A Homemade Life: Cider Glazed Chicken

You guys, it's been a whole year since we were introduced to Baby B.  Can you believe it?  My kid brother managed to survive a whole year with a baby.  And Baby B managed to survive a whole year with my kid brother!

Last month we headed to their new house to celebrate the momentous occasion.

One thing I can say about my family, we certainly know how to throw a party!  There were a ton of people there, and a ton of good food.  And of course, super cute decorations, featuring bright pinks, yellows, and highlighted with lemons.

Thatkid ended up with almost as many presents as the birthday girl himself.  Including a bubble blower, which he used to entertain his cousin.  She loves bubbles.  And based on my limited experience, she's not alone.  I have yet to meet a kid who didn't love bubbles.

Unlike most kids, Baby B was not at all impressed with her first taste of cake.  I have a feeling it had more to do with the fact that every guest was crowded around her, watching her and singing.  Because who doesn't love cake?

I have to brag for a moment - our gift was a HUGE hit.  I've already mentioned that I think Rockabye Rockers make great gifts for one year olds.  Baby B agreed.  She saw it sitting with her presents, crawled over and grabbed it, dragging it around the room with her.  She didn't figure out the rocking part, but was delighted with a giant stuffed animal she could use as a walker.

Surrounded by friends and family, we took the opportunity to pawn off our kids on others for most of the party, but we still managed to get a family shot before heading home.

My biggest recommendation for new parents is one I gave to Thatbrother and UDubb - be flexible!  Babies mean you need to be adaptable.  Because they are constantly throwing you for a loop.  Like refusing to eat their cake.  Adaptability is a virtue that extends to more than just child-rearing though.  I use it when I see a great fish recipe.  Because I do not do fish.  But many recipes can be adapted to use chicken instead.  Which is what I did when I saw Wizenburg's Cider Glazed Chicken.  It's not a genius adaptation.  The first pan-cooked chicken I made was a Cooking Light apple cider chicken.  It was part of my standard repertoire.  This isn't too far removed, except it was missing the bacon and the cider was reduced to a glaze.  Apples and chicken work really well together, and this glaze is a really sweet addition.

Cider Glazed Chicken (Adapted from A Homemade Life)

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 shallot, peeled and halved lengthwise

2 cups fresh unfiltered apple cider

4 chicken breast fillets

salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Combine butter, shallots, and cider in a heavy saucepan.  Bring to a simmer over medium high heat.  Simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove and discard the shallot.
2. Place the chicken in the pan.  Spoon a bit of liquid over them and cook for 6 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.
3.  Raise the heat ot medium high and add a punch of salt to the pan.  Simmer until the liquid is reduced by two-thirds.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the cream.  Boil, stirring frequently, until the mixture darkens to a pale golden caramel and is reduced by one third to one half.
5. Place the chicken on 4 plates and top each with a spoonful of sauce.  Serve immediately.

Crave Wednesday: The Greek Austerity Cure

Black olives.  People either love them or hate them.  I don't think there's an in between.  Personally, I love olives in every form, including black olives which are as far from natural as one can get.  But their sour, vinegary tang just falls in line with my taste preferences.

Thatkid hates them.  He doesn't mind regular olives, although he certainly doesn't prefer them, but black olives are persona non-gratis for him.

Thatboy has fallen on both sides of the coin.  He started out a black olive lover, until the fateful holiday he made himself sick by eating too many of them as a child.  And now he hates them.  Which is funny, because he has also made himself sick by eating too much ice cream, too much lamb, or even drinking too much, and he doesn't hate ice cream, lamb, or alcohol. 

So this is one of those pizzas that works best as a "personal" pizza in this house, since I'm the only one who will eat it.  The hummus as sauce was really unique for me, I'd never even thought to use it, but it really worked.  It kind of blends into the dough, and is just a smooth, unassuming flavor.  But it works with the rest of the flavors, which are very stereotypically "Greek" - tomatoes and feta.  And really I'll pretty much eat anything that has tomatoes and feta on it!

The Greek Austerity Cure (From Cooking Light)

1 lb refrigerated pizza dough

3/4 cup ready-made Greek-style hummus
6 sliced plum tomatoes

1/3 cup black olives

1/2 crumbled feta cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

1. Preheat oven to 425. Roll dough into 14 inch circle.  Spread hummus evenly over dough, leaving 1/2 inch crust.
2. Top with tomatoes, olives, and feta.  Bake for 15 minutes.
3.  Sprinkle with basil. Cut into 8 wedges and serve.

