healthy experimentation

Creamy broccoli lentil soup

In my efforts to eat a more healthy diet for this baby and myself, I searched the internet for some healthy soup recipes.  I came across one for Creamy broccoli lentil soup and added it to my list of things to make when my husband, who is slightly less adventurous than I am with food, would be gone.

The recipe came together fairly easily.  I made a few minor adjustments... I used 3 minced fresh garlic cloves, 2 tsp grated parmesan, and ended up adding at least 2 cups of water at the end because it was so thick.  (I may have left too many broccoli stems on, but I couldn't let good broccoli go to waste.)  I sipped on the broth throughout the simmering process, and it tasted delicious.  But I knew the kids would not eat it if they saw all the chunkiness.  Sure enough, my daughter declared that it smelled delicious, but when she peered over the edge of the pot, she wince.  "Mom, it looks like cow poop!"  She did have a point.

So, my final adjustment to the recipe was to puree the soup in my blender.  I then poured the soup back into the pot and rinsed the blender, adding the water to the soup and returning to a simmer.  It turned out perfectly smooth and edible. We garnished our bowls with oyster crackers and called it a meal, much to my relief.  After calling it "guacamole soup, "  my 3 1/2 year old boy even had a small second helping. (No, it does not contain avocado.)  It reminded me a bit of split pea soup, but with more flavor. (And minus the fat from ham.)

Paradigm shift

I am one of those people who has never been on a diet on 35 years of life.  I lack the self control, and up until this point, I have lacked the need.  Dubbed "chicken legs" by some of the other RA's in my dorm during college, even after both of my first two children were born I managed to (slowly) shed the pounds with basic exercise and common sense cutting back on junk food.

Apparently the glory days are over.  I have joined the other 3-5% of pregnant women who has been diagnosed with gestational diabetes.    I never had it with the other two, although I vaguely remember that I may have been borderline with Buddy... but obviously not borderline enough to cause too much concern, and he was born healthy. 

I am still waiting for the diabetes clinic to schedule my appointment with the nutritionist, but in the meantime, I've been following tips on the Diabetic Mommy's page for gestational diabetes.  Or trying to.  I've joined a board with other Moms who are due around the same time, and have gotten some really good ideas from them.

And while I have FINALLY cracked open the prenatal exercise dvd's that my friend Jodi brought to me... 2 months ago. 

Other than this, my pregnancy has gone well so far.  So here's to a happy and healthy 12 1/2 more weeks.