Do You Know the Muffin Man? (blueberry muffin recipe)

Welp, I'm still super pregnant. Just 39 weeks and 6 days...baby is still the size of a watermelon, and I'm not getting any smaller. I woke up yesterday thinking that last weekend would've been a great time to have this baby. But, since obviously this baby has it's own agenda, I figured I may as well be productive! On Friday after work I went to the store to buy 2 watermelons and 2 cantaloupes (because I can eat like half in one sitting, and I just can't get enough of the cantaloupe and watermelon right now!) And then I read some of my personal development book, did a prenatal workout, and took the dog for a walk. Both kids ended up sleeping over at a friend's house, so Randy and I watched "How To Be Single" on Amazon prime...and felt old and happy to be out of the dating scene haha. I told him, this would be a great night to have the baby, the kids are gone, we wouldn't have to rush them out of the house in a sleepy stupor...alas, I woke up Saturday morning still pregnant.

Cheers to date night with our all natural root beer!

On Saturday I woke up with intention, and I made another batch of my homemade cold pressed coffee, went to work until noon, and came home to do some planting. My parents had dug up a hydrangea plant that I had bought and planted for my mom about 8 years ago, but it was in a spot that gets too much sun and heat, and it never bloomed too much. They gifted it back to me if I wanted it, and since hydrangeas are my favorite I didn't hesitate! I went to Bomgaars and bought two more hydrangea plants to landscape the area in our backyard around the new deck that Randy & his dad built last summer. I also planted some tomato seedlings, and some herbs in a little planter box. I LOVE to grow fresh basil, cilantro, and chives...I use them for EVERYTHING, and it's so convenient and tasty to just go out and clip some from my own little garden stash! After all of my planting we went to my parent's house, they have a pool and that's basically where we hang out all summer. It was the first day for the pool to be ready, and my kids had already gone over there on their bikes, so I was ready to get some sun and sit by the pool. I also read that free swimming and treading water can help to encourage labor...so you know I was treading water for like 3 hours in the pool :D  ***Spoiler alert- still super pregnant*** 

Tomatoes in the the pot, and 3 hydrangeas on the front of the deck

Don't mind the pavers on the side of the stairs...that's to keep
Mugsy from going underneath the deck :D

My parent's backyard a.k.a. Oasis Chicoine

The kids acting like kids & enjoying the
first pool day!

Sunday morning as I woke up again still pregnant I went to my happy place...the kitchen. I LOVE to bake, and I thought, I had some overly ripe bananas (as usual) so I made another batch of my healthy banana bread, but as muffins this round, and I had a craving for a blueberry muffin. So, I got on Pinterest, because my daughter wanted a 'regular' blueberry muffin, not a super healthy one :/ and I tried a new recipe. It was very easy, and the sweet blueberry aroma that filled the kitchen was incredible! So, I will share that recipe with you today!

Blueberry Muffins

recipe taken from: inspiredtaste.net

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Ingredients:

- 1 & 1/2  cups all purpose flour

- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 TBSP for muffin tops

- 1/2 tsp course salt

- 2 tsps baking powder

- 1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil ( I used butter as usual)

- 1 large egg

- 1/3-1/2 cup milk

- 1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract

- 1 cup blueberries- fresh or frozen (if using frozen, don't thaw first)

Method:

Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl, mix your wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Add the wet to the dry ingredients, and using a fork mix until just incorporated, don't over mix, the batter will be quite thick. Then using a spatula fold in your blueberries. This makes 12 standard sized muffins, or 8 jumbo muffins. Fill your muffin liners with your mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes or until tops are no longer wet & a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean.

These muffins were quick and easy, and the kids loved them. I love the delicious aroma that filled our house while they baked. 

Blueberry muffins in the front & my healthy banana
muffins in the back

As Sunday continued Reese had a birthday party to go to, and then a soccer party for the end of season party, we go to the soccer fields and the parents play against the team. I sat and watched. Before that I watered all of my flowers and plants, Mugsy got his line tangled up in my hard work and knocked over my herb garden so the top layer of dirt, and likely all of my seeds are now in the river rocks that surround the deck :/ Randy and I went to my parents house for a some pool time before we headed out to the soccer party, and by the time the day was over, I had gotten way too much sun! All in all a great weekend, but seriously...if this baby doesn't get here soon, I may lose my mind. Also, a side note, I have had the raspberry tea & 6 dates everyday since Thursday. I decided not to take it yesterday because I feel like it intensifies the cramping & prodromal labor pains, but nothing happens. I had contractions through the night last night however, and they've continued into this morning. So, maybe today I can make a memorable Monday for everyone and go into labor at work? Lol

Randy wanted to get a picture because he thought it might
be our last picture before the baby gets here...

