Doodah

A Slow Year: Local Spinach

I know, I know...three posts in one day but let's just go with the flow here. I happen to have some time on my hands and I am managing my time well. I love being on top of things.

I also love eating locally. For the past year and half we have been getting our weekly baskets from Le Campanier. It has been great. Really interesting and delicious organic fruits and vegetables. But one thing has been bothering me - the distance. Bananas from the Dominican Republic? Not exactly local. Not that we can find bananas locally but if I truly want to reduce my use of fossil fuels (which is one of my goals for A Slow Year) then being conscious of the distance my food travels is important.

This whole locavore thing is really trendy right now and I think that it is just great. These are the kinds of trends I like to see. But it ain't easy and I am not sure that I can actually commit to a 100-mile-diet. I am up for slowly but surely getting closer and closer to that but no exotic fruit makes for a long winter of apples and pears in France. (Luckily we have a ton of frozen cherries and raspberries from our backyard in our freezer.)

Tibo is really attached to Le Campanier but I want to propose that we give our stand of local vegetable producers a try for awhile. Are they organic? No, but I am leaning towards local over organic since there isn't another option for us unless we want to drive. Yesterday, I popped down there without a plan and just picked up whatever vegetables looked yummy. Green beans, leeks, and spinach. Lots of yummy shades of green. (This combined with the tomatoes, zucchinis, and swiss chard from our garden makes for some healthy eatin'.)

So, while I ponder local vs. organic and how far I am willing to go with that, here is the recipe for what I am going to make tonight.

spinach provencale
found in the Vegetarian Epicureby anna thomas

2 lb. fresh spinach
1 large onion
1 clove garlic
olive oil
butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup fresh-grated Parmesan cheese
salt and fresh-ground black pepper

Wash the spinach leaves carefully and the hard work is over. Chop the onion and mince the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a very large kettle and saute the onion and garlic in it for a few minutes. When the onion is transparent, add the spinach and cover tightly. In about 2 minutes the spinach leaves will be reduced to a fraction of their former bulk, and you can stir them in with the oil and onions. Cook a few minutes longer and remove from the heat.

Butter a medium-size baking dish. When the spinach has cooled slightly, stir in 2 beaten eggs and 1/2 cup of the grated Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and pour the mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan over the top and dot with butter.

Bake the spinach in a 375-degree oven for about 10 to 15 minutes and serve steaming hot.

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Tags: locavore, local spinach, eat locally!, 100-mile diet, france, market, yum, recipe, vegetarian, doodah

Today I Appreciate

Oh the practicality. This is exactly what I need right now. Something easy that makes me feel good. One week later and I am still loving the haircut.

And see that in the background?

Sun!

That is also exactly what I need right now...

A few more meals outside eating delicious foods from our garden.

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Tags: outside, sun, cheznous, backyard, haircut, me

Thinking about two year olds...

I've been reading a lot of mommy blogs lately.

I keep coming across these stories of toddlers turned terrors overnight - many of these transitions occurring near the second birthday. We've had such an easy time so far. Perhaps, too easy. Now I am getting a little worried.

We've had a few tastes of what this two-year old beast could look like in the last few days. Jet-lag can bring out the worst in anyone. There have been moments when we just could not figure out what he wanted:

"The airplane?"

"Pas!"

"The train?"

"Pas!"

"The moto?!"

"Oui!"

I can't say he has had a temper tantrum. At least not the kind that involved yelling, or kicking, or inconsolability. He is still very easily distracted; forgetting what upset him in the first place. The source of most of his outbursts is frustration. Wanting to turn the door knob but lacking just a few motor skills to get it figured out. But don't try and offer help. He wants to be autonomous. He wants to do it himself.

I find this position difficult to be in. Scaffolding does help a lot in this situation but as parents we are searching for a delicate balance between letting our children achieve something on their own and stepping in to give them just the little nudge they need. I'm not always sure when I should step in and Felix is often very sure of when I shouldn't step in.

