• Last updated Yesterday by Melanie Mayo

          Sharing the Love, Sharing the Food   When I was pregnant with AnaBella, my first child, I had just begun attending a church of a few hundred people. There were many young families that cared for and supported each other in the months following the birth of their children. One of my new friends, a young mom with a daughter under a year, asked how many meals a week I’d like, and for how many weeks, after AnaBella's birth. I had no idea what my recovery would be like, but was hesitant to ask anything of moms who already had their hands full. So my... read more

• Last updated 4/3/13 by Cynthia Mosher

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• Last updated 10/18/12 by Melanie Mayo

You’ve got to love Mayim Bialik’s passion for speaking up about what she believes in. Whether she’s setting the record straight regarding attachment parenting or responding to one of the largest beef recalls in history, she does it in style. Check out her recent campaign for PETA in response to the E. coli found in large amounts of Canadian beef distributed across the US. What do you think? Does the beef recall make you want to go vegan or vegetarian? About Melanie Mayo-Laakso is the Content Manager for... read more

• Last updated 10/18/12 by Melanie Mayo

Do any of you have children that play on sports teams?  Do you want to provide good nutrition to help them play well? My daughter played soccer from age 6 to 21. I was often disheartened by the snacks that I saw parents bring to games and give to young, tired players.  Often what I saw were big boxes of pre-packaged junk food from Costco.  At a time when their bodies crave replenishment, parents were giving out the worst food possible.  Arg.  That propelled me into wanting to learn more and write on the subject.  The result was the book Feeding the Young... read more

• Last updated 10/18/12 by Melanie Mayo

An outbreak of salmonella in 18 states has prompted a recall of peanut butter and other products from a number of popular natural brands. Find the full list of potentially contaminated foods here. Sunland, Inc. today announced a voluntary recall of its Almond Butter and Peanut Butter, which it has now expanded to include its Cashew Butter, Tahini and Roasted Blanched Peanut Products. This recall is limited to products manufactured between May 1, 2012 and September 24, 2012. The products may be contaminated with Salmonella. The voluntary recall... read more

• Last updated 10/19/12 by Melanie Mayo

One of our Cookus Interruptus viewers  wrote us a note and asked “why someone would eat gluten free other than to relieve celiac sprue?”  She asked if I might address this on our blog.   For me, this could be a trick question, with a tricky answer.  There seems to be some benefit to eating less flour and I’ve always been a fan of rotating grains (not just eating wheat and corn).  There’s no doubt in my mind that some individuals feel better with less carbohydrates in their diet while others gain energy keeping protein (particularly animal protein) to a minimum. ... read more

• Last updated 10/19/12 by Melanie Mayo

I admit that I am very lucky.  My toddler will eat pretty much anything that we are eating.  Don’t hate me.  It’s just luck.  And it might not last.  Here are a few of our favorite meals for now.  They are all vegetarian, since eating low on the food pyramid is good for your carbon footprint.  They also all avoid the oven, since it’s the biggest energy hog in the kitchen, other than an old refrigerator. #1 Loaded potato salad:  I microwave the potatoes to save energy and time.  For six potatoes, poke three or four fork holes per potato and microwave ~six... read more

• Last updated 4/13/12 by Mothering Editorial

By Peggy O'Mara Salad dressings are expensive to buy and easy to make.1-cup mayonnaise or vegenaise ½ cup ketchup or chili sauce (thicker, flavored ketchup) ¼ cup sweet relish or India relish 1 chopped hard-boiled egg (optional) 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and Adjust to taste. Add more ketchup or chili sauce if color is too light pink. read more

• Last updated 11/21/12 by Cynthia Mosher

Lighten up the stuffing of the belly by including a dish made from green leafy vegetables on your Thanksgiving table! TOP FIVE GREENS DISHES FOR THANKSGIVING ONE  Massaged Kale Salad with Apples and Gorgonzola This is a BIG cookus favorite (or so google analytics tells us).  If you haven’t tried it, Thanksgiving is the perfect time. TWO Braised Greens Doesn’t sound crazy good from the title but when I make them, everyone loves loves.  The splash of vinegar rocks them. THREE  Luscious Beet Salad with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds Gorgeous colors,... read more

• Last updated 1/7/13 by Cynthia Mosher

Thank you to Gina Norman from the Kaia Yoga Complete Wellness Centers for this guest post. “Mommy I love you” are definitely words that will tug at any mom’s heart, but, every time my 3 and 1/2 year-old daughter Kaia utters, “Mom, can I have a green juice?” I am the proudest mom around. Our bodies are made from the foods we eat. So, the food we eat has an effect on the body, the body affects the mind, and the mind in turn influences the body. As moms, we definitely notice how high-fructose sugar affects your children’s mind and body, revving up their... read more