13 weeks.
Visible belly beginning.
Nausea at all-time-low!
3 pounds gained.
Little bitty one is the size of a small apple or a peach.
I can’t believe how hungry I’ve been! It’s magical, how one’s body works. I need to eat every two hours, at least. I have never put so much effort into diversifying my snack repertoire.
I love being a vegan. Not that I feel I can discuss it with the average individual, but inwardly, all day long, whatever I happen to be doing, I love and adore pondering over the food I eat, considering which vitamins I could use more of or how much protein, iron or fibre this and that contains. As a meat eater, I was not one to think about where I got my B12 or iron, but now I can list sources of the stuff and know that I am getting it on a regular basis from food.
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| Sugar cookie cutouts |
Cravings have lost some extremity because I am now able to eat things even if I don’t enjoy them so much. For instance, the smoothie I made today containing strawberries, blueberries, banana, kale, orange juice, water and Vega Whole Food Health Optimizer (protein powder) made my health-food-nerd radar (and perhaps the baby)come alive with high-nutrition rapture, even though my taste buds had no inspiration to drink such a thing. That and certain other things remind me I’m pregnant, an example being a newfound preference for either salty or purely sweet foods. While my dessert cravings used to be based on a love for gooey, dark chocolate overload, I now dream instead of light, simple desserts such as sugar cookies with icing (today’s day off project) or chocolate pudding or cinnamon pinwheels. Also, having been a regular coffee drinker for several years, I have not had a coffee since the day I found out, and it has stayed that way almost entirely due to taste aversion.
One of the more exciting snacks I’ve had lately was a tofu scramble I concocted after getting home from work one evening. I’ve used several recipes for this type of thing before, and they vary, but I began this short journey knowing I had no cumin or turmeric, which is usually used to flavour tofu scramble. My mission was to create a meal that was flavourful enough to make up for not having those ingredients on hand. Trust me, there was no flavour missing from this and it is useful for me to jot it down now as I will want to make it again. One of the most awesome things about cooking like this, though, is the realization that once you have a good understanding of flavour combinations and common ingredients you work with, the kitchen is your artist’s palette.
This contains a nice dose of protein with the tofu, mushrooms, and Bragg’s; the nutritional yeast, if fortified, gives you a little helping of B12; and you can never go wrong with the handful of veggies. This makes a single serving; double the recipe if you’re sharing. I have no photo but will upload one if (when) I make it again!
Tofu Scramble
Olive oil
½ small onion, chopped
5-6 mushrooms, sliced (I used cremini)
1/4 block firm tofu, crumbled to your liking (I like to leave it in chunkier pieces)
1 Tbsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
1-2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp mustard
Garlic powder
Italian (or your favourite) seasoning
1 ½ -2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper
Handful of chopped tomatoes and green peppers (or spinach; whatever you like!)
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms, frying till onions are translucent and mushrooms are browned a little. Add tofu, Bragg’s, cider vinegar, mustard, garlic powder, spices and nutritional yeast, and let it cook, stirring occasionally, till some of the liquid evaporates, the tofu turns golden and everything smells divine. Toss in the chopped tomatoes and peppers and turn off the heat, get your toast and jam ready, and enjoy your scrumptious breakfast-style snack.
