Pregnant Lady Trail Mix

Pregnancy is a weird and awesome thing. It's weird to willingly allow a parasite to suck all the nutrients out of your body, but awesome because this parasite is actually a baby and babies rock. I've been blessed awesomely normal pregnancy, so far (*knock on wood*).

I've also learned more about my body these past 6 months than I had in the whole 27 years prior. I even know my blood type now- what up?! Chalk that up to the bajillion of doctors appointments pregnant ladies get to go to- I'm almost to my twice a month appointment phase! I've also given a few gallons of blood (or roughly 15 vials, but jeez, that is a lot of blood) and peed in more cups than I care to count.

At my last appointment, I got to give more blood and then I got a follow-up phone call from the NP. Diagnosis= low iron. This is hardly a strange or unusual thing for women in general and it's especially common in pregnant women. Even though I take my daily prenatal vitamin, I wanted to boost my intake of iron through food, too. Couldn't hurt, right?

My daily food intake usually has some kind of spinach or leafy green in it, so I was reluctant to go that route. A girl can only eat so many salads. A quick search on Babycenter.com gave me quite the list of other iron-rich foods: lean beef, dark meat chicken or turkey, instant oatmeal, edamame, lentils, blackstrap molasses, apricots, nuts, seeds, raisins.

Armed with this knowledge, I went to my local Trader Joe's and started scanning labels. To get the most bang for my iron buck, I picked out a few things for a trail mix:

• Dried apricots
• Seedless raisins
• Honey-sesame almonds (double whammy- nuts & seeds!)
  

Here are the stats:

A 1/4 cup serving of seedless raisins has:
6% daily value of iron
2% daily value of calcium
13o calories
2 grams fiber
1 gram protein
Fat-free!

1/4 cup serving of dried apricots has:
8% daily value of iron
2% daily value of calcium
10% daily value of Vitamin C
20% daily value of Vitamin A
110 calories
2 grams fiber
1 gram protein
Fat-free!

1/4 cup serving of honey-sesame almonds has:
10% daily value of iron
10% daily value of calcium
170 calories
1 gram fiber
4 grams protein
12 grams fat

I threw equal quantities of each in a Ziploc, shook it up, and took it to work where I munched on it all week. I serve this up in roughly 1/2 cup portions, so I estimate it's around 300-350 calories a serving with a nice helping of iron in each bite. Which is handy since you're supposed to eat roughly 300 extra calories a day during the second trimester and 450 extra calories a day during the third trimester. (source)


Now, I'm not a nutritionist but I have been trying to watch what I eat and not use pregnancy as an all-access pass to the buffet of life. I'm not too worked up about trying to stay within a certain weight range- I figure if I eat when I'm hungry and eat mostly nutrient-dense food everything will work the way it's supposed to.

I'm guess I'm doing something right because this kid is definitely growing.

Exhibit A: 5 weeks (Hi Gilligan!)

Exhibit B: Almost 25 weeks!

Homemade Granola Bars

In college and high school, we used the term "granola" to explain a special kind of person. Someone who wears Birkenstocks exclusively, enjoys herbal tea regularly, and who probably eats organic, free-range, cage-free, sustainable, recycled granola.

Perhaps you would enjoy an example?

I went to high school with this girl...we'll call her Lola*.

*Name changed to protect the truly crunchy. PS- it's not me. This girl was WAY more of a hippy than I've ever been.

Lola marched to a different beat, a beat that no one else heard.

To call my hometown "preppy" doesn't even begin to touch it's yuppy core.

Lola wore linen- everyday. The looser the tunic, the floppy the pants, the better.

Lola was an artist- last I heard she went to RISD where I'm sure she was hugely successful.

But what made Lola truly stand out was the pouch she wore around her neck.

Any guesses what was in the pouch? I'll wait.

Shark tooth? Nope. Lucky penny? Nah. Lock of boyfriend's hair? Getting warmer.

It was her pet sugar glider.


Apparently, she needed to bond with them, so she wore them all day long.

So to review- she was/is GRANOLA.

This is also granola. Making your own granola bars is not only easy, but can make you feel somewhat superior. Who else will take the time to make nutritious power-packed snacks?

Make. Eat. Feel self-righteous.


Preheat your oven to 350. Line an 8x8 glass Pyrex with aluminum foil (or parchment paper if you're fancy) and grease well.


In an extra large mixing bowl, add oats, flour, and salt. Make sure you use the biggest bowl you've got, 'cause this is gonna get messy.

Take out your nut of choice. If it's already chopped small, you can throw them in. If they're whole, you need to take 'em down a notch.

