Daybook

For Today, March 30, 2009

Outside my Window... It is sunny and lovely!

I am thinking... and praying that I have good results from the 3-Hour Glucose Test I have to take this morning. Nothing like hanging out in a doctor's office for three hours on a Monday morning. Fasting. Oh well, at least they have good magazines and I'm thankful that T. is NOT working so that he can watch Lloyd at home.

From the school room... Lloyd's got lots of new activities to try from his birthday yesterday! Wedgits, a Memory game and Watercolor paints, along with lots of good books! We can't wait to try the watercolors early this week!

I am thankful... for a beautiful day with beautiful weather for my Birthday Boy yesterday! We had a great day!

I am also thankful to have been able to be here for my father-in-law's confirmation and first communion this past Saturday! What a weekend of celebration!

From the kitchen... I am hoping to make several freezer meals this week . . . I stocked up on chicken thighs, hamburger and a big pork roast this weekend so my oven is going to be hopping this week! I'm also planning on finding some more kale (which is hard to find in normal grocery stores around here! Evidently, I'm the crazy Californian who eats kale!) to steam, blend and freeze for green smoothies these next few weeks.

I am creating...a healthy baby boy! And a blog! That's about all I have energy for these days!

I am wearing... Dark blue jeans, a coral, cableknit sweater, my Bella band (because none of my maternity shirts fit anymore. You know you're almost done when none of your maternity shirts fit anymore) and funky, coral chandelier earrings.

I am reading... I've begun to read my breastfeeding and pregnancy/labor books again, preparing me again for this new little one. Favorites include Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, Breastfeeding Made Simple (my absolute favorite, most recommended breastfeeding book), and flipping through Breastfeeding and Catholic Motherhood for inspiration.

I also read this post yesterday . . . it definitely makes you think.

I am hearing. . . Lloyd playing with his new toy trucks on the kitchen floor.

Around the house... life is normal. Laundry being washed, food being cooked, trucks and cars on the floor, books in various states of being read. We're in just a preparing and waiting for baby phase.

One of my favorite things... is Burt's Bee's Mama Bee Belly Butter. Just discovered it this past week or two and I love it. Much better than a lot of other body creams, lightly scented (just barely scented enough - and not too much of a scent to interfere with perfume, but nice enough to wear on it's own) and thick without being greasy.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ...

• Lent continues, and I'm focusing on these prayers this week to get my head and heart in line with the season. I've also been loving Elizabeth's daily Lenten reflections, for the second year in a row!
• Feeding the freezer for feeding the mama post-birth.
  
• Continue to pray for guidance and patience with the job search for T.
  
• REST, RELAX and KEEP MY FEET UP!!!!
  

Here is a picture thought I am sharing . . .when I converted to Catholicism one of the aspects I struggled with was Mary's place in the Catholic church. With pictures like this, I feel closer to her as a mother and understand her special role even better. It also reminds me of Jesus' human nature, which he gave up for us and which we are reflecting on during the Lenten season. This picture inspired me this weekend.

Kissing the Face of God, by Morgan Weistling

Lloyd is TWO!!

Can you believe it? My baby is TWO!! Last year we reviewed his first year, and I'm amazed how much more he has grown in year two!

We had a great day, starting out with his favorite breakfast; whole wheat sourdough pancakes with fresh strawberries and bacon . . .

Followed by opening (and subsequently playing with) presents!









And then a trip to the Park!



After the park was lunch and nap, then more playing with his new toys, before we had hamburgers for dinner and a special car cupcake for my little car aficionado!









I can't wait to see what will happen in the year to come! We love you mucho Lloyd! Happy Birthday!

7 Quick Takes - On Toddlerhood and Toddler Training

One
Maybe we're a bunch of wino's (well, I'm not right now, but our family does like it's vino), but Lloyd's favorite new thing to do is to "Cheers" everyone. Whenever he sees someone drinking something now, anything, water, milk, tea, wine, virgin strawberry margarita, he takes his cup and wants to "cheers" you, and everyone else within reach. It is very cute.

Two
Speaking of Lloyd, he is becoming a full-fledged toddler with tantrums and emotional highs and lows and some authority/power issues erupting; I feel like I'm raising a teenager, not a two year old. Suddenly we realized that our baby isn't a baby anymore and we actually have to discipline him and train him. It's kind of wierd. All of a sudden I'm an adult. And a parent. I was before, but this is different.

In a blog post, somewhere (I can't remember when or where, but I know it was Elizabeth), Elizabeth briefly mentioned their discipline methodology with their two year old; in brief, what won't be cute when they're older? If a four year old or a six year old did the same activity, (especially if it wasn't YOUR kid) would you still think it would be cute? Or would you think that they were misbehaving or poorly disciplined? Those are the things to nip in the bud and address. Now.

For example . . . sure, it's cute now when Lloyd finds a box of crackers and requests them, who can resist a two year old coming up to you with a big smile and a box of crackers?, but he is beginning to demand them. And only that kind of cracker. And getting upset and throwing a fit when I tell him no because it is twenty minutes to lunch, or he's already snacked on crackers or I try to divert him to eat something else for a snack. I'm trying to work with this to avoid temptation; I've moved all crackers out of his reach (in an upper cabinet he can't open, rather than the lower ones that he could) and I've made a little shelf for him in a lower cabinet that I stock with a few snacks that would be acceptable should he, in fact, be hungry (a box of raisins, a pre-measured quantity of a pre-approved cracker, etc. - plus he can always eat cheese or fruit for a snack, and I offer that verbally) but I figure that if he declines these, he's not really hungry. I want him to learn that he can trust his hunger instincts and can make some choices for himself, but I also need him to understand that when Mama says no, she means NO. And that if mama provides something for him to eat, that is what he eats. Period.

Three

We're also working on our vocabulary with Lloyd, whenever he is not behaving. We're trying not to say that he is "bad", rather that he is "behaving" poorly, aka "naughty." I don't want the kid to think that he is "bad," ever - so we are working on our vocabulary, instituting that it is important to "obey" mama and daddy, and that he is behaving poorly and that some things are off limits.

We've also had to begun using a "naughty seat" a la Super Nanny.

Right now, we give him several warnings if we catch him doing something we don't want him to do (like, for example, removing the screens from Grandma's kitchen windows, which he somehow learned how to do this week, or banging his cup down sharply on the table, rather than placing it down gently - we are learning how to drink out of a glass cup this week, so this is rather important!), explaining that he may not do that particular action, but if he persists, we pick him up and place him in a designated area (right now, a fairly boring corner in the kitchen that looks at nothing, just a cabinet - though it's tempting sometimes, we're not going this route!) and explain to him that he didn't obey mama and daddy, that he continued to do what we asked him not to do, and so now he has to sit in the naughty seat until we allow him to get up. For now, we're starting at one minute and getting out of his line of sight. If he gets up on his own, we set him back down. When we go to get him, we get down to his eyelevel, explain to him why he had to sit there (i.e. Mama told you not to slam your cup on the table and you continued to do it. That was naughty. That was why you had to sit in the naughty seat. It is important to obey mama or you will lose the privilege of drinking out of a glass, like a big boy. I love you, now you can get up.)

