Stomach Bug + Natural Pedialyte

Ada woke up from her nap a few days ago and promptly vomited the entire contents of her stomach. Around 15 minutes later, whatever else was left came up. My heart dropped, and I couldn’t remember what to do with the stomach flu. Thankfully she didn’t have a fever and was in generally good spirits.

I ran out to the store immediately to stock Pedialyte for the long night.

WHAT TO DO

Since we haven’t dealt with a stomach bug since, well, infancy, I asked around on Facebook what I should be doing otherwise. My mind tends to blank whenever Ada gets sick. I’m fortunate to have many experienced parent and doctor friends who gave me suggestions just when I needed them. Thanks, friends.

Here’s what they told me:

• Stay away from sugary beverages like juice (exacerbates dehydration by causing diarrhea). 
• Stick with popsicles, Pedialyte, watered down Gatorade (1:1), coconut water, or plain water between episodes.
• Don’t worry so much about pushing food until the worst of the vomitting is over. The main concern is dehydration.
• After sickness has started to wane, try the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast), though I’ve also read that not all doctors are promoting a modified diet because getting back to normal nutrition is more important. Take it one hour at a time.
• Call you doctor if you have any questions or see behavior changes or signs of dehydration in your kiddo (not peeing as much, lethargy, etc.). 
• And here is more information about child vomiting.

NATURAL PEDIALYTE

So, Pedialyte. I poured some of the orange viscous drink in a glass hoping to replenish some lost electrolytes, fluids, and zinc. I eagerly handed the glass to Ada feeling relieved that she’d be getting some of the stuff her body needs to feel better. One sip through a straw later, and the stuff was 100 percent shunned FOR LIFE. She wouldn’t touch it. “Ewwwwww!” said Ada, looking like her stomach was about to turn again.

My friend Rachael had suggested a homemade alternative (for some reason the link isn’t working today -- but hopefully that will change), and at that point I was willing to give anything a try. Here are a few great natural + kid-friendly electrolyte drinks I found across the web.

// RECIPE #1
via Mama Natural

1 c. coconut water + 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. sea salt

// RECIPE #2
via The Reluctant Hippie

1 qt. water + fresh lemon juice + 1/3 c. (raw) honey + 1/4 tsp. salt

// RECIPE #3
via Cute and Peculiar 

1 qt. water + 1/2 tsp. baking soda + 2 tbsp. agave + 1/4 tsp. salt + 1 c. OJ

FREEZE

When all else fails, go with what’s working best. This might be a splash of gatorade in a glass of water. For Ada, popsicles worked best by far, and I’m sure you could freeze most of the homemade Pedialyte recipes if you think your child would more likely ingest them frozen.

We’ve been buying Ruby’s Rockets for a while, and Ada’s been eating those as she gets her appetite back. They’re made with fruits and veggies and contain probiotics. Our favorite flavors are Orbit Orange and Galaxy Green. By the way, I’m not affiliated with the company at all -- and if you click onto their website, there’s a $1 off coupon even I didn’t know about until right now.

Cool!

Hopefully you won’t need much of this info very often, but I do help it gives you some confidence when the dreaded stomach bug strikes your home. The best part? You can use these recipes and tips to replenish yourself if YOU are the one who’s sick. I haven’t caught the bug (yet -- FX), but I’m surely hoping if I do that it will pass as quickly as it did for Ada. She was better the very next day.

What are your tried and true stomach flu remedies?

* Coconut water image from here.

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Spinach Zucchini Pesto with Walnuts

Continuing with our zucchini theme this week -- I bet you didn't think I could possibly have another pesto recipe up my sleeve. Pesto has definitely become my favorite spread over the last several years. And ever since I discovered I could make it without any cooking or basil or whatever else I used to use with more traditional recipes -- I've been mixing it up weekly.

This is a great recipes to make with leftover zucchini and spinach!

ZUCCHINI PESTO
Use up veggie leftovers in this zesty pesto!

What you'll need . . . 

• 1 medium zucchini (about 1-1/2 cups grated)
• 1/2 cup spinach (you could sub in other greens, like kale, too)
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese*
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• salt + pepper to taste
• water to achieve desired consistency

Method . . .

1. Put all ingredients -- except water -- in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Then add water 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.

* Vegans can experiment with using nutritional yeast to substitute. I would have done it, but we're out + have some parmesan leftover.


In all, this recipe mixes up about 2 cups of pesto. We used ours in some delicious Pumpkin Pesto Rolls last night. Today we might use the rest atop pizza. It's tasty spread on sandwiches, in French toast, and so on.

