sarah's sustainable life

when his doctor recently recommended we put my then 2-year-old son on nasonex in addition to his twice daily dose of children’s zyrtec, i became quite alarmed. how did we get here? i am so cautious for my son, and never wanted him to be on any type of medication. i could not stand by and watch him become dependent on several types of prescription meds just to get through a normal day. on my next trip to the market, i was searching desperately to find an alternative…and i did: hyland’s homeopathic for kids! imagine, on the shelf of a modern, lifeless megamart, carefully blended homeopathic potions! from complete allergy relief, to cold and cough, to earache drops, to bedwetting relief, hyland’s has your back (you green parent, you!). check out the website and look for it on your market shelves the next time your child comes down with a sniffle.

for those of you who have been reading my site for the almost two years i have been writing – thanks!! – i wanted to let you know that i am getting ready to change a little something. i have decided to use the free recipe friday format to do a short series called quick international dinners! trying to go where creativity has led, i felt the need from readers i have talked to for whole meal recipes that are quick, nutritious, and exciting. and so this is what i hope to bring you through this new series. every meal will be fairly quick (most 30minutes or less to prepare), healthy, profiling an exiting international cuisine that your family may not be overly familiar with (no more meatloaf and potato night!), and 100% vegan. i will be including brand names in many cases, because a dinner stops being quick when you have to take 30minutes at the supermarket to inspect labels for shellfish or milk ingredients. it begins tomorrow and ends whenever i feel like it – because i can!!:) i hope you stay tuned, enjoy the easy possibilities, and expand your family’s dinner repertoire.

note of caution: many of these recipes are not terribly “outside-the-box”, because that’s not the way that i work (for example, quick thai dinner is simply my quick answer to pad thai). i want every person to be able to feel that international cuisine is within their reach in their own kitchen, and so have foregone most of the complicated instructions and obscure ingredients that are so often called for in more creative cooking.

who doesn’t love a BIG pile of sprouts on their salad or sandwich? such a nice change from normal greens, and full of unique vitamins, minerals, and allergy fighting properties, you would think every supermarket and restaurant should be pushing these. so why don’t we see them on salad bars, deli sandwiches, and produce isles? two words, folks: escherichia coli! that’s right. because conditions ideal for sprout growth are also ideal for bacterial growth, animal manure is used for fertalizer, and sprouts must be eaten raw, they have been linked to a large number of e coli and salmonella outbreaks in the last 40 years. alas, another natural crop of goodness that should be fighting for us is fighting against us because we allow others to grow all of our food. but there is a solution! most health food markets carry sprouting kits, which are basically a sterile jar, some seeds, and a screen to fit tightly over the top. sprouting your own seeds is a fun project to do with the kids, and can greatly decrease the risk of contamination. josiah loves science projects, so i believe this is one we will be taking on sometime in the near future. which is good news for me, because the only thing i love to roll into sushi better than avocado are sprouts!

this is for those of you who, like me, missed the first round of all these “bugs” being passed through the city, but caught it on the way back from your kids (or work, or something). just a small reminder, there is a mineral that can act just as well if not better than any cold and sinus medicine you might purchase. what’s it’s name? – ZINC!! – yeaaaah!! zinc is found in noticeable amounts in most nuts and seeds, some legumes, berries, and other fruit. but to get enough concentrated zinc from those sources to do a direct hit on a cold that is already here, you’d be stuffing your face day and night (and i don’t know about you, but when i am sick, eating is absolutely the LAST thing on my to-do-list). so, how can you get enough?

1) zinc lozenges – these are quite effective. they look like cough drops, but taste like quarters (if you can still taste anything). they work well because you keep them in your mouth until they dissolve, allowing the zinc to pass directly to your blood stream from your porous gums and tongue. they do taste awful, though.

2) sublingual zinc tabs – any vegan should be familiar with sublingual tabs, as this is the main source of vitamin B-12 recommended for veggies. basically a little medicine tablet you put under your tongue until it dissolves, usually less than a minute. this is nice, because you can’t really taste anything under your tongue, so you don’t have to feel like you are sucking on a metal bolt.

