Justice for the Sweet Potato

Since when do people not like sweet potatoes? As a Thanksgiving side, sweet potatoes are boiled to mush, drowned in butter and sugar, then topped with cinnamon and marshmallows. While this sounds like a perfectly lovely dessert, the sweet potato gets no justice here! 

I say...JUSTICE FOR THE SWEET POTATO. They are good and nutritious and easy and cheap. We have sweet potatoes at least once a week. Here is a vague overview of how I cook them. Let's call it an "unrecipe."

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Spice (s) of choice - Herbs de Provence; DAKs Original Red; salt, pepper and garlic; BBQ type seasoning; balsamic vinegar and honey; etc. etc.
• More spices! Don't be shy, spices are good!

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Or 450 if you have something else to do at the that temp.
2. Wash and pat dry. Cube sweet potatoes leaving the skins intact. However large or small you prefer, it is best to get them close to the same size. This is not my forte.
3. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, pour some olive oil on it, throw the potatoes on top, sprinkle on the spice of your choice. Toss the potatoes with the oil and spices. *Be sure the potatoes have adequate space or they won't cook well.
4. Put the potatoes in the oven for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes and temp of your oven. And also how you like your potatoes. 

Cubing sweet potatoes.

Sweets tossed in oil and spices.

As you can see, there is no real science to this process. Dad's favorite spice is the Herbs de Provence purchased from TJ Maxx, of all places. Then there is DAKs, a local company that produces a line of salt free spices. The original red is great for anything, but goes really well with the sweet potatoes for a spicy, smoky kick. 

Here are some tips: 

• Sweet potatoes go GREAT with BBQ and spicy foods. The day Jim 'N Nicks starts offering sweet potatoes bakers, I may never cook again. 
• They look beautiful on a plate with their rich orange coloring. 
• I like adding leftover sweet potatoes to my salads; they add texture and so much flavor. 
• If you have a fussy newborn and are trying to cook dinner, get a K'tan baby wrap. Just be careful around hot surfaces (duh).

B at 5 weeks with zombie Mom.

Hangers Won't Start the Car

Last week I almost walked out of the house with hangers instead of my purse. 

Mornings at the Seal household are usually pretty smooth where B is involved. We have a routine and it works. After Dad shuttles B off to daycare I get up to 45 minutes alone in the morning...and it's kind of amazing. But for some reason I often find myself wandering around the house, haphazardly trying to straighten things up, put dishes away, contain the baby toys, or clean off the table. Half of the time I end up staring at myself in the mirror in the fourth outfit I have tried on, rummaging through laundry to try to find a specific shirt, or staring in the fridge trying to figure out what to pack for lunch. 

Waiting patiently while Dad gets ready.

By the time I find an outfit and lunch, there are clothes all over the bed. I attempt to straighten those up, then fold up B's blanket and toys, finish my hair, put on jewelry, unplug my flat iron, put other clothes in the hamper, collect the excess hangers, rinse B's morning bottle and leave it in the sink, grab baby items from the table and put them in his room, straighten up the changing table and his glider, shut the nursery door, grab my lunch then...you see the problem? I never stopped to put the hangers in the laundry room! 

B at 4 months. Always happy in the morning.

Dad witnessed my strange morning drill a few weeks ago. After I walked in and out of the living three times in five minutes, he asked, "What are you doing?" My response, "I have no idea." 

I consider myself a very lucky person to have someone like Dad because we make such a great team and work together to be sure sweet B is happy on his way to school. 

Mmmmm...soup

Remember that "Friends" episode when Joey has the audition for a soup commercial? Every time I think of soup, that scene plays in my head. 

And something about rainy weather makes me want soup. Yes, it's April and, yes, it may be 75 degrees. But rain makes me want to curl up on the couch in my Auburn sweatshirt with a warm bowl of soup. 

Let's be honest, I won't be doing that. Between the threat of severe weather and entertaining the swift-crawling baby, we will be in our "place of safety" and/or closely watching Mr. B. 

If I get the chance to make soup tonight, it will be this one - 25 minute broccoli cheddar soup. It's simple and yummy, and relatively healthy, as long as you watch your portion. Have it with a heaping pile of mixed greens topped with tomatoes and maybe some carrots or cucumber. Go light on the dressing or skip it all together and use a squeeze of lemon. Don't top your soup or salad with croutons, they are a calorie suck, have too much sodium, and are highly processed. 

From: http://parade.condenast.com/170098/broccoli-cheese-chicken-soup-parade/

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ tsp smoked paprika (I used regular)
• 6 cup chicken broth (reduced sodium)
• 1 cup jasmine rice (I used brown rice) 
• 1 (14-oz) bag broccoli florets, frozen or fresh (I added this close to last so it didn't get too mushy) 
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 8-oz shredded cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat an 8 quart pot over medium high heat. Dice chicken into bite size pieces.
2. Add olive oil and chicken to pot. Sprinkle pepper and paprika on chicken. Stir. Cook chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and cover. Bring to a boil.
3. Add rice and broccoli. Replace cover. Cook until rice is almost tender (al dente), about 8-10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, combine butter and flour in a small bowl. Mash with fork until completely combined. Add flour mixture to soup. Stir to combine. Add cheese. Stir and reduce to simmer. Let soup warm while you set the table, about 5 minutes. Soup will thicken while it sits.

