A dim, breezy world greeted me this morning as I opened the deck door to let the pup out for his business. As I sipped my hot chocolate and the orchard came into focus beneath an arrangement of dark and swirly clouds, I realized once again how magical 6:30 am is. Especially this time of year, when tree leaves get crispier and change their hues, and the wind cools down. It seems more likely than ever that faeries hide in the woods and everything breathes with renewed purpose. How fitting that it should be the first day of fall.
Keeping in theme with the harvest, the “plum” has grown rapidly in the last week, and should be 2 inches in length now, according to my research. I now like to think of it as a tiny peach or one of those big Brussels sprouts. The l'il peach knows how to swallow now, and it practises- it was my great amusement to learn just now- by swallowing the amniotic fluid. Good job, crazy little one!
How much energy it must be taking to form this little life! I find on my days off my fatigue catches up to me and slaps me in the behind, making me sleepier the more I relax. On work days I get caught up in the rush of things and notice the tiredness less, if that makes sense. Speaking of sleep, one weird symptom I’ve been experiencing lately is incredibly bizarre and vivid dreams.
As one needs to eat more calories at this point in the pregnancy, (the one and only secret to staving off any nausea, I have learned!) I have been trying to come up with breakfasts and snacks that don’t involve too much bread. It is so easy to just make toast or a sandwich when I need more food! But even though I take a prenatal multivitamin, it is important to me to avoid wheat overload and make sure I consume a wide variety of plant foods. Ideas that have worked great for me:
-Oatmeal with almond milk, maple syrup and cane sugar
-Sautéed cremini mushrooms
-Potato hash browns
-Smoothies
-Almonds, walnuts and pistachios
-Rice crackers
-Chocolate soymilk
-Salads made with beans and veggies
-Miso Soba Noodle Soup (recipe in last post!)
The good thing about a lot of these, such as oatmeal, soups and salads is you can make them ahead and keep them in the fridge for multiple uses.
I shall now feature the recipe for the “Chickpea Melts” I made the other day. They are way more appetizing than perhaps they look (it’s a Blackberry photo). I am honestly quite addicted to this stuff.
(from http://veganyumyum.com/2007/12/chickpea-radish-hors-doeuvres/)
Chickpea Salad
1 15oz can Chickpeas, rinsed well
3-4 Tbs Vegenaise (vegan mayo)
2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp Mustard
1 Tbs Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Paprika (sweet, hot, or smoked)
1/2 tsp Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
3-4 Tbs Vegenaise (vegan mayo)
2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp Mustard
1 Tbs Nutritional Yeast
1/2 tsp Paprika (sweet, hot, or smoked)
1/2 tsp Salt
Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Mash all the ingredients to form a chunky spread.
Spread the chickpea salad on slices of bread. Top with your favorite vegan cheese, and bake at 350º F for 10 minutes. Broil to finish, serve immediately.
Happy Autumn!
