My Symphony Of Life – Episode# 25 –Interview With Kathy Pickus of Dot Girl Products. Journaling with Mari McCarthy of Create Write Now, a featured recipe with Sarah Parker of The Fit Cookie and Fit Betty and Ana shares valuable family resources & a

I'm Ana of My Symphony Of Life. Thank you for joining me on another show!

Today my featured guest is Kathy Pickus of Dot Girl Products www.dotgirlproducts.com. This was started by two sisters Kathy Pickus and Terri Goodwin. It is their goal at Dot Girl Products is that every girl has a positive first period experience and an empowered first step to womanhood.

Mari Mccarthy is an author and founder of Create Write Now. Her website is www.createwritenow.com. She's encouraging everyone to “Write On”. She's also going to provide journaling tips and prompts.

Sarah Parker is the author and founder of two blog's: The Fit Cookie is about her love of baking, her passion on  fitness and nutrition. That website is www.thefitcookie.com. Her other blog is Fit Betty is a blog dedicated to fitness, nutrition and workout fashion and the website is www.fitbetty.com. She's also going to share a Spicy Taco Bowl.

I'm going to share some wonderful resources for those who have tweens and teens. There are wonderful websites out there for those girls and boys in those age brackets.

Breast Health Guide for Girls.   http://www.takingcareofyourgirls.com

Girlshealth.gov was created to help girls (ages 10 to 16) learn about health, growing up, and issues they may face. The website also provides information to parents and educators to help them teach girls about healthy living.

New Moon is a place where girls connect & support each other while creating poetry, artwork, stories, videos, and more. All fully moderated and proven to build confidence and healthy online behavior. https://www.newmoon.com/

Girl Zone is a unique website for teen girls with tons of cool info everything a girl needs to know. Check us out at www.girlzone.com.

Best Bones Forever http://www.bestbonesforever.gov/

Take advantage of these free Best Bones Forever!® tools and resources:

•             List of foods with calcium and vitamin D.

•             Print recipes!

•             Download a bone-healthy grocery list.

•             Learn activities you can do as a family to help your daughter build strong bones.

 

My Plate Builds the Best Bones Forever!

The USDA announced a new, simpler way of looking at your daily diet—a plate. ChooseMyPlate.gov is a color-coded, kid-friendly way to ensure you’re getting the right amount of the right kinds of foods—including calcium!

 Bone-Building Foods  more ways to build your best bones forever, including great recipes with calcium and fun ideas to get active with your family this summer, check out www.bestbonesforever.gov/parents.

Teens Health covers hygene basics including topics such as oily hair, and body image

http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/#cat20449

Common Sense Media http://www.commonsensemedia.org/advice-for-parents/boys-and-body-image-tips

For those of you who live in the Baton Rouge, LA surrounding area they do have at Woman's hospital Body Basics for Girls and Boys

Learning how their bodies grow, what changes to expect during puberty, and how to take care of themselves are valuable lessons for preteens.

On Barkussions I'm also going to share a craft project no sew tied blanket for your dog. Tools: 2 different materials, ruler/measuring tape, and scissors.

Note: Your going to need material that is sturdy in strength to resist scratching and pawing from your dog. The material I'm using is a fleece material Your going to need one printed material and one solid color material.

Step one- measure your dog- you want the material fit your dog. However, make sure that you have six inches around the fabric for those pups who like to stretch! Bella loves to stretch out on her blankie.

Step two- cut all four corners 2 inches in length and 3 inches in width. Before you cut make sure the edges line up so that you get a clean cut with the top and bottom layer. When you cut all four corners your material is going to look like a cross.

Step three- Cut the rest of the material remember to make sure that all four edges line up for a clean cut with the top and bottom layer. Your going to cut 1 1/2 inches in length and then cut about an inch and half between the cuts.

Step four-Tie all the edges together in a double knot.

Step five-Take a picture of your dog and the new blanket you made for him or her. Check out Bella's pictures below:

Spicy Taco Bowl with Black Rice                                

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 4-6

Gluten-free; Free of: nuts, soy, dairy, eggs, corn,

Ingredients

•             1 cup black rice

•             2 cups water

•             1 teaspoon olive oil

•             1 medium onion, diced

•             1 large bell pepper, diced

•             2 cloves garlic, crushed

•             1-1/4 pound (20 ounces) extra lean (96-97% lean) ground turkey or beef

•             1-1/2 tablespoons cumin

•             2 teaspoons chili powder

•             1 teaspoon onion powder

•             1 teaspoon garlic powder

•             1-2 teaspoons hot sauce

•             1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

•             1/2-1 teaspoon powdered chipotle chili

•             Toppings: Tomato, Avocado, Cilantro, Black beans

Instructions

1.            In a small saucepan, heat 2 cups water. Once the water is boiling, stir in 1 cup black rice and bring back to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 40 minutes.

2.            While the rice is cooking, heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet and saute the diced onion and pepper, and the garlic.

3.            When the onions and peppers are slightly soft, add the ground turkey (or beef) to the skillet and break up as you cook.

4.            While the turkey is cooking, add in the seasonings and stir to mix well. You can add more or less of the spices/seasonings depending on your taste.

5.            When the black rice has finished cooking, fluff with a fork and set aside.

6.            To assemble the taco bowl: place 1/2 cup rice in a bowl, top with 1/2-3/4 cup taco meat, then add avocado, tomato, ad cilantro on top. Enjoy!

Notes

For grain-free: use black beans instead of rice For paleo: use veggies instead of rice

Recipe by The Fit Cookie at http://thefitcookie.com/2012/08/19/spicy-taco-bowl-with-black-rice/