Tate turned 2 months old yesterday, and it seemed unbelievable to me in two ways. One: I can't believe it's already been two months...he's grown so much and it seems like yesterday I was pregnant. Two: I can't believe it's only been two months...Tate has transformed my life and heart in a very big way and I can't imagine life without him.
Okay, enough gushing...the focus of this post is health and wellness, not Tate's cute little baby cheeks and chubby legs (although they are totally worth writing about!)
After the first several weeks of parenthood, I've started to get a little more organized, and I've had to get my priorities straight. For example, when Tate is sleeping I have to choose one of several options, and I'll list them here in order of importance: 1) eat 2) shower 3) nap 4) laundry 5) clean 6) personal time (reading, checking e-mails, etc.) One daily ritual that I've managed to make the most of is our daily walk. Every day, rain or shine, Tate and I head out for a walk for at least an hour. What we've started doing is going to the grocery store every day during our walk to pick up the things I need to make dinner. This helps keep us within budget for groceries because instead of going once a week and ending up needing random things a few times a week and going over-budget, I have a certain amount of money allotted for each day, and I plan our meals accordingly. This also ensures that fresh fruits and veggies are on our plates, and that I can make sure we get what we need nutrient-wise every day. And since I love grocery shopping and recipe-hunting, it's a nice treat for me too and I look forward to it every day.
At first, meal planning was a chore because with a newborn around, it was hard to find time to try new recipes, grocery shop and prepare meals. We ended up eating the same thing pretty often, which wasn't too bad since the meals we prepared are favourites, but became kind of boring. I decided to buy a vegan cookbook and start trying new dishes with different ingredients and spices than I'd ever used before. I quickly realized that after 6 months of being vegan, my tastes had changed considerably and foods I didn't enjoy in the past were now delicious! Sweet potatoes are my new favourite food, and I used to loathe them. Anyhow, I've been taking more and more time for meal-planning and preparation because I realized a few days into a cold last week that if I don't take care of Tate's mom, Tate's mom can't take care of Tate.
That having been said, I'm going to share some of my favourite new recipes here, and I hope you give them a try because they are incredible!
-1 tbsp olive oil
-1/2 yellow onion
-1 clove garlic
-1 large stalk celery
-1 red bell pepper
-1/2 cup of vegetable broth
-1.5 pounds of sweet potatoes
-1 small can whole of chopped tomatoes
-1 can kidney beans, drained
-1.5 tsp cumin
-2 tsp chili powder
-1/2 tsp nutmeg
-1 tsp cinnamon
-dash cayenne
-1/2-1 tsp sea salt
Directions:
Sautee onion and garlic in coconut oil until translucent or slightly golden. Add celery and pepper, and cook until all veggies are tender. Add broth, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, kidney beans, cumin, chili powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt. Bring to a boil, and then lower to simmer. Simmer for 30-35 minutes or until sweet potatoes are very tender. Add more vegetable broth as chili cooks if needed.
Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Pears with Pecans and Raisins
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
- 3 firm bartlett pears, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch chunks
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp sweet cooking wine
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup pecan halves
- 3/4 cup raisins
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Place the sweet potatoes and pears on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with the oil and wine, and mix it all up to make sure everything is coated. Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, salt and pecans and toss to coat. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and add the raisins. Carefully toss and mix, being careful not to break up the potatoes. Return to oven uncovered and bake for 30 more minutes, tossing every now and again. Serve warm.
Lentils and Rice with Caramelized Onions and Spiced Pita Crisps
-3 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced into thin rings
-3/4 cup olive oil
-1 cup long-grain basmati rice (if you don't have basmati, that's okay, use what you've got!)
-1 cup red lentils, rinsed (green, brown or black lentils will work too, but the dish will have a more pilaf-like consistency...still yummy though!)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F.
In a large, deep baking pan, toss onions with oil to coat. Make sure onions are separated and well spread out. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until onions are soft and brown, with some deep brown and crispy. Remove from oven and set aside.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add rice, cinnamon stick, cumin and allspice. Bring back to a boil, then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the lentils, stirring gently, then cover, bring to a boil again, bring the heat down to low and let simmer for 45 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed.
Use a fork to gently fluff the dish, remove the cinnamon stick, then gently fold the caramelized onions in.
Spiced Pita Crisps:
Take 4 whole wheat pitas, cut them into quarters and then gently open them. Brush the insides with olive oil, and sprinkle Garam Masala over them. If you don't have that spice mixture, garlic powder+cumin+cayenne+salt or lemon pepper+garlic powder+salt goes nicely with the dish as well. (Note: this is an excellent way to add some flavour to your pitas to go along with hummus or baba ghanouj as well!)
Lay pita quarters on a pan and toast until golden brown and crisp.
Scoop up the lentils and rice with the pitas (the spices complement each other) and enjoy!
...
Okay, so those are my current fave recipes. Give them a try and then listen as your tastebuds sing and your tissues thank you. And remember, we can't take care of anyone else unless we take care of ourselves first. If you're stuck in a rut of busy days and lousy nutrient-poor meals, eventually it will catch up with you. If we don't have time to be sick, we must make time to be healthy!
Much love!
