Growing up we didn’t eat much Tex-Mex food, except for the occasional taco night.
And then I met Nate and his Texas family who quickly introduced me to a whole new tortilla, bean, and rice filled menu. I soon realized if I was going to be a part of the family I better learn a thing or two about salsa and tamales.
While pregnant with Damian I loved spicy foods but I don’t remember eating my weight in Mexican food. Apparently the Texas roots run deep though because we have a Tex-Mex baby.
This topic seems to come up a lot on this blog, but if you’ve somehow missed the memo–Nate and I like good food. Wholesome, nutritious, often organic, gourmet-esque, lovingly prepared food. And then we had a kid, who is the pickiest eater we’ve ever met…. It’s amazing how 99.9% of your life really does change after having a child. I know there are about a million people saying “I told you so” right now, but I think parenthood is something only ‘understood’ once experienced. Anyway, I’m digressing…
So Damian is super picky. I’m not sure if it’s a texture thing or a flavor thing (probably a bit of both) but we’ve been pulling our hair out for awhile trying to get him to eat something other than bananas, sweet potatoes, bread, and cereal. I can only eat something maybe twice before I’m bored and need about a 6 month break. Apparently Damian did not inherit that trait from his mama.
When I was pregnant I thought “my baby will eat only homemade, fresh, mostly organic baby food.” And while we’ve stuck pretty well to the organic thing, everything else has gone out of the window. At this point, I just want him to eat something so the health factor has gone out the window. No superfoods for him… But he’ll eat his weight in cheese quesadilla and chips!
The other issue is some what ironic. Nate and I try to significantly limit our meat, dairy, egg, etc consumption to less than 5% of our food intake. However, Damian needs to eat these things as part of his cholesterol treatment. I guess it’s good that he actually likes eggs. With Damian’s needs being different than a normal person’s, I know the priority is to help prevent issues that can arise from SLOS. Children with SLOS who are started on a cholesterol therapy before the age of 5 have been shown to only have a 22% chance of developing Autism, whereas children started after the age of 5 have an 88% chance. That’s a HUGE difference! And obviously I want to try to minimize his chances so it’s doubtful Damian will ever share our diet completely.
My how things can change!
I wish I could look this cute when I’m a mess. Damian has finally gotten over his “spitting phase” but now he thinks it’s funny to just let the food ooze out of his mouth down his chin. Maybe he just wants to have a beard like Nate?
Excuse the horrible pun that is this post’s title… I can never resist those types of things.
I’ve been thinking about food a lot recently. Nate and I are pretty health conscience people, but we’re also foodies. If given the option to go out to a nice restaurant or buy new “things”, we’d almost always go for the good food. While at dinner for my birthday, Nate and I were talking about some of our food choices in comparison to a lot of the new food movements trending right now. Neither of us have any desire to be vegetarian even though we agree eating less meat is a healthier way to live. And don’t even think for a second we’d be able to give up cheese to become vegan. And then there are the “Plant Based, Whole Foods” diets out there – Thrive Diet, Engine 2 Diet, etc. The basic concept is to eat an extremely plant based food diet. As in only plant based foods. No refined sugars, starches, dairy, etc.
Our issue over all of this is that while we believe 100% that a Plant Based, Whole Foods diet is significantly healthier than the “Standard American Diet” we don’t like demonizing food. We’d like to live by the theory of moderation and mostly the good stuff. Like I said before, we’re foodies. We appreciate not only a food’s nutritional aspects but also it’s preparation, it’s cultural significance, and the artistic value that cooking can have. To us there’s something intrinsically valuable to good food done right, even if that’s a piece of cake. Food has worth beyond it’s nutritional value.
Every culture bonds over food. We seek comfort in food. A single dish can bring us back home or help us relive some moment. Food is about happiness and community. Families are forged through the sharing of a meal. The first bond most of us feel is with our mothers who nourish us. Food is not only life giving, it is nourishes us emotionally. It’s a shame when we are forced to eat in our cars because we don’t have time for a good meal at home. Or when we can’t take time to get together with friends at our favorite restaurant. That’s what food is meant for, to unify us in our common need.
