tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70406234683437317892024-02-22T03:14:31.248-05:00Inexact Science: Raising Healthy FamiliesCrunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-4134863804261683492010-02-14T19:16:00.005-05:002010-02-15T09:30:57.833-05:00Public conference call with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack“This is a different USDA,” announced Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack last week on a conference call with members of the public to share information about the agency’s response to First Lady Michelle Obama’s new <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.LetsMove.gov"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Let’s Move</span></a> initiative to combat childhood obesity. The call was a great opportunity to hear about high-up efforts to address the federal school lunch program and more general issues of helping people gain health through nutrition.<br /><br />From my perspective as a whole foods and local foods advocate, there was much to cheer about what Secretary Vilsack had to say about changes in the school lunch program. As an <a href="http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/reading-ingredients-tales-health-conscious-mom/2009/nov/7/my-kind-nutrition-or-healthy-eating-101/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">advocate of traditional foods</span></a>, however, there are still a lot of concerns to address. If this is a different USDA, I'd still like to wait for the next version.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Background</span><br /><br />The four main pillars of the Let’s Move Initiative are to 1) <a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/choices/index.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">give parents the support they need to make healthy choices</span></a> (including <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/nutrition/pdf/breastfeeding_r2p.pdf"><span style="font-weight: bold;">support for breastfeeding</span></a> as a healthy start), 2) <span style="font-weight: bold;">provide healthier food in schools</span> , 3) <a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/activity/index.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">promote physical activity</span></a>, and 4) <a href="http://www.letsmove.gov/accessing/index.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">increase the availability of affordable healthy food</span></a>.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/getinvolved/action/childnutrition/act.php"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Child Nutrition Act</span></a> was up for reauthorization by Congress in 2009, as it is every five years, but it has been extended through the Agriculture Appropriations Bill and is now up for reauthorization in 2010. The USDA puts out a plan and a budget, and it is up to Congress to decide where the funding will come from and to make adjustments and changes. The purpose for the conference call was to get folks aware of the <a href="http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/getinvolved/action/childnutrition/act.php"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Child Nutrition Act </span></a>reauthorization and to describe the efforts of the USDA in light of the <a href="www.LetsMove.gov"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Let’s Move</span></a> initiative.<br /><br />I'm all for education, and some of these efforts sound great, but I still found myself shaking my head during parts of this call.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">First, the heartening news</span><br /><br />The USDA is paying attention to the fact that the Institute of Medicine (IOM) has produced a <a href="http://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/menu/Published/CNP/cnp.htm#SchoolMeals"><span style="font-weight: bold;">report</span></a> that is highly critical of the quality of school lunches. Secretary Vilsack explained that 31 million children participate in the school lunch program and 11 million in the breakfast program, both of which he said offer foods that have too much sugar and sodium, and not enough dark green and orange vegetables.<br /><br />Secretary Vilsack said that the USDA wants to give schools incentives make healthy options more appealing to kids. “We are looking for a way in which we can significantly improve foods in school outside of lunch,” Secretary Vilsack said, including a la carte offerings and vending machines. “We want a consistent message” in schools, which would include getting sugary drinks and snacks out of vending machines.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.usda.gov/knowyourfarmer"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food program</span></a> is one effort to get schools connected with local sources of food and to help students see a connection to food. Secretary Vilsack said the USDA is expanding research into organic farming and is trying to increase the number of small businesses in agriculture. “We are looking for creative ways for these guys to make ends meet,” he said, noting that the USDA does not want to arrive at a day and age with just a handful of really large producers and, on the other hand, very small producers.<br /><br />One of the current areas of research, Secretary Vilsack explained, is how to make nutritious food compelling for children and how to encourage them to make healthy choices. “This requires us to focus on early childhood, to encourage kids at a young age to put a rainbow on their plate,” Secretary Vilsack said. Parents and educators alike need to explain the difference between everyday foods and sometimes foods. There has been work on a textbook and toolkit for parents participating in the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program to “get them started in the right direction.”<br /><br />If parents are more engaged in these kinds of conversations, Vilsack said, perhaps they will be more involved in school board decisions. Sometimes school boards see extra money in their food budget and direct it to another area that needs funding. “Part of our challenge,” Secretary Vilsack said, “is to make sure people understand that this is as important as any other thing that goes on in school.”<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Educating consumers</span><br /><br />In the Q&A portion of the call, Nutritionist and Silicon Valley Moms blogger <a href="http://svmomblog.typepad.com/silicon_valley_moms_blog/my_sv_life_alix/index.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Alix</span></a>, the moderator for this call, shared her concern about “nutritional illiteracy” of parents who, for example, don’t realize that Goldfish crackers have a <a href="http://www.carbs-information.com/glycemic-index.htm"><span style="font-weight: bold;">glycemic index</span></a> as high as a lollipop. Secretary Vilsack responded that we need better labeling so that people know what the better choices are. He spoke highly of a NuVal, a numerical system currently in place in stores in his home state of Iowa that rates items on a scale of 1-100, with 100 being the most nutritious. Having this information helps consumers, he said, which will then lead to better options. “As we make those more nutritious choices,” he said, “the market will be compelled to do better.”<br /><br />A quick look at the <a href="http://www.nuval.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">NuVal</span></a> website shows that 2% Horizon Organic milk gets a rating of 55, while 1% Organic Valley milk gets a much better rating of 81, and Garelick Farms Over the Moon Fat Free Milk gets a super-high rating of 91. Nevermind that the less of the naturally-occurring milkfat you take out of the milk, the harder it is to digest (and that <a href="http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/reading-ingredients-tales-health-conscious-mom/2009/nov/14/making-case-raw-milk/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">pasteurization</span></a> kills milk’s enzymes!)<br /><br />Since NuVal gives Silk Soymilk Light Chocolate a decent rating of 56, I am guessing that this “patent-pending algorithm” does not take hormone and endocrine disruption into consideration. Probably not the difference in products made from grassfed vs. industrial feedlot cows, either. I am just learning about this system and look forward to investigating it further.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What about the food pyramid? </span><br /><br />Alix pointed out that the IOM is basing its conclusions on the <a href="http://www.mypyramid.gov/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">food pyramid</span></a>, a construct that many health-minded writers and practitioners find problematic, preferring to look at the way author <a href="http://www.michaelpollan.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Michael Pollan</span></a> talks about what should be in our diets, including the ida that “real food” usually does not contain more than five ingredients.<br /><br />Secretary Vilsack said that the food pyramid guidelines are going to be revised. With some 20-30 people working on this “extensive effort based on what we didn’t know five, ten years ago,” the pyramid will be adjusted. He explained that what the USDA is going to want to see are “steps being taken by local school districts to better align with the IOM study” and with the new food pyramid guidelines.<br /><br />There are many areas of concern about the current food pyramid, and it will be interesting to see what the revisions include. For one, traditional foods enthusiasts might want to see the <a href="http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/oils.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">“oils” page</span></a> differentiate between chemically-produced unhealthy oils like <a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/The-Great-Con-ola.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">canola oil </span></a>and margarine compared to naturally-occurring fats that are necessary for optimum absorption of nutrients. <a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/Know-Your-Fats/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Healthy fats</span></a> include butter and <a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/A-New-Look-at-Coconut-Oil.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">coconut oil</span></a>, which is not even on the list of oils at <a href="http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/oils.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/oils.html</span></a><br /><br />If the researchers working on the food pyramid are familiar with this research on traditional diets and fats, then perhaps they will veer away from the low-fat craze. But based on Secretary Vilsack’s insistence that we do not have enough of a focus on “low-fat dairy products,” I’m concerned. It’s unfortunate that people think that incomplete foods are somehow better recognized and utilized by our bodies than foods in their natural states (i.e. full fat). The real fats to avoid are manufactured fats like canola oil, corn oil, and soybean oil that were never intended to be removed from the rest of the food and that hold no nutritional value or provide assistance with the absorption of nutrients.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">That pesky corn issue</span><br /><br />Alix asked Secretary Vilsack if we could get a commitment that school lunches would not have foods with more than five ingredients and if the school lunch program will respond to parent desire to get high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) out of all foods that cross the school threshold. The answer, in short, was no. “I’m not sure we’d be a prescriptive as that,” Secretary Vilsack began. This might get pushback from members of Congress, so the better way to go, he said, is for the USDA to push for incentives for schools to make better options available. “What we can say is that food has to be consistent with dietary guidelines.” And then, he said, we have to trust people.