Meet Nicci, My Local Super (Food) Hero

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I always mention to my boys that super heroes are given that title because they help people. Big P and Middle E love it when I call them a hero after helping me load dishes or bring me a diaper for Little A. My local food hero happens to be Nicci Derry. She brought Bountiful Baskets to Fort Morgan, a cheaper way for people to get fresh produce to their families. Read her story below, and you’ll discover why Mom’s really matter in health. According to LiveWell Colorado, Mother’s make a majority of the health decisions for the family, including buying the groceries. Continue reading →

Bountiful Baskets is Winning the Vegetable Lottery (Plus Roasted Brussels Sprouts Recipe)

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Prior to this post I didn’t even know the correct spelling of Brussels Sprouts. There is truly a sneaky “s” on the end of Brussel. Talk about vegetable ignorance. I am officially humbled.

We recently received Brussels sprouts through our food-coop, Bountiful Baskets. It was great to be forced into eating this vegetable that I usually avoid. I don’t even know if my local grocery stores sell fresh ones and my Hunky Husband isn’t fond of them. Continue reading →

FearLESS Friday #19: Back to the Gym

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After about three weeks away from the gym my fabulous doc cleared me to go back. But even after the green light I stayed away. Why? I didn’t know what to do when I got in there. A month was long enough for me to become a stranger. I missed the final weeks of Boot Camp due to some medical problems and I just felt really, uh, awkward.

After explaining my dilemma to a dear friend she suggested that I meet her at the gym at 5 the next morning. I showed up about 20 minutes late and then jumped on a treadmill. Treadmills are no brainers. One foot in front of the other. I can do that.

I even made it to Sunrise Yoga on Friday for my FearLESS Friday contribution. My Boot Camp instructor caught me after the class and asked if I felt ready to finish the Boot Camp. She was both empathetic and straightforward, which is a hard combination to master. She said, “Don’t think about it too much. Just jump back in!” That’s what I needed to hear. Sometimes I can overthink, well, almost everything. I needed an invitation.

I need good friends to help me stay strong and healthy. Thanks to my offline and online community of Mothers who are helping me through the transition to better health.

The sun finally decided to rise after Sunrise Yoga class on Friday.

Have you ever jumped back into the gym after being away? What helped you? Leave a comment below or on the Don’t Panic Mom Facebook Page.

My Secret Weapon: Kretschmer Wheat Germ (Plus Baked Chicken Fingers Recipe)

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When I told Big P that I was going to make chicken nuggets, he immediately informed me that McDonald’s makes the best chicken nuggets. I resisted the urge to argue with a toddler. The poor kid grew up in a fast-food world that spends millions every year marketing to kids. Who can blame him?

I smiled and assured him that I was indeed the best maker of crunchy, chicken yumminess. My secret weapon was a new recipe Continue reading →

Serve it Up: Book Review

Laura De Simone is a fitness professional with a mission. She’d love for all parents to understand that portion sizes matter. I call her new book, Serve it Up: A Parent’s Guide to Kid Friendly Portions, a baby-step book. You don’t have to radically change anything in your fridge, freezer, or pantry. She never even bugs the reader to Continue reading →

Interview with Ann Cooper, the Renegade Lunch Lady

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Do you think it’s tough to transition to healthy food with just your family? Meet Ann Cooper. She is helping schools make this transition all over the country. She is currently the Director of Nutrition Services at Boulder Valley School District, where she successfully transitioned the school lunch program from highly processed foods to healthy, from-scratch cooking that feeds 29,000 kids 100,000 meals a day. She is also the mastermind behind the Food Family Farming Foundation, LunchBox.org, and Salad Bars to Schools. Polite golf clap everyone.

Talking with Ann gave me a boost of change-the-world-confidence. The fact that she took time to talk with a regular mom means that she is genuine in her mission to change the way we feed kids. She gets the power of one. Thanks, Ann.

One of the main reasons I wanted to talk with the nicknamed Renegade Lunch Lady was prompted by our local school chocolate milk problem. Big P attends a public preschool and eats a snack at school every day. I don’t have a clue what he eats or drinks and the school makes no effort to tell me.  Continue reading →

FearLESS Friday #18: Fruit Faces at Play Group and Giveaway

I am still a bit nervous when I serve healthy food at social events. Sometimes my fresh fruit doesn’t compete well with doughnut holes. Boo. I like being popular. But I can feel good knowing that actual fruit showing up to the potluck, playgroup, or work party means that the opportunity is there.

This week I was assigned snacks for our playgroup. Continue reading →