Eat Like a Rabbit

This is a great piece of wall art at Nora's new Speech Therapy office (at 5 weeks old!). Debra Beckman is amazing! She taught us a super effective way to burp Nora, which has made our lives easier. Also, we are seeing improvements in her mouth movements that hopefully will make her eat better.

My mother used to talk about "Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard" being completely empty. However, she only meant that her variety had significantly decreased. In my case after a productive last couple of weeks, my selection has deteriorated significantly. We really have a very empty fridge, freezer, and pantry. I mentioned to Paul and our house guests last night that I wanted to stop at 5 stores today, which yielded a giggle and comments about my "Marathon Shopping Trips" and a stern warning from my husband not to overdo it. Anyway, this is a real chance to try out my New Year's Resolution to make my shopping trips shorter and pay off faster.

That being said, my grocery shopping will be to replace staples like milk and lemon juice (and to get some plants for my garden!) I'll do my best to continue using what items I have in stock for the week. Here's the menu plan I have in mind:

I was reading up on the qualities of spinach in The Full Plate Diet, when I learned that the term "a la Florentine" came from Catherine de Medici's love for spinach. This may not mean much to most people, but it hit a cool note with me as my brother- and sister-in-law met at an old Medici Villa, that has been turned into a college, where they both worked.

And that inspired me to use the leftover quinoa and braised spinach to make an Italian version. Sadly, I was in a hurry as we only had an hour before an appointment at some friends' house, and I forgot the tomatoes. Plus, I would have loved to add pine nuts, but we're out. Paul saw nothing much connecting the dish to Italian dining except for the parmesan cheese topping. That was a mistake on my part. However, I stand by my original idea and claim with the additions it would have been a better presentation. Either way, I thought it tasted just yummy.

Below is the recipe as I would have made it with more time and more supplies.

Quinoa a la Florentine

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup onion, sliced
• 1 pound fresh spinach, rinsed
• 1/8 cup Parmesan Cheese, finely shredded
• 1/3 cup pine nuts, chopped and toasted
• 2 Campari Tomatoes, quartered

Sautee onions until soft in 1 teaspoon olive oil then add garlic to cook briefly. (Don't let the garlic brown.) Add the broth and allow to heat up. Add spinach and cook until just wilted. Serve spinach over quinoa topped with pine nuts and parmesan. Garnish on four sides with tomatoes.

My husband gave me a massage a few weeks back as a birthday present. While I was enjoying the pampering and assistance relaxing since I was still recovering from the very recent delivery, my folks came over and made me dinner.

I'm not sure if she was apologizing or telling me to add to my grocery list, but my mom told me she'd used every can of tomatoes I had in the cabinet (3, I think). I never have pre-made pasta sauce in my cabinets. It's so much fun and generally cheaper to make my own. What Mom didn't realize was that there were different kinds of tomatoes in my cabinet: Muir Glen Fire Roasted, Muir Glen with Adobo Seasoning, and Muir Glen without salt. We were all pleasantly surprised by the nice flavor and hint of spice in the resulting sauce. Naturally, she added flavors of her own like garlic and onion powders, but you could definitely taste the difference in the tomatoes.

While Nora and I were outside enjoying the spring weather a couple days ago, I looked around sadly at our herb garden. I took a picture and decided I would share my desires and plans to improve our little urban garden. Mind you, this is not all of our garden, and I'm sorry to say, isn't the worst either. (The rocket is more depressing.) Fortunately, the rosemary on the front porch is considerably happier, which makes me not feel as bad.

We have some small pots and a bucket that someone gave me as a gift-basket. I'm going to fill each of them with dirt and plant some wild flower seeds that were sent to us as gifts. We're big on fresh flowers, and I think the extra color will make us very happy.

Next, I read somewhere that toddler swimming pools make great urban garden planters. I would love to fill one up with spinach and other greens. Seems like a good investment--this year a garden, next year fun for Nora. However, what would really make this work would be if I found a really cheap (a.k.a. free) pool. I would be extra happy to only have to invest in soil and seeds.