As I waited to check out at Target tonight, I was standing next to a man wanting to buy Peanut M&Ms. We started talking and I found out he was spending tonight in a shelter and was just wanting some time in the warmth of Target. He ended up asking me to buy his candy for him. Normally I hate when people come up to ask me for money because part of me is like “What Would Jesus Do?” while the other part of me is like “They’ll probably just spend it on drugs.” Yet, this man just wanted food, so I agreed. However, the thought crossed my mind that I should take him to go get something better for him than Peanut M&Ms because that’s just “crap in a bag.” But then I thought about it a little more. This man needed comfort. He was in Target to get warm for God’s sake… If having Peanut M&Ms was going to bring him some happiness, isn’t that ok?
So many people in the health food industry claim that people are over weight because they don’t know what’s healthy and what’s not. That may be true to some extent, but I seriously doubt there are many people out there who don’t realize an apple or salad is better than Oreos or a Big Mac. However, I would guess for a lot of people, the issue is emotional. Food isn’t the problem. (Yes, if soda and Krispy Kreme and all the other horrible foods out there didn’t exist, and we were still hunters and gatherers in the wild, there probably would be less people overweight.) Is it not the fact that the world today causes emotional stress unlike it has in centuries past? Is it that we’ve gotten use to excess in everything-work and food included? Have we lost our sense of what food is really for and our sense of community? It seems that deep down we know that food provides for us an emotional release, but thanks to some other issue in our lives, we are abusing it. A pint of ice cream might make us feel the same way dinner with our family does, but it won’t fix a broken home life. So while providing healthier options and better food education is a good place to start, if we do nothing to fix the emotional stressors in a person’s life, are we really making any progress at all?
I’m starting to think if we do nothing to help mend the brokenness of a person, they will always find something to try and replace that lack of happiness and love with. In an ideal society no one would be over weight, not because people would never eat Krispy Kreme donuts, but because they wouldn’t need to replace something deeper with them. We would no longer rely on food to bring happiness, but on our happiness to make great food. And so that’s where I’m left. Did I do the right thing buying the homeless man M&Ms? Would it have mattered if I had gotten him something healthier without doing anything to fix the fact that he was unemployed and homeless? What should I have chosen-his health or his happiness?
Hey guys! I wanted y’all to meet my friend Emily. I’ve been struggling to find the time to eat well during the day because Damian requires 99.9% of my attention. She’s been great at offering suggestions on quick and healthy things to grab. Her blog Comfortable Home Life is full of unique and tasty recipes, and the pictures always make me hungry! I invited her to do a guest post today because I know a lot of us struggle with healthy eating, and adding kids to the mix can make it seem impossible. Here are some of her tips:
Hi Pup and Tot lovers! I’m Emily from Comfortable Home Life. I blog about all things related to my crazy life, but mostly about the delicious food I create. My BFF MH invited me over talk about one of my favorite things in the world: food.
First though, I have to include a ridiculous picture of me and her:
This picture is from five (!!) years ago. Happy almost 4th of July!
Anyway. When MH and Nate had their precious little tot, I heard about how stressful/time consuming life can get, and how nutrition and sound meals are sort of pushed to the wayside. I’m here to tell you it doesn’t have to be that way! Good nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated, and it is so, SO important to maintaining your sanity when all your attention is focused on a wee one. I guarantee you will have more energy and feel much better if you eat real food, rather than 400 peanut butter sandwiches or whatever you can find in the kitchen. All it takes is a bit of effort and a little planning!
