ChowBaby

I should start by telling you that I woke up feeling annoyed this morning. And, no, it has nothing to do with the time of the month. Ah, shit! Saying that makes it seem like it must have something to do with that time of the month, but I promise it doesn't.

See, last night I read about a new book written by a pediatrician and the chief of infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia that presents a case against the link between vaccines and autism. Notice I'm not linking. I don't want to step into that fray today. Especially since it wasn't anything about either side of the vaccine debate that got me worked up. Instead, it was a (probably throwaway) quote by actress Amanda Peet who has become a spokeswomen for a vaccine advocacy group. Here's what she said:

“Where I live in L.A., there’s this child-rearing trend—only feed your kids organic food, detoxify your house. And there’s a lot of anticorporate fervor, anti-pharmaceutical company fervor.” She went on, "I'd have lunch with my friends who were moms, and they'd say they wouldn't vaccinate, or would space out their vaccinations and hadn't I heard?" 

Wait! How did organic food come into this? (And, side question: is detoxifying your house a bad thing?)

I think I know the answer to my own question. Organic has become trendy. Something no longer associated with an authentic movement, but with mega corporations that market over processed foods and questionable nutritional claims trying to get in on a new consumer interest. Organic products are often exorbitantly expensive (and, ironically, bringing the price down often means hoping that the big, bad companies who can produce and distribute on a scale that makes the whole enterprise more affordable get in the game). There is uncertainty over what organic even means and if the label can be trusted. This is related, at least in part, to the issue of industrial organic (which is also related to the fact that over sweet, over processed foods can be made with organic ingredients--i.e., organic doesn't necessarily mean healthy), and the fact that organic products can only be truly organic under particular conditions that are supposedly overseen by the USDA. You know, the same agency that also oversees industrialized meat production and processing. And that's worked so out well, right? And all this isn't just news of the past. Our soon-to-be secretary of agriculture, Tom Vilsack, who will oversee the USDA, has a history of supporting biotechnology and genetically modified foods. What are we to make of all this? Especially in a time when related government agencies have failed parents with their positions on bisphenol-A and melamine in our baby formula? Oh, there's more, but I'll spare you. Needless to say, I get it. I understand why you're skeptical. I am, too.

That's why, along with my wicked sense of humor (oh yea), I'm the first one to make fun of the whole obsessive mommy questioning, "Is it organic?" about every "O" shaped cereal and puffed fruit snack you try to hand a kid these days. Even though I'm one of those moms. And why, depending on my mood, I laugh or cringe every time I write a recipe for this blog and specify "organic" next to every single item in the ingredient list. But, let's take a moment and breathe. Or at least give me a moment to catch my breath. 

Organic means grown without the chemical pesticides, chemical fertilizers, sludge sewage, bioengineering, antibiotics, or ionizing radiation. I know that this requires diligent oversight that has been brought into question, but go with me for a minute. Seems pretty straight forward that we would want our government to ensure that our food is grown in as natural a ways as possible. If we can support natural growing techniques without jeopardizing health or food supply, we'd want to. Right? It would not only result in less toxic food, but also cleaner soil and water supplies. I'm guessing we're all, more or less, on the same page here.

Now, are organic products in the US actually less toxic and reliably grown on farms that have cleaner soil and help keep water supplies clean? Not an easy question to answer. I'd guess that, realistically, we can say "some". But some is better than none. And some can lead to many. Many leads to most. Support for organic farming and products both in the form of consumer purchase and activism can help push us towards stricter policy and oversight and greater organic supply. In the meantime, I get that most of us can't be cavalier about spending extra money on organic just to help push us towards a tipping point. (Though, for the record, I don't believe that's all your doing when you buy organic. I believe there is compelling evidence that an organic diet reduces the amount of toxins that you and your children take in.) If that's the case, you might want to consider buying organic just for your little ones (since they eat more fruits and veggies relative to their body weight and developing bodies cannot break toxins down as effectively as ours) or focusing on the dirty dozen (also listed here along with the 12 least contaminated foods, and on Greenopolis with some useful notes on why certain produce is safe to buy non-organic). If you can afford organic and are interested in considering pro-organic research data, here are some points that I find compelling:

