Creamy Spinach Dip

I made this dip for our son’s birthday party and it was a big hit so I thought I’d share. It is really easy to make and you can adjust the seasoning to fit your tastes. This dip is great warm or cold and you can even use it as a pasta sauce! It also contains miso which is fermented so it contains probiotics. You can find miso at asian markets but I have also see in at natural groceries. A quality one will be refrigerated. I also included a guide on how to quickly de-seed a pepper. This recipe is baby approved and perfect for dipping veggies!

How To Quickly De-Seed a Bell Pepper

Rinse the pepper

Cut the bottom off

Cut the top off by cutting 1/4 inch down horizontally from the top AND through the stem

Cut the sides off and you should have an intact center with seeds left

 Kid Approved

 

Creamy Spinach Dip

Gluten Free*, Vegan

Makes about 3 cups

3 handfuls spinach

1 red bell pepper

1 small avocado

2 tbl miso*

1 ½ tbl lemon juice

½ tsp black pepper

Heat a pan over medium heat. De-seed the pepper and cut into large pieces; lay the pieces onto the hot pan with the outer skin side down. Cook for several minutes without moving until the skin has started to bubble and brown. 

Flip the pepper pieces over, turn off the heat, and add the spinach. Wilt the spinach for a few minutes and then move the pan to a cool eye. You aren’t trying to cook the spinach just soften it up a little. Let the spinach and pepper cool slightly then add to a food processor, pulse until chopped. Remove the pit from the avocado and scoop out the flesh. Add it and the remaining ingredients to the food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Serve warm or cold. It will last about 2 days in the fridge but the color will darken some.

Notes and Substitutions

• *Not all miso is gluten free. Some miso is made with barley. Check your labels. I use chickpea miso, which is gluten and soy free. I recommend white or yellow miso for this recipe but if you had red it should be tasty too.
• If your avocado is a bit larger I would start with half and then add the other half. You can make the recipe more or less creamy with the amount of avocado.  We like ours with more spinach and less avocado.
• You can roast your bell pepper in the oven or char it on a grill. Just get the skin a little cooked because it brings out a unique flavor in the bell pepper.

What is your favorite dip recipe?

How To Plan The 1st Birthday Party

 I don’t brag that often (although my husband might disagree) but I really know how to throw a shindig. When I was in college I was repeatedly asked to throw parties and given a budget to do it with and our wedding is now the stuff of legends.  Today I want to share a few tips for throwing that all-important first b-day party (and show you some pictures from our first birthday). A baby’s first birthday is as much for the parents as it is for junior. It is an accomplishment and a milestone, as your little bun (or peanut or whatever you called your baby bump) is, maybe literally, taking his first steps towards toddlerhood.  It is definitely a cause for celebration but shouldn’t be a reason for stress. Here is my method for party planning. 

Pick a theme

• It sounds cliché right? But it really does make everything easier. It doesn’t have to specific it can even just be a color. The important thing is to have something that you can tie everything together with and draw inspiration from. For our son we chose bugs because his main nick-name is bug.
• Gather ideas for food, decorations, and games. I like to use Pinterest or just think about past parties I’ve hosted/attended. You can tweak many games and food to fit your theme.
• Once you have your ideas, decide which ones are most important and which ones you could give up if you don’t have time. I always have way more ideas than I do, that way if something doesn’t work out or I cant find the items to put it together, I’m not scrambling for new ideas.
• You don’t have to go out and buy a bunch of decorations. I am a big fan of decorating with food and party favors. I also like using flowers as decoration because I can enjoy them even after the party is over.

Nets with magnyfying glasses doubled as decoration and then party favors

Timing

• For a first birthday I would plan on a maximum three hour window.  Any longer and meltdowns will surely ensue. We had out of town guests at our party that stayed later so I let our son take a power nap half way through while I did crafts with the other kids.
• When picking the time think about if it will fall during a normal mealtime. Generally people will eat before they come, but if your having a 12-3 party chips and cupcakes aren’t going to cut it.  You don’t have to serve a full meal but put something substantial out.
• Give a thirty-minute initial window for mingling and late guests to arrive. Play music in the background, it stops any awkward silence and can even be a talking point.
• It’s nice to have a game or craft to do because it gets people to talk and entertains the kids. Generally 1-2 activities is plenty.
• Everyone wants to see the baby smash the cake and open presents so be conscious of time and try to get “the formalities” done before people need to start leaving.

