I’ve always thought that I didn’t need a special day to show loved ones I care, but I have to admit since having a baby, I now see the value in having a special day carved out. It’s just too easy to get wrapped up in the day to day crazy. Plus, I kind of feel like a hormonal jerk lately since December 2013 so a reminder not to be a hormonal jerk is always appreciated.
The other day Eric and I came up with a plan that celebrates our first Valentine’s Day as a family of three. First, a pancake breakfast in the morning, then a small gift opening and an outing with Adriana during the day (please warm up weather forecast!), and after she’s gone to bed (7pm bedtimes rule) we’ll make dinner together, turn on some music, and make a fire (ok, flip the switch to turn on the gas fireplace). I think it’s going to be really nice. I’m also hoping to make it past 10pm!
Here’s what we decided for the menu. The bonus is that each course only requires a small handful of ingredients so it’s a breeze to shop for and throw together.
// Appetizer //
Roasted Beet Salad with Hazelnuts, Thyme, and Balsamic Reduction (from The Oh She Glows Cookbook, page 113).
// Main //
15-Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta
// Dessert //
Raw Chocolate Pudding
Tip – I’m making this first so it can chill in the fridge while we cook dinner. Here are other V-day dessert ideas.
My digestion has been a bit out of whack over the past few months. Actually, I’m feeling a bit out of whack as a whole. Maybe I was naïve, but I really didn’t anticipate the postpartum phase to be so challenging, on many different levels. The pregnancy seems to get the most attention while the period after having a baby seems to be all about getting back to your old self as soon as possible. At least in the media. I guess I expected that for myself too, but it’s not my personal reality nor is it for many other new moms I’ve talked to. We’re almost 5 months in and I still don’t feel like I have it together. I mostly blame the overnight waking hours and sugar cravings (the cravings result from lack of sleep – it’s a vicious cycle), but it’s everything really. Life has changed in so many weird and wonderful ways. I wonder if I ever will feel like my old self, or if I’d ever want to; what I have right now is great. I say it all the time but motherhood is amazing. I pinch myself so many times a day…like, do I actually get to witness this sweet baby discover the world? It’s the kind of thing that fills my heart with so much joy it keeps me up at night because I know that it could all be taken away in a second.
The intensity seems to be lifting as the months go on. We are laughing so much every day! I’m convinced Adriana is a 90 year old woman trapped in a baby’s body. Seriously…she does this lip-sucking in thing that makes her look like she forgot her dentures. I die every time. She is my number one priority and because of this I think I have let my own self fall to the wayside. It’s the cliché saying about motherhood, but it’s been so true. For me, this seemed necessary to get through the first months as a new parent, but I’m getting to that place now where I think I can find a balance for both of us. The fog is lifting. This is where a plant-based diet can help in so many great ways! I think I’ve done a good job of staying healthy this past year, but there are a few things I would like to improve upon.
The advice I often give to others is to make small changes when starting out, so that’s what I’ve been doing recently. Just a bunch of little tweaks that all contribute to the whole. Baby steps. Rather than having caffeine in the morning (which doesn’t seem to agree with my anxiety-prone nature), I’ve switched to a tea made with fresh ginger, fresh turmeric, and Rooibos tea. I drink it all day long. A few other things I’m doing (almost) everyday – green protein smoothie, exercise, probiotics (plus my other regular vitamin regime), and hitting the hay earlier. There’s nothing ground-breaking or gimmicky here, but they are things that just WORK time and time again. Sure there are days when none of these things happen, but for the most part it’s helping!
While this smoothie is different from my regular morning protein smoothie, it makes for a lovely afternoon snack. You could probably add some hemp hearts to this one if you wanted to boost the protein enough for a morning drink.
This smoothie combines the power of many digestion-friendly and immune-boosting foods:
// Pineapple // Digestive and anti-inflammatory benefits, immune support. One cup gives you 105% of your daily Vitamin C requirements. I use frozen pineapple chunks in smoothies to save time.
// Fresh ginger // Soothes the intestinal tract and helps with digestion. Awesome for all kinds of gastrointestinal relief, such as morning sickness. Anti-inflammatory and immune boosting.
// Fresh parsley // Rich in vitamins K, C, A, folate, and antioxidants. It’s a natural diuretic which can help release water retention. Opt for flat-leaf parsley as it’s less bitter than curly parsley. Cilantro would be a nice swap here too!
// Avocado // Major anti-inflammatory benefits + heart-healthy fats. High in fibre which aids with digestion.
// Banana // Rich in B6, manganese, Vitamin C, fibre, and potassium. Interesting to note – while bananas are high in sugar, they have a low glycemic index score which means that they won’t spike blood sugar levels. It’s soothing to the digestive track and thought to regulate the bowels and enhance friendly gut bacteria.