• The Environmental Protection Agency reports that children receive 50% of their lifetime cancer risks in the first two years of life.
• According to the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Academy of Sciences, standard chemicals are up to 10 times more toxic for children than for adults. The fact is that children take in more toxic chemicals relative to their body weight than adults and their developing organ systems are less capable of detoxifying chemicals.
• According to the Food and Drug Administration, half of the produce currently tested in grocery stores contains measurable residues of pesticides.
• According to the Department of Health and Human Services, organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are now found in the blood of 95% of people tested. OP levels are twice as high in blood samples taken from children than in adults. Exposure to OPs has been linked to hyperactivity, behavior disorders, learning disabilities, developmental delays, and motor dysfunction.
• The Food and Drug Administration conducted laboratory tests of eight top-selling baby foods which revealed the presence of 16 pesticides, including three carcinogens.
• In blood samples of children aged 2 to 4 years, concentrations of pesticide residues are 6 times higher for those eating conventionally farmed fruits and vegetables when compared with those eating organic food.
• The Centers for Disease Control reports that one of the main sources of pesticide exposure for children comes from the food they eat.

(Source: Organic Consumers Association, US Government Fact Sheet)

Dr. Green, renowned "green" pediatrician, adds, "In 1993, a congressionally mandated study by the National Academy of Sciences expressed concern that existing methods of risk evaluation for pesticide exposure were failing children. More recently, the Consumers Union and Environmental Working Group have released studies confirming that children are overexposed even if their exposure is within legal limits. The Food Quality Protection Act of 1996 mandated a review of agricultural chemicals in light of this new information about risk assessment. Included in this act is a requirement to impose a 10-fold margin of safety to protect children when setting standards for the use of pesticides on food. While safety standards have become more strict, buying organic products, if they are available and you can afford them, and supporting organic agriculture may be your best protection."

Phew. Lots of info. I know. One last thing, though. The American Academy of Pediatrics. Despite what I believe are dubious positions on various child health and safety issues, I feel it would be irresponsible to not report the AAP's position that there is no evidence that "organic, natural, or health foods are any more nutritious or taste better than regular foods." You know, the same way a little bit of melamine in your baby's formula won't kill them. OH snap! (And, as a side note, a prerequisite for joining the AAP is dead taste buds.) But, seriously. While I couldn't find the full text of any of their source research without paying (which I didn't do), I've considered their position and thought that you might want to, as well.

There you have it. Why I buy into organic. But convincing you isn't my point. You being indifferent to, pro-, or anti-organic isn't what makes me mad. It's that damn Amanda Peet and her quote, which I feel was irresponsible.

First off, it's judgmental. And, sadly, baby and kids food tends to be a lightning rod for judgement. Breast milk or formula? Organic or not? All natural or processed? Homemade or store bought? And don't get me wrong--I've been a perpetrator as much as (okay, more than) I've been a victim. And I say that even as someone who was emotionally and physically pulverized by breast milk supply issues that forced formula on Isaac starting at 3-months-old. I guess that in a time like ours, when an obsession with self-awareness has intersected with a massive parenting industry that churns out books and products and advice, feeding is one of the last primal ways we have left to nurture our children. But I wish we could find more compassion for each other. And respect for natural food as a fundamental element of our existence and history.

I also find the comment to be dismissive of sound research on both sides of the issue (certainly the pro-organic side, but she also diminishes the anti-organic stance by chalking the whole thing up to some "in-the-know" privileged mommy trend). Lastly, I find it dangerous that she flippantly brings together the organic and vaccine debates. While there is some interaction--some parents promote organic, gluten- and casein-free diets for autistic children--there is no direct relationship between organic and vaccines (i.e., not all parents of autistic children who believe organic matters necessarily believe that vaccines caused their child's autism, and vice versa). These are not just fads that can be clumped together as part of some cockamamie natural movement. They are globally debated health and environmental issues that have sound research--and smart, informed, outspoken parents--on both sides of the debate. And we're all just doing our best to figure it all so we can make the best decisions we know how for our families.

Poor Amanda Peet. She probably doesn't even remember saying the quote. And I can imagine how she meant it differently than I took it. (See? Compassion. And I'm not being sarcastic!) But she is a public person and has chosen to be a spokeswoman. With great power comes great responsibility. I hope she'll be more careful about how she speaks about her issue at hand. And, if she did mean her comment the way I took it, I hope she'll consider (re-consider?) the research on organic as carefully as she did the research on vaccines. If she ends up feeling the same way and wants to talk about it publicly, maybe she'd be willing to speak more specifically so that moms, like me, who are interested in the issue can reflect on a new, educated, parent-centric point-of-view. Because those are always helpful, even when we disagree. 

