May Monthly Meeting: Parenting During the Tween/Teen Years Panel of Speakers

Join us on May 3rd when our panel of experts will help us understand the developmental changes, healthy self development, effective communications and boundary settings for tweens/teens. Our panel of experts will discuss both the mother and father's perspective, both from a clinical and personal viewpoint.
 
We look forward to seeing you there!
 
In health,
 
HMN San Jose Leadership Team
Jennifer Oh
Jennifer Rozenhart
Christina Byard

March Meeting -- Holistic Approach Toward Immune Health

Holistic Moms Network of San Jose Presents. . .
"Holistic Approach Towards Immune Health:
Discussion about Immune Health, Nutrition, and an Integrative View of Vaccinations."
 
Join us as we welcome our guest speaker, Dr. Yen Tran, N.D. , to present and discuss a holistic view of immune health and the role vaccines play in it.
 
Dr. Yen Tran is a Naturopathic Doctor that focuses on
transforming health simply and naturally with naturopathic medicine. After training and studying with a focus on women's health, homebirth and pediatrics, Dr. Tran graduated from Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Arizona. Well regarded in her field, Dr. Tran is recommended as a vaccination counselor in Dr. Sears' "The Vaccine Book." Dr. Tran practices at the Natural Wellness Clinic in Sunnyvale (www.naturaltran.com).
We appreciate her taking the time to present on this confusing yet important topic to new parents. Your questions will be welcome following the presentation.
 
Please feel free to pass this invitation on to other parents whom you feel would be interested in learning a naturopath's perspective on issues of immunity. We would appreciate that anyone planning to come RSVP via this Pingg invitation so that we may prepare the room accordingly.
 
We look forward to seeing you there!
 
In health,
 
HMN San Jose Leadership Team
Jennifer Rozenhart
Christina Byard
Jennifer Oh

November Meeting: Self Defense Seminar for Moms and Kids

Holistic Moms Network of San Jose Presents. . .
Self Defense Seminar for Moms and Kids

 

Learn tips and techniques to protect yourself from a 3rd Degree Black Belt and the 2006 CA State Champion in Weapons and Forms. Master Chris Black, Chief Instructor for Victory Martial Arts Willow Glen, will be teaching us self defense techniques that will empower us to protect ourselves. This is a great way to introduce yourself to the martial arts and learn more about Tae Kwon Do. This seminar is a hands on event, so casual or work out clothes and gym shoes are preferred. 

Tuesday, November 2nd, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Cambrian Branch of the San Jose Library, Community Room
1780 Hillsdale Avenue, San Jose, CA
 
Hope to see you there!

October Meeting: Attachment Parenting the Maturing Child

Holistic Moms Network of San Jose Presents. . .

"Attachment Parenting the Maturing Child:

Featuring guest speaker, Justine Saffir, Director of Sunnymont Parent Co-Op Nursery School"

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Cambrian Branch Library Community Room

1780 Hillsdale Avenue, San Jose, CA

Attachment Parenting newborns and babies often comes naturally to many Holistic Moms.  Babywearing, breastfeeding on demand, co-sleeping and other AP techniques just seem to make sense and allign with a mother's instinct.  As the child matures and develops her own will, however, many find the new challenges of parenting with attachment in mind much more difficult to address. 

Join us as we host our guest speaker, Justine Saffir, Director of the Sunnymont Parent Co-Op in Campbell, as she speaks on Attachment Parenting the Maturing Child.  Justine will address common questions such as how to provide positive discipline, diffuse sibling rivalry and how to strengthen the parent/child bond during the school years.  Please bring your questions and a friend.

Hope to see you there!

A review of a local sustainable farm; Early Bird Ranch

I just got back from a fantastic day visiting the Early Bird Ranch at Half Moon Bay (actually, Pescadero) with fellow HMN member, Lenore.  Lenore had heard about fresh, locally pastured chickens being available there and pre-ordered some chickens for the fall harvest.  We made a day of it by tripping out to the coast with our families to pick up her chickens and speculate on some Thanksgiving turkeys.

