Wednesday, September 20, 2006

When a vegan can't sleep...

When a vegan wakes up before sunrise, and there's no hope of going back to sleep, what does a vegan do? Well, this vegan makes a nice, steamy pot of Millet-Amaranth Porridge from Vive! It cooked up very nicely, and I went just by the recipe with the exception of using nutmeg in place of cardamom (Can I find cardamom anywhere? Nooo....). This is it before I added another splash of soymilk and a little bit of sugar to sweeten it:
So comforting and delicious for a cool, dark morning...

Thanks for all your feedback about my headaches. I think that was the reason I've had trouble sleeping. Anyway, after reading over your comments and doing a bit of research on the 'net, I've decided that I probably did have a migraine after all. I read that they can be caused by changes in the weather... So though I've never had one before, maybe that's all it is. I may go to the doctor to see if I have a sinus infection, just because I don't want it to flare up too bad if I do, but I don't think that's what it is. A couple of you mentioned acupuncture... Though that sounds a bit scary, I don't think I would be opposed to trying it sometime. But here, I don't know if it's even an option. I bet I would have to go to Atlanta--a 2 hour drive that I really can't afford right now, especially with midterms around the corner.

I've been trying to link more and more people, but it seems like I come across new blogs every day!

Have a good second half of your week, everybody. You all inspire me!

11 comments:

Candi said...

Awww, that comfort food looks very good!! :)

I was happy to ead you are feeling better from the migraine. I didn't know you could get them from the weather changes, but that's good to know. I hope it does not return!!

I know what you mean about all the great blogs!! I love finding them. I try to read them all each day, but sometimes I have to skip a day. Lol! Great info though and it's so nice to get a peek into what others are doing in their lives!

B said...

Glad to hear your headache is getting better! I used to get 2-3 headaches a week, and at least one migraine a month so I know your pain. My dr put me on verapamil (a blood pressure medicine) to take 3-4 times a week as a preventative and that worked great, but I wasn't happy having to take drugs daily. I did a little more research and found that there was a (slightly controversial) study done several years ago that showed that many people who get frequent headaches are low in magnesium, so I started taking magnesium daily and stopped taking my verapamil and haven't had a headache/migraine since.
It's an idea, and it doesn't cost a lot of money or take a trip to a doctor.
Sorry this is so long!

Anonymous said...

Would you consider a visit to a chiropractor ? It did wonders for me. I choose a chiropractor who doesn't make you "crack", that just freaks me out LOL
She is a chiropractor who practices "Technique Douce" ( Soft technique ? doesn't look right) LOL

What ever you choose, I hope it works rapidly ! Headaches are no fun and migraines are the worse :-(

bazu said...

Your porridge looks fantastic- warm cereal is one of the few reasons I look forward to winter. I have a box of cream of buckwheat waiting for me!
I totally agree with the change of weather causing intense headaches. This only started for me last year, but then a co-worker mentioned changes in weather (barometric pressure) and when I started paying attention, the headaches definitely hit when it was going from rainy to dry or dry to rainy.
Have you tried massaging the pressure point that is the soft spot b/t your thumb and your index finger? It works wonders for me, just squeeze it as hard as you can stand, and then massage it.
Good luck with everything- love your food pics!

Anonymous said...

Glad to hear your headache is getting better! i personally get lots of headache when is around my period. i will try the magnesium like Kaji's Mom suggest.
looks good the Porridge .

Anonymous said...

Glad your headache is getting better.

Your porridge looks interesting - never heard of Millet-Amaranth. Does it taste like oatmeal?

laura k said...

Thanks for your comments! Midwest Vegan, the porridge is similar to oatmeal but more creamy because the grains are smaller. In the book Dreena says--and I agree--that it's kind of like rice pudding. And I read about millet and amaranth, and both seem to be very good for you!

Kaji's mom, that's good info about the magnesium. I checked my multi-vitamin today, and it's low on magnesium. Maybe I'll try a supplement, or just try to get more of that in my diet.

Gaia, I've never thought about a chiropractor to help headaches--but it seems to make sense. I could try that sometime.

And Bazu, massages are one of the only things that have been good about the whole thing! I loooove having my head massaged, and my husband is so sweet... :)

Until next time... God bless!

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

this looks & sounds like a perfect breakfast -- especially for the kind of mornings you describe (abi wakes very early, so 99.9% of my mornings are dark.....) i need to check into this porridge. LOL! & the calzone below looks sooo amazing, laura!

funwithyourfood said...

I get really grumpy when i can't sleep. poor richard has to put up with it!haha
I don't think i would be nearly this productive that early in the AM
Glad youre researching migranes I'm more glad that you're feeling better though

teddy

Teresa said...

Sorry to hear about the migranes and sleep interuptions. I'm glad that Vive came to the rescue- (It seems to do that a lot for people). I haven't yet bought and tried cooking the millet grain. I've bought millet cereal and had other products with millet, but I can't say what millet tastes like. Does it take long to cook? I'd love to try this, especially since I do love hot cereal. Well good luck with the headache problems and keep on getting those theraputic head massages from the husband.

-Teresa

Carrie™ said...

Hey Laura! Your brekkie looks tasty. I've never been a fan of hot cereals, but I find myself liking oatmeal more & more. I'm also feeling adventurous and want to try other grains so I'm keeping this one in mind.
I used to suffer from headaches a lot. Mine were mostly sinus related, so I went to an allergist who did some tests and discovered I'm allergic to mold and mildew. She gave me some spray that I use everyday and it's really helped. I also sometimes get weather related headaches. My naturopath suggested upping my magnesium intake. Another option is accupunture. I think you're right in checking for infection first, but those were a couple of things that worked for me. Of course, depends on what type of headache you have. Hope you get some relief!