-S

related posts:
obama's food policy & choice of tom vilsak for agriculture secretary
dr. alan greene goes organic--is all organic really better
US (non) regulation of baby products
top foods to buy organic
Tree Hugger's "Green Basics" overview on organic food (including criticisms of organic)

Ahhh. La piña. The symbol of hospitality. Worthy of mention in the title of one of my favorite recent comedies. (Have you seen Pineapple Express?!) And the new favorite fruit in my house. Yea, yea. I know. So much for keeping it local. But January is a rough time for fruit in New York City and I didn't can or freeze. (Or pickle? Check it out: pickled limes from the fabulous food blog MattBites.com, quick pickled papaya or mango from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, and pickled watermelon rind from Martha Stewart Everyday Food!) Plus, with Isaac's palate still developing, I want to introduce him to a wide range of flavors. And if we go somewhere tropical where pineapple is indigenous, Isaac won't be with us--ha!

It all started with a Trader Joe's Pineapple Fruit Bar, a 100% fruit snack that is Isaac's latest food obsession. I've tried the other flavors, but he only wants "pie-nipple" (which sounds great in public). He loves these things so much that I moved him on to fresh pineapple. I wanted to see if the love affair would last in the absence concentrated sweetness. It did. So, when it came time to make birthday cupcakes for play group (Isaac turned two 2 days ago!), these pineapple carrot cupcakes were the obvious choice. (I found them while looking for a cupcake recipe that called only for agave syrup--serendipity!) Another hit with Isaac. 

         

Click here to download:

PINEAPPLE.zip (764 KB)

With one last fresh pineapple lying around, yesterday afternoon I announced to Isaac that we'd have fresh pineapple for dessert. Wasn't I such a nice mama?! Sure. Nice. But not so smart. I hadn't checked if the pineapple was ripe before making the promise. (Did you know that one way to check a pineapple for ripeness is to pluck a leaf from the top--if it comes out easily, you're good to go.) Bad move. I had to come up with something quick. Roasted pineapple was the move. It would soften the under ripe fruit and concentrate the sweetness.

I cut off the top and bottom, cut the fruit in half, peeled it with a knife, cut out the core, and made 1/2" slices. I used a baking dish that was too small to arrange the pieces in one layer. That didn't cause any problem. I laid the first layer down, sprinkled lightly with organic sucanat and cardamom, the repeated the process with a second layer. I dabbed the whole shebang with butter, but don't think it was necessary. I baked for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees, until the juices thickened into a nice, natural, syrupy coating.

I must have been overcompensating--or got caught up in the gooey sweetness of it all--because I mixed a 1/2 tsp of organic agave syrup with 1/4 c organic plain whole milk yogurt to top the whole thing off. (Plain yogurt would have worked just fine!) A sprinkle of cinnamon brought the whole thing together (balanced out the cardamom on the pineapple). (Sorry for the bad camera phone picture!)

This was Isaac's favorite pineapple dish yet. He couldn't stop saying, "MMM!" He seriously said it with every bite. Hysterical. Good thing our pineapple wasn't ripe!

I'm sure we'll have more adventures in pineapple-ville. But, in the meantime, all of this cooking with the tropical fruit got me wondering... is it even nutritious?! (Always smart to ask this question after you've stuffed your kid full of the stuff--LOL!) According to the World's Healthiest Foods, pineapple is an excellent source of manganese and vitamin C, and a good source of vitamins B1 and B6, copper, and dietary fiber. Manganese and B1 (thiamin) are both important for energy production and antioxidant defense. Vitamin C also provides antioxidant protection and immune system support. You can read more in WHF's profile of pineapple. Or check out the hard nutrition facts at NutritionData.com.

Works for me. (Phew!) So more pineapple stuff I will make. Got any pineapple recipes to share?

