Mommy Time

As a new mom, I can relate to the feeling of wanting to be with my baby all the time. It is completely normal. I carried him in my belly for nine months, gave birth to him, and now I don't want to spend any precious moment away from him. It's completely understandable.

But I think that more often than not, us mommies tend to forget ourselves in the midst of motherhood and all that it brings into our lives. I know I was starting to experience that at first, any way. 

The first month is and should be about baby and creating a bond with him/her. But I think that a mommy should start doing things for herself and with her husband (or significant other) once she feels her "recovery" period is over. This could mean catching up with friends over coffee, going out for dinner and/or a movie with the husband or even just taking an uninterrupted nap alone. Find a reliable and trustworthy babysitter, such as your mother, other relative, a trusted neighbour or friend to watch your precious little one. Some adult time is good for the soul.

The first time I left Lukey alone, he stayed with my mother at about one month old. That day, I spent my time doing groceries, an activity I enjoy doing solo, and went shopping for some much-needed clothes. I made sure to do my makeup all nice and to wear clothes that made me feel good. When my alone-time was up, I had missed my baby, felt refreshed and was ready for him again.

It has been scientifically proven that when we do anything on an on-going or full-time basis, it is beneficial to take a time out every once in a while. This helps you rediscover yourself, regain perspective, increase your patience and even decrease your chances of getting post-partum depression. And remember, when you are relaxed, your children will be relaxed.

Since January, I have committed myself to the gym, and I strategically chose one with a daycare. It fits all of my needs. Every cardio machine has a TV where I can either watch a show or turn to the daycare channel and watch my son live. The caregivers know to call me if he has a diaper accident, is hurt, hungry or crying non stop, so I am always at peace when I go to the gym and know he is in good hands. And there is a nursery for breastfeeding mothers. Yes, it all costs extra (about $16 biweekly) but I am doing something I love wile feeling confident about whom my son is with, and that is priceless.

Plus, I want to show my baby and my future babies that only when we love ourselves can we genuinely love others.

What are your thoughts, mommies? I would love for you to share. :)

Thank you,

Alesia D.

Yummy Chicken Noodle Soup

Last week, I heard my husband commenting on how much he would like to have a bowl of hot soup at the end of his work day, so I decided to get the ingredients together and be a good wife. Since we've been trying to use up all the meats in our deep freeze, step 1 was to pull out them chicken thighs and put them to good use. (I am a complete meat hoarder. Some people collect stamps or lipsticks; I collect different cuts of chicken, beef and fish when they goes on sale.)

As I was making this delectable soup, it came to my attention that my neighbour-friend was suffering from a gastro, and since I a l w a y s make lots of extra when I cook any soup, stew or spaghetti sauce, I thought I would share.

Before I sent some over to her house, however, I needed my hubby's seal of approval. Thankfully, he loved it. (He always tells me he loves my cooking, but I wanted to ensure it was as good as it could be, since we weren't the only ones who would be eating it.)

A few hours passed, and my neighbour finally sent me a message saying that a) she and her family loved it and b) she was feeling better! Now I don't know if there is a correlation between this soup and her gastro going away, but I like to believe there is.

This soup is easy and fun to make as long as you enjoy cutting lots of vegetables.=D

So without further delay, here is my recipe:

Yummy Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves 8-12

Ingredients:

• 6 litres water;
• 2 lbs chicken thighs;
• 1 pack +Barilla bow-tie noodles;
• 1 +Knorr beef or chicken broth cube; 
• 1 celery head, diced;
• 1 large red onion, diced;
• 4 red, yellow and/or orange peppers, diced;
• 3-4 garlic cloves, sliced;
• 10-15 carrot sticks; chopped;
• 2 tbsp fresh or dried parsley;
• 1 tbsp dried oregano;
• 1 tbsp dried basil; and
• salt + pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Bring water to a boil in large stock pot, then add chicken thighs and broth cube.
2. While chicken is cooking, make sure all vegetables are washed well.
3. One by one, add each vegetable starting with the carrots.
4. Allow chicken to cook and all the flavours to blend on medium-high heat for approximately 1 hour.
5. Once chicken is cooked, remove from the soup and shred using two forks. Then bring chicken shreds back to soup.
6. Add all your herbs (including salt and pepper) and stir on medium heat. Leave your soup like this for about 30 minutes.
7. Add noodles 15-20 minutes before serving.
8. Bon appétit!

Thanks for following!

-Alesia D.

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Newborn No More

February 4, 2016, marks baby Lukey's three-month "birthday", if you will, and it also marks the day he is no longer considered a "newborn". *Pass the tissues please.*

Day 1! :)

These past three months have been filled with all types of emotions, from happiness to fear, joy to frustration, excitement to doubt. But the strongest emotion I have felt thus far has been love. Love, because every time I look at him, I see a miracle. A miracle that has not only doubled in weight since his birth, but a miracle that is transforming and learning new things with each passing day. This is the same miracle that evolved from a little seed-like thing into a full-sized baby, which I carried with me for nine magnificent months. 

