tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89958957395195028062024-02-07T18:20:33.840-05:00itsy bitsy balebustaAn Itsy Bitsy Balebusta, navigating her way, through the adventures of motherhood. Real Life. Recipes. Reviews. Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-75048505987078249192020-05-20T12:05:00.002-04:002020-05-20T12:05:31.951-04:00National Physiotherapy Month!May is National Physiotherapy Month! Before February, I hadn’t actually participated in a physio session with one of my kids. SLP, OT, ABA, Music Therapy yes, all part of our therapy schedule. We’d also been through the NICU, surgeries and surgical procedures, and at one point, feeding therapy too, but physio wasn’t a realm I was familiar with.<br />
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Just a few hours after E’s birth, a pediatrician visited our recovery room to examine her. He asked questions about our medical history and when we shared our son’s diagnosis he began to tell us about early intervention programs for E and the importance of keeping an eye out for red flags, so that she could get whatever support necessary, as soon as possible. He didn’t have to tell me any of this - from the minute I saw the positive on the pregnancy test, my red flag radar was on high alert. Due to the fact that Y had been diagnosed so early, he was able to begin receiving services from the age of two and it made a significant difference in the trajectory of his development. E’s ability to make eye contact, smile socially, imitate, speak, and use gestures brought with it a sense of reassurance. Despite all of it, I couldn’t get past the fact that she just wasn’t moving as much as her brothers were at a similar age.<br />
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I tried not to compare but as the weeks went on, it became more pronounced and I made a doctor’s appointment for her. Our doctor felt confident at that time that she was alright but assured me that if I still had concerns in a month or so, that she’d re-evaluate. At the next appointment I raised my concerns again. She was almost a year old and not crawling, pulling herself up to sit or pulling to stand, standing independently, or cruising at all. She could roll and she could scoot from point A to B, but that was about the extent of it. Knowing my track record in identifying concerns with the kids, the doctor said that if I felt a physio assessment was necessary, she would support that and help us to arrange it. I really, really appreciated the fact that I didn’t have to stand there advocating my heart out and agreed to go ahead with the assessment. <br />
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I initially told M that I didn’t want to share it with anyone. We’re always so open about whatever supports or services the boys are accessing and I don’t usually feel compelled to hold anything like this back, but this time I just didn’t want to get into it with anyone. I didn’t want to hear that I’m just looking for something to be wrong or that she’s fine and in time she’ll catch up and, "<i>to just relax.</i>" Having to nod and listen to the stories about someone’s cousin or child who was also behind and then woke up one morning and was suddenly totally caught up was not something I was willing to go through this time. As well meaning as everyone is, I just wanted to focus my energy on the sessions themselves rather than having to discuss them. I know that walking isn’t a concern until 18 months, but if she hasn’t mastered the other skills, she won’t have the foundation necessary to literally take the next steps.<br />
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I thought that maybe this chapter of Motherhood wouldn't bring along with it therapies and services. N’s first 2 years were spent in and out of hospitals and specialist appointments, with an OT visiting our home to work with him at just months old. Y has been accessing support and services for as long as I can remember - everything from SLP to OT, Music Therapy, and ABA. I remember holding N, only months old, on our living room floor while the speech therapist did everything she could to engage Y and encourage him to attend to the session. I thought this time around I could skip all of that. That for the first time I could just be Mom, without the side of care coordinator and stand-in therapist between sessions, surrounded by pamphlets and worksheets and exercises to work on with my baby. I felt so guilty for feeling this way, but at the same time, so emotional about how it was all turning out.<br />
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In February, our Physio came to our home to meet E and to begin working with her. She was so patient, knowledgeable, and kind. Truthfully, I realized that I felt more natural and in my element speaking with someone on a therapy team than I do with most other people. She not only identified all of my concerns within that first session, she also explained the impact each one had on further development and what could be done to address it right away. I’ve worked with a lot of different therapists, but I was absolutely blown away by her! She was sensitive and calm, appreciated the fact that this was our third child accessing services, and spoke to me in a manner that made me feel like an equal. I felt so comfortable and confident in her presence and that we had found the perfect person to support us and help E reach her milestones!<br />
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So, why decide to share now, when initially I was so adamant that we just keep this to ourselves? Because when you don’t share the hard parts, sharing the good isn’t as epic. I could have easily posted these photos of E and left it that that, but she deserves so much more recognition for all of her hard work and persistence. We only had three sessions before quarantine hit and in-home therapy was put on pause. With worksheets and tips, phone calls with directions and advice, E has thrived and is now confidently pulling herself up to stand and beginning to cruise! On my birthday, she independently grabbed hold of the walker we had left out (more for her to play with the front panel than feel any pressure to walk with). She took a few tentative steps with it and I was absolutely blown away. We had gone from sessions and exercises where she wobbled, and was agitated, and needed core support to remain upright, to her trying to take a couple of steps with her walker! E kept pushing through, she’s stubborn and dedicated and persistent and inspiring and has made huge strides (pardon the pun) throughout this quarantine. She's doing all she can to keep up with her brothers and having them home 24/7 now constantly motivates her to get up and join in whatever they're doing! We're still working on getting her to stand independently, reducing scooting, and cruising with more ease, but she has come so far already and we couldn't be prouder!<br />
