Baby 3: Third Trimester Recap + Freezer Stash

I’m typing this sitting on my yoga ball and breathing through some Braxton Hicks contractions; we are one-ish week away from meeting our little man! Since I wrote about the first and second trimesters of this pregnancy plus all three trimesters with my second pregnancy, I didn’t want to take a blogging break before writing about this final trimester.

The Scoop on Trimester #3

To sum this third trimester up in one word: hot! It has been a blazing hot (I think record-breaking!) summer, and because of that I have experienced some swelling, but nothing too major (my first pregnancy I had pitting edema in the dead of winter) and I am so thankful for the modern miracle of central air conditioning! With that being said, exercise this trimester was a little tough. I still did my short home workout every weekday morning, plus swimming here and there, and this trimester I also added in some prenatal yoga and tried to do squats throughout the day. The girls and I typically get out for a short walk several mornings a week, and in the last few weeks I’ve made sure to do my curb walking; hopeful to get Brother in a good position for delivery. Physically I have been tired, but thankful to have had an active pregnancy to keep the aches and pains at bay.

In regards to food, I didn’t have any specific cravings that I can think of, but I made sure to take my prenatal vitamins more regularly, and in the last few weeks have been making lots of nice cream with dates to help ripen my cervix. I’ve also been drinking at least two cups of red raspberry leaf tea a day to help strengthen and tone my uterus for the [prayerfully soon] delivery. I give into my crunchy/salty cravings often with plantain chips, and my sweet cravings with nice cream or dark chocolate almonds. Yum! I am not about depriving myself, just finding alternatives that taste and feel good!

Prepping for Postpartum

Before having our second daughter, I stashed our freezer with homemade meals, and I started making double batches of several dinners this month to do the same. Some meals I have in the freezer are:

• spaghetti sauce (easy enough to boil some noodles and toss this veggie-laden sauce on top)
• chili with extra veggies (similar to this recipe)
• sweet potato meatballs
• egg and bacon breakfast tacos
• protein pancakes
• salsa chicken for taco bowls
• curried chicken with roasted sweet potatoes
• frozen pizzas – yep!
• frozen chicken nuggets – also yep! Both easy to toss in the oven and I know the girls will enjoy
• plenty of bags of frozen vegetables that can steam in the microwave (even though this is usually my favorite way to cook frozen veggies)

In the pantry I have:

• pretzels
• larabars
• other granola bars and applesauce pouches for the girls
• seaweed snacks
• packaged rice to toss in the microwave to help round out our meals
• canned tuna (so delicious mixed with this chipotle mayo, relish, and red onions)
• sweet potatoes and russet potatoes for making baked potatoes

In the fridge I have:

• boiled eggs
• hummus (for pretzels – yum!)
• overnight oats with flaxseed and brewer’s yeast for lactation

I think that is everything! I am praying for a peaceful transition in our family and a calm postpartum experience. All of you experienced parents of 3+ kiddos out there send me your tips! Until I come back to write Brother’s birth story… enjoy your pinch of crazy!

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Meal Plan Month: January Meal Plan 3

The first month of the new year is already almost coming to a close – how has 2021 just started yet is already flying by?! After the last two weeks of craziness, quarantine, and sickness, it was nice to get back to a little bit of normalcy this week. Thankfully the girls and I are all feeling well still, though I stayed home from work (I work one day a week out of the house teaching music lessons) just to ensure my students’ safety, and I taught my one Fit4Mom class virtually again this week. So we had another slow week kind of easing back into our normal schedule, but I still needed lots of quick meals because being stuck at home with two little ones can get a little Crazy!

As I have the past two weeks (read week 1 here and week 2 here) I will share any modifications necessary for the girls. One exciting thing from this week is that I have started introducing some dairy for Selah and me! This was exciting because she used to get terrible tummy pains, and, without too much detail, things were not normal with her diapers, when I would have dairy. Now, not only can I eat dairy, but she can too! I actually got a little too crazy with the grilled cheeses this week and found myself bloated and yucky feeling. Now that the initial excitement of being able to eat grilled cheese is over, I will work on scaling it back again hehe 🙂

Alright, on to the cheesy meal plan!

