After my short bout of the fabulous stomach flu this week (note the sarcasm), I had to test these cookies out earlier than planned to improve my production to off-set the dehydration. So last night I whipped up a batch to get my production back up, and to take with me on my work trip next week. I have to say, they taste pretty yummy! Things to note:
- the dough is kind of sticky, but not crumbly like the recipe stated.
- I had to bake them for about 14-15 minutes, and they still looked a little doughy in the middle
- the texture is definitely...different. They're a softer-type of cookie. It's not bad, just not like a normal cookie.
- they taste completely normal. no weird after tastes or anything
- I swear they made me start smelling odd by this afternoon. At first I thought it was someone else, but then I realized it was me! I'm not sure if it was the cookies, or that my jacket just needs a trip to the dry cleaner. :)
- They are really filling! I can normally put away half a dozen cookies without blinking, but I had a hard time eating 3 today. And that's over an entire day! Seriously, I have easily eaten a dozen chocolate chip cookies in a single day, on a regular basis. (not that I'm proud of it or anything...)
I haven't seen an impact on my production, but I think it takes a couple of days. Here's hoping it works!!
Interested in Challenge Packs?
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
Lactation Cookies
A friend of mine passed this recipe on to me a few weeks ago. Now, I know this blog is supposed to focus on healthy things, but breast feeding is healthy! :) I plan on making these before my work trip and taking them with me. My fear is drying up while I'm gone, even though it's just for a short time.
My friend doctored hers up with white and chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and walnuts. I'll be using my vegan butter and dairy-free chocolate chips. I'll let you know how they turn out!
(* as found on http://www.bellybelly.com.au/breastfeeding/breastmilk-supply-increase-breastmilk-lactation-cookie-recipe)
Preheat the oven to 350F.
1) Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes.
2) Cream (beat well) margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well.
3) Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to the margarine mix. Beat until blended.
4) Sift together dry ingredients, except oats and chips.
5) Add to margarine mixture. Stir in oats then chips.
6) Scoop or drop onto baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment. Because the dough is a little crumbly, it might be easier if you use a scoop.
Bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies. Makes approximately 6 dozen cookies
My friend doctored hers up with white and chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and walnuts. I'll be using my vegan butter and dairy-free chocolate chips. I'll let you know how they turn out!
(* as found on http://www.bellybelly.com.au/breastfeeding/breastmilk-supply-increase-breastmilk-lactation-cookie-recipe)
Lactation Cookies Recipe
- 1 cup butter or margarine
- 1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal (can be found at any local health food store)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups oats, thick cut if you can get them
- 1 cup or more chocolate chips/sultanas/almonds/macadamia nuts (whatever takes your fancy)
- 2-4 tablespoons of brewers yeast (be generous)
Preheat the oven to 350F.
1) Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes.
2) Cream (beat well) margarine and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well.
3) Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to the margarine mix. Beat until blended.
4) Sift together dry ingredients, except oats and chips.
5) Add to margarine mixture. Stir in oats then chips.
6) Scoop or drop onto baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment. Because the dough is a little crumbly, it might be easier if you use a scoop.
Bake for 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies. Makes approximately 6 dozen cookies
Moo
Ever since I got on my health kick a couple of years ago, eating natural food has been important to me. As an extension, this means that avoiding formula for Tierney is extremely important to me. I'm sure formula is perfectly safe, but it just doesn't feel natural to feed my baby something manufactured. On top of that, most formula is cow-milk based, and she has struggled with dairy.
Due to this mind-set, I because obsessed with building up a freezer stock of pumped milk while I was on leave. My job sometimes requires me to travel, and I was afraid I'd be sent over to Asia as soon as I got back from work and need to keep her fed for two weeks. Also, I'd heard that production can drop after returning to work, and since I didn't know what to expect I wanted to be prepared for anything. It's funny because at one point during the new mom group the lactation consultant was shocked when I said I had about 200 oz. of frozen milk stocked up. Well, it's around 1000 oz now! Shoe boxes work perfectly, neatly fitting two rows of Lansinoh bags.
My mom has taken to calling me a cow. But I can't help it! I still get up in the middle of the night to pump even though she sleeps through the night. And if I don't get the same amount at each pumping I get really upset. I regularly freeze between 20-30 oz a day. It's paying off now, because I'm headed off to my first work trip in two weeks. Luckily it's only for 3 days, but I can breathe easy knowing Tierney will be well fed. Now all we need is a bigger freezer!
