Entry #7: High-calorie Cooking

Kids with cystic fibrosis require more calories than kids without CF. In fact, some days it seems my 4 year old requires more calories per day than I do. Which, is probably true.

Trying to cook with his caloric needs in mind can be a challenge. Meals need to be balanced and beneficial to the whole family, but he needs more calories packed into each bit. At the same time, those bites need to benefit his whole body--not just those affected by CF. Oh wait, one more thing--it has to be pleasing to the ever changing, very select tastes of a kid.

Praise God that I enjoy cooking and a challenge.

When O was first diagnosed I was told I'd have to give up breastfeeding. Nope.

We were also told that cow's milk was the way to go. Nope.

They also said to let him eat cake--or, any other sugary food he desired. No way.

Now, our dietitian's are scratching their heads. O is big--even for a "normal" kid. He's never dropped below the 80th percentile. He's tall and lean (just like his dad), and rarely has any tummy trouble.

We avoided sugar for the first two years of life. Sure, he had the occasional bite or lick of a pudding spoon, but for the most part he did not have sweets until he was 2. We also did not give him cow's milk until he was 2--avoiding all cow's milk products (cheese, yogurt, ice cream, etc.). I breastfed O until he was 22 months--that was the main source of his "dairy" intake. We supplemented with goat's milk toward the end of breastfeeding, and continue to this day. He really loves goat yogurt. Yes, occasionally he gets cow's milk products, but it is limited.

I don't really make any changes to our cooking. Yep, that's my big secret. I don't add extra cream or butter. I use healthy fats, and make balanced meals. That doesn't work for every kid--they're all different. I found these tips online, that I'm sure would help some CF kids out there:

(http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_fit/nutrition/cf_nutrition.html#)

• Add extra butter or margarine to sandwiches, sauces, and potatoes.
• Use dressings on salads or vegetables; add extra oil to the dressing.
• Prepare entrees with gravies and creamy sauces.
• Add bacon to burgers and chicken.
• Add dried skim milk powder to sauces and beverages.
• Add extra cheese to scalloped potatoes or macaroni and cheese; order extra cheese on pizza.
• Top salads and sandwiches with avocados or guacamole.
• Add nuts to cookies, cakes, pancakes, and salads.
• Add extra cheese and deli meats to sandwiches.
• Grill sandwiches in butter or margarine.
• Use heavy whipping cream and whole milk when cooking.
• Make milkshakes.
• Add instant breakfast mixes to milk-based beverages.
• Make high-calorie smoothies.
• Prepare calorie-rich desserts such as pudding and cheesecake.
• Top hot chocolate, pudding, and other desserts with whipped cream.
• Provide high-calorie snacks like peanut butter crackers or trail mix.
• Prepare high-calorie versions of popular family recipes.

Of these tips, the only two I like are the adding avocado and adding nuts. The rest involve cow's milk or oil/pork fat. Good for calorie intake, bad for the heart. Adding ingredients like hemp seeds or flax, or other omega 3 fats are a much better idea (in my opinion). Get your kid hooked on fish as early as possible. (No pun intended.)

So, are you scratching your head now? Wondering what to do? Below are meals that my kiddo enjoys--taken from various sources, and some slightly adapted. They're not overflowing with calories, but they're definitely not on the lean side. They are balanced, and it works for us. If you want any of the recipes, please feel free to comment, and I'll get it to you. (I've attempted to give credit to the recipe creator in paranthesis. RR indicates a Rachael Ray recipe.)

BBQ Roasted Salmon with green beans and rice

Turkey Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and peas (Martha Stewart)

Cinnamon-Zucchini Whole Wheat Pancakes with maple syrup and/or fruit (serve with scrambled eggs and bacon for more calories) (A Cramer Family original)

Pizza Wheels (CFnutrition4life)

Pumpkin Polenta with Chorizo and Black Beans (RR)

Chicken and Cheese Flautas (CFnutrition4life)

Chicken Fingers (made with hemp seeds and flax meal) (CFnutrition4life)

Spinach Artichoke Burgers (RR)

Butternut Dumplings (Alton Brown)

Acorn Squash Lasagna (Everday Food/Martha Stewart)

Chicken and Gnocchi (A Cramer Family original)

Grilled Cheese-and-Chicken-Sausage Waffles (RR)

O's daily routine of food is important too. Eating non-stop during the day doesn't allow your body the "down-time" it needs to digest. Also, making sure WATER is available throughout the day (and especially during meal time) is important. Yep, water. Dehydration can trick your brain into thinking it's hungry. When your kiddo says he/she is hungry--first offer some water. See what happens. Drinking water during meal time also helps your body digest food.

Another tip: slow down. Meal time should be relaxed. No t.v., no toys, and limit distractions. Try to sit at the table, and enjoy talking with your kids.

We start the day with a nebulizer treatment, and sometimes chest physiotherapy. Which, means O is VERY ready to eat at breakfast. Our typical breakfast is cereal and goat's milk. Sometimes 2 bowls. Whole grain and low sugar. Other days it's goat yogurt and granola, and other days we have eggs, bacon, and toast (or bisuits, pancakes, or waffles--depending on the time we have). He has a 6 ounce glass of juice (white grape), or sometimes I make whole fruit smoothies (no dairy).

