Easy Pizza Dough

Ever since my mom started making homemade pizza, i have never been able to appreciate any other pizza variety quite as much. It took me a while to gain the confidence to attempt to make my own dough, but once i did, i realized how easy it was and how DELICIOUS the end result was!

Easy Pizza Dough

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (i usually use 1 cup white flour, 1 cup wheat)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 packet Fleischmans instant yeast 
• 1 tbsp Oregano flakes
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2/3 cup warm- hot water

Combine 1 cup flour, oil, yeast, oregano, salt, sugar and water. Stir to combine. A wet dough will form. Place 1/2 cup flour on counter top, add wet dough mixture to it and begin to knead remaining flour in. Once flour is combined, add last 1/2 cup flour and knead until well combined. Roll dough into desired shape. Allow to rise in warm oven for 20 minutes.

Top with your favorite ingredients. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Blueberry Oatmeal Bread

Sweet breads and pancakes have been one of my biggest cravings over the past couple of weeks. Luckily, I am in an office with five other dietitians who all share the same passion as me...FOOD! I have been spoiled with homemade baked goods most days of the week. Some of the recent treats include: pumpkin bread, zucchini bread, chocolate sugar cookies, bread pudding, cranberry orange scones and cake batter cookies. Last night i decided it was time for me to get into the kitchen and whip up a treat. After searching Pinterest (because where else would i go to find delicious recipes), i found this recipe for Blueberry Oatmeal Bread. I adapted it a little bit, mostly based on the ingredients i had on hand.

Blueberry Oatmeal Bread
adapted from The Lemon Bowl

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup white flour
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 12 oz yogurt (i used one 6 oz plain Chobani and one 6 oz blueberry Chobani)
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup blueberries (i used a mix of fresh and frozen)

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a bread pan with non-stick spray or butter.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
3. Using an electric stand mixer, beat together yogurt, oil, vanilla and eggs over medium speed. Slowly add dry ingredients until just combined then remove from mixer.
4. Carefully fold in the blueberries then pour batter into the bread pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely.  

Pregnancy Workouts

Fitness has always been important to me, but as my body continues to change with the passing weeks, i find it harder and harder to enjoy the same activities i was prepregnancy. My goal is to stay active throughout my pregnancy, but my idea of "active" has been evolving over the last few weeks. Now, a 30 minute walk after work gives me the same sense of acheivement and accomplishment i used to get from a one hour high intensity cardio class at the gym. I have traded in most of my favorite gym classes for incline walks and short weight circuits. I wanted to share a few workouts that have left me feeling like i got a workout, but are within my current physical limitations.  Here is one to get started.

Legs, Chest and Back: 
Repeat circuit 3 times. I used 12 lb dumbbells for all exercises.

• Warm Up: 20 minute incline walk (3.7 mph and 5 incline)
• 20 deadlifts 
• 20 one legged squats on Bosu ball (each leg)
•  One leg on Bosu, one leg off, squat. Switch legs and repeat.

• 20 lunges
• 20 one legged dead lifts (each leg)
• 20 bosu push ups (flat side up)
• 20 back flys
• 20 alternating arm bosu push ups (flat side down)
• One arm on ball, one arm off, push up. Walk arms over ball to switch. Repeat. 
• 20 double rows with resistance band
• Hook to pole or peg so both sides are even. Pull back both arms at the same time until you feel back muscles pinch.

18 weeks

Sorry for the hiatus, its been a busy few weeks. We have had family visits, work, and a new roommate! Yep, the new roommate also happens to be my sister. Its been great having some company around when i get home from work and someone to help think of dinner ideas :)

On the preggo front, things have been good. The bump has officially popped, cant button any of my pre pregnancy pants anymore, though i have been continuing to wear my work pants unbuttoned with a tightfitting cami to hold the flaps closed. I bought one pair of maternity pants and they just dont fit right. I thought i would eventually fill them out, but they still look baggy in the front. I bought a couple pairs of maternity jeans from GAP a couple weeks ago and im officially in love! I may never go back to regular jeans :) Im still able to wear most of my flowy shirts, they just fit a little different thanks to the growing girls and growing belly.