I've now learned that just theatening the naughty seat (if he strays back to an area where he got in trouble before) will cause him to change his ways. Success!

I'm also learning that it is important not to overuse the naughty seat. Not everything he does is that inappropriate for a two year old, and that patience and communication take precedence . . . but that naughty seat is certainly being implemented in this home.

What strategies have you used succesfully with gently training a toddler? Any techniques or books you can recommend?

Four
He's also got a few new words. The best?

Cheese.

pronounced "Th-eace" (rhymes with peace and with a touch of "th" more than "ch")

How cute is that?

Five
Lloyd's birthday is this weekend! He turns two on Sunday! Unfortunately it looks like kind of yucky, grey, cold weather is on the menu, so our trip to the park may be changed, but he'll have plenty of play time indoors if that is the case (and plenty of new toys and games to play with, I'm sure!)

I'm planning on making some of his favorite foods for the day - pancakes with berries (bea-wies) for breakfast, still trying to decide on lunch, but what I'm most excited about is his cake. I picked up this cake pan at Christmas time and have been saving it for his birthday. Lloyd is all about cars, so it should be perfect!

Six
I finished reading A Prayer for Owen Meany last night. It was kind of a wierd experience. The first time I read this book I was a sophomore in high school and had borrowed it from Mrs. Massie's shelf. Now, Mrs. Massie was, and still has been, the most difficult class I've ever taken. And I learned more from that class than almost any other. She taught us LITERATURE. Not English. Not grammar. She taught us to appreciate LITERATURE. And how to write, and write well. (Disclaimer: Please do not use the writing on this blog as a reference to her ability to teach . . . it's not the same kind of writing.)

Anyway, A Prayer for Owen Meany was my first serious foray into good writing, good literature, and I've been a fan of John Irving ever since (one summer I read six or seven of his books back to back!). I remember reading through it quickly that first time, and subsequent times, but I hadn't read it in several years. Probably pre-marriage and definitely pre-motherhood, and pre-Catholic.

This time reading it was somehow different.

It was hard starting it. It took a long time to read it. I'd only have time to read a few pages at a time before conking out before bed or having to attend to Lloyd. For a while, I was actually feeling sorry for myself for starting it, because I wasn't feeling it the way I had before, and I worried that somehow I was ruining it for myself because I wasn't enjoying it like I had before.

And then I got into the story a little more. And I read it with new eyes, new adult eyes, new faith-filled eyes, and the story, to me, became less a story about two friends growing up, one with a somewhat outrageous life, and became to me a story about faith and how one friend can influence another in their faith, and away from doubt, just by living their life. Inspiring, in a quiet way.

I'm glad I read it. I think I like it even more this time.

Seven
Officially 34 weeks and my first appointment with my new doctor is today! Wish me luck! On one hand, I am ready to be done being pregnant, but on the other, I am not quite ready for a new baby. Mama needs to go shopping!

Visit Jen for more 7 Quick Takes!

Nesting - Feeding my Freezer

Though I've been all about baking this pregnancy (as my posts clearly show!), with Andrea's wedding AND my 30th birthday coming up just a few months after the birth of the baby, I'm trying to pre-plan my post-pregnancy "diet" with lots of protein, veggies and fruits, no white flours or sugars and very limited whole wheat flour-based carbs, limited whole grains (brown rice is my favorite), legumes and potato carbs here and there.

Obviously, my main focus is to eat sufficiently to build a good milk supply with quality milk for my little guy, while not going overboard and eating too much. It's not a "diet" per se, but I will be watching what I eat; it'll be a modified low-carb, "Eat Fat, Lose Fat" based diet plan.

One of those "nesting" tendencies that I've been feeling lately has been getting food prepared for my family for those first few weeks after the baby arrives. It's been on my mind, a lot, and I've been busy thinking about recipes, writing out grocery lists and planning strategies for how best to merge my post-pregnancy diet plans with my pre-pregnancy nesting desire to make nourishing food. This post is my attempt at putting down in writing everything going through my mind!

Luckily, Lindsey posted a Nutritious Freezer Meal carnival back in January that I've been enjoying perusing for ideas, and, after a few minutes of googling, found that Southern Living has some great advice and recipes as does this article from The Organized Home and this forum on Mothering.com about freezer cooking.

My Step-by-Step Plan

In the next few weeks, I plan on stocking up on chicken as it goes on sale (mostly bone-in, skin on pieces for roasting and shredding for several recipes, below, but also some boneless skinless varieties for pre-marinading and freezing raw), pork and beef roasts and ground beef and ground turkey. With the bones and skin from the roasted chicken, I'll be making up a few batches of chicken stock. And I'll be batch-cooking a few extra meals a week to put in the freezer. My inspiration and ideas . . .

• Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole (using whole wheat tortillas or sprouted grain tortillas, depending on what I find at the store) - I mix together cooked, shredded chicken, frozen corn and cooked black beans with green chile enchilada sauce and layer, with cheese and tortillas, ending with a layer of tortillas, then cheese on top. Freeze and you're good to go!
• Chicken with Sausage and Dirty Rice Casserole (using this recipe as inspiration)
  
• Chicken Nuggets (anyone know of any healthy, nourishing pre-made frozen chicken nuggets out there? I'm willing to buy a few things pre-made! :)
• Meatballs (thanks Michele for the inspiration! Mine won't be gluten-free, but yours were the inspiration!) - thinking of making some chicken or turkey Asian seasoned meatballs, I like this Vietnamese meatball recipe too, as well as some beef Italian or meatloaf-seasoned meatballs
• Shepherd's Pie (thanks Lindsey for the inspiration!) - though I'll be freezing the mashed potatoes separately and topping once both are defrosted
• Taco Casserole
• Lasagna - one of the few pasta recipes I'm allowing! Adding lots of veggies to it!
  
• Pre-marinating and freezing chicken pieces for grilling (since we'll be getting close to summer time!) or baking. (I am so trying the sesame chicken marinade at that link on bite-size pieces of chicken, as that is my favorite Chinese food choice! With some sauteed veggies and brown rice, how good would that be?)
• Roasting some large pork or beef roasts and shredding and freezing it in 3 cup or so quantities - good for fajitas, stir fries, entree salads, etc.
• Meatloaf
• Chicken Parmesan Casserole (probably will use pre-shredded, cooked chicken to layer this one and just freeze it with shredded cheese on top)
• Frozen pot stickers (pre-made, bought at the store . . . because I have to have Chinese food once in a while!)
  