Yesterday was such a nice day outside--finally warming up!--that I had to sit on the back porch for lunch with Baby Nora in my lap. I was also under orders from Paul to keep my feet up. So, I sent him this picture to prove I was obedient.

Ever since I talked with my aunt last week about Tabouleh, I've been wanting some. However our parsley looks sad, and I promised myself I would eat what we already had in the house this week instead of buying more groceries. So, I decided to make my own chilled couscous salad with dried parsley and vegetables. Maybe it isn't something that will make it on CNN iReport, but it was just what I wanted. I also wanted to eat up the peaches in the freezer and came up with a pretty simple recipe with help from Eat, Drink and Weigh Less.

Recipe for Couscous Salad

• 1 cup cooked couscous
• 1 Campari tomato, diced
• 1/2 mini cucumber, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Handful dried parsley, ground in hand
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh crushed black pepper

Mix all ingredients and serve at room temperature.

Recipe for Peach Smoothie

In a blender add equal parts frozen peaches, yogurt, and orange juice. Last, add 1/2 Tablespoon honey. Blend until no longer chunky. Sip on the porch.

I always said I wouldn't post my child all over the internet, but sometimes you just can't help it!

We're very excited to have my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin in town seeing Nora for the first time. So, all dinner plans are subject to quick change based on what the rest of the family is doing. However, it never hurts to have a plan just in case.

Last week, a reporter from iReport at CNN wrote with a "Weekend Assignment" story request for a video of a signature dish. Eggplant Bruschetta is one of my classic dishes, and today Paul and I visited the same stall at the Maitland Farmer's Market where we picked up our first eggplant. You can check out the video of making Baked Eggplant Bruschetta and learn the recipe at ireport.com.

Paul and I are sorry the photograph leaves a lot to be desired, and I promise it does not do the recipe justice.

During my last trimester, I think I did some pretty good shopping. One thing I crazily purchased (but Paul agreed to buy it!) was Organic Quinoa at Costco. Naturally, I can't find the receipt to tell you how much the giant bag cost, but aside from it taking up a good deal of space in the pantry, I've decided it's well worth it.

The quinoa itself is a bit time-consuming to cook. Boil water, watch for 15 minutes, fluff and cook for 5. it has a very earthy flavor and may be an acquired taste, but as I told my mother last night: When you find out something is good for you, you just have to make a commitment to make it work.

The first time Paul bought couscous and served it to me, I was so underwhelmed. I even threw most of the remainder of the container away. (Yes! And I believe in no waste!) But I learned it was just because I didn't know how to cook it. Now, granted, I only know three ways to use it now--this one, tabouleh, and Mexican-style. But I know that I'm broadening my horizons, and each time we eat it we are doing our bodies good.

I've made this recipe before, but with "white" couscous. The recipe in Mollie Katzen's Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less called for whole wheat. Because this is an effort to lose baby-weight, I'm all for sticking to the more healthy option. surprisingly, I couldn't tell a difference in the taste--unlike when we tried whole wheat pasta. I'm all for switching to whole wheat couscous permanently, even in my tabouleh.

Our life is changing rapidly. It's quite the merry-go-round. We think we're lucky enough to finally have Nora on a bit if a schedule, which means I can finally think about something other than sleep. Paul's going back in to work more this week. So, everything I make will have to consume as little time as possible since I'll be on my own taking care of the baby. Luckily, I have a Moby Wrap to carry her around in and still leave me with two functioning hands!

Peacefood Cafe was recommended to us by Leigh at Marvelous Kiddo. She certainly has good taste! We loved our experience at the restaurant. It was amazing that there was always a line for a table during our entire lunch. Maybe that doesn't mean much in crowded New York City. Still, I've always maintained the belief that people being willing to wait for a table is a good thing. The staff was very friendly, and I think the serving time for our meals was acceptable.

The restaurant has a nice selection of fancy teas, etc., but we were there for the food. Of course, a pregnant woman is always there for the food! And even more of course, everything on the menu sounded amazing. It was very hard to come to a decision. I finally settled on a sandwich with lots of fresh vegetables--including my favorite, sprouts! It came with some marinated vegetable sticks on the side. That just might have actually been my most favorite part on the plate. I was pretty sure it was jicama, but the server said it was yuca. Shrug. It really doesn't matter. It was yummy just the same.