And as long as things are safe, I let him decide. Part of life is getting over obstacles. Self-confidence is a belief that you CAN do things. But ya know, those things don't always come the first, or second, or even third time. Failure is ok and learning to deal with failure is key to success.

I know that I give up way to easily. Once things start to even appear challenging, I feel overwhelmed and I am ready to throw in the towel. The thing is, Felix is always there. So I can't give up after that first attempt or second or even the third - I just have to keep trying over and over again until I get it right. I take some comfort in this commitment that has been put on me. This contract with no end. This obligation to think more and more creatively so that I can make this world work for both me and Felix and all three of us together.

And we will. Temper tantrums (if they come...) and all...

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Tags: parenting, self-reflection, mommy, doodah, creative thinking,

Baby videos inhibit development « Musings from Sumigirl

We don't have a television but we do watch some YouTube. Lately, I have grabbed a few minutes here and there by plopping Felix down in front of my computer while I cleaned up my desk or the pile of clothes on the floor. His interest in television only lasts about three minutes so Le Petit Ours Brun clips are perfect. I actually would be willing to let him watch more media if he was at all interested in it.


Baby videos inhibit development « Musings from Sumigirl

But then I read this post over at Sumigirl's blog and was reminded of why we decided a long time ago not to get a television. After listening to the NPR podcast the first thought that came to my mind was, well duh!

It is so easy for me to lose perspective and feel overwhelmed by things. In the podcast, the host states that many parents feel that they can't follow the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations of no television or video before the age of two because otherwise they would never get anything done. Yet, as the researcher reminds us, many mothers had meals to prepare long before television came along.

It seems like I am always coming back to my goal of being a more divergent thinker. Sitting here right now I can think of several different ways that I could occupy Felix while I prepare dinner such as having a special basket on top of the refrigerator that I pull out only when I need it. I can keep changing up its contents so it is always interesting to him. The basket could contain books, stickers, small cars, some art supplies or other various items that would seem new and exciting because they are reserved for the moments that I really need them. We have also set up a small corner of our kitchen with a small wooden kitchen for Felix so I can get him involved in cooking at the same time as me. And there is always the classic bottom drawer full of pots, pans, and wooden spoons. Throw on some Dan Zanes and we've got a dance party in the kitchen.

Instead of trying to distract him while I put away the pile of clean clothes, I can get him to help me by handing him his own clothes to take care of. We keep all of Felix's clothes in big open baskets so it is easy for him to stuff his clothes in. He is also getting pretty good at identifying different pieces of clothing so I could ask him to go to the basket and bring me all of the socks and grab another few minutes of folding time.

So much about parenting is just plain old creativity but sometimes in the moment I feel like my brain is blocked. We get stuck in ruts playing the same games or using the same old tricks over and over again.  I tend to feel rushed and try to accomplish too much in too little time. For some people, creative parenting comes naturally and easily. I think I have a lot of great ideas but they don't always appear at the right moment which means that I just need more practice. And to stop and breathe every once in a while. And perhaps more sleep. Either way, I don't think we will be bringing a television in to our house anytime soon and YouTube will remain our after hours treat for a few more years.

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Tags: babyeinstein, sumigirl, television, toddlers, babies, development, NPR, killyourtelevision

World Breastfeeding Week

“There are 4,000 species of mammals and they all make a different milk. Human milk is made for human infants and it meets all their specific nutrient needs” – Ruth Lawrence, M.D., Professor of Obstetrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

19 months and still breastfeeding. I feel so lucky that I have such a great support system that has allowed me to go this long. And even though it will be coming to an end soon, it will always remain one of the greatest things I have ever done. I can't exactly explain why but it is.