// ALSO TRY

Vegan + Gluten Free Zucchini Burgers
Vegan Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Pesto + Avocado Sauce (Video!)
Pumpkin Pesto Rolls
Garlic Scape + Swiss Chard Pesto, 2 Ways
Steamed Pesto Dumplings
Pesto Pizza Dough
Baby Kale Pesto
Walnut Basil Pesto
Basil-Pesto French Toast
Pesto French Toast, II -- with Avocado Butter
Pesto Quiche with Oatmeal Crust
Pesto Garlic Knots
Pesto Portabella Sandwiches
(Pesto) Smothered Mother

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Tofu-Avocado Salad + GF Day 1

One of the most popular recipes on this blog is Avocado-Egg Salad. And for good reason -- that sandwich is dynamite. Now, as I look back on the most recent recipes I've been giving you guys, almost all of them are for cookies, scones, breads, or some other flour-heavy concoction. One-track mind, I guess.

So, in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, here's something GREEN!

TOFU-AVOCADO SALAD
vegan alternative to Avocado-Egg Salad

What you'll need . . . 

• 1/2 block of extra firm tofu, drained and ripped into chunks 
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced out of skin in chunks
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon grainy mustard 
• 1 tablespoon dill, fresh or dry
• Juice of 1/2 to a whole lime, depending on your preference
• Salt + pepper
• 2 to 3 tablespoons Vegenaise (you can also try Tahini!)

Method . . .

1. Put all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. 
2. Note: You can play around with the seasonings to fit your specific preferences. We never make it the same way twice.
3. Then just blend all ingredients together using a knife. More about this technique, check out my Easy Guacamole recipe. I learned it from one of my writing professors in college. 
4. Then eat on its own or use it to top crackers, toasted bread or inside wraps, etc.

I didn't get a great photo of the finished product, but it really just looks a mess like in that last process picture. Makes two gigantic servings or four "normal" ones. We ate ours in Mission Wraps, which I've said goodbye to in this gluten-free adventure.

GLUTEN-FREE

Tofu's gluten-free, right? I mean, I know it is -- I think? -- but I feel like everywhere I look, gluten is lurking. In oats of all places (though we have a package of Bob's Red Mill GF), soy sauce (really???), malt vinegar, some dairy products, etc. Crazy. Just crazy.

I'm going to do the best I can for the next 28 days, but I would like to note that I do not think I have a gluten sensitivity. I got a couple emails urging me not to "self-diagnose" -- which I'm certainly not doing. This period away from gluten is purely to get myself off eating TOO much of a good thing.

Overindulging in chocolate or alcohol or carrots or anything, for that matter, wouldn't be a good thing either . . .

I would say almost all our meals revolve around bread in some capacity. If you go back a few pages in the archives, you'll see what I mean. Naan buns for veggie burgers, pizzas, dinner rolls, scones + waffles for breakfast, the list goes on. Truth is, I got lazy with my cooking. It's easier to grab a slab of crusty bread than it is to take time stir-frying up some veggies.

I will not be going totally gluten-free at the end of the short experiment, I'm just hoping to gain some fresh perspective and start thinking OUTSIDE the bread box.

I'm also seeking . . .

• Better digestion. My stomach is upset a lot of the time and I feel bloated constantly. Maybe from the inflammatory properties in gluten, maybe not. I think this might also have to do with too much salt intake. 
• Beer, too. I have a beer a day -- but I'd like to swap that for wine or cut out alcohol entirely more nights of the week and see if my stomach feels better. (However, any suggestions on good GF beers? I hear Dog Fish makes one.)
• Brighter skin + aura of health. Yes. I just wrote that. I feel dull inside and out. Like the bread soaked the life-juice out of me. 
• Alternative carbohydrate sources to fuel running. I don't need to eat half a large pizza the night before a race, eh? There's got to be other, high-quality foods that can help my running performance.
• More variety in the foods my family eats. I still want to eat pizza every week, but I think we could mix it up a bit and try cauliflower crust and other swaps every now and again. More veggies = more nutrients = healthier family with or without bread.
• Energy. I guess this is an overarching thing -- but my energy levels aren't, well, level at all. I go through lots of peaks and valleys, and I think sugar consumption is also to blame. Of course I can still eat sugar without the gluten, but I think it will be at least slightly more difficult, thereby making me think twice before baking a huge chocolate cake.
• Fewer cravings. Apparently "Eating grains makes you crave grains and sugar since grains break down into sugar, they create a rise in insulin levels when those levels fall you crave more grains and, thus, the vicious cycle continues" (Source).

A lot of how I'll be "measuring" the results of this experiment is by feel. I won't necessarily do measurements or weight because that's not my primary goal. Also, I've started weight training and have been simultaneously getting fitter and heavier with the added muscle, so I don't think it'd be an accurate gauge anyway.


I suppose I'll update you guys a little bit after most of my posts. I hope you enjoyed the Tofu + Avocado Salad recipe. It's a sign of more vibrant, healthy foods to come this month and beyond.

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Sourdough Soft Pretzels

Quirk // I write many of my recipes on the backs of unopened junk mail.

