Motherhood

8 Great Goals to Make Motherhood Amazing
By Lori Radun

There is nothing that brings me greater joy than helping individuals define and reach their goals in life. My web developer always jokes "You're the Tony Robbins for moms!"

I get the privilege of talking with moms about what their desires and challenges are, and what their goals are in life. One mom I spoke with said she needed connection and accountability, and she knew what her challenges were, but she hadn't yet defined her goals.

It's common to not know what your goals are. Most of us moms are so busy taking care of the day to day activities that we rarely have time to sit down and have enough clear headed space to think about our vision. And once we know what we really want, we have to translate that into specific and measurable goals. So I thought I would help get your wheels spinning by giving you some great goals that would make motherhood amazing for you and your family.

Personal Development

Eliminate everything that sabotages your confidence as a woman and a mom.

How about that? Wouldn't it feel great to feel good about who you are? What and who gets in the way of you feeling that way? Is it your own negative thoughts and judgments? Is it fear that stops you from being who you know you truly are? Do you allow others to put you down? Step into your power and be the amazing woman that you are!

Spirituality

Implement a values based program in your family.

Pick a value that you will practice for every month of the year. Teach your kids what this value means. Do activities around this value like reading books, watching movies, or other creative games. Keep a jar and contribute tokens each time a family member demonstrates this value throughout the month. If you reach a certain number of tokens at the end of the month, celebrate with a family outing.

Fun and Enjoyment

Make a Fantastic List of Things to Do.

Pretend this is your last year of living and make a list of fun and inspiring things you would like to do before you go. It doesn't have to be true to have fun, because the reality is you don't know how long you have to live. So make everyday a great day...in all the little ways possible!

Relationships

Pick up the book Love for No Reason and Apply the Concepts to Every Relationship in Your Life.

You need love. Your family needs love. Your community needs love. The world needs love. Learn to tap into unconditional love - the only kind of "real" love.

Health and Aging

Put your self-care at the top of your to-do list.

What does self-care look like for you? What happens to you when you don't practice self-care on a regular basis? Isn't it better to explain to your kids and your husband that you will be a much better mommy and wife when you take care of you first? It's not selfish. There is time if YOU are a priority. Feed your soul so you can feed other souls.

Personal Finances

Set a Values-Based Budget for your Family.

What would it be like to spend money based on your family values? For instance, personal growth is one of my family values. Therefore, there has to be money allotted in the budget for personal growth items. Have you ever done formal values analysis for your family? It is something worth the investment because practically every conflict we have is based on values.

Career and Profession

Define clear and balanced boundaries between home and work.

With companies cutting back, and technology taking over, it can sometimes be hard to draw the line between home time and work time. But our families need to know that work can be put to rest when it is family time. Put the iPhones, Blackberries, iPads, and laptops away for a designated period of time. Protect that precious time so your kids know you are 100% available for them during family time.

Home and Family

Simplify your calendar and declutter your space.

There is nothing that creates more stress than busy calendars and cluttered spaces. Bring peace to your family by paring down in your calendar and in your environment. Running around harried all the time is not healthy for anyone in the family.

Lori Radun can help you reach your personal and family goals, and offers tips on raising magnificent children while you create a truly harmonious home. For your free ebook on 7 ways to develop more patience with children, visit her website at http://www.momnificent.com.

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Baking

5 Tips for Baking Excellent Cakes
By Parul Ashish Aggarwal

Are you intimidated by the thought of baking a cake? No worries, you are not alone. Many feel the same way. Here are some handy tips for making excellent cakes every time.

1. Start with a Basic Recipe - In the beginning, when we don't know how to bake, we actually want to be able to bake different kinds of cakes. This is also the time when we are unaware of the advantages of perfecting one basic recipe.

Choose one recipe - a plain vanilla cake. Follow it over and over again until you know it like the back of your palm. If possible, ask somebody who bakes to give you a demonstration of the recipe.

After following the same recipe a couple of times, you'll learn the basics of baking a cake. After a couple of tries, experiment by making small changes. Use a handful a chopped nuts one time, raisins the next, chocolate chips after that, grated lemon/orange rind the next time, frozen fruits the next time, a spoonful of cinnamon or ginger subsequently, or a combination of optionals mentioned here after that. Bake the same amount of cake batter in a cup cake pan to make cup cakes! So you see, knowing too many different recipes is not that important as long as you are a master of one basic recipe.

