Us Three Girls

I'll never forget telling one of my mommy friends in Chicago that we were moving to New York.   When she realized I was going to be in New York when I had our second baby, she gasped and asked gravely, "What will you eat?"  Thinking I perhaps misheard her (she speaks with a sometimes heavy Mexican accent), I asked her to clarify.  "How will you get food?  After the birth, what will you eat?" she wondered.  I wondered, then, too.


We are truly blessed with generous family, though, who were willing to give up their time, vacation days, and resources to come and help us as we transitioned into a family of four.   For the first couple days after Etta's birth, Tyler took care of us three girls while our parents re-worked plane trips to try to get to us sooner than they had planned (no one had anticipated Etta's arrival being ten days before her due date- except me, maybe).  First, Tyler's mom stayed with us for a week, then my mom came for a week, and then my dad was here for a week.  We fully realize how fortunate we are to have had so much help from family, especially since they all had to fly in to be with us.  The lovingly home-cooked meals and help with housework really played a part in my recovery.  Most of all, having someone to play with Tye so I could nurse Etta or hold Etta so I could cuddle with Tye was priceless.  Dividing my attention between the two girls has been the hardest part of mothering two for me so far.  Those extra hands for the past three weeks were lifesavers.  


Yesterday was my first day with the girls without other adult help.  To say I was nervous about it wouldn't be an exaggeration- on Sunday, I was pretty scared of what might happen- or not happen.  I still spend a huge portion of each day sitting while I nurse Etta, and that can be hard for Tye, who has so much energy.  Until Etta can nurse in the sling while I can simultaneously entertain/chase Tye, I worry about how I'll manage.  


However, our first day was a notably excellent one.  We made coconut macaroons in the morning, did a load of laundry, napped, went to the playground in the afternoon, ran an errand on the way home, and made dinner, all without any major meltdowns from any of us (and we didn't resort to turning on the TV ever!).  That's a full day in my book.  While I know they won't all be this easy, starting out on a good note- or a good day- is always helpful.


Photographic evidence that we made it to the playground on day one of Us Three Girls:

(Don't worry, I could see Etta's face easily as she slept on my chest.)

The Big Sis!

Friday Favorite- Kale Chips

I've been making veggie chips using this method for a long time, but Heather Crosby at YumUniverse put together an awesome video tutorial for kale chips.  Check it out here.  The almond flour (you can also use almond meal, available at Trader Joe's) makes the kale chips taste almost breaded and deep fried- they taste completely unhealthy, but are absolutely the opposite.  I've used the same idea to make zucchini and spinach chips in the food dehydrator with great success.  


When Tye was newer to solids, I made sure the chips she ate were really crunchy and crumbly and it was an easy way to incorporate otherwise stringy, chewy leafy greens into her diet.  Now when I pull a batch of kale chips out of the oven, Tye gasps with delight and barely waits for them to cool before stuffing them in her mouth.  They're a salty, delicious snack to feel really good about.

Apple Season

I can't believe it's already fall!  Kids are back in school, the water fountains at the playgrounds are turned off, and the beaches are unguarded.  Summer ended abruptly in Chicago, with a 20 degree drop in daily temperatures overnight.  I'm not sure where summer went, but it's been with a strong hint of sadness that we've welcomed the fall season and it's weather.


Today our nature meetup group went apple picking at a farm in the suburbs.  Despite the intermittent mist, the day was a huge success.  Tye noticed right away that there were apples on the tree and gasped with excitement as she pointed to them. Though her basket was filled mostly with fallen apples, we managed to find some delicious apples to pick off the trees and take home.  We also picked our own pumpkins and kale (the latter of which Tye ate raw as we returned to the farmhouse).  

 As soon as we returned home, we cut up a couple of our freshly picked apples, spread them with sunflower seed butter, and enjoyed one of my own all time favorite snacks from childhood. 

While I'm looking forward to baking with our freshly picked produce, by far the best things I took away from today were intangible: watching Tye learn enthusiastically that apples grow on trees, exploring a farm and feeding chickens together, and sharing a nostalgic childhood snack.  This part of fall I love.

