As a nutritionist, one of the most common question I get is “Which supplements should I take?” It might be surprising, but, for the most part, I don’t like supplements. There is definitely a time and place for supplementing nutrients when there is dis-ease or lack of availability of certain foods. However, in general, with a varied diet we can get our nutrients from our food – in the synergistic, natural way our bodies are able to absorb them.
Unfortunately, our fruit and vegetables today do not have the same quantity of nutrients they had decades ago because of soil depletion, picking before ripe, and long travel distances. So we either have to eat a lot more vegetables OR we have to get creative! Find new ways to add vitamins and minerals to you meals so you can supply your body what it needs.
Simple ways to add extra nutrients to our meals
Herb pestos
My number one way to add nutrients to our meals is with herb and nut pestos. Herbs a packed with vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants that are hugely beneficial for inflammation. Pestos are so versatile – use a basic base recipe and swap your favorite type of herb or greens, nut or seed, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil.
My base recipe:
2 cups of herbs or greens (basil, parsely, cilantro, nettle, kale, chard)
2 raw garlic cloves
1/2 cup of your nut or seed of choice (walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds)
Extra virgin olive oil – about 1/2 or more if you like it more moist
>>Mix all ingredients in a food processor. Done! It’s also easy to freeze in portion sizes.
How to use pesto:
as a pasta ‘sauce’
as a base on a pizza (with veggies and cheese)
add a dollop to soup
spread on a sandwich or wrap
mix it in with a salad
as a snack ‘dip’ with crackers and cheese
Spices
Spices not only add flavor but also have a range of health benefits. For instance, turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, while garlic and ginger are known for their immune-boosting effects. Experiment with fresh and dried spices in your cooking to enhance both the taste and nutritional profile of your meals. Here are some ideas:
add extra garlic to soup, dips, or tapenade (raw garlic is great for preventing and shortening a cold or flu)
Sprinkle crushed nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pistachios) or seeds (e.g., pumpkin, sunflower, flax, chia) on top of your dishes. They not only provide a satisfying crunch but also add healthy fats, protein, and many vitamins and minerals. I even sprinkle nuts or seeds on soup – pumpkin seeds are especially good!
We definitely jumped on the smoothie bowl trend as soon as my daughter tried one! Especially in the summer, we eat them regularly for breakfast or lunch. But, of course, you have to be careful with the ones you get while out since many are packed with sugar (acai is not naturally sweet – it’s similar to a cranberry flavor!) Making your own is pretty easy – blend fruits, vegetables, and your choice of protein (e.g., Greek yogurt, protein powder) and top with granola, fresh berries, coconut flakes, and seeds for added texture and nutrition. All of these ingredients are filled with vitamins and minerals, and a much more nutrient-dense way to enjoy a bowl of granola/cereal.
Seaweed is rich in minerals, particularly iodine. Iodine is crucial for thyroid health, but it’s not an easy mineral to find in our daily diet. Those who follow vegan/vegetarian diets tend to be lower in iodine because it is naturally in cod, oysters, seaweed, nonfat milk, greek yogurt, a small amount in eggs. Unless you’re eating cod and oysters regularly, you probably don’t get enough either. A main source for the past few decades has been iodized salt, but it isn’t as common in home kitchens these days. A great way to add more iodine (and trace minerals) into your meals is with seaweed! Add dried seaweed to salads, soups, use it as a wrap for sushi, or just snack on dried seaweed. Each type of sushi has varying amounts of iodine, so use a variety of types.
Spirulina, a type of blue-green algae, is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that have a range of health benefits for inflammation, anemia, cholesterol, blood pressure, and more. Spirulina comes as a tablet, but you can also use a powdered form to add to smoothies, yogurt, or even homemade energy bars. Blue spirulina has the same nutritional benefits along with the added excitement of turning your food a beautiful hue of blue! It’s especially fun to use for making blue smoothie bowls. Find a fun recipe here or here.
You probably have heard of the benefits of fermented foods – mainly for their probiotics for strong gut health. It only takes a few tablespoons each day to benefits from fermented foods. Try a variety of kimchi, sauerkraut, kefir, yogurt, kvass, or other lacto-fermented veggies. I add them as a side dish or sometimes just take a few spoonfuls from the jar!
Try my absolute favorite kimchi recipe from Maangchi. I follow her recipe, but don’t use the salty shrimp since I don’t care for the intense fishy taste. I’ve made this many times and it has always been a hit!