• Spicy Beef Sloppy Joe's (for low-carb, will be serving this on top of spaghetti squash, or brown rice or steamed veggies)
• Meat-free Spaghetti Sauce - frozen in 2-4 cup portions for easy dinners
  
• Filling for stuffed peppers (using brown rice and ground beef, etc.)

Supplies Needed:
Waxed Paper
Freezer-Safe Aluminum Foil
Gallon-Sized Freezer Bags
Quart-Sized Freezer Bags
Casserole Dishes

I avoid aluminum in most things (cookware, anti-perspirant, etc.) but recognize that it is one of the best things to wrap and protect things in the freezer with. Since I don't want to cook or re-heat my food in it, I will be layering any casserole dishes used with freezer-safe aluminum foil first, followed by a layer of waxed paper before building the casserole or putting any other food in it. The food will be wrapped first in the waxed paper, and then the waxed paper will be wrapped in aluminum foil and placed in the freezer. Once the items in the casserole dish are frozen, I will be removing the aluminum foil wrapped food from the dish (so that I can re-use it!) and store it in the freezer as is. Each item will be labeled on top with contents and cooking instructions. When we decide to eat it, I will remove it from the freezer, unwrap it from the foil and wax paper and place it, frozen, back into the original casserole dish to defrost and then cook as directed...

My Freezer-Feeding "Meal Plan"/ Schedule

Day One

• Roast Chicken in large batches, allowing to cool completely before shredding, saving bones and skin for stock and refrigerating overnight
• Place chicken bones and skin in a stockpot with a little vinegar on top overnight
• Make a big batch of mashed potatoes. Freeze in freezer bags in 3-4 cup portions.
  
• Begin overnight soak of beans (black beans and kidney beans)
• In a food processor, chop onions, peppers, celery and carrots and store in ziploc bags in refrigerator overnight
• Day One Dinner: Roast chicken with mashed potatoes, green beans and green salad
  

Day Two

• Make chicken stock, cool and freeze in 2 and 4 cup batches
  
• Cook beans, cool, drain and store in the refrigerator overnight
• Cook a large batch of brown rice with water and chicken stock, cool and store in the refrigerator overnight
  

The above don't need much watching, just slow simmering for several hours, in the meantime . . . assemble ground meat mixtures.

• Assemble meat loaf mixture and freeze (uncooked) in gallon freezer bags based on this recommendation.
• Assemble and Bake meatballs, cool and freeze in gallon freezer bags.
• In the afternoon (after the rice is cooked), make a batch (for two meals) of stuffed pepper mixture, by browning meat with some of the pre-diced veggies and mixing with the cooked brown rice. Cool and freeze in freezer bags
• In the afternoon (after the beans and rice are cooked) assemble taco casserole and freeze as noted above in wax paper lined aluminum foil.
• Day Two Dinner: Vietnamese Meatballs, stir-fry veggies and brown rice
  

Day Three

• Make spaghetti sauce and allow to simmer for several hours. Cool and freeze in quart-sized freezer bags
• Assemble chicken based casseroles, using pre-diced vegetables, beans, rice, frozen vegetables, etc. I plan on making two casseroles worth of each recipe, three of my favorite.
  
• Day Three Dinner: Your favorite chicken casserole - mine is green chile chicken enchilada casserole with green salad on the side
  

Day Four

• Finish up anything that didn't get finished
• Look at that lovely batch of pre-cooked, well-labeled meals in your freezer and feel proud of myself
• Relax!
• Day Four Dinner: Leftovers - put your feet up and relax!

As a lover of good food, my nesting will primarily take place in the kitchen this pregnancy! I hope these links, tips and prep schedule helps anyone else trying to feed their freezer! Do you have any other tips or suggestions or recipes?

Nesting - Preparing my Body for Birth

We are in the last few weeks of this pregnancy and I am re-focusing on my diet, continuing with the high protein, lots of fruits and veggies, nourishing "real" foods focus (I kind of did a modified Brewer/Weston A. Price diet) while lately I've been adding in a few more specific items in my last trimester to help assist my body with preparing for birth.

My body is in a stage of nesting, evidently.

What am I eating now? And why?

• Raspberry Leaf Tea - I tend to not begin drinking this until the third trimester. It is full of vitamins and essential minerals, as well as calcium, has been drunk by Native American pregnant women for centuries, and helps tone the uterus and make contractions more efficient. Right now, I'm trying to drink a quart a day - I find I like it much better iced with a twist of lemon rather than hot!
  
• Miso - Miso is one of the few soy foods I eat (read this article and this article about why I avoid soy in almost all it's forms) because it is naturally fermented and has a good quantity of iodine (see Cheeseslave's recent post about the importance of iodine (which is in miso) among other factors to help one's hormone's stay in balance. ) which is an important mineral for pregnant women as a lack of iodine can cause stunted growth, mental retardation and even death to their babies. Since I now only use sea salt, rather than salt with iodine added, I am making a concerted effort to make sure it is in my diet!
• Vitamin K rich foods - Why? Because I will be refusing the vitamin K shot for my newborn if we give birth in a hospital (though I'm considering the oral vitamin K option) and I want to get plenty of Vitamin K in both his and my system naturally before birth, plus have it stocked up in my breast milk! To do this I have increased my intake of leafy greens, namely kale, which, for me, means a green smoothie several times a week!
• Calcium Rich Foods - kefir, cream, cottage cheese, yogurt, hard cheeses and whole milk - all full fat of course!
• Plenty of Good Fats - butter, cream, eggs and olive and coconut oils
• Lots and lots of protein - I've been craving red meat primarily (chicken is still a bit gross for me, and was my last pregnancy too) and also have been throwing in a lot of eggs and cottage cheese
  
• Probiotic Rich Foods - Kefir, Yogurt, (I use these two interchangeably in my smoothies, primarily, depending on what is in my fridge at the time) Lacto-Fermented foods and I'm hoping to find and start drinking kombucha as well. I'm so sneaking a bottle or two of this stuff in to the hospital in my hospital bag!
  

What did you eat during your pregnancy for your little one? Any further suggestions?

Daybook

For Today, March 22, 2009

Outside my Window... It is windy and grey.

I am thinking... about when to expect this little one. The countdown says 45 days, but Lloyd was two and a half weeks early, so I'm anticipating as few as four more weeks? Or later? I felt that Lloyd would be about one week early last time, and I do this time too, but when? Sigh. Patience is not my greatest virtue.

