An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

Toasted Mediterranean Veggie Pasta

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:38:00 +0000

Our exciting week continues but with a lot more cooking in the kitchen. How exciting is this? I do not even have to have Julianne in a carrier in order to make this happen.

This last weekend was filled with more events in our second home: Holland. The smaller ensemble, Lyrischkoor, had a concert and I was finally going to be able to sing.

I was able to rehearse and perform but every time someone came to say hello to me they asked me where the baby was. I find this both amusing and irritating because it almost seems like I should not be apart from the baby or like people expect me to say that the baby is in the car. Ha ha, right.

We have good friends that took care of Julianne and I promise you, every time we left her, she was a total angel. I mean, she always is an angel but I am always afraid she will cry to much or be a little much to handle. I feel like I inconvenience people.

Seriously. This is one of my biggest issues lately is asking for help. I feel as if I am a bother to people even if others offer to hold Julianne or to take care of her.

How do I get rid of this or is this a new mother feeling?

Anyway, the concert went well and Julianne was a joy. We left late Saturday night after the concert and arrived home in time to sleep and get up the next morning for church.

10 weeks and nap time with mommy

The good thing about this weekend is that we got naps. Yes, we all got naps. I love taking naps with Julianne in my arms. I alternate though so she will not get used to sleeping with only me in my arms.

She is almost 3 months old! Can you believe it! We slept almost 3 hours on Sunday too!

10 weeks in her bumbo

Our short week started with quick meals being prepared. Lately I feel like I have my lingo back with creating dishes the way I was before getting pregnant. I look at what I have in the fridge and I whip up something quickly. I love doing that. Many people do not but I enjoy seeing how quickly I can create a meal.

This week, after being inspired by a 30-minute segment by Rachel Ray on Spanish-style pasta, I decided to give it a whirl with my own touch.

We loved this dish a lot because it had unique flavors and it was VERY filling. It was also very quick to prepare. Hope you give it a try!

Toasted Mediterranean Veggie Pasta

by Noelle Kelly

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients (4 servings)

1/2 pound thin spaghetti, torn in 2-inch pieces
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
16 ounces diced tomatoes
8 ounces tomato sauce
1 large red onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups vegetable broth (I used Rapunzel bouillon cubes)
1 1/2 cups asparagus, cut in 1 -inch pieces
1 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1 medium eggplant, peeled and diced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
1 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

In a large cast iron pot, heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil on medium to medium high heat. Add the spaghetti pieces and toast for 10 minutes until brown and aromatic.

Remove the pasta from pot and set aside.

Heat the remaining olive oil and saute' onions and garlic for 3 minutes or until onions are transparent. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, paprika and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the chopped vegetables except for the parsley. Add the salt and pepper. Cook for another 5-7 minutes.

Add the toasted pasta to the vegetables and the vegetable broth and cook pasta according to package directions, 9-10 minutes.

Serve each dish with chopped parsley and crumbled feta.

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:25:00 +0000

Happy Monday! February is almost upon us and I started thinking of yummy recipes I could make and just decided I should just start making some.

Ryan and I are coffee drinkers. Besides having coffee with breakfast, I usually like it in the evenings with some kind of crunchy sweet item. I found myself surprised when I realized that one of my favorite crunchy cookies happen to be biscotti.

When I go to coffee shops I usually choose a biscotti especially if they are chocolate and EVEN more when they are chocolate-covered too! Ryan is not big on biscotti because he thinks they are too dry but I made these and he really enjoyed them. I just think he is starting to take his time with realizing how great of a treat biscotti can be especially when accompanied with coffee.

Make your honey some biscotti for Valentine's Day. Add some chocolate chips to this batter or melt some chocolate, dip or drizzle each biscotti or simply sprinkle some powdered sugar.

These are SUPER simple to make and fun because they start looking like lumps of dough but then end up looking like gourmet cookies, ready to dip into a hot drink.

Forget about all the negative comments biscotti can get and make them this week!

Chocolate Pistachio Biscotti

by Noelle Kelly (original recipe from skinnytaste.com)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Keywords: bake breakfast snack dessert brunch vegan pistachios cookie

Ingredients (28 biscotti)

1-2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened good quality cocoa powder
1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
3/4 cup whole pistachios
2 oz Earth Balance (1/4 cup), softened
3/4 cup superfine sugar
2 flax seed "eggs" or 2 large eggs
--to prepare flax seed "eggs": 2 Tbsp flax seed meal + 6 Tbsp water--set aside for 3 minutes

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Add pistachios, and mix.

In a mixer, mix margarine and sugar on medium speed for 1-1/2 minutes. Add flax "eggs" or eggs, one at a time.

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined to make a dough.

Remove the dough and using your hands, divide the dough into two or three pieces and form into long flat shapes about 8 long x 1-1/2 inches wide. Place on the lined baking sheets and bake 20 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, gently cut the loaves on the angle into 1/2 inch slices (a serrated bread knife works best). Return to the baking sheet fitting as many as you can on the baking sheet, you may need to do this in batches. Bake the biscotti for another 3-4 minutes on each side, less if you like it softer. Makes about 28.

Vegan Guacamole Boca Burger and Creamy Zucchini Sandwich

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:06:00 +0000

Hi there! We've have lots going on this week. We are preparing for our THIRD weekend out of town. How do we do it, eh? This week has especially been rough. My Julianne has been going through a growth spurt and has been eating every hour and a half. Talk about being sore and tired!

I want to thank Judy for being a wonderful friend! I do not know where I would be without the rocking chair she lent me. I work from it and I feed Julianne from it. Talk about multi-tasking! It seems to be working but boy has it been rough the last 3 days. Luckily she is sleeping at nights, even though instead of sleeping 6-7 hours straight, she is waking up every 3 hours.

How am I doing? I feel blessed to not feel TOO exhausted. Ryan is helping a lot and we are working on meals together or he does them with my direction. He is definitely LOTS of help. I do not feel too much like a zombie. Do you think I look like one?

Cooking? Yes, I did mention this earlier. We have been cooking and planning more meals because the days seem to go by so quickly.

Every other day we are either eating oatmeal or cream of wheat with some kind of fruit. Other mornings we eat scrambled eggs or an omelet with tons of veggies. I think this is key to feeling pretty awake during the day. I did take a break with Julianne yesterday and napped with her for about 30 minutes. It was very nice!

I want to share with you the last 2 lunches we have enjoyed. If you remember I told you that I really had an aversion to all vegan foods while I was pregnant. I could not do tofu, seitan, or any meat substitutes. I would nauseous. Here I finally have the baby and I have slowly be reintroducing these foods into my life.

I made a Tofu Asian Stir-Fry last Thursday and 2 days ago I made a Boca Burger using their vegan patty. It was delicious!! Ryan was not much into these patties before but he enjoyed a burger with me 2 days ago. I added some creamy avocado and Earth Balance's new mayo-substitute along with some Daiya cheese melted on it. It was delicious!

Yesterday, I felt like eating a warm sandwich. I had pinned a sandwich idea on Pinterest on my Sandwich board that I knew eventually I would get to. Big Girls Small Kitchen made a Golden Zucchini Sandwich that I knew I had to make.

As I was preparing this sandwich, which was super quick by the way, Ryan came into the kitchen thinking I was making pizza. Ha! I fooled him. I had added some Italian seasonings to the cooked zucchini that made it smell like an Italian restaurant.

Ryan does NOT like zucchini, but really, I have been trying to find different ways for him to enjoy this squash. As he took a bite of the sandwich he asked if the sandwich was made with artichokes. He did not know he was eating zucchini, granted I made it with feta cheese but this sandwich can easily be made with Daiya cheese or any other substitute.

Sorry that I do not have a better picture but my camera battery had died at that moment. You have to make this sandwich.

Warm and Creamy Zucchini Sandwich

by Noelle Kelly

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients (2 sandwiches)

Zucchini Filling

2 cups grated zucchini
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp Herbamare seasoned salt
6 Tbsp low-fat feta, crumbled
1/2 avocado
1 tsp olive oil

Assembly

4 slices of Ezekiel bread
2 Tbsp Earth Balance Mindful Mayo
4 slices tomato
2 bunches of fresh spinach

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Saute' onions for 2 minutes then add grated zucchini garlic, and seasonings and cook on medium low for 10 minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated. Add the feta cheese and cook for 3 more minutes. Toast bread and spread 1 Tbsp mayo on one slice and 1/4 of avocado on another slice. Divide the zucchini mixture between both sandwiches. Layer with tomato slices and spinach leaves and ENJOY!!!

