Perfect for all the late summer vegetables at the farmer's market. This dish was super easy to make, and very tasty. The two picky kids were a little turned off at the vegetables (eggplant and zucchini are rarely at the top of their favorites list) but cleaned their plates once they gave it a chance.This had a ton of flavor despite being such a simple list of ingredients.
Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/4 in slices
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 in slices
1 pound silken tofu (you can use ricotta cheese here, if you'd prefer)
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1 teaspoon olive oil, plus more for baking sheet
pinch of salt
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Oil 2 large baking sheets. Place eggplant and zucchini slices on sheets and bake 7 to 10 minutes per side, or until tender. Reduce heat to 375 degrees. While vegetables are roasting, puree tofu, parsley and olive oil in a food processor (I added a little salt to the mix since I didn't see any used in the recipe).
In an 8 or 9 inch square pan, layer the vegetables with sauce and tofu mixture in the following order:
sauce
eggplant
tofu
zucchini
tofu
Repeat until all the ingredients are used. Finish with sauce on top. (It really doesn't matter the order- just get it all in there and top it with sauce.) Top with mozzarella and Parmesan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Note: This can be frozen just prior to baking. To reheat, thaw in refrigerator. Bake covered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Inspired by Cathe Olson's "The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook"
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Gluten Free Challenge
I am finding that sticking to a Gluten Free diet is extremely challenging given my circumstances.
Road Block Number One:
Pregnancy. An immediate challenge. I wake up in the morning with a blood sugar level and nausea dragging me down so hard all I can manage is popping something into the toaster. It's usually a piece of Sweet Hawaiian Bread spread with melted peanut butter, a plain bagel and cream cheese, or at my worst- a Pop Tart. Terrible, I know. Carbs and pregnancy go together. They are instant fuel for a drained system. They pad all that extra stomach acid and calm the stomach down. Add that to debilitating fatigue sprinkled throughout the day and it's a sure-fire way to mail it in and call the pizza guy for dinner.
Road Block Number Two:
Children. Their presence of course is a blessing, but turning the tables on them too quickly will cause a riot. The pantry is full of lots of goodies for them to munch on including a rainbow of cereals, breads, after school snacks, and aforementioned Pop-Tarts. My three children are great at eating, but like me, you take away all the starchy breakfast foods and they will think I've punished them. Should I be converting them as well in order to assure my own success? Can they survive without a sandwich in their lunch and waffles for breakfast? Or can I just resist the temptation of all those convenience foods?
The challenge is solved with more preparation. Have some pre-flighted choices available to grab when the blood sugar runs low and the kids are nearly dying of starvation at 2:30. That means baking some GF cookies, brownies, and pre-cutting some vegetables. Now, if I can just get off the couch...vicious circle.
Road Block Number One:
Pregnancy. An immediate challenge. I wake up in the morning with a blood sugar level and nausea dragging me down so hard all I can manage is popping something into the toaster. It's usually a piece of Sweet Hawaiian Bread spread with melted peanut butter, a plain bagel and cream cheese, or at my worst- a Pop Tart. Terrible, I know. Carbs and pregnancy go together. They are instant fuel for a drained system. They pad all that extra stomach acid and calm the stomach down. Add that to debilitating fatigue sprinkled throughout the day and it's a sure-fire way to mail it in and call the pizza guy for dinner.
Road Block Number Two:
Children. Their presence of course is a blessing, but turning the tables on them too quickly will cause a riot. The pantry is full of lots of goodies for them to munch on including a rainbow of cereals, breads, after school snacks, and aforementioned Pop-Tarts. My three children are great at eating, but like me, you take away all the starchy breakfast foods and they will think I've punished them. Should I be converting them as well in order to assure my own success? Can they survive without a sandwich in their lunch and waffles for breakfast? Or can I just resist the temptation of all those convenience foods?
The challenge is solved with more preparation. Have some pre-flighted choices available to grab when the blood sugar runs low and the kids are nearly dying of starvation at 2:30. That means baking some GF cookies, brownies, and pre-cutting some vegetables. Now, if I can just get off the couch...vicious circle.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Connecting the dots
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My youngest, little J, had a rocky start to life in her infancy and toddler years. We were in the constant battle against diaper rash, cradle cap and thrush. We tried everything- traditional diaper creams (which now seem absurd on a two week old baby), expensive sensitive skin products, Calendula oil, you name it. It seemed that we were plagued with her sensitive skin from the get-go.
The thrush was finally managed with drops for her and pills for me so we didn't keep passing it back and forth during our nursing sessions. Diaper rash came and went in the first couple years and was not without helpful suggestions from everyone we knew. We heard to try baby oil, cut out milk products, switch to cloth diapers and wipes, give her hiney lots of "free time". Relief didn't come until potty training.
The worst was the cradle cap. Since all the doctors told us not to worry about it- that it's normal, all kids have it when their little, we did very little besides what was recommended from the general medical consensus. Their best advice is to brush it with a soft comb so the flakes come off and keep it clean. Others told us to use Calendula or baby oil to soften it before you brush more aggressively to remove it. These were important suggestions and would remove the flakes, but not solve the underlying problem, and it would quickly return within the week. Her scalp continued to be plagued with the yellow crust until she was well over 2 years old. One day I brushed her hair, and clumps of it started falling out. We were shocked. More and more fell out every day. We went through several consultations and were finally seen by the Chief of Dermatology. He jumped at the teaching opportunity and we became quite the spectacle. She and I sat in a tiny room full of nearly a dozen interns while they examined and studied, hummed and hahhed.
We left with three prescriptions for both topical and internal remedies hoping that it would respond to one of them and clue us in to what was ailing her. After several follow-up visits, a simple prescription strength dandruff shampoo did the trick. Her hair stopped falling out, and began to grow again.
 |
| Hats were all the fashion that spring! |
 |
| Nearly at it's worst. |
What I have finally realized is that all these ailments are connected. However, each was treated as an isolated incident. Which is very common in the medical community, they treat the symptoms and not the whole body. What connects these all is Yeast. They are all one form or another of different yeast.