Captain's Log...Week 39 Day 2

So I've had yet another midwife appointment since my last entry, my usual enthusiasm for our meetings has been tainted by my frustration that this is the MOST pregnant I've ever been. I've continued with the prodromal labor, with obviously no baby to hold in the end. My husband decided to inflate the birthing pool in our living room so that we're "ready" when the time comes...that was 4 days ago. My husband and 15 year old son took turns showing me different 'options' for birthing positions, they thought they were hilarious. My son was sitting in the tub with his long legs slung over the sides of the pool pretending to give birth, then he laid like a starfish across the top of the tub with his long limbs holding him up over the top of the pool. My husband then did basically the same thing but facing down with all limbs holding his body in a 'hovering' position over the pool. I was NOT entertained.

In the meantime I have kept our house so sparkling clean, this 'nesting' business is no joke. I chase the kids around making sure all crumbs make it to the garbage can and not on the floor. I have even completely cleaned and cleared my desk at work that has been messy for the last year. I am trying not to have a bad attitude, but I'm certainly grumpy. I know I've done this to myself. For ONE thing, a due date is always going to be an estimation. For another, I kept saying all along how Keats & Reese were born early, but that doesn't mean this baby will be...but in the back of my mind I didn't believe that for one second....I smugly thought to myself, I'll have this baby around 38 weeks. 

I've even nested at work, my desk hasn't been this clean for a
long time

 I'm beginning to feel like Joe's wife from Family Guy that's pregnant for like 9 years. Sure I may be a little over dramatic, but I can see why induction starts looking so damn appealing at this point. I know how it feels however, compared to normal labor and delivery, so that's not enough for me to sell my soul!!! I do have plans to start to take matters into my own hands soon however, I'm going to the store to get a few things. One item...dates. Yes, I've read a few articles on eating 6 dates per day in the last 4 weeks of pregnancy has been shown in studies to bring about labor. On the upside I enjoy dates, they taste awesome. I also need more watermelon because I literally ate a half of the watermelon I just bought yesterday :/ I am also getting some raspberry leaf tea because I read that it can somewhat coordinate contractions if you're already having them. 

So, it's now later in the evening...same day. I have successfully done a maternity workout, walked the dog 1 mile with Randy, and returned home to my evening snack. My mom stopped by the house in the mean time to bring the kids ice cream sandwiches (who knows why, they get plenty of treats) and she took one look at my belly and said, "I have a motherly instinct something is going to happen tonight!" So who knows what she sees or knows that I don't but I am liking the sounds of it. Bottoms up! The Raspberry tea with a little raw honey stirred in was delicious, and 6 dates down the hatch...I'm off to shower and get somewhat prepared for either another night of uneventful sleep and frequent bathroom breaks...OR...maybe meeting this baby!

My mom said we better take a picture tonight
because she thinks something is going to happen
so here is me, 39 weeks & 2 days pregnant
with baby A

And here is my evening snack of raspberry
tea and my 6 dates to encourage LABOR!!!

One Cake to Rule Them All, One Cake to Find Them, One Cake to Bring Them All and In The Darkness Bind Them...

This weekend was my first born incredible son's 15th birthday! Why was it so special? Because it was his golden birthday, he turned 15 on the 15th of May :D We are big on birthdays at our house, I spare no expense when it comes to my time and dedication towards making it a very special celebration! This year was no exception, however, instead of making a complete meal from start to finish, and a homemade cake, and homemade ice cream, as is customary...I simply made a cake! We ordered Mexican food from one of our local favorites, La Jaunitas, per the birthday boys request, and my mom took over the duties of homemade vanilla ice cream for me. Our ice cream maker bit the dust this winter after Reese's birthday, although the ice cream isn't time consuming to make...we haven't yet replaced our ice cream maker!

