Happy 1st Anniversary to me!

It was actually October 14th, but I completely missed it. Oops.
Hope you all are doing well! It's been an interesting year, that's for sure! I'm not sure what challenges I'll face with the new baby. I'm praying that the baby will not have severe food intolerances, like E3 did, but have many tools to help me out, along with great support!

Here's an AMAZING resource for any gluten/dairy/soy free family. Karina, of gluten-free goddess, made a wonderful, wonderful list of flours, baking subs, flour mixes and much, much more. I encourage you to read it if you are avoiding gluten/dairy/soy. I'm so thankful to have come across this last night. I'm going to be making her flour mix, so I don't have to buy one, and there aren't many (that are in my price range) that don't have rice flour, which E3 still can't tolerate. So excited!! Please let me know which parts you like best! And you can follow her on facebook, too!

Holiday Baking...apparently

It seems I've come to the baking/cooking portion of my pregnancy long nesting. My friends have joked that I've been nesting my whole pregnancy, and except for first trimester, they're pretty much right. I'm LOVING it!! Especially as this is the last baby that we plan to have.
Anyway, I'm enjoying my last nesting spree. It's definitely getting harder as my belly gets bigger and I get tired more easily, but I'm getting stuff done and the kids and DH have been so helpful. E1 vacuums, E2 dusts and folds dishcloths and towels, & E3 throws things away....even the things I don't necessarily want thrown away, lol. They're all so sweet and helpful, I'm very blessed!

So, on the menu tonight - Paleo Pumpkin Bread, German Chocolate Cake & my regular gluten free bread. I almost didn't make the pumpkin bread, but then I found a very easy pumpkin pie spice recipe.

German Chocolate Cake by Enjoying Healthy Foods. I overcooked it a bit, but it's not burnt and the kids LOVE it! It'd be excellent with frosting, but I don't have the stuff or energy to make frosting, so we'll enjoy it without.

Pumpkin Bread by Enjoying Healthy Foods (I really like this blog, you should take some time to peruse it)

Amazing Gluten Free Bread by Thriving Without

Pictures (hopefully) to come.

The Holidays & Candy

They're coming...holidays!
At the end of this month, there's trick or treating, then Thanksgiving, Christmas and Holiday parties. How do you handle it with no refined sugars, Paleo/Primal, etc?
A friend asked about this on facebook, and here's my reply. Not super well organized, but it hits on a few things.

We don't do candy events, like trick or treating. Last year, I put some organic Yummy Earth lollipops in bags and hid them in the house - that was their trick or treating. At Christmas, my grama asks what kind of stuff they can have and gets them some gluten free stuff that she divvies up into baggies for the kids' stockings. I ask for tea and this year, Spry gum.
They don't get the lollipops every day, it's more of a weekly or less thing.
I make gluten-free brownies and cake regularly with good ingredients and natural sweeteners, like honey. And every once in a VERY great while, we get something like coconut or almond milk ice cream, gluten free donuts (did that for the first time today, bc we were visiting with their grandpa at HyVee & they were on sale). It's a struggle, and when they go to the in laws, they get refined sugar and way more than I would like, but it's a trade off...do I want them to know and get to spend time with their grandparents? or is it a hill I'm willing to die on (battle reference, not sure I got it right, teehee).
Taking things they can eat helps a lot, wherever we go or only going places I know they can have stuff when eating out, which we don't do often. Chipotle (they get tacos), restaurants with beef hamburger patties (plain) and fries (only when we ocassionally eat out).
It's also a matter of what I have time and energy for. Right now, there are things I'm not doing every day, that I will be able to do every day when I have the energy, etc. And some things we simply don't have $ for and the subpar version isn't worth it.

For some yummy recipes, see Almond Joy Candies, Pumpkin Bread Smoothie, Lemon Cashew Cheesecake, and more on my blog!

Other blogs with holiday treat recipes:
Enjoying Healthy Foods
Caramel Apples from The Spunky Coconut & Paleo Parents
Everyday Paleo - Surviving Halloween
Cinnamon Sunflower Truffles at The Whole Life Nutrition

My Super Protein Breakfast Smoothie

People need protein to function. And healthy fat. And carbs from good sources, such as vegetables. I have been on a mission to get extra protein in, since consuming good amounts of protein during pregnancy reduces the risks of toxemia & pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure that can lead to seizures and brain damage), helps red blood cell production, as well as, along with fats, increase satiety after eating.

Various forms of protein

My Super Protein Breakfast Smoothie
1 frozen banana
1 cup Original Almond Milk (or other full fat milk)
1 tsp Spirulina
powder (has 2g protein!)
1 scoop 365 Whey Protein Powder, Vanilla
1 tbsp raw, local honey
1 tbsp Chia Seeds

1/2 tsp ginger, ground
1/4 tsp Probiotic Powder
(probiotics are extremely important to digestion and overall health!)
2 tbsp almond butter
ice

According to www.myfitnesspal.com, this smoothie has 581 calories (which I don't really care about, as long as I'm getting them from healthy fats, proteins and carbs), 70 carbs, 25g fats, 28g protein. To up protein to 44g, add an extra protein powder scoop. To lower carbs, leave out the banana and add extra ice.

*note: I don't believe that protein powder is the best way to get protein. I believe most of our nutrition should come from whole food sources. However, while I am pregnant, I'm not ready to add raw eggs to my smoothie to up the good fat and protein, and there aren't a ton of other ways to get 16g protein per serving (scoop). It's another thing you should do your own research on and make your own informed decision. We research tv's and cars, why not our health decisions? Including medications, doctors, procedures, etc. But now I'm getting onto a whole different topic :)

Pumpkin Bread Smoothie

I don't have a picture, because I'm drinking it. Here, look at a picture of a pumpkin. Now pretend it's turned into my smoothie.

I LOVE pumpkin in food. Smoothies, pudding, etc. Big fan here, Holly knows. I guess I'm starting early this year! Last time I was pregnant, I did pumpkin everything, that was almost two years ago, so maybe it's a pregnancy thing, who knows.

Pumpkin Bread Smoothie
1 cup canned coconut milk
1/4 cup Canned Pumpkin
1 tsp pumpkin pie seasoning
1/2 -1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp Maple Syrup

sprinkle of coconut flakes
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp probiotic powder
1 frozen banana (optional)
ice

Blend until ready to drink! Enjoy :)

Zucchini Spaghetti

This was really good, even my husband & the kids were big fans!

Julienne 2-3 small zucchinis, steam for a few minutes with some butter/coconut oil in a lidded pan, then add meat (I used chopped chicken from a roasted chicken), and sauce. I also added crushed garlic and Organic Italian Herb Seasoning. You could add any other vegetables or seasonings you'd like - onions, peppers, sausage, etc.

Quinoa Dish

This was super good. I had quinoa leftover from the night before, so I heated it with butter or coconut oil in a pan, then added quartered zucchini, halved little tomatoes, & chicken. Quinoa is a seed that has a good amount of protein, not as much as meat, but has lots of other good stuff.

To make quinoa:
Rinse very well, to get the bitter saponin off.
Lightly boil, covered, with chicken broth, water or a safe milk. (chicken broth for savory, water or milk to use as a sweet cereal type).
Take lid off after it's at a light, rolling boil/simmer, to boil off extra liquid.
Serve hot or cold, with seasonings (maple syrup & nuts, almond butter, salt & pepper, spices, etc.)

Use in place of hot cereal or rice.