Healthy Mediterranean Pita Pizza

Our family has been working on a healthier diet. We have also been mindful of trying new things and being creative with what we make for meals. Today, I scoured the refrigerator and the pantry for ideas for lunch. It needed to be quick as the boys were "Starving!". For the past month or so, we have been huge spinach eaters. As a family, we always are, but lately it has been a daily food option. I have also been on a feta kick- sprinkling it in just about anything. With these things in mind, and a couple other finds in the fridge, the Mediterranean Pita Pizza was born!

I chose the name as all the ingredients originated in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. Pita bread is from Syria, hummus is from Egypt, spinach came from Persia, and feta cheese is from Greece. That's it. Those are all the ingredients for this delicious, healthy snack. Sound easy? Well, it is. Not only are there few ingredients, but there are only three steps to whipping up this yummy dish.

Here's how to make it:

1. Spread a hummus of your choosing (there are many, many flavor options) on top of the pita bread.

2. Add a layer of spinach on top of the hummus

3. Sprinkle with feta cheese

Done!

Enjoy!

Next time, I might try baking the pita bread a bit, just to give it a bit of crunch.

This is so yummy that my boys gobbled it up, and it was so easy that I just might add it to my packed-lunch rotation.

No Bake Lactation and Energy Bites

I have tried many recipes for lactation cookies throughout my nursing years. Some I loved, some were okay, others were just plain yucky. When three friends had babies all within months of one another, I decided I should take a chance on making my own recipe. I had struggled to find brewers yeast in the past and have searched for recipes that taste good and work as a lactation treat without it. This was super difficult to do as brewers yeast is one of the ingredients that helps mother's produce milk, however, this recipe has several other supply-helpers which have worked just as well.

Ingredients:

1 cup dry oatmeal
1 cup Wild Friends Honey Sunflower Butter
1/2 cup whole ground flaxseed meal
1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all the ingredients together, then put into the fridge for 10-20 minutes to help them set a bit. This makes it easier to roll them into balls. Once they have hardened a bit, roll balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper and put back into the refrigerator for another 10-20 minutes to set completely. This recipe will make about a dozen good-sized bites.

I love this recipe mainly because it is so versatile and many ingredients can be switched out for others if desired. Although this recipe does not call for brewers yeast you could definitely add a couple of tablespoons if you would like. It also does not contain nuts (this was a concern for one of the mamas as her toddler is allergic), but once again, you could substitute sunflower butter with good old peanut butter as well. The chocolate chip mixture could be different as well. Use any chip flavor you like.


I eat these as energy bites (even though I do not have a nursing child) and my kiddos love them too. They make for a yummy, easy to make, healthy snack for everyone as well as a wonderful gift for any nursing mama!

Given' it a Go

For months, I have struggled with creating a healthier menu for our family. Since we have been so budget-conscious for the past three years, we have been living on foods that consist of the coupon-worthy/last until the end of time variety. Although I know we are trying to do the best we can with what we have, I think that there has got to be a way to do better! That is why Joe and I are giving a natural, non-processed, non-boxed meal plan a try. Due to our budget constraints, this will take some planning and preparation, but we are committed to giving it our best, beginning Oct.1st.

Our goal is not to be on a "diet", nor is it to put restrictions on our boys, it is to make sure that what we eat is the most simple, healthiest food available. Get back to the basics, as it were. We are a very active family, and we want our food to work with that lifestyle. We have always tried to instill a love of "real" food in our children. We have a garden, which we plant, water, harvest, and create meals from as a family. This has become a cherished part of our time together.

The gist of our game plan:
1. Cut out packaged foods
2. Focus on fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean meats
3. Make and/or bake all our meals from the purest ingredients possible

Plantin' some corn

Based on our own family needs, there will be some exceptions to the rules:
1. Baking ingredients are fair game. I see them as essentials, and refuse to drop them from our diet.
2. If at a restaurant or are guests in someone's home, we eat what is offered. Our goal is not to be rude or impose our experiment on others, but if friends/family come our way, we will make the meal based on our new guidelines. GUESTS BEWARE!

I know this will not be easy, could be quite time-consuming, will probably be budget-strenuous, and could require a great deal of imagination, but I think it will be totally worth it!

