What Mom Could Really Use for Mother’s Day
By Sarah Kruse

In keeping with the previous post on eating for health and time-saving tips,
here are some gift ideas for mom to fit any budget.

1. A personal chef (a certified natural chef, of course)! Who wouldn’t enjoy a
break from cooking? Go to
http://www.baumancollege.org/our-graduates/hire-a-graduate.html and complete the
form to find a chef in your area.

2. A set of good knives. Having the right tools for the right job makes prep
work efficient. I have two sets of knives that make prep work enjoyable: a
German Furi knife and a set of Japanese Global knives.
3.  Stainless steel pots. No need to worry about leaching with versatile
stainless steel pots.
4. An organized pantry. Buy Mom some glass containers (canning jars work well
and are inexpensive) to neatly store dry goods in the pantry. Even better if you
offer to organize her cupboards for her!
5. Coupons to help Mom in the kitchen. Whether it’s washing dishes, cleaning
veggies, any little bit of help will be appreciated.
6. A copy of Kristin’s Therapeutic Chef cookbook, because giving the gift of
health is the best and most thoughtful gift of all!

Getting Dinner on the Table Fast!
By Sarah Kruse

Shortcuts are hard to come by when you’re committed to a whole-foods based diet, eating for health or on an allergy friendly diet. Take out, fast food and frozen entrees may save you time or money, but the cost to your health isn’t worth it.

Here are some tips for busy people to get a wholesome dinner on the table quick.

Planning and Prep Work
1. Plan the menu for the week. Not only does this help with grocery shopping, but it eliminates the frazzled “what to do for dinner” question at the end of a busy day. Confession: I personally have a hard time adhering to this tip, partly because I shop at the farmer’s market on Sundays and receive my CSA produce on Wednesdays. Still, I usually jot down a rough meal plan once I have my produce, centering the meal around a fresh vegetable. Friday or Saturday night is usually reserved as stir-fry or soup night (explanation to come). (more…)