Mommy Mondays: Proving the Wives Tales Wrong

Since we didn't find out Thatbaby's sex before he was born,  we were in for quite the surprise when he was born.

Both Thatboy and I were pretty sure "he" was a "she" the whole time I was pregnant.  And most of my friends felt the same way.  In fact,  almost all of the old wives tales pointed to "girl. " Which just goes to show how wrong those wives tales are!  The only thing that can predict the sex of your child is really a penis,  or lack thereof.

* Chinese gender chart - Based on my age at conception, and the month I conceived in, the chart predicted I'd be giving birth to a little baby girl.

*Heartrate - The baby's heartrate is supposed to predict the sex.  Under 140 is a boy,  over 140 is a girl.  This one I felt had some backing, because Thatkid's heartrate was always under 140. Thatbaby's heartrate was almost always 160-180. So if course he was a girl.  Except he wasn't.

*Dreams - According to the physician's assistant, you dream about the sex you're going to have.  All my dreams had a little girl.

*Acne - my skin was gorgeous when I was pregnant with Thatkid. When I was pregnant with Thatbaby, I was a broken out mess.  They say girls steal your beauty.  Apparently boys do too.

*Carrying/weight distribution - This was my only sign pointing to "boy" and why most strangers thought I was having a boy.  With both my guys I gained weight only in my stomach,  which is what they say with boys.  With girls you are said to gain everywhere.

*Cravings: sweets = girl. Salty and sour = boy.  This could have gone either way, since I really didn't have cravings.  But I did eat an equal share of salads and milkshakes.

*Morning Sickness -  If you experience morning sickness, especially during the first trimester, it indicates you're having a girl.. If you sail through the pregnancy with nary an upset stomach, it's  a boy. With Thatkid I didn't have any morning sickness, so it held true.  With Thatbaby I had morning sickness all the way into second trimester.  Still not a girl.

*Names - They say if you're having a hard time with coming up with a name for a particular sex, you're probably having the opposite sex.  So not true!  We had tons of girl names, but could not come up with a boy name.  It took us 37 weeks to come up with a name for Thatbaby.

*Instinct - I didn't have a gut feeling with Thatkid, but this time around I instinctively referred to the baby as "she" and offered called her "baby girl."  I joke that he came late because he was so upset I kept referring him to as a girl.

Sunday Runday: Breastfeeding and Running

One of the biggest concerns I hear from new mothers (who breastfeed) is the fear of losing their supply when/if they start running again.

It's a valid concern, because it can happen.  Breastfeeding requires two things that running depletes your body of - calories and water.  If you don't have enough calories to make milk, you don't make milk (or more realistically, you make less milk).  Similarly, if you don't have enough "extra" water in your body, it can also cause you to produce less milk.

But there is an easy fix to both of these problems - make sure you're eating and drinking enough!  Sounds too good to be true, right?  Of course, for some women it is.  Breastfeeding is funny like that.  Each person's journey is so individual.  But for most of us, that really is the answer.  In fact, on days I run, I tend to produce more milk (at least according to what I pump) and I think it's because I'm more cognizant for making sure I'm eating and drinking enough.

Breastfeeding is not the time to diet.  Cutting calories leads to supply issues.  And breastfeeding itself burns a ton of calories.  So adding the calorie burn of any exercise, including running, can compound the issue. Which is not to say you should sit down with an entire chocolate cake, you can still make smart food choices, but calorie restriction is out if you want to balance breastfeeding and exercise.

I'm already thirsty pretty much all day, a combination of the fact that breastfeeding increases your thirst and the fact that it's summer!  But when I have a run planned, I add an additional 40 oz to what I normally drink (20 oz. before and 20 oz after).

My other big breastfeeding and running tips:

* Nurse the baby right before you head out!  That way you won't be as uncomfortable. 
* Nurse the baby when you get home!  That way you won't be as uncomfortable.  If you're gone long enough that whoever was watching the baby already fed the baby, then sit yourself down for a little pump session.
* Get yourself a "nursing friendly" sports bra.  I love the Moving Comfort bras even when I'm not nursing, but they're especially fabulous when I am because of the velcro straps which means I don't need to try to play breast-tetris to get one out to nurse.
* Breast Pads!  Even if you nurse right before you go, there's a chance the bouncing movement is going to cause leakage.  And there's nothing more attractive than a woman running with two large wet spots on her chest. 

