing a "whole food" for your child and in fact it has been sprayed with dyes!  Food dyes have also been found on the casings of some hot dogs and even in butter.  

Ok, now that I totally freaked you out, not to fear... there are simple steps you can take to avoid your exposure.  Check out the link I provided above and find out what you can do.  Clearly buying organics and whole foods is the number one step, but things have to change, when you pick up an orange you should be able to trust that thats all it is!

New Content on Nourish This!

We launched a bunch of new content today on Nourish This!  We added several new recipes including a fun new breakfast idea you have to check out called "Rice Scramble," a great, incredibly simple pink lemonade, quinoa tabbouleh (shown above) and lots more!  

Dr. Peter Bongiorno (one of our Naturopathic advisors) added a lot of info for you this month with quick summaries of research on issues such as breast cancer and kidney failure... and on a more preventative note, he wrote about how cruciferous veggies like broccoli and brussels can help ward off cancer!  Yay for broccoli!  ...I will have to think of a couple fun recipes with broccoli for next month :)

Hmmm, what else did we add?  OH, Jennifer Eastes, our Environmentalist wrote about water bottles and how much of an impact drinking from them has on the health of our bodies AND the earth.  Plus, we attached a video from YouTube illustrating her point, it is definitely a must-see!  ...I should have provided a link to Klean Kanteen or Camelbak at the bottom of the article, would have been fitting for sure!  Incase you have not heard of them, they are both BPA free water bottles made from both stainless steal and BPA/phathalate free plastics.  Anyway, check out her article, you will never look at a bottle of water the same again, and thats a good thing!

Other than that, we are filming for the Healthy Child, Healthy World videos on Monday so looking forward to that!  I have a line-up of cuties accompanying me so it should be a blast :)  Ciao for now!

Birthday Cake!

Well, I made my own birthday cake this year... although I have to say, my mom made a valiant effort to take the reins but I insisted.  Baking gluten-free is a challenge, but making an angel food cake gluten-free without sugar or xantham gum is another story entirely!! 

Like I was going to let anything stand in the way of me and birthday cake!  HA.

So, I whipped the eggs, folded the flour, prayed to the God of angel food cake while I added the forbidden liquid (maple syrup) to my peaked whites and poof, delicious, fluffy Birthday Cake was born!  I have to admit on top of the culinary difficulties we were also amidst the most humid part of the summer and I was cooking in a kitchen without AC... so we had a slight deflating issue.  No biggy, it was still fluffy and so so good.  

Being my birthday and all, I felt like I deserved a kicked-up version so I made a mixed berry syrup with fresh blueberries, strawberries, maple syrup, water, orange juice and half of a cinnamon stick.  I could literally eat that stuff with a spoon.  

I know this is completely not "Nourish This" philosophy of a well-rounded meal but I totally had cake dripping with sweet berry sauce for breakfast and loved every second of it!  Although, I do have to say that "Nourish This" (a.k.a. me) certainly believes in eating what you love as long as it is in moderation.  When it is a special occasion or you are really craving something, go for it, you only live once!  Plus, when you try to ignore cravings, the size of the craving grows until instead of being satisfied with one slice of cake you won't be satisfied until you have devoured a whole one!  Yeah, lets not let that happen, go for the piece and move on!