<br /><br />The next concern came from Sophia, a mother whose children’s school lunches are run by a private company that has told her it has gotten questionable food off of its menu except for “what the government sends us,” which includes HFCS and meat raised with hormones and antibiotics. She questioned the <a href="http://www.sustainabletable.org/features/articles/kingcorn/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">subsidy system</span></a> that makes it profitable for farmers to grow genetically-modified corn. Secretary Vilsack initially respondd that organic farmers can qualify for a number of USDA regular programs in which they can receive direct payments if they raise “certain crops.” And he added that the USDA under the Obama administration has increased its participation in conservation programs that the Bush administration tried to get rid of.<br /><br />Secretary Vilsack thought that roughly one-quarter of what is provided to schools is in the form of commodities, adding “If a district is insistent on what they want for their kids, we need to figure out how to be more responsive to their needs.” But he went on to explain that in the U.S., “we’re going to continue to grow corn for a lot of reasons.” This includes corn as a source of power, and Secretary Vilsack went on to reference other alternative power sources being developed. The USDA is not, he said, going to stop providing resources to those who grow corn but will try to support more mid-size farms.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Where to go now?</span><br /><br />The call inspired me not so much to sing the praises of the Child Nutrition Act but simply to continue to share my concerns about mainstream ideas about food, problematic ideas that include promoting whole grains (despite a lot of research that says many people have gluten sensitivities) as a health food and low-fat dairy as a necessary ingredient in the fight against childhood obesity. We were healthier when we ate <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Real-Food-What-Eat-Why/dp/1596913428/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">real food</span></a> with full fat and not so darn much bread!<br /><br />Although my son is not yet in public school, I look forward to learning more about the efforts Secretary Vilsack referenced and how they are being implemented in my local area. As a chapter leader with <a href="http://www.holisticmoms.org"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Holistic Moms Networ</span></a><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.holisticmoms.org">k</a>, I will continue to try to educate my community about healthy eating. I hope to find ways to make healthy food more widely available and to share information about how to access affordable healthy food.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related posts:</span><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://moodymommy.wordpress.com/2010/02/10/secretary-of-agriculture-vilsak-not-serious-enough-about-child-nutrition-reform/">Sophia's blog post</a> about the call and Secretary Vilsack's response to her question<br />A <a href="http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/slow_food/blog_post/secretary_vilsack_speaks_to_the_people/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">post at the Slow Food USA blog</span></a> about what sounds like a similar call with a larger audienceCrunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-60525506521496952042010-02-09T15:56:00.004-05:002010-02-10T19:09:19.227-05:00Homemade Chicken Stock<span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >One of the easiest things to do to stay – or get – healthy in the winter is to make your own chicken stock, or bone broth. Some people like to claim that healthy eating costs a lot of money, but broth is something you can make from the bones of a chicken you already ate, plus some apple cider vinegar and veggies (see recipe below).</span> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">The result is a protein-rich and mineral-rich healing liquid that can be drunk on its own as a tonic for upset tummies, as a base for soups, or as an addition to a stir-fry or any kind of cooking of veggies. If you make your own baby food, use stock instead of water to add fat, which will help your child absorb any vitamins & minerals in the veggies (and the stock adds nutrients and protein of its own).</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Our house is gluten-free by necessity, but I also avoid processed rice pasta most of the time preferring to cook whole grains like brown rice and millet in broth. It’s so much tastier and healthful. And, often, cheaper!</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">I recently attended another great cooking class with whole food chef and holistic health educator Monica Corrado of <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://simplybeingwell.com/">Simply Being Well</a>. If you’ve never made stock before, watching it done in person might be a good motivator to get on the homemade bandwagon. It’s instructive to see the process done in person, and learning in a community is fun and rewarding.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">But if you’ve got a carcass just about picked clean and you’re ready to go, here is the simple recipe to get you started.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">It’s best to have two chicken carcasses or one carcass and a bunch of wing bones (or other bones if you can get them from your farmer or butcher). If you have only one carcass, you might cut the recipe in half to avoid a weak broth. It’s fine to store one carcass in the freezer until you have a second ready.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Starting ingredients:</span></p> <ul style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" ><li><span style="font-size:100%;">4 quarts (filtered) water</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">2 Tablespoons raw, unpasteurized apple cider vinegar (or another kind of vinegar if necessary, the milder the better. Try rice vinegar before grain vinegar. I don’t think balsamic works for this purpose).</span></li><li><span style="font-size:100%;">Chicken* bones (two carcasses if available)</span></li></ul> <p style="text-align: left; font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">* Use good quality chickens that have been bred on pasture. Organic or “pastured” from a farmer you trust is best. Be sure at a minimum that they are hormone & antibiotic-free. Organic chickens at the store might be pricey, but you can get them directly from farmers at markets or through co-ops for $3.00/lb.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Step 1:</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Mix the above in a stock pot.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Step 2:</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Let sit for 30-60 minutes at room temperature.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">During this time, the vinegar is pulling out the calcium and other minerals from the bones. It might help if you’ve cut up or snapped some of the bones.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Step 3:</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">While the water/vinegar/bones sit, cut up one onion, three celery stalks and two carrots. Big pieces are fine. </span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Note: celery and carrots are both on the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods">“dirty dozen” list</a>, meaning they are among one of the foods it’s most important to eat organic.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Step 4:</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Add the veggies to the pot and put on heat to a boil.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Step 5:</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">When the pot starts to boil, try to skim off anything that looks like scum – tiny particles and bubbles that are impurities. If you don’t do this, life will go on, but you’ll notice that your final product will look not so pure.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Step 6:</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">After skimming, lower the temp of the pot to a low simmer. The top of the stock-in-progress should be relatively still while there is rolling going on under the surface. Cover for the remainder of the cooking.<br /></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Step 7 (aka “Wait”)</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Let this roll (covered) as long as possible - no fewer than 6 hours. The closer you can get to 24 hours, the better. The flavor will be rich, and it will be a wonderful healing food full of gelatin. You can turn it off if you go to work or to bed and leave it on the stove to bring back to a boil hours later. Skim the scum each time you bring it back up to a boil, and then turn the heat back down each time.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Step 8:</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">When you’re ready to call it quits, put a bunch of parsley in for last 10 minutes for an extra wallop of minerals (and flavor).</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Step 9:</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Now you’re ready to strain the stock into a big bowl (using a mesh strainer and going slowly so your bones and veggies don’t fall in). </span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Any remaining meat and the veggies have all been stripped of their nutritional value by now. Toss them out or feed the meat to the cat.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">If you did a short run of this stock, you might save the bones for a second use.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Step 10:</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Let the stock cool some before you ladle it into jars for storage. Whether you cool it in a bowl or in smaller containers, it’s nice to let the stock completely cool in the fridge before you use it so you can take off the top layer of fat if you wish and so that you can see how solidly the stock “set up” – how gelled it got. </span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Don’t put warm stock in the fridge; it will just warm up your fridge! Let it sit out and get to room temperature first.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Future use:</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">If you don’t plan to use the stock right away, you can store in Mason jars (be sure to leave at least an inch at the top so they don’t burst in the freezer) or freeze in cube trays for small uses here and there. Stock keeps in the fridge for a few days; use your nose, but I’d feel very comfortable with 3-4 days, and some folks would go up to a week. Bringing to a boil again is a good idea.</span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Enjoy this wonderful, delicious healing food that is far superior to anything you could get in a box or can!</span></p><p style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:times new roman;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" >For more on this and other traditional foods, see Sally Fallon's </span><span style="font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" ><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nourishing-Traditions-Challenges-Politically-Dictocrats/dp/0967089735">Nourishing Traditions</a></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: georgia;font-family:times new roman;font-size:100%;" > and the <a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/">Weston A. Price Foundation</a>.</span><br /></p>Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-32865930527685298342010-01-25T13:51:00.003-05:002010-01-25T13:57:13.417-05:00Mama gets the snifflesHere is a health-focused piece cross-posted from my main blog, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://crunchychewymama.blogspot.com/">Crunchy-Chewy Mama</a>. I had been putting more health-focused pieces here and more <span style="font-style: italic;">snippets from life on the alternative mainstream divide </span>over there, but I now that I am writing for The Washington Times Communities at <a href="http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/reading-ingredients-tales-health-conscious-mom/">"Reading Ingredients: Tales of a Health-Conscious Mom,"</a> I'm re-evaluating my blog strategy (which includes looking for someone to help me upgrade them all or combine at least these two blogs.)