Updates!

I start so many things and don't remember to let my blog readers know the progress or outcome. Very bad!

I am now almost seven months pregnant. I feel the baby kick, move and do daily P90X exercises probably 400 times a day. We don't know the sex - this has proven to be very exciting! I'm really happy that Calvin made that call and encouraged me not to find out because had I, we would have only the joy of a nicely coloured room and wardrobe and none of the joy of the excitement of not knowing. It seems like a small thing, and dull in comparison to the rush of seeing your baby for the first time, knowing they are healthy, etc. but I promise that the "it's a boy" or "it's a girl" moment is right up there is anticipation for both of us. We have some baby showers lined up which is great and we're putting together lists of what we want and need. We know for sure we'll be breast feeding, if all goes well. For that I'll be taking New Roots Mama Milk tincture and probably a daily tea of various herbs. (I'll also be taking red raspberry tea starting soon to help with uterine muscle toning.) We are still so undecided about vaccination because new pros and cons come up every day. Minor ones like chicken pox are a no brainer - my child doesn't need a needle to protect it from a few itchy bumps. But ones that impact the ability to attend school, and travel, are trickier.

My garden is growing and wonderful. I have a planter box attached to my deck of beautiful herbs, and another planter box that I call the salad box, which has various edible microgreens including spinach. Then there's a ground planter of mint (can be invasive, not going to put it in the ground for fear it'll take over) and a planter of cherry tomatoes so that I can grab them nice and quick right outside the sliding glass door. The main plot has a flower section (lilac and sunflowers), the berry forest (strawberries, raspberries and a cedar) and the veggie plot which has tomatoes, onions, carrots, zucchini, cucumber, corn, beans, squash, pumpkin, kale, broccoli, peppers and eggplant. I might be forgetting something but I think I have it all, short of an orchid in my front entrance.

I am exactly half way through my school courses. Two down, two to go. It is very interesting and definitely preparing me for wherever natural nutrition will take me, career-wise.

I will finish off with a "recipe" for a nice warm-weather drink, one that I am enjoying right now. You typically see recipes for whole pitchers of beverages but when you just want a cup for you here's an easy way to do it.

Mint Lemonade

In a heat proof glass or mug, mix 6 fresh mint leaves with 1/2 cup boiling water. Let sit for 2 minutes.
Add 10 drops stevia extract.
Add 2 T lemon juice.
Fill the glass or mug to the top with ice and drink, making sure not to swallow any mint.

Spring Fiddlehead Pasta & GF Vegan Brownies

Calvin worked late tonight so Mom and I found time, in between planting of course, to make a wonderful dinner.

Spring Fiddlehead Pasta

1. Prepare 4 cups of brown rice penne pasta.
2. Toss with 3 T butter, 1 T lemon juice and a sprinkling of sea salt.
3. Lightly boil (3 minutes or so) 2 cups of fiddleheads. These are currently in season! Check your grocer, market or backyard forest!
4. Toss the fiddleheads in the pasta along with 1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese. Top with grated parmesan and fresh basil.

GF Vegan Brownies

Preheat oven to 350.
1. Sift together 3/4 cup gf featherlight flour mix*, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt.
2. Whisk together 1/2 cup coconut cream (the thick white part of a can of coconut milk), 1/4 cup oil, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.
3. Fold dry ingredients into wet and stir until just mixed.
4. Bake in a greased 8" pan for 15 minutes (gooey brownies) to 20 minutes (firm brownies).
5. Let cool? Maybe not.

* Look for my previous entry on how to make this mix, or in a pinch for this recipe use 1/2 cup white rice flour, 3 T tapioca flour, 1 T potato starch and 1/8 tsp guar gum.