Vegan Guacamole Boca Burger

by Noelle Kelly

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients (2 sandwiches)

2 Vegan Boca Burger patties
2 Tablespoons Earth Balance Mindful Mayo
1/2 avocado, mashed
4 Tablespoons Daiya cheddar or any other cheese
Dijon mustard

Assembly

4 Sandwich thins or Ezekiel bread
8 cucumber slices
1 cup baby spinach leaves

Instructions

Heat patties in microwave or grill burgers on non-stick pan as packaged directions state.

Toast bread and on one side of bread add 1 Tbsp of mayo and then add half the mashed avocado to the other slice of bread.

Place cheese on top of patty, while it is on the skillet or melt in microwave and then place patty on bread.

Divide the cucumber slices between each sandwich as well as the spinach leaves. Add Dijon and devour.

Now I am off to tend to this cutie pie! Have a great day!

9 weeks and counting

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:26:00 +0000

I realize as the week goes by that my blogging is slowing down and it is not on purpose. When I thin about updating you all on our life or of even posting a recipe it is bedtime or I crave the time with my husband after the baby goes down for the night.

We have been eating lots of yummy veggies and eating smaller meals during the day. As a nursing mother, I feel hungry all the time, but it means eating healthy foods and not junk. I am not much of a snacker but if I "see" chips or cookies around I will eat it. I totally have not been making cookies for sure.

Breakfasts look like this:

We have been eating fruit for dessert or even skipping it all together. The thought of putting something together OTHER than dinner is far from my mind.I have lots of yummy recipes pinned on Pinterest, but eventually I know I will try one or two soon.

One of the yummy recipes I created to satiate my baby's feedings are Green Monster smoothies with added barley. I have been soaking pearled barley and adding them to my Vitamix. They are a meal in itself so I usually have one every other morning.

Daddy and Julianne

Ryan has been helping A LOT with meals. He has told me he really does not usually know what to make but if I give him an idea and walk him though recipes or meals, especially meals I have created from my imagination, then he does pretty well. I taught him how to make an omelette so now he is king of egg making. Thanks honey!

Julianne, our baby, has been doing really well! We have stayed on a good 3 hour schedule that has worked for 4 days now. Yesterday was not a good day and I pinned it to a growth spurt because, thank God, she is back on the schedule today, so it seems.

The morning starts around 7:30am with a feeding and them I burp and hold her for 15 minutes. She then plays on her swing for 45 minutes and then I switch her to the play mat. She has started grabbing at toys and making more sounds. It is terribly precious! After about another 45 minutes on the mat she starts fussing.

I love the fact that I can pretty much detect what her cries mean. Her fussy cries end up being "I am sleepy" cries, so I swaddle her and put her to sleep. I had been having her sleep in the bassinet she sleeps in during the night but this week I transitioned her to the crib and she welcomed it! She even likes staring at her stuffed Captain Kirk doll, given to her by her uncle. Hee hee. She then sleeps exactly 45 minutes, every time! Weird!

Julianne is really, overall, a great baby. She has one meltdown of a day and I do not do well. That was my yesterday. I really felt like she was colicky for the first time, but at the same time she is still going through congestion due to a combination of the heater in our home and dryness. I can see she just does not like the crud coming up from her chest. This crud also affects her after eating. I think it upsets her tummy so them I really do not feel like I can help her. :-( We started aspirating with the bulb along with some saline rinses and adding baby vapor rub to her chest, which seems to help. Anyone relate?

After a whole day of her crying in and out and fussing, this mama was VERY tired and I may have shed some tears, but today is a NEW day thank God and it has been a lot better. Maybe a growth spurt? Either way, I have lots of fun with her and she has started sitting on our laps while we eat dinner. it is lots of fun seeing her listen to us as we converse back and forth. She is a cutie!

Chez Chopin CD winners

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:27:00 +0000

I am really trying to keep up with announcing winners on time.

Sorry folks and I appreciate your patience.

Here are the 3 winners of the Chez Chopin CD.

Thanks to all who entered. Please email me your address!

Thanks!

leafynotbeefy.com, 2:15 PM

My favorite genre would def. be classical (and a few opera that I've heard and liked)

Seth, 12:27 PM

Classical

Following you on all of the above Noelle!

Victoria, 12:42 PM

I love country!! I have recently discovered Josh Turner and love him!! Of course, my old favorites are Chris Young, Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts. I absolutely love Classical music, but not as much as country. I love Handel's Largo(from Xerxes).

Strawberries and Cream Scones

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:23:00 +0000

As promised I am posting this most delicious recipe I made last night.

I totally have not been eating any sweets and have been eating more fruits more than anything.

Last night I felt like baking even though it was hard taking a break from this little one:

No really.

Ryan also felt like eating something sweet but we did not want something too sweet nor too high in calories.

I checked my Pinterest boards and went to my Baking board to peruse recipes I have saved.

I cam across a recipe for Strawberries and Cream Scones on King Arthur Flour's website.

I lightened up the recipe using agave nectar, whole wheat white flour, and veganized the recipe.

The recipe also calls for a glaze that, in my opinion made the scone perfectly sweet especially if eaten with a cup of coffee.

If you want a sweeter scone, add a 1/4 cup more of agave.

You have to try these! I used So Delicious coconut creamer to sub for the half & half and it was perfect!

Hope you try these.

Strawberries and Cream Scones

makes 16 scones

scones

1/2 cup diced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 Tablespoons So Delicious coconut creamer
2 cups whole wheat white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
6 tablespoons Earth Balance buttery spread, cut into pieces
2 flax seed "egg", or 1 large egg
(2 Tbsp flax seed meal + 6 Tbsp warm water)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup diced fresh strawberries

glaze

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon water

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.

To make the scones: In an immersion blender or food processor, process 1/2 cup of the strawberries with the agave nectar and creamer until the mixture is smooth. Set it aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.

Work in the margarine using a pastry blender; the mixture should be unevenly crumbly.

Prepare the flax seed "egg" and set aside for 3 minutes to set.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the strawberry/cream mixture, the flax seed "egg", and the vanilla extract.

Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until the dough just barely starts to come together.

Add the 2/3 cup diced strawberries, gently folding them in; the dough will be quite sticky.

Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets; each scone should be about the size of a golf ball.

Make the glaze by stirring together the sugar, water, and vanilla until smooth. Drizzle some atop each scone.

Bake the scones until they're just beginning to turn golden brown around the edges, 15 to 16 minutes on a baking sheet.

Serve scones warm. Or allow them to cool completely, and store airtight at room temperature. Just before serving, reheat very briefly in the microwave, or for 5 to 10 minutes, tented with aluminum foil, in a preheated 350°F oven.

Review: Cappuccino LARAbar

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:51:00 +0000

Hi there! I am trying to get back into the swing of things. After spending 2 weeks in Texas I thought we would have a harder time getting into the swing of things. Julianne did really well on the plane ride to Texas and on the way back to Michigan. I wore the Moby wrap for both trips and they were VERY successful.

Airport security did not make me take of my wrap at all! I prayed before I got to the airport and while I was in line and I was super glad that they did not make me take out my sleeping babe. After this trip I knew I was going to have to have the best washing machine in order to wash all the germs and stains I had gotten on the wrap.

I am still looking into buying a carrier though. Any thoughts? I am debating between a Beco and an Ergo. Any thoughts? I heard and read that it depended on my needs and on my height.

Can you tell our Julianne has grown up? She is 2 months old today and we are happy to see her change. She is so precious and we feel blessed daily!

When we returned from our holiday I had tons of mail to go through, like Christmas cards and packages. I love opening packages, don't you?

LARAbar was generous enough to gift me with 4 bars of their newest flavor: Cappuccino.

Yes.

I did say Cappuccino.

I really like LARAbars but now I REALLY like them because of this flavor. The bars are nutty and fruity but not like the other bars. It is almost like dessert. I had a bar yesterday and before I knew it, the bar was all gone!