<br /><br />Here is my tale of a recent illness and how I fought it off the pharma grid.<br /><br />***<br /><br />We've got 60 degrees here in Metro DC and I think I'm finally getting over a cold that started two weeks ago. I never get sick and stay sick. This was annoying. Not so bad that I had to make the husband stay home or back out on a <a href="http://holisticmomsarlalex.blogspot.com/">major event</a> I was planning, but bad enough that I sounded like the woman from "The Nanny" if she had a sinus infection. Not pretty!<br /><br />We don't do drugs in our house, so I did my best to self-medicate. This starts with food -- lots of nutrient-dense homemade (from pastured chickens) bone broth and a limit on refined carbs. When I look back, the weekend before I got sick I had hot rice cereal for breakfast one day and French toast another day (GF millet bread, but still) and a bunch of rice crackers. That's way more packaged food than usual. So I cut out what I could but still allowed myself some antioxidant-rich <a href="http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/category/chocolate-products-raw-cacao.php">raw cacao</a>.<br /><br />When I started to feel an illness on I restarted the flower essences I maybe should have been taking all season long from <a href="http://www.perelandra-ltd.com/index.cfm">Perelandra</a>. On Tuesday the 12th, I tried the homeopathic remedy <a href="http://abchomeopathy.com/r.php/Hep">Hepar. Sulph. Calc</a>. and promptly got worse with a sore throat and swollen glands. I think I honestly fell asleep on the floor of my bathroom while my son played with toys in an empty bathtub. A homeopath said it was most likely that this reaction was just pushing the natural course of events forward and that now I just had a cold I might as well let run its course. So I gave up on the homeopathy - none of the indications seemed 100% right on anymore,anyway - and just tried garlic & ginger in hot lemon water in the morning, eating well, getting sleep, staying in bed even if I couldn't sleep well (instead of getting up to work), and putting some eucalyptus in my shower. I kept meaning to get even just a basic saline nasal spray but didn't, and we found our humidifier but never got it working.<br /><br />Well, all that, and a lot of water and a lot of bodywork. My head was killing me with major sinus pressure, so I looked for whatever healing hands had openings. On Wednesday, the day after I felt terrible, I had a chiropractic adjustment and acupuncture. On Saturday morning I had a massage, primarily of craniosacral therapy. On Monday afternoon I had another bodywork session, a combo of craniosacral therapy and lymphatic drainage massage. Each time I handed over my credit card after a session, I did feel better. But it didn't last to the next day, not as much as I wanted. I still had a lot of nose-blowing and some coughing.<br /><br />Then, on Wednesday when I'd been sick for a week, my eye looked red in one corner, which I thought was from not sleeping well until the next morning when it was sticky and red all over. This was the day of my event. None of the many <a href="http://truestarhealth.com/Notes/2214008.html">homeopathic remedies for conjunctivitis</a> sounded spot-on for my symptoms, but I got so weepy when my friend rang the doorbell while I was trying to have my son nap, that I decided to take <a href="http://abchomeopathy.com/r.php/Puls">pulsatilla</a>. And I found some homeopathic eye drops at CVS, which I think helped, for sure with the redness. The eye was cleared up a day later. (The second eye got it too and also cleared up after a day).<br /><br />Friday I saw an osteopath who worked a lot on my head in general, my sinuses and even in my mouth and upper palette. I sounded like a different person after that appointment -- much less nasal. But the next morning I slept in and still felt like I'd regressed. Maybe shopping for a sofa, meeting friends for coffee and walking a mile in mild winter day were too much. But we did get a new <a href="http://www.needakrebounders.com/">rebounder</a>, which I used twice, hoping that it would help my lymphatic system clear out. And I did fit in a little yoga.<br /><br />Sunday I had to drag myself out of bed but felt a lot better after starting the morning off with Vitamin C before my lemon/ginger/garlic drink, to which I added turmeric and elderberry. And then I had a full breakfast and set to work on some reorganization of the house, which felt great. I even had a little decaf coffee and some GFCF sugar-free (maple syrup only) chocolate cake my son and I had made as a celebration of my successful event Thursday night (adaptation of <a href="http://inexactscience.blogspot.com/2010/01/applesauce-cake-gluten-free-dairy-free.html">this cake recipe</a> but using mashed cherries instead of applesauce and adding cacao and coconut flakes).<br /><br />Despite this indulgence, I could tell I'd turned the corner Sunday afternoon. It's now Monday afternoon, and though I still am not ready to go out and do a full run in this gorgeously warm day (or to be too far away from a tissue), I am glad I was able to ride this out and that so far, no one else in the house seems to have any symptoms.Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-69664039059059523212010-01-04T12:48:00.008-05:002010-01-04T13:17:03.588-05:00Applesauce Cake - Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Low-Sugar<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuoZFSCu7PmubfHPh1ondBlAqfULsuKLMCvqCrwSbBid874vOWQFok3GuB88RreHwyu9RnzcOHOtPDOKvRelJKZOVUwF-ICuyt3wnTDa56CTsTZOhkB98HXiRGUmM607Zz_GFv2-dslY/s1600-h/ingredients+for+applesauce+cake.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmuoZFSCu7PmubfHPh1ondBlAqfULsuKLMCvqCrwSbBid874vOWQFok3GuB88RreHwyu9RnzcOHOtPDOKvRelJKZOVUwF-ICuyt3wnTDa56CTsTZOhkB98HXiRGUmM607Zz_GFv2-dslY/s200/ingredients+for+applesauce+cake.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422949317176961746" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeGr-f1GpAckY6IHbI5Dw-vT4ZjZlYrL86n032QDl5gU16KOGubsHTVSdVpoAWJfQQfmFBfUW6rjM1nESBTy5PCGwNQ6ZSFzgHOPokOGnRmEVFPgGQ1CBETZtdsqQPIzop0nOa0EoPYU/s1600-h/dry+mixture+wet+mixture.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxeGr-f1GpAckY6IHbI5Dw-vT4ZjZlYrL86n032QDl5gU16KOGubsHTVSdVpoAWJfQQfmFBfUW6rjM1nESBTy5PCGwNQ6ZSFzgHOPokOGnRmEVFPgGQ1CBETZtdsqQPIzop0nOa0EoPYU/s200/dry+mixture+wet+mixture.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422949310126637746" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV84BeFM_J1TyAQ3HZT1Wla6JDOcYGDe1vU1p_7pogjIlwgD3oO9qn9CH9xp6iBsmY_o-8u74VonS8iC8Paf8sV71Gyhva2R4U2XNy5ZhnOReZNYcR7e5QEf3yaPlJQpg2FTGGf4x2v74/s1600-h/applesauce+cake+batter.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV84BeFM_J1TyAQ3HZT1Wla6JDOcYGDe1vU1p_7pogjIlwgD3oO9qn9CH9xp6iBsmY_o-8u74VonS8iC8Paf8sV71Gyhva2R4U2XNy5ZhnOReZNYcR7e5QEf3yaPlJQpg2FTGGf4x2v74/s200/applesauce+cake+batter.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422949305145003762" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />At my son's <a href="ttp://www.whywaldorfworks.org/">Waldorf</a> school, birthdays are celebrated with applesauce cake. We always pack my son a wheat-free, gluten-free alternative for the baked goods. I also make them dairy-free so that<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg582SnXIBqhhDCAw_TL2IwPfff8AJFEv0Jx01_uj26-d7yJGKZp4yoA_Y435oXCBq8jfGCBDgElBcRpnoHN9w8VRQtOEor5wzfV85aKaziVoJobTd2rnr1oNwBpm7vWi_4QNinCa61Sgg/s1600-h/full+applesauce+cake.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg582SnXIBqhhDCAw_TL2IwPfff8AJFEv0Jx01_uj26-d7yJGKZp4yoA_Y435oXCBq8jfGCBDgElBcRpnoHN9w8VRQtOEor5wzfV85aKaziVoJobTd2rnr1oNwBpm7vWi_4QNinCa61Sgg/s200/full+applesauce+cake.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422949316303121490" border="0" /></a> I can eat them and because we try to keep my son's dairy intake down.<br /><br />I was very pleased with the cake we <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYtqtHtBXJarUIXXnR122AbFQAIDPem9KKFsR_vGYVHgUGWMN5VtA3Yfuo6TX5TAFhbV9MwXK_jeTrYnp4TuAU8dXQa6J0MLfhrgR3hCN5IxK2mhZSWuxttWUaJTaTpkLSTzxC8TNkXM/s1600-h/smaller,+thinner+cake.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNYtqtHtBXJarUIXXnR122AbFQAIDPem9KKFsR_vGYVHgUGWMN5VtA3Yfuo6TX5TAFhbV9MwXK_jeTrYnp4TuAU8dXQa6J0MLfhrgR3hCN5IxK2mhZSWuxttWUaJTaTpkLSTzxC8TNkXM/s200/smaller,+thinner+cake.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5422949405142855586" border="0" /></a>made yesterday after I'd cobbled together several different gluten-free recipes. I substituted almond flour for most of the flour and drastically reduced the sugar (though did not omit for fear of a too-soggy cake).<br /><br />Next time I will make a double batch so that we can have plenty to munch on at home! This time we had to reserve three servings for two birthdays this week (and one we'll freeze for next week). I will also increase the spices from the numbers used here, but I'll leave them for those who prefer a milder taste.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />GFCF Applesauce Cake Recipe</span><br /><br />Dry ingredients<br /><ul><li>1 1/2 cups almond flour</li><li>1/2 cup potato starch flour</li><li>1/2 cup brown rice flour (Could use other GF flours per your preference, but the almond makes it moist and sweet and gives the cake more protein)</li><li>1 1/4 tsp baking soda</li><li>3/4 tsp baking powder</li><li>1 tsp xanthan gum</li><li>1 tsp (real with minerals) sea salt</li><li>1 tsp cinnamon</li><li>1/2 tsp ground cloves</li><li>1/4 tsp nutmeg</li><li>shake of ground ginger</li></ul>(increase all spices if you want more flavor)<br /><br />Mix the above in one bowl and set aside.<br /><br />Then mix the following in another bowl:<br /><ul><li>2 (pastured or at least organic!) eggs, beaten (and warmed so the coconut oil will not harden)</li><li>1/3 cup warmed (to liquid) coconut oil</li><li>1/4 cup Sucanat, Rapadura, date sugar, or maple sugar</li></ul>Add to that mixture<br /><ul><li>1 cup applesauce (organic or local from an orchard you trust)</li><li>1/4 cup coconut milk mixed with water (so not too thick)</li><li>1/2 cup grade B maple syrup</li><li>1/4 tsp black strap molasses (could add more)</li><li>1 tsp vanilla (try for GF/alcohol-free. Could increase quantity if desired)</li></ul>Mix the wet ingredients into the dry bowl. Mix well, with electric mixture for a short time if necessary.<br /><br />Optional to add in nuts or raisins. If adding raisins, cut down on the sugar and/or maple syrup.<br /><br />Grease pan(s) with coconut oil prior to filling them or use parchment paper to line if you don't want your food touching non-stick/Teflon surfaces.<br /><br />Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes. This should fill one 13x9" pan.<br /><br />(I used a square pan and put the additional batter in a pumpkin-shaped pan, per my son's request. That one cooked in 25-30 minutes as it was not as thick.)<br /><br />Enjoy!Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-29986338923625486522009-12-01T21:03:00.002-05:002009-12-01T21:05:52.124-05:00Craniosacral therapy for my son<span style="font-style:italic;">Originally posted at my other blog, <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://crunchychewymama.blogspot.com/">Crunchy-Chewy Mama</a>.</span></span><br /><br />I don't claim to understand exactly what <a href="http://upledger.com/content.asp?id=26"><span style="font-weight: bold;">craniosacral therapy</span></a> (CST) does, but I believe in it. I've read some books by <a href="http://www.upledger.com/content.asp?id=5"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dr. John Upledger</span></a>, and I've talked a whole lot with my practitioners about my body and my son's body.<br /><br />And I've seen its results firsthand.<br /><br />I've been getting CST for six years, since I first started pursuing alternative therapies, which ended up including diagnoses of celiac disease and autoimmune thyroid disorder en route to dealing with infertility.