God bless this doctor!
Pregnant mothers can now hold models of their newborn babies!
Thanks to my hubby for finding this!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Speaking of weight loss...
Are you wondering what I'm talking about? Erin over at Bearing Blog has a REALLY great series on weight loss that I've followed for the last year. After a visit to the doctor yesterday with my beloved Dr. Ade and seeing my OB's GREAT nurse, Barb, I found out that nursing moms can eat as little as 1200 calories a day.
One of the things Dr. Ade suggested was NOT drinking milk, but water, instead. I'm not much of a water drinker or milk drinker. Sadly, I was drinking 3 cans of DIET COKE a day! Bad, bad, bad. I have been reading a ton about how bad DC is for you, including exacerbating ADD (a problem I've had all my life) and affecting bone density. So, I'm cutting back. Here's what I'm trying to do. I am trying to wean myself, which is hard when you have a newborn. Coffee doesn't do much for me anymore. I need caffeine. I'm looking for some alternative.
My hubby drinks Awake , which he swears by for both morning and after lunch grogginess. I, alas, cannot use awake because it has fish byproducts in it. Oh, I guess I could try. The EPI PEN shot would really help keep me awake, wouldn't it? HAHA...okay, not so funny. But, the key to Awake is the ingredients. No caffeine, just vitamins and amino acids. Interestingly enough, B12 is one of those vitamins. My beloved Dr. Ade thinks that I might be deficient. If a shot of B12 will help, bring it on.
Anyway, I'm down 9lbs from 6 weeks ago and I am going to work VERY hard at changing my habits (another thing Erin and I have talked much about). I have a BMI of 34, folks. That puts me at OBESE. I have 25 lbs to go just to not be OBESE. Now before everyone starts the, "Oh, but you just had a baby..." stuff, please keep in mind I lost 72 lbs post partum with Little Woman. She was a crazy nurser, every 2 hours 'til she was 2. Maybe that's how I lost 72 lbs! But, don't worry. I will not let the Wee One suffer. I monitor output almost as religiously as they do with newborns, so I won't let her be effected. Anyway, she sleeps through the night already (good from a rest perspective, bad from a fertility perspective) and nurses hourly during the day. I don't follow a schedule, but feed on demand. She has rolls and a double chin, so, trust me, I will not lose weight at her expense.
So, I'm sorry, but I will probably bore you with posts about weight loss. When I lost 72 pounds previously, it was using Gwen Shamblin's Weighdown Workshop. I liked the program, but didn't like her very much. Her religious beliefs, while Christian, did not include belief in the Holy Spirit. My faith firmly believes in the Trinity. But, that doesn't dismiss how good her program was. It was faith based and sound. She is a registered dietitian. Her program did not include exercise. I liked that part of it because, Little Woman was a needy baby. It wasn't easy finding time when she needed to nurse every 2 hours and Little Man was not even 2 yet. So, this fit. Wee One does need to nurse regularly and Tinkerdoodle still needs me much, being a little over two, so I'm going her route this time. I will exercise WHEN I CAN, but, it won't be as much a part of my weight loss as it was Erin's.
Oh, and the excessive posting today is again in thanks to Dr. Ade. I now have a nifty new wrist brace to help with my CTS (Carpel Tunnel Syndrome) and typing is possible now without pain or problems!
Stay tuned for more...
One of the things Dr. Ade suggested was NOT drinking milk, but water, instead. I'm not much of a water drinker or milk drinker. Sadly, I was drinking 3 cans of DIET COKE a day! Bad, bad, bad. I have been reading a ton about how bad DC is for you, including exacerbating ADD (a problem I've had all my life) and affecting bone density. So, I'm cutting back. Here's what I'm trying to do. I am trying to wean myself, which is hard when you have a newborn. Coffee doesn't do much for me anymore. I need caffeine. I'm looking for some alternative.
My hubby drinks Awake , which he swears by for both morning and after lunch grogginess. I, alas, cannot use awake because it has fish byproducts in it. Oh, I guess I could try. The EPI PEN shot would really help keep me awake, wouldn't it? HAHA...okay, not so funny. But, the key to Awake is the ingredients. No caffeine, just vitamins and amino acids. Interestingly enough, B12 is one of those vitamins. My beloved Dr. Ade thinks that I might be deficient. If a shot of B12 will help, bring it on.
