Nursing Momma Smoothie Recipe

Lately, I have been having difficulty keeping a milk supply for little Phalen.  I do not want to have to switch to formula, or any other alternative.

I researched the best foods to eat and supplements to take.  I have been drinking Mother's Milk Tea, as well as taking some really nasty tasting drops.

This has 'gotten me by', but still left me with times of nothing.  I haven't been able to pump, which means I can't leave Sweet P for longer than an hour and a half, and NEVER at night!

Luckily, he's so darn cute, I don't mind being with him 24-7.  

But it can be difficult when the Hubs and I want to have a date night.  Or, if I want to join the ladies for a Mom's Night Out.

In researching and seeking advice, I have come to realize two things:

a) I may not be eating enough during the day to assist in the production amount that Phalen needs.
b) Cardio actually causes production reduction... :(

SO, I fixed problem 'b' by reducing the amount of days I attend Stroller Strides and I stopped doing insanity workouts. But fixing problem 'a', ayeyeye...

I eat folks!  I eat a lot and I don't skip meals!
But when I'm full, I'm full.  I can't eat more.

For the first couple days, I tried to eat more.  I was making myself sick!
Then the thought occurred to me to pack in as much as I could to a smoothie and drink that several times a day.  Within a few days, I noticed a significant increase in my production!  Now, I'm getting ready to go to my first "Mom's Night Out" and Daddy gets to stay home and feed Sweet P :)

This has now become my Nursing Momma Smoothie, and the best part, it's Phalen Friendly (i.e. contains nothing he's allergic too).

Ingredients:

1 cup Almond Milk
1/2 cup Goat Milk Yogurt (Plain)
1 cup frozen chopped Pineapple or Mango
1 cup frozen Antioxidant Blend (Cherries, Strawberries, Blueberries, Pomegranate, Raspberries)
1 handful Spinach - washed
1 handful chopped Kale - washed
1 Avocado
1 Tblsp Flaxseed Meal
1 Tblsp Chia seed  *omit if you have low blood-pressure*
1/4 cup Honey
1 cup Water

Directions:

Add all ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth!  Pour and Enjoy!

This does make 3 full 12 oz servings.  I'm one of those people that saves all glass jars and lids from foods purchased (coconut oil, peanut butter, etc) and reuse them as needed.  I pour the extra into serving jars and put in the refrigerator until my next "snack".  The avocado keeps a smooth texture/consistency so it doesn't need to be put in the freezer.

Easy Vegan Bread Recipe

"And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts..."

-Genesis 18:5a

Since finding out my little boy has an intolerance to Dairy, Eggs, and Oats, I have been on a mission to find delicious replacements to some of my favorite consumables.  I pray daily that the Lord will continue to nourish us and provide for us.  

I know, I know, Dairy, Eggs and Oats are not the be all, end all of food, but they were all staples to my everyday diet.

One of the things I have a difficult time finding, in the grocery stores, that I can eat (without repercussions to Sweet P) is bread.   It seems that all bread is made with either eggs, oats, dairy preservatives or all of the above.  I can't escape it all!  I did find one that had such a minute amount of oats, that it only mildly affected Sweet P.  So, I went in search of an easy to make, vegan recipe.  And I was "pin-spired" with this recipe.

Fresh loaves, out of the oven

This was so easy to do- The hardest part was literally just reading the instructions thoroughly.

Oh, and it's even been hubby approved!!!

Of course, I did the butter ingredient to make it fully vegan, and since we try to eat organically, I changed some other ingredients as well.

So let's get yours started-

Ingredients:

2 cups lukewarm water

2 Tblsp. sugar- evaporated cane juice (or xylitol)

1 Tblsp. dry active yeast 

2 Tblsp.  butter substitute - softened (I use Earth Balance buttery spread)

5 1/2 cups all purpose flour + a bit more for kneading the dough

1Tblsp kosher salt

Good stand mixer with a dough hook.  

Large glass bowl

Piece of Saran Wrap (will cover the glass bowl)

2 bread pans

Olive oil (to grease glass bowl & pans)

Directions:

In a stand mixer bowl, add warm water and sugar, whisk until sugar is completely dissolved.  Add the yeast, whisk again til the yeast is dissolved and walk away for 10 minutes.   This gives the yeast a proofing time.   

Grease the glass bowl and prep a piece of saran wrap (lightly grease one side of the saran wrap)

When you return, the yeast should have a lovely frothed layer on the surface...if it is not there, the yeast is inactive.  

Toss the contents, go to the store and purchase new yeast :)

When the yeast mixture appears as it should, add the flour and salt to the bowl.  Add the butter substitute in small pieces, and return bowl to stand mixer, using dough hook to mix & knead ingredients.  

I use the low speed to get started so to gently combine all the ingredients, 

then I turn it up one to knead.

Knead the dough about 3-5 minutes. It will be smooth, elastic and doesn't stick to the bowl or hook when ready.

Place the dough in the pre-greased glass bowl.  Loosely place the saran wrap over the bowl, greased side down.  Let sit in a warm place for an hour.  The dough will double in size.

Grease two loaf pans 

(I actually only had one loaf pan.  I used a round cake pan

 and loved the outcome of a nice round loaf-  

the perfect size for dinner bread)

Once doubled, punch down the dough - this releases any gas or air.  Knead it a couple of times and form it into a ball.  Your dough should not be sticky, it will be smooth.

Sprinkle flour on a board or counter top, set the dough ball on the flour.  Separate the dough into two equal parts (or as equal as can be).

I used a meat cleaver to separate mine, it's what I had.

To each half, knead it a few times- fold it in thirds over and over.  

You should now have two separate balls of dough.  

Form the dough to the shape of the pan and place into the pans.   Set the pans in a warm place - do not cover the dough this time.

Let the dough sit for an hour again.  Once again, the dough will double in size.

When dough has 15 minutes left, preheat oven to 350.  

Bake the bread for 35-40 minutes.

When bread is done, top will be light brown.

Remove the loaves from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.  Once cooled, remove the loaves from the pan.

I place a kitchen towel over the loaf and 

I double it over on the handles- so it's thicker 

then tip the pan over to release the loaf into my towel. 

Thump the bottom of your loaf to ensure it's cooked through - it will sound hollow.  Let cool a little bit longer before slicing into it.

If you just can't, then don't!  

Just know it will be a bit gummy :)

This deliciousness does not have preservatives, so it will last about 4 days.  I kept old bread bags from store bought loaves to use as my bread bag :) - recycle, reuse, reduce!

My next venture will be making whole wheat loaves.

Enjoy!