<br /><br />I learned about the therapy through my sister and her work with her son, who is on the autism spectrum. CST has been immensely powerful for me, helping me to let go of a whole lot of energy I'd been holding onto, which caused physical and emotional problems. (For more, see my article in the <a href="http://www.attachmentparenting.org/journal/apj11-4CRS.php"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Winter 2008/2009 issue of the Journal of Attachment Parenting</span></a>).<br /><br />I had my craniosacral therapist there at my son's birth, which was supposed to be all-natural in a birth center but instead was a c-section due to my baby's breech position and extremely short umbilical cord (see my <a href="http://www.exhalezine.com/issue2janfeb09/takingitinandoutpoemissue2.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">poem </span></a>about that in <a href="http://www.exhalezine.com/issue2janfeb09/takingitinandoutpoemissue2.html"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Exhale</span></a> magazine). So instead, the therapist videotaped the birth, which gave her great insight into how to treat my son hours later. "There's a lot of unwinding in his hips," she said; I later learned breech babies sometimes need to wear <a href="http://community.thenest.com/cs/ks/forums/thread/26125041.aspx"><span style="font-weight: bold;">harnesses</span></a> because of their in-utero position (hip dysplaysia).<br /><br />My son is now 3.5 years old. I schedule CST for him every few months, when it seems like he's just kind of off or working on something I don't know how to address. I'm so grateful that she's been seeing him since he was an infant -- really since even before he was born.<br /><br />A few months ago I asked the therapist what might have been different if he hadn't been seeing her. I trust her with my life. She does tell some people they don't need to come back. She's never said that to me. "It's hard to tell. Maybe speech or other development issues. Maybe ADD or sensory integration problems."<br /><br />I've had several different practitioners work on him, and they all say the same things about tight parietal bones and jaw intensity. Lately, E has been chewing on his shirt in a way that disturbs me. A lot of kids have oral fixations, but this one is causing my son's skin to be chapped, and, well, it just looks like an anxious reaction. So I made an appointment.<br /><br />Usually she just plays with him on the floor with toys while they work in a gentle way. The appointment lasts a full hour. Today, after a while, she invited him up to the table, where she tucked him in. It was the first time I'd ever seen him laid down like a patient. It was a little freaky, but he looked so nurtured and cared for in the soft glow of the massage center room.<br /><br />She said her recent sensory disorder training recommends letting kids follow their interest/obsession while they are getting treatment. So she did. He chewed on a toy and then, when she felt a big release, he was done with the mouthing and just sort of flopped into relaxation.<br /><br />After seeing him so manic and wound up recently, it was a real gift to see him so calm under her hands. She explained some other physical things and gave me more ideas for ways to work with his particular needs, including broad and heavy strokes on his body and heavy weight on his legs in front of him, and offering him straws and other mouthing options. Her questions about other behaviors -- "does he seem to need to run full boar into things?" -- seemed so spot on. He's never gotten any kind of diagnosis, and I don't understand all the ins and outs of sensory integration issues and <a href="http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/proprioceptive-dysfunction.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">proprioception</span></a>. But I do feel very good that I have this therapist on my team.<br /><br />She said that it felt like a phase but like there was also an emotional component that was not yet resolved. His neck and chest were pouring off heat, she said.<br /><br />I left a little poorer but more resolved to model and live the grounding, solidifying presence he and I both shun but deeply crave.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-style:italic;"></span>For more information on CST and children, see <span style="font-weight:bold;">"Craniosacral Therapy and Scientific Research, Part II"<a href="http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=10820"></a></span> by John Upledger, DO, OMM. The website for the Upledger Institute is <span><a href="http://upledger.com/">pan style="font-weight:bold;">http://upledger.com/</span></a>. Find practitioners at <a href="http://www.iahp.com/"><span style="font-weight:bold;">http://www.iahp.com/</span></a></span>Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-92142959461703895522009-11-27T12:02:00.008-05:002010-01-16T19:07:18.846-05:00Gluten-free, dairy-free pumpkin pie!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-sCQ1c8eDGYF-95teWyHoHKlQkn1_33eYtEoBKTJW1OF9bO-1GTjyZl-0JHeEKMKmLoRUO2kFZ_ZukUJdN6kgQY9uDbmmsqUTkgXIz5Vl2GtIegzbxwESkzg1UY7o9e0nWE9HOsavBI/s1600/gluten-free,+dairy+free+pumpkin+pie.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC-sCQ1c8eDGYF-95teWyHoHKlQkn1_33eYtEoBKTJW1OF9bO-1GTjyZl-0JHeEKMKmLoRUO2kFZ_ZukUJdN6kgQY9uDbmmsqUTkgXIz5Vl2GtIegzbxwESkzg1UY7o9e0nWE9HOsavBI/s200/gluten-free,+dairy+free+pumpkin+pie.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408832717682240674" border="0" /></a><br />I finally took a photo of a gluten-free, dairy-free pumpkin pie this year! Two different times!<br /><br />The crust was largely hazelnut and rice flour with all the spices of pumpkin pie. I used coconut oil and put a little vanilla in with the cold water, using <a href="http://inexactscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/gluten-free-pie-crust.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">this </span></a><a href="http://inexactscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/gluten-free-pie-crust.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">crust recipe</span></a> (with mostly nut flour/meal). I baked the shell for 15-20 minutes before filling it with the pumpkin mix.<br /><br />I used essentially the spices in the proportions on the can of pumpkin (there were no pie pumpkins available this week) with just a little extra of each spice. For one pie, <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/specialty/libbys-detail-fpp.aspx">Libby's</a> calls for<br /><span id="lblIngredients"><li>1 teaspoon ground cinnamon</li><li>1/2 teaspoon salt</li><li>1/2 teaspoon ground ginger</li><li>1/4 teaspoon ground cloves</li><li>1/4 nutmeg (that's my addition)<br /></li></span><br />The liquid filling for my one pie omitted the "3/4 cup granulated sugar" and instead included:<br /><ul><li>2 pastured eggs from the farm</li><li>about 1 1/2-2 cups of coconut milk (full fat, unsweetened, organic - see brand discussion below)<br /></li><li>a half cup of maple syrup</li><li>a dollop of molasses</li><li>less than a teaspoon of Sucanat (actually this was probably in with the dry spices)<br /></li><li>about a teaspoon of vanilla.<br /></li></ul>I put just a little arrrowroot in a tiny bit of water and mixed that with the coconut milk (and syrup) just to add a little stiffness. I think that was about right.<br /><br />Another time I used pumpkin, which we roasted and then scooped out, but I added too much starch. That time, I included arrowroot and a few Tablespoons of rice flour in the mix, and the result was too solid, as you can see -- more like a quiche instead of velvety.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjM0d0k0zfU98whYkaz-z1qlf8IOrNA3uZIPoIUVVsd3Q7_DwnKtaYRZs6_IsoUo8tdgg2lnEJfXExEL_AjHHKkUNqtUPzS3Zb3Kaa2aWS1DpnnX9loQEww1TeNdiYEfkfV_TWaxzG3Y/s1600/gluten-free,+dairy-free+pumpkin+pie+with+too+much+rice+flour.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjM0d0k0zfU98whYkaz-z1qlf8IOrNA3uZIPoIUVVsd3Q7_DwnKtaYRZs6_IsoUo8tdgg2lnEJfXExEL_AjHHKkUNqtUPzS3Zb3Kaa2aWS1DpnnX9loQEww1TeNdiYEfkfV_TWaxzG3Y/s200/gluten-free,+dairy-free+pumpkin+pie+with+too+much+rice+flour.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408832725748191186" border="0" /></a><br />The rest of the mainstream directions I followed, after baking my mostly-nut meal crusts for 15 min first:<br /><br />Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. Beat eggs in a larger bowl. Add in pumpkin and spices and mix well. Slowly mix in in coconut milk/maple syrup/vanilla mixture.<br /><br />Bake<span id="lblSteps"> in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. </span><br /><br />In all cases, the pies were delicious. People who need more sweet can add ice cream. We used <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.purelydecadent.com/products/purely_decadent_Coconut_Milk.html">So Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream</a> though I am not a fan of that brand's coconut milk in a carton and always use the canned organic coconut milk that has no weird additives besides a little guar gum and water. And it tastes a lot better than the So Delicious cartons. As for coconut milk brands, Thai Kitchen is a little more expensive where I live than Native Forest, so I usually go with NF. The Whole Foods Brand is cheapest but is often more watery and less flavorful. I found I couldn't really tolerate the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/coconut_cream_concentrate.htm">Tropical Traditions Coconut Cream Concentrate</a> very well, and I didn't like having to warm up and add water.Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-59852917746022897812009-11-27T11:50:00.003-05:002009-11-27T11:59:22.759-05:00GFCF rolls with hazelnut flour<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7HKthyphenhyphenfA-XEjsZN1vH8da-xL3ePDi3Os_EEGBDPXmuYWszspkYq9zhe3JutkxC2CHbksKW5l8B3ts1DFmzu5lXGRwN7snMddAJ0NAZrNVE2R-kJ4n2kOQTBXMqTs1SrA0PKZDrqnVbc/s1600/gluten-free,+dairy-free+rolls.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic7HKthyphenhyphenfA-XEjsZN1vH8da-xL3ePDi3Os_EEGBDPXmuYWszspkYq9zhe3JutkxC2CHbksKW5l8B3ts1DFmzu5lXGRwN7snMddAJ0NAZrNVE2R-kJ4n2kOQTBXMqTs1SrA0PKZDrqnVbc/s200/gluten-free,+dairy-free+rolls.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408828701042412754" border="0" /></a><br />I wanted to share a photo of the GFCF rolls I made for Thanksgiving this year and an update on the recipe. The bulk of the flour this time was Hazelnut flour from <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/hazelnut-flour-meal.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bob's Red Mill</span></a> with some sorghum, rice, and tapioca. Also, I got away with using hardly any sugar and a little more molasses (along with a little more flour) than in <a href="http://inexactscience.blogspot.com/2009/02/gluten-free-rolls-low-sugar-muffins.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">my original recipe</span></a>, which, I believe should be in the <a href="http://www.holisticmoms.org/category/hmn-marketplace/hmn-merchandise/cookbooks/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">new Holistic Moms Network cookbook</span></a> (I haven't seen a copy yet).<br /><br />Ideally I would soak and dry my own organic nuts (or use nuts from <a href="http://www.wildernessfamilynaturals.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wilderness Family Naturals</span></a>) and then grind those for my flour since Bob's nut flour is not organic. But at least the rolls don't send anyone's blood sugar through the roof!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUK4nSM-nlTbJ7kwDLQo0tKPpzLpOD3b3BDcWjv9AouDNlgGYhwhGgXR3jcvakwK507Cq8QQeiMSQtTLw3mb7ut1CimTFN2EwH_N0qNnUFjCb5FCwydNFL27dcQZElxTwmVVyizEvCcg/s1600/hazelnut+flour.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 197px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUK4nSM-nlTbJ7kwDLQo0tKPpzLpOD3b3BDcWjv9AouDNlgGYhwhGgXR3jcvakwK507Cq8QQeiMSQtTLw3mb7ut1CimTFN2EwH_N0qNnUFjCb5FCwydNFL27dcQZElxTwmVVyizEvCcg/s200/hazelnut+flour.