Now, if only we could decide on a name! We're still debating between two . . .

From the school room... nothing new this week, but come next Sunday, here's a hint at what the birthday boy might expect to find!

I am thankful... for answered prayers and good news from our insurance this week! Also, we discovered a great local park nearby that has several trails and an awesome playground for children, so we are set for outdoor entertainment for Lloyd and outdoor exercise activities for T., only a few minutes drive away from our house!

From the kitchen... I am hoping to make several freezer meals this week (post coming later this week with details), but in the meantime, I updated my recipe index over the weekend.

I am creating...a healthy baby boy! And a blog! That's about all I have energy for these days!

I am wearing... Dark blue jeans, a dusty purpley 3/4 sleeve sweater with ruched sides, a long grey, black and silver necklace and silver hoops.

I am reading... still reading John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany (my sister came to visit this week so I haven't had much time for reading!). And thinking of ordering, for Lataere Sunday, the mid-point of Lent, this book (which I'd hoped to get earlier and read during Lent, but just haven't yet.) There are a few things I need to order from amazon.com for Lloyds birthday and Easter, this one might just "fall" into my cart.

I am hearing. . . Lloyd playing cars with his Uncle Matt, who came over for Sunday dinner. Matt couldn't wait to give Lloyd his Easter present, so caved and gave it to him this evening . . . . because nothing says Easter and a celebration of the resurrection of our Lord like a limited edition "Easter Beast" monster truck named "Grave Digger." Thanks Uncle Matt!

Around the house... we are unpacking and preparing for baby now that we know we're staying in Nebraska for a while! We moved Lloyd out of his crib today and into a toddler bed (thank you Tim and Carla for lending us the bed while we are here!) and I've been busy actually hanging items in a closet, rather than continually living out of a suitcase.

One of my favorite things... is French Silk ice cream. It is my new favorite as of this week. Other cravings this week include sauerkraut (as in, "Excuse me Miss, can I get extra sauerkraut on the side? Oh, and, umm, spicy mustard please?" as I ordered a reuben sandwich at lunch this afternoon) and dried papaya and pineapple.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ...

• Lent continues, and I'm focusing on these prayers this week to get my head and heart in line with the season, which I've basically forgotten due to the rest of the stress we've been going through. I have to keep re-doing this and reminding myself to pray and focus. I've also been loving Elizabeth's daily Lenten reflections, for the second year in a row!
• Feeding the freezer for feeding the mama post-birth.
  
• Finalize birthday plans for Lloyd - have I mentioned yet that he turns two next weekend!?!
• Hospital tour on Thursday and Doctor's appointment on Friday!
• T.'s Dad's confirmation and first communion next Saturday!
  
• RELAX!!!!
  

Here is a picture thought I am sharing, but a preface first . . . There I am. Eight months pregnant. On my hands and knees on the landing in the little kid playground. My maternity shirt riding up, my maternity pants riding down, sweat dripping from my brow. Embarassed flush rising on my cheeks. Pushing my normally even-tempered, mild-mannered, now screaming, resisting, shrieking toddler through the four foot long tube that links to the slide. Using his clothes as a sliding mechanism to get him through to his father's waiting arms on the other side. What a great mother. Of course, that was the first time. The second (third, sixth, twenty-fourth) time? All smiles.

Updates and Answered Prayers - one step at a time

Well, we're still no closer to finding out where T. will find a job, or when (though we have some irons in the fire) but we do have some good news! We were approved, via Cobra, to change my insurance to a PPO that T.'s former employer also offered as we had moved out of our HMO's coverage area (California). Which means that we have been approved to find a doctor in whatever state we are in and get prepped for having a baby there - without having to hightail it back 1600 miles west and live at the cabin!

Thank you Lord for answered prayers!

As of now, we are planning on staying with T.'s parents in Nebraska unless we hear anything different. My former OB/GYN referred me to a doctor here in Nebraska, and it turns out that she is not only taking new patients (including ones that are, ahem, 33 weeks along) but she has a hospital affiliation at the hospital I most liked from my online research.

Unfortunately, choosing a home birth in Nebraska is not really an option, (unless we went unassisted, which I'm not quite ready to do) as Nebraska only legally recognizes CNM's and then at the same time makes it illegal for CNM's to be present at a home birth (see the Nebraska Friends of Midwives website for more details) so we will most likely have a hospital birth again. Contrary to California, where many midwives have their own websites, finding a seasoned Lay Midwife in the area that assists at homebirth is like delving into the black market around here. Layers of secrecy abound. I haven't had much luck.

Luckily, the hospital I'm choosing has waterbirth options in every labor and delivery room, employs CNM's AND I'm now researching local doulas to assist (hoping to contact a few this week), so we're moving forward in the best way possible with what we have available. Plus, through more internet research, I found a few good pediatricians in the area that are more natural parent-decision making friendly, so we'll be set for as long as we end up staying here.

If we do end up getting a job and having to move quickly before the baby is born, I have also been in touch with a midwife in San Jose who takes a PPO, so we are set there as well!

So yeah! Answered prayers!

I admit, I'm having some strong nesting tendencies and I'm struggling with not having a home or nursery to attend to (nor knowing when or where we will have one) - my type A personality is showing it's true colors from time to time and I admit, I've felt a twinge of jealousy seeing a friend's pictures of her beautiful nursery in progress, but I am trying to keep everything in perspective and just remembering to thank God for having a safe, comfortable place to live during this crazy time with plenty of space and lots of love. Now that we know we'll be here for a while, we are making some changes to our living situation and unpacking more so we are more comfortable and at ease. I am re-focusing inward. Plan on seeing a few blog posts about my version of "nesting" this week!

Have a great weekend and thank you for your continued prayers!

Little Chef

Lloyd and I baking Irish Brown Bread today. He loved helping! A lot bigger mess to deal with than doing it by myself, but a lot more fun too!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

St. Patrick's Breastplate

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself today
The power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,
Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me today
Against every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ within me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ at my right, Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort, [i.e., at home]
Christ in the chariot seat, [i.e., travelling by land]
Christ in the poop. [i.e., travelling by water]

Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

Amen.

Daybook

For Today, March 15, 2009

Outside my Window... it is sunny and the weather is improving!

I am thinking... about Lent. One of the things I've been focusing on is fasting from time wasters. The primary way I've been going about it this past week is by culling a lot of my Google Reader bloglines (which has, ummm, taken time) however at the same time, I've found myself adding some new ones that I've been enjoying as well, most of them in the Homemaking, Food and Wine categories!