Anyway, I'm down 9lbs from 6 weeks ago and I am going to work VERY hard at changing my habits (another thing Erin and I have talked much about). I have a BMI of 34, folks. That puts me at OBESE. I have 25 lbs to go just to not be OBESE. Now before everyone starts the, "Oh, but you just had a baby..." stuff, please keep in mind I lost 72 lbs post partum with Little Woman. She was a crazy nurser, every 2 hours 'til she was 2. Maybe that's how I lost 72 lbs! But, don't worry. I will not let the Wee One suffer. I monitor output almost as religiously as they do with newborns, so I won't let her be effected. Anyway, she sleeps through the night already (good from a rest perspective, bad from a fertility perspective) and nurses hourly during the day. I don't follow a schedule, but feed on demand. She has rolls and a double chin, so, trust me, I will not lose weight at her expense.
So, I'm sorry, but I will probably bore you with posts about weight loss. When I lost 72 pounds previously, it was using Gwen Shamblin's Weighdown Workshop. I liked the program, but didn't like her very much. Her religious beliefs, while Christian, did not include belief in the Holy Spirit. My faith firmly believes in the Trinity. But, that doesn't dismiss how good her program was. It was faith based and sound. She is a registered dietitian. Her program did not include exercise. I liked that part of it because, Little Woman was a needy baby. It wasn't easy finding time when she needed to nurse every 2 hours and Little Man was not even 2 yet. So, this fit. Wee One does need to nurse regularly and Tinkerdoodle still needs me much, being a little over two, so I'm going her route this time. I will exercise WHEN I CAN, but, it won't be as much a part of my weight loss as it was Erin's.
Oh, and the excessive posting today is again in thanks to Dr. Ade. I now have a nifty new wrist brace to help with my CTS (Carpel Tunnel Syndrome) and typing is possible now without pain or problems!
Stay tuned for more...
Just like them...
I will be 90 when we are married 62 years. This is just lovely!
I wonder what our "thing" will be!
Thanks, Julie, for the smile this morning! I needed it!
I wonder what our "thing" will be!
Thanks, Julie, for the smile this morning! I needed it!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Awesome Peach Salsa
I made a great meal Monday night. For me it was the peach salsa that made the meal. Now, I don't normally call condiments part of the meal, but it was the sauce for the chicken.
We weren't going to have marinated chicken breasts with peach salsa because I had planned on making high roasted chicken with lemon and garlic. Alas, I pulled the whole chicken out of the freezer at 10pm and when I went to bake it the next morning (so as not to heat up the house in the warm part of the day), it was still frozen. SOLID. So, I opted for chicken breasts, marinated in this quick marinate.
Quick Chicken Marinate
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. vegetable oil
Marinade chicken in this for 30 minutes.
The Peach Salsa was easy, too!
Peach Salsa
4 peaches, diced
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. grated ginger
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. cilantro
Mix together and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
We had the Marinated Chicken Breasts with Peach Salsa along with roasted garlic bread, Caprese salad, fresh fruit, blanched sugar snap peas and for dessert, Strawberry Dream Torte. I had a run as a Pampered Chef consultant from 1999 to 2001. I got lots of great cookware and tools at a discount, but didn't make very much money because I had a new baby at home. Here's the delicious dessert recipe.
Strawberry Dream Torte
1 Devil's Food Cake, prepared according to directions (either in a 9x13 or in 8 or 9" round pans)
1 8 oz. package of softened cream cheese
1 tub of cool whip
1/2 c. sugar
Strawberry Syrup or Strawberry Jam
fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half (the amount depends on you!)
Whip the softened cream cheese with the sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. Fold in the Cool Whip. Level cakes if using layers and feed the cake humps to the kids (or eat them yourself, if you want.) If using a 9x13 pan, poke the top with a fork for strawberry jam or syrup to penetrate. Spread strawberry jam on top of the bottom layer of the cake (layered version) or top of cake (if 9x13)or drizzle with strawberry syrup. For layered cake, spread 1/2 of the topping on top, not on sides. Top with next layer. Spread jam or drizzle syrup on top layer. Spread remaining frosting on cake. For 9x13, spread all the frosting on the cake. Top with strawberries sliced in half. I like putting them on the entire cake. You can just make a circle on the top with the strawberries.