Doing my “kitchen inventory” this week I had:

• Protein: Greek yogurt, almond/peanut butter, one pound of ground turkey, cheese (how am I still trying to finish up this block of cheese?!), leftover black beans, the last bit of hummus
• Carbs: oats, rice, sweet potatoes, half a package of lasagna noodles, quinoa
• Produce: spinach, berries, bananas, apples, leftover squash, leftover burrito veggies, frozen broccoli

Based on these few things here are the meals I planned:

Breakfasts:

Berries & Greens Smoothie

• I made a “Tex-Mex” breakfast casserole using leftover beans and burrito veggies mixed with scrambled eggs and shredded cheese. I served it topped with avocado slices, hot sauce, and Greek yogurt.
• Berries and Greens Smoothies *I added Collagen Peptides to these for protein*
• Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal *I added almond butter and regular butter for some fat and protein here*

Snacks:

• Cliff bars, Z bars
• Fresh fruit with peanut butter
• Cheddar bunnies
• Seaweed snacks
• Pouches
• Crackers with cheese or hummus (finally finishing that up this week!)

Lunches:

• Leftovers
• Sandwiches (again, with uncured ham or nitrate free turkey lunch meat)
• For Z’s school lunch I packed half a turkey sandwich, seaweed snacks, a pouch, cucumber slices, and dark chocolate candy. For her school snack I packed a Z Bar and a clementine.

Dinner:

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

• Monday: Grilled cheese (my first real grilled cheese in like a year!) and tomato soup
• Tuesday: Spinach, squash, and turkey lasagna *I simply cooked a spaghetti sauce similar to last week but with turkey meat, mixed some shredded mozzarella with an egg and Italian seasonings, then layered those sauces between noodles and raw spinach and squash. Baked for about 45 minutes, covered for the first 30.*
• Wednesday: Salmon with tzatziki sauce and a quinoa salad with broccoli, tomatoes, avocado, and a hummus based dressing *you can see this dinner on my Instagram highlights*
• Thursday: Sushi bowls *I will be using leftover salmon shredded and mixed with mayo and sriracha, put over cooked brown rice, and top with avocado, cucumber, seaweed snacks, sesame seeds, and coconut aminos*
• Friday: Sweet and sour meatballs with red bell pepper and mushrooms over rice *I will be using this meatball recipe, but with Asian-inspired seasoning, cover in this sweet and sour sauce, then serve over cooked brown rice and with sautéed veggies*
• Saturday and Sunday: last week’s highlights, and we may go out to eat once 🙂

There is our full week of food! I kind of overly stocked up on snacks this week, so hopefully next week that won’t be necessary, as I will also be buying some birthday party foods next week. However, even with stocking up a little more than usual, I did not go too far over budget (I try and keep it at or below $100/week); I spent $110 this week. That may seem like a lot, but for a family of four eating three meals and two snacks a day, seven days a week, that’s really not too bad! We are all big eaters, too, so that’s even better!

According to insider.com the average fast food burger (not the sides, just the burger) cost $2.64 in 2018. I calculated buying 5 burgers for my family (again, no sides) for two meals a day every day and that came out to $184.80 for one week. So even with the “cheaper” option of fast food I would end up spending more per week and we would actually be eating less. Of course this is not even accounting for the health factor of eating home cooked food, which is invaluable, and I feel grateful to be able to serve my family in this way!

I think that covers everything for this week. Next week I’ll finally be going back to work after winter break/quarantine so I will likely have a crock pot meal in the menu sometime. Our sweet Z is turning four next week so I will also be sharing her birthday party foods, so stay tuned for the last meal plan of the month. I hope you can draw some inspiration from these easy meal plans, get in the kitchen, make some good, healthy food…and enjoy your Pinch of Crazy!