Even though I haven’t got any tots myself, I do know a thing or two about whipping up a quick meal. One of the easiest (and healthiest) things I’ve ever made is the Green Smoothie. It’s so easy that I drink one of these every morning for breakfast. My favorite combination includes: 1 cup baby spinach, 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1/2 cup milk & 1 tablespoon of almond butter. Throw everything in a blender and a few minutes later, you have the perfect balanced meal. A meal that includes both fruit and vegetables, along with a healthy balance of carbs, fat and protein. The best part? You can’t even taste the spinach! This smoothie is totally kid-friendly as well. Some other add ins I use include: golden raisins, flax seed, chia seed, frozen mango, frozen strawberries, and dry oats. There are literally millions of combinations you can try, so have fun experimenting with what you like best!
This smoothie was made with blackberries, which give it the deep purple color. Topped with some granola for a fun crunch!
Another one of my favorite meals is a Hugh Jass Salad. I am a firm believer that salads do not have to be rabbit food. I chop a whole bunch of ingredients ahead of time, so when the craving hits, I throw everything in a bowl and have a nutritious meal super quick. I start with a good base, usually kale, romaine hearts or spinach. I then add in some protein. I’m vegetarian, so this usually includes baked tofu, garbanzo beans or black beans, but carnivores can use shredded chicken or chopped turkey. After that, anything is fair game.Carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, bell pepper, corn, peas, edamame & shredded cheese are all in the running in my kitchen! Top it with some oil and vinegar or a fun dressing of your choice, and you’ll be refreshed in no time. Again, this comes together in a cinch if you do a little prep work beforehand. You could pick up the pre-chopped veggies from the grocery store to save even more time!
The old saying goes “you are what you eat”, and honestly it couldn’t be more true. If you fill your body with wholesome, nutritious food, you will look and feel all the better for it. You will be able to give your kids (and the world!) the best part of you, and they will reap the benefits of healthy, happy parents.
If you like what you read, come on over to Comfortable Home Life and click around! You’ll find more delectable recipes, musings on my relationship with fitness, and most recently, my love affair with World Market.
♥♥♥
P + T crew
and
Comfortable Home Life
Our lovely friends Emily, Hannah, and Katie Jane threw a party in honor of Baby W, and it was amazing! I know that Nate and I had a great time and so did the friends and family who were able to attend. Going along with the nursery, they did a nautical theme and filled our house with the cutest decorations and most delicious food. Check out Emily’s blog post to see more on the food. We received so many fun baby things and enjoyed getting a chance to get together with friends from college. Nate and I were told we’d have to keep having babies to give everyone an excuse to get together. Hopefully some other friends will start helping us out on that one 
We had our 33 weeks doctor’s appointment yesterday. It was the quickest one yet. And even though we didn’t get any printed ultrasound pictures, we did get to look at him for a bit. Baby W is doing well. He’s still head down facing my right side with his little butt right under my left ribs. He was playing with his feet when we were looking at him. We also got to see his heart beating. Other than that it was a pretty uneventful visit. I checked out fine too so we were in and out. The next appointment will be a bit longer. We’ll be going over a lot of ‘day of’ stuff along with doing one final test. I can’t believe there are only 7 weeks until his due date!
The funniest thing about the appointments is becoming how much weight I’ve gained. At this rate, I’ll have gained 45-50 pounds by the end of the pregnancy! That’s a lot! However, no one seems worried, and it must all be going to my stomach as I don’t think I’ve put much weight on anywhere else. Baby W better come out and bring 30 pounds with him. I’m not sure how I’ll ever lose 50 pounds (if I end up gaining that much). I think any possibility of Baby W being a small baby has gone out the window, even if the doctor’s refuse to guesstimate a weight. But, as I mentioned in a post awhile back, I do eat a lot…
This is my typical work day snack/lunch bag. It also doesn’t include the non-fat greek yogurt and/or oatmeal I’ll eat as well…
It’s a lot, but it’s mostly healthy stuff. And as long as the doctor’s say I’m fine then I’m not going to worry. Everything I’ve read tells me how much nutrients I need, and I think it’d be near impossible to only eat 3 meals a day and get all of the servings required below.
