Sous sous Chef Recipe: Lentil Stew

I am trying to discover my love for cooking. Well, here’s a sample.

Sharing my Lentil Stew Recipe:

You will need:

Canola oil
Garlic
Onion
Chicken pieces, about half of chicken
Salt to taste
Easy cook Lentils
Frozen Diced Carrots
Water
Tomato sauce, small sachet

You’ll also need Good Approximation Skills (notice there aren’t measurements?). I never measured! Well, maybe the first time, but when I repeat a dish I never measure anymore!

Here’s what you’ll do:

1. Saute garlic and onion in oil.
2. Add chicken. Let it brown.
3. Put salt then water. Simmer chicken until tender.
4. Add in lentils and carrots then the tomato sauce. Let them all cook.
5. Your lentil stew is done!

Here’s my personal notes about this recipe:

1. My 11 month old daughter eats this so I separate an unsalted portion for her (though I must admit, sometimes I forget, but am aware that I should put minimal salt!).

2. I let the pot boil long to make sure all ingredients are well cooked (and so that I can do other things at home!).

3. I like the chicken browned at the beginning. And to make it less sinful, we had the skin and slimy fat removed upon buying. Healthyummy!

4. I use half a pack of lentils and this recipe is good for 4-6 people.

How about you? Anything cooking from your kitchen lately?

~ Touringkitty

The Milky Month of August

The past eleven months had been truly life-changing for me and my family. My husband and I took baby steps, literally, in taking care of a newborn. My mother, on the other hand, had to review how it is to take care of a newborn after a 25-year hiatus (back when my younger sister was the baby then).

But what made these months extra special is that I’ve lasted this long exclusively breastfeeding my firstborn. Yes, exclusive, not a single grain of formula milk. And I am really proud!

Why? Because I wasn’t even breastfed for so long! Read my post here.

And this month, I wish to give credit to whom it’s due.

Family. Especially my husband. Choosing what to give your child must be the decision of both parents. Breastfeeding was both our choice. Luckily, I have a supportive husband hence I was able to give up my work and focus on taking care of our newborn, especially in the first months of life. My mom (who didn’t breastfed my sister at all) was very much supportive. Doubtful, sometimes, but supporting and encouraging me, still. And she gives my daughter my expressed milk when I am working!

Friends. Most especially to those who were also formula-feeding and yet encouraged me to breastfeed. I’d write super long messages to these friends and they’d give me endless tips and encouraging words. Nobody told me to stop and supplement.

Internet. I love technology, especially when it’s put to good and sensible use. The resources online are now limitless. Blogs about breastfeeding helped me a lot, especially this. I was able to share my experiences as well through this blog, which, by the way, celebrated its first year last July 20! Hooray for Touringkitty!

Online friends. Especially La Leche League Manila, Newlywedsatwork Yahoogroup, and Twitter friends. They really are inspirations to me. Some of them I haven’t met in person but they are really accommodating when I have questions.

For fellow mommies who told me I was lucky I was able to successfully breastfeed, well, maybe I really am. But be assured that if you were able to breastfeed even for a day, your children are lucky, too, they have loving parents like you. I just wished you asked me first before you gave up. Or maybe you asked the wrong person that’s why you weren’t successful when you should have been.  *wink wink*

Whoever will read this blog and is nursing/planning to nurse/know someone who nurse, I would like to offer whatever knowledge I can share regarding breastfeeding if you need. And I can help hook you up to the real experts – the breastfeeding counselors – to be able to successfully breastfeed.

Happy World Breastfeeding Month!

 

~ Touringkitty

The Doctor is Late

THE DOCTOR IS LATE should be the signage on her clinic door!

Her clinic is 8-10 AM but she arrives at 11! Wow. Happened to me in those two times I made an appointment with my new doctor. I panicked the first time because I didn’t leave pumped milk for my baby because I was first on the appointment list anyway and the clinic was less than a kilometer away from home. Turned out I waited for two hours so imagine how I felt. Baby might cry of hunger, might be looking for me, etc.

The reason for her being late: it was raining. So what?!

I heard a story from another patient. This patient arrived at 10.30 AM because she is so used to the doctor’s late arrival. But the nursing attendant said the doctor left already at 9 AM! The poor patient had to reschedule her doctor’s appointment again.