Keats being goofy showing off his money from his
 b-day cards

Friday I got off of work early as per usual, and I took my mom to get a pedicure, which was my Mother's Day gift to her. Afterwards, I headed out to get Keats some clothes, mostly just tshirts and shorts because he's grown so much in the last year, he's outgrown most of his summer clothes. I know that's not exciting for a 15 year old boy to open...but all he really wanted was cash, so I figured he had to have SOMETHING to unwrap. Then I got my ingredients to make THE CAKE. He had requested a 'coffee flavored' cake, and I thought a tiramisu cake would be just the ticket! I combined about 4 different recipes, because I wanted the cake to have that authentic tiramisu flavor, and still appeal to a varied crowd. I myself LOVE classic tiramisu, but for some, the texture isn't as appealing as a cake texture. So, I wound up putting it together like this...

Tiramisu Cake

adapted from a combination of recipes on Pinterest :D

Ingredients For the Cake: 

I had planned to make my favorite vanilla cake from scratch, but because I was 38 and a half weeks pregnant on Friday and having contractions throughout the day, I totally cheated and just bought a boxed vanilla cake mix...I know I know...gasp! The outcries from those of us that love 'from scratch' baking, I chided myself the whole time if it eases your mind! Anyway here's what I used...

- 1 box extra 'moist' (I hate that word) Vanilla Cake Mix

- 1 generous tsp instant powder espresso

Method:

Preheat your oven at 350 degrees. Mix cake according to box directions, I always use butter instead of vegetable oil. Then, divide your batter into thirds. 2/3 of the batter will go into 2 separate prepared 9 inch cake pans, the remaining 1/3 of the batter you will mix in the espresso powder, and then pour it into the third prepared 9 inch cake pan. So, there should be 3 separate cakes, 2 vanilla, and 1 espresso, capish? Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, using a toothpick to make sure it comes out clean in the center. Remove from the oven & let cool 10 minutes before flipping the cakes out of the pan onto a wire rack. Let them cool completely.

***In hindsight once I compiled my cake, I would definitely make this again because it was a such a hit, HOWEVER, instead of trying to make it into a layered cake, I would just use a 9 x 13 dish to make it in using this same method, for assembly & serving purposes I think this would be much easier albeit not quite as charming of a presentation.

Cake 'Soak':

- 1/4 cup espresso (I went to my favorite coffee place and got 2 espresso shots from them)

- 2 TBSP Kahlua

I mixed these two ingredients into a bowl, and you will use it to brush onto the tops of each layer of cake when it comes time to assemble. Just combine them and set the bowl aside until you need it later.

Espresso from my fav place Caribou Coffee :D

Mascarpone Filling:

- 12 ounces Mascarpone cheese

- 6 egg yolks

- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 TBSP Kahlua

- 1 cup heavy whipping cream

- 3 TBSP granulated sugar

Method:

This is a two step process, first I made the whipped cream. I put my mixing bowl in the freezer for just a few minutes while I set out my ingredients. Then I fit my kitchen-aid mixer with the whisk attachment and poured the 1 cup of heavy cream and 3 TBSP of granulated sugar into the bowl, and whisked on 8 until stiff peaks of beautifully creamy whipped cream forms :D You don't have to chill the bowl to accomplish this, I just do because it seems to speed things along! Then I set this aside in the refrigerator until I'm ready to use it.

I don't have a double boiler, but you could use one for this next step. I used a medium sized pot filled halfway with water, and heated it on medium high to get the water boiling. Then in a glass bowl (you can use any heat proof bowl) I whisked together my 6 egg yolks and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. I put this bowl over the top of the pot and turned the heat down to a medium low to slowly heat my egg yolks through. I stirred constantly for about 7-10 minutes, until the mixture lightened in color, and thickened slightly. I removed this bowl from over the top of the pot (be careful it will be hot underneath) and I poured the contents into my kitchen-aid mixing bowl, along with 2 TBSP Kahlua, and fitted with the paddle attachment I ran it on about 4-5 speed until the mixture lightened and thickened further, and the bowl felt cooler to the touch (about 3-4 minutes). At this point I added in my mascarpone cheese and mixed on about a 4 to incorporate everything. I scraped down the insides of the bowl and mixed again to make sure even the bottom got mixed well. The mixture was cooled off by this point, and so then I grabbed my whipped cream that I had set aside in the refrigerator and carefully folded it into my mascarpone mixture. This will be lighter in color yet, be careful not to over mix, it should stay somewhat light & fluffy. I set this aside in the refrigerator until I was ready to assemble my cake.

