Food and sleep

We've had three glorious days of sunshine and enjoyed our first walk around the lake in over a week. While the sun certainly makes the world feel like a more welcoming place than the snow and blustery wind did, the things that have dominated our lives these days seem centered on two things: food and sleep. With our family recovering from yet another encounter with the stupid flu season, we've found ourselves in the throes of an incredibly fine balance that is easily disturbed by lack of sleep, and is made more comfortable by good food.

On the sleep front, both B and Cora developed bad coughs that kept all of us up for about a week. B's finally getting better and, along with a few night's on the couch (me), our family finally doesn't quite feel like a bunch of walking zombies. The main thing that happened with Cora is that she became very dependent on nursing, which makes perfect sense for a sick child who can't find much interest in food. But one of the problems I encountered was that she started getting back into the habit of nursing herself to sleep at nap time. That might not sound like a big deal lest you consider the past four months of efforts to get her to sleep with music, a bit of rocking, or in her bed while I pat her back. So, this week I decided to quit nursing her at nap time and encountered the total chaos of a crying, adamant baby all over again, which was so unnaceptably awful that I continued nursing her to sleep (and back to sleep when she wakes after 40 minutes) like she was a drunken sailor unfit for the world without her daily dose. I know it probably sounds ridiculously funny to anyone with more pressing things to worry about, but I have to admit that I had all kinds of anxiety about trying to go back to our old ways, so much so that I chatted about it with B and several friends, practically wringing my hands over the issue. It's just that Cora was so upset about it this week that she was a blubbery, crying, coughing, dramatically sad little mess wringing herself about in my arms like the world was coming to an end. I don't like either of us to feel that way, and yet I also don't like sitting in the rocking chair for upwards of an hour while she nurses and nurses and demands to nurse some more, then doesn't sleep very well because she wants to wake up and nurse.

Enter this afternoon, stage left. I fed her a big lunch and gave her a cookie. When the last crumb had been dusted off of her chin, I held out her sippy cup of rice milk.

"We need to have a little discussion," I said, sitting forward earnestly. She chugged back a few gulps of her rice milk and looked at me with twinkling eyes.

"Cora," I said, "We aren't going to have any more milk today when you go to sleep. No milk. We're going to read books and listen to music before you go to sleep, but we're not going to nurse. It doesn't help you sleep well, and I want you to have a good sleep. No milk. Do you understand?"

"No?" She looked at me. She made the milk sign and held her sippy cup up for my inspection.

"You can have the rice milk, no problem, but no milk. No mom's milk," I said, pointing to my chest for extra clarification.

"No milk," she said, taking another swig from her sippy cup.

"Do you understand?" I asked again. "I just wanted us to talk about this so you won't be upset later. We can't have any milk when it's nap time. We are going to go into your room and read stories, and change your diapers and put on comfy pants, and then listen to music. I will rock you and sing to you before you go to sleep, if you want, but no milk," I started imagining years ahead of family meetings and discussions, outlining rules and issues while we passed around a discussion totem like a Koosh ball or a shaman's stick, all of us very intentioned and focused while we discussed things like what's for dinner and where the kids can walk when they go outside alone, or what our stance is on watching TV. It felt totally comical and yet very important, communicating like this with my daughter.

"No milk," she repeated. And she put her head on her shoulder (the sign for sleep) and smiled, then handed me the sippy cup. We went into her room and went through all the steps I had described to her. I asked her if she wanted me to sing her a song and she said yes, and I held my breath when I picked her up, waiting for her to turn into a writhing serpent in my arms, all mouth, demanding MILK. But she looked at our rocking chair and then stared straight ahead, her little brain working away. When I was singing to her, she looked at me a couple of times and said "No milk?" and when I confirmed this, she put her head on my shoulder.

Lo and behold, the little lass slipped to sleep in her crib while I rubbed her back for a bit. She awoke like clockwork 40 minutes later and went back to sleep after a few minutes of gentle rocking. I love that she understands so much, I love that she listens and is such a careful little person. I love how loving she is when she kisses my cheek or my shoulder and looks at the wolf on her wall and howls, then snuggles into my chest and tries to go to sleep. I love my daughter, I just do. I am feeling very proud of her right now. And she's been asleep now for TWO HOURS. Ok, dude, wow. I suppose it makes perfect sense that having a conversation with your toddler can be quite a successful act, but I'm just not used to it. I feel like we live in such a culture of trickery when it comes to our kids, of parental power that supercedes our children's desires, and it is refreshing to be at a point when Cora's comprehension translates into logical outcomes. I am not anticipating that it will always be this easy (no), but I am learning more about parenting every day.

