Lemon-Herb Couscous

Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cup water
• 1 cup whole wheat couscous
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ tablespoon olive oil

Directions:
Bring the water to a boil in the small sauce pot. 
Stir in the couscous. Cover and turn off the heat.
Let stand 5-10 minutes until the water has been absorbed.
Transfer to a large bowl, add the lemon zest and juice, scallions, cilantro, and olive oil, as well as, salt and pepper to taste. Fluff with a fork to combine. Serve.

Other Options:

• Serve this couscous as a cold salad.
• Add chickpeas, diced tomatoes and/or parsley to make a new dish.

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A small change in diet can improve energy levels and how your body responds to stress. So boost your mood and increase your energy, while decreasing your stress, by increasing fresh veggies, seasonal fruits, whole grains and lean protein. It is important to remember to start small this could be as simple as making your Mondays Meatless or upgrading your snacks to include more fruits and veggies.

Head on over to my health coaching site where you can find more information on Mood Boosting Foods and three Mood Boosting Recipes.

Keep your eyes peeled for the following recipes coming up this week:

• Recipe: Lemon-Herb Whole Wheat Couscous
• Recipe: Chickpea and Potato Tagine

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Preheat oven to 400F
1. Using the rosemary stalks, skewer the tempeh and mushrooms. Place in one layer in a shallow baking dish.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the tablespoon of rosemary, garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, salt and pepper; evenly pour over the skewers.
3. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until most of the liquid has reduced; flip and baste after 20 minutes.

18 Weeks 5 Days

How far along are you: 19 weeks

How big is the baby: About the size of mango or a large heirloom tomato

Suspicion of Baby’s Gender: Yesterday I said I can feel her kicking…so girl?

-Rumi 

Neil and I have had a wonderful afternoon together that started with a late lunch at Stone Soup where we shared a vegan roasted tofu sandwich (to die for) and the salad bar.  We then took a quick pop into Isabean, a children’s clothing and toy store, where I feel in love with a few baby items but I restrained myself from buying anything (today anyways).

After our lunch we came home and I relaxed for a bit and Neil finished up working. Once he finished it was time to get our walk on, it was beautiful out so we did our favorite 2.5 mile loop.  We were hopping to get a few nice sunset shots but unfortunately the clouds where in our way.

Mr. Photographer then decided to do a little photo shoot…

and of course I had to get one of him too before the sun went down.

Now we are back from our walk and I’m sipping a seltzer and orange juice, I know I’m wild, and am patiently waiting for the Hubz to prepare things so we can make this delicious pizza below.

This photo is from last week because trust me I am so hungry right now there is now way that I am taking the time to take new photos of the same type of pizza. The one above taste like artichoke dip on pizza and it is mouth-wateringly delicious.

On the Pizza:

Dough- homemade whole wheat olive oil

Garlic Infused Olive Oil from The Filling Station

Mushrooms

Sauteed Spinach (this won’t be on tonight’s pizza because we’re out)

Artichoke hearts

Nutritional Yeast

Neil is also making a second pizza with arugula, garlic olive oil, cherry tomatoes and finished with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and a squeeze of lemon juice.

2011 Valentine Contest

Noelle’s Spicy Tomato Alfredo Pasta

Nicole’s Chili Cheesecake in the raw

Kaycee’s Fiery Chili Chocolate Red Velvet Cake Pops

How far along are you:

How big is the baby: About the size of Sweet Potato

Suspicion of Baby’s Gender (no we are not finding out): I’m still leaning towards a boy and so is Neil.

Here’s how it works:

1. List 11 random things about myself
2. Answer the 11 questions Courtney asked other bloggers
3. Come up with 11 questions to ask other bloggers
4. Tag 11 other bloggers to do this next

11 Random Things About Myself

1. I studied at three universities in three different countries over the course of my academic career.  I first went to Spain the summer after high school to study Spanish at Universidad Complutense de Madrid , I then started my first (real) year of university at St. Thomas University in Fredericton, NB, Canada, then I did my second year at Suffolk University in Boston and then I did completed my final two years back at St. Thomas University where I received my B.A. in Political Science with minors in Religious Studies and Human Rights.

At our Metro stop in Madrid

2. Although I had big dreams of working in International Relations I ended up down a totally different path and became a certified health coach.

3. I hate when people leave cupboards open.  Seriously my biggest pet peeve.

4. My husband and I met through a mutual friend when I was at school in Boston and we re-met when I returned to Fredericton for my last two years of university.  We actually re-met at a bar when I was trying to avoid another guy named Neil, my now husband Neil was my knight in shinning armor.

5. I would love to move out of Vermont in the next year….but where to is another story. Taking suggestions.

6. I am always in bed long before my husband and I always take the cat with me.

7. I still sleep with my blankie from my childhood.

8. Growing up I always made my mom dress and toss my salad, even out at restaurants. Honestly I would still have her do it if I still lived at home.

9. I love to play canasta.  Summers after college when I was living at home I would go to painting class with my grandma and then to her seniors meal where we would end the day playing hours of canasta. Yes, I’m an old lady at heart.

10. If a meal is really good (and we are at home) I will lick the plate clean.

11. After months of trying to figure something affordable out Neil and I are actually going on a Babymoon! We are going to Boston for a few days and then flying out to meet my parents in Myrtle Beach where they are renting a condo.  We are so excited to get away before the baby comes and neither of us have ever been to Myrtle Beach.  I honestly think the only time I can remember going to South Carolina was on our first Disney trip, over 20 years ago, when we drove to Disney from Vermont and stopped at South of the Border. 

Questions I have to Answer:

1. Are you a morning person or a night owl? morning.
2. What’s the one piece of clothing you can’t live without? my lululemon wunder crops
3. What is your biggest pet peeve? see #3 above.
4. Gum or mints? mints.
5. Favorite dessert? berries and chocolate coconut ice cream.
6. Do you have tattoos or piercings? i have my ears pierced and i have three tattoos.  I also had lip pierced two different times.
7. Do you believe in ghosts and/or the afterlife? ghosts yes.
8. What’s your worst habit? not putting my laundry away.
9. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live? somewhere in Europe- this Q is too hard.
10. What is one thing you miss about being a kid? summer vacations.
11. If you had to change your name, what would it be? i wouldn’t.

A New Set of Questions:

Okay since I know that this has gone around quite a bit I’m going to encourage you to answer the questions above.  I also am not going to tag anyone since many people have already completed it but if you haven’t yet please complete and come back here and leave me a comment!

Since my 5k I have signed up for two half marathons, one of which is next weekend but I won’t be running it due to the fact that the first trimester really put a damper on my training.  The second is in November, the Disney Wine and Dine Half, which I am registered for due to having to defer my Disney Half (which was in January) because of Neil’s head injury this fall (he was running it too), now the question is will I actually be able to wog (run/jog) the half due to the fact that it will only be 18 or so weeks post-baby…I guess only time will tell. Anyways that was as long round about way to get back to the point of this post which is my fitness bucket list, the physical activities I would love to do before I die, here they are:

Run the Vermont 100 on 100

 Source

The Vermont 100 on 100 is a 100 mile relay race that is on Route 100 (guess that’s where it gets its name?) in Vermont starting at Trapps and ending at Okemo.  Over the past few years Neil and I have witnessed the runners and I have always  been inspired by the race.  The race route is beautiful and I am sure amazing to run.  Neil and I almost signed up last year when a few friends wanted to start a team but ultimately decided that we weren’t prepared to run that many miles and it would probably be a bad idea so our goal of running the 100 on 100 on a team together has been put on the back burner at least for another year or two.

Run a Disney Half Marathon

source

It has been my goal for the past two years to run a Disney half marathon.  I have now signed up for one, deferred to a second one and my running fate is still up in the air.  I ideally would like to run/walk the Disney Wine and Dine in November but only time will tell if I will be able to do that distance so shortly after giving birth and because I haven’t kept up with my running through my pregnancy.  I would not do the half for time but to complete it so who knows maybe I can do 13.1 miles in the allotted 3.5 hours, even if that means coming in last.