Exploring Vegetables

We're in a stage right now in which Tye can chew many foods with her 12 teeth (including 4 molars), but some vegetables remain challenging.  For example, raw carrots, which she bites chunks out of and then can't chew the chunks well enough and so they're spit out onto the table; or greens and lettuces, which require a great deal of oral dexterity to manipulate once they're soft and soggy on the tongue.  I don't want to hide these vegetables- say, pureed in other foods- because I want Tye to experience the flavors and textures of the vegetables.  But now I'm constantly searching for ways to prepare vegetables in a size and shape Tye can handle.  


One success we've had is soup, which allows me to cook the vegetables in any size I want.  A few favorites recently include:

• Cauliflower and Stilton Soup:  Though this sounds like a stinky flavor combo, the cauliflower and blue cheese paired beautifully for a buttery, super-rich flavor.  Tye ate several helpings, as did Tyler and I! (Unlike the recipe, I skipped pureeing the soup and left it chunky) 
• Spicy Chard Soup:  I used a scissors to chop the chard in Tye's portion into small enough pieces for her to handle, and she loved the broth (I subbed vegetable broth).  My favorite part of this soup is being able to add toppings-including hard boiled eggs, lemon Greek yogurt, and pita chips- to each diner's desires, making a unique bowl each time.
• Farmshare Soup:  Last summer, the evening before our farm share delivery, I would dice up all the remaining vegetables in our crisper bin, then sautee them and add a box of creamy tomato soup.  Everything is good in this, from greens to sweet corn to root vegetables.  Since tomato soup is Tye's favorite, this always results in a full belly.

Now that warmer weather is arriving, I'm looking to find other recipes for vegetable exploration (even if I'm okay with eating soup year-round, sometimes others prefer a cooler dish).  So far this season, we've been experimenting with:

• Cinnamon-spiced Chard Pancakes: A new family favorite, these are a great last-minute meal and a fun finger food (you can substitute bread crumbs, saltine cracker crumbs, panko, or almond flour for the matzoh meal)
• Vegetable Quiches, like this Broccoli Garlic Quiche, or most often, a combination of recipes since I like to use a variety of vegetables
• Fried Rice: I sautee onion, garlic, and ginger in coconut oil, then add whatever diced vegetables I have; add a couple eggs scrambled separately.  For as many vegetables as you have, add about an even amount of brown rice cooked in broth.  Season with soy sauce.  Last night's veggie fried rice included grated carrots, red cabbage, broccoli, beet greens, green onion, and halved grape tomatoes.  Tye ate everything but the tomatoes, but she even tasted those several times.  

We don't cook a separate meal for Tye, so she has been exposed to a variety of flavors and aromas in our kitchen.  She loves some strange foods- like olives, blue cheese, and seaweed- but considering I was eating all of those during my pregnancy and while nursing, perhaps it's not that strange.  Tye can also handle spicy foods already, even hotter than either her grandmas, which amazes us.  When we're out at a restaurant, Tye's mature palate is helpful because we can feed her from our plates rather than order her a kiddie menu item  (I've yet to find a restaurant where this method doesn't work).  In a family where eating is an important social event, tasting the same foods as us also allows Tye to participate in the meal.    After all, an appreciation for good food doesn't have to wait for a full set of teeth.  

Why Tye won't be eating non-organic meat anytime soon

Researchers from the Translational Genomics Research Institute reported today that 47% of  supermarket meat from five cities (including Chicago) tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus, and of that 47%, 52% of the strains were resistant to three different antibiotics.  Just think about that- when you go to the grocery store and pick up a package of meat, you have a 50/50 chance that it contains Staph, and a 1 in 4 chance that it contains an antibiotic resistant superbug.  

The researchers noted that these samples of meat were not contaminated due to handling but the meat itself contained the bacteria, and the Staph is resistant because of the antibiotics used in factory farmed feedlots.  According to the CDC,  about 11,000 Americans die every year from S. aureus, more than half of whom contracted the resistant form of S. aureus known as MRSA.  Those at highest risk are young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.  Guess who fits in that category?  Tye.  