I had thought I would write more about food on this forum than I have, since it is a focus that dominates quite a bit of my time and thought these days. To summarize our general focus, it's to eat whole foods prepared at home, something which takes me back to my roots as a child raised in a macrobiotic, whole-foods focused family. I feel like apologizing here, in some ways, because I know how pompous it can sound to discuss food in these ways, especially because I do have the time to think about these things and to go grocery shopping to several places, and to put thought into a grocery list and into creating balanced meals. Also, I think these discussions can border on totally annoying because they can sound so particular, so political and health-focused to the point of seeming as if they exist on a higher plane ("here's an easy recipe--what, you don't have time to cook? it's important to support local farmers; just take your Thursday afternoon to visit local farmer's market because it's important--what, you work Thursday afternoon? Oh dear, no, that's not how I want these discussions to be perceived). Yet, there have been enough blockbuster books and media focus on the power of local living and the health benefits of not eating so many processed foods, which somehow have freed someone like me to feel a bit less as if I am preaching about anything you don't already know.

Last year we tried to get nearly all our fruits and vegetables through weekly deliveries from Full Circle Farm, a local farm that participates in community supported agriculture (CSA). The spring and summer turned out truly delicious fruit, including pears, strawberries, and rich purple plums (some of our favorites), and a plethora of vibrant organic vegetables--broccoli, mixed greens, freshly dug potatoes, green beans, radishes, cucumbers, and ripe, red tomatoes. In the winter we feasted on hearty squashes and winter greens. We discontinued the deliveries when I quit my job, mainly because I wanted to go out an forage for my own things once I had more time to do so, but I am considering starting up the deliveries again. But first I plan to visit our local farmers markets to see what we can find.

Thanks to the gift of one of my very dear friends, I am enjoying reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and it is inspiring me once again to take these choices more seriously. Ever since we moved in, I have been wanting to build raised beds in our backyard for an organic garden, but am a bit daunted by the process. I need to do some research, but mainly I keep thinking I need B's help to go out and buy the wood and cut it down to size, then fill the boxes with organic soil. Somehow we never have time for that on the weekends, but I know that's just because we haven't made a priority of it. Of course, this is a project Cora and I could embark on together some morning or afternoon, so perhaps that will be one of our big projects together. I would love to have her help planting seeds and watering our garden.

So, while part of our plan is to begin eating almost strictly with the seasons and to do our best to buy locally-grown ingredients, right now I am enjoying feasting on everything I find. :) A few foods I've really enjoyed lately are sunflower seeds (raw and roasted), raisins, organic arugula, sweet juicing carrots (raw and in salad), and a variety of cooked vegetables, including one of Cora's favorite combos: cauliflower, carrots, and broccoli sauteed in olive oil and sea salt and steamed in a dash of chicken broth. I've been enjoying making rice in more creative ways, including pressure cooking short grain brown rice (it takes about 25 mins and turns out golden and chewy), and making a variety of pilafs. I just discovered baked rice, of which I've included a few recipes below in case you're interested.

Also, I made a tasty treat for Cora awhile back that B and I decided would also make a great hiking snack. Aside from the fact that it tastes good, I like it because it contains three ingredients. The simplicity of that appeals to me, especially if you've ever gotten lost reading the ingredient list of even the most natural cookie recipe. Here's how I made it, if you want to give it a try:

RAISIN SUNFLOWER SEED COOKIES
Prep time: 5-10 mins
About 1/2 cup organic sunflower seeds, equal parts raw and roasted and salted (you can just use raw; I like the added nutty quality of the roasted seeds, and the salt does a nice job of balancing out the sweetness of the raisins)
About 1/2 cup organic Thompson seedless raisins
1/4 - 1/2 cup of organic brown rice crisps (I used Barbara's)

Place sunflower seeds in a food processor and alternate between the chop and grind settings until the seeds become the consistency of a nut butter, with small chunks. Add raisins and alternate between chop and grind settings until the two ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Remove from food processor and add rice crisps, a little at a time. Using your hands, mix the ingredients until you have an easily maneuverable "dough," which should be a bit oily from the seeds, and not overly sticky because of the addition of the rice crisps. Form the mixture into a log, wrap in saran wrap (I think waxed paper or foil would also work, but I haven't tried it), and put it in the refrigerator to set. About an hour later you can cut the mixture into small cookie-shaped discs.

