10 Cold Remedies (Pregnancy Friendly)

It was inevitable...I caught a cold. About two weeks ago my husband started to come down with a cold that stuck around way too long.  I managed to steer clear of a cold since last May, which is an impressive feat for a teacher so it's about time.  I hope this means this is my winter cold and I'll be in the clear for a while. Winter vacation will have nothing to do with snotty Kleenex, coughing fits, and noodle soup for breakfast (I'd rather eat Christmas cookies for breakfast during my vacation!).  Thankfully I've never been one to take medication when I'm sick.  I've only been on antibiotics once in the last 11 years (BOOYA!) and my body does a good job and getting over sicknesses pretty darn quickly.  I truly believe the reason why I don't get sick very often is because I rely on my body to fight its' own battle (that is of course unless it's a bad infection in which case I would totally take medication to help -- but I haven't had to).  During pregnancy most medications should be avoided so this was no big change for me. Here is a list of home remedies that are pregnancy friendly.

1. Mentholated Steamer - Pour boiling water into a salad bowl and add a small tab of vicks vaporub. Drape a towel over your head and the bowl for 5 minutes and take deep breaths.  This sooths a sore throat and helps break up all that gross snot. I try to do this at least 3 times a day.

2. Soup - YUMMY! The heat feels so good on the throat and it gets nutrients in you when you might not have an appetite.

3. Bed side Humidifier - We purchased a cool mist humidifier and run it every night for about an hour in the winter months (I get nose bleeds so this helps limit those). When there is a sickness floating around our house we run it all night long.

4. Emergen-C Health Booster - We only drink one of these a day when there is a chance of a cold or if we have a cold.  I had my Fertility Doctor read over the ingredients and I got the thumbs up that it is ok to drink.  It is an adult formula so it isn't safe for kids to drink. I've figured out that the when you mix a little pineapple juice with the orange flavoured packet it tastes delish!

5. REST - the more sleep the better!

6. Stay hydrated - I drink a ton of orange juice, water and hot water with pasteurized honey and fresh lemon slices. I usually have two drinks on the go while I'm sick. When you think you've drank enough, have more!

7. A daily vitamin - I'm obviously currently taking prenatal vitamins (actually I have been for 3+ years in preparation for pregnancy -- oops! Little did I know it would take a looooong time to get here).

8. Salt water gargle - 1 teaspoon in a half mug of boiling water. Gargle. The more frequent the better!  I try for 4 times daily. It kills helps with inflammation in the throat and kills off bacteria and prevents more from growing. So much better then those sugary gross tasting throat lozenges.

9. Neti pot - It feels weird to do this but it works!  It's the same deal as gargling with salt water but the neti pot gets into your sinuses and prevents sinus and ear infections.  I once started to develop a sinus infection and was able to combat it with the neti and avoided going on antibiotics. Totally worth the purchase.

10. Fresh air - Even in the cold months I try to get outside at least once for a short walk to get some fresh air into my lungs. It does the body and mind some good.

Bring on Winter

Yup - this happened this weekend! 2.5 feet of snow. Good thing the hubby bit the bullet and purchased a snow blower this year. Bring on Winter! We are ready :) 

 

 

One Dish Chicken Alfredo

Today was a good day!  No headaches, no nausea and my energy was relatively normal. On good days I can face cooking (thus the reason my recipe posts have been lacking over the last four months). My husband requested Chicken Alfredo for dinner tonight so I hit the internet. I stumbled across this recipe that claimed a tasty meal in just one dish. Less dishes?! Less time?! Sign me up! I didn't follow this recipe to a T (shocking, I know), but it turned out pretty tasty!  Not restaurant quality since there is no butter used and I used half and half instead of heavy cream.  Trust me, your arteries will thank you since it does have a cup of cheese in it. Hope you enjoy!

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup half and half cream
1/2 cup milk
3/4 box of smart pasta (about three cups), uncooked
1 cup grated parmesan cheese (more if desired)

Method
Over medium/high heat warm oil and add chicken cubes and garlic.  Cook chicken until all pink is gone.  Add all remaining ingredients (except the cheese!!!) and bring to a boil (yes, you are adding raw noodles, not cooked noodles).  Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Stir twice. After 15 minutes add cheese and stir to mix for a few minutes over low heat.  Chances are the cream has separated a bit -- stirring it will make it nice and creamy.  The starch from the pasta really thickens things up.  Enjoy!

