Did I metion I LOVE food!!

Hello everyone!

I know what your thinking: "not another food post!" The best thing about becoming vegan, is trying new recipes and food options that are healthy for me and thee baby as well as delicious. I found this recipe online because I have an early appointment tomorrow and wanted something I could grab and bring in to the car with me. This recipe has NO raw items! I know crazy, right? I mean no eggs, no butter, no milk.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegan margarine
• 1/2 cup pure cane sugar
• 1/4 cup orange juice ( I just 1 freshly squeezed orange, didn't feel like  buying juice)
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon non-GMO cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I used regular non-bleach flour)
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3/4 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• 2 teaspoons sparkling sugar sprinkles (optional)

 

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 to 400 (depending on your oven, mine is super hot, so I use 375)
• In a mixing bowl, add all dry ingredients. ( I like to use a shifter for dry ingredients for a smooth batter)
• Add wet ingredients to the dry mixture.
• Once batter is blended, fold in the blueberries
• Grease/or use cupcake wrapper on your muffin pan.
• Fill each about 3/4 high.
• Bake for 8 to 10 min or till knife comes out clean

For the original recipe CLICK HERE and check out a good vegan recipe blog!

 

They are so good and moist. I recommend that you eat them warm, but be careful, it is hard to stop eating them! The recipe will make 12 muffins.

 

Tomorrow, I have an early appointment with my Midwife. This will be my first visit with one, and I am so excited. I will let you know how it goes!!

 

See ya!

Sabrina

 

Trying a new breakfast!

Hello everyone!

Yesterday morning I tried a new Buckwheat pancake mix for breakfast. I am used to Aunt Jemima pancakes, but they contain milk and eggs in the ingredients. Buckwheat is a gain-like seed from the family of sorrel, knotweed, and rhubarb.  It is a starchy seed that is a great substitute for vegans and vegetarians everywhere. At the Health Nut store in Virginia Beach, I did buy buckwheat hot cereal. When prepared, it gives an oatmeal,cream of wheat consistency.

Now back to my breakfast. The pancakes actually came out very delicious. I used;

1 cup of the buckwheat pancake mixture
1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
1 Tbsp of maple syrup
1/2 tsp of cinnamon 
 2 to 3 Tbsp of sugar
a pitch of salt
1/2 of a packet of instant apple cinnamon oatmeal
1 to 2 cups of Almond sweetened vanilla milk (depending on how think or thin you like your pancakes add more milk).

My family and I are masters of making pancakes, so I really just eyeballed the majority of the ingredients, so this is just taste and make sure you like the consistency you have created.

I mixed the above ingredients in a mixing bowl and fired up my pan. They bubble the same as regular pancake mix. The cool thing is, you can add anything to the batter (i.e. blueberries, strawberries, bananas, etc.). whatever you have in the house will go great with them. I just purchase this brand of buckwheat pancake mix at Walmart for very cheap, so don't worry you won't break the bank and you are being healthy :-)

Finally, Some Good News!!

Hello everyone!

So I have some goods to tell you! I have found a doctor's office with a midwife in Chesapeake, VA.! The office advised me that I would also see the physician throughout my pregnancy as well just to get acquainted with the doctor if I would require additional medical interventions. I am comfortable with that arrangement, just didn't want to go in the hospital like I was having a medical emergency. I will be going to The Group for Women. My first visit is next month, so I will let you know how things turn out.

This week there was a feature blog article from  WeatherAnchorMama.com. Your insurance may have the Affordable Care Act on your policy, which entitles you to  FREE breast pump!!! Yes Its free. I called my insurance company immediately the next morning and found out I was covered!! I would be able to go to any lactation office of medical supply office and purchase it for free. They also said, if I wanted to rent one from the hospital (because it is a hospital grade pump) it would also be free. Additionally, if I have already purchased one, I could send in a copy of my POP (proof of purchase) and get a full refund. Though this process could take 8 to 10 weeks, that is still good to know. You can also check the Pumping Essentials and they can also help you with the process. For the full article/blog CLICK HERE. You are awarded one free breast pump a year per pregnancy.

Next week, I really want to talk about when the right time for nesting.
See you soon!!

Sabrina

Back From Vacation!!

Hello everyone!!

I know it has been awhile, but me, my twin sis, and a very dear friend took a weekend cruise to Nowhere!! That just means we didn't dock anywhere, we sailed to Florida back to Norfolk, VA. It was a lot of fun, and I can't wait to do it again.

This week, I am going to talk about keeping a healthy diet while on vacation, and........cheating on your diet after vacation lol. Like Planet Fitness, this is a no judging zone (I hope).

Going on the cruise, I was a little nervous. No alcohol, no cheese, no seafood; I just though this was going to be tough. My sister and our friend were getting the party started ordering drinks on the deck and I was ordering ginger ale and cranberry juice. One tip is to ask the bartender to make your non-alcoholic beverage LOOK alcoholic. I had an umbrella, pineapple, and cherries added to my cup to feel included in the party. Tip two, get up and dance, you will never see these people again anyway, so get your boogie on lol.

