I just returned from a long weekend in South Florida, which (thanks to a few gifts left from old tenants) was spent doing more of this than this.
(I've shown you The Pad By The Sea, no?)
After we wrapped up our bidnid in Fort Lauderdale we managed to jet down to the Keys for a couple of days where Aston and I attempted to finish his baby baking.
I kind of just threw together what we had lying around. We're headed out of town again so it was a last ditch effort to clear out the refrigerator. It was either this or the six pack of Guinness and a triple stacked baloney sandwich.
And the fetus only drinks heavily on the weekends. So.
Anyway, we're off.
Be nice to the pregnant woman in the airport this weekend.
Chickpea + Tomato Salad
1 can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed 1 diced tomato 2 hardboiled eggs, peeled and chopped 1/2 cup of celery 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon of white vinegar 1 teaspoon sea salt black pepper to taste Cajun seasoning to taste
Combine the garbanzo beans, tomatoes, eggs, and celery in a large bowl.
Separately mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning in a small bowl. Pour over salad ingredients. Serve immediately.
(You might recognize it from here, except that I changed an ingredient or two or three and played around with the measurements.)
We polished off Saturday with our usual weekend pick up game which has gotten a lot more interesting with the growth of our own human basketball. As in, I dribble five feet away from body. I'd tell you my jump shot has suffered, but, no, it's pretty much still the same.
I’ve spent the last few days arduously slathering on humungous handfuls of creams and gels and washes in an effort to clear up a bizarre and fugly rash that has suddenly taken over the entire world. And by that I mean my (very. pregnant.) belly. The doctors think I'm having some sort of random allergic reaction which, frankly, is really no surprise at this point, after the constant nausea, blacking out, and early contractions I've experienced up until now. Why not throw some incredibly uncomfortable reddish welts into the mix. Just for fun.
The upside is that Aston seems completely oblivious to all of this drama, which has yet to put a dent in his daily (and all hours of the night) kickboxing and disco routine. Envision this kid crossed with David Beckham. Inside of a womb.
In other news, I noticed my banana bread recipe making the rounds on Pinterest, and in a rare moment of baking experimentation I thought I'd try a loaf with chocolate. Because if my stomach is going to look like it has been dipped in strawberry Kool-Aid, it should at least have some warm gooey baked goods inside, don't you think?
You have to try this.
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
1 1/2 cups white flour 1/2 cup whole wheat flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup Splenda Sugar Blend 1/4 cup Smart Balance 50/50 Butter Blend, softened 2 large eggs 3 or 4 mashed ripe bananas 1/3 cup plain lowfat yogurt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract cooking spray lots and lots and lots of chocolate chips (extra if you are pregnant)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed for a minute or two. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the banana, yogurt, chocolate chips and vanilla. Beat until blended. Add the flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until moist. Pour batter into a loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 65 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
In the eighties, I was a little kid who put together model buildings out of notebook paper and Scotch tape and spent days on end playing Monopoly with my best friend. What I've done over the last decade is pretty much the same thing. I began buying, renovating, and renting dozens of properties during Architecture school, where I mostly learned how to stay awake for six days straight.
Today I'm a new mother married with four dogs and way too many houses along the coasts of Florida. We recently moved into and began working on a three story lake house built in 1928.
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