by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Apr 16, 2022 | Holidays and Special Events
In honor of Mother's Day and to give you some ideas for the new mom (and not so new mom as well), I put together 25 gifts a new mom will love. Most of these links will bring you to a page with lots of choices. I have included a few specific recommendations as well. (post contains affiliate links).
25 Gifts A New Mom Will Love
(For the Kitchen)
- Kitchen Utensil Set -This is an inexpensive way to buy a combination of essential kitchen tools such as a can opener, pizza cutter, knife sharpener, tea strainer, spatulas, slotted spoons, pasta forks, wire whisks, and more. Buying a holder for the saves drawer space and makes it more convenient to access the tools when you need them.
- Cutting Board Set -Ideally cutting boards should be separated by type of food. In food service, health code regulations require a red board for meat, a green board for vegetables, a blue board for seafood, and a white for other all purpose uses such as cutting bread.
- Set of knives – Everyone can use a good set of knives. The link will give you lots of ideas.
- Spice Rack Organizer – If your mom already has spices in stock, then this will be a helpful organization tool.
- Food Storage Container Set – Practical gift. There are stackable options available which make storage easier, especially in tight spaces.
- Hand Immersion Blender – I love to use my KitchenAid hand immersion blender for my smoothies in the morning and to puree vegetables and soups. This will make it super easy to make fresh, pureed baby food as well. It's portable, easy to clean, and perfect for small recipes and quick work. I just recently bought the KitchenAid one because my other one stopped working. This one works better and does more. For example, I wasn't able to puree anything hot in the other blender because it would splatter everywhere. This blender has a closed container so you don't have that problem.
- Hand or Stand Mixer – Everyone needs one of these. The Kitchen Aid mixers are cool because there are attachments you can add. For example, I just bought my husband a slicer grater attachment for our anniversary, and he loves it. It's super fast and easy to grate cheese and shred carrots, potatoes and other vegetables. He hasn't used the slicer yet, but it will be perfect for slicing potatoes for potatoes au gratin. You can also dry your own bread and make bread crumbs with it.
- Mixing Bowl Set– Mixers usually come with at least one. However, different size mixing bowls are really handy to have in the kitchen. For example, when I bake banana bread, I use a separate bowl for the wet ingredients, and two bowls to prepare the dry ingredients.
- Bakeware Set – Metal Bakeware sets usually consist of muffin pans, cookie sheets, a loaf pan, and cake pans. Other bakeware sets are glass or stoneware. One of my favorite bakeware sets is the French White CorningWare round and oval set with lids. One of the reasons I like it is because it's so pretty. You can take the item straight from the oven and serve it. Also, CorningWare is so easy to clean! It stays white forever. In addition, this set has never chipped despite years of use.
- Instant Pot or Crock Pot – I love using a crock pot because I usually have more energy in the morning. Plus, the obvious, you can leave it and not worry about it, and you have dinner ready at night. I recently received an Instant Pot and I love it even more! We have used it to make cranberry sauce, rice, roast beef, and pinto beans, just to name a few dishes. Our rice cooker just stopped working. So the timing was perfect. White rice cooks in less than 15 minutes and tastes just as delicious. Make sure that if you buy the Instant Pot, you buy the one with the pressure cooker setting, because they don't all have this option.
- Instant Pot Accessory Kit – If mom already has an Instant Pot, there are lots of useful accessories that will make Instant Pot even more versatile.
- Magnetic Safety Locks – These are handy for keeping little ones out of the cupboards.
- Kitchen Shears – An absolutely essential item. Uses include opening food packages, cutting meat into smaller pieces, trimming fruit, cutting cooked spaghetti, and more.
- Kitchen Timer – No one can have too many kitchen timers!
- Cooking Thermometer – This includes thermometers for measuring candy temperatures. Candy often requires very specific temperatures to turn out correctly. Also meat thermometers are important for making sure your meats are cooked to the proper temperature and thus are safe to eat.
- Wooden Spoons Set – Wooden spoons are inexpensive and they protect your pots and pans from scratching.
- Kitchen Towel Set – One can't have too many kitchen towels. Seasonal is one way to go if your mom already owns “plenty” of towels.
- A Good Basic Cookbook – My favorite basic cookbooks are by Betty Crocker and Better Homes and Gardens.
- Tongs – I used the thin grab tongs growing up. I was in heaven once I discovered the clam grabbing tongs. They are much more effective at picking up meats and such.
