Wednesday, January 29, 2014

I'm feeling a little granola... Literally!

After gaining an undisclosed amount of weight during pregnancy, I have been very motivated to lose it (...and breastfeeding only does so much!). I've found that having bars on hand is quick and easy and they are relatively filling. Many of the popular store brand granola and protein bars are packed with added sugars and fillers making them less healthy than their marketing lends you to believe.
 
My favorite store bought granola bar is the Kind Bar. The bars taste great and "feel" healthy. They are loaded with fiber and have 17 grams of whole grains per bar. The only problem is each box is kind of pricey (around $.75 per bar) and not many stores carry the brand.
 
I started eating several bars a day and at 75 cents a bar, our grocery bill started adding up. When I looked at the list of ingredients, I realized that the reason I love the bars is that they are SIMPLE.  Here's my own version of the Kind Bar:
 
 
Ingredients
1 1/4 cup rolled oats (use gluten free oats for a gluten free version)
1/4 cup of any combination (uncooked millet, quinoa, amaranth and buckwheat)
1/2 cup rice crispies cereal
3 tablespoons cornmeal (If you do not have cornmeal, you can use grits or regular flour)
Pinch of salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons coconut oil (canola oil can be substituted)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar (I used sucanat which is dried cane sugar)

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line an 9x9 (8x8 can be used) inch square Pyrex dish with parchment paper.
  2. Combine the oats, rice crispies, cornmeal, salt and baking soda in a medium size mixing bowl. In a glass measuring cup or microwave safe bowl mix the honey and canola (or coconut oil). Place in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir to melt the coconut butter then add the vanilla and brown sugar. Whisk to combine and then mix the wet with the dry ingredients. Transfer the oat mixture to the prepared Pyrex dish that is lined with parchment paper, and press down hard. I used a piece of parchment paper to press firmly.  It is very important that you really apply pressure and pack the mixture down.
  3. Place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. The bars will be golden on top. Remove the bars (if your bars seem a little loose, I like to push down again on them to make sure the bars will hold together) and let the bars cool in the pan for 10-20 minutes then remove from the pan and then cut while the bars are firm, but still somewhat soft. Place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in a sealed container or wrapped in plastic wrap.
 
Side notes:  I bought organic finely shredded coconut from Trader Joes and it works really well in this recipe. I think finely shredded coconut is best.
 
Buying the buckwheat, millet, quinoa and amaranth was pricey (probably $17 total) but since I am using a small amount of the ingredients in each batch, I know they will last a while.
 
If you do not want to use the buckwheat, millet, quinoa and amaranth, substitute 1/4 cup of  rolled oats.
 
For chewier bars, use the 8x8 Pyrex.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

My Favorite Things: Baby Registry Stuff

 I've decided...Babies are on par with weddings in terms of the ratio of stuff the internet says you need to stuff you actually need. Such a racket.When it was time for me to actually register, I looked at the registries of my detail oriented friends and pretty much copied exactly what they requested.  I figured since they were so meticulous about researching baby products, I could spend my time reading pregnancy books or ... sleeping! (Yes, if you are pregnant now or even thinking about getting pregnant... Stop reading this and SLEEP NOW!) 

I've been in Babyland now for just about six weeks.  Here are my top recommendations:

Things to buy or register for:
 1. Swaddling is amazing!!! We have several SwaddleMe blankets. Because they have Velcro, they are very user friendly--especially with a newborn.  However, my little Houdini figured out how to escape at week #3. I highly recommend registering for 2 Miracle blankets. Why 2? You will be amazed by how many blow out diapers your baby will have and if she gets one dirty you don't want to have to wait for the laundry to be able to put her to sleep. The blankets are a little pricey at $30--- if you are on a budget, you could definitely get this item used on Ebay or at a consignment sale.

2. A swing. They can be kind of pricey (ours was around $120)... But man is it worth it! The swing is the Hail Mary when Elizabeth won't stop crying. And I know many a parent who has put their kid in the swing for nap time just to get a little shut eye! We are big fans of Dr. Harvey Karp's book, The Happiest Baby on the Block.  He also recommends swings as a way to calm a colicy baby. http://www.babycenter.com/0_harvey-karps-happiest-baby-method-for-baby-sleep-and-soothin_10373838.bc


 3. The Chicco car seat is probably the best purchase I made. It's SO easy to install and it makes getting in and out of the car a breeze. I don't think you need the whole travel system, but the $99 snap and go stroller is perfect for when they are under 3 months old. If you live in St. Louis, the Safety Stop is a free service at BJC Children's Hospital.  They installed my carseat for free and taught me the correct way to strap Elizabeth into her seat. The lady who helped me confirmed my purchase of the Chicco by telling me it is her favorite carseat.  Experts recommend buying new carseats, I recommend buying the stroller used.