I don't have an issue with Tye eating meat, but I have major issues surrounding exposing her to potentially lethal strains of bacteria.  That medium rare steak?  That chicken that's just barely done and dripping a little pink juice?  A 50/50 chance it contains Staph?  I'm just not willing to take that risk with my child, who is in the at-risk category because of her age.  

Re-read that statistic:  the same bacteria found in half the supermarket meat kills 11,000 people a year.  Is it worth the risk for yourself?  (If you do continue to eat factory farmed meat, please please please, practice safe food preparation to prevent cross-contamination and cook your meat thoroughly!)

We recently joined a farm share for meat, dairy, and eggs.  It's a local farm with organic grass-fed beef, raw dairy, and pastured chickens, eggs, lamb, turkey, and pork with a pickup location in Chicago.  These foods are available at a significantly reduced cost in comparison with similar goods at Whole Foods Market, and we know the exact farm where the meat was raised.  Because the animals are raised in pastures and fed natural diets (no corn for the cows, no soy for the chickens or pork, no same-species meat or mystery feed), the animals are naturally healthy and don't need copious amounts of antibiotics.  They also don't naturally contain dangerous S. aureus bacteria.  I feel comfortable with Tye eating meat from this local farm with healthy animals.  I even make our scrambled eggs a little runny and share with Tye my eggs over easy, with beautiful bright orange runny yolks because I trust they're from healthy hens.

I'm not, and never have been, against consuming animal products when they are raised humanely and truly healthfully.  Unfortunately, that can be really difficult to find in the US (and is why I was vegan for 3 years and am still mostly vegetarian).  Tye won't be vegetarian, but especially with terrifying statistics like these in my back pocket, she likely won't be eating non-organic meat anytime soon.  

Tye eating one of her favorite snacks, roasted seaweed (seriously!)

Grain-free Scones

These scones are gluten-free, low-carb, and high in protein and fiber thanks to the almond flour (I order mine here).  Oh, and they are delicious!  Not a true scone, these turn out cakey, almost like little muffin cookies.


Chocolate Chip Almond Flour Scones
Ever-so-slightly adapted from the recipe in The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam


Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup light oil (I use sunflower oil)
scant 1/4 cup agave nectar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
generous 1 cup dark chocolate chips, or 1 chocolate bar, chopped


Combine dry ingredients (first 3 only) in medium-sized mixing bowl.  Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl.  Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until mixed.  Fold in chocolate.  Drop by scant 1/4 cups on parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake 12-15 minutes at 350.  Cool on baking sheet- if they last that long.

Ah, sweet moments.... 

Cranberry Almond Flour Scones
Loosely adapted from Chocolate Chip Scones in The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups almond flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cardamom

3 tbsp minced candied ginger*

1/3 cup oil (I use sunflower oil)

2-3 tbsp agave nectar, to taste

1 tsp grated orange peel

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen whole cranberries

Combine almond flour, salt, baking soda, cardamom, and ginger in medium bowl.  In small bowl, mix oil, agave, orange peel, vanilla extract, and eggs.  Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until mixed.  Fold in cranberries.  Drop by scant 1/4 cups on parchment-lined baking sheet.  Bake 12-15 minutes (15-18 if using frozen berries) at 350.  Cool on baking sheet.

*The easiest way I've found to mince candied ginger is to process it, along with the other dry ingredients, in a food processor.  Without the other dry ingredients, the ginger will form a sticky ball; with them, the small pieces coat themselves in the dry ingredients.  Just don't over-process.  If you don't  have candied ginger on hand, I've substituted a scant 1 tsp fresh grated ginger and added an extra teaspoon or so of agave nectar.

Looking for something to spread on top of these?  Try coconut cashew butter: process equal amounts of coconut and raw cashews until smooth, adding a bit of coconut milk or water if needed.  Slather over warm scones for an out-of-this-world delicious treat.

This photo was taken at our favorite brunch spot, Handlebar.  It's a great vegetarian hipster spot with delicious food, and at night, it transitions into a bar (hence the full bar in the background).  Right below that full bar is perhaps one of the more unique placements I've seen of the International Breastfeeding Symbol.  

Just in case Tye wants some milk with her huevos rancheros.

Where have you seen the International Breastfeeding Symbol in use?

Mmmmm!