**to reduce some calories use half the butter, flour and cheese to see how you like the taste and consistency. Add more if necessary! 

The Monthly Photo Shoot

I am not good at the cutesy things in life. I am not crafty, baking is not fun for me, scrapbook-ing is my nightmare, and writing thank you notes* seems like a chore. That being said, taking monthly pictures of B is important because hopefully someone else will do something cute with them. ::Hint, hint:: Let's face it, it won't be me. 

So each month - somewhere around the 18th, we aren't exact - I begrudgingly get out a white onesie, place the appropriate sticker on his chest, and strategically put him in the same positions as the previous photo shoots. 

Last night, five days late (seriously, how much can he change in 5 days?), we had the most difficult shoot to date. He won't sit still, plus I don't know how to work our fantastic camera. Here are some gems to share. I will use the action setting next time.

"I just want to stand!"

Bright idea: He thinks Toby is hilarious...let's try that. FAIL.

"Oh, look over here at these fun things" -B

"Adam, you are too close." -Ma

Nappy Giraffe was not interesting enough...off to the humidifier cord.

Directing the imaginary band.

Goin' down!

So cute...except for the seemingly broken wrist. 

"No, the camera is the other way." - Ma

"Ugh, you people and your pictures." -B

"Lindsey, get out of the way." - Dad

One of the best!

My other favorite.

Chillin' at eight months

*NOTE: I cherish every gift I have gotten and understand the importance of a thank you note. 

Tidbit Tuesday: B is Mobile

This is less of a tidbit and more of a request for the sake of future tidbits. Baby B is on the move! He started crawling last week. Here is the video proof:

It started very slow: rolling around, sitting up, falling face first into the carpet, army crawl, limping crawl, full crawl and now pulling up on furniture. Plus trying to eat the furniture, with his forehead. Just yesterday he bumped his head twice and broke a ceramic pot. All under the seemingly watchful eye of Mom and Dad. I promise, we were there! Luckily he seems to be resilient, he wailed for a good 30 seconds then quickly recovered with the help of his favorite stuffed animals.

"Hmmm...are there cords for me to chew on?"

"I bet the edge of that table tastes yummy."

He is immensely interested in cords, plugs and shoes (ew!) so we need to do some baby proofing quickly. We have the outlet protectors and will definitely want some of the cabinet locks because he seems to like opening and shutting things.

We would greatly appreciate your comments letting us know what worked for you. I will be sure to test them and then share my thoughts!

In The Face...

Babies have zero control over what comes out of the orifices of their bodies. Whether it's tears, snot, spit-up, pee or poop. If it needs to come out, it will. At one point or another, it will end up in the face - your face, Dad's face, baby's face, anyone and everyone's face. Yesterday, while Dad was lifting B over his head Dad got drool in his mouth. When B was a newborn we both got pee in the face. Luckily, I have only gotten poop in my lap...while at a restaurant. I have heard stories about poop in the face. It scares me. I am a little poop-phobic.

How do you avoid baby bodily fluids in the face? You don't. You take it because you can't drop the precious poop machine you are holding. 

"Mmmmm...warm water."

And they think it is hysterical when Mom and Dad scream in disgust. Are we programmed as humans from birth to think that other's misfortunes are comical?! There was that whole "Jackass" TV and movie empire that capitalized on our sick sense of humor. 

"Want some drool in the face?!"

B used to pee in the bath EVERY TIME. Just as we got the water adjusted and bubbles flowing, he would see if he could arch it to hit the faucet. Bath drained, new bubbles added. 

B's first time in his sink tub. Not a fan.

Side note about bath time: it's not always fun and doesn't always fit into the day. We aim to bath B every other day. Using the 4Moms Cleanwater tub (see above) was great for us because it has temp control and fits in the sink. The truth is, babies don't need baths every day. I have articles to back me up - here from Parents and here from Fit Pregnancy. 

If your baby loves the bath and it helps the bedtime routine then bathe away.

Remember, whatever works. 

Variety is the Spice of Life

Dad and I try to eat as healthy as possible during the week so we can splurge on the weekends. Chicken is healthy, but can get REALLY boring. When Dad gets bored with food, we end up going out to eat, spending too much money, and not being very healthy. So I try to change things up during the week with new recipes. 

I found this recipe for Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs on Cooking Light. I LOVE this site because they have great recipes that range in difficulty and prep/cook time. This is a really simple recipe - quick, no crazy ingredients and inexpensive!

Recipe and photo courtesy of Cooking Light.

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs
Full recipe here.

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or bone-in, whatever you can find)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (or flakes)
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
Cooking spray

1. Preheat broiler.

2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.

3. Combine honey and vinegar in small bowl, stirring well. Remove chicken from oven; brush half of honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.

I can't always find 8 chicken thighs in one pack, so I just go with what I have which is usually about 6 total. These come out sweet, spicy and delicious. I try to be sure our plates are colorful so I like serving these with roasted sweet potatoes, green beans and sauteed squash and onions. 

"Taste the rainbow" should refer to a variety of fruits and vegetables, NOT skittles.