Meal Pinning Monday

November 30, 2015

After a week off for the holiday I'm back and back in the kitchen. 

Here's what's cooking at our house this week!

 

[What is Meal Pinning Monday?]
MPM is how I meal plan for our little family. I once spent a lot of time searching the web and my recipe books hunting for new recipes and ideas for what to cook every week. Then, Pinterest came along and made meal planning much easier for me. Every weekend I look over what I have pinned the prior week and decide what I would like to cook and make my grocery list from these recipes. MPM came about as a way to share what I am cooking, and to also see what others are cooking every week to hopefully get even more dinner ideas from other bloggers. If you don't pin your recipes feel free to just share what you are cooking.

Monday - Oxtail Stew

Tuesday - leftovers

Wednesday - leftovers

Thursday - Lemon Butter Chicken (with coconut milk & brown rice)

Friday - leftovers

Saturday - Taco Salads

Sunday - haven't decided yet
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Five on Friday

November 20, 2015

I'm pretty sure between midnight pumping and whatever on the planet is floating around I'm going to croak before allergy stuff/exhaustion disappear.

One day this child will be in college and I won't be pumping anymore. I say college because I feel positive that his love of nursing is going to mean weaning will be laughable.


This creature of mine, she knows she's not supposed to eat the baby. 

How does she know? I've told her a few times. I'm near positive that in the event were covered in peanut butter she would have a hard time discerning between baby and food. Her gift of discernment isn't there, especially when something tastes like food. 

The other night the said child and dog had an issue because the child had pasta dangling from his feet. Talk about weenie dog trauma! The pain of watching pasta dangle from something you can't just jump at and attack is about as enjoyable as having your anal glands squeezed. 


In the effort to get better sooner and not partake in my usual Cup O Soup sickness tradition I concocted a bit of short cut Bulletproof Bone Broth. Bone Broth being a fancy name for chicken or beef stock and all... with added gelatin (which I had none of by the way). 

Anyhoo, here's how I made my Cuppa Bulletproof Stock:

Simmer - 1 cup-ish chicken stock, 1/4 tsp pink Himalayan Salt, 1/8 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp curry powder (because I didn't have ginger), and 1 tsp ghee. Once the ghee is melted and it's simmering blend with an immersion blender until frothy. Drink. 

The end. 


The baby has an obsession with laundry. I don't know why I'm sharing this, but it seemed relevant at the time. 


Who else remembers the little cartons of Borden's chocolate milk during school lunch?

Ironically I didn't eat school lunch, but my grandfather delivered milk so I often got the delectable treat of a carton of nearly frozen Borden's chocolate milk. That is a heavenly memory, mind you. Heavenly.

Turns out there's a Borden's Ice Cream Shop in Lafayette.

Luckily it takes a solid 30 minutes to get there from my house.


How anyone pumps exclusively I will never know! I have steadily pumped at night and while at work, but for the nursing times I'm home we nurse. 

I hate bottles honestly, and the other side of that is that there's no better way to shush a baby who is in full fledged freak out mode than nursing. How I'll calm a child down without it is yet to be learned. I kid! 

Anyway, I'm counting down the next three months before official weaning begins just for the sake of not having to count my own water intake, make sure I've had ample fat/carb intake, and then fret over the amount of that water/fat/carb intake of mine comes out with my udder sucker. It's just sheer mania. 

I've been fortunate enough to not have to supplement at all with formula, but it isn't because I am just making milk like a mad woman. It has taken a ton of work to stay at an output I like, figure out what voodoo caused me to get to that magically ounce output that day, and then attempt to repeat it day in and day out. 

It's going to be a long time before I eat oatmeal again. 
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Pumpkin Coffee Cake

November 18, 2015

Considering photography has gotten a bit better since the early days of Louisiana Bride I thought I'd reshare this recipe. Especially since I made it for the first time in about 2 years this weekend. 

I think that's the perfect excuse to update photos. 


This fluffy, sweet, and super easy to put together coffee cake would be perfect for Thanksgiving morning while prepping food for the big meal, or even at Christmas.

Heck I really just like fall food, so it's good any day of the year. 

This particular recipe isn't so overly pumpkin-y that the pumpkin haters in your life wouldn't like it. Yes, my family contains a few pumpkin haters. I won't name names to keep them anonymous, but just know they exist. 

I too am shocked that such a think exists. 

Then again my grandmother hated chocolate with peanut butter, she didn't even really like chocolate. Don't fear, I openly questioned her choices, as you should anyone who doesn't love the coco peanut butter combo. 

