Is Eating Out Good For You?

Well, not usually.  But it's fun!  I love the break from cooking every now and then.

We usually eat at home, but last week I thought it would be a nice break between cashing in our summer reading rewards at Half Price Books and four grocery stops to eat lunch out.  I'd been dying to try this place one of my friends recommended.

Jason's Deli is my new favorite place to eat!  Their website boasts that Parents Magazine named them "The Best Restaurant in America" in March 2011.  I gotta agree.  I had a wonderful salad bar experience.  Possibly the best looking and tasting salad bar I've ever had.  My honey had the best hot sandwich he can remember having in a long time.  The boys were both pleased with their food, too.  The youngest of the clan enjoyed fresh peppers, apples and carrots from my salad bar plate.  The restaurant offers mostly healthy food with no high fructose corn syrup, trans fat or MSG.  There are organic produce options.  And what I consider a large gluten-free menu.

If you are wondering about cost... It was comparable to our family eating out at Chick-Fil-A, Moe's or Panera.  But a little better for you.

Excluding the drinks and ice cream we thoroughly enjoyed, it was almost as healthy as eating at home.

And so, so good! Did I mention that? :)
~ Katrina

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Roasted Okra

We tried another new vegetable.  Okra.  The okra patties I tried first were too greasy... So we tried roasted okra.  Much better!  Not very slimy, thank goodness.  

If you are an okra fan, you should definitely try this recipe.  Being in the high 90's outside, we put ours on the grill (instead of heating up the house by using the oven).  Easy and nutritious.

According to WikiAnswers, "It is a good sources of Vitamin C, Folic Acid, essential B vitamins as well as magnesium, manganese and potassium.  Okra is also high in dietary fibre."


Next experiment: eggplant. I'm going to try my hand at baba ghanoush!

~ Trina

Editor's note: The best okra I've ever had was at a restaurant called Lambert's Cafe in Sikeston, Missouri.  Lambert's is a lot of fun.  At any time during the meal, if you see the lady that serves dinner rolls walking around, you hold up your hand and she will wing (a.k.a. throw with gusto) a dinner roll from where ever she happens to be standing, to your table.  Another lady walks around with a big bowl of fried okra and offers it to anyone interested ("Okra, hon?" or something like that).  Fried okra is likely not good for you but if you're ever driving the I-55 in southern Missouri, Lambert's is worth a stop.  Even if it isn't lunchtime. ---Christian

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NAET Update

The answer is Yes.  NAET is working for us.

Sure, we've heard great reports from friends and acquaintances, but it's hard to believe unless you've seen it first hand.

Christian has seen a significant improvement in his Spring-time allergies.  Only four Claritin this season gives us reason to celebrate. Since he approaches everything from a science background, he was skeptical.  But even he has confessed this week, "The voodoo works."

Our middle angel (4 years old) is now able to handle eating foods that contain gluten!  Major cool.  He still isn't having it with every meal but we're introducing it into his diet with success and no apparent tummy or skin issues as before.  You should have seen his face when he had his first donut.  We are trying to start with whole grains, but you have to live a little when you can't remember ever having a cracker or a piece of bread in your lifetime.  It was a Krispy Kreme yeast donut, by the way. :)  

The baby's eczema has cleared up.  We keep finding new things that trigger it but, as we figure out the trigger foods, we take those items to the NAET doctor and have the baby treated.  Then I am able to eat those things without affecting baby's skin negatively.  It's quite amazing.

It's been a miracle for us straight from heaven.

Thanking God for His grace,
~Katrina

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What's the big deal about coconut oil?

I've been hearing a lot of coconut oil hype lately.  For feeding my sensitive baby, I eliminated butter (or anything with soy and dairy) and corn--so canola oil is also out.  I am pretty much left with olive oil.  A very health-conscious friend of mine says olive oil turns rancid at high temperatures where coconut oil does not.  She raves about what a healthy fat it was and how it has improved her hair and skin.

So I decided to try it.  You can't believe everything you hear... or everything you read on the internet for that matter.  But here's a little bit of research.  To see why coconut oil is the healthiest on earth, click here.  Another website really breaks down the health benefits of coconut oil.  Some examples are hair and skin care, stress relief, immunity, dental care... to only name a few!