-S

A few days ago, while still recovering for our colds, Mike and I took Isaac to the NYC transit museum for a much needed outing. By the time we returned home, I was pooped. I opened the fridge hoping to find a complete leftover meal and instead found about 2/3 of a rotisserie chicken (New Yorkers: Fresh Direct sells tasty roasted antibiotic free chickens). I hit the pantry and pulled a can of chickpeas and a container of Maya Kaimal curry sauce. (As you can tell by the frequency with which Michelle and I mention these all natural sauces, they are a lifesaver that keep me from defaulting to mac-n-cheese every time I'm super short on time.) Next stop, the freezer for 1 box of frozen spinach. Within 15 minutes (total prep and cooking time), a well-rounded meal, topped with a little yogurt, was on the table.

Could dinner have been better had I sauteed some fresh garlic and ginger first? Or added a little cilantro and lime juice? Sure. Was it necessary? Nope. Not on this night. That was the beauty of it. Dinner was so easy, in fact, that I got to thinking: what else could I make with 1 store bought rotisserie (or leftover) chicken, 1 box of frozen spinach, 1 can of beans, and some pantry staples?

Here's what I came up with. (A little jaunt around the globe!) I didn't bother with with exact measurements--you can play with each "recipe" based on taste and also consistency (e.g., you may want a soupier dish if serving with noodles, a thicker sauce if serving plain or with rice). Some of these "recipes" will take longer than 15 minutes to cook down the sauce (since they don't call for pre-made sauces like the curry one I used the other night). I also gave some ideas of other ingredients you can add if you feel like getting fancier. Would love to hear your ideas, too.

GREEK style with chickpeas and avgolemono (egg-lemon) sauce
1. Put some organic chicken broth over medium heat. The amount of broth depends on what consistency you want. One whole box (32 oz) or more will make a soup (to which you can add orzo or rice). Just a little less will make a stew-like meal. A whole lot less will make just enough egg-lemon sauce to coat your chicken, chickpeas, and spinach.

2. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, saute chickpeas and shredded chicken in a little olive oil. Add thawed & drained spinach. Set aside once all 3 ingredients are well mixed and excess water from spinach is cooked off.

3. Beat 2 eggs until they begin to froth. Continue beating while slowly adding juice of 2 lemons. When the mixture is very frothy, slowly add some hot broth. The point here is to slowly raise the temperature of the egg/lemon mixture so that it won't curdle (ie, the egg won't cook) when you add it to the rest of the hot broth.

4. Once your frothy egg-lemon mixture is hot, bring all of the elements (egg-lemon sauce, any remaining broth, chicken/chickpea/spinach) together. Season with salt and pepper.

you can also add...frozen peas, sauteed onions, fresh dill
serve with...orzo, rice, couscous, top with a dollop of yogurt

FRENCH style with white beans (inspired by cassoulet)
1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil. Add fresh or dried thyme or herbs de provence.

2. Add white beans, shredded chicken, and thawed & drained spinach. Cook until excess water from spinach is cooked off.

3. Add a bit of red wine or balsamic vinegar and a can of whole peeled tomatoes, breaking each one up with your hands. The amount of juice you include depends on the consistency you want to achieve. (If you want something even soupier than what you can achieve by adding the whole can of tomatoes and juice, add chicken broth.)

4. Cook down until the sauce thickens as much as you'd like. Season with salt and pepper.

you can also add...sauteed carrots and/or celery, sage, rosemary, sausage
serve with...couscous, egg noodles, rice, top with breadcrumbs

TEX-MEX style with pinto or black beans
1. Saute onions and garlic in a neutral oil. Add cumin, a little chile powder, and a chopped jalapeno (if you want a little spice).

2. Add an all-natural enchilada sauce or a can of tomato puree. If using tomato puree, you may need to add a little broth and additional spices, and cook down until the thickness of an enchilada sauce.

3. In a separate pan, saute beans, shredded chicken, and thawed & drained spinach in oil. Cook until all ingredients are well combined and any excess water from spinach is cooked off. 

4. Add sauce to chicken, beans, and spinach. Season with salt and pepper.

you can also add...unsweetened cocoa powder (add at the same time as cumin and other dry spices for a depth of flavor), frozen or canned corn, sauteed peppers, fresh lime juice
serve with...tortillas, rice, lime wedges, salsa/pico de gallo, top with a dollop of sour cream and/or shredded cheese

ITALIAN style with white beans (inspired by chicken cacciatore)
1. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil. Add fresh or dried rosemary and/or oregano.