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| source |
By that guide, I’m still under-eating! Oh well… I need to enjoy this while I can… After all, I only have 7 more weeks!!
The Thanksgiving Festivities will be starting today as family begins rolling into town. Nate and I have been excitedly getting the house ready for all our visitors, and I can’t wait for all the fun!
Now that I’m pregnant, Thanksgiving food has a whole new meaning to it. And thankfully, the rest of our week will be centered around eating– dinner with Nate’s grandparents tonight, dinner with Emily and Patrick tomorrow at Urban Pie, of course Thursday is Thanksgiving, and finally Friday we’re getting lunch with my aunt and cousin.
To help out, Nate and I will be cooking a few things for the big day. He’ll be assisting his mom fry a turkey and making pumpkin cheese cake.
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| Cook’s Illustrated |
I’ll be working on my family’s Squash Casserole, Lemon Brussels Sprouts, and Orange and Chocolate Cheesecake bites.
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| Spiced Lemony Brussels Sprouts |
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| Individual Orange and Chocolate Cheesecake |
We also have a tasty breakfast planned for our house guests, Emily and Cody. I’m so excited for all the yummy food and time with family and friends.
Knowing that being at work all day was already rough on my pregnant body, Nate and I decided to split the trip to Charleston in two and stay last night in Greenville with my best friend Emily. We had a lot of fun eating Thai food and catching up with friends. We even spent some time before bed watching my belly move as Baby W did his nightly aerobics routine.
Emily may have been a bit weirded out by my moving belly.
It was good to be in Greenville for a bit, even if it was only a short stay. I never thought I’d say I miss it there, but I’ll admit I kind of do…
Just look at the leaves right outside her apartment.
Tibi and I enjoyed them together while Nate and Emily attempted P90X Extreme Yoga this morning.
Emily’s an awesome cook, and you can follow her food adventures on her blog Comfortable Home Life. She made us some yummy flat bread and almond butter snacks before we left to make the rest of the trip to Charleston. They were delicious! Thanks Em!
Nate and I had our first “baby class” last night at the hospital. I had been looking forward to it all week purely because I wanted a chance to see the hospital and get a feel for the people there. I’m not sure Nate shared my same level of enthusiasm as the actual topic of the class was breastfeeding. But he was a trooper and came along as my “Support.” When we walked into the class room I felt a bit guilty… There were no other males in the room. Thankfully though, most of the husbands were just running late so Nate was no longer alone in a sea of pregnancy. It was good to see a group of supportive guys man enough to learn about some breastfeeding.
My thoughts on the class…
The class was very well taught by the hospital’s lactation consultant, and I feel much more confident and prepared to attempt breastfeeding. (Although, by no means do Nate and I feel like experts…) It was nice to hear other women share their similar concerns over things they had heard or common misconceptions surrounding breastfeeding. And the instructor did an excellent job including the husbands, giving tons of examples of how they could still be very much a part of the process. However, the highlight of the class was hearing the lactation consultant tell me that I had nothing to worry about because of my doctor. She was going over a bunch of techniques that are ideal, such as immediately nursing/having skin-to-skin contact after delivery. She finished by telling us that these things would have to be something we discuss with our OBs because not all of them were of the same opinion. She then looked at me and said, “You have nothing to worry about because you have Dr. Tate.” I could have cried… (Can I blame pregnancy hormones?)
I had freaked myself out by reading horror stories of people who had basically been denied their preferred ‘style’ of giving birth. (You can ask my mom who got a semi-frantic phone call yesterday after I had started working on a birth plan.) A lot of my online reading can be summed up as: when you give birth in a hospital, you are a patient and thus ‘don’t know what’s best for you.’ I should have known that I have an awesome doctor, and he wouldn’t practice at a hospital that was going to treat me that way, but it was nice to have my fears assuage.
On a side note…
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| Terra Chips – Mediterranean Flavor |
Get some, eat them, and fall in love with me!! YUM! (I’m not going to mention how long that bag lasted…)
