The yummiest chicken meatloaf!

Here is a recipe for a super easy, delicious chicken meatloaf. Leda loves this meal!! Even when she was refusing to eat almost everything, she would still eat this. I have been making it forever and I enjoy how quick it is to put together and how yummy it tastes.

Chicken Meatloaf

1 medium onion chopped
2 celery ribs chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 can chicken and rice soup
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 package ground chicken

* You can also add extra ingredients. I like to add mushrooms and sundried tomato's.


Preheat oven to 350. Combine first 6 ingredients. Add ground chicken and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.

Bake 1 1/4 hours until meat thermometer reads 160

Leda think the meatloaf is delicious!!

ENJOY!!

How amazing you're already One. What a precious person you've become :)

Leda dressed up and ready for her party.

It is hard to believe that Leda is a year old. I am glad it is done though. I was so sad the last week of her eleventh month and now it is easier to accept. I don't know what I thought was going to happen, if she was going to suddenly get up and take off running and instantly turn into this big girl, but thankfully she is still my little baby and Leda turning one was not as awful as I thought it was going to be. Now we just have to wait and see how I feel when she turns 18 months!!

Leda's Birthday party was wonderful. We felt so blessed that so many friends and family came to celebrate with us. Leda of course was spoiled and loves every gift she received and so do I! We are so thankful :)

Here are some pictures of the Birthday celebration and a couple of my favorite professional one year photos that were done the day after Leda's Birthday.

Leda's owl cupcakes :)

I made this banner for Leda. It had pictures from birth to 11 months

So many pinwheels!!

Leda opening up her gifts from Andrew and I in the morning

Looking at the beautiful scrapbook Aunty Chrystal made for Leda

Leda's first taste of sweets..mmm icing..

Sugar high!!

One more week :(

I am not ready for Leda to turn one. This has gone by to fast! I want the past year back. I want Leda to be tiny again and I want her to snuggle into me at all hours of the day, not just when she is exhausted. I know I cannot control this. I knew she was going to get bigger, but cant I just enjoy this a little longer?

So much has changed in the last year. I do not even feel like the same person anymore and thankfully I think it has been a positive change. Life feels so full now. Leda has been an amazing source of inspiration for me and I know that without her I would still be sitting on the couch at all hours eating junk food and I would have never met all the amazing people that I have. I will give myself some credit of course. Leda did not physically get me to boot camp or yoga or pilates, so I am proud of myself to, but I am also eternally thankful for my daughter and the better person she is helping me become.

Leda has changed so much in one year!! Where did my tiny 6lbs, 1oz baby go? Thankfully she is still pretty tiny and I am also not very sad that she doesn't move around yet, but she has gone from this tiny lump that I used to carry around in the sleepy wrap, to a funny girl who tries to head bang me when I carry her in the ergo and thinks its hilarious.

Of course Andrew and I have cheered Leda and all her wonderful developments on and I would never try and hold her back for my own selfish little baby needs, but I somehow doubt I am ever going to stop wishing for my newborn back. This past year has been the best year of my life and I am happy about the hundreds of pictures and loads of videos I have taken, because it really is to easy to forget.

I love when Leda nestles into my shoulder and I can feel her breath on my cheek. I love that her breath still smells sweet and she almost always smells delicious, with the obvious stinky interruptions of course. I love watching Leda learn to feed herself and chew. I know eventually she will learn patience and will stop shoving every morsel in her mouth at once and we will eventually be able to stop cutting her food into the tiniest little pieces. I can see that she wants to move and I know it is going to happen any day now. I am grateful it has taken her this long, because I know it is going to be non stop once it happens. I love, love, love watching Leda in her jolly jumper and how crazy she gets. Leda now smiles when she sees videos or pictures of babies and when she thinks something is funny she will laugh and then look to me for approval to see if I think it is funny before she laughs again. I love Leda's wonderful personality :)

This week is going to be hard, but I need to think about the future and all the exciting and fun things it holds. I need to think about the day Leda is going to really give me a big hug and say mama and really mean me and how someday she is going to tell me she loves me too and I know all the sadness that sometimes comes with watching my baby get bigger is worth it.