Be able to do a headstand

source

I love yoga but am I “good” at it? Not really.  I do fine in a level 1 class and last summer when I was practicing a lot I advanced to level 2 but ideally I would love to be an advanced yogi and do things like Salamba Sirsasana.  Essentially, I know I need to get back into yoga and keep my practice up and I will one day be able to accomplish all my yoga goals and eventually be an advanced yogi.  I have been nervous to go to pre-natal classes but today I’m going to put on my big girl pants, grab my mat and head to class. <– follow up with me at 5pm and make sure that I actually do this.

I have a number of other fitness goals on my bucket list but I would have to say currently these are my top three.  What is on your fitness bucket list? 

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This morning I woke up to realize that we had no leftovers for lunch since Neil had made some delicious blueberry pancakes for us for dinner so I headed to the kitchen to whip something up. In my pantry I found red lentils which are full of fiber and folic acid both of which are important for a healthy pregnancy. Lentils are also energizing which is wonderful in helping fight the fatigue of pregnancy.

Red Curry Lentil and Vegetables

Serves 4

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or canola oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups green beans, washed, trimmed and cut in half
• 1 tablespoon red curry paste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas
• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 1.5 cups vegetable broth
• 2.5 cups water
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach

Heat the oil in a medium heavy bottom pot over medium- high heat.  Add the onion and carrot and cook for 5-7 minutes, until tender. Stir in the garlic and green beans and cook for 3 minutes.  Stir in the curry, salt and pepper and cook for one minute.  Add the chickpeas, lentils, broth and water and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat to medium and simmer for 20-25 minutes until lentils are tender.  Uncover and add the peas and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the spinach at the last minute and stir until wilted.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with brown rice, naan or pita.

This is so good I may have eaten it for every meal today.

Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
• 1 tsp toasted cumin seeds
• 1 (14oz) block of extra firm tofu, 1/4 inch thick slices
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp coconut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp ginger, grated
• 1.5 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp white pepper (optional)
• 1 tsp raw sugar
• 1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 1-3 red chilies, minced
• 1 (14oz) can coconut milk
• 2 limes, zest and juice
• 1 Tbsp sweet or dark soy sauce

1. In a small dry sauce pan over medium heat toast the cumin seeds for 3-5 minutes, until aromatic.
2. In a medium sauce pan heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat; add the onions and garlic and saute for 8-10 minutes until soft and slightly caramelized. Add to a medium bowl.
3. Stir in the ginger, turmeric, coriander, curry powder, smoked paprika, white pepper, toasted cumin seed and sugar into the onion-garlic mix.
4. Stir in the sweet soy, lite soy, lime juice, lime zest, chili pepper and coconut milk.
5. Pour 1/3 of the coconut milk mixture onto a medium sheet pan (size is around 15! x 10! x 1!), place the tofu down in one layer and then pour the remaining coconut milk mixture over. Marinate at room temperature or in the fridge for 30 minutes -2 hours.
6. Preheat oven to 425F and bake for 35 minutes, or until sauce has reduced slightly and the tofu is lightly browned on top. There should be a little sauce leftover; spoon the sauce over the tofu or toss with a vegetable side!

17 weeks 2 days

How I’m Changing

Neil and I have been trying to (slowly) get our home ready for baby and part of that is the nursery.  I know that we will be getting this crib thanks to my parents and we have a small Ikea Expedit that we will also be using, however we now have to figure out the other details furnishings and storage.  I was looking into tips and tricks for the nursery and I came across this:

Toss the junk -Having a baby often means you’re showered with gifts. But that doesn’t mean you have to keep and love everything Cousin Gertrude gave you! Take a picture of your kiddo wearing the item or playing with it, write her a thank-you note and put it in the outbound pile [<--love this idea]. As a parent you need to constantly manage both the inflow and outflow of stuff in your space, so dedicate a bag or two for things that are no longer in active use, and once they are full, get them out. Store the items that you love that make the cut for a future child, but pass others along to a mommy friend with different taste or donate them. Swimming in excess samples from the hospital? Stash a few in your diaper bag, use up the ones you love and toss the rest! You don’t need random stuff you’ll rarely use. (source)

I think that this excerpt makes a really good point – if it is just taking up space or it’s just not for you don’t keep it.  I know that many people mean well and want to give you hand-me-downs and things that they really like and while that would never go unappreciated you may just not want/like/need the item. So as I see it don’t feel bad if you decide to donate the item(s), I mean really if you kept everything you were ever given you might see yourself on the next episode of Hoarders and nobody wants that.

Couch to 5k (C25K)

When I first started running this was my go to app for my running workouts. I would recommend this app to anyone who is looking to start running, it is the perfect tool to help guide you to running a 5k. The Hubz and I both used this app to help us in preparing for our first 5k and I plan to use it again once this baby comes to help me get back to running.

RunKeeper Pro

Before I purchased my Garmin I used RunKeeper Pro to track my runs and walks.  It is great for tracking mileage and time.

Free Menstrual Calendar

This one is for the ladies! Once I went off BC I chose to track my menstrual cycles and possible fertile days.  I tried a few different apps at first but finally found the FMC app to be my favorite and I absolutely love this app and it was perfect for me.

21-Day Vegan Kickstart

The 21-Day Vegan Kickstart app gives you recipes and resources to improve and regain your health and includes step-by-step recipe photos (source).  Already being vegan I have not participated in the 21-Day program but I do love the app because it has really wonderful selection of healthy vegan recipes.

What are you favorite health and wellness apps? 

This is my twist on a traditional dip that is usually filled with fat,  ingredients. Serve this at your next party or bring to your next potluck.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1 (6oz) jar of marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
• 10 sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil, sliced
• 1 (14oz) can of navy beans or cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup vegetable broth
• salt and pepper
• 2-3 Tbsp nutritional yeast

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat; add in the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Remove from the stove and place in a bowl; set to the side.

2. In a food processor or blender process the beans with the vegetable broth until smooth.

3. To the processor add the spinach, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, and nutritional yeast; pulse 4-5 times to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Place in a medium oven safe dish, cover and then you place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or over night to achieve the best flavor.

When ready to cook preheat oven to 400F.

1.Bake uncovered for 35-40 minutes until edges are browned and bubbly.

2. Serve with vegetable sticks, pita or crackers.

Bonus Recipe: Spicy Black Eyed Peas and Greens over at my Health Coaching Site. 

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Pre-Pregnancy Body (I hope to see you again one day)

When I run I don’t listen to music unless I’m on the dreadmill but when I do any other workouts I love to have music to help me through my workout.

My Top 10 Songs:

1. “Run This Town”- Jay Z
2. “Dynamite” – Taio Cruz
3. “Don’t Stop The Music” – Rihanna
4. “Til The World Ends” – Britney Spears
5. “Take Me To The Riot” – Stars
6. “Amazing” – Kanye West
7. “No One” – Alicia Keys
8. “Daylight” – Matt & Kim
9. “White Crosses” – Against Me
10. “Feelin Fine” – Classified

What is on your workout playlist?

Since I am trying to be careful with my sugar intake I decided to use the coupon for a free bottle that Tropicana sent to me and I finally tried Trop50 Orange Juice which has 1/2 the sugar and calories of other orange juices.  Currently I am really enjoying being able to indulge my craving without overdoing the sugar.

(Source)

One of the other cravings I plan on indulging in the upcoming month is a prenatal massage, a much needed massage. The best part is Trop50 is offering one of you a chance to win a $50 Spa & Wellness Gift Cards by Spa Week® to get the spa treatment of your choice. You can also enter for a chance to win a $1000 gift card when you share your New Year’s Resolution on Trop50’s Facebook page!

To enter this giveaway, all you have to do is leave a comment telling me what your favorite treatment is to get at the spa! This giveaway will be open until Tuesday, January 31 @ 8pm EST. A winner will be announced Tuesday.

