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I invented this yummy, healthy soup a couple of days ago for dinner. My picky husband and my 16-month-old loved it! It’s satisfying on a cold January night, and it’s full of good-for-us stuff: healthy fat from the coconut oil and milk, minerals from the homemade stock, antioxidants from the buckwheat that soba is made of, the immunity-boosting power of garlic…oh, and veggies, too!
I drew inspiration from the Coconut Chicken Soup in The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook (my go-to all-purpose cookbook) and the Coconut Chicken Soup and Japanese Noodle Soup in Nourishing Traditions . Soba noodles in Thai food are probably not so authentic, but I’m not authentically Thai, either. So there.
Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
1 T coconut oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 T minced lemongrass
2 t minced ginger
2 quarts homemade chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
3 T fish sauce (could use soy sauce)
1 pound chicken, cut into 1-inch strips (I used breasts; dark meant would be lovely, too.)
2 cups finely chopped veggies (I used carrots & green beans.)
6 ounces uncooked soba noodles
Chopped green onions (optional)
Chopped cilantro (optional)
Melt the coconut oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Sauté the garlic, ginger, and lemongrass for about 30 seconds. Add the stock, coconut milk, and fish sauce; bring to a boil. Add the chicken, veggies, and soba. Reduce heat to a simmer; simmer 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more fish or soy sauce if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with green onions and/or cilantro as desired.
This post is part of the Real Food Wednesday blog carnival – check out more recipes and tips at Cheeseslave! It’s also part of the Healthier Eating edition of Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom.
Between a lot of sickness around the house, the holidays, and sheer inertia, I’ve been absent from blogging for the past couple of weeks. I’ve got a recipe to share tomorrow as part of the Real Food Wednesday blog carnival, so gird your loins and get ready.
Oh, and I’ve added a Tumblr feed right there on the left with news stories and posts of interest from elsewhere…check it out to see what’s catching my eye around the web. I’m wondering whether to keep it or just tweet interesting articles. Feedback appreciated.
- Santa brought ear infections for everyone!
The week of Christmas brought a killer double ear infection for hubby that didn’t respond to the usual antibiotics and landed us in the ER late Christmas Eve and had him on Vicodin Christmas Day. C also got a double ear infection that was thankfully diagnosed and treated more quickly. I’m pretty stoked that he’d made it 16 months without an ear infection. I like to think breastfeeding had something to do with it.
- Geeking out over grain
My sister-in-law brought her grain mill for me to try out during the holidays. I made sprouted soft wheat flour, regular hard wheat flour, and learned the difference between the two. I also learned from her to make the Best Bread Ever with my stand mixer, and I tried out the Nourishing Gourmet’s Scottish shortbread cookies. Oh my goodness. Go make some now and thank me later.
- C is finally ambulatory
The kiddo took his first steps yesterday morning in the church nursery. Daddy and I were not present for the blessed event, but we coaxed a repeat performance out of him later that night. Thank God. 16 months old, remember? Now if he’d just start talking…
- Real Food FAIL
I made homemade pizza tonight, and I had recently gotten the clever idea to use bread crumbs instead of cornmeal to keep the crust from sticking to the pizza peel. This time I actually turned over the can and looked at the ingredients. Ew. They went in the trash, and I’ll be making my own bread crumbs from now on.
(Note – this is a bit of a re-run for some readers. I posted it on a [now defunct] personal blog and on Facebook in September 2008. Since I feel like how I gave birth set the tone in many ways for how I want to parent, I thought it merited repeating here. I also had the birth story warm-and-fuzzies after reading Metropolitan Mama’s earlier today.)
C was due on September 14, but he had other plans. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. on August 25 with what felt like intermittent cramps in my extreme lower back. After lying there for a while and pondering the possibilities, I got up to check the pregnancy books and determine whether I was experiencing prelabor contractions (which can happen days or weeks before labor) or the real deal. Alex woke up a little later to find me pacing the living room and downing massive amounts of water to see if that would relieve the discomfort. Nope.
More pacing, a hot bath, breakfast, and a half hour of contraction-timing later, I started making the phone calls: my doula, the birth center, my mom. It was definitely not time to go anywhere yet, but since nothing was alleviating the contractions, I was more and more convinced that I was in labor. I puttered around the house that day, did a little laundry, and otherwise tried to take it easy. The contractions got more uncomfortable and made getting a nap impossible. I talked to my midwife late that afternoon and described the contractions, and she told me to get on my knees and lean over some pillows to encourage C to turn, because it sounded like back labor (baby facing he wrong way & putting pressure on the tailbone). Fun.