Here I'm cooling the egg yolk & sugar mixture after
adding in the Kahlua for a few minutes

After adding my mascarpone to the egg yolk &
sugar mixture

This is my mixture once the mascarpone is
thoroughly incorporated

Just before I fold my whipped cream into the
mascarpone mixture

Whipped Cream Frosting:

- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
- 2 TBSP Kahlua

Method:

This is just like making the whipped cream we made a few steps before. I like to set my bowl in the freezer for a couple of minutes, then add all of your ingredients to the bowl fitted with the whisk attachment and let er' fly on about 8 speed until you have fluffy whipped creamy goodness in your bowl! 

CAKE ASSEMBLY!!!

Now that you have all of your delicious ingredients and components to the cake prepared, it's time to put them altogether! Now as mentioned above, IF I made this cake again, the ONE thing I would change would be to bake the cakes in a 9 X 13 dish, and then assemble everything in a 9 X 13 dish...why? Because although it's not impossible to do this as a layered cake, I feel like I lost half of the mascarpone layer from it sliding out and I chased it around the cake, and then with the light and fluffy whipped frosting, it doesn't set up like a traditional cake with buttercream...OTHERWISE I would have (and probably should have) put my cake layers in the freezer after soaking them, but before assembly. WHATEVER you choose to do, this cake got rave reviews for flavor, I just felt like my presentation could have been better!

Using a fork to poke some holes into the top of
the cake

Brushing the 'cake soak' onto the cake

Adding the mascarpone filling on top of the first
cake layer

Repeating the process for the espresso flavor cake layer

So I got my cake platter ready, I assembled this on a tray because my cake plate wasn't going to fit in my refrigerator, if yours does, go ahead and use that! I took my first vanilla cake layer, and set it on my cake board, using a fork I poked holes in all of the cake tops so the espresso/Kahlua mixture would sink in. I brushed the 'cake soak' we made earlier onto the top of my cake using a silicone basting brush. Then I used some of the mascarpone filling to make a layer on the top of the cake. Next, I took the espresso flavored cake layer, and set that on top of the mascarpone filling. I used the 'cake soak' on this layer as well using the same method, and then again topped it with some mascarpone filling. The final vanilla cake layer was then added on top of this, and again I repeated my steps of first brushing on the 'cake soak' and a thinner layer of the mascarpone mixture. At this point obviously with the weight of the cakes your mascarpone mixture will be oozing out the sides and you'll want to clean that up using a spatula or something. I just ran my cake decorating spatula along the sides to somewhat 'frost' it back onto the cake, and then I set the whole thing in the freezer for about 15 minutes to give it a chance to 'set up', I also used my 9 inch spring form ring part of my cheesecake pan to keep the layers from avalanching somewhere into my freezer.

My assembled layers in the freezer, I'm encouraging things to 'set up'

After that's set up a little, I frosted my entire cake with the whipped cream frosting we made, I garnished the top with a dusting of unsweetened cocoa powder, and then I let the whole thing continue to set up overnight in the refrigerator. It's important to let the cake flavors meld and set up overnight, or at least for 4-8 hours so that you get that richness in the flavor. Before serving I added some chocolate shavings from a Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate bar that I made using my carrot peeler on the candy bar. I wanted them to turn out more like pretty chocolate curls, however, mine were more like shavings.

The cake...after serving everyone :D 

And again...a delightful mess of deliciousness

I forgot to get a picture of the cake in it's completion before cutting it, mainly because I was afraid it was going to slide off of my cake plate while we sang 'Happy Birthday' to Keaton lol. It ended up holding up much better than I thought, and everyone safely got a slice, and raved about it. This cake looks intimidating because there are a few steps, but honestly it was super easy, the assembly as aforementioned was the trickiest part!

A final picture...all you need is a fork!

Are We There Yet? 38 Weeks Pregnant

So, yesterday marked 38 weeks pregnant, and if you've EVER been pregnant...you know these last few weeks are really trying on the ol' patience! This is my third pregnancy for those of you who haven't read past posts, and each one has been different. I love to get into long discussions with my awesome midwife Sarah, because she's so knowledgeable and makes sense of so many things for me. So, we are in the all out throws of prodromal labor. Prodromal what you ask? Prodromal labor has a lot of names: false labor, pre-labor, latent labor, it's basically just your body getting ready for the real deal Holyfield. Is it fruststrating? Oh you betcha! The difference between this and active labor...you don't have a baby by the end of prodromal labor...just frustration and lack of sleep because you spend the night thinking 'this could be it!' Sarah told me this lasts longer with each subsequent pregnancy, so by the 3rd, 4th, 5th baby and so on...it's very confusing as to when the active labor will begin.  

