Kinda unintentionally took a little break from the blog.
I wasn’t overly busy, still doing the same work/parent thing, but I just didn’t feel like writing an (uninspired) post about nothingness so I left the computer off. And that’s that. Nothing exciting happened while I was away though.
For dinners:
I made this creamy dijon tempeh casserole dish again.
This time with 3 blocks of tempeh (I 1 1/2-ed the whole recipe) in an 8×8 casserole dish. Boom. Party in my mouth.
That’s taken care of a few dinners/lunches. Even though the leftovers cause family feuds, it’s still a dish I’ll continue to make again and again. So. Good.
And then there were the leftovers of this sweet potato pasta dish.
Still just as good a few days later.
Sushi take-out on the zombie days (post-night shift laziness).
I’m obsessed with inari. It’s pretty much my favorite sushi order now and I could maybe (definitely) eat a whole barrel of them. Who knows what that sweet-ish stuff is that the rice inside has on it?
For breakfasts:
I’m back on the oatmeal wagon.
After a looooong hiatus (all of pregnancy and several months post partum) from sweet breakfasts, I seem to have returned to my former self.
Our crock-pot was occupied (third batch of home-made applesauce), so I made steel cut oats in the rice cooker.
I followed the same water:grain ratio as I would any other grain, but used the porridge setting. Started it the night before and woke up to perfectly creamy and dreamy oats. All I did in the morning was give it quick stir and add a splash of almond milk.
Plus molasses, pumpkin puree, and cinnamon.
It made enough to last me a few days.
Most days I went the pumpkin route but one day I stirred in a HUGE glob of peanut butter which made breakfast basically taste like a cookie.
And another day my sister was in town (babysitting while I slept after night shift) so I made us matching bowls of oatmeal. This was on the stove top and used whole rolled oats instead of steel cut ones. They each had raisins, almond butter, and 1/2 a banana.
For Lunches:
Thanks to this Costco purchase my lunches have been nearly identical for the last month.
Not that it takes much effort to hard boil eggs, but at the rate I’ve been eating them, it’s an ongoing process that takes up time I’d happily devote elsewhere.
Plus they’re organic, inexpensive, and just plain easy. I got my sister on board. I bet my dad would be all about it too.
Usually eaten while this is going on.
Totally normal.
Can you believe this little monster is over 8 months old?!?
Every day is better than the day before it. He’s just so much fun. I can’t get over what a little boy he’s becoming. Such a happy kid.
We went to a pumpkin patch and out of everything we did (which was a LOT) the highlight of his day was definitely the hay.
Ladies man.
I just adore spending my days with him. 🙂
TOTAL ladies man! so so cute! I babysit an 8 month old and it is just an adorable age! definitely a handful 🙂
With a companion like that I’d be absent from the blog too 🙂
I can’t believe how big P is getting! What a cutie pie! Love those big blue eyes! We missed ya, but I totally get it!
That first pic of P is precious!
Newly spotted on the Costco shelves in my region–Gardien burgers! Have you seen them at your Costco? Check for them! I totally checked for (and bought!) the organic chopped kale after seeing it on your blog 🙂
Courtney
What a looker. It’s so crazy he’s already 8 months!! Time seriously flies. I feel ya on those hard boiled eggs…totally buying those next time at Costco.
Hi, Elise!
Inarizushi typically has rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame seeds in the rice. The fried tofu pouches is usually seasoned with dashi, mirin, sugar and soy sauce. My mom used to make these for my lunch, but being a typical Japanese-American kid, I preferred taking sandwiches to school because I wanted to fit in. What a regret now…
Wow, P is so adorable. I love his little wisps of hair. So cute!
It sounds like you could be a little burnt out on the blog? As your long-time devoted reader, I want to say on behalf of all of us readers, if you need to take a break, don’t worry. We will understand. We will be here when you get back (if that’s what you decide). Nobody would expect with how much your life has changed that your motivation to keep up an extensive blog might not have changed as well. Being a mommy and a nurse sure takes a lot of work!
Mmm, yum!
Haha same goes for me! I used to look around before I opened my lunchbox as to not alarm other kids with the smell of sushi every time my mom packed it for me..
All this food is making me hungry…
Oh, I used to get teased for how weird my lunches looked… It’s probably cool to have sushi now. 🙂
Elise! You should check out Impossible Acres. Its a pumpkin patch with a ton of baby animals!
That’s where we went! Loved it 🙂
Thanks Sarah. I really like blogging so I’m just doing it when I get in the mood and not pushing myself to post more than that. 🙂
Yup. I know you can relate 🙂
P is so stinking cute! When you take breaks from blogging, just post some extra pictures of him and we will forgive you. Promise! ; )
Yesterday I tried your creamy dijon tempeh casserole and it was great. I used romanesca instead of spinach and that worked out great… P is growing so fast. Enjoy every minute while he’s so small.
OMG P Man is soooo gorgeous!! Enjoy these days, they go by WAY too fast for us Mommas.
And oatmeal for breakfast is an absolute must for those of us in the more northern climates this time of year!
Hey we have the same chair! My kid won’t wear a bib though 🙁
This is the sweetest post ever! P is too cute – his eyes! Your blog makes me feel so broody ( & hungry :)!).
Ohh I tried udis gf bagels yesterday (they have finally arrived in the uk!) so good!,
I hope you have a great week!
Hi Elise:) You kinda inspired me to buy the rice cooker, but I am curious – whats the difference (if there is any) between rice cooker and crock-pot? Thanks!
yay! the difference is that the rice cooker stops automatically once the item is done cooking. perfectly.
the slow cooker doesnt have the ability to know how much or what is in it, so it wont necessarily use up all the water or cooking liquid and you have to tell it how long you want it to cook.
basically both are great but the rice cooker is AMAAAAZING.
hahaha. p tries to take his often every second hes not distracted w food.
what a guy 🙂
I can explain your absence. You looked into P’s eye’s, became hypnotized and forgot about the rest of the world. It happens with especially cute babies. I’m surprised no one warned you…
😉
can you cook beans and other grains in the rice cooker?
and if i was to buy one of them – which one should i go for?
Go w the rice cooker. I use it every single day. Loooove it.
The answers to the rest of your Qs can be found in my rice cooker 101 post.
Pretty much. 🙂
I have never commented before, but I just want to let you know that your blog is amazing. The addition of Pac man pictures just makes it even better and I think its important for you to take these small breaks to be able to focus more him (even though I check the blog every day, sometimes several times to seeif you’ve posted something haha!)
I am currently on a nut rut. I tried buying single packets to find self control, but alas the plastic barriers between each little bag is nothing against my cravings… whats a girl to do when half her dialy food intake is nuts.
Patrick is looking great! Its expected from having such a great mom like you. (: awesom job