- Pizza Pan – Having a pizza pan in-house will make it easier to throw in a quick pizza on a busy night, or you can use it for your homemade pizzas.
- Pie Holder – (Or cake holder). Pie and cake holders are designed to keep your pies and cakes fresh. Many types are available for carrying out of the house for a party or get-together as well.
- Spice Set – If the new mom is just starting out, you can purchase a spice set with the actual spices included.
- Breakfast Sandwich Maker – This little gadget is just one example of many convenient gadgets available today, including waffle irons, panini makers, simple griddles for making pancakes, indoor barbecues, etc.
- Coffee Machine – A good coffee machine will last a long time. And new moms often need the extra caffeine to get through the day.
- Standing Blender – For making larger recipe smoothies and shakes, pureeing vegetables and more.
So, there you have it. 25 gifts a new mom will love. This is just a few ideas I found to help you with your shopping for the new mom in your life. If you found this list helpful, please share it with your friends. 🙂
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Mar 20, 2022 | Creation Education Resources
There is a lot of conflict today related to the concept of race. And there are a lot of accusations flying around. But what exactly does the bible say about race? Or better yet, what does the bible NOT say? Below are 4 things the bible does not say about race.
1. The Bible does not say there are separate races.
What would you say if I told you there is no such thing as race? And that differences in the color of our skin, have nothing to do with “race?”
First of all, the bible says we all descended from Adam and Eve:
“From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.” Acts 17:26 NIV
This means Adam and Eve carried the entire original gene pool. All of the genetic potential wrapped up in two people. And it went downhill from there with the Fall of Mankind.
By the way, Adam and Eve were highly unlikely to have been light skinned or blue-eyed.
In fact, I bet you didn't know that blue eyes are actually the result of a genetic mutation. That's right!
But what exactly is a genetic mutation?
“Put simply, a genetic mutation is when something in our DNA doesn't quite do what it's supposed to do. People generally associate the term with birth defects and, indeed, conditions such as albinism, deformities and even some mental conditions.” (Reference below)
So, what does this mean? This means that blonde hair and blue eyes are not superior like Hitler believed.
Second of all, we are all descended from Noah and his sons.
It says in the bible that the only survivors of the Biblical Worldwide Flood were Noah, his wife, his three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and their 3 wives.
“And Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” Genesis 6:10
“On that very day Noah entered the ark, along with his sons Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and his wife, and the three wives of his sons.” Genesis 7:13
“And every living thing on the face of the earth was destroyed—man and livestock, crawling creatures and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth, and only Noah remained, and those with him in the ark.” Genesis 7:23
“Then God said to Noah, “'Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives.'” Genesis 8:16
“So Noah came out, along with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. Every living creature, every creeping thing, and every bird—everything that moves upon the earth—came out of the ark, kind by kind.” Genesis 8:18-19
Thus, we are all descended from one of the three sons, Ham, Shem, and Japheth. We are all from the same family.
Third of all, the bible never uses the word “race” in reference to people. Plus it says in the New Testament that all people are “One Blood.” Acts 17:26
2. The Bible does not say that “races should not mix.”
I think some of the confusion regarding this idea comes from God's order in the book of Genesis for the people to scatter as a result of their rebellion at the Tower of Babel.
“When God scattered the people of the time, he also confused languages. As a result, they could not communicate with each other. That is why it was called Babel –because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:9
It says nothing here about changing genes
So the people who were given the Chinese language, for example, scattered in the same direction as other people who spoke the same language.
I can't imagine that God would have given an entirely different language to each individual person. I believe there would have been a group of people who were given the same language. As a result of sharing the same language, they separated themselves from others who didn't speak the same language. Thus, they carried their unique genes with them.
This is NOT an example of race.
When people scattered throughout the earth, they took their own unique “gene pool” with them. In other words, whatever innate genetic characteristics they contained in their DNA would have affected the way their children looked. This explains why people who live in different geographic regions have a similar outer appearance.
And scientifically speaking, skin color is mainly the result of different amounts of melanin, the pigment that adds color to your skin.
3. The Bible does not say that slavery based on skin color and perceived inferiority is okay.
Some people think the bible supports slavery. This is most definitely not true.
It is true that slavery existed in the bible. For example, Abraham and Sarai had at least one slave, Hagar (Genesis 16:8). However, this does not mean that God condones it. Slavery in the bible existed as the result of sin. Not only that, but the slavery that existed in the bible was not the result of “race” OR color of skin. Click here for an excellent article on this subject.