Mama just discovered my new favorite meal- tomato soup with cheese bunny crackers.  Mmmm, I could eat these all day!   Good to the last drop, if I do say so.

Friday Favorite- Lentil Soup

I made this super-easy lentil soup this week for lunch, and Tye loved it so much I thought I'd share the recipe.  With each mouthful, she made her "MMMMmmmmm!" sound of pleasure before she eagerly signed for more.  The fresh ginger alongside the carrot gave the soup a subtle sweetness that Tye loves in food, and the lentils are a great source of protein, fiber, and iron (more easily absorbed with the vitamin C in the salsa).  Plus, this is a super affordable lunch or dinner, even with all organic ingredients.  This recipe will be a new staple in our kitchen.

Brown Lentils

Tye's Favorite Lentil Soup


40 ounces broth* (I used 1 32 oz box No-Chicken flavored broth plus 1 cup water)
1 cup water
1 cup salsa (I used Trader Jose's Organic Tomatillo salsa)
2 Tbsp butter (optional)
2 cups dry lentils, rinsed (I used brown lentils, but orange would be beautiful)
1 large carrot
1 square inch fresh ginger
4-6 cloves garlic


Combine broth, water, salsa, butter, and lentils over medium-high heat in a pot with lid tilted.  While waiting for the liquid to boil, combine carrot, ginger, and garlic in food processor and pulse until pieces are about the same size as lentils.  Add this to the soup.  When soup reaches a boil, reduce heat to simmer and keep lid tilted.  Cook until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes (keep cooking until they're mushy for younger eaters).


*Have I shared yet my favorite way to make homemade vegetable broth? Whenever I trim vegetables like carrots, celery, onions, potatoes, peppers, leeks, etc., I combine the trimmings (onion skins, carrot tops, celery leaves, etc) in a 6-8 cup freezer-proof container.  When I have a full container, I plop the contents into the crock pot, add some herbs like Thyme and Sage, then cover with water.  I cook this on low all day or high for 3-4 hours.  After it cooks a bit, I strain it and add salt and pepper. Then I can divide it into quart jars to freeze, or use it in soup that evening.  Super easy, super frugal, super healthy, super soup!

Friday Favorite- Travel Baby Food

When traveling with an infant or toddler, so many concerns need to be taken into account that any opportunity to simplify must be utilized for sanity's sake.  This is where we've been fortunate- we've always had a safe, healthy supply of God's perfect food right on my chest, no heating or refrigeration needed.  Nothing travels better than your own breasts!  As Tye grew older, we were also fortunate to have found some food options that travel almost as easily.  Here are our three favorite items for travel-friendly baby food.

Not long after Tye started eating solid foods, we discovered Ella's Kitchen Organic Baby Foods.  The packages fit my criteria for non-homemade food for her: organic food, BPA-free packaging, and no fillers or sweeteners- only vegetables and/or fruit.   Unlike other favorite brands, like Sprout Baby Food (which we also love), the Ella's Organics come in a squeeze package with a spout opening.  This allows Tye to suck the food out of the package using the same oral motor muscles as nursing.  While Tye loves this method because it provides easy access to the food she wants, I love it because it skips the spoon step.  From the carseat to the airplane to the middle of a store, Tye has eaten these just about everywhere with little to no spilling or mess.  

Another reason to love Ella's Kitchen Organic Baby Food is the food combinations, which provide vegetables in addition to fruits in blends like broccoli, pears & peas, sweet potato, pumpkin, apples & blueberries, and carrots, apples & parsnips.  Even when Tye was going through her picky "I only eat things that are white" stage, she would happily down some colorful vegetables out of one of these packages.  Another travel bonus: they don't need refrigeration, making packing them super simple (we've loaded up suitcases with pouches before).  The only downside I've found is that they've become difficult to find; while I used to pick these up at Target or BabiesRUs, the vegetable blends seem to be sold out most places.  Hopefully they'll be back on shelves soon!