It’s not only with my doctor, but also of my baby’s pedia. Her clinic is 10 AM-12 PM and she has an afternoon schedule as well, but I always go in the morning after baby’s morning nap, or during naptime when she gets to snooze inside the clinic. Still, I make the earliest appointment but then, with the long waiting time, baby is cranky already while getting the vaccine shot. Ending: loud squealing, squirming, red-eyed baby.

This morning, we arrived a little early and on the waiting area was a young boy who seemed to have high fever. Her grandma carried her and the mother was just seated. They tried to give him milk in a bottle (formula perhaps) and rubbed his head and face with wet towel. A few minutes after, the mother was carrying her son out of the clinic, shouting his name, and rushed to the nearby hospital. Apparently the kid was having convulsions. Or something else. My baby and I stepped outside because I got one bored baby.

Poor kid. They could have brought him directly to the emergency room of the hospital across the street and not wait for the pedia, who arrived at 11 AM. Aria and I were there since 9.45 AM. She slept as soon as we reached home and almost missed lunch.

We all have appointments, right? It’s no fair that these medical professionals are always late for clinic appointments and charge sky high professional fees for two minutes of talking to one patient who waited for hours, who travelled hours to reach the clinic, and who left their babies or bring with them.

How’s your experience with your doctor? Do they come late or early?

The Importance of the First Birthday

Everything seems easy for babies. They cry when they want something — food, diaper change, nap, change of scenery, when they feel hot or cold, among other things.

But really, is it easy to be a baby? I don’t think it is.

And it’s precisely what I have observed with my eleven month old. Life isn’t easy.

Of course, babies have to practice and learn a gazillion skills to be bonafide “persons” in this world. They learn how to stretch their bodies (from being enclosed in a capsule that is the female tummy), roll over, crawl, sit, stand, walk, talk, cry, make funny sounds, make gestures like waving and clapping. Then after six months, solid food is introduced and you choose from a short list of possible first food for baby. They grew body parts, still, like their teeth.

The rest, as they say, is history. But the sweetest achievement for any baby, especially for the parents, is the first 365 days of life.

I didn’t pay much attention to celebrating Aria’s first birthday back then. I thought it’s not important because she won’t remember it anyway. Bur for a motherhood neophyte/drama queen like me, the past year was hard work, sacrifice, and glorious victories that I felt I needed to celebrate, in a frugal but memorable manner.

There’s McDonald’s and their themed parties. We chose Mickey Mouse Clubhouse since the kiddo never missed a beat when she hears the Hotdog Dance. Add a handful of family and friends, party food, some photobooth fun and voila, a sorta kiddie party for our Aria!

Will update you how the party goes, which is about a month from now. I’m super excited and thankful that our family will be celebrating this important event, especially that our little girl is growing more and more beautiful, smart, and cheerful. And we’re proud to be parents of this wonderful creation.

~ Touringkitty

A Breastfeeding Formula-Fed Mother

“Welcome to the Milk Mama Diaries Carnival (July). For this month, we join the National Nutrition Council – Department of Health in celebrating Nutrition Month with the theme “Isulong ang Breastfeeding – Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo!” Participants will share their experiences in promoting breastfeeding or their tips on how breastfeeding should be promoted. Please scroll down to the end of this post and check out the other carnival participants.”

I live in the formula generation. I can’t recall an instance when my family talked about breastfeeding. It was all bottles, different brands of powdered milk, and sterilizers. None of my cousins (on my mom’s side) were breastfed.

I remember my mom told me that I was part of a formula brand testing and got a year’s supply of formula! The reason why I wasn’t breastfed is that my mom had a lump in one of her breasts that needed to be removed. I was breastfed for about a month. My younger sister, nada. Poor one didn’t even get to taste colostrum.

Not that I regret that I wasn’t breastfed. I grew up well and so did my sister and my cousins. But if I had a choice, I would have wanted to be breastfed.

So for our first daughter, I chose breastfeeding. I have been breastfeeding her for the past eleven months (and counting!). And I’m blessed to have a supportive family. Of course, it meant bringing the baby almost everywhere, choosing to work part-time and watching what I eat as if I’m still pregnant.

And now, this formula-fed mom is encouraging others to breastfeed. How?

1. Share information. Sometimes I do this by posting on my Facebook or Twitter, and friends would send me questions. I’m happy to share what I know and experienced because, really, experience is the best teacher. I just tend to overdo it sometimes, hence the very long replies!

I wonder, though, why some of my friends tell me I’m lucky I still breastfeed, when they didn’t even try for more than a month, saying they had a hard time or they didn’t have milk. They had all the opportunity and time, after all. They could have saved lots of money.

