Forty Licks

I know.  You don't have to say it.  This picture does not look at all appealing, does it?  I posted this picture on my Facebook page to see how many people actually knew what it was and I got several comical answers.  For example:  marinated cooked chicken, beef brains for tacos, ground turkey, peanut butter fudge, and cookie dough.  If I didn't know what it was I would have went with cat food.  But no my wonderful friends.  This lovely product is called seitan (say-tan).  

What is seitan?  It is the protein portion of wheat and it is used as a meat substitute.  It is virtually fat free, low in sodium, and a good source of protein.  Check out this site for more information and recipes.    Like tofu, seitan absorbs the flavor of whatever you cook it with, but seitan has more protein and is lower in fat than tofu.  Personally, I do not like the texture of tofu so even though I was hesitant to try seitan, I was pleasantly surprised.  It really does taste like "meat" and I usually add it to a stir fry.  Here is another good site to check out that compares tofu to seitan.  Seitan is a good meat substitute for both vegetarians and vegans.  If it was used in a dish and I wasn't told, I probably wouldn't even realize it wasn't meat.  It is that deceiving.  

I buy seitan at my local natural foods store, Natural Grocers.  It is not carried in my every day grocery store, which may be considered a negative.  The first link above includes a recipe if you wanted to make seitan yourself.  

Is anyone else out there experimenting with seitan?  What are your thoughts?  Have any recipes to share?  

I love comments!!

One Is The Loneliest Number

Little Miss is just about seventeen months old.  For months now, people have asked me if I am ready for another.  The simple answer is no.  I am not ready for another.  I love my sweet girl, but would I really be able to handle a second child?  I am surprised at how much patience I have developed since becoming a mother, but I am not sure I would be able to stay sane.  I'm just being honest.  But let's be real, having another is ALWAYS a possibility but not something I am actively pursuing. 

This brings me to question why it's often viewed as a negative to have an only child.  I was an only child until I was about 6 and I thought I had it pretty good.  I had plenty of cousins my age to play with and was with them frequently.  I had one on one attention from both of my parents, I did well in school and I was read to.  I had undivided attention, and isn't that important when it comes to raising children?  Whenever I am asked if I am going to have another and I say I'm not sure, possibly just the one, I get weird looks like I have ten heads.  Why is it always expected that there will be more than one child? 

Now I am by no means coming down on people who have more than one child.  I think children are wonderful.  I enjoyed my pregnancy and the whole act of labor and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.  I still can't help but think about all of the things I will be able to provide to one child rather than two, or even three. 

I think about future endeavors.  What if my kids go to college?  One child is doable, but two?  What if they can't get financial aid?  How will I pay for all of this? 

I think about my current situation with my husband travelling for work.  Would I be able to handle two children without his help and support?  How will our relationship be affected if we have more than one child? 

I don't think about having another child as providing a playmate to my daughter.  I think about creating a life, a being, who needs love and attention and to be taken care of.  As a parent, I want to give my child everything possible and I truly mean that.  If I do have another, then it is meant to be.  Until then, I'll focus on what I can do for my one child and do the best I can. 

Any thoughts on this?  Anyone out there an only child that would like to add insight?  I welcome all thoughts and comments!

I Scream. You Scream. We All Scream For Ice Cream

For my birthday this year, my dad gave me the ice cream attachment for my Kitchen Aid.  Thanks dad!  That was in October, and I just got to using it for the first time.  I knew the bowl needed some good freezing time so I stuck it in the freezer three days ago.  Plus, it took three whole days to get my butt to the store to get all of my ingredients.  I'm not sure if I have mentioned this before but I. Hate. Grocery. Shopping.

Mr. G picked out the first recipe:  Pumpkin Chocolate Chip.