So, what happened to her? I realized that late in my pregnancy the doctor ran a test to see if the early contractions I was having would lead to preterm labor and also did some sort of other cultures at the same time. They said I had a small amount of yeast (something very common in pregnancy) but since I wasn't having symptoms and didn't want to go through unnecessary treatment, I opted out from taking a cautionary course of Monistat or whatever.
What they didn't tell me was that the yeast is passed from Mom to baby during childbirth and can result in a barrage of problems like we experienced with her. As you can see, there was no quick fix. Many of the treatments aren't available because they can be harmful to such tiny babies. My own ignorance of the risk and the lack of information caused this whole fiasco.
Given the fact that we never want to experience all the rashes from head to tush, I am becoming much more proactive about what I eat. We have to control the yeast at it's source- with me and what I am ingesting. Sugar grows yeast. It's also best to cut out anything white (white flour, sugar, rice) and opt for whole grain whenever possible. Since I may be more susceptible to yeast overgrowth, I have to be especially careful and cut back even farther. I noticed in my own personal health I have never felt better as when I went Gluten free earlier this year. I should probably just stick relatively close to a GF diet permanently to operate at my best health.
I did read up on the Yeast Connection, and while I don't consider it gospel, it could be an underlying cause for some of the problems I have personally that I shrugged off as "unrelated and isolated incidents". Again, sugar and cheap carbohydrates are black-listed (but they're so much fun!!).
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Success! We're consuming less energy!
Bills are arriving, and we had our first little victory!
We lowered our electric bill $45 from last month. I couldn't be happier to see that thing drop so much! We hadn't even begun the big push yet!
Here's what we did for the bigger difference:
-Cut back on AC to only when absolutely necessary- usually when I'm so hot I will pass out or puke. (We live in Paradise, a couple hours a day in a stuffy house wont kill us). It also helped that we had a cooler month than June & July.
-Turned off light switches and fans in rooms we weren't using.
-Lots less TV. The kids are at school that keeps the room heater called our 50" Plasma off for most of the day.
-Use "Light" setting on dishwasher. It runs a shorter cycle that cuts back on hot water usage and operating time.
-Wash everything on cold in the washing machine. Less hot water means more savings. I find the clothes are still very clean and a little vinegar added to the load keeps odors down that you would normally get out on a very hot wash cycle.
It seems like such a small change of lifestyle to see such a huge drop in spending. We hadn't even begun the bigger changes that should drop our bill even more next month:
-Line drying clothes. One of the biggest energy wasters in your house- did you know they can't even issue and Energy Star rating on brand new dryers because they are so inefficient? We've set up our garage as our dryer- with the door open a load of wash dries in about 4 hours. It rains here at least a couple times a day, so outside was not an option. Plus, we live in one of those annoying HOA-run neighborhoods and I'm sure they'd nab us for being so uncouth as to dry our clothes outside.
-Power Strips. We've put the TV, all it's gadgets and the modem on power strips. All day and night those things are just sipping energy despite being turned off. You can actually hear a hum of power going to the TV when we click the power strip on (that's without the TV actually being turned on and everything!). We click it on only when it's being used and love that we can be dropping our bill even more.
-Unplug anything that's a charger. This includes the toothbrushes (they don't need 24 hr/day charging), phone chargers, Wii Remotes, DS chargers, etc. A few hours per gadget is enough to rejuice any battery.
Next month I might:
-Decrease number of lightbulbs in fans and vanities. I mean seriously, who needs 6 or 12 lights to come on when we go into the bathroom? Loosen a few and noone will ever know. If you're paranoid about what the neighbors will say, just screw them back in if you feel impending judgement.
-Turn off the computer at night. Standby mode is still sucking energy, plus it's good to give her a rest to regain her thoughts and run better. (Yes, I rarely do a formal shutdown on the computer! With a Mac it just never seems necessary- it always runs perfectly! I might go weeks without shutting it down- gasp!)
We lowered our electric bill $45 from last month. I couldn't be happier to see that thing drop so much! We hadn't even begun the big push yet!
Here's what we did for the bigger difference:
-Cut back on AC to only when absolutely necessary- usually when I'm so hot I will pass out or puke. (We live in Paradise, a couple hours a day in a stuffy house wont kill us). It also helped that we had a cooler month than June & July.
-Turned off light switches and fans in rooms we weren't using.
-Lots less TV. The kids are at school that keeps the room heater called our 50" Plasma off for most of the day.
-Use "Light" setting on dishwasher. It runs a shorter cycle that cuts back on hot water usage and operating time.
-Wash everything on cold in the washing machine. Less hot water means more savings. I find the clothes are still very clean and a little vinegar added to the load keeps odors down that you would normally get out on a very hot wash cycle.
It seems like such a small change of lifestyle to see such a huge drop in spending. We hadn't even begun the bigger changes that should drop our bill even more next month:
-Line drying clothes. One of the biggest energy wasters in your house- did you know they can't even issue and Energy Star rating on brand new dryers because they are so inefficient? We've set up our garage as our dryer- with the door open a load of wash dries in about 4 hours. It rains here at least a couple times a day, so outside was not an option. Plus, we live in one of those annoying HOA-run neighborhoods and I'm sure they'd nab us for being so uncouth as to dry our clothes outside.
-Power Strips. We've put the TV, all it's gadgets and the modem on power strips. All day and night those things are just sipping energy despite being turned off. You can actually hear a hum of power going to the TV when we click the power strip on (that's without the TV actually being turned on and everything!). We click it on only when it's being used and love that we can be dropping our bill even more.
-Unplug anything that's a charger. This includes the toothbrushes (they don't need 24 hr/day charging), phone chargers, Wii Remotes, DS chargers, etc. A few hours per gadget is enough to rejuice any battery.
Next month I might:
-Decrease number of lightbulbs in fans and vanities. I mean seriously, who needs 6 or 12 lights to come on when we go into the bathroom? Loosen a few and noone will ever know. If you're paranoid about what the neighbors will say, just screw them back in if you feel impending judgement.
