Feeding a sick child: Commiseration and recipes for nourishing yourtoddler this flu season

Being a parent is so challenging in general, then your kiddo gets sick and, hells bells...it's even more difficult. It's the worst actually and when Lu is sick, I typically experience 4 stages:

Stage 1. I call in sick to work, whip on my mama super cape and I jump into nourishing action, fueled by a sense of love and pity that my baby is sick.  

Stage 2. My super energy begins to wane and I begin to feel frustrated, resentful, and exhausted from all the care and extra attention a sick child needs. I give up and give her a blue lollipop with dinner because she is relentlessly asking for one and we are both miserable. 

Stage 3. I regret the lollipop big time. I feel very guilty for feeling frustrated and resentful because it's not her fault she feels crapy. She doesn't want to be sick and she doesn't understand yet what it's all
about. Heck, even my husband and I go into really-needy-and-despondent-mode when we're sick. 

Stage 4. I snap back into an abbreviated super mama mode. I fortify my resolve to nurture my Birdie: lots of cuddles, extra attention, maybe a movie on the couch, and more homemade nourishing foods with stricter bedtimes to help her get healthy again.

So Birdie got pink eye last week. I know it's not that big of a deal, and in comparison to Birdie's past illnesses, it was a breeze. But then after a few days of eyedrops from her doctor, when we thought she was almost mended, we went apple picking and with all the eye rubbing, and touching of trees and apples, she ended up with really bad allergies and her poor eyes totally swelled up and pink eye came back in full force.  I felt terrible for her and helpless.  I, of course, took her to the doctor, but ultimately there was not much to do, other than put anti-itch drops in her eyes and wait.  Oh and thrown into the bargain of the doctor's visit, my little lady got blood drawn to check for allergies, and a flu shot to boot.  I felt so bad. She was in surprisingly good spirits for looking like this:

Suffice it to say that I definitely cycled through my 4 stages of mothering a sick child. Very luckily I am able to take sick days when needed so I could be home from work and I started with my go-to nourishing food option: homemade chicken soup made with bone broth. Next, I roasted a bunch of veggies and a whole chicken. The next day I made oatmeal with flax and sesame seeds. We cuddled and played and tried to nap.

In situations like this, there is just not much a mama can do but make her child as comfortable as possible while you wait for them to feel better.  When I'm at my best mothering, I make very sure that the food I am serving my daughter is homemade, fresh, and nutrient-dense.  It gives me some sense of power to heal when I serve her healthy foods, because I know that healthy, nutritious foods are literally healing and nourishing for our bodies. 

I know it can be difficult to get your child to eat everything you serve, but I strongly suggest in times of illness to make every attempt to serve homemade and nutrient dense foods.  If your child has food preferences, by all means, tailor your menu to your child's flavor palate, yet focus on fresh and local, organic, and non-processed ingredients, when possible. Lots of fruits, veggies, and wholesome soups. Save the Dino nuggets and Annie's Mac & Cheese for another week. 

Lucy prefers bananas, but as I mentioned above, my favorite and first choice for nourishing an illness is always: bone broth.  

Making bone broth is the very easiest thing to do.  There are fancy ways to do this, ala Nourishing Traditions but my lazy and super easy version is below.  I pretty much always have homemade chicken stock on hand in my fridge and freezer. 

Rather than buying soup bones, I like to buy a whole chicken and roast it with a bunch of veggies for more healthy meals for my sick little one and my husband and I.  

Super easy to do, delicious, and uses up all my veggies that are needing to be used.

Another great, hearty, and healthy option for my Lu when she is sick: Brown butter and maple syrup oatmeal with flax, chia, and sesame seeds.  It is hands down the best oatmeal I have ever had and my whole family loves it. I like knowing that every bite of food I give her is delicious and nutrient rich so despite a limited appetite (which is common when kids get sick) her body has the energy to heal. 

RECIPES

Homemade Chicken or Beef Stock (aka Bone Broth):

4 lbs of soup bones (ask as your local butcher shop) OR 1 chicken carcass after you have removed all the meat

Enough water to cover the bones by a few inches

1 pinch of sea salt

1 tsp of apple cider vinegar

*Optional: you can toss in any veggies that you need to use up

Take the beef bones or chicken carcass (I know, carcass sounds rough but that's what it is) and I put it in your crock pot.  Fill the pot with water then add your salt and vinegar.  Turn on high then leave it for 12-24 hours.  The longer it cooks, the better.  Once it's done, strain out the bones and any veggies you added in and discard.  Pour into mason jars to store and once cooled, put in the refrigerator for 5 days or freeze for a few months.