If you like coffee like I do, you will like this bar. It is gluten-free, vegan, dairy- and soy-free too! The bar was also softer than the other bars too. Be on the look out for these bars. I cannot wait to stock-up for sure! They will be my snack for this nursing mother! :-D

I give this a 5 out 5 stars!

Don't forget to enter to win 1 out of 3 CDs featuring Chopin's etudes and 24 gourmet recipes all in one! Enter HERE!

Chez Chopin CD and Recipe Review / Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Wow, this year is almost over, can you believe it? There is so many things that have happened this year but I do not have the time to show you everything that I have accomplished. I love reading other people's year-in- review-posts through my Droid in the middle of the night when I am feeding baby girl. Yes this is how I catch up for sure!

One of the things I purposed this coming year is to be able to review my favorite compact discs (CDs) of classical and opera. Even though these past years have focused on recipes, life, and my singing, I hope to focus more on my singing and the challenges of having a baby. I love the fact that I can introduce music to my beautiful baby because I do not know how it will influence her as she grows up.

Which CD will I start reviewing? Well, Delos Music was generous enough to introduce me to Evelyne Brancart playing Chopin in her CD called Chez Chopin which means Chopin's home. How did Delos Music know I liked Chopin? My grandmother used to play Chopin to us and we would listen to it on records. I fell in love.

This CD was created by the pianist with 24 etudes and 24 recipes. The CD comes with 2 discs. One disc has all 24 pieces performed by the pianist while the second disc has a program that plays the piece with the recipe that is featured. Ms. Brancart explains how each recipe is like the piece and describes each with much color.

I cannot wait to try two recipes. All her recipes have French titles with a translation. The recipes are very gourmet but not at all complicated. As the new year approaches I am excited to get back into the kitchen a little more. My almost-2 month old baby girl is growing up fast and finding ways to include her in the kitchen is becoming real fun. Here is a preview of the recipes I will be trying:

Check out Ms. Brancart's work on Delos Music's website:

Chez Chopin

This CD would make a great gift for a foodie who loves music, or just any foodie!

A new update!

Delos Music wants 3 of you to win a copy of this CD.

Here is how to enter:

Answer this question:

1. Which of these genres of music do you like best? (Leave a comment letting me know)

Classical
Rock
Pop
Opera
Country

2. Follow Opera Singer in the Kitchen on Facebook

3. Follow OSIK on Twitter

4.Follow my blog on Google Reader
5.Follow Delos Music on Twitter

Winner will be announced Friday, January 6th. Open to US readers only.

Merry Christmas!!

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 04:30:00 +0000

Hello everyone! Hope everyone has had a blessed day.

Have a wonderful Christmas! We are enjoying our time in Texas. Cheers.

5 weeks and Traveling

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:15:00 +0000

Hi there! I wanted to update you on our lives here in our cozy newborn-way-of-life. We have had lots go on in the last couple of weeks. We have seen our little girl change and becoming a strong little human being. It is pretty amazing how it all works!

Last Wednesday we had our 1 month appointment. Before I knew we were headed out I was surprisingly nervous. All I could think about was how Julianne might not be healthy or maybe be weighed and not have gained enough. I have a frequent preoccupation that I do not have enough milk production which I really just try to stop thinking about it because worrying and anxiety CAN produce less milk production. Well not only that but those negative feelings can pass on to the baby as I feed her and I try to stay positive and leave my health in God's hands.

Our pediatrician is super nice. He came recommended and seems to be very wise! He is in his mid 80s but he looks like he could be in his 60s. He listened to all our questions and he took his time with us. It is pretty incredible because it does not seem to be like that for any medical appointments that I have had of recent.

Julianne gained 2 1/2 pounds and she grew from 21 inches to 22 1/4. She is growing and is very healthy!!

The only thing I am not quite sure of is the Vitamin D drops the pediatrician told me I should be giving Julianne. Some mothers I have spoken to DO give the drops and others DO NOT.

What have you heard? I am still trying to find time to research this new idea so it seems. I thought perhaps since I am taking my prenatal plus an additional vitamin D supplement that it would not be necessary but he said it was.

Did I mention that Julianne was a doll at her appointment? The doctor asked whether she was alert and if she was following us with her eyes. She was doing that at 3 weeks already! He tested her and she smiled at him and he mentioned how smart she already was! :D Don't mothers want to hear that all the time??

After the appointment we went to Panera. Can I tell you how stir crazy I have gotten? We tend to be busy at home that I do not go on errands with Julianne especially if Ryan is home, but being with myself and the baby for too many days cooped up can get slightly daunting. Well, in a sense that I do not feel human. Going to Panera and seeing people and being out in the world with Julianne brings a little normal back in my life.

I think Ryan and I mostly feel afraid that she will be unhappy and crying all the time and we will not be able to enjoy our outing but in reality she has done well with our outings.

This past weekend Ryan had his Christmas concert in Holland with the Holland Chorale. Even though Ryan REALLY wanted me to be a part of the concert I did not feel comfortable with it. First of all, everyone I knew in Holland was singing that night so I could not leave her with just ANYONE. Second of all, the mother of a newborn was not happy leaving her quite yet. Am I wrong?

Even though there were 2 concerts, one in the afternoon and one in the evening, we opted going to the evening because it would be close to Julianne's bedtime. I fed her, burped her, and placed her in my Moby wrap. I was very prepared to sit in the back of the gorgeous church so I could walk out in case she started crying. She was awake for 10 minutes and then she fell asleep for 1 1/2 hours. The WHOLE duration of the concert folks! She did not wake up with the clapping, the loud orchestra, or when the whole audience started singing carols. She was a princess and people were impressed. I thanked GOD! Ryan also had a composition being premiered so I also wanted to be there.

Before I go, any advice for me? We will be traveling with a newborn by airplane. What should I know? Can I wear my Moby wrap through security? We are not taking anything with us, like car seat, stroller, or bassinet because it will all be provided.

Thanks for your help!!

Manna Bread Giveaway winner

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:28:00 +0000

Thanks to all who entered the Manna Organic Bread giveaway.

Tanya from Eating Kale won the giveaway! Please email me your home address and phone number so the company can send your yummy treats!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Noelle

Roasted Butternut, Portabella and Barley Pilaf

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:57:00 +0000

Last night I was inspired to make this yummy meal for us. It was VERY quick to make and filling too. Ryan mentioned that he was glad I had made barley. I believe it is a grain that I have never prepared before and I realized how sorry I was that I had never prepared it before.

I have been using a lot of kale lately since I have been staying away from broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. These happen to be some of my favorite veggies but for a time I have to set them aside for my baby's health. In the meantime it has caused me to focus on my leafy greens.

Last week I made a soup with leftover turkey using curly kale. It was quite delicious but the flavor is usually a little more bitter when eaten raw. For this dish I used dinosaur kale, which Ryan happened to like a lot better than the curly kale. It is a little more like spinach but coarser but not bitter.

I roasted butternut squash for almost an hour then in the last 15 minutes I added chopped portabella caps. I boiled pre-soaked pearl barley and once the roasted veggies were cooked I tossed them with the cooked barley in a large bowl. I added raw chopped dinosaur kale and dried sweetened cranberries.

If you are looking for a new side dish for the holidays this is definitely a colorful and delicious dish. Hope you try it! Now back to my little one! :-D

Roasted Butternut, Portabella and Barley Pilaf

makes 6 servings

2/3 cup pearl barley

1 medium butternut squash (about 4-6 cups chopped)

2 large portabella caps, chopped

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 Tablespoons grapeseed oil or coconut oil (divided)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups packed dinosaur kale, chopped

1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

In the morning soak the barley in water or soak for an hour before preparing dish. Drain the water from barley after soaking. Add barley to a medium pot and cover with water and cook for 20 minutes. Drain and let cool while preparing the roasted veggies.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss chopped butternut squash with balsamic vinegar,2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Spread evenly on baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, add the chopped portabella caps and toss with the squash. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Once veggies are cooked, add them to the bowl with barley. Add the chopped kale and toss in the cranberries. Add a little more balsamic, oil and salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Secret Recipe Club: Vegan Banana Oat Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:00:00 +0000

It's that time of the month! It is Secret Recipe Club for the month of December and I am working it! I have finally baked something and this something was GOOD.