My latest addiction...eating ALL the watermelon

I have been feeling contractions and prodromal labor for the past week now. Last night sitting at my daughter's soccer game it was the most consistent, I was having contractions about every 6-8 minutes. They weren't the hard gotta' breath through and ignore the pain kind, just like a serious menstrual cramp that let's you know they're there and you're going to be uncomfortable. So I sat there thinking, excellent, if this keeps up maybe it will lead to actual labor. Now, that's a very dangerous path to allow your very pregnant brain down...to at any moment think that you've possibly reached the end pre-maturely. Now as I've mentioned before I had both of my kids early, Keaton was almost 3 weeks early, and Reese was 8 days early...so I've smugly thought to myself all along during this pregnancy that I could go into labor before the 40 weeks is up. So there I sat happily aware of consistent contractions, and I made sure to take the dog for a walk when I got home to keep things 'moving along'. We also had our 38 week check up with Sarah our midwife last night. She reminded me to 'hang in there' because these last couple of weeks are physically and emotionally wearing.

My girl after the soccer game last night, she
played AWESOME!!!

I went to bed at 9:30 thinking that these contractions are totally feeling productive and like they would amount to something...mistake number one. Sarah had also reminded me to get plenty of rest because when it's the real deal, the labor pains & contractions will wake me up! So I woke up at 11:30 to use the bathroom, and I started paying attention to my contractions, I was clocking them about every 4 mins. or so. They were more intense than earlier in the day, but not 'painful' yet. So I watched the clock until about 12:45, and then I thought I better get some rest because if they continue to progress I'd need some sleep. I was starting to worry about calling my mom to pick up the kids if this progressed, I didn't want to wait too long, but I didn't want to wake anyone else up if it didn't turn into labor. Then I was worried the kids would be tired the next day at school, and my mom would be tired at work...my mind was reeling a hundred miles in every direction, so sleep was eluding me. I woke up again at 3:30 a.m. to go to the bathroom, and again I paid attention to the contractions, they seemed about the same in intensity, and still about every 4 mins. so I got up to walk a few laps in the living room thinking maybe it would help things along. I felt a LOT of pressure in my lower pelvic area, but it wasn't really making anything more intense so I laid back down. I woke up once again at 4:45 to go to the bathroom and the contractions were still there, but a little more dull. I laid down for the last time before my alarm went off to get up for work, and still nothing had changed. 

So, I've been working all morning, and still contracting, they feel a little more intense, but I hate to even let myself think anything of it. My husband was saying last night during our appointment with the midwife that he should probably go ahead and inflate the labor pool so we're prepared. I told him that was a sure fire way to jinx things and I'd get pissed off upset every day that I was still pregnant and looking at that thing. :D I know the baby will come when he or she is good and ready, and quite honestly you couldn't pay me to be induced...so the alternative is absolute frustration with this waiting period haha. I want the baby to be healthy and I just keep telling myself all of this prodromal labor is just helping my body get prepared, and hopefully it means that my labor and delivery will go smoothly & fairly quickly! So I'll be trying to hang in here with a positive attitude, however, patients keep saying, "you're still here?" and one asked me today "how can you continue to work?" They seem just as ready as I am :D To all of the mom's before me, and those that will come after me, just know I have deep respect for all of you, but most ESPECIALLY to those of you that go past your due date...that's a true test of sanity for any pregnant woman!!!
 

Mother's Day Weekend Recap

So this was a busy past weekend! I get out of work a little early on Fridays, so we decided to do a birthday for Keaton with his friends this weekend in case I go into labor before or right around his actual birthday (May 15th) so that we would make sure he got to do something! There is a trampoline park that just opened in Sioux City, and that's where he wanted to go for his birthday. We hadn't been there yet, but we knew there was laser tag, a ninja warrior type course, dodge ball, basketball, and of course the open trampolines...I mean c'mon I was a little bummed I couldn't partake. I loaded the kids up in the family van and we headed there around 4, the kids jumped for an hour and then played two rounds of laser tag. We headed back to our house for pizza & cookie cake and everyone was tired, full, and happy. It was a win-win and Keats told me it was a great birthday. We didn't have anyone sleep over because we are planning a home birth and with only 2 weeks left in this pregnancy I told the kids I'd hate to ruin their sleepover by sending kids home in the middle of the night if I go into labor! They understood :D

The bday boy in action on the ninja warrior course!