Very important: make sure to buy organic, free-range, local, and grass fed bones for this.  When I make bone broth, I want to make 100% sure I am not using bones from animals that have been given antibiotics, hormones, or who were fed with man-made animal feed that is comprised often of corn, soy, and wheat.  I am not always huge stickler about this stuff, but when it comes to an ill child, I go out of my way to buy the very best I can afford (and I acknowledge that I am extremely lucky to be able to afford good quality, well raised, sustainable meat, which is priced to be exclusive.)  Thankfully, when it comes to buying bones for bone broth, even the very best are still a very good deal, because they are just bones.  

Once you have your broth, you can serve to your child in a cup if he or she will take it, or I use it to make simple soups for her.  Usually the soups are just veggies and spices softened in the broth.

Roasted Whole Chicken with Root Vegetables

1 Free range, organic, antibiotic free chicken

2 Tbsp. butter

2 cloves garlic, whole

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1 lemon, cut in half

~10 small red potatoes

1/2 a yellow onion quartered

3 carrots

1 sweet potato chopped up into ~1-2" cubes

1 apple

Salt and pepper to taste

*optional: 1 stalk of celery

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Chop all veggies and the apple and place in the bottom of a roasting pan (if using the celery  add to the pan with the other veggies.  Melt butter and set aside briefly.  Take your whole chicken, remove any parts from the cavity and then stuff with the lemon halves, the 2 whole garlic cloves, and apple.  Tie the legs closed with kitchen twine and tuck the wings under the bird.  Place the chicken on the veggies then pour butter all over the outside, using a paper towel or your hands to spread it around evenly.  Sprinkle the top with the chopped garlic and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Bake for about 90 minutes, or until fully cooked and a meat thermometer reads 180-190 degrees. Remove from oven and let cool for an additional 10 minutes prior to serving.

Brown butter and maple syrup oatmeal with flax, chia, and sesame seeds

I found this recipe from Orangette and I LOVE it.  It's hands down the very best oatmeal I've ever had.  I modified it a little to suit my tastes and to add in nutrients for my daughter.

1 cup rolled oats

1 Tbsp. butter

1 cup whole milk

3 cups water

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. flax seeds

1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

1 Tbsp. chia seeds

1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 cup maple syrup

*optional for topping: greek yogurt and fresh fruit, such as berries or pomegranate seeds

Melt the butter in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat and then add the rolled oats.  Stir to coat and then continue to stir for about 3-5 minutes, or until the oats begin to brown (you can start to see brown on one side. Just keep stirring them all around to brown as much as you can without burning.)  Add in the water, milk, cinnamon, flax, sesame, chia seeds, and the sea salt.  Give it a good stir and then cook over medium low heat for ~25-30 minutes.  It will look pretty runny when it's done but turn off the heat, add the maple syrup, and give it another few good stirs, then let it sit for ~10 minutes.  Serve with a spoonful of greek yogurt mixed in and/or some fresh fruit on top. 

Easy toddler snack: apple peanut butter sandwiches

Just thin sliced apples (I prefer honey crisp) and a layer of peanut butter in between. If you or your child can't tolerate nuts, use sunflower seed butter.  Easy-peasy. 

Engage & Feed Your Toddler: Peanut butter and jam quesadilla with homemade corn tortillas

If you have the luxery of being home with your child any days of the week, you know it's a balance between engaging them in activites to keep their little minds and hands busy, while also trying to get basic life tasks accomplished, like lunch. 

Enter stage left the peanut butter and jam quesadilla with homemade corn tortillas! I love these because they accomplish double duty. They are an easy yet delicious lunch option but also they are simple enough that a toddler can help with every step of making them. 

First, we made the dough for the tortillas about 30 minutes before lunch time. Super easy, just 3 ingredients and a nice sensory spin: tactile play to mix the dough with our (just washed) hands + heavy work (proprioceptive) component included with managing the tortilla press (or rolling out the tortillas if you don't have a press). 

Then we motor planned and scavenger hunted to find the rest of what we needed: peanut butter, jam, and a butter knife to spread with. 

On a side note, I'm sure it must seem if you read my blog with any consistency, that my daughter is constantly nude. That is not the case...ok well, that is sort of the case but mainly because it is so hot here (even now in mid December!) and we don't have air conditioning. So rather than fight with her, I let her enjoy going nakey.

My Favorite, Most Delicious, Apple Pie*

Ok, for pie purists, this may cause balking and huffing in opposition.  But for everyone else, this version of apple pie is phenomenal and far superior to traditional apple pie in my opinion.  Oh, and for added kicks, it also happens to be gluten free, grain free, refined sugar free, and it is easily made vegan as well if you so desire.  This is not a recipe that's "really good for being gluten free" type of deal.  It's pretty much the best pie recipe ever, gluten free or not.  More bonus: the crust is actually made up of only 4 ingredients: dates, shredded coconut, walnuts, and sea salt and is hands down, the easiest crust you will ever make.