Okay, so wait. I am lying. I baked on November 21st. I baked in 2 day increments and made German Chocolate Cupcakes for Ryan's birthday. Yes. I made the frosting on one day and the cupcakes on another day when I had the time between taking care of the baby.

Cooking and baking has been a little challenging and not as important to me since having Julianne. Although I feel hungry very often, due to breastfeeding, I have no desire to cook or bake.

Even though I took this December task as a challenge it turned out not to be so hard. As I get a hang of a schedule with the baby, I work on tasks that are important. If I feel I can bake after the most important things are out of the way then I will. Sometimes, baking allows me to do something fun than keeping up with all the chores in the house.

In comes this yummy Oat Banana Bread. When I found out I was assigned Itzy's Kitchen, I was excited. I follow Erica's blog and really like all her posts especially all the details about her pregnancy and now her newborn. She is a great inspiration especially since she looks amazing since having her baby. She seems to have gotten a hold of a schedule at her house. You go Erica!

She loves to workout and teaches classes at her gym. She even worked out up until giving birth to her daughter. If you have been keeping up with my blog, Erica and I have lots of things in common. I just hope that once I am able to get back into my exercise routine that I can shed all my unwanted pounds.

As I perused Itzy's Kitchen I came across a yummy recipe for banana bread. I have had a hankering for banana bread so much so that I kept sniffing my husband thinking he smelled like banana bread. I knew I had to make some instead of thinking that people around me smelled like bread. LOL

Erica found the recipe on The Motherload and then added chocolate chips to her bread. I decided to leave out the chips and I made it vegan. How about that? Inspiration all around. The other unique thing about this recipe is that it called for oats and buttermilk instead of sour cream or yogurt.

This banana oat bread was DELICIOUS! It baked perfectly and browned so elegantly. Can bread brown elegantly? It did for me! It was very moist and even though I used coconut oil, I could not taste it. I used flax seed meal to substitute for the eggs and I made buttermilk using coconut milk and apple cider vinegar.

You too can make this healthier banana bread and maybe even make them in 4 smaller loaves and give it to friends. I decided to keep my loaf and eat it with my husband. Hee hee.

I am glad I took on December challenge because it was great! Thank Erica for the recipe!

Vegan Banana Oat Bread

Adapted from The Motherload, found through Itzy's Kitchen

1 1/2 cups whole wheat white flour

2/3 cup agave nectar

1 1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup mashed banana (2 bananas)

1/3 cup buttermilk or (1/3 cup So Delicious coconut milk + 2 tsp apple cider vinegar)

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs or 2 flax "eggs", beaten (2 Tbsp flax meal + 6 Tbsp warm water)

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 8 x 4 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Make flax "eggs" in a small bowl and set aside for 3 minutes.

Combine banana, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and "eggs" in a small bowl. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Spoon batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack, in the pan, for about 15 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan after 15 minutes and cool thoroughly on the rack.

Manna Organics Bread Review and Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:51:00 +0000

Hi there! I hope everyone is having a great start to their weekend. Here it is Friday evening and even though it has been a slightly rough day, I find myself blogging instead of sleeping. Sometimes being online is more relaxing than sleeping.

A few weeks back I was contacted by Manna Organics seeing if I would like to sample their products. Manna Organics is best known for their sprouted and yeast free bread. Their breads also have no salt, no oils, no sweeteners, and no leavening agents. Manna is a moist and delicious, high in protein and fiber. I really like sprouted breads and I have read that sprouted grains are better for the body because they are more easily digested. Their bread is a lot denser than regular breads and is more cake-like in texture.

The company sent me 4 of their most popular flavors.

Cinnamon Date Bread was delicious and a nice treat. I liked it toasted in the oven and then with a little crunchy peanut butter accompanied with some hot tea. It was a nice breakfast. Here are the delicious ingredients: Sprouted organic wheat kernels, filtered water, organic dates, organic cinnamon, organic oatmeal.

Millet Rice Bread was very simple yet tasty bread. Yet again, I prefer the bread toasted. Ingredients:Sprouted organic wheat kernels, filtered water, organic millet, organic brown rice.

Fig, Fennel, and Flax Bread was a delicious combination of sweet and savory flavors. It makes a great sandwich bread or as an accompaniment to a big green salad. Ingredients: Sprouted organic wheat kernels, filtered water, organic black mission figs (diced figs, organic out flour), organic flax seeds, orgainc fennel seeds, organic poppy seeds, organic pumpkin seeds, organic sunflower seeds, Organic Sesame seeds.

Bavarian-Style Sourdough Bread was my FAVORITE. My mother was in town when I received the bread so I got to share it with her and get her opinion of it. She really liked it as well. It reminded me of the dense bread served in Germany. YUM! I had 2 slices of it with an omelette. So filling indeed!

Now even though I only got to try 4 of their breads the company has 5 MORE different breads to offer, like Carrot Raisin, Banana Walnut Hemp, Fruit and Nut, Multigrain, Sunseed, and Whole Rye. They sell their breads in health food stores, in most Whole Foods Markets, or even on their website!

Do you want to try Manna Organics breads? Manna Organics has generously offered to give 4 loaves of bread to one giveaway winner. The winner would be able to pick their own flavors and they would be shipped directly to the winner.

This giveaway is only open to continental USA addresses only.

Here is how you can enter:

Mandatory entry:

1. Which Manna Organic Bread would you try?

Extra entries:(leave a comment for each)

2. Follow this blog on Google Reader or Subscribe to Feed

3. Like Opera Singer on Facebook

4. Follow Opera Singer on Twitter

5. Follow Manna Organics on Twitter

6. Like Manna Organics on Facebook

7. Mention this giveaway on Facebook or on own blog

8. Tweet the following message " Win 4 loaves of all-natural sprouted #vegan breads from @MannaOrganics on@singerinkitchen 's post. #giveaway #food http://bit.ly/rV7HiA "

Giveaway will close on December 8th at midnight EST. I will announce the winner on December 9th.

Good luck!

Plum Cake Tatin and almost a month!

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:00:00 +0000

Yes. We are alive! Whew. I feel like I have been so busy with our little one in addition with keeping up our household and getting some zzz's. I really do not know how other new mothers have time to blog with a newborn. It has really been the last thing on my to-do list EVEN though I miss it terribly.

On that note. As of December I will no longer be with Foodbuzz so if you have visited me through that search engine, consider adding my blog to your reader or liking Opera Singer in the Kitchen on Facebook! I will be updating the blog because I am way behind and I have some giveaways and reviews. I will be joining the BlogHer community and seeing what all they have to offer.

We have been entranced with our darling angel. She loves baths even though she is not a fan of them when she is fussy and only wants to be held. It has been a week since all our family has left our home. It had been 2 1/2 weeks of family visits and help that was VERY welcomed. I have yet to really feel like cooking or to feel inspired. I have to remind myself to eat despite feeling the rumbling of my tummy. Ryan is great about making breakfast and even some dinners as I prompt him with the staples we have in the pantry, freezer, and refrigerator.

I happened to mention in the last post that I was going to be monitoring the foods I ate in order to prevent Julianne from having excess gas. I started reading The Happiest Baby on the Block and I am so loving the tips it gives for calming a fussy or angry baby. I find that Julianne is the happiest when I calm her and place her in my Moby wrap or sling. She zonks out immediately!

I have been craving coffee like mad lately and I have been going back to drinking Teeccino, a coffee substitute made from roasted barley, dried fruits, and other grains. It is very delicious and it can be brewed in a coffeemaker like coffee. I am not quite sure if it irritates Julianne's tummy but coffee is definitely a big NO for her. Sigh.....I repeat to myself that this too shall pass!

I have been really missing beans, cauliflower, broccoli, onions, garlic, tofu, but I am eating plenty of eggs, spinach, kale, bok choy and other veggies. For the time being I am just monitoring how Julianne reacts to what I ingest. It is amazing but I have had contact with many mothers that had no clue that the foods we eat affect the baby's mood and digestion. It makes me sad to see my baby cry in pain because she cannot expel her gas. I get frustrated at myself for self-control but then I ask God to give me strength. I take each day one at a time.