The dodge ball area that the kids hung out in most the night

I worked Saturday morning, just a half of a day, and then I headed out for my usual Mother's Day weekend tradition, which is buying flowers for my front porch and flower beds. This year I decided to get some perennials that will return each year for the permanent beds in my front yard to see how I liked that. I bought some pretty annuals to fill the pots on my front porch. My mom and I like to go together to scope out all of the flowers and places to buy them so we took our time and went to 4 different shops. I was having contractions off and on the whole time, and a few pretty sharp ones when we were at Earl May. The gentleman helping us with the flowers said, "I know a lot about flowers but I don't know anything about delivering a baby!" I told him we'd head home if I thought  we were nearing that time. Anyway, my mom and I both found what we wanted and I headed home around 3:00 p.m. to get planting!

That's the hubs in the background

I think these will look great when they start to fill out!

Randy did the heavy work of digging out the flower beds and turning the dirt for me, and then putting down the potting soil. That cut down my work time significantly because usually I do that part too, but for obvious reasons, he wanted to help do the heavy work! I got all of my flowers planted and now I'm anxious to watch them take off and grow. They look great and add life to the front yard, and now I'm ready for baby A to arrive because I have my normal spring duties pretty much done up to this point! I made some barbacoa tacos for Saturday night as well, I didn't make my homemade salsa which is the only thing that really would've made them perfect! However, they were delicious, and that was one of my four meals this week that I doubled to freeze so we have homemade meals when Baby A gets here. I'll post a recipe for those soon!

We love tacos :D

My front porch pots give the front door some life!

Hot pink geraniums, and Ruby Rose Lantanas <3

Sunday morning we had absolutely beautiful weather here in Siouxland, so I woke up around 8 and sat in front of the open windows with my book. Randy went to get me my favorite cold pressed coffee from Caribou Coffee & cinnamon coffee cake for Mother's Day. It was delicious! We got our walking shoes on and headed out to take Mugsy for a quick 1 mile walk, and to see if we can't get my contractions started up again to get things as prepped as we can before baby A gets here. Each time I go walking I have contractions, cramping, and a few sharp jabs, so I KNOW my body is nearing delivery time with this babe. I felt pretty good and told Randy I could probably walk another mile further, but he said he'd feel better if we stayed fairly close to home, just in case! 

This pic was taken a few weeks ago at Baby A's shower
My mom, myself, sister, and my daughter

After our walk we brought the kids to my mom's house so we could see her and wish her Happy Mother's Day, and she had a whole spread of fresh fruit (my cravings right now are watermelon, pineapple, & strawberries) and more coffee cake. We stayed and visited for a while and then I wanted her to enjoy her day as well, so we headed home. The weather was so nice that I decided I was going to sit out on the deck and get some sun! Reese joined me, and then she was jumping on the trampoline & playing outside while I caught some rays :D. After that I kept the laundry going all day to make sure we're all set for this week, with baby A coming at any time in the next couple weeks, I really want to try and stay caught up around the house! 

Cheers! Enjoying a fruit smoothie while we get some sun

Randy made a fantastic dinner, and I didn't have to cook a thing! He grilled burgers, asparagus, & potatoes, cut up a watermelon (again can't get enough!) and made a big salad. He also cleaned up the kitchen mess & dishes...I have the best husband, and I was happy to be spoiled yesterday. After dinner I did some food prepping, I made up 6 egg sandwiches for fast breakfasts this week, I would've made more but I only had 6 English muffins! Once I cleaned up my mess, I changed the laundry one last time, signed a few permission slips, and finally fell into bed. However, I couldn't sleep! I couldn't get comfortable, I had contractions throughout the night, and my hips and lower back were in moderate pain, enough to keep me awake. I kept tossing and turning to each side to try and find sleep, yet it eluded me. I got up to use the restroom every 25-30 minutes or so, just to get comfortable and move around. I paced the house a few times to see if that would help me get more comfortable, but it did not. Finally I laid back down and just tried to keep my mind off of my discomfort and listen to the rain until I fell asleep. Needless to say, I woke up a little more tired than normal, and my contractions are continuing today. I'm hopeful this means that baby A will make his or her arrival sooner rather than later...because I don't know how many nights like last night I can handle!

Meal prepping sausage & egg sandwiches for the week

I hope everyone had a fantastic Mother's Day, it's truly such a special gift to be a mother, to experience life growing inside of you, and then watching those tiny babies turn into little people with their own personalities and ideas about life. I have two wonderful and incredible kids that I love and adore, and I can't wait to meet this third little person that will be joining our family very soon. 