From the school room... I really enjoyed watching "Edison's Day" this week, linked over at Sew Liberated. It gave me a lot of ideas for how to incorporate more things into Lloyd's day as well as give him more opportunities for independence in the home with normal daily activities. He is already quite independent; has no problem getting a snack or drink on his own, closes doors and cupboards, throws things away, "helps" set the table and do the laundry and requests help for things he can't reach, but it did give me some good ideas and reiterated some that I'd thought of in the past, but forgotten! In our new home, I definitely plan on putting a few things more in his reach - hooks for towels, his sweatshirt and hats, a mirror at his level, some artwork at his level, and hope to get a child size table and chair for him. Plus I hope to have a garden in my new home (wherever that might be) and look forward to sharing gardening time with him!

I am thankful... T. had a fantastic second phone interview this past week with that position out of San Jose and was invited to a third interview . . . in New York City with several partners of the firm! That should take place around the last week of March to the first week of April so we are excited! We're in the final stretch for that opportunity (oh, and did I mention that they told T. that he got the highest score on his case study that anyone has ever received? A 99 out of 100. Not even some of their managers who'd done the study had ever gotten that high! And he turned it in a day early. WooHoo!) He will be competing with one or two other people for the position, so please keep him in your prayers!

He also had two preliminary phone interviews with two positions in Colorado, which we're keeping on the back burner. So that is exciting!

From the kitchen... We enjoyed a yummy breakfast of whole wheat sourdough, blueberry pancakes this weekend using Kimi's recipe from The Nourishing Gourmet! By soaking the whole wheat flour overnight, it made the pancakes quite light (though still hearty!).

For St. Patrick's Day Tuesday I'm planning on making a batch of Irish Brown Bread along with this Irish Cheddar and Stout Fondue. Thinking we'll be dipping some sausages, potatoes, bread and apples, among other items! We were invited to a St. Patrick's Day dinner this past Saturday with longtime family friends here in Omaha and enjoyed the best corned beef I've ever had along with the usual trimmings, so wanted something a bit different on Tuesday! We used to enjoy the best Irish Brown bread ever at O'Reilly's, a little pub in North Beach in San Francisco (which was only a few blocks walk from our apartment at the time), and I'm hoping to recreate it!

I am creating... several folders on line with contact information for midwives and doulas in various "potential home" locations, hospital information, health food stores and more. I've also been building a wish list for cloth diapers. Exciting. I know.

I am wearing... Dark blue jeans, a black t-shirt, black 3/4-length cardigan with "diamond" buttons, leopard print flats and diamond studs.

I am reading... still reading John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany. And doing a lot of blog reading and back-post reading on some of my old and new favorite blogs.

I am hearing. . . quiet. T. is taking a shower, Lloyd is napping and my parents-in-law are out for a round of golf (their first of the season).

Around the house... teeny, tiny cars have taken over. Lloyd is a car man. We keep a little pouch (formerly the pouch that held the clips for my hot roller set) of various Matchbox and HotWheels and other small cars for Lloyd and, as we've been traveling, it has gotten fuller and fuller. I think we started our journey out of Santa Monica with ten cars, and now we've doubled that. The bag is full. Though we clean up the cars about three or four times a day, they are often found parked in various locales around the house.

It (the bag of cars) is the first toy he takes out in the morning and after naps, and the last one he puts away.

To the left,

"Still Life on Grandma's Kitchen Floor"

arranged by Lloyd personally.

One of my favorite things... is the internet. It allows me to research potential homes and neighborhoods where we might be looking to move in the next few weeks, research hospitals, birth centers and midwives, communicate with people across the country and find some peace and encouragement. It helps me feel like I'm at least "moving forward" with some plans and information even though we are in a temporary hold.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ...

• Lent continues, and I'm re-reading my posts, prayers and links from last year to get my head and heart in line with the season, which I've basically forgotten due to the rest of the stress we've been going through. I have to keep re-doing this.
  
• Think about some birthday ideas for Lloyd! He turns two at the end of this month!
• Determine whether we're going to California, or not, as we hear about our health insurance options!
  
• RELAX!!!!
  

Here is a picture thought I am sharing . . . Lloyd enjoying the trip to the Farm Equipment store to pick up Grandpa's new lawnmower this past week. Grandpa's new lawnmower is a push variety, but that didn't stop Lloyd from trying out all the other merchandise with steering wheels!

Daybook

For Today, March 9, 2009

Outside my Window... it is gray and dark. I'm writing this at 9:30pm at night!

I am thinking... about health insurance.

The Long Story Short: We found out last week that the HMO that I am under via Cobra (because I can't get any other individual insurance because I am pregnant and therefore have a pre-existing condition) will only cover doctor's bills in California, except for emergencies. (We thought that it would cover birth in other states as they have preferred providers in other states . . . it was a big miscommunication. Anyway. . . .) So we decided to head out of CO early and quickly packed up and drove to Nebraska the next day (I waved as we went by, Lenetta!) to have time to visit with T.'s parents before probably heading back to California early next week - a few weeks before the birth of this new little guy. (We were thinking that we'd set up our home base at my family's cabin if we had to. However that does mean a lot of work, as the cabin has been closed for winter and we'd have to open it up, re-turn on water and flush the system, turn on electricity, set up a phone line, vacuum up the dead bugs, clean out the mice traps, chop wood for heat, find the sheets . . . etc. Seriously. That's only day one's list of things to do. I'm not exaggerating.)

So anyway, today we read about a recent part of the stimulus act that will help those laid-off pay for health insurance and I got on the phone with COBRA to ask if there was anything that we need to do to qualify for this, since we, well, qualify for this. While on the phone I asked my representative if there was anything that they could do to help us with our situation; namely that my insurance won't cover our upcoming birth outside of California but yet we really did not have a place to live in California, since my husband had lost his job, and that we were currently living in Nebraska with his parents. She said that if the company he had worked for provided other insurance options in other states (which they do - they had another office in NYC and offered a PPO, but we were not able to switch over to it before he was laid off, though we'd asked) that it might be possible to get approval to switch to that coverage and therefore be able to have our baby wherever we happen to be (either here in Nebraska, or perhaps in another state if T. gets a job offer somewhere else in the interim. It might still be California, but it could be one of many others and, depending on timing, there might not be a chance for me to get on new group insurance with that company before this baby arrives). So . . . . she said that it looked promising and that someone from some special claims department would be working on it. I should get that question confirmed within 7-10 business days. We are praying for this!

In a nutshell - if you are laid off - ask your insurance company and Cobra EVERYTHING.

From the school room... Lloyd has been enjoying playing with some "new" old cars of T.'s and his brothers. He also has a new Baby Einstein book from his Grandma and Grandpa that makes lots of noise and plays lots of music that he loves. And plays over and over.