-Turn off the computer at night. Standby mode is still sucking energy, plus it's good to give her a rest to regain her thoughts and run better. (Yes, I rarely do a formal shutdown on the computer! With a Mac it just never seems necessary- it always runs perfectly! I might go weeks without shutting it down- gasp!)
Monday, August 23, 2010
Bringing in variety
For my birthday, I bought myself a small new collection of cookbooks. As I flip through the pages of these culinary adventures, I find myself a little intimidated. The scary outweighs the comfortable for sure! Ingredients like wakame, chard, rutabagas and buckwheat flour leave me turning the page to a more comfortable place with headlines in more familiar territory.
I am totally guilty of reaching for the usual suspects at the grocery store. White flour, zucchinis, romaine lettuce, tomatoes and carrots. I rarely step out of my comfort zone. I was never very adventurous in my dietary habits as a kid. In fact, I was notorious for ALWAYS ordering a grilled cheese sandwich or pasta no matter where we were. I wasn't exposed to a lot of ethnic foods either. Chinese food was even a rarity. I think Italian was as exotic as it got (and that is a stretch since spaghetti seems more of an American dish than authentic Italian cuisine).
Intent on shedding my juvenile habits, I am warming to the idea of trying some of the other 20,000 varieties of produce, grains, and spices. The closer I get to labeling myself as a "foodie" the more of a phony I become because I have never even challenged myself to try some intimidating ingredients like white truffle oil, gruyere, or heirloom tomatoes. There is an amazing world of variety beyond what I am serving- most of which holds a ton more nutrition and flavor. As a traditional American consumer, I reach for what's available at the regular grocery store. All of which are varieties of produce that were genetically chosen for those shelves because of their ability to withstand gross amounts of transportation and extended shelf-life. The natural region and season to which these fruits and veggies grow is completely obsolete.
Here in Hawaii, you'd think bananas are a dime a dozen since they grow here naturally in practically everyone's backyard. But, the actual local variety is something called an "apple banana", which is a shorter, fatter banana that tastes as if you'd crossed it with a green apple jolly rancher. One would also assume that this variety so readily available locally would cost less than the traditional "Cavendish" variety found in every grocery store on the mainland. Totally wrong again- the bunch of Cavendish I bought yesterday was $1.00/pound (yeah, I'm still not over that one) and the Apple Bananas cost $1.49. Why my bundle from Ecuador cost less than one trucked in from a farm a 1/2 mile from my grocery store is still not apparent to me (I'm definitely not an economics major).
Because something is new to me, I rarely risk cooking or tasting it. Eating out, I will always play it safe and go for the preparation I am comfortable trying. Another reason I have talked myself out of becoming a world traveler. I am frightened of being one of those cliche finicky American eaters who opts for McDonalds over fois gras.
Additionally, if it is an ingredient or preparation that is not supported in a mainstream grocery store or restaurant, I may never get the opportunity to try it out. I have gotten rid of several cookbooks that had crazy ingredients which required my travel to another part of town into a tiny Asian food market. It seems many of those cookbooks are written by people in New York or San Francisco where everything is available.
I still have no excuse for not grabbing the dragon fruit I saw tonight at the store. What it is exactly- I'm not sure. But, I would really like to understand the culture behind so many of the foods I have written off in the past out of intimidation. And of course, dragging the kids through this exploration will only expand their palate and they will never have my excuse that it just wasn't offered so they didn't try it.
Maybe I'll get around to trying each of the umpteen varieties of squash beyond acorn and butternut. And perhaps curried foods will actually make it to the weekly menu!
Here's to eating like a grown up!
I am totally guilty of reaching for the usual suspects at the grocery store. White flour, zucchinis, romaine lettuce, tomatoes and carrots. I rarely step out of my comfort zone. I was never very adventurous in my dietary habits as a kid. In fact, I was notorious for ALWAYS ordering a grilled cheese sandwich or pasta no matter where we were. I wasn't exposed to a lot of ethnic foods either. Chinese food was even a rarity. I think Italian was as exotic as it got (and that is a stretch since spaghetti seems more of an American dish than authentic Italian cuisine).
Intent on shedding my juvenile habits, I am warming to the idea of trying some of the other 20,000 varieties of produce, grains, and spices. The closer I get to labeling myself as a "foodie" the more of a phony I become because I have never even challenged myself to try some intimidating ingredients like white truffle oil, gruyere, or heirloom tomatoes. There is an amazing world of variety beyond what I am serving- most of which holds a ton more nutrition and flavor. As a traditional American consumer, I reach for what's available at the regular grocery store. All of which are varieties of produce that were genetically chosen for those shelves because of their ability to withstand gross amounts of transportation and extended shelf-life. The natural region and season to which these fruits and veggies grow is completely obsolete.
Here in Hawaii, you'd think bananas are a dime a dozen since they grow here naturally in practically everyone's backyard. But, the actual local variety is something called an "apple banana", which is a shorter, fatter banana that tastes as if you'd crossed it with a green apple jolly rancher. One would also assume that this variety so readily available locally would cost less than the traditional "Cavendish" variety found in every grocery store on the mainland. Totally wrong again- the bunch of Cavendish I bought yesterday was $1.00/pound (yeah, I'm still not over that one) and the Apple Bananas cost $1.49. Why my bundle from Ecuador cost less than one trucked in from a farm a 1/2 mile from my grocery store is still not apparent to me (I'm definitely not an economics major).
I now understand my fears of trying new things. There are two main reasons I will have to overcome: UNFAMILIARITY and the UNAVAILABILITY.
Because something is new to me, I rarely risk cooking or tasting it. Eating out, I will always play it safe and go for the preparation I am comfortable trying. Another reason I have talked myself out of becoming a world traveler. I am frightened of being one of those cliche finicky American eaters who opts for McDonalds over fois gras.