Lunch time is typically either pb (all natural, no sugar added) and jam (whole fruit, no added sugar), or turkey and cheese. Sometimes he eats 2 sandwiches. Crackers/chips/pretzels and fruit (apple, banana, or apple sauce) are accompaniments. He has water to drink. If he finishes the water, and the majority of his food--I'll offer him milk.

We do have snacks during the day, from time to time. He goes to preschool twice a week, and the snack varies there--it seems applesauce, crackers and cheese, and yogurt are popular. At home, we do crackers, raisins, granola bars and similar items.

Dinner time includes a lot of vegetables, a protein, and grains. I'll shred zucchini into pasta sauce, chop veggies super fine and add to sauces, batter, or broth--whatever it takes. Again, water before milk is served. Dessert is available if an adequate dinner has been consumed. Dessert is small. Always small. A scoop. A cookie. You get the idea.

One last thing to keep in mind: Always give small portions, less than what you think they'll eat. At some point we became obsessed that we clean our plates. This makes meal time frustrating for kids and parents. Just start small. There's nothing wrong with asking for seconds, or thirds.

My Opinions On Raising Kids::Pacifiers

Last night was E's first night without a pacifier. She did magnificently! Of course, that doesn't mean tonight will go well, but I have hope.

Pacifiers. There are some strong opinions out there. My opinions have changed on them over time, but here's where I'm at now: If it works for you, good.

Yes, it's that simple. Yes, I know some say that they're bad for developing teeth, harmful to getting a good breast-feeding routine going, and so on. Yeah, well, if it works for you, good.

I had no intention of EVER giving my kiddos a pacifier. After giving birth to my first, nursing what felt like non-stop, getting SORE, cracked nipples, I succumbed out of pure desperation for a moment of sleep. O wasn't interested at first, but quickly realized the utter joy of non-nutritive sucking.

We had rules, of course. At first, pacifiers were only for bedtime, nap time, car rides that conflicted with meal time, during illness, and places where baby needed to be quiet (church). Then, just bed and car. Then just bed. The final rule: No pacifier by age 2. I have no idea where we got that one, but that's what my husband and I determined was enough. I think it was because we went on a plane ride just before O was 2, we had just weaned him from nursing, and we knew that the pacifier was going to be essential for that trip to succeed.

There was a ceremony. First I snipped the end of the pacifier off. I handed it to O, who was now very displeased with the plug (our word for pacifier), as well as with me. We informed him that he was too big for a plug, that the plug was no good anymore, and that it was trash. We walked him to the trash can, and allowed him to toss it in. After a couple rough nights, he was fine. We did the same with E, and she seems to be handling it well.

My tips for successful use & weaning of pacifiers:

1. Get on the same page with your spouse (& any one else who watches your kids). Make sure everyone knows the rules.

2. Don't let baby have it all day, or control over it. When he/she wakes up, make sure he/she know that it's time to put the plug in it's special place. (Our's went on the dresser by the bed.) This helps baby to not become overly dependent on the pacifier. We also reminded & encouraged our kiddos throughout the day that they were strong enough without a pacifier. (For instance, every time E got hurt or sad she would want her plug. We would encourage her that her plug wasn't necessary--a kiss, hug, and/or prayer would suffice.)

3. Choose your end date, and commit. Don't keep a spare somewhere, just in case it doesn't "work." You're setting yourself up to fail if you keep one.

4. When you're ready to wean, be sure to keep baby active and busy during normal wake times. Get her good and tired, but not over-stimulated or exhausted. Be sure to put her down at her normal nap time/bed time. A good and tired baby won't fight sleep as much as baby with too much energy or one that is over-stimulated. You'll find the right balance.

Some kids never choose a pacifier. Some find other coping mechanisms or a sleeping crutch. Some good, some bad. The pacifier may not be the best option, but--it worked for us.

My Opinions On Raising Kids::Chores

When I complained about doing chores as a kid, my mom would say "That's why we had kids--slave labor." Of course, I responded with a melodramatic eye roll.

I don't understand parents who don't have their kids do chores, or for that matter decide to wait to have them start doing chores. I say as soon as they can sit up--they're ready. It's a great way to teach them responsibility, and to learn to be part of a team--the family team. So, here's my age-graded list of chores for pre-kindergarten kids:

Sitting Up to Standing Up:

put away toys

Standing Up & Walking:

Throw away your own diapers!

Help put away plastic dishes

Help clean glass doors and windows

Toddlers:

Swiffer the floors (my son loved doing this)

dust

help load & unload laundry from washer & dryer; practice "folding"

help set & clear the table

help water outdoor plants and pull weeds

Pre-school:

vacuum

scrub the tub

put away clothes

empty dishwasher with supervision

feed pets

set & clear table with supervision

So, do you like my list? What would you change or add? Do your kids do chores? I'm interested in what you think.

Meal Planning Made Easy

Plan to Eat

I've been using this tool for a couple months now, and I LOVE IT! Hurry and sign up, my friends, so we can easily share our recipes.

I'm Choosing Something Different

Simplification.

We are seeking ways to make good choices, and to simplify our lives. This means making some hard choices, some relieving, and some that are sad.

I'm not allowing life to go on managing me--I'm going to manage it. Somehow, somewhere along the way I let go of our routine and daily schedules. I allowed flexibility to become randomness and chaos. Thus, our current state of being, and my struggles listed in the previous post.

I'm reclaiming my sanity. SO THERE.

(Sooner or later, I'll start posting more on motherhood/kids/babies/doula stuff. Hang tight.)