 

It's Bananas B-A-N-A-N-A-S (recipe for healthy banana bread)

Yes I'm nuts about banana bread...there I said it, I LOVE my mom's homemade banana bread recipe but it uses oil & sugar and things that I really try not to eat too often. So, I'm always searching and trying recipes, and I knew I had made one a few months back that really turned out great. I'm somewhat of a banana hoarder and that drives my husband crazy, but when they get brown and overly ripe to eat, they are PERFECT for baking because they naturally sweeten just about anything. Anyway, I found this recipe on Pinterest (are you seeing a trend here? I LOVE that website!) and it has pretty simple ingredients, you don't have to buy everything in the health food aisle to bake this bread, it's mostly all things I generally have on hand in the pantry and I love recipes like that! So, with no further a due, here is a super tasty, simple, & healthful banana bread recipe!

photo credit: positively mommy

Sugar Free Banana Bread

recipe by Positively Mommy

Ingredients:

- 4 very ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup coconut oil (warm it up in the microwave so it's in liquid form- takes about 20-30 secs)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt

Method:

Mash your bananas either in your mixer, or with a potato masher until almost liquefied. Add each of the ingredients in the order listed, mixing a little in between each addition. Pour into a well greased (of course I use butter) loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Cool completely before slicing. I wrapped mine in parchment paper and then put it in a ziploc bag to store in the refrigerator, it will keep for 10 days, but I'm sure ours will be gone before then!

*** I doubled this recipe, because when you are baking with gluten free flour it tends not to rise like a normal flour. By doubling this recipe it filled my loaf pan and rose just enough that it was a full loaf. I also had to bake longer due to twice the amount of mixture, because mine was still very jiggly in the middle at 45 mins, and again at 1 hr. Mine got pretty browned on the top by the time it was done baking, so I would put foil over the top after an hour next time, but it tasted INCREDIBLE!!!

This is my bread, and it's upside down in this photo...tasted AMAZING

This bread has no added sugar but was so sweet tasting I literally had to refer to the recipe to make sure there wasn't maple syrup or something in it haha. The trick is to use overly ripe bananas because they are so naturally sweet. This bread was quick & easy, and works great as a breakfast bread, or snack! Give this recipe a try, I'm quite impressed. 



 

Gut Check...

Do you realize that 80% of your immune system is located in your digestive system? No really. I always think this is common knowledge, but if you look around you and ever pay attention to what people are putting into their bodies on a daily basis...it is obviously not. I would even take this one step further and say, if you have great nutrition, you likely don't get sick as often, or likely have any major health issues. The top three leading causes of death in the U.S. are as follows according to the CDC for 2015:

#1 Heart Disease with 614,348 deaths each year

#2 Cancer with 591,699 deaths each year

#3 Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases with 147,101 deaths each year
     (chronic bronchitis, emphysema, asthma)


The #1 & #2 spots are pretty close together with the number of lives they take each year, with #3 being significantly less. This would naturally pose the question...why are so many people dying from these diseases? Everyone knows someone, a family member maybe, or is separated by one degree from SOMEONE who has either has/had cancer, heart disease, or some form of chronic lower respiratory disease. 

Let's take these one at a time and break them down.

 When considering CLRD- asthma has far fewer deaths associated with it, the big contenders are really chronic bronchitis & emphysema. Chronic bronchitis often precedes emphysema. The major contributor to both of these diseases is tobacco use & cigarette smoke, at a whopping 80%! Why people are still putting this garbage into their body is beyond me! Especially when tobacco use is a leading cause of lung cancer as well, and that's the #2 killer, there is literally NOTHING good that comes out of smoking cigarette's...yet I'm sure you know at LEAST 1-3 people that smoke. The other underlying issue whenever you have a chronic disease, is low level inflammation. One of the most effective ways to help control inflammation is with your nutrition, what you eat! Our food breaks down into tiny nutrients that our bodies can use to either help heal us, or feed the disease. Everyone could benefit from an anti-inflammatory diet, but most significantly those that are diagnosed with any sort of chronic disease.

