Life: 2 new routines, 2 meals and groceries hauls

Two new routines:

#1: I started pumping twice at work instead of 3. I started doing it one day that I had too many meetings so I couldn’t lock in myself in the office for 30 min 3 times a day. I got 11 oz. instead of the usual 12oz. It was liberating. I am not worried about supply drop because Sofia is drinking twice a day, 12 oz. max. I think pumping once a day is not too far away either. 😆

#2: I started reading 1-2 hrs at night after putting Sofia to sleep. Previously I’d spend that time watching TV series or just ipadding. Although it was relaxing too, reading fulfilled me more. A good book, a couple of tea, a perfect way to end the day. I finished this book and enjoyed the read.

I learned few things such as we, women are not more risk averse than men, we simply make more rational choices than men; if you have a daughter, send her to best schools, if you have a son, do not send him to a competitive environment.

Two macro meals that I ate

1. kabocha, sauteed mushrooms, tofu and bok choy in a tahini-maple-lemon sauce, brown rice with red quinoa

2. red cabbage, oyster mushrooms, tofu, onion in tahini-maple-lemon sauce, seaweed salad

red quinoa and brown rice

Saturday: trip to the farmer’s market. Sofia in the new Uppavista G-luxe . We got it for the upcoming trips. She seems comfortable in it. Mom and I really like the stylish look, lightweight, simple folder, stand-alone features.

Groceries hauls

Tj’s & WF

• mushrooms
• baby yogurt
• soy yogurt
• almond milk
• golean cereal

• organic kale
• organic trio pepper
• babana
• cucumber
• sugar-free chocolate

New products: tj’s green lentils

Chicken-style seitan

I want to remake some of the macro recipes from this book

From the farmer’s market

• organic lettuce
• organic apples
• organic cucumber
• organic strawberries
• organic tomatoes

From asian market

• brown rice
• broccoli
• zucchini
• orange
• mango
• oyster mushrooms
• frozen squid
• bok choy
• radish
• sweet potato
• tofu

Fun finds: Taro Mochi

Chinese mini cakes

Creme de Pirouline (my mom’s favorite!)

Chinese pickles that I have mentioned many times

and lastly KABOCHA HAUL!!!

they were on sale so I had to get 10! 😆

Someone is sitting better and better each week. 😉

Q1: What do you try to buy in farmer’s market? For me, eggs from happy chicken.

Q2: What are you reading? Book suggestions are always welcome.

Life: busy week and low-key weekend

This past week was a busy but accomplished week. I finished the work I planned to do on  Thursday so Friday at work was pretty low key. I met with a friend for lunch and did some research on pension. I thought I was the only one among my friends who didn’t think about pension nor did any planning for that. It turned out that I was actually the first one who did research on that topic. All of them just put some extra $$ into the saving and called it pension planning. Sigh… I read a book, attended two seminars, read all the FAQ, materials about available options for us, a non-american non resident no-tax payer, a special group of people indeed.

Food-wise, I continued with macro dinners. My body enjoys simple food these days. Meat sounds gross to me so I didn’t force.

brown rice, tofu, cabbage-wakeme, seaweed salad, tahini-lemon sauce

lunch at Le Pain Quotidien: french lentil salad with chickpeas and avocado

Saturday: instead of pancake I made waffles

made with 1/4 cup buckwheat pancake mix, 1/4 cup pumpkin, 1 egg + 1 egg white, 1/4 cup almond milk. PB2 sauce and maple syrup.

Groceries haul from Tj’s and WF:

• organic kale x2 (obsessed with kale!)
• organic collard greens
• banana
• organic pear
• melon
• organic zucchini
• organic cherry tomato
• carrots

• chickpeas
• mushrooms
• organic eggs
• coconut creamer
• soy yogurt
• organic romaine
• almond milk

New product: Whole Rye Bread. I haven’t bought bread for a long time. I saw this bread a while ago and really wanted to try it. It’s a rather dense, rich, chewy bread, very filling. 

We went shopping and got a swim suit for Sofia. I have an upcoming training and I will bring mom and Sofia with me. The hotel has a heated pool, so Sofia will be entertained. 😉

Sunday:

5:45 am 😯 Morning pumping session still in place. 😦 As much as I enjoy providing milk for Sofia, I don’t enjoy getting up so early EVERY SINGLE DAY!

maybe I should drop this pumping session because I’m still in surplus, at least 8 oz. per day. There’s not enough space in the mini freezers to store them anymore! Sigh… I should be grateful and not “complaining”. But you know… somedays you really want to sleep-in.

A savory breakfast: new bread toasted + poached egg + LC + mashed avocado

pilling up more avocado 😉

Made baby food #1: aduki bean + banana

#2: kabocha + avocado + baby oatmeal

Made a dessert for me: aduki coconut mousse

the usual suspect for lunch

followed by a decaf cappuchino with almond milk while someone was playing by her own

then I fed her with golden liquid 😉

no more milk-comma but still a bit sleepy

but wakes up right away when I put her down onto the new mat

I got her soft tiles to form this gigantic play mat

she’s really happy playing on it with all her toys! 🙂

A low-key weekend but enjoyable nonetheless. 🙂

Food: groceries & a new salad obsession

SAturday’s breakfast: the usual banana-egg pancake. This time instead of coconut flour I used almond flour. It’s nice too but I prefer the texture of the one with coconut. It’s more cake-like.

from Tj’s and WF

• My new beloved soy yogurt
• mushrooms
• nut butter
• organic pear (for Sofia)
• Suzie’s thin corn cake (obsessed with it)
• Theo chocolates
• 2 bunches of organic kale (for my new salad obsession)

• organic romaine 
• banana
• cherry tomato
• avocado (a weekly must!)
• cocoa powder
• golean cereal
• organic thousands island dressing (mom’s favorite!)
• english cucumber
• Tj’s vainilla almond milk

New products: Baby organic Whole grain oatmeal cereal, for Sofia

oatmeal is better than rice because rice could be constipating.

Raw sunflower seeds (for a baking project)

Justin’s honey almond butter. I’ve read so many good things about it that I need to try it.

Theo chocolates: dark chocolates with toasted coconut (thumb down!), with mint (thumb up!)

And here’s my new salad obsession: massaged kale salad with tahini-avocado

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups of kale
• 1 cup chopped cherry tomato
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 serv. firm tofu, scrambled
• 2 Tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• salt
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Method:

1. Prepare the dressing: tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, salt and cayenne pepper well mixed.

2. Pour the dressing over kale, add chopped avocado, tofu and mix well with hands (or massage it).

3. Add cherry tomato and mushrooms.

4. Let it sit for 30-60 min before serving.

5. Prepare to enjoy a tasty, filling and delicious salad!! 🙂

Q: Do you like kale? What’s your favorite way to eat it? I didn’t like kale first unless it’s in chips form. But lately I’m obsessed with it, it has became my favorite green veggie. The key to eat it raw is to massage it with the dressing and let it sit for a while before serving. It’s soooo delicious and full of nutrients.