get well gremlin and veggie chili
Can you see Fauna amongst the pink glow of her bedroom?
She is still very congested and this congestion is tiring her out. She spent all day yesterday in bed reading, she is inhaling Gail Carson Levine books right now (no complaints here). Today was pretty much a carbon copy of yesterday. Araina now has the congestion and sneezing too. Looks like we will be visiting the doctor tomorrow! I’m feeling back to my old self and so is Dave (after missing 2 days of work). So at least I am able to cater to their needs in a more cheerful way. 
Thank you all for the nice comments on the flu post. I LOVED reading the things everyone does to combat flu and colds in their households. If you haven’t had a chance to read all the comments I recommend you go back and read them, there are some GREAT tips there!
Yesterday Fauna was begging for my vegetarian chili. Usually we don’t have it until Halloween, but when a sick body craves something I feel we should listen! Besides, spicy chili is a great way to open up those nasal passages. I adapted this recipe from Martha Stewart’s False Alarm Chili.
3 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 large carrots, chopped in med. coins
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced or 1/4 c canned chopped green chiles
1 pound dried lentils, rinsed
1/3 C tomato paste
1 C or 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 C or 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 C or 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
4 C stewed tomatoes or 28 oz. can
1/3 C chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Sweat the onion, garlic, carrot and peppers in the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Stir in stewed tomatoes, lentils, tomato paste, beans and about 7 cups of water. Add chili powder, cumin and red-pepper flakes.
2. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer until lentils are tender, about 45 minutes. If the chili starts to dry out, add hot water as needed. Season with salt and pepper.
Get Well Gremlin (work in progress)
I forgot to mention one more flu comfort the little ladies enjoy. They love to take a cotton ball to bed that has 2 drops lavender, 1 drop peppermint, 1 drop eucalyptus and 1 drop tea tree essential oils on it. This makes their breathing better and opens up those stuffy nasal passages. Now the problem is where to put the cotton ball, it tends to get lost in the bed? Today I came up with this little Get Well Gremlin. He has a pocket to keep the cotton ball in. They are loving this idea! I will be sure to post them when they are finished and share the pattern. Now I just need to get off the computer and finish them!
Stay healthy everybody!
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Great chili recipe. Prepared it this week. Thanks for posting it. O
Just wanted to let you know I made your veggie chili last night and love it! I am having it again for lunch today! I am also working on a Get Well Gremlin, although we will name it something else as we are all healthy around here. I will post about it in my blog next week and link back to you!
Have a great weekend!
~Suzy
Sending positive and healthy thoughts!!! I make Martha’s false alarm chili at least every other week so it was so interesting to see how you adapted it! I add black beans, garbanzo beans (!!!), and corn. I love this recipe!
That Chili looks great. I love trying out new chili’s! I am going to give this one a try this week! Thanks for sharing!
That chili looks so good. I make turkey chili mostly but I am going to try this. I would rather make a vegetarian one anyway. Your gremlins turned out awesome!! Hugs, Kyndale
I hope your little ladies are feeling better real soon! I like your essential oil cotton ball idea….I’ll try to remember that!
Get better soon all of you!!
That chilli looks so so tasty! Lily totally loved that bedroom!
I’m just amazed how dedicated you are to this blog! Great info and I love the picture of Fauna’s room. You’re amazing, Lisa!
I sure hope Fauna get better soon!
The chili recipe looks very yummy and will have a place on our menu next week. I love the gremlin! I was thinking that he is sorta the shape of a hot water bottle and could be a hot water bottle cover with a little pocket for the cotton ball.
I do a similar trick with essential oils (i use an old washcloth instead of a cotton ball) then just shove it inside the pillowcase! The gremlin idea is cute though! I might have to change my ways!!
Adorable!! I think I need to invest in some essential oils! : )
What a lovely pink bedroom! Sorry the girls are still under the weather. Owen and I have been unusually tired these past few days so I’m waiting for the inevitable symptoms to begin to emerge….. we’re getting extra rest and fluids and keeping our fingers crossed.
The chili sounds delicious. looks delicious!
The get well gremlin, with the little cotton ball with essential oils, is such a wonderful idea. I love it!!!! Thank you so much! I can’t wait to see yours. And I am so fascinated with your blog because I am learning so much about plants and natural healing. love, Beth
Wish you’ll be well soon!
Loving the Get Well Gremlins, if you do share the pattern, I will be making a couple myself! Hope you are all better SOON!
wishing your little lovely ladies really really well-
I also have an award for you on my blog http://artunderthefigtree.blogspot.com/2009/10/creative-blogger-award.html
Blessings
Louise
Seems that good books are another important flu remedy. I love that you included a quilt as a necessity as well. Hope you are all feeling much better soon!
That chili sounds SO good!! My veggie chili is so boring! Hope your little one gets better soon. Thanks for the recipe!!
What a cute gremlin. I hope everybody feels better soon, and this illness passes quickly!
What a great idea! I can’t wait to taste this chili!
The chili sounds wonderful. Hope everybody gets well soon.
you have so many wonderful ideas!
I’m sorry the flu is lingering … I wish Fauna well soon. Her bedroom is beautiful.
oh, we’re gonna have to make gremlins. i mentioned we use the eucalyptus for nighttime breathing too, but we have the same trouble with the flannel squares we use! i usually end up tucking them inside the pillow case or their pj top, but how much more comforting to have the gremlin to snuggle…i’ve also got hot water bottle cozies on my “to make” list for the winter…
thank you for posting your eo recipe! i just used it for my son – it smells quite nice – not overpowering. i want to find a source for elderberries. i think i may have some in my yard but i am not 100% certain and don’t want to risk it. i should bring some to a local nursery and see if in fact it is it. but until then i’ll look online for dried elderberries. i really enjoy reading your blog!
Love the get well gremlin! He’d be fantastic stuffed w/ flaxseed or rice so you could heat him in the microwave too! The EOs on a cotton ball are a great idea, I’ve never thought of doing that. I usually put them in the vaporizer which I know is a no-no.
I love the get-well gremlin idea! I’ve got to make one!
I wanted to let you know that I’m just getting over a miserable cold that hit me particularly hard. For the first time, I treated it in part with lots of goldenrod tea, using the goldenrod I dried after reading about it here. I credit that, and my elderberry syrup, with my quick recovery. Thanks!
Healing wishes to you all,
Lise
A sick child should eat what she likes.
I love chili! Also delicious with tortilla chips.
The oils I try!
Is the Gremlin to bed already?