Well, Julianne was baptized 2 Sundays ago and she was lovely. We thank God for entrusting us with our little treasure because we have been given a big task to bring her up to give glory to our Creator. It makes me happy and nervous at the same time but God never gives us more than we can handle so I know He will be with us in every step.

Before I close this post, I leave you with a recipe I meant to post but never did since I checked into the hospital to have Julianne. If you are looking for a unique dessert for Christmas this plum tart would be perfect. It is dense, moist, and flavorful. Oh, did I mention that it was vegan? I took Ina Garten's recipe and veganized it and it proved successful.

Plum Cake Tatin

adapted from Ina Garten's recipe

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) Earth Balance "buttery" sticks, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the dish
10 to 12 purple "prune" plums, cut in half and pitted
3/4 + 1/2 cup Coconut Secret Nectar, divided (or use agave nectar)
2 flax seed "eggs" (2 Tbsp Flax seed meal + 6 Tbsp warm water)
1/3 cup So Delicious plain Greek-like yogurt
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat white flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the plums in the dish, cut side down.

Pour 3/4 cup the coconut nectar or agave nectar evenly over the plums.

Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut nectar or agave nectar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and add the flax "eggs". Add the Greek-like yogurt, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flours, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.

Pour the cake batter evenly over the plums and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. If a plum sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature.

2 weeks after Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:53:00 +0000

Hi there! Were you afraid I was not making an appearance? Well, I thought so! :-) It has been a wonderful blessing enjoying all of my daughter's changes since leaving the hospital. I cannot even believe 2 weeks have gone by.

We have had the blessing of having my mother-in-law for 5 days, then my mother for a whole week and visits from different family members. I am not quite sure what I will do with myself next week when everyone is gone but I know I will have God's strength.

How has it been with a newborn? Very different and somewhat challenging, but oh so much fun! The biggest thing I have learned from being a mother is that IT IS NOT ABOUT ME ANYMORE. My daughter's needs are above everyone else's because she requires care and attention, but do not get me wrong, Ryan and I have needs that also need to be met. Let me explain.

I explained a while back that when I was pregnant I had no desire to keep my vegan diet.Why it happened this way I do not know but I knew there was a purpose. All desire for tofu, seitan, or all meat substitutes and dairy substitutes except beverage made me sick.

Now that the baby has arrived I have such a desire for everything I was eating before, but more along the lines of eating fruits, veggies, soups, salads, beans, etc.

I have been learning a lot about colic and how MY diet and everything I eat affects the baby. Did you know this? Not that I have been testing this out but learning how Julianne is responding to them on a day to day basis makes me keenly aware of how much I do not want my baby to go through colic.

On days I ate spicy, tomato-based foods, beans, onions, cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, coffee, and more I noticed that Julianne was fussy and hardly rested during the day.

By God's grace we have only had one episode of colic and it last for 45 minutes, even though it felt like hours. I cannot stand listening to my daughter in pain or in discomfort so my plan is to keep a journal of all foods I eat. My diet is not any longer focused on being vegan but on what would be healthy for my baby. Articles shows that too much raw foods, onions, beans, and the foods I listed cause colic. I want to prove that my baby can be peaceful and happy without my eating the foods that make her an unhappy baby.

Defenseless.

It is my responsibility to keep my body healthy, yes, but it is also my responsibility to have a happy AND healthy baby. So even though I will be posting vegan and vegetarian recipes, this blog will not concentrate on these food labels but on healthy eating.

Julianne has been a GREAT night sleeper. I have been averaging 6-7 hours of sleep a night even though I am waking up every 3 hours to feed her.

A question though. Julianne would sleep 5-6 hours a night IF I did not wake her up for feedings. My preference is for her to sleep and I notice she eats a lot more and is satisfied when she is not forced to wake up during the night. During the day I do wake her up but the night is different. What is the best method?

The last 3 days have been a dream because she has been napping well and even lulling herself to sleep! She wakes up almost automatically for feedings every 3 hours and I try to catch a nap here and there. There is not escaping it though. Julianne is always fussy or active during our dinner time whether we have it early or later, she is there waiting to be held or to be given some attention. Pretty crazy!

What have I been eating as of late? I have been eating lots of oatmeal, barley drinks (recipe to come soon), soups, meat and potato foods, empanadas, tostadas ( all not spicy at all and no beans), and an apple crisp. The barley and oats all ensure better milk production and to better satisfy the baby. So far, the evidence seems pretty true. Happy baby!

Be on the look out soon! I will have some reviews and giveaway coming on the blog. Happy weekend!

Birth Story

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 15:32:00 +0000

Julianne is 8 days old and I cannot believe how quickly time flies! I have been really wanting to share our birth story because I at least want to have the details written down before they start fading away.

As MANY people knew, I was 10 days past my due date. October 22nd came and went and baby girl decided not to make her appearance. All I could think about was how I could have miscalculated the due date. Where did I go wrong. I was very insistent on keeping a positive attitude knowing that God's timing meant everything. We prayed that Julianne would not arrive on time so that I could be part of Ryan's first fall concert. God answered.

Julianne SURE did take her time though. I had my contraction timer loaded on my Droid phone and I was ready to feel them coming at any time. I know there were several days where I felt contractions different than the Braxton-Hicks but still no baby.

Patience.

Waiting.

Tired.

Cleaning house for the 10th time.

Yes. I have to admit that I was getting very frustrated. I went in for my 41-week appointment with the midwife, except she was not at the office because she was at the hospital delivering babies. I was seen my one of the physicians in the group and I proceeded with my ultrasound and fetal monitoring.

All in all I felt that the appointment was going well until I met with the physician to discuss plans for the following week, the 2 week mark past due date. This did not exactly happen as I imagined. The physician said that my amniotic fluid was low. It was supposed to be between 5 and 10 and mine was reading at 3. I did not like the sound of that but I did not know what usually happened when this was reported. She then proceeded to tell me that I was going to have to be induced.

OK. Nice. Induced. Not on my birth plan. OK. I asked the physician when this would happen. She told me she would call my midwife at the hospital and consult her and the other physicians. She returned to the office to tell me to head to the hospital that very morning.

Uh. Ok. Like NOW? Yes, the physician said not to wait HOURS but to grab my belongings at home and head to the hospital. I left dumbfounded. I was alone and I did not know how to react. Ryan was at school in his class and I had no one to consult. I called my mother-in-law knowing she would be available and walked me through what I had just heard. I kept on phoning and texting Ryan until 45 minutes later, after he got out of class, he contacted me and I told him the news.

Our bags were all packed in the trunk of his car, but Ryan had to pack his clothes. Within 20 minutes we were out of the house at 1pm on November 1st. We checked in the hospital and were shown to our room. I stripped down to the hospital gown and waited. I prayed and asked God for peace and to calm me because I was nervous. I despised the fact I had to be induced. All my grand plans at having this baby naturally seemed to go down the drain.

2:00pm-Nursing staff come in an insert catheter on left hand. Not only am I receiving Pitocin for the process of inducing but I am also receiving antibiotics since I came out positive for Group B Strep. I also had fluids running for hydration purposes. My amniotic fluid was low and so then the baby's heart beat had to be monitored. What more? I had to be hooked up with 2 monitors: one for my contractions and one for the baby's heartbeat. These were probably the MOST annoying monitors in the world. I was strapped down by them and limited to only a small space.

3:00pm-Pitocin starts dripping and then at every half hour it was increased. By 3:30-4pm I was feeling the contractions. By 5:00pm I was feeling them 4-5 minutes. By 7:00pm I was feeling them every 2-3 minutes and they were starting to be uncomfortable and painful.

I found out I could not get in the bathtub to alleviate the pain since I HAD to be connected to the monitors. FAIL #2. I started working on the birthing ball and bouncing but realized that it was starting to get even more uncomfortable on there. I used a smaller yoga ball on the bed and rolled back and forth as I tried breathing deeply and not focusing on the pain.

Ryan was a WONDERFUL blessing! The Lord knew what kind of husband I needed in my life and I thank him daily for providing me with my best helper and coach. He was there with the back rubs, ice chips, words of encouragement. He was my DJ, choosing movie score soundtracks and classical music tracks. He was patient with me when I hissed at him to change a particular track that sounded like synthesized music. NOT the best music for labor, let me tell you.