My Cheap Decorating Ways

It's no secret that I'm in love with the Christmas season!!!  Yesterday was one of my most favourite days of the year -- Decorating day!  I blasted Christmas tunes (thank you Rogers channel 710), burned pine candles, and drank hot chocolate while I slowly emptied two totes full of Christmas decorations. love.it.love.it.love.it. It occurred to me yesterday that while I love looking at Christmas decorations at the stores I don't like spending money on something that I can only use for 6 weeks of the year. I don't actually own very many Christmas pieces other then tree decorations -- 6 mercury glass Christmas trees, a willow tree nativity scene (a gift), and a sliver reindeer.  The rest of my decorations are my everyday items converted to something festive either by using cheap items from the dollar store or Christmas tree decorations. Check out my cheap decorating ways in the pictures below. Fa'la'la'la'la, la'la'la'LA!

Add ribbon to existing candle holders

Cake stand with a few dollar store decorations



Christmas cards and wrapping paper in frames.
Pinecones from outside with dollar store berries.
Red & white books that I had laying around.



I've seen these suckers sell for up to $20 a piece.
Mine were $2 from the dollar store and I just added ribbon that I had already.

$2 wreath (Michaels with coupon) and $1 dollar store berries.
Everyday candle sticks & tray with Christmas tree decorations on top

Folded cozy blankets and dollar store berries in my everyday vase

The First Trimester

To be honest, I thought since we went through hell and back to become pregnant that that gracious powers above would make my pregnancy an absolute breeze.  Oh, how naive I was! I experienced a solid 14 weeks of all-day nausea paired with exhaustion.  It's sad to say, but I eventually got used to the fact that I wanted to puke every minute of every day.  The nausea would wake me up from a deep sleep and I found myself  spending a great deal of time standing in the bathroom staring at my beautiful scary reflection while trying to keep down saltine and gold fish crackers.  A sick part of me enjoyed the nausea because it let me know that our babes was doing its' thing in my belly. By week 15 the nausea subsided for the most part.  Cue the raging headaches.  While the exhaustion and nausea has moved on, my head often feels like it might combust at any given moment.  My amazing OB has me booked in to see a neurologist to make sure everything is a-ok but her and I both are fairly confident that it's the raging hormones that are causing the raging headaches.  Regardless of the 'side effects' of carrying this gift in me I am so beyond thrilled and blessed to be able to experience this. Emotionally I have felt great the entire time. Fingers crossed that the headaches dissipate and the emotional stability remains throughout the next two trimesters -- for everyone's sake!  Bring on week 17! My advice to anyone in the first trimester...

I might be having too much fun making these....

Keep Calm

When I see them for the first time in the grocery store I fist-pump in the air.

When I smell them it feels like Christmas.

When I peel them they make me salivate like my chocolate lab.

When I eat them I always have to eat two at a time (that's what she said).

When they are no longer in season I begin having the winter-blues.

An Extra Hour

How did you spend your extra hour?  15 years ago I spend an extra hour in bed sleeping away my raging adolescent hormones. 10 years ago I was pumped to have an extra hour of drinking time at The Palace in Guelph. This year I spend it on an early morning walk with my family. How times have changes, but I'm completely ok with it.  It was a perfect fall morning -- frost on the ground, the sun shinning and a very, very happy puppy.  Life is good. Enjoy the extra hour folks and don't forget to change your alarm clock so you don't show up to work an hour early. That would be brutal...

 

Mini Pumpkin Scones

Ever notice that Pinterest lies sometimes?! If you don't know what I mean check out this hilarious website. I was so frustrated last week when I decided to make these delicious looking pumpkin cookies and they ended up not being cookies at all (1st world problems...).  In my opinion cookies are suppose to be dense, rich, crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. I knew as I was mixing the 'dough' that these weren't going to be cookies since the 'dough' was actually a batter. Dammit again. The silver lining is that I ended up altering the recipe on the fly and it wasn't a completely flop. Thank God because the original recipe yielded 60 freakin' cookies, which turned out to be 60 tasty mini pumpkin scones. My husband and I ended up having to take a bunch to work just to get rid of them and they were a hit. Here is the cookie scone recipe that I altered. Enjoy!

Yield: 24
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened not melted
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon making soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin
2 1/2 cups flour

Icing
1/4 cup butter, softened not melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
splash of vanilla
1 1/2 - 2 cups powdered sugar

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a stand mixer or electric mixer cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Add egg and vanilla and mix. Sprinkle in baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and pumpkin and continue to mix until combined. On low, slowly add flour a little at a time until combined. Do not over mix. Drop by tablespoon onto a ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. *these aren't pretty looking scones until you ice them since it's difficult to shape batter.

Icing Method
Using a stand mixer or electric mixer combine butter, brown sugar, milk and vanilla.  Once mixed slowly add powdered sugar.  To thicken icing simply add more powered sugar.  Do not ice scones until they are completely cooled.  I learned this the hard way...story of my life! Sprinkle with cinnamon to making them look Purdy.