Adventures in Drool: Natural remedies and apples

Happy Monday afternoon droolers!

Today is all about finding the right natural remedies for ourselves and our children, as well as exploring new apple recipes for the fall.

Last week, I listened into a teleconference about natural remedies given by Amara of AmaraWellness, an online blog and help forum for parents looking to use home remedies to keep kids healthy.

While I believe in the power of science and medicine - new research is always being done - I also think home remedies have a place in our lives.

Droolface constantly has ear infections and a runny nose. Traditional or Western medicine has not seemed to cure the problem, so I wanted to find out what other options were out there.

I found garlic ear oil drops. According to natural medicine, these drops will help clear up ear passages. I decided to give it a try.

I purchased the drops at a health food store in Rehoboth Beach, and then applied them to Droolface's ears once or twice a day. Each ear got about two drops.

According to Amara, the drops work magic after about five days. It has only been four days for me, but I do think they are working. Droolface seems to be rubbing his ears less often.

The second tip from Amara was oregano oil. She said a few drops of oregano oil in water or in food helps with congestion. It can also help clear the sinuses when rubbed on the chest or feet.

The final suggestion was an oil blend of eucalyptus, lemon, rosemary and other herbs. Amara rubs this on her child's feet before bed. It is considered an immune booster and antiviral elixir.

I haven't tried either the oregano oil or blended oil yet. I plan to use the blended oil in a vaporizer to kill bacteria in Droolface's room, but it hasn't arrived yet, so I will keep you posted on how it works.

There are many sites out there that you can go to for more information on home remedies. Try: www.homeremediesweb.com, How Stuff Works or The People's Pharmacy, among others.

My mom always said, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Let's try that home remedy with these delicious recipes.

Crisp apple recipes

Now that the weather has gotten a bit cooler, it leaves me longing for apples. There is nothing better on a fall morning that a bit of apple cobbler, apples dipped in peanut butter or even a yummy baked apple.

Here is a good recipe for baked apples. They can be served any time of day.

Baked apples with cinnamon

Ingredients:

2 large apples, cut in half

2 tbsp butter, melted

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp flour

4 tbsp quick oats

pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Cut apples in half and remove core and seeds.

In a small bowl combine butter, brown sugar, flour, oats and cinnamon. Spoon on top of the apple halves and sprinkle with cinnamon. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm with fat free whipped cream or low fat ice cream.

Pork and apples for dinner

Ingredients:

4 lb. center cut loin of pork (bone or boneless)

3/4 tsp. salt and pepper

8 baking apples, cored

8 lg. onions, peeled but left whole

2 tbsp. flour

2 1/2 c. apple cider

8 med. baking potatoes, if desired

Salt and pepper pork roast and place in roasting pan.

Roast at 325 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Pour off fat.

Place onions and apples in alternate positions around roast. Potatoes may be put in oven at this time. Add 1 1/2 cups cider and roast an additional 1 1/2 hours, basting often. Skim off fat when done. Add flour and remaining cider to pan liquid. Cook mixture until smooth and thickened, stirring frequently. Place roast on platter to serve. Serves 8.

Have a great week in the kingdom of drool!