ProBugs

Another squeezable food package we've come to love more recently is the Lifeway ProBugs kefir pouches.  They feature organic whole-milk kefir in enticing, kid-friendly packaging and flavors.  While I wish they offered a plain flavor, their packaging is even better than Ella's- it has a no-spill flap that prevents drips when inverted (not when squeezed, of course, but any little bit helps, right?).  These kefir packs came with us for the flights to and from Seattle last weekend and were a huge hit with Tye.  One package even replaced Tye's need to nurse during takeoff because "nursing" the kefir pouch cleared her ears effectively.  While these need to be refrigerated, they are an excellent option for short-term and/or infrequent travel.

By far our favorite travel food is Trader Joe's Freeze-Dried Banana Slices.  These were Tye's first travel finger food because they are all-natural (the only ingredient is banana!), relatively clean, and their almost melt-in-your-mouth texture was easy for a relatively toothless little one to eat.  When Tye was ready for finger foods but still wasn't eating grains, these were a perfect travel option in place of cereal or baby puffs (which all have added sugars, too).  These are such a staple that at any given moment, there is a full package in my diaper bag, and I always feel good about giving Tye several chips.

While these foods make eating on the go easier, it's still something we try not to do often.  It's important to me we teach Tye good eating habits in addition to good manners.  Eating is something I'd like to teach her to do seated at a table, with few distractions other than good company.  At home, Tye and I eat all our meals together seated next to each other at the kitchen table.  When we're out and about, I think it's worthwhile to either come home for a meal or sit down somewhere to eat, whether it's at a restaurant, a cafe, or a picnic.  When that isn't possible- because, really, life doesn't always provide those opportunities- at least we have some great travel food options.

What other travel foods do your kiddos enjoy?  I'd love to hear more ideas!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  We hosted again this year (we opted not to last year with a week-old baby), although Tyler's family couldn't join us last minute.  It was a quiet, small Thanksgiving without them, but I don't doubt we'll make up for it next year.  With only six of us adults yesterday, it was the smallest group for whom I've ever prepared a Thanksgiving meal.  Apparently, the half of me that planned the menu didn't get the message Tyler's family couldn't make it, because I made enough food to feed both our families.  We'll have leftovers in the fridge and freezer for a while.  


Yesterday's menu: appetizers included a cheese plate and fried vegetables (warming up the deep fryer); butternut squash soup with parmesan and fried sage; fresh, hormone-free, anti-biotic free, free-range turkey; Grandma's stuffing; mashed potatoes with turkey gravy; roasted sweet potato wedges with smoked chili cream; Mom's amazing pickled beets; creamed spinach deluxe; pan-roasted farmshare brussel sprouts and red pearl onions; egg noodles (a holiday staple in Tyler's family); roasted beet, red onion, and fresh cranberry relish; and for dessert, pumpkin ginger cheesecake pie with fresh whipped cream and locally roasted coffee.  


My favorite recipes of the day were the butternut squash soup and the pumpkin ginger cheesecake, both of which are likely to become new Thanksgiving traditions.  Tye's favorites were the squash soup, egg noodles, and later the whipped cream- which she devoured, protesting loudly as soon as her mouth was empty until it was once again filled with the rich, creamy goodness.  Another favorite of the day- Foodie Fight, a trivia game my parents brought over that is a cross between Trivial Pursuit and The Food Network.  


A long-standing tradition in our family is to go around the table during the meal and each say something we're thankful for that year.  For me, it reminds me of my past responses and the journey on which life has taken us.  Two years ago, I sat at the table and broke down into sobs when it was my turn, choking out that I was thankful for a loving husband and close family who had helped me, physically and emotionally, through surgery after an ectopic pregnancy the week before.  Last year, as I held my week-old baby, my gratitude for her life in ours was overwhelming.  


This year, I'm thankful for a healthy, happy daughter and the joy she brings into our lives, and for a loving husband who is the best father in the world for her.  I'm grateful for my own health so that I can care for her completely, for the health of our family members, and for the love and support of our family and friends who have made our transition into parenthood such a wonderful one.  I'm thankful for the things we have- the physical things, like our home with heat and hot water, a dependable car, and good food in the refrigerator that will strengthen us, as well as less tangible things, like Tyler's steady income.  I'm also thankful for the year ahead of us and the faith that this will be another year filled with good things.  