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Holiday Desserts

Sitting by a crackling fire, listening to classics like “The Christmas Song”, watching the tree lights twinkle, and enjoying my mom’s sweet, chocolatey fudge are some of my favorite Christmas traditions while growing up.

I’m not sure I can call myself “grown up” now, but I guess having two kids, a mortgage, and crow’s feet kind of qualifies me as so. Being a wife and mom myself (and, yeah, I guess a grown up) now, one of my greatest joys is creating a safe, cozy home for my family, and at this time of year, holiday traditions really add to the coziness of home.

I am sure throughout the years we will add in some more traditions, but right now our traditions are: picking out and decorating the tree together, having a Christmas scent on the stove filling the house with sweet and spicy aromas, Chinese food on Christmas Eve (which started as a young married couple after a busy evening at church, and I liked it so much we have kept it up), and of course, having ample goodies. Two goodies we have every year are peppermint bark and molasses cookies, but I am trying to add some more snacks and treats into the mix.

The holiday season always has its own level of Crazy, but add in a global pandemic, and having a new baby, and you have A [big] Pinch of Crazy! All of that to say, this year I didn’t really have the time or mental capacity to come up with a new holiday goodie, but I wanted to compile a list of some of my previous holiday treats for y’all to maybe make some traditions of your own!

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Our Favorites

• Marbled Peppermint Bark – This treat is both cool and refreshing and chocolatey and rich. While it is not refined sugar free, it is a breeze to whip up, and everyone is sure to love it!
• Molasses Cookies – These warmly spiced cookies are soft and chewy with just the right touch of unrefined sweetness. These are my husband’s favorite, and I love making them for him every year!

Fall Flavors

• Apple Pie Parfaits – These cute individual desserts are layered with warm apple pie filling, granola crumble, and whipped cream.
• Pumpkin Bread with Crumb Topping – Just because fall is over, doesn’t mean you can’t finish up your canned pumpkin in the pantry. Pumpkin bread is always a hit; add a cinnamon crumb topping and you’ve got a family favorite!
• No Bake Pumpkin Pie – Not just for Thanksgiving, this pie will be sure to please with its date and walnut crust filled with spiced pumpkin filling.

Candies and Confections

• Chocolate Nut Clusters – These crunchy chocolate covered nuts are topped with a touch of salt, and are perfectly poppable for this time of year.
• Two Layer Paleo Fudge – Fudge is a Christmas classic, and this refined sugar and dairy free version has a creamy almond butter layer beneath a salted dark chocolate layer.
• Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups – Who doesn’t love a peanut butter cup at Christmas time? This healthier version of the classic candy is rich, gooey, and so simple to make!

Classic Desserts

• Wholesome Chocolate Chunk Cookies – These are classic cookies with a healthy twist; a treat everyone will love!
• Oatmeal Raisin Cookies – For when you need a little break from all the chocolate, these chewy cookies will do the trick.
• No Bake Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust – Sure to be a stunner on your dessert table, this dairy free cheesecake has a cool coconut cream filling atop a chocolate, date, and nut crust.

Holiday Beverages

• Dairy Free Eggnog – Eggnog is one of my favorite holiday drinks, and being strictly dairy free this year doesn’t mean I have to miss out! This thick, creamy, and sweet drink is made with coconut and almond milk, sweetened with coconut sugar, and can be made “adult” with some bourbon.
• Slow Cooker Apple Cider – Warm, spiced apple cider is simple to make in your slow cooker, and your home will be filled with all the spicy scents.
• Death by Hot Chocolate – Another treat we have often this time of year, this dairy free, refined sugar free hot chocolate is not missing out on flavor. It is so rich, it tastes just like drinking melted chocolate!