I read a bunch of reviews on Amazon before purchasing, and so far I'm happy with the Nutiva brand of coconut oil we selected.  We've tried it in scrambled eggs, sauteed asparagus (yum!), corn bread, muffins and pancakes.  It has a bit of a coconut flavor, which was a delicate addition to the asparagus.

This week I put a little on my four-year-old angel's dry hands and a bit on the baby's scratched cheek.  I was surprised that the baby's cheek looked almost brand new after his nap.  It worked quickly!  I also put coconut oil on a skinned knee with good results.  I'm pleased with the way my face feels after using it as a night moisturizer. (Editor's note: I'm a little skeptical on this part, but I did see the redness around the baby's scratches reduced by the oil.  Maybe there are other natural oils that would work similarly, but with the baby's many skin problems and food sensitivities, coconut oil is a likely option for us and could work for others, sensitivities or not.)

I read about how eating a teaspoon a day is so great for you, so I tried it.  I do NOT recommend this!  I guess I shouldn't believe everything I read. :)

Would love to hear your tips on coconut oil as we experiment with adding it into our diet.
~ Katrina

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Eczema: not the perfect baby skin

Our baby's skin isn't perfect, but it is improving.  By God's grace, we have discovered most of the foods that trigger his reactions.  At 8 months old he is downright refusing solids so we know exactly what he is eating.  As long as Mommy steers clear of trigger foods, the baby skin is sufficiently clear without using a topical steroid.

Sometimes we are even able to give only one bath a day, instead of two (see previous post with tips that have helped us manage little man's eczema).  Mommy still has to avoid certain foods, but he is much less sensitive to fabrics.  We still have issues with heat/sweating causing a rash.  And, once the skin is just a little bit irritated, baby will start scratching... which results in a rash.  Overall, he has improved significantly.

The general consensus is that baby boy will be less affected by foods and environment the older he gets and the stronger his body becomes.

Although we seem to have the eczema "managed", we'd like to do better.  By better, we mean it would be easier (and cheaper) if baby and Mommy could eat some of the no-no foods like dairy or gluten. We've exhausted the avenues available through traditional sources, so we thought "why not try some of the kooky hocus pocus, too?"

This sounds far-out so don't think we're too crazy... It is called N.A.E.T.  We'd never heard of this particular practice of revised eastern medicine, but here we are... trying one more thing.  It's kind of like acupuncture without the acupuncture.  The jury is still out on this one, so stay tuned.

We'll share more later.
~ Christian & Katrina

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Homemade Crackers

I got a dehydrator for Christmas!  I am super stoked. You might think that's a goofy thing to get excited about. Welcome to my husband's world.

I'm really looking forward to dehydrating produce from my garden in the summer.  But, in the meantime, I just can't let this baby sit around doing nothing...

So I made my first batch of flax seed crackers.  The first batch came out a little more like fruit leather.  I turned up the dial for the second batch.  Not bad, but still less crunchy than I hoped.  This may take a couple of tries to perfect.

I combined 1 cup of milled flax seed to 2 cups of water and let it sit an hour or two.  Then I added some honey for sweetness.  Next time, I think I'll add some sunflower and sesame seeds.  I plan to use these for snacks, sandwiches, and chips.  This is an inexpensive gluten-free "cracker".

If you'd like to give this a try, I found my recipe here.  She's got me super interested in making kale chips.  But that's another post.

Go dehydrate something!
~ Katrina

P.S.  What are you reading?  The boys and I are reading Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.  We read 7 chapters today.  They just kept begging for more.  I love when they do that.

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A Good Gluten-Free Grain

Have you heard of millet?  It's inexpensive, versatile and quite good for you.  If you are gluten intolerant, I recommend picking up some millet from a local health food store and trying out a recipe or two.  

In lieu of oatmeal, I devour (literally) a bowl of cooked millet for breakfast with dried fruit, fresh fruit, milk and honey.  

Are you wondering how to cook millet?  Check it out here.  To use as a breakfast cereal, rinse and soak overnight.  Then use 1 cup millet to 2 cups water ratio and boil until water is absorbed.  More helpful tips here. 

I found a very informative article and a recipe for black bean millet salad and millet muffins here.