This year, I've been hit hard with the irony of following a season of gratitude with a season wrought with so much greed.  As I watch Black Friday commercial after gadget commercial after toy commercial this year, I am discouraged that our day of Thanksgiving is so easily overwhelmed by a desire to have more things.  This year, I am making a conscious effort to avoid the consumerism-driven aspect of the holidays and instead share with family and friends reminders that we have so much for which we should be thankful.  I hope the attitude of gratitude is contagious and brings more peace and joy into the holidays, with a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas.  It's just something I've been thinking about a lot this week.


I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that your attitude of gratitude extends through the holidays.

Baby and Mama Breakfast Icecream

Ingredients:
2 frozen bananas
Approx. 1/4 cup coconut milk

Blend ingredients until smooth. Serve Baby's as is. Top Mama's with
granola and fresh fruit. Enjoy thoroughly. Mention to envious friends
that you had icecream for breakfast.

Chef in Training

Angelic Organics Season Opener

Ines putting our stroller to use transporting veggies

Last week we received the first delivery of our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture, also known as a farm share) from Angelic Organics.  We're splitting a box with Ines, Randall, and Marquise, and even sharing a box we barely made it through our produce the past week.  So far, most of our vegetables have been green- broccoli, kale, chard, scallions, zucchini, lettuce, scapes, basil, bok choy, oregano, and this week, kohlrabi, cauliflower, and beets, my favorite!  It's so much fun to open my fridge to see so much fresh, organic  produce waiting to be eaten.  I've dehydrated a good portion of it, my favorite being spinach using this recipe for raw spinach chips.    I'm going to juice a lot of this week's, since that's my preferred method for consuming things like beet greens and broccoli stems.  I also have plans to make zucchini noodles with pesto (shave the zucchini to make "noodles", sautee lightly).  I think part of the reason I like receiving our share so much each week is that it reminds me of Iron Chef with a box of secret ingredients.  


What are you making this week?  Any brilliant ideas for kohlrabi? 


By the way, if you're in the Chicago area, Angelic Organics still has 12 week shares available thanks to the beautiful growing season we're having here!  It's fun to think like a farmer and appreciate all our recent rain.

Milkin' Cookies

Brilliant!  Milkin' Cookies is an online bakery store that makes cookies, in flavors like oatmeal chocolate chip, that contain galactogogues- ingredients to increase breastmilk production.  A two-week supply of 14 cookies is $20.99, which is about what you'd pay for a cookie a day at a bakery.  These would be a thoughtful, unique gift for a new mom (as long as she doesn't have oversupply issues, that is), and a needed break from- or addition to- herbal galactogogue tea and tinctures.  Innovative product and great marketing!  


The website said the cookies are all natural and free of preservatives.  Curious as to what galactogogues were included, I checked the ingredients:

Ingredients:Oats, Butter, Whole Wheat Flour, Semi Sweet Chocolate, Brown Sugar, Sugar, Nutritional Yeast, Ground Flaxseed, Wheat Germ, Unsweetened Cocoa, Salt, Baking Soda

This looks like a regular recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, except with a few extra healthy ingredients.  Which got me to thinking- couldn't I make my own?  Sure enough, there's a recipe online for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Lactation Cookies.  Making my own would allow me to use organic ingredients at a lower cost  If nothing else, they're a good excuse to eat a cookie!

Teaching to Cook

The Chicago Tribune ran an article yesterday titled Make this recipe and call me in the morning: Doctors hope to fight obesity by teaching patients how to cook healthfully.  In it Janet Helm explains how Dr. David Eisenberg of Harvard Medical School is trying to teach doctors how to cook healthfully so they can, in turn, teach their patients to cook healthy meals.  I loved this excerpt: 

The definition of cooking has changed...  Now it's more likely to mean assembling and heating — and probably in the microwave, which has experienced a surge in popularity in the past few years, along with frozen foods.  For the first time, the lasagna eaten at home is more likely to be thawed from the freezer rather than made from scratch. If food doesn't come in a box with instructions, many people are just not sure what to do. 

While they may constantly hear about the virtues of fresh, whole and unprocessed food, and are told to eat more vegetables, whole grains and plant-based meals, people often feel ill-equipped to implement this advice. 