I know this was a little melodramatic and she is only turning one, but I know you new mamas and not so new mamas will all understand :)

mmm...the wonderful avocado..

I love avocado's! Avocado on toast is one of my favorite snacks and sometimes an easy and delicious lunch. It is so easy to make. You just mix avocado in a bowl with a little bit of lime juice, salt and pepper and then spread on toast and broil! You can also add tomato if you want. I don't think my mother ever bought an avocado growing up and I cant remember eating guacamole until I was in my twenties. It is definitely another underrated fruit and if you have never tried avocado or given it a fair chance, I think avocado on toast would change your mind :)

INTERESTING AVOCADO FACTS

• Avocados are a fruit, not a vegetable.
• There are more than 500 avocado varieties.
• Another name for the avocado is the "alligator pear," so-called because of its alligator skin texture and pear shape.
• The Aztec word for avocado was ahuacatl, which means "testicle tree".
• The Hass is the most common avocado in the United States and is the only avocado grown year round.
• Mexico is the world's top producer of avocados, with California coming in second.
• One tree can produce between 150 and 500 avocados per year.
• The average avocado contains 300 calories and 30 grams of healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat.
• Avocados have the highest protein content of any fruit.
• Avocados contain more potassium than bananas.
• One avocado contains 81 mcg of lutein, an important nutrient for healthy eyes.
• Once an avocado is picked, it takes between 7 and 10 days to ripen. Keeping it in the refrigerator will slow down the ripening process, while putting it in a paper bag with a ripe apple will speed up the process.
• On average, 53.5 million pounds of guacamole are eaten every Super Bowl Sunday, enough to cover a football field more than 20 feet thick.
• Avocado's act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients.
• Those with latex allergies might also be allergic to avocados, according to the George Mateljan Foundation, since they contain chitanases, which are associated with the latex-fruit allergy syndrome (hmm..I have never heard this before!)

MARINATED MUSHROOM AND AVOCADO SALAD

 

Ingredients:

½ cup sherry wine vinegar
½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
6 lettuce leaves
1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded, diced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, diced
12 slices Italian bread, grilled

 

Preparation Instructions:

1) Whisk together vinegar, basil, mustard, and oil in a medium bowl. Add mushrooms, toss to coat, and marinade 30 minutes.

2) Plate salads: place lettuce on 6 serving plates. Top with avocado, bell peppers, and marinated mushrooms. Drizzle remaining marinade over. Place 2 slices grilled bread on plates and serve.

AVOCADO IS EVEN GREAT FOR YOUR SKIN!

Treat yourself to an avocado facial. Beauty, they say, is only skin deep. Luckily, avocado has moisturizing power to help make your skin more beautiful. For years, people have used avocado as a natural facial treatment, especially for dry skin. It's easy to do in your own home. Just remove your makeup and wash your face with warm water and soap or your favorite cleanser. Mash some avocado and mix it with a little milk or oatmeal and apply it to your face. Leave it there for 10 minutes, then rinse it off with lots of water.

Leda's Favorite Baby Food Recipes!!

These are a couple of Leda's favorite recipes. I cut up the meatballs for her and she loves to eat them herself. Lately she has been eating whole meals by herself! I am constantly on the lookout for more interesting finger food recipes, so if you have any please feel free to share :)

CHICKEN AND APPLE BALLS


Makes 20 Chicken Balls


2 tsp light olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and grated (I used a Gala and it was fine)
2 chicken breast fillets (about 1/2 lb) cut into chunks
1/2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme or sage. chopped, or a pinch from mixed dried herbs
1 chicken bouillon cube, crumbled (if your baby is over 1 year)
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
all-purpose flour for coating
vegetable oil for frying (i used olive oil and as little as I could get away with)


Heat the olive oil in a pan and saute half the onion for about 3 minutes. Using your hands, squeeze out a little excess liquid from the grated apple Mix the apple with the chicken, cooked and remaining raw onion, herbs, bouillon cube (from one year), and breadcrumbs and roughly chop in a food processor for few seconds.
With your hands, form into about 20 little balls, roll in flour, and fry in shallow oil for about 5 minutes until slightly golden and cooked through. Cool slightly before serving.