Additionally, if it is an ingredient or preparation that is not supported in a mainstream grocery store or restaurant, I may never get the opportunity to try it out. I have gotten rid of several cookbooks that had crazy ingredients which required my travel to another part of town into a tiny Asian food market. It seems many of those cookbooks are written by people in New York or San Francisco where everything is available.
I still have no excuse for not grabbing the dragon fruit I saw tonight at the store. What it is exactly- I'm not sure. But, I would really like to understand the culture behind so many of the foods I have written off in the past out of intimidation. And of course, dragging the kids through this exploration will only expand their palate and they will never have my excuse that it just wasn't offered so they didn't try it.
Maybe I'll get around to trying each of the umpteen varieties of squash beyond acorn and butternut. And perhaps curried foods will actually make it to the weekly menu!
Here's to eating like a grown up!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
A funny thing happened...
Today, my husband joined the cause.
Out of nowhere, he was convicted about our lifestyle. No longer satisfied with "flirting with these ideas" of being a more natural family, he is ready to start backing up some talk with action. Strange, considering he has never really read my mission statement for our move towards becoming a "Whole Health Family" or more than one article I've written on this blog. But, he began spilling the same ideas I have about building a family that is wholly healthy- mind, body and spirit. It was like I was hearing myself talk!
I don't regularly preach to him on transforming to a more holistic family, but he certainly picked up on some of my hints and small lifestyle changes. It was just so cool to get his support. I felt almost like I had gotten a grant to do some great philanthropic research from some important university. I got clearance for his financial and emotional support. Awesome.
It was empowering to have someone I love support me in my endeavors, not only as a bystander, but throwing himself into the experiment as well.
That is one important thing about family I have learned along the way: embracing the passions and pursuits of your family whole heartedly as if they were your own. Unconditional love is often found in the actions of self-sacrifice and enthusiasm for the interests of those around you for no other reason than to show your love and support.
Hopefully, you will all see the power of us working as a team. With only one person with a paddle in the water, it's a constant battle to maintain a straight course. But, with both paddles in, we can go faster and straighter together.
(In case you ever read my blog again- thanks Russ for your love and support.)
Out of nowhere, he was convicted about our lifestyle. No longer satisfied with "flirting with these ideas" of being a more natural family, he is ready to start backing up some talk with action. Strange, considering he has never really read my mission statement for our move towards becoming a "Whole Health Family" or more than one article I've written on this blog. But, he began spilling the same ideas I have about building a family that is wholly healthy- mind, body and spirit. It was like I was hearing myself talk!
I don't regularly preach to him on transforming to a more holistic family, but he certainly picked up on some of my hints and small lifestyle changes. It was just so cool to get his support. I felt almost like I had gotten a grant to do some great philanthropic research from some important university. I got clearance for his financial and emotional support. Awesome.
It was empowering to have someone I love support me in my endeavors, not only as a bystander, but throwing himself into the experiment as well.
That is one important thing about family I have learned along the way: embracing the passions and pursuits of your family whole heartedly as if they were your own. Unconditional love is often found in the actions of self-sacrifice and enthusiasm for the interests of those around you for no other reason than to show your love and support.
Hopefully, you will all see the power of us working as a team. With only one person with a paddle in the water, it's a constant battle to maintain a straight course. But, with both paddles in, we can go faster and straighter together.
(In case you ever read my blog again- thanks Russ for your love and support.)
Sunday, August 15, 2010
The school lunch program
Among the mass of paperwork that accompanied the kids on their first day of school was the good ol' school lunch menu. Wow. This was a shocker.
I have always thought that the USDA is reinforcing bad eating habits with their lunch service. They have relegated themselves to keeping in line with traditional "kids menu" type foods. Here in Hawaii, it's even worse. Our menu consists of a meat main dish- usually something fairly fattening and unhealthy, and one or two sides of STARCH! Not a vegetable listed the entire month.
I see why they do this- they figure kids hate vegetables, they'll just get thrown out, so why bother, we'll just save the expense and eliminate them entirely. I am shocked. Back in Texas the kids could choose from a healthier alternative like the baked potato bar or the turkey wrap when the main offering was something like sloppy joes or chili. My kids frequently chose from that line (proud parent moment) and here the choice isn't even offered.
Here is a small sample of what is being offered:
Roast beef with gravy, garlic whipped potatoes and a biscuit
Batter fried fish, deli roast potatoes and a whole wheat roll
Chicken sticks with sauce, steamed rice and a whole wheat roll
and my favorite...
Chili Cheese Fries and a muffin!
What's amazing is that immediately next to the menu posting on the school bulletin board is the nurses office with a poster warning that childhood diabetes is on the rise! Hmmm, I wonder why? Obesity continues to plague our little ones primarily because of what is being put in front of them from such an early age. I understand children can be picky- I have one or two of those in the house. But, continued exposure to the good healthy stuff is necessary if we ever want our kids to move past the basic plain hamburger and fries when they're adults and heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer are banging on their door.
So what can we do? In our house, we are personally opting out of the program and packing lunches everyday, but that wont be enough to change it. Luckily, there are some brave people who are working to make a difference in schools around the nation. Here is some food for thought:
Bringing in a Chef in Berkely
Whole Foods gets involved
New Legislation in the works
Take some time to research this in your community. Become an advocate to shape how are children are nourished when not at home. And please, please, please don't stop offering the salads, veggies and grown-up food!
I have always thought that the USDA is reinforcing bad eating habits with their lunch service. They have relegated themselves to keeping in line with traditional "kids menu" type foods. Here in Hawaii, it's even worse. Our menu consists of a meat main dish- usually something fairly fattening and unhealthy, and one or two sides of STARCH! Not a vegetable listed the entire month.
I see why they do this- they figure kids hate vegetables, they'll just get thrown out, so why bother, we'll just save the expense and eliminate them entirely. I am shocked. Back in Texas the kids could choose from a healthier alternative like the baked potato bar or the turkey wrap when the main offering was something like sloppy joes or chili. My kids frequently chose from that line (proud parent moment) and here the choice isn't even offered.
