Book Review: NutureShock

I got a Kindle as an early Christmas present this year. K must have been reading my mind again because I'd been pondering picking one up for myself for the past few months. I really love it....however I notice that it's very easy to spend a lot of money on books as a result. Yeah, the books are discounted since they are in digital-only format...but money is money and when you read at my pace, it adds up. (Lest you think I'm boasting about my speed-reading ability...consider this: I'd probably read a whole lot less if I had a life of some sort).

So anyway, one of the first five books I downloaded (uploaded?) was NutureShock by Po Bronson. I'd heard Bronson interviewed on NPR over the summer and decided to add his book to my Wishlist on Amazon. As you are by now well aware, I am addicted to parenting books. In fact, from here on out I will no longer mention this as it's plainly obvious to anyone who reads this blog. But back to the book. I dove in last night and was unable to put it down until I finished it this afternoon.

How to summarize? Well first of all, if you are of a more scientific bent and are really interested in what makes kids tick, this book will be right up your alley. For those of you familiar with Freakonomics or The Tipping Point, you'll immediately see that this book fits quite well into that genre (whatever it is). The book is heavy on facts, data, fascinating insights that will make you cringe or go "aha!" or both. It is, however, low on depth or soul searching angst. But that's ok. Because this isn't that sort of book. It's not a parenting manual...although it has aspects of that. It's also not a pure scientific study on child development...although it has aspects of that too.

In a nutshell...if you ever wondered why kids do the things they do and whether or not your strategies as a parent are helping of hindering their development, then you must run out now and pick up this book. A few topics found within: Why do children lie and what's the best way to make them stop (or encourage them to continue)? What's the best way to deal with race when it comes to preschoolers...ignore it or explicitly talk about it? Sibling rivalry: why does it happen and are there things you can do to minimize it? What does constant, non-specific praise really do to a child's self-confidence, resilience, and ability to learn? Can you spot a "genius" child at a young age based purely on IQ tests and if not, why are schools still using this method to tests kids as young as four for gifted and talented programs?

There's tons more....but I'll leave it up to you to explore.

What the Hell is Steampunk?

Ever heard of steampunk? As of yesterday, neither had I. But while you may not have heard the term before, you are likely very familiar with the genre. If you've ever read a book (or seen a movie based on a book) by Jules Verne, H.G. Wells, or, I would argue, Lewis Carrol--then you have a good idea what steampunk is all about. In fact, the three authors mentioned above could be considered the "forefathers" of the steampunk movement (although the term itself didn't come into being until the early 1980s). I think it's safe to say steampunk is sci-fi for those of you who hate sci-fi. Not making much sense? Read on!

To steal directly from Wikipedia (because it sums the whole steampunk thing up a lot more succintly than I might), steampunk is a subgenre of fantasy and speculative fiction that denotes works set in an era or world where steam power is widely used, as opposed to electricity. The setting is typically during the 19th century, frequently smack in the middle of Victorian Era England, but featuring prominent elements of science fiction and/or fantasy with lots of real and/or imagined technological inventions. Sometimes the stories are also set in an "alternate history" universe in which technology evolves faster or slower or just differently than it has here (with computers showing up in the late 1800s, etc).

Imagine my surprise when, after stumbling across the term yesterday, it dawned on me that I'd been reading and gravitating towards steampunk books for years without having a clue it was a genre unto itself. I like to think I'm pretty hip...even though I don't get out much. But this whole thing caught me totally by surprise.

If the whole idea of steampunk sounds lame...or just not up your alley, consider the fact that the genre is very malleable and includes a lot of fiction that the hardcore steampunk crowd might poo-poo. If you like history, fantasy, a little sci-fi (but of the retro sort), and even romance...you may very well find something to like in the steampunk genre. Below is a brief listing of some of my very favorite steampunk books and movies. Oh, and for a more in-depth list, check out author Gail Carriger's website. And if you have some time to kill, do a Google image search on steampunk and check out some of the funky clothes and pseudo-technology.

