Leaving Survival Mode

I was cruising the baby center forums the other day and came across a "What Do you Do All Day?" post from another mom. After reading through many of the responses about what these women (with more than one child) were accomplishing throughout the day I decided to give my day a long hard look.

 

Was I doing enough? Am I an adequate stay at home mom? Am I getting out of the house often enough?

 

I figured that at this point I could probably be taking on a little more and not letting fear of a mid project wake up or a mid errand meltdown get me down. I realized that it’s time for me to get out of survival mode and really start living again. I also wanted to step up my game in taking care of my home and cooking more exciting meals. I don’t need to make the same 5 things over and over again just because they can be made quickly.

Vietnamese Grilled Pork Noodle Bowl (not the best recipe, but I will work on it and get back to you)

Part of the reason that things have bit a little hard is the fact that Olivia has silent reflux which has made feeding her very difficult. This has been very emotionally exhausting and really upsetting for both of us. She is now on medicine much to my dismay, but it is working and she is eating better. She is still a nightmare to feed in public, but that’s just life with a distractible 5 month old I guess.

 

I think I was in survival mode a bit too long, but I guess there really aren’t any technicalities on that. I have a great and happy baby but I often let nerves get the best of me. I am glad that I have been able to acknowledge my state of mind and move away from it. I realized that if I don’t start enjoying these moments that they will soon be gone. Fear will always be here. These days with my first baby girl are fleeting.

 

Read Full Post »

Still Here…

Hi guys!

Just wanted to let you know that I’m still here, and still pregnant! Today marks 40 weeks and 3 days.

Last night I went to my last doctors appointment where I was told that I still have not progressed.

(TMI ALERT)

Although my cervix is softening, there is no dilation and the cervix is still closed. The doctor believes that at this point I will surely need to be induced, so that’s what I’m expecting at this point.

Basically, unless I surprisingly go into labor on my own beforehand, I’ll be induced on Monday at some point. Better party it up this weekend!

I’ve been keeping busy at home doing little errands and organizing things. Yesterday I rearranged the pantry and cleaned out the fridge. I’ve also been cooking some good meals for us.  This weekend I even made my first ever loaf of bread. I used this recipe. SO EASY!!

And man, it was PERFECTION.

 

Today my big errand is going to be some grocery shopping for the week and some cooking. Most likely a little cleaning will find it’s way into there as well. This is of course all contingent on whether or not I can remove myself from the couch. I’m currently stuck in a 2006 Real Housewives of OC marathon vortex on Bravo.

 

Have a great day, and I’ll keep you posted here or on Twitter.
Follow me @FoodinRL

Read Full Post »

Unseasonal Tuesday

Good afternoon!

Before I get into today’s events, let’s start with a quick dinner recap from last night since I actually took a picture of it.

 

Turkey tacos with a side of Southwestern Black Bean & Corn Salad and some chips for dipping. If you haven’t tried this salad yet, I highly recommend you do! It’s delicious and really easy.

Breakfast this morning was also quick and easy. 2 whole eggs, 1 white, toast with margarine and grapefruit. I’ve really been craving citrus lately and this hit the spot.

I don’t know what the weather is like where you are, but here in the Philly metro area it is unseasonably warm. I stepped outside sans jacket only to find that I actually needed to also be sans sweater (and open the windows in the car). I’m usually the type of person that enjoys my seasons and yes, that includes winter as well. When it’s January, it should be brisk and cold. But I am certainly not minding the sunshine. I do wish it was a bit colder though. (I know, I’m weird).

 

Today I ran one major errand in the nice sunshine. I had some returns to make at Kohl’s. I rarely shop at Kohl’s mostly because it’s pretty far from my house but today I made the trip. After standing on line for about 15 minutes, I finally got my merchandise credit. $50- that I’m going to store away for when something comes up that I need. No sense in spending it now since there isn’t anything on the list.

 

After Kohl’s I had to make an emergency stop at the grocery store to pick up my latest obsession.

I don’t know why, but I can’t get enough frozen peaches. I eat them when they are still frozen and they are oh-so-good. As far as pregnancy cravings go, at least it’s a healthy one!