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I was emotional when it was confirmed that she would indeed need physio, regardless of the fact that I'm the one who pushed for it in the first place. What I hadn't focused on at the time, was the unique sense of pride and accomplishment, and the thrill that comes from successful sessions. We've been given more opportunities to celebrate what others come by so effortlessly. Was I excited when I saw the boys pull to stand for the first time? Of course! But there was an element of relief added to the excitement that changed the experience with E. The same can be said for each of the kids and their milestones, respectively. What's been especially memorable for one has been different for another and it has left us with an appreciation for every single moment, big and small. I'm constantly blown away by challenges and obstacles that Y, N, and E not only face, but work so hard to overcome on a daily basis. I'm so proud of them and forever grateful to so many therapists who have essentially become extended family over the years! <br />
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E is thriving and getting stronger, step by step, every day. This is a chapter that brings with it memories of us watching her excitedly and in awe, with her brothers clapping or cheering her on, as she goes above and beyond goals, doing so with so much joy and inspiring us every step of the way!Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-26294944537912033662020-04-28T18:01:00.000-04:002020-04-28T18:42:54.513-04:00Autism Awareness Month 2020!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
When online learning started in March, I shared on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B90W7Y_lYz_/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> how I was having a hard time finding a reflection of our reality as I scrolled through my feed. Seven weeks later, it’s almost weird to feel like this is our norm. Mornings spent getting through showers, laying out uniforms, making lunches, updating communication books and filling up backpacks have been exchanged for a much slower pace. We’ve settled into our new routine which includes zoom sessions and tele-therapy. While N is able to (for the most part) sit and participate in virtual circle time and lessons with his class multiple times per day, this is what online learning looks like for Y: </div>
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For the past three years, he has received intensive therapy through the autism program offered in his school. When the school closures were announced, my fears of regression grew exponentially. Without the necessary consistency required of his program, consistency we had done everything to maintain for the last 3+ years, I couldn't see how regression would be avoidable. While the last five years of this journey has thrown multiple learning curves my way, learning how to advocate through a pandemic has definitely been one of the most interesting. M & I are very involved in Y’s programming and with all aspects of his therapy. With the school closures, we didn’t just have to adapt to the pandemic version of homeschooling, supporting our three children under six through a chaotic and confusing time, working from home and navigating our way through <a href="https://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/871715/jewish/What-Is-Passover-Pesach.htm#What" target="_blank">Pesach</a>, basic errands, groceries and more, we also suddenly became stand-in therapists. Together we developed our own “Get Y Ready For Pesach” program! We used techniques and strategies we had learned over the years and began to fade out chametz and prepare for a three-day yuntif (where routines would be further changed out of their norm than they already had been). I’m so proud to say our preparation and “program” was successful! Y’s resiliency and ability to adapt is astounding. <br />
<br />Now that school is back in session so to speak, the above photo is what e-learning looks like in our home. It just so happens that Autism Awareness Month fell during quarantine. While the phrase, “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism,” stands true, I feel like it’s important to share what learning right now may look like for families like ours.<br />
<br />Basically from birth, Y has always responded to music. Although he was colicky, over time, certain songs and sounds began to soothe him. Over this past summer, Y’s ability to communicate really began to pick up. We would frequently hear back from his team about how attentive he was during his group music sessions as well as how he’d participate and was more willing to put into practice different strategies he was learning in other areas specifically during this therapy. M & I spoke about it and although we were concerned with how full his schedule already was, we decided to go ahead and add music therapy. I was very clear that I didn’t want this to be work for him. I didn’t want him to have a ton of expectations and I didn’t want the other therapies to overtly partner here, as they did in other areas. I wanted this to be a space where he could enjoy music and where it could soothe him and help him continue to put into practice everything he had been learning naturally and, for the most part, independently (or at least more so than we had seen in other forms of therapy). I wanted him to know that we had “heard” him, so to speak, and understood that music had an impact on him and that we wanted to embrace and encourage it!<br />