Microgreens
Microgreens are tiny versions of vegetables and greens that are packed with nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Add them to salads, sandwiches, wraps, or use them as a garnish for soups and main dishes. Many grocery stores sell them now, but they’re also SO EASY to grow. You only need soil, seeds, and a small container on your counter top. See my article on growing your own.
Nutritional Yeast
Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast often used in vegan cooking to add a cheesy flavor. It’s an excellent source of B-vitamins and is rich in protein. Many brands have added B vitamins (like B12) and iron, which can be beneficial for kids or anyone who eats a vegan/vegetarian diet. Sprinkle nutritional yeast on popcorn, salads, or use it as a seasoning for roasted vegetables. I love adding a spoonful to veggie soup for a richer flavor.
Now that you have a bunch of ideas for adding nutrients to you foods, which will you try first?!
One of the keys to stress free healthy eating is having your list of quick meals. Cooking at home, especially with lots of veggies, seems like so much work. But it’s really not that hard with a go-to plan, basic foods stocked in the fridge and pantry, and maybe a day of prep to have all the vegetables chopped and ready to use. (See my article on how to stock your kitchen.)
There are two things I consider when I create a meal – balance and taste. Balanced meals stay with you longer – they keep you full for longer and are overall more satisfying so you don’t feel a craving for something (usually sugar!). And taste – of course you want it to taste good! Otherwise it’ll be hard to stay motivated to cook at home.
What is a balanced meal? The main things to remember are – 1/2 vegetables, 1/4 protein, 1/4 whole grain or other carb (sweet potatoes, squash, etc.), and a little fat (olive oil, cheese, avocado). Sticking to this basic ratio will give you all the macro nutrients you need and varying the vegetables will give you a range of micronutrients.
How to add easy flavorings? Sauces! Most of my simple meals are steamed veggies, plain grains, and beans or meat. Sounds kinda boring, right? But when you have a great sauce, the whole meal is elevated! Find your go-to sauces that you can keep in the pantry or can be whipped up in a few minutes. (see my list of go-to sauces.)
With this in mind, what kind of meal can you throw together?
Quick Meals in under 30 minutes
Bean and Quinoa Bowlwith Tahini Sauce (my #1 go-to)
Cook quinoa according to package instructions (about 20 minutes)
Steam veggies I have on hand – usually broccoli, carrots, spinach
Chop raw additions – maybe tomatoes, red onion, parsley or cilantro
Make a simple dressing – A favorite is tahini, tamari, lemon juice, raw or powdered garlic, parsley; plus, water to thin sauce
Combine cooked quinoa with canned black beans (rinsed and drained), steamed veggies, raw toppings, and sauce
Top with grated cheese, if desired.
Quick Japchae (Korean glass noodles and veggies)
Stir-fry a mix of colorful vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, and mushrooms in avocado or olive oil
Separately, stir fry tofu until crisp on the outside
Cook noodles per package instructions (Japchae uses sweet potato starch noodles, but rice noodles work too)
We are currently in our 5th year of homeschooling. During these years we have tried different strategies, curriculum, learning styles, and resources. We’ve tried all-in-one curriculums with a schedule to follow, Charlotte Mason approach, classical approach, unit studies and project based learning, online classes, and unschooling, as well as roadschooling.
I have borrowed or purchased many resources and curriculum – some of which are great but most we didn’t finish. Now as we’re nearing the end of the elementary years, I realize how true it is that kids are natural learners and they do not have to follow a specific learning path, sit down to learn, or even need to learn specific things by a specific age. When we choose how to learn, the act of learning becomes enlivening.
This ‘favorites’ list is a compilation of the resources we used for many years and mostly still use today.
With this in mind, how do we homeschool now? In general, we choose topics that are interesting to us and learn about them! I get ideas about what to study based on the curriculum below, a badge Elodie wants to earn, or any other question she has. Since we also travel often much of our learning has to do with where we are and the museums/parks we visit. Elodie uses a math curriculum and we focus many of our learning ‘projects’ on writing and speaking/discussions. Sometimes we’ll do projects, such as lapbooks or videos, to record her learning (and because it’s fun to look back on them!).
Mystery science – Mystery Science is a collection of science topics for K-6. Each unit focuses on a specific topic and includes videos, thoughtful questions to discuss, and hands-on activities.
Junior Ranger programs – Every National Park, National Historic Site, and even some state historical parks have Junior Ranger programs. Each location has a booklet of activities that help you understand the history, geology, biology and/or people of the area, and when it’s complete you get a badge. Elodie has learned so much more by using these booklets because they encourage her to read the signage, attend the lectures, and ask the rangers questions.