Stay tuned for our weekly menus, the ups and downs of our foodie adventure, and how it all pans out (pun intended)!

Crockpot Korean Fusion Pulled Pork Tacos with Spicy Slaw

Our family has been working on a pretty tight budget for the past couple years. As part of our budget, I do the grocery shopping with special focus on coupons and sales. One item that tends to go on sale often and has coupons in the Sunday paper regularly, is the Campbell's Crockpot sauce. Since we are not fans of eating the same three dinners, over and over again, we try very hard to come up with creative recipes that will use the items we have already purchased (based on sales and coupons). 

This is one of my proudest recipes to date. It is healthy, delicious, inexpensive, easy, our whole family loves it (even the 4 year old and the 18 month old), it makes a ton of food, and it even better as leftovers, which is HUGE for me to say. I HATE leftovers! 

The delicious outcome

Ingredients:

Boneless Pork Shoulder

Korean BBQ Campbell's Crockpot Sauce

2 Cups Shredded Cabbage

1 Cup Red Onion

3/4 Cup Cilantro

Corn Tortillas

Sauce:

2 Tbls Soy Sauce

3 Tbls Vinegar

1 Tbls Sugar 

1/2 tsp Ginger

1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Optional (for spicy):

Diced Serrano Pepper or Diced Jalapeno Pepper to taste

1. Put the Pork shoulder into a crockpot with the Korean BBQ sauce as directed on the package  (until the meat falls apart easily) 

2. Shred the pork.

3. Make the sauce, adding the pepper(s) if wanted.

4. Mix all remaining ingredients to make the slaw, then mix in the sauce.

5. Put the tacos together, adding as much of the slaw as you would like.

6. ENJOY!!

*My husband and I love spice, so we split the slaw into two batches and only add the peppers to one of them. That way we can have spice, and out boys can enjoy their meal without a burning tongue and watering eyes.

We hope you love this recipe as much as we do!!! Please, give it a try and leave a comment about how it turned out. I would love to hear about variations and/or issues that you come across.

The Red-Eyed Return

Back before Liam was born, there were two years when a mysterious and persistent rash occurred around my eyes. Both years, the redness began right around the holidays: the first, the week before Thanksgiving; the second, on Christmas Eve. The rash began the same way, a pin-prick sensation all over my eyelids-top and bottom. The intensity of the pin-pricks quickly went from an annoyance, to a burning sensation. It felt as though the skin around eyes was sunburned and chapped. They were dry, peely, and sometimes swollen.

My dermatologist, primary doctor, several specialists, an ophthalmologist, and my Thyroid doctor, all tried to figure out what could be causing this occurrence, as well as a treatment which would cure, or at least, help treat it. I went through countless topical ointments, natural lotions/creams, allergy tests, and even a biopsy, with no sign of relief or answers. After 6 months (the first time), the rash went away on it's own. We may have done something that helped, but no one knew what. The only thing that seemed to help, was to be on prednisone, a strong steroid, with many side-effects. Even several rounds of this only eventually worked(?).

The next year, when it happened again, we were ready with the steroids, but still had no answers. The second time around, it only lasted for three months. Only three months!?! Only three months of looking and feeling horrible. Only three months of even more stares than just being bald warrants. Three months of sick days, missed family functions, and hiding out in our apartment. I'm used to looking "different", I'm used to the stares, but the pain of the cold, the wind, the light, were so horrible that all I wanted to do was hide out.

The next year, I was pregnant during the holiday season, and like my other auto-immune "issues", pregnancy seemed to hold off the red mask. I flinched at every tingle or dry patch the next year, but nothing came. Same for the next. Then another pregnancy. I was just starting to feel comfortable. Big mistake! I was just starting to think that something might actually have gone away on it's own. That maybe, just maybe, alopecia, eczema, allergies, and a wonky thyroid might be enough for one person to handle.

I was wrong. Over the weekend, I felt the familiar tingle. I tried to head it off with benadryl, lots of eye-approved, all-natural lotion, and extra care to not touch my eyes. It didn't work, and every day since, it has gotten worse and worse. Yesterday, was horrendous! My first day back with my students, and my eyes were sore, red, dry, heavy, and swollen. Just walking to the door of the school was a painful errand, with the cold and the wind stinging with every step.

