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Friday Mash Up

September 30, 2011 by 4 Comments

Hello! This post is on the random side. Our week was short because Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year started on Wednesday night. I made two labor intensive dishes for the holiday, which I’ll post about soon. For Wednesday night, I made two challahs. This is them out of the oven with my camera phone. Below that is the good picture from the first time I made them in August.

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I really recommend if you have an itch to make challah that you give it a try. It’s a very rewarding process at the end! A labor intensive recipe, but really very good. I can see that it might be my job for future holidays. And, baking a homemade challah is a mitzvah!

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Then, there was this cute girl. Lily has started sleeping closer to my stomach at night. Maybe it’s a coincidence, or maybe she senses something is changing. But I wake up and she is sometimes nuzzled over the comforter next to my stomach. It’s very cute. She is going to be a good big sister.

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This was the second dish I baked for Thursday lunch. It is an apple cake from a recipe in Everyday With Rachael Ray from many years ago. I saved it in my recipe binder but had never made it. Apples are great for Fall and Rosh Hashanah! I’ll write more about this next week.

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And one teaser picture…since I never show me dressed up anymore. This was a Week 16 picture yesterday, I took a better profile picture in snugger clothes.

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Have a good weekend! It’s October tomorrow! The first of my three favorite months!

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Pregnancy Journey: Week 16

September 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Hello and welcome to Week 16. Feeling like we’re really into this, yet still a long way to go. Last week I went to the doctor for my regular monthly appointment. Although I look forward to it each month, it’s not very exciting! That’s ok by me. I do get to hear the baby’s heartbeat on the Doppler, and that’s the best part. The next appointment I have in two weeks is the anatomy scan, a.k.a. another ultrasound look.

This past week I was took a few good outdoor walks, still aiming for four days of exercise per week, including one gym session of light weights.

I am definitely back to eating normally, including packing salads for lunch and eating plenty of vegetables. I’m not lightheaded in the mornings, but do still eat and drink something soon after waking.

I abstained from dairy for about three full days, then added yogurt back. No stomach pains, so it was probably something random, although I haven’t eaten cottage cheese or plain milk yet. At least it’s not the yogurt!

Since I have been not good at taking pictures of myself, here are two weeks I haven’t posted. Jeffrey took the Week 14 pictures, and I used the camera timer to do the Week 15 one since he was gone. Promptly after viewing those photos, I changed tops. And disregard the no makeup look.

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That’s all today. I’m not really enjoying sharing the weekly pictures, but I’ll do it for you.

 

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Chocolate Chip Snack Squares

September 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

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This quick and easy recipe is a great one when you need a snack in a jif, or something simple and fast to take to a friend. I made these for a friend who just had a baby. Good for a sweet breakfast added to yogurt, or an afternoon or evening snack, it’s an all-purpose treat. The thing I liked best about these is that they cut so nicely. A lot of bars I make are a little jagged when cutting, but these looked real nice. Soft and chewy. Mmm.

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Chocolate Chip Snack Squares

Ingredients:

  • 2 C rolled oats
  • ½ C whole wheat flour
  • ¼ C chopped pecans
  • ¼ C chocolate chips
  • ¼ C sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 & ½ C milk (any kind in your fridge)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 375.
  • In two separate bowls, mix dry ingredients, then wet ingredients. Pour wet into dry, mixing until combined. Pour batter into a cooking-sprayed baking dish (I use 8×8, but use what you’ve got).
  • Bake 30 minutes. Cool completely and then cut into 16 squares.

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An easy modification to this would be to use blueberries instead of the chocolate chips to make it more of a breakfast bar. Or nuts and raisins instead of the chocolate.

These also freeze easily so you can grab one at a time to make them last longer.

Can’t beat a quick dish with few ingredients. Easy to make, easy to clean!

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Print
Chocolate Chip Snack Squares
 

Ingredients
  • Chocolate Chip Snack Squares
  • 2 C rolled oats
  • C whole wheat flour
  • C chopped pecans
  • C chocolate chips
  • C sugar
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • tsp. salt
  • 1 & ½ C milk (any kind in your fridge)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. In two separate bowls, mix dry ingredients, then wet ingredients. Pour wet into dry, mixing until combined. Pour batter into a cooking-sprayed baking dish (I use 8×8, but use what you’ve got).
  3. Bake 30 minutes. Cool completely and then cut into 16 squares.

Filed Under: Recipes, Snacks · Tagged With: , ,

On Not Finding Out the Gender

September 27, 2011 by 7 Comments

I may have mentioned before that we aren’t finding out at Week 20 if it’s a girl or a boy. You are either thinking how crazy and silly that is and how you could never do that because you must know, or you’re thinking “good for you, it’s fun to wait.”

