The Raw and The Cooked - Simple Rhythms for SAHM, Honest Motherhood, and Books Worth Reading
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.
Episodes
214 episodes
#214: Daily & Weekly Flow For A Rhythmic Home That Feels Calm
In this second episode of the series on building a rhythmic home, we move from micro-habits into structure — specifically, how to create a daily and weekly flow that actually supports your life. Because the truth is, even the best systems won’t...
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Season 5
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Episode 214
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19:20
#213: Microhabits - The Tiny Behaviors That Hold Your Home Together
This episode kicks off a special four-part series about what it really takes to run a peaceful, sustainable home. Before we talk about planners, weekly rhythms, and seasonal resets, we have to start somewhere much smaller: our habits. Be...
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Season 5
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Episode 213
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22:51
#212: What We Ate This Week, How I Prepped, & What I Spent, Part IX
In Part 9 of What We Ate This Week, I’m sharing a very full February week — what we ate, how I prepped, and what we spent as a family of six after returning from travel.This week includes:A full fridge reset after va...
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Season 5
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Episode 212
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17:39
#211: Stewardship Reset for 2026 - A Year of Enough
This year, I’m treating 2026 like a stewardship reset.In this episode, I walk through the discretionary spending categories I’m tracking — groceries, household sundries, kids’ gear, memberships, family outings, clothing, and more — and h...
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Season 5
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Episode 211
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26:15
#210: Choosing Morality When Culture Looks Elsewhere
This week, I’m talking about the Ten Commandments, and why I believe they are still a blueprint for human flourishing today. I share my thoughts on integrity, faith, and choosing what is right in a world that often celebrates the opposite.<...
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Season 5
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Episode 210
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16:35
#209: Winter Isn’t Forever - 10 Ways I’m Making It Through February
February can feel endless—especially when you’re home with little kids, battling cold temps, cabin fever, and low energy. In this episode, I’m sharing my honest, gentle “survival guide” for making it through winter without burning out. From at-...
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Season 5
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Episode 209
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16:16
#208: Beyond the Book: Living Good Energy as a Mom of Four
In this week’s episode, I’m sharing how I actually live a “good energy” life with four kids under seven—without biohacking or perfection. From sleep hacks, gentle daily movement, and mindful alcohol habits to whole-food meals, slow cooking, and...
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Season 5
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Episode 208
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19:33
#207: From Page-Turners to Passes: Eight Book Reviews
I’m sharing a no-holds-barred reading roundup: four books I couldn’t put down (even when I didn’t love them), and four that just didn’t stick. From edge-of-your-seat thrillers to impulsive library grabs that pleasantly surprised me, we...
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Season 5
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Episode 207
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13:16
#206: Good Energy by Dr. Casey Means | Metabolic Health Made Simple
What if fatigue, brain fog, cravings, and mood swings weren’t random—but signals from your cells asking for help?In this episode, we break down Good Energy by Dr. Casey Means and translate metabolic health into real life. We exp...
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Season 5
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Episode 206
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25:55
#205: Kisses from Hashem - Small Gifts in a Loud World
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...
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Season 5
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Episode 205
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26:24
#204: Joyful Rhyming Reads for Babies 0–3 — Books You’ll Actually Love Reading on Repeat
✨ 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 one...
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Season 5
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Episode 204
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11:07
#203: Amazon Impulse Purchases from 2025 | The Wins and The Regrets
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...
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Season 5
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Episode 203
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30:21
#202: My Favorite Books of 2025
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 ...
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Season 5
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Episode 202
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16:26
#201: One-Pot Easy Winter Dinners
Today I'm sharing Winter Dinners that will save your sanity. One-pot and one-sheet-pan meals for busy, cold nights that'll make winter cooking easier. Recipes & Meals Mentioned:Slow Cooker Sunday• Simple...
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Season 5
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Episode 201
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16:56
#200: Top 5 Listener Favorites (and Why I Think They Hit Home)
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 budg...
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Season 5
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Episode 200
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14:50
#199: Children of the Book — A Memoir Full of the Bible, Motherhood & 92 Children’s Book Recommendations
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 shar...
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Season 5
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Episode 199
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10:44
#198: Our Simple Laundry System: What Works for Our Family of Six
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...
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Season 5
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Episode 198
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15:13
#197: Book Club | The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry
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 thi...
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Season 5
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Episode 197
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18:28
#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, t...
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Season 5
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Episode 196
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25:14
#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 sc...
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Season 5
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Episode 195
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21:17
#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. 🕊️
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Season 5
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Episode 194
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15:00
#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 Sabbat...
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Season 5
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Episode 193
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19:07
#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 banki...
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Season 5
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Episode 192
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20:43
#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 Peopl...
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Season 5
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Episode 191
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26:52
#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 ...
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Season 5
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Episode 190
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31:04