 

The rest of the day looks like this:

- Ordering some photos from Snapfish (There is a coupon for 99 prints for 99 cents until tomorrow!) Use code: 99Prints at checkout

- Eating a late lunch

- Doctor’s appt at 7pm

 

Hope you are having a nice day!

Does anyone else out there actually LIKE the cold weather?

Do you shop at Kohl’s?

Read Full Post »

Rigatoni alla Norma

I’m happy to report that I actually ate a salad for lunch (not just bread and cheese).

Baby spinach topped with goat cheese, walnuts, cranberries, croutons, balsamic, olive oil, and salt and pepper.

However, the toast I originally planned on was replaced by a delicious slice of leftover pizza from this weekend. (I took a few bites when it was still cold before heating it up)

 

Anyhow, back to the original point of this post. Rigatoni alla Norma!

 

When traveling through Sicily a few years ago with my family we were introduced to a pasta dish called Penne alla Norma. From what I understand, the dish is named for Sicilian composer Vincenzo Bellini who wrote the opera "Norma".

 

It’s not anything too crazy, it’s a very simple dish in fact. Yet at least once a day one of us ordered it when were out. You may have even seen this dish on menus of Italian restaurants here in the US. I don’t see it that often, but if I do, chances are I’m ordering it.

 

Penne alla Norma is basically pasta, sauce, eggplant, and basil or mint. Sometimes when we ate it in Sicily there was mozzarella in it, sometimes there wasn’t.

 

Last night I had a craving for a warm and comforting pasta meal. I was also in the mood specifically for rigatoni. I quickly did a search for rigatoni alla norma recipes and found a real winner on Epicurious. I used this recipe, and followed it pretty closely except for a few modifications.

 

Rigatoni alla Norma (adapted from this recipe)

• 2 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 cup olive oil (I didn’t use a cup, I basically just coated the bottom of the pan as needed)
• 1 medium onion, chopped (I also added 2 large garlic cloves)
• 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or use 24 to 26 ounce bottled sauce)
• 1 pound dried rigatoni
• 1 pound cold mozzarella (preferably salted fresh), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• About 1/2 cup of fresh basil, chopped

Toss eggplant with 2 teaspoon salt in a colander. Drain 30 minutes. Rinse, then squeeze out excess liquid and pat dry.

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Fry eggplant in 3 batches, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. (I did use the 3 batch method, but it took forever and next time I’d probably just cook it all at once in a big enough skillet making sure not to crowd the pan)

Discard all but 2 tablespoons oil from skillet, then sauté onion (and garlic) with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper until golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in sauce and eggplant and simmer 5 minutes (I also added about 1/3-1/2 cup of pasta water to make the mixture a bit looser- the sauce was very thick)

Meanwhile, cook rigatoni in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (2 tablespoons salt for 6 quart water) until al dente, then drain. Stir together pasta, sauce, most of the basil, and half of mozzarella in pot.  Transfer to a 3-quart baking dish and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and basil. Bake until cheese is melted and golden in spots, about 45 minutes. (I baked this for about 20 minutes and it was perfect). Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Read Full Post »

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta and a quick catch up

I’m very excited to share this recipe with you because it is so good and really easy too. I can’t take credit for it because my mother-in-law gave it to me, and she actually got it from Joe’s aunt (who may have gotten it from somewhere else).

I’ve eaten this dish a few times but this is the first time I made it myself. I brought it in for my office holiday party and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I hope you enjoy it too!

Ingredients:

2-28 oz. cans of Redpack whole tomatoes (this brand is the best, the tomatoes are large and plump)
1 cup of olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt.
fresh garlic minced
basil
goat cheese
1-2 baguettes sliced crosswise and toasted

How To:

Preheat oven 250 degrees.  Pour 1/2 cup of olive oil into 9×13 baking dish.  Cut the tomatoes in half and arrange them in the dish cut side up.

Drizzle with remaining 1/2 cup olive oil, dried oregano, sugar and salt.