3) zinc oral spray – this is my favorite! so quick and easy, you just spray the zinc solution four times into your mouth (inside cheeks, roof of mouth, and tongue or gums), wait 15 seconds, and swallow.

hope this info helps get you through the rest of this crazy cold and flu season with herbal ease;)

a word of caution: zinc is considered a homeopathic medication, and may not be suitable in high doses for very young children or others with weak immune systems. make sure to read the label of your chosen product very well before using it. high doses of zinc can also be upsetting to your tummy, so never take it on an empty stomach.

as i did my first trip to the market this month, i was left with one thought on the way out, “wow! prices have certainly changed since i got married!” but as i put away the groceries, another thought came to me. “wow! my shopping habits have really changed since i got married!” nine years ago, when i did my first marketing order as an adult cooking for a household, i never would have dreamed that i would be spending extra money to get organic bananas, free-range eggs, non-hydrogenated vegan margarine, or gluten-free tofu steaks (mmmmm, tofu steaks…)! but alas, as we become more aware of the impact our everyday purchases make on the world at large, we are left with little choice but to change our priorities and put our treasure where our heart is. this never became more apparent to me than when we had a child. expensive? YES!! but because it is important to make sure our son has the best that we can give him, somehow it’s easier to let go of the money. i would like to leave you with a challenge for the week, inspired by a green parenting publication from the UK i came across today at Borders: change ONE item in your shopping cart to organic and/or fairtrade. make it something your family uses/consumes on a regular basis, and just decide that it is worth the extra few cents to see the impact on the world and on your family’s health. and never go back to the “conventional”;)

i know, it’s winter, but it still feels like fall in south texas! this is one of my favorites all year round, but is particularly delicious and practical when apples are in season. today’s recipe: autumn bake!

1 carrot, 1 tart apple, and one sweet apple, all grated
1/2cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/4cup molasses
2T agave nectar
1tsp lemon juice
2T canola oil
pinch each of salt and cinnamon

preheat oven to 350. mix carrot, apples, and coconut in a lightly oiled baking dish. whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over veg/fruit, tossing lightly to coat well. bake in preheated oven for about 30minutes. delicious!!

this is so easy, it is hardly a recipe, but when i posted last week that my son and i were enjoying some vegan hot cocoa, LOTS of people asked me for the recipe. so here it is, in all its simplicity. enjoy some tonight around the fireplace, and make it a part of your new year’s eve tradition.

for each cup of hot chocolate:
8oz almond milk
1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
1-2tablespoons Stevia in the Raw*

in a small saucepan, heat the almond milk to just below boiling and remove from heat. whisk in the cocoa powder and stevia. when all is dissolved, pour into mugs and dust with a little cinnamon or serve with a peppermint stick to swirl in. YUM!!

*Stevia in the Raw – is a brand name. stevia is a natural, calorie free sweetener that comes from the stevia leaf. it can be very concentrated and overpowering, but this brand measures cup for cup like sugar.
*cocoa powder – full of wonderful antioxidants and…it’s chocolate, people. what else do you want?

it is difficult to get into the holiday spirit while it is so warm and sunny. i have found a few activities to do with my son this week that are helping, including making salt dough ornaments. these are great gifts for family members, and the long, slow baking time gives plenty of time for wintery mischief in the kitchen (like making vegan hot cocoa and “ice skating” in the flour that’s inevitably all over the floor).

salt dough ornaments:
1cup all purpose flour
1/4cup salt
1/3-1/2cup warm water
cookie cutters
straw
acrylic paints, paint brushes
yarn

set oven to 250. combine salt and flour. slowly knead in water, a few spoonfuls at a time until a not-too-sticky dough is formed. on a floured surface, roll out to about 1/4inch thick. cut out shapes with cookie cutters, then use the straw to poke a hole at the top of each. bake one hour in preheated oven, then allow to cool completely. decorate and paint. when dry, tie a thread of yarn through the top and you’ve got a keepsake to remember through the years! note: i could not find a way to keep josiah from mixing all the colors together, so unless you want all of your ornaments brown, you will need to paint a few yourself.

in an effort to push my son past his current broccoli phobia, i turned one of my favorite dishes of all time (broccoli and cheese stuffed potato) on its head, and broccoli latkes were born! these make a nutritious and festive looking side dish during the holidays. you could even add a small jar of well drained pimientos for extra flair.