We have heard all the reactions and seen many different facial expressions. I just don’t want to know until it is born. It’s kind of ironic that I don’t want to know. Many people say they are “too Type A” to not know. They say they need to be ready and in control and have everything ready for the arrival. I get that, and I am as much of a planner as they come! Usually, I want everything in its place and planned out ahead. But on this, I don’t want to know. And I’m sure of it.

Many ask how I’ll plan a room and coordinate items. What color bedding will I do and what will I paint the walls? What color towels and toys and clothes should I register for? “Aren’t I going to end up with a bunch of green and yellow?” Those are all just things, and I know it can all be added to a room quickly. Pink and blue aren’t the only colors for a room either.

On one hand, I think it’s strange too. If technology can tell me, why wait? I did the tests for genetic diseases because the option was there. Why not have everything in place and ready to go before it arrives? I also don’t think we’ll do the 4D ultrasound if offered in the last trimester. I don’t think I want to see those details until it’s here.

But I really like the idea of the big “It’s a __!!” at the delivery and how exciting that is. I think it will really help motivate me through the last few weeks and labor to know a big surprise is coming.

Would you/did you find out?

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Movie Review: “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”

September 26, 2011 by 3 Comments


A few weeks ago, I downloaded a movie on my iPhone for some upcoming trips. I ended up never watching it, and it had a day left before it expired. Better get to watching! A friend recommended this movie since I like learning about healthy living things, so I watched. It is called “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead”  and is the story of an Australian man who goes on a 60-day juice fast in America while driving across the country.

He spends 30 days in New York City talking to strangers, observing food patterns, then 30 days driving coast to coast. He only drank juice made in his hotel or trunk of his car using a Breville juicer. He did have doctor supervision, and a camera crew along the way.

The first hour of the movie is about him, and the second hour is about a truck driver he met in Iowa who took the challenge too. Both men were morbidly obese, on many medications, and very sedentary. They made life changes and lost half their weight.

Things I took away from the film:

  • I want to buy a juicer (although, I remember not registering for one because they are very loud and messy, and just another one-purpose countertop appliance).
  • It takes a lot of fruits and vegetables to make a glass of juice.
  • You need a recipe, or it will look like sludge.
  • Going back to the basics of plain fruits and vegetables is best for your health.
A 60-day fast is pretty overwhelming (8 days of Passover is too much for me to not eat flour!), but the point is to free your body from toxins and learn new habits. You can do that in a shorter amount of days, or by making permanent changes.
I was also really stunned by the people he talked to on the streets. They were average Americans who eat fast food, don’t care about fruits and vegetables, and most were very large. They knew their lives would be shorter, but didn’t care to make a change. A few even thought they’d only live to their mid 40s or 50s, and still they weren’t making health changes.
Have you seen the movie? Have you done a long fast or cleanse?
Filed Under: Thoughts · Tagged With:

Friday

September 23, 2011 by 1 Comment

Hello,

Happy first day of Fall! I love this season, it’s my favorite. However, I’m not too excited yet because it’s still really hot and will be for a while. I am looking forward to cooler temps, leggings, closed toed shoes, boots, and growing a cuter belly.

I really don’t have anything to food or fitness related to share, so here’s a puppy picture! Lily just got a bath.

Let’s see, this week I have enjoyed that TV is back! We are adding a lot of new shows to our list, including Two and a Half Men, Two Broke Girls, The New Girl, and of course the usuals of Big Bang Theory, The Good Wife, Parenthood, Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and whatever else Jeffrey remembers to record. I am very happy TV is back!

Other miscellaneous things–for Rosh Hashanah (Jewish new year), I am making two challahs from scratch. That’s where you can find me on Tuesday afternoon. It will take a long time. I also need to make a fruity dessert, I’ll let you know what I decide.

And coming up soon is a post about why we aren’t finding out “what” we’re having. Girl or boy? I’ll tell you in March! Most people think it’s crazy, some think it’s cool.

I had eggs and pancakes for dinner on Wednesday night, and then leftover pancakes for breakfast on Thursday. It was a really good idea. Kodiak Cakes are “just add water” and it had been way too long since I made them. They made a great breakfast! Topped with half a banana, strawberry jam, and a little Vermont Maple Syrup, it fit so nicely in tupperware to bring to work.

Ok that’s all, have a nice weekend!

