Elderberry - The Flu Fighting Fruit

Great article about the benefits of elderberry!!! We take 1 tsp everyday to boost our immune system and 3 times a day when we start to feel something come on. It has done wonders for us. I keep reading how so many people have been out with the flu lately and I felt this would be useful information to share. Elderberry "the flu fighting fruit" worked better than Tamiflu and Amantadine!!! www.drlisawatson.com/elderberry-flu-fighting-fruit

Happy New Year!! Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Sage

     

  First things first...Happy New Year!!!  It's been a month since my last post and I feel horrible that it has taken this long. So much has happened in the past month but it still doesn't make me feel better about not keeping up with the blog.  But it's a new year and I am looking forward to a better year than the last.  Not that last year was a complete bust. We had lots of ups and downs with our son's behavior but it did finally lead us to the PANDAS diagnosis.  The diagnosis has helped begin the healing of our son, Lucca.  It's been a long road but we ARE ON the road to recovery. 

  Unfortunately we have hit some bumps in the road, especially this past month.  We had a strep scare with a minor flare up.  So, we switched antibiotics and things seemed to be better.  Then right before Christmas, our whole house got sick.  We had in-laws in town, one person got sick and we all ended up catching some sort of virus.  PANDAS suck and the winter months are never fun because of so much sickness going around.   When  Lucca gets sick it sends his immune system into a tizzy and causes a flare up. PANDAS can quickly turn into PANS.  PANS (Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome) is very similar to PANDAS except it doesn't stem from Strep. PANS is when any infection or environmental factor triggers and creates a misdirected immune response resulting in inflammation on a child's brain. Same symptoms just a different cause which all comes down to the immune system and how the immune system responds.  

  We are all finally feeling better.  I no longer have teeth pain and can breathe and hear normally again. Whhooo hoooo!!! We have seen several dr's in the past couple of weeks and both Lucca and myself are looking into getting T&A removal (Tonsil and Adenoid removal) to help prevent further strep and help my sinus issues.  We have officially added another dr into our line-up...an ENT (Ear Nose and Throat). I have always had sinus issues and constantly get sinus infections even with a simple cold. We have added homeopath and extra vitamins/supplements to our routine but I ran out of some things this last time and the sickness became a sinus infection.  Not as bad as it typically is but still bad enough that I just needed rest and had no motivation to do anything...including the blog.  Add with holidays, house guests, and holiday functions, well, this explains my absence for the month.  Because of all this Lucca had a flare up and his brain and behavior are still recovering from the sickness that spread throughout our house.  We of course had to get some blood work done and are patiently waiting the results to see what the next steps are.  

  Even though I was sick we still have to eat, so I have to cook. When we are sick I tend to turn to a lot of soups. One of my favorites is Butternut Squash. I sometimes make it into a Thai inspired dish but this time I wanted bacon.  So I sprinkled with bacon bits and fried sage leaves. This  soup is silky smooth, easy and delicious.  I use an emulsion blender to puree the soup but you can also use a food processor or blender as long as it can handle hot liquids. The fried sage leaves and bacon add a salty and savory note to the soup. If you want to make it a vegetarian option, just omit the bacon and sub out the chicken broth with veggie stock/broth.  I'm sure it will become one of your family favorites too.

Hope you enjoy!  Stay healthy out there!

Happy Cooking and Eating!! 

Butternut Squash Soup with Bacon and Sage

Serves:4-6

Prep Time:15 minutes

Cook Time:30 minutes

Total Time:45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 medium butternut squash (peeled and cubed)
• 1 can coconut milk (14 oz, full fat)
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock 
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 TBSP arrowroot powder (can be omitted, but won't be as thick)
• 2 TBSP coconut oil
• 10-12 pieces of bacon, chopped
• 8-10 fresh sage leaves
• salt and pepper, approx 1/4 tsp of each

Instructions:

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper to the pot. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
2. Stir in arrowroot powder and cook for about 1 minute. 
3. Stir in butternut squash and cook another minute. 
4. Add coconut milk and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20-25 minutes until squash is fork tender. 
5. Use the emulsion blender (or preferred appliance) to puree the soup.

Topping:

1. While the soup is simmering, place chopped bacon in a pan and fry until crispy, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel.  Or you can make in the oven like this (just be sure to reserve the bacon fat).
2. Add the fresh whole sage leaves to the hot bacon fat and fry over med-high heat until crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel to drain.
3. Ladle the soup in a bowl and top with bacon and sage bits.  Enjoy!