Before I sign off, I thought I'd add a few of our recent meals to this post, in case, like me, you're looking for some easy inspiration. I bake a lot of our foods in the winter, and appreciate how hands-off this cooking style is. Most of 'em are straight from or adapted from Joy of Cooking. I made a dinner of the baked white rice and the mushroom chicken, and added a big romaine salad with fresh veggies and Goddess Dressing.

BAKED WHITE RICE
4 servings (according to the book, this foolproof recipe is easily doubled, which I can attest to).
Preheat the oven to 350. Heat in a 2-quart flameproof casserole over medium heat (or use a pan and transfer to a covered baking dish later):

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

Add, and cook, stirring, until softened, 3-5 mins:
1/2 cup chopped onion
I also like to add 1-2 cloves garlic

Add and stir until well coated:
1 cup long-grain white rice (I used pearled rice and the results were delicious)

Add:
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
(I also added a few healthy turns of the pepper grinder.)

Bring to a boil. Cover, put in the oven, and bake until rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed, 20-25 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 5 mins before serving.


BAKED BROWN RICE WITH MUSHROOMS
4-6 servings
Pearl barley can be substituted for the brown rice; increase the stock to 3 cups.

Preheat the oven to 350. Heat in a 2-quart flameproof casserole or saute pan over medium-high heat:
3 tablespoons butter or olive oil

Add and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are lightly browned, about 8 mins:
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onions
1-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Add and stir until coated:
1 cup long-grain brown rice

Add:
2-1/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Bring to a boil. Cover, transfer to the oven, and bake until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 45 mins. Let stand, covered, for 10 mins before serving.


CHICKEN BREASTS BAKED ON A BED OF MUSHROOMS
4-6 servings

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400. Trim any excess fat from:
6 bone-in or boneless chicken breast halves (with skin). I wanted dark meat so used free-range chicken thighs, enough to cover the mushrooms completely.

Season with:
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and black pepper to taste

Lightly oil a baking pan or shallow baking dish just large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer. Remove the stems from:
6 portobello mushrooms or 12-18 large shiitake or button mushrooms

Or cut into 1/4" slices:
Enough smaller mushrooms to cover the bottom of the pan

Arrange the mushrooms in the pan and distribute over all:
2 cups dry white wine, or as needed
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt and black pepper to taste

Lay the chicken skin side up (if appropriate) on top of the mushrooms. Brush lightly with:
Olive oil

Bake, uncovered, until the chicken skin turns golden brown or the thigh meat is cooked, about 20 mins. Add more wine if necessary. Baste the chicken with the pan juices and turn it over. Bake until the chicken registers 165 on a thermometer, 10-20 mins more. (To be honest, I didn't do any of this with the chicken thigh meat; I just stuck it in there and checked it when it looked done.)


APPLE CRISP (this is an adaptation of a lot of recipes and open to experimentation. I also like adding berries to the filling.)
Serves 6-8
Preheat oven to 400.

Filling:
8 small apples or equivalent
Cinnamon to taste
1-2 teaspoons vanilla, depending on preference
1 tablespoon butter, cut into small cubes

Topping:
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup butter
1/4 - 1/3 cup brown sugar, depending on your taste

Wash apples and leave skin on. Cut coarsely, about 1/4" thick. Mix in a bowl with a liberal dose of cinnamon. Add vanilla. Place in a 8" baking dish or casserole pan, layering the apples with a few of the butter cubes. You'll want the apples to reach the top of the casserole dish, so add more if necessary.

Lightly melt butter and mix thoroughly with sugar and oats, making sure oats are thoroughly coated. Cover apples with topping and bake until apple mixture is soft and topping is a golden brown, about 40 minutes.