The Winner is: #4

Jessica says:

I don’t have a favorite since going to the spa is definitely a splurge, but I would love to get a pedicure! Or a facial with the dry weather right now 

On the ride home we stopped in to Whole Foods and I started craving hot sauce really bad, one of my weird pregnancy cravings, and I got to thinking what about a buffalo chickpea dip? I first thought of using Sour Supreme to make it creamy but I really wanted to avoid the soy and then I spotted the So Delicious Coconut Greek Yogurt and I decided to pick up a plain and try it in my dip.

The verdict? I loved the coconut Greek yogurt in this! I would recommend this recipe for your upcoming Super Bowl or Oscar Party it is sure to be a hit!

2-15oz cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup hot sauce (I use Franks)*
1 container SoDelicious Plain Greek Yogurt**
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.

2. Place 1 cup of the chickpeas in the base of a food processor with the hot sauce and process until smooth and pour into a medium bowl.

3. Add all of the remaining chickpeas and remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix to combine.

4. Pour the chickpea mixture into individual ramekins or into an oven safe dish.  Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

5. Serve with veggies (I suggest celery) and pita, crackers or tortilla chips.

*If you desire less heat reduce the amount of hot sauce and substitute non-dairy milk or water.

**Can’t find coconut Greek yogurt? No Problem! Substitute non-dairy sour cream! 

Update: Hubz ate the leftovers today and said they were even better than the first day, that being said if you have the time mix the dip the day before, refrigerate overnight and bake off right before eating.

2/3 of a yellow onion
refried black beans
whole plum tomatoes with juices
remainder of a jar of salsa

I decided that those four ingredients combined with a few other staples I had in the kitchen were the perfect ingredients to make a nice and hearty black bean chili.

 Towards the end I remembered that I had a bag of frozen corn the freezer and decided to add a few handfuls to add a little sweetness to the spicy chili (I was a little heavy handed on the chipotle chili powder). The end result was a nice big bowl of spicy rich black bean chili, so good!

To go with this tasty black bean chili I decided to try out the Gluten Free Corn Bread Mix that  Lindsey of XO Baking Co. sent me to try out.  The mix calls for milk, eggs and butter but I veganized it by using unsweetened almond milk, flax “eggs” and soy free Earth Balance.

I was a little nervous about how it was going to turn out with the flax “eggs” but the end result was something delicious.  The cornbread was slightly sweet, just how I like my corn bread and it was the perfect pairing to the spicy chili.  I ended up having two slices of cornbread dunked in my chili- the perfect pairing!

Week 15: Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She’s busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. (source)

Week 16: Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he’s about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren’t recognizable yet. He’s even started growing toenails. (source)

And finally a photo of moi…

(please ignore the crazy eyes)

How I’m Changing

Check out my 15/16 Week update on RWT Bebe

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(Image Credit)

This week I decided that I needed to get back on track with my goal setting and create tasks for the week and a reward for completion (what can I say I like rewards as well). My goals this week are:

• Pick up the living room floor
• Unload the dishwasher and load every other day
• Change the sheets
• Do two loads of laundry
• Clean the guest bathroom
• Go to pre-natal yoga at Evolution
• Do my pre-natal workout dvds 3 times this week
• Do my pre-natal workout dvd once this week
• Write 4 health and wellness articles

Currently:

• I have unloaded the dishwasher once and I wrote two articles this morning.

Reward for completing everything:

• Buy myself a $25 gift card for a spa treatment

Punishment for not completeing:

• No movie theater date this weekend instead I’ll be home cleaning the second bathroom.

Do you set goals? How often do you set them? How do you ensure you will accomplish your goals?

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Veggie Sushi Series

Tuscan Sushi

Tex Mex Sushi Rolls

Dessert Sushi

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INGREDIENTS
• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1/3 cup bell pepper (color of your choice), finely diced
• 1/3 cup corn, frozen or fresh
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4oz (1/2 package) tempeh, grated
• 1 (15oz) can of kidney beans, black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed then pulsed in a food processor 2-3 times
• 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1 tsp each of cumin, chili powder, Italian seasoning & paprika
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 Tbsp hot sauce
• 1 tsp sherry or red wine vinegar
• 2-4 Tbsp water

Directions:
1. In a small skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; add in the onion, pepper and corn and saute for 6-7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and saute for an additional 5-6 minutes until the onions and peppers begin to caramelize. Transfer the onion mixture to a large mixing bowl.
2. To the mixing bowl add the grated tempeh, beans, wheat gluten, spices, salt and pepper; stir to combine. With a wooden spoon stir in the hot sauce, vinegar and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir until the mixture begins to come together similar to a dough; if the mixture seems dry add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Once the burger mixture has come together form into six thin patties. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. To cook the patties, heat a thin layer of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the patties for about 5 minutes per side; until they are firm to the touch.

Serve on a bun with your favorite fixin’s!

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Ever since we found out we were expecting I have had a babymoon on the brain and I have been searching and searching for the perfect trip.   The trip must fit into our limited budget since our normal fun/travel budget is much smaller with a baby on the way and it must be somewhere relaxing.  Usually when we travel we are always on the go, running around to here and there, this time we want to just sit and relax. The other factor that we have to consider is the fact that I only have a small window of opportunity to fly and unfortunately that is February to mid-March, the most expensive time to fly south from Vermont (of course).

Ideally our babymoon would be spent somewhere like this:

(source)

Sunny, warm and on the beach with a virgin mojito in my hand.  Instead we probably will have to go with Option B:

(source)

Still on the ocean but only 4 hours driving from home and about 40 degrees colder (I don’t think we’ll be lounging on the beach.)

Either way I know we will have an amazing time together.

Did you go on a babymoon? Where did you go? 

(source)

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INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
• 4oz (1/2 package) tempeh, grated
• 8oz mushrooms, quarter and pulsed in a food processor 5-6 times
• 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1/2 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
• 3/4 tsp salt
•  1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/4 tsp dried crushed fennel
• 1/4 tsp dried rubbed sage
• 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional)
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
• Water
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup vegetable broth + 1 tbsp cornstarch, whisked together
• 1/4 cup non-dairy creamer

Directions:

1. In a small skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; add in the onion saute for 5-6 minutes until the onions begin to caramelize. Transfer the onion to a large mixing bowl.

2. To the mixing bowl, add the grated tempeh, mushrooms, wheat gluten, parsley, spices, salt and pepper; stir to combine. With a wooden spoon stir in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke and 4 tablespoons of

water. Stir until the mixture begins to come together as a dough; if the mixture seems dry add additional water 1 tablespoon at a time.

3. In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil oil over medium-high heat. Crumble the sausage mixture into the pan and cook until browned. Stir in the vegetable broth mixture and non-dairy creamer and simmer until the sauce has thickened.

Serve the gravy over your favorite savory baked good.

Sunday Neil and I spent the day relaxing around the house and cooking up a big pot of Chipotle Coconut Corn Chowder. In the mix: frozen sweet corn, chopped green chiles, onion, carrots, garlic, paprika, chipotle chili powder, ground cumin, coconut milk, vegetable broth and chickpeas.

Neil used his new bread book to bake up a tasty loaf of whole wheat bread.

Monday came along and my stomach was feeling a little off from all of the gluten I had Friday-Sunday. So I ended up taking a sick day to relax and feel better. I enjoyed lots of water and some left over chowder.

And started reading the new Fit Pregnancy.

Yesterday afternoon I started to feel better and just in time because the UPS guy came knocking at my door to deliver a package from Cornucopia Popcorn, a variety of vegan popcorns.

I couldn’t resist diving right in and of course went for the most colorful option the Cornfetti, a mix of all our colorful candied fruit flavors including Cherry, Strawberry, Orange, Banana, Grape, Blue Raspberry, Green Apple and Watermelon.

It was super tasty. I had a few small handfuls and shortly went back to the box to try a few pieces from all of the other flavors.

Dinner time came around and my stomach was starting to feel a little off again so I decided to make Neil a big bowl of quinoa with tempeh and veggies and myself a nice big fruit plate.

Cara Cara Orange, Grapes and Banana with Almond Butter

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How I’m Changing

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 Your entire family will love this recipe! It also reheats really well which makes it perfect for any weeknight meal so you have yummy leftovers for lunch.