I am thankful... we have several things to be thankful for this week! Some answered prayers! Today we confirmed that a lease for our townhouse in Santa Monica was signed! We still have to pay one extra month (because the new leaser can't start until mid-April) but at least it is DONE. Phew!!!

Also, T. has a second phone interview lined up with a major (Top Four) Accounting Firm, so that is exciting! He did a first interview with their HR department last week, and then was given a project to complete to prove that he can do what they are hiring him to do, he completed it (early) and evidently did quite well, so he is on to a second phone interview with a more specialized recruiter, which will hopefully lead to an in-person interview! He also has a few more resumes out so we'll see where that leads us!

From the kitchen... I made a yummy "Philly" style sandwich for dinner with leftover pot roast, peppers and onions. It will just be Lloyd, my mother-in-law and me for dinner tomorrow night so I'm trying to figure out what to make that will be simple and yummy.

I am creating... a very, very active little baby boy! When Lloyd was in utero, he seemed to be intent on stretching - he would push and push and push on my ribcage when I was pregnant with him. This baby is completely different, he rolls and rolls and jabs and punches. I can see his movement all over my belly (which is weird! I never experienced this with Lloyd!) It's like he is in a tight sleeping bag and trying to roll over all the time.

I am wearing... Grey slacks, black socks and a pink v-neck sweater. Low ponytail. Diamond studs. Pretty simple.

I am reading... John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany. I haven't read it in several years, and I'm really getting more out of it this time! John Irving has always been one of my favorite authors and this has always been my favorite of his books. It was the first one I'd read of him, when I was a sophomore in high school, but this time it just feels different.

I am hearing. . . my mother-in-law bustling about the kitchen finishing up a few things before she heads to bed.

Around the house... Well, we're at my in-law's house! We are living out of suitcases and a few small boxes, but enjoying this time with them! Depending on the health insurance stuff, we might be staying for a while. Or not.

One of my favorite things... lately has been my Bella Band. I'm really getting my money out of that thing! It's been very helpful in supporting this heavy tummy of mine.

I also love dark chocolate, and ginger ale. In that order.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week ...

• Lent continues, and I'm re-reading my posts, prayers and links from last year to get my head and heart in line with the season, which I've basically forgotten due to the rest of the stress we've been going through. I have to keep re-doing this.
  
• Think about some recipes and ideas for St. Patrick's Day next week!
  
• Think about some birthday ideas for Lloyd! He turns two at the end of this month!
• RELAX!!!!
  

Here is a picture thought I am sharing . . . Lloyd "helping" Grandpa with some yard work last week in Colorado.

Meatless Meals Carnival

You may be wondering, why all of the meatless, Lenten meals in the past four days (other than the fact that we are in the season of Lent, of course)? Because I was preparing for Katie's Meatless Meals Carnival today! Katie is a new blogger over at Kitchen Stewardship and invited me to join her for her first carnival! Since I prefer (on my blog) to limit each post to one, maybe two recipes, for easier indexing, I decided to space them out over the past few days and post them individually.

Just joining me or clicking over from the carnival? Please enjoy my favorite meatless, Lenten recipes below:

• The Best Minestrone Soup Ever - Seriously. No further description required.
• Pizza Margherita - using pesto for a more flavorful crispy bite!
• Breakfast for Dinner - including Breakfast Pizza with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, and Orange-infused French Toast with whipped cream cheese and berries, and
• Eggs en Cocotte - a simple, fulfilling dish that can be made hundreds of ways to suit your taste and fridge contents!

Please go visit Katie's Carnival link to see the other contributors! Thanks Katie for hosting this great Carnival!

Eggs en Cocotte

I discovered this recipe originally when studying Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking a few years ago. Titled "Oeufs en Cocotte," don't let the fancy name fool you, it is simply a baked egg. I love this recipe/method because it is so versatile; it can be made for a quick and easy breakfast or a decadent, light supper. Once you learn and understand the method, you can augment the recipe to suit your taste and whatever you happen to have in your fridge.

Plus, it's meatless, so it is perfect for an easy Lenten supper!

Serving options? I love this with a simple green salad with a fresh vinaigrette on the side and I'm a sucker for a "dipping" option to dip into the lightly cooked yolk. Sourdough or whole wheat toast, fried fingerling potatoes or steamed asparagus are my personal favorites, of course some lovely browned hash doesn't hurt, either!!

Eggs en Cocotte

Eggs (Two per diner, for supper)
Heavy Cream or Half and Half
Butter
Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
Salt and Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and put a kettle of water on to boil.

Assemble one large, ovenproof dish and as many smaller ramekins as diners.

Butter each ramekin and place a tablespoonful or so of freshly grated Parmesan cheese in each buttered ramekin, swirling and pressing the cheese around the sides as one might do if you were buttering and flouring a pan for a cake. Add a bit of extra cheese in the bottom of the cup (about a Tablespoon).

Break two eggs in each ramekin, taking care to not break the yolks, and top with a bit of salt and pepper. Pour a Tablespoon or so of heavy cream or half and half on top of the eggs until just covered.

Place all of the ramekins in an ovenproof casserole. In the larger casserole, but not in the ramekins, carefully pour the boiling water so that it reaches a half to two-thirds up the sides of the ramekins.

Carefully place the casserole, uncovered, in the preheated oven and bake for 10 - 15 minutes, until the white is set but the yolk is still hot and a bit runny. Enjoy!

Now . . .want the best news about this recipe? Not only is it frugal and nourishing and meat free and FAST, but you can make it any way you want. Seriously. The above is the original recipe/method but you can augment it in so many ways? My favorites?

• Use a sharper cheese, like Gruyere, in the bottom and throw in a bit of chopped ham or smoked sausage in the bottom of the ramekin before adding the egg (not meatless, but oh so good! And a great way to use up a tiny bit of leftover meat)
• Add a tablespoon of pesto to the bottom before adding the eggs
• Make Baked Eggs in Cocotte Italian style by making a fresh tomato/herb/breadcrumb base and put in in the bottom and on top of the eggs (rather than cream)
• Saute a bit of spinach in olive oil and garlic and add to the bottom of the ramekin to make Baked Eggs a la Florentine
• Got a bit of leftover marinara sauce? Add it to the bottom of the cup (or top and bottom) for an Italian Baked Eggs
• Just the addition of some freshly snipped herbs make a beautiful addition to this yummy meal!
  

Enjoy!

Thank you to myrecipes.com for the image, above!

Breakfast for Dinner

When I was little, it was a special treat to have

Breakfast for Dinner.

