We’ve been through a long, hard year and a half. Time to celebrate responsibility with some delicious summer fare and refreshing libations. When planning your summer celebrations, here are my top six tips on how to eat mindfully and not feel like you are missing out. I’ve also included three easy and delicious recipes which highlight the glory that is summer produce.
Read morehow to bulk grocery shop during the pandemic and what to cook
Due to the ongoing pandemic and per CDC recommendations, I have scaled back my essential tasks since last March. I know I am extremely fortunate that my life primarily consists of staying at home with my little family, cooking, trying to maintain my sanity, and walking my dog. The days of popping into my nearby grocery store multiple times a week are gone for now, and I have been working on streamlining my online food shopping. My goal is to make my shop last 10 to 14 days for a household of four. These groceries are supplemented by Sunday trips to the farmers’ market for bread, eggs, pickles, ground turkey, and whatever fruit or veg is in season, and an occasional trip to our local fish market for wild salmon, bass, or shrimp. Although, like most people, I have definitely hit Covid fatigue, we are at a moment that requires more vigilance than ever - and for me that means staying home as much as I can, and generously tipping delivery people. Here is an in depth peak into my typical grocery order and some dishes that we make.
Read moreJack's eats: the toddler phase
It’s been a while since I wrote about “Jack’s Eats”. Jack is now two, and let’s just say that I started this post when he was 18 months old…so I’ve been distracted to say the least. Jack is a full fledged diner who loves to be included in the shopping and preparation of meals. Every meal is certainly not a win win. Some days he devours his food and completely rejects it the following day. Some days his appetite is robust and he clears his plate and asks for more. Other days his main source of nourishment may be buttered She Wolf sourdough toast and cucumbers. From my experience and knowledge base, toddler eating patterns are not linear. Their intake is self regulated - it ebbs and flows based on periods of growth. Babies and children are also completely aware of their hunger cues. They eat when they are hungry and stop when they are full. At times this can be quite discouraging and frustrating but, the key is to not give up the good fight. Continue to offer, expose, and lay the foundations for good eating habits now, and ideally you will create a lifetime of open-minded eaters.
Read moreJack's Eats: first bites, baby-led feeding, and gear
Jack had his first tastes of solids at 5 1/2 months. It was smashed avocado, and the excitement on my end was not as well received by Jack. We got him comfortable with his chair (the Stokke Tripp Trapp), put on his bib, (happy healthy parent bib) showed him the whole avocado, mashed it with a fork, and offered it to him with a spoon (the numnum gootensil has been our go-to). His reaction was as if he had tasted something very sour. It was, after all, the first that time Jack had tasted real food with texture and flavor. Since that point, feeding Jack has been filled with tons of laughs, some stress, and lots and lots of clean up.
Read moreemotional and mental hurdles, resuming workouts, and "what's for dinner" aka new mom life
Despite being 6 months in, I still feel very much like a new mom. Nothing compares to the learning curve of motherhood. You quickly go from feeling overwhelmed by new tasks such as breastfeeding, changing a diaper, giving a bath, to having them be commonplace and completely ritualistic. I remember having a complete meltdown in the wee early days during bath time and feeling scared and overwhelmed by it all. Currently, Jack is still trying to decide whether he enjoys the bath or just tolerates it, but at least I know that I am a pro at bathing him. From what I've already learned and experienced, the moment that you think you've "got this," your baby changes and you have to regroup. Although I may never feel totally confident in knowing what I am doing, I am happy to share my insights, ranging from emotional and mental hurdles to how we currently navigate meals. Hopefully, I can offer up some ideas and connect with new moms dealing with similar emotional experiences.
Read morebreastfeeding: my thoughts and experiences so far....
Before I was on the "other side" of things, I never realized how consuming breastfeeding is. I always knew that it was something that I hoped to be able to do for the nutritional, immunological, psychological, and environmental benefits. After experiencing the mammoth commitment that breastfeeding is, I understand why many mothers choose to stop before going back to work or decide not to do it at all. I am also fully aware of the many people who would like to be able to and because of certain factors do not have the option. The only way to adequately describe the first three months of breastfeeding is exhausting. At times I would feel completely tethered to Jack and that my days were just spent feeding him. In the "early days", i.e. the first three months, I used an app that allowed me to keep track of Jack's naps and feedings. After 48 hours of recording, I almost had a breakdown when I saw how many hours I had spent breastfeeding. Now at 4 months in, I wish that I had been kinder to myself and to have viewed those early months as a time to heal my body while providing Jack with all the nourishment and the emotional and physical closeness that he needed.
Read moremy pregnancy: cravings, aversions, workouts, and self care
I haven't talked much about my pregnancy or my new life with baby Jack, but I am excited to share now! I have felt extremely fortunate that I have had a delicate landing into the world of motherhood, but my journey had a rough start. I had three miscarriages which were attributed to pure bad luck - really, really, bad luck. During the rollercoaster of pregnancies, I experienced extreme lows and tentative highs and was very cautious about sharing my news and allowing myself to embrace my pregnancy. Therapy, family, friends, and my four legged fur baby all helped me get through it. Now that Jack is here and healthy, I am excited to start sharing my thoughts and preferences about my journey. Everyone's experience is unique, this is what worked for me. I also am aware that I work for myself and had the luxury of setting my own hours, cooking and meal prepping, and was able to workout often and focus to on self care.
Read moreradish recs: how to build a plant-based pantry
Properly setting yourself up for success is step one to optimizing a plant-based lifestyle. Your pantry is the backbone to cooking and eating in a health-focused yet flavorful manner. Creating a pantry that lends itself well to a plant-based diet is easy but may be costly at first, so go slow. A cost-effective tip would be to shop in the bulk bins of a health food store that has a high rotation. Or order in bulk from a reputable online distributor. The goal is to make meal and snack composition nourishing and easy. A plant-based pantry is geared toward dried, nonperishable items with the intention of combining the items with fresh whole produce.
Read moremy morning routine
Working for myself has all the perks, but it also comes with the need for the essential skills of accountability and prioritization - both of which are challenging to maintain. Having a daily routine, rituals, and a balance of rigidity and flexibility has allowed me to become more and more productive and happy being my own boss. My morning routine is a huge component to starting my day off on a healthy and happy foot. Read ahead to hear how I begin my day.
Read morehow to save money + time while you grocery shop
Did you start 2017 with lofty healthy eating goals, yet find yourself struggling to maintain a balanced and nutritious lifestyle? Healthy eating and cooking is easy as long as you take the time to set yourself up for success. Small, simple, sustainable modifications are the key to long term change.
Read more