Dayjamas

"Thirst Quencher"

One of the more ridiculous labels I've seen lately. 

J'aime le chocolat

This morning in the shower I was thinking about a bakery I used to frequent several times a week when I was in high school.  I believe it was called Au Cocolat and they produced the most wonderful chocolate croissants.  Those were the days when I could eat anything I wanted without a care in the world, like an entire pint of Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia in one sitting.  I miss those days.  Senior year I would take the bus to school and grab a chocolate pastry and large mocha at one of the kiosks downtown before cruising into English class five minutes late.  Every day.  I would sit at my desk with sleep in my eyes, munching on the chocolate goodness and sipping coffee.  My teacher never commented on my tardiness so I never tried very hard to be on time.  This was the same teacher who gave me A's on my papers but rarely left comments in the margins. I always wondered whether he actually read any of them. 

These days I've had to curb my chocolate intake because I've become very sensitive to sugar.  I often get spacey and headachey after eating something sweet, and sometimes I'll even experience cold symptoms a few hours later.  I've read that sugar lowers the immune system and it certainly feels true for me.  Add Kiku to that list.  The few times we've allowed her to devour an entire ice cream cone her eyes got all glassy and she turned into Godzilla.  Sugar is definitely not her friend but she begs for it several times a day.  She will even refuse to eat breakfast right before a birthday party because she knows cake and ice cream are party staples and she wants to make sure there's room in her stomach. 

Even though we do our best to limit her sugar intake, it's a tough job navigating through the Licorice Forest.  Donuts, candy, ice cream, and cookies abound, and can be seen in the hands of young children everywhere.  Why would Kiku want to eat a piece of fruit if the kids at the next table are snacking on cupcakes?  In her eyes, it just isn't fair, and she's not taking it sitting down. 

I've spent a lot of time reading labels in the grocery store since becoming aware of Kiku's sugar sensitivity and I'm amazed at the staggering amounts of sugar that food companies load into their products.  Even many of the "healthy" products found at natural food stores (i.e. Whole Foods) are teeming with the stuff.  Cereal, yogurt, bread, the list goes on.  What grosses me out the most is the unnecessary amount of sugar found in products marketed to toddlers.  Don't even get me started on so-called "energy" bars. 

I'm thankful that more and more companies are using healthier alternatives like evaporated cane juice in their products, but the end result is usually the same in Kiku's case.  It doesn't matter if a cookie is loaded with cane juice or refined white sugar - Dr. Jekyll still turns into Mr. Hyde. 

At this point we're taking the "everything in moderation" route and have designated two nights a week as dessert night.  I've been baking a lot of healthy treats with the help of cookbooks like Deceptively Delicious, so Kiku's been ingesting a lot of pureed veggies unbeknownst to her.  Kiku still begs for sweets every day and it's usually a battle, but I'm hoping that one day she'll just stop craving it.  If it happened with TV ("I don't like watching videos anymore"), maybe it can happen with sugar! 

Eating out with kids in Seattle, pt. 2

I'm sorry Blue C Sushi, but you've been scratched off my list.  I loved visiting your conveyor belt of goodness every week and you used to be #1 on my kid-friendly list, but after the food poisoning that JJ and I suffered through after dining at the Fremont location, we won't be returning. 

On a good note, we recently discovered a great little pizzeria in Ballard called Snoose Junction.  There's a toy area in the corner of the restaurant and pinball machines in the back.  The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and I love the cozy booths and large tables that are designed to be shared.  Their thin-crusted pizza is superb, my favorite being the Putanesca.  Whoever thought of putting kalamata olives, capers, anchovies, and crushed red peppers on a pizza was a genius.  Admirably, they only use independent vendors who get their products from small farms and businesses.

Edited to add: One of the owners of Blue C Sushi contacted me and expressed deep concern about the food poisoning we suffered through.  He assured me that Blue C Sushi takes food borne illness very seriously and plans to investigate. 

Eating out with kids in Seattle

Here are my top 5 favorite kid-friendly restaurants in Seattle:

1. Blue C Sushi - Fremont & U-Village
I love this place.  Fresh sushi and tasty Japanese dishes rotate around comfy booths and counter seats on a conveyer belt.  This means INSTANT FOOD at your table the moment you sit down.  As in, no ordering and no waiting.  The food is NOW.  This is huge, because Kiku can never stay in her seat and as a result it's almost impossible to enjoy a meal out at a regular restaurant.  We like this place so much that it's become an almost-weekly tradition.  Kiku is really into the Spicy Sesame Noodles, Inari sushi, edamame, miso soup, and cucumber salad in ponzu sauce.  I especially like the seared tuna and JJ is partial to the spicy tofu dish.  The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful, and the kids get their own special "learner chopsticks."  The only drawback is that it's immensely popular and the wait is long on the weekends - and they don't take reservations.  Our solution: go early. 

