Healthy Snacks For Breastfeeding Moms

Breastfeeding is one of the things that has been hardest for me lately. For the first two and a half months of Mary's life, I had a huge oversupply.  Then one day without warning it plummeted, and I haven't been able to get it quite back up to par.

Besides pumping after feedings and taking a lactation support supplement, I have been trying to eat more healthfully.  We are healthy eaters to begin with. Our diet consists almost exclusively of whole foods, largely fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and organic lean poultry and fish. What dairy products we consume are organic, and we try to avoid white sugar and flour like the plague.

But I have learned that I have a bad habit of not eating enough during the day.

It is not at all unusual for me to skip breakfast and lunch and only eat dinner.  This has never been because I'm trying to lose weight, but just because I often don't feel hungry, and so forget to eat.  Of course this is not healthy under any circumstances,  but especially not when I am also nursing my baby.

So over the last two months, I have been on a mission to find some easy and nutritious snacks to keep me going throughout the day.

Here are a few of my favorites:

 These No Bake Energy Bites are not only delicious, but are packed with healthy fats and ingredients that help to boost lactation.  These are so easy and quick to make that I try to always have some in our fridge. Made with peanut butter, honey, oats, flax, coconut and dark chocolate, these balls are so rich that I can only manage one or two at a time.  They are delicious with a cold glass of almond milk!

This trail mix is probably my all time favorite snack. We used to buy it already packaged, but I realized that the ingredients are so simple it was just as easy,  and cheaper, to make my own. This mix would be so easy to alter for any one's taste. I like to use: raw almonds, raw cashews, raw peanuts, dried cranberries, dried cherries, and dark chocolate. (We love the Lindt 80% Cacao bars)

 Greek yogurt is another incredibly easy and tasty snack. We like to buy the Greek God's Plain Yogurt (not the low fat one, I'm needing those healthy fats in a major way to keep my milk supply up) We love to slice up a banana, add a handful of granola,  and sweeten with a little drizzle of raw honey or agave.  Some other favorite ingredients are blueberries, raspberries,  or pomegranates.  So yummy!

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When I'm needing a little protein, I love to make up some chicken salad and top it with an avocado and some goat or feta cheese. (healthy fats again) You could easily add this to a bed of lettuce and spinach, a sandwich, or a wrap for a more substantial meal.

I also drink a lot of smoothies. There are tons of "Lactation Smoothie" recipes all over the internet. My favorite ones usually include peanut butter and cacao, of course. :)

All of these snacks are also things I put in my husband's lunchbox all the time, these are not just good for the nursing mama!

I would love any other ideas for some fast, easy, and healthy snacks. Leave a comment below!

Blessings, 

Current Favorites

Lately I have hesitated to blog because I don't really have anything new to say.

Life continues on, and Scott and I find ourselves in a season of waiting. 

Waiting for our sweet daughter's arrival, waiting for orders, 

waiting to see what course our lives will take next.

Scott is due for another assignment, 

but he is hoping to separate from the Air Force and join the Air National Guard. 

The application is in, and we have been waiting for a reply for a little over two months. 

I have never liked waiting.

 I am always impatient for answers, but the Lord is ever faithful.

He is always so good to us. 

This morning I thought it might be fun to share a few the products and items that I have been loving lately.  I have always enjoyed seeing other bloggers and vloggers share their favorite items, so I'll give it a try. 

First of all, I have been trying to branch out and find some new recipes to add to our staple meals.

Here are a few recipes that have quickly become favorites:

Jalapeno Popper Pizza

We typically have pizza every Friday night, and it's always fun to find new ideas to try. 

So I gave this recipe a try a few weeks ago and it was a huge hit. 

So yummy! Scott is definitely a big fan.

Korean Beef and Rice

This meal has absolutely become one of our go-tos. 

It is so easy, quick, cost effective, and tasty.

Scott always gets excited when I tell him this is on the menu for dinner.

We have also added pineapple, onions, and bell peppers to make it a little different.

I know that this one will continue to be a favorite in our home.

Simple Black Bean Dip

This bean dip is so easy to make in our VitaMix. 

The first time I made it was in the beginning of my pregnancy when I was really having a lot of major food aversions.  I made this to put in Scott's lunchbox, but after tasting it I threatened to keep it home and eat it all myself.  For some reason it tasted amazing to me right then.

We still love this dip, and it is a staple lunchbox item for Scott.

I am a tea addict. 

I'm confessing right here and now. 

I probably drink somewhere between two and four cups of tea every day.

Recently I have been enjoying this Irish Breakfast tea.