What about races?  For longer/bigger races where you need to show up hours before the start, and where you'll be running for a longer time that you usually go between feeds, I recommend getting a manual pump so you can pump to relieve some engorgement right before you run.  You can also do this by hand, whatever you find easiest.  I also highly recommend having your husband meet you at the finish line with the baby, so you can nurse as soon as you finish.  This is what a lot of my friends and I do for half marathons while we're nursing.  I'm sticking to shorter distances until December, when Thatbaby will be almost 6 months old, but with Thatkid, I did my first postpartum half marathon when he was 3 months old, so having him at the finish was a necessity!

A Homemade Life: Scottish Scones with Lemon and Ginger

It has been a hot and humid summer.  And we have not gotten the opportunity to have the pool time we usually do.  Pools are now 2 parent jobs, since I can't bring Thatbaby into a pool for a couple more months, nor can I leave him to chill on the sidelines while I play with Thatkid.

So instead of pool time, we've been hitting up the local splash pads.  Despite the fact that it has rained heavily every week this summer, the California drought has meant the closure of all the splash parks that are close to us.  So we've had to venture farther afield.  Like when we headed downtown with Mrs. Pirate and Little Pirate. 

For that adventure, we even took the train.

Of course the long train ride, combined with the train schedule, combined with the energy expended while splashing meant we had two very tired and cranky dudes on the way home.

Little LO has a splash pad right by his house, so we met up with them there.  Of course, even though it was super hot, the boys took great joy in spending most of their time fully clothed at the playground instead.

But they more than made up for it at Little LO's birthday party over the weekend, when everyone spent their time wet and splashy.

Except of course when they were eating cake.

These scones may not seem like a great warm weather breakfast, since they require the oven, but think of them as an investment.  Because you make them one day, and have breakfast for several.  A breakfast that requires very little energy, which is perfect when it's already 70 degrees before the sun rises in the morning.  They also pack easily, so you can bring them with you as you head to cooler ground.

The lemon and the ginger work really well together, giving them a brightness and bite.  I was concerned the ginger would make them "too spicy" for Thatkid, but as I've said before, he never ceases to surprise me when it comes to ginger. 

Scottish Scones with Lemon and Ginger (From A Homemade Life)

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

4 Tbsp butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3 Tbsp sugar

2 tsp grated lemon zest

1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger

1/2 cup half-and-half

1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 425.  Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Rub the butter into the flour mixture, squeezing and pinching with your fingertips until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.
3. Add the sugar, lemon zest, and crystallized ginger and whisk to incorporate.
4. Pour the half and half into a small bowl or measuring cup and add an egg.  Beat with a fork to mix well.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir gently to just combine.  
6. Using your hands, squeeze and press the dough into a rough mass.  Turn the dough, and any excess flour, out onto a board or countertop, and press and gather and knead it until it just comes together.  Pat it into a rough circle about 1 inch thick.  Cut the circle into 8 wedges.
7. Place the wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Pour a splash of half and half into a small bowl.  Using a pastry brush, gently brush the tops of the scones with a  thin coat to glaze. Bake 10 to 14 minutes, or until pale golden.  Transfer them to a wire rack to cool slightly, and serve warm.

A Homemade Life: Doron's Meatballs with Pine Nuts, Cilantro, and Golden Raisins

I feel better, so much better.

If you don't have a toddler, chances are you have no idea who Doc McStuffins is.  Or Doc Stuffins as Thatkid calls her.  Doc is a part of the Disney Jr. lineup.  A little girl who plays "doctor" to toys, who come alive under her watchful eye.

The show itself is ingenious for two reasons, for one, it makes visits to the doctor less scary for kids.  Doctor trips play out in an easily accessible format for kids, as they get to see how Doc diagnoses and treats her friends.  The show also imparts "health" lessons through these diagnoses.  Like how the things we eat, affect the way we function.  Or in the episode we watched yesterday, about Tony the taxi, how if you don't pay attention to what you're doing, you're going to crash.