TASTY LIVER CASSEROLE

*Liver is so good for children! It is easy to digest, a good source of iron, and is very easy to cook. A lot of adults dislike the taste, but children seem to enjoy it :)

1/4 lb calfs liver, trimmed and sliced
2 tbsp vegetable or olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
scant 1 cup chicken or veggie broth (homemade is of course best)
2 medium tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped

Saute the liver in 1 tbsp of the oil until browned, then set aside. Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan and saute the onion for 2-3 minutes. Add the chopped carrot and saute for 2 minutes, then pour over the broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer over a low heat for about 15 minutes. Chop the liver into pieces and add to the pan together with the tomatoes and parsley, and cook for about 3 minutes. You can either serve with mashed potato as it is or blend the mixture for a few seconds to make a rough puree.

Homemade Baby Cookies

I was talking to my Holistic Nutritionist about Leda and finger foods. Leda loves puff's!! I do not mind giving them to her, but the 4th ingredient is sugar and there are a few ingredients I cannot pronounce. As long as I can control what I am putting in her tummy, I plan on trying to make her food as healthy as possible. I tried to make my own rice rusks to save money and it went horribly wrong, so I will continue to buy Baby Mum-Mum's, but I was still looking for a healthy snack that was portable and not to messy. Thank goodness for Vanessa and her baby cookie recipe :)

1 cup quick oats
1 cup ground oats (ground regular oats)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/4 cup finely shredded vegetable (zucchini, carrot..etc)
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbsp coconut oil (you can sub olive oil)


Mix all ingredients.  I usually mash my wet ingredients including veg first.  Drop onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 15 minutes or so depending on the texture your baby likes. Enjoy


I made them this morning and they were super easy. I used carrots and had some bananas in the freezer that worked great. I tried one of the cookies and it was pretty gross, but Leda loved them!! I gave her one after dinner and she inhaled it! I still had to break it up into little pieces, but they were nice and soft and great for her to practice chewing on. I highly suggest making these healthy cookies for your little one.

Wordless Wednesday...

Birthday Sneak Peak

I am trying very hard to adjust to the idea that my baby is going to turn one in just over two months. My way of dealing with this is by over preparing and completely throwing myself into her Birthday party.
I had a great trip to the states yesterday with my best friend and was able to pick up tons of stuff for the party. I have been working (very slowly) on favor bags for a month now and am down to finishing the last ones. I am going to start her Birthday banner soon and I am now also working on decorations.
I have never really done paper crafts before, but it turns out I really enjoy them. I wont give away every thing I am doing for Leda's birthday, but here is a little sneak peak at what I have been working on.

Top 10 Reasons why I love Leda (today)

After a very trying afternoon with my very cranky daughter I decided to try and focus on the positive and list the top 10 things about Leda today that made my heart swell with love. If I were to talk about all the reasons I love Leda this blog would never end, so here are today's top 10.

1. Leda's 2 bottom teeth (her only teeth). They make her big smile even sweeter.
2. The way Leda smells after her bath. I use Burt's Bee's Shampoo & Wash and I have been using this on her since the beginning and I LOVE it! She smells so delicious!
3. The way Leda laughs when I smell her feet. I have to say "mmmm" after I smell them because if I say "ewww" she stops laughing and just looks at me funny.
4. Leda's hair. I put barrette's in it, but it is not long enough yet for ponies. Sometimes I think her hair resembles Donald Trump's comb over.
5. The way Leda will sometimes squeeze her eyes shut when she laughs now.
6. The way Leda is starting to reach out for me and the way she swats at me when she does not like something I am doing.
7. Leda's passion for puff's and Baby Mum-Mum's. Eating finger foods is serious business.
8. Leda's enjoyment of reusable grocery bags. One kept her entertained for a good 20 mins while I put away and sorted through her clothes tonight.
9. How Leda can scream and jump in her Jolly Jumper all at the same time. It is like she cant resist that urge to jump, no matter how angry she is.
10. How much Leda loves Nesta. I wish I shared her affection for the cat...maybe some day.