Polenta

• 1 cup corn grits polenta
• 2 tablespoons Nutritional yeast
• 1t salt
•  3 cups of water

Tex-Mex TVP

• 1.5 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup TVP
• 1/2 large onion, minced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1t ground cumin
• 1T nutritional yeast
• 1t paprika
• 1/2t garlic salt
• 1t chili powder
• 1/2T oil

Bring the vegetable broth to a boil and stir in the TVP; turn down and simmer for 5- 7 minutes. Saute the onions and garlic in oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Add in the cumin, paprika, chili powder and salt and stir to evenly coat the onions and garlic. Pour in the TVP; it should be soft and expanded some- there should be a little left over vegetable broth. Stir the TVP and onion mixture together and add the salsa and nutritional yeast.

Assemble

Take 1/4 of the polenta and put it on a plate, top with 1/4 of the TVP mixture and then 1/4 of an avocado. ENJOY! Other suggestions: add your favorite hot sauce, fresh diced tomatoes, pickled jalapenos or cilantro to add even more flavor to this dish.

Interested in following my pregnancy updates? Please visit Running With Tongs Baby.

 For the marinated tofu:

• 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/4teaspoon chipotle chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
•  1 tablespoons nutritional yeast
•  6-8 ounces extra firm tofu, sliced into 4 triangles (1/2 block)

Marinate the tofu:

1. In a medium bowl, mix together the vegetable broth and red wine vinegar. Whisk in the chipotle powder, cumin, garlic powder, thyme and nutritional yeast, if using.
2. Place the tofu slices in the broth mixture and marinate for about 30 minutes.

For the Hollandaise sauce:

• 1 cup soy, rice or almond milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons dairy free margarine substitute
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup low sodium vegetable broth
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• a pinch salt
• a pinch black pepper
• a pinch cayenne pepper

To make the Hollandaise sauce*:

1. In a medium bowl mix together the milk, lemon juice, margarine, cornstarch, vegetable broth and nutritional yeast, if using. Season the milk lemon mixture with pinches of salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Place the milk lemon mixture in a medium saucepan over low heat. Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes, or until the Hollandaise has thickened to preference, whisking occasionally to ensure a smooth sauce. Remove the Hollandaise sauce from heat until plating the Avocado Tofu Benedict

To complete the Avocado Tofu Benedict:

•  a spritz olive oil or cooking spray
• 1 avocado, thin sliced
•  2 cups arugula, divided
•  4 whole wheat English muffins, toasted and lightly buttered with vegan margarine
•  hot sauce, to taste, optional

To complete the Avocado Tofu Benedict:

1. Prepare a skillet with a light coating of olive oil or cooking spray. After the tofu triangles are done marinating, place the skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the tofu triangles to the skillet and cook for 5-7minutes, or until the tofu begins to brown. Flip the tofu triangles with a spatula and cook 5-7 minutes on the other side or until both sides have browned.
3. Top each side of the toasted English muffins with 1/2 cup of the arugula and 2 slices of avocado.
4. Top the avocado with 1 piece of tofu and a drizzle of the Hollandaise sauce* per side. Complete the dish with a few drops of hot sauce, if using, and enjoy.

* If a significant period of time has passed between making the Hollandaise sauce and plating the Avocado Tofu Benedict, warm the sauce on the stove over low heat before serving. You may need to add a bit more milk to thin the sauce during reheating.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked or canned cannelini beans
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon vegan margarine (optional)

*To make slow cooker white beans or any slow cooker beans soak beans over night then drain and rinse.  Place in a slow cooker pot and cover with water an inch above the beans. Cover the beans and turn to low and cook for 6-9 hours.  I usually put mine on in the morning before work and cook on low until I’m ready to use them for dinner.

my pesky little helper

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Since I have received so much great feedback I decided to split my results into two parts, the first of which will be a discussion on various comments that were made and the second will discuss more the poll results and the future of RWT.

Comment: “I think your blog is great! Sometimes it doesn’t feel like a food blog.” 

Response: My blog is not intended to be a food blog. Yes when I first started blogging in 2006 as Cooking For A Vegan Lover my blog WAS exclusively a food blog that was about 90% recipes and 10% products and restaurants. Since then I transitioned to Cook.Vegan.Lover. (aka CVL) in the fall of 2010 which was my small move into adding more lifestyle posts into my then food blog. Over the course of CVL I became a health coach and started adding health and nutrition posts as well as lifestyle and fitness posts into the blog on a small scale.  Then after many months of debating whether I wanted to make the big leap to transition into more of a healthy living blog (which CVL was already becoming) I finally made the decision to say goodbye to CVL and that is how Running With Tongs was born.  If you have not yet I encourage you to read my Important Changes letter that explains the transition from CVL to RWT.

 I would like to see less iphone photos/crappy phone pics.

Response: I agree they suck. I have been lazy lately and I haven’t bothered to locate my camera when I decide to take a photo and since I always have my phone on me I end up taking lots of iphone photos.  This is one change that I am working on being better about and I will be limiting iphone photos on the blog to ones that are well done.

Travel and restaurant reviews, only because I don’t travel or eat out.

Response: These are two things, especially restaurant reviews, that people would like to see less of on the blog.  I have to say that you will see less of both in the coming months but not because I don’t enjoy writing about them but because with a baby on the way we won’t be doing so much traveling or dining out. However, they will not go away completely.  I know that many of you don’t live in the Vermont or travel to the same spots that we do but I enjoy writing about our experience and will continue to do so.  I will be doing less restaurant specific reviews and more overall travel posts though.

I would like to see less pregnancy posts. 

Response: You will. At first when I kept seeing this come up on the “things I would like to see less of” responses I was a little upset.  My blog is a place for me to write and express myself and I really value my readers, so hearing that many of you are not interested in sharing my experience made me feel a little upset (it doesn’t help that my hormones are raging). However, I get it, so many bloggers happen to be pregnant or were recently pregnant so I know that many of you are feeling a little over the whole “I’m having a baby” thing but guess what I’m not. We have experienced two miscarriages and being on my third pregnancy and this one currently being successful it is as big deal to me and I really want to share my experience. Ultimately I have decided to keep RWT pregnancy post free and the Hubz is working on a RWT Bebe site for those of you interested in following my pregnancy progress and for those of you interested in my vegan pregnancy.  Although I am creating a RWT Bebe site, RWT will not be 100% pregnancy free because my blog is where I choose to open up about my life and well I’m not going to pretend I’m not pregnant, so no explicit pregnancy posts (although I will make a note at the bottom of daily posts letting you know of updates to RWTBebe) but being pregnant might come up occasionally.

I would like to see more more recipes.

Response: This you will definitely be seeing more recipes.  Honestly the first 11 weeks of my pregnancy were hell and getting the kitchen to create recipes was just not going to happen.  Most days I was happy if I could make toast let alone create a recipe.  I am now feeling better and am already working on recipes.  I plan to share 1-3 recipes weekly and I also am hoping to create one new e-book before the bebe comes (e-mail me if you are interested in being a tester).

I’d like to see more health and wellness posts/I’d like to see less health and wellness posts.

Response: So far health and wellness has been pretty divided between those who want more and those who want less.  Well I’m going to try and provide a happy medium.  For those of you who want less: I will try to add more quick tips and work on one health/wellness topic specific post each week.  For those of you who want more I will be posting two-three times per week over at my Health Coaching Blog where you can get your weekly fix of health and wellness posts (that’s 3-4 per week between the two sites).

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(source)

We had planned months ago to run the Disney Half Marathon but due to Neil hitting his head we decided to defer our entry fees to the 2012 Disney Wine & Dine Half next November.  We also decided to cancel our trip all together due to the fact we had no idea when Neil would get the letter for us to go for his interview.  We did ended up keeping our flight down due to the fact that it would cost us more to cancel it- crazy right?- and debated heading to Florida last minute since our flight wasn’t until Thursday evening but ultimately decided not to go because flights home were outrageous.  So we went with Plan B which was a debate over Boston and New Haven but we ultimately decided to head to Saratoga Springs, NY (I know not Boston or New Haven) because it was closer and less expensive.