This year has been tough on so many in different ways; I hope these treats can fill your home with love and Christmas cheer. Maybe you can even add a new tradition to your usual ones. Stay safe and healthy, hug your loved ones, soak in the magic of the season… and enjoy your Pinch of Crazy!

Constipation Cure Baby Food

Feeding babies. Who knew something as basic as feeding your kiddos could spark such controversy? But the controversy, shaming, and self-imposed mom guilt literally starts from birth. Breastfeeding versus formula feeding seems to be the hot topic of a lot of new moms and there are a lot of feelings wrapped up in it. While I do love breastfeeding and desire to see it normalized, and want more education for expecting and new moms, it is cruel to shame moms who choose to feed their babies with formula.

If a mom’s mental health is suffering and she feels better switching to formula, then that is great! She is a good mom to care about being there and being mentally healthy for her kids. If a mom is struggling to produce enough and switches to formula out of exhaustion, then that is great! She is a good mom for wanting to have more time and energy for her kids. There are a ton of different reasons a mom may want to switch to formula, and they are all okay! On the opposite side, if a mom wants to nurse and tries desperately to make it work, then that is great! She is a good mom for sticking to her guns. If a mom nurses past a year, then that is great! She is a good mom for wanting to comfort her toddler. If a mom is trying hard to feed her baby, whether through the hard work of breastfeeding or the expense of buying formula, then she. is. a. good. mom! So let’s stop the breast versus formula debate, shall we?

Now, moving onto the shame revolving around solids for Baby. There is a whole new hot topic of purees versus baby led weaning/feeding. If you start too young, that is bad, but if you start too late, that also is bad. If you use purees, that is bad, but if you give your baby table food, that is also bad. Literally. There are so many schools of thought out in the world wide web revolving around babies/children in regards to ev.er.y.thing. which drove me to the edge with my firstborn (you can read about my postpartum experience here), and this time around I really wanted to tap into my own mama instincts, and let the Lord guide me in how I raise my children.

So for right now, in regards to our preschooler, we try and discipline gently *always needing God’s help for this*, let her explore/make messes, and never have a kid’s menu – she eats what we eat. In regards to our baby, we breastfeed (well, I do) and give a little formula to help with weight gain, we gently sleep trained, and we do a mixture of purees and baby led feeding.

Yep, even at seven months old, she eats what we eat, but with modifications. However, once we introduced her to both formula and solids, we had a little blockage issue; I’m talking 48 hours without a dirty diaper. So I made this constipation cure for her dinner one night, and the next morning when I walked into her room I smelled… victory. I make one big batch per week and we give it to her every night at dinner along with some of our table food. So far, both of my girls have been big eaters and love to eat all the foods! The second Selah sits down in her highchair (our cute, wooden high chair is currently out of stock on Amazon, but this one looks so cute, too!) she starts dancing and grabbing everything on her tray! When she sees her baby food come out in her little bowl she starts whining and we can’t feed her her “dessert” fast enough!

So, however you feed your baby, there is no shame here, but if you need some help getting them *ahem* moving, this recipe is for you!

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• Servings: 2 cups
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Ingredients

• 1 medium pear (I’ve used both red and green), sliced with skin on
• 8 prunes
• 6 baby carrots
• 1/3 cup fresh baby spinach
• Optional: a pinch of ground ginger and/or ground cinnamon
• Optional mix-ins: coconut oil, baby cereal, breastmilk, or formula

Directions

1. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil
2. Put baby carrots in the boiling water first
3. Once carrots are softening (not quite fork tender), add in pear slices and prunes and seasoning if using
4. Once everything is fork tender, turn off water and add baby spinach
5. Once spinach is wilted slightly, blend using an immersion blender or carefully transfer to your blender.
6. Add extra water to reach desired consistency
7. Serve to your baby either cold or lukewarm with desired mix-ins
8. Store in air tight container in the refrigerator

Sorry I got on my soap box at the start of this blog, but now you know how I feel about mom shaming and mom guilt. It’s the worst. Let me know how you feed your baby, and what their favorite food is! However you feed that little love, take care of them, snuggle your babies…and enjoy your Pinch of Crazy!