One of Thatkid's classmates is a huge Doc McStuffin's fan, and therefore her birthday party was themed accordingly.  The party was at a park by their house, which made perfect sense for a July birthday.  Except the morning of the party, the skies opened up.  Thunder. Lightening.  Rain.

We piled into the car, warning Thatkid that there was a good chance the party would be cancelled.  Thatboy was hoping this would be the case as he started brainstorming good places nearby to go for lunch.  But when showed up at the party, there was no sign of cancellation.

Slowly the guests showed up, braving the inclement weather which showed no sign of stopping.  The adults huddled under the shelter, but other than the fact the bounce house was off limits, the kids didn't let the downpour stop their good times.

The only problem was that since these are Southern California kids, none of them were really prepared for the rain.  Both Thatkid and his little blonde friend over there were both so wet, they were freezing cold, and we had very little to help them get warm again.

Eventually we got the kids to come under the shelter for some drier activities like coloring.

And cake.

Look at all these wet, cold, troopers!

The birthday girl's parents had brought in Popeyes for lunch, and I joked with Thatboy that it was worth coming in the rain for that.  Although I was joking, it's true that the food can make or break a party.  I know we've all been to parties where the food was terrible, or more commonly, there just wasn't enough of it. 

There are certain things we fall back on, things that you always have on hand for parties.  Things that are easy, filling, and you can make in mass quantities.  These meatballs are an excellent example of that.  This recipe is undeniably easy, and makes a ton.  I have a gallon size bag of them in my freezer right now, which can be defrosted at a moment's notice to feed an army.  They're different than your standard Italian meatballs, which makes them perfect for an easy appetizer, or a quick lunch on their own. 

Doron's Meatballs with Pine Nuts, Cilantro, and Golden Raisins (From A Homemade Life)

1 cup plain yogurt

3 Tbsp lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp cumin, divided

3/4 tsp salt, divided

1/2 cup minced onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 cup chopped pine nuts

1/2 cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup fine bread crumbs

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/8 tsp ground pepper

1 lb ground meat (lamb, turkey, or chicken)

 4 Tbsp olive oil

1. In a small bowl combine the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, 1/4 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp salt, and whisk to combine.
2. Combine onion, cilantro, pine nuts, raisins, bread crumbs, egg, remaining salt and cumin, and pepper in a large bowl.
3. Add the ground meat and break into small chunks, massaging nd kneading to incorporate all the ingredients.
4. Pinch off hunks and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and set on a large plate.
5. Warm 2 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add half of the meatballs, turning as they begin to color.  They're ready when they're evenly browned.
6. Transfer the finished meatballs to a plate lined with a paper towel.  Add the remaining 2 Tbsp oil and cook the remaining meatballs.
7. Serve with the yogurt sauce.

Crave Wednesday: The Happy Hawaiian

It's no secret, my favorite kind of pizza is Hawaiian.  I love just about every incarnation, with tomato sauce, bbq sauce, or terriyaki sauce.  With Canadian bacon, or regular bacon.  Lately I've even been putting jalapenos on top. 

There's just something about the sweet pineapple, caramelized in the hot oven, making it even sweeter.  Paired with the salty ham, its a match made in heaven.  I'm such a sucker for sweet and salty.  Which is probably why the variations don't bother me. 

This is a plain and simple Hawaiian pizza.  No bells.  No whistles.  The only thing that sets it apart is the use of pepperoni instead of ham.  Turkey pepperoni, so it's not even a pig-product.  But you know what?  You can't really mess up Hawaiian pizza. 

The Happy Hawaiian (From Cooking Light)

1 lb refrigerated pizza dough

1/2 cup low sodium marinara sauce
4 oz turkey pepperoni slices

1 cup pineapple chunks

1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425. Roll dough into 14 inch circle.  Spread marinara sauce evenly over dough, leaving 1/2 inch crust.
2. Top with pepperoni, pineapple, and mozzarella cheese.  Bake for 15 minutes.
3. Cut into 8 wedges and serve.

 

Mommy Mondays: 2 Months

Weight: 11lbs, 14 oz (+3lbs, 10 oz)

 Height: 24.25 inches (+2.75 inches)
 Head: 15.75 inches

Sleep:  We are so very lucky in this department.  Our biggest sleep issue right now is Thatkid!  Thatbaby goes to bed around 7pm, and we can put him down awake and he puts himself to sleep.  He wakes once between 12:40 and 4am, then goes right back to sleep.  He wakes up again around 5:40 and would go back to sleep, but Thatkid gets up around that time, and after a quick trip to the bathroom, heads straight to the nursery where I'm feeding his brother and then we're all up for the day.  I can also occasionally get Thatbaby to nap in the swing, which I could never do with Thatkid.

