Without a Recipe

This week I attempted to make chili. Being pregnant I find that I have cravings but not the pickle ice cream kind. When I was pregnant with my first I craved lemonade to the point that if it wasn't the flavour I was looking for then my craving didn't stop until the taste was just right. I drank a lot of lemonade, in fact, I made a lot of lemonade!

Because I had made rib BBQ sauce the week before I went straight back to the same spices. Chipotle chili powder, paprika, Cayenne, pepper, cumin and garlic. I was headed in the right direction. Being a typical driver personality i didn't waste time measuring so I poured a bunch of black beans, navy beans, haricot beans and white kidney beans into a pot and started boiling... I then realized that I had a lot of beans so I split them into 2 pots to boil. An hour or so later I got my biggest (12 quart) pot out and mixed the beans, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, veggie stock, chicken stock, beef and onions and spices into this giant pot. It didn't take me too long to realize that if I kept this `on the stove it would be burnt on the bottom. Much like with any stew the longer it simmers the more flavorful it is so I stuck it in the oven and let it stew away for a long time.

I think part of my craving for chili was, in part, due to the fact that we're such a busy family. I work a full time professional job in sales and marketing and my husband is going to school full time. Not only that but he's a very detailed person that likes to make everything he does shine. So, he spends a lot of time on his readings and assignments. Because of this we end up eating a lot of prepared foods that are less than best. We are on a tight budget and have little time together so we try to make the most out of what time and money resources we have. Chili really filled the void.

I found that when I was on my mat leave it was important to find meals that were super charged with healthy ingredients and I wanted a freezer full of it so I could prioritize my time appropriately. I was really happy to have spent my pre-mommy time cooking so that I had that freezer full of healthy meals. I had about a month and a half worth. I suppose that's the point of this rant. Healing from child birth, managing this incredibly life changing event and trying to keep you head is all a girl can do. Cooking is way down on the list. It is one of the most important things to help you get back to your old self again as well as give your newborn baby the essential for the beginning of theirs. If your not such a good cook or don't know a whole bunch about how food can bring a wealth of health than ask for help. It's the best thing you can do for the whole growing family. They will all appreciate it and your body will benefit, inside and out.