Marvelous Garland

Oh so marvelous!

I lust after garland. 

It can be made out of anything!

My sister & I made several strands for my mom's & daughter's joint birthday party. 

The first kind: large perfect circles cut with a large craft hole punch, using cardstock in the colors we chose for the party.

The second kind: flags made of felt and burlap (I LOVE these! Burlap with light pink & brown is divine.)

The third kind: assorted ribbon tied to rope, in different twists, ties and bows. The messier the prettier. 

The fourth kind: paperclipped (if we could've found clothespins we would have used those) pictures, new and old, of the birthday girl--my mom! (This was quite the conversation piece, as it hung above the food banquet, a little more at eye level beneath the other strands.)

We used burlap & twine, and a single hole punch for threading. I like the combination of bright colors with rustic materials. 

I want to hang these everywhere. Maybe I can come up with a foresty-looking garland for the new baby's nursery? 

Lindsey.

Between Me An'Jello: Baby wipes

ATTENTION INDIE PARENTS: My friend Holland recently posted a recipe for homemade baby wipes! Genius & cheap. I will definitely try this one; check it out :)

Between Me An'Jello: Baby wipes

Black Truffle Rigatoni with Gruyere, Fontina, and Kale

This is one of those thrown-together experiments that I am absolutely loving right now. You can bulk up on the kale and eat less pasta to lighten things up, but I wouldn't substitute the heavenly gruyere and fontina for anything "light." Even I have my limits!

Ingredients (makes 2 servings):

2 servings whole wheat or whole grain rigatoni, cooked al dente

1/4 c. (more or less) diced gruyere

1/4 c. (more or less) diced fontina

2 tbsp. flour (I used brown rice flour)

3 tbsp. milk (I used almond milk)

sea salt & pepper, to taste

crushed red pepper, to taste

2-3 large curly kale leaves, torn

splash of olive oil, for sauteeing (cooking spray or water work fine)

drizzle black truffle oil

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions, and drain. 

In the meantime, heat sautee pan over medium and lightly sautee kale with red pepper (and a dash of parmesan, if desired) for 2 minutes. 

Toss cheese, flour, and milk into hot pan with pasta, and stir. It should get delightfully gooey. Add salt and pepper, if needed. 

Serve topped with kale, drizzled with truffle oil.

Yum!

I have been making this as a quick dish on my lunch break, and eating a small portion (it's filling, believe you me!) with a nice side salad. 

(My current favorite salad includes mixed leaf lettuce and baby spinach, kalamata olives, cucumber, sundried tomato, fat free feta, extra virgin olive oil, and red wine vinegar.)

Kale is probably my biggest pregnancy craving this time around. (I know, I know...I'm not normal.) Funny, I just read somewhere that people who start to eat "clean" diets will begin craving things like kale. I'm all for a good kale chip, but this red pepper sautee is truly amazing. I pair it with everything. 

Fun Kale Facts

(because I'm a listaholic nerd):

-repairs cellular damage and slows down/prevents cancer

-great source of vitamins C, K, beta carotene, and calcium

-is in the cabbage family

-steamed kale can help lower cholesterol (whfoods.com)

-natural anti-inflammatory

Back in my heyday, I never, EVER would have believed I'd be singing the praises of something in the cabbage family. What the eff has becoming a mom done to me? ;)

Lindsey.

-

(PS: On another note, because I've mentioned this previously: my mom had surgery today to remove precancerous cells in her breast. Her mother (my beautiful, lovely grandma, who is, to this day, one of my biggest inspirations) died at 59 years old of breast cancer--it spread to her bones and her brain. One of the BIG pieces of advice to my mom from her doctor is to LAY OFF the Diet Coke. My grandmother, too, was a constant drinker of diet pop. Of course, maybe it's just a coincidence, and I know heredity/genetic disposition plays a part. But I used to drink Diet Coke constantly, and this gives me another reason to feel great about not drinking it! My mom, too, has been working to give up the Diet Crack Coke. 

I love you, Momma!)

Easy Low-Calorie Meals & Snacks

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

Michael Pollan.

