Validation. And Complications.

So, as I was finishing up my last post, poor little Yummy was going into respiratory arrest.  Again.  I know this not because he woke up and came to tell me about it but because I could hear his stridor through the door.  The fact that a kid could be blue around the mouth and struggling so much for air that I can hear him over the television and through the closed door and NOT wake up is terrifying to me.

I ran and grabbed him out of bed, called my husband (who was out playing a late hockey game) to ask how far away he was, and set up a breathing treatment.  I gave him two puffs of preventil through the aerochamber, then two albuterol treatments in the nebulizer back to back, which at least got him enough air to where he could cry and talk, and his color returned to normal.

After watching him for a couple more hours and giving him another neb, I put him to bed with a cup of lemonade (all we had on hand besides the treacherous cow's milk) and instead of sleeping, just listened for the stridor to start up again.  Which it didn't.

Wednesday morning he woke up a little rattly, but full of energy and pretty much fine.  This quick improvement baffled me until I realized that ordinarily after said episode I would have given him a cup of milk to drink himself to sleep with, since the neb treatments tend to be pretty traumatic for him, and milk calms him down.  Hmmm....

So Wednesday morning I took him to doctor, to make sure all was well and we wouldn't be having a repeat again that night.  Our amazing pediatrician Dr. Allison Salek (at Univ. of Utah clinic) is out of the office on Wednesdays, so we saw Dr. Henrikson instead.  After describing what happened (and lamely defending myself for not just going to the ER) the night before, I very tentatively explained that we had quit drinking milk a few weeks before, but ended up with a gallon in the fridge, and maybe it's crazy but I think there might be a connection between the milk and his asthma attack, etc.  Well, shock of shocks, Dr. Henrikson agreed with me!  He does not in fact believe that milk does a body good!  He agrees that it's very likely to cause childhood asthma!  I seriously could have cried for joy at how validated I felt.  After explaining what we're doing to lots (and lots) of people, I have gotten a lot (a lot) of skeptical reactions.  To get support from a real live M.D. whom I really respect was hugely rewarding for me.

I'd hate to end this post on such an uncharacteristically positive note, though, so I'll tell you the rest of the story:  To celebrate the Fourth of July in style (we like to get sick on federal holidays when there are no doctors open ANYWHERE), Yummy ruptured an eardrum.  Apparently he had a lot of congestion rattling around after his last attack, and it eventually found its way to his ears.  I feel soooo bad.  We were really not on the lookout for this because he got tubes when he was a baby (after seven infections in four months) and apparently those miraculous tubes are now gone.  A tragic loss.  I'm hoping if we can be better about staying milk-free we can avoid getting him new tubes.

And now..... what you've all been waiting for.....  my first recipe post!
Check out these super tasty [and dairy free] cinnamon rolls that you can actually make in time for breakfast!  They are genius because it's a quick biscuit dough instead of a yeast dough.  This is the cinnamon roll recipe for those of us who do not have in-house bakers who happily rise at 3am to get the dough rising.  For those of you who don't keep coconut oil on hand and couldn't care less about dairy intake (I still love and respect you), substitute an equal amount of cow's milk in place of the almond/soy, and butter in place of the coconut oil.  Don't use shortening!  It's gross!


Quick Cinnamon Buns - Makes 8


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Grease or spray a 9 inch round cake pan.


For the filling:
In a small bowl, melt 1 Tbs coconut oil.
Then add:
1/2 c brown sugar
2 Tbs white sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp salt
Stir to combine.


For the biscuit dough:
In small bowl or glass measuring cup, melt 6 Tbs coconut oil.
Add 1 1/4 c soy or almond milk, plus 1 tbs of lemon juice.  Let stand for five minutes.  


In large bowl whisk together
2 1/2 c unbleached flour
2 Tbs sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt


Combine 'buttermilk' mixture and dry ingredients.  Stir just until combined.  Dough should be shaggy and sticky but workable.  


On floured work surface, pat dough into 12x9 inch rectangle.  Brush dough with 1 Tbs melted coconut oil.  Spread topping evenly on dough.  Starting at the long side, roll the dough, pressing lightly, to form a log.  Pinch seam to seal.  Roll the log seam side down, and cut in half.  Cut each half into four equal pieces.  Place in prepared cake pan.  

Bake until edges are golden brown, about 23-25 minutes. 
Let cool about five minutes before icing or eating.  Your choice. 


For the optional icing:  
Mix in small bowl:
2 Tbs coconut oil (soft but not melted)
2 Tbs coconut milk (or soy, or almond - whatever you have)
1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract


Use rubber spatula to spread icing over warm buns.  Cinnamon buns.  And eat up.