Here is a small sample of what is being offered:
Roast beef with gravy, garlic whipped potatoes and a biscuit
Batter fried fish, deli roast potatoes and a whole wheat roll
Chicken sticks with sauce, steamed rice and a whole wheat roll
and my favorite...
Chili Cheese Fries and a muffin!
 |
| Normal fare in Hawaii: called the Mixed Plate |
What's amazing is that immediately next to the menu posting on the school bulletin board is the nurses office with a poster warning that childhood diabetes is on the rise! Hmmm, I wonder why? Obesity continues to plague our little ones primarily because of what is being put in front of them from such an early age. I understand children can be picky- I have one or two of those in the house. But, continued exposure to the good healthy stuff is necessary if we ever want our kids to move past the basic plain hamburger and fries when they're adults and heart disease, high blood pressure and cancer are banging on their door.
So what can we do? In our house, we are personally opting out of the program and packing lunches everyday, but that wont be enough to change it. Luckily, there are some brave people who are working to make a difference in schools around the nation. Here is some food for thought:
Bringing in a Chef in Berkely
Whole Foods gets involved
New Legislation in the works
Take some time to research this in your community. Become an advocate to shape how are children are nourished when not at home. And please, please, please don't stop offering the salads, veggies and grown-up food!
Friday, August 13, 2010
A reincarnated rotisserie chicken
I have been buying two each time I'm at the big box store, and usually serve one for dinner as-is with a couple sides and refrigerate the other. I can usually count on my husband to de-bone the other so I can incorporate the mess into a new meal. What's amazing is that second chicken goes twice or three times as far as the original served whole!
I'll share a few of the recipes with you over a few posts.
Super-Easy Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 rotisserie chicken, de-boned and cubed
1/2 cup Craisins
1 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup orange juice
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
Combine all ingredients, add more salt/sugar to taste. If it's too sticky, add more orange juice to thin mayonnaise. No need to refrigerate to let the flavors gel. Serve on sandwich bread or rolled into lettuce wraps. This should keep in the refrigerator for a few days and you'll get more than one meal out of it for your family.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Nearing the end of the second week
As I approach the end of the second week of school, I look back on how my life is so different as a stay-at-home mom with all the kids in elementary school. This is a fabled moment in the life of a mother. So many guess and wonder what life will be like once the kids go to school. It's that first step towards an empty nest. For me, it's a little different, because in four months I will be right back at the parenting starting line with a newborn. But, for now I see life through the lens of a mother with no kids in the house from 8-2:30.
I can recall wondering what my life would look like many times with friends who also had a house full of preschoolers. We all fantasized about all the things we were going to finally accomplish for ourselves. Go back to work, exercise and shop more, have a perfectly clean house, maintain a hobby, see the task list totally accomplished at the end of each day. It seemed like an eon stretch of time while the kids were at school and mom had all that time to well... be "her".
Now that I have officially entered that phase of my life, I can't tell you what a surprise it has been. My reality has been rocked to the core. Not only have I found that my "me list" isn't being accomplished, it's been entirely thrown out the window. It seems now, more than ever, the kids require more of my attention, care, nurturing, and supervision. Maybe this will pass, but it is certainly a glimpse into the adolescence and teen years.
Within the first 24 hours of the start of school, each of my children had a major breakdown. I mean uncontrollable crying and insecurity- something I hadn't seen in over a year. I'm sure it was the stress of the transition into a new school, but they all struggled with their own version of fear. With all three kids in need of some major consoling, I thought to myself, "This parenting gig is far from over with these three". I had to switch from the mode of diaper changing, potty training, feeding, hygiene and sleep routines in this totally different kind of nurturing. This is the phase of parenting that is no longer about keeping your little one alive and safe, but actually molding their character and building their self-confidence.
Whoa... this is heavy.
I had to crack open a book I read last year and refresh myself on the major purpose of being a Christian mother. It's called Mission of Motherhood, and it gives such a great wide-angled view of raising children in the likeness of Christ. I strongly recommend it to any mother, at any stage in the game. Here's an excerpt:
This job now seems more important than ever, and certainly not about me.
I can recall wondering what my life would look like many times with friends who also had a house full of preschoolers. We all fantasized about all the things we were going to finally accomplish for ourselves. Go back to work, exercise and shop more, have a perfectly clean house, maintain a hobby, see the task list totally accomplished at the end of each day. It seemed like an eon stretch of time while the kids were at school and mom had all that time to well... be "her".
Now that I have officially entered that phase of my life, I can't tell you what a surprise it has been. My reality has been rocked to the core. Not only have I found that my "me list" isn't being accomplished, it's been entirely thrown out the window. It seems now, more than ever, the kids require more of my attention, care, nurturing, and supervision. Maybe this will pass, but it is certainly a glimpse into the adolescence and teen years.
Within the first 24 hours of the start of school, each of my children had a major breakdown. I mean uncontrollable crying and insecurity- something I hadn't seen in over a year. I'm sure it was the stress of the transition into a new school, but they all struggled with their own version of fear. With all three kids in need of some major consoling, I thought to myself, "This parenting gig is far from over with these three". I had to switch from the mode of diaper changing, potty training, feeding, hygiene and sleep routines in this totally different kind of nurturing. This is the phase of parenting that is no longer about keeping your little one alive and safe, but actually molding their character and building their self-confidence.
Whoa... this is heavy.
I had to crack open a book I read last year and refresh myself on the major purpose of being a Christian mother. It's called Mission of Motherhood, and it gives such a great wide-angled view of raising children in the likeness of Christ. I strongly recommend it to any mother, at any stage in the game. Here's an excerpt:
As we tenderly care for our children, meeting their needs, teaching them and guiding them, praying for them and modeling our faith, we are also anchoring their hearts to our home, our values, and our beliefs.A humbling look into the future of raising kids has shown me that those hours while they are away are just as important as when they are home. I've got to keep my mind and spirit in Christ all day, so when they get home, it's not just about homework, chores, and after school snacks; it's about creating a household "where the greatness of God and devotion to Him is lived out".