After leaning over an exercise ball through Wheel of Fortune & Jeopardy (nice distractions), the midwife called and told me to come on in and she’d check my cervix. Turns out I was dilated 4 centimeters at that point, so we settled in at the birth center for the night. I need a completely separate post to extol the virtues of the birth center, my midwife (Jill), and my doula (Tiffany), but one huge plus was being allowed to eat during labor. We’d picked up Zaxby’s on the way, and I also downed a huge jug of Gatorade over the course of the night.
I’d read that women often lose sense of time during labor, and I did. The discomfort I’d been in all day got more and more intense, and I walked laps through the halls, leaned over a ball, etc., but the contractions weren’t getting any closer together, and I couldn’t seem to dilate beyond 7 cm. Jill wanted to break my water to move things along since I seemed to be stuck, and she said I could get in the birthing tub afterwards. I had been excited about using the tub since it seemed like it would be so much more comfortable.
Thing is, the contractions got very intense and very painful after my water was broken. I’m sure I was not a pretty sight. If Jill hadn’t checked and told me that she could feel C ’s head, I was ready to sell my soul for some pain meds. If I’d known how much longer it would actually be, I would have definitely begged for them. Sometime in the tub, I started pushing during the contractions. Someone would give me a spoon of honey occasionally to help me keep my energy up, and I’m told that I got a little second wind with that. I had gone through Hypnobirthing training with Tiffany, and though I was nowhere near as tranquil as the women in the videos I’d watched, I tried to just go inside myself during the contractions, focus on the fact that they were bringing C closer to me, and, not use any negative self-talk (the hardest part of it all, I think).
Things get a little fuzzy in my mind…the nurse helped me to the bathroom since I hadn’t peed lately (remember all that Gatorade?), and I couldn’t go. Nothing would happen. Jill had me lie on the bed for a while to push, and she twisted up a bed sheet, held one the end, and had me pull on the other end through the contractions while I pushed and Tiffany and Alex held my feet so that I would have something to bear down against. Apparently the top of C ’s head kept crowning, then slipping back in when I stopped pushing. His head was cocked slightly, which was a big part of the hold-up. He was also putting pressure on my ureter, which is why I couldn’t pee, but my full bladder was in his way. Jill finally said they’d have to cath me.
I never thought I’d say this about a catheter, but that was the best thing to ever happen to me. I was in too much pain to even feel it, and maybe two contractions later, C was born. Once his head was out, his body just slid out, and it was a feeling of physical relief I’ve never felt anything like in my life. Jill and the nurse immediately suctioned his nose and put him on my chest with some blankets, and here’s the amazing thing: he didn’t cry. He wiggled, he grunted, he looked around, he held onto my finger for dear life, but apparently he had nothing to cry about. That alone makes me so glad that I had a natural birth in a quiet, peaceful setting with minimal interventions, and though it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done, I’d do it the same way again.
So here’s the deal: Some school districts are removing chocolate milk from their lunchrooms out of concern for its sugar and caloric content. Ann Cooper, the “Renegade Lunch Lady”, calls it “soda in drag.” Fair enough, you might say…chocolate milk has almost as much sugar per ounce as soda.
On the other hand, if kids aren’t offered chocolate milk, many won’t drink milk at all and will choose “less nutritious drinks”, says nutritionist Ann Marie Krautheim. OK, she may have a point there – and she’s an expert, so she must know what’s best for my child’s health. Bring on the chocolate milk.
Oh, did I mention that Krautheim works for the National Dairy Council?
Or that school milk sales represent 7% of total milk sales?
Or that 54% of flavored milk is sold in school? (Source)
Minor details, I suppose.
Is chocolate milk healthier than soda? Of course. Is it a health food? No. I hope that as my baby boy grows up, he will enjoy unsweetened, old-fashioned milk. If he doesn’t, I’ll encourage him to eat other dairy products and plant foods that provide calcium, and if he likes, to enjoy chocolate milk as an occasional treat, not as a part of every meal.
And another thing – what are the “less nutritious drinks” that kids can choose in the school cafeteria? Don’t even get me started on soda machines in schools. That’s a whole other soapbox.