2. Add white beans, shredded chicken, and thawed & drained spinach. Cook until excess water from spinach is cooked off.

3. Add white wine and simmer a few minutes.

4. Add a can of diced tomatoes and juices. Cook down to desired consistency.

5. Season with salt and pepper and a final drizzle of olive oil.

you can also add...sauteed mushrooms, olives, capers, frozen peas
serve with...polenta, pasta, noodles, rice, top with grated cheese

MIDDLE EASTERN style with chickpeas and yogurt sauce
1. Saute (a bunch of) garlic in olive oil. Add a lot of fresh or dried mint, yogurt (the thick greek kind will work best), and fresh lemon juice.

2. In a separate pan, saute chickpeas, shredded chicken, and thawed & well drained spinach in olive oil. Cook until excess water from spinach is cooked off.

3. Add yogurt sauce to chicken. Season with salt and pepper.

you can also add...bits of pita chips, cubed cucumber (at the very end), white wine (add to chicken, spinach and chickpeas, cooking off before adding yogurt sauce)
serve with...couscous, rice/pilaf, top with slivered almonds

and, of course, you can always just toss cooked penne or other cut pasta with the beans (chickpeas and white beans would both work well), spinach, and chicken in olive oil and a little broth (or a can of all-natural jarred sauce, if you can find one you like), and top the whole shebang with grated cheese. yum.

-S

related posts: talking turkey with you chickens (plus turkey paprikash for 10+ mos)

we usually do our grocery shopping on friday or saturday. but we're leaving early next week for a visit with the grandparents (make that both sets of grandparents. and, yes, we will be driving on christmas day. sigh.), so we're trying to run through what's left in the pantry. the good and bad news is that there's not much left. so today, i was trying to piece something together that would warm our bones when atticus and i got back from our icy afternoon adventure. i found some rice, some dried fruit, some almonds, and a wayward can of coconut milk and figured i should be able to make something yummy with that, right?
 
here's what i came up with. a slightly sweet sticky-ish rice. it'd go great with a chicken curry. if only i had some chicken....

final tip: when the rice cooled, atticus "helped" me roll the rice into little balls that make great healthy hand-held snacks!

coconut apricot sticky rice
2 cups rice (i used white, since that's all i had, but next time i want to try a short-grain brown)
1 14 oz can coconut milk (i used low fat, again since that's all i had, but whole fat should work)
2 cups plus 2 oz water
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon sucanat (you could also use cane sugar, brown sugar, and maybe agave nectar)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 cup diced dried apricots (you could use just about any dried fruit like raisins , prunes, or mango)
1/4 cup crushed, sliced, or chopped almonds
combine all ingredients in a rice cooker (if you don't have one, this is a super convenient kitchen tool—and the cheapest version works as well as the more expensive varieties). turn it on. when done, fluff/mix with fork (especially since a lot of the add-ins float to the top).

-m

heading into the weekend, especially a cold windy new york weekend, i know we'll be spending enough time indoors to make us all a little crazy. or, at least, a little more crazy than normal. i predict lots of plastic-wiffle-bat jousting, washable-marker tattoo drawing, and flour-all-over-the-floor playdough making. when we spend this much time at home, we usually do more snacking than normal. one of my favorites? edamame in the shell. i get the cascadian farm organic brand in my freezer section. high in fiber. full of protein. rich in pretty much all the essential amino acids. easy to make (boil, lightly salt, and eat). and atticus loves the experience of maneuvering the beans out of the pod by sucking on one end while holding the other. nutrition plus a sense of accomplishment. what could be better?
 
-m

atticus is finally getting his two-year molars. and this round of teething feels completely different than the last. when he couldn't talk. when he didn't try to manipulate me with his discomfort and use it to avoid taking his dishes to the sink after dinner or turning the lights off at bedtime. sure, he's perfectly happy to take tylenol for the pain—and embarrass me in public by loudly exclaiming, "mama, i want bubblegum tylenol pleeeeeeeeeease!" but he's also old enough to soothe his tender gums others ways. this weekend, i discovered that frozen unsulphered dried organic mango sliced into thin strips offer lots of relief (not to mention vitamin A). he holds one end and works the other right into the sore spot. then gnaws away as it defrosts. cool!

-m