Last week I tried millet loaf.  I used GF flour in place of whole wheat flour and left out the thyme (yuck).  I recommend it!  It was a little dry and needed a gravy or ketchup.  If you are vegetarian or like to try new things, try it!  But don't expect it to taste like meat.  :)

~ Katrina

P.S.  Quinoa and amaranth, both very high in protein, are also versatile gluten-free grains.  So far, millet is my favorite because of texture and cost.

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Dairy-Free, Guilt-Free "Ice Cream"

We love ice cream.  Three out of five in our family can't eat real ice cream, so we've been making smoothies from frozen fruit and rice milk or juice. Sometimes I add in ground flax seed for those great omega-3 fatty acids and/or frozen spinach--which goes undetected in the yummy blend.

But NOW we have found our favorite.  A real dairy-free treat.  Banana ice cream.

Bananas are not my favorite fruit, but as a frozen treat they are delicious.  Chop and freeze your ripe bananas in chunks and then whip them up in a blender or food processor.  We often add dates, rice milk, or soy milk.  But you really only need the bananas.

Check out The Kitchen if you'd like more details.

Enjoy a guilt-free snack on me!
~ Katrina

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The.Best.Guacamole.Ever.

Holidays are coming!  Does anyone need a good appetizer?

Here's one that Shaelyne brought us with a lovely meal after Theo was born. I didn't consider guacamole to be a favorite food... but this was delicious. Not hot, either.  Just a bit of yang to it.

4 ripe avocados

juice of 1 lime
3 garlic cloves, pressed
5-6 green onions, chopped
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 diced jalapeños 

salt to taste

Mash the avocado and mix in salt and lime juice.  Stir in other ingredients.  Enjoy!

~ Katrina

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Keep your nose clean!

My Dad is a natural teacher.  I've learned much from him over the years, especially in the areas of medicine and health.  I think my Dad would consider this tip as one of his top 5 most important.  Seriously folks.  Keep your noses clean.  And not just because boogers are gross.

Well, maybe "clean" isn't the best word.  "Rinsed" fits the bill better, actually.  According to Dr. Dad, keeping things moving is the idea. As long as everything is moving, you've got a happy nose.  But when things get blocked, thick, plugged, etc., then you get an unhappy nose that can result in a sick child or grown-up.  We have seen in our family that, among other things, seasonal allergies in the fall are a major contributor to stuffy noses.  Stuffy noses, if left alone, commonly develop into a "cold".  So, you might ask, how does one go about rinsing out one's nose?  Easy.    

Some use a neti pot, waterpik, or squirt bottle to irrigate the sinus canals.  None of these methods are very expensive and we'd prefer to spend a little to keep from being ill rather than paying co-pays and pharmacies after we've already gotten sick.  We usually rinse our noses in a very warm shower and rinse with a saline spray.  We use an over-the-counter saline solution (which you can pick up at any grocery or drug store) to rinse our noses.  In fact, the boys rinse dutifully before bed when they brush their teeth.  For our infant, who sadly has a cough this week, we just squirt a little saline down one of his nostrils to keep the passages clear.

This is not to say we never struggle with colds, sinus infections, seasonal stuffiness or the like.  On the contrary, we do (especially our shopping-cart-licking-children).  We have found that this little trick will often help keep us healthy, stave off a cold when we feel doomed and even shorten the length of a sinus infection once it is going full tilt.  Since we're a family that makes a sincere effort to avoid the biannual amoxicillin prescription when we can, this little tip has helped us to that end.  Hope it helps you, too.

Stay healthy!

~ Katrina (& Christian, too)

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Just a spoonful of honey

I was surprised and pleased to see a write-up in Parenting magazine about the value of using honey to treat "cold symptoms".  See a short blurb of the information they shared here.

Our family has been treating coughs with honey for two or three years now, thanks to a helpful idea from one of our pharmacy friends.  I remember my dad giving me a mix of lemon and honey for a sore throat as a child.  Does anyone else remember being given special honey teas or the like?

A spoonful of honey helps our kids before bed (or in the middle of the night - yippee) when they have a cough or a tickle.  Plus, they like it (suprise).  I'm afraid the kids have started asking for honey even when they are not sick at all.

A lot of folks in this area buy into the idea of using local honey for preventing seasonal allergies, as well.  Our allergist gives no credence to this idea, but we've been trying it anyway.  Never hurts to try and we're supporting our local beekeepers!

