Ask Amma

Posts Tagged ‘food’

, ,

Art of Fermentation

In Books, Recipes on 18 August 2012 at 1:55 pm
The art of fermentation : an in-depth exploration of essential concepts and processes from around the world
As any toddler will tell you, fermented food, when made at home, gives rise to fundamental questions, like who made the first yogurt?  It also brings us in touch with our neighbours, like when we need to borrow a spoon of yogurt because somehow we forgot to make our next bowl of yougurt before finishing our last one.  It also takes us down to the microbial level, and keep our forces of friendly bacteria strong.Can anyone offer a plan for peace?  It seems that among its many other roles, Sandor Katz’ “The Art of Fermentation” may be that as well as inspiration to make new discoveries in the kitchen and on our taste buds, and reconnect with the “hand taste” that goes into food made with love.  And, because fermented food begs to be shared, it may carry us away from the grid of the cash economy.

Michael Pollan says that “Katz would have us renegotiate the terms of our relationship with the microcosmos, and The Art of Fermentation is an eloquent and practical manifesto showing us exactly how to do that…”
An idea whose time has come!   I am typing with this book in my lap, struggling between the urge to share the good news about this book with you and the urge to read more and actually try out some of these fermentations myself, just to see what happens!
     Book
Title: The art of fermentation : an in-depth exploration of essential concepts and processes from around the world
Author:  Katz, Sandor Ellix, 1962-
Publisher, Date:  White River Junction, Vt. : Chelsea Green Pub., c2012.

, , , , ,

Breastfeeding – done yet?

In When on 3 July 2012 at 8:09 pm

My family and friends don’t get why my son needs to nurse so often. I am an older mom and my friends with kids don’t seem to have breastfed much or don’t remember – it was all so long ago. It doesn’t help that I am not getting much else done … I am a type A personality who till last month hardly spent a waking hour at home. No one is asking me to use formula, but they don’t seem to understand why breastfeeding takes so much time! Isn’t he done? they will ask, and I get tense, as if I have to know the answer. I am hoping to continue nursing for years (not just months) and I need positive responses and positive images to keep up my spirits! – new mom in Chicago Read the rest of this entry »

, , , ,

Is it true that you are still …

In When on 1 July 2012 at 3:29 pm

This article originally appeared in 2006.

Is it true that you are still …
May 2006 / Mumbai

A woman interrupted me last night as I was taking printouts of the petitions we were planning to send to the Prime Minster to stop the Sardar Sarovar project from going up to 121 m. Urging me aside, she told me, “As early as possible you should stop breastfeeding her.”

Nursing my daughter while attending a meeting.

Nursing my daughter while attending a meeting.

She was probably not the only one who noticed when my daughter nursed during the meeting, but she was the only one to state her views so directly.  Unprepared for such a confrontation, I simply said, “I am very busy, and I am not going to stop breastfeeding now.” Seconds later, more crisp responses filled my head … Read the rest of this entry »

, , , , ,

Play or Eat? Why not Both?

In What on 26 May 2012 at 1:16 am

Our son turned-over more than a month and a half back and is extremely active – it has become challenging for us to feed him. He wants to play and eat at the same time – any thoughts on how to approach this phase? Also, any ideas on activities for him?
– Appa of a 5 month-old in Maryland

Since he is, as you say, extremely active, I am wondering why you think he is not getting enough food?

Keep in mind that play is a way of feeding the mind, which hungers just as the body does. A baby who knows where the milk comes from and how to get to it, will nurse. Do you think he is playing "too much" and not nursing "enough?" He may think differently. Trust him. Play with him. If you are still concerned that he is not nursing enough, proactively find times & places that are calm and encourage nursing. Use the sling, use skin-to-skin contact, use music. What I found was that taking a walk just around sunset time, with baby in the sling and able to nurse via nursing kurta was very much conducive to nursing and sleeping. Perhaps it resembled the womb. There were a few months when I did this every evening.

Sometimes babies go through phases where they are so keen to play while awake that they save all their nursing for night and naptime. Lest hunger for play take priority over hunger for food, pack in plenty of play so that he is satisfied and works up a good appetite. Play can take the form of singing songs, clapping, peek-a-boo, dancing, bathing (try all at the same time!). Babies also enjoy listening to conversations and watching others work, and generally being involved in whatever is going on. Soon he will be "helping" you with your work. I would recommend that you get a toy phone, preferably one that looks like a land line, and avoid exposure to the cell phone for as long as humanly possible. Likewise I would keep him away from any screen of any size.

Toys like rattles, cups, balls, socks are fun, but leave some scope for him to discover his own playthings. You will discover the hidden wonders of many ordinary things around the house.

, , , , , , , ,

Gestational Diabetes – what to eat?

In What on 9 May 2012 at 3:52 am

Dear Amma:  My doctor has put me on medication for gestational diabetes.  I have tried to keep my glucose levels down but it is very difficult – the other day I ate just a couple of spoons of potato and the level shot way up.  I get hungry all the time and I am running out of ideas for things to eat that will keep me full.