Even with the wildly popular television cooking shows, many people are not active in their own kitchens.  Has cooking become a spectator sport? 

I'm still left wondering, though- whose responsibility is it, really, to teach Americans how to cook?  I have a hard time believing that a program in which doctors diagnose, treat, and give cooking lessons during a ten minute appointment is going to be successful, especially without a sample kitchen in the exam room.  I'm all for treatments that include food over prescriptions and wish more doctors healed that way.  On the other hand, good doctors are a wealth of knowledge in their area of specialty, and I'm not sure I trust one to tell me how to bake a souffle- or even an egg.


So, to whom does the responsibility of teaching cooking skills belong?  


Is it our failing education system?  Home Economics classes have been cut along with music and arts classes in many school districts, or made optional, as it was in my high school.  


Is it the parents who don't cook?  Many individuals who cook would say they learned how growing up.  But in a world in which most families rely on at least two incomes, getting dinner on the table often means quick fixes and little real food preparation.  


Is it the Standard American Diet and the food system that supports it?  As seen in Food, Inc., a family living in poverty can eat fast food for less cost than fresh produce.  


Is it ultimately the responsibility of the individual to figure it out or figure out how to learn?  Sure, we can't all recreate the masterpieces on Top Chef, but following a show like Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals is fairly simple and reasonably healthy- especially when compared to fast food.  An even easier place to start would be Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade.  Cookbooks can be checked out at the local library for free.  There's even a Cooking Basics for Dummies book, with used editions available on Amazon.com for only $1.  


I am in agreement that knowledge is one of the main components holding Americans back in the battle for healthy eating (with cost being the other lead contributor).  I'm all about any program seeking to educate Americans and teach us how to cook healthy meals, especially if we can throw in some lessons on the benefits of local, organic produce.  I think we need to keep looking for a solution, though, and let the physicians do what they do best.  Until we educate the rest of America, they'll be busy dealing with the problems caused by poor diet.

Solar Powered Tea

Growing up, sun tea was a summer staple in our family.  Even before I drank it, I watched as the water turned clear brown with time in the sun before the jug was moved carefully into the refrigerator.  I made sun tea quite a bit when we lived in Ithaca, where we had a huge porch with lots of sunny space perfect for safely brewing tea in glass jugs.  In our home in Chicago, for some reason, I've rarely made sun tea.  Perhaps I was thinking inside the box, imagining the only place sun tea could be made was the second-story deck, which would require a trip through the hallway and up to the deck.  The fact that I would make this journey for a glass of tea- not to mention a pitcher- certainly doesn't help explain the lack of sun tea here.  Whatever the reason, there hasn't been much recently.


Until now.  I have decided that this summer, our home will have iced tea again.  I finally decided to try making window sun tea, and it's working beautifully!  I'm experimenting with varieties of tea.  Here's my batch brewing this week- organic herbal sun tea using 5 bags of Trader Joe's Renew herbal tea blend.  

As you can tell by the red hue, there's a good amount of hibiscus in there.  I've also made green and pomegranate white teas, as well as a combo- which looked a little strange (green and red liquids make a weird color brown when combined) but tasted delicious.  By the way, if you're wondering about the cover over the pitcher, it's to keep Ziggy from drinking it.  I rubber-banded a paper towel over the top to keep her little kitty paws out of my tea.


I love having a tasty, naturally sugar-free, healthy alternative to water as I'm drinking for two.  The best part of sun tea is that I don't have to boil water to make it.  It makes itself!  

To be, or not to be... vegan.

The other night, I ate a pizza from Crust. With cheese. I've also been eating organic Greek yogurt. And organic cottage cheese. This only started last week. I reached a point of desperation somewhere, completely at my wit's end over my still insufficient milk supply. Finally, I decided that the totally un-scientific thought that "if I eat it, maybe I will make more of it" might be worth trying. Since I'm no longer pregnant, I'm not concerned that my own lack of ability to digest dairy will affect Tye as significantly, if at all. Worst case scenario, we move her bouncer chair into the bathroom a few more times each day. So, I bought some organic dairy from Whole Foods. And... I'm enjoying it. I'm not feeling like a prisoner released from my shackles or anything- I honestly would be just fine putting away the dairy for a few more years. Actually, returning to cheese was a bit disappointing- not quite how I remembered it. The thing is, I just can't shake the thought that maybe my body isn't making enough milk because it's not getting enough of something... It's a thought that has been haunting me for two months now, and I decided to face it head on and just go for it. So now, in addition to eating eggs, as I've been doing since my first trimester (which I had been thinking was just temporary), I'm also eating organic dairy.