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Pregnancy Journey: Week 15

September 22, 2011 by 1 Comment

Hello and welcome to week 15! This week, we are the size of an apple! That’s getting big! It is 4 inches long and 2.5 ounces in weight.

Again, not too much to report! I guess that’s good though, don’t want to be too eventful.

I have still continued to walk outside or on the treadmill as my main exercise with a goal of four times per week. I wrote about exercising in the first trimester this week too.

I am not exactly bursting with energy, and even took a wonderful 90 minute nap on Sunday afternoon!

Cooking and grocery shopping has resumed, and I have little to no food aversions anymore. However, one disappointing food problem that has come up is a possible intolerance of lactose. I noticed this week that I was having terrible stomach pains, and thought it may be related to yogurt. Calcium is really important in pregnancy, and I have been eating Greek yogurt daily, and also have made a point to eat more string cheese and salads with cheese. This past week, I bought cottage cheese after a long six month break. I think that was the tipping point and my body went into rebellion. I am going to take out all dairy for a few days and see if there’s a difference. Hopefully I won’t be without Greek yogurt for the next six months or longer!

I am still wearing regular clothes, but enjoy stretchy pants and lounge wear best. I am definitely starting to protrude in a not cute way, but hope I don’t round out too soon. Getting dressed is not that fun right now!

I have a routine doctor’s appointment tomorrow and am looking forward to hearing a heartbeat again!

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Falafel Burgers, Round 2

September 21, 2011 by 2 Comments

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Quite a while ago, I made falafel burgers. We enjoyed them ok, but thought they were a little dry, and basically tasted like baked hummus. It wasn’t bad, just tasted like hummus. Then I saw a recipe recently that added some jalapeno, and more spices, and also cooked them on the stovetop instead of in the oven. Worth a try! I love falafel, and remember liking that the burgers lasted me for lunch for many days.

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We really liked these, but thought they needed a good sauce! What goes with falafel? Tzaziki. I don’t have that in a jar in the fridge. These falafel were much more flavorful, and stovetop method was really good too. I added some shredded carrot to help keep them juicy, and liked the addition of an onion and jalapeno. I also changed the spices from the original recipe because I didn’t have them and didn’t want to buy more spices. It’s all about using what you’ve got.

Falafel Burgers

Ingredients:

  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 red onion, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 1/3 C shredded carrot
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 3 T plus 2 tsp EVOO
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 C Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg white
Instructions:
  • In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, 2 tsp of olive oil, lemon juice and tahini. Blend well and scoop out into a large bowl. Set aside.
  • Heat up 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add the onions and jalapeno and sauté for about six minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute until toasty and fragrant. Add cumin and paprika and mix well.
  • Add onion mixture and carrots to the chickpea mixture and stir well to combine. Add the salt, egg white and breadcrumbs and mix well.
  • Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet as before. Form patties with the chickpea mixture and fry for about three-four minutes per side, until golden and crunchy. Drain on paper towels.

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We also had some sliced, roasted carrots as a side, and roasted potatoes. The carrots were cut like fries and roasted with EVOO, salt and pepper at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. The potatoes included rosemary, garlic powder, EVOO, salt and pepper, and were roasted at 400 for about 30 minutes.

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We served our falafel over a salad of lettuce and tomato. Delicious and healthy meal!

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Print
Falafel Burgers
 

Ingredients
  • 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • ½ red onion, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • ⅓ C shredded carrot
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cumin
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 3 T plus 2 tsp EVOO
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp pepper
  • ½ C Panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg white

Instructions
  1. In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, 2 tsp of olive oil, lemon juice and tahini. Blend well and scoop out into a large bowl. Set aside.
  2. Heat up 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add the onions and jalapeno and sauté for about six minutes or until tender. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute until toasty and fragrant. Add cumin and paprika and mix well.
  3. Add onion mixture and carrots to the chickpea mixture and stir well to combine. Add the salt, egg white and breadcrumbs and mix well.
  4. Heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in the same skillet as before. Form patties with the chickpea mixture and fry for about three-four minutes per side, until golden and crunchy. Drain on paper towels.

Filed Under: Dinner, Recipes, Vegetarian · Tagged With: ,

Exercising in the First Trimester

September 20, 2011 by 5 Comments

Hello, hope you’re having a nice Tuesday. I wanted to write about exercise today, and what I’ve been doing to keep moving over the last few months.

Exercise has been the one thing that hasn’t returned to normal now that I’ve moved out of the first tri and into the second. Although some people still don’t regain their energy for a few more weeks, the second tri is supposed to be your most energetic. I, however, took a 90 minute nap on Sunday and go to bed at 9:45 p.m. each night.