Bake for 1 hour then turn tomatoes over and bake 1 more hour or until soft. (Mine took about 2.5 hours total)

This is what they look like when done- very soft and pruny

Transfer tomatoes to a new dish and drain out the oil into a bowl/measuring cup. (I served them in this same pan so I cleaned it and then put the tomatoes back in the same dish)

Drizzle some of the olive oil from the baking dish on the tomatoes.  Add garlic (I used about 4 small cloves diced very small) and let them sit on the tomatoes while they were still warm to melt into the tomatoes and get mild and sweet.

After cooling a little, add ribbons of basil and goat cheese to taste.   (Sorry this picture is so dark, I actually took it when it was already in my bag on my way to work.)

 

Serve with the toasted bread in a basket on the side.

 

Oh and in other news:

I got a manicure for the first time in….I have no idea how long. I also got a pedicure and it was amazing. OH and the most exciting part of my day….I got jury duty! Happy Holidays from Montgomery County, PA.

I also realized I’m at that ridiculously large pregnant stage. The manicure lady asked if I was having twins. No. I’m not. But if I did have twins, I would ask them both to help me paint my hideous blue bathroom.

Not much else to report, hence the lack of posting lately. Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the holiday season!

Does your company have a holiday party? What’s it like?

When’s the last time you had your nails done?
Ever served jury duty? I haven’t- I was summoned once but didn’t have to report.

Read Full Post »

Nasoya Tofu U Giveaway

Good morning guys!

Today I come to you with a giveaway that I’m really excited about. Why? Because it’s for one of my favorite food staples- tofu!

I’ve come a long way since I first tried tofu. I remember back in 8^th grade I told my mom I was going to become a vegetarian. My first plan of action was to add tofu to the grocery list. I bought soft tofu and tried to scramble it in a pan with some vegetables and call it dinner. I remember thinking…wow, this stuff is AWFUL.

Years later, I’m not a vegetarian but I have learned lots of creative ways to prepare tofu to highlight its wonderful taste and texture (no more jiggly, flavorless scrambles).

I think a lot of people still may think of tofu the way I did when I was younger, but that’s a misconception. If you don’t believe me, check out some of my favorite tofu recipes on my recipe page and tell me you don’t think they look good!

Nasoya is also on a mission to help people get to know Tofu a little better. They’ve set up a new website called Tofu U where you can easily check out Tofu How-To’s (from buying, to prepping, to cooking), as well as delicious recipes. One of my favorite features on the site is the Dish Whiz where you can select the ingredients you already have in the house, and the whiz will come up with a dish you can make using them.

Nasoya is also encouraging everyone to take the Tofu U pledge to cook tofu once a week for a month. They will help by sending you coupons and if you cook four meals at home you can win Nasoya gym shorts or a t-shirt.

Nasoya is also willing to give one of my readers an extra bonus with 5 coupons for FREE tofu products and a t-shirt! This is a great way to get started!

Lucky for you there are 3 ways to enter this giveaway!

1. Go to Tofu U and take the pledge- leave a comment letting me know you did
2. Like Nasoya on Facebook (you can also enter their open enrollment contest and win $1000) leave a comment letting me know you did
3. Share with me your favorite way to cook tofu- links to recipes are appreciated!

 That’s it! I’ll pick a winner on Friday! (open to US residents only).

This giveaway is sponsored by Nasoya. I was provided free tofu coupons and a t-shirt from the company.

Read Full Post »

Well Balanced Sunday

Hi everyone!

How’s your Sunday going? I hope it is relaxing or productive (if that’s what your going for). These days I like the have a combination of both if we’re actually home for the weekend. I usually have a long to-do list to tackle, but I know that I should also cherish the last few weekends I have without a newborn.

 

Last night we stayed in and ate homemade crabcakes for dinner with a side of asparagus and mashed potatoes.

My recipe for mashed potatoes can be found in this post.

I didn’t snap a picture of the whole meal because we didn’t end up eating until 9pm and I was starving. They were great though.  This is the recipe I used for the crabcakes except I used 16oz of crabmeat so everything else is doubled. I also used Old Bay Seasoning instead of Phillips because that’s what I had in the house.