2. Live by example: nurse in public. At times, however, I tend to forget that I’m not in the comfort of my own home and just offer my breast to my daughter, covered or not covered, especially when she starts to be restless. My nursing cover is actually useless now because she just plays with it and removes it anyway.

What I do is wear something accessible for breastfeeding. Often a tube underneath a loose pull-up blouse is fine. I just cover whatever skin is exposed with a piece of cloth.

3. Invite pregnant and new moms to support meetings. Some moms need to hear from other moms to be convinced that they, too, can breastfeed. There are LATCH seminars, Medela classes, and La Leche League meets (where I started attending a year ago this month).

Plug: There will be a La Leche League meeting on July 23, 10:30 AM at Mothercare,Greenbelt5. More info on La Leche League Manila’s Facebook Page.

Not convinced yet? Maybe we could suggest the following to promote breastfeeding better:

1. Have more breastfeeding-friendly hospitals. My hospital had this big sign that theirs is indeed a breastfeeding-friendly one. It was from WHO, if I remember right. I did not take prenatal classes but with a little coaching and support from the resident doctors and midwives, I gave birth unmedicated. The baby was immediately latched on to me and she was roomed in a few hours after. The hospital had midwives who taught us about breastfeeding cues, latch, and so much more.

I’m fortunate also to have an OB-GYN who’s highly supportive of natural birth and breastfeeding. She’s vegetarian, too, so she made sure I ate healthy when I was still pregnant.

2. Have more breastfeeding-friendly pediatricians. Some say they’re breastfeeding-friendly, but they’d still resort to formula feeding after some time.

My baby’s own pedia asked if I still had breastmilk for my baby back when she was eight months, and yet she says she’s a breastfeeding advocate. Her secretary gave me a look when I breastfed my baby in the clinic while waiting for the doctor. She asked: “You still breastfeed? You still have milk?” As if it’s a bad thing!

3. Make nursing clothes mainstream, and cheaper. I only see nursing clothes online, and those in the mall are expensive and sad-looking, with zippers that are choking hazards. There’s the nursing cover, alright, but you need easy access to your milk source, right? You see really expensive nursing clothes and then tell yourself: nursing is for the rich.

Try the tube underneath your clothes. It does work, practice makes perfect. I have Undercover Mama from Mama Baby Love which hooks to your nursing bra.

4. Longer maternity leaves! Maybe four or six months is best for both mother and baby to establish breastfeeding and eventually introduce solids. Of course, ample recovery period for the mother, who may or may not suffer postpartum blues, is necessary.

My OB-GYN talked me into quitting my job to focus on my pregnancy, birth of the baby, and newborn care. So I did. And my husband and I didn’t regret making that decision. Slowly, I’m going back on track, teaching part-time and singing for events.

Breastfeeding involves dedication, passion, and determination. Don’t get mad, lactivists, but for beginners, I think a little breastfeeding is better than none. It’s a good start to convince new moms to breastfeed. It’s the most natural thing any mother can do, and it’s the cherry on top of the icing.

~ Touringkitty

Posts from other super breastfeeders below:

A Simple Breastfeeding Campaign by The Lazy Mama (@TheLazyMama)
I Am A Breastfeeding Mom by The Painter’s Wife (@PaintersWifePH)

W-u-r-r-w-u-r-r-w-u-r-r by Martha de Lusong (@frannie17) hosted by Jen CC Tan‘s MomExchange (@next9baby)

The Low-Milk-Supply Mommy Did It! by The Odyssey of Dinna
Breastfeeding Promotion Tips from a Formula Feeder (Yes, you read that correctly…) by The Fearless Formula Feeder (@FormulaFeeder)
On Promoting Breastfeeding by ImPerfectly Created (@imperfectlyours)
Milk Mama Diaries 3 by MimmaBenz (@benzcorana)
Breastfeeding Mama by canDIshhh
I *heart* Breastfeeding by The Mum Side (@rachelcrz)
Spreading the Word on Breastfeeding by My Mommy Kuwentos
A Breastfeeding Formula-Fed Mother by Touring Kitty (@touringkitty)
Breastfeeding: Promoting It Even if I Didn’t Get Lucky The First Time Around by Glamma Momma (Mommy Erl’s Online Diary)
I am your breastfeeding friend by Changing Nappies in High Heels (@lilly_pad)
Thoughts of a LactatING Counselor: Breastfeeding is More of Psychology!by HandyMommy
Taking Breastfeeding Further by Mec as Mom (@delisyus)
Breastfeeding Promotion – A View from a UK Doctor by Good Enough Mummy
Celebrating my Magic Milk by Denise Gonzales (@deelirious)
Breastfeeding Sisters by Isis Evasco
More Breastfeeding Promotion Plus a Guest Post by Chronicles of a Nursing Mom (@mamababylove).  Guest post by Shaps Lim (@cromartielove)

Raising a Condo Kid

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This 30 square meter condo unit has been our home for the past three years. We bought this before we got married and decided to build our family here.

