One Year In

Wow! I started this blog a year ago already? It's no wonder the time flew by as the year was completely insane. (The pregnancy was hell, btw. I'm glad it's over, though I'm sure I'll go through it again in a couple years.)

I looked back at my first post with the list of to-dos that I'd completely forgotten about. Let's update, yes?

Foodie Fun

• a sweet potato salad recipe that looks delicious: HA! After a massive sweet potato salad craving at 7 weeks, I indulged in one from a local supermarket (which the recipe I'd found greatly resembled) and of course got sick. I haven't been able to look at sweet potato salad since.
  
• a freezer batch of pork and shrimp dumplings: someday... someday... Again, this project was delayed by the limited diet of my pregnancy (No garlic. No onions. No fun!)
  
• turkish delights: Not yet.
  
• char siu bao: Ditto.
  
• homemade bagelfuls*: Nuh-uh.
  
• homemade pop tarts*: No way.
  
• I will conquer homemade stock! Argh!: Progress is being made here. I had to make some of my own since the powdered stuff had spices in it that didn't agree with me. I bombed at Heston Blumenthal's method of ice filtering or whatever he called it and gave up on getting a crystal clear product, satisfying myself with a more "rustic" result. Also, a clean pillowcase filters MILES better than cheesecloth. There's just no going back for me now. I have about 6 cups of beef broth/stock in my freezer right now. Yay!
  

Crafty Goodness

• a Flemish dress: Tough to cut the pattern over the belly.
  
• an Italian renaissance gown: Just didn't get to it.
  
• a long cotton Victoriana type nightgown: Need the right fabric and the perfect pattern. I've searched, but haven't settled on anything yet.
  
• a corset (style undecided): Did I mention I was pregnant?
  
• a hat design I have in mind: No excuses here, but it still didn't happen.
  

Hair: Currently about an inch above my waist: Now at my natural waist or a little past, where it has stalled for at least 6 months, even with all the glories of pregnancy hair.

• I will try dusting once I find that tutorial and my hair-cutting scissors again: I found the scissors! I tried dusting a couple times. Always took off too much. I've also started giving my husband haircuts now and then. Must buy the motorized trimmers. It will make things SO much faster.
  
• Something called SMT at the LHC. Must buy aloe gel: Found aloe gel. Tried it. My hair HATED it. I have, however, started "making" my own toner and moisturizer and my skin is clearer than it's been in years. Maybe I should make a post with the "recipe." (I'm using air quotes because it really is so simple it barely counts as a project.)
  
• A whole bunch of hairstyles: Dutch braids are hard. Crown braids are pretty but harder. I love the whole milkmaid look, but... don't often find the time? I've recently fallen in love with those Goody screwpins and basically live with my hair in a high bun since the little one was born.

Other projects: Um, we bought a house? Started settling in? I've learned how to get out blood and baby poop stains. (Peroxide for blood - it looks really cool if the stain is fresh, too. Cold water, a bit of soap, and elbow grease for most of the poop - then hang it outside and the sun will bleach out the rest. Wash both as usual afterward.)
I made a cute sort of 50's style apron for my sister as a belated Christmas gift. I should post a picture if I get the chance... though it would sort of give away who I am if anyone who knows me came across this blog.
I knit myself a hat with some basic lacework involved as a sort of "mourning cap" when my grandmother died (On my birthday, no less!) Did I post about that hat? If I haven't, I should.
I've pretty much given up on getting my hair to grow out. I calculated my terminal length and it is inadequate, in my opinion, unless I go to fairy tale ends. I don't like the look of fairy tale ends. The new plan is to cut about 5 inches off my hair to get it really healthy and just short enough that I can wear a pony tail without getting an awful headache. Goodbye, long, flowing locks. Hello something a bit shorter that I can experiment with and damage a bit more. It's kind of liberating in a way, to stop chasing now that I know it's impossible for me. Maybe I'll even try a light perm...

Projects in Planning
Clean my DH's old duvet (synthetic and squished) to see if I can get it better (he claims it smells) and turn it into a quilt.
Take fabric scraps and turn them into a braided rag rug. It could look nice by the sink (small) or under the kitchen table (not so small.)
I'd like to map out a small vegetable garden for next summer - or at least a way to get the prickly weeds out of the yard.

I should go. I've got maybe 10 minutes before my five week old starts squalling for MORE FOOD MOMMY!!!!!

Ciao.

P.S.: About all those sources that say "Breastfeeding should never hurt. Not even a little bit. Not even at the start." They lie! They lie, they lie, they lie! So if you're having trouble and feeling all "Well I must suck as a woman and be without instincts" like I felt thanks to those lovely lovely sources, take solace and hang in there. The first two months or so are, in fact, very difficult and painful. I find it hurts. My friends found it hurts. My aunt (who has breastfed each of her 10 kids) found it painful each and every time for the first couple months. Maybe I should do a post about this before this brief P.S. turns into a stream-of-consciousness rant.
In a nutshell. They lie. It hurts. You're not a failure. It will get better. Don't give up.

