Wellness Mama®
Simple Answers for Healthier Families
Fruit-infused waters are a wonderful and refreshing drink option for summer when the sun is out, the kids are bored, and the bugs are biting. TV commercials will try to convince you that only soda and processed drinks are thirst-quenching enough for summer. Of course, you probably already know better, but sometimes it is nice …
Lemonade is the classic drink for a hot summer day, but the usual recipes are super sweetened and involve a lot of sugar! I love the flavor and effervescence of other fermented drinks, so why not probiotic lemonade? I looked it up to find it was a thing and decided to give it a try. …
Wait! Don’t mow your grass! Did you know that those dandelions growing all over your yard are actually an herb and you can eat them? They are great for health too! Making Peace With Dandelions Most people think of dandelion as a backyard weed. At our house, we don’t wage war on dandelions… we use …
I love calendula for its beauty and its healing properties. Calendula tea is just one way to harness the healing power of this amazing herb. While you usually just think of tea for drinking, this particular tea is so versatile there are a million different ways to use it. Well, close to that anyway! Marigold Tea? Yes, …
Coffee is a controversial topic in health circles and I could write equally supported posts about why coffee is great for you and why it is horrible. The bottom line is that when sourced correctly, coffee can have some health benefits, but there are also people who should avoid it. Like most aspects of health, …
Smoothies can be a delicious and healthy way to add an extra boost of nutrition to your diet (and a sneaky way to get extra nutrition into kids). I have a collection of some of our favorite whey-free smoothie recipes here, but this strawberry cheesecake smoothie is just as delicious as our old favorites. Unlike …
The infamous McDonald’s Shamrock Shake makes its rounds once a year at the Golden Arches. Over 60 million of them have been sold since they were first introduced. With 54 ingredients in each shake, though, they are pretty much the opposite of real food! It might come as a surprise that I’ve never actually tried …
Ever heard of switchel? It is a fermented beverage that hasn’t seemed to gain the popularity of kombucha … yet (though I suspect it will soon!). It relies on pre-fermented apple cider vinegar and does not have a long fermentation process like kombucha or kefir do, making it a great first drink for anyone new to …
Our family loves this turmeric tea recipe and it is a favorite staple in our home. I used to mostly drink chamomile or green tea for the health benefits, but this tea with its earthy golden spice is perhaps an even more powerful (and soothing) remedy. In fact, turmeric tea (or “golden milk” as it’s …
I grew up drinking apple cider and homemade wassail (a spiced cider/tea with citrus) around the holidays, so when I had kids of my own I wanted to come up with my own apple cider recipe to keep the tradition going. Plus, given the cost of a gallon of organic apple cider, I thought I could …
Almond milk is a healthy and inexpensive alternative to conventional dairy that you can easily make at home! Statistics show that many people are choosing dairy-free milks and other products due to allergies, concerns about sourcing, or just taste preference. Why Make Almond Milk? Like virtually every other food or drink, almond milk is both less expensive …
Drinking enough pure clean water is one of the most important things we can do for overall health. In most cases, water alone is wonderful. For times of exercise and exertion where sweat causes mineral loss, a homemade natural electrolyte drink recipe can also be helpful. Here’s why: Plain water doesn’t contain high levels of …
There are two things that almost all health gurus seem to agree that we should do: get more sleep and eat more green veggies. In fact, statistically, these are two things most of us are pretty bad at! I confess, I’m still seriously lacking in the sleep department (thank you sweet teething baby), but I …
I have the natural remedies ready as it appears that we may be in for a really cold winter where I live. How do I know? Local hunters and farmers are all saying it based on the extra fat on the animals, the animal experts are all saying it based on the way animals are behaving, …
Kombucha is a fermented sweetened tea that has been around for centuries. It has a tangy and sweet flavor and can be double-fermented with fruit or juice to make a fizzy drink similar to soft drinks. This ancient beverage has surged in popularity in recent years and is now available in many grocery stores and health …
Ever heard of pecan milk? I’ve been making homemade almond milk and coconut milk for years, but never thought to make pecan milk until recently. It’s crazy that I never thought to make it since our whole family loves pecans and we often freeze pounds and pounds of them each year. It is also delicious …
I had a slight panic moment the other day when I realized (while drinking my pregnancy tea) that I will have a newborn in a month or so (nesting is now in hyperdrive). With a precious new little one comes baby coos and tiny clothes and… breastfeeding! I love the newborn phase but the early …
A few weeks ago while sitting at a signal light, I noticed a sign in front of our local coffee shop advertising a gingerbread latte. I loved the idea, but figured that they probably used a syrup or processed sugar to achieve the flavor. So of course I wondered if I could create a healthy version with …
Irish cream always makes me think of the holidays. Be it Christmas or St. Patrick’s day, I want to pour a glass over ice and sip its creamy goodness while I bake and make merry. The only thing that can make Irish cream more enjoyable is making it yourself with coconut milk. As the name …
“Police work wouldn’t be possible without coffee,” Wallander said. “No work would be possible without coffee.” They pondered the importance of coffee in silence. -Henning Mankell, One Step Behind For many people (ok, ok, including me), coffee is a favorite morning drink. For me, it has never been about the caffeine, as I like decaf …
I have used red raspberry leaf for years. It is an amazing multi-purpose and highly-nutritious herb with a delicious taste similar to regular black tea (but without the caffeine). When pregnant, I start using red raspberry leaf tea as part of my pregnancy blend in late second and third trimester. Though red raspberry leaf tea …
Ah, fall! That time of year when everything magically becomes pumpkin pie scented and flavored. From candles (don’t buy them!), to lattes, and everything in between … pumpkin is in the air. Pumpkin Pie Spice? Unfortunately, many of these “pumpkin pie spice” products don’t actually contain any pumpkin or spice. In fact, many are artificially …
I’ve consumed a lot of unusual foods, drinks, and supplements on my journey to find health answers. From the green smoothies, to the fermented fish livers, to the marine phytoplankton, I’ve tried some interesting things over the years. Of all the strange things I’ve tasted, this recipe has to be close to the top of the list …
I love the taste of regular dairy milk, but unfortunately, my skin does not and I often break out after eating or drinking too much dairy. Fortunately, I love coconut even more and have recently begun experimenting with ways to make delicious and probiotic rich kefir out of coconut milk instead of dairy milk. After some …