See? Smaller.
Throw the nuts and the chocolate chips into your big bowl.

Stir it all about.


Add in your nut butter (I used sunflower seed butter) and agave.


Here comes the only hard part- you gotta mix this stuff up! Pull on your Pop-Eye pants and stir until really well combined. Once you think you've got it, drizzle on the water & vanilla and STIR SOME MORE.


Dump the sticky mess into your dish.


Pack it in really well. Use the heel of your hand to smush it in and make sure you get the corners. The tighter you pack this, the less of a chance you'll have loose bars.

No one wants loose bars.


See? Tight.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.


Mmm...golden brown.

Before slicing, you gotta do two things.

Thing #1) Cool the pan on a rack for 30 minutes.

Thing #2) Remove aluminum foil/parchment paper sling from the pan and place in fridge. Cool here at least 1-2 hours- til cold to the touch.

THEN you may slice.


I made my bars snack size and got twelve out of my pan.
Here's the money shot- check out those OATS!


Chocolate Almond Granola Bars
Makes ~12 granola bars

1 2/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup light salted, roasted almonds- chopped
1/3 cup sunflower seed butter
1/2 cup agave nectar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 350. Line an 8 x 8 Pyrex dish with tin foil or parchment paper. Grease well.

In a very large bowl, combine oats, flour, salt, chocolate chips, and almonds. Stir to combine. Add sunflower seed butter and agave nectar. Stir well to combine. This will take some arm strength. Drizzle the vanilla and water over the top and stir again to distribute evenly.

Pat the mixture into the pan making sure to really pack it in. Use the heel of your hand to smush it in.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then remove the foil/paper sling and put in fridge to cool an additional 1-2 hours before slicing.

Raspberry Pecan Streusel Bars

At our 24 watching party last night, guests noshed on eggplant dip, Trader Joe's style "Doritos", salsa, and raspberry pecan streusel bars. This hodge podge was a combination of leftovers from our Mid East feast dinner (falafel, "baba ghanoush", pita, & salad) and my recent adventures into low-glycemic baking.

Even though this final season of Jack Bauer-antics has been a thorough disappointment, these tasty South Beach friendly treats delivered big flavor. The combination of lemon and raspberry balances the hearty, slightly sweet dough bursting with toasted pecans.

The use of whole wheat flour and agave nectar make this South Beach friendly. There is a bit of butter, so it would best be enjoyed as an occasional phase 2 or 3 treat. Choose a raspberry jam that is low-sugar or sweetened only with fruit juice.

I knew these were a hit when the husband refused to take the remaining bars to work so that he could have them all to himself. Greed is a good sign.

Raspberry Pecan Streusel Bars

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup pecans
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Pinch salt
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/4 cup butter, diced
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup oil
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup raspberry jam
1 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, pecans, lemon zest, salt, and cinnamon in a medium-sized bowl. Using your fingers work the butter into the flour/pecan mixture. The butter/flour clumps should be pea-sized, so that the flour, butter, and pecans are well-combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, agave, egg yolk, and vanilla until well-combined.

Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir together. The dough will be crumbly, which is what you are looking for.

Stir the lemon juice and raspberry jam together to thoroughly combine.

In an ungreased 9x13 pan pat 2/3 of the dough into an even layer. Spread the jam over the bottom layer leaving a 1/4 inch border. Sprinkle the rest of the dough on top- don't worry if the pieces don't touch.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Check near the end as whole wheat flour browns (burns) much quicker than white flour.

Whole wheat fruit & nut biscotti

We gave up cable when we bought our house. At the time it was a money thing, as in we didn't have any. Now cable is affordable, but we continue to abstain for moral (read: self-righteous) and apathetic reasons. We can get our shows on iTunes- why bother with Comcast?

This means my only source of food t.v. is the Saturday afternoon of cooking shows on PBS. These come on infrequently, but when I stumble upon a block of them I sit in silent foodie bliss for hours. Lidia's Italy is one of my faves, and so is Everyday Food. The latter is a Martha Stewart production, but is surprisingly accessible to those of us who are less interested in tablescapes and napkin rings you can make from pine cones. Hey- remember that ugly sweater she knit in prison? This show is way more fun than that.

Not gonna lie- when you make actual biscotti in your own kitchen, you'll feel like a genuine Italian. Be prepared. What up, Giada!

These are your ingredients. Because biscotti are somewhat labor intensive I decided to make a double batch. More is almost always better.





















Preheat oven to 350. Oil a baking sheet.


