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408828703843239858" border="0" /></a>Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-24845105347190989932009-11-14T20:20:00.004-05:002009-11-14T20:37:39.007-05:00Healing a Face Wound (and more?)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmp3_0xSWRVihVp5mcpF-EfTREpM8ji2eU66FlyiZvMXe7N8xZsqlZ1VgllTwIJzBhkYgMGAAU9WFS24caQfjau5wrzbiTQrF4gYthS_6QekEgzgmedF-ecWeFvpzOQnt8bfrXNtPvu8E/s1600-h/PA270918.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmp3_0xSWRVihVp5mcpF-EfTREpM8ji2eU66FlyiZvMXe7N8xZsqlZ1VgllTwIJzBhkYgMGAAU9WFS24caQfjau5wrzbiTQrF4gYthS_6QekEgzgmedF-ecWeFvpzOQnt8bfrXNtPvu8E/s200/PA270918.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5404138418820705218" border="0" /></a><br />Almost a month ago, I went to the grand re-opening of <a href="http://www.holecomedispa.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Holeco Wellness Medi Spa</span></a>, the first holistic/wellness medispa recognized by Green America as a Green company and listed in their Green Pages. The owner is a wonderful woman who recently spoke at a <a href="http://www.holisticmoms.org/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Holistic Moms</span></a> meeting. They are in a building that just underwent some lobby renovations, including new glass doors. On my way into the event, where I hoped I might win some fun beauty or energy door prize, I got instead the most ironic of injuries -- I walked right into the glass door that I thought was open, cutting my nose bridge with my glasses and giving myself a huge blow that resulted in a mild black eye a few days later.<br /><br />As someone who has gotten a ton of craniosacral therapy, I knew that this blow was going to be with me for a while. The knowledge that I was setting myself back hurt more than the immediate physical trauma, though that was pretty bad, too. I was so upset that I was not aware enough to prevent this injury. Honestly, a perpendicular piece of glass did sort of look like the door, but I still should have seen that the door was closed before I rammed into it.<br /><br />So after I bled all over the ground, went up to the open house and got some ice (and got looked at by a nurse), I drove home as soon as I felt it was safe to do so. When I got home, I immediately took <a href="http://www.perelandra-ltd.com/ETS_Plus_Emergency_Trauma_Sol_C34.cfm">Emergency Trauma Solution</a> and then later Arnica. This was a Tuesday, and on Friday I had a previously-scheduled <a href="http://www.upledger.com/therapies.asp#">craniosacral</a> appointment. The therapist said there was quite a bit of trauma, and he recommended <a href="http://www.elixirs.com/products.cfm?productcode=BH158">Traumeel</a> cream and anything to help with lymphatic drainage.<br /><br />The next Tuesday, a week after the incident, I saw an acupuncturist and chiropractor who, before he did acupuncture, used an activator on my sinuses, which kind of freaked me out. But some stuffiness cleared up right away, and when I saw the craniosacral therapist again on Friday, he said I seemed much better than he would have expected. He gave props to the acupuncturist. Two weeks later, I saw him again, and he said that the intense jarring of energy actually let him work more deeply into my birth strain than he's been able to before.<br /><br />So even though I really hadn't planned to spend that much money on treatment and time without exercising (even after three weeks, I still felt the injury in my nose when I first went jogging), I am trying to believe that there is/was/will be something good to come out of this injury, as the spa owner suggested when she kindly called me the day after the injury to check up on me!Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-76245911801108141102009-11-07T15:06:00.000-05:002009-11-07T15:07:56.172-05:00Traditional, GFCF, and Low-Carb Eating 101I just attended a local hospital's women's health expo and spoke to a diabetes nutrition educator who was horrified that I would pursue a low carb diet. "Why would you do that?" she asked. I dropped a lot of names, none of which she was familiar with. I just wrote her an email and decided to post it here and at <a href="http://crunchychewymama.blogspot.com">my other blog</a> for my own (and anyone else's) future reference.<br /><br /><br />Dear health practitioner,<br /><br />Different people find health and wellness through different means, but it is through a gluten-free, casein-free, low-carb, low-grain “traditional” diet that I personally was able to reverse autoimmune hyperthyroidism, regain my fertility and address chronic depression.<br /><br />A powerful book about the wisdom of limiting or avoiding grains is on the site of author <span style="font-weight: bold;">Melissa Diane Smith</span>. She wrote a book called <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Going Against the Grain</span> that explains connections between grain intolerance and other health issues and explains why grains give so many people problems.<br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.melissadianesmith.com/">http://www.melissadianesmith.com/</a><br /><br />I recently saw two speakers talk about avoiding grains at a <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.gigofrichmond.org/">Gluten Intolerance Group</a> gathering in Richmond, VA.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Dr. Stephen Wangen</span>, author of <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Solution</span>, has written a new book called <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Healthier Without Wheat</span>. Information is available at <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://crunchychewymama.blogspot.com/2009/11/www.HealthierWithoutWheat.com">www.HealthierWithoutWheat.com</a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dr. Rodney Ford</span> makes the case that gluten has neurological impacts on people who do not have celiac disease. Information is available at <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://crunchychewymama.blogspot.com/2009/11/www.DrRodneyFord.com">www.DrRodneyFord.com</a><br />These men both gave fascinating presentations.<br /><br />In terms of traditional eating, the group I referenced is the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Weston A. Price Foundation</span><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.westonaprice.org/">http://www.westonaprice.org/</a><br />Some quick information from the WAPF on healthy vs. unhealthy fats is at<br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/index.html">http://www.westonaprice.org/knowyourfats/index.html</a><br />An article on proper preparation of grains is at<br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/be_kind.html">http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/be_kind.html</a><br />and in Sally Fallon’s book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nourishing-Traditions-Challenges-Politically-Dictocrats/dp/0967089735"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Nourishing Traditions</span></a><br /><br />A growing number of people are finding better health through increasing their intake of vegetables and decreasing their carbohydrates. Some people even point to a theory of food combining that claims putting carbohydrates with animal proteins inhibits proper digestion of food and leads to an acid/alkaline imbalance, which contributes to inflammatory conditions and to an overgrowth of Candida (yeast).<br /><br />Some of this information can be found at <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Body Ecology Diet</span> - <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.bodyecologydiet.com/">http://www.bodyecologydiet.com/</a> and in the BED book by Donna Gates.<br />Some general resources on the benefits of limiting carbohydrates can also be found at<br />The Gut and Psychology Syndrome - <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://gapsdiet.com/">http://gapsdiet.com/</a><br />The Specific Carbohydrate Diet - <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/">http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/</a><br /><br />A great read on why follow the wisdom of our ancestors is Nina Planck’s book, <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Real Food: What to Eat and Why</span>. A farmers' daughter and a proponent of farmers markets, Nina also has a new book out for fertility, mom and baby. See her website at <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.ninaplanck.com/">http://www.ninaplanck.com/</a><br /><br />I hope you’ll get a chance to look into some of these resources and share this information with your patients.<br /><br />In health,<br />Crunchy-Chewy Mama<br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://crunchychewymama.blogspot.com/">http://crunchychewymama.blogspot.com/</a>Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-16739918883016608842009-10-10T12:35:00.003-04:002009-10-10T12:56:24.438-04:00Balancing action with restI had a fabulous week last week of attending three (partial) days of the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nvic.org/Events/overview.aspx">NVIC conference</a> and then all day of <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.birthsymposium.com/">"Perinatal: A Symposium on Birth and Reproductive Rights."</a> But now, instead of volunteering at the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://holisticmoms.org">Holistic Moms Network</a> table at the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.greenfestivals.org/washington-dc/">Green Festival</a>, I'm home with a slight fever. I don't feel that bad, but I'm taking the advice of the health gurus I saw at NVIC that when the body is responding to too much stimulus, you need to give it a rest. Plus it wouldn't be very nice if the germ theory is really true and I get other people sick while I'm talking to them about holistic health!<br /><br />It's humbling to be side-lined, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised that my body went on strike after such little sleep (and some sugar). I ate pretty well, packing in all my food and not buying anything other than a decaf, and I've been good about immune-boosting supplements and tonics, but it still was a stressful week. Now I've got all day to roll a new batch of chicken stock (and catch up on laundry).<br /><br />I might not have paid as much attention to my own health as I needed to if my son hadn't been having a really hard time this morning. He is only a little stuffy and doesn't seem feverish, but he was really weepy, which prompted me to go up and take my own temp. After one dose of <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://abchomeopathy.com/r.php/Puls">pulsatilla</a>, he seems to be doing better -- less weepy and less surprisingly changeable in his moods. I need to buy a homeopathic kit so we have everything on site.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">For more on the </span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" href="http://www.birthsymposium.com/">birth symposium</a><span style="font-style: italic;">, see my other blogs </span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" href="http://crunchychewymama.blogspot.com/2009/10/fabulous-birth-symposium.html">Crunchy-Chewy Mama</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> on a woman being threatened with a court-ordered c-section instead of what would be a second VBAC and </span><a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" href="http://www.mamasmouth.com/2009/10/art-as-birth-activism.html">Mama's Mouth</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> on art as activism.</span>Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-34562543531745225672009-10-04T19:34:00.006-04:002009-10-04T20:01:51.128-04:00Vaccine conference: Dr. Lawrence PalevskySeeing <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.drpalevsky.com/">Dr. Lawrence Palevsky</a> made me appreciate my pediatrician even more than I already do. The basic message of both is that we want symptoms to be expressed because they are a way for us to understand what is going on in our bodies. It's crazy to expect kids to be well all the time. When they are ill, the immune system is working because it's getting something out of their bodies that doesn't belong there.