Now that we're in the middle of Lent, I find Breakfast for Dinner to be a simple, easy way to eat a fulfilling, healthy dinner while maintaining an abstinence from meat. Granted, I am the first to get in line for breakfast meat of any kind . . . I am an avid lover of any and all things bacon related, but, for Lent, I am willing to put my smoked pork products away. Once a week.

Some of our favorites include:

Breakfast Pizza
We first discovered this lovely treat at Rose's Cafe in the Marina in San Francisco. Here's how I make it at home.

• Half of a batch of your favorite pizza crust recipe (enough to make one 16" pizza). My favorites include this yeasted crust recipe and this sourdough crust recipe
• 8 eggs
• heavy cream or half and half
• salt and pepper to taste
• a dollop of dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon of butter
  
• Thinly sliced smoked salmon or gravlax or lox, about 4 to 6 ounces
• cream cheese or sour cream or creme fraiche (whatever you prefer) - about 3/4 cup
• finely diced red onions, to sprinkle on top (not too much, maybe 1/8 cup or so so that it isn't overwhelming)
  
• capers, to sprinkle on top

Roll out and bake the pizza crust separately from all other toppings per your favorite recipe (I bake mine at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-15 minutes on a pizza stone. See details at the above linked recipes).

Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, break all the eggs into the bowl and add a dollop of dijon mustard (about one teaspoon), a splash of cream or half and half (about 2 Tablespoons), and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to break up all the eggs.

In a frying pan over low heat, heat about 1 Tablespoon of butter until melted and add the egg mixture. Using a silicon spatula or wooden spoon, gently scrape the bottom of the pan to slowly cook soft, fluffy scrambled eggs. Do not overcook. Remove from heat once the eggs are finished cooking.

Once the pizza crust is baked, spread the crust with the cream cheese, sour cream or creme fraiche (whichever you prefer) then pile the scrambled eggs on top, layer the smoked salmon or gravlox evenly over the scrambled eggs and sprinkle the top with diced red onion and capers.

Slice and serve. Enjoy!

For non-meatless days, I also recommend Rose's other breakfast pizza with scrambled eggs, prosciutto and gruyere. YUM!

Thank you to yelp.com for the picture of the breakfast pizza from Rose's Cafe, above.

And,

Sarah's Special French Toast
inspired by the Stuffed Triple Berry French Toast from Mimi's Cafe

• Two slices of your favorite hearty bread (whole wheat or challah or whole wheat cinnamon swirl bread are our favorites) per diner
• Yogurt
• Eggs
• One orange (if I have a blood orange, it's even better)
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• Fresh mixed berries, washed and sliced or, I frequently use the frozen Costco Triple Berry Blend
• Cream Cheese
• Maple syrup

Heat a griddle to medium heat.

In a shallow casserole dish, mix a good size dollop of yogurt with an egg or two (for two adults, I'd use one egg and about 1 cup of yogurt - but I don't like a really eggy french toast - so adjust accordingly) and add in a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and grated orange rind.

In the bowl of a food processor (or by hand), mix together enough cream cheese for each diner (probably about 2-3 ounces per person) with the juice of the orange, any additional grated orange rind and a dash of maple syrup for sweetness. Place in a serving bowl.

Soak each slice of bread in the yogurt mixture, on both sides, and place on the griddle, turning when each side is browned.

To serve, allow each diner to spread each slice of french toast with orange-infused cream cheese and top with berries. Offer additional maple syrup on the side.

If using frozen berries, I recommend heating them briefly in a small saucepan with a bit of maple syrup and nutmeg.

Enjoy!

Also try my pancakes for an easy, meatless Breakfast for Dinner!

Nourishing Frugal Foods

Buy One, Get One Free . . . . Buy 10/$10 . . . . . Spend $25 or more on any food on this page and get a coupon for money off your next grocery bill . . . . Sounds great right? Sounds like a great way to cut your grocery bill, especially in conjunction with those "free" coupons that you get with your Sunday paper. A little time, a little strategy, and suddenly you too can feed your family on $20 a week.

And then you look at the ingredients in that Kraft, Fat Free Mayonnaise (first four are, in order, water, modified food starch, sugar and high fructose corn syrup) on sale, or the box of "Whole Grain" Rice-a-Roni (with MSG and Texturized Vegetable Protein), or find High Fructose Corn Syrup and Cottonseed Oil in your 100% Whole Wheat Bread that you "splurge" on for $4/loaf. (Not to mention all the chips and sodas and cookies and "juices" and processed cereals and frozen processed fish sticks full of white flour and rancid oils and carcinogenic fake sweeteners that are all on sale) And you quickly realize that all those food items on sale, all that pre-packaged "convenience" foods, those crunchy snacks and meals in a box . . . ALL of them are simply full of junk. They're not even food. And you don't want it in your house.

Which brings us to the question:

How do you eat in a nourishing, "real" foodie way on a budget?

I confess, I'm still learning this process. But I've certainly made some success on the journey!

Choosing to eat more nourishing, real food does mean that some of the food you buy will be more expensive than it's commercialized counterpart (raw milk versus organic milk versus ultra-pasteurized "normal" milk is one such example! Raw Milk in my area runs $15/gallon, organic is $6/gallon while "normal" milk is around $3/gallon) but the great thing is, by choosing to cook and eat more nourishing, you will SAVE money in some areas of your grocery budget . . . . enough to be able to spend more on certain items (like better milk) while still maintaining your budget.

Here are my baby step tips to begin the process:

If it's not real food, don't buy it. In my house, my rule is that if it couldn't be produced before the Industrial Revolution, I strongly question bringing it into my house. Olive Oil, Coconut Oil, Butter? All good fats, all able to be produced before the Industrial Revolution . . . these are our favorite fats that we use for cooking and baking. Canola Oil, Shortening, margarine? Can't be produced without extreme use of extrusion machines, bleaching agents, artificially produced colors and flavoring agents. Not welcome in my kitchen. See what I mean? Fruits, vegetables, meats, legumes, whole grains, natural sweeteners . . . . come on in!

Buy bulk meat and learn how to cook less expensive cuts of meat. My husband is from the Midwest - he is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. If a supper doesn't come with some form of meat on it, he thinks I'm mad at him or punishing him for something he didn't realize he did wrong. So in our house, we eat a lot of meat. And meat can be expensive. How do I manage my grocery budget while providing such an expensive commodity on our table nearly every day? By learning how to cook less expensive cuts of meat, using it wisely and buying meat in bulk.

We are in the process of transitioning to buying more pasture-fed and organically grown meats - beef and chicken primarily (being from Alaska, I am a fish snob so we already only purchased wild fish) but I do still watch the sales for good quality meats in my regular grocery store, and take advantage of them when I can. . . .