 

Crabmeat is expensive and definitely a rare treat around here- but the whole meal cost $18 for two (actually 4) because we’ll eat it again tonight. Much better than going out to eat.

 

My dessert last night was a Luna Bar I hadn’t tried before and some almond milk. I’m trying to get my sweet nightly fix with something that actually has some nutritional value. The pre-packaged size also makes for better portion control (versus the gallon of slow churned ice cream).

 

This flavor is great! Have you tried it? I don’t think it’s new, but I had never seen it before.

 

This morning after doing a few loads of laundry and eating breakfast, I attended my first pre-natal yoga class. It was good- very relaxing and the stretches helped my pelvic soreness. We did a long pigeon/double pigeon series that really targeted the right areas. source

After class I had to hit up Michael’s for a few things that I needed (it was a zoo there!). Once I got home I enjoyed a delicious tortilla pizza with my mom’s homemade sauce, mozzarella, and spinach.

and some Greek yogurt and frozen berries on the side

And now just chillin on the couch with some tea

What are you up to today?

What is your favorite yoga pose?

Read Full Post »

Victory over the Weeknight Recipe Rut

Have you ever had one of those weeks where you just can’t figure out what to make for dinner? As I’ve said before, I like to let the store circulars and coupons inspire some meal choices and that often helps me build a weekly menu. This week though, I just kept striking out. None of the proteins on sale sounded good, and none of my usual recipes we’re calling to me. It was time to try something new.

Yet…experimenting with a new recipe on a weeknight can be somewhat of a struggle. It can be awfully time consuming to come up with a recipe idea, grocery shop, and cook after a long work day. So I did what any girl would do…I went to google and typed in “easy weeknight dinners”.

I feared that I would find the usual list of fatty casseroles, unappetizing pasta bakes, or other recipes with canned soups that I personally can’t stomach. To my surprise, one of the first links in my search was for the site Eating Well.

After reading their recipe for Southwestern Corn & Black Bean Salad I was totally inspired! The ingredient list was short and simple. Additionally, I made a few other swaps based on ingredient availability and personal preferences. My changes are in red.

Ingredients:
• 3 large ears of corn, husked (1.5 cups of frozen corn)
• 1/3 cup pine nuts (1/4 cup of roasted sunflower seeds)
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit or lessen if your sunflower seeds are salted)
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
• 2 cups shredded red cabbage (I used green and it was pre-shredded, and more than 2 cups, probably 3 or 3.5)
• 1 large tomato, diced (I used a handful or two of grape tomatoes sliced in half)
• 1/2 cup minced red onion (I used 4 medium scallions diced, I prefer the milder flavor)
• I added diced avocado on top!

How To:
• Juice the limes, chop the cilantro, and add both to a large bowl with the salt. Whisk in the 2 Tbsp. of olive oil

• Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to coat in the dressing.

• Cover and let sit in the fridge until ready to serve

With the salad I also made chicken quesadillas. These were very easy too, and my own recipe.

I sautéed diced chicken breast in olive oil until no-longer pink (about 6-7 min).

I added 1 diced bell pepper, 1 seeded jalapeno, and 3 chopped scallions. I seasoned with a few dashes of salt and pepper, and a sprinkle of cumin and chili powder.

Once the veggies were tender but still crisp, I mixed in about 1/3 cup of salsa.

To assemble the quesadillas, toast a tortilla in a pan, add some filling and cheese on top and then another tortilla.  (I made myself an assembly line before starting)

Flip over and brown the other side of the tortilla and allow the cheese to fully melt.

Serve with more salsa and sour cream or Greek yogurt.

This meal was really a hit and it was very easy for a weeknight. The leftovers were also wonderful!

How do you escape your recipe rut?
What are your favorite quick weeknight meals?

Read Full Post »

Yummy Lentils

I don’t really know what else to call these, but yummy. That’s exactly what they are.

 

The other week when I was at Whole Foods, I picked up some french lentils in the bulk food section. I was excited to try them, and held on to them for a while before making them.

