Breakfast pizza

Breakfast today with a much anticipated cup of coffee

Store-ready Garlic Naan bread (flatbread)

Sprinkle of mozzarella cheese (ricotta would be good too)

sprinkle of fresh herbs (I 

had rosemary and parsely on hand)

thinly sliced tomato

par-cooked bacon

crack an egg on top - gently!

Bake at 350 for 8 minutes until egg white is set (the runny yolk is so yummy)

Here's the irony in our life:

Last week we got our ass kicked (pardon my bad language but that's the truth) by influenza.  Today is the first day we felt even somewhat normal.  Normal means that Eduardo and I both got to shower and go to the bathroom without having to take shifts.

Eduardo was giving the girls a bath and I had a moment.  Did I read my book and make a cup of coffee?  Did I settle down and relax? Noooo...is this why I feel so busy all the time?  

I decided to create a new recipe for breakfast pizza, inspired by pizza I remember having 20 years ago (am I really old enough to say that??) in France.  They always had an egg sunny side up on their pizza - seemed odd to me as a teenager but now I find the idea delicious.  

A couple of weeks ago for my birthday we stayed in Boston and had breakfast Sunday morning at Brasserie Jo.  I wanted to go there because of their incredible baguettes.  Unfortunately we were disappointed this time, by everything including my order.  I ordered the tarte flambe, imagining something like what I made today.  I got pizza dough with scrambled eggs and cheddar cheese on top.  Blegh.

Today's inspiration was yummy.  Using the garlic naan is a great choice to cut down on the work of dealing with pizza dough, and it's nice and thin.  The edges cooked a little faster than I would have liked while the eggs needed ample time to set.  I'll have to work on that.

Last week Eva was in the hospital with influenza.  Eduardo had the flu. I had the flu. Sophie had the flu.  We were all sick...and miserable. In fact, I can't remember the last time I felt so bad.  I felt as if I had climbed a mountain when I climbed up the stairs.  Since Eva was sick at the same time, there was no opportunity for rest.  We admitted her Tuesday after she spiked fevers Sunday night and was getting progressively dehydrated and weaker.

We realized that she is a different, stronger child than she was a couple of years ago.  She has reserve which she never had before.  That makes a huge difference.

She has recovered almost completely.  She came home Thursday...I couldn't stand another minute in the hospital.  We were quarantined due to the influenza and couldn't leave the room. Once we got the IV fluids going Eva perked up like she always does, like a houseplant that needs to be watered!  Her fevers were under control by Wednesday.  She's still not taking in the fluids by mouth that she should (sigh) but we're trying.  I was just so glad to get home.

Getting in the kitchen is therapeutic for me.  It can only be done when I have had enough time (minutes are all I ask for!) to clear my head enough to get a little inspired.

I think Eduardo and I make it look too easy.  It's taken me an hour and seventeen interruptions to write this.  And I had to choose between writing this recipe or doing the dishes...or something else equally important.  But I feel better now.

Time's up!

Autism and Mitochondrial Disease

Larry King missed the point during his segment this evening on CNN Larry King live. The subject was the autism-vaccine debate, and included a "exclusive" interview with the Poling family. I am disturbed that the obvious issue wasn't addressed by any of the pediatricians and physicians who were consulted.

The basis of the discussion stems from recent news that the US Government has conceded that there is at least one link between autism and childhood vaccines. Details focus on the preservative, thimersol, as well as the suggestion that the vaccine triggered an underlying mitochondrial disease.

As a parent of a child with mitochondrial disease, I am well aware that stress, fever, or any demonstrable energy demand could trigger a metabolic crisis for my daughter. In fact, we, after lengthy discussion, decided with our pediatrician NOT to administer the MMR vaccine to our daughter because of the risk. In addition, I insisted that the other vaccines were given separately (commonly children are given multiple injections at one well-visit) and withheld the immunizations until my daughter was in optimal health.

The bigger question raised by the evidence from this one case should be centered around the population of children UNDIAGNOSED with an underlying mitochondrial disease that could manifest as a result of environmental factors, toxins, or physiological stress.

So the question I would like to see further discussion about is this: Should children with known mitochondrial disease be exempt from vaccination, and how do we address the obvious need for awareness about mitochondrial disease?

Read more on the MitoAction blog