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The Nutramigen Hoax

Jul 2nd, 2010
by Leah.
9 comments

Nnutramigen The Nutramigen Hoaxutramigen. If you know the name, chances are your baby is allergic to milk, soy, or both. (Mine is allergic to milk, eggs, and sesame). If you are like me, you’ve probably felt at a loss what to feed your hypersensitive baby. And if you are like me, you hate shelling out $15-30 per jar of this foul-smelling powder.

My acquaintance with Nutramigen began several months ago, while weaning my then 15-months- old. After abstaining from dairy, eggs, and tahina for over a year (the allergens pass through breast milk),  I was desperate to find a formula my baby could digest.

That’s when our dietitian recommended Nutramigen. At first, it sounded like an ingenious wonder food. Broken down milk protein, easily digested by allergic kids. How smart! Then, last week, after watching this video, I checked the ingredients panel and nearly had a fit. The VERY first ingredient – corn syrup solids!!! Followed closely by casein, corn starch, fructose, coconut and soybean oils. For this we are paying $15 a pack after the HMO subsidy?!

As one commenter has suggested, once your child has an allergy, the formula  companies have you by the throat. They charge premium for an illusion of perfect nutrition for a sick baby, while using the cheapest, USDA-subsidized ingredients – corn and soybean. The main issue is that the fructose in corn syrup metabolizes as fat (just like alcohol). In the video I had mentioned, Dr. Robert Lustig (a pediatrician from University of California) says some formulas are so high in sugar, they can be compared to “baby milkshakes.” He blames the formulas for producing the scores of obese 6-month-olds he routinely sees at his endocrinology clinic.

The problem is more acute for parents of allergic babies. What in the world can we feed our children without making them sick?


 

Nutrition with Your Eyes Open

Jun 21st, 2010
by Leah.
7 comments

If you have followed this blog for any period of time, you must have notice that nutrition is a big item on my list. Today, I came across a video lecture that will change the way I feed my family. No, we don’t drink Coke and we do eat whole grain everything. Still, this talk has transformed the way I view food and the nutritional choices I will be making starting today.

For years, we’ve been “spoon-fed” about the benefits of a low-fat, high-carb diet. Guess what, it’s a hoax. In this video Robert H. Lustig, Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology at the University of California San Fransisco  debunks everything we take for granted about nutrition:

  • natural does NOT mean good-for-you
  • animal fat and LDL are NOT (always) bad
  • exercise is NOT there to burn calories
  • all calories are NOT created equal
  • carbohydrates are NOT all the same
  • USDA recommendations were NOT created to benefit us
  • fruit juice and (some) baby formulas ARE toxic

If you want to raise healthy kids and be there to enjoy their adulthood, you owe it to yourself to watch this video.

Beyond the realization that the seemingly harmless fructose is so horrible for our health, I loved the simplicity of the solution.

  1. No sweetened beverages (soft drinks, fruit juice). Only milk and water.
  2. Eat plenty of fiber.
  3. Wait 20 minutes for the second portion.
  4. Buy screen time with exercise (it’s not what you think).

What was your most shocking revelation in this video?


 

Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza – Gourmet Videos

Jun 16th, 2010
by Leah.
6 comments

What images does “humanitarian crisis” conjure in your mind? For me, it’s the stories of the siege of Leningrad during WWII, which some of my family members experienced first-hand.

Leningrad siege 253x300 Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Gourmet Videos

The face of a humanitarian crisis

The Hamas and its supporters (especially in the media) would like us to believe that something of the sorts is happening in Gaza. Then, last week, the Israeli Government Press Office spoiled the show by sarcastically inviting the foreign press corps in Gaza to visit the Roots Club and get a first-hand glimpse of the humanitarian situation in the strip.

The owners of Roots have reportedly invested over US 1 million into the site, which leaves us with two options: either they are stark-stupid, throwing money to the wind or there is no shortage of clients for this posh establishment.