It's a strange habit that started in college and it's stuck to this day, apparently. I need to invest in some composition books or something. Oh, and my writing instruments of choice range from markers and crayons to sharpies and Stephen's red grading pens. Whatever is around and not out of ink.

All that sloppy scratching =


SOURDOUGH SOFT PRETZELS
 Makes 4 >> vegan << pretzels

What you'll need . . . 

• 1/2 cup sourdough starter (straight from the fridge) 
• 1/3 cup low sodium veggie juice (I used R.W. Knudsun's Very Veggie)***
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 1-1/2 cups bread flour
• 1 tablespoons flax meal
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• pinch salt
• rosemary + paprika, to taste (optional)

*** You can also use water, I'm sure of it.


Method . . . 

1. Easy enough: Toss all wet ingredients into a large bowl followed by the dry ingredients.
2. Mix together using a spoon, then work into kneading with your hands, adding extra flour if necessary. Form a smooth, elastic ball.
3. Put a bit of olive oil in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap overnight (or 8 to 10 hours should do it).
4. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside.
5. Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Then, on a slightly oiled surface (I used a large plate) roll out into a long snake. Shape into a pretzel, as per these instructions from another recipe.
6. Fill a large stock pot with water and bring to a raging boil. Then place the pretzels in one by one (or two by two, if you're comfortable) and keep submerged for about 30 seconds (they will begin to float).
7. Repeat with the other two pretzels. Then sprinkle with coarse salt (and more paprika, if you like).
8. Bake for 5 minutes. Then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

I've been making a lot of stuff with my sourdough starter. Honestly, I didn't know there were so many uses for it. Bagels, pretzels, pancakes, waffles, just to name a few. My favorite creation has to be the basic sourdough loaf, though.

I've also noticed a gigantic difference in taste, sourness, with letting things rise overnight versus just a few hours. It's well, well, well worth the wait, whenever possible.

And I took your advice and bought a non-Le Creuset dutch oven. Got it -- a Wolfgang Puck, 5.6 qt -- at TJ Max on clearance for $39. THIRTY NINE DOLLARS. As in, at least $100 under what I thought I needed to spend.


You'll be getting good use this weekend, my friend.

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CSA Sandwich Greens

This weekend we picked up the first installment of our CSA farm share for the season. We've been looking forward to it for so long, we almost missed the pickup! It's 12:45 Saturday afternoon. Ada had just gone down for a nap. We tend to completely unplug on weekends, but Stephen had to check his email.

Thank goodness he did -- there was a reminder from the farm to bring baskets to fill full of their fresh produce. (Sort of like: Oh, YEAH. That's right! THE CSA! And the farmers' market closes at 1 . . .)

Obviously the crisis was averted. Stephen booked it to the market and got our stuff as they were closing.

Here's what's inside this week's basket:


So many fresh, organic greens. We had to put them to use ASAP. I think you may have noticed that we like to eat big sandwiches on weekends. Actually, it's sort of a dream of ours to own a sandwich shop. Not one that I think we'll ever indulge. But we enjoy coming up with new creations and combining new flavors. The eating part is the best.

This is by far one of the best ones we've ever made.


Mozzarella cheese marinated in balsamic vinegar.
Just cut a few thick slices, drizzle the vinegar, and coat. Let sit in the fridge for an hour.


Homemade seitan, thinly sliced and pan-cooked to brown with horseradish-mayo.
Well, we splurged on some Vegenaise. It's one of our shared food quirks. We don't like real mayo. 3 tablespoons mayo to 1 tablespoon horseradish. Or to taste.


Avocado slices and a thick layer of CSA greens.
I drizzled the leftover balsamic on this layer. Delicious.


All of this in between two substantial (and toasted) slices of rosemary salt bread from Wegmans.
We made our own loaves once, but didn't think ahead of time for this sandwich.


As Stephen put it, it was the "perfect combination of hot/cold, crispy/crunchy, and buttery/creamy" that he's ever had. Seriously. He would not shut up about this sandwich. We made it again with the leftover bread the next day. We didn't have seitan left, so we each replaced it with a fried egg.

Overall, a great start to our relationship with the CSA. I wonder what next week's haul will be! If you have any great sandwich combinations you'd like to share with us -- please do. We're always looking for something new to try!

OTHER SANDWICH FAVORITES:

Vegetarian Juicy Lucy
Open-Faced Asparagus & Tofu Sandwich
Vegetarian Reuben
Veggie Behemoth: The LOVER

And today on Writing Chapter Three, I answer some more personal questions about my new job as a Stay At Home Mom (SAHM). And I invite you all to ask anything you're curious about as well!

