You Give Me Fever

Last week Little Sister spiked a fever and was kicked out of daycare.  Like many moms, I turned to my fellow mom experts in my circle of friends and the Internet to figure out what to do.  Luckily, my sister was here as well, which gave me a huge measure of comfort and confidence to try to manage it at home first before racing to the ER, which is my usual m.o. (not really, but kinda)  We were able to successfully manage the episode and Little Sister was back to her usual rambunctious self within 24 hours.  This episode motivated me to read up on fevers on Baby Center and the knowledge I gained was invaluable.  Little did I know, less than a week later I would be using that information to help a friend who had turned to me when her little one spiked a fever.  I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but based on what she shared with me, I strongly encouraged her to go to the ER because while my experience with Little Sister's fever seemed to be mild and episodic, my friend's little angel's situation seemed more serious.  After things were under control, my friend and I were texting and she thanked me for encouraging her to take her little one in to be evaluated even though they had just been in the doctor's office the previous day.  She said she didn't want to be "that mom" that "bothered" the doctor for every runny nose or sore throat.  I've learned that moms (and dads) have to balance a delicate line between calling the doctor unnecessarily and potentially entering a danger zone from not seeking medical attention soon enough.  But, as the old adage goes "better safe than sorry."  I'm just glad I had a little bit of knowledge to be helpful and I'm so proud of the fact that I'm in my friend's circle of mom gurus that she trusts to turn to for love, support and parenting pearls of wisdom.

Beet It!

So, one of the things I love about being Little Sister's mom (besides the hugs and kisses) is she is making me get in the kitchen and step up my culinary game.  As a health educator by training (GO BULLS!), I know all about eating my 5 A Day, the importance of regular exercise and how important it is to brush and floss.  I also know that health habits that stick with us are established early in childhood and are influenced largely by our parents' behavior.  So, now faced with the heady responsibility of helping Little Miss start off on the right foot, I am trying to model health behaviors that I have struggled with in the past.

As a single woman, nights like tonight would have found me swinging in to Chick-Fil-A, ordering pizza from Varasano's or talking a girlfriend or two into meeting me over at Tamarind Seed for dinner and drinks.   Now that I'm a mom, I have to be diligent about carving out time to prepare healthy and yummy food for Little Sister.  I must admit, I do long for the days when all I had to do was pop a bottle in her mouth or pop open a jar of baby food, but with 12 teeth (including 4 molars), home girl is ready to E-A-T!  So, I've been whipping up meals like never before.  One of my "go to" foods is still quinoa.  I wrote about my love of quinoa before and I'm happy to report the love affair is still going strong.  I've come to appreciate it even more because I found it was the PERFECT food to give Little Sister as she transitioned from baby food to solids.  It has texture, but the grains are so small, they're not likely to pose a choking hazard.  Luckily, she's an adventurous eater and loves her veggies.  It warms my heart every time I pull out a head of broccoli and she squeals in excitement and claps.  I mean, who claps for broccoli?!?  So, we're making good headway on the culinary front, now if someone could help me get a little more energy to take daily walks, we'd be good.  Alas, one step at a time...literally and figuratively.

Curry Essence Quinoa & Mixed Veggies

Curry Essence Quinoa & Mixed Veggies

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water or chicken broth
1 tbsp curry powder
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large vidalia onion
3 cloves garlic
1 cup sliced fresh beets
2 cup thinly sliced kale
2 cup thinly sliced napa cabbage
salt & pepper to taste

1. Bring quinoa, curry powder and water/broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.
2.  While quinoa is cooking, chop onion into thin slivers.  Mince garlic.  Sautée both in olive oil until the onions are translucent and the garlic is starting to brown. 
3. Add the beets and sautee until they begin to soften.
4. Add kale and napa cabbage to the beets.  Sautee until all the veggies have cooked to your desired softness.
5. Once quinoa has absorbed all of the water, stir in sautéed veggie mixture.  You may have to transfer to a larger pot or possibly add the quinoa to the sauteed veggies.

I was inspired to make this dish after enjoying Quinoa Paella at Cafe Sunflower.  It is delicious!  I have not been able to replicate their yummy goodness perfectly, but I do think I've captured it's spirit.  I have made this recipe in various iterations:

• with curry or without curry
• with different veggies (regular cabbage, broccoli, bok choy, bell pepper, kale, potabellos)

...and it has never disappointed.  Experiment with your favorite vegetables and see what happens.  Regardless, it's a filling and healthy side dish.