Ann Cooper suggests serving regular milk nice and cold and not in those funky-tasting cartons. I guess making their boring, out-of-date unflavored milk palatable would be too easy and less lucrative for the National Dairy Council. Hence their PR campaign for chocolate milk in schools.
What’s your take? Is chocolate milk a good vehicle for vitamins and minerals or a nutritional wash-up?
(Watch for another milky post here in the next few days and find out how a nutritious whole food became so darned processed.)
(This is the first of a series of posts describing simple, manageable lifestyle changes to help you and your family be healthy and tread a little more lightly on the earth.)
I’m the first to admit that my shopping and eating habits are not always the picture of sustainable living. However, they are better than they used to be. That’s a much more attainable goal than being perfect. One small change that sticks is better than grand intentions that remain mere intentions.
One of the earlier changes I made in my grocery shopping was to steer clear of conventionally grown specimens of the Dirty Dozen. These are the 12 fruits and vegetables that a study by the Environmental Working Group determined are the most contaminated by pesticides:
- peaches
- apples
- bell peppers
- celery
- nectarine
- strawberries
- cherries
- kale
- lettuce
- grapes (imported)
- carrots
- pears
If availability or finances make switching to all-organic produce unrealistic for you right now (as they do for me), these are the items that have the most impact on the environment and on your family’s health. Most major chain grocery stores have at least a small section of organic produce, or you may find these at your local farmer’s market or natural food store. Of course, if you’re so inclined, growing your own organically is a fantastic option.
Also check out the Clean 15, which are the fruits and vegetables with the lowest amounts of pesticides. I save a little money by going conventional on these. As for the ones between the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15, it’s a toss-up for me depending on price and how much of that item we eat. For example, C eats bananas almost daily, so I buy those organic.
I can never remember what’s dirty and what’s clean (something about sleep deprivation, I’m sure), so I printed out the wallet-sized PDF from EWG and stuck it in my coupon organizer. (There’s an iPhone app, too.)
Shopping for a Better Planet
While there are plenty of kids’ green gift guides out there, this one is specific to Athens area shops.
Georgia Incentives/Policies for Renewables & Efficiency
As the end of the tax year approaches, check out the tax credits and utility rebates offered in Georgia. Add these to federal tax breaks and save big bucks while you save the planet. (I wish Santa would bring me a solar hot water heater!)
Partnership Between AAFP and Coca-Cola Poses Ethical Problem, One Doctor Says
Guess what, kids? Coke is going to tell you how to “make informed decisions about what they drink based on individual need.” Who has an individual need for high fructose corn syrup? Maybe AAFP member doctors will have Coke machines in their exam rooms next. *Groan*
UGA Study: Indoor Smoking Ban Pushes Hazard Outside
I was delighted when Georgia banned smoking in public buildings a few years ago (while I was living in Tennessee, which has a similar law), but a consequence is the clumping of smokers right outside of public buildings. Ew.
Fast-Growing Plant to Fuel Alternative Energy
A Georgia company has engineered grass that produced lots of biomass in a little time. Genetic engineering and patented plants make me nervous, but we’ll see…
C and I visited the new branch of our library system here in Savannah today. As I told my mom later, it was kind of like going to a bookstore; a new library apparently means all new books! Too bad I got my bag full of booky goodness and then realized I’d left my card at home. Sigh…
1. Natural childbirth – If I can do it, anyone can. God designed women’s bodies to give birth (among other things, of course).
2. My little boy – I mean, look at that face…can you blame me?
3. NPR – I wish I could have dinner with Lynne Rosetto Kasper, Garrison Keillor, Ira Glass, and Terry Gross. Lynne can cook it, though…I’d be way too intimidated to do it myself.
4. The Mommy Blogosphere –I needed something e lse to keep me glued to the computer. Otherwise, I might to something crazy, like, oh, clean the house. 5. Natural personal care products – Parabens, phthalates, and sodium lauryl sulfate scare me. If I can’t pronounce it, I don’t think I want to rub it on my skin.
6. Organic whole milk – First, it just tastes wonderful. (Bonus points if it’s raw or at least non-homogenized.) Second, do you know how reduced-fat milk is made?
7. Word games – I go through phases with crossword puzzles and Scrabble. Hubby and I can get pretty cutthroat!
8. SOLE food – I’m far from perfect (says the girl who had Chick-fil-A for lunch today…oops), but I’m buying more and more Sustainable, Organic, Local, and Ethical food.