Things started off innocently

He quickly realized we were going to let him make a mess

Know your guests

• The ages and relationships of your guests will affect the flow of the party so plan food and activities accordingly. 
• For are party it was mostly adults and kids ranging from 1-11. I had crafts and games for the older kids, toys for the small ones, and plenty of beer for the 21+ crowd.
• Be a good host and try to move around and talk to everyone. If it's a small crowd then gather chairs into one main area in a semicircle and if it is a larger crowd then scatter some snack foods in a few areas so everyone isn't crowding the food table. 
• I think it is also important to cater to food allergies and dietary restrictions. I am not saying bend over backward but taking time to think about people makes them feel special. Our party included wheat, milk, soy, egg, and walnut allergy; with some “no greens because I’m taking blood thinners” thrown in. The entire menu wasn’t for everyone but there was something good for everyone (and all the kids could eat the cake!)

So those are my tips. Just remember planning ahead will give you the freedom to enjoy you and your babies special day!

Banana Stacks

I took a break from blogging this past week to prepare for our son’s first birthday party. It is always fun to have a mix of family and friends around! I’ll try to post some pictures this week. Mercury also took his first couple unassisted steps at the party, so we are gearing up for him to start walking soon!

The recipe I have for today is not something I was planning on sharing because it is more of a “how-to” than a recipe. However, I made it for my husband earlier this week and it was apparently very popular so it is brought to you by social media demand! I like to make this as and easy after work out snack. I have seen many versions of this so I’m definitely not claiming it as my own, but here is my method.

Banana Stacks

Gluten Free, Vegan

Makes around 5

1 banana

2 tbl almond butter

2 tbl coconut oil, softened*

Slice the banana into quarter inch rounds. Group into 3 slices per a stack. Top the first banana slice with semi soft coconut oil. Lay another slice of banana on the coconut oil. Next add a layer of almond butter, then finish with the third slice of banana. Secure the stacks with a toothpick. You can eat right away or put them into the fridge or freezer to firm up the coconut oil. Store in the fridge for less then 2 days or freeze.

Notes and Substitutions

• You can use nut or seed butter that you like.
• To make these chocolate mix 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder with the coconut oil.
• *If your coconut oil is to firm to spread then let it sit out in a warm spot or put it into a warm oven for a few minutes. If it is melted to liquid then place it in the freezer for a few minutes.

Birth Story

A year ago today my husband and I (and our small support staff) brought our beautiful son into the world. In honor of his birthday I would like to share his birth story. If you are here for the food recipes then better skip todays post! When I was pregnant I loved reading/hearing other women’s labor and birth stories, it taught me that there is no normal and helped prepare me for my labor.

Mercury’s Birth Story

I kept telling everyone that our baby would come early. My belly was so big I just knew if the baby was late there was no way it was coming out naturally. On Sunday February 17^th, , three days before my due date, I went to brunch with my Aunt and Uncle while my husband was at work. For the last few weeks I had been walking and squatting and eating spicy food and taking primrose oil and doing all those fun old wives tales they tell you will make the baby come. This morning was no different. Our waiter, who was also a new dad, congratulated me and told me his birthday was tomorrow. Good signs right?! I was feeling a little crampy, like I had been the last few days, but I still ate a big breakfast. 

When I got home I started to notice that my cramps were coming in waves so I decided why not time them? After an hour they were almost exactly 10 minutes apart and 1 minute long. I texted my husband and told him not to get to excited but to be on standby. After another few hours of this pattern I was pretty sure this was the beginning of labor; I was still reluctant to get too excited, but I rang up my doula and sister anyway. My doula reassured me that I was in labor and could “get excited.” I used the rest of the afternoon to make cookies and  banana bread and other snacks to take to the hospital and my husband picked up some produce on his way home.  When he got home we put in the car seat and double-checked our hospital bags. My contractions were around 7 minutes apart now and didn’t hurt much. I took a shower and read a book and tried to do anything to keep my mind occupied. 

Early labor, getting massaged by my hubs and sis

Around 11pm we decided to try and get some sleep, but it was very uncomfortable for me to lie down. Every time I did, my contractions would get more painful. So I let my husband sleep while I walked around or sat on the toilet and rocked my hips. At 1am my contractions were almost 4 minutes apart and 1 minute long but still not very painful. I called the midwife and she asked me if I had any contractions while I was talking to her. I said yes I’m having one right now. She told me since I was talking fine through it that I probably didn’t need to come in yet, but I could if I wanted to. I told her I would wait, and thought, “What does she mean ‘won’t be able to talk through them?’”Around 3am my condition was the same but I was getting so anxious/excited and I still couldn’t sleep because my contractions were just painful enough to keep me awake. I woke my husband up and we decided to head to the hospital. It was a 30-minute drive anyway and I didn’t want to be super uncomfortable on the drive by waiting longer. We let my sister and doula know and rocked out to Michael Jackson on the way. 

My doula brought this scarf type thing to help me squat

When we got checked in at the hospital they said I was ‘half way there’, 5cm dilated. I was starting to get pretty nauseous. My doula put some peppermint oil on a towel and set it near me, it instantly made the nausea go away.  My sister arrived around 6am and I was still feeling pretty good at this point. I was vocalizing during contractions and my sister and husband helped rub my back and hold me while I squatted. Everyone was thankful for the snacks and my husband fed me strawberries and my sister kept making me take sips of water. My doula guessed I would have the baby by noon. That sounded way to long to me. 