Eating: We had some bottle rejection this month.  So not fun!  Luckily we had a couple of other brands on hand that we could try.  So far he's good with the Dr. Brown's.  We'll see how this next month goes.

Best Moment: The first time we figured out the swing thing I had moved it to face the kitchen while Thatkid and I were making dinner.  Thatbaby just mellowed out and lay there so content.  He just drifted in and out of sleep. 

Monthly Wisdom: Thatkid's sleep issues when he was a baby, compared with Thatbaby's lack of sleep issues, really helps drive home the point that sleep is dependent on the kid, not the parent.  Some kids are good sleepers, and some kids aren't.  And really, you just need to work with what works with your kids, not what they SHOULD be doing.  Especially since I now know from experience that it all works out in the end.

Goals for the Upcoming Month:
- Survive first family vacation with 4!
- Get Thatbaby ready for daycare.
- Keep working on crib naps.

Things Thatbaby is doing:
- Smiling
- Cooing
- Grasping things placed in his hands
- Focusing on objects
- Holding his head up

Sunday Runday: First Postpartum Run

After 7.5 weeks I'm officially back!  I actually thought I would be back a lot sooner.  I mean, after my first pregnancy I was running again at 3 weeks.  And I was still running at 40 weeks.  Heck, I went on a 2 mile walk the day I went into labor.

But this time around, it was not to be.  At 3 weeks, I was still bleeding, so I wasn't going to add in running.  I decided to wait until my 6 week appointment. 

At that appointment, I wasn't exactly given the all clear.  Everything was healed.  Everything was back in place.  But my bladder was still a little week.  I was given instructions that I could resume everything, but jumping.  No jumping jacks.  No burpees.

"Do your kegels for about 2 weeks, and then you should be fine."

"What about running?"

"I would take it slow.  You'll know if it's too soon, because you'll start leaking, or feel things falling."

Feel things falling?  Like that's not a terrifying thought.  If there's anything that's going to keep me from starting back to soon it's the thought of organs falling out of my body and onto the pavement.

So I went home and instead of kegels I did squats.  Lots of squats.  Every day. 

And almost 2 weeks later, the perfect opportunity arose for me to try out my legs.  We were doing a beach day.  Now, as any of you who are long time readers know, Thatboy and I came up with a great routine for beach days whenever I'm training for a half marathon.  He plays with Thatkid while I run, I play with Thatkid while he surfs.  I checked to see if he thought he could handle both boys, and when he said yes, I tucked my running shoes into the beach bag.

I didn't want to go too far, first because I hadn't run in about 8 weeks.  Second because I wasn't sure when Thatbaby would need to eat again.  While we set up our beach gear, I came up with the perfect test run route.  We had forgotten to bring cornstarch.  There was a Whole Foods a little over half a mile away.  "I'm just going to run to Whole Foods, grab some cornstarch, and head back."  And that's exactly what I did.

I was only 1.2 miles total, but it was hot and humid and I definitely felt it!  But at the same time, it felt good to be out again.  I didn't push myself speed-wise, I know that will come along with distance, but it was nice to have some "me time" again.  To feel my muscles working, and to develop that sweat that comes from exertion and not hormones.   No leaking.  Nothing falling out.

Now that I got the first one out of the way, I just need to figure out a good time to work regular runs back into the schedule.

A Homemade Life: Winning Hearts and Minds Cake

Yesterday was our 9 year anniversary.  9 years.

9 years of being silly.

Being serious.

Sharing laughs.

Sharing tears.

We've gone from being kids.

To having kids of our own.

And every year has brought us closer together.

The 9th Anniversary is the Willow Anniversary.  Thatboy's card to me included a quote from Bruce Lee - "The willow survives by bending in the wind."  I laughed when I read it.  "Are you really quoting Bruce Lee?" 

"I know, but the quote is still a good one!"  And really, it is rather fitting for an anniversary.  Our marriage has survived, we have survived each other, through our ability to bend.  To be adaptable to changing winds.