While some may argue that breastfeeding and formula feeding are the same thing, I believe there are some distinct differences that make breastfeeding the best choice for me. This semester I wrote a paper titled "A Nutritional Overview of Breast Milk and the Breast Feeding Diet" and without copying and pasting the entire paper, I will share a few bits that stand out as important to me:

Fat intake in healthy adults should be around 20-35% of their diet but with babies fat intake is a bit higher at around 40%. Babies who are exclusively breastfed get all of their energy from this fat but as the baby grows and adds solid foods to the diet their percentage of fat will fall to within the average range. Fat provides the infant with the fat-soluble vitamins as well as lipids and essential fatty acids (p. 41). One unique aspect of breast milk is that it provides the infant with arachidonic (AA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA), two long-chain polyunsaturated fats (LC-PUFA), in forms that are easily synthesized. “Dietary LC-PUFA affects positively the growth and development of the infant and ameliorates the visual and cognitive functions, particularly in preterm infants” (Gil, Ramirez, & Gil, 2003, p. S31). Margaret Lawson (2007) adds that “unmodified cow’s milk contains low levels of LCP’s [LC-PUFA], and infants who are fed on unsupplemented formulas have lower concentrations in nervous tissues” (p. 42).

In terms of other important nutrients, infant formulas tend to have much higher quantities but this is because their components are not as easily digested or absorbed as the components of human milk. With the exception of Vitamin D, human milk provides infants with all of their nutritional needs for at least the first six months of life. There are, in fact, several components that are found naturally in breast milk but are almost completely absent in cow’s milk or infant formulas, in particular the antioxidants Vitamin C, beta-carotene, and alpha-tocopherol as well as a variety of hormones and growth factors which have beneficial effects on the infant’s growth (Hoppu et al., 2005, p. 123). Breast milk is a complex substance containing over 300 different components many of whose functions are still unknown thus making human milk impossible to completely replicate (Lawson, 2007, p. 43).

It is the last line of this paragraph that is most fundamental for me. Formula is a good food for babies. Babies who are formula fed will grow up to healthy, beautiful individuals but my own choice is to provide my babies with those components that can never be replicated. Those components that are unique to human milk, milk that is designed for human babies.

So, why celebrate breastfeeding? I don't believe that World Breastfeeding Week is intended to compare breast milk and formula. The above information is my own standpoint. WBW is about continuing the work that has been made in enabling and empowering women to breastfeed. It is most definitely a women's choice to breastfeed but it should be an informed choice and access to that information and support should be provided to everyone. In our developed countries, the choice is not as crucial. We do not need to worry as much about the quality of water that goes into our formulas or a high risk of infectious diseases but there are many around the world who are not as fortunate. La Leche League defines World Breastfeeding Week as the celebration of the Innocenti Declaration on the Protection, Promotion, and Support of Breastfeeding. This declaration was created in 1990 when breastfeeding was much further from the public eye. If it seems that breastfeeding is everywhere now and maybe even be becoming trendy, it is only because of the hard work and effort that has been made in increasing the publics awareness. 10, 20, or 30 years ago things were very different. I am happy that the playing field is starting to level out allowing women to make a fair, informed, and supported choice whether they choose to breastfeed or formula feed.

And while I believe that breast milk is the best for a baby, the BEST thing for a baby is a happy and relaxed mom. Mothers who feel confident and happy about the choices they make will provide more for the baby no matter the type of food.

Happy Birthday!

It's not my birthday...mine is in September on what has now become an unforgettable day for many people.

Actually, it is the birthday of my new computer! Isn't she gorgeous?

I think we are going to have a lot of fun times together in the future...

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Time

Lazare's Sandals (1), originally uploaded by sarahwoo.

This weekend has been flowing so nicely so far. It is great to have time. Time to do nothing. Time to change plans and then change them again. Time to sit in the backyard with friends until past midnight. And then do it all over again the next morning.

Time to try on shoes that are too big. Time to play with a new camera.

While our life is no way structured around a daily routine (well, except Felix's of course) it still feels like we have broken away a bit from the shackles of the  mundane.

The goal is to do this all the time not just the weekend. If we can manage to change our state of mind and our perspective we can approach everyday like a Saturday.

We really do have all the time in the world.