<br /><br />What I especially liked was how holistic Dr. Larry was in his description of what that stuff is we might want to get out. He pointed out that we receive info in the following ways:<br />-genetics<br />-in utero info from our mothers<br />-air - what we breathe<br />-nervous system including all of our senses and anything that affects the senses, including electro magnetic fields<br />-skin - what we put on it<br />-intestines - what we eat<br />and then, through what we insert into the body via injections, if we choose to do so.<br /><br />Every day, we all eliminate toxins through breathing, through our skin (sweating), through our intestines (bowel movements) and through our senses showing up in things like sleep issues and mood changes.<br /><br />What we don't know is how kids eliminate the information they get from vaccinations, which contain not only chemical compounds and adjuvants but viruses, which are protein-coated pieces of RNA or DNA from some other being.<br /><br />Vaccines aside, Dr. Larry described chronic illness as the failure to allow the symptoms of acute illness to cleanse our bodies -- for yucky stuff to leave. When we give kids drugs to lower their fevers or in some way change their symptoms "for the better," we're overloading them with information. The stuff stays inside and on top of that they have to deal with more chemicals and more info that confuses their body. This leads to a loss of resilience.<br /><br />Dr. Larry also noted that there are trillions of viruses around and that we have more microorganisms in our bodies than there are people on earth or cells in our bodies! We fear and so vaccinate against 15 bacteria and 20 viruses -- 35 out of trillions. Doctors are taught in medical school that vaccinations "teach" us to recognize these organisms before we encounter them, but Dr. Larry says we are more likely to encounter them naturally (and that 98% of polio is cleared out through gastroenteritis).<br /><br />Kids get sick because there is inflammation that their bodies are working to release/resolve. Dr. Larry pointed out that kids often make a developmental breakthrough after a fever, including one 10.5-month old who had a fever for 5-7 days and then, when it broke, got up and walked. My son had a high fever and ear infection (which we did not treat) just after he turned one. He was exclusively breastfed and had, before the illness, almost zero interest in food except for amusing crunchy items like lettuce and celery. After the fever broke and he was back in good health, he was suddenly ready to eat solid food.<br /><br />It's great to hear people present a paradigm of health that views illness as one piece of the picture and not as some fire to be extinguished.<br /><br />Dr. Larry works with patients in a way that sounds a lot like our doctor -- talks to them, emails with them, looks at photos. He told the audience that we should demand this kind of attention from our doctors. He said he works with patients to help them decide what is right for their family with regard to vaccinations. In 2000, the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics acknowledged that reductions of most diseases went down before vaccines were introduced, and that contributed to Dr. Larry's understanding that diseases come and go on their own and in response to other factors (like what's in the water and in the air, etc.). In the debate with Dr. Bob Sears that followed, Dr. Larry called for a rethinking of the allopathic model of medicine.<br /><br />So much to learn and think about!Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-79870542498722658112009-10-02T21:54:00.004-04:002009-10-02T22:09:24.648-04:00From the vaccine conferenceAmong the information I learned today at the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nvic.org/Events/overview.aspx">National Vaccine Information Center's Fourth International Public Conference</a> were the following:<br /><br />-The majority of flu-like illnesses -- 86% -- are not caused by the influenza virus. The flu vaccine addresses only 14% of flu-like illnesses that are, in fact, caused by the influenza virus (as opposed to other viruses or bacteria) (from Peter Doshi's talk)<br /><br />-There have been only a small number of trials of the new H1N1 vaccine on pregnant women and on children. There has been no formal study of potential for fetal harm. Trials all had <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.patentlens.net/daisy/adjuvants/Introduction.html">adjuvants</a>, but the H1N1 given to people en masse will not. Thimerosal will be in the vaccine unless patients specifically request a Thimerosal-free vaccine.<br /><br />-Last year there were 171 child deaths from the flu in general. So far this year there have been 48 child deaths from H1N1 out of 600 total deaths in the U.S. (3,900 worldwide in 191 countries). Predictions in August expected 90,000 deaths from H1N1. (from Vicky Debold's talk)<br /><br />-The Gardasil vaccine has an unknown duration of protection and only postpones the possibility of cervical cancer and does not prevent it (from Diane Harper's talk).<br /><br />More from Doshi's talk at <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://crunchychewymama.blogspot.com/2009/10/watching-out-for-mom-baby-japanese.html">Crunchy-Chewy Mam</a><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://crunchychewymama.blogspot.com/2009/10/watching-out-for-mom-baby-japanese.html">a</a>.Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-5188463926064531152009-10-02T00:53:00.002-04:002009-10-02T01:00:30.220-04:00Looking to learn: vaccine conferenceIt's too late to be up when you're planning to be at a conference at 8 a.m., but I just have to say how excited I am to be attending the <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nvic.org/Events/overview.aspx">4th International Public Conference on Vaccination</a> sponsored by the National Vaccine Information Center (<a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.nvic.org/">NVIC</a>).<br /><br />There is lots to learn!<br /><br />One place to start: To say nothing of the whole immunity issue, I recently found an interesting <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://supernaturalmom.com/2009/07/23/additives-in-our-vaccines/">list of the chemicals in vaccines</a> at the blog of <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://supernaturalmom.com/">Beth Greer</a>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Super Natural Home</span>.Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-4828347244847458462009-09-28T14:12:00.005-04:002009-09-28T14:18:04.933-04:00Apple picking... in our yard?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOpAJHIH9Onj7OfMVzzOfsRczvCXHZBWKtVu4AG-XpxQ4zXXb7v31BNAtm6RjNqjuNFs33JSzHvfcm3preCA9sA1Pb4bK1ZsZkG0Qfn6dhpgEIAwDtAQJ7kKQ_ac1rlUCECXAQHV9ti8/s1600-h/backyard+apple.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOpAJHIH9Onj7OfMVzzOfsRczvCXHZBWKtVu4AG-XpxQ4zXXb7v31BNAtm6RjNqjuNFs33JSzHvfcm3preCA9sA1Pb4bK1ZsZkG0Qfn6dhpgEIAwDtAQJ7kKQ_ac1rlUCECXAQHV9ti8/s200/backyard+apple.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386583871688221490" border="0" /></a><br />We just realized that our new home has an apple tree in the back yard. It's probably not going to get a whole lot of light, and I doubt the apples will fully ripen, but we've enjoyed using the apples in the juicer with carrot (and some beet, celery, parsley and ginger). Since organic u-pick seems impossible to find in this part of the mid-Atlantic, I'm thinking now that we should consider transplanting the apple -- or planting another apple tree in the <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg680O8J8UBdpg4sn_P3PyZ0VMWF7exEnNy7pR1XO8rgyXUmaA6F945C39cGuAAeSJt6YB_TMNmbIRvhGe4tP73NYzx2FuhLTuXefzs_iLFQcRAci4Sle2kxRQbVqgNWHQYUrmdwxtpsYw/s1600-h/juicing+with+backyard+apple.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg680O8J8UBdpg4sn_P3PyZ0VMWF7exEnNy7pR1XO8rgyXUmaA6F945C39cGuAAeSJt6YB_TMNmbIRvhGe4tP73NYzx2FuhLTuXefzs_iLFQcRAci4Sle2kxRQbVqgNWHQYUrmdwxtpsYw/s200/juicing+with+backyard+apple.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386583878496134162" border="0" /></a>front yard.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhjEmEdrl3MMQcKrNEC4LuCGwzQzaduo9QEJMMfRJ6YtygqDGafOJecUftskJdhk1gODOMCHMbIp_wc-eATBnDZ2iFNXBbxLvRjqOrf6TIOj4BY4Gwz7n71H8PpgCZOmgsdPtLlnYdk8/s1600-h/backyard+apple+tree.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBhjEmEdrl3MMQcKrNEC4LuCGwzQzaduo9QEJMMfRJ6YtygqDGafOJecUftskJdhk1gODOMCHMbIp_wc-eATBnDZ2iFNXBbxLvRjqOrf6TIOj4BY4Gwz7n71H8PpgCZOmgsdPtLlnYdk8/s200/backyard+apple+tree.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386583872647091538" border="0" /></a>Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-35944011518520866402009-09-21T09:23:00.003-04:002009-09-21T09:39:59.572-04:00Helping children with aggression"But he showed remorse," said my kind friend when I called her crying to apologize that my son had bitten hers at school. "What more could you want?"<br /><br />Um, for him to not do it at all?<br /><br />Really, what I want is for my son not to feel that kind of out-of-control anger. I know he's three and a half and that some socially inappropriate behavior is, well, developmentally appropriate. But I also know that when he went through a similar phase two years ago, some body work and energy work really seemed to help.<br /><br />And I know that as someone who suffered from undiagnosed depression all through my childhood, it's no fun to feel unhappy inside. Although medication helped through a few dark periods in my adulthood, it's become crystal clear to me that what has made the most profound difference has been a combination of non-drug remedies: a gluten-free, casein-free diet; regular exercise and yoga; and body work and energy work, including acupuncture, chiropractic and <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://upledger.com/">craniosacral therapy</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>(CST).<br /><br />So when my son had a biting episode a few weeks back for the first time (a 12-hour playdate is a rough thing for overtired cousins inhabiting a small space on a rainy cold day), I made an appointment with the acupuncturist who saw us when he had an ear infection months ago. While I waited the three weeks before that opening, I also got him in for CST work, which I though was probably more useful for him (lasting a full hour) but is twice as expensive as the acupuncturist who works with kids.<br /><br />The acupuncture was scheduled for Friday at the end of the first week of school. E seemed to enjoy school fine and had none of the crying some other kids did upon leaving their moms for the first time. But on Tuesday, the second day, he did bite the arm of his friend, G, in what was probably a tussle over a toy. "It might have been provoked," the teacher said, having not seen the lead-up. But I was deeply troubled.<br /><br />My kid is nice. He's usually patient and kind. When he does physical stuff, something seems like it's just not right inside. That's an awful feeling, and I don't want him to have it. To me, the biting is a symptom. Maybe he's feeding off of my stress. Maybe it's partly the change of season, as the acupuncturist suggested. Maybe it's that we've been trying some dairy in his diet, and maybe it doesn't agree with him any more than it does with me.<br /><br />What I do know is that he and I both had a nice day Friday and a pretty mellow weekend after a week of volatility and meltdowns. All the doctor did was use a little roller on a few spots and then put little acupressure stickers on his ears, hands and feet. Thinking we might try needles on him next time, she did a demo on me with a quick insertion to two points that address the kidney meridian and fear. "You'll have a good day, too," she nodded to me.<br /><br />And I did. Within a few hours, the sense of urgency and crisis was gone. My son and I had a lovely time together. We'll see if he can hold onto that calm through today, the first day of the second week of school.Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-76650499595469181522009-09-10T12:20:00.004-04:002009-09-10T12:34:25.888-04:00Fighting the flu naturallyI haven't been pro-vaccine for a long time, since I got the flu vaccine in my 20s and felt terrible.