Both Paul's folks and the December 2009 Delta magazine recommended this little gelato shop for its quality and unique flavors.

It was very cold, and slightly sprinkling. I'm not sure what we were thinking. But, it was kind of close; so, we went ahead and hiked to the location. We were saddened to learn that the window of the stand faced outside. There was no way of going inside to eat our ice cream in the heat. We were going to have to walk and eat to stay warm.

The gentleman behind the counter (I think it was the owner) was exceptionally nice, and I have to admit that his attitude sold the product. Being it was so chilly, I might have turned down the ice cream (a pregnant woman turn down food?), but he was very generous with the samples; so, I felt obliged to order something. The creative flavors like lavender just did not sell me. I guess I'm pretty boring when it comes to my choice of ice cream flavors. I was even disappointed with my peanut butter selection. But, it could just be the cold and rain.

Bottom line. I probably wouldn't visit il laboratorio del gelato again on my own. If I were with someone else there. I would stick with straight chocolate (maybe vanilla) and would definitely only eat it in the summer!

Back to catching up on the restaurant reviews from New York back in December. . .(luckily, we're pretty sure these popular places haven't closed)! I can't recall where we learned about Lombardi's, but it didn't take us long to understand why it was so popular. I will give a warning here: The wait for a late lunch was one and a half hours. The problem is, I hear there's always a wait. I am willing to bet that comes with living in a big city, but that also comes with wanting some really good food.

I've heard people say that some restaurants make you wait so the food tastes better--cause you're too hungry to care. Just like with our favorite pizza haunt in Rome, this is not the case. The wait is just that long because the food is just that good.

The encouragement: the staff is very efficient in order to minimize wait time. We were very impressed at how quickly a bus-boy cleaned off a table and reset it very smoothly. Also, it seemed the wait staff was always on top of things to make sure you had the drinks you wanted and to provide you with your food very quickly. I assure you, the time you are inside the restaurant eating is considerably less than the time you are outside the restaurant waiting. But who cares!

About a week ago, Paul cooked us up a big batch of pinto beans. We froze some, had haystacks/taco salads one night, and quesadillas another night. Then we must have had burritos for lunch all week. Don't get me wrong. We like burritos. And the beans were realy good; so, we didn't mind the lack of variety. However, the whole concept inspired me to be a little more creative with an overabundance of beans. In our brainstorming, I came up with the idea to serve chili baked potatoes when my folks came over during the week. The idea went over well, and it spawned the creation of the recipe below. I tried to keep it simple, and would say although it's very good the way it is, there's still a number of ways to change it up. If you are the simpler, don't-confuse-me, indecisive type, stop reading here. (Can you tell I've been reading parenting books?)

1. Add Morningstar Farms Grillers Starters for a chunky, meatier flavor.

2. Don't drain the pinto beans if you're a fan of a juicier chili--or stew!

3. Use Muir Glen Adobo Seasoned canned tomatoes for a hotter base.

4. Mix your beans or choose black over pinto.

5. Make a chili pie with leftovers by scooping chili over Fritos, topping with cheese, and baking.

Recipe for Chili Baked Potatoes

Serves about 6

• 1 can Muir Glen Fire Raosted Tomatoes, chopped slightly in a food processor if your guests don't like chunky tomatoes
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced
• 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 3 cups cooked pinto beans
• 3/4 t ground cumin
• 1/2 t chili powder
• 1 T olive oil
• 6 medium baking potatoes
• Cheese as desired
• Cilantro for garnish

Saute onions in olive oil on medium heat until translucent. May undercook for a stronger flavor. Add garlic and pepper. Stir and cook until just before garlic browns. Add tomatoes, stir, and simmer (until my frozen beans had defrosted enough in the microwave to remove them from their bowl). Sprinkle in cumin and chili powder. Stir in beans, cover, and turn fire to low. Continue to stir occasionally and monitor for 20 minutes or longer (depending on when the potatoes are done).

Spoon chili over potatoes, allow cheese on top as desired. Garnish with cilantro. Salt and hot sauce should be available at the table.