Food wise things have improved. My appetite is pretty much back to normal, just larger portions and more frequent snacks. I have never been one to keep snacks in my desk at work, but i have officially adopted this strategy after a few too many days of not packing enough snacks for the day! Currently i have some trail mix and a jar of peanut butter to snack on. I have gotten back into veggie smoothies in the morning, now with almond milk as i think cows milk was upsetting my stomach. Lunches have been either leftovers from dinner, or sandwiches. I have really been loving buffalo anything lately, so buffalo chicken salad has been a staple! Just mix some canned chicken breast with mayo and franks hot sauce and voila!

Energy wise i have been feeling better too, though i still have days where im dragging (im pretty sure i had these days pre-pregnancy too though). Workouts have been inconsistent with all the visitors and wacky work schedule, though i feel like this week ill be able to get back on track. I have really had to cut back on the classes at the gym that i love, Total conditioning, Yoga, Barbell Strength to name a few. I just found there was too many exercises that i couldnt do, weather it be too high of intensity, laying on my back/stomach etc. I dont like feeling like a slacker in my classes, so i have been doing my own workouts in the free weights section. Its a little foreign as i have been on the group fitness bandwagon for about 2 years now, but i know its what i need to do for my body right now. I have luckily been able to continue with STRIKE (my absolute fav), but i can see when my belly gets a little bigger ill have to stop.

I had my last doctors appointment last week. It was for the blood test that screens for chromosomal diseases such as Down's syndrome. Since we opted out of the scan at 12 weeks, we were both eager for this test. We both know its not the most accurate test, but if there is a need for further testing, we know we have that option. I was getting worried about my weight gain, or lack there of. I read a few other blogs where the girls are pregnant or have recently had babies. I kept comparing my bump to their bumps at the same stage, and wound up feeling like i wasnt getting big enough. (Never thought there would be a time when i was frusterated or worried i wasnt gaining enough weight lol). So far im up 6 pounds from my first prenatal appt, which i was about 5 weeks pregnant at. I think this is on the low end of normal, but im gonna keep listening to my body, eating when/what i feel like and accept that everyones body is different!

March 21st is the big anatomy scan where we will find out if we are buying pink or blue!

Some overdue updated belly pictures...

13 Weeks

14 Weeks

15 Weeks

16 weeks

18 Weeks

18 Weeks

Chicken Cream Cheese Enchiladas

These enchiladas have quickly become one of my absolute favorite recipes to make. They are quick and easy and taste amazing! I recommend cooking the chicken in advance if time is of the essence like it is at my house. I had a leftover (large) chicken breast from last weeks fajitas, so these fajitas came together pretty quickly this afternoon.
 

Chicken Cream Cheese Enchiladas
- 2 Large grilled chicken breasts (about 2.5 cups chopped chicken)
- 1 block 1/3 less fat cream cheese (softened)
- 8 fajita size tortillas
- 1 can Original Rotel
- 1 can green enchilada sauce
- Shredded cheese to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop chicken and place in mixing bowl. Add cream cheese and rotel, stir until combined well. Spray 9x13 inch baking dish with non stick spray. Evenly distribute chicken mixture into tortillas, roll and place with open side down. Pour enchilada sauce to cover the dish. Top with cheese to your liking. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Excuse the missing bite, i almost forgot to snap a pic!

PS- I have played with the recipe for these a lot. I have used canned chicken instead of grilled chicken, i have added green chilies, rotel, used red and green enchilada sauce, used whole wheat tortillas etc. You could also add beans or corn or even fresh bell peppers and onions if you like. Its all about what you like!

Broccoli, Kale, Tomato Salad

Hi ya'll! I always try to prepare a few healthy recipes on the weekend to have during the week for the nights i go to the gym, or for lunches. I have finally been craving veggies again, so i stocked up on my weekly TJ's trip (So happy we finally have one close to us now!).

Broccoli, Kale, Tomato Salad

- 1/2 package Broccoli Slaw (TJ's)
- 2 cups Organic Lacinto Kale (TJ's)
- 1 cup Organic cherry tomatoes
- 1 can Organic Garbanzo Beans
- Goddess Dressing (TJ's)
- 1 cup Quinoa, cooked (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. Add dressing to your liking. I added quinoa to mine because i take it for lunch as an entree. If you were using this salad as a side for a meal you could leave the quinoa out!

 TJ's Items:

Goddess Dressing

Organic Lacinto Kale

Broccoli slaw

Pregnancy Eats: Making sure to cover all the bases

When i first found out i was pregnant, i immediately freaked out. I was worried i hadnt been eating right, wondered what i needed to change in my diet to make sure we had a healthy baby. You may think this is crazy coming from a dietitian, but ill be the first to admit i had to do a little reading up on the nutrition requirements during pregnancy. Yes, i studied nutrition in pregnancy at some point in college, but since I focus on sick, surgery patients all day, it wasnt fresh in my mind.