Layers of Learning (LOL), Build your Library (BYL) – I’ve bought a few different curriculum over the years to help me implement consistent learning days – most we don’t finish because they had too much busy work and unnecessary projects. However, these are two curriculum that very helpful for topic sequences, great living book lists, and project ideas. BYL is more structured as it gives you a schedule of what to do each day, however I use it more for a sequence to follow, book ideas, and projects to expand learning.
I used LOL in the early years of homeschooling and I found it very overwhelming, however now that I’m much more comfortable with our daily rhythms and learning style, I highly appreciate the LOL format. Each unit comes with a long list of living books, many subtopics within the main idea, and then a long list of project ideas to engage with what we’re learning. I like that it gives us many topic ideas to dive in to, and Elodie likes to choose the topics and projects that catch her interest.
Curiosity Untamed – Curiosity Untamed is somewhat like Girl Scouts in that you earn badges in different areas, yet its more expansive as well. There are over 1000 badges that members can earn in topics ranging from art, science and tech, and outdoors, to world knowledge, history, home ec, and more. There are groups that complete the badges together (similar to Girl Scouts) or, as in our case, you can do them individually. We use this program as a way to learn about many different things that we wouldn’t have even thought of learning about! For example, Elodie explored Maedup (Korean knots), mythology, history of our flag, origami, first aid, and many more.
This week she’s completing the Peanut Butter badge, which at first glance might not seem important, but these are the topics explored — history of peanuts in the US, George Washington Carver’s life and role in popularizing peanut farming and use, nutrition of fat and protein, baking with peanuts/nut butter, geography of where they’re grown around the world, how peanut butter is made on a large scale, current events of why peanuts are a problem in tropical climates. I would have never thought to explore all of these topics, but now we’ll both learn so much more…and we’ll get some home baked peanut butter treats too. 🙂
Beast Academy – Math is the one area I had no interest in teaching beyond basic counting, so I had to find a good program that we could use for many years. Beast Academy is perfect. It’s a rigorous math program that uses graphic novel-style “texts” and mildly gamified learning. By ‘mildly’ I mean that it looks colorful and engaging like a game, there are cute monster characters as the teachers and students, and as you complete activities you earn coins that can be used to create your monster avatar. However, this is not like a video games that ‘hides’ the learning within playing a game – the lessons are quite challenging. The program encourages mental math and using the math topic in a variety of abstract ways beyond rote math problems.
Evan-Moor Writing workbooks – Teaching how to write is difficult, especially since I don’t feel like a confident writer. After a few different curriculum, the evan-moor books have become my go-to. For each grade, they approach writing by starting with crafting strong sentences, then move on to paragraphs, then eventually longer pieces of writing in different genres. The layout is easy to follow and it is easy to apply the lesson to our own learning, so Elodie can write about what is relevant to her.
Books
This is a list of our favorite “learning” books that we’ve used specifically for introducing or understanding a topic. It does not include the many, many pictures books, chapter books, and novels we’ve read (another list will be coming soon!)
Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne – Between first and third grade, we read almost every one of these! The series follows siblings Jack and Annie on their adventures back in time to solve a mission, meet real historical characters, and get back to modern time without getting caught. They are fun as a read aloud, but the simple writing is perfect for young readers too.
While the series is historical fiction, which mixes a real time period and events with real and/or fictional characters, the Fact-Checkers series helps distinguish between the fact and fiction. Many of the Magic Tree House books have a corresponding Fact-Checker book that answers all the questions that arise about the real events in the story. For example, we dove into topics such as dinosaurs, knights, Ancient Egypt, ice age animals, pirates (and so much more) by first reading the story then using the fact-checker book to learn more.
Folk tales and mythology books (so many to choose from!) – Elodie loves reading mythology and about mythical creatures. At library sales and used book stores we’ve picked up dozens of mythology books specific to certain countries or cultures, and she has also enjoyed the colorful compilations (pictured above). Elodie reads these for fun, but we also use them when we study individual countries – it’s a fun way to learn more about the history and culture of a place.
DK Visual Encyclopedias – These are beautiful encyclopedias that have clear, easy to browse layouts. Some encyclopedias have too much info with pages that are packed with little paragraphs, multiple boxes of info, tiny detailed photos, but these are different. These are so enjoyable to look at and have just the right amount of information to introduce a topic with some details, but also gives us the starting point to dive further into the areas of interest.
