What the hell is a Balaboosta?

And why do I want to know her secrets?

I thought you’d never ask. Balaboosta is a Yiddish term for a busy mom who makes a “fine home”. Not a Martha Stewart, “don’t put your feet on the couch, keep those damn fingerprints off my refrigerator door” kind of home. Oh no. A Balaboosta knows perfection is unattainable and revels in the fun of trying, celebrating failure as much as success.

A Balaboosta is the mom whose kids look forward to dinnertime because she knows how to make meals that are meant to be savored and enjoyed. Bland sustenance scarfed down in silence before the next text, tweet or Snapchat post is never served at her table. She’s the mom your picky eater says makes the best dinner whenever there’s a sleepover, and it’s not a plain cheese pizza from the nearest Italian restaurant. Hers is the home where you and your kids want to hang out, the one whose friends invite themselves over just because.

She’s the mom you love to hate but secretly want to be. She’s THAT mom, and it’s THAT home.

I hear you snickering in disbelief. Yiddish is an old-world language and this is not 1950. Let’s face it, we are all overstretched and over stressed working moms (whether we get paid for all that we do or not), striving to create a warm and loving, happy home. We are hip and happening, PeaPod and Amazon ordering moms living in a world that is speeding past every treadmill step we take. Who’s got the time and energy for all this Brady Bunch madness? You can’t fool us, we all know Mrs. Brady had Alice to do all the heavy lifting in the kitchen.

For some of us, cooking and enjoying family meals is as uncomfortable and foreign as that old high school science lab filled with unfamiliar tools and acrid odors hanging in the air. Stressed, confused and intimidated, we skip cooking as much as we skipped class. Some of us know our way around the grocery aisles, can cook a few standbys but are stuck in a rut and shiver every time our kids say “hey Mom, what’s for dinner”. Even when we’ve been around a chopping block or two, we are too busy and overwhelmed to make the effort. There’s just too much to be done. We all know what we should be doing, but who has the time, the skill, the energy and enthusiasm? Bring on the shame, the guilt. Cue the take out, the frozen chicken nuggets and tater tots. Clearly, we are all  in need of the keys to living a luscious life.

It’s Easier Than You Think

Now is the time to amaze and astound ourselves and our kids. Remember we all have children who are looking up to us, looking for guidance. Seize the opportunity to try something new, stretch yourself, and if necessary, find or reinvent yourself. We are never too old to evolve into the person, the parent, we want to be. With laughter and an appreciation for the imperfect, together we’ll discover the hacks, tips and shortcuts for cooking healthy, quick and easy meals with delicious side dishes of clever family conversations and fabulous fun. Welcome to Balaboosta’s Secret: Keys to Living a Luscious life. It’s time to come out and play.

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Serve it up with kickass conversations with your kids. Repeat.