I thought i would share some of the foods and products i have found that I think are great for helping to make sure you are eating a well balanced diet and covering all the (nutrient) bases.

1. Eggs
* Great source of protein, omega 3 fatty acids, folic acid and many other vitamins. Yes, eggs have cholesterol as well, but likely not the reason for high cholesterol in most people (think other sources of saturated fat- butter, chocolate etc)



2. Bolthouse Farms: Blue Goodness
* This flavor combo has 110% folic acid (most likely 440 mcg since 100% RDA for non pregnant women is 400 mcg), but i was shocked to find more folic acid in this blend than the green juice blend. 
   


3. Chobani Greek Yogurt
* High protein and high calcium. I also found this to settle my stomach in the early days of pregnancy, lightly sweet but not overwhelming. Great snack to grab on the way to work, or pre workout when i need a little something in my stomach but dont want to be burping throughout my workout!



4. Quinoa, Spinach Salad
* Quinoa is the only grain with protein in it and is also a great source of B vitamins and fiber. What i love about quinoa is its versatility. It can be eaten for breakfast, prepared similar to oatmeal. It can be eaten hot or cold, plain or dressed up. It is very easy to prepare, just add 1 part quinoa to 2 parts rice in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until water is all gone (usually takes about 15 minutes). My current favorite combo is quinoa, garbanzo beans, sundried tomatoes, kale, spinach, tomatoes, pepper, goat cheese, balsamic and olive oil.



5. Total Raisin Bran
* Total products are fortified with 100% (non pregnancy) recommended daily intakes of various vitamins and minerals. So even though you dont quite get 100% of your folate in the cereal, it is still a good way to ensure you are getting some nutrients, especially in the early days of pregnancy when food makes you nauseous and the only thing that sounds good is macaroni and cheese.



6. Organic 1% Milk
* I had never really gotten into the organic fad, but when i found out i was pregnant, I immediately wanted to eliminate all food additives, pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and all the other scary stuff that is in our food supply. I dont know why it took becoming pregnant for me to realize this, but im glad i did. And i have really never been a big milk drinker, but i knew i needed to up my calcium intake for this important period in my life. I have only had a couple of plain glasses of milk, but i was using milk with cereal, oatmeal and smoothies to try to hit my daily calcium needs. I know i still need to really focus on getting more calcium, but hey, its a work in progress.



7. Salmon
* Omega 3's! Necessary for brain development throughout the pregnancy, and also for mama's heart health. Some fish (like tuna and swordfish) should really be avoided in pregnancy for high levels of mercury, but salmon is one to include a few times a week! Try to find a wild caught versus farm raised product. I found a great Wild Alaskan Salmon at HEB. I like to prepare mine with a dollop of olive oil mayo, dill weed, and lemon slices. Bake at 400 for about 45 minutes (Baking time may vary if frozen or fresh)



8. Avocados
* Another source of healthy fats necessary for brain development (oh and not to mention DELICIOUS). I have been stuffing avocado in just about anything i can including quinoa salads, sandwiches, pastas and salads.



9. Low Sodium V8
*I am at twelve weeks, and i am finally starting to feel like i could stomach raw vegetables. For the first 6-8 weeks, i really had a hard time incorporating any type of veggie in my diet. My mom turned me on to V8 on our ski trip a couple of weeks ago and since then i have been going to town. Not only do you get two servings of veggies in per can, but its got 3 g fiber and low in sugar. Of course real, fresh veggies are ideal, but i found this to be a great substitute (and its quick and easy to pack for work)



10. Fiber gummies/Metamucil
* I have always maintained a pretty regular schedule with a naturally high fiber diet (think fruits, veggies and whole grains). But pregnancy has brought on a whole new challenge in that department. Not only did my eats change, my body and hormones changed too. So i started taking Fiber supplements in the form of gummie candies and metamucil. I mix the metamucil in the Bluberry goodness juice, and take the gummies in the afternon (they are kinda like a little sweet treat). And most importantly, DRINK A LOT OF WATER!



So there you have it, some of the foods/products that i have been loving lately. I think it will be interesting to see how this changes throughout the pregnancy. I know some of what i was craving last week is already out the window and im on to new things.