HappyHealthy Round-Up: A Week’s Worth of Useful Tips

Healthy Moms has a post on the importance of compliments for our well-being and happiness.

Healthy Mommy makes cloth-diapering look so idyllic and good, I’m almost inspired to go out and start cloth-ing myself.  (Almost, mind you, almost.)

Hot and Healthy Mom has the dish on working out more efficiently.

Congrats to Workout Mommy for breaking up with her diet-soda!   I kicked the soda habit long ago (well that’s not true, I actually never even like it!)  Check out more reasons to break up with soda, diet or non-diet!

The Motherlode has a post on rethinking if there’s an ideal way to give birth or not.  I agree with her that there is no one “ideal” way to give birth, but I believe strongly in making it the best experience that you can, which means being informed and prepared for what is taking place, and being the decision-maker for as many choices as you can.

The New York Times has an interesting read on how smartphone apps can really help people lose weight! I just might check that out with our iPhone 4! (Yes, we are a bit Apple-obsessed…)

Foodie of the Month: Potatoes….uncensored

Cut ’em, slice ’em, slather them with oily, gooey substances and you have potato heaven – starchy, satisfying and all-around delicioso.

But wait – these tuber dudes saved people from scurvey during the California Gold Rush and countless sea adventures – what could be healthy about these guys?

Just the hugest load of Vitamin C you ever spotted. One large ugly and boring brown potato gives you 48% (yes, that’s basically HALF your daily dose) of your recommended Daily Value of Vitamin C.  In addition you get 18% DV of iron and 7 grams of protein (via nutritiondata.com). It’s time to PUT these guys back on the menu.

Here’s an easy starter, no photo because it got devoured by some veggie friends this weekend.

Easy Breezy Summer Potato Salad

(and since you know I HATE measuring, well you probably don’t know that cuz this is blog post number 2, but now you know so be prepared – we’re in estimation land, ladies and gentlemen.)

• 4-6 large, boring brown potatoes (any kind, you can use small red ones, just double the amount.  Thin-skinned potatoes like red and Yukon Gold don’t need to be peeled, thick-skinned tubers should)
• 1 pkg frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 can of green peas
• Mayo, mustard, salt and pepper

Ready folks?  This is easy! Cover the potatoes half-way with water and bring to a boil, then cover and simmer about 10-15 minutes until soft, but not disintegrated.  (Or cover the pot the whole time and they’ll boil faster – less energy usage.)

Transfer to a bowl and let cool.  Slice into bite-sized chunks, mix with the peas.  Lightly dress with two medium spoonfuls of mayonnaise, add some squirts of mustard and keep mixing.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Don’t add too much gunk, you just want enough mayo so the tuber’s aren’t dry.  Be cautious of large potato chunks – they equal mouthfuls without flavor.  Add enough mustard to give it tang and salt and pepper so it is well-seasoned.  When you get it right, this will disappear!  People are just so excited to have a light potato salad that is seasoned well and avoids strange additions (like pickles, garlic, hard-boiled eggs, you know what I’m talking about.)

Bon appetite and look our for more potato recipes coming up this July!

Quinoa – the eighth great wonder of mankind

Try this magical berry/grain/edible organic thing cooked in chicken broth with a sauteed onion, and absolutely nothing else.  Here’s how to make it real easy:

–Sautee an onion in a pot or frying pan.  Pour in desired amount of quinoa, or 1/2 cup.  Toast over heat for several      minutes, then pour in double the amount of water.  Toss in some chicken soup mix (MSG free, mind you!) and stir until combined.  Cover and cook on low until water is absorbed.  (If you can’t find your pot cover, which always happens to me, you can just stick around and stir uncovered, which is as inconvenient as it sounds.)  Quinoa is done when the seeds have opened and are soft and fluffy lookin, as in the photo below.  Eat warm or room temp.–

What to do with leftover quinoa?  Stir into beaten eggs  and make fritters, mix with cooked beans or raw or roasted veggies for a nice salad, combine with shredded chicken for a healthy cold lunch or dinner, stir into quiche or soup.

Quinoa at its fluffy, nutritious best.  Woah yummy!

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