The Raw and The Cooked - Simple Rhythms for SAHM, Honest Motherhood, and Books Worth Reading
Dara Boxer
205 episodes
3 days ago
In Judaism, we sometimes call God ‘Hashem,’ which means ‘The Name.’ I love this word — it feels close and loving. In today’s episode, I’m sharing something a little softer and more reflective. Lately I’ve been feeling deeply aligned and blessed in this season of life — not because everything is perfect (it never is), but because I’m becoming more aware of Hashem’s presence in the day-to-day moments of motherhood, home life, and growth. This episode is about contentment, trust, alignment, and ...
All content for The Raw and The Cooked - Simple Rhythms for SAHM, Honest Motherhood, and Books Worth Reading is the property of Dara Boxer and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
In Judaism, we sometimes call God ‘Hashem,’ which means ‘The Name.’ I love this word — it feels close and loving. In today’s episode, I’m sharing something a little softer and more reflective. Lately I’ve been feeling deeply aligned and blessed in this season of life — not because everything is perfect (it never is), but because I’m becoming more aware of Hashem’s presence in the day-to-day moments of motherhood, home life, and growth. This episode is about contentment, trust, alignment, and ...
In Judaism, we sometimes call God ‘Hashem,’ which means ‘The Name.’ I love this word — it feels close and loving. In today’s episode, I’m sharing something a little softer and more reflective. Lately I’ve been feeling deeply aligned and blessed in this season of life — not because everything is perfect (it never is), but because I’m becoming more aware of Hashem’s presence in the day-to-day moments of motherhood, home life, and growth. This episode is about contentment, trust, alignment, and ...
✨ Happy 2026! We made it through the holidays and now get that beautiful fresh-start energy that January brings. I am so here for it. In today’s episode, I’m sharing my very favorite baby and toddler books — the ones we reach for again and again with our 16-month-old and our preschoolers, and honestly the ones our older kids still love, too. Rather than focusing on a specific age, these are simply the books that: have a great rhythm or rhymeare fun to read aloud (over and over again!)have eng...
Today, I'm sharing the impulse buys that shaped a year at home with four kids, from sleep-regression gear that flopped to kitchen tools, kid storage, and one antique desk that changed everything. Honest wins, painful misses, and the small upgrades that make family life smoother. Kitchen: Apple SlicerSour Dough Bread KnifeUSA Loaf PansSilicone Tipped Metal StrawsMartha Stewart Cake Stand with Glass DomeHome Moss Poles for PlantsFine Mist Continuous Spray BottlesRosemary and Ginger ...
I’m sharing my favorite books of 2025 — the ones that stayed with me, challenged me, comforted me, or simply pulled me through a heavy season. This year, I read 55 books (and counting), and today I’m narrowing it down to the 13 books I loved the most. These picks span fiction and nonfiction, parenting, faith, health, and pure escapism — a true snapshot of my reading life this year. December feels heavy. The sun sets early. Everything feels like effort. And yet, there is nothing like a really ...
We celebrate 200 episodes by tracing the path from a 2015 blog to a no-ads show, then unpack the five listener favorites that keep you coming back. Books lead the way, followed by kids’ reads, cleanup systems, family routines, and flexible budgeting. Top Book Review Episodes: #25 Paper Palace#104 Lady Tan’s Circle of Women#109 The Collected Regrets of Clover#179 The Wedding People#159 Here One Moment#99 Remarkably Bright Creatures And Other Top 10 Listener Favorites: #46 Toddler Books We Cu...
Today, I dive into Children of the Book: A Memoir of Reading Together by Ilana Kurshan, a memoir that ties parenting to the Bible's rhythm, and how I used it to build a curated list of 92 children’s books for our family library. I share what resonated, what I skipped, and how I turned the list into holiday gifts you can copy. The 92 Children's Book Recommendations. Send us a text www.daraboxer.com
Laundry doesn’t have to be overwhelming, even in a big family. In this episode, I walk you through the system that works for us: Why one small load every morning is the backbone of my laundry routineHow I fit switching loads into our natural daily flow (even with preschool drop-offs and activities)My simple rhythm for sheets, towels, and diapers — and why bi-weekly is plenty in our houseThe trick to keeping laundry folded and put away (without it piling up)Why doing smaller, steady loads beat...
In this week’s episode, I’m diving into one of my all-time favorite books, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer — a gentle but radical call to slow down and live with more peace, purpose, and presence. 🌿 I share how this book has shaped my family’s rhythm, deepened our Shabbat practice, and reminded me that we’re allowed to live differently — unhurried, intentional, and grounded in what really matters. Send us a text www.daraboxer.com
Fall settles in as we map a full week of family dinners, pack smarter school lunches, and share the exact grocery spend that made it work. From soup and meatloaf to salmon and chili, we show how one plan and a few batch tricks stretch flavor, time, and budget. • soup Sundays with tomato soup and sourdough grilled cheese • meatloaf Monday with buttery mashed potatoes and a green • quick Asian Tuesday chicken with coconut milk over rice • hot sheet-pan salmon, rosemary mushroom cream, and left...