My breathing was deep and I alternated from lip trills, singing in my head voice, humming in high pitches while streaming breath of air from the deep recesses of my body. It was truly effective but how long could I go? I worked from a rocking chair that turned to be my best friend.

I arrived at the hospital only at 1cm dilated (so sad) and once Pitocin started it took 8-9 hours to get to 5 cm. I was very discouraged. How long was I going to be in labor? Would I be able to last??? Midnight came along and so our chances at having a baby on 11-1-11 at 11pm were shot. Ha! Midnight through 3am proved to be the most painful.

My nurse kept on offering me pain medication even though we stated in my birth plan that non should be offered. Why? Because of what happened next. She kept telling me I had nothing to prove and that I did not have to be a super woman to prove anything. Looking back, even though she was a great nurse, I resent those statements from her. She even told me she experienced Pitcocin without pain meds with one birth and that she would never do it again, so I guess she needed to encourage me NOT to do it?

Well, 3:00am rolled around and I kept moaning to Ryan that I did not think I could handle this pain any longer. I think I cried twice but they were not even hard cries, they were only cries of frustration. Ryan kept encouraging me, telling me I could do it and that I was a strong person. I kept on claiming God's name for strength, peace and direction. Yes, my source of energy was truly through Him, but I will let you know why later.

I called the midwife in and asked her what the pain options were. One could be given through my IV line and the other was an epidural. The one through the line would make me dopey and even the baby. Well, heck, that sure convinced me. Dopey and perhaps I still would feel the pain? I would then not be in control of breathing through my pain. What about an epidural? Well, the midwife explained that it would help me through the pain but she did not push either one. Since the nurse kept suggesting pain meds I wanted to know my options.

Let me tell you. NOTHING good happens at 3:00am. I was running on 5 hours of sleep from the previous night and I was TIRED. Was I lucid? Ryan was not encouraging me to take the meds but wanted the best for me. I kept focusing on my pain, and looking back it was very selfish of me. I just wanted to feel numb. Even so, I decided to go with an epidural. Anesthesia was called, directions were given to Ryan as to where he should sit since a needle was to be inserted in my back, and I was about to sign a consent form. I read the consent form and read the possible side effects.

I got a bad feeling about the whole thing. I prayed and asked God to give me direction. I looked at the consent form and started crying. The possible side effects were possible vocal damage. I do not care if it happened to ONE person or to FIVE, but the fact that it was listed made my mind up. With the anesthesiologist behind me with a big needle, I DECLINED and did not sign the consent form. Somehow, some way, I was going to manage through this pain. I also would have not been able to move around the room if I had accepted the epidural. Another nurse told me later she was happy I did not take it cause it could have prolonged my labor even longer.

Lying in bed for contractions was probably the WORST place to manage through my pain. Ryan encouraged me to stand and rock back and forth. I would then hold on to the bed railings through each contractions and hum loudly. I would fold into a pillow on the bed as I stood. The nurse constantly would come in saying she could not hear the baby's heart beat because my monitor kept moving. DUH! I was told I could use different ways to manage through my contractions, of course my monitor was useless. I was the MOST annoying thing in the world!!

At 4:30am, I called my midwife to check me and she finally gave me wonderful news. I was 7cm dilated. WOW! In an hour and a half, after declining the epidural and walking about the room, I had progressed SO quickly. I knew that God was with me and had heard my prayer.

The midwife told me though that I was dilating unevenly and that I should lie in bed alternating every 15 minutes on each side. Hey, remember that part where I said that laboring in bed was the PITS??? My Ryan was there, rubbing my lower back. Heat compressions were of no help at this point and only exacerbated the pain. 5:00am and 6:00am came and the nurse kept telling me that if my pain started changing to a deeper lower feeling to call them. Meanwhile I was sighing in a sing-songy pitch that was loud. I was singing through each contraction in my head voice. The nurse finally came in and told me to shut it. Technically. She told me to save my energy for delivery so now I had to just quietly breathe through my contractions. It was hard.

The midwife and nurse started setting up the room for delivery and I could only see the light at the end of the tunnel. Would it happen soon? Would I stay at 7cm or would I finally dilate completely? The midwife checked me at 6:30am and said I was ready. WOW!

Ryan was given cold towels to cool me down as I prepared to deliver. I will spare you details of delivery but it only took 45-50 minutes and guess what? There was a shift change right when I was to deliver so I got another nurse for delivery and she was AWESOME. Between my midwife, new nurse, and Ryan, I had the best team to help me deliver Julianne. She came in one quick swoop and I held my little girl IMMEDIATELY.

I cannot express to you, well, I can, how amazing it felt to be able to hold her. It was an out of this world experience and all the pain I experienced went out the window when I saw her and held her. I thank God for the gift of life and for being able to carry this little body in my body for 10 months. I would do it ALL over again. I realized that my choice to numb my pain would have been selfish of me. These are MY feelings for my situation and I am in no way judging anyone else who takes pain meds, but I had a birth plan and I almost through it out the window for MY convenience.

I had control over my choice of having pain meds but I did not have control over being induced, so I decided to take that route and I am super thankful that God was my helper as was my dear husband.

Secret Recipe Club: Cranberry Compote Parfaits

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Hopefully as you read this post I have my beautiful baby in my arms. It has been a long wait just to be able to wait for her arrival. I am writing this post a week in advance because I did not quite know how much time I would have to blog so thank you for reading and visiting!

I decided to participate in November's Secret Recipe Club because I thought for some crazy reason I might have had my baby by the due date but seeing that I am 10 days late as of 11/1/2011 here I am blogging in advance.

This month I was assigned a cute and wonderful blog called Thru The Bugs On My Windshield. It truly has a unique blog title and I wondered why it had such a cute title. Apparently the author travels a lot especially in a car and most photos are taken from inside the car or at an instant, these sometimes including bug splats. Funny! I am happy to report that she is also from Texas! Hello! I am from Houston so hopefully we lots in common besides blogging, cooking, and photography.

The author has MANY wonderful recipes on her site but the most exciting recipe I wanted to try was her recipe for cranberry compote. Thanksgiving and Christmas are around the corner so I am always looking for new recipes to include in my menu plan. Cranberry sauce is probably one of my favorite sides to go with all the trimmings so I knew I wanted to try this cranberry compote.

I halved the recipe because I wanted to make sure I did not have too much on hand. As this recipe cooked on the stove, the house smelled WONDERFUL! This compote has great spices and I was really longing for Thanksgiving. It made for a cozy morning.

So while this recipe would be PERFECT for the holidays as a side, I decided to use my compote in a parfait. I took Grape Nuts cereal and So Delicious Plain Yogurt and alternated layers in a parfait glass. It made for a great breakfast ya'll! It would also make for a great snack or dessert. It is not too sweet and it is perfectly tangy.

Check out Thru The Bugs On My Windshield because there are many more wonderful recipes to try.

Cranberry Compote Parfaits

adapted from original recipe

makes 4 parfaits

1 bag fresh Cranberries, rinsed and drained

1 large Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and diced into 1/2″ pieces

1 Cinnamon Sticks

3/4 cup Water

3/4 cup agave nectar

1/4 Cup Orange Juice

Zest of one Orange

Juice of one Lemon

Zest of one Lemon

3/4 cup rough-chopped Pecans (optional)

Grape Nuts cereal

Two 6-ounce containers plain or vanilla So Delicious Greek-style yogurt

Combine all ingredients in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil and continue to boil over medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and discard the cinnamon sticks. Let cool and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

Take 4 parfait glasses and layer each glass with compote, cereal, and yogurt. Enjoy!

Baby Girl finally arrived!!

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:38:00 +0000

Just wanted to let everyone know that our little girl, Julianne Helene, arrived on November 2nd at 7:28am. She weighed 8 pounds, measured 21 inches and is so very beautiful!

I will be sharing the birth story soon after I get used to things but here is a tidbit. I went in for my 41 week appointment, already 10 days past due date. I got an ultrasound, my contractions were monitored and I had a fetal monitor. After 45 minutes I was told I needed to go to the hospital because my amniotic fluid was low. It usually is supposed to be between 5 and 10 but mine was reading at 3.

17 hours later, after being plugged to pitocin, Julianne was born, without pain medications. Here are a few pictures.

