Category Archives: gallery

gallery, Natural Mamma's Recipes

Finally Rocked the Oven-Fried Zucchini Cakes!

I had no idea summer could be so busy.  I thought this was our time to relax? My own memories about summers as a kid are usually filled with spending my days walking from my grandmother’s house to the public pool in the morning and returning home later in the afternoon; always carefree and always beyond low key.  I don’t however believe my own children’s summer memories will be quite so simple as it feels like we are the go-go-go train every day.

There are areas of life that suffer most from our daily busy and besides the laundry pile and lack of vacuuming, the garden often has to stand on its own for days at a time.  Along with large weeds, tons of Japanese Beatles and what was once a tiny not so intimidating snake, our garden is working hard producing those monster zucchinis that just aren’t as sweet as their younger smaller fruits.

Our Garden Gone Wild!
garden gone wild garden gone wild

Of course we made the yearly batches of zucchini bread, some with added carob chips and some without.  We also made a loaf of zucchini cheese bread that was really dense, but also delicious.  Trouble is that each year I try to make zucchini cakes with the giant zucchini’s and each year we don’t end up eating our cakes.  They either taste greasy or don’t stick together well enough to be considered a meal.  I am happy to say that this year we were able to break from our zucchini cake tradition and make some cakes that were absolutely great!

It was funny because I had made crab cakes just the night before I made the zucchini cakes.  This was completely unintentional but honestly it was hard telling which was which.  These zucchini cakes were moist and delicious, oven-fried up well without the greasy factor…it was just delicious!

While I hope everyone else in the world is tending to their gardens because their lives are not spinning around in crazy circles, I also hope that some of you let your zucchini go wild just to try these delicious oven-fried zucchini cakes.

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Oven-Fried Zucchini Cakes
Author: 
Recipe type: Entree or Appetizer
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Awesome zucchini cakes that aren't too greasy and keep their shape!
Ingredients
  • 3 cups grated zucchini (no seeds), drained, squeezed
  • ½ tspn salt
  • 1 cup panko flakes
  • ¾ cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tspn Old Bay
  • 1 tspn spicy brown mustard
  • 1 tblspn mayonnaise or nayonnaise
  • 1 tblspn oil
Instructions
  1. preheat oven 400 degrees
  2. mix together everything except the oil, zucchini, panko flakes and cheese. Once mixed thoroughly add zucchini squeezing out all excess water as you add it. Then turn in cheese and panko flakes.
  3. Pat into cakes (small for apps and larger for dinner).
  4. Spread oil over a baking sheet and place cakes on sheet.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes then flip and continue to cook for another 8 minutes.
Notes
If you don't have any Old Bay you can use this recipe for spices: ¼ tsp paprika, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp garlic powder, ⅛ tsp black pepper, ⅛ tsp onion powder, ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper, ⅛ tsp oregano, 1.8 tsp dried thyme

 

gallery, The Natural Family

How Do You Stay Natural When Visiting With Your Not So Natural Family?

We just got back from a wonderful family vacation.  We spent the week with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents – 12 of us total – on a lake for the week.  It was a beautiful, natural setting where got to play in nature and just enjoy the company of family we don’t see but once, maybe twice a year if we’re lucky.

All of us had such a good time.  In fact,  we’re already planning for another week together next year, and really are hoping to make it a family tradition each year from here on out.

That said – my husband and  I are very different in our viewpoints about many things and our lifestyle in general when compared with the rest of the family.  Not that being “the black sheep” isn’t a fantastic position; adding color and dynamics to an otherwise very similar group of people.  It just isn’t always easy.

As a result, sometimes, I think I bend my personal beliefs to fit the situation and in the end, we end up putting some of our natural family values aside during the visit.  Of course I’m sure the rest of the family has to stretch to visit our side of the universe as well – but mostly it’s usually us compromising.

But how much is too much?

This trip has been one of the more balanced mostly because we each had our own house and we could keep more of our own routines in tact.  This helped us “get away from it all” more easily than when visiting at another family member’s home where it feels more acceptance is really required.

But at the end of the day is it really OK to save face for the visit so everyone gets along?  Or, is it better to be very clear and keep your natural lifestyle together just like you would at home?

And, whatever you do, what are your ways of coping with the friction that can occur when you spend so much time with people that you love very much, but who, at the same time, are so different than you it becomes easier to get along if you put some of your natural family philosophy aside?

You don’t pick your family after all!  There are bound to be differences.  It’s how you cope with them that matters….and I’m not always sure I go about it as naturally as I can – and I’m almost certain I’m not alone in this.

So, I’d just love to hear more about your tips, tricks, and thoughts on staying natural when visiting with your not so natural family (and friends).  I think it can help all of us navigate these sensitive spaces we can sometimes tread with people we love that don’t always share (or in our case even take seriously) our natural view on things.

 

 

gallery, Natural Babies

Diapering Your Natural Baby Part 2 | Elimination Communication

Here in Part 2 of our Diapering Your Natural Baby series we’ll continue to discuss the variety of options available for diapering your dear bambino and how natural (nor not) they are.  Next up, Elimination Communication.

Commonly referred to as “EC” elimination communication is the practice of actually NOT DIAPERING your baby at all but, instead, learning to read his/her cues and getting them to the potty so they can be diaper free.

You can begin this process from birth, and, while it might seem shocking to many there are way more babies around the world that don’t wear diapers than that do.  Elimination Communication is the name given by westerners to this ancient practice of raising babies without diapers that’s fairly new (or maybe recently refound) to us.

While most people who have diaper free babies don’t have the option of diapers – there are many that do and still choose EC.  Why would you decide not to use diapers on your baby?

Many feel that it’s more comfortable for the babies to not be diapered.  While others feel that the bond between parents and their children is enhanced by practicing elimination communication and the reading of the baby’s cues that’s involved in the process.

Then, if we just consider the point of view of the environment – babies being diaper free is the best option available!  Nothing in the land fill, less energy and water usage than cloth diapers; Elimination Communication is really the most natural option for diapering  your baby out there.

But, how realistic is it?  The answer to this question is going to be different for each family.

You see, part of Elimination Communication is being with your baby 24/7 and always watching their body language, facial expressions, and vocalizations to know when they need to go.  This isn’t going to be possible for many families for a variety of reasons.

You’ll also need to figure out what to do about going out.  There are a lot of different possibilities like having a portable potty you can carry in the car, using diapers part of the time (like when you go out, or overnight), or another creative solution that makes EC work for your wonderfully unique family.

That’s the most important thing though.  Whatever diapering method, or more likely methods, you choose, be sure they work well for your natural family.  What worked for my boys was even somewhat different with each one of them depending on where we were in time at that point; it’s definitely going to be different from family to family!  And that’s why we’re here; to give you the information you need to be as natural as you can or your want to be!

To find out more about all the different ways you can diaper (or in the case of elimination communication – not diaper!) your baby, please read our full 4 Part Diapering Your Natural Baby series!