Enjoy!
We weren't going to have marinated chicken breasts with peach salsa because I had planned on making high roasted chicken with lemon and garlic. Alas, I pulled the whole chicken out of the freezer at 10pm and when I went to bake it the next morning (so as not to heat up the house in the warm part of the day), it was still frozen. SOLID. So, I opted for chicken breasts, marinated in this quick marinate.
Quick Chicken Marinate
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. vegetable oil
Marinade chicken in this for 30 minutes.
The Peach Salsa was easy, too!
Peach Salsa
4 peaches, diced
1/2 sweet onion, diced
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. grated ginger
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. cilantro
Mix together and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
We had the Marinated Chicken Breasts with Peach Salsa along with roasted garlic bread, Caprese salad, fresh fruit, blanched sugar snap peas and for dessert, Strawberry Dream Torte. I had a run as a Pampered Chef consultant from 1999 to 2001. I got lots of great cookware and tools at a discount, but didn't make very much money because I had a new baby at home. Here's the delicious dessert recipe.
Strawberry Dream Torte
1 Devil's Food Cake, prepared according to directions (either in a 9x13 or in 8 or 9" round pans)
1 8 oz. package of softened cream cheese
1 tub of cool whip
1/2 c. sugar
Strawberry Syrup or Strawberry Jam
fresh strawberries, hulled and cut in half (the amount depends on you!)
Whip the softened cream cheese with the sugar in a mixer until light and fluffy. Fold in the Cool Whip. Level cakes if using layers and feed the cake humps to the kids (or eat them yourself, if you want.) If using a 9x13 pan, poke the top with a fork for strawberry jam or syrup to penetrate. Spread strawberry jam on top of the bottom layer of the cake (layered version) or top of cake (if 9x13)or drizzle with strawberry syrup. For layered cake, spread 1/2 of the topping on top, not on sides. Top with next layer. Spread jam or drizzle syrup on top layer. Spread remaining frosting on cake. For 9x13, spread all the frosting on the cake. Top with strawberries sliced in half. I like putting them on the entire cake. You can just make a circle on the top with the strawberries.
Enjoy!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Peasant Bread
I have been working on my own combination of ingredients that work well using the ABI5MAD. Here's a new favorite. It's a combination of the Olive Oil Bread and European Peasant Bread, with more whole grains.
Peasant Bread
1/4 c. olive oil
2 3/4 c. warm water
1 1/2 TBSP yeast
1 TBSP salt
1 1/2 c. freshly milled whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. freshly milled rye flour
3 c. bread flour (or 3 1/2 c. all purpose flour)
You mix this like all ABI5MAD breads:
Combine oil, water, yeast and salt. Stir until the yeast is dissolved. Add flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated. Rise on counter, covered for 2 hours. Then, prep in the ABI5MAD method.
I served this for dinner when we had weekend company along with a "lighter" version (read more white flour) and it turned out very well. I made another batch to serve at a mom's night out last night with spinach dip on the side. Here's the dip recipe:
Spinach Dip
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed of excess water
1 can water chestnuts, diced
16 oz. sour cream
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
Combine and allow to refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with bread or crackers.
Peasant Bread
1/4 c. olive oil
2 3/4 c. warm water
1 1/2 TBSP yeast
1 TBSP salt
1 1/2 c. freshly milled whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. freshly milled rye flour
3 c. bread flour (or 3 1/2 c. all purpose flour)
You mix this like all ABI5MAD breads:
Combine oil, water, yeast and salt. Stir until the yeast is dissolved. Add flour and mix until all the flour is incorporated. Rise on counter, covered for 2 hours. Then, prep in the ABI5MAD method.
I served this for dinner when we had weekend company along with a "lighter" version (read more white flour) and it turned out very well. I made another batch to serve at a mom's night out last night with spinach dip on the side. Here's the dip recipe:
Spinach Dip
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed of excess water
1 can water chestnuts, diced
16 oz. sour cream
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
Combine and allow to refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve with bread or crackers.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Blueberry Boy Bait
In 1954, a 15-year-old girl won second prize in the junior division of a Pillsbury baking contest with a moist and tender blueberry cake that was named after the effect it had on teenage boys--one bite and they were hooked. The boys (and girls) at my house are hooked now, too!