Since Nolan is still nursing, even the ointments and steroids that helped in the past, are not an option. So, I continued to be proactive. I have put lotion on my eyes every hour or so. I take benadryl at night before I go to bed (since that's when my eyes tend to swell), and again when I wake up (to correct the swelling that has still occurred), and I am washing my hands constantly. Today, I am much better. Still red, a little sore, and the tiniest bit swollen, but I feel as though I have just a tad of control over the situation.

Although I am quite aware that I have no real control, and body will do what it does, I at least feel as though I am making progress. Hopefully, being persistent will have it's payoffs.

Heading to the Produce Stand

I grew up in Newberg, which is just a few miles from where I live now. When I was little, I remember some for the best spring/summer days included a walk down to Ray's, the local produce stand. Imagine my excitement when soon after moving to Sherwood I see a sign saying, "Ray's produce-coming soon!" Last summer Liam, Joe, and I spent many a summer morning, walking to Ray's to pick out our fresh, local produce for the week.
Today was the beginning of that tradition for this year. We spent the morning walking to the library, then to Ray's to pick up some yummy apples for the pastry we are making for Easter dinner tomorrow night, as well as some grapefruits, tomatoes, and kale. All of which was grown locally and sold from a family owned business. With the economy the way it is, the best we can do for one another is to support the small businesses. The produce is always delicious and very inexpensive compared to the grocery store. It was so nice to relive some of the best childhood memories I have, and to start those for Liam.
If you are in the market for some yummy produce, you should check out Sherwood/Newberg's own- Ray's. They are friendly, helpful, have great food, and you will be putting your hard-earned dollar back into our local economy. Also, later in the year, Sherwood hosts a small local farmers market. Sherwood Saturday market is open every Saturday from May through September from 9am-1pm. They host various musical acts, have local produce, and handmade crafts. Happy shopping!

One of the booth at Sherwood's Saturday Market

Never Forget!

Since finding out that my Thyroid has gone crazy, I have had to take a pill every morning. This might not seem like a big deal, but this pill has to be taken on an empty stomach, and I cannot eat for at least an hour afterwards. I think that this is one reason why I have become addicted to coffee. For some reason, coffee doesn't affect the medication, so I drink quite a bit of it in the morning to keep me full.
It also doesn't help that I have to be out of my house, and on my way to drop off my son, within 45 minutes of waking up. So, no time to eat before-hand. Then I have about a half an hour to get to work. Again, not enough time to eat. Next, I have a half an hour before my students walk through the door. Once again, no time. I usually take some sort of snack (it's so hard to find breakfast that you can make and take). Today I forgot!
This was a huge mistake on my part. By the time I got off work, picked up Liam, put him to bed, and made my lunch, I was starving! I have now been home for about an hour and have eaten: a salad, 2 pieces of pizza, chips, one of Liam's left over fruit cups, and a spoon-full of peanut butter. Apparently, if you let yourself get too hungry, you end up eating everything in sight! I'm soooooo full, and I feel like crap. Note to self: NEVER FORGET YOUR SNACK!!!!

I'm Healthy

Since going off to college, like most women, my weight/body image has been something that I've felt the need to keep in check. As most people do, I gained weight my first year and kept the extra pounds for some years after. Although my weight has fluctuated over the years, I've never really felt too uncomfortable in my own skin. I lost about 15 pounds for my wedding, then gained a bit back after the honeymoon (actually while on the honeymoon), lost about ten before going to Europe, then gained more than 50 pounds while pregnant.
About half-way through my pregnancy, I threw out several pairs of pants that were tight and uncomfortable before getting pregnant, sure that I would never fit into them again.
The first nine months of being a mommy went as expected (at least weight-wise). I didn't loose much right away. In fact, most of the weight I put on while pregnant seemed here to stay. At the time, I was still nursing and several people told me that they started to loose the baby weight at about the nine month mark. So I'm not sure if it was the power of suggestion or if it really is true, but the nine month mark was like magic. Within a few weeks the pounds just fell off. At first I was excited. I never thought that it would be this easy. It was like a light switch.
Then when the weight kept coming off, I got a bit worried. I had not only lost all of my baby-weight, but more than ten pounds past that. I'm a small person, 5 ft on a good day), so this was a lot to loose. I saw my doctor and found out that my thyroid was acting up and that this was probably the reason for my tremendous weight loss. I went on medication, fully expecting to gain something back, but I didn't. It has been almost a year and the weight is staying steady.
I'm happy with my new size, my doctor says that I'm perfectly healthy, but I'm also getting a lot of snide comments from people. No, I'm not starving myself (ask my husband, I can eat like a horse), no I'm not on some crazy, horrible exercise regimen (in fact I've purposefully sweat a handful of time since my son was born), and no I'm not on some weird vitamin cleanse. Apparently, this is the new me. I'm ok with that, why not you?!