Now the important part: FOOD!!!
The awesome part of this carnival cruise, was the burrito line. Yummy! For breakfast, I got hash browns, lettuce, tomatoes, pico de gallo, hot sauce, and a wheat tortilla. For lunch, rice, black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, pico de gallo, hot sauce, and a jalapeno tortilla wrap, extra yummy!!

For dinner, we ate in the restaurant. They had minestrone soup as appetizer. It was good!! The dinner was even better, they had an Indian Vegetarian dish. It had spicy chick peas, rice, potatoes, and salsa and pita chips.

Unfortunately, my sister and I accidentally switched camera when she went back to Nashville, so this is the only pic that I have lol. The trip was great, they even had zero proof beer available lol.

When we came back from the cruise, it was just in time for a memorial weekend BBQ. This is probably the hardest time to stick to your diet. There was burgers, hot dogs, Mac N' Cheese, potato salad, ribs, BBQ chicken, steak, and everything else I miss eating. My mother-in-law did buy me and my sis some veggie burgers for the grill that were yummy, and some vegetarian baked beans (there is no pork added, just sugar and spices). So I had a burger, baked beans, cucumber salad, corn on the cob,  and.....this is when the cheating began. I had potato salad forgetting that mayo is used. I would have skipped it, but I really wasn't thinking. The BBQ was a hit, and I wish my sis didn't have to go back to TN, but we had a great time.

Ok, ok, this is when the cheating began. I have had a craving for Popeye's biscuits. I have probably eaten like 12 within 2 weeks. They are so good and buttery. Sometimes I have it with honey, or with vegan sausage patty (MorningStar maple). Me and my fiancee went to the beach, and stopped to get biscuits before we left. Ahhhhh, it is safe to say I have an addiction lol. But I am going to get back on track I promise; this is just a minor set back. Work starts back on Friday, so I will be confined to my house lol.

On my next post, I have some good news and some more good news so check back later today :-)

Having a Bad Day :-(

Hello everyone.

As you probably tell from the title, I am not having a good day today. I am trying to find a new doctor, but I am not finding what I need in Virginia Beach. My insurance representative recommended that I try the Dupaul Medical Center, but when I called, they are not accepting anymore patients with due dates before December :-( So my dreams of having a Midwife, may have to end before it even started.

I know many people may not see a big deal with having a baby with an OB/GYN, but let me give you some history on me. I have never been hospitalized before, so the idea of going to the hospital makes me feel like something is wrong or will go wrong. Having a baby is not a medical condition people, it is something that women all over the world have been doing for hundreds of years. To pay for a Midwife, out of pocket, its about $600 to $1000. What the heck is insurance for, if I would have to come out of pocket for medical care. If I want a Douala, that will be about an extra $300 to $500. What is a girl to do?

I have already tried my best fake cry to my fiance, but he is not budging with the funds, so back to plan B: find an office with less doctors. This is a lot harder than it looks! I have had a lot of people refer me to Dr. Grey in Chesapeake, VA., but there is about 6 doctors in that practice. The odds of him being available at my birth is...duh.. 1:6. Do I go with those odds? I found an office in Virginia Beach that has a Midwife on staff, but I have to fill out a crap load of medical history forms and wait to see if they will accept me already at 15 weeks and 2 day!!! Ahhhhhh!!!!

My anxiety is growing by the minute. My fiance is pretty laid back, and keeps telling me to relax, but how can I relax when I technically do not have someone to help me bring a human life into this world. ok, ok I guess that may seem dramatic, but I am a first time mom, and I am allowed to be dramatic!

So, whats a girl to do, as the weeks begin to creep on me and I am feeling backed in a corner? Well, Operation Crazy Mon To Be is in effect, and I can no longer be the nice girl anymore. This is about the well being of my child, so (excuse the phonetics) imma have to get gully on some folks!!

My goal is to find one before my weekend cruise with my twin sis and childhood friend. The hunt is on, and no one is safe lol!!

Wish me luck!

Sabrina

My First OB/GYN Experience.......

Hello Everyone!!
Well Tuesday, I had my first OB/GYN experience. When I normally go for my annual, I just see a nurse (we will call her "Nurse A"). Nurse A is amazing! we talk in her office every visit to catch up on anything I am experiencing, how I am with birth control, etc. Then we do my exam. She is so personable, I have recommended her to all my co-workers at work. Tuesday, I was really nervous.My Fiance was at his first appointment, so I wanted him to feel comfortable.  First, the doctor I was scheduled to see had not arrived, so I was told I would be meeting with someone else. I was ok with that because there are four doctors in the practice I will have to meet because one of them will be on call to deliver my baby. So, a nurse checks my vitals (blood pressure, weight, urine.). Everything was better than my last visit, so I knew vegan was the right choice for me. Any who, we wait for the doctor (whom we will call "Doctor BW"). Doctor BW is an African American with impeccable credentials. She enters the room and introduces herself. Below are the events lol:

Doctor BW: Are you here for a physical exam?