<br /><br />Now that we're facing a potentially bad flu year, there is a lot of talk about vaccines for flu and specifically for H1N1/Swine Flu. I'm hoping that the alternative folks are right that the best way to avoid getting seriously ill is by avoiding refined foods -- especially sugar and flour -- and generally eating a healthy diet, along with giving our bodies assistance in fighting things naturally by getting chiropractic work, acupuncture or craniosacral therapy.<br /><br />But we don't always get the sleep, exercise, or nutrition that we need, so I've ordered from Perelandra the 2009-2010 <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.perelandra-ltd.com/2-oz_MBP_2009-2010_Flu_Season_P1504C647.cfm">Flu Season Balancing Solution</a></span> from the Microbial Balancing Program and also <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.perelandra-ltd.com/FSBS__P591C647.cfm">FSBS+</a></span>, which is supposed to address pandemic strains of the flu. These bottles are $10-15 and from a farm local here in Virginia. I know some folks are hoping their homeopaths can make a homeopathic version of the standard vaccine.<br /><br />I hope that we can do okay, as we did last winter on health and wellness except for the week after the <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.holisticmoms.org/">Holistic Moms</a></span> chapter launch (and the Inauguration, which was an exciting but very long day). The following week, my son came down with an ear infection that I'm pretty sure was his system's response to his mom's stress. That lasted over a week but cleared without drugs. We were still nursing at the time, though, and this year, he won't have that protection. <br /><br />This season, I hope we can find the inner balance we need and can count on the Perelandra solutions (the above, as well as the <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.perelandra-ltd.com/MBP_Immune_System_Balancing_So_P253C11.cfm">Immune</a></span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.perelandra-ltd.com/MBP_Lymphatic_System_Balancing_P257C11.cfm">Lymphatic</a></span> solutions) to stay healthy.Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-22037440227548882612009-08-18T23:59:00.005-04:002009-08-19T00:19:50.022-04:00What did the boy inherit?A few months back, I finally did a cheek swab test on my son to see if he did in fact inherit gluten sensitivity from me. I'd ordered the test from <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="https://www.enterolab.com/Home.htm">Enterolab</a></span> almost a year earlier on the advice of <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://melissadianesmith.com/">Melissa Diane Smith</a></span>, author of the fabulous book, <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://melissadianesmith.com/Books/AgainstTheGrain.html">Going Against the Grain</a></span>. For some reason, I just had a block against finding out. I wanted to keep my boy gluten-free until he was three anyway. With all the <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/gluten-intolerance.html"></span> added gluten in today's grain and the increase in gluten sensitivity</a>,</span> I don't think it's healthy for anyone to have much of it period, and certainly not when the gut is so immature.<br /><br />The results showed that my son has one of the main genes that predisposes to gluten sensitivity and celiac sprue and one "non-celiac" gene that also predisposes to gluten sensitivity. Mainstream doctors would not diagnose celiac disease without blood testing and/or an endoscopy, but those would likely not yield positive results unless he had eaten enough gluten to do damage to his gut. That's not a risk I'm willing to take.<br /><br />However, we are trying him now on cow's milk and will then do a stool test to see if he shows <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="https://www.enterolab.com/StaticPages/Frame_TestToOrder.htm#What_about_milk">casein sensitivity</a></span>. The idea is that the more integrity we can build in his gut now, the healthier he will be in the long run. But I don't want to keep him off of all dairy unless we know. There is so much good to be had in full-fat, farm-fresh dairy -- <span style="font-weight:bold;"><a href="http://www.realmilk.com/what.html">real milk</a>.</span><br /><br />So we're trying to just be up front with him, always pointing out that different people eat different things. Since this is not an issue of allergy, I want to keep out the fear, but I do want him to understand that we sometimes make choices based on information that doesn't have an immediate impact. That's next-to-impossible for someone his age to get, but I'm trying to present it just as things are and hope that it will help him eventually make choices that are good for his body rather than get stuck in some kind of right/wrong dichotomy.Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-76273324492556728722009-07-07T00:08:00.005-04:002009-07-07T00:40:29.676-04:00Jaw and hip painI have a friend who thought she had an ear infection but instead was told by a D.O. that she has TMJ - jaw pain. I mentioned to her the connection between hips and the jaw but had no resources to share to back me up. I've heard it from numerous practitioners from dentists to birth professionals, but I didn't get the windfall I expected upon Googling. Most of the info is more general about posture & alignment.<br /><br />Here are some of the links that came up. <span style="font-style: italic;">It's way too late and I think I'm clenching my jaw and tensing my legs & hips as I type!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Whole Health Dental Center</span>: info on body/alignment and TMJ - the Cranial-Dental Balance: <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.wholehealthdentalcenter.com/carnail-dental.htm">http://www.wholehealthdentalcenter.com/carnail-dental.htm</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Fairlington Dental</span>'s TMJ info and treatment overview: <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.fairlingtondental.com/tmj-treatment.html">http://www.fairlingtondental.com/tmj-treatment.html</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Upledger Institute</span>: article giving overview of CranioSacral Therapy in general at <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.upledger.com/pdf/CS0307E.pdf">http://www.upledger.com/pdf/CS0307E.pdf</a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Weg Der Mitte (Berlin):</span> Article: "</span><span style="font-size:85%;">The Symbiotic Partnership of Dentistry And Craniosacral Therapy"</span><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.wegdermitte.de%20/index.php?/english/publications/cranio-article1.htm">http://www.wegdermitte.de<br />/index.php?/english/publications/cranio-article1.htm</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Delicious Living Magazine: </span>article on TMJ and healing modalities: <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://deliciouslivingmag.com/health/conditions/oral-health/dl_article_2361/">http://deliciouslivingmag.com/health/conditions/oral-health/dl_article_2361/</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">In Light Times:</span> article on TMJ and other connections (by a dentist): <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.inlightimes.com/archives/2005/08/tmj.htm">http://www.inlightimes.com/archives/2005/08/tmj.htm</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">About.com </span>article from massage therapist on using massage and Reiki (including working on hips) to alleviate jaw pain: <a href="http://healing.about.com/cs/uc_directory/a/uc_sadler03.htm">http://healing.about.com/cs/uc_directory/a/uc_sadler03.htm</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yoga Forums</span>: A casual Q& A at <a href="http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f16/the-jaw-hip-connection-2211.html">http://www.yogaforums.com/forums/f16/the-jaw-hip-connection-2211.html</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">North Bay Chiropractic and Laser Center</span>: Just some info about TMJ and overall health & possible other health connections: h<a href="http://www.northbaylaserdoc.com/help_tmj.shtml">ttp://www.northbaylaserdoc.com/help_tmj.shtml</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ogden Denta</span>l: Info on TMJ and other issues like joint problems: <a href="http://www.ogdendental.net/gpage7.html">http://www.ogdendental.net/gpage7.html</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yorkville Centre for Integrative Health</span>: massage therapist talking about connections with TMJ and the rest of the body: h<a href="http://www.balancefacilitator.com/Articles/tmj-article.html">ttp://www.balancefacilitator.com/Articles/tmj-article.html</a>Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-89454144355892885282009-06-21T23:15:00.004-04:002009-06-21T23:21:27.090-04:00Whole foods come from the ground<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iNAQL-APACn8BtVFTaKYE5pilcBNxvze3qY7WKJ7U6Y8u2uKjy7KORT2lljPQocl9x5efUIuwik2oNHbCjcR4DSZcsMDvv9ih0aZHu7ZL12ZtTHbiJIxhLxHbBWOIPxLialBMy2Re0A/s1600-h/P6161851.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6iNAQL-APACn8BtVFTaKYE5pilcBNxvze3qY7WKJ7U6Y8u2uKjy7KORT2lljPQocl9x5efUIuwik2oNHbCjcR4DSZcsMDvv9ih0aZHu7ZL12ZtTHbiJIxhLxHbBWOIPxLialBMy2Re0A/s320/P6161851.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349985982673850146" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />We didn't plant a whole garden this year because of the move, but at least we've got a little bit of a harvest on our patio and in the yard. At least my kid knows what green beans, peas, blueberries and black raspberries look -- and taste -- like in their original home.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUETQN6-0z7eyRP5y1nAmAGExPW5P3gpoHZek78SuaBa8x38OPluWtfTOJusrafeP7Frz5CRNu6sujwEd7KfNgs5K6GuFVvmC1omn1RunicnwCJqHowRqeGijBiIOO5OJadEHV7mIhRJI/s1600-h/P6161839.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUETQN6-0z7eyRP5y1nAmAGExPW5P3gpoHZek78SuaBa8x38OPluWtfTOJusrafeP7Frz5CRNu6sujwEd7KfNgs5K6GuFVvmC1omn1RunicnwCJqHowRqeGijBiIOO5OJadEHV7mIhRJI/s320/P6161839.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5349985984238447234" border="0" /></a><br />Now if I can just get him to stop picking sage all the time.Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-62157184121963360142009-06-16T15:09:00.002-04:002009-06-16T15:21:14.211-04:00What I eat<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lcPkfoURQmopNo9oMrD0sx-ov4kBxw_jbSgIefnOMJYtMF8earje_x2dLBiX09QzWpB_60P0OdiouEQUwpAKofw_zvInTwHj6TXA2bHwiuVurRzyPvNitSjOObzM2WaBipVHZxsA1ZY/s1600-h/hearty+healthy+breakfast.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lcPkfoURQmopNo9oMrD0sx-ov4kBxw_jbSgIefnOMJYtMF8earje_x2dLBiX09QzWpB_60P0OdiouEQUwpAKofw_zvInTwHj6TXA2bHwiuVurRzyPvNitSjOObzM2WaBipVHZxsA1ZY/s320/hearty+healthy+breakfast.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348007478808363346" border="0" /></a><br />For a long time, I've been eating a lot of calories. A typical breakfast would be sausage, one or two eggs (mostly just the yolk), raw/cultured sauerkraut, sprouts (usually pea, lentil or azuki bean -- not alfalfa), sauteed zucchini and some kind of green vegetable cooked in homemade chicken stock. Kombucha and supplements on the side. If I was still hungry after that, I'd have some coconut milk and nuts and/or berries.<br /><br />But once I was done nursing, I really didn't need to do that. And I wanted to cleanse my liver, plus lose a little extra in the belly. I can't afford to lose much weight, but I wouldn't mind toning. I'm sure going to bed earlier and doing more yoga & meditation to help with stress <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJaShrEY5vHD8pEqEV4YFuBCAkg4WZIsPdhNIvBQHip6wcC2JNq-y3EHGyQNWERXRZjhdqNN35O1PnwMh0ypjZFJ59x5eO1AMjYIItE_bFgsCHbD3wEU_fGJlbg3ezfjxoOY7VMQCSj0/s1600-h/fresh+juice+carrot+greens.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDJaShrEY5vHD8pEqEV4YFuBCAkg4WZIsPdhNIvBQHip6wcC2JNq-y3EHGyQNWERXRZjhdqNN35O1PnwMh0ypjZFJ59x5eO1AMjYIItE_bFgsCHbD3wEU_fGJlbg3ezfjxoOY7VMQCSj0/s320/fresh+juice+carrot+greens.