4/07/2016

I Can't Fight Those Pregnancy Cravings

It's 10:35 pm right now. I should be a asleep, but I'm not. Instead I'm in bed thinking of all the foods I wish I could eat right now. Those obnoxious pregnancy cravings! They hit you anytime, anywhere, anyday.

It's been a rough week.  I decided to take Sunny into the doctor today because she has had this chronic cough that keeps her and everyone up all night and a runny nose that won't stop.

I was told to give her delsym every 12 hours and bring her back for an anti-biotic in about 5 days if no improvement.

Nonetheless, She is still such a happy little girl. Always singing, laughing, asking to play with a friend, jump, swing, and all the things that 2 year olds love to do.

So, anyway, what else is there to discuss this time of night.

My appetite is huge lately. I am gobbling down portions I never would before.

Sometimes I am so close to getting in my car and going to those places that house my cravings.  My biggest pregnancy cravings are Carbs and Cheese. (Subway sandwiches with pepperjack cheese, enchiladas and ALL mexican food, cottage cheese, lasagna, etc.

The problem is, I can't eat cheese. I am lactose intolerant. I always will be.  But I discovered something a couple weeks ago. A pill that I can take that lets me have dairy now.  It works! Hallelujah!!!

I have heard a lot of pregnant women talk of their cravings. Some our salads, some are veggies, some are meat, etc. I craved salads in my first trimester, the very few times I was able to actually eat.

I crave none of those things now. Not this time, anyway. In fact, the thought of a salad makes me want to puke. My body doesn't want it. I have tried forcing down all the healthy stuff. The result is not good.

Instead, I eat a small side of veggies alongside a meal, but I eat them very slowly and carefully.  So far, it is working out okay.

This pregnancy is so different then with Sunny. With Sunny, I ate very low carb, lots of salads and veggies, even smoothies. But this time around, I just can't.

I once heard the saying that whatever your body craves is what it needs. I am trying not to feel guilty for wanting to eat what I crave because I know a lot of of those things aren't the healthiest.  However, my new approach to battling guilt is: What baby wants is what baby gets. I am eating for two.

One thing that has never made me sick is tomatoes.  I have always been a huge tomato lover. My favorite being toasted sour dough bread with mayo & fresh salty garden tomatoes.  Our tomatoes are not even close to that point yet, so while on a grocery run today, I had the brilliant idea to make my favorite soup EVER. It's called Gazpacho. It is so tasty and healthy. I have been eating it for years and never have gotten sick of it.

While searching around for the perfect Gazpacho recipe, I stumbled upon the Pioneer Women's recipe. I love that woman. She makes me want to eat.

Probably the best soup I have ever had.

And the bonus is, I am finally getting some veggies in and they aren't making me want to gag.

Pioneer Women's Gazpacho Soup
                                              It taste so much better then it looks, trust me!

  • 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 1/2 whole Red Onion, Diced
  • 1 whole Large Cucumber, Diced
  • 5 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
  • 1 whole Zucchini, Diced
  • 2 stalks Celery, Diced
  • 1 dash Salt To Taste
  • 1/4 gallon Tomato Juice
  • 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/8 cup Red Wine Vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons White Sugar
  • 6 dashes Tabasco
  • 1 dash Black Pepper To Taste
Instructions:  (Please Note: This is Ree's recipe. If you want to alter it, go ahead. She loves to go all out on every dish she makes which only makes me wish she was my own personal chef).

  • In the bowl of a food processor or in a blender, combine the minced garlic with half the red onion, half the cucumber, half the tomato, half the zucchini, half the celery, half the tomato juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, Tabasco, and a dash of salt. 

    Pulse until all ingredients are blended well; mixture will have a nice speckled, colorful texture. 

    Pour into a large bowl and add the rest of the tomato juice, and half of the remaining onion, cucumber, tomato, zucchini, and celery. (Reserve the rest of the diced vegetables for garnish.)

    Stir mixture together and check seasonings, adding salt if needed. Chill soup for at least a couple of hours; soup needs to be very cold!

    Remove the soup from the fridge and stir. Check seasonings one last time. Ladle into a bowl and garnish with remaining diced vegetables, a sliver of fresh avocado, sour cream, and cilantro. Finally, place a grilled shrimp on the top and serve with grilled slices of bread.
Recipe Source: Thepioneerwomen.com


Tasty!

Tasty!
Mango Salsa (see January archive on right for recipe)