2. Be Organized - Baking requires precision and coordination. The more organized you are, the better will be the result. Read the recipe carefully before executing it. Watch cookery shows to see how organized the chefs are. Only the necessary amounts of ingredients are arranged on the cooktop. Everything is handy. Follow suit.

3. Use Quality Ingredients - Preparing cakes is a mix of passion for baking and use of fresh quality ingredients. Purchase the best you can. Look at the "Best Before" date and certainly avoid ingredients, especially baking powder, whose expiry date is in the near future. If possible, use freshly prepared homemade white butter.

4. Measure Ingredients Accurately - Successful baking is hugely attributed to accurate measurement of ingredients. Use measuring spoons for dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder etc.) and a measuring jar for liquids (water, milk, buttermilk etc.). Get a good set of measuring spoons and a measuring glass.

Measuring Dry Ingredients

When baking a cake, first sift the flour and then measure out the necessary quantity. Flour sitting in its packet becomes densely packed, which means when you measure it out without sifting you take more than the required amount. Sifting the flour first through a medium-sized sieve takes care of this problem and removes lumps too.

Once the flour has been sifted, scoop out the required measuring cup full of flour. Do NOT shake the measuring cup to level the flour in it. Instead, while the flour is piled high in the measuring cup, use the back of a knife to run it along the edge of the cup so that excess flour automatically falls on the sifted flour. What remains in the measuring cup is what you use for baking. Do the same for other dry ingredients especially the ones that are used in larger quantities.

Measuring Wet Ingredients

Lot of people hold the measuring glass in their hand when taking the necessary amount of wet ingredients. Holding the measuring glass already sets way for a not-so-great cake. For accuracy, always rest the measuring glass on the top of a flat counter, bend or sit down on a chair so markings on the measuring glass at eye level and then pour out the necessary amount of liquid.

5. Use a Suitable Baking Pan - All cake recipes mention the most suitable baking pan to be used. Some recipes even list a range of pans that can be used. Select the pan mentioned in the recipe. If you want to make a cake that is smaller or bigger than what is mentioned in the recipe, then accordingly select a smaller or bigger pan. Make sure that only � of the pan is filled with cake batter. This leaves room for rising of the batter.

The author is an established freelance writer. For more information, view her profile at http://www.guru.com/freelancers/ContentDesigners/444094

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benefits of slow cooking

Benefits Of Slow Cooking
By Liann Ross

It is no secret that slow cooking can retain the original flavor of all vegetables and add onto that the cooked taste. Slow cooking and gradual simmering lend a terrific taste to all dishes, and you can taste the different flavors of different vegetables too. The slow cooking process requires the recipes and methods to be altered; especially the liquid quantity needs readjustment. For slow cooker curry recipes, use of water is minimum, just enough to ensure the food to be cooked is covered in liquid. Due-to much less evaporation the liquid content too needs to be adjusted. Temperature is generally low for slower cooker recipes, so it is pertinent to make sure that you do not go on cooking for a longer time. Over cooking, could spoil the taste and the flavor of your recipe.

Once the recipe is made, it is easy to clean up the glazed pot generally used for slow cooking. These slow cookers are much less dangerous than ovens or stove tops. They are your best friend for serving you, piping hot lunch or dinner when you get back from your days work, tired and exhausted. Your best bet for crock pot curry recipes, you can bank on their site and get full advantage of the detailed information given there. Many home makers feel this is the best thing that could happen in their kitchen. This is true more so for summers; when the cooking can be done on much less heat. During winters, they serve as humidifiers. Using them for slow cooking is; quite cost-effective. Customers using this are not only happy, for they get piping hot food on return from their hectic day schedule, but it also retain s all the nutrients that are so essential in cooked meals. Remember to select your cooking ware precisely as per your needs.