Lest you think this ritzy restaurant is one-of-a-kind place for the rich and famous (as Palestinians have been claiming since the publication), think again. Just in case you should ever  find yourself in Gaza with nothing to eat, here is a sampling of YouTube videos from Gaza restaurants in a variety of price ranges (use Google Translate to verify Arabic captions). Note that all videos are from 2008 and on (well into the Israeli blockade of the strip).

Lighthouse Restaurant – Gaza

Pay attention to the fountain and the manicured lawns (in view of the severe water crisis in Gaza).

Key West Restaurant – Gaza

If you’d like something simpler, this Gaza-style Kentucky Fried Chicken should suit your fancy. (I do hope the Hamas doesn’t burn them down for identifying with enemy values).

Almat’haf Museum and Restaurant

Man doesn’t live on bread alone. At Almat’haf Museum and Cultural House cultural experiences and fine dining go hand in hand. Note the planned construction of a boutique hotel, which seems to be unhampered by the alleged Israeli embargo on building materials.

Falafel – Gaza Style

Finally, no Gaza dining guide would be complete without some first-class falafel with an assortment of pickled vegetables.

Wow, that looks appetizing!

Cold Soup on a Hot Day

May 27th, 2010
by Leah.
6 comments

With the heat wave upon us, and many more expected in the coming months, the idea of hot kitchens and heavy meals doesn’t resonate with family chefs and their “clients.”

That’s where these nutritious, delicious, and super-easy recipes come in. There is nothing like a bowl of nourishing yet refreshing cold soup to please your family on a hot day.

Serve these with some whole wheat or rye bread and a plate of fresh fruit for dessert and you’ve got a complete meal in less than 20 minutes.

Okroshka

The word “okroshka” comes from the Russian word for a crumb. The soup is made of finely chopped vegetables combine with a liquid, either kvass (a fermented bread drink) or kefir (buttermilk).  Kvass is available at most Russian food stores, but you can also use more familiar ingredients, such as diluted plain yogurt.

Borscht

Borscht is a familiar comfort soup to any person with even the faintest of Eastern European roots. Borscht comes in both hot and cold varieties. Here is my mother’s signature recipe of the cold summer borscht. It is infinitely better than anything you can buy in a jar.

Gazpacho

Unlike the above recipes, gazpacho originated in Spain. Although I started making it only a few years ago, it is immensely popular with my kids. Talk about a melting pot.

My Cooking Style – Interview with the Cooking Manager

May 25th, 2010
by Leah.
1 comment

Yesterday, I had the distinct pleasure of being interviewed by Hannah of the Cooking Manager fame.

From cooking styles, to cookbooks, to gadgets – we discussed it all.

Hannah even managed to get a heirloom recipe, handed down by 97-year-old grandmother. (Psst, it’s for a savory cabbage and egg stuffed pastry).

Here’s the link to the post.


 

The Most Unusual Cheesecake You’ll Ever Make

May 14th, 2010
by Leah.
4 comments

With Shavuot is just around the corner, many of us are frantically looking for our favorite cheesecake recipes from last year. However, if you are the adventurous type and would like to make something out of the mainstream, here is my unorthodox version of the iconic Shavuot cheesecake.

This cheesecake is perfect for the egg allergics as it  egg-free.

(Scroll down to see a picture).

Crust

1.5 cup breadcrumbs

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp sesame seeds

6 tbsp oil

Filling

2 ripe avocados, peeled and seeded

3 tbsp sugar (or 2 tbsp honey)

1/3 cup lemon juice

8-9 oz (250 gr) cream cheese

1. Combine crust ingredients to form moist, crumbly dough. Press onto the bottom and sides of a 9″ pie plate and bake for 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

2. Combine sugar with half the lemon juice and cook until sugar dissolves. (Omit this step if using honey)

3. In a food processor, puree the avocado and process with cheese, dissolved sugar (or honey), and juice until smooth. Pour into the crust and refrigerate overnight.

Could be served with whipped cream.