But our “seventh heaven,” as we call this home seven storeys high, seems to be just enough for us three. There’s truth in saying that two’s a company, three’s a crowd. What if we become four (either a helper will stay-in or another baby on board)?

Prior to buying this property, this was rented by a family of four – a mother and three boys who were half-Americans, so imagine how tall they were, and they fit! They had a double decked bed, a mattress, and the sofa. That’s where four people sleep. Add to that their dressers and other stuff. Wow!

And now we’re having space issues. See, our little princess has a lot of furnitures of her own – a crib, a walker, stroller, a small chair, two seaters (we’re selling these!), play gym, rubber mats, toy box, among others. Her clothes invaded what was once OUR clothes drawer, and her diaper changing and other paraphernalia is atop our filing cabinet. Her shoes on top of another cabinet. Did I mention she co-sleeps with us? We don’t have a bed frame so we’re sleeping on mattresses only. And the crib? That’s where we put her when we need to move around.

And the challenge remains: how do we keep her entertained in these four corners? It’s hard, really. She easily gets bored so she needs various activities at one time. And since she’s really on the move now, she’s restless so we keep on chasing after her just to avoid bumps and bruises. We usually bring her down to the lobby to be entertained by people passing by. Or to the poolside where other condo kids play and run around. Since she can’t walk alone yet, she’s carried or worn most of the time. Poor arms and backs.

As for sleeptime, this is harder especially with naptime. She is carried most of her naptime because she gets disturbed by car horns, construction noise outside, falling barbels from the gym two floors directly below us. She is sleep deprived during daytime so we want to give her as much sleep as she can, even if it means carrying her and not doing anything else, i.e. no eating, drinking, yes, no toilet visit either.

We’re not spoiling her by carrying her the whole day. Of course we let her crawl and walk but with her restlessness, she easily stumbles or hits her head. What more if she could walk independently? Add the fact that she’s babbling, screaming, and shrieking really loud and high. Her silencer is breastfeeding, nothing else.

We don’t want to go out everyday, either, to the mall or to friends, because it’s always a “grand production” when we’re going out: baby bag filled with diapers, changing stuff, clothes change, lotsa lampin, toys and food (we still bring our own baon maybe until one and a half). Not to mention stroller or sling. Good thing no bottles to pack, except when I’m at work and there’s always an emergency bottle of expressed milk. So we stay home instead, and figure out other ways to make the kid stay. We do go out on weekends though, but for most of the week, the farthest we could go is at the condo lobby.

How about you, condo dwellers, how do you do it? Would appreciate tips from you.

~ Touringkitty

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Our Firstborn

Today, our firstborn is five years old.

No, it’s not Aria, of course, but the Shrine of Jesus Children’s Choir.

Five summers ago, we formed the choir to serve in the Third Sunday Mass of the Shrine of Jesus. From ten kids, they tripled in number in the following year. Members came and left, but we maintained an average of 25 members. Now we have about 35.

I will never forget their first service – because I wasn’t there to witness it! I was in the middle of a European Tour and so my then boyfriend and now my dear husband took over rehearsals and Mass services. It was a Fathers’ Day as well so indeed, my husband is the “father” of these kids. The rest is history, as they say.

This choir is our pet project and we’re proud of what we have achieved. Participation in concerts, choral festivals, even wedding engagements and TV guesting have made these kids (and their parents) busy. Sundays are spent at church for rehearsals (and the mall afterwards).

We’re super blessed with all the people who helped, supported, and cheered for us all these years. To the parents, families, Shrine family and our dear Shrine Rector, the Shrine Office and Sacristans and the ever faithful Mang Barry, thank you so much. We’re also blessed with all the members we had. You’ve been part of our journey and we wish to be singing with you again soon.

And we’re blessed to have performed in big concert stages and TV. It is a privilege to have sung with great performers on the Cultural Center of the Philippines Main Theater and Philamlife Theater. We were starstruck with Sam Milby and Angel Locsin in “Only You.” We also thank the two couples who trusted us to serenade them in their special day.