Blueberry Boy Bait
Adapted to be ALMOST dairy free (except the butter)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9"x13" pan. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add:
2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. cold butter, cut into 1 tbsp. pats
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Pulse in 10 1 second pulses until butter is the size of small peas. (Alternatively, you could use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter.) Open processor and reserve 3/4 c. of the flour mixture for topping. Close top again. To the remaining mixture add through the feed tube:
2 egg yolks
1 c. coconut milk (yes, you can use real milk)
Run for approximately 30-60 seconds or until well beaten.
(Alternatively, you could mix with a hand mixer for 3 minutes - until smooth and silky looking.)
In a glass mixing bowl, add:
2 egg whites
Beat until stiff peaks form. Pour batter from food processor bowl into egg whites. GENTLY fold until egg whites are incorporated. Pour batter into pan. Sprinkle on top:
1 cup fresh blueberries
Reserved flour mixture
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes (until center springs back when gently touched). Serve warm or cold. Makes a great desert and even better coffee cake for breakfast!
Blueberry Boy Bait
Adapted to be ALMOST dairy free (except the butter)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9"x13" pan. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, add:
2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. granulated sugar
2/3 c. cold butter, cut into 1 tbsp. pats
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Pulse in 10 1 second pulses until butter is the size of small peas. (Alternatively, you could use a pastry cutter to cut in the butter.) Open processor and reserve 3/4 c. of the flour mixture for topping. Close top again. To the remaining mixture add through the feed tube:
2 egg yolks
1 c. coconut milk (yes, you can use real milk)
Run for approximately 30-60 seconds or until well beaten.
(Alternatively, you could mix with a hand mixer for 3 minutes - until smooth and silky looking.)
In a glass mixing bowl, add:
2 egg whites
Beat until stiff peaks form. Pour batter from food processor bowl into egg whites. GENTLY fold until egg whites are incorporated. Pour batter into pan. Sprinkle on top:
1 cup fresh blueberries
Reserved flour mixture
Bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes (until center springs back when gently touched). Serve warm or cold. Makes a great desert and even better coffee cake for breakfast!
Chili Lime Chicken
Mom - this is what you asked me for on the phone yesterday.
We needed something quick for dinner on Sunday night. We were tired and hungry. This is a REALLY quick, zippy and delicious meal.
Chili Lime Chicken (adapted from a Cook's Country Recipe)
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 can Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilis (You can sub 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 diced jalapeno pepper -seeds and ribs removed)
3 Tbsp. lime juice
3 Tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat pan over medium high heat with 1 Tbsp Olive Oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken breasts. Cook 3-4 minutes or until browned. Turn and cook other sides for 3 minutes. Remove from pan to plate. Cover chicken breasts with foil. Add the other tablespoon of oil. Saute' garlic about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and scrape brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Rotel tomatoes. Simmer on Medium until reduced (about 10 minutes). Take pan off heat. Add any juices from the chicken plate. Stir in lime juice. Whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time so the sauce doesn't break. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice, quinoa or couscous.
We needed something quick for dinner on Sunday night. We were tired and hungry. This is a REALLY quick, zippy and delicious meal.
Chili Lime Chicken (adapted from a Cook's Country Recipe)
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 can Rotel Tomatoes with Green Chilis (You can sub 1 can diced tomatoes and 1 diced jalapeno pepper -seeds and ribs removed)
3 Tbsp. lime juice
3 Tbsp. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat pan over medium high heat with 1 Tbsp Olive Oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken breasts. Cook 3-4 minutes or until browned. Turn and cook other sides for 3 minutes. Remove from pan to plate. Cover chicken breasts with foil. Add the other tablespoon of oil. Saute' garlic about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and scrape brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the Rotel tomatoes. Simmer on Medium until reduced (about 10 minutes). Take pan off heat. Add any juices from the chicken plate. Stir in lime juice. Whisk in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time so the sauce doesn't break. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice, quinoa or couscous.
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