No Direct Flights

It’s our turn to provide break-time snacks for our prenatal class at our midwifery center, and while searching for a vegan-friendly recipe, came across this by Jeanette Chen of Jeanette’s Healthy Living on One Green Planet. I am so excited to make it tonight!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup organic sugar
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup vegan dark chocolate

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine almond flour, salt, sugar, Earth Balance, vanilla and peanut butter in a bowl and beat with electric mixer until thoroughly blended.
3. Form into 1″ balls and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet, 2 inches apart.
4. Bake for 12-14 minutes until set and lightly browned. Cool.
5. Melt dark chocolate either in the microwave (for 45 seconds at a time, stirring in between until melted) or a double boiler, and drizzle on top of cookies.

Despite all my reading, it took Chainsawmama’s post today to inform me today that painted nails may cause my son to have birth defects. Although I imagine the chances of this are very slim, I still feel pretty terrible for not knowing about and consequently, taking, the risk.

The greatest risk is to women who are exposed to the fumes and chemicals ( such as in hair salons and spas) regularly, and thankfully, I haven’t been.

I know now, and I removed all my nail polish last week because it was starting to chip, so I know not to paint them again for a very very long time.

It’s a little thing, but… I feel selfish and vain, like I’ve compromised my baby’s safety and well being over something as stupid as a little colour. 

gorgeousbaby-blog:

“Our culture has instilled in us a fear of the natural experience of birth and a fear of our bodies. In countries where women are supported in their desire and ability for a natural birth (Northern Europe leads this charge), babies and mothers have the lowest mortality rates. Natural birth is not…

(Source: moms.today.com)