And the filling is just apples, butter (coconut oil is easily sub'd), cinnamon, and lemon.  While it manages just fine as a regular pie, I recommend considering serving this in mason jars or small ramekins as "personal pies".  Not only are they super cute but they also hold up well.  And, since this is a feeding blog that is geared towards feeding your family (children) small mason jar pies are just the bees knees for little ones and whatever you don't eat is easily saved by screwing on a lid.

So much goodness in a pie! As you can see here, I even left all the skin on the apples for added fiber and nutrients.


Personal Apple Pies
aka:  Gluten free, refined sugar free, possibly vegan if you want, yet still amazingly delicious, Personal Apple Pies

Makes 6

Crust:  I use this recipe but I rarely follow it exactly and even without measuring anything, it always seems to turn out perfectly.  I just watch for the consistency to be right (crumbly but starting to get sticky and clump together).
6 small mason jars or small ramekins
1/2 cup pitted dates (about 10-12 dates)
1 cup walnuts
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 
1/2 tsp of sea salt (1/4 tsp might be enough for some people, but I like my desserts salty-sweet)

Toss all 4 ingredients in a food processor and turn on for ~1 minute.  Turn off, scrape down the sides with a spatula or spoon, then turn back on, pulsing on and off for about 1 minute until everything finely diced and the mixture is starting to stick together in small clumps.  You can also check it by squeezing it between your fingers.  It should easily stick together in a ball that doesn't fall apart very easily.  If it doesn't easily stick together when pinched between your fingers, add a few more dates and keep pulsing in the food processor for another 20-30 seconds.  If it seems like a goopy mess, add some more walnuts and pulse a bit more.  Once it's ready, separate into the 6 ramekins/mason jars and pat down against the bottom and sides of each one, forming a "crust."  It should easily stay in place even along the walls of the jar.  If it does not, you need more dates.  Once done, place all 6 jars/ramekins in the refrigerator while you make the apple pie filling. 

Apple pie filling:
4-5 medium to large apples (I like apples with a tart flavor, like granny smith or fugi)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter or coconut oil, or ghee
juice from 1/2 of a lemon

Core and chop the apples into small pieces (~1/2 inch cubes).  I suggest you don't peel the apples, as the peel adds in a good amount of fiber and nutrients.  However, some people hate the texture of the peel in the pie.  I seriously don't even notice it.  Throw the apples into a heavy bottom pot and add in the butter, cinnamon, and lemon juice.  Place on stove and cook on medium-low heat for about 20-30 minutes, or until completely tender. Stir periodically and turn the heat to low if needed to avoid scorching the apples. 

Once the filling is done, let it cool for about 20-30 minutes then spoon into the mason jar crusts.  Put back in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.  I suggest taking them out of the oven 30 minutes prior to serving, and warming them by pre-heating the oven to 325 degrees and putting all the jars on a cookie sheet then placing them in the oven for about 5 minutes.  Once warm, serve with a small scoop of ice cream on top!

The Lolla Cup- An interview

I recently did an interview for the Lolla Cup on straw drinking.  I discuss straw vs sippy cup use, focusing on reasons why you might choose straw over sippy cup and typical oral motor development. That can be found here:

Easy Toddler Food Crafts: Fruits

Apple & Blueberry Race Cars

Super easy and very fun!  You cut an apple into wedges then give your toddler the apple wedge, 2 toothpicks (supervise this, of course,) and 4 blueberries to assemble into their very own car snack.  

Keep extra berries and apple slices within easy reach so your toddler can snack while crafting. Extra points if you make a car too and model eating the fruits for your toddler to see!

"Treats!"

As a feeding specialist I generally don't advise using food rewards or "treats" because it causes kids to covet these food items and see other foods (usually healthy foods) as less desirable. BUT! I think I found a way around this. (I started this when my daughter was around a year so maybe an older child would be less inclined to cooperate with this technique...and yet it still works well for us at 2 years!) I walk around with a healthy snack and don't offer any to my daughter. I wait until she shows some interest then I tell her it's a special snack- a "treat!" I say. If she's still interested, which she always is, I say, "ok I'll share with you." Then I share my health food item with her. She is hooked every time. Totally drawn in and excited to try what I've got. That may be some roasted butternut squash, or fresh snap peas, or seaweed. Sometimes it is something the average person would consider more of a "treat," like chocolate covered sunflower seeds, or blackberries but not always. Sometimes it's home roasted pumpkin seeds with sea salt, garlic and cumin. A really "treat" in my book.

Case in point: the other day her very special "treat" was freeze dried sardines.  She loved these "chips" and carried around a small bowel of them for a while. (Yup, she is naked, outside, in an Honest Co box, eating sardines.  That's how we roll.)

This might not be my very finest feeding advice, but I'm curious to hear if this little gem works for you! We really need to get away from junk food and sugary desserts being synonymous with "treat" and teach kids that delicious, home cooked or store bought but healthy foods can qualify as a "special treat."