High-volume, low-calorie meals and snacks are my number one weight loss/maintenance trick. I really focused on this after having Reese. I’m a person who likes to see a lot of variety on my plate, but I want to be able to feel satiated without consuming too much. I’ve found that what works for me is to eat a lot…of low-calorie, REAL food. One typical protein bar contains upwards of 200 calories, and I find it to have the same effect on me as a candy bar: sugar high, sugar crash, starvation mode. Not to mention most of those bars have more chemicals and unpronounceable ingredients than even a Snickers. If I don’t know what it is or can’t imagine where it grows, I probably shouldn’t eat it.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve found and created some SIMPLE dishes that have become my stand-bys for quick and healthy food. Here are some examples of meals and snacks I make regularly:

Feta Zesti: a dish I had at a restaurant in California and can’t stop making! It works well on whole wheat pasta, pita, or—the lowest calorie option—on its own. Chop Roma tomatoes (or any type of tomato, really) and place on a foiled baking sheet spritzed with extra virgin olive oil. Top the tomatoes with a little more oil, sea salt, fat free feta cheese, and oregano. Place under the broiler until the cheese browns.

Ricotta-Stuffed Wax Peppers: exactly as they sound. Lena’s, the Italian restaurant in our town, used to have these and they were super-delish and probably way more complicated. I make a very simple version. Slice Hungarian hot wax peppers lengthwise and chop ends; remove seeds. Fill with light ricotta, salt and pepper. Top with fat free feta and oregano, and place under the broiler.

Lemon Dijon Asparagus: When I was pregnant with Reese, this is all I wanted to eat. I had never liked asparagus before my pregnancy! Must’ve been all the folate. Rinse fresh asparagus (I like the skinny kind) and snap woody stems. Place on foiled baking sheet with extra virgin olive oil, and bake at 400, 25 minutes or so, until they meet your standard of doneness. (I like everything overcooked. Most people don’t.) In the meantime, make the lemon Dijon vinaigrette: ½ c. extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard, juice and zest of one lemon, sea salt and pepper to taste. Whisk together. Pour onto hot asparagus.

Mashed Parmesan & Rosemary Cannellini Beans: so simple, and sometimes I just crave this all on its own. Rinse canned cannellini beans and cook with one cup low-sodium vegetable stock (or chicken stock, if you prefer) on medium-high until beans are soft. Mash with a fork. Season with sea salt, pepper and rosemary. Stir in parmesan. Obviously, if you’re trying to watch your weight, you can garnish with parmesan instead of incorporating bucketfuls into the mix, as I’m always tempted to do. This is like mashed potatoes on fiber-crack!

Truffled Cauliflower Puree: see recipe. You can make this without all the cheese! Just garnish with some parmesan, or hold it altogether and use spices, like sage or rosemary, to dress it up.

Hot Roasted Pepper Hummus: Store bought is fine. Homemade is FABULOUS. I promise I will post my recipe, and my secret life-changing ingredient, because it deserves its own post.

Cucumber, Dill, Feta, and Yogurt: My old standby snack. I keep this in the fridge at work. It’s packed with protein, and is cool and refreshing and very light. Mix plain 0% Greek yogurt (Fage is my fave, and hormone-free!) with a little fat free feta, sea salt, pepper, and dill. Mix the yogurt with chopped cucumbers—as many as you like; they are low-calorie and fill you up!

Mediterranean Veggies with Pasta: Here’s the trick: If you’re like me and lust after pasta, but you’re trying to cut calories and lighten up your meals while still finding said meals filling enough to not make you break open your husband’s box of Nutty Bars that you don’t even like but that are staring at you from the top shelf of the cabinet and driving you crazy and making you think just ONE little bite wouldn’t hurt…then you need to change your ratios. You can still have the pasta (100% whole wheat, that is), BUT only a small serving. And the only way that’s gonna work is by conning your brain and your tummy into feeling full on less. My solution is to load up on veggies, and lighten up on the pasta. And the veggies are so good, you won’t notice the difference. I lightly sautee julienned bell peppers, Greek peppers, mushrooms, broiled tomatoes, squash, baby spinach, and anything else I have in my fridge, then top with extra virgin olive oil, oregano and fat free feta.

Strawberries & Balsamic Reduction: This can be served over greens as a salad, or on its own as a dessert. To make a balsamic reduction, pour a generous amount of balsamic vinegar into a saucepan, and simmer on low until it is the consistency of syrup. It reduces to about a fourth of its volume, and turns rich and sweet. Drizzle over sliced strawberries, with some slivered almonds. Blue cheese is also excellent on top, but fat free feta can be substituted, or cheese can be omitted altogether.