Extremely Potent Pumpkin-tini

I would like to mention that I wrote the draft to this entry when I was most certainly NOT pregnant.

I repeat, I was NOT PREGNANT when I made this tasty, tasty drink.

Are we good? Okay...

. . . . .

What's a girl to do when left with half a can of pumpkin puree? Mix it with alcohol, natch!

After browsing online for some inspiration and working with what I had on hand, here's what I came up with.

Serves 1
Step one - in a shaker with ice, put:
2 oz gold rum (though white rum, vodka, or maybe even apple brandy could be nice)
1 oz white creme de cacao
1 heaping kitchen spoon of pumpkin puree (straight pumpkin. You could try the sweetened stuff, but then I'd probably leave out the creme de cacao and spices)
1 small splash of vanilla
a shaking of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger

Pour this into a martini glass.

Step two - in a shotglass, put:
1/2oz evaporated milk (theoretically, milk or cream could work, too)
1/4oz white creme de cacao

Pour this gently over the back of a spoon into the martini. It should settle under the pumpkin layer.

Step three - drizzle a touch of kahlua over the top. Most of it will settle into the very bottom.

Top with a dash of nutmeg (or whatever you please. Cinnamon, crumbled graham crackers, candied pumpkin seeds, etc.)

Voila. Put your car keys some place safe and enjoy.

The Beauty of Bland Food

Hello folks,

Here I am, almost 7 months pregnant and still getting sick at most anything with flavour. Add to that that we're moving in a few days and cooking hasn't exactly been a priority this week but, unfortunately, I still need to eat.

This is where "Blank" comes in. I rigged this little gem up a couple years ago when my cooking skills were minimal and I had to be able to feed myself regularly while I was alone for a couple of weeks. It's pretty healthy, filling, and actually fairly comforting once you find the "final prep" that appeals to you.

BLANK

• In a rice cooker, place 3 cooker-cups of rice. (I use plain old brown rice.)
• Fill to the 3 cup liquid line with water.
• To this, add 1 can of black beans that have been very well rinsed.
• Now add in as many frozen mixed veggies as you like. I usually put maybe 6 or 7 rice cooker cups full. There's no need to pre-thaw, just in straight from the freezer. (I like the classic mix with corn, peas, some string beans, and those little carrot cubes, though I imagine whatever you like would work as well.)
• Give the whole mess a stir, put on the lid, and let your rice cooker cook as normal.

Boring, right? Well it's not intended to be eaten like this. It's a nutritional base with a blank flavour (hence the name.) Once it's done, fluff it a bit and keep it in the fridge. When the time comes to eat, take out as much as you'd like, season it in whatever way sounds good, and supplement with extra veg or protein as you see fit. A bit of fat and a few spices make a huge difference in terms of flavour.
Some of my favourite ways are as follows:

• Fried rice: In a small pan, heat up a bit of veggie oil, then add your serving of Blank and toss to coat. Sprinkle in some Chinese 5 spice powder, dried parsley, and soy sauce. I like to finish it with a drizzle of sesame oil and a good stir in the pan to heat through. Also good with added scrambled egg or toasted almonds.
• Fish-day comfort bowl: You know those cans of smoked herring "fish snacks" you find by the tuna cans at the grocery store? Pick one you like. Dump the whole contents into a small pan or pot and start to heat it up. This one doesn't really need oil as the fat from the fish will give you what you need. Again, add as much Blank as you like, stir and heat through, season to taste. (I like just a bit of parsley these days, but normally I'd be more creative in my seasoning choices.)
  
• Inauthentic Mexi-style: Heat some veggie oil in a pan and add your blank. Toss to coat and be a bit rough with it to smoosh up the rice and beans a bit. Add things like chili powder or some taco seasoning mix. Heat and stir until it reaches the texture you like. Makes a great filling for a sort of rice and bean burrito on the fly. Add cheese if you'd like.
• French-inspired: Take a serving of hot Blank and stir in a little bit of butter and a sprinkle of thyme and maybe parsley. Top with some broken up bits of brie or camembert and let the heat get them all nice and melty. (As always, if you're pregnant, make sure the cheese is pasteurized.)
  

Except for the Mexi-style one, these are simple and "safe" enough that I can eat them this week without getting sick. If you're worried about the... consequences... of the beans, just take a Beano pill with your first bite. (I'm not saying that Beano is always okay during pregnancy, but my midwife did tell me I was okay to take it. Check with your own care provider if you have any concerns.) Rinsing the canned beans really, really well before adding them in the first place will help as well.

I imagine this would work with other beans , but I'm really not a fan of beans in general and black beans (especially once they're broke/smooshed up) are the ones I find the most inoffensive to eat.

That's it! A meal in a bowl that can be as bland or as flavourful as you like. It's not gourmet by any stretch of the imagination but it can be tasty and unless you drown it in fat, you certainly shouldn't feel guilty for tucking into a big bowl of the stuff.

If you try it, by all means post the seasonings/add-ins that worked for you.

Pregnancy snacks - 1

Yes, I know I've dropped off the face of the earth, but happy news is I'm 5 1/2 months in now and we're in the middle of buying a house.