Due to this mind-set, I because obsessed with building up a freezer stock of pumped milk while I was on leave. My job sometimes requires me to travel, and I was afraid I'd be sent over to Asia as soon as I got back from work and need to keep her fed for two weeks. Also, I'd heard that production can drop after returning to work, and since I didn't know what to expect I wanted to be prepared for anything. It's funny because at one point during the new mom group the lactation consultant was shocked when I said I had about 200 oz. of frozen milk stocked up. Well, it's around 1000 oz now! Shoe boxes work perfectly, neatly fitting two rows of Lansinoh bags.
My mom has taken to calling me a cow. But I can't help it! I still get up in the middle of the night to pump even though she sleeps through the night. And if I don't get the same amount at each pumping I get really upset. I regularly freeze between 20-30 oz a day. It's paying off now, because I'm headed off to my first work trip in two weeks. Luckily it's only for 3 days, but I can breathe easy knowing Tierney will be well fed. Now all we need is a bigger freezer!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Super Salad
During my maternity leave Tierney and I attended BYOB (Bring Your Own Baby) yoga at Blooma almost every day. Wednesdays were my favorite because they had the class from 11-12 then the New Moms group at 12:45. There is a great restaurant next door, and they let you order lunch before yoga, then deliver it at noon so you can eat before the mom group. My friends Ann and Laura and I did this one day, and I ended up with the yummiest salad! Afterwards I started recreating it at home, and it just never gets old! It's the perfect combo of protein, fruit, and salad.
1/4 avocado, diced
1 strip of bacon, cooked and crumbled
6-10 purple grapes, sliced in half
Organic Romaine salad
2 tsp EVOO
sea salt
pepper
Toss all the ingredients together and enjoy! I end up eating a huge portion most days for lunch. Delicious!
**you can also add shredded rotisserie chicken if you have some left over. I like to get a rotisserie chicken on Sundays for dinner, then use the left-overs for my lunch salads during the week. The salad from the restaurant also had sliced celery, but I never add that.
1/4 avocado, diced
1 strip of bacon, cooked and crumbled
6-10 purple grapes, sliced in half
Organic Romaine salad
2 tsp EVOO
sea salt
pepper
Toss all the ingredients together and enjoy! I end up eating a huge portion most days for lunch. Delicious!
**you can also add shredded rotisserie chicken if you have some left over. I like to get a rotisserie chicken on Sundays for dinner, then use the left-overs for my lunch salads during the week. The salad from the restaurant also had sliced celery, but I never add that.
Avocado, Apple, & Turkey Panini
I never thought I'd be in the position where I wanted to stop losing weight. I was incredibly fortunate to quickly lose all my pregnancy weight. It's funny because I saw a quote recently from a celebrity, Molly Sims I think, and she was angry about other celebrities who lost their baby weight quickly and how it was a sham. Well, I had that same opinion until I had Tierney, and when my weight fell off so fast. Then I realized that for some people weight really does go away and you can't hold it against them, just like I would never judge anyone who struggled. Anyways, I've mentioned how I cut dairy and soy out around Thanksgiving time to help Tierney's stomach. This, in addition to my return to work, has made my weight plummet. Normally I would love the numbers I'm seeing on the scale, but now I'm just concerned about keeping my milk supply up.
In order to maintain my weight and milk supply, I've been attempting to add healthy fats and calories to my diet every day. Avocado has been my favorite "add", since it gives you lots of healthy fats and energy. It helps that it's tasty too!
Last week I was looking for a new dinner and decided to pull out our underused panini maker. I dug out the Panera Sourdough bread from the freezer (dairy free), added sliced avocado, mesquite turkey, and thin apple slices. If you cut the apple in discs down the side it makes perfect crispy slices for sandwiches, with some left over for a side dish! I used my Nature Balance dairy free butter and toasted the sandwich in the panini maker. Next time I think I'll mash the avocado first, but it was pretty good!
In order to maintain my weight and milk supply, I've been attempting to add healthy fats and calories to my diet every day. Avocado has been my favorite "add", since it gives you lots of healthy fats and energy. It helps that it's tasty too!
Last week I was looking for a new dinner and decided to pull out our underused panini maker. I dug out the Panera Sourdough bread from the freezer (dairy free), added sliced avocado, mesquite turkey, and thin apple slices. If you cut the apple in discs down the side it makes perfect crispy slices for sandwiches, with some left over for a side dish! I used my Nature Balance dairy free butter and toasted the sandwich in the panini maker. Next time I think I'll mash the avocado first, but it was pretty good!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)