Steampunk for Kids

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman - Best for older children or very mature younger children. An excellent intro for kids into the whole steampunk universe. Wonderful books as well...but for those of you who care, Pullman is a self-proclaimed atheist and some feel this bleeds over into his stories. I'm no atheist and I loved the books. Make of it what you will.
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events - PURE steampunk and loads of fun for the younger set. Kids from ages 5 to 10 will love these books.
Howell's Moving Castle - Lovely anime film, perfect for younger kids. By acclaimed animator and director Hayao Miyazaki (he did Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke).
Castle in the Sky - Also by Hayao Miyazaki

Steampunk for Teens and Grownups

Souless: The Parasol Protectorate by Gail Carriger - Victorian Era England, light, frothy, funny, romance, vampires, werewolves, and lots of other nasties (oh, and parasols too). Great place to start if you are just dipping your toes into steampunk.
Glass Book of the Dream Eaters, Volume One by Gordon Dahlquist - Victorian Era England, huge book, a NASTY set of baddies, very well fleshed out characters with flaws, detailed and intense read but so worth sinking your teeth into, tons of action with a kickass female protaganist.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman - Modern-day London and Victorian-ish alternate universe "below London", incredibly well written, nasty, nasty baddies, some romance, lots of action. One of my favorites.
Anno Dracula by Kim Newman - My very first steampunk book..although hadn't a clue about that until yesterday. As the name suggests, vampires and other nasties, Victorian England, very interesting story line and a fun read.
The Prestige by Christopher Priest - Many of you probably saw the movie starring yummy actors Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman. But first it was an excellent book.
The City of Lost Children - A visually stunning, and somewhat unsettling, film (for those who hate subtitles or dubbing, be warned...this is a French film). Not suitable for kids.
Edward Scissorhands - No, it doesn't take place during the Victorian Era but it's Victorian-style and anachronistic technology makes it a shoe-in for steampunk. Actually, it's safe to say that a number of Tim Burton's films have elements of steampunk in them including the post-production Alice in Wonderland.

In Support of Honey

The more I explore all things holistic, the more I am becoming aware of how many common foods and plants have hidden benefits and alternate uses that most of us these days are totally unaware of. Fact is, when getting relief from a headache or buying cleaning supplies or stocking up on skin and hair cleansers is as simple as a quick trip to the local Target, very few of us have ever been in a position to look to our kitchens or gardens for a quick fix.

Recently someone asked me what one item I thought was the most versatile. Truth is, there are many, many food items and plants that can be used for multiple purposes. So it was hard for me to narrow it down to just one. But I decided to look for something that EVERY household has...even if you might not always use it. And honey was the first thing that came to mind.

Honey isn't just a sweetener, although it's a great a processed sugar substitute. Honey is fat-free, cholesterol-free, and sweeter than table sugar which means you need to use less of it to sweeten foods and drinks. The varieties of honey are as numerous as the types of plants bees visit for pollination. As far as I could tell, there are about 25 types of honey available in the contintental U.S. (this includes manuka honey, a relatively recent import from New Zealand). But there are numerous other types of honey available throughout the world. So not only is honey better for you than processed sugar, but because it comes in so many different varieties, you can endlessly adjust the flavor of a single recipe or cup of tea just by rotating to another type of honey. Top that sugar!

Of course you already knew about honey as a sweetner. But did you know about honey's medicinal properties? Way before Neosporin appeared, honey was being used as a topical ointment to dress burns and wounds. It's antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory properties make it perfect for all sorts of skin injuries. In fact, recent studies show honey is highly effective against MRSA (aka flesh eating disease). Honey has also been shown to be more effective than cough syrup when it comes to chronic, nighttime coughing in adults and children. It's also great for chronic sinus infections and throat infections too.

Sounds great, right? Well, for the most part, honey really is the ultimate multitasking food. However, keep in mind that a) honey is never ok to give to children under the age of one due to botulism risks (and some doctor's recommend holding off until a child is two) and b) while local honey has been actively promoted as a way to combat seasonal allergies, no studies have been able to prove this 100%.

Oh, and when I talk about honey as a healing agent....I do not mean Sue Bee honey or any other big brand honey found at your local supermarket. The best honeys to buy are raw, local, and organic honey (all three if you can find it). These are highest in infection-fighting nutrients, full of flavor, and coming from beekeepers who are concerned about the dramatically declining bee population and doing their part to protect bees (and consumers) from pesticide exposure (sadly, the EPA is still not 100% convinced the pesticides are responsible for colony collapse even though many, many beekeepers and scientists feel it's the most likely cause).