Leda's First Time Camping..

Andrew, Leda and myself went to Fair Havens from June 23rd - June 27th.
I have gone to my parents house with Leda and spent the night and we have gone across the border once, but this was Leda's biggest trip and I think with any new baby you are curious about how they are going to do. Leda is a fairly adaptable baby and I was not really concerned, but she exceeded my expectations (in a positive way of course).

Leda slept in her play pen in the "add-a-room" and a couple of the nights she slept better there then she does at home. It rained a lot while we were there and I think she liked the sound of the rain on the roof. It helped to create some fantastic white noise.

The trailer was great and it was nice having somewhere to be while it rained and we did not feel cramped. We still made our way out in the rain for walks and Leda was nicely protected under her rain cover.
It was fun enjoying Leda in a different environment. Sometimes I feel we go stir crazy in this little house and Leda always seems happiest when we are out and about. The same was true for camping.

Leda enjoying puffs and cheerios



Leda after her bath :)

 Leda enjoyed watching all of the people and did well with the long walks in the stroller. Now that Leda is eating finger foods it is a little easier to distract her sometimes. I am very thankful for Baby Mum-Mum's. One of the highlights of the trip was the awesome splash pad. Leda loves the water and she is a little trooper.

The water was chilly!!

Leda is never to sure what to think about water on her face.

A beautiful picture of a beautiful girl :)

lol...I love the look on her face :)

Some Things I Learned About Leda While Camping

1. Leda loves hummus
2. Leda hates the texture of hamburger
3. Leda LOVES Johnny Cash and his music makes her stop crying and also helped put her to sleep on the way home :)
4. Leda's newest favorite toy is her tambourine and she is really good at smacking it and trying to make music

Here are some more pictures of our trip..

I love Leda's Valco highchair. It folds up flat and easy to bring on trips.

Andrew and Leda watching a church cheering competition. It was pretty entertaining.

I love Leda in purple :)

lol...Leda and her tambourine. Leda knows when I am going to take a picture now and closes her eyes because of the flash.

Leda all bundled up for sleep. She looks like an angry little doll.

On our way home we stopped off at The Apple Factory and they had some farm animals to watch.

Wordless Wednesday...

FOOD, FOOD, FOOD!

                                              

I enjoy making Leda's baby food. I like knowing what exactly is in her food and I enjoy being able to give her a wide variety of food that perhaps you could not find on store shelves. At times it can be time consuming, but it is worth it. Sometimes I think Leda's food smells better then what I am going to have for dinner. I thought I would share two recipes that I made for Leda today.


The first I got from Vanessa Case and Leda loved it! Leda is a fan of tart desserts though, she likes mango's, apricots and now I can add rhubarb to the list. I cant wait for the day I can give her a lemon or a pickle. I think she will be in heaven.

YUMMY BERRY RHUBARB

INGREDIENTS

• 5-6 stalks rhubarb (wash it and cut into small 1/4 inch discs)
• 3 apples (peeled, cored and chopped) *You can leave peel on if baby is 6 months +
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup apple juice or apple sauce
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 berries of your choice (cut into small pieces)

DIRECTIONS

1. Place water and apple juice or apple sauce into a pot
2. Add rhubarb and simmer until tender, usually ten minutes
3. Add the apples and the berries
4. Turn down heat to low, add the vanilla and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Puree to the consistency you want

*You can add cinnamon or nutmeg

*If your baby does not enjoy tart foods you can choose to add a bit of stevia or agave syrup to sweeten

This next recipe is what Leda had for dinner tonight and she wolfed it down!

LEEK, SWEET POTATO, AND PEA PUREE

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup leeks, thoroughly washed and sliced
• 3 1/2 cups sweet potato, peeled and chopped
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup frozen peas

DIRECTIONS

Put the leek and sweet potato in a saucepan, pour over the vegetable broth, and bring to a boil.Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the peas and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Puree to the consistency you want.