Berry & Banana Blend with Frozen Yogurt: A new favorite dessert. Recently I’ve been reading up on veganism, and I may forgo the fro-yo eventually, along with ice cream, but in the meantime I really love this. The frozen yogurt can be substituted with a soy ice cream, which I’ve never tried, or with frozen kefir—which is tangy and delicious and MUCH more nutritious. Anyway, whichever frozen treat you use, it’s the same idea: pour some frozen berries into a bowl and microwave until warm and juicy. Add sliced bananas, and top with frozen yogurt (or substitute) and cinnamon. Almost tastes like cobbler!

Tofu Salad: I originally got this idea from Bethenny Frankel’s book, Naturally Thin. It sounds kind of icky, and I’ve never been one for real egg salad anyway, but—oh em gee!—it’s addicting! And you can make enough for a couple of days, and store in the fridge for easy lunches. I like to put this on toasted sesame Ezekiel bread, or pita: Mix diced firm tofu with low-fat mayo (or, in my case, Fage 0% Greek yogurt), Dijon mustard, and either salt and pepper or Spike seasoning (which is, for the record, INCREDIBLE, and salt-free!). Way, way, way better than it sounds, and a good way to introduce yourself to tofu if it scares you!

More ideas and recipes to come! Comments welcome :)

Lindsey.

What Lurks in my Kitchen (healthier processed/packaged options)

Ben and I just got done watching the eye-opening documentary Forks Over Knives. I have been, at least for the last 5 years, a very conscientious eater, and since I've worked some magic on him (and because he is a paramedic and sees all variety of disease and disorder caused by poor diet and lifestyle), Ben has made many dietary changes as well. I like to use My Fitness Pal to track my calorie intake, and he has also been utilizing the iPhone app--and has lost a couple of pounds. (My big pregnant ass is jealous. Right now I am focusing more on nutrients than calories. But I can't wait until after baby, when I can return to my normal routine!) 

Anyway. I've been a vegetarian since the age of 8. No, I was not raised in a hippie commune; in fact, my entire family eats meat. I could never get into the taste or texture, and the killing-animals thing realllllly bothered me as a kid (and still does, to be honest). The documentary really shed a lot of light on things I'd long suspected to be true about meat and dairy. For instance, the livestock industry emits more of a harmful carbon footprint than does all of transportation. Cows raised for meat or milk are fed so much grain, it could easily solve the world's hunger crisis. And in countries where meat and dairy make up a small portion of overall food intake and fast/processed food is barely consumed, many of the diseases America suffers from DO NOT EVEN EXIST. 

I really believe our Westernized diet is the culprit of so many of our ailments. We were inspired to watch the film because a smattering of close family members currently suffer from things like diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, cancer, and precancerous breast cancer cells. Most of them put a large focus on foods like meat, butter, processed cheese, non-organic milk, sugar-free processed snacks, drive-through meals, and diet soda. 

I'm not a nutritionist (Ben thinks I am missing my calling), but I AM highly passionate about diet, nutrition, and fitness. Because of my own lifestyle, I get asked a lot of questions. The favorite among people finding out about my lifelong vegetarianism is, "What do you EAT?!" The second favorite is, "Where do you get your protein?"

First off, I highly recommend watching Forks Over Knives, for answers to the protein thing. You CAN get adequate protein from a plant-based, whole foods diet. Secondly, I do not have a perfect diet; my downfall is cheese, and I do consume dairy, though this film and other research has inspired me to cut my intake. I think small changes make a big difference in the long run, and over the years I have continued to add in the good and take out the bad. I like to eat what gives me energy and fuels my workouts. I also have been diagnosed with adult ADD, and I decided to make dietary changes instead of taking medication--it HAS helped my focus, tremendously. I lost my baby weight with Reese and then some (gained 43, lost 50), in about 2.5 months, with weight-based exercise and a healthy diet. I do allow myself to have a "treat" now and then, and because I eat well most of the time, I don't feel guilty about it anymore, and I don't see the effects of it on my weight. I used to eat anything sugar-free and fat-free and diet, thinking I could trim my weight with the absence of calories; it worked when I was 19, and backfired when I hit 24. Now I eat REAL food, and enjoy the REAL benefits of it. 

The majority of our diet at home is truly made up of produce. (You will never see a family of 3 who goes through bananas so fast!) I make sure each meal is centered around fresh food with lots of nutrients. When I can't get fresh, I get organic frozen produce without additives. 