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

Third Trimester Recap + Postpartum Freezer Stash

Spring has sprung – flowers blooming, I saw some bluebonnets this week, allergies flaring up, all the butterflies flitting about, and our second baby girl is about to make her entrance! I will be 38 weeks pregnant tomorrow, so for my last blog before Baby I wanted to do a third trimester recap (you can read my First Trimester Recap here, and my Second Trimester Recap here) plus give a run down of what I’ve stocked away in our freezer for those early weeks after birth.

Third trimester. Wow. I’d like to say it was rainbows and unicorns, but let’s face it, the end is uncomfortable for everyone! However, I’ve maintained a healthy diet, listening to my body’s cravings, and remained active. The difference in my third trimester this time and last time was incredible, though! When pregnant with Zemirah, I struggled with higher blood pressure, had pitting edema – I’d press my swollen ankle and the indention would stay there – terrible acid reflux, excruciating low back pain, and of course my weight was way too high. This time, however, my blood pressure has been perfect (lower than average), I’ve had minimal swelling here at the very end – I’m still wearing my wedding ring! My back pain has been non-existent until just this past week (it is always on the side Baby’s on), and my heartburn/acid reflux has been exponentially less! All in all, this pregnancy has been very easy, I’m so thankful, and praying the same for birth and the postpartum time.

So, what made the difference in these pregnancies?

34 weeks pregnant with both girls – both photos taken by my talented friend Melissa Conklin

Food

Eating real, whole foods has made a world of difference in my life these past two years (you can read our food journey here), and an immeasurable difference in pregnancy. During my third trimester I ate:

• Dark chocolate – and lots of it! The sweets cravings are real but only dark (60%-72%) chocolate will cut it for me. Add in some almonds or coconut and salt and I’m in my own personal heaven!  One of my favorite packaged dark chocolate snacks is Bark Thins, but I also made a few homemade versions which I will blog after Baby.
• Beef – it’s what’s for dinner. My midwives told me after my glucose screening that I was also anemic, which explained my meat cravings. So we started eating beef about once a week, whereas we usually go a couple weeks without red meat. Steaks are my favorite, but we would also have ground beef in pasta sauce, taco meat, or beef sausage.
• Kale – sauteed in butter, topped with salt and a hefty squeeze of lemon juice has been a staple this whole pregnancy. Leafy greens also happen to be high in iron so that helped my anemia, too, in conjunction with upping my prenatal vitamin to twice a day.
• Citrus fruit – tangerines, navel oranges, blood oranges, grapefruit, you name it! Not to mention, squeezing lemon and/or lime juice on everything. Fun fact, having adequate Vitamin C helps your body absorb iron (it’s almost like my body knew what it needed based on my cravings…hmmmm)
• Fats – butter, olive oil, avocado, oh my! Seriously. Almost everything is cooked in butter and/or olive oil and we have avocado/guacamole nearly every day.
• Dairy – this has been a theme throughout my pregnancy. I seem to digest dairy better when pregnant, and have been taking advantage of that! Soft, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, and plain, tart Greek yogurt have been my go-to choices.
• Water – how boring, huh? But seriously, lately I’ve been drinking around a gallon a day give or take a few ounces. I am so thankful for easily accessible, clean drinking water.