2. Madrona Alehouse & Eatery - 1138 34th Ave.   
Even though we live across town from Madrona, we still make the trek at least once a month to enjoy a relaxed dinner accompanied by a good beer.  What makes it possible to "relax" is the small but ingenious play area.  It's nestled on one side of the restaurant around a gas fireplace and has ample books and toys, a comfy couch, and is visible from every table.  The standard pub fare is pretty good, but we haven't tried any of the more "refined" dishes (e.g. fish, pork chops, pasta, etc.). 

3. Vios - 903 19th Ave E.
This is a very unique place.  In a nutshell, Vios is a Greek restaurant that happens to have a large enclosed play space for kids that's amply stocked with toys and books.  And the food is great!  Good kids menu, too.  But it tends to be a little pricey for a casual night out so that's why it only made #3 on my list. 

4. Zeek's Pizza - *Several around Seattle
There are no toys or books.  But the pizza is decent, they make a good chopped salad, and the staff (and customers) don't seem to mind small children running around and terrorizing the candy machine.  Enough said.

5. Bagel Oasis -  2112 NE 65th St.     
This is a good breakfast spot for kids.  They have a small play area and this alone is why we eat here.   Ok, that's not entirely true, because the bagels are pretty darn good.  Only thing is, they seem to have problems getting the orders right (too stoned?)

Runner Up: Tutta Bella pizzaria on Stone Way in Wallingford.  This place is big, loud, (did I say loud?), and the pizza is good.  There are always lots of kids here, probably because it's so very loud. 

*I've only eaten at two locations: Phinney Ridge & Greenlake

Giving dairy the boot

I think Kiku has a sensitivity to dairy products.  I've had a hunch about this for a while now, and remember talking to her pediatrician about it when she was around 18 months old.  The doc said that a dairy allergy was unlikely because she wasn't exhibiting any of the usual symptoms, like a red ring around her bottom, or rashes on her face.  But today something interesting happened.  Kiku was in a great mood all morning, until she ate some yogurt during snack time.  About ten minutes later, Dr. Jekyll turned into Mr. Hyde.  It was like a switch was flipped and suddenly she was acting uncooperative, defiant, and irritable.  This has happened before, so many times before, but I'd never been able to attribute it to a specific food until today.  A light bulb finally came on in my head.

I've always felt like Kiku's personality changed when she turned one, which is when we introduced cows milk.  Since then she's become more serious and moody, and I've always had a sneaking suspicion that dairy was the culprit.  I know I should've listened to my gut and not dismissed the idea solely based on the opinion of her pediatrician. 

I've been doing some research on food sensitivities and she has many of the symptoms, like frequent ear infections, stuffiness, mood swings, irritability, hyperactivity, loud breathing during sleep, and the list goes on.  I suspect that sugar might also be partially responsible, so we're going to cut that down (or out altogether) as well.

As of tomorrow, Kiku is going to stop consuming dairy products for 21 days.  It's going to be a challenge to find alternatives, but I'm determined to make this happen.  If nothings changed after three weeks, then we'll cut out sugar and see how things go. 

I (heart) my bread machine

A few weeks ago I decided to spring for a bread machine called Just for Dinner by Westbend.  Basically, it rocks.  We were buying fresh bread several times a week and having to throw half of it away the next day.  We love fresh bread but the three of us can only eat so much. 

This bread machine works well for us because it produces smallish sized loaves (enough for 2-4 people) and only takes 45 minutes!  That means I can throw a few ingredients into the bread machine, cook dinner, and - voila! - warm, fresh bread just in time for dinner. 

All hail to Trader Joe's

I love anything that makes our lives easier but still allows us to maintain a healthy lifestyle (unlike fast food), and Trader Joe's is one of those things.  It's convenient, it's usually fresh, and for the most part it's healthy (just remember that fruit juice concentrate and evaporated cane juice are euphemisms for sugar -  they might have a few more nutrients than the refined stuff, but if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck..).  And let's not forget cheap!  If you must have that tub of creme fraishe for your recipe, it will cost you a lot less at Trader Joe's. 

Since our family has been known, on occasion, to subsist on nothing but food from Trader Joe's for week long periods, I thought it would be fun to start reviewing the products we use.  A lot of attractive packaging with clever descriptions line the aisles, but it isn't all good.  I've returned a lot of items after taking one bite and exclaiming, "eww."  Thank goodness for their lenient return policy: no receipt required.  In fact, no product required!  We once returned the foam tray from a couple of Alaskan King Salmon steaks that went bad days before the expiration date. 