So next time you open up your pantry and spot that humble jar of honey on the shelf, give it the respect that its due as one of the world's oldest, and most reliable, sweetners and medicinal remedies.

A Healthy Cookie that Doesn't Taste Like Sh-t

Today I decided to make cookies. Only I wanted to go for something with minimal sugar and "natural" ingredients. Oh, and I wanted them to taste good (go figure). After a brief visit to Google, I stumbled across 101 Cookbooks...a blog I am only slightly familiar with (mostly because the author of said blog is an earth-mother vegetarian sort and as such, doesn't really have a lot of recipes that are of interest to me). However her honey-sweetened thumbprint cookie recipe intrigued me. It looked simple (check) and substituted honey for sugar (check) and used whole wheat pastry flour in place of white flour (check). Best of all, in the event that the cookies ended up tasting like cardboard, a tiny dab of jam in the middle would keep the mouth from slipping into a coma.

So dear reader, I made them. And I have no regrets. My kids like them, I like them, and K likes them. They have more flavor than typical "healthy" cookies...but you don't have to feel guilty when popping several into your mouth.

If you decide to walk on the wild side with me, here are a few tips:
1) The author used clover honey (if I recall correctly) but I opted for a darker, raw organic honey from Hawaii (a la Costco). The darker honey tends to have a molasses/maple syrupy taste to it which, when added, provides some additional depth of flavor to foods and teas. But that's my opinion.
2) I used an apricot fruit spread for the filling and I think it worked well with the rest of the cookie.
3) The recipe recommends coconut oil or ghee as the fat component. I have heard a lot about cooking with coconut oil but I didn't happen to have any around the house. Oddly enough, I did have ghee. Ghee, in case you aren't familiar with it, is clarified butter...and very popular in Indian cooking. It's made by simmering unsalted butter until the milk proteins separate out. Ghee is apparently much healthier than pure butter and unlike some oils, it has a high-smoke point which means you can heat it at high temps and it doesn't lose any of it's nutritional value or break down as a result. I'd always been wary of ghee...let's face it, a room-temperature jar of butter doesn't really call out to me. But it's really good and nothing to be frightened of! And it leant a lovely buttery taste to the cookies.
4) Do not make the mistake of using regular old whole wheat flour for these. You really want to use whole wheat PASTRY flour. Pastry flour is a much finer consistency which means whole wheat pastry flour is less dense and more like regular unbleached white flour in texture. If you aren't sold on the idea of using whole wheat pastry flour for baking...I recommend going half and half (1/2 ww and 1/2 unbleached white).

Enjoy!

Best Baked Ziti EVER

Once in a while (and sadly, not as often as I'd like) I stumble across a fabulous recipe that I want to share with my friends and family. This happened yesterday. I spotted a yummy sounding baked ziti recipe in an old issue of Cook's Illustrated magazine and because I had a hankering for comfort food, decided to make it. The final product was truly one of the best pasta casserole dishes I have EVER had the pleasure of eating. It was warm, creamy, cheesy, and flavorful. Even K, who typically is not a fan of tomato-based sauces (seriously. what is wrong with him?!) liked it. As for the kids, M actually asked if she could have it for lunch today...a sure sign of a hit.

Couple things and then the recipe:
1) Given this is from Cook's Illustrated, you'll want to follow the recipe pretty much to the letter. Cook's Illustrated does a fabulous job of prepping recipes multiple times in their test kitchens to figure out the best ingredients and best techniques to achieve the very best meals. So things that might seem silly or optional (dicing the mozzarella -- why not just buy preshredded?) are typically there for a reason.
2) This took me about 30 minutes to prep and then I popped it in the fridge to cook later that day. I would not say this is a "fast" recipe...but it's not super lengthy or time consuming. However, it does require about an hour of cooking time...so you will want to factor that into your plans.

Serves 8 to 10.

Ingredients
1 pound whole milk cottage cheese or 1 percent cottage cheese (see note)
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
Table salt
1 pound ziti or other short, tubular pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons)
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream (see note)
8 ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella cheese , cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups) (see note)

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander (do not wash Dutch oven).
2. Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in ½ cup basil and sugar, then season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl; transfer mixture to now-empty Dutch oven set over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.
4. Transfer pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining ¾ cup mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan over top. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.