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12 Cookies of X-Mas: Salted Cornmeal Sugar Cookies

Yes. It was somewhat crazy ambitious to think I could bake 10 more cookie batches over the weekend. Any weekend. But this one was particularly BUSY. I spent Saturday trying to start x-mas shopping (which I'm horribly behind on!), running other errands (buying more shutters for our exterior), and then Sunday I helped host my best friend's baby shower.

Even more ambitious was the idea to make each cookie on a theme. Yeah. Today's recipe was supposed to be: A Partridge in a Pear Tree. Matching specific holiday cookies with this classic song was MUCH harder than I expected. So, I figure 12 cookies (any cookies!) -- one each day leading up to Christmas -- should be sufficient to spread some cheer to y'all. I hope you're not too disappointed!

As I mentioned last week, these salted wonders are crisp and crunchy. Salty and sweet. They're a twist on the traditional -- which is just how we like 'em.


SALTED CORNMEAL SUGAR COOKIES
Print this recipe!

What you'll need . . .

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance (or butter)
• 3/4 cup loosely packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Bob's Red Mill egg replacer plus 3 tablespoons water (or 1 egg)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup cornmeal (medium or fine grind)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Method . . .

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. Cream together the Earth Balance and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until it's light and fluffy -- 5 minutes or so.
4. Then beat in the vanilla and egg replacer (just whisk the tablespoon of powder with the 3 tablespoons of water before adding).
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet -- mixing until just combined.
6. Then scoop out heaping tablespoons onto the cookie sheet. For a nice, round cookie -- roll the dough ball in your hand and then flatten slightly with your palms. Space 1 inch apart (they don't spread a ton).
7. Bake for between 15 and 20 minutes, until the centers of the cookie are firm . . . and the color is a light, golden brown.
8. Let sit on the cookie sheet for 5 min (or so), then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before icing.

SALTED FROSTING

What you'll need . . .

• 4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance (or butter/shortening)
• 3 to 5 tablespoons almond milk (or milk)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt (depending on your preference)
• Drop of food coloring of your choice

Method . . .

1. First place the Earth Balance in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat butter until soft and whipped. About 4 t o5 minutes.
2. Add in the confectioners sugar and beat until well combined.
3. Add in the vanilla extract and salt. Then add in the almond milk 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
4. You may have more frosting than you want -- it depends on how high you like to pile your cookies. If you have too much, save it for up to 5 days in your fridge.

So, are you a holiday procrastinator? Or do you already have all your shopping done? Though I want to simplify -- it's much easier said than done. Ahh! Just leave a comment or email us at neverhomemaker [at] gmail [dot] com.

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Rosemary-Salt Loaves

My favorite store-bought bread is the rosemary-salt loaf at Wegmans. It's perfectly browned with a fantastically crusty crust. Wonderful for sandwiches and just plain snacking. But it's make with white flour. There's a ton of salt in it (yes, though it's called rosemary-SALT bread, I still don't think this is a great thing). And it's expensive. So, like I do with so many other favorites of mine, I set out to create a replica loaf . . . or at least a healthier near-cousin.

Baking bread is probably the activity I find most rewarding in the kitchen. It's definitely an exact science, something you must do carefully and thoughtfully. The result is incredible more times than not. I've amazed myself many times with what I've made. And this recipe is no exception.

We used our bread for tomato-mozzarella sandwiches. I even sliced some pieces to toast for a breakfast PB&J (plus bananas). Despite what you may think about combining rosemary with those flavors . . . it was certainly something I'll do again.


ROSEMARY-SALT LOAVES

What you'll need . . .

• 2 cups water, room temperature
• 2-1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• More flour for dusting
• 1 ounce active dry yeast
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl and plastic wrap
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• Cornmeal, for dusting

Method . . .

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the water, flour, yeast, and olive oil. Set your paddle attachment to low speed and mix until the ingredients are JUST incorporated. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place (my mother-in-law suggested sticking it in the cool oven, which is warmer than most places in the house) until doubled in bulk -- about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
2. Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add the salt and rosemary . . . and mix to combine on low speed. Raise the speed to medium, and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, but is still sticky (about 2 minutes).
3. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it for approx. 1 minute. Then transfer the dough to a large, lightly oiled bowl. Cover with lightly oiled plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until, again, doubled in bulk (about 1 hour)
4. Return the dough to a lightly floured surface and split into two balls. Roll out to be flat, ciabatta-looking loaves. Cover with the oiled plastic wrap, and let rest for about 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the loaves to a wooden peel (or cutting board) dusted lightly with cornmeal, and drape with the oiled plastic wrap. Let rest until slightly puffed: 30 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, place a baking stone on the bottom oven rack and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
7. Make slashes on the top of the loaves with a knife. Lift the stone from the bottom of your oven to the middle rack. Slide one loaf onto the stone (I just picked the dough up and quickly transferred it).
8. Bake until the crust is a dark, golden brown (about 25 minutes). Please bread on wire rack to cool before slicing.
9. Repeat with other loaf.

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