Ok, here goes.

Trader Joe's reviews:

Rating system:
(based on taste and healthiness)

5 - Tastes great, good for you
4 - Pretty good, still good for you
3- Good enough, may or may not be good for you
2- Barely edible, may or may not be good for you
1- Don't even think about it

Green Chile & Cheese Tamales (frozen)
Rating: 4
Review: These tamales look and pretty much taste like tamales.  They aren't spicy, so if you're looking for a truly hot tamale, don't be fooled by the "chile" part.  They're ready in the microwave in 5-7 minutes.  Convenient, filling, natural ingredients.  They didn't wow me but I'd buy them again for a quick lunch or dinner. 

Avocado's Number Guacamole (refrigerated)
Rating: 3
Review:  This is pre-made guacamole that comes in a vacuum sealed bag.  Why?  Because the fresh avocados aren't ripe and you need guacamole today.  The color is pretty good but the taste is a little off.
Ok overall, but you'll be disappointed if you expect fresh tasting guac. 

2006 Charles Shaw Cabernet Sauvignon (aka Two buck Chuck)
Rating: 1
Review:  I bought a couple of bottles to cook with, but ended up pouring both down the drain.  In a word, bad.

To be continued...

A not-so Betty Crocker moment

Some days I secretly feel like trading in my daughter for a different model. Take today for example.  It was a dreary afternoon and the sky was pissing down rain.  The last thing I felt like doing was going outside.  But what to do with an energetic toddler?  Must think of a stimulating inside activity.  TV?  Kiku was done with TV after watching ten minutes of her favorite movie, Annie.  She’s not the kind of kid that can watch endless amounts of TV.  Sometimes I wish she were. 

I racked my brain while we played with blocks, then puzzles, until I decided that we were going to bake some chocolate chip cookies. 

Now, I have several mom friends who bake with their kids all the time.  They talk about how much their little ones love to help stir, add ingredients, and sometimes just watch out of curiosity.  What fun it is!  A few of them even purchased the pricey Learning Tower so their kid could have a better view.  Not my kid.

Our experience goes something like this.  Kiku adds a few ingredients to the mixing bowl and stirs gently.  Innocent enough.  Then she grabs some flour mixture and sprinkles it on the counter.  She looks for my reaction.  Then she starts eating flour, and swiftly moves on to the sugar.  She scoops batter onto the floor, and more is flung to the far reaches of the kitchen.  All the while, I’m running interference while actually trying to make some cookies.  It wasn’t fun.  For either of us.  It ended with an award-winning tantrum and some burnt cookies.

It's not like this was an unfamiliar experience, but it's been a while since we’ve done any baking and I thought it was time to give it another try.  I wish I could be the kind of person who didn’t care about big messes.  I wish I could just let go.  Flour in the hair, eggs on the walls, food fights, everybody having a dizzying good time.  No, that’s not me, at least not anymore.  I'm too tired.  I just want to bake cookies. 

I realized that I had some serious expectations.  In my mind, we were going to share a wonderful mother-daughter experience that I never got to have with my own mother.  I found myself wishing that just once, my daughter could be less intense and strong-willed.   But that’s not who she is.  We don’t get to pick our kids as much as they don’t get to pick their parents. 

Kiku is just not ready for baking right now, and maybe one day it will be a bonding experience for us.  For now, I need to reel in my expectations and appreciate her for who she is. 

What's for dinner?

Lately, the answer's been "take out."

Cooking has been majorly blah lately.  My kitchen creativity is in the toilet, and it's been hard to find the energy to look for new recipes.  I can't even come up with something new for fresh, organic chicken breasts.  It's chicken for god's sake - just put some sauce on it and call it dinner!  There's piccata, which I love, but it's so tired.  Marsala?  Tired.  Chicken Parmesan?  No thanks.  The millions of other chicken recipes out there may as well not exist, because I'm too tired to look for them.

I remember this scrumptious, simple, and very unique chicken dish my best friend made for me once when I was visiting her in Atlanta.  She got the recipe from a restaurant she used to work at in a former life.  I believe she called it Chicken Adabo. 

It goes something like this:

Saute onions in butter, add cream cheese, and mix.  Stuff mixture into chicken breasts.  Spread dijon mustard on top of chicken.  Sprinkle on brown sugar and walnuts.  Bake until done. 

I may have forgotten a thing or two, but it's close enough.  And it is sooo good.  Dammit, I'm making it for dinner tonight!