Prenatal Yoga Starting January!

I am so excited to return to teaching Yoga! I am starting Prenatal Yoga classes in January at the Longmont United Hospital!

Classes will be every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30pm and the cost is only $6 a class! I taught Prenatal Yoga all through my first pregnancy and was a student through my second- Prenatal Yoga is such a blessing! Not only did it give me more energy but it also was a time to connect with my baby while taking "me" time in the presence of other mom's in a safe and nurturing environment.

The classes will be a combination of gentle poses/stretches perfect for you & your growing baby as well as strengthening poses to prepare you for the marathon of birth. You will learn how to de-stress your body from the natural changes that progress with each term while learning breathing & meditation techniques for birth. With tools such as balance balls, bolsters, wedges, weights, resistance bands, chairs and more, we will strengthen and stretch muscles, release tension and maintain good posture. Prenatal yoga also teaches you to keep a positive outlook while clearing the mind of the stresses associated with pregnancy and motherhood.

Beginners are welcome, no previous yoga experience is required. Please check with your doctor before starting this program.


Just a little info on me... Elaine Waterman has been a dedicated yoga practitioner for almost twenty years. A certified yoga instructor since 2002, Elaine started teaching power vinyasa yoga in Vail, CO and then at om time in Boulder, CO. In 2003, Elaine began preparing for the birth of her first child. Her focus in teaching moved from strenuous power vinyasa yoga to nurturing prenatal yoga. She loved sharing the experience with her students and continues to enjoy supporting women in the process of preparing for birth and motherhood with yoga. Now a mother to two boys she teaches prenatal, postnatal and kids yoga as well as Stroller Strides classes in Longmont.

Please let me know if you need any information about the classes. And please let all your expecting mom friends know!!!

May is Pregnancy Awareness Month

And for those moms to be...

May is Pregnancy Awareness Month!


Declared and founded by holistic lifestyle expert Anna Getty, May 2009 marks the 2nd year of Pregnancy Awareness Month (PAM). Through PAM, Anna aims to empower pregnant women with information, “how to” ideas and inspiration to incorporate PAM’s four key initiatives – education, exercise, nutrition & wellness and nurture – into their life routines and to show women how easy it can be to make healthy changes in their lives for themselves and their children.

“My life was altered not only by the birth of my daughter, but by the experience and choices I made as I prepared my body, mind and spirit to become pregnant and the incredible inward journey of pregnancy itself. In PAM we have adopted the tagline: “Motherhood begins now,” and I really believe that. I took that message to heart before I actually became pregnant as a way to prepare my mind, body and household for this fabulous moment of creativity, and my life literally turned upside down, for the better."

Visit the PAM website for more info!

To celebrate PAM, Stroller Strides is offering FREE classes from May 10th to May 16th. Click the coupon for more info!

Happy Mothers Day- to those with little ones, big ones and ones still in the "oven"

Happy Mother Day from Stroller Strides of Longmont/Firestone!

Start the day off right with easy recipes for your family to cook!

Mothers Day Breakfast in Bed...
by Ann Bender and Karen Hutcherson
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY from Relish!

[A] Café Mocha
[B] Seasonal Berries w/ Whipped Cream
[C] Maple Sausage
[D] Banana Macadamia Pancakes

Here's a deliciously simple breakfast menu with banana macadamia pancakes that are to die for. The grocery list is included so send Dad and the kids to the store and stretch out on the couch and watch Beaches, Pretty Woman or any Meg Ryan movie.
Enjoy!

CAFÉ MOCHA [A]
Freshly brewed coffee
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
Dollop of fresh whipping cream*
Cinnamon

1. Pour hot coffee into a mug, mix in the chocolate syrup, and place a dollop of whipped cream on top with a dash of cinnamon.

*FRESH WHIPPED CREAM
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon sugar

1. Using an electric mixer, mix the whipping cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Use the cream in the coffee and on the berries.

SEASONAL BERRIES WITH WHIPPED CREAM [B]
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 pint blueberries
1 pint blackberries

1. Mix all of the washed berries in a bowl. Transfer to individual bowls and top with fresh whipped cream.

MAPLE SAUSAGE [C]
1 package link sausage
¼ cup maple syrup

1. Prepare sausage in skillet over medium heat for 10-12 minutes. When the sausage is cooked, brush with maple syrup and let cook another minute.

BANANA MACADAMIA PANCAKES [D]

1¾ cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups buttermilk, well shaken
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ripe large banana
½ cup macadamia nuts, chopped
Maple Syrup
Butter
½ cup coconut, toasted (optional)
Cooking spray

1. Spread the coconut on a small baking sheet and broil for 2 minutes until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. BE CAREFUL NOT TO BURN!
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Cut the banana into bits and fold into batter along with the nuts.
3. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches of 3, pour 1⁄4 cup batter per pancake into the hot skillet and cook until the bubbles appear on the surface and the underside is golden.
4. Flip the pancakes with a spatula and cook until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a large plate and tent with foil. Spray the skillet before each new batch.
5. Heat maple syrup in the microwave. Top the pancakes with toasted coconut and serve


MOTHER’S DAY SHOPPING LIST

Each recipe and side is coded with an A, B, C, D, or E that corresponds to the shopping list. If you’re unable to make a particular item, simply cross off everything on the grocery list with that code.

WHAT YOU NEED BUT MAY ALREADY HAVE
Baking powder
Baking soda
Butter
Chocolate syrup
Cinnamon
Coffee
Cooking spray
Eggs, large
Flour
Salt
Sugar
Vanilla extract


MEAT, FISH, POULTRY
1 package maple-flavored link
sausages [C]

PRODUCE
1 pint strawberries [B]
1 pint blueberries [B]
1 pint blackberries [B]
1 large banana [D]


DAIRY
1 pint heavy whipping cream [A,B]
1 pint buttermilk [D]


SYRUP
1 12 ounce jar of real maple syrup (the good stuff) [D]


BAKING
1 7 ounce bag shredded coconut [D]


NUTS
2 2.25 ounce packages of chopped Macadamia Nuts [D]



Relish! was founded by Ann Bender and Karen Hutcherson, two busy Colorado mothers who found themselves in the over-scheduled, eat-in-the-car trap. Both women love to cook but didn't have time to sift through cookbooks and magazines for evening meals. Healthy, good-tasting dinner shouldn't be out of reach and this is where the Relish! story begins. www.relishrelish.com.

Some more tips on prenatal nutrition- more to follow- stay tuned!

Here are some nutrients you will need even more now that you are directly responsible for the nutritional needs of your baby, whether you’re pregnant or a new mom: calcium, protein, folic acid, fiber, iron and fluids. In the next few weeks, we’ll review the importance of each of these and how you can incorporate more of it into your diet.

Eating for 2- tips for healthy eating while expecting!

Do you double your portions because you’re now “eating for two”? Not so fast. The recommended weight gain for the average pregnant woman is 25-35 pounds. It only takes approximately 300 extra calories a day to meet this recommended weight goal. Great, extra calories, you say? A snack equivalent to 300 calories is an 6-ounce container of yogurt and a 1/4-cup of raisins. So you can see while you are eating for two, you are not eating for two adults. You are eating for one adult and a fetus that starts off the size of a grain of rice!