Beware Quackery

Whatever you may think of alternative health (chiropractic, acupuncture, herbal medicine, etc), I am totally on board with some aspects of it. But I also think there are a lot of completely bogus "cures" and "remedies" being peddled by quacks and snake oil salesmen out to make a buck. Sadly, because the FDA prefers to spend time approving urgently needed drugs--like Latisse, a side-effect laden topical ointment that helps grow eyelashes (because you can never have enough eyelashes, right?)--rather than researching alternative medicine, many consumers are left to fend for themselves when it comes to deciding if a alternative "cure" is legitimate and effective. And this is frequently a recipe for disaster.

Look. There are a lot of smart people out there who are very interested in pursuing alternate and/or less invasive health remedies. But there are just as many smart people out there waiting eagerly to separate you from your hard earned cash by convincing you that a) western medicine is totally bogus, b) natural medicine isn't, and c) oh, by the way, they happen to have just the "natural' thing you are looking for to help with whatever illness plagues you.

Let me say it again: I am a fan of alternative remedies when/if I can find ample studies and or personal proof that said remedies actually work. I personally am a fan of chiropractic care. It works for me. It works for my mom. It works for my husband. I also have a naturopath that my whole family sees (along with our regular mainstream doctors) who has helped us many times when the OTC and prescription stuff didn't do a damn thing. But I don't believe in the healing power of crystals, nor do I buy into faith healing, nor do I think vaccines are poisons (however I do very much question the efficacy of some vaccines, in particular the flu). And if I am ever diagnosed with cancer, my first thought won't be to run to a native American sweat lodge to detoxify my body.

So then. How does one avoid the rampant quackery and hone in on the legitimate holistic and alternative health stuff out there? Allow me to help.

1) Word of mouth is great. But only to a point. It's useful to find out what's worked for your friends and family. However if it sounds too good to be true...then it probably is. And I know you know better than to get health advice from complete strangers.

2) Researching things on the web is a useful way to find out more about specific remedies and practices. But ALWAYS proceed with caution. If, for example, you happen upon a site that peddles in paranoia and fear and miracle cures, run--don't walk--the other way. How to tell if you have found one of these sites? They typically have an "us against them" mentality and almost always are willing to sell you a variety of their own products. If you aren't sure what to look for, here is one of my favorites: http://www.mercola.com/. Mercola is, in my opinion, very dangerous because he mixes good science with bad science and ALWAYS documents his sources, leaving the reader to believe that no stone was left unturned during his research process. Also, if a site is run by a "doctor" and even if said doctor is an MD, don't assume this person knows what he/she is talking about.

3) I have found two good places for fact checking remedies. One is NCCAM (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) which is run by the U.S. government (but not by the FDA) as a way to provide the public with legitimate research and studies into various alternative health claims. The other, and much more biased against holistic medicine but still well-researched and very informative, is QuackWatch.org. But take both with a grain of salt because there are no neutral parties when it comes to health.

4) Ask around and find a good naturopath. A good naturopath works closely with mainstream doctors and doesn't immediately attempt to peddle his/her remedies to you upon the first appointment. She/he should never attempt to dissuade you from seeking medical help for serious issues. I knew I'd found a great doc when she took one look at the bunion on my foot and handed me a business card for a podiotrist (who turnded out to be excellent). Trust your gut. And for God's sake, don't attempt any "do it yourself" remedies at home unless you have done the research and have the recipes and dosages for adults and children. You certainly wouldn't attempt to diagnose and then remove a cancerous skin lesion at home. So then why would you buy herbs online and brew up a potion to give to your family? Herbs are plants...and almost all western medicine (anti-depressants, anti-virals, anti-coagulants, antibiotics) are plant based and can be lethal under the right circumstances.

Keep in mind that it's very hard to find unbiased info about anything these days. For every quack health website, there is an arrogant doctor or scientist or skeptic blog eager to prove how ALL holistic medicine is utter bullshit. This can be very confusing for the lay reader who is simply looking for verifiable data as to whether or not something actually works. The fact is, western medicine...like alternative medicine...is big business. And the pharmaceutical companies have tons of money in their pockets which they don't always use in the best way possible. So while I don't believe that big pharma reps sit around in an underground conference room plotting to release the next mutant virus so they can sell more vaccines...I am under no illusions that they to are trying to make a buck off of me just like their alternative counterparts. And when you make your money off of prescription drugs and vaccines...the whole alternative medicine field is viewed very much as a competitor.

