Posts from — August 2009

Check out this fascinating article on Forbes.com.  How many of us have gotten swept into this baffling game?  Review this take on women at the table and let me know your thoughts.

I took my girls to the pediatrician recently for their annual physicals.  While the major focus of the kiddos was their glee at discovering that neither needed shots, the doc and I were more focused on other relevant matters.

Along with the physical exam, Doc made sure he reviewed a littany of health issues with us including items that are probably on a cheat-sheet in all PED desks: use of safety helmets, appropriate car seat practices, stranger danger, fruits and veggies, etc.  It was in this part of the visit that Doc was especially interested in Vitamin D consumption. 

It seems that more and more kids are testing low for Vitamin D.  Not getting enough fortified milk?  Spending too much time in front of the TV or computer instead of outside in the sun?  Spending outside time slathered in so much sunblock that the rays can’t do their vitamin D generating thing?

The Washington Post published an article last week about this very issue.  Take a look at the current research and ask your pediatrician for his/her thoughts.

Free food once again.  Get yourselves to the Whole Foods Market in Medford, MA this Sunday, August 9 from 12:00-3:00 to grab a taste of your favorite Indigo Rabbit cookies.

See you there!

I have just discovered a fantastic cookbook authored by two extraordinary women, Mary Harris and Wilma Nachsin.  It’s called “My Kid’s Allergic to Everything Dessert Cookbook”.  What a lucid title!  (Some used versions are available on Amazon now, revisions available Spring 2010).

In honor of the second of the series (due Fall 2010), “My Kid’s Allergic to Everything Main Meals and Side Dishes Cookbook”, I’d like to share a fantastic dessert recipe from book #1.

Mini-Chocolate Chip Cake

1/4 cup softened butter or softened margarine or mild-tasting oil

1/3 cup water or cow’s milk or soy milk or almond milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup light or dark brown sugar, packed

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon Ener-G Egg Replacer powder

1 cup oat flour

1/2 cup barley flour

1/2 cup rice flour or soy flour

10 ounces mini-chocolate chips or mini-carob chips

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease one 8-inch cake pan.  Combine butter or margarine or oil, water or milk, and vanilla and mix well.  Add brown sugar, baking powder, and Ener-G Egg Replacer powder; mix well.  Add the flour 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add mini-chocolate or carob chips; mix well.  Pour into cake pan.

Bake for 30 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.  Cool, frost if desired, serve.

We want your feedback!  Is there an allergy-friendly recipe you’ve been searching for?  Or a favorite allergy-free recipe worth sharing?  Mary and Wilma are working on the next edition - YOUR comments, questions and feedback with have an impact!

Have you ever heard of the Slow Food movement?  The notion is nothing new, but in the current economy people seem to be embracing the philosophies of “slow food” more than ever.

We’re all examining our spending habits and paying closer attention to diet and lifestyle choices.  A slow food approach describes a shift in attitude away from fast food and toward savoring what we eat.  Americans are showing more interest in knowing exactly what they’re eating and where their food comes from.

I would say I’m a pretty healthy eater – I pay attention to what I buy, where it’s grown, how it got to the shelf, etc.  I would NOT, however, say that I am the kind of person who luxuriates in what I eat each day.  I’m not quite cramming it in absentmindedly at every meal, but it does require focused attention on my part to slow down and appreciate each bite.  I blame motherhood for this unfortunate turn of events.

So, if you’re like me and wish you could visit that place where you fully attend to the eating moment (at least aspire to do so), take a summer day to drop by a farmer’s market and pick up local veggies for a stir-fry or local fruit to toss on some yogurt.  Take a look at some of the yummy recipes (and cooking demos) on how2heroes.com, take a deep breath, and TASTE.

A careful “Rainbow on Your Plate” reader has alerted me to a botched link on the July 29 posting, “Let’s all UP our calcium intake!”  An overdue correction has been made, so make sure you revisit the article and take a look at the link – once again.  Thanks for the heads-up!

Mollie Katzen has written some of the best-selling cookbooks of all time, most notably “Moosewood Cookbook“.  Her advice is worth a read and re-read.

“1) ‘Low-fat’ is a misguided concept. Some fat is very good for you, and you should go out of your way to eat it. Nuts, especially walnuts; olive oil; avocados; seeds from pumpkins and sunflowers.  Don’t count total fat or grams of fat. Lumping all fat together is meaningless.

2) Instead of beating yourself up trying to be all healthy all the time, cut yourself some slack with “The 80-20 Rule,” meaning that if you can eat good, healthy food 80 percent of the time, you can let yourself have whatever you want the other 20 percent of the time, and all will be well. Here’s the bigger message: We don’t have to draw a line in the sand with no-fun, “healthy” eating on one side and fun, delicious eating, which we assume is “bad for us,” on the other. That line can go away altogether. Healthy eating can be delicious, and vice versa. No “on” or “off” switch needed.

3) Drink plenty of water and cold or hot) herbal tea. Don’t get your calories from your beverages. They can really add up, and all you’ll have gotten from the experience is a zero-nutrition weight gain. Often we think we’re hungry when what we really are is thirsty. So if you feel a drop in energy between meals, drink before you eat. Your energy will likely come back because you really just needed hydration. Drinking will make you healthier all around and help you to eat less.”