 – Eating for 2

Dear Eating for 2,
You know the drill:  Eat a variety of foods that are high in fiber, have a low glycemic index and are nutritious.  National Institutes of Health offers these diet recommendations.

To start, consider that whole foods tend to have a lower glycemic index than their refined counterparts.  Or in the words of The World’s Healthiest Foods,  “Foods that are white tend to have a higher glycemic index.”  So make sure whatever you are already eating is whole.  Your rice is brown, your bread is whole-grain or sprouted grain, and your fruits and vegetables, mung dal, urad dal, etc are unpeeled.  Want even more fiber?  Stir some wheat bran or oat bran into the batter you use for dosa or pesarottu.

Next, try to diversify your grain basket, with barley, ragi and other varieties of millets, oats, and quinoa.  Kamut and amaranth (राजगिरा or चौलाई) are available puffed, for easy snacking.

Let’s not forget omega-3 fatty acids, found in a variety of vegetables and notably in flax seeds, walnuts and their oils.  Your entire family will benefit from these improvements, and baby will be used to a healthy, diverse, whole foods diet from the start!  Note that flax seeds are so small that you have to take care to chew them. If you don’t they may pass through undigested.  If you grind your flax seed, you should eat it the same day – or within a few days if you refrigerate it.  Ground flax seed makes a decent dip for idli, dosa, etc.

Though I did not have GD, I too remember hungering for new and different foods in the third trimester.  After eating one dosa I would still be ravenous, but not want another dosa.  Repeat with one hummous sandwich, one plate of vegetables, and so on.

One trick that helped me stay full longer was adding wheat germ to whatever I was eating.  I would add a spoon or two to my rice and sambar, or sprinkle it on bread along with a spread.  Stir some into a bowl of oatmeal or upma.  A tablespoon of wheatgerm contains 2 grams of protein, so a little goes a long way.

Are your idli and dosa whole grain?   You can increase their protein content by using 1 cup dal per 1 cup rice.  A treasure trove of recipes using several varieties of millets includes simple preparations like కొర్ర పెసరోట్టు – see korra pesarottu on the site of Earth360.

Looking for ways to eat oats?  Try Oatmeal Sabzi or steel-cut oats.  How about quinoa?  Here is a simple recipe for delicious quinoa upma.

, , , , ,

Quinoa Upma

In Recipes on 9 May 2012 at 3:51 am

Quinoa Upma
This Recipe comes to us from Meenal Amma in Rockville

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
dash of jira (cumin seed)
handful of peanuts
salt to taste
juice of 1 lemon
handful of kothimira (cilantro), chopped

Steps:
Bring Quinoa to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes – it should split up during the boil so you know its done.  You can also cook this in a pressure cooker or the EZ Cooker.
In minimal oil, saute onions, jira and peanuts till peanuts are brown but not burnt.

Add green chillies.  Saute lightly if desired.
Add boiled quinoa and salt.  Mix it up, squeeze in some lemon juice and top with kothmira.

Eat well 😉

Amma suggests:  Try walnuts in place of peanuts. 

 

, , , , ,

Oatmeal Sabzi

In Recipes on 9 May 2012 at 3:49 am

Oatmeal Sabzi

Till I tasted this I had always had my oatmeal with bananas or other fruit and nuts.  The vegetables really do bring out a different side of the oats.  We usually use carrots, peas, and beans, but am curious how it would do with eggplant or okra.  Here is the recipe as told to me by  Somnath Baba in Boston:

Savoury Oatmeal with carrots and peas.
 Photo:  Balaji Narasimhan.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup assorted diced vegetables
1 cup rolled oats
3 cups water
pinch of salt
dash of mustard oil (optional)

Steps:

Bring water, salt and vegetables to a boil.
Add oats and simmer for about 20 minutes or till vegetables are cooked.
Drizzle with mustard oil for added zing!

Amma adds: EZ Cooker is wonderful for cooking oatmeal – never burns, never boils over!

, , ,

Birthday party – let them eat cake?

In Yes / No on 11 April 2012 at 4:34 pm

Till now my son’s birthdays have been family affairs but this time we’re inviting his friends to a party in a park, taking a home-made cake without added sugar. My cousin says this is not a “real” birthday party and guests will be disappointed. Of course I want everyone to have fun, but without the junk.  Am I asking too much?

– mother of a soon-to-be 4-year-old in Delhi

Chetana Amma has written about today’s birthday parties and how to fill them with simple pleasures.

 

 

, ,

Daughter had a tantrum in the hotel

In What on 17 February 2012 at 5:22 pm

We were at a hotel with my sister and her children. My niece said that she would not have a milkshake because she had a cold. My daughter also had a cold but she insisted on having the milkshake. When I said no she lay under the table and cried. Ultimately I gave in to her demand, only requesting that it be served warm. I feel that I should have remained firm and not given in.
– mother of a 2 year old in Sion.