Usually my all time favorite is Tazo English Breakfast, but one day my grocery store was out so I picked this up and I have really been enjoying it. 

I'm just going to include this here because it speaks to my heart:

Thank you for indulging me.

 Okay, moving on! 

As far as reading material goes, I cannot keep myself from browsing longingly through this Cottage Gardens magazine over and over. 

How I would love to have a beautiful little English garden behind our little house!

But.... we live in New Mexico, so that dream is impossible. Maybe someday, somewhere else.

But for now, I love to admire the gorgeous gardens of others.

The Diaper Free Baby.
This might be rather controversial, but I have really enjoyed reading this book, and we plan to try it with Mary Joy. 

Elimination Communication (EC) makes a lot of sense to me.

When I first heard of the concept, I was intrigued enough to look into it a little further.

At first I was quite skeptical and resistant.

Potty training an infant who isn't even mobile? 

It sounded like so much work.

But after reading this book, I'm pretty well sold.

I am looking forward to trying this once our little girl is here, and I will update you all then.

In the meantime, I HIGHLY recommend you read at least part of this book

 if you are even slightly curious.

A Being So Gentle.
 I first became interested in the life of Rachel Jackson when we visited the Hermitage in Nashville Tennessee with Scott's mom in September.

When I read what Andrew Jackson wrote on her tombstone, 

I knew immediate that I wanted to know more about this woman.

The Jacksons had a very sweet marriage, and when Rachel died this is what Andrew wrote:

"Here lie the remains of Mrs. Rachel Jackson, wife of President Jackson, who died December 22nd 1828, aged 61. Her face was fair, her person pleasing, her temper amiable, and her heart kind. She delighted in relieving the wants of her fellow-creatures,and cultivated that divine pleasure by the most liberal and unpretending methods. To the poor she was a benefactress; to the rich she was an example; to the wretched a comforter; to the prosperous an ornament. Her pity went hand in hand with her benevolence; and she thanked her Creator for being able to do good. A being so gentle and so virtuous, slander might wound but could not dishonor. Even death, when he tore her from the arms of her husband, could but transplant her to the bosom of her God."

This epitaph really drew me in, and I have really enjoyed learning about Rachel's life.

These are the two books I a planning to read next:

I am excited to get started!

Next are a few of my favorite products that I have been so thankful for the past few months. 

We live in the desert, and our desert is also coming out of a drought.

It is always dry here, but during winter my skin really suffers more than ever.

The Mary Kay Satin Hands lotion and Satin Lips balm have been the two products I have reached for more than anything else this winter.  I really feel like they have worked better than anything else to heal my cracked hands and lips. And the peach scented hand cream smells sooooooo lovely!

I have also been loving this Burt's Bees lip balm. I have had other Burt's Bees lip balms in the past that I wasn't so in love with, but for some reason this one is my absolute favorite.

I really enjoy the coconut and pear scent.

I usually take this with me everywhere I go, around the house ad out and about.

I love, love, love this lip balm. 

I might even be the first person in the world to ever FINISH a tube of chapstick. 

Honestly, if anyone ever manages that they should get a medal.

Next up. 

I have the nesting/spring cleaning itch.

I have always enjoyed keeping a clean house, but right now the hormones have kicked in and I find myself taking my oven door apart to clean in between the glass windows. 

This book by Real Simple makes me so very happy. Sometimes, I just like to look through the pages. All of those spotlessly clean rooms are so beautiful, and they make my heart sing,

Honestly, pregnancy hormones are a weird thing. 

Norwex. 

It has happened.

I drank the Kool-Aide and I'm never going back.

If you have talked to me recently, there is a good chance that I mentioned Norwex in the course of our conversation.

I was introduced to Norwex in January by my dear friend and kindred spirit Sarah.

I went to a Norwex party in her home and decided to try a couple of these cleaning cloths.

Aren't they so beautiful?

If you have never heard of the brand Norwex, look them up. 

Basically, they are a Norwegian company who makes high-quality microfiber cleaning cloths. 

Most of their cloths are embedded with silver, which has antibacterial products. 

Even if you are skeptical about there antibacterial qualities, they clean really, REALLY well.

I have the two basic cleaning cloths, the Enviro and the Window Cloth. And I also have a set of their kitchen/dish cloths. I really feel like that is all I need. 

I love the simplicity of cleaning my whole house without using any chemical cleaning products.

I have really fallen in love with these cloths, and I absolutely recommend them.

Last on my list are a few of my favorite things for pregnancy.

As I have mentioned before, fruit has been my number one craving.
I have been snacking on lots of fresh fruit, and applesauce pouches have been a favorite too.
The fruit pouches are especially useful to stick in my purse or grab for midnight hunger strikes.