First nap at home

Arriving at home

Ryan changing the 1st diaper

Preparing to go home.

15 min after being born

All snuggled up in the crib at hospital

6 hours after birth

Foodbuzz Tastemaker: Godiva Pumpkin Spiced Vegan Latte

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:02:00 +0000

Yes, for those that LIKE my page on Facebook, I mentioned that if the baby was not born last night that I would post my Plum Cake Tatin, but I am afraid I am going to have to wait. Let me tantalize you a little, OK? Oh wait, I might be already be doing that with this baby. LOL

A while ago Foodbuzz sent me two bags of Godiva Coffee's latest seasonal flavors, Pumpkin Spice and Caramel Pecan Bark – available nationally, for a limited time only! These flavors are inspired by Godiva's most popular chocolates and crafted with high quality, medium-roasted, 100% Arabica beans for a rich, smooth taste.

I really liked both flavors despite having one in my household that really just does not like flavored coffee. I still brewed both and had Ryan taste them as well. He thought they were both pleasant while I thought they were really smooth.

I finally decided to make a Pumpkin Spiced Latte because I had been REALLY wanting one most coffee shops syrup has dairy so I made my own with coconut milk. YUM!

I like opening the bag and smelling the spices for this coffee. Ryan told me this morning that I have been really obsessed with pumpkin recipes. Have I? I am glad he noticed. Tis the season for pumpkin recipes, what can I say?? I could not even tantalize him with a cup of my latte, but he is more of a mocha guy.

I used Pumpkin Pie Mix because it was already sweetened with cane juice and it had all the spices. I just added a b it more ground cinnamon, 1/2 Tablespoon agave nectar, and hot coconut milk. It was pretty good! No dairy and very seasonal.

Go out and find this coffee while you can. Godiva DOES have other flavors, so go check out their website!

Who wants to try this coffee? I have a coupon for $2.00 OFF a 12-ounce bag of their coffee.

Just leave me a comment with your favorite pumpkin recipe or favorite Thanksgiving recipe. Open to US readers.

I will choose a winner by the end of the day so I can mail it by tomorrow in case the baby arrives. :D

Godiva Pumpkin Spiced Vegan Latte

makes two 12-ounce lattes

1 1/2 cups So Delicious Original Coconut Milk

4 Tablespoons canned Pumpkin Pie mix

1 Tablespoon agave nectar

1 1/2 cups Godiva Pumpkin Spice brewed coffee

cinnamon for sprinkling

If you cannot find canned Pumpkin Pie mix then use regular pumpkin puree and add your own spices: 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves.

Heat coconut milk in a medium pot and add the canned pumpkin pie mix, agave nectar and heat until frothy. Divide between two mugs and add brewed coffee. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Enjoy!

Coconut Nog French Toast and a few of my favorite things

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:44:00 +0000

Hello there. Today marks my 41st week being pregnant. I have to say that it has definitely been harder dealing with the fact that this baby is taking her time being born. I have cleaned the floors, reorganized some drawers, put up fall decorations, washed laundry multiple times, and more!

I took a picture last night at 41 weeks and it makes it seem that this baby seems comfortable where she is. Can you see all the veins on my tummy? Crazy but I do have thin skin.

Last night we just took advantage of going to the movie theater and watching The Big Year. We were super surprised there were only 2 other couples at a 9pm showing because the movie was very amusing, but then we figured out that perhaps there were not many people because it was PG. You hardly get to see those come out anymore. LOL

41 weeks pregnant

Here are a few things that have been my favorite things of late:

Yoga ball

Raspberry Tea

The yoga ball helps me not to be sitting on a couch and helps me stay flexible while the tea helps prepare me for labor when the time comes. I added 2 cinnamon sticks this morning to continue to help the process.

Again, I woke up feeling hungry and prepared a recipe that a friend suggested I try from the side of the So Delicious Coconut Nog carton. Coconut Nog French Toast. Does that not sound delicious???

I have not had French toast since I was in elementary school when my mother bought me the Nancy Drew Cookbook Clues to Good Cooking. If there is a cookbook you are looking for to introduce your young child, this one is one to look at it. I had lots of fun learning how to cookbook with simple recipes even with a French toast recipe.

Anyway, I decided to use up the rest of our sourdough French bread to make this new recipe and boy was it surprising! You mash bananas and the coconut nog with spices and then cook on a hot griddle until nicely toasted and cooked. I then added sliced bananas and pears, sprinkled with powdered sugar and drizzled them with agave nectar.

Ryan and I both liked it and deemed that French toast must be prepared a lot more often, at home! :D I finished the rest of the coconut nog with the French toast and am looking forward going to the store and getting another carton. Ask your local grocer to carry So Delicious Coconut Nog for a healthier, lighter version of eggnog. You will not regret it.

Coconut Nog French Toast

adapted from So Delicious Coconut Nog carton

serves 2

1/2 cup So Delicious Coconut Nog
1 ripe banana
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 slices day-old Sourdough French baguette, 1/2 inch thick
1 Tablespoon Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread, divided
Maple syrup or agave nectar (optional)
Powdered sugar (optional)

In a pie plate, mash banana with fork and combine the Coconut Nog, banana, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until smooth.

Add the bread slices and allow the bread to soak in the mixture, 3 minutes on each side.

In a non-stick skillet, over medium low heat, melt 1/2 Tablespoon of Earth Balance margarine.

Add 4 bread slices and slowly cook until nicely browned on both sides. Serve with maple syrup or agave nectar and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Add more banana slices or other fruit to compliment this lovely breakfast. Thanks So Delicious for a nice recipe! :D

Spiced Peach Nog Cobbler and Update

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:10:00 +0000

So here I am still waiting on God's timing. What have I been doing with my time? I totally do not feel like lounging around like lazy bones, but I have not been overdoing it either.

Monday, I went to my Zumba class with my favorite teacher, Antonio. He told me he thought I would have given birth already. Well, I think many have thought that too! I have to admit that Zumba was not as MUCH as fun as last week because I was a little uncomfortable in my lower abdomen region. I remember the gym owner telling me she worked out a few days before giving birth and encouraged me to continue the classes, granted Zumba is only twice a week so I have been walking the other days.

Here is it Wednesday and I am still pregnant with some contractions throughout the day. Nothing too big but they are definitely different than Braxton Hicks contractions. Ryan was talking to the baby through my tummy yesterday asking her when she was coming out and BOY did she respond with movement that made me nauseous! LOL Ryan continued to chat with her and I told him he had to stop because mommy was going to get sick on him. Yes, we are a mess here.

You know what I realized though, is that now that the concert is over that the only thing looming over is the baby's arrival and it is crazy unnerving. As I was taking a 45 minute walk yesterday I was talking to God and getting teary because I cannot believe that this baby is almost here. The gift of life is incredible but the emotion is so amazing! God's timing is awesome.

Well, so besides working out or doing a little more cleaning in the house, I have been cooking a little, catching up on Netflix, reading a bit and catching up on posts. Someone still needs to cook right? This morning I felt SO hungry I demanded to be taken out for breakfast. I HAD to have a piece of fruit as I got up from bed but I was terribly famished but the desire to cook has been lacking.

I at least have 2 freezer meals stored at my friend's deep freezer and 2 nights ago I quickly made my Tortilla Soup and froze half of it. Might as well make the most of my time right?

Last night I felt inspired to make a peach cobbler. I have not had a peach cobbler in a while even with peach season that came and went here in August. I actually did not hear much about the peaches but I used frozen peaches to make mine.

Photo courtesy of The Laziest Vegans in the World.

Recently, So Delicious sent me 2 of their NEW Holiday drinks, a Nog Coconut Milk (a vegan egg nog) and Mint Chocolate Coconut Milk. Can I say super yummy???? I immediately poured myself a glass of the nog and sighed after because it was so good. I stopped drinking Silk's Nog because it left a weird aftertaste and I also wanted to limit of soy in my diet, so it was REAL nice to have this coconut milk version. You should be excited folks! You are going to love these drinks for sure. The Mint Chocolate Coconut milk tastes like a thin mint cookie...hmmmm...nom nom.