I used the pumpkin ice cream recipe from the Kitchen Aid book and included the chocolate chips per Mr. G's suggestion.  I didn't argue here because pumpkin and chocolate are one of my favorite combinations.  I have to admit that the whole process of making ice cream was a bit daunting, but now that I was somewhat successful, the fear is gone.  I highly recommend the Kitchen Aid attachment.  It was easy to assemble and easy to use.  The recipe is easy to follow as well.  The ice cream base tasted so good that it almost didn't make it to the bowl to churn, I could have eaten it just like that.

Here is the recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Ice Cream courtesy of Kitchen Aid

1.5 cups of half and half
1.5 cups of heavy cream
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup of sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1.5 cups pumpkin puree (half a can)
1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Scald the half and half and heavy cream in a saucepan.  In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla in a medium sized bowl.  Once the cream is hot, ladle 1 scoop of the hot cream into the egg mixture and whisk.  Add another scoop of cream to the egg mixture and whisk.  Add the bowl of egg into the remaining cream in the pot and whisk constantly until nice and thick, about ten minutes.  Do not bring liquid to a boil.  Remove from heat and add pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.  Whisk together until smooth and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour.

Once the ice cream base is well chilled, assemble the Kitchen Aid attachment and immediately add base.  Churn until thick, about 20 minutes, on Speed 1.  Add the chocolate chips to the last 2 minutes of churning.  Transfer to serving dishes and eat immediately or transfer to an airtight container and freeze.  The picture above is right from the mixer into an airtight dish, about to be frozen.

Little miss and I got so excited when it started to churn, I can't wait to teach her how to make it.  I know I'm not the only one making homemade ice cream so feel free to share recipes and stories!

Start Me Up!

Happy Near Year everyone!  I know I'm a little late, but I had fallen off the bandwagon for a bit there and took a much needed rest from the internet.  Between the holidays and taking a quick but eventful trip to New York, I am ready to start blogging again.

I have been thinking a lot lately about what I want to do with this blog and where I'd like it to go.  It is more writing for pleasure than really expecting this blog to go anywhere.  I don't intend on posting ads to make money, nor do I intend for it to go mainstream.  I know this is a tiny blog in a sea of much larger, better blogs.  What I do hope is that I can share things that I know: parenting, cooking, baking, Austin, nutrition, etc.  And sure, I realize there are many other blogs out there that talk about the same thing, but hopefully I can find someone to relate.  To all that follow me, thank you.  It means a lot. 

Of course I wanted to talk about RESOLUTIONS.  After much thought, I decided that I'd like to stick with monthly goals instead of year long resolutions.  Shorter goals are more attainable and I am much more likely to complete my list instead of forgetting about them.  Here it goes!

January Goals:
1.  Eat vegetarian as much as possible.  I have not eaten meat in over a week now and I have to admit, I'm feeling great.  I've been watching a lot of documentaries and reading A LOT on what a healthy diet should look like.  I always get the same answer:  Less processed foods and meat, more fruits, vegetables and grains.  I have not cut out dairy, but I am trying to make healthier choices overall. 

2.  Find a writing class.  If I were to have a yearly goal, it would be to find what I'm truly passionate about and make a living out of it.  Mr. G and I were talking yesterday and he suggested writing.  I do love to write, not sure I am any good at it, but I would love to see if it is worth pursuing.  Now I am hunting for a writing class.  I am not sure where to really begin so this goal may extend into February.  If you have any tips or suggestions, please let me know.

This month is shaping up to be pretty busy so I will leave my goals short and sweet.  My goal is to start posting more about local eateries, recipes, things to do in and around Austin, and how this working/rockin mom manages it all.  You can all follow me on Twitter(link on page), Instagram(AmandaLGagnon) , and Pinterest(link on page). 

I'll leave you with a recipe for my new favorite smoothie.  I named it the Green Protein Smoothie.

I used:  2 bananas, a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter, a handful of ice, 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds, 1 scoop of vegetable protein powder, 1scoop of Green Vibrance (or any green powder), 1 handful of sliced/blanched almonds, and about 1/2 cup of almond milk.  This is perfect for post workout, breakfast or even a snack.  Got any good smoothie recipes? I'd love to hear from you!