First things first though we packed and then headed out for a celebratory lunch at The Farmhouse per the birthday boys request and then we hit the road to Saratoga Springs.

I ended up getting a really great deal on Hotwire for the Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs which was conveniently located right downtown within walking distance to a ton of eateries and shops.  We checked in and headed to the room where we promptly took a nap.

(source)

After our nap I did a little research on places to eat and ultimately the birthday boy decided he wanted to try Chianti Il Ristorante a nice Italian restaurant only a 10 minute walk from the hotel.  We walked in and I was instantly impressed by the decor of the restaurante and the friendly staff.  We were seated and took a quick look over the menu before inquiring about their vegan options, there were surprisingly a number of options and we lucked out because  our server was well informed and helpful in making our decision.

I apologize now for the poor iphone photos but they’re all I have.

We started with the PAPPA AL POMODORO CON FARRO a quick peasant style tomato and farro stew, olive oil and crushed crisp olive oil croutons.  This was easily our favorite dish, if I had known how amazing it was going to be I would have ordered myself a bowl for my entree.

 We enjoyed this dish with (too much) tasty fresh bread with balsamic and olive oil to dip in.

 For our main course we both decided to get the special which was the Spaghetti Dai Monti which was filled with oyster and shiitake mushrooms that were pan seared with garlic, olive oil, white wine and truffle oil.  We also ordered a side of sauteed spinach with garlic just to add something green to our meal. Both the pasta and the spinach were delicious and the portions were huge so we ended up taking half our meals to go, but left just enough room for dessert, a nice bowl of lemon and coconut sorbets.

After our dinner walked back to the hotel and took a dip in the pool then it was off to bed for another fun filled day. (more to come)

Birthday Boy!

*I debated discussing our immigration journey on the blog but have  decided that somethings just need to be kept private however if you have any specific questions please feel free to e-mail me and I will answer your questions the best I can.

Click here to take survey

So what’s going on this week:

your baby at 13 weeks

• Can you believe she’s forming vocal cords and teeth?!
• And even though she’s still teeny, she already has fingerprints.
• Her intestines are moving from the umbilical cord to their more permanent place, in her tummy.

(source)

How I’m Changing

I am more calm. Since becoming pregnant I have worked hard at being more relaxed, calm and less of a worrier.  I know that worrying and stressing about things is bad for me and the baby and I finally feel like I have successfully achieved my desired peaceful state of being.

How I’m Feeling

I am feeling really good, I finally have more energy and no morning sickness and it’s amazing.  I still have so fatigue and I can’t go at the same pace that I once did but I am feeling the best I have in the last 13 weeks. I am also feeling hungry more often and find myself eating 5-6 small meals per day. I no longer can sit down to my regular sized meal, I am full after about half of it but I am hungry again 2 hours later.  I also have been experiencing extreme hunger pains that come out of nowhere. One minute I am fine and the next I am HANGRY, so I try to keep healthy snacks on me at all times for moments like this.

_____

What I’m Eating

This week I have been back to eating salads, I have actually been craving them.  I also have been enjoying hot sauce….on everything.  I am currently addicted to sriracha and I want to put it on everything from hummus to wraps to pasta.  I am so happy to finally have more normal appetite back and I am looking forward to whipping up more fun recipes at home in the coming weeks.

Random Facts of The Week:

• Total Weight Gain: 5 pounds.
• Workouts:  So far two workouts this week (you can read more here)
• Baby Items Purchased: None (so far).
• Gender Suspicions:  I am currently leaning towards a boy.
• Cravings: sriracha. salads. bagels.

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Rise Energy+ Bars are 100% organic, made with blended superfruit and nuts, full of fiber and antioxidants to fuel you through the rest of the day. They come in five flavors which are all tasty but the Cherry Almond and Blueberry Coconut are my favorites.

INGREDIENTS: ALMONDS*CASHEWS*DATES*CHERRIES* BROWN RICE SYRUP*TAPIOCA SYRUP*AMARATH*SEA SALT (* Organic Ingredient)

INGREDIENTS: ALMONDS*DATES*COCONUT* RAISINS*BROWN RICE SYRUP*TAPIOCA SYRUP*AMARANTH*ACAI*SEA SALT (* Organic Ingredient)

INGREDIENTS: CASHEWS*DATES*ALMONDS*APRICOTS* BROWN RICE SYRUP*TAPIOCA SYRUP* AMARANTH*SEA SALTGOJI* (* Organic Ingredient)

INGREDIENTS: ALMONDS*COCONUT* DATES*TAPIOCA SYRUP*BROWN RICE SYRUP* BLUEBERRIES (WILD BLUEBERRIES, EVAPORATED CANE JUICE, SUNFLOWER OIL)*RAISINS* AMARANTH*SEA SALT (* Organic Ingredient)

INGREDIENTS: DATES*ALMONDS*COCONUT* APPLES*BROWN RICE SYRUP*TAPIOCA SYRUP*AMARANTH*RASPBERRIES* POMEGRANATE*SEA SALT (* Organic Ingredient)

Additional reasons I love these bars:

• They are naturally sweetened with tapioca Syrup/Brown Rice Syrup
• They are made of blended superfruits
• They have nuts to add protein and sustain energy levels
• They are 100% organic
• They taste AMAZING
• They are free of:
• GLUTEN
• PRESERVATIVES
• GMOS
• DAIRY
• SOY
• PEANUTS

As you can see from the list above there are so many reasons to love Rise Bar and that is why they are currently my go to snack bar. Don’t get me wrong  I still have a few other unnamed bars that I love but Rise Bar is currently at the top of my list.

Disclaimer: Rise Bar provided me with a sample of their products to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway.

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It’s been over a month since I have featured a Fitness Friday post and it feels good to finally be back at it.  Before becoming pregnant I was training for my first half marathon and was running three to four times a week, doing yoga at least once per week and cross training two to three days. At about five weeks pregnant I did my last run and it was awful.  I was nauseous, exhausted and I had the worst run of my life clocking in at about a sixteen minute mile.  After that everything went down hill from there when my (morning)all-day sickness started and I was hit with extreme fatigue. I stopped running, I stopped consistently doing yoga and my only physical activity was walking and even then not at the same level it once was.

It has been challenging and frustrating not feeling up to doing the same level of physical activity that I once was, especially reading about so many other bloggers who are pregnant or recently pregnant and how they ran nearly their whole pregnancy.  I know every person is different and every pregnancy is different so I try not to get too down about it but I wish I could have kept up running through at least my 2nd trimester but that isn’t happening.

So what now? In the past week and half my all-day sickness has started to decline, I am still experiencing some fatigue but my energy levels have increased and I have started back at working out. My goal is to get a minimum of three 30-60 minute workouts in each week. I have a few prenatal dvd’s to follow which include a yoga dvd and two cardio/weight dvd’s.  I am also lucky to live in a residential area with a bike path that I can go for nice walks on until the snow takes over and when it does the Hubz and I plan to do cross country skiing (on flat services only to limit the risk of falling). I also plan on starting prenatal yoga classes at our local yoga studio at the end of the month.  I have heard from others that it is a great class and a great way to connect with other pregnant women.

This week my workouts have included:

• Monday: 2 mile walk in 45 minutes
• Thursday: 30 minute swim at hotel pool 

I plan on doing a bunch of walking today and I plan on heading back to the pool to do some more swimming. Next week I am going to try out my DVD’s and I plan to do a review of each of them in the upcoming months.

What is your favorite workout activity? 

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Why is it so hard to stick to those New Year’s resolutions?

Here are some ways you can make your intentions a reality this year:

1. Write down your intentions, share them with a friend and then put the list in a visible place such as the bulletin board in your office or on the refrigerator.

2. Be clear about what your life would look like once you achieve your goal. If you resolve to go to the gym more, how will this benefit you? Get connected to the result of your action, and you will be more likely to stick with your plan.