Exercise

My weight gain has been average thus far (30 lbs), but I’ve remained active throughout this pregnancy not for weight, but for wellness for my mind and body! Some things I’ve done to exercise are:

• Yoga – I love Yoga with Adriene on YouTube and completed my fourth round of “30 Days of Yoga” in January. I had to modify to accommodate my growing belly, but it felt so good to stretch and move daily, taking that all important time to myself. I would also do my own little stretchy yoga flows combined with some suggested activities from Spinning Babies to help get my body prepared for labor and delivery.
• Walking – I love walking, and I make sure to get a long walk in once a week, but now that the weather is warming up and my due date is getting closer, I’m trying to walk almost every day.
• Fit4Mom – I love this company and what they stand for – helping moms find their fit. I am a Stroller Strides instructor, and was teaching two classes a week until last week (taking a break until a few months after Baby) and would also go to the occasional Stroller Barre class to get my legs strong for birth.

Freezer Stash

In preparation for those first few months postpartum, AKA the “fourth trimester”, I began stocking my freezer with some meals a couple months ago. Here’s what I have:

• Lasagna – I have used this lasagna recipe for years. I just subbed in gluten free noodles, used cottage cheese in place of ricotta, and added mushrooms to the sauce
• Chicken/broccoli/rice casserole – this one speaks for itself; it’s all held together with my creamy dairy free “cheese” sauce
• Beef taco meat – like the taco meat in this recipe
• Shredded chicken
• Cooked brown rice
• Meatloaf – just like this meatloaf but with ketchup and kale
• Two Bean Turkey Chili
• Slow Cooker Pork Roast with Veggies (not technically in the freezer yet, making it this weekend!)
• Homemade biscuits
• Gluten free sausage balls
• Sausage and veggie breakfast casserole – similar to this recipe, but with a crust
• Flax and Oat Pancakes
• Frozen vegetables that can steam in the microwave
• Frozen fruits for quick smoothies
• Frozen chicken bones for Chicken Stock

I think that’s everything! I plan to make a big batch of overnight oats and bake some russet and sweet potatoes for the fridge when it’s almost time for the baby. Who knows, maybe that’s how I’ll keep busy during early labor hehe! I am praying all these healthy, whole foods will nourish me and Baby well during those early weeks.

To read more about baby stuff, check out Zemirah’s Birth Story and My Postpartum Journey. Can’t wait to introduce our newest girl to the blog world; thank you for following along on this pregnancy with me! Stay safe, stay healthy, hug your family…and enjoy your Pinch of Crazy!

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

 

Second Trimester Recap

Ahh the second trimester. Also known as the “honeymoon trimester”. As I sit here and type this “honeymoon trimester” recap, I am nearly 34 weeks pregnant, feeling our baby girl tap dance on my internal organs, and feeling like there is no way I’ll be able to make it to my due date… I am certainly thankful to carry life in my body, but no one likes the last few weeks of pregnancy – kind of a blessing in disguise because by the end you are so ready to deliver!

My creativity and motivation so late in pregnancy is close to 0 so, similar to how I wrote a First Trimester Recap I wanted to recap my second trimester, including all things exercise, food, and family related!

What I Ate

So to be fair, I was in my second trimester during the holidays and when the flu struck our house, but I was just wanting us to stay healthy, enjoy some holiday treats, and try and eat nutritious foods for myself and Baby. So we did have a lot of carbs, yet again, and I ain’t mad about it! Some foods I ate frequently during the second trimester were:

• Marbled Peppermint Bark (it was the holidays, and the peppermint helped with heartburn)
• Molasses Cookies (again, holidays, and I just love sweets)
• Plenty of hearty soups (both to keep warm and make us feel better) made with my homemade Chicken Stock
• Also while sick, we discovered (thanks to my sister) this juice/smoothie which is delicious! Zemirah chugs a big glass of her “green juice” every morning.
• Peanut butter and honey toast for busy mornings or afternoon snacks
• Same as the first trimester, but I couldn’t get enough of my Roasted Chicken with Carrots
• Also same as the first trimester, but plain Greek yogurt with berries, honey, and granola – another breakfast fav!
• Lemon-y kale sauteed in butter (yum!) at least twice a week!
• I could finally stomach eggs again toward the end of my first trimester, so we have also had plenty of big breakfasts (eggs, uncured bacon, more lemon-y kale, avocado, toast…) both for breakfast and/or dinner. Always a quick, delicious option!