The whole idea of exercising while pregnant is to be mindful, don’t get out of breath, don’t go out to set records, and listen to your body. It is important to stay active while pregnant to help your muscles and joints stay flexible. There are also benefits of staying healthy and not gaining too much weight, and having a healthy baby. All good reasons to find an exercise routine that works.

One thing I didn’t expect was that my body works much differently no matter what I tell it we’re doing. I stopped going to CrossFit in the middle of July because I started valuing sleep more, and the mornings felt a little woozy. It also just didn’t sound good to do such high impact activities, but mostly, I wanted the sleep. I also had problems walking outside in the heat. I would get very lightheaded and dizzy from high temperatures.

I still really like CrossFit, but I’m not sure if it’s a good workout for me while pregnant. There are definitely ways to modify everything, I am deciding if/when I’ll go back.

I also kept up swimming through July and backed off in August. It was surprisingly harder to catch my breath in the pool, but the water felt nice in the heat.

In August, I mostly walked on the treadmill. The goal was four times a week of just moving. I struggled with when to exercise since weekday mornings were for sleeping and going to work. I went in the mid afternoon 1-2 days per week and was just happy with what I did. I also tried to keep up light weights on the weekends, but notice my muscle mass has definitely decreased already. That’s been sad, I worked a long time to build muscles at CrossFit!

Now that I’m into the second tri, my goal is still four days per week of 45-60 minutes of exercise. That is what my doctor recommends, so that is my goal. She definitely recommended cutting back on the 6-7 days of exercise. I hope to do more walking in the early mornings with cooler temperatures on the way, mixed with light weights at a gym or studio.

If you are wondering about running, I stopped that long ago! April was probably the last time I jogged. I didn’t plan to run outside in the summertime, and I was still getting minor IT Band pains on my right leg. I hope a long break will cure those pains, although I’ll be starting over next Spring with building up running. I do not plan to jog while pregnant, but many people do.

Anything surprise you? What exercises do you think would be best?

Filed Under: Exercise, Pregnancy · Tagged With: , ,

Carrot Raisin Muffins

September 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

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In need of a new something to add to yogurt for breakfast and not in the mood for cereal, I started thinking about muffins. I happened to have just bought a bag of carrots and didn’t get to use them, so I wanted it to include carrots. When I think of a carrot muffin, I want it to include some plump gold raisins. And why not add some nuts for more texture?

Then I started looking online for a good recipe to use. I found the Vegan Carrot Spice Muffins from Oh She Glows, one of my favorite sites for clean, healthy recipes. Although her recipe is vegan, I subbed yogurt for coconut milk.

These muffins turned out to be a lovely Fall color that reminds me it’s almost time to buy pumpkin puree, and it was full of goodies like the raisins that really do pop, shreds of carrot, and really flavorful spices. Like all my baked things, I leave a few out and freeze the rest, grabbing one at a time to defrost when I want to take it for breakfast.

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Carrot Raisin Muffins

 

Adapted from Oh She Glows

Dry:

  • 1 & 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seed
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 3/4 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Wet:

  • 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp water
  • 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups grated carrots (about 3 small-medium carrots)
  • 2/3 cup raisins, soaked in water and drained
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

  • Preheat oven to 400F and spray tin with cooking spray.
  • Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (maple syrup, applesauce, yogurt, water, vanilla). Add the wet to the dry and mix until just incorporated. Batter will be THICK!
  • Fold in the carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Scoop batter into the muffin liners, filling batter 3/4 of cup. Bake for about 18 minutes at 400F until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.


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 Baking with vegetables makes me feel a little less guilty for eating a baked good. I actually think these are pretty healthful. There are no oil, eggs, or much sugar, and the other ingredients are simple. I have found myself eating less processed cereals in place of a homemade breakfast square or muffin and feeling better about the decision.

Print
Carrot Raisin Muffins
 

Ingredients
  • Dry:
  • 1 & ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp ground flax seed
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¾ tsp ground ginger
  • ⅛ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • Wet:
  • ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
  • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup + 3 tbsp water
  • 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cups grated carrots (about 3 small-medium carrots)
  • ⅔ cup raisins, soaked in water and drained
  • ⅓ cup chopped pecans

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400F and spray tin with cooking spray.
  2. Whisk all dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (maple syrup, applesauce, yogurt, water, vanilla). Add the wet to the dry and mix until just incorporated. Batter will be THICK!
  3. Fold in the carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Scoop batter into the muffin liners, filling batter ¾ of cup. Bake for about 18 minutes at 400F until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Makes 12 muffins.

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