I am happy how we’ve instilled the value of church service this early to these kids. Most of all, I am proud that they get to appreciate music making and strive to better musicians every rehearsal.  The stories they share to their own homes and to their friends are enough consolation to us, their conductors.

Happy Anniversary, SOJCC!

 

~ Touringkitty

Four Fathers

Today, I prayed for four fathers who mean the world to me. And here’s my quick thank you notes for them.

To my Papa. Thank you for giving us life. Yours was short but sweet, and we treasure each moment spent with you. We remember you as a good provider, good cook, ever supportive of our school programs, homeworks, piano recitals. We miss you everyday and we love you forever. You have a very beautiful and smart granddaughter and I know you’d be proud of her, too. I know you’re proud of me and my sister.

To my Lolo. Thank you for being my number one fan and for sharing my passion in classical music. I took it from you. Thank you most especially for walking me down the aisle with Mama. I remembered how I prayed hard when you were hospitalized a couple of weeks before my wedding day, because I so wanted you to witness and be with me in that most special day in my life. I’m happy that you and Lola are living happy and healthy, and I pray that God will give you the best of years to come.

To my Mama. Thank you for being mother and father to us. You are amazing because you never fail to acknowledge that God is helping you and Papa is guiding you. Thank you for supporting everything we are doing, even now that we’re both grown up. I know how much you love me and my sister, and how much more you love my daughter. I realized I can never be like you only because you’re one of a kind, but be assured that I’m doing my best to be the best mom for our little princess.

To my husband, my better half. I’d look back at our earlier years as friends more than ten years ago, and I can’t still believe you’d be the father of my child. Thank you for being a super dad to me and the little one. You’re doing a good job so keep it up. I pray that we would live long to see our children’s children.

And to all fathers, fathers-in-law (mine included), those bridging the gap, mother and father in one, and our Spiritual Fathers, Happy Fathers’ Day.

 

~ Touringkitty

We dated as if it was our first

As I stepped inside the taxi on my way home, I realized that it was actually a date.

After singing for a wedding engagement this rainy middle-of-the-week morning, my husband and I craved for burgers. So we went for a quick fix at Wendy’s.

Just the two of us. Yes, baby was left at home with my mom and our helper.

We enjoyed fifteen mintues of eating those sinful burgers and talking about things other than the baby. I ate the Bacon Mushroom Melt as if I’ve not eaten it for years!

I was a happier mom after that “date”. I texted my husband, who was on his way to work, thanking him that finally after nine months, we dated. He said we should do it again next time. A movie date sounds good. We might need a babysitter, though. Or bring the baby, perhaps.

~ Touringkitty

Sous-sous Chef Recommends: Oven Toaster Oatmeal Cookies

Last Christmas, my husband received a large paper canister of Quaker Oats. Not knowing what to do with it (because he doesn’t eat oatmeal that much and I avoided it due to baby reflux), I waited for the perfect time and opportunity to use it.

Hence, Oatmeal Cookies!

BUT I don’t have an oven, I got oven toaster, though.

So last weekend, I researched and found this link of an oven toaster oatmeal cookie recipe.

 

Ingredients: check!

 

My husband and I were struggling to put the sleepy baby to sleep. With her hearing us move around the kitchen, she had a hard time getting those zzzzs. I tried to give her food, breastfeed her, rock her, to no avail. Eventually she did, on her daddy’s chest. So we took turns in preparing the batter. He was my Sous Chef, and I was the Sous-sous Chef!

 

First batch for the picking!

 

I made a second batch this week in celebration of my daughter’s ninth month. My sister didn’t like cinnamon so I made a separate batch for her. I used choc-nut instead of cinnamon. I also experimented with local chocolate candy pieces (they have a new variety: Caramel Cookie).

This batch is surprisingly yummier because I lessened the sugar and used margarine instead of butter, and added more oatmeal!

 

Second batch with add-ons

 

My daughter enjoyed some of these treats as well. I baked it anyway, no preservatives added.
To my surprise, my milk supply increased! I usually hand express when I’m at home for the baby to get used drinking milk from a cup. After eating about two cookies upon waking up, I can express more than an ounce than the usual! I’ve been wanting to try mixing malunggay powder or just my malunggay supplement, Pro-Lacta to the cookie mix. Should try that one of these days.

Want some? 🙂

 

~ Touringkitty