Pumpkin, Oatmeal, Raisin, Chocolate Chip Cookies

AKA: Raya Cookies

My cookies have evolved again. In effort to make them allergen free (for my family) and healthier I have changed out fat for pumpkin. To make them lighter, I add home ground oat flour.  Ect, ect.

Here is the current version:

Raya Cookies:

MIX:
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin or equivalent squash

2 Tbs olive oil
lots of cinnamon
1 cont grape juice concentrate (defrosted)
1 cont water (I use the empty concentrate cont)
1 Tbs baking soda

ADD:
4 cups whole wheat flour (freshly ground is best)
4 cups oats ground in a blender- some texture left is awesome
raisins, nuts, and chocolate chips to taste

Drop onto sprayed cookie sheet (they won't spread, so many can fit on a sheet). and Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

This recipe makes about 3 cookie sheets full- if your toddler doesn't get to them first.

Working Theory

I have a working theory into why I am going so crazy in this pregnancy. Every smell, every sound, every taste (except greens or chocolate) drive me nuts.

Its driving my husband nuts too. I love him, as long as... he has showered today, doesn't wear any deoderant, doesn't breathe on me and also doesn't smell of garlic. He would like to cuddle, but I have erected a wall around me that goes out about 4 feet. Some nights he feels lucky he is still allowed in bed. (Good thing it's a king).

I see this:
1. wearing maternity clothes at 8 weeks, belly keeps growing.
2. going crazy twice as fast as normal.
3. can't handle eating, even things that a minute ago I was sure I couldn't live out.

I think this: maybe I have  2 little ones who each have completely different tastes and opinions about what they like ruling my life.

Yup- kids can be like that. They will argue just to see  how crazy they can drive you.

Either that or this kid is out to get me.

At least this time I know I'm Crazy

8 previous pregnancies, 6 of which to full term.... and only now in my 9th, I see myself for as crazy as I must have been in the others.

I know my nose could out sniff a canine's and my needs to remove every stick of deorderant and wiff of perfume from the house is strong- but that's been happening since my 1st pregnancy. My problem now is tangerines.

Tangerines, the innocent, sweet, little, fruit has become my arch nemesis. The mere whiff of one sends me into nausea induced rage. Oranges are a little, but not a lot, better.

I am 8 weeks pregnant and am already wearing maternity clothes- explain that?

I think all my body needs to act pregnant is a wiff of pregnancy hormone before it knows the routine and runs the gambit of uncomfortable changes faster and faster. That's what happens when it's your 9th pregnancy.

Well I was walking out of the maternity clothing store, I felt a hint of dread. Like something was going to go wrong. Fortunately, I have enough experience in pregnancy failure, that I know that is not the feeling that actually means anything regarding it. It is just the hyperactive pregnancy brain that makes the dreams seem too real and the possibilities other then perfection more likely. Real pregnancy failure is more like sad resignation of nothing you can do.

I have been able to successfully shake that feeling. Largely because I discovered most of my belly size is gas, I have ridiculous amounts of morning sickness (for me) and because I was even able to find a heartbeat today- at 240.

With the way I am counting, I could actually be more like 10 weeks along. But I like to count weeks completed from my later possible due date- so that I why I say 8 weeks.

Smoothy Tutorial

To make a good "blended salad" type smoothy I recommend this basic recipe.

Basic Smoothy 
For 1 person:
1/2 banana
handful of greens (spinach is sweeter, kale requires more sweetness to compensate, other fresh greens are doable too) put in according to your taste
1 cup of frozen fruits
fill to top of fruits with water

blend and blend until very smooth

I often throw in fresh fruits that need to be used then cut down slightly on the frozen fruits. Strawberries, bananas and pineapple are some of the sweetest fruits. If you are not using frozen fruits you will need ice cubes to blend up with it.


Blueberry Smoothy

1 whole banana
lots of greens
blueberries to fill line
water to fill line

blend, blend, blend


Chocolate Smoothy- a real treat- enough for 2 or 3 people

5 oz baby spinach
2 cups frozen blueberries
1/2 cup non-dairy milk
1 banana
2-4 dates (pitted)
2 Tbs cocoa powder
1 Tbs ground  flax seeds

blend, blend, blend

 Very Green Smoothy

1 bunch kale (rinsed and stripped)
4 stalk celery
1 cucumber
2 granny smith apples (sliced and cored)
1/2 lemon
some ginger root

Evil Mom or just snarky?

 I haven't blogged as much recently. I think that is because I am learning when to keep my opinions to myself- and maybe even learning how to think less judgmentally about others. (maybe?)

I was just reading some of my old posts. I get snarky and ornery when I'm pregnant and sound almost as full of myself as the professional writers of opinion pieces around the internet. I think snarky is the way I try to channel ornery, so I am not so outright mean.

Of course most of my snarkiness comes when I am pregnant. And as I read it I wonder if I became that snarky in life too? Then I wonder what kind of amazing and tolerant spouse I must have to have managed to handle all 9 pregnancies with me. yup, we've been together almost 14  and of those 14 years I will have spent 4.5 years of it pregnant.

And another 9 years nursing. Luckily, the nursing hormones usually make the whole world lollipops and roses and sweet baby kisses... so that's not so bad for the dad, except that he has lost the ability to sleep in his own bed with just his wife (now it's often baby too) and has also lost a few play toys to the baby's oral fixation with nourishment.

I think part of the orneriness I get during pregnancy is an attempt to make space in my life for the time and armfullness of a baby. If nobody wants to be around me, then I can more easily take care of the baby, but when everyone thinks I need to do everything for them, then I don't have time or energy for a baby.

So poor Shannon, it is her turn to gain some independence. She just stomped out of here saying "I hate you." After I pulled her off of me when she not-so-nicely requested that I get her a pair of socks and in so doing leave the toddler alone in the bathtub. I told her I know she can get her own socks and therefore she should. What an evil mom I am.


If I understand why I am feeling ornery and snarky then it is much easier to be nice while I explain to my children that they can do it themselves and do not need me for every little thing. Of course, other times it is easier to just lock yourselves in your room and take a nap.

Or I might just Eat my Hat

"Either I'm pregnant or I'll eat my hat. Come to think of it I'm so hungry I might just eat my hat."

Yeah, I said that to myself today. But I was at least right- and my hat can safely return to my head. After all it would be ashamed to eat such a beautiful and fuzzy hat as that. So instead I had a subway at 3:30.

That was after eating 2 large while grain organic cookies.

And on Monday when Shan was being put to sleep by the anastegeologist, he told me that he was giving her an anti nausea mess too. So I almost asked if I could have some too.

I've suspected since the 18th.... But didn't get a positive test until today.

That tells me this baby is probably a girl ( girls make me sick) and also probably due a week later then a doctor would tell me. Aug 4th is the date I'm looking at as a real estimate. At least it's not Sept 12th or after another 6 weeks of summer.