I personally think there is some legitimacy to holistic and alternative health. I encourage you to do your own research and see if it's the right thing for you. Just remember not to check your brain at the door.

Why You Should Be Worried about Genetically Modified Foods

I knew GM foods were contentious. I had some ideas why. But I never knew all the gory details until watching The Future of Food, a fabulous and chilling documentary about GM foods and how they are impacting our planet and our farmers. If you do one thing...please watch this. It's informative and legit (no wackadoo stuff here). And then the next time you go shopping...really stop and think about the food you buy and whether or not it could be GM.

Stranger Danger

Shortly after Maia and I began our journey into the wonderful world of sex education (see here), it also came to my attention that it was probably high time to have the other BIG talk...you know, the one about staying safe around strangers. Make no mistake, it is our responsibility as parents to have some form of this talk with our preschoolers. The question is, however, just how does one go about it without scaring the shit out of your kids? And how on earth does one help kids to be more street savvy without completely squashing their need to explore the world and become more independent minded?

Let's stop for a moment and think about when we were kids. Some of us grew up in the 70s...some of us in the 80s....but regardless of the time period, chances are you did at least a few of these things as a child:
- came home to an empty house after school (while in grade school, no less), prepped yourself a snack, called mom to say you were home, and watched TV until a parent arrived from work
- rode your bike solo around your neighborhood and even up to a local store to buy candy
- spent hours exploring several acres of a wooded area behind or near your house with only a dog or two for company
- went trick or treating with a group of friends and without a single adult along to "ensure safety"
- waited, alone, at a school bus stop for at least 15 minutes every morning after your parents had already driven off to work
- sat in the car with the windows down while mom or dad ran into a store to pick up some groceries
- walked to school by yourself
- walked several blocks to a friend's house (or biked there) by yourself

Any of this sound familiar? Now, picture your own child at age seven or eight or nine. How comfortable would you feel allowing them to do the same? Maybe most of you feel totally fine with all of the above...or maybe not. But now is the time to really start thinking about your personal comfort zone when it comes to granting your child more independence...and doing what you can to educate yourself and your kids about how to stay safe.

Per usual, I have two books to recommend. One of them is probably not unfamiliar to some of you, Free-Range Kids: Giving Our Kids the Freedom We had Without Going Nuts with Worry by Lenore Skenazy. The other may not be as familiar, Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane) by Gavin De Becker. Both books approach the same topic from differing perspectives and both books have the same goal in mind: to help parents, and kids, trust and act on their instincts while still managing to allow children to enjoy their childhood and all the freedoms that come along with it.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Blues

Just when you think its safe...and you've done everything humanly possible to protect your family...you discover there is yet another villain lurking in your kitchen. I'm not talking about plastic...been there, done that. Nor am I talking about non-stick pans, tap water, or e. coli. Today's kitchen bad guy is none other than the humble crock pot.

Here's the story. Back in 2004, an enterprising news reporter in Utah at KUTV decided to do a little investigation of the hidden dangers of common household products. First he uncovered the high amounts of lead in ceramic dishes (one reason why it's NEVER a good idea to microwave your dinnerware. High heat makes lead leach out faster). This set off a mini shit storm and was a big hit in terms of increased viewers. So he decided to test some other items as well. And that's where the crock pot comes in. Our intrepid reporter performed a lead test on several brands of crock pots and bingo! He hit the lead jackpot.

Some of you may already know this. But I confess it came as a surprise to me. I saw it in one of the parenting forums I subscribe to and at first I was skeptical....then when I researched the information further, I was surprised to realize this news was over five years old. Why hadn't I heard about this? And why on earth were crock pot manufacturers still selling lead-laden crock pots?!

The story is legit (although for the record, I could not find anything about it on Snopes). Here is a link to the original news report...and a link to another blog that has a lot of solid details about the investigation, brands to avoid, and why the whole lead thing is such a big deal.