Wellness Mama®
Simple Answers for Healthier Families
I discovered this grain-free apple cinnamon muffin recipe out of desperation, really. (Isn’t it so true that necessity is the mother of invention?) On this particular morning I realized I only had five eggs in the fridge — not even close to enough to feed us all, especially when each kid could easily eat three each! I …
Ahh, fall… the glorious season of apples, pumpkins, changing leaves, and cooler weather (finally!). I definitely get in on the fall pumpkin craze and start making pumpkin spice everything this time of year — from pumpkin spice lattes to pumpkin spice room freshening spray. This coconut flour pumpkin bread (and muffin) recipe is the perfect way to ring in …
Making popsicles from scratch is always on our summer bucket list and now that the kids are older, one they handle on their own. These popsicles have it all over the ones at the store, with real-food ingredients like coconut water kefir, coconut milk, and diced mango. They’re a cool and creamy summertime treat that we …
There’s nothing like a rich and delicious dessert that you also know is good for you! Since avocado is filled with healthy fats, it’s the perfect sneaky substitute for butter in these fudgy brownies. If you are skeptical about making brownies with avocado, don’t be. I promise, you won’t even be able to tell it’s in there! …
I don’t make desserts often, but when I do, we usually stick to low or no-sugar options like chia seed pudding. Still, my kids had been asking to help create some new blog recipes (since I try to let them help out in the kitchen as much as possible) and I remembered the no-bake cookies I used to …
If there’s one guilty pleasure all moms enjoy, it’s wine chocolate! Thankfully there’s a way to justify indulging a little because chocolate (like wine) has some fantastic health benefits. The key is to choose quality chocolate from the right sources … or make your own homemade chocolate. It’s easy and you have total control over …
Panna cotta (Italian for “cooked cream”) is a delicious dessert that originated in northern Italy. It is made from simmering a mixture of cream, milk, and sugar (and don’t forget the fresh vanilla bean!) and then adding gelatin and chilling until set. I’ve also dressed up this dessert for special occasions (like a date night in) …
Candy and sugary desserts are not a food eaten very often by my family. My husband doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, and we attempt to avoid sugar as much as possible. But occasionally when the kids are craving sweets, or if we’re out somewhere where candy and other junk food is around, I …
What would Thanksgiving (or fall!) be without something pumpkin? Whether it is a spiced pumpkin latte or pumpkin pie, the taste and scent of pumpkin is a perfect companion to cool fall weather. I was never actually a big pumpkin pie fan in the past. In the past couple of years, I’ve fallen in love with coconut …
Perhaps you’ve noticed Nutella’s rapid rise in popularity in the last few years. Some variation of chocolate hazelnut spread has been popular in other parts of the world for hundreds of years. Thanks to recent increased marketing, it is gaining popularity in the US too. According to Mental Floss, a jar of Nutella is sold every 2.5 seconds …
I love chia seeds and use them all the time. Chia seeds are mini powerhouses packing more calcium than milk, more antioxidants than blueberries, and more omega-3 than salmon. Their texture can take a little getting used to, but they are very versatile and are a great protein-packed addition to many recipes because of their …
I’ve never been much of a cookie-maker, but one year the kids requested gingerbread cookies. They’d been visiting friends and making gingerbread houses. Since I was trying to find a way to incorporate molasses and dates (for a shorter labor) into my daily diet, the idea of gingerbread cookies sounded pretty good. So I started …
You know that whole “don’t judge a book by its cover” thing? I’ve always been pretty decent about that when it actually comes to books, but pretty terrible when it comes to food (especially when I was younger). One bad experience with a certain food could turn me off of that food for months or …
If you haven’t already, you owe it to yourself to try the humble and delicious cushaw squash. There are dozens of ways to use this inexpensive heirloom squash and it is one of the least expensive winter squashes available. What is a Cushaw Squash? When you can find one, a good size (15-25 pound) cushaw squash typically …
My kids have been begging for ice cream lately, and since many of our family summer activities involve getting outside in the heat and humidity, I decided an inside project of learning to make coconut milk ice cream would be a fun break. Coconut Milk & Ice Cream This coconut milk ice cream recipe is similar to …
I normally don’t share many dessert recipes, but that is because I don’t often make dessert. My husband and I don’t really like most sweet foods, and while the kids would probably eat dessert whenever we serve it, we try not to have sweets very often and to focus on quality proteins, vegetables, and fruits …
My original probiotic marshmallow recipe with gut healthy gelatin and natural honey are a kid favorite at our house. Over Easter, I decided to find a way to naturally color these to make them more festive for the kids. In the past, I’ve used natural food coloring with great results (here’s why I don’t use regular food colors), …
Our family has been brewing kombucha for years, both in a continuous brew system and with the regular jar method. I’ve passed on SCOBYs to friends and families and there is now a whole group in our area of people who brew kombucha. This kombucha gelée is a favorite at our house. It combines kombucha and gelatin …
Tis the season for pumpkin spice everything. I’ve been making spiced pumpkin lattes and pumpkin spice muffins for breakfast occasionally, but I wanted a really filling no-bake treat that I could whip up for the kids. I’ve made coconut meltaways before with flavors like citrus, chocolate, and strawberry (I need to post those recipes too!) …
We love all things coconut at our house. We have 101 ways to use coconut oil including homemade toothpaste, coffee, homemade lotion bars, and more. I use coconut oil in baking, roasting, sautéing, and frying and I use coconut flour in a lot of recipes. But I’ve always wished I had more uses for shredded and …
I am a big fan of simple recipes. Like kale chips or chocolate coconut energy bars. Life is so full, that I don’t always have a huge amount of time to spend in the kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, eating wholesome, healthy food is a definite priority, but it doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious and …
Over the holidays, I experimented a lot with recipes for pecan pie. Pecan pie is one of my dad’s favorites and since he went grain free, he has missed this on holidays. I also was obviously not going to use the high fructose corn syrup and regular corn syrup that are in most pecan pie …
Ice cream is a kid- (and adult!) favorite dessert, but store-bought ones often contain high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors and flavors, or other ingredients that we avoid. I love making ice cream at home. This butter pecan ice cream recipe is a healthy, and incredibly delicious alternative to store-bought ice cream. It’s also really …
I love peach season! Peaches are one of those fruits that aren’t nearly as good when they aren’t in season, so we typically just eat them (a lot of them!) when they are. (If peaches aren’t in season, this recipe can be made with berries or other soft fruit, or you can try this berry …