And now for the picture (I have warned you…)

14052010099 300x225 The Most Unusual Cheesecake Youll Ever Make

Easy Passover Dessert

Mar 24th, 2010
by Leah.
2 comments

A couple of years ago, my mother gave me the gift of my dreams – an ice cream machine. We’ve been using it a lot for making coffee slurpees and frozen yogurt, but last week I had to do something with our passion fruit harvest, and so we had Passion Fruit Orange Sorbet for Shabbat.

Truth is, you don’t need an ice cream machine to make great ice cream. With Passover just around the corner, homemade ice cream or sorbet make an excellent chometz-free dessert. The best thing is that you can take care of your Passover dessert needs ahead of time by making several batches in different flavors all at once. This way you will not have to worry about dessert every time Shabbat or Yom Tov roll around.

This simple recipe is based on a sugar and water (or juice) syrup mixed with the fruit puree of your choice. I suggest that you multiply the quantities in the recipe by the number of batches you need, make all the syrup at once, while at the same time processing different fruit. Then mix each type of fruit with syrup and freeze according to these instructions. (If you happen to have a kosher for Passover ice cream machine, more power to you).

The whole process will take just a little bit more time than making one batch of ice cream, but you’ll be all set for the entire week.

Basic Sorbet Recipe

Passion Fruit Orange Sorbet

Passover Alert: Bugs in Your Lettuce

Mar 22nd, 2010
by Leah.
2 comments

With Passover just around the corner, the Chief Rabbinate of Israel published the results of laboratory tests, which checked the presence of bugs in lettuce and celery marketed as being bug-free. In a radio interview, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, who spearheaded the initiative, said that some packages of “insect-free” lettuce had as many as 500 bugs inside. He recommended soaking all green leafy vegetables in soapy water and the washing them under running water.

You might want to print out this list before going shopping for Passover.

Name of Company Guidelines
Birkat Katif

Recommended to soak in soapy water and wash under running water before use
Hasalat
Alei Habsor
Glatt Alim
Yevul Hanegev

Must soak in soapy water and wash under running water before use
Yarok Mehakfar
Yarok Ministry Hateva
Meitav Haaretz
Marina Glatt
Alei Bodek
Alim Yerukim
Alim Nakiim
Katif BaGolan
Katif Haaretz Hatova
Birkat David

Must soak in soapy water and wash under running water before use and inspect each individual leaf for bugs
Y. Yevulei Katif
Yevulei Lakish
YK”M
M. Sh. Katif
Alei Hasharon
Tnovot Haaretz

Here is the original poster published by the Rabbinate (in Hebrew).

rabanut3

Here are some more resources for vegetable cleaning.

Wishing everyone happy and kosher passover!

Purple Pancakes

Mar 8th, 2010
by Leah.
No comments yet

Like all great ideas, this one was born by accident. With Passover just around the corner, Jewish families everywhere are on the lookout for creative quick and easy ways to get rid of whatever has made its way into their pantries and freezers and failed to find its way out.

The other night, I decided to treat my kids to pancakes for dinner (you can read all about my lunch-dinner switch philosophy here). As I was going through the freezer in search of ingredients, I came across a pack of frozen blueberries that yearned to free some shelf room in time for Passover.   After defrosting the blueberries, I decided to use the melted ice (that had turned purple in the microwave) and that’s how this recipe came into existence.

The recipe can be made either with milk or with my favourite milk substitute, ground flax seed, perfect for anyone with milk allergies.

By the way, the same idea may be used with other frozen fruit and in a variety of baked goods (muffins, cakes, etc).

Enjoy!

Purple Pancakes

Go Fish

Mar 4th, 2010
by Leah.
2 comments

While looking through my recipes the other day, I noticed that I have not published that many offerings from the Russian Jewish cuisine. Just then, my mom sent me an excellent recipe for forshmak – a chopped herring spread.

Herring is one of those foods that some people love to hate, but just wait till you try this recipe.

Forshmak Chopped Herring

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