May I say that I am really excited about these farmers!  Kevin and ShaeLynn Watt are a young couple who "risked it all" by abandoning their graduate studies in Comparative Political Science and Animal Behavior to pursue sustainable bird farming.  Adorned in a long, blue butcher's apron, Kevin Watt welcomed us to the farm and offered us a tour of the harvesting facilities.  He and several family members had just finished up the very first harvest on their new farm.  Though their bodies were fatigued from hours of bird butchery, their eyes and voices showed signs of the rushing adrenal effects of success.  Their pride was apparent and well-deserved.  Some buckets of blood were waiting for their trip to the compost pile but, otherwise, there wasn't much indication of the day's work remaining around the slaughter tent.  We had just missed the last bird of the day by 30 minutes.  I admit that I wish I had been able to see the whole process personally. They promised me the opportunity in the future.

In five weeks, another 100 to 200 birds will meet the end of their stress-free existence in this sparkling example of an open-air slaughterhouse (portable tent, really).  The blue and white striped tent covered a raised floor of wood slats.  The slats, Kevin explained, are designed to allow for any solids or splashes from the harvesting process to fall through and return to the soil.  The stainless steel counters, sinks and scalding pots were sanitized and drying in the late summer sun.  This idyllic scene is quite a contrast to the industrial chicken slaughterhouses that can turn stomachs as well as former carnivores into strict vegetarians.

When Kevin's interests strayed from politics to farming birds, he decided to do it right. He interned and worked for a year and a half with Joel Salatin of Polyface Farms, the admirable chicken farmer featured in Food, Inc.  After learning from the best, Kevin and his girlfriend began dreaming of starting a farm of their own. Kevin and his now wife, ShaeLynn, pooled all of their savings and scrupulously budgeted how they could afford to rent a 10 acre farm in Pescadero.  The land they selected is gorgeous, located in a perfect, pastoral valley just inland of the coast.  Each bird is respectfully raised from chick to maturity on the farm, spending their days in the pasture.  Their diet is supplemented with organic feed.  The Watts are enthusiastic and bursting with ideas on how to not only take from their newly acquired land but to give back to it as well.  They are consciously rotating different animals throughout their acreage to ensure that the soil is growing in sync with their wards. 

Each bird at the Early Bird Ranch is dispatched by hand using a very humane and efficient method; the main artery and vein of the chicken or turkey are cut, causing instantaneous brain death. The windpipe, however, is kept intact so that the heart may continue beating long enough to pump the remaining blood from the bird. The carcasses are then scalded, plucked and bagged for you to take home that day.   These are the freshest birds you can get!

Early Bird Ranch is located at 4900 Cloverdale Road in Pescadero, right off of Hwy 1.  Their chickens and turkeys are available during the dry seasons of the year for about $4 a pound.  Lenore's chickens were all a very healthy 5 pounds each!  These are not scrawny chickens.  They harvest every 5 weeks or so as the new batch of birds mature.  If you would like to join their mailing list or reserve a turkey for Thanksgiving, contact them via email at kevin@earlybirdranch.com or shaelynn@earlybirdranch.com

View their website with more details at www.earlybirdranch.com

Kevin and ShaeLynn would love to have us out for a tour of the facilities with the kiddies.  They won't be able to give us a full tour when they are harvesting, but you are welcome to watch them work when you pick up your birds.  Would anyone like to tour this farm and then go and get some pumpkins down the road in October?  Post a comment if you'd like to join us.


Christina Byard
Co-Leader, Holistic Moms Network of San Jose

September Meeting

Holistic Moms Network of San Jose Presents. . .

"An Evening of Natural Beauty"

Want to join us for an evening of beauty? Wondering what natural and holistic beauty products and treatments others love? Join us for a fun evening of hanging out, pampering, and learning what others use, make, and/or recommend. Bring your favorite beauty products and/or remedies to show and share. We'll try each other's favorites and/or learn what others recommend.

We'll be making a wonderful facial moisturizing cream from the "Doing it Gorgeously" book by Sophie Ulliamo.  (http://www.gorgeouslygreen.com/) Bring a small jar to take the cream home in and a very modest donation to offset ingredient costs.


Click on the blog post title "September Meeting" to R.S.V.P. via the evite.

Hope to see you there!