I have also really been enjoying slicing up fruit to put in my water.
Nearly every night I fill a pitcher with water and some kind of sliced fruit, usually lemons or strawberries, or sometimes limes, kiwis, or grapefruit. This helps me to drink enough water every day because it becomes a treat rather than a chore.
So yummy!

Here are a few of my favorite products for pregnancy:

First off, I love these prenatal vitamins.

Like many women, the prenatal vitamins I was given at the hospital always made me feel nauseous and tired.  One day I started reading the ingredients label on the back of the bottle and realized that the pills I was taking were full of food coloring and preservatives. 

I went to our local health food store and asked them what they recommended and they gave me these.

These pills are made from whole foods.

I noticed a difference in how I was feeling right away.

These pills never made me queasy, and I had more energy than before.

These prenatals are on the pricey side, but I really feel like it's worth it. 

Especially in the beginning of my pregnancy when I was having a hard time eating much, I was thankful to know that my vitamins were chock full of good things for my baby,

The only downside is that the capsules are quite large, and you take three of them daily. 

I have never had trouble swallowing pills though, so it hasn't bothered me.

I have been using Earth Mama Angel Baby  body butter for my belly.
I know, that is quite the hippy name.
Although the scent of the product isn't my favorite, I do feel like it's been keeping my skin really well moisturized.  Stretch marks are mostly a genetic thing, but I like to help my skin out all I can to keep them to a minimum.

The very last product I will mention is this Double E Immune Booster tincture.
Everyone knows that your immune system is weakened during pregnancy and you are more susceptible to catching any bugs going around.
I managed to make it through the entire winter without getting sick and I do attribute that partly to this herbal mixture. You can buy it in bulk and use it as a tea or make a glycerin tincture like I did.



That's all folks.
I know this turned out to be a really long post, but thank you for sticking with me.
I would love for you to comment and recommend your favorite products to me.

I hope you all have a really lovely day!
Blessings,

Lunch Box, Day 5

Today's Lunch:

Tilapia with Brown Rice and Pico de Gallo

Tortilla Chips

Black Bean Dip

Banana

Applesauce

We had leftover rice in the refrigerator this morning.

 I hadn't originally planned on adding it to the tilapia, 

but the fillets were smaller than I expected once they were fully cooked,

 so it worked out perfectly. 

I found the recipe for the black bean dip here.

I love making this for Scott's lunches because it is SO easy to throw all of the ingredients in our Vitamix and blast them for a few moments. 

And this recipe makes enough that there is usually some left over for me too!

So yummy!

Well, we have come to the end of our week. 

I hope you were inspired to change up your lunch routine as much as I was! 

Thank you!

Lunch Box, Day 4

Today's Lunch:

Pasta Salad

Cutie Oranges

Snap Peas

Pistachios

Fruit Bars

Today's lunch was so easy to throw together. I also stuck a small bottle of balsamic vinegar for Scott to add to the pasta salad if he wanted. 

I really enjoy making meals that are easy, healthy, and pretty to look at!

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit!

Lunch Box, Day 3

Today's Lunch:

Veggie Sandwich 

Cottage Cheese

Cheese and Crackers

Trail Mix Olives

Granola Bars 

Applesauce

Today was a little bit of an odd lunch, 

but it was what we had on hand, and sometimes that's just the way it is.

I don't usually do a lot of sandwiches. We like to use homemade bread, and I don't make it very often. But we had some this week, so sandwiches were a big item!

I hope your day is fabulous!

Lunch Box, Day 2

 Today's Lunch:

Grilled Chicken

Sweet Peppers and Cherry Tomatoes

Tortilla Chips and Salsa

Apple Slices

I slept in this morning and packed Scott's lunch later after he had already left for work. 

This is something I will do if I have a lot of trouble sleeping through the night,or if we get to bed too late for me to get all the rest I need to grow this baby!

Since we only live a few minutes off base it's kind of fun to pack enough food for two and meet him at the squadron for a lunch date.

We usually do this at least once a week,and I love it. 

I ate up all of this poor guys apples, since fruit has been a MAJOR pregnancy craving for me, 

but he loved the rest of his meal. :)

Thanks for reading!!

What to Pack for Lunch

It is so easy to get into a rut when meal planning, 

and I find this true when I am packing Scott's lunch each day.

I am especially guilty of getting into a wrap rut. 

Wraps of one sort or another seem to be my go-to lunch item,

 but we recently ran out of raw tortillas,

 and I haven't been able to make the two hour drive to pick up another bulk package from Costco. 

