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Coconut Nog French Toast and a few of my favorite things
October 29th, 2011
Hello there. Today marks my 41st week being pregnant. I have to say that it has definitely been harder dealing with the fact that this baby is taking her time being born. I have cleaned the floors, reorganized some drawers, put up fall decorations, washed laundry multiple times, and more!
I took a picture last night at 41 weeks and it makes it seem that this baby seems comfortable where she is. Can you see all the veins on my tummy? Crazy but I do have thin skin.
Last night we just took advantage of going to the movie theater and watching The Big Year. We were super surprised there were only 2 other couples at a 9pm showing because the movie was very amusing, but then we figured out that perhaps there were not many people because it was PG. You hardly get to see those come out anymore. LOL
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| 41 weeks pregnant |
Here are a few things that have been my favorite things of late:
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| Yoga ball |
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| Raspberry Tea |
The yoga ball helps me not to be sitting on a couch and helps me stay flexible while the tea helps prepare me for labor when the time comes. I added 2 cinnamon sticks this morning to continue to help the process.
Coconut Nog French Toast
adapted from So Delicious Coconut Nog carton
serves 2
1/2 cup So Delicious Coconut Nog
1 ripe banana
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 slices day-old Sourdough French baguette, 1/2 inch thick
1 Tablespoon Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread, divided
Maple syrup or agave nectar (optional)
Powdered sugar (optional)
In a pie plate, mash banana with fork and combine the Coconut Nog, banana, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until smooth.
Add the bread slices and allow the bread to soak in the mixture, 3 minutes on each side.
In a non-stick skillet, over medium low heat, melt 1/2 Tablespoon of Earth Balance margarine.
Add 4 bread slices and slowly cook until nicely browned on both sides. Serve with maple syrup or agave nectar and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.
Add more banana slices or other fruit to compliment this lovely breakfast. Thanks So Delicious for a nice recipe! 😀
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Spiced Peach Nog Cobbler and Update
October 26th, 2011
So here I am still waiting on God’s timing. What have I been doing with my time? I totally do not feel like lounging around like lazy bones, but I have not been overdoing it either.
Monday, I went to my Zumba class with my favorite teacher, Antonio. He told me he thought I would have given birth already. Well, I think many have thought that too! I have to admit that Zumba was not as MUCH as fun as last week because I was a little uncomfortable in my lower abdomen region. I remember the gym owner telling me she worked out a few days before giving birth and encouraged me to continue the classes, granted Zumba is only twice a week so I have been walking the other days.
Here is it Wednesday and I am still pregnant with some contractions throughout the day. Nothing too big but they are definitely different than Braxton Hicks contractions. Ryan was talking to the baby through my tummy yesterday asking her when she was coming out and BOY did she respond with movement that made me nauseous! LOL Ryan continued to chat with her and I told him he had to stop because mommy was going to get sick on him. Yes, we are a mess here.
You know what I realized though, is that now that the concert is over that the only thing looming over is the baby’s arrival and it is crazy unnerving. As I was taking a 45 minute walk yesterday I was talking to God and getting teary because I cannot believe that this baby is almost here. The gift of life is incredible but the emotion is so amazing! God’s timing is awesome.
Well, so besides working out or doing a little more cleaning in the house, I have been cooking a little, catching up on Netflix, reading a bit and catching up on posts. Someone still needs to cook right? This morning I felt SO hungry I demanded to be taken out for breakfast. I HAD to have a piece of fruit as I got up from bed but I was terribly famished but the desire to cook has been lacking.
I at least have 2 freezer meals stored at my friend’s deep freezer and 2 nights ago I quickly made my Tortilla Soup and froze half of it. Might as well make the most of my time right?
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| Photo courtesy of The Laziest Vegans in the World. |
Recently, So Delicious sent me 2 of their NEW Holiday drinks, a Nog Coconut Milk (a vegan egg nog) and Mint Chocolate Coconut Milk. Can I say super yummy???? I immediately poured myself a glass of the nog and sighed after because it was so good. I stopped drinking Silk’s Nog because it left a weird aftertaste and I also wanted to limit of soy in my diet, so it was REAL nice to have this coconut milk version. You should be excited folks! You are going to love these drinks for sure. The Mint Chocolate Coconut milk tastes like a thin mint cookie…hmmmm…nom nom.
I took advantage of using my So Delicious Nog Coconut milk for my peach cobbler. I subsituted the milk in the recipe for nog and I also added Nog into the peach mixture as well. It was super delicious!! I also drank a glass of the Nog with the dessert to accentuate the flavor. Can’t get enough. Thanks So Delicious for letting me have the opportunity to taste test these products.