3. Find someone to support you.  This maybe a friend or family member, or a professional such as a certified holistic health coach.

Big changes do not require big leaps. Permanent change is more likely to happen gradually than through one big restrictive plan. Allow yourself to climb the ladder one rung at a time.

To help you get started on achieving your goals for the New Year I am offering my  4 week web-based series. 

This five-week teleclass program is designed to start your 2012 off on the right foot; moving you toward a life of optimal health and wellness. Each week covers a key theme that is essential in achieving optimal health.

In just four weeks you’ll learn:

- the tools to losing weight naturally without deprivation
-how to shop and prepare foods that nourish you
-the steps to take to manage your time so you can take care of your body both inside and out
-ways to exercise that you’ll love
-how to boost your self-confidence

This 4-Week program includes:

-Each week you will receive a 15-20 page workbook guiding you towards making positive steps for your health.
-Additional weekly handouts to help guide you in reaching your goals.
-Weekly e-mail support from me.
-Bi-Monthly Newsletter.

This 4-week program values at $150 today I am offering it to you for only $24.99 until 2/14/2012. 

Are you ready to make 2012 your best year yet? 

Sign Up Here Today!

After we finished shopping we headed to dinner at A Single Pebble. We had a gift certificate to use and went a little all out and ordered the mock eel, the vegan dry fried green beans, scallion pancakes, vegan mock tangerine chicken and the double garlic broccoli. We also ended up with a vegan general chou’s mock chicken because they brought us it by mistake so we ended up with a ton of leftovers. I didn’t take photos since we were having a cellphone/camera free date night but here are some recycled photos of a few of the dishes.

After our date night we headed home to relax on the couch where I promptly fell asleep at 8:30pm. No surprise though I don’t think I have made it to midnight in probably over 10 years.

The remainder of our weekend involved eating leftovers, watching Netlix (currently addicted to The Vampire Diaries) and going for a nice long walk by the lake.

How did you spend your New Year’s Weekend?

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I created my second e-book. 

February:

New York City Trip: Here, Here, Here and Here.

March:

I became a Board Certified Holistic Health Coach.

April:

I ate lots of kale chips.

May:

We celebrated our third wedding anniversary.

June:

I attended Wanderlust Vermont as a blogger for Ecorazzi.

July:

I ran my first 5k.

August:

The Hubz and I went camping and hiking.

September:

The Hubz planned and took me on a romantic date.

October:

I snacked on too many oatmeal cookie sandwiches.

November:

I hosted my first 30 Days of Yoga Challenge.

December:

We’re Having A Baby! 

and traveled to New York City. (here, here, here and here)

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your baby’s the size of a plum!

Your baby at 12 weeks:

• Most of her critical systems are fully formed!
• She’s about to enter the growth and maturation stage, in which her organs and tissues will grow and develop rapidly.
• She’s now developing her reflexes — if you poke her body, she’ll likely move.
• She’s opening and closing her fingers and curling her toes, too.
• Her brain is developing fast!

(source) also note we have no idea if it’s a boy or a girl but thebump.com refers to everything as she/her.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

How I’m Changing

I’m starting to look more pregnant! My bump is starting to develop and I’m excited for the day when it is a noticeable bump and I no longer look like I have just gained weight. Other than that I haven’t noticed many other changes at this time.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

How I’m Feeling

Last week I had horrible sinus congestion and post nasal drip, but this week things are better and my morning sickness has started to lighten up.  I have had a little bit of nausea and I still have afternoon (and sometimes morning) fatigue but over all I am starting to feel better.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

What I’m Eating

I am happy to say that my food aversions are starting to die down and I am slowly getting back to normal meals. Over Christmas I was addicted to veggies and homemade vegan ranch dip; if there hadn’t been a house full of people on Christmas Eve I could have finished off the veggie and dip plate all by myself. I also have been eating lots of beans in chili, in wraps and in curry.

Vegan Wedge Salad with Tempeh Bacon

Homemade Three-Bean Veggie Chili

The Addicting Veggie Platter

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Random Facts of the Week:

Overall weight gained: 3.5 lbs
Crying fests: um all the time when I watch tv or movies
Food cravings: veggies and vegan ranch dip and sriracha (on everything)
Number of pants that fit: 5
Maternity clothes purchased: 4 tops and 2 bottoms…..how many items returned 1 top and 1 bottom from Gap

Photos taken of the cat with our new camera (just prepping for the bebe): 200

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1. Attend a blogger conference. This goal was supposed to be an easy one but then a number of various things happened and we ended up having to cancel our trip to PDX and the other conferences I was interested in going to all happened to fall on weekends we already had plans.
2. Do an overnight backpacking trip on the Long Trail. ACCOMPLISHED. Neil and I did one over night backpacking trip this year on the Long Trail. It was a great night and I look forward to doing it again when the bebe is big enough.
3. Run a 5k. ACCOMPLISHED. I ran my first 5k this past summer in Portland ME.  I actually have signed up for three races since then two of which I won’t be running due to pregnancy related reasons and the third is still up in the air.
4. Blog with a purpose. ACCOMPLISHED, but always working to improve.  I feel like I have really worked hard this year to blog with more of a purpose and have more high quality posts.
5. Embrace Health Counseling. ACCOMPLISHED, but always working on.  I have really come a long way with my health coaching and I been working on expanding my coaching every day.  This year I worked with some really amazing clients, attended a health coaching conference, and have been working on new ways of coaching via online and teleclasses.

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Your baby at 11 weeks

• You can’t see it, but she’s moving fluidly and gracefully in there.
• Her skin is see-through, but she’s on her way to looking more like a baby.
• Her fingers and toes aren’t webbed anymore.
• Tooth buds, hair follicles and nail beds are forming.

(Source)

How I’m Changing

I unfortunately still haven’t taken any pregnancy photos, partly because I’ve been lazy and partly because my husband has been working crazy long hours and hasn’t been home before I go to bed to take a photo of me (self portraits are just a fail).  I have been feeling bloated the past week and I am really starting to feel round around the middle. I have gained three pounds since becoming pregnant and yet I feel like I have gained 10 because my body is changing so much and my clothes aren’t fitting the same (or some at all).  I am trying to just be calm about it but sometimes I just feel upset that my favorite dress doesn’t fit right or the fact that many of my tops and bras (which I need to buy new ones of) are too tight across the chest and of course the fact that I currently only have three pants that fit well.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

How I’m Feeling

This week I have had really horrible sinus congestion and postnasal drip which has been driving me crazy.  From what I have read the nasal congestion can be due to hormones, the same hormones that are causing me morning sickness, mood swings and fatigue.  My morning sickness (rather all day) is still happening and I’ve been particularly tired out in the afternoon lately.  I have to say as much of challenge as morning sickness, fatigue, ect are I am really happy that I am having these symptoms because it means the hormones are working and I am growing a healthy baby.  I am hoping that in the next 3-4 weeks I will be feeling better and the morning sickness with subside.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

What I’m Eating

I have been eating crazy meals.  I have been on my own 8-10 days out of the past two weeks because of the Hubz crazy work hours so I have just been making food for me.  Last night I had creamy corn with nooch and hot sauce, a lemonade and a potato (you can see why I didn’t blog about that).  Other meals this week have been a bean quesadilla (which my stomach hated), pasta with nooch and broccoli, soygurt with berries and granola (which I have had for almost every breakfast as well) and a tortilla with avocado, chickpeas and corn.  I also have been munching on tons of clementines.

My major food aversions are garlic and onions.  The smell makes me nauseous and it’s awful because I LOVE garlic and onions.  I also am having quite an aversion to leafy greens. I am hoping that come the second trimester these aversions will calm down and I can get back to eating normally but until then as one of my midwives says don’t stress some days all you want are mashed potatoes and thats okay.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Random Facts of the Week:

Overall weight gained: 3 lbs
Crying fests: 1 huge one and lots of tears while watching Christmas movies
Food cravings: citrus
Amount of exercise: 0 <– working on workout goals for the upcoming week
Number of pants that fit: 3; 2 jeggings and one pair of Loft pants that luckily still fit
Maternity clothes purchased: 4 tops and 2 bottoms

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1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? I am not a huge fan of either but I’d have to say hot chocolate.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? all gifts are wrapped

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I prefer white lights

4. Do you hang mistletoe? We don’t.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the weekend or two after Thanksgiving.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? I don’t really have a favorite holiday dish but I love veggies with ranch dip which we always have at holiday parties.