Sometimes, though, we really need to rely on processed or packaged foods. I have narrowed down my kitchen staples over the years to include the brands I feel most comfortable with, and these are some of the things you will find in our kitchen:

1. PB2 is a delicious powdered peanut butter that you mix with water before serving. I use this a lot in shakes. It cuts out most of the fat and calories of regular peanut butter. I also eat natural peanut butter, which IS good for you in SMALL amounts. Because I love it, I can't trust myself to stick to one serving size, so PB2 is my solution. The chocolate flavor is made with real cocoa and is yummy. 

2. Fage Greek Yogurt is what I use in any recipe calling for yogurt, cream cheese, or sour cream. Ben loves it as a substitute in things like taco dip, and it makes a mean tzadziki sauce. I also eat it as a mid-morning snack with fruit and cinnamon. Packs a big protein punch. 

3. Bolthouse Farms juices are Ben's new favorite thing. I've loved them for a long time, and we give a splash to Reese in her water bottles. Of course, they are calorie-dense and have sugar (albeit from natural sources) and should be used sparingly. They are great for when you're in a rush and need something quick and nutritious. 

4. San Marzano canned crushed or whole tomatoes are what I use to make marinara sauce. First off, it's a fraction of the cost of jarred sauce. Secondly, most people aren't aware that most jarred or canned sauces are FULL of SUGAR. No thanks! I love homemade sauce. We add our own basil, and freeze leftovers in single portion sizes. 

5. Reese loves mac & cheese, and so do I. I prefer the homemade stuff, but Annie's Organic is a good substitute, and is made with whole wheat pasta. I mix a little with veggies for her lunch. 

6. She also loves puffs. She calls them "Wiggles." I got these organic puffs from Target; they have 1/2 the sugar and include greens like spinach, collards, and kale. She eats them just as she would the sugary stuff. 

7. Truvia is what I use in iced tea. You only need the teensiest bit to make it sweet. I am very wary of aspartame anymore, so have switched to natural sweeteners. This also includes natural applesauce, blue agave nectar (pictured), and pure maple syrup. But I have also trained my taste buds to not need things to be very sweet, so I'm fine most of the time with totally unsweetened food and drinks. This IS possible, the training your taste buds thing. I used to put sugar and salt on everything! Now it takes us YEARS to go through a tiny salt shaker. 

8. Farro and other whole grains (like quinoa, brown rice, wheat berries, etc) all contain protein. Pair them with beans or legumes for a complete protein. To most people, these grains look kind of scary. I promise there are enough recipes out there on the internet that you can find something you love made with whole grains. They are complex carbs, and are essential for energy. Unlike white bread and pasta, they will not put you into psycho-sugar mode.

9. Coconut oil is not only good for cooking, but great for your skin! I use it to grease pans. 

10. Almond milk--I just plain love it. I have never liked the taste of dairy milk, and this stuff has twice the calcium and way less calories. Even Ben says it's really good on his cereal, and he is a milk drinker. I still give Reese cow's milk--organic 2%--because I am not sure if almond milk is okay for her to drink, but I am currently researching this, and if anyone has any insight, I'm interested in hearing it!

Here are some frozen foods we eat here at the Forche house. I LOVE Amy's bowls and Reese really digs these Sonoma burgers from the same company. They are dairy free, and made with veggies and quinoa. Kashi makes great frozen entrees you can feel okay about eating; these are wonderful on workdays when I don't have anything fresh to take along. 

Reese is loving these do-it-yourself mish mash things I got in a 4-pack at Target. They are perfect for on-the-go. 

I adore shakes and smoothies for when I'm in a time crunch, or just don't feel awake enough for breakfast but know I need to jump-start my metabolism. This one is made with:

-1 scoop chocolate Shakeology (Beachbody is one of my absolute favorite companies. I use all of their workouts, and have always been more than impressed with their products, including this AMAZING shake. It now comes in Vegan, too!)

-1/4 c. oats

-1 kale leaf

-1/2 c. mixed berries

-1 tsp. cinnamon

-almond milk and ice 

My other obsession: Tazo green tea. Here is my daily batch of iced tea. I boil the tea and steep the tea bags first, then throw over ice and cold filtered water, with a little Truvia. Green tea is fabulous for metabolism, and in my opinion tastes divine. I can't get enough. 

When it comes to diet and nutrition, I think the key is to reflect on how food makes you feel after you eat it, When you eat something fatty and calorie-laden for "comfort," you usually feel awful and sluggish afterwards. I know for a fact that when I eat any type of candy bar, I have a massive crash an hour and a half later, and will eat everything in sight to keep from fainting. My brother, sister and I all have sensitive blood sugar. When I crave something heavy and full of fat, I let myself have the "better" version of it in a small portion, and fill the rest of my plate with veggies--the veggies fill me up, and then I don't need to eat a gigantic portion of macaroni and cheese!