Our best results for baking potatoes in the oven is wrapping them in aluminum foil to keep them from drying out and setting them on the rack in a 450' oven for about an hour. You can also microwave them (max of about 3 at a time), but Paul claims that's technically steaming, not baking.

Possibly my favorite non-chocolate dessert recipes is Sauteed Bananas from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. I highly recommend the recipe. Once when I served it to a guest, he looked at Paul and said "Do you eat like this all the time?" Paul said "Yep, pretty much."

I can't even tell you how long or how many times I've made sauteed bananas. And yet, somehow, we always seem to be in such a hurry to dive in that we fail to take a picture of it. Tonight, I had planned on making the dessert when my folks were over, but I had one too ripe banana and a slew of too green bananas. Paul recommended I do the Asian Pears instead. Yum! It's safe to say the base syrup for the dish must be good with any fruit. Our dessert wasn't quite as successful because the pears were warmed, but not softened. A softened fruit the texture of pie-sliced apples would have required more time and likely a different cooking method (like slow cooking). Anyway, we thought it was a nice light dessert and were happy for it, but I think I'll always prefer it with bananas, the original way.

My unplanned last full week at work, a new Jimmy John's about a mile from one of our offices brought us free samples of their subs. Jennifer, our front desk queen, remembered that I was a vegetarian and selected a sample for me. When I was done with patients, I trekked on back to our kitchenette, and despite the depressing looks of the sandwich, pregnancy had me hungry enough to taste it anyway.

The sandwich was almost inedible--which I should have known based on the looks. I'm not a fan of slathered mayonnaise. And, the sandwich had a minimal amount of other ingredients of value (like veggies). I noticed that the small copy of the menu that came with the samples said there was another dip--avocado, I think? I don't remember as I threw the menu away and too much (unplanned, again) time has passed since I read it. Anyway, my thoughts are, if you are going to offer a sample, it should at least have the same ingredients involved as you claim the sandwich has on the menu. Seems to me that shows an automatic lack of attention to detail and little desire to make a good first impression.

Just to prove I'm not being overly picky, my EMT said his sandwich was edible. Then, he added "Sure, slices of ham and layers of mayo on white bread sounds good, but it's not a healthy meal you should want to eat.

Three of the magazines I subscribe to: Parenting The Early Years, Parents, and Bon Appetit, had falafel recipes in their March 2010 issues. (Sorry, only Bon Appetit seems to have their recipe on line.) Is this some special month or just falafel screams "SPRING!"? Either way, the stories brought back great memories of our research of "The Best Falafel in the World" when we were a couple weeks away from a trip to Paris last year. The difference being, we are in Sunny Florida and no where near the Stravinsky Fountain. I knew I just had to give one of the recipes a shot.

After a little comparison, I chose the Parents recipe, and was quite happy with it. Just for kicks, I may try the others. . .or I may track down someone who has a secret ingredient that will make it out of this world.

The weather has been mostly lovely in Orlando. And that's been quite appreciated as we have needed to get out and get fresh air. Sometimes, we get out and exercise. Other times, we bundle up a tad and sit by the pool and nap. However, yesterday I was too excited about my latest foodie mag, and Paul and Nora slept while I read it cover-to-cover.

I started getting Bon Appetit in January after Gourmet closed its doors. At first I wasn't very pleased with the switch, but I am learning to accept and appreciate the information my new mag has to offer. For example, I loved the January issue with its play-by-play tips on picking out and cutting fennel. I intend to take it with me on my next trip to the Maitland Farmer's Market in hopes of adding another "something new" to my diet.

We went to Freidman's Lunch on the advice of Paul's parents who we're lucky to say visited New York just weeks before we did and gave us lots of recommendations for our long weekend. Sadly, their experience was better than ours. Paul had the housemade veggie burger with tomato, fennel jam, avocado, and a side of herbed fries. The fries weren't special, but the burger definitely was. I chose to be different and ordered the rice bowl. It came with brown rice, bean sprouts, edamame, carrots, cilantro, mint, sesame lime dressing, peanuts. It was dry and smelled and tasted burned even though it didn't look like it. Normally, I would blame it on pregnancy (Remember, this was back in December at 30 weeks.), but even Paul said it tasted funny, Luckily, I have a sweet husband who shared his sandwich with me.