This job now seems more important than ever, and certainly not about me.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Honey-Balsamic Bean Salad
What I ended up with is a fairly far departure from the original, but fantastic nonetheless. I adapted the original recipe to include more vegetable so the kids would not look at a plate of canned beans and wonder what else we were eating. The dressing: I followed to the "T" and it was stellar. Even little T noticed that the dressing tasted like honey. It had such great flavor and it was gluten-free (something not available on the grocery store shelves near us)!
Ingredients
1 (14 oz can) EACH cooked beans: chickpeas (garbanzo beans), pinto beans, black beans
1 small head romaine lettuce, chopped
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cucumber, finely chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
5 sprigs fresh thyme
Dressing:
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons runny honey
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4+ teaspoon fine grain sea salt
Combine the beans with all the vegetables, and the almonds. To make the dressing, combine all ingredients and whisk together. Serve immediately.
Blueberries
Fruit salads have abounded in our house this summer because of the large quantities of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries I indulge on from Costco. But, sometimes, there can be a little bit too much of a good thing. Like bananas when they sit on the counter too long, they are reincarnated into an awesome banana bread. Blueberries, too have a future destined for a delicious baked good, where blemishes are no longer seen and purple-y goodness melts in your mouth.
Last night, a pregnancy craving overtook me, and I was compelled to sympathize with this aging batch of blueberries and incorporate them into a cobbler. It was already 8:00 by the time these fantasies took over, so I was pressed for time, needless to say. Using small souffle dishes, I made four individual cobblers in about 15 minutes. Super easy, delicious, and just what the doctor ordered.
Ingredients:
2 pints blueberries
1/4 cup organic sugar or evaporated cane juice
2 cups granola cereal (I used Quaker Naturals- it had little slices of toasted almond in it that added a great texture and flavor)
Combine blueberries and sugar in a bowl. Divide equally among four souffle cups. Top with equal amounts of cereal. Place all on a baking sheet and cover with foil. Bake at 400 degrees for ten minutes (the last couple minutes take off the foil to brown the cereal a bit). They will be done when you see the blueberry goodness bubbling up from underneath the cereal topping.
Note: These weren't as good the second day, so reconsider saving one for breakfast like I did. Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
I've got two pounds of hamburger...now what?
I have this strange thing against casseroles. Really it expands beyond casseroles to anything that was invented in the 50s and involves a strange concoction of meat, sauce, noodle, and a vegetable in one dish. I just hate making them, they are an embarrassment to serve because no one looks at them and says "hmmm, that looks delicious". What's strange is that I think I am alone in this aversion. What tipped me off was this great little cookbook from a church group that has loads of favorite recipes from women my age. I am amazed at how so many of them are still cooking the dishes their grandmothers made.
Now, I am not against family tradition- some of my favorite dishes from my childhood (comfort food) are handed down from my grandmothers. But, most of them involved several processed and canned ingredients. My friend Jennifer told me what she made for dinner last night, it was Chicken Divan (I'd never heard of it- it's probably a classic Tuesday night meal in most households). She explained that it is the worst combination of ingredients, but her kids love it. In it was a boiled chicken, mayonnaise, cream of chicken soup, cheese, curry...I got nauseous after that and couldn't hear another random ingredient.
I'm not saying we should all be cooking the South Beach Diet or asian fusion, but with today's global economy and local food craze, there are so many fresh ingredients available that are so easily thrown together, that it seems silly to raid the cellar for the evaporated milk and macaroni noodles .
It still begs the question of my post- I've got two pounds of hamburger... now what?
Which brings me to tonight's dilemma. I have an awesome menu planned for the week, but a couple meals are entirely new to me, and it's 4:40p. Dinner should have been started a while ago. Do I mail it in and whip up one of the three obvious choices: meatloaf, hamburgers or stuffed peppers? Of course, there is the whole spin on hamburger helper routine... no thanks. I basically feel like when I bought the hamburger it had a purpose, and to stray from my creative intent would insult the process. I saw it best served as an awesome baja style mexi-cali burger with beans, tortilla chips, and avacado. But, no buns in sight. It's definitely a weekend meal. So, it shall remain in the freezer until I can serve it in a way that truly is a delight to the senses.
My last resort- stick to what you have planned, no matter how daring and give this recipe a try.
I'll put my own spin on it so it's big enough to feed us all as a main dish and let you know the results. It does have some of grandma's favorites in it: canned beans; so maybe the apple isn't falling too far from the tree after all.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Chocolate Raspberry Cakes
This is my favorite dessert. It is super-simple to make, has few ingredients (all of which are easy to come by) and is tasty for days after it's prepared. Bonus: if you are mindful what chocolate you buy, they are Gluten-Free!
Ingredients:
8 oz bittersweet (dark) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves
4 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
fresh raspberries
vanilla ice cream
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter six 3/4 cup souffle dishes or custard cups. Arrange dishes on a baking sheet. Mix chocolate, butter and preserves in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla in large bowl to blend well, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chocolate mixture. Divide batter among prepared dishes. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter still attached, about 20 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes (centers may fall). Serve cakes warm or at room temperature with fresh raspberries on top and ice cream on the side.
Notes:
I've made these without complication by omitting the cooling of the chocolate and the stovetop rest period at the end. (So delicious- we couldn't wait!) Makes 6 servings.
Bon Appetit, November 2004
Ingredients:
8 oz bittersweet (dark) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
2 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves
4 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
fresh raspberries
vanilla ice cream
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter six 3/4 cup souffle dishes or custard cups. Arrange dishes on a baking sheet. Mix chocolate, butter and preserves in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla in large bowl to blend well, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chocolate mixture. Divide batter among prepared dishes. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter still attached, about 20 minutes. Let cool 30 minutes (centers may fall). Serve cakes warm or at room temperature with fresh raspberries on top and ice cream on the side.
Notes:
I've made these without complication by omitting the cooling of the chocolate and the stovetop rest period at the end. (So delicious- we couldn't wait!) Makes 6 servings.