I'm sharing ten simple shifts that made our home calmer, kinder, and more joyful, from fall break routines and kid chores to one-pot dinners and paper cycle tracking. The theme of this episode is gratitude! Long fall break without school rushKids stepping up with dishes, sweeping, resets, laundryMonochrome gym uniforms to cut decisionsFavorite cropped teePlum quarter zipNavy quarter zipBuilding a small real-clothes capsuleEarly mornings with Scripture and prayerOne-pot curries, rice on repeat...
Our first sukkah, a broken foot, and a reminder that curveballs aren’t rejections — they’re invitations. This week taught me about slowing down, showing up anyway, and finding joy in the middle of the mess. 🕊️ Send us a text www.daraboxer.com
This week I’m sharing about one of my favorite rhythms in our family life: Sabbath. Why we keep it, how it shapes our week, and why rest is good for everyone — body, soul, family, and culture. I’ll talk about our own Sabbath table, the prep that makes it possible, and some wisdom from Genesis and beyond that has helped me see rest as not just a pause, but a gift. Send us a text www.daraboxer.com
Today's episode is a Part II of breaking free from cell phone addiction by turning smartphones into "dumb phones." Reclaiming our attention through intentional boundaries, mainly by living like it's 1995 again. • Deleting apps like banking, email, shopping, and browsers forces intentional computer-based usage • Setting boundaries like no phone before 7am and designated check-in times reduces compulsive checking • Switching to paper grocery lists and physical tracking systems eliminates const...
I share my journey through 14 books read this summer - ten adult fiction and four children's books - reviewing the highlights, disappointments, and unexpected emotional moments along the way. • My standout favorite was "The Wedding People" by Alison Espach, likely to be in my top five books of the year • "Ask for Andrea" by Noelle Wehe captivated me with its unique perspective from murder victims in the afterlife • Some highly-rated books like "The Grace Year" and "Don't Forget to Write" fel...
Digital clutter may not take up physical space, but it consumes valuable mental bandwidth and creates background anxiety we often ignore. This episode provides a comprehensive September reset for five key digital areas. • Phone usage is examined through the lens of "pickups" rather than screen time—revealing how we check phones every 8 minutes on average • Simple strategies for breaking phone addiction include app deletion, grayscale display, and designated check-in times • Computer organiza...
"The Bright Years" by Sarah Damnoff is a debut novel that explores addiction's devastating impact across three generations of a family. This powerful story unfolds over three decades through alternating perspectives, weaving together themes of alcoholism, adoption, redemption, and the resilience of imperfect love. Send us a text www.daraboxer.com
Ever wonder what a real family budget looks like? This week I’m opening up our June 2025 numbers — every dollar we spent on groceries, clothes, dining out, birdseed (yes), birthday parties, and last-minute ice cream runs. I’m sharing where the impulse spending sneaks in, what makes it worth it, and how I think about money not just as math but as a living record of our values, chaos, and care. Come peek behind the budget curtain. I hope it inspires you to look at your own spending with a littl...
September has a way of rushing in with new routines, school schedules, and endless lists, leaving us feeling like we’re already behind. But what if this month didn’t have to feel so overwhelming? In this episode, I’m sharing how I’m experimenting with a gentler rhythm for fall — including my idea of a “fall dashboard” to keep things simple — and how we can give ourselves permission to focus on what matters now, instead of everything at once. Send us a text
This week on the podcast, I’m sharing exactly what our family of six ate over the course of a full summer week—plus what we spent on groceries and dining out. With my dad visiting, it was a lively, food-filled few days of sourdough baking, summer dinners, and simple breakfasts. Tune in for a peek at our real-life meal rhythm, how I balance homemade with easy wins, and the total cost of feeding our crew this July. Mentioned Recipes: Sourdough Brownies 🍫Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies 🍪S...
The Raw and The Cooked - Simple Rhythms for SAHM, Honest Motherhood, and Books Worth Reading
In Judaism, we sometimes call God ‘Hashem,’ which means ‘The Name.’ I love this word — it feels close and loving. In today’s episode, I’m sharing something a little softer and more reflective. Lately I’ve been feeling deeply aligned and blessed in this season of life — not because everything is perfect (it never is), but because I’m becoming more aware of Hashem’s presence in the day-to-day moments of motherhood, home life, and growth. This episode is about contentment, trust, alignment, and ...