~ Katrina

Editor's note: Honey has been used for medicinal purposes for about a gazillion years.  Ancient Egyptians used it for a variety of things including binding wounds.  As you've likely noticed, honey doesn't spoil or require refrigeration; the reason being that several bacterial species/genera can't grow/proliferate in honey.  So we've "discovered" that honey is a good antibacterial treatment (sarcasm implied because well, you know, it's a really old idea that we are claiming to have discovered, but has been known since dirt was new).  It's good to know anyway.

--- Christian

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Another fall recipe

Slowly but surely we are adding to our reserve of gluten-free recipes that are affordable and entirely good to eat.  This chili recipe is perfect for fall and was a great find!

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

3 cups chicken broth

2 – 15 oz. black beans, rinsed and drained

2 ½ cups cubed cooked turkey

1 – 14 ½ oz. diced tomatoes, undrained

2 tsp. dried parsley flakes

2 tsp. chili powder

1 ½ tsp. dried oregano

1 ½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. salt

In large skillet, sauté the onion, yellow pepper and garlic in oil until tender.  Transfer to a 5 quart slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated though.  Makes 2½ quarts.

Christian was quite pleased with this recipe.  Thanks again to my friend, Ann, who is an excellent cook.

Note: You can easily alter the ingredients to make a vegetarian chili. Also, make it healthier by cooking up dry black beans yourself instead of using canned.  (I left out the tomatoes and oregano and added extra cumin with good results.)

~ Katrina

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Wacky faces for lunch

Speaking of eating healthy foods, one of our favorite easy lunches is a wacky face lunch.  We got this idea from an Elmo book.  And we love it.

We cut up whatever fruits and veggies we have on hand: apples, avocados, carrots, celery, lettuce, spinach, peppers, bananas, olives, grapes, tomatoes, cantaloupe, peppers, etc.  Sometimes we go vegetarian with peanut butter, almond butter or sunbutter; other times we have leftover chicken or turkey bacon.  We end up with different shapes like triangles, squares, circles, ovals, sticks and squiggles ,which add to a preschooler's fun.  This has been a great way to trick Gabe into eating veggies he doesn't like.

We put all our cut up produce in the middle of the table and everyone picks their makings and puts them on a round empty head (i.e. plate), making lots of fun stuff out of the shapes: hair, eyebrows, eyes, ears, freckles, noses, mouths, beards, teeth...

Gabe usually makes aliens.  Alex recently made Obi Wan Kenobi and then insisted on drawing a "recipe" so that he wouldn't forget how to make it again the next time.

Wacky face lunches are fun, healthy and, well, a little wacky.  Tell me, how do you get your kids to eat their veggies?

~ Katrina

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Healthy Living

I’m always striving to do a better job feeding my children a healthy diet.  I mean, we aren't a strictly Twinkies and cheeseburger family, but I'd love to eliminate most of the processed food items we rely on.  Also I have historically struggled with a sugar and carb addiction (i.e. bread and Twizzlers), and have to make a real effort to incorporate green, leafy veggies in my diet.

My aunt recently recommended a terrific book called Disease-Proof Your Child by Joel Fuhrman, M.D.  Wow! Seriously.  This book is full of worthwhile information and I am anxious to begin trying out new foods and generally making my boys healthier ('tis the season for illnesses).  Truthfully, I know I will not talk my husband into a vegetarian diet.  But, hey, even small, healthy changes help.

Disease-Proof Your Child educates on nutrition, prevention and treatment of childhood illnesses, understanding the causes of illnesses and feeding your family a healthy diet.  The last chapter has recipes and meal schedules to help me get started.  I'm encouraged!

At the same time, we’ve instituted a new budget.  Ugh.  As I'm sure you've noted, eating healthy isn't always the most inexpensive option.  It’s going to be a challenge to stay within the budget and eat healthy, but I think it's worth it!  Although I don't enjoy cooking,  I am learning.  I splurged yesterday... but we had not eaten out in 17 days!  That may not be the record, but it's close.

~ Katrina

Editor's note: Vegetarian meals are a great way to save on the weekly grocery bill.  That said, no, I will not be converting to a vegetarian diet. ---Christian

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