The Agony of it All!

I hate this time of year! The next three months are going to be horrible! The holidays are the busiest and most taxing for me. No one thinks about me or how I'm feeling right about now. They are running around enjoying holiday parties and treats and then use me when they feel guilty. I can't believe that there is a whole bag of Costco candy in the cupboard, do they really think that that is a good idea? They always get too much candy and I think that they do it on purpose just to torture me!
Not only does everyone rely on me to make them feel better about themselves, but they never think about the difficulties and pain that they cause me in the process. I don't know why people always come to me anyway. I'm not good at comforting people and I tend to make everyone feel worse when they visit me. I wish that everyone would take a second, think about what their doing, and learn some self control, because someday they will wear me out and I won't be able to comfort or (in most cases) frustrate them any more. But guess what?! They will just replace me anyway. That's me- abuse me and then replace me. What a troubled and tormented life I lead!

These have been the thoughts/feelings of my bathroom scale.

Itchy Eyes and a Healthy Diet

Liam had allergy testing last week to see if there are foods as well as other allergens that he should stay away from. I was not suprised to find that he is allergic to something, but I was surprised to find that it is eggs. I'm allergic to almost anything in nature (except, thankfully, food). I expected to find that he was allergic to dogs, cats, pollen, grass, trees, mold, or almost anything! But I was not prepared for eggs.
It is very frustrating to see my son when one of these reactions occur. He is so uncomfortable and I know exactly what he is feeling. It is also frustrating because I did everything in my power to make sure that he wouldn't have any allergies and especially not to food. I nursed exclusively for six months, only adding food to his diet when told they were no longer an issue and one at a time, I continued to nurse (w/o using formula) and am still currently nursing a few times a day. My son didn't have milk until after his first birthday (yet it still seems to irritate his eczema) and we never gave him eggs exclusively. This amazing considering that Easter was the weekend before the tests were done!
The only time that Liam has been exposed to egg at all, is through me and when mixed in a recipe like bread. Now we know that his reactions cohensided with eating those foods that contain egg in the recipe. Because Liam is allergic to eggs and seems to have issues with dairy, his diet is extremely limited. He is already very small and is only in the 8th precentile for weight. All of these things make me very worried about making sure that he has a well-rounded and healthy diet. We know that there are a variety of specialty foods at stores like Whole Foods and New Seasons, but our funds are going to be limited and we really need to find a sustainable way to get him all the nutrients that he needs without breaking the bank. Obviously, we will do whatever we need to do to make sure Liam has what he needs, even if this means no extra money and/or finding a little something extra during my summer breaks. But again, sustainability and a well-rounded, healthy diet are what we are looking for.
We have recently cut out all un-needed expenses: stopped putting money into our 401k, are in the process of canceling comcast cable, phone, and internet, and are trying to pay off a student loan that will free up a little bit of money on a monthly basis. We have also talked about putting in a garden to help with grocery bills and have cut our eating out and costly activities to a minimum. We are not "hurting" for money, in fact right now we are doing just fine. But I will be 1/2 time next year so things will already be a bit tight. I hope I don't sound like I am complaining! Because I am NOT! I'm so excited to be able to be home with my son more and it's a choice that we made as a family, but it will be an adjustment.
So if you have egg/dairy allergies and have any suggestions for us on how to make sure Liam has a healthy diet or know of some good deals, we would love to hear about them!

