Loved, lost, unexpected

In a span of four days I found out I was pregnant despite being on birth control, got scared, got excited, confirmed the pregnancy at the doctor's office, and lost my pregnancy.  It's been an emotional roller coaster and I'm just exhausted.  Daniel isn't holding up too well either.

Because an ultrasound showed nothing in my uterus, my blood levels have to be checked over the next few days and weeks to make sure my hormone levels are going down.  If they go up, it means I likely have a tubal pregnancy - more common with birth control pill users.

I'm so heartbroken.  It happens all the time.  It was so early.  I know.

I still have my sweet boy though.  And I know that there is something bigger in store for me, my life, and my future babies.

Donovan keeps getting sick at daycare though.  This time it's some sort of eye drainage.  It doesn't look like pink eye to me but daycare isn't taking any chances.  Another day off.  Le sigh.  But I know I can handle it...

Japanoodles

I just had to make a quick post about Japanoodles.  Because I'd never eaten anything like it before.

I went to three grocery stores and couldn't find miso paste.  I give up after two, normally.  So I was at a loss.  But I did have tahini paste.  And soy sauce. So I adapted the recipe accordingly, and it was delicious beyond all words.

MM Japanoodles, adapted from MeatlessMonday.com.
12 oz. rice noodles
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tsp. sesame seeds
5 cups of chopped collard greens

Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat and follow package instructions on rice noodles.

Mix minced garlic with tahini paste, soy sauce, and sesame seeds in a small bowl until it reaches a sauce-like consistency.

Add chopped greens to boiling water with the noodles right before noodles are done.  Let cook 3-5 additional minutes.

Drain noodles and green mix in a colander.

Toss noodles and greens into the garlic mix, toss to combine.

Divide into bowls and enjoy!

Serves 4.

Meal Planning Monday: Feb 20th

First of all, I would encourage my wonderful readers to follow me on Pinterest!  I heard about Pinterest when it first came out, and I thought for certain it would phase out.  I put my faith in Google+ instead.  I was wrong!  And despite what my husband says, Pinterest is better than StumbleUpon.

http://pinterest.com/jennifercmartin/

I'm currently trying to eat only 1300 calories per day, maybe a little more if I work out hard, and I take the rules easy on the weekend.  Sometimes I have some calories leftover, so I enjoy a huge chocolate milkshake at night.  What, you say?! The horror!?  No!  But oh yes, I eat a giant chocolate milkshake probably three times a week.  And it's good for me, too.

And since I'm giving up refined sugar for Lent.... I'm REALLY going to need my sweet tooth cured!

Banana-Chocolate Milkshake Ingredients:

1 frozen medium banana

1 cup of skim milk

2 tbs. cocoa powder

1 tsp. honey or raw agave syrup

Blend ingredients together until creamy and all banana pieces are broken up.  Enjoy!  And I'm serious, it's AMAAAAZING.  It cures your cravings for chocolate, sweets, cold, and creamy all at once.  Makes one BIG serving, at about 240 calories and 2 grams of fat.

You can also make an insanely delicious, EASY, banana-chocolate ice cream with only a few variations to the recipe.  

Banana-Chocolate Ice Cream Ingredients

Two frozen bananas
3 tbs. cocoa powder
1/2 cup skim milk
1 tsp. honey

Process together in food processor until creamy and the texture of ice cream.  Place into container and freeze until firm.  Makes about 3 servings - and guess what?  Each serving is only 105 calories and 1.2 grams of fat.  Yum!!

So anyway, where were we?  MEAL PLANNING!  We got our tax return back and before we wave goodbye to our money and send it toward some bills, this week's indulgence was buying tons of fruit for smoothies.  I have a lot of celery leftover from a shopping misstep (we already had celery!) and I'm darned determined to eat it all without noticing the taste and get a nutritious boost every morning.  Plus, all the smoothie recipes on Pinterest are driving me crazy, in a good way.

Check out my meal planning menu for all 21 meals below...

My adventures with Fiber One continue!

As a quick treat for the office, I made these little Fiber One haystacks with chocolate chips and peanut butter. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fiber-one-chocolate-peanut-butter-haystacks/Reviews.aspx

They were extremely good, and healthy as well.  I think reduced fat peanut butter is nonsense, and used natural peanut butter instead, with very good results.

And yes, I brought them to work in a Christmas tupperware.

Then I decided to go ahead and make some Fiber One-crusted chicken for dinner.  Our dinner was extremely healthful tonight - peas, mashed sweet potatoes, and oven-baked Fiber One-crusted chicken.  I tend to think as chicken as a "boring" meat and prefer almost any other meat.  So I was pleased that I was able to eat this chicken without it being fried or smothered in cheese!

For my southern-style oven-baked Fiber One-crusted chicken recipe, look after the jump!

Fiber One Bran Cupcakes with Prune Juice-Brown Butter Frosting

When I was told I needed to make an original recipe using Fiber One cereal (received some great samples at the beginning of the month for my AllRecipes AllStars project!) I joked with my husband that I was going to make "bran and prune" cupcakes.  He gawked at me in horror, and announced that such a thing was not possible, and if it were, it would be disgusting, or at the very least, muffin like.

I took it as a personal challenge.

It wasn't gross.  It was dense, but in a cake-y way, not a muffin-y way.  In fact, I felt like I could have eaten spoonfuls of the frosting by itself.  (and maybe I did, asking myself "is this prune juice?!") I couldn't believe how well they turned out.  And yes you can taste the flavors.

I think these cupcakes would make a great treat at someone's "over the hill" type of birthday party.  Or, you know, just as an after-school snack or something.  Not too sweet, but definitely hits the sweet spot.  Flavorful and yummy.

Seriously.

Check for the recipe after the hump.