This little boy of mine is settling into his personality and is so curious about everything in his surroundings. He is the reason I am who I am today, and he is the reason I am in awe, every day.

I found it a bit hard adjusting to a constantly crying baby for the first two months, but some time after that period, I somehow learned that if I made him sleep more in the morning and early afternoon, he would be less grumpy and cry less. For example, every time he woke up (about every three hours), I changed his diaper, then fed him laying down in a comfy spot until he fell asleep. So far, so good. This has been my biggest accomplishment so far!

At this point, baby Lukas has hit all his milestones; he comfortably lifts his head when on his tummy, pulls himself up into a seated position (with the support of your hands), looks at and follows objects, babbles and makes cute sounds, brings his hand to mouth, is beginning to grab various objects, and responds to different sounds.

I am proud to say that my little man no longer sleeps by my side in his bassinet. Nope, he has been sleeping in his crib for about three weeks like a big boy. He wakes up every 3 to 4 hours to feed at night, but goes right back to sleep *most* of the time. (Let's keep it real mommies, we all know this is not the case every time.)

He loves his bath time, particularly when you put a mirror in front of his face as he seems to be fascinated with his own face. He loves falling asleep during car rides, enjoys time with his grandparents, and always gives mommy and daddy BIG smiles when he is being changed. My heart melts every time he gives me those lovey eyes and smiles...

I would say we have a great bond being formed and solidified, and he trusts his mommy to be there for him.

Now that Lukas has grown out of his newborn state and settled into a routine, I have been making more time for myself by exercising and catching up with life. This time last month, I signed back up at the gym and have been going full force. I also signed up for dodgeball again (if you're looking for a sport that provides you with a GOOD and INTENSE workout, sign up, it will change your life). Now, going full force has left me with a few temporary injuries, like knee pain, back pain and even pulling a glute muscle (umm, ouch?!), but it has also helped me identify my new physical weaknesses. Thanks to a good workout plan, I have been able to strengthen my body and feel a lot less pain, if any at times.

Motherhood has also given me more confidence. I had it before, but not to the point of feeling comfortable enough to always speak my mind, especially around strangers. It is fascinating how one tiny human being can have this effect, and it is equally as hard to explain how this came to be. I am more sure of myself, more able to stand my ground and more capable of expressing my needs.

It has been a privilege watching little Lukas grow from newborn to infant, and I look forward to guide him through all of his stages in life, hand in hand. 

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Are you expecting a little bun in the oven? What do you imagine your first three months with a newborn being like?

Broth-Infused Quinoa

The day I got married is the day I started cooking for my husband and exploring different dishes, recipes and ways of cooking in general. I remember the first few times I made him quinoa and thinking, "Man, this stuff is so darn bland. Let me go get some hot sauce, salt, whatever..."

Then one day, I think I was making soup or something, and I needed chicken broth. As I tasted my soup to check the flavour, I remember thinking it tasted so good, so I thought of preparing my quinoa in a chicken or beef broth next time. And sure enough, it was deeeelish. 

Now, when it comes to nutritional value, the broth honestly does not add any. But when it comes to flavour, oh yeah, that's when you realize that nothing else matters. Your taste buds and whomever you prepare this for will definitely thank you.

Broth-Infused Quinoa
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 1 +Knorr beef or chicken broth cube;
• 1¹⁄2 cups dry quinoa;
• 3 cups water

Directions:

1. Place water in a small pot and bring to a boil over med-high heat.
2. While you are waiting, rinse quinoa in hot water using a strainer.
3. Once the water in the pot starts to boil, drop the broth cube in, followed by the quinoa.
4. Let everything boil for 1-2 minutes.
5. Turn the heat off, put the lid on and let sit for 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Drain excess water if needed.

I hope you enjoy this!

-Alesia D.

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Egg-Tofu Scramble

Before I had my baby boy in November, I cannot count the number of times I told my husband how excited I was to start back up at the gym and get back into shape. So for Christmas, one of his gifts to me was the +Tone It Up book with motivational stories, exercises and recipes. I love trying new things, especially when it comes to food, so I was looking forward to browsing through the different meals they recommend to their followers.v

One of the breakfasts they put together was a "Terrific Tofu Scramble", which, at first, was scary since I'd never had, bought or prepared tofu. I didn't even know what it was. But I finally decided to give this recipe a chance, with a modification, of course. (I added eggs! Mmmm.)

Egg-Tofu Scramble

Ingredients:

• 5 ounces firm, herbed tofu;
• 1 egg;
• 1 tbsp coconut oil;
• ¼ onion, chopped;
• 1 garlic clove, minced;
• ¹⁄2 tsp cumin;
• 1 tsp tumeric;
• ¼ tsp paprika;
• salt and pepper to taste;
• ¹⁄2 cup spinach, chopped;
• ¹⁄2 cup red pepper, diced; and
• ¹⁄2 cup ripe avocado, diced.