First of all congratulations on finding an alternative that alleviated your worries about the cold and satisfied her desire. It is not an easy situation. I gather what is bothering you more than the milkshake is that you "gave in" and "rewarded" the tantrum, weakened the belief that milkshakes are not good when one has a cold, or further, shaken the faith in mother knowing what is good for you. And being embarrassed in the hotel, in front of your sister and her well-behaved niece.

One thing I learned from Alfie Kohn is, in the event of tantrums, respond to your child only. Forget all observers. Tension about what they think will only make you less graceful under pressure. People may look, but once they see that you are in charge, they go back to their business.

Though it might appear that the tantrum was occasioned by the desire for a milkshake, bolstered by the desire to "get her way" I would ask you to consider other causes. When my daughter has a tantrum I think back through the day / week. What might have led to this frustration? Did she not get enough time to do things she wanted to do? Was she rushed? Hungry? Was she not heard? (Often when I am talking with someone else she feels a greater need to be heard!)

Regarding the milkshake, I leave it to you to decide what is healthy for your child, but I ask that you be transparent in your decisions. When you introduce your child to a food that you feel ought to be regulated in any way, explain all the regulations and hear her views on the matter as well. If you are not ready to consult your child in this way (or feel that she is not old enough), then defer introducing the food until that time. If a rule seems arbitrary then a child has no reason to respect it, or the person who pronounces it. When you respect her decisions, she will respect yours. Milkshake or no milkshake will not reflect who "got her way."

But if you should happen to find that you have said no, faced a tantrum, and then said yes, please go one step further and say, "Enjoy the milkshake." Say it with a giggle and a hug. If she has the milkshake AMA (against mother’s advice) that stress might lower her immunity more than the milk/sugar, thus rendering invalid any "I told you so" that one might be inclined to say, should aforementioned cold get worse.

This does not mean, mind you, that there will be no tantrums. While we work to prevent them by addressing underlying needs, our role is not to silence them when they occur. There will be times when there is no milkshake or other specific thing that will satisfy the child. Offer a shoulder to cry on, a comforting cuddle, a sympathetic ear.

, , , ,

When should I wean my daughter?

In When on 17 February 2012 at 5:22 pm

When should I wean my daughter?
– mother of a 14 month old in Mumbai

Who is asking? You? Your baby? Your family? Random strangers on the bus? (It has happened to me.) Since you have asked me, I will go by the book and say, after at least 2 years of age, when you and baby are ready. The World Health Organization has taken care of defending the importance of breastfeeding for two years and beyond so let me talk about the further years.

Of all the years of nursing my daughter, I would say I am most grateful for the fourth.  It was in that year that my daughter fell ill three times, each time with high fever and loss of appetite.  By that age (three-and-a-half) she had grown bold in exploring the world; that may have exposed her to more bugs. Whenever she was sick, she nursed day and night – so not only did she get rest and nourishment, but I didn’t lose sleep either, because she was comfortable throughout the illness.

What if baby shows signs of pausing or stopping nursing?  Thanks to the WHO, before age 2 is generally regarded as too young to stop, and mothers are encouraged to try more skin contact and other measures to keep nursing . (See Kelly Mom for more tips.)   While two years is the recommended minimum, there is no recommended maximum.  Nursing continues to be healthy for years beyond the minimum age of two.

Young children will continue to go through phases when they nurse more as well as times when they nurse less.  Gradually the peaks of increased nursing grow less frequent and eventually do not return.

Around age two most children are eating a variety of solid foods and also increasing the range of their social interactions.   Whenever exposed to illness, and especially when sick, children nurse more.  Breastfeeding enhances immunity and also supports the mind and body while little children go through physical, emotional or intellectual growth spurts.  Just observe after a spree of nursing – you will find that something exciting follows.

You may not know when your child feels a queasy stomach or bad throat coming on, but his body will signal him to take less solid food and nurse more.  This eases the work of the digestive system, brings in fluids and channels resources to the immune system for the job at hand.   Many times a baby who is allowed to listen to her body and adjust her diet as needed will nip an illness in the bud, and will remain in tune with her body even beyond the nursing years.

At other times your little one will need less milk and your body will continue to make just the right amount for him, since the more he drinks the more you make. He himself will gradually take less and less and you don’t have to worry about when.  Remember that nursing supplies far more than food, it is also a source of comfort.  Having a safe haven to return to definitely encouraged my little one as she became more outgoing.

While there is no uniform age at which the nutritional, immunological, intellectual and emotional benefits of nursing disappear, every child weans, even without any suggestion or push.   As I read in Norma Jane Bumgarner, Mothering Your Nursing Toddler, the answer to the question of weaning, as far as health is concerned, is that you do not need to think about it.  The wide world beckons and they are little only once.

My nursing / weaning story is here.