4. The bible does not say one race is superior to another race.
Darwin's theory of evolution played a big part in the propagation of the idea of certain races being inferior. For example, he taught in his “Origin of Species” book that the “negro” was lower on the evolutionary scale than the white man (I read those words myself years ago when I had access to the actual book). Also, Ernst Haeckel popularized the idea of “ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny.”
“Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” basically says that during embryonic development, the fetus repeats “historical” evolutionary development until it becomes fully human, just before birth.
NOTE: This theory has been disproved, though there are still secular textbooks showing Haeckel's famous pictures. And, unfortunately, it is still holding sway towards belief in evolution.
(No doubt this is why our society is becoming more and more calloused against the idea of abortion–but I digress…)
Back to Haeckel. His quote from 1876 is insightful:
“At the lowest stage of human mental development are the Australians, some tribes of the Polynesians, and the Bushmen, Hottentots, and some of the Negro tribes. Nothing, however, is perhaps more remarkable in this respect, than that some of the wildest tribes in southern Asia and eastern Africa have no trace whatever of the first foundations of all human civilization, of family life, and marriage. They live together in herds, like apes.”
One concrete example of the influence of Darwin's and Haeckel's ideas was an African pygmy man named Ota Benga who was kept in a zoo on display as an example of evolution in progress.
“Ota Benga later ended up at the Bronx Zoo, where he was put on display in the monkey house. Although zoo director Hornaday insisted he was merely offering an ‘intriguing exhibit’ for the public’s edification, he ‘apparently saw no difference between a wild beast and the little Black man; for the first time in any American zoo, a human being was displayed in a cage. Benga was given cage-mates to keep him company in his captivity—a parrot and an Orangutan named Dohong’.” (Ota Benga, The Man Who Was Put on Display at the Zoo)
Back to the Tower of Babel story in the Book of Genesis. It says that the people were dispersed and separated. History shows that some people groups are more isolated, and as a direct result, less developed. This gives the appearance to that these isolated people are more primitive. Not even close. So called “primitive” tribes are just as capable as “civilized” tribes once they are introduced to modern knowledge.
Ask any missionary who has spent time around “primitive” tribes. Which reminds me. One of the most AMAZING books I have ever read is, “Eternity in Their Hearts.” This book was written by a man named Don Richardson, a missionary who worked with cannibalistic tribes in Papua New Guinea back in the 1960s.
Don Richardson also wrote the book “Peace Child.” In this book he talks about how difficult it was for the tribe members to understand the gospel because they idealized treachery and they had never seen a sheep. So he had to use other means to get the gospel message across. But the point is, they were NOT INFERIOR INTELLECTUALLY or in any other way.
The good news is that most scientists today admit that, biologically speaking, there is only one “race” of humans.
Scientists recognize that different skin colors are the result of different amounts of melanin. And they acknowledge that differences between “races” are primarily cultural.
Don't you just love it when science finally catches up with the bible? 🙂
Click here for FREE workbook created that you and your kids can use to further study this subject.
Check out these related products and posts by Homeschooling Dietitian Mom
Black Pioneers in Food Science and Technology Article
Black Pioneers in Food Science and Technology Research Project
Venturing with God in Congo – A Missionary Story
Jesus is Risen! Resurrection Celebration Activities Pack
Is the Paleo Diet Biblical?
5 Reasons My Son Believes in Catastrophism
Daniel Boone – Frontiersman
https://answersingenesis.org/racism/are-there-really-different-races/#fn_7
https://owlcation.com/stem/Red-Hair-Blue-Eyes-and-Other-Genetic-Mutations
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Mar 16, 2022 | Nutrition and Health
Before I list the 13 benefits of Omega-3s, let me explain what I mean when I discuss Omega-3s.
Omega-3s are unsaturated fats that are important for good health for everyone. This includes babies, children, and adults. These essential fats are also important for children with special needs such as Autism and ADHD.
Omega-3s reduce the risk of certain diseases in aging adults.
For example, Omega-3s have benefits for persons with conditions such as coronary artery disease (CAD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and macular degeneration.
1. They are essential nutrients.
Omega-3 fats and oils cannot be made in the body, or there is limited production. For example, there are three different omega-3s:
- EPA, which stands for Eicosapentaenoic acid
- DHA, or Docosahexaenoic acid
- and ALA, which stands for Alpha-Linolenic Acid.