Who Was? Series (including Where Is?, What Was? series) – These books profile a significant person, place, or event throughout history or modern times with the perfect amount of detail for elementary age. Each book focuses on one person, place, or event, bringing history alive and making it relevant for kids. We occasionally use them as read-alouds, but mostly Elodie reads them on her own within an hour or two (so, they’re easy to read for 4th-5th grade) and then we discuss them. We’ve used these as stand-alone biographies, as part of the Curiosity Untamed badges (described above), or as a way to dive deeper into a topic we’re learning about (such as prominent people from the American Revolution).
Usborne Encyclopedia’s (the newer ones with a more open format): General encyclopedia, World History, World Religions – Similar to the DK Encyclopedias, these have an more open, uncluttered layout that allows the photos and information to be easily enjoyed. Each entry has additional internet links, such as videos or webpages with additional information.
Additional resources
Everand – A huge collection on ebooks, audiobooks, podcasts, magazines, and more. (Get 60 days free with my affiliate link!)
Kern County travel museum membership– This membership gets 2 adults and up to 6 kids into tons of museums around the country that are part of the reciprocities – NARM (many types of museums), ASTC (Science Museums), ACM (Children’s Museums). Anyone can purchase this membership – you do not need to live in California, near this museum. This membership has been indispensable! We have visited dozens of museums around the country, including many smaller museums that we wouldn’t have found without this the reciprocity programs.
YouTube (of course) – We use YouTube almost daily for everything from quick questions to history docs to Minecraft shows.
Resources for MOM
The Brave Learner – Anything that your child is interested in can be used to learn about a wide range of topics..and anything can be a worthwhile topic to study (yes, even video games). This books shares many ideas about how to make learning relevant and interesting for your child, as well as fun ideas about how to make learning a lifestyle instead of a chore.
Home Learning Year by Year – I have referenced this book every year since Kindergarten. The book outlines learning expectations for each grade and is filled with ideas for topics, books, resources, and projects. I appreciate having a general guideline of what to focus on each year – I love learning alongside Elodie, yet it can be overwhelming to figure out what to learn about next! There are SO MANY interesting topics to learn about and SO MANY resources – this book helps me narrow down ideas to frame our general plans for the year.
Honey for a Child’s Heart– There are so many books out there. So many are great…and there is so much junk. When we go to a library, it is overwhelming to choose a new book to read! This book helps me find quality books from recent authors as well as classics. The titles include everything from board books for toddlers, pictures books, early readers, to novels for older elementary and middle schoolers. I wish I purchased this resource earlier!
During the cooler months, I make at least one pot of bone broth every week. It is a warming, nourishing, flavorful part of most of our days. We love it as a basic chicken soup with noodles, or as a base for minestrone or other soups and stews.
There are many benefits to bone broth:
minerals – calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, plus amino acids and gelatin are needed for strong bones, ligaments, and tendons.
gelatin (comes from the collagen in the bones) – the building blocks for healthy joints (potentially reducing joint pain and increasing joint mobility), strong hair, and glowy skin; it also feeds good bacteria in your gut, and helps strengthen digestive tract lining (important to avoid or heal leaky gut)
glycine (an amino acid) – helps reduce inflammation, strengthen your immune system, and even help you relax. (Glycine supplements are used to reduce anxiety and panic attacks.)
Bone broth is so easy to make. Add a few ingredients in a pot and boil.
Bone Broth Recipe
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, any size that fits in your biggest pot – I use around 4 lbs; OR 4 lbs beef marrow bones; OR 3-4 chicken carcasses
3-4 chicken feet or additional chicken backs (optional: adds great collagen, but can be hard to find. Sometimes they’re in the freezer section in the grocery store.)
2 carrots, cut in thirds
2 celery stalks, cut in thirds
1 onion, peeled and cut in half
4-5 garlic cloves, smashed
~2 tsp. dried oregano
~2 tsp. dried thyme
~1/2 T peppercorns
~ 1 1/2 tsp. salt. (I add more salt later when making soup.)
2 T apple cider vinegar
Those are my basic ingredients, but you can add these in also: A few leaves of romaine lettuce; Parmesan cheese rind; Corn cob (no corn left); potatoes; sweet potatoes if you want a sweeter broth; parsley towards the end of cooking; celery leaves. This is a versatile recipe, so experiment with different flavors!
Steps
Put the chicken in the pot and fully cover with water. Bring to a boil and let boil for about 20 minutes. Skim off the foam that gathers.
Put rest of ingredients in the pot and bring to a boil again.