// Lemon // Rich in vitamin C. Aids digestion and helps flush out toxins.
[Source: The World’s Healthiest Foods]
I also add some coconut water and probiotic powder for an extra boost! Feel free to add a handful of spinach or kale too.
This green smoothie is packed with digestion-enhancing and immune-boosting foods like pineapple, parsley, ginger, avocado, and more. It makes a great afternoon snack.
Yield 2 1/4 cups
Prep Time
Cook time 0 Minutes
Total Time
Ingredients:
1 heaping cup frozen pineapple chunks (or fresh, if desired)
1/2 frozen banana
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup coconut water
1/4 cup packed fresh parsley
2 tablespoons avocado
1 teaspoon packed freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon probiotic powder, optional
lemon slice, for garnish
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a blender and blend on the highest speed until super smooth.
Tips: 1) Feel free to add a handful of baby spinach. 2) Fresh mint would also give this smoothie a nice digestion boost!
PS – I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Publisher’s Weekly recently – hop on over and read the interview here!
Two treats in one package, that’s what the Baked Beans Soup in Cheese Balls is! Scrumptious, chilli-speckled cheese balls are a delight to bite into, while the tangy, creamy baked beans soup is a pleasure to slurp up! When you taste this soup, the first thought that comes to mind is that it has a perfectly balanced yet exciting combination of flavours and textures, with baked beans bound together with vegetable stock, and flavoured with herbs, onions and tomato ketchup too.
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Preparation Time: Cooking Time: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1 cup canned baked beans 1/2 cupgrated processed cheese 1 1/2 tspdry red chilli flakes (paprika) 1/2 tbspoil 1 tsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun) 1/4 cup finely chopped onions 2 tbsptomato ketchup 1 tspdried oregano 2 1/2 cups clear vegetable stock salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) to taste
Method
Combine the cheese and ½ tsp of chilli flakes in a bowl and mix very well.
Divide the cheese balls into 8 equal portions and roll each portion into a round ball. Keep aside.
Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the garlic and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
Add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the baked beans, the remaining 1 tsp of chilli flakes, oregano, tomato ketchup, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the vegetable stock, salt and pepper, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Just before serving, place the cheese balls in a serving bowl and pour the hot soup over it and serve immediately.
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Who can refuse a cup of creamy Mushroom Soup! And if you were told that it is a healthy version, you would enjoy it all the more. Mushrooms have a low carbohydrate level, and hence a low glycemic index too, which makes it a helpful ingredient for diabetics. Being rich in potassium, mushrooms also keep blood pressure under control, making it doubly beneficial. Further, by using whole wheat flour as a thickening agent along with low-fat milk as the base, we have also taken the guilt off the creaminess!
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Preparation Time: Cooking Time: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
3 cups thickly sliced mushrooms (khumbh) 1 tspoil 1/2 cupchopped onions 2 tspwhole wheat flour (gehun ka atta) 1 cuplow-fat milk , 99.7% fat-free salt and to taste
Method
Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add the whole wheat flour, mushrooms and 1 cup of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 5 to 6 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Remove from the flame and allow the mixture to cool completely.
Once cooled, combine the mushroom mixture and milk and blend in a mixer till smooth.
Transfer the mixture into the same deep non-stick pan, add the salt, pepper and 1 cup of water, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
A toothsome broth of sautéed vegetables and oats cooked simply with water, and seasoned with salt and pepper. Comforting and sumptuous, this Oats and Vegetable Broth is very nutritious too. The vegetables provide an abundant supply of vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that reduces free-radical damage, slowing the onset of heart diseases, cancer and other age-related degenerative diseases. By using fibre-rich oats, we do away with traditional refined flour thickeners, making this broth all the more healthier.
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Preparation Time: Cooking Time: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1/2 cupquick cooking rolled oats 2 tbsp finely chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp finely chopped capsicum 2 tbsp finely chopped cauliflower 2 tbsp finely chopped carrots 2 tbsp finely chopped cabbage 2 tspoil 1/4 cup finely chopped onions 2 tsp finely chopped garlic (lehsun) 1 tsp finely chopped green chillies salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) to taste 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania) 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley 2 tsplemon juice
Method
Heat the oil in a deep non-stick pan, add the onions, garlic and green chillies and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.
Add all the vegetables and sauté on a medium flame for another 2 minutes.
Add the oats and sauté on a medium flame for 1 more minute.
Add 3 cups of hot water, salt and pepper, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
Add the coriander and parsley, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute, while stirring occasionally.