 

August Monthly Meeting Info

"Alternative Education:  
Exploring Waldorf, Montessori and Homeschooling Philosophies"
Ever wondered what the differences are between the Waldorf and Montessori approaches?  Have you considered Homeschooling but are not sure where to start? Join our panel of Educators for a presentation/discussion on the different education options available in the South Bay. Representatives from local schools and homeschool cooperatives will be in attendance to answer our many questions.  Feel free to invite friends that may be interested in this topic and introduce them to HMN.

We are always happy to see new faces at our meetings.  If you are not yet a member, please come to a meeting or two to check us out before deciding if our group meets your needs.  We would love to meet you.

Hope to see you there!

Recipe of the Week

Contributed by member, Jennifer Meegan.

I was feeling a bit desperate and uninspired tonight....so decided on the heels of making the chocolate coconut cupcakes that I'd throw something together using coconut and whatever I could scrounge in my fridge/pantry. This resulted in this coconut mango salmon dish and this coconut garlic green bean dish. The salmon in particular was deelish.

Jen's Baked Coco-Mint-Mango Salmon

1 wild salmon fillet (whatever size fits your family)
3/4 cup cream (from a cow) or coconut milk/cream
4-5 heaping tablespoons coconut cream/meat (I used the Tropical Traditions brand. You can also use freshly opened coconut)
2 tablespoons garam masala (I make my own: http://www.ochef.com/r75.htm)
1 ripe mango, sliced into bite-sized chunks
a few fresh mint leaves, chopped
salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350
Place salmon in baking dish
Pour cream and place coconut cream/meat, garam masala, mango, chopped mint leaves, in baking dish over salmon
Stir gently and pour cream mixture over top of salmon
Salt to taste
Cook for about 25-30 minutes depending on how well you like your salmon done and the caliber of your oven. I recommend "basting" the salmon with the sauce at least two or three times while it's baking.
You could probably eat this with rice to get the most out of the sauce

Jen's Coconut-Garlic Green Beans2 tablespoons coconut oil
1-2 lbs fresh green beans
garlic powder or fresh minced garlic (about 2 teaspoons)
handful of unsweetened coconut flakes
salt

Place oil in skillet and put on medium heat
Place green beans in skillet and cover, cook for about 10-15 minutes until beans are crisp and bright green
Throw in coconut flakes and garlic, toss and recover, cook for about 5 more minutes
Salt to taste, toss, remove from burner, and enjoy!

Kid-Conscious Recipe of the Week

Here is a great gluten-free and healthy recipe for Mothers' Day Brunch, courtesy of Danielle Hunt.  Whip them up tonight and freeze/refrigerate them so that your kids can just pop them in the oven tomorrow while you sleep in. 

Buttermilk Currant Scones

1 cup sweet white sorghum flour
1 cup almond meal
½ cup tapioca flour
½ cup cornstarch
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup currants ( sub anything you want even  GF choc chips!)
several pinches of turbinado sugar

Combine all the dry ingredients together and stir them well. Sift them into a large bowl. Set aside.

Cut the butter into small pieces, dropping the pieces into the flour mixture as you cut. The pieces should be no larger than your thumbnail. Once you have cut all the butter, combine the butter pieces and dry ingredients with a pastry fork (or your fingers). Once they are all blended well, and the mixture feels like bread crumbs, then you are done.

Combine the buttermilk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the liquid in. Slowly, stir the liquid in a counter-clockwise pattern, from the center out, until all the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the wet. When everything feels combined for the first time, stop. Add the currants.

Put the dough into the refrigerator and chill for at least two hours. This is important.

Preheat the oven to 425°.

Take the scone dough out of the refrigerator. Divide the dough in half with your hands, and then divide it again, until you have a ball about the size of the palm of your hand. Flatten the ball, slightly, and shape it into a scone-like shape. (That might mean something different to each person.) Sprinkle the top with a bit of turbinado sugar, and put that scone onto parchment paper (or silicone mat) on top of the baking sheet. Repeat until you have finished with all the dough.

Slide the baking sheet into the heated oven and bake the scones for fifteen to eighteen minutes. (In our oven, it was more like eighteen.) The scones are done when you can put in a toothpick and have it come out clean, as well as when the top is warm and browned. Allow the scones to cool for about five minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes about eight scones.