I am sure there were more foods I loved, but I didn’t have strong cravings, and I was just trying to keep things simple during this time – lots of frozen veggies, baked sweet potatoes, and simple proteins.

How I Exercised

As I mentioned in my First Trimester Recap, exercise has greatly reduced pregnancy symptoms for me. Because the second trimester is the honeymoon trimester, I was already feeling pretty good to begin with, but exercise helped me stay energetic and feel my best on top of beginning to prepare my body for labor!

At least twice a week, I would do a Fit4Mom class, even if it was just my two Stroller Strides classes I instruct. I also began to make yoga a regular part of my exercise routine again – at least once a week. At the suggestion of my midwives, I looked up Spinning Babies and incorporated many of their recommended activities into my yoga flows – including psoas/hip flexor stretches, lunges, squats, and a safe and simple inversion. While the weather was nice, I would try and go walking once or twice weekly without pushing Zemirah in the stroller. It doesn’t hurt that walking all by myself listening to the birds and worship music is one of my favorite things to do. All of these activities make me feel my best, they are movements that make me happy, and are great for preparing my body for labor!

Other Second Trimester News

During the second trimester we also discovered the Baby is in fact Baby Girl and everything looks good and healthy! The doctor who did my sonogram said that he thought she would be small, but currently, as she is simultaneously pressing into my ribs (both sides!) and my hip, I don’t see how that could be possible. I can’t wait to find out how big she is; see her face, who she looks like, and sniff her little newborn head. Okay, now I’m crying.

We also ran the normal gestational diabetes blood work towards the end of my second trimester and saw that everything looked normal with my blood sugar, but that I am low on iron. So at the suggestion of my midwives, I’ve been eating a little (lot) of dark chocolate every night – just following doctor’s orders 😉

The honeymoon phase of pregnancy definitely flew by in a rush of holiday fun/madness and ended with a sick house, but I enjoyed this trimester. I was able to start getting to know my newest little girl; when she is most active, what foods she seems to like (she kicks a lot after a protein packed meal), and even begin playing with her! Oftentimes after dinner, we will all take turns pressing “Baby Sister” and then feeling her press back. I know she will add a fun new dimension to our family, and I’m so excited to meet her in about six weeks!!!

Hopefully before she makes her appearance I will be able to write a third trimester recap + a list of meals I’m stocking our freezer with, but until then, feel free to read my other family blogs! First Trimester Recap, Zemirah’s Birth Story, My Postpartum Journey are just a few blogs about my extremely limited parenting experience, and 23 Pounds and Other Non-Scale Victories and Traveling with A Pinch of Crazy are more specifically food related. Hope you can find something to read here that is helpful for you and where you are in life! Embrace this life stage, whatever it may be for you…and enjoy your Pinch of Crazy!

This post contains affiliate links; if you purchase using the links, it is of no extra cost to you, just a small commission for me. Thank you for supporting A Pinch of Crazy!

 

A Cornucopia of Ideas

See what I did there? Thanksgiving. Cornucopia. But instead of fruit and gourds, my cornucopia is full of ideas for your Thanksgiving menu! To be honest, I only have one extra recipe photographed right now, it has nothing to do with Thanksgiving or the holidays (it’s a make-ahead breakfast cup), and all my creative juices are going towards stopping temper tantrums, lessons, and reorganizing to get Zemirah’s big girl room and the baby’s room ready. So that being said, my cornucopia of ideas is all pulled from recipes past, but all linked in this handy dandy notebook post! Hope you can glean some ideas for your turkey day!

Drinks:

• Slow Cooker Apple Cider – This would be perfect to have simmering in the slow cooker when guests arrive. For adults, add a splash of spiced rum!
• Death by Hot Chocolate – Perfect to serve alongside desserts; you could even have a fun hot chocolate bar set up by the dessert table. My favorite kind of bar 😉
• Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer – Another one of my favorite bars is a coffee bar, and if you have creamer options out by the coffee, this is a must!