So, um, the recipe? Let's just get to that. 


adapted from Six Sisters

Ingredients:
1/3 c water
15 oz can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 18oz Butter Recipe cake mix
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c whole wheat flour
4 tbsp butter 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Mix water, pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, & pumpkin pie spice. Mix in cake mix (dry mix) & baking soda. Pour into a 13x9 pan. Mix brown sugar, flour, & butter with a fork until combined and crumbly. Sprinkle over cake. Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. 



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8 Months

November 17, 2015

If I don't get these in a post soon I'll be posting about 9 months, or worse off...graduation.






Weight: 19 lbs according to the scale at home

Length/Height: Who knows


Eyes: more hazel, they go between blue to green/brown depending on what he's wearing


Hair: Brown like Mama's!


Clothes: 9-12 months

Diapers: Size 3 all around, day and night, but we are working towards 4's. 

Likes: People, he's a people person. He also likes the stroller again thank goodness, playing in the floor with us, and eating. Oh and jumping, he jumps like a fool in the jumper at the sitter's house. 


Dislikes: This totally depends on his mood. Monday's tend to be rough at the sitter. He prefers his mama schedule and nursing exclusively. 

Eating: Everything, he eats everything. Laura introduced Cherrios to him, he is now in love with Cherrios. 


Sleeping: We've had a good few weeks of sleeping like he use to. He's even gotten better at going down awake at naps and putting himself to sleep, I think he's old enough to better understand the routine and what it means. 


Milestones: Sitting really well and army crawling. He's started in with the pincer grasp. 

If I had to describe our seventh month in one word, it would be: Happy, it's been a much happier month all around. 

Mommy notes: He traveled pretty well to Vidalia thanks to Babywise. He honestly played in the car when he was supposed to be awake and then napped when I would have normally put him down. He wasn't a fan though when I tried to put him back in the car to go grocery shopping. After a long ride he acts like the car seat is made of lava when you attempt to put him back in it. 



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Meal Pinning Monday

November 15, 2015

I realized something here recently, that you may have already heard from me over IG, but eating non-paleo seems to be better for my milk supply. 

Especially since for so long I was eating Whole30 and restricting a bit of my calories. I gave up the gun one weekend and just ate until I was no longer craving everything in site, and you know what...it was my best pumping session to date. 

Last night I had yet another record pumping session, so it seems that for the most part Paleo is out the window until weaning begins again. Great for my waistline, bad for my milk supply. 

I know everyone is different as far as what changes their supply, this is just how mine works. Don't get me wrong though, Whole30 is what completely eradicated the colic symptoms. Now that's  he's bigger and can handle more though I need a higher supply and he doesn't seem to be bothered with my consumption of wheat and dairy. I however am feeling the effects and have swollen gums, put on a few pounds, and feel a lot less energetic. 

Back to meal planning, Jeremy is having a food hay day until weaning starts next year. 

 

[What is Meal Pinning Monday?]
MPM is how I meal plan for our little family. I once spent a lot of time searching the web and my recipe books hunting for new recipes and ideas for what to cook every week. Then, Pinterest came along and made meal planning much easier for me. Every weekend I look over what I have pinned the prior week and decide what I would like to cook and make my grocery list from these recipes. MPM came about as a way to share what I am cooking, and to also see what others are cooking every week to hopefully get even more dinner ideas from other bloggers. If you don't pin your recipes feel free to just share what you are cooking.

Monday - Leftover Taco Soup 

Tuesday - Mongolian Beef & Stir Fry Veggies with Sesame Noodles
(I add a bag of frozen stir fry veggies to get some vegetables in this meal - then I mix the beef with the sesame noodles)


Wednesday - Leftovers

Thursday - Stacked Enchiladas with my favorite Enchilada Sauce


Friday - leftovers

Saturday - leftovers

Sunday - Thanksgiving Vacay Begins! Cooking Elsewhere

Breakfast - 2 Eggs with a Sweet Potato & ghee
Lunch - Grilled Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard, Cheese Cubes, & a Lara Bar

Snack - Banana Custard

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I Heart Pinterest Wednesday

November 11, 2015

I've been living on Pinterest lately, so here's my favorites.

We've been using the PEEL method for awhile with writing and yesterday I was introduced to the RACES method. Gotta say I like how this explains it much better, it's basically the same as PEEL just a more easily understood acronym.





We are a Samoas family, therefore this pie is getting made over Thanksgiving.





Baby Sign Language, has anyone else had success with it? I know I'm lazy about it, but I'd say we've got "all done" slightly nailed down. Like a rusty nail in an old board nailed down, but like you tried to nail a rusty nail into an old board, not removing...anyway. He at least waves around crazy when he wants me to pick him up from the nursery.





I really love the idea of putting this scripture on plates that you're sending food somewhere on.





