Return from Hiatus with a bonus bump

Olá, Gradissimites! I know, I know…it’s been a long time. Like months. What can I say?

Well, for one, I’m pregnant 🙂 I’m about 5 months in now, and for the first 3+ months, I felt hungover and lethargic, so cooking and food (an important part of my blogging world) was out the window. And of course, it was the tricky first trimester (for the uninitiated, this indicates a window of time during which, apparently, everything and/or nothing causes miscarriage, including jinxing and bad juju), so in the Portuguese fashion, I bit my tongue in re: the fetus situation. For me, this was difficult, since it was pretty much the only thing on my mind, so I simply stopped writing.

Not to worry– the multi-month hangover subsided, I took a trip to the US to visit my bestie and her new fabulous baby girl for some Baby Boot Camp (I passed with flying colors and a Certificate in Baby Neck Cheese), then back home to adjust to a new apartment (My Man moved us in, with some help from Paizinho, while I was away), and then Mom and Dad came for a fantastic visit 🙂 That is to say, things have gotten much happier in the recent past 😉

And now– I have a baby bump (I’m rockin’ it, yo’), and a couple weeks ago (Mom and Dad in tow), My Man and I went to the doctor and found out we’re having a Little Dude 🙂 Though we had no preference, it’s super fun to imagine my Little Dude as he bops around in my belly. I will, of course, be referring to My Man, Little Dude, and the Puppy as “my guys” or “my boys” after the birth. I’m pretty sure such things are mandatory in happy cheesy world.

So, Mom and Dad have returned to their busy lives in the US, My Man’s vacation is over, and the Puppy and I (and Little Fetus Dude) are settling into a routine. Plus, I love food again.

Before leaving, Mom harassed me (as good mothers do) about my protein intake. I pretended to blow it off (I’m still a daughter), but of course, I took it to heart. Yesterday, I made a healthy, protein-rich soup (because Mom is always right.)

The gist of it:
-Two small butternut squash from the market (cubed)
-Two medium potatoes from Paizinho’s garden (cubed)
-Lots of water and some boiling
-Leftover bits of an onion (chopped)
-Leftover 3/4 of a red capsicum (red bell pepper) (chopped)
-Leftover leeks (chopped)
-Vegeta veggie stock, to taste
-A big jar of garbanzo beans (chick peas)

Boil, then blend with immersion blender. Add fresh, chopped spinach and fresh, chopped basil (if you feel like it) at the end. Drizzle with olive oil. Serve.

I also whipped up a flour tortilla with some flamengo cheese and fresh thyme and a pinch of salt and threw it in the microwave with some grill action– a sneaky, pizza-type substance that went quite happily with the soup 😉

Ahhhhhhh….it’s good to be back 🙂

Rapid Update

What a beginning of spring! It’s been a sequence of great weather, great friends, great food, great babysitting, and Spring Cleaning… I love it!

Some recent, easy food hits:

1. The Sandwich- Billion-Grain/Seed bread (fresh, of course, from our local bakery) with Flamengo and Emmental cheeses, some chopped fresh leeks, oregano, salt, and pepper, toasted. YUM.

 

2. The Soup– a base soup comprised of a head of cauliflower, a medium zucchini (about 2 cups, chopped), and about 1 3/4 c chopped leeks. Cook and blend into a lighter, happier, healthier potato soup replacement. Save and freeze some for later use. Season according to your mood. Today I added salt and pepper and some fresh chopped leeks. Perfect.

 

3. The Sugar Spiral- Yes, it is nefarious. It strikes suddenly, usually in the form of My Man Sweetness… He’s been plying me with a variety of pastries, cookies, and almond tarts. We’re ending it after today. It’s been fun, but that much sugar just isn’t good for anyone! 🙂 Back to whole grains, veggies, and feel-good foods for the spring and summer 🙂

 

I’m also trying to finish knitting a market bag from plastic bags for a friend’s birthday…nearly finished! (I’ll try to remember to post a link on how to do this later!)

 

xx

It’s a freakin’ caldeirada over here! (Slang and a Portuguese Fish Stew recipe)

Language is fun. My Man made caldeirada de peixe last night– essentially a clusterf%ck of fish, veggies, and potatoes. I suppose some might call it a stew. I go with …