Me: No. I was given a drap because I had a dress on.

Doctor BW: Oh I was going to say, I was a little confused. Ok, lay back and lets listen to the heart.

Static noise......................................................................heart beat-heat beat (only 2 beats).

Doctor BW: Sounds good........ok have a good afternoon.

Me: Well I have a few questions.....

Doctor BW: ok?

Me: Is Soy Milk Ok, I heard some bad things online?

Doctor BW: (scuffss) Yes it is fine.

Me: Can I eat peanut butter, someone told it was bad for me?

Doctor BW: No, (scuffs) you can eat it.

My handsome Fiance: Can she run in her work out? (my fiance is a strength and condition coach)

Doctor BW: Did you run before you were pregnant?

Both: Yes!

Doctor BW: (surprise, and disbelief  face). Well, that means you can run, but let me remind you, that you can not start a new regime now that you are pregnant.

*Please note, that I run and work out on a daily basis, before I was pregnant. Ask anyone who knows me*

Me: Ok I guess that is it.

Doctor BW: ok, take this paper to the front. (door closes).

Talk about rude! I understand that you may have delivered a 100 babies, but this is my first so so some interest. She never asked me what my birthing plan was, how I was feeling. When I told her I have been getting headaches, she just replied with "ok." What kind of doctor doesn't want to get to know her patients. I have full coverage health insurance, I am at all my appointment on time, what is the deal. After venting to my older sisters, I was encouraged to contact the office manager and just request not to have her AT ALL. When I asked for the office manager, she was unavailable, so I left a pleasant message stating: Hello, my name Is Sabrina and I am a patient. I would really appreciate if you could call me at you earliest convenience. My number is ########. Again, my number is ####. I look forward too hearing from you. Thank you :-)

I HAVE YET TO RECEIVE A CALL!! So I have made the executive decsion, with my fiance's green light, to find another medical office. SO if anyone knows any great OB/GYN in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake area please let me know!  I would prefer there to be only 2 doctors in the practice and possibly a midwife.

Please let me know your horror stories.

Talk to you soon :-)
Sabrina

Food Favs and New Editions

Hey Everyone!

Here are some items I like to buy from the grocery store. I really like Harris Teeter; they have vegan and organic foods that you can count on. Additionally, they have the best sales on produce. One week, they had buy one get on free strawberries. These alternatives don't even feel like you are giving up food you love. the sour cream is great, the cheese melts perfectly, and those spicy hot dogs are AMAZING!!


I also made my personal favorite dinner tonight!! Meatless meatball sub!! I heat the "meatballs" and simmer them in the marinara sauce for 25 minutes. I warm a hot dog, ok 2 hot dog buns (don't judge, eating for 2 now), and top with vegan lactose free cheese. Yummy!

My twin sis, who is a vegetarian, loves making sloppy joes using meatless crumbles. Both Morning Star and Boca have meatless crumbles. You can normally find vegan alternatives at any grocery store, mostly in thee breakfast isle. I don't really know why they consider it breakfast food, but Food Lion and Walmart both sell Morning Star and Boca products. Don't be shy, give them a try. Another great company is SmartBalance. They sell cold cut alternatives like slice turkey, ham, Bologna, even bacon and pepperoni. Now,  I never liked bologna so I haven't tried that; to me you can never substitute bacon, so I haven't tried that, and I will try the pepperoni this month and let you know. Amy's Kitchen is also very good. If you work in an office and need some healthy microwave vegan and/or vegetarian meals, this is the one to buy. There is vegetable pot pies, Mexican bowls, and even some gluten free items. My favorite is the lentil soup, no chicken noodle soup, and the black bean soup. These are my splurge items, because a can of soup is sometimes almost $3. These are easy to pack in your lunch box, without packing on extra pounds in the office.

I am also trying some new products. My refrigerator looks sad, so I decided to replace the things that were missing with vegan replacements. I purchased cream cheese, butter made from soy, and almond milk. Now I have never been that much of a milk drinker, but I do like my occasional bowl of cereal. The butter was hard to find. I was at the grocery store just reading the ingredients for butter for a good 20 minutes lol, until I found the SmartBalance without buttermilk, Whey, or skim milk.





In the coming weeks, I will post some of my fiance's favorite vegan substitutes (and he is a meat eater), you will be pleasantly surprised :-) I will also share some of my homemade recipes that are easy, delicious and take about 30 minutes to make.

Please feel free to post your favorite vegan and vegetarian recipes, I like trying new things (especially dessert).
P.S. I learned the hard way, the baby does not like tofu.