The conclusion: New York is too big and too full of fantastic restaurants to spend time on mediocre ones. I'd say, if veggie burgers are the only that peaks your interest, visit Freidman's. Otherwise, pass.

Still catching up on posts from two months ago. Here's a picture of some divine looking juice at a grocery store in Chelsea Market in Manhattan, New York. We almost picked some up, but it wasn't pasteurized, and I was a bit nervous drinking it during pregnancy. It really did look tempting. I would invite someone to try it and tell us what they think. Just watch out for the expiration date. Look for the freshest dates. Watch because the juice expires quicker without pasteurization.

One day just a week before my early maternity leave started, the girls in one of my offices and I were talking about the new best selling diet book The Full Plate Diet. I happened to mention that carrots were listed as one of the top 5 vegetables with the highest fiber content. One of the girls said she hated carrots and asked how she could squeeze more carrots into her diet. I thought such questions warranted a blog post of their own. Now, I'm no nutritionist, but I'm a pretty picky carrot eater myself. So, I've learned to be creative in getting them into my mouth because I know they're good for me.

After our post nearly three weeks ago about our amazing trip to Paxia, our friends and photographers, Jim and Garrett, went to Paxia the next day (Friday). They had the same server we did and had the same incredible experience.

However, we went back with Garrett on Sunday night and had a slightly different experience. It actually took about 30 minutes to get our chips and salsa. I learned that only one basket of chips is complimentary. Any more than that is )I believe) $4.99 a basket. That price is a bit steep in my book--even for the best chips and salsa in town.

Garrett ordered the black bean soup to be split between the three of us, and the waitress brought us three spoons. We decided it was a good idea to have two extra bowls, too. She had told Garrett the soup was good. It tasted like a black bean dip. Good, but not earth-shattering. The same lack of thought replayed when the family-style rice and beans were delivered without serving utensils. We either used chips or our silverware before we ate with it.

The guac and salsa were again top of the ladder. We would go there all the time if only those were good.

Well, this isn't necessarily about cooking, but it is vegetarian. This happens to be an idea for a rainy day (ironically, it is raining in Orlando right now) that I want to store for future reference. I will try not to bore you with many like this, but you will learn quickly that I want our new daughter very involved in the kitchen. I want her to see what fun it is.

The source for this idea is Kiwi Magazine, a parenting periodical focused on natural products and activities. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite of the five free parenting magazine subscriptions I've acquired in the last 6 months.

If someone gets around to making this before I do, please let me know if it really is edible to the taste buds, if it's easier to use and clean up than regular Play-Dough, and how long the fun lasts.

Recipe for Peanut Butter Playdough

Mix 1 cup natural peanut butter (You know, the kind with the layer of oil on the top that you have to stir before using.) with 3/4-1 cup dry powdered milk. The recipe isn't specific, but I would recommend the creamy variety of PB. Put on wax paper to keep the stickiness confined. I've also heard of using jelly roll pans to protect play areas. To stay within the kitchen theme, allow cookie cutters, spoons, and forks to help shape designs.

Times are tough. Many people are in need. We're blessed to both still have our jobs. However, in an effort to keep us both from being exceptionally stressed over money while I'm out on matrnity leave, I've tried to be as cheap as possible--especially looking for diapers on sale.

One day, Paul forwarded me an email from the chaplain at the college about the needs of some of the students. I learned there is actually a pantry set up at the college for students--including single parents--who are trying desperately to better themselves so they can have enough money to put food on the table. But, sometimes during that quest is a struggle to actually get food on the table. Hence the request from the chaplain to help fill the pantry. He also requested toiletries, and I know that chap stick is important for medical professionals to look more. . .professional.

Today my grandmother, whom I'm proud to have made a great-grandmother, turns 90 years of age! She's been a great part of my life as growing up we lived less than 5 miles apart, which allowed us to see each other nearly every day. My grandmother ran a daycare center out of her home, and the majority of the time, she was committed to serving her "kids" vegetarian meals (a shock of all shocks in southern Louisiana where a Cajun is known to "eat anything that doesn't eat them first").