I used to drink Diet Coke by the case; even though it's "diet," I gained weight and felt horrible and had migraines--with or without it. My mother is going through constant biopsies right now because of lumps and precancerous cells in her breasts; her doctor told her that many of her cysts are caused by none other than diet soda. I am trying to get her to switch over to iced tea. Now, I drink at least 2-3 liters of water every day, and have nixed my own soda habit. My skin looks better and my energy levels are up, and as far as I'm concerned, diet pop is poison. 

Any health tips of your own? Products that you love and want to share? Success stories? 

I'd love to hear them!

Lindsey.

Berry Banana Baked Oatmeal

This is super-yummy, and is great for a breakfast crowd or for having something quick in the fridge. Reese loved it because it includes her favorite ingredient, "nanas." I'm always looking for meals that have a good balance of complex carbs, lean protein, and fruit or vegetables. They keep me full and satisfied, and they fit the nutritional bill for me--and my family.

Berry Banana Baked Oatmeal

Preheat oven to 375 f.

Grease baking dish.

In bowl 1, mix the following:
-2 c. steel cut oats
-1 tsp. baking powder
-2 tsp. ground cinnamon
-pinch of sea salt
-handful of chopped nuts (optional)

In bowl 2, mix well:
-1/4 c. pure maple syrup
-2 tbsp. agave nectar
-2 c. almond milk
-2 eggs, beaten
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1 tsp. almond extract

Later in bottom of greased pan:
-3 bananas, sliced
-1 c. berries of your choice
-contents of bowl 1
-contents of bowl 2
-1 c. additional berries
-dusting of brown or turbinado sugar

Additional optional ingredients:
-smattering of dark chocolate chips, for decadence
-a bit of cooked quinoa, for a nutritional boost

Bake 40 min, or until lightly browned.

Serving suggestion: add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt with a dusting of cinnamon.

DIY Photo Album

I was at Target yesterday, browsing photo albums for all the Snapfish prints I'd just gotten back. I'm very particular about albums, and over the years my preferences have changed 6,000 times. Lately I've been buying these huge 350 photo, 5 to a page, horizontal and vertical photo slot books. My problem is that my photos are not always the same size, because I take them with all means of camera (cell phone, Sony Bloggie, Nikon...), and I also don't like that I can't add in some memorabilia here and there unless it measures 4x6. I used to scrapbook, but I just do not have the time or patience for it anymore. So, while Reese got impatient and kicked around in the red card, I made a decision to grab not a typical photo album, but a 3-ring binder, and various forms of photo book refills. I bought the binder for around $10, and the refill pages for $5 per pack.

Assembling my photos.

The basic supplies: a 3-ring binder, and various refill pages. The best part is that you can always add to it later!

Gift tags, scrapbook stuff and memorabilia can be added right to the binder. Here, I placed a tag with our last name before page 1. I can always go back and add more to each page.

A section of photo sleeves will track my belly photos week by week. I can add to the section depending on the amount of photos, and I don't have to screw up the composition of the album as a whole.

I've added  the front yard sign from Reese's birthday party in sleeves, in the section of photos of the same party.

Sleeved section of party photos. Good for sections where there are a lot of photos. 

Unsleeved section, with some stickers. I will probably go back and give it more of a "scrapbook" effect later. It's nice to be able to add some detail about the day the photos were taken. Regular albums just don't have that appeal.

Here are my grievances about the regular old photo album:

-pictures have to be one size, or risk floating around looking stupid in their sleeve.

-some photos have to be flipped, if you don't have the perfect ratio of horizontal and vertical pictures.

-sometimes the amount of photos you want to include in one book exceed the amount of room in the album.

-sometimes you're ready to move on to a new chapter of your life and would like to start a new album, but you then have to leave a quarter of an album unfilled.

-memorabilia/ "scraps"/ stickers don't always fit in an album with sleeves.

When I bought the binder, I realized I could mix up pages with sleeves and pages without, and also scrapbook pages, and just general papercraft. I can add or eliminate pages without changing the overall composition of the album, and it will be "full" whenever I choose for it to be, without leaving all those sad blank pages at the end.

Maybe not everyone is as OCD about their albums, but for me, this is the perfect solution! Nothing like a fussy toddler to put you into creative overdrive so you can get the eff out of the store!

What do you think? Any great album tips to share?

Lindsey.