I took advantage of using my So Delicious Nog Coconut milk for my peach cobbler. I subsituted the milk in the recipe for nog and I also added Nog into the peach mixture as well. It was super delicious!! I also drank a glass of the Nog with the dessert to accentuate the flavor. Can't get enough. Thanks So Delicious for letting me have the opportunity to taste test these products.

Spiced Peach Nog Cobbler

makes 4-6 servings or a 9x9 pan

Peach mixture
16-ounce bag frozen peaches, thawed
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
2 Tablespoons So Delicious Nog Coconut milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dough mixture
1 cup whole wheat white flour
1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening or coconut oil
1/4 cup So Delicious Nog Coconut Milk
1 flax seed "egg" or 1 regular egg (1 Tbsp flax seed meal + 3 Tbsp warm water)
( mix the flax meal plus water and set aside for 3-5 mins)

Spirnkle with sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a medium bowl, add the peaches and the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour peach mixture into a 9x9 glass pan.

Prepare the dough mixture. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the vegetable shortening into the flour until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the egg and Nog coconut milk and mix until well combined.

Add the dough in lumps on top of the peach mixture. Sprinkle sugar over dough. Bake your cobbler for 20-25 minutes until the dough is golden. Cool for a bit and serve with a glass of Nog Coconut Milk or with So Delicious Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.

Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program with Marzetti Simply Dressed Salad Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:28:00 +0000

As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received a coupon to choose ANY Marzetti Simply Dressed Salad Dressings. I was intrigued to try a salad dressing because I usually make my own dressings at home but when I read the following description I decided to give one of the dressings a try. Here is a snippet about the dressings:

Marzetti Simply Dressed is made with a minimal number of all-natural ingredients, such as extra virgin olive oil, canola oil (source of Omega-3 ALA) and sea salt, and does not contain any preservatives, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup, MSG or artificial flavors or colors. Finding a refrigerated Simply Dressed variety that pleases your palate is easy with 10 varieties to use on your favorite salads, grilled vegetables, and in wraps.

When I went to the store I looked for the dressings in the refrigerated section of the produce area. There were 10 different kinds of dressings but most of them were creamy and mostly with dairy. Here are the options are really had:

I decided to try the Champagne Salad Dressing which had the following ingredients: WATER, CANOLA OIL, CHAMPAGNE AND WHITE WINE VINEGARS, SUGAR, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, SEA SALT, NATURAL FLAVOR, GARLIC*, XANTHAN GUM, BELL PEPPER*, SPICES.

I used the dressing in our everyday salads for a week and after a week I realized I felt like I was eating regular Italian dressing. There was really nothing special about this dressing except the fact that it uses natural ingredients. I am not much one for fruity dressings but I now regret not going for one of those. Maybe in the future I will try one of those.

Check out Marzetti's website to see the rest of their dressings and try one this week.

40 weeks and counting

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:44:00 +0000

I am 2 days past my due date and I am certain it has to do with a little prayer of mine. I talked to the baby and I prayed this past week that she hold off for 2 days so that Ryan could conduct his first fall concert of the season and so mommy could sing in daddy's concert.

Did it work? Ha ha ha, I am writing this post with the baby still in my womb.

I broke out the pineapple and have been munching away this morning. I have been feeling a few contractions but not any that are as frequent. I did wake up fairly uncomfortable this morning and I am praying that there will be some action in the next 2 days. I do have a midwife appointment today so we'll see. Good news is that there is no rush to force inducing. If I am late 2 weeks, THEN they start talking about scheduling something on the calendar. I just PRAY that it is not 2 weeks from now.

I did have a good workout this weekend though. I had a voice lesson on Friday with my fab teacher. He had suggested I keep my lesson on the calendar even though perhaps I might not feel up to it or perhaps the baby would be here by now. I am glad we kept it on the calendar because it was wonderful being able to sing with limited breath support. I mean, it technically is not limited but it makes it harder to breath deeply.

At 40 weeks pregnant, I feel singing has been sensational. I feel like I have a richer sound especially when I hit my high notes. My voice teacher agreed. He was just amazed I was taking a lesson. I worked on Un bel di from Puccini's opera Madama Butterfly. By the time we got through I was breaking a real sweat. Who knew it would be such a workout?

The real question is, how will the baby respond to music and all types of music when she is born? She has been exposed to a lot and I am eager to see how she embraces and responds to it. Yay!

Saturday was Ryan's concert in Holland. I also sing in the 80 plus member ensemble. Would I need a chair or would I need to sit half of the concert? The problem with this was that everyone would be on risers and I would be the lone person on a chair on the side. Heck no! I would feel like I was singing a solo. It was already enough sticking out because I am pregnant but on the side of the risers.

I stood the whole concert. We did have a 20 minute intermission so I sat for 10 minutes. I did feel sore the next day and some contractions but I did have lots of people come up and say how impressed they were I even sang or the fact I stood the whole concert. It felt wonderful to be able to get through a workout like a concert at 40 weeks pregnant ESPECIALLY when it was the DUE DATE too!

I will have a story for baby girl. I am already putting it in her baby book so she knows what was going on while she was in my womb. SO exciting!

I would appreciate prayers!! Here is looking at the next 2 days!!

Come on baby........

Sunflower Butter Rice Crispies with Chocolate Espresso Layer

noreply@blogger.com (Noelle) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:04:00 +0000

I have nothing to complain about.

After getting a pregnancy massage on Tuesday, my days have been so wonderful. I have LOTS of energy and I have been able to sleep pretty well. I also have been working on a yoga ball during my 8 hour shift. Yes, working from home and sitting for multiple hours HAD been a pain until I discovered I could work from my T.V. tray and on a yoga ball.

Yes, I must look silly but it is doing the trick. I feel and work comfortably until baby girl arrives.

I wanted to get in one post before the weekend. I figure with being out of town and with a concert in the works, I probably will not have time to post so I wanted to leave you with a delicious recipe I made last night.

I could see in Ryan's eyes last night that he wanted a sweet treat but he had rehearsal and I promised that when he returned from it, there would be something special waiting.

One of Ryan's favorite desserts to choose at our favorite coffee shop are the Scotcheroos. I looked up a recipe and noticed that they have butterscotch chips and corn syrup, ingredients I do not use or keep in the house. I could easily veganize the recipe but I decided to go another route and see how Ryan would like a different version.

I was inspired by Katie's post for her homemade Luna bars that I created some bars somewhat like hers and like the Scotcheroos with a little twist.

I recently bought, finally, a bottle of sunflower butter that I had been wanting to try. I am such an Earth Balance Crunchy Peanut Butter fan that I just forgot I wanted to try an alternative. You know what the pros are when eating sunflower butter?

With one-third less saturated fat and 27 percent of a day's recommended allowance of vitamin E in one serving, these products fit well into a healthy lifestyle and diet. Plus, SunButter^® products have a much higher iron and fiber content than peanut butter and are a great source of protein.

I was really floored! If you are allergic to tree-nuts then this is the butter for you. It is gluten-free and peanut-free. I really liked using it in the crispie recipe.

I did trick Ryan though. He did think they were the perfect sweetness. He is always telling me my desserts are not sweet enough, even though they ARE, but I was glad to hear that he enjoyed this recipe. He could not quite pinpoint the sweetener I used but he was also surprised that I used brown rice syrup.

Well, we had our one slice last night and sent the rest to the grad students. I am in no way trying to fatten anyone up but I am continuing to enjoy cooking around here until I get my hands full taking care of my little angel!

There is so much cleaning I can do you know. LOL Enjoy this recipe and play around with it!

Sunflower Butter Rice Crispies

makes 9 bars

3 cups puffed brown rice cereal

1/2 cup smooth sunflower butter

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon espresso granules

Chocolate Espresso Layer

6 ounces dark chocolate ( I use Ghiradelli)

1 teaspoon espresso granules

Line a 9x9 glass pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, melt the sunflower butter and brown rice syrup in the microwave. Add the vanilla, salt and espresso granules to the mix and stir well until combined.

Add the 3 cups of puffed cereal to the butter mixture and stir until well combined. Ad the mixture to the 9x9 dish and press the rice mixture firmly with a spatula until spread evenly.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Add the espresso granules and mix well.

Spread the chocolate over the rice and spread evenly.

Place the dish in the freezer for 30 minutes to an hour. Slice into bars when ready to eat.