The best of the many slower cooker recipes, that must be tried out by one and all are Indian chicken curry which is not only easy to make but rather quick. Then comes the Lamb curry, which retains its typical flavor, in combination with spices and slow cooking. It's a total delight to savor these dishes, made in such a slow cooking manner. Indian vegetable curry is an absolute delight for those vegetarians who do not feel the need to look away from their vegetarian zone. This being one of the quickest and easiest recipes, it is indeed one to be relished after six to seven hours of slow cooking. If you area food freak, then do visit their site regularly and pick up new recipes for slow cooking. You will be surprised at the availability of so many of them.

Slow Cooker Curry Recipes

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Why chocolate contributes to good health

Why Chocolate Contributes To Good Health
By Sandi Thompson

So many of us LOVE chocolate, don't we? We love the bitter and sweet taste aspects, along with the creamy texture and the oh-so seductive aroma. All these qualities contribute to our love of chocolate. However, not all chocolate is created equally. White chocolate and milk chocolate do not possess the health benefits of deep, dark chocolate.

Deep, dark chocolate has several advantages over its paler counterparts. First, dark chocolate is lower in sugar and it comes with a higher percentage of cocoa and cocoa fat which is a healthy fat. That healthy fat is called monounsaturated oleic acid. It's the same kind of fat as you will find in olive oil. We have been hearing for years about the exceptional heart-healthy benefits of olive oil.

Another reason to choose dark chocolate is directly related to those who are lactose or casein intolerant. Dark chocolate is a better choice when it doesn't contain milk. Be sure to read the label carefully when looking for milk-free chocolate.

Dark chocolate is high in a special class of antioxidants called which are called flavonoids. These help keep free radicals, destructive substances formed as by-products from normal daily activities such as breathing, under control. Dark chocolate is high in a particular antioxidant called flavanol which has been shown to increase vascular health by lowering blood pressure. Flavanol also improves blood flow to the brain and heart. Another plus is that this powerhouse antioxidant can also make blood platelets less sticky. These all add up to making deep, dark chocolate a heart-healthy choice. You might even say, "The darker - the better," when it comes to chocolate.

There are a few folks who don't like the taste of chocolate or have an allergy to it. They can also receive the benefits of flavanol by eating cranberries, apples and onions. It is also found in several red wines and in tea. The best red wines with the highest antioxidant benefits are pinots, merlots, and syrahs. For those who do enjoy dark chocolate, these same red wine choices will pair very well with your chocolate. It's an indulgence that reaps health benefits!

Red wine and dark chocolate share another health benefit: the flavonoid resveretrol. This tongue twister is pronounced RES-VEER-ETRAWL. Along with having heart-healthy benefits, it is considered anti-aging. Plus, it has been found to lower blood sugar.

Perhaps you have not acquired a taste for the bitterness of dark, dark chocolate. There's still hope. A great way to start is by slowly increasing the percentage of cocoa found in the chocolate you purchase. Many milk chocolate choices have a 35 percent cocoa content. Anything over 70 percent is considered healthy. By slowly adding a few percentage points to your chocolate choices, you will slowly notice an increase in the taste tolerance you have for the more bitter varieties. Over time you will come to enjoy the darker chocolates and benefit from their health-enhancing qualities.

Experiment! Have fun! After all, not only does it taste great - it's good for you too.

Free health tips at http://www.solutionthroughnutrition.com
Sandi Thompson, NTP, Certified Wellness Coach, Professional Speaker
Sandi Thompson at Solutions Through Nutrition specializes in weight management and lifestyle changes for better, lasting health. Discover your individual nutritional needs.
The vision of Solutions Through Nutrition is, "Improving the way America eats, one dining room table at a time."
Sandi Thompson works primarily with women 50+ to create lasting change and reach their goal of better health.

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About me

Hi, my name is Rhonda
I'm 41 years old married to the most wonderful man in the world and we have a 2 year old, Benjamin.
I love them very much, they are everything to me. I'm a stay at home mom and I love it. Being a mom is the most important job I could have EVER. My husband and I have been married for 4 years, we love hanging out at home and traveling, as long as we're together it doesn't matter what we're doing. I appreciate my husband so very much for giving me the opportunity to stay home with Ben, he works so hard. Benjamin is alot like his dad, he's smart, funny and very handsome. He brings so much joy to the both of us, he makes us laugh every day. That's a little bit about me, thanks for reading!