Bring it on!

Well, not really.


The flu seem is all around us. We never get flu shots and definitely won't this year. Ick!

But I'm sure someone will get sick. With Zig on planes every week, Rollin in preschool, and Sela and Nina in classrooms full of kids, it's unlikely we will make it through the season unscathed. Mom and I have had lots of chats about the advice we've gleaned from naturopathic doctors and I finally got around to stocking my non-existent (until now) medicine shelf. I'm the girl who has to send Zig to borrow advil from neighbors in a pinch. haha.

We are cutting back on sugar as much as possible. Eating lots of healthy fruits and veggies. An apple a day...thank goodness the honey crisps are in season right now! And keeping super warm (Erin's advice). But I wanted to be better prepared this year to shorten the duration of any bug as much as possible. Most natural treatments are most effective when started at the earliest onset of any symptoms. I didn't want to be running out to the store with a sick child or late at night so I am being a bit more pro-active now than in past years.

I've been researching and reading all about natural flu treatments over the past few weeks. I checked out the Bastyr website and got their recommendations as well as other sites that focus on prevention and natural medicine. Finally I spent some time with a woman at PCC who knows her stuff and now I have a little game plan for our family.

Here is our plan. Mostly for me to refer back to next year.

1) Vitamin C in the form of chewable vitamins and fizzy drinks. As much as we can tolerate.
2) Vitamin D
3) Pro-Biotics in the form of chewables along with Kefir each morning.
4) Elderberry with Echinacea and Astragulus
5) Fish Oils
6) Tons of herbal tea! Yum!

* I will try to sneak the garlic capsules into smoothies and juice since my first attempt at getting the kids to swallow the pills resulted in dramatics that included gagging and falling on the floor. Wimps.

The kids love all the other vitamins so they enjoy their new morning ritual. I also bought a natural treatment for the flu if/when we get it. So now I feel prepared. I hope we don't get it. All of the preventative measures are great for our bodies either way.

And most important. GOOD Food. Good thing this part I enjoy.

I made a huge pot of chicken noodle soup this afternoon. Lots of veggies. Celery, carrots, garlic, kale, brown rice, corn, and a medley of herbs from the garden. The kids slurped it up. I love those meals where no coaxing is needed.

And I tried out a new recipe for warm red cabbage salad that was INCREDIBLE. Seriously, if you like cabbage or even if you don't. It's a must try. A keeper forever and ever. I'm making it again tomorrow since one of the last things we have left in the garden is lots of little red cabbage heads. Thank you 101 Cookbooks. Again.



Tassajara Warm Red Cabbage Salad Recipe - 101 Cookbooks

1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon natural cane sugar (or brown sugar)
fine grain sea salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion, diced
3 medium cloves garlic, minced

1 pound head of red cabbage or radicchio, quartered and cut into thin ribbons

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
2 ounces golden raisins (or other plump, chopped dried fruit)
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to garnish

Roast the sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden brown. Sprinkle on the sugar, and a couple pinches of salt. Stir until the sugar melts and coats the seeds (you pan will need to be hot enough). Transfer the seeds immediately to a plate so they don't stick to the pan. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion for a minutes or two with a couple pinches of salt. Stir in the garlic, and the cabbage, and a few more pinches of salt. Stir and cook for just a minute or so, or until the cabbage softens up just a touch. Then stir in the rosemary, most of the raisins, and the vinegar. The cabbage will continue to get more and more tender even after you remove it from the heat, so keep that in mind, and do your best to avoid overcooking it - where it collapses entirely. Fold in half of the feta cheese, most of the sunflower seeds, then taste. Season with more salt if needed. Serve garnished with the remaining raisins, feta, sunflower seeds and Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4 to 6.

This recipe was adapted from The Complete Tassajara Cookbook by Edward Espe Brown. Published by Shambhala (September 8, 2009)