Cancer- the sinister villain most prevalent in the world of disease. What is cancer? You likely know at least 1 person who has had cancer in some form, but what is it? As defined by the American Cancer Society: cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth & spread of abnormal cells. If the spread is not controlled it can result in death. IS cancer preventable? A substantial proportion of cancers could be prevented according to the ACS. ALL cancers produced by tobacco use & heavy alcohol consumption could be completely preventable- that accounts for roughly 31% of all cancers according to a recent study done by the ACS. In addition, another 20% of the diagnosed cancers in the US are related to body fatness, physical inactivity, excess alcohol use, and/or poor nutrition, and therefore, could also be prevented. So, just those few things could wipe out roughly 51% of the cancer population...did you know that? This information is coming straight from the American Cancer Society studies and data by the way, I'm not just making stuff up. They go on to say that a lot of the cancers that are caused by external factors such as infections & exposure, tanning beds etc. could also be avoided by behavioral changes, and treating infections. Only a small proportion of cancers are strongly hereditary...and even then environmental and exposure factors play a role on gene expression. SO, the HUGE takeaway from this information is: you are not doomed to suffer from cancer...but you HAVE to take care of yourself on the front end! This is the hard part for most people. 

 (*disclaimer: I'm merely looking at statistics here, that's not to say that you don't know someone who outwardly seemed like the healthiest person you knew and they still got cancer, there are ALWAYS exceptions!)

And lastly, heart disease...the term 'heart disease' refers to several types of heart conditions, the most common type in the U.S. is coronary artery disease which affects blood flow to the heart...and can cause a heart attack. Several health conditions, your lifestyle, age, & family history can increase your risk for heart disease. There are three key risk factors: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, & smoking. About half of all Americans have at least one of these three factors. Do you realize you can control these factors by living a healthy lifestyle? Having good nutrition habits, maintaining a healthy weight, physical activity, not smoking, and limiting your alcohol are all of the suggested habits. Wait...so you're saying the #1 cause of death in the U.S. is preventable? That's exactly what I'm saying. We are lazy as a society, and we love to blame people or circumstances for our problems instead of taking responsibility for them. Why? Because it's much easier to blame someone than it is to look in the mirror and face our problems head on. Just because your family has a history of heart disease does NOT mean you are doomed. It means you are more susceptible to the disease, if you never get educated on how to properly care for your body, or you learn but never put that knowledge into action, then yes, your risk factors sky rocket because the lifestyle & environment you have been exposed to, will likely lead down that same path. It has less to do with your genetic predisposition at that point, and more to do with your lifestyle & environmental factors however. The great thing is, YOU are in control of your health, so YOU get to choose how you want to live, healthy or unhealthy.

So, it goes hand in hand with my topic today, taking care of your body, your immune system (which is designed specifically to keep your body healthy & fight disease) has SO much more to do with our overall health than anyone lets on. YET, great nutrition is one of the most under utilized forms of treatment for HEALTH! Sadly our society relies heavily on trips to the emergency room & urgent care for 'sick visits', we do very little in the form of 'health visits', or true HEALTH care. We live in a world where quick fixes, a pill for everything, and overnight success is actually an expected outcome instead of realizing that the small actions we take every day eventually add up to either good or bad health overall. So if 80% of our immune system is in our gut, and we eat fast food regularly, rarely visit a vegetable or fruit, and don't drink water, it makes a lot of sense that we cannot sustain health for very long. It also makes sense as to why the top three causes of death in the U.S. that are largely preventable, are killing us off at such a high rate. 

I labeled this blog entry gut check for two reasons, obviously because it's pun-ny, but also because truly we don't educate or put enough emphasis on proper nutrition of the body to become or remain healthy. That old saying goes 'you are what you eat' and it has so much more truth to it than it's given credit. Garbage in garbage out- people are sick and dying in our wonderful country because either people are knowingly eating like shit unhealthy, or unknowingly eating like shit unhealthy. There are like a bazillion tangents I could touch on with this with, like government policy, food advertising, big pharma, but what it really boils down to, is EDUCATING ourselves, and putting that knowledge into action, and taking care of ourselves. 

 It is my mission and my moral obligation as an educated person, a doctor, which comes from the Latin word teacher to do my part in helping people get HEALTHY. I am passionate about helping people get well, and  I want to reach and help as many people as I can. If you already have this knowledge and you don't practice it, this gut check is for you, what do you want for yourself? Look around you, we only have one body to live in, and we are surrounded everyday with choices that can either help us take care of it, or will lead to it's ultimate destruction. If you've ever been through cancer, heart disease, or CLRD with a family member or loved one, you know how much these people suffer, and how hard it is to watch them go through that. If we all just made a few better decisions each day to take care of ourselves, there would be a heck of a lot healthier people in the world, and less people dying from unnecessary causes. If you don't know how to start to get healthy, contact me, I would love to help you.