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348007492126253714" border="0" /></a>would also help with the belly pooch. No longer keeping the house ready to sell helps a lot, but I will be most happy when we've closed and have moved into the new place.<br /><br />I'm now juicing every morning with a real juicer, not just the Vita-Mix (and I'm finally composting everything else again, as evidenced by my son's grape vines). I'm also spending a <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA08mDcZZsQEEmCjHgN0UJT8uZPOwExFXGVk7Q24ZjCUqpXIThx3M3p1F3iGv4gOk6RkbW0x_ttge8LsyOKEA9t4PTAWS8Zulij3hsWjZTjOTk6OVF6k5oXEjy_I_m-jFxzZQScjvhxus/s1600-h/juicer+pulp+and+compost.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA08mDcZZsQEEmCjHgN0UJT8uZPOwExFXGVk7Q24ZjCUqpXIThx3M3p1F3iGv4gOk6RkbW0x_ttge8LsyOKEA9t4PTAWS8Zulij3hsWjZTjOTk6OVF6k5oXEjy_I_m-jFxzZQScjvhxus/s320/juicer+pulp+and+compost.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348007487197997138" border="0" /></a>few days without meat or eggs. The hope is that my body will let go of some toxins and of the idea that I have to eat 2,000 calories at every meal.<br /><br />I am trying to keep a low profile on fruits since I don't tolerate sugar well. But now we actually have blueberries and black raspberries growing in our yard, and the farmer's market has pesticide-free strawberries.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCioD0Qp-sXAzrJQi2TiA3M4HqXTN5mZ-HXzMdiiTyKXquoFfhISm7g0LAuoVjHc1fBhxKaWQk2ZBOflHZBZQqaQ8uIuq2CiT39HTzBCnj-R7O_IelMaPQlROx_A1JFbNr57VoCevGBo/s1600-h/homegrown+blueberries.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCioD0Qp-sXAzrJQi2TiA3M4HqXTN5mZ-HXzMdiiTyKXquoFfhISm7g0LAuoVjHc1fBhxKaWQk2ZBOflHZBZQqaQ8uIuq2CiT39HTzBCnj-R7O_IelMaPQlROx_A1JFbNr57VoCevGBo/s320/homegrown+blueberries.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348007483405204546" border="0" /></a>Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-77611548561842646852009-06-05T23:00:00.006-04:002009-06-11T11:37:55.053-04:00Gluten-free pancakes at Original Pancake House<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0iXl92jPGhg2ffEV9ZkBxOMr9qOkoIKiPAcnA_bTgyUnXdYUfVBi1bDU6NxMy3v96ronaR7abxTgWozq8SJHeg9i43GeGAvzZ0jaxkgd7Pm0-CkvsgKbaz2WO0ucafjyx1_MQfe_DTI/s1600-h/gluten-free+pancakes+original+pancake+house.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0iXl92jPGhg2ffEV9ZkBxOMr9qOkoIKiPAcnA_bTgyUnXdYUfVBi1bDU6NxMy3v96ronaR7abxTgWozq8SJHeg9i43GeGAvzZ0jaxkgd7Pm0-CkvsgKbaz2WO0ucafjyx1_MQfe_DTI/s320/gluten-free+pancakes+original+pancake+house.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344045795889912018" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/phloc_va.html">The Original Pancake House in Falls Church, VA</a> now offers gluten-free pancakes using Bob's Red Mill GF blend, milk, egg and canola oil. The pancakes did taste good -- we got one order of blueberry and one of pecan -- (choices also include plain, banana and chocolate chip -- not as many choices as the regular pancakes boast at OPH). Shredded potatoes tasted like canola oil, which does no one any favors. We got some turkey links that were okay (not guaranteed nitrite-free or anything), an a fried egg that wasn't too pale in the yolk, and the real maple syrup was indeed probably worth the extra money (can't remember if it was 50 cents or $1.50, but who wants anything that's probably half corn syrup?). Decaf was not memorable either way.<br /><br />I was calling it my last big carb binge before trying to seriously start a more veg-focused diet (including juicing and more raw food), but it was fun to be able to have breakfast out in the world for once. It's better at home, of course, but I'm still really glad they are offering the GF cakes.<br /><br />Visit <a href="http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">http://www.originalpancakehouse.com/</span></a>Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-17981516604503275342009-06-05T22:56:00.003-04:002009-06-05T23:00:32.088-04:00I have my kitchen back!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThC4tyN2U1FMEeFM1kTWc6Ju2Bq2Z7_S0sBXx_yILIpleRoNtnub96Y2jptXiYut1L0_jJxsVDyv7x3vKGjH6lFNz3eZCryRDSpq5Ea3ZL9_13OM3rtRVu_grokEqkG_kJt_Sbox6WZk/s1600-h/cluttered+kitchen.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThC4tyN2U1FMEeFM1kTWc6Ju2Bq2Z7_S0sBXx_yILIpleRoNtnub96Y2jptXiYut1L0_jJxsVDyv7x3vKGjH6lFNz3eZCryRDSpq5Ea3ZL9_13OM3rtRVu_grokEqkG_kJt_Sbox6WZk/s320/cluttered+kitchen.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344044086379618962" border="0" /></a><br />After weeks of needing to keep a clean house in the hopes that someone would buy it, I'm so excited to finally have my kitchen back! I've finally got stock rolling (from bones I'd had to stuff in the freezer), I soaked millet last night in whey and water and made porridge this morning, I've been juicing. More on my exploits to come, I hope, but this is what a busy kitchen looks like. Forget those empty counters!Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-88019954179932618722009-05-19T10:56:00.005-04:002009-05-19T11:03:44.545-04:00Potato Pancakes (gluten-free, dairy-free)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGvRduztfKrO1n1BBxNSRLCN96p5tmfQ0GLhYx0PjKMk8Z2YeoSoW2QlanfubJfSF5Q0uEtk4mQ0LVl5FPXDZXEfSGdmvFo0Sx3Ww1-ow4j7iMYGtdJImwuSCO10D_vQe739HUWkSE1A/s1600-h/P4291399.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirGvRduztfKrO1n1BBxNSRLCN96p5tmfQ0GLhYx0PjKMk8Z2YeoSoW2QlanfubJfSF5Q0uEtk4mQ0LVl5FPXDZXEfSGdmvFo0Sx3Ww1-ow4j7iMYGtdJImwuSCO10D_vQe739HUWkSE1A/s320/P4291399.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337550054318057730" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKtu_DD8kyehI7x2dC6l6tAm0LWtinoEZQ1Ak9mC3tgSWMyLbVLLBBvcdRUrEpramA2vkJq7k_AFmb5TaR7XpSknGDWRXJnATCVikad9Q6d7tAuUkdNFka7Elb1nqRvoF9RC6GX4ORYQ/s1600-h/P4291408.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKtu_DD8kyehI7x2dC6l6tAm0LWtinoEZQ1Ak9mC3tgSWMyLbVLLBBvcdRUrEpramA2vkJq7k_AFmb5TaR7XpSknGDWRXJnATCVikad9Q6d7tAuUkdNFka7Elb1nqRvoF9RC6GX4ORYQ/s320/P4291408.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337550058597257458" border="0" /></a>This is not the most stellar recipe post, but I thought I'd share that lately I've been making a quick side dish out of the extra farm eggs we have now that I'm no longer nursing and eating two each morning (and I keep forgetting to decrease my order size!). My son loves eating these savory pancakes. I essentially beat a couple of eggs and add to them grated potato, zucchini, carrot and chopped onion (maybe some spinach, too) with some herbs, salt and pepper. Then I add some tapioca flour or rice flour and/or arrowroot. It's very unscientific. I just add until I feel like the mixture will hold together. I think I tried adding in some coconut milk once -- maybe I mixed that with the flours first and then added to the egg. At any rate, I fry the mixture in a pan with olive oil or coconut oil and flip at least once. Pretty simple and good.Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-55826557600156270332009-05-13T20:33:00.005-04:002009-05-13T20:51:11.038-04:00Gluten-Free Rhubarb-Apple-Strawberry Pie (no dairy, low sugar)Mother's Day was also my husband's birthday. I got my special time running a half-marathon, and then we went out for brunch with friends. He didn't get much special time, having promised a neighbor we'd babysit for them. D'oh! But he did mention an idea to buy a slice of rhubarb pie for himself, so I got motivated. We also had way too many eggs because I keep forgetting to reduce my farm order to one dozen now that I'm not longer a nursing mom eating for two. So I thought, as long as I'm making crust and heating up the oven, I might as well make some quiche and a pie!<br /><br />The results were yummy. I used my <a href="http://inexactscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/gluten-free-pie-crust.html">no-frills gluten-free pie crust recipe</a>. For the quiche, this time I used sorghum flour, a little millet flour and rice flour with coconut and olive oils plus some oregano, pepper and basil. For the pie, I used almond flour and rice flour, coconut oil and butter plus some cinnamon and nutmeg, and maybe a dash of vanilla.<br /><br />I cobbled together a few recipes for the pie with some GF substitutions and came up with this;<br /><br /><strong>Gluten-Free Rhubarb-Apple-Strawberry Pie (no dairy, low sugar)</strong><br /><br />Mixture to coat fruit:<br />3 Tablespoons arrowroot and tapioca flours<br />1/4 tsp sea salt<br />juice of half a lemon<br />1/3 cup Sucanat (most recipes called for a cup or more of sugar)<br />1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />dash-1/8 tsp nutmeg<br />1/4 tsp vanilla (alcohol-free would be better)<br /><br />Fruit:<br />A bunch of rhubarb cut into 1" pieces<br />Half a pint of strawberries cut up<br />One apple cut into chunks -- I used half of a gala and half of a granny smith<br /><br />Mix all the dry ingredients together & then mix with fruit to set for 15 minutes.<br /><em>Before I put mixture into the <a href="http://inexactscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/gluten-free-pie-crust.html">pie crust,</a> I tossed it with about a Tablespoon or more of coconut milk (not low fat) just for a little creaminess and a little extra sweetness.</em><br /><em>I added a little coconut oil on top too, just because the other recipes said to dot with butter and I thought maybe it could stand some more goo. I did not put a top crust on this even though all the recipes I saw called for it. The pie baked fine.</em><br /><em></em><br />Bake time and temp I have to make a best guess as I was also cooking the two quiche and a chicken.<br />375-400 worked for me, and I would guess about 45 minutes, though I would check before that and not be surprised if you didn't like the looks of it until an hour.<br /><br />All agreed that it was delicious. My husband got his supplemental sugar with ice cream. I just poured some extra coconut milk on mine. Rice dream or coconut sorbet would work, too. We served it mildly warm and loved it, but it was just as good out of the fridge the next two days.Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7040623468343731789.post-23607203169140641192009-05-08T13:57:00.002-04:002009-05-08T19:36:53.076-04:00Second spring foot soak<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMujqvuzM3ArE_vjUHq8tNv6PTeNoQmSfVBPOk6_bjiNA_1JColkwBe1mS0Ezdpqccn1mNfopsA4FOuc3CznpO7-95NPcQEOiKiERkJfl-l_Sjhxnh8s2q473Aq_RsfpiRORwwmEZj9U/s1600-h/P5041424.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWMujqvuzM3ArE_vjUHq8tNv6PTeNoQmSfVBPOk6_bjiNA_1JColkwBe1mS0Ezdpqccn1mNfopsA4FOuc3CznpO7-95NPcQEOiKiERkJfl-l_Sjhxnh8s2q473Aq_RsfpiRORwwmEZj9U/s320/P5041424.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333516083239877218" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3Wu3DBms2nTEizTNRhRquwWXtVYstAUKxYeaN0GK3HtNDG8SC9CbJ8a3DxCoS5t1F_rTGL8zhVI-XEtFo3VxpqrckQU94SasPKlwNDHwVIj3PIOUWSTpduYlRMmKUks7qbt5T2OjABc/s1600-h/P5041425.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3Wu3DBms2nTEizTNRhRquwWXtVYstAUKxYeaN0GK3HtNDG8SC9CbJ8a3DxCoS5t1F_rTGL8zhVI-XEtFo3VxpqrckQU94SasPKlwNDHwVIj3PIOUWSTpduYlRMmKUks7qbt5T2OjABc/s320/P5041425.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333516085909887154" border="0" /></a>About a month after my <a href="http://inexactscience.blogspot.com/2009/04/ionic-foot-soak.html">first ionic foot soak</a> (since pregnancy, since weaning), I did another. I think it looks a little less dark (less black/heavy metals) this time. But who knows if that's good or not! Does it just mean I'm holding on instead of excreting? I'm so stressed out with showing the house to sell/to move, I can't tell if my returned <a href="http://inexactscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/who-wears-short-shorts.html">knee skin issue</a> is a bad sign that I'm burning out or a good sign that my body is releasing more toxins. I hope that we sell soon so that I can finally use my <a href="http://www.sunlightsaunas.com/">infrared sauna</a> again after almost 4 years. Right now it's out of the way in a friend's basement.Crunchy-Chewy Mamahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06681696340577722076noreply@blogger.com0