Now that I run my own household and pay attention to my food budget, I realize how much more expensive it was for her to buy "substitution meats" instead of the real thing. But, what's really amazing is how it impacted the kids--all now in their 20s and 30s. One mom tells the story that when her daughter wanted chicken noodle soup for dinner, she thought she had hit the jackpot for an easy dinner and cracked open a can of Campbell's. To her shock, the child refused to eat it because it was nothing like Mawmaw made. Come to find out, it was my mom's recipe, and the kids were spoiled.

In case you've been wondering where I've been for the last week or so, I think the picture answers all questions. After some tough labor and complications, but with help of some amazing nurses and a very good physician, Nora came into the world and is now the highlight of our lives. We are so blessed and thankful to God for our little bundle of joy. Feel free to browse our MANY other photos on Paul's Flickr account. Simply click on the photo above, and it will take you to his page.

So, since this blog is more about food than kids, I'll tell you about my plans for the next little bit. I'm grateful to have my in-laws and parents around--plus Paul's generous boss who is letting him work from home--who are allowing me to spend much of my time in bed recovering. In between naps and cuddling with my little girl, I'll be catching up on some posts that have fallen through the cracks in the last nine months. Please be patient as I play catch up in case you don't see a post every day. I promise to do my best to continue to provide inspirations for kitchen even though I'm currently not allowed in my own.

The first time I heard of Paxia, I was getting off of I-4 and saw a guy dancing around with a sign saying it was the best Mexican restaurant in Orlando. The next time I heard of Paxia was less than a week later when I was researching the restaurants participating in Eat Local Week sponsored by Slow Food Orlando. Tonight we chose to dine there mainly because I couldn't remember any other restaurant on our list and it was close by--because it was getting late (like 5) and I was very hungry. Boy, was I glad it was the only one I could think of!

Let's start with our entrance into the restaurant. This is only the second restaurant I've ever seen that actually tries to sit people in the windows first so that the place looks full. Of course, by the time we left, the place was full so it didn't really matter! But, it's a wise marketing move. The greeter who seated us was the first person at any restaurant we've been to this week to completely explain the concept of Slow Food, and he did so in great accurate detail.

We dined at Infusion Tea tonight even though it wasn't as early as I had planned. Even at 5 and 6 o'clock, there was a nice stream of diners at the restaurant, which is always encouraging. Generally a full restaurant suggests a good restaurant.

I don't think I've ever been disappointed by Infusion Tea. Tonight was no different. They even offered a Prix Fixe menu in honor of Eat Local Week, hosted by SlowFood Orlando. Paul ordered the Prix Fixe option, which I passed on because we're pretty sure blue cheese isn't recommended on the diet of pregnant women. Although the restaurant is all vegetarian, there are some vegan options that are clearly marked on the menu. The clear details make ordering carefully much less stressful.

Well, let's start by apologizing for a complete lack of tweeting this evening. My phone was dead when I awoke this morning. (The brain is forgetting to charge it at night.) And I appear to have lost my travel charger. I didn't get home until after dinner to get the phone charged.

We dined with our friends, Sarah and John at Harmoni Market and Bistro in Longwood this evening. We have eaten at the one in College Park nearly two years ago and thought it would be a nice opportunity for all four of us to try this new restaurant.

I didn't look at prices, but I will say the market part is kind of spiffy with its food selections. The pasta sauce available is one highly recommended by Smitten Kitchen. I think such things are good to note when you evaluate the estimated quality of food.

Our first night eating local started off pleasantly in at a great little restaurant on Orange Ave. in downtown Orlando. Virgin Olive Market used to be on Clay, and I think the change in location surely must have increased its exposure. There was a nice, steady stream of customers during our entire dining experience. Virgin Olive makes the grade in a couple of areas. First, it is a fast, very friendly, and significantly cheaper restaurant than the two restaurants it's sandwiched in between. Next, it holds down the spot as a source for good coffee and breakfast in the immediate vicinity. Also, it offers healthy (generally), light, budget friendly meals on top of some unusual foodie items for sale to take home.