Thatboy's gift to me commemorates the strength of the willow through art. 

And I got him a picnic basket.  Made of willow.  Containing information about a surprise weekend trip I booked for us.  He was actually more excited about the basket itself than I was expecting, but the weekend trip really sealed the deal.

We went out to dinner to try a new local restaurant I'd read good things about - and the reviews were dead on.  I'm so excited to have a local, artisinal, farm to table restaurant to call "home."  Even though we had to bring the boys with us, we enjoyed our meals, from the compressed melon salad we started with, all the way to the butterscotch pot de creme at the end.  And then we came home to cake.  Because what kind of celebration would it be without cake?  But not just any cake.  This is the cake that Molly Wizenburg served at her wedding.  Or cakes, since she made one for each table.  Seems fitting for an anniversary.

The cake is almost like a chocolate lava cake, with a dense, rich, center that seems held together only by chocolate itself.  It has that undercooked, fudgey flavor, the search for which causes many people to pull their brownies from the oven early.  Brownie-like is actually a good description for this cake, with it's crackly exterior and decadent chocolate interior.  I highly recommend it for your next anniversary, birthday, or Thursday night.

 

Winning Hearts and Minds Cake (From a Homemade Life)

7 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 3/4 stick butter, cut into cubes

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp granulated sugar

5 eggs

1 Tbsp flour

1. Preheat the oven to 375.  Butter an 8 inch round cake pan.  Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper, and butter the paper too.  Put the chocolate and butter in a medium microwavable bowl and microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, stirring often, until just smooth.
2. Add the sugar, stirring well to incorporate.  Set the batter aside to cool for 5 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one by one, stirring well after each addition.
4. Add the flour and stir to mix well.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly crackled, the edges are puffed, and the center of the cake looks set.  
5. Remove the cake to a cooling rack and let it cool for 15 minutes.  Turn the cake out of the and then flip it onto a serving plate, so that the crackly side faces up.  Cool completely before serving.

A Homemade Life: Ed Fretwell Soup

Thatbaby and I have very little routine.  Each day is different, and as much as I wish we could just hang out the way I did after Thatkid was born, this time around I find us much busier, with far less downtown.  Partially because with only one kid, I had free evenings.  Now, with two, I have almost no time after the kids are in bed, and half of that time is spent pumping. 

Which means I have a lot more to get done during the day.  One thing I have tried to make routine however is a weekly trip to the Farmers' Market.  We live a mile from our local Farmers' Market, so I decided early on that each week I would walk down and back, which would get me out of the house and active, since it is otherwise so hard to try to get any exercise in during the day.

This would have been a much better idea if Thatbaby was born in the fall.  Or enjoyed the stroller.  Instead we head out in the hot, humid weather that has us both sweating.  (And me gulping gatorade) Thatbaby usually falls asleep in the stroller on the way down, but inevitably wakes up at some point once we get to the market and then I wear him the whole hot, sweaty, mile home.

I do think it's worth it though, I like the exercise and I love the things I pick up each week.  Here are a couple weeks worth of my finds:

A basil plant, kettle corn (for the drive in!), parsley, eggs, apples, and green bell pepper.

Kale, red bell peppers, tomatoes, apples, sweet potatoes, peaches, and sunflowers.

Carrots, tomatoes, plums, pluots, nectarines, apricots, bread, and eggs.

And this week!

Cabbage (for stuffed cabbage), eggplants (for moussaka), lemons, zucchini (for stuffed zucchini), raspberries, tomato, and green beans.

It may seem silly to have soup in such hot weather, but if you think about it, it's genius.  It uses the stovetop instead of the oven, so the whole house doesn't heat up.  There's also about eating something hot in hot weather to help cool you down.  Plus, all the fresh produce available that can be used in soups make it seem like a more natural choice than one might imagine.