Fall seven times, stand up eight. ~Japanese Proverb

Leda's sleep situation has been getting better. For the last two weeks she has not been waking up every 1-2 hours and her first feed isn't until 1 or 3 am, she eats again around 5 am and then has been sleeping till 7 am, which is much better then 6 am..although I would prefer 8 am, but I will take what I can get.

After 3 am is when things get difficult. It is hard to say how long she will continue to sleep and she will still always wake up at 5 am, but I trust this will get better with time.

It is funny how you think you are getting a grasp on one thing and then something else changes completely out of the blue and there you are...facing another challenge and trying to bring peace and harmony to your home. Cant we all just get along?

This is what my mornings have looked like lately..

Isn't she lovely? The jolly jumper usually does the trick, but not any more. I breastfeed Leda right away in the morning in the hopes that it will make her happy and help get through the next 30 minutes of her day, but to no avail. Leda always has a grain and a fruit for breakfast and the whole process takes about 20 mins to prepare and she just looses it. I am not sure if she is not getting enough sleep at night even though she is in bed for 12 hours, but she is a miserable child in the morning. Hopefully we will get over this soon and have a better start to our day.



Wordless Wednesday...

Wordless Wednesday...

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon. ~Doug Larson

                                              

Eating healthy isn't always easy, but its not impossible.
I think changing your eating habits is one of the most difficult changes to make. Finding the time and energy to exercise is right up there with it. I have taken the last 9 months as an opportunity to try and change habits and make my life healthier. I knew there was not going to be another time (at least not for awhile) that I would have an opportunity like this. I have busied my schedule with exercise groups and appointments. I have tried acupuncture, gotten massages, talked to professionals about varying problems and I finally feel like I am getting somewhere.
I think the biggest challenge is when I go back to work. I will have to be careful not to let everything I have worked for slip away. I will need to find the time to continue exercising, eating healthy and I will also need to find the motivation. Leda of course is great motivation :)
Two of the best steps I have taken is seeing a Nutritionist and joining a Stroller Boot Camp. I have really started to notice changes. I am not going to post my weight loss or inches on here, but there has been great improvement and I cant wait to see what it is going to be like at the end of the next 8 weeks of boot camp and healthy eating.
It has not been easy avoiding pork, beef, dairy, wheat etc...but again, not impossible. You feel limited at the beginning, but there are so many options. I just enjoyed an egg, avocado and tomato sandwich on sesame Ezekiel bread for breakfast and it was really, really good. I have only had chicken and fish for two months and I am not bored. If I do feel the urge for something different then we get Pad Thai or go to a restaurant.
Last night Andrew and I went to vegout and it was delicious. We had a shitake mushroom poutine as an appetizer and then I enjoyed an avocado quinoa salad with black beans, avocado, quinoa, dried apricots, veggies and cilantro on a bed of organic greens with a lime and olive oil dressing. I cannot wait to go back again.
My newest goal is to explore the world of vegetarian cooking. If anyone has any good recipes I would love to have them :)

Wordless Wednesday...

Time goes by too quickly..

Leda is going to be 8 months old in 2 days. I thought when she turned 6 months I was going to find it difficult, but I was OK. I also did fine with 7 months, but I am not doing so well with 8. I have thought about it a lot and it really isn't to difficult to find a hundred reasons why it is making me sad. The baby phase goes by too fast. I think it is normal to want your child to stay little and although I am excited for Leda's future and all the fun things I know she is going to do, I will miss my tiny baby. I am already starting to think about her first Birthday and that alone is hard to come to terms with.
I think the biggest reason why this is so hard is because this time last year I was 4 1/2 months pregnant. It was the time I felt really secure with my pregnancy and really started to enjoy it. I miss being pregnant. It was also the time I started to really look forward to my maternity leave and now I have think about going back soon. I think I just have a lot of mixed emotions about a lot of things right now.
Leda is still a little baby and I need to be careful that I am not rushing her growing up by worrying about it so much. I need to focus and just enjoy every day for what it is and most days I do.
What month was the hardest for everyone when your children were small? Did you ever want them to go back to being small little sleeping lumps of sweetness?