Slow Cooking and Resolution Update

I used to be a really healthy eater, pre-baby. Lean protein, veggies, almost no carbs and practically no sugar.

Those were the days when I would go to the grocery store every evening to buy what I needed and whip me up a good meal. My readers who have been following me a while will remember my posting all the yummy food I would make.

With limited time now and a baby who hardly naps during the day, I have resorted to a not-so-good diet, simply because its difficult to get even 30 minutes to cook. So I scavenge for stuff from the pantry, do take-outs or if I have time make soup.

Anyway I decided to buy a slow cooker since I liked the idea of being able to have stuff cooking without slaving over a hot stove.

The slows cookers are surprisingly inexpensive. I bought a 3 quart one, perfect for 2-3 people, or one hungry me :-) 

It arrived in a couple of days and I have been cooking up a storm.

The first meal I made was a simple chicken taco recipe. It came out awesome! I added black beans to make it more substantial.

Then I made jambalaya with sausage and fresh shrimp. Also pretty good.

Today I made lamb stew, which tasted great but was more soupy then stewy. Need to put less broth next time.

Its been a lot of fun, although the stew did require a ton of chopping, so I need to do the prep work the night before when Beanie is asleep and just throw it all in the crockpot the next day otherwise its too time consuming.

The size of the cooker makes 2-3 meals which is great since I have leftovers.

On days, I am not using the cooker I now get my dinner prepared before 5pm when my Mom leaves. That way I have food for later and only need to re-heat, after I feed Beanie.

Baby-steps, but it feels good to be eating more home cooked food.

I am still working on the whole "drinking more water" part of my mid-year resolution, but its better. And I have incorporated fruit back into my daily diet.

I am continuing to work out daily, but to be honest motherhood itself is very physically demanding.

All day long I am lifting, holding, getting down on the floor, rolling around, getting off the floor carrying a 15+lbs baby. Not to mention the rocking her to sleep, dancing (to entertain the poppet), bending into the crib and lifting her out, hauling the car seat carrier, etc.  That is quite a workout in itself. Not to mention going up/down the stairs at least 50 times a day, I am not kidding you!

I am definitely burning way more calories than I am consuming. Plus nursing burns a ton of calories too!