Ed Fretwell Soup (From A Homemade Life)

1lb dried white beans

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed under the side of a knife

3 fresh sage leaves

water

4 Tbsp olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

4 stalks celery, finely chopped

8 medium carrots, sliced into thin rounds

2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced in 1/4 inch thick half moons

4 cups vegetable broth

3/4 lb swiss chard, stalks discarded and leaves coarsely chopped

3/4 lb green cabbage, trimmed and coarsely chopped

28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped

1 Tbsp salt

olive oil

Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated

1. Put the beans in a medium bowl, and cover with cool water by at least 1 inch.  Set aside at room temperature, uncovered, overnight.
2. Drain the beans and put them in a Dutch oven.  Add the garlic, sage leaves, and 10 cups cold water.  Place the pot over high heat, and bring to a boil.  Boil for 5 minutes, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour.  Skim away any brownish foam that rises to the surface.
3. While the beans cook, heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. 
4. Add the zucchini and broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. 
5. Add the Swiss chard, cabbage, and tomatoes, cover the pot, and simmer gently, adjusting the heat as necessary for 1 hour.
6.  Add the cooked beans and their cooking water, discarding the sage leaves.  
7. Add the salt and stir well.  Simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour, stirring frequently.
8. Serve with a glug of olive-oil over the top of each bowl and a dusting of Parmigiano-Reggiano.
   

 

Mommy Mondays: Breastfeeding Pitfalls

Happy World Breastfeeding Week!

In honor of this week, I thought I'd do a breastfeeding post.  Because it's been a while.

I've been really lucky when it comes to breastfeeding.  Not because it came naturally.  Or because my boys were the world's best breastfeeders, but because I had amazing, fantastic resources.  Both times I have been so surprised by the people around me who had such a strong desire to breastfeed, and quit within the first month.  Because they didn't have the resources.  So let me share with you some of the common traps that cause people who want to breastfeed to quit.

*Weight Loss - Medical professionals don't like to see babies lose weight.  It makes them antsy.  Weight loss after birth often causes hospitals to push supplementation.  The problem is, all babies lose weight after birth.  For a variety of reasons.  And the reasons mean some babies lose more than others.  For instance, a mother who is on an IV usually has some swelling from the intake of fluids.  Guess what?  Baby gets that extra fluid and swelling too.  Which means the "birthweight" is inflated from those fluids.  Can you imagine having to put your swollen, water weight weight on your drivers license?  It's not an accurate weight, and those babies tend to lose more, because they lose their regular weight as well as that water weight.  Both my kids lost a lot of weight, Thatbaby lost 9 oz in the first 3 days.  Instead or worrying, my doctor noted that babies lose consistently for the first 3 days, and then start gaining. 

*Not Gaining Quickly Enough - Ideally, babies regain their birthweight a week or so after birth.  And when they don't some health care providers push supplementation.  But there are so many factors involved in this, and I was lucky enough to have a doctor who recognized that.  "As long as they're gaining, and not losing, then you're on the right track."  Thatkid, who was always a little baby had JUST hit his birthweight at 2 weeks.

*Milk Slow to Come In - I am not a quick milk getter-inner.  A lot of people (*cough L&O cough*) have their milk before they even leave the hospital.  That's not me.  And that's true of a lot of women. Which can make you feel like you have supply issues and you need to supplement.  That's rarely the case.  I know someone who started supplementing in the hospital because her milk hadn't come in, and she stopped breastfeeding before her child was one month old.  She was pretty upset about the whole thing happened, feeling like a failure.  But the truth is, she didn't have good resources.  But it can take a week for the milk to come in.  And really, before then, your colostrum is enough.  Even though you barely make any of it, it's really nutrient rich.

*Supply Issues - This one kills me.  And I want to give so many women huge hugs, because they think they have supply issues when they don't.  And that can be so frustrating.  But no one has told these women how very little babies eat.  Very very little.  They have teeny tiny little stomachs. 

The first day, your baby's stomach can only hold half a teaspoon at a time.  Go take a look at one, I'll wait.  Back?  Yup, that's small.  Their stomach maxes out at one month - if you need an easy way to remember the size, that's the size of your baby's fist.  2.5-5oz.  It doesn't get any bigger until they start solids, which stretch the stomach out more.   

Some people start pumping to see how much they're producing, but this is a terrible way to determine your supply.  Women just don't respond to the pump the way they respond to a baby, so what you pump doesn't coincide with how much your baby is getting.  Instead of worry about amount, the surefire way to determine if you're producing enough is to look at output.  How many diapers your baby is going through in a day.  After the fourth day, baby should be having 6-8 wet diapers and 3-4 soiled diapers.  (And the soiled diapers isn't the important one since a breastfed baby can go a week without pooping!)  If your baby has wet and dirty diapers, and is gaining weight, your supply is fine!