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Every Christmas Eve I was allowed to open one gift and it as always the gift from my Great Aunt Fran.  She would send a box of goodies with some interesting little toys and my favorite peanut butter filled chocolate from the chocolatier down the road from her.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? the truth? what do you mean! I Believe!

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We still open one gift on Christmas Eve usually from my Mom and usually it’s PJs

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? We decorate it with white lights and ornaments that we have acquired over the years, some from my childhood and others since Neil and I have been together.

11. Snow! Love it or dread it? I like it. I dread huge snow storms and icy road ways but plain old snow is fine.

12. Can you ice skate? I have no balance for skating.  I took lessons as a child and never really got he hang of it.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I don’t really think I’ve ever had a favorite gift. I really loved our 2009 trip to Disney for Christmas which was our gift (we just did stockings that year).

14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Being with my family.

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? My Mom’s Peanut Butter Balls.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Getting together with my cousins.

17. What tops your tree? A vintage tree topper (that my husband hates) that was my grandmothers.

18. Which do you prefer: Giving or receiving? Giving, I love to give gifts and watch people open them.

19. Candy canes: yuck or yummy? Yummy!

20. Favorite Christmas movie? All I Want For Christmas, I could watch it over and over….hmmm maybe I’ll go watch it right now.

21. Saddest Christmas song? Blue Christmas.

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? Fairytale of New York by The Pogues.

After spending a good 30 minutes at the Tenement Museum we headed a few blocks over to Babycakes to pick up a morning treat.  We debated over the doughnuts and the cinnamon rolls but ultimately decided to go with a biscuit with jam and cream and a spicy cheeze biscuit.  The biscuit with jam and cream was super delicious, I wish we had ordered two so we wouldn’t have had to share.  The other biscuit was okay, I bet it’s better when it’s straight out of the oven. 

 After that we walked around a bit. 

Then we headed to Eataly.

I could have spent hours in Eataly just looking over all of the products.  We debated dining at Le Verdure, the vegetable restaurant but decided there was somewhere else we’d like to dine more. So, we picked up a bunch of little items for stocking stuffers for my parents and a few treats for us before heading on our way.

We ended up walking just a few blocks and found ourselves heading into Pure Food and Wine for lunch.  This restaurant has been on my NYC Bucket list for years now and I’m so glad we finally decided to try it.

We both looked over the menu trying to decide what we would order (everything sounded amazing) but ultimately decided to go big or go home and we both went with the 3 course lunch. We were given three options to choose from for each course (salad, entree, dessert). To make the most of our experience Neil and I decided that we would each order something different and share everything so we each were able to try six different things. I’ll forewarn you now that all of Neil’s photos of the dishes he ordered were too out of focus for me to post and mine do not do the food justice. 

Salad Course: I ordered the Caesar Salad (romaine lettuce, nori, pumpkin seed macadamia parmesan, lemon)and Neil ordered the Mediterranean Salad (arugula and kale, kalamata olives, tomatoes, pumpkin seed macadamia parmesan, balsamic vinaigrette). The Mediterranean salad was good but not great, but the Caesar salad was incredible. I could have just eaten a giant bowl of Caesar Salad and been a happy girl.

Entree Course: I ordered the tortilla wraps (spicy sun-dried tomato filling, corn cilantro guacamole,tomato-lime salsa, cashew sour cream) and Neil ordered the zucchini and tomato lasagna (sun-dried tomato sauce, pistachio basil pesto pumpkin seed macadamia ricotta). Both dishes were amazing but I have to say that we both favored the tortilla wraps.

Dessert: I ordered the lemon bar (almond coconut crust, tart lemon custard) and Neil ordered the tiramisu (vanilla cream layered with coffee sake almond cake).  For this one I shared a bit of my lemon bar but didn’t have any of Neil’s dessert because of the coffee.  I have to say it was a tie though because according to Neil they were both amazing.

We ended our night with a quick trip to the Whole Foods beer store so that Neil could pick up a few homebrew items and then we caught a taxi to the airport where we hungout until our flight. We eventually arrived home at midnight to find our car wouldn’t start and ended up spending 2.5 hours at the airport waiting for a service truck to arrive.  Not a great end to an amazing weekend but oh well! 

Neil with the teal shorts #3212

Neil finished the race in around 35 minutes which was wonderful for his first race back since his head injury, I’m so proud of him!

After the race we were both hungry so we headed back to Manhattan to our apartment to shower and get ready for the day. By the time we were ready it was 11am so we headed out for brunch at Caravan of Dreams. When we arrived we were the only people there and ended up having a nice and quiet meal just the two of us.
After looking over the menu Neil and I decided to go with a brunch option which is served with a house salad, choice of fresh orange juice or sangria (or virgin sangria) and coffee or tea.

Decaf for me and regular for him.  Wonderful coffee. 

Virgin Sangria for me and regular for him. (I shared some of my berries since the regular was lacking). 

Salad for both of us.  The salad had a ginger-sesame dressing on it that Neil loved but I just wasn’t a huge fan of; I’m not much for ginger unless it’s in a smoothie of cooked up in a stirfry.
For my entree I had the Polenta Platter which came with Tomato, ali-oli, sautéed greens & vegetables, black beans.  My food was absolutely delicious! The greens were nice and garlicky and the polenta was lightly griddled and delicious.

Neil had the Scrambled Tofu with red cabbage, carrots, cauliflower & onions and whole wheat sourdough toast. Neil received a huge plate of food and he loved it.  I stole a bite and it was really tasty.

After brunch we walked around and did a little shopping, eventually finding ourselves back at Chelsea Market.  Neil had wanted to do some Christmas shopping when we were there on Thursday but our trip was cut short so that we could meet up with a friend for drinks (non-alcoholic for me).  Just as expected Chelsea Market was packed (I recommend going during the week).  We parted ways and both went off to do some Christmas shopping.

Once finished shopping we headed back to the apartment to have a snack, relax a bit and find a spot for dinner. We wanted to eat somewhere within a few blocks of the apartment and after doing a little research via the internet we decided to try Pala Pizza which had great reviews from omnivores and vegans.

When you first walk in Pala Pizza is really nice, dimly lit with candles on every table and it is cozy and romantic.  We were seated and after looking over the vegan menu ordered our we drinks and food.  We decided to go with the Crostini tomato, zucchini, daiya cheese and soy beschemel on gluten free bread, Insalate contadino mixed spring salad, cherry tomatoes and the Pizze arrabiata fresh cherry tomatoes, hot pepper, garlic.

Insalate and Crostini

Pizze arrabiata

So how was it? Awful.  This was by far one of the worst meals that we have ever had in NYC.  The salad was nothing special just greens and tomatoes with balsamic dressing.  The crostini was well not a crostini.  It was a piece of bread on top of salad greens with over cooked veggies, vegan cheese and an overwhelming amount of bechamel.  When I read crostini I think of a nice piece of grilled bread topped with a topping of some sort and you can easily pick it up to eat.  The crostini at Pala was a bland, over sauced mess. As for the pizza it was also super bland. The description says that there are hot peppers and garlic along with the tomatoes (as there should be in an arribiata) but neither Neil nor I could taste either of those.  It basically was as piece of flatbread with tomatoes on it, nothing spicy about it.  We finally enhanced the pizza slightly by adding oregano (which is the weird bunch of old dried flower looking thing that they leave on the table with no explanation-we tried it because others around us were).  To top it all off the service was lacking as well.  I would never return and I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. 

We didn’t end up finishing the pizza because it just wasn’t  good but at least it left room for us to head to Stogo for some vegan ice cream.