Gingerbread Latte? Yes!





In case you missed it last time, these lactation cookies are the bomb dot com for boosting milk supply.





As soon as Jan 1st hits I'm making bone broth. (I'm pushing off Paleo until it's closer to weaning, I'd really like to have a larger freezer stock and enjoy Christmas before that extra calorie burn disappears.)





To remember our family vacay to Puerto Rico pre baby days I'm making Mallorcas over Thanksgiving week, and maybe at Christmas again if they come out well!





I want a Tartan throw or two for Christmas decor and I think this is my best bet for making one relatively inexpensive. You'll see where I'm going with the Tartan idea once the tree is up.





What have been your favorite pins this week? 
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The Spaghetti Picture

November 10, 2015

I admit, this post is 100% for me and possibly a grandmother, but who cares.

There are two pictures I recall my mother taking of my litter sister where I can remember the events around it clearly, that's the single smiling pic and the one where she fell asleep in her spaghetti.

My affinity towards that spaghetti picture has had me on edge to make spaghetti for weeks now and I finally got around to it.

So I present to you, Harrison's first time having spaghetti.

It wasn't nearly as messy as his aunt's, and he stayed awake.




















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Meal Pinning Monday

November 9, 2015

Meal Pinning Monday is back and I couldn't be happier. 

I have to admit when I'm not at the house in immediate view of my meal planner I check out my blog to see what I said I was cooking what day. 

Honestly I use the blog for myself more than I think I put it out there for anything else. It's a great reminder of meals past that I really liked and a nice place to store my recipes I often forget. 


 

[What is Meal Pinning Monday?]
MPM is how I meal plan for our little family. I once spent a lot of time searching the web and my recipe books hunting for new recipes and ideas for what to cook every week. Then, Pinterest came along and made meal planning much easier for me. Every weekend I look over what I have pinned the prior week and decide what I would like to cook and make my grocery list from these recipes. MPM came about as a way to share what I am cooking, and to also see what others are cooking every week to hopefully get even more dinner ideas from other bloggers. If you don't pin your recipes feel free to just share what you are cooking.

Monday - Spaghetti (with Trader Joe's Tomato Basil Marinara)

Tuesday - Leftovers

Wednesday - Crock Pot Zuppa Toscana (paleo)

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Paula Deen Taco Soup (Mom made it this weekend and it's finally cold so I had to have it!)

Saturday - Both of us will be out of the house having dinner elsewhere:(

Sunday - Leftovers

In case you're new around here, here's the meal planner I use every week::
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Healthy Tailgating Snacks

November 7, 2015

My favorite recipes have been my Cocoa Roasted Almonds and the Spicy Ranch Almonds. (click the name to get to the recipe)


 Both of those recipes are insanely easy to make and require very few ingredients. You can even use the same premise for the Spicy Ranch Almonds and make my Spicy Ranch Crackers, but I'll warn you now that they are very addicting. 

Another favorite nut based snack I've been loving, that I will admit my husband won't be jumping up and down for are my almond butter dates. These came about when I was dying for something sweet one night, all you do is simply cut a slit in your date and fill it with a bit of your favorite almond or peanut butter. You could even use prunes for this if you are trying to up your fiber intake.

I'm also a dip fiend, two of my favorites are my Skinny Corn Dip and Bacon Cheddar Ranch Dip, I typically serve them with corn chips, but to make it even lighter you could serve it up alongside bell pepper strips, cucumbers, or celery. Even some whole wheat crackers would be good. 

The main love of my life, even more than dips, is some yummy dessert concoction. I really can't name a dessert I don't like...except for mint chocolate anything... but that's another story for another day. 

 Here are a few favorites from the archives: Peanut Butter Pumpkin Brownies, Mexican Hot Chocolate Pudding (make individual servings in plastic cups), Paleo Chocolate Macaroons, Paleo Chocolate (you can add anything into this you like). 



 Of course we wouldn't be living in the South if there wasn't a plentiful supply of sweet tea on hand, my favorite recipe involves a touch of almond. I've made my Almond Iced Tea many times for many occasions and people always love it. 

 Now I'd love to hear from you, what are you favorite tailgating (or tailgating at home) snack ideas? Be sure and stop by Nuts.com for a tons of healthy tailgating ideas
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Hi blog, it's me Emily

November 4, 2015

I promise I haven't run away, I'll have a post up by Friday. 

It's just been a week. 

A WEEK!

I need a few more no baby hours that don't require me asleep in my life. Oh and work isn't exactly freeing up my time at all either. 

Just thought I'd share that to assure you I wasn't recently kidnapped by deranged gnomes, or whoever has the courage to kidnap me. 
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