<br />I could not have anticipated the results we’ve seen. I’ve learned (and frequently been told) to remain realistic. It’s not a phrase I like, but it is something I’ve come to at least partially understand. I truly believe Y is capable of everything and anything and will always advocate as such. When it came to music therapy I had two motives - I wanted him to be happy and feel heard. N can tell us that he likes certain activities and expresses his hobbies and interests clearly. I strongly felt that Y was attempting to do the same through his engagement with music and I wanted him to know we recognized that. Months later, not only does he absolutely love these sessions, but the following three words speak for themselves - he is thriving.<br />
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Quarantine has been HARD, don’t get me wrong. When you go from 36 hours of professional intensive therapy a week to almost nothing for 5+ weeks, it’s definitely a shock and challenge. Behaviours that had been addressed begin to emerge again and the fear of regression hangs overhead like an ominous cloud. Given all that, without quarantine I would never have attended or participated in a music therapy session the way I’ve been able to these past few weeks. It may seem an odd thing to be grateful for, but I am nonetheless. <br />
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We are beyond blessed to have an incredible therapist working with Y. Her patience, sensitivity, encouragement, warmth, and undeniable skill are extraordinary. Our family has known and loved her for years, but working with her directly through these sessions (and through a pandemic) has only further solidified how in awe we are of her. She has not only supported Y these past few weeks, she has provided me with endless amounts of hope, encouragement and kindness. I have cried during more than one session. I have been completely amazed at how motivating music is for my son. How through it he attempts to form words, how he is able to follow instructions, understand expectations, and participate appropriately and meaningfully. How he doesn’t want it to end and will work even harder those last few minutes to extend the session, even attempting to verbalize “more”. How he gets past the difficulty of working virtually and will connect with his music therapist through a screen. How he listens to her and will look right at her on that screen. How he has the freedom to make choices and guide the session through selection of instrument or song. I have watched my son flourish and thrive during these sessions. <br />
<br />I would be lying if I said it was without challenges. There are moments that are more difficult than others, but on the whole, it’s an undeniably positive experience for him and one which has effects that filter into so many other areas. Because of these sessions I know he understands his visuals, he knows that he is able to make choices and be heard through using them and he puts into practice taking turns, following instructions, understanding expectations and so much more!<br />
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Having Autism Awareness Month fall during quarantine this year highlighted so much for me personally. Regardless of the fact that we’ve been helping our son navigate this journey for the last 5 years, being able to see his resilience has been inspiring and has taught me so much. Being able to attend his virtual therapy sessions has been so eye opening, both in terms of how hard he works and how much prouder I am of him and every single one of his results, seeing the effort and determination first hand. Usually I feel like this month is reserved for sharing awareness with friends, family and across social media, but given the circumstances this year, I’m the one who, over the past month, has gained the most awareness in so many ways - ways that I hope will better shape the way I not only relate to my son but also to his therapy going forward! It’s one thing to be on top of the therapy and communicate with the team, attend meetings, request and view data, adjust programming here and there or attend parent training or host in-home sessions. It’s something else altogether to help carry out a session, to witness his resilience, determination, and ability to adapt and work through regardless of the chaos and upheaval to his routine, schedule and structure. Each day I say I couldn’t be more proud, but that’s quickly disproved the next day as my pride only continues to grow! Virtual learning is by no means easy for our family, but we're adapting where we can, advocating for alternatives where we can't, and learning more about each other and our strengths than ever before. And while it's not the Autism Awareness post I was planning to write this year, it couldn't be more fitting. Potential, capability and resiliency through determination are three concepts that should be synonymous with our son's diagnosis and, if nothing else, I hope that is what you're able to take from this post and what I've shared today!Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-54990774740026679642019-09-24T09:18:00.001-04:002019-09-24T09:18:43.776-04:00NICU Awareness Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I only recently realized that September is NICU Awareness Month. </div>
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I’ll admit, I’m a little hesitant when it comes to Awareness Days. After all, who isn’t aware of the NICU? Whether or not you’ve had the misfortune of joining the club, everyone knows of this ward in the hospital and the incredible and miraculous work that takes place beyond those doors. What I tried to shed light on through my IUGR series and what I still feel people aren’t necessarily so aware of, is what it really means to be <b>in </b>the NICU Not only for the child, but for the entire family (you can find the post about our NICU experience, by <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/iugr-and-nicu.html" target="_blank">clicking here</a>). Even more so, I don’t think anyone really understands or acknowledges life <i>after </i>the NICU nearly enough. <br />
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It took three years for me to realize that I hadn’t.<br />