Normally I would have just ordered a small but I was still so hungry after our horrible dinner and we had bought a deal online for two regular sized ice creams, which was just the size I wanted.  After tasting a few flavors I decided to avoid the soy (after that soy bechamel mess) and went with two coconut milk based ice creams, the green tea and strawberry.  Neil decided to go with one of our favorites the salted caramel and paired it with pumpkin pie (it really tasted like pumpkin pie).  Both of us devoured our ice creams within minutes because it was so delicious. Now Stogo is one of my favorite spots in NYC so go there!

Before heading to the city Neil found an online deal for 2-for-1 regular size ice cream at Stogo and  decided to buy one.  I really recommend you take advantage of all the online deals because it can really make your trip a little more budget friendly and you can experiences places you might not go to otherwise.  When we did our DC trip last year I found a ton of great deals on Groupon and LivingSocial which made our trip super inexpensive.

Stayed tuned for my final NYC Recap!

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A big mug of tasty regular coffee for him

A small cup of decaf coffee for me (I liked it but Neil said it wasn't as tasty as his regular though)

After our coffee and bagel date we walked back to the apartment to get ready and decide what we wanted to do for the day.  Our first stop was Bryant Park to visit the Real Simple and other pop up shops where we sampled some free apple cider, window shopped and watched the ice skaters.  

For lunch we decided to head uptown to Candle Cafe  one of our favorite vegan restaurants in the city.  We lucked out and arrived at 12:30pm right before the lunch rush which started shortly after. After reviewing the menu Neil and I both made the difficult decision on what to order, there were just too many good options!

Neil decided to go with the special Jamaican Wrap which was filled with jerk tofu, green, yellow rice, sweet potato and a few other tasty goods. Neil loved his wrap and it was packed full of healthy, tasty goodness.

I decided to go with the Good Meal plate which is a choice of four sides and two sauces; I went with the veggies of the day, broccoli, brown rice and grilled tempeh for my sides and for my sauces I chose the toasted cumin and spicy peanut. This was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time, so filling and healthy.  I could have bathed in the cumin sauce it was divine.  The spicy peanut was good but if I had known how good the cumin sauce was I would have ordered two.

After our giant meal we walked a few blocks to the New York Road Racers office to pick up our race bibs and shirts. Yes, WE picked them up even though I didn’t run I had signed up and decided I might as well get my shirt since we had to go pick up Neil’s anyways.

After we picked up the race items Neil and I took a stroll through Central Park. It was beautiful out and the perfect day for a walk but we both were tired so we cut our walk short and took the subway back downtown to our apartment to relax before dinner.

By dinner time we were both still feeling tired out and decided to just pick up some take out to bring back to the apartment and relax since Neil had his race in the morning. We picked up beer (for Neil) at GOOD BEER NYC a great beer shop in the East Village that has beer from all over the world and it even serves up a vegan sausage.

proof

We didn’t get sausages but we did head over to Organic Grill which was just around the corner from our apartment to pick up veggie burgers. Once we had our burgers we headed back to the apartment to relax and watch Terriers on Netflix- if you have Netflix watch this show it was so good! The burgers were good, nothing special but they tasted good.

We ended our night with chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies from Birdbath Bakery that we had picked up while we were out. Honestly the best vegan cookie I have ever had in my entire life. If you live in NYC or the next time you travel there add this to your “must do/eat” list.

Well that is Day Two! Stay tuned for Part 3 tomorrow!
You can check our Part 1 here.

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We picked up our keys, dropped off our bags and  headed out to find lunch (we were starving at this point).  We debated a few places and ultimately decided to Taïm a vegetarian falafel spot that I have had on my list of “must visits” for years now.  

photo from Taim website

After perusing the menu Neil and I would have loved to order (almost) everying on the menu however we made the difficult decision and both decided to go with the Falafel Sandwich on whole wheat pita. I chose to go with the traditional green falafel and Neil went with the harissa falafel.

Falafel Sandwich: choose one falafel flavor, with hummus, israeli salad, pickled cabbage and tahini sauce

To go with our falafel we shared a mint lemonade which was so tasty and even had a fresh mint leaf in it.

Mint Lemonade

Since Taïm is a tiny spot that has a few bar spots we decided to take our sandwiches to go and found a nice little park bench to sit on and enjoy our falafel.  Now on to what you really want to know- how did they taste? They were AMAZING! Hands down best falafel sandwich I have ever had and I’ve had a lot of falafel. There was a wonderful balance of flavors and textures and the tahini sauce was to die for.  Another thing that I loved about the sandwich was that they put two balls of falafel at the bottom and three on top, this is great because when you get to the bottom you still have tasty falafel to enjoy.

After filling up on falafel we walked over to Chelsea Market  to do a little window shopping and grab a treat from One Lucky Duck.

After our short visit to Chelsea Market we met up with my BFF for a drink and spent a few hours socializing before making our way to Brick Lane Curry House for dinner.

Source

At first glance there are only 3 labeled vegan options on the menu but once seated we spoke with a server and they informed us of the many curry options that were vegan as well as the tandoori roti. We ordered the tandoori roti, chana masala, and a vegetable curry dish which came with basmati rice. Everything was absolutely delicious! I didn’t take any photos because it was so dimly lit that my photos would have been awful. It is hard to find Indian food in Vermont and it is always a treat to find a really great Indian restaurant when on vacation.

We ended our night early and decided to just relax at the apartment where I promptly fell asleep by 9pm.

Stay tuned for parts 2, 3 and 4.

What are you favorite places to eat in NYC?

Now who doesn’t love kale chips? I am addicted to kale chips especially ones that are cheezy or ranch flavored.  They remind me of those flavored corn chips that ever youngster loves so much.  The BBQ Kale chips became very popular for a client of mine who has a love for BBQ potato chips; he was able to sub out his normal potato chips for the BBQ Kale chips- a tasty and healthier option than his deep fried seasoned potato chips.

RHYTHM KALE CHIPS are the evolution of the standard chip. Each 2 oz bag of Rhythm Kale Chips starts out as a whole bunch of garden fresh kale. We then mix it with one of our hand-crafted dressings made from a perfect blend of fresh vegetables, cashews, juices, herbs & spices. Instead of baking or frying, our healthy chips are air crisped at a low temperature which maintains the RAW living enzymes and maximizes nutritional potency.

KALE is a nutritional powerhouse. As a member of the cabbage family (Brassica oleracea Acephala), it’s rich in powerful antioxidants, phyto nutrients and carotenoids. It’s also an excellent source of Vitamin A, C, K, B6, Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Potassium, and fiber.

The winner of this giveaway will be able to enjoy all 5 flavors:
Zesty Nacho
Bombay Curry
Kool Ranch
Texas BBQ
Mango Habanero

PLUS….

Rhythm Sweet Potato Chips! 

Not only are these chips crunchy and delicious they are:
Oil-Free
Fat-Free
Raw-Vegan
Gluten-Free
Heart-Healthy
Rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C

Your chip fetish won’t skip a beat when you make the switch to Rhythm Sweet Potato Chips.

Sweet potatoes, a true American superfood, are one of the highest ranked vegetables on the nutrition scale. They’re essentially a perfect food. These delicious root veggies are high in fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, potassium and manganese. They can also help stabilize blood sugar, which means they’re a good choice for diabetics.

You’ll try both delicious flavors:
Sea Salt
Hickory BBQ

GIVEAWAY:

Rhythm Superfoods  is generously providing the winner with a sample of each flavor of their kale and sweet potato chips (lucky winner!). The giveaway is open to US and Canadian Residents ONLY. Giveaway Open Until 12p on 12/13

To Enter: (please leave a separate comment for each entry)

1. Answer this question: What is your favorite chip flavor that you would like to see as a kale or sweet potato chip?
2. Follow Rhythm Superfoods on Twitter
3. Follow @RunWithTongs on Twitter
4. Tweet: “I want to win @rhythmsuperfood giveaway http://wp.me/pFVWo-2Ny @runwithtongs #12daysofgiveaways”
5. ‘Like’ Rhythm Superfoods on FB
6. ‘Like’ Running With Tongs of FB