Slow Cooker Apple Cider

Appetizers:

• Spicy Deviled Eggs – Everyone loves a deviled egg appetizer, and these have just the right amount of spice thanks to tangy pickled jalapenos.
• Slow Cooker Meatballs – These tender meatballs are swimming in a flavorful tomato sauce and ready for your appetizer table.
• Pumpkin Bread with Crumb Topping – A sweeter appetizer, but this pumpkin bread is delicious, and would be so perfectly adorable sliced on a little wooden cutting board. Next to the butter dish of course!
• Classic Garlic Hummus – The perfect dip to add to your charcuterie board – goes great with crackers, breads, or veggies!

Spicy Deviled Eggs

Main Dish:

• Ghee, Garlic, and Herb Turkey with Gravy – If you’re going for a classic main dish at your Thanksgiving dinner, turkey it is. This turkey has a garlic, herb compound ghee (you could also use butter) rubbed under the skin for moistness (gag. I said it.), with a squeeze of grapefruit juice for acidity. With great flavors, perfectly crispy skin, and tender meat, this is a crowd pleaser, and it comes complete with a simple gravy recipe.
• Roasted Chicken with Carrots – This is a perfect main dish for a smaller crowd. It’s still a whole bird, just smaller, but with bright flavors, crispy skin, and a side dish built right in!

Ghee, Garlic, and Herb Turkey

Side Dishes:

• Maple Dijon Roasted Carrots – Nothing says fall more than carrots roasted in a maple syrup glaze. These are tender, sweet and salty, and perfect to go alongside your Thanksgiving dinner.
• Sweet and Sour Broccoli – The name says it all. A little sweet, a little sour, and a little spicy. Change up your steamed broccoli game!
• Roasted Potatoes – Easy, “cheesy”, crispy potatoes are delicious with any meal, so why not make it easy on yourself and toss these in the oven alongside your turkey?
• ABC Brussels Sprouts – A is for almond, B for balsamic, C for cranberries; this sweet and tart veggie side is sure to please the taste buds and the eye with it’s festive colors.
• Creamy Whole30 Mashed Potatoes – You gotta have mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving! Why not make them healthier by being dairy free?
• Crispy Brussels Sprouts – Delight your guests with a salty, crispy, roasted side.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Desserts:

• Pumpkin Pecan Muffins – For those with the not-so-big sweet tooth who want just a touch of dessert with their after-dinner coffee.
• Apple Pie Parfaits – Adorable single serve parfaits are full of all the flavors of apple pie.
• No Bake Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust – A classically plain “cheese”cake: sweet, mildly tart, with a nutty, chocolatey crust has endless topping possibilities! Guests can create their own with their favorite fruits or nuts.
• Microwave Molten Lava Cake – These personal chocolate cakes are decadent, easy, and perfect for a smaller crowd.
• No Bake Pumpkin Pie – A classic remade with a healthy twist!
• Molasses Cookies – You have to have a cookie jar on the dessert table, and these are the cookies to fill it with! Full of warm, spiced flavors, and sweetened with molasses.
• Pumpkin Spice Cake – All the flavors of fall in a gorgeous bundt cake, bathed in dark chocolate ganache and topped with candied pumpkin seeds. If this cake doesn’t say “fall”, I don’t know what does!
• Two Layer Paleo Fudge – It’s time to pull out the holiday favorites, like fudge! This fudge has a layer of almond butter topped with chocolate; add a sprinkle of sea salt on top, and it’s fudgy perfection!

Two Layer Paleo Fudge

 

Hopefully this list can give you some ideas for a healthier, yet delicious Thanksgiving. I hope everyone has a blessed holiday, enjoy your family, enjoy the food…and enjoy your Pinch of Crazy!