Chop dried fruits so they are roughly the same size if using different kinds. I used raw pecan halves and dried figs, apricots, & cherries so there were a variety of shapes.



















Mix the flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, dried nuts, and dried fruit in a large bowl.

In a separate small bowl, whisk the eggs and the vanilla.

Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and gently mix.















































On a floured surface, turn out the dough and shape two loaves (you'd only shape one if you made a single recipe).

































Place the two loaves on the greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 until risen and firm- about 25 minutes.

















Once the cookie loaves are in the oven, use this time to clean up the biscotti bomb that has exploded in your kitchen.


















After the first bake, the biscotti loaves need to cool completely before you can slice them and bake them again.

While you are waiting for this to happen, you can use this time to do other useful things. I went to buy the monster (dog) some food & to the library to pick up the copy of Ratio by Michael Ruhlman I put on hold.

I also went to the grocery and bought more butter because a blizzard is a'comin' and there is nothing better than baking during a storm.

After the biscotti cool, you must slice them. Try to make them 1/4 to 1/2 inch slices. I use a serrated bread knife- it keeps them from ripping as you slice.

Lower the oven temperature to 300.

Layer the biscotti on the cookie sheet.
















Don't be like me! The above picture shows biscotti that are too close together! These cookies need space because this batch steamed and were not crunchy the first go round. I had to get out another cookie sheet- separate these and rebake. LAME!

Remember- cookies are like Americans- they need personal space. At least an inch or two!

Bake again at 300 for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until golden.

Cool completely.






















Once they are completely cooled, you have a couple of options.

You can store them sensibly- here I've used a covered Pyrex baking dish since I don't own a cookie jar- crazy, right? There's a lid that fits securely on top.



















OR....if you're feeling really frisky...























BISCOTTI JENGA!!


















I have no clue how many biscotti I made- more than 40. Dunk these bad boys in your morning coffee and revel in your newly acquired Italianess!



Recipe from Everyday Food from PBS:

Ingredients

24 slices

• Vegetable oil, for baking sheet
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, spooned and leveled
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, plus more for work surface
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup walnut halves
• 1/4 cup golden raisins
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush a baking sheet with oil; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt; stir in walnuts and raisins. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and vanilla. Add to flour mixture; stir just until combined.
3. On a lightly floured surface, with floured hands, pat dough into a loaf about 1 inch thick, 2 1/2 inches wide (and about 7 inches long); transfer to baking sheet. Bake until risen and firm, 20 to 25 minutes; cool completely on sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
4. Place loaf on a cutting board, and using a serrated knife, cut diagonally into 1/4 inch-thick slices; place slices in a single layer on sheet. Bake, turning once, until dried and slightly golden, 25 to 30 minutes; cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 month.

Lemon buttermilk pecan pound cake

I have an affinity for naming things.
I'll name anything- plants, cars, outfits, recipes.
I especially enjoy including all the important elements in a name- see title for example.

I was going to take pictures of the entire process- from ingredients to finished product. But in true tunnel vision fashion- I took one picture of the ingredients and promptly forgot to capture any of the other moments in this pound cake's creation.

So here's the recipe and a picture of the ingredients. I'd take a picture of the finished product, but after I ate a fourth of the loaf by myself, I sent the rest to work with the husband.

Lemon buttermilk pecan pound cake
*One note- this is totally not a real pound cake, but it weighs at least a pound and is cake-like. Technicalities be damned!

Preheat oven to 375 and grease a large loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine the following:

2/3 cup white sugar
zest of two lemons
2 1/2 cups of AP flour (I used unbleached from Trader Joe's)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

In a large glass measuring cup, combine the wet stuff:

3/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk (I used large eggs)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 stick butter, melted and lightly browned & cooled (P.S. Don't do this in a black bottomed pan- 'cause then you can't see how brown it is- DUH!)

Add wet stuff to dry stuff- mix completely but gently. Fold in:

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped but not too small- you want to know what you're eating (toast them in the leftover drips of butter in the pan 'til fragrant)

Spread batter- it'll be kind of stretchy looking- into the greased loaf pan.

Bake 45 minutes- test with wooden skewer or chopstick to make sure middle is set.

As another side note, I have an affinity for gilding the lily- I just can't leave well enough alone. This is what led me to glazing the top of my golden loaf with a lemon juice and agave nectar reduction.

DON'T BE LIKE ME!

It was sticky and sour and added approximately no enjoyment to the loaf.

If you truly need to glaze, make a buttermilk/powdered sugar glaze or some such nonsense.

Oh yeah- here are the ingredients...