Walking around the room and being silly

After a lot of dancing and squatting and other positions my doula suggested, my water broke, a little bit. Apparently it can partially break but not all the way. Still though, it was progress! We discussed recipes while my husband made everyone laugh with his “Push Mix’ featuring songs like “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and "The Circle of Life". Everyone laughed at me because I would be a part of the conversation and then just get really quiet for few minutes while I had a contraction and then go right back to talking without missing a beat. 

It was just starting to get light out and my contractions were getting more painful so I sat on a birthing ball in the shower and let the hot water run on my back. It felt so good and was a nice break. While I sat in the shower they filled up the birthing tub. 

I would call this "later labor"

I got into the tub and kept squatting and moving around.  I was starting to feel the urge to push so my doula told me to do what felt right. The midwife came in to check me and said “she still has a bag”, meaning my water hadn’t broke. She also said I was only 8cm dilated. I told her I felt like pushing though. She said she would try to stretch me a little bit. I didn’t really know what that meant but wholly hell did it hurt. It was more painful than the actual birth. As she did this, I thought that I yelled “No!” loudly and started to rear my arm back to punch her (fight or flight, I guess I’m a fight person?) My husband said I actually just shook my head back and forth a balled my hand into a fist. My doula stroked my head and told me to calm back down. This was the only time I really lost my trance. I had been in the zone up until now.  I relaxed back in the tub for awhile then got back into squatting position. When I did my water broke fully, it felt awesome. I soon really felt like pushing.

The tug-o-war move

 After an hour or so, the midwife came back in and I got into a reclined position in the tub. My husband kept a cool compress on my head and my sister and I did this sort of tug-of-war move so I could have some leverage when I pushed. I was really tired at this point. Mind you, I had been awake for almost 30 hours and in labor for almost 24 hours. My contractions slowed down and then just stopped and I fell asleep for about 15 minutes in the tub. I think my body knew I needed a break. When they came back I really didn’t feel the urge to push but the midwife and doula reassured me that it would be soon, I just had to give it all I had on every push. 

My favorite picture; the look on Noah's face as the midwife explains how to catch the baby.

My husband and sister switched positions so she was by my head and he was in catching position. For some reason this gave me the extra pep I needed. They told me they could see his head and he had blonde hair. I was thinking yeah right, my baby is going to be bald like I was! They told me I could reach down and touch the head but I didn’t want to. I was pushing as hard as I could during my contractions while my sister steadily counted to ten. The midwife explained to my husband how to catch the babe. Finally the baby crowned and the midwife said okay on the next contraction we will deliver the body, but I had had enough. I continued to push and passed the rest of his body out. It was so weird because I thought it would happen quick but it actually took long enough that I could feel all the parts of the body come out, shoulders, butt, and then the weirdest thing, little toes. I closed my eyes for a second and just leaned back.

 My husband brought the baby out of the water and put him on my chest. The first thing I said was, “sorry about your head.” I knew babies had cone heads when they were born but his was especially bad because he also had a big bruised lump on one side.  Guess he was a little crooked. He didn’t cry right away but just kind of peered up at me for a minute. We wanted my husband to be the first to announce the sex but he was so excited that he forgot so someone asked him the sex. He looked and yelled out “it’s a boy!” I said “hi Mercury” and kissed his little head. I felt something brush up against my leg in the water and I thought ‘oh no, a piece of my vagina got ripped off and is just dangling there.’ Then it donned on me that it was the umbilical cord. My husband cut the cord and then took Mercury to get weighed and all that while I got out of the tub and onto a table where I easily delivered the placenta and got a few stitches. The nurse was turning around to tell my husband that the babies like skin to skin contact and laughed to see him with his shirt already coming off. My doula helped us get him latched on for the first of many meals and my sister went out to tell the family the stats. After awhile we moved to another room where our families flooded in to see the new little guy.

I was really pleased with my birth experience. I was happy that they let me eat and drink as I wanted, move around, and only checked the baby’s heartbeat intermittently. The sweet nurse plunged her hand into the dirty water without a second thought (she wore gloves but they kept filling up with water), and she spoke so softly I hardly noticed her checking the vitals. I was also really lucky that everything went so smoothly. It was nothing I could have truly prepared for; save for getting a little bit more sleep beforehand. It was not as painful as I thought it would be and after he was born my body definitely gave me some natural painkillers. My face and eyes were super swollen and bruised, I could hardly see. All the baby books said don’t push with your face but how else do you give it all you’ve got? I also had the best pee of my life and was ravenously hungry. We took Mercury home the next day and life has been more than beautiful ever since.

 

Happy Birthday Bug!