Why did I decide to wean Lou from her pacis?

Someone tell me why I thought that was a good idea.

She only uses them at nap & night time, but still. Do I not care about my own sleep?!

It all started last week when I saw her absolutely gnawing on her paci as she was getting ready to go to bed. I thought – if any kid is going to rip off the good part & swallow/choke on it, it will be my kid. So the next day we packed them up & said bye bye. Cold turkey. Ripped the bandaid. She did ok the first day. The next day she decided to spike her first fever ever. It’s not unlike her to get sick on purpose just to mess with us, so I was like dude what gives. Then I realized – the gnawing & the fever = molars coming in. I took away the child’s greatest comfort in the midst of her greatest pain. My timing is impeccable!

For some reason, a plush stuffed animal doesn’t slap as hard as a rubber paci on the gums.

Time: 40 minutes (prep + cooking) | Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1 white onion, sliced thin
• 2 cans of cannellini beans
• 1/4 head of cabbage, chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup of dill, chopped
• 4 cups of veg broth
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp of butter or vegan butter
• S+P, to taste
• 1/2 tsp of crushed red pepper

How to:

• Heat butter + olive oil in a pot or Dutch oven over medium heat
• Add onion + S+P, cook about 7-8 minutes until they get nice & friedish
• Remove onions + add beans to pot with S+P, smashing a few as they cook
• Add broth + simmer for about 15-20 minutes
• Add cabbage + lemon + S+P + red pepper flakes + cook another 10 minutes
• Turn off heat + add in half the dill
• Serve hot with onions + remaining dill
• I know it’s probably hotter than Hades where you are, but blast the A/C & eat this

Adapted from here!

Have I mentioned I’m with child?

Not sure if I’ve put that out here in the blogger-verse yet.

It’s true. Lou is such an angel, we thought why not go for 2 under 2, ya know?!

Really this was the greatest surprise of our lives. We went through fertility treatment to get Lou, so to just…get pregnant still feels surreal. Who knew that’s how it happened! We’re adding another girl to this gang, despite me being 100% positive it was a boy. When the nurse told me female, I was like wait excuse me female as in girl?? She said …yeah…. The best part about having the same gender is the amount of money saved on clothes & nursery decor. Poor little girl is getting all of Lou’s half busted shoes & dirty socks. We still love you just as much, we’re just cheap!!!

I’ve accepted I’m not sleeping soundly again for another 5-6 years at least.

Time: 1 hour (prep + cooking) | Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Arborio rice, uncooked
• 1 container of vegetable stock
• 1 white onion, diced
• 1 tbsp of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup of peas (if frozen, blanche in boiling water for like 2 seconds, then drain)
• Couple sprigs of mint
• Couple sprigs of basil
• Zest + juice from 1/2 a lemon + the juice from the other 1/2
• 1/4 cup + 1-2 tbsp of olive oil
• S+P, to taste
• 1 tsp of crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast or Parmesan cheese (pick your poison)

How to:

• Heat 1-2 tbsp of olive oil in a stock pot or Dutch oven over low-medium heat
• Add onion + S, cook 4-5 minutes
• Add garlic, cook another minute
• Add rice, coating in goodness while toasting for about 2 minutes
• Meanwhile, heat stock in a lil pot over low heat
• Add stock one ladle at a time to the rice, stir + let absorb until rice is cooked, about 30, minutes
• In a food processor, combine peas + herbs + zest + juice from 1/2 the lemon + olive oil + S+P, pulse until a nice chunky texture
• Once rice is cooked, turn off heat + stir in pesto + cheese + the juice of the other half of that lemon + some S+P
• Serve warm with more peas + basil
• Lay your soft, supple cheek on a bowl of this + just relax

As if we didn’t know my toddler was a nut bag.

This weekend she decides to learn a new skill.

Jumping out of her crib.

Jumping? Climbing & falling out? Idk the technical terms. Somehow she has learned to throw her body out of the crib, that’s all I know! I was frantically googling what to do about it & the internet told me to put her in a sleep sack. People, she’s DOING this in a sleep sack. So we took out the springs & the legs of the crib & now her mattress is on the ground, surrounded by the crib bars. Truly a little baby jail. I watched her on the monitor try to jump out of this one, but alas her parents’ average height genes are working in our favor.

Can someone tell me the magic age kids chill? I feel like I’m still years off from it…

Time: 45 minutes (prep + cooking) | Serves: 2-3 sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 1 can of jackfruit, rinsed + drained
• 1/2 cup of ketchup
• 3 tbsp of maple syrup
• 2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp of soy sauce
• 1 tbsp of corn starch
• 1 tsp of chili powder
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika
• 1 tsp of garlic powder
• 1 tsp of pepper
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• Slaw, for serving
• Buns, for serving

How to:

• Preheat oven to 400
• In a bowl, combine ketchup + maple syrup + apple cider vinegar + soy sauce + corn starch + spices
• Shred jackfruit with two forks
• Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat
• Add jackfruit, cook 2-3 minutes
• Add sauce, cook another 5 minutes
• Transfer jackfruit to a line baking sheet + bake for 25 minutes, tossing once in the middle
• Serve hot on buns with slaw
• These sandwiches are all for you, do not share