The organic part is really important to me. I am very concerned about the levels of hormones and antibiotics in conventional milk and how those will affect Tye. Additionally, I feel very passionately about putting my money where my mouth is, so to speak. I originally went vegan as a political statement of sorts, my own way to protest the environmental costs of conventional animal agriculture. Our cows shouldn't be eating corn and producing massive amounts of methane that contribute to global warming. Our pig manure shouldn't be polluting our water supply. None of our livestock should be receiving hormones or unnecessary antibiotics. The easiest way for me to limit my own environmental impact was to cut out all animal products from my diet. I was doing my part to send a message to the producers of animal agriculture in America using my lone fork, one bite at a time. I still feel very, very strongly about these topics. I also realize that I can still make an impact by consuming only animal products that are produced responsibly.

Perhaps all along, I would have been making even more of an impact by supporting the organic milk and organic, free-range egg industries (and even organic grass-fed meats). But it was far easier for me to tell people that I don't eat any animal products than it was for me to list the requirements and research the sources of animal products with which I was presented. How rude would I seem if I were to dine at someone's home and tell them, "I eat cheese, just not the cheese you've cooked for me?" I still don't know what I'll do when I'm presented with that situation. It's been so much easier to just not eat any of it...

I also keep thinking about the health side of it. Will dairy help me increase my milk supply? When I first went vegan, I noticed the health benefits almost immediately- significantly increased energy, nails that never break, super-strong immune system. When I added eggs nine months ago, none of that changed that I noticed. Were the benefits of being vegan just the benefits of consuming a more well-rounded, varied diet? What will change if I add dairy? It's been about a week with just one, maybe two servings of organic dairy a day (though none while I was in Texas). No noticeable difference immediately, but I'm willing to give it some time while I figure out how I'm going to handle the organic-only dairy diet. As I've been saying for the almost 4 years that I've been happily vegan, I never said this was for the rest of my life. Perhaps we're moving on to the next stage in my food life already.

Easy as Pie (Mix)

So I'll admit straight out that this recipe for amazingly delicious brownies was created by accident. But it was one of those good mistakes where the outcome is better than the original plan! I started making the Hungry Girl brownie mix variation in which the mix is combined with 1 cup canned solid pack pumpkin instead of the oil, water, and eggs. This method is obviously healthier with the pumpkin delivering added fiber, calcium, potassium, and several other vitamins and minerals without adding fat, and using a dairy-free mix like Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge (my favorite mix of all time), it's also an easy vegan recipe.

Today, though, my lack of sleep must have gotten to me and somehow I misread the label on the pumpkin can. Instead of using solid pack pumpkin, I used pumpkin pie mix. Of course, I didn't think anything of it when the pumpkin was softer than it usually is. I just added it anyway. When the brownies came out of the oven, they smelled heavenly... and bit spicy. That was when I finally checked the can. I tried one, and it was delicious! The spices add a complexity to the brownies that takes them above and beyond the run of the mill. I seriously plan to do this again, adding cayenne pepper next time, too. In case you like the recipe format:

So-Easy-It's-Like-Cheating Mexican Brownies

1 box brownie mix

1 generous cup pumpkin pie mix

Mix and cook according to package directions. It's that easy! And so extremely delicious...

I made mini cupcakes with the brownie batter (15 minutes at 350), but the batter also cooks well in larger pans following the regular cooking directions on the box. My mini cupcakes will be topped with Pillsbury Easy Frost Velvety Cream Cheese No-Fuss Frosting, the kind in the can that looks like Cheez Whiz. It's also vegan, and a huge time saver. Plus, I can put down the can at any point to feed or change or cuddle with Tye. She has been watching me, listening to my play-by-play cooking monologue, which eventually put her to sleep in her vibrating rocker.