1 1/3cups instant potato flakes
1/3cup powdered skim milk
1T non-hydrogenated margarine
1heaping tsp garlic salt
2cups broccoli puree*
1/2-3/4cup grated colby jack cheese
canola oil for browning

combine the potato flakes, powdered milk, and garlic salt. scoop margarine into hot puree and stir into dry mix. fold in cheese. roll into balls, then flatten gently. fry in hot oil a few minutes on each side, until lightly browned. for extra kid appeal, serve with ketchup for dipping:)

broccoli puree – place 2cups frozen broccoli florets into a small saucepan with just enough water to cover. sprinkle with salt and heat on high. when broccoli begins to boil, remove from heat and drain off most of the water. pour into a blender with a drizzle of olive oil and puree. add water as necessary to keep it smooth, and be careful blending hot stuff! (the top of your blender should be slightly opened to allow steam to escape.)

broccoli is a great source of vitamins A & C, and has plenty of calcium and iron.

what makes december so enjoyable? is it that everyone is a little nicer, everything is decorated, and families get together? i would say all of the above, but there are a few events this year in particular that i am looking forward to! here, in order, are my holiday top ten for 2010!

10) hope for the holidays party – the only reason this one is so low on the list is because i know i can’t be there for it. mercy for animals is sponsoring a vegan cocktail party in columbus, ohio on december 11th. the party will be at the dragonfly neo-v. anyone in columbus should get there!

9) tamales! at the pearl brewery – a day of mexican street food (featuring the holiday traditional tamales), crafts, dancing, and entertainment. REALLY looking forward to the fireworks at the end! december 11th from noon-7pm.

8 ) sea world’s christmas celebration – i’ve only been to sea world once, but it was in the dead of summer in south texas and my son was only 5months old. upon receiving a generous gift of free tickets this past week, the whole family is looking forward to seeing the magic that is a sea world christmas!

7) mariachi on the lighted riverwalk – take a walk along the san antonio to see the millions of twinkling lights with your family, but make sure you stop to get some hot coffee and hear the mariachi bellow. ask them to play a traditional mexican christmas tune; it will be the musical highlight of the holiday!

6) tea picnic in the sunken garden – ok, this is a ME event, not for the family. but what a wonderful way to spend a quiet hour at just the time of year the leaves change here! taking a thermos of hot tea (maybe holiday spiced), i’ll do some meditating, giving thanks for all that’s wonderful in life. then i can return to my family with plenty of energy to tackle the rest of the festivities.

5) decorating josiah’s tree – we haven’t had a christmas tree in years, but when asked what he wanted for christmas most of all this year, my son responded, “a christmas tree!” and so, i am looking forward to the next couple weeks of baking and decorating salt dough ornaments together, maybe even knitting something for the occasion. i’ll try to post photos when it’s all done.

4) going out for christmas dinner: this is a new tradition in our family, begun last year when we had our fist holiday isolated in texas, far away from either of our families. we found that dressing up and going out for a very nice dinner was not only extremely enjoyable and relaxing, but actually much cheaper than attempting to prepare a traditional holiday meal for just 2 1/2 people. last year we went to a french bistro. this year, ??

3) christmas shopping (for the food bank!): we try to keep christmas fairly simple, just a few presents for each of us. shopping for the “perfect” gift for everyone you’ve ever met is stressful and expensive, but how we look forward to shopping for complete strangers! most supermarkets have lists in the front of the store of non-perishable foods most needed to support the local food bank. i’m looking forward to making a big day of it with my son, keeping focused on what’s really important now and throughout the year.

2) christmas eve service: last year was the first year of my life that i was not in a church service on christmas eve. i had to work, and it was very sad. this year, my husband will be preaching the christmas eve service and so i must be there with my son. YEAH!!

and the number one holiday event of 2010 for me will be…(drumroll)

1) spending the whole day with my family! cheese, i know, but christmas is the only day of the entire year that none of us has anywhere else to be, and we actually plan to spend the whole day together.

and with that, my holiday season will be complete. i hope everyone has plenty to look forward to at this time of year!!!