The Raw and The Cooked - Simple Rhythms for SAHM, Honest Motherhood, and Books Worth Reading

Dara Boxer
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Dara Boxer is a stay-at-home mom to four kids six and under, committed to living a simple, well-organized, and beautifully functional life — mostly for her own sanity. A former personal chef and cooking instructor, she brings that same intention to her home: from seasonal meal planning to laundry systems, quiet time routines, toy storage, and everything in between. Episodes release on Thursdays, and alternate between honest book reviews and practical strategies for managing the chaos of home life with little kids. Come for the rhythm tips, stay for the raw motherhood truths — and maybe leave with a better grocery list.

  1. 2D AGO

    #196: What We Ate This Week, How I Prepped, & What I Spent, Part VIII

    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 leftovers strategy • chili Friday and an easy family rotisserie Saturday • three dozen hard-boiled eggs for snacks and gym mornings • DIY lemon ginger shots to replace store-bought wellness shots • Bento lunch system to pack eight lunches in two sessions • nut-free lunch ideas and cleaner snack swaps for kids • full grocery tally at $210 and $61 dining out • small wins and mishaps, from missing milk to better ketchup We’ll post the chicken with coconut milk recipe in the show notes. Send us a text www.daraboxer.com

    25 min

  2. OCT 16

    #195: 10 Things Simplifying My Life Right Now, Part IV

    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, frozen ginger cubesHabit stacking coffee maker and feeding sourdough starterBoxed pumpkin bread as a seasonal shortcutPage-turner thrillers to restart reading joyPaper cycle tracking with daily body cues#44: 10 Things Simplifying My Life Right Now, Part I, #115: 10 Things Simplifying My Life Right Now, Part II, #131: 10 Things Simplifying My Life Right Now, Part III Blog Post Send us a text www.daraboxer.com

    21 min

  3. OCT 9

    #194: Broken Bones & Holy Interruptions

    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

    15 min

  4. OCT 2

    #193: The Radical Gift of Sabbath

    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

    19 min

  5. SEP 25

    #192: How I'm Taking Back My Life From My iPhone, Living Like It's 1995

    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 constant phone dependency • Leaving the phone in the car during errands creates freedom from constant digital connection • Using an actual camera instead of phone camera brings back nostalgic imperfection in photography • Placing the phone in one location at home (like an old house phone) prevents room-to-room carrying • Weekly 25-hour "phone Sabbath" provides complete digital detox from Friday to Saturday night If this journey inspires you to make changes in your own phone habits, I'd love to hear about your experience! Send us a text www.daraboxer.com

    21 min

  6. SEP 18

    #191: The Summer 2025 Reading Roundup: Hits and Misses

    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" fell completely flat for me • "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" by Kate DiCamillo made me ugly cry twice while reading it to my children • Children's book "Pax" by Sarah Penny Packer dealt with themes too heavy for young children despite my initial excitement • Some unexpected additions to my summer reading included Taylor Jenkins Reid's "Atmosphere" and Dr. Becky Kennedy's parenting guide • Books that receive universal acclaim online can still be disappointing to individual readers • The most satisfying reads often come from unexpected places Send us a text www.daraboxer.com

    27 min

  7. SEP 11

    #190: Digital Reset: Apps, Emails, Photos, and Calendars Made Simple

    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 organization focuses on desktop cleanup, download folder purging, and refreshing wallpapers • Email management tips include separate addresses for different purposes (personal, kids' activities, shopping) • Photo organization works best with timed 10-minute sessions, starting with older photos where emotional attachment is lower • Color-coded family calendars serve as the "single source of truth" with different colors for each family member and activity type • Breaking digital decluttering into small, manageable 10-minute sessions makes the process less overwhelming Join me in this digital reset journey—I've already reduced my phone pickups from 90 to 37 per day and feel mentally lighter. I'd love to hear your thoughts on phone usage and digital decluttering strategies! Send us a text www.daraboxer.com

    31 min

  8. SEP 4

    #189: Book Club | The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

    "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

    13 min
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4.7
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Dara Boxer is a stay-at-home mom to four kids six and under, committed to living a simple, well-organized, and beautifully functional life — mostly for her own sanity. A former personal chef and cooking instructor, she brings that same intention to her home: from seasonal meal planning to laundry systems, quiet time routines, toy storage, and everything in between. Episodes release on Thursdays, and alternate between honest book reviews and practical strategies for managing the chaos of home life with little kids. Come for the rhythm tips, stay for the raw motherhood truths — and maybe leave with a better grocery list.

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