Anyway, here's a snack idea that sounds odd, but even my husband's curiosity got the best of him and he said it was good so I know it's not just crazy pregnant tastebuds talking here.

Take 1 wedge of plain Vache qui rit (Laughing Cow) cheese. Split and spread on 2 Lifestyle cranberry citrus oat crunch cookies. It's healthier than some sugar fixes and tastes like some sort of fruity cheesecake and it's portion controlled for those "I need sweet" moments.

Blogging Trials

In starting this blog, I finally got up the courage to follow a couple other blogs I enjoy. This way, I could just check my reading list instead of randomly checking in to see if there were any new post. Nothing new there, right?

Sadly, once I started following these blogs, the name that came up was not Miriah, but information I don't want revealed at this time. So I found a way to change it. Yay! Then I went onto one of the blogs I follow and clicked my little box in their followers section. Well the name was Miriah, but the "so-and-so joined at this and this time and date" was the TMI again. How incredibly frustrating!

So now, I've had to stop following these dear sweet blogs for no fault of their own but to protect my own privacy. How sucky is that? If anyone knows how to fix this once and for all, I would appreciate it since the info that was showing up is not info that I want to see anywhere.

Alas, the joys of learning to navigate the blogosphere. Sigh.

The sunny side of the plate

So, I'm 9 1/2 weeks pregnant and starting to wonder if the diclectin my doctor gave me isn't a placebo. I've been scrambling to find nibbles that stay down well and finally hit on some goodies that seem to do the task. As I'm sure there are/will be others in a similar situation, scouring the web for ideas as I've been doing, I thought I'd post what's working for me.

-plain oatmeal prepared with water and just a tiny sprinkle of salt.
-unsweetened vanilla flavoured almond milk (I love Blue Diamond's Almond Breeze because they're peanut free.)
-plain brown rice cooked with some corn
-canned corn, straight out of the can (a remnant taste from childhood, maybe?)
-plain scrambled eggs, with or without milk - a relatively bland source of protein
-whole wheat english muffins, though I am trying to move away from wheat/bread to see if things digest more easily.
-plain boiled perogies, just the cheese filled kind you can get at the grocery store, with a touch of sour cream on the side (this is a dish I've *never* enjoyed before though it was made often when I was young. Tonight, it was delicious and about as much flavour as I could handle!)
-sliced apples with some cinnamon on the side (though this sometimes gives me heartburn, but it's so yummy and has so many good things to offer.)

Another upside to these simple meals is just that: they're simple, quick, and easy to prepare. They don't cause much in the way of dishes which is extra appreciated by my DH, who is doing all the cooking and cleaning these days since the slightest smell in the kitchen sends me running to the bathroom. I'd like to add as little trouble as possible.

Honestly, a nutrient IV is getting to sound appealing - just the thought of getting the nutrients I need without facing heartburn or the inability to move for an hour afterwards for fear of throwing up would be so nice. I will, however, take all the misery in the world if only I get to keep this one! In that sense, the nausea and discomfort is reassuring. I'm due to start the second trimester just before Christmas, so hopefully we'll be having a happy holiday.

Good luck to anyone out there in a similar situation. Hang in there!

Food aversions

So my last post ended up being a lie. I couldn`t have planned that.

Here`s the twist - seems right after my miscarriage, I got pregnant again. Major morning sickness, major food aversions, and major fears. Somehow this one has lasted longer than either of the other two and if I can last until morning, I`ll be 9 weeks.
I've had aversions to everything. I lost four pounds in two weeks. Even when I was exercising an hour a day and counting calories, I couldn`t lose weight that fast. The last time I weighed this little, I was 13! Thank God my doctor gave me diclectin, so I can somewhat think about food without getting sick.

Ah, food, how I miss thee. I`ve completely lost my sweet tooth, but I still like fruit. I can barely stomach garlic, or any other spices, really. Tomato sauce gives me horrible heartburn. And bacon. Ohhhh, I can`t stand the smell of cooking bacon - it`s like rancid b/o to me - and the smell of frying steak isn't much better. Now, the family joke is that bacon is the food I've loved since I was in utero. It's always been delicious. I never dreamed it could smell so bad! So, so, so so bad!!!

I'm living on lots of eggs, cheese, cucumber, avocado, apples, (with just a touch of cinnamon on the side - delish!) honeydew, chicken, and bagels. I wish I could have fish more than twice a week as it sounds so yummy, but I'm trying to make sure I don't overindulge until I get to see the specialist. The occasional tv dinner (mmm, swedish meatballs) gives some variety when it sounds palatable.

DH has been an absolute saint, taking over cooking and cleaning and dishes as I'm on self-imposed bed rest as much as possible. I don't care if doctors say it can't fix anything. When I lie down, the warning signs from the first time go away, so I'm lying down.

I will try to post more, but really don't know what I'll be able to post about.

P.S.: Before I lost my sweet tooth, there was one delicious creation, though everyone gave me funny looks. Take a slice of toast, spread strawberry jam on thinly, then top with sliced breakfast sausage. It was so sweet-and-savory good.