Spiced Peach Nog Cobbler
makes 4-6 servings or a 9×9 pan
Peach mixture
16-ounce bag frozen peaches, thawed
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 Tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
2 Tablespoons So Delicious Nog Coconut milk
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dough mixture
1 cup whole wheat white flour
1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup vegetable shortening or coconut oil
1/4 cup So Delicious Nog Coconut Milk
1 flax seed “egg” or 1 regular egg (1 Tbsp flax seed meal + 3 Tbsp warm water)
( mix the flax meal plus water and set aside for 3-5 mins)
Spirnkle with sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium bowl, add the peaches and the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour peach mixture into a 9×9 glass pan.
Prepare the dough mixture. Add the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the vegetable shortening into the flour until the mixture looks like wet sand. Add the egg and Nog coconut milk and mix until well combined.
Add the dough in lumps on top of the peach mixture. Sprinkle sugar over dough. Bake your cobbler for 20-25 minutes until the dough is golden. Cool for a bit and serve with a glass of Nog Coconut Milk or with So Delicious Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.
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Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program with Marzetti Simply Dressed Salad Dressing
October 25th, 2011
When I went to the store I looked for the dressings in the refrigerated section of the produce area. There were 10 different kinds of dressings but most of them were creamy and mostly with dairy. Here are the options are really had:
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40 weeks and counting
October 24th, 2011I am 2 days past my due date and I am certain it has to do with a little prayer of mine. I talked to the baby and I prayed this past week that she hold off for 2 days so that Ryan could conduct his first fall concert of the season and so mommy could sing in daddy’s concert.
Did it work? Ha ha ha, I am writing this post with the baby still in my womb.
I broke out the pineapple and have been munching away this morning. I have been feeling a few contractions but not any that are as frequent. I did wake up fairly uncomfortable this morning and I am praying that there will be some action in the next 2 days. I do have a midwife appointment today so we’ll see. Good news is that there is no rush to force inducing. If I am late 2 weeks, THEN they start talking about scheduling something on the calendar. I just PRAY that it is not 2 weeks from now.
I did have a good workout this weekend though. I had a voice lesson on Friday with my fab teacher. He had suggested I keep my lesson on the calendar even though perhaps I might not feel up to it or perhaps the baby would be here by now. I am glad we kept it on the calendar because it was wonderful being able to sing with limited breath support. I mean, it technically is not limited but it makes it harder to breath deeply.
At 40 weeks pregnant, I feel singing has been sensational. I feel like I have a richer sound especially when I hit my high notes. My voice teacher agreed. He was just amazed I was taking a lesson. I worked on Un bel di from Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly. By the time we got through I was breaking a real sweat. Who knew it would be such a workout?
The real question is, how will the baby respond to music and all types of music when she is born? She has been exposed to a lot and I am eager to see how she embraces and responds to it. Yay!
Saturday was Ryan’s concert in Holland. I also sing in the 80 plus member ensemble. Would I need a chair or would I need to sit half of the concert? The problem with this was that everyone would be on risers and I would be the lone person on a chair on the side. Heck no! I would feel like I was singing a solo. It was already enough sticking out because I am pregnant but on the side of the risers.
I stood the whole concert. We did have a 20 minute intermission so I sat for 10 minutes. I did feel sore the next day and some contractions but I did have lots of people come up and say how impressed they were I even sang or the fact I stood the whole concert. It felt wonderful to be able to get through a workout like a concert at 40 weeks pregnant ESPECIALLY when it was the DUE DATE too!
I will have a story for baby girl. I am already putting it in her baby book so she knows what was going on while she was in my womb. SO exciting!
I would appreciate prayers!! Here is looking at the next 2 days!!
Come on baby……..
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Sunflower Butter Rice Crispies with Chocolate Espresso Layer
October 20th, 2011
I have nothing to complain about.
After getting a pregnancy massage on Tuesday, my days have been so wonderful. I have LOTS of energy and I have been able to sleep pretty well. I also have been working on a yoga ball during my 8 hour shift. Yes, working from home and sitting for multiple hours HAD been a pain until I discovered I could work from my T.V. tray and on a yoga ball.
Yes, I must look silly but it is doing the trick. I feel and work comfortably until baby girl arrives.
I wanted to get in one post before the weekend. I figure with being out of town and with a concert in the works, I probably will not have time to post so I wanted to leave you with a delicious recipe I made last night.
I could see in Ryan’s eyes last night that he wanted a sweet treat but he had rehearsal and I promised that when he returned from it, there would be something special waiting.
One of Ryan’s favorite desserts to choose at our favorite coffee shop are the Scotcheroos. I looked up a recipe and noticed that they have butterscotch chips and corn syrup, ingredients I do not use or keep in the house. I could easily veganize the recipe but I decided to go another route and see how Ryan would like a different version.
I was inspired by Katie’s post for her homemade Luna bars that I created some bars somewhat like hers and like the Scotcheroos with a little twist.
I recently bought, finally, a bottle of sunflower butter that I had been wanting to try. I am such an Earth Balance Crunchy Peanut Butter fan that I just forgot I wanted to try an alternative. You know what the pros are when eating sunflower butter?