Lower heat and simmer for about 2.5 hours. Take the chicken out (it should fall off the bones easily) and put on a cutting board. Use tongs to remove meat from the bones and put it in a container for later. See
Optional step: Take a knife and press on the bones to expose the marrow. Put the the bones, skin, and fat back in the pot.
Simmer for about 6 hours. When done simmering, the broth should be a rich, golden color.
Strain the broth and press the veggies with a large spoon to get more liquid out. Discard the veggies and bones. You can eat the veggies, but they will just be bland and mushy.
Your broth is ready!!
Notes:
If you are not home, you can put the broth in a crock pot to simmer for 8 hours on low.
The broth is easy to freeze for up to six months. Freeze in soup portion size containers or in ice trays, which are perfect for using as a base for sauteing.
How to use it
Drink it in a mug (My daughter loves it like this!)
Knitting is a great skills for kids (and their adults!) to learn. Not only is it a soothing creative outlet, it’s also good for fine motor skills, patience, and perseverance. If you don’t already knit, it can be intimidating to figure out how to begin. Luckily there are many videos to get you started and simple projects that will be fun and motivating.
Get ready to enter the world of yarn and needles!
Materials
needles – Get wooden or bamboo needles in size 9, 10, or 11. Below size 9 will take a long time to finish a project, and above 11 can get tricky to hold. Avoid metal or plastic needles because they are slippery
yarn – Chunky/Bulky yarn is great to start with because it is easy to see each stitch and a project can be completed faster
tapestry needle – This is for finishing at the end of your project
crochet hook slightly smaller than your needle – for picking up dropped stitches
Learning from someone is person is ideal since you can troubleshoot as you go. But, of course, YouTube is a great second choice. It can be overwhelming to know which videos are best, so I’ve sifted through to find my top recommended choices:
The Very Beginning
Casting on + Knit stitch (a basic stitch you will use day 1 and for every project after!) + Binding Off and finishing
When a child starts a knitting project, I believe that it’s a lot more motivating to do an actual project versus just knitting for practice. There are plenty of project types that will get your child excited for sticking to their project. Here are a few ideas:
Scarves
Scarves are an obvious place to start because they’re easy, but yet the project will take long enough to get comfortable with knitting. Choose a fun color or multiple colors – it’s very easy to use more than one color! Keep it a short scarf so it’s not overwhelming, and finish with fringe or buttons for fun. Elodie’s first project was a bulky scarf where she changed colors and practiced different stitches. While there are many dropped stitches and somehow the stitch count changed a few times, it was a great way to get started.
Squares
Squares are practical and straightforward projects that introduce kids to the rhythm of knitting. Use knit and purl stitches that can be used in a variety of ways. What can a square be?! A dishcloth, a face cloth, a doll blanket, picnic blanket for stuffed animals, the front of a small pillow, or even a bunny (the bunny below is just a square!). Or, make multiple squares a stitch them together to create a larger pillow or blanket. Squares are quick to finish, providing a sense of accomplishment and then they can instantly see their creations being used.
Headbands
Knitting headbands is another simple yet rewarding project for beginners because it knits up quickly. You can experiment with different stitches and color combinations, as well as types of yarn. You’ll also learn about sizing and shaping, and you can optionally learn knitting in the round so there are no seams.
Stuffed Animals
Introduce kids to the world of three-dimensional knitting by making small stuffed animals. Patterns for knitted animals often involve basic techniques like increasing, decreasing, and seaming. The easiest way to get started with stuffed animals is with basic shapes, instead of those with a separate head, arms, legs, and body that need to be seamed together.
Small bags
Small bags are a fun and practical project for kids to store their treasures. The relatively small size makes them manageable for beginners, and they can experiment with different stitch patterns to add flair. You can finish the bag with tassels, pompoms, and buttons.
Additional Resources
As a knitter you must know: Ravelry is the best pattern source around! It’s a treasure trove for knitters of all skill levels. The platform offers a vast selection of free and paid knitting patterns, including many designed specifically for kids. The best part of Ravelry is that many knitters have shared their results of each pattern, so you can browse different color combos, yarns, and tips for the pattern. You must create a profile to use Ravelry, but it is free to sign up.
AllFreeKnitting: AllFreeKnitting is an online resource that curates a collection of free knitting patterns for various skill levels. It is useful for browsing knitted possibilities and for trying new types of projects for free.
Hello! I’m Amy. This is my little spot on the internet where I share about travel, homeschooling, getting creative, food and healthy living. By day I’m a homeschooling mom and Certified Nutritionist..by night I’m a knitter, collage artist, and herbal remedy maker. Thanks for being here!