Bon Appetit, November 2004
The first day of School
Today was the first day of school. With our move, our summer began a bit early. Uhh... quite a bit early I should say. So after three and a half months of having my children right at my side, I released two of the three today to a new elementary school.
Now, we just came from Texas- a state that takes great pride in it's educational system. We also came from one of the best school districts in Texas. We have since moved to Hawaii. A state that, by reputation and statistics, is among the worst in the nation. While there are pockets of good schools, most fall significantly under the national standards. Of course, there is private or homeschooling, but with three kids in elementary school, either option would overextend us.
First impressions: There is a noticeable difference in the way Hawaiians do things. They are an extremely casual culture. I thought I would enjoy that, but when it comes to matters of safety, especially my children's safety, I tend to lean towards a more conservative route. Despite the normal chaos that the first week of school brings, there were still huge logistical holes in how the facilities are run and how the kids are received and dismissed. It's not that there is a bad plan, it's disturbing that there has never been a plan to begin with. Strange. Just like in Mr. Mom- "South to drop off, North to pick up!" This isn't a new idea people.
Upon entering their classrooms, the kids met their teachers (no "meet the teacher day" or dropping off your school supplies early, so we had to add both those monsters onto the first day of school jitters). Both teachers seem less than thrilled to meet my child or myself and offered very little in the way of reassurance or welcome. What was crazy-weird was walking into a room of 2nd graders that was completely silent. All the kids were in their desks and looked scared to death. I was imagining the horrible things the teacher had said just prior to my arrival in the room.
What hit me (with the usual first day of school tears I always get) was the fact that these people are obviously not going to love my kids the way I do. I had just spent over three months without them leaving my side. I had to trust that this year would still be a blessing despite the uncertainties of the outcome. Some of my original concerns like staying at grade level with the mainland are falling quickly to a secondary priority now. Currently, I am concerned for their basic well-being- something that I am not used to thinking about as seriously. I have abandoned any thoughts of convenience from my repertoire now that I need to get three kids not only to the curb of the school safely, but all the way to their classrooms, and the reverse at the end of the day. Not to mention, trust that the teachers will cherish the innocent souls of my kids despite the first impression I received that they may actually hate children.
This morning I left the school compelled to pray for them today. The work around the house didn't even compare to the urgency of praying for their safety and innocence today. What came back in answer to these desperate cries, was the encouragement that my job is going to not only be following their work closely, but also heaping tons of love on them at the end of each day. Our home may be their only safe place. I want this to be their haven for refreshment, security, trust, guidance and encouragement.
I sure hope they come home and say how great their day was. I pray that this year in Hawaii is a good experience for all of them, because right now, I want to run back to the safety and predictability of good ol' Texas schools.
Now, we just came from Texas- a state that takes great pride in it's educational system. We also came from one of the best school districts in Texas. We have since moved to Hawaii. A state that, by reputation and statistics, is among the worst in the nation. While there are pockets of good schools, most fall significantly under the national standards. Of course, there is private or homeschooling, but with three kids in elementary school, either option would overextend us.
First impressions: There is a noticeable difference in the way Hawaiians do things. They are an extremely casual culture. I thought I would enjoy that, but when it comes to matters of safety, especially my children's safety, I tend to lean towards a more conservative route. Despite the normal chaos that the first week of school brings, there were still huge logistical holes in how the facilities are run and how the kids are received and dismissed. It's not that there is a bad plan, it's disturbing that there has never been a plan to begin with. Strange. Just like in Mr. Mom- "South to drop off, North to pick up!" This isn't a new idea people.
Upon entering their classrooms, the kids met their teachers (no "meet the teacher day" or dropping off your school supplies early, so we had to add both those monsters onto the first day of school jitters). Both teachers seem less than thrilled to meet my child or myself and offered very little in the way of reassurance or welcome. What was crazy-weird was walking into a room of 2nd graders that was completely silent. All the kids were in their desks and looked scared to death. I was imagining the horrible things the teacher had said just prior to my arrival in the room.
What hit me (with the usual first day of school tears I always get) was the fact that these people are obviously not going to love my kids the way I do. I had just spent over three months without them leaving my side. I had to trust that this year would still be a blessing despite the uncertainties of the outcome. Some of my original concerns like staying at grade level with the mainland are falling quickly to a secondary priority now. Currently, I am concerned for their basic well-being- something that I am not used to thinking about as seriously. I have abandoned any thoughts of convenience from my repertoire now that I need to get three kids not only to the curb of the school safely, but all the way to their classrooms, and the reverse at the end of the day. Not to mention, trust that the teachers will cherish the innocent souls of my kids despite the first impression I received that they may actually hate children.
This morning I left the school compelled to pray for them today. The work around the house didn't even compare to the urgency of praying for their safety and innocence today. What came back in answer to these desperate cries, was the encouragement that my job is going to not only be following their work closely, but also heaping tons of love on them at the end of each day. Our home may be their only safe place. I want this to be their haven for refreshment, security, trust, guidance and encouragement.
I sure hope they come home and say how great their day was. I pray that this year in Hawaii is a good experience for all of them, because right now, I want to run back to the safety and predictability of good ol' Texas schools.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Budgeting... (ick)
Now that the dust has settled, the final purchases involving moving have been made, and a full month's of adjusted paychecks have started rolling in; it was time to revaluate the household state of the union from our family head of treasury. Better known as "Budgeting." Not everyone's favorite thing, but absolutely necessary since we are now living in the most expensive place on earth.
We quickly found out that the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) was not only necessary, but entirely accounted for with such things as elevated prices for water, electric, gas, cable, groceries, movies, you name it- it all costs more! So, our family's goal is to actually enjoy living here, so we will be doing creative cost-cutting in the departments of eating out, groceries, electricity, and fuel.
Strangely enough, these major departments are all areas that fall under my passion of living more self- sustained. So, I have built my library wish list to learn as much as I can on these various subjects and how to scrimp and save and pull ourselves "away from the grid". At this point, we won't be installing any permanent fixtures or any of those big changes like solar water heaters or geothermal energy. But, we will be heavily pursuing techniques that basically save money running our current slew of technology.
