Acid reflux remedy--pineapples and yogurt

Sarah has had quite a bit of spit-up.  Like any concerned mother, I called the doctor's office to determine whether I should have the doctor see her.  When I spoke to the nurse, she told me to change my diet because I am breast-feeding Sarah.  She said to have a bland diet with no milk, salad, cabbage, broccoli, tomatoes, chocolate, salt, and caffeine.  She told me to elevate her crib mattress and give her Mylicon gas drops. 

One potential diagnosis could be acid reflux.  But she said to see how it went before I came in to get medication.  I am generally against medication but gas drops seem harmless.  I imagine that if she were prescribed a medication, it might be omeprazole or "stomach medication."  Omeprazole seems like a familiar old friend because I spent a year of my life representing a generic pharmaceutical company who was later found to infringe Astra Zeneca's patents on Prilosec. Nonetheless, I don't want Sarah taking such a strong drug or any drug if there are other alternatives.

What is a diet that bland, I wondered.  I have struggled to find things to eat.  I hope corn is on the list of approved foods because I thought it would be a harmless vegetable (frozen corn that is heated with a little butter and a touch of salt), ho-cakes (cornbread made on a griddle or on the stove), and grits have been on my new bland menu.  I have also had some cod rolled in cornmeal and fried.

While watching "The Doctors" television program this week, they had a segment on the foods that cause acid reflux and the ones to prevent it.  Turns out, the foods were some of the same ones that were on the nurse's list: tomato sauce and chocolate.  They also mentioned orange juice, which I drink every day. 

The ones to prevent acid reflux were yogurt, pineapple, and figs.  Thus, I am now eating yogurt and pineapples together (see the picture).  I think I have some fig preserves that I have eaten with a cheese plate somewhere.  My guess is that Scott has relegated them to our overflow refrigerator in the basement because they are not consumed very often.  I am not sure figs, pineapples and yogurt together are a good combination.  But pineapples and non-fat, plain, Greek yogurt are surprisingly good.  I may try fig preserves in yogurt next.  Then work my way up to trying all three together. 

Well, you only live once so here I go to the basement.  The fig preserves are there.  Fig preserves and non-fat Greek yogurt are really good together.  Fig preserves, pineapples, and Greek yogurt are certainly edible but I am not sure if they are the right combination--it seems like the fig preserves and pineapples are competing.

Ground chuck (no pink slime)

The pink slime debate seems a no-brainer--don't add ammonia to food that children eat.  Here is what homemade ground chuck looks like...We took chuck roast purchased at our local Sam's Club.  However, we would like to find a local source for meat. Then we ground it in the meat grinder attachment to our KitchenAid mixer.  Notice that you can actually see white fat in the bowl.  Is it because we put too much fat in?  Or is it because some additive is covering up the white color?

These were really tasty when we ate them last night for my birthday!

Gardening?

My motivation for gardening this year has been low.  I continually make excuses concerning Sarah--it is too hot or too cold for her or I am too tired from not sleeping enough.  She was eating a lot at night.  Then there were nights when her stomach seemed to be bothering her or she seemed like she had confused days and nights.  Why can't newborns behave perfectly from the beginning?  (ha! ha!)

Scott's motivation for gardening seems to be higher this year.  After visiting his family farm in Taylorsville around Christmas, I told him that if his late grandfather could be a successful farmer, he could too.  He has increased the square foot of our garden--doubled the size of our basil bed and added sage and dill to it.  In our tomato and pepper bed, he planted lettuce and whatever jalapeno and tomato seeds we had leftover from last year.  He also ordered some Anaheim and Poblano seeds from Burbee because we can't find them at our local stores as seed and sometimes not in the produce section or farmers' market either.  I question whether this means that our climate is not good for growing these peppers.

As I was watching the noon news program this week, Crystal Sanders from James Sanders Nursery was on saying that it was too early to plant because it might frost.  Scott wondered why we were able to buy tomato and pepper plants from James Sanders Nursery if that was the case. 

We have yet to plant the plants and only planted the seeds.  I considered going out to plant the plants but Sarah was sleeping and I didn't want to take her.  I have lost (Scott put away who knows where) part of the baby monitor so I could not use it.  So there is another excuse to add.

Our garden is mostly organic because we have never put any pesticides on it but I have used some fertilizer on it.  Knock on wood, we have only seen a few Japanese beetles in our yard.  Crystal Sanders also mentioned that to control moles you should use a product that kills grubs, which grow into Japanese beetles.  For the last few years, we have had mole holes so maybe we have had a predator taking care of them.  Predation is my favorite organic garden technique.  I have been trying to figure out how to attract mosquito predators.