Whenever I see whole, good quality (I limit mine to Foster Farms or organic only) chickens on sale for around $0.69 - $0.99/lb, I will stock our freezer and pick up about six of them for around $4/each. I'll then roast two chickens at a time, eat one for dinner and shred the second to add to soups, casseroles, or to top entree salads through the rest of the week. With the bones and carcasses, I'll make up a batch of chicken stock for the freezer which I use to make soups, sauces, to cook brown rice and legumes in, and even to simply heat and sip on when someone in the house has a cold. Nearly a week's worth of eating, plus some extra stored in the freezer, for about $10. Not bad!

When I see pork or beef roasts on sale, I'll pick up a four to six pound one (or two and put 0ne in my freezer) and cook it low and slow to make Green Chile Roasted Shredded Pork or Pot Roast and eat on it for several days. We use the leftovers to make sandwiches, fajitas, casseroles . . . and often will freeze leftovers in 2-3 cup portions for future dinners. Again, for around $10, we can eat for a week on a very tasty, varied diet by using one roast.

Finally, if you can find one and can work it into your budget, buying a quarter or a half or a whole beef at a time from a local, grass-fed farmer will pay off in the long run! We are hoping to take advantage of this in the future once we get settled!

Learn how to cook a few of your favorite/most used things from scratch. One loaf of good quality, whole wheat bread at the store runs around $4/loaf. Doesn't seem bad, until you realize that a 5lb bag of organic, whole wheat flour runs the same price (I don't have a grain mill, so only buy my flour already produced) and will produce probably a dozen loaves of better quality, whole wheat bread. If you have a big family, you probably go through a couple loaves a week just in the process of making toast for breakfast and sandwiches for lunch a few times. So what do you do? You learn how to make bread.

The biggest insight that I've found in learning how to bake bread in the past year or so is that it doesn't take as much time as you think. Yes, it takes time to rise. But you don't have to "do" anything while it does this. Actually producing a loaf (or several loaves at one time, and freezing the excess - this will save even MORE time and money!) only really takes about twenty minutes of active production time. The rest of the time, it does it on it's own.

Our favorite recipes include:
Sourdough Honey Whole Wheat Bread - great for sandwiches
Awesome Pizza Crust - add a little cheese and whatever leftover meat you have in the fridge and you have dinner!
Whole Wheat Cranberry Pecan Cinnamon Swirl Bread - perfect for breakfast!
San Francisco Sourdough - great for dunking in soups

We've also taken to buying grains and legumes in bulk and uncooked. Yes, a can of beans (about 1-1/2 cups of cooked beans) is convenient, and for $1/can it is not a bad addition to a fast meal on a Friday. I keep a few of them around myself. But when you figure that you can buy a two pound bag of dry beans for the same price, which is about 6 cups of dried beans which in turns produces about 15 cups of cooked beans. . . . for the same price, you can get 10 times the product simply by planning ahead and soaking some beans the night before before putting them in a pot to boil. It isn't rocket science nor is it difficult cooking. It just makes sense (and menu planning! I can't forget that helpful tip!) and will help your pocketbook.

Buy Fruits and Vegetables in Season and Locally whenever Possible. This is a major tip for several reasons. First, the more in season and local your produce is, the more nutritious it is because it was picked more recently, probably picked when ripe, and therefore hasn't lost the vitamins and minerals that an older piece of produce has. Second, in season fruit and vegetables are cheaper. Strawberries in August are about $1/lb. Strawberries in January are about $5/lb. Simple math.

I'm no martyr and I'm not perfect. I do keep unbleached, all-purpose flour around to bake with sometimes. I occasionally splurge and buy a bag of chips. When I don't have time to bake, I don't stress about buying a loaf of bread. I bake homemade "treats" with chocolate because, well, I like chocolate. But I try to maintain about an 80/20 rule. If we eat well 80% of the time, that 20% when we're exhausted and order pizza, or visiting friends or family and thankfully eating whatever it is that they serve, or traveling and can't find nourishing food on the road, well, it'll all even out in the end.

I hope these tips help jumpstart your progress of eating real food on a frugal budget!

This post is written in conjunction with the Nourishing Frugal Recipes Carnival hosted by Kimi Harris at Nourishing Gourmet today! Please go visit her site to read the other contributor's tips and recipes!

Pizza Margherita

Trying to think of some good Lenten dinners, our old stand-by is Pizza Margherita. That traditional flavor of tomatoes, basil and cheese always does it for me, but lately, I've augmented my recipe just the teensiest bit and have a new love.

Previously, I always used a marinara sauce on the bottom, followed by cheese and baked in the oven. When removed, I'd add whole or chiffonaded fresh basil leaves to the top. Good. Very tasty, but not AMAZING. What made it amazing? Switching the top to the bottom and the bottom to the top. Now, I spread the pizza crust with pesto, cover with cheese and bake, adding halved fresh grape tomatoes to the pizza when it has about two minutes to go. The result? AMAZING. I promise, you won't miss the meat.

(Above, a picture of a grilled variety of this pizza that we made last summer!)

Pizza Margherita
makes 2-16" pizzas

• One batch of your favorite pizza crust. This is my favorite yeasted crust recipe while this is my favorite sourdough recipe
• 1-1/2 cup of prepared pesto (I love Ina's recipe, when I have a bunch of basil available, but a good quality store-bought variety is what we often use)
• 3-4 cups of grated Italian cheese blend (Parmesan, mozzarella, Fontina, etc.)
• 2 handfuls of grape tomatoes, washed and sliced in half lengthwise

Preheat your oven and baking stone (if you have one) to 500 degrees Fahrenheit (if you don't have a stone, don't worry, just use a pizza pan and only preheat the oven!)

Divide the dough in half and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the crust to your desired thinness and size.

If using a pizza stone:
Spread 1/4 cup of cornmeal on a baker's peel and place the rolled out dough on top of the cornmeal. "Dress" pizza as noted below before transferring the pizza from the peel to the stone to bake.

If using a pizza pan:
Spread 1/4 cup of cornmeal on the bottom of a pizza pan and place the rolled out dough on top of the cornmeal. "Dress" pizza as noted below before transferring pan into the oven to bake.

On the prepared dough, spoon out and spread out about 3/4 cup of pesto until it reaches the edges of the pizza, covering the entire pizza with a light layer of pesto. Top with 1-1/2 to 2 cups of grated cheese, covering evenly.

Place pizza in oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until the crust is brown and cheese begins to brown in places on top. When it looks like it has about two minutes to go, sprinkle a handful of halved grape tomatoes on the top and return to oven.

Once baked, remove from oven and allow to cool for about five minutes before slicing.

Enjoy!