One area I will take great pleasure in sharing will be how we manage to significantly cut our current grocery bill from the $800 a month it is currently costing us. Although, I do have to take one major factor into account for the substantial increase is that I am eating for two. Of course, so is the husband! We do have a wide variety of ice creams, salty and sweet things, and tons of fruit. In addition, the restaurant fare is both limited in selection and out of our price range, therefore, we are eating at home a whole lot more. Add to that the fact that the kids have been home for the summer, munching and snacking us out of house and home. So the increase isn't entirely geographic but also circumstantial. Nonetheless, we will be slashing it!
I am looking into affordable, nutritious, and easy to prepare dishes that are rarely the obvious selection when cutting back. It's easy to cut back and eat more processed meats and canned vegetables, but so much nutrition is cut out. Plus, there's only so many pots of spaghetti I can stand making after all! I'd like to focus on whole foods, as close to their natural state as possible with lots of fresh ingredients and without the whole foods price tag. We'll see how that goes!
So today, I'm off to the grocery store. We'll see with my well-planned menu how much I walk out of there spending. With three kids in tow, there will no doubt be some superfluous choices thrown in the basket as well!
We quickly found out that the Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) was not only necessary, but entirely accounted for with such things as elevated prices for water, electric, gas, cable, groceries, movies, you name it- it all costs more! So, our family's goal is to actually enjoy living here, so we will be doing creative cost-cutting in the departments of eating out, groceries, electricity, and fuel.
Strangely enough, these major departments are all areas that fall under my passion of living more self- sustained. So, I have built my library wish list to learn as much as I can on these various subjects and how to scrimp and save and pull ourselves "away from the grid". At this point, we won't be installing any permanent fixtures or any of those big changes like solar water heaters or geothermal energy. But, we will be heavily pursuing techniques that basically save money running our current slew of technology.
One area I will take great pleasure in sharing will be how we manage to significantly cut our current grocery bill from the $800 a month it is currently costing us. Although, I do have to take one major factor into account for the substantial increase is that I am eating for two. Of course, so is the husband! We do have a wide variety of ice creams, salty and sweet things, and tons of fruit. In addition, the restaurant fare is both limited in selection and out of our price range, therefore, we are eating at home a whole lot more. Add to that the fact that the kids have been home for the summer, munching and snacking us out of house and home. So the increase isn't entirely geographic but also circumstantial. Nonetheless, we will be slashing it!
I am looking into affordable, nutritious, and easy to prepare dishes that are rarely the obvious selection when cutting back. It's easy to cut back and eat more processed meats and canned vegetables, but so much nutrition is cut out. Plus, there's only so many pots of spaghetti I can stand making after all! I'd like to focus on whole foods, as close to their natural state as possible with lots of fresh ingredients and without the whole foods price tag. We'll see how that goes!
So today, I'm off to the grocery store. We'll see with my well-planned menu how much I walk out of there spending. With three kids in tow, there will no doubt be some superfluous choices thrown in the basket as well!
Monday, July 19, 2010
Long Overdue Update
Since it has been incredibly long between posts- let me give you the short version of the last 8 months:
-Spent the better half of november through february battling migraine-like headaches that attacked nearly all day, every day. Saw specialists and natural health gurus, had CT scans and cranial x-rays, prayed for healing, you name it. Did not find relief until I upped the vitamin D and cut out gluten. They haven't disappeared entirely, but are much less frequent and more manageable. I will be sharing how gluten sensitivities can develop in those who do not actually have Celiac disease in another blog. Inspiration was running short, frustration and eating out were on the incline so blogging just didn't seem genuine- sorry!
-Spent the early spring months planning a move completely around the world to Hawaii. Definitely not easy moving to the most remote place on the planet. We are still in the process of getting all our animals here and still have boxes stashed away that we are swearing to avoid!
-Found out we were expecting baby number four in April, just weeks before our move across the world. Morning sickness and fatigue definitely dominated much of the late spring and early summer. Again- motivation was severely lacking!
-Now that we are settled and the house entirely remodeled, more and more emphasis needs to be placed on reacquiring those good habits we were working on and keeping up our health, especially with a little one on the way!
-Life in Hawaii has turned out to be as expected. Beautiful weather, laid back communities, lots of bugs, and very expensive. It has been really hard to be away from all our friends in Texas, and connecting with a church just doesn't feel the same.
-Keep a watch for new recipes, cookbook recommendations, green and sustainable living, pregnancy updates, and parenting info. Hopefully staying in touch a world away will be made a little easier with the blog.
-Spent the better half of november through february battling migraine-like headaches that attacked nearly all day, every day. Saw specialists and natural health gurus, had CT scans and cranial x-rays, prayed for healing, you name it. Did not find relief until I upped the vitamin D and cut out gluten. They haven't disappeared entirely, but are much less frequent and more manageable. I will be sharing how gluten sensitivities can develop in those who do not actually have Celiac disease in another blog. Inspiration was running short, frustration and eating out were on the incline so blogging just didn't seem genuine- sorry!
-Spent the early spring months planning a move completely around the world to Hawaii. Definitely not easy moving to the most remote place on the planet. We are still in the process of getting all our animals here and still have boxes stashed away that we are swearing to avoid!
-Found out we were expecting baby number four in April, just weeks before our move across the world. Morning sickness and fatigue definitely dominated much of the late spring and early summer. Again- motivation was severely lacking!
-Now that we are settled and the house entirely remodeled, more and more emphasis needs to be placed on reacquiring those good habits we were working on and keeping up our health, especially with a little one on the way!
-Life in Hawaii has turned out to be as expected. Beautiful weather, laid back communities, lots of bugs, and very expensive. It has been really hard to be away from all our friends in Texas, and connecting with a church just doesn't feel the same.
-Keep a watch for new recipes, cookbook recommendations, green and sustainable living, pregnancy updates, and parenting info. Hopefully staying in touch a world away will be made a little easier with the blog.
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