muffin-pan-chicken-cups: a recipe

We're always messing around and creating/tweaking new recipes, and this one was too delicious not to share! I'm not really sure what to call them, so if you've got a good name, let me know!

For now, let's call them muffin-pan-chicken-cups (quite a mouthful, both the name and the actual food!)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds ground chicken
• 1 egg
• 1 cup chopped veggies**
• 6 oz mozzarella cheese, chopped into small cubes
• 1.5 tsp garlic powder 
• 1.5 tsp dried basil
• A dash of salt and pepper

**This time, I chopped two bell peppers and 1/4 of a Japanese kabocha (pumpkin-like squash) into thumb-nail sized pieces. You could really use any veggies you like, though!

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400° F.
• Grease a muffin tin (we used coconut oil on a paper towel).
• Chop the veggies and the mozzarella into small chunks. Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl until everything is combined.
• Using spoonfuls (or handfuls) to scoop mixture into the muffin tin. Press down a bit to fill the cups. (I was able to get 10 muffin cups filled to the top with this mixture.)
• Bake at 400° for 25-30 minutes.
• Let them cool, and then enjoy!

 

recreating the wonder beverage

I don't have much to say (or the energy to say it), as I've been through the ringer this week! A nasty virus is going around the island, and it's caused me to be without a voice for more than a week. Then came the fever, the chills, the muscle aches, the coughing, sneezing, and aching head!

I finally went to the hospital yesterday and they said I have a sinus infection and an ear infection. Because they could only prescribe medications that I'm allergic to, I've been using every home remedy I can get my hands on to get rid of this nastiness!

Some actually did some good (sea salt gargle, rice bag on the ear, essential oils around the outside of the ear, apple cider vinegar steam inhalation) and others didn't (you probably don't even want to know what some of them were!)

Then I remembered that when we lived in Reno and felt an illness coming on, we'd always run to Pneumatic to pick up a Wonder Beverage. I haven't had one in years, so I'm sure it's not exact, but this is the closest I've come to recreating it here at home. Since Pneumatic has closed its doors, we may never get to have a "real" one again! Regardless, both the original and this variation will provide a kick to the sinuses as well as a honey-laden soothing to the throat.

**Note: You may want to use different amounts of the ingredients to taste!


Ingredients:

• Glassful of water
• Fresh ginger, rinsed (powdered will do, but fresh is better if you've got it!)
• 1/2 Lemon, juiced
• 1-2 teaspoons raw honey (or manuka honey!)
• Dash of cayenne pepper 

Directions:

• Boil the water. While it heats up, peel and cut the ginger. I recommend cutting four-to-five small pieces (about the size of your thumbnail -- just big enough to keep them from floating). Drop the ginger pieces into the bottom of your glass or mug.
• Once the water is almost at the boiling point, pour it over the ginger pieces. Let it sit for several minutes, just as you would when steeping loose leaf tea.
• Once the liquid has taken on the color of the ginger, add the juice of half a lemon and a dash of cayenne pepper. (Don't go overboard, as a little cayenne goes a long way!)
• Remove the ginger pieces (unless you prefer the ginger taste to continually get stronger), add honey to taste, stir it up, sip, and feel better!

Hospital Safety

Hospital Safety Information: Allergies to Gluten and Corn


General Information:

• NO hand sanitizer - hands should be washed with soap and water

• Gloves must be powder-free nitrile variety

• Cloth gowns and bedding instead of paper covers. I have an emergency gown and my emergency contacts can provide clean linens.

• NO powdered rubber instruments - metal or glass only

• Any tools disinfected with alcohol should be rinsed prior to use

• NO dissolvable sutures - only use non-dissolvable nylon or polypropylene sutures that have been rinsed to dispose of corn starch.

• Saline IV only! No dextrose!

• For ANY medication given, check the inactive ingredients against the list below!!

Ingredients to Avoid:

• wheat, barley, rye (anything with gluten)
• corn (anything with the word corn, like corn starch, corn syrup, etc)
• maltodextrin
• dextrose
• citric acid
• sorbitol
• glucose
• aspartame
• fluoride
• glucose
• sucrose
• fructose
• non-specified starches
• modified starch
• glycerin
• natural flavors

**See the corn allergen list for more ingredients/derivatives to avoid.**

Anesthesia Information

For local anesthetics, use only carbocaine or preservative-free lidocaine. No inactive ingredients other than water and/or sodium chloride!

Safe General Anesthetics:

• Versed (Hospira)

Avoid General Anesthetics:

• Propofol

Antibiotics Information

Safe:

• Keflex (Cephalexin) - red capsule. (potato starch)
• Rocephin (Ceftriaxone) - injection. (Check that it isn't treated in ethanol. It should be mixed with sterile water or saline only. Also check that the lidocaine is corn free.)
• Zithromax (only brand-name. The generics usually have corn starch.)

Avoid:

• Cipro
• Levaquin
• Bactrim (and the Qualitest generic version as well)

Blood Products/Transfusions

Check the inactive ingredients and anticoagulants, as many are corn-derived. Please discuss information with patient or emergency contact before using blood products. If a transfusion is absolutely necessary, please take necessary precautions to prepare for possible allergic reactions.

Inhaled Medications

Safe:

• Xopenex
• Albuterol-only nebulizers

Avoid:

• Ethanol propellants
• Anything with added ingredients included on the above-mentioned list

Injected Medications

Safe:

• Saline IV
• Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride injection (check inactive ingredients)
• Ranitidine Hydrochloride injection (check inactive ingredients)
• Rocephin injection (without dextrose!!)

Avoid:

• Lactated Ringers
• Dextrose in IV

Wound Treatment and Disinfectants

Safe:

• Saline
• Betadine solution (if it contains only water, povidone iodine, and sodium hydroxide)
• Purdue brand Betadine is safe
• Isopropyl alcohol (only if necessary)
• Non-dissolvable nylon or polypropylene sutures (rinse to remove corn starch)
• Carbocaine or preservative lidocaine for local anesthetics (the only inactive ingredients should be water and/or sodium chloride)
• Cotton gauze
• Kerlix or Coban Tape

Avoid:

• Citric Acid
• Glycerin
• Pareth alcohol
• Ethanol
• Dissolvable sutures
• Local anesthetics with inactive ingredients other than water/sodium chloride
• Most adhesive bandages
• Steri-strips