Directions:

1. Use a paper towel to drain tofu of extra water then cut into dices.
2. Heat coconut oil on medium-high heat, then add onion and garlic.
3. Once these begin to brown slightly, add tofu and stir for a few minutes. 
4. Add cumin, tumeric, paprika, salt and pepper. 
5. Add the egg and stir.
6. Now add your vegetables and cook until they turn soft.
7. Once plated, add some Frank's RedHot if you like to put that **** on everything.
8. Enjoy!

Thanks for following! :)

-Alesia D.

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Quinoa-Crust Pizza

I was first introduced to quinoa-crust pizza this past summer... I can't remember where. But what I do remember is that I felt healthy after eating this lighter version of its not-so-healthy and not-so-light cousin.

The first time I attempted to make this, the crust was a little too thick, so when it came time to spread the pizza sauce on top, the "dough" just absorbed it all. Also because of the thickness, it tasted like I was eating a ton of rather bland quinoa. Mind you, I consumed an impressive amount of protein in that one sitting, but it mostly had no flavour and my taste buds did not appreciate it.

Then the second time I tried it, I added an extra ingredient, one that I would normally use when preparing quinoa as a side dish: chicken or beef broth. I added this handy flavour enhancer to the water these grains were soaking in, and when it came time to actually form the crust, I made it thinner. These two small changes made a big difference.

This recipe is good for people looking to find ways to incorporate more protein into their diet without over-consuming meats, for the parents whose children won't eat anything but pizza or for a foodie looking to simply try something new and rather simple.

The recipe I use makes between 3 and 6 pizzas (depending on how thick or thin you make them). Additionally, keep in mind that the quinoa is required to soak for at least 7 hours, so either prepare this portion early in the morning or the night before.

Quinoa-Crust Pizza

Ingredients:

•  2 cups quinoa;
• 1 cup broth of your choice (chicken or beef);
• ¹⁄2 cup water and enough water to cover quinoa;
• 2 tsp baking soda; and
• salt to taste.

Directions:

1. Rinse quinoa with warm-hot water for a few minutes (did you know this is the correct way to prepare quinoa before cooking it or letting it soak?)
2. Set oven to 425°F.
3. Combine quinoa, broth and water, and let sit for at least 7 hours. Make sure to check on it every few hours and add water accordingly.  (Since the water will be absorbed, there will not be enough water for the grains that are on the surface.)
4. Once the 7 hours are up, drain bowl, add quinoa, ¹⁄2 cup of water, baking soda and salt to a food processor until it creates a batter!
5. Line your pans (preferrably the 8" or 9" ones) with parchment paper and pour enough of the batter into each one. If you like, I suggest you make each pizza with varying crust sizes to see what you like best.
6. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove parchment paper from underneath and flip to the other side for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until edges are nice and crispy.
7. And now it's time to choose your toppings and get creative!
8. Once you've added all your toppings, place in the oven for about 10 minutes.
9. Enjoy!

Thanks for reading!

-Alesia D.

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Raw Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl

A friend of mine approached me over the weekend and asked me for some tips and advice about eating whole, nutritious foods. We all know that feeling that takes over our body and mind after the holidays... Realizing that the best part of winter has come and gone, that the over-eating has possibly led us to gain a few extra, unwanted pounds and that it's time to get back on track and flush all those candies, chocolates, gravies and extra mouthfuls of turkey stuffing out of our system. 

But where to begin? I personally know how easy it is to somehow forget every dietary notion I held on to before the holidays. However, now is definitely not the time to keep on eating poorly. Why? Well, with the lack of sun we get in these cold, dreary months, it is vital that whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, meats, whole grains and nuts are consumed often as they all play a very special role in keeping your skin looking brilliant and your hair healthy, your digestive system clean and your body working properly.

Now getting back to that friend, I think one of the first recipes I will recommend her is my Raw Oatmeal breakfast. It's delicious, extremely nutritious, and very easy to make. All you need is a banana, oats, cinnamon, coconut milk, a bit of real maple syrup and time. (And you are free to add fruits to enhance the flavour if you like.)

Oats are very high in fibre, meaning that eating oatmeal will keep you full and more satisfied for a longer period of time than eating a bowl of cereal and milk would. This will also prevent you from reaching for foods containing sugar, as it stabilizes your blood sugar. Oats also contain antioxidants that help flush your system, so you definitely will not be bloated after having this meal. Honestly, there are so many good things to say about oats and so many positive reasons to incorporate this superfood in your every day diet.

Stay tuned for the recipe after these delightful pictures.

Raw Oatmeal Breakfast Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 cup oats;
• 1 banana, mashed;
• coconut milk;
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon;
• 2 tbsp maple syrup; and
• fruit of your choosing, cut up.

Directions

1. Mash your banana very well in a small bowl.
2. Add all other ingredients to the bowl and stir.
3. Cover bowl, place in refrigerator and wait ~2 hours for the oats to soften.
4. Give your oatmeal a quick stir and enjoy!

I promise. You'll love it!!

-Alesia D.

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