DHA can be converted to EPA. Also, ALA can be converted to DHA, but both processes are inefficient.
As a result:
Sufficient amounts of Omega-3s, require consuming adequate amounts in your diet to prevent deficiency.
2. Omega-3 fats are anti-inflammatory.
Inflammation is what your body does in response to injury or sickness. When a part of your body experiences redness, swelling or pain, you are experiencing inflammation.
3. Omega-3 fats work to decrease Inflammation associated with diseases such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Rheumatoid Arthritis is a disease of inflammation of the joints. And Omega-3s have been shown to decrease the inflammation associated with RA.
4. Omega-3s have been shown to reduce the severity of Macular Degeneration.
In case you aren't familiar, macular degeneration causes age-related loss of sight. This disease has been shown in some studies to improve as a result of omega-3 therapy.
5. Lower risk of death from coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with sufficient amounts of Omega-3s.
For example, CAD is one form of heart disease that is caused by clogged arteries. Omega-3s have been shown to reduce the risk of dying from this CAD.
6. Omega-3s may reduce the risk of stroke.
For example, Ischemic stroke may be reduced as the result of sufficient dietary intake of omega-3s.
7. Omega-3s improve the blood cholesterol profile.
Specifically, Omega-3 supplementation may decrease levels of triglycerides in the blood. They may also decrease HDL, which is considered to be the good cholesterol.
8. Sufficient omega-3 levels are crucial to adequate brain development of babies before and after birth.
9. Additionally, omega-3s enhance immunity in pregnant moms who take omega-3s or eat fish regularly.
In fact, one of the reasons breastmilk is so healthful is because Omega-3s are naturally in breastmilk. The US started fortifying baby formulas in the 1990s for this very reason. Adding omega-3s is another example of how science is doing its best to mimic breastmilk.
10. Omega-3s are associated with a reduced risk of asthma. For example, one study showed this result in teenage children of women who took fish oil during pregnancy.
11. Omega-3s, particularly EPA, may help treat depression in some people.
12. And treatment of ADHD and autism has shown promise, though research is mixed.
13. Research shows that diets high in fish are associated with reduced risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s.
14. Treatment of Type-2 diabetes has shown some promise as well. (Wait that's 14)!
So which omega-3s should you take?
I'm so glad you asked because three different Omega-3 fats must be taken in through the diet. Read below to find out more.
EPA – Eicosapentaenoic acid
Sources
- Fatty fish such as salmon
- Swordfish
- Tuna
- Mackerel
- Supplements
- EPA can be converted from ALA or DHA, but is not efficient.
DHA – Docosahexaenoic acid
Sources
- Fish only (or fish oil supplements)
- Cold-water fish, including mackerel
- Herring
- Tuna
- Halibut
- Salmon
- Cod liver (oil)
- Whale and Seal blubber
- DHA can be converted from ALA in the body but is not an efficient process
Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA)
Sources
- Nuts (particularly black walnuts) and nut butters
- Chia and flax seeds
- Soybean oil
- Canola oil
- Olive oil
- Avocado
Below are three different fish oils we have used, and that I recommend. They are some of the highest quality on the market, and the dosages are not too high. These are Amazon affiliate links.
The one on the left is the one our family takes. We gave our 13-year-old the Carlson Kids Chewable until about six months ago. He really liked them, but I wanted to give him a higher dose. He tried the fish oil in the middle but didn't like it after a while. It is very lemony (and they have orange too), but not sweet at all.
For Further Study
5 Reasons Why You Should Eat More Fish
Does Food Affect Autism?
Information on DHA from Web MD
Introduction to Omega-3s
US Dietary Guidelines
Who Needs Omega-3s?
3 Types of omega-3s
6 Symptoms of Omega-3 fatty acid deficiency
Seafood Intake of Americans and Recommendations
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Mar 16, 2022 | Holidays and Special Events
WHO WAS SAINT PATRICK?
As a protestant, I'm ashamed to say that I have never heard about St. Patrick in church. Maybe somewhere he was discussed, however, I don't remember learning about him in church in the 30+ years I've been a Christian. I researched him on my own when my son was younger. So, I am familiar with his life. However, today, I decided to revisit his story because St. Patrick's Day is this month. So, who was Saint Patrick anyway? A brief biography follows.
St. Patrick was a Christian missionary who lived in the late 4th-Early 5th Century.