9. Gardening – I’m neither consistent nor terribly productive at gardening just yet, but ever since we closed on our first house early this year, I’ve read obsessively about growing food and made several attempts.
10. Breastfeeding – See #1. The breastfeeding rate is finally going up in the U.S., but there are a lot more social barriers to be removed.
********************************************************************** Your turn – what do you geek?
Like the rest of the southeastern states, Georgia got an “F” when the March of Dimes released its 2009 Premature Birth Report Cards. (The national rate is 12.7 percent, one of the worst among developed nations.) While at 13.6 percent we have by no means the highest rate in the nation, it’s still shameful.
In addition to premature birth rate, the March of Dimes also examines three contributing factors:
Uninsured women – Here in Georgia, 22.3 percent of women do not have health insurance. Take a moment and let that number sink in. Now think about what being uninsured would mean if you were pregnant. (I don’t have statistics, but I also know that many women who are insured do not have maternity coverage.) Anyone who’s talked to me since I gave birth knows how overmedicalized I think the process is, but regular prenatal care is vital for mother’s and baby’s well-being. In a state known for socially conservative values, including a vibrant pro-life movement, letting this many women and their unborn children go without healthcare is an outrage.
Women smoking – Almost 21 percent of Georgia women smoke. You don’t need me to tell you how unhealthy and just plain nasty smoking is. I have some difficulty feeling sympathetic toward a pregnant woman with a cigarette in her hand, but I realize that it’s an addiction and quitting is not easy. I wonder if the state sponsors any smoking cessation programs.
Late preterm births (34-36 weeks) – Georgia is sitting at 9.9% of births falling in this range. While some of these happen naturally, the Report Card links the national rise in late preterm births to the increasing prevalence of c-sections and inductions. I could (and probably will) spend many more posts on my birthing soapbox, but for now I’ll just say that God designed our bodies to give birth. I trust that design. In a few cases, genuine, endangering complications arise, and I’m thankful that we have the medical expertise to deal with those few cases. As for the majority of births, let the body do what it’s supposed to do.
So what do I as a concerned mother and citizen of the state of Georgia do about all this, besides complain about it? For starters, I’m thinking about contacting my state representatives and asking them if they have seen this report and what they plan to do about it. (And if I get more than a form letter back, I’ll post about it here.) If you want to do the same, you can find your state elected officials’ contact information here.
(Thanks to SouthernMamas for bringing this sobering news to my and other readers’ attention.)
Here are some of the stories & posts that I’ve especially enjoyed in the past week:
(I plan to do these on Fridays, but y’all get them early this week. It’s been one of those days.)
When C started on solids, I would either cook and puree vegetables or open a jar of organic baby food. As he’s progressed to finger food, I dice cooked veggies and raw fruit, scramble and endless stream of eggs, make toast, and fill little bowl upon little bowl with yogurt. At the same time, I’m trying with varying success to prepare healthy meals for Hubby and myself. When we succumb to take-out or heading to a restaurant, I still prepare C’s meal myself. I’ve joked for a long time that if we ate as well as he did, we’d lose 20 pounds each and be in much better health.
I’ve experimented more and more lately with feeding C bits of “grown-up” food. In the last week, he’s enjoyed blueberry pancakes, sweet potato fries, chicken fajitas, and most recently, chili and cornbread. Observe:
As he chowed down on chili for lunch today, I had an epiphany, the kind that you later realize should have been way too obvious to qualify as an epiphany. The new foods he’s been eating are things I’ve made myself using whole, healthy ingredients (with the exception of the sweet potato fries, which were an attempt to appease the screaming kid and not get us ejected from our favorite local burger joint). If I feed C the same things we’re eating and I want him to eat healthy food, that means we’ll be eating healthy food. Instead of preparing real food for C and settling for a dinner that came from a drive-thru window because I don’t have the energy to cook another meal for us, Hubby and I should be eating real food, too. All three of us deserve the best. And, bonus: I get to cook dinner just once, not twice. Sweet.
At what age did your child start eating the same food as the rest of the family? Any surprising favorite food at a very young age?
This post is part of Works for Me Wednesday @ We are THAT Family and Real Food Wednesday @ Cheeseslave, because feeding my whole family real food works for me!
P.S. Real food for my little boy also works for me because these things scare the bejeezus out of me.
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