A New Outlook on Life

Warning! The following is corny! Read at your own risk.

Let me start by saying that my life is not going to change because of a movie, however my outlook on it might. I spent that last two and half hours watching a wonderful movie called "Julie and Julia" which I am sure many of you recognize. I enjoyed this movie for many reasons: one- it was entertaining and funny, two- I learned a great deal about Julia Child, and three- I realized a lot about myself and what I want out of life. For those of you who did not read my last blog, I lost a very important person recently- my grandmother. She had a fasinating life which was filled with toughness and love, but at her funeral yesterday none of that was discussed. The person who was in charge of talking about my grandmother didn't know her at all (as most don't) and instead of talking about her wonderful life, he used the occassion as a chance to talk about his work in Africa and his beliefs in hell. Wonderful, I know. But this is another story. The point of mentioning this is, that it made me think of how short life is and about how important it is to make it worth living.
Then to my suprise, there was this engaging movie on tv this morning that not only reminded me of the feelings I had yesterday, but also inspired me to do something about it. I know that we have all heard and probably said this before, but my life is going to change. I don't expect this change to happen today, but instead, slowly and with great focus and thoughtfulness. The movie as well as my grandma have inspired me to do many things, including, but not limited to: cooking, blogging, traveling, being a better person without judgement and cynicism, to be a better mom, teacher, wife and friend, to continue to be healthier and exercise, etc.
Everyone says these things, I know. What is different about this for me is that I don't expect it to happen overnight and I know that I will make mistakes along the way. But if I plan to take it one day at a time and focus on what is really important, I know that I can do it. I plan to look at everyday (yes, even weekdays) as an opportunity to be better- to live life. I think that my New Year's resolution has just clicked a couple of weeks late this year. The weird thing about it though, is that it is not just a resolution for this year, but for the rest of my life. It is a resolution that can not be measured in push ups, number of friends, days, or dollar signs, but in my feelings and my experiences.
Yay for me! I have finally figured it out. Not all of it-if I had what would I do with the rest of my life? But I have had an epiphany. Everything seems to have clicked and I now have a focus. Or more accurately-many. Wish me luck!

Months and Pounds

Since becoming pregnant, my body has changed drastically, many times. First I gained massive amounts of weight in a very short amount of time (which obviously is normal when you are pregnant). Within weeks after Liam was born, I dropped about 20 of the 50lbs that I gained. It then took quite a while for the next 20lbs to be shed. The past couple of months have been spent trying to loose the last 10lbs. There have been a lot of ups and a few downs, but I am almost there! I told myself when I got pregnant, that it would take me nine months to gain the baby weight and I would give myself nine months to loose it. Liam will be nine months next Sunday.
Being a new mom who works makes it very difficult to loose the baby weight. I have been trying to eat better and I know that nursing has helped- A LOT! But when it comes to finding time and energy to work out, it is out of the question. Because I already get up at 4:45 am, there is no way I am going to get up earlier to work out. After work is also not happening. I get home from work about 4pm and Liam goes to bed about 8pm. This is the only time I get to see him throughout the day and I don't want to miss any of that time to go to the gym or go running. Not to mention the guilt I feel even thinking about it. And then there is after Liam goes to sleep. He goes to bed about an hour before I do and by that time, I am so exhausted that I can hardley manage to get off the couch.
Looking back on all of this, I am so shocked that I have made it this far toward my goal of getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight in 9 months. For those of you who haven't had a kids yet, I know that 9 months sounds like a lifetime and as though this should be no problem at all. But you are mistaken! It is very hard. The first couple months is easy because what you loose is a mixture of the weight of the actual baby, the fluid needed to keep baby healthy and the water/bloating that pregnancy adds to your body. But after that, it is all you.
I also never thought too much about how having a baby will actually "change" my body. Even though I am extremely close to my pre-pregnancy weight, I do not see my old body in there anywhere. In some ways, I love my new body, but there are a couple of new developments that I wish I could erase. I am hoping that with a little exersice (when I have more "me" time) I will be able to tone up a little and begin to see a body that I recognize a bit more. Oh the changes that a baby brings! They are never ending!!