When I was pregnant with my first child, I over prepared for everything: birthing classes, breastfeeding books, baby supplies, etc. However, there was one area where I completely dropped the ball: I didn't make any food ahead of time. I didn't realize how hard tasks like cooking dinner and running to the grocery store would be with a baby. Instead we spent the first few months of my daughter's life ordering take-out and eating overly processed boxed foods. This time, I planned ahead. I made a month's worth of freezer dinners, snacks, desserts, and breakfasts. One of my favorite items I made was Pumpkin Bread. It was so easy and quick to make, and tasted so moist and delicious. I was originally going to keep it pure with no add-ins, but my daughter convinced me to make it with chocolate chips. I definitely think she made the right choice! Feel free to mix in your own personal favorite add-ins. This recipe makes two loaves, and freezes beautifully...if you can wait that long to eat it.
So today I have some news to share. You may have noticed that my blog entries have decreased a bit since January. The reason? Well, I've been exhausted and sick. Just the thought of most food makes my stomach uneasy. Yup, that's right: I'm pregnant! Baby #2 is expected in early October. I had a very tough first trimester, but now that I'm finally in the second trimester, I can start to feel my appetite and motivation trickle back. Woo!
Looking for a healthy breakfast or snack that tastes more like a treat? Let me suggest baking a loaf of Blueberry Spelt Bread. This recipe is from the fabulous blog My Whole Food Life, which always has great healthy recipes that don't taste healthy. Blueberry Spelt Bread is a breeze to make, and tastes delicious to boot.
A few days ago, I found myself staring at some incredibly overripe bananas, debating on whether to throw them out or try to make banana bread with them. I knew our family wouldn't be able to eat a whole loaf of banana bread before it went stale, so I came up with the idea to make Banana Bread Muffins and freeze them instead. I looked at several Banana Bread recipes to get an idea of what sort of ingredients are used, and then using that as a guideline, created my own recipe, using as many healthy alternatives as I thought I could get away with, without sacrificing the flavor. Since I don't eat bananas, I had to rely on my husband and toddler to critique the outcome. My toddler, who might be the pickiest eater ever, gobbled them down in under two minutes. My husband pronounced it "delicious!" and was shocked when I told him they were healthy. Success! I froze the remaining muffins, so now I have an easy breakfast for them. I just pop one out of the freezer, microwave, and voila, a relatively healthy breakfast in under 30 seconds.
There are very few things that my picky toddler will eat, and she seems to have a strong preference for processed foods. *Sigh* So I try my best to pick out the healthiest out of the processed foods, such as wheat bread for her "Cheesy Bread" lunch. I had assumed that if the bread's packaging had words like "natural" and "made with whole wheat" and such, it meant that it was you know, healthy. However, after a little research, I learned that most bread in the grocery store is pretty awful for you, even the ones that call themselves "healthy". This article from 100 Days of Real Food was one of the things I read that really opened up my eyes. Frustrated by the commercial trickery, I decided to buy a bread machine and make my own bread. It's been a great purchase: the bread is easy to make, tasty to eat, and healthy for our bodies. I've tried a few recipes, and played around with ingredients, and finally perfected a Honey Whole Wheat Bread recipe that our whole family loves. I hope yours does too.