He is considered the “Patron Saint” of Ireland. In the strictest sense, a “Patron Saint” is someone who is supposed to be a heavenly guide or protector of a particular group of people and/or a particular geographic region. In this case, Ireland.
Perhaps this is why the Protestant church is hesitant to discuss him as we don't believe in praying to saints. However, you don't have to pray to Patrick to genuinely appreciate him and what he represented. If you read his “Confessions,” which are his own words, you will find that he was a very humble man who did not consider himself anywhere near holy. Also, he spoke straight out of the Bible.
As a role model, Patrick is a good example of how a Christian (true believer) should view himself. His words remind us of how a true believer should trust in and rely on God as our source of strength and comfort.
When Patrick was 16 years old, he was kidnapped by pirates from his home in Great Britain.
He was taken as a slave to Ireland where he took care of animals. In his confessions Patrick discusses how he believed he was being corrected by God when he was kidnapped and that the Lord used the experiences of hunger and deprivation as a means to bring him to knowledge of the true God.
Patrick had a dream during the six-year period before he escaped and returned to his home in Great Britain. In the dream, God spoke to Patrick and he was converted. He states that before this experience, he had heard of the truths and laws, but did not apply them to himself. His conversion opened his eyes to his own sinfulness and need for God.
Patrick Heads Back to His Hometown
While working with the animals in Ireland, Patrick had a dream. In the dream, God revealed to him that he would be going back home on a ship. And that’s just what happened. He escaped and found the ship. However, at first, the crew of the ship wouldn’t allow him to board. As a result, Patrick went to where he was staying and prayed. A short time later, the crew came looking for him and said he could come along with them on the ship.
While on the voyage home, part of which was on land, he and his comrades were starving and losing faith. Patrick prayed to God and, shortly thereafter, they came upon a herd of pigs. Patrick saw this as an answer to prayer and as an opportunity to witness to the people he was travelling with. The meat from the pigs sustained them, along with wild honey, until they arrived at their destination. Patrick states in his “Confession” that he did not eat the wild honey.
Patrick's Spiritual Battle
Patrick discusses that during this trip, while sleeping one night, Satan attacked him and he had a giant boulder on top of him. Apparently, he overcame this, though it is not clear exactly how, because he made it home in one piece.
When he returned to his home, his parents were so happy to see him that they begged him to never leave again. However, he felt led by God to return to Ireland to witness to the people who did not know the true God.
He did not immediately leave, and according to his “Confession,” sometime later he was accused of a sin that he had previously committed before becoming a Christian. He states that he had already confessed to this sin before being accused, and that he did not understand why the person he confessed to shared the information with others in the church.
Regardless of why, Patrick believed that this was the method God used to correct him to push him to do what he had been called to do: “Go to Ireland and preach the gospel.” Many people became Christians because of Patrick’s missionary work in Ireland.
Was St. Patrick a Christian Martyr?
Patrick was not martyred in the traditional sense. That is, he was not executed. However, based on his “Confession,” he was persecuted by the leadership of the church in Britain, probably because they were offended by his pointed discussions of our sinfulness and need for repentance.
Very similar to the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, the leadership was offended by him and wanted to shut him up by accusing him of sin in order to delegitimize him. God used this persecution to send Patrick where He wanted him to go: Ireland. (Matthew 15:12)
The Legend of the Shamrock
While in Ireland, Patrick followed God’s leading and “drove out the snakes” (snake is symbolic of Satan). The Legend of the Shamrock, which is often connected with the driving out of snakes, refers to the 3-leaf clover, which Patrick used to represent the 3 persons of the Holy Trinity. The “driving out of snakes” and the “the shamrock” are often connected in stories.
It is not clear how Patrick died, but many sources say he died around 461 AD.
In addition to this short article, I have created a fun “Who was St. Patrick” Activity Pack for your kids.
I included the delicious recipes we created for “Kid-Friendly Reuben Sandwiches and Baked Sweet Potato Fries as well.” So don't miss out!
See also:
Who was Nicholas of Myra? Activity Pack
St. Patrick's Day Recipe Cards
Venturing with God to Congo – A Missionary Story
Religious Freedom and the Church
Free “Wings of Fire” Novel Study Guide
10 Surprising Facts about St. Valentine
References
The Confession of St. Patrick
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick
by Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC | Dec 8, 2021 | Holidays and Special Events, Homeschooling
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