 4. Most people who gave us clothes gave us 3 month clothes. No one gave us 6 month wear. You need warm fuzzy pajamas for the winter months!! Target has a bunch on end of season sale now for around $6.00. I'd buy at least 4 pairs of warm footie pajamas for your little one.

 5. When you buy a sound machine-- and trust me you'll need one-- make sure you like the sound. We are only six weeks in and the sound machine already annoys the crap out of me.

 6. If you needed to cut a big ticket item, I don't think a bassinet or a rock-n-cradle is as much of a necessity as people make them out to be. Elizabeth sleeps wherever we lay her down... If a Baby can sleep in those uncomfortable beds in the hospital.. They'll sleep in their crib at home. With that being said, having the rock-n-cradle has been nice in some ways because it means her bed is portable. If you have multiple floors in your home or plan to go back and forth between grandparent houses it might be worth getting. I would not buy this used. Elizabeth has already spit up in hers like 6-7 times and I think they are a beast to clean.

7. I love my Baby K'Tan carrier.  Elizabeth loves it and it allows me to soothe her by walking around the house while also freeing up my hands so that I can do laundry or dishes.  I walked her to Target in the K'Tan before the snow and was able to keep her warm and cozy on my chest and also prevented people from being able to touch her. I've seen new K'tans on EBAY for around $20.

 8. As far as baby bath tubs go-- I registered for the fisher price "whale of a tub". I have no complaints or strong opinions. It's kind of bulky so you'll need to hang it in your bathtub. Again, for the budget mama, this is definitely something you could get used.

 9. I thought that I would be an anti-pacifier mom. In fact, I proudly proclaimed "we are not going to use pacis at our house". Two weeks of no sleep will quickly cause you to cave! The Happiest Baby on the Block book recommends paci use up to six months of age as a way to sooth your baby. Believe it or not, you have to "train" your baby to take a paci! There are different brands and not all babies like every kind. Elizabeth likes the Dr. Brown's pacis. I would also register for this giraffe stuffed animal attached to a paci. It's amazing!! We use it in the car and she hardly ever drops it out of her mouth because I can tuck the little animal into her car seat.

 10. You want to get a DOUBLE breast pump! Pumping is a complete pain, save time and do both boobs at once. The Cotton Babies store sells Medela pumps AT COST for $199. Everywhere else this exact pump is over $300. They also sell pumping bras for $30 at Buy Buy Baby. They allow you to do hands free pumping. Register for one. If you don't get it and don't want to spend the money, I bet you could make one out of a normal sports bra. Remember: not all pumps are made the same! Some are not as good at extracting milk. I was banking on my insurance to provide a pump on the new Obamacare/Affordable Health Act plan... The pump my insurance would pay for really stunk.

 11. If you are planning on exclusively breastfeeding, it's hard to imagine needing formula or giving your new baby a bottle. Trust me... You never know! Elizabeth did not gain weight at the beginning and we had to supplement with a formula bottle for a few days. I was so glad that I registered for the Dr. Browns natural flow bottles. They are GREAT! They did a great job of restricting the milk flow so she didn't suck milk too quickly. Even if you don't have to supplement with formula, having bottles on hand is a great idea so that you can pump on occasion for your husband to take a night feeding. Also-- I've been going to a breast feeding support group and have learned a lot of women have trouble breast feeding and have to feed exclusively by pumping and bottle feeding. If you needed to save money, I don't think that the bottle drying rack is necessary and you definitely don't need a bottle warmer.

 12. The nosefrida is another random registry must. I've been surprised by how boogery babies can be and using the bulb is tough!

13.You don't need a Boppy or MyBreastFriend.  I know a lot of people recommend them... however, I worked with a lot of lactation consultants during our difficult feeding time and NONE recommend Boppys because too many women get dependent on them and then don't know how to feed their babies without them.  The greatest part of breast feeding is the fact you can do it ANYTIME so why limit yourself?  There are a lot of breastfeeding tools you may need if you have difficulty-- but again-- can save that for a private e-mail later if you need it.
 

 My friend Nicole's recommendation was to register everywhere because most places give you a free gift when you register (like a bottle or wipes container) and they all give you a completion coupon about six weeks before your due date. That said, this is also a great way to waste a ton of time online. I found it a highly useful distraction from times of emotional instability or physical discomfort.