 

I toyed with the idea of making lentil soup, but then opted to make them as their own dish to be eaten on salad, plain, with naan (there are a million ways you can eat these)

 

I started out with a few essentials that I already had at home:

Chicken broth (could absolutely use veggie broth), 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, 2 cloves of garlic and 1/2 of an onion

I cut all of the veggies into a small dice using my handy dandy Vidalia chopper.

(sorry, I meant my Vidalia Chop Wizard).

You put the food on this little grate, press down and voila…a nice, even, small dice!

Once that was done, I put the veggies in a pot with 1.5 tbsp of olive oil and cooked them down for a while. (About 15-20 minutes)

About 1/2 way through cooking I sprinkled the mixture with about 2 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. black pepper, and a a good sprinkle of sugar to get a good carmelization going.

 

I also added about 1/4 tsp of curry powder, a 1/4 tsp of paprika, and a sprinkle of red pepper flake. The curry is very subtle but gives the dish a nice seasoning and a warmness.

 

After the veggies were cooked down, I added 1 cup of lentils (rinsed) to the pot and let them toast a little bit (around 5 min).

Then I added 1 3/4 cups of the broth, brought the mixture to a gentle simmer, and put a lid on top.

 

I’d say it took about 45 minutes or so to get the desired consistency. Soft, but not mushy. You want to check the lentils every so often to see how they are doing.

Hi there yummy lentils!

 

I ate some of these today on top of baby spinach with roasted butternut squash and goat cheese. Twas delicious!

A bonus too is that this meal is EXTREMELY budget friendly.

 

Do you like lentils?
What is your favorite kind and how do you make them?

Read Full Post »

What I Ate (so far) Wednesday

…the pregnant lady edition

 

I know I’ve been kind of lacking on the daily food posts lately so here is one that will show you just how exciting my food intake has been.

 

Breakfast (eaten around 7am)

My new favorite breakfast has been pumpkin oats. I’ve finally figured out the perfect recipe for me. The truth is that I love the whole “pumpkin spice” flavor, but pumpkin out of a can is kind of nasty. Tastes like baby food.

Here’s how I make my oats:

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup skim milk
• ½ cup quick oats
• ½ cup or a little more pure pumpkin
• ¼ cup raisins
• 1-2 tsp honey
• 1-2 packets of splenda
• Heavy dashes of cinnamon and pumpkin spice
• Trader Joe’s Valencia peanut/flax butter

How To:

• Heat 1 cup of the skim milk + the pumpkin on the stove on medium
• Stir in 1 tsp of honey and the cinnamon/pumpkin spice
• When the mixture bubbles, add the oats and stir
• Turn the flame to low
• Cook for about 5 minutes- add the extra ¼ cup milk during this process to keep the mixture smooth
• Add the raisins and let them cook in the oats for at least 1 min
• Add more honey, splenda, and spices to taste
• Top with peanut butter (optional)

 

Snack #1 (around 9:30am)

2 string cheeses and a large honeycrisp apple

Snack #2 (around 11am)

Cup o’ soup

Not all that nutritious but I needed something to hold me over until lunch and I always keep these in my desk.

Lunch (around 1pm)

Roast turkey breast (not deli meat), spinach, cucumbers, mayo on whole wheat, a yogurt, and an orange (which I actually ate later)

(The cucumbers make this sandwich! And I’d also like to note that I’m really into mayo these days. Excellent!)

Oh and look at what I found at Walmart on my lunch break! I didn’t get them because I wasn’t sure what to use them for. (pumpkin spice marshmallows + hot cocoa = yucky sounding)

Then I realized….Pumpkin spice rice krispie treats..DUH! I’ll have to go back for those suckers.

Snack (around 3pm)

2% cottage cheese cup (not pictured)

Orange (leftover from lunch)

 

Snack (about to eat this right now..)

2 hard boiled eggs

Leftover vegetable soup

Since I haven’t made it to dinner yet, I’ll let you know I have planned for the rest of the evening.

 

Dinner (around 7:30)

Whole wheat penne with tomato sauce, turkey meatballs, and Italian bread.

Spinach salad with olive oil and balsamic glaze

 

Snack (around 8:30)

Homemade dark chocolate pudding (recipe to come if it’s good!)

 

What did you eat today?

Read Full Post »