 So, in the meantime, I needed to get creative.

So I made this chart:

This list has been so helpful over the past few weeks. 

I started by writing down everything I have made in the past for the main portion of Scott's lunch (and browsing Pinterest for more ideas!)

then listing fruits and vegetables to add to that, 

and then at least one more item for him to snack on later if he's hungry.

Every Monday morning I try to sit down and do the meal planning and grocery list for the week,

 so lately I have been pulling out this list and making up a lunch menu

 before I head off to the grocery store.

 I try to consider two things when I am making up the list:

1. Is he working out?

2. Is he flying?

On days that Scott is working out after work, 

I try to pack a lunch that will sit well with his stomach and give him good energy. 

And on days that he's flying,  I try to give him snacks that are easy to eat in a tiny cockpit. :)

I am always looking for new lunch ideas that are both healthy and easy to prepare, and various blogs and Pinterest have been a huge help.

So after doing this for a couple of weeks, I thought I might share it with you.

I think I will post the lunches I pack for Scott every day this week, here is day one:

This is a bigger lunch than I usually pack because Scott had a long day at work and he was going to be gone for both lunch and dinner. 

In the Lunch Box:

BLT sandwich

Tomato, cucumber and feta salad

Pears and cottage cheese

Summer sausage, pepper jack cheese, and crackers

Cashews

Snap peas

Mustard (he likes it with the sausage)

Please don't think that I am boasting about packing lunches for my husband.

This is what works well for our family, but it might not work best for yours, and I am certainly not passing judgment on you.

But if you are packing lunches for yourself, your spouse, or your children, I hope that it is helpful to see a few ideas that might be new to you.

Thanks so much for reading!

Have a great day!

Strawberry, Feta, and Spinach Salad Recipe

Last night I opened the fridge, looking for something tasty to make for dinner.

We had just picked up our produce from Bountiful Baskets, and our counters and icebox were laden with fresh fruits and veggies.

I decided to make a big dinner salad.

My usual method is to start with a bed of spinach and then top it with anything that looks good.

Rummaging around, I came up with a delicious combination.

Strawberry Feta Spinach Salad

Spinach and romaine, topped with:

 1 pear, cubed.

 Several strawberries, sliced;

 a handful of pecans, 

Feta garlic and herb cheese.

I like my salads too heavily garnished with goodies. :)

For the dressing, I mixed up a recipe I've been using for ages.

Poppy Seed Dressing

In a medium saucepan combine: 

3/4 Cup white sugar

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. minced onion

1/3 Cup apple cider vinegar

Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves, but DO NOT BOIL.

Then add:

1/4 cup salad oil

1/4 cup water

Whisk together, then chill until cooled.
This recipe has a tendency to separate, so I serve it in a small pitcher with a spoon for stirring.
I hope y'all enjoy this recipe!

Remedies For The Common Cold

Well, here we are at the end of February and I am grateful that Scott and I made it through the entire winter without catching a single cold or sinus infection.

How did we do it?

Hippocrates said 

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."

This has been our philosophy.

All winter, if either of us thought there was even the slightest possibility that we could come down with something we did two things.

1.) We went to the grocery store to stock up on every organic veggie and fruit in sight.

2.) We stopped by our local health food store to pick up a few bottles of Kombucha and Kefir.

One day Scott came home from work with a headache, sore throat, and congested sinuses. He had a long night flight the next day, so we really wanted to do anything we could to keep him from getting really sick.

I made my usual run to the grocery store and then started on dinner. 

Here is the meal I prepared for him:

The first thing I did was grind several cups of hard red wheat. 

I used it to make noodles for the soup as well as some big fluffy biscuits.

I made some chicken noodle soup with lots of fresh organic veggies and whole grains.

I juiced a few lemons to make this yummy raw broccoli salad.

Raw Broccoli Salad Recipe

3 cups of chopped broccoli

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

2 tbs of finely chopped coriander 

1 tsp of cumin seeds

1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

Juice from 1 lemon

1/2 tsp of sea salt

Wash and chop the broccoli, Including the garlic clove in the chopping. Be sure to use a large non-reactive bowl Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon. Cover and let sit in the fridge for one hour.

I also juiced two bags of carrots and picked up some pomegranate juice at the grocery store.

After eating all this and getting a good eight hours of sleep that night, Scott woke up feeling great. He had none of the symptoms of the night before and never did end up coming down with the cold.

This has now become our standard course of action any time we are exposed to sickness or feel a cold, flu, or sinus infection coming on.

I wont blame you if you're a bit skeptical, but give it a try!