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I vividly remember begging the nurses and doctors for any sort of indication as to when N would be discharged. I also remember the feeling of giving up asking and realizing that there really was no magical date or timeline. That everyday, we’d take two steps forward and one step back from that exit. He’d maintain his temperature, but then he’d only take a quarter of a feed in the allotted time and the rest would have to be administered through his NG tube. That one afternoon, a nurse would remove said NG tube, much to my celebration, only to return the next morning and see it right back there, taped to his face, because the night feeds hadn’t been successful. It is not a joke or exaggeration when people say that life in that wing is a roller coaster ride. There’s that feeling of losing your breath and your stomach dropping right as you’re at the peak - whether it’s when you’re about to watch a test be administered or when you see the doctor enter the room and you just know the results are in. It’s terrifying and heartbreaking and miraculous and inspiring. <br />
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The boys were born fifteen months apart. It took another two and a half years before we were ready to add to our family again. I felt so prepared, while I sat in the pre-pregnancy consults and ticked questions off of my list in my notebook. I was addressing all of the issues that had come up during N’s pregnancy as well as his diagnosis and how that would affect subsequent pregnancies and what it would mean for us. I listened to statistics and different courses of action that could be helpful in preventing any issues this time around. I took those preventative measures and met with a whole team, including an MFM and dietician. When the doctor made it clear that I’d be considered high risk, I nodded along and, if anything, was happy that it meant I’d have an increased level of care and monitoring.<br />
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I had no idea.<br />
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I was at that hospital more often during my pregnancy with baby E than I was almost anywhere else. I had two appointments a week - one ultrasound or BPP and a slew of other tests. Not just at the end or occasionally, but for almost the entire duration of my pregnancy. I’ll get into my pregnancy with E more in a separate post, but I want to make it clear that I was being attended to and monitored with the utmost vigilance and care. I had plenty of opportunity to ask questions, address concerns, and work with professionals whose patience and knowledge made all the difference. <br />
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I know exactly the day there was a shift. It was a couple of weeks after my pregnancy became increasingly more complicated and I had to be put on medical leave. I was seated, waiting for my name to be called for that week’s ultrasound when a new mom was wheeled out of the elevator and her exhausted looking partner was looking around the hallway for signs. For the NICU. So that she could go and meet her baby. Her face, the fear and anguish… it broke me. It took me right back three and a half years. I started to openly cry sitting in my seat. I wanted to run over to her, hug her, and tell her that none of this was her fault, because that’s what I felt the first time I was wheeled into the same room, in the same hospital. <br />
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That was the day that the NICU wasn’t just a memory anymore. It was the day that it once again took precedence in my thoughts. From that point forward I asked at every appointment what the chances of this baby needing the NICU were. What weight she had to be to avoid it. What I had to do to prevent us from ever having to go through that again. Obviously, there were no answers. There were estimates and ranges, statistics, and the same line over and over again, “We won’t know until she’s here. For now let’s just focus on…” There was nothing I could do. Again. <br />
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My MFM was incredible and listened and acknowledged my concerns and some rational and logical part of my brain also knew that he couldn’t promise me we’d avoid the NICU, but I just wished so much that he could. Baby was measuring small and that meant that my fears were measuring quite large. He referred me to speak to the team psychiatrist who was amazing and reassured me that my fears were totally normal and helped talk me through them. <br />
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When it came to the delivery day, I was thrilled that I was going to meet my daughter. That I was going to be able to experience being the mother to a strong, brave, and beautiful little girl who had given me such strength throughout my pregnancy each week when I saw her little face on the ultrasound. But if we’re being honest, I was absolutely terrified. I knew we were hours from either being admitted to the NICU or being admitted to a postpartum room. That fear dictated a lot concerning my delivery. When it came to N, I wasn’t allowed to accompany him to the NICU because I had received an epidural and had to stay in recovery. That meant I didn’t really get to see him for hours. I couldn’t let that happen again. Her being admitted wasn’t in my control, but my ability to accompany her should she have to go was (at least a little bit). So that was it, I opted for no epidural, not a single IV, so if she had to go I’d be ready to get up and go too. The intensity of the pain was greater than anything I could have imagined. The only thing that was still greater was the fear. Right before she was born I sobbed and screamed out, “I’m so scared.” At that point every doctor and nurse knew exactly why, as I had been clear from the beginning. They reassured me and seconds later she was on my chest. When they asked me to pass her to them to be weighed I began to sob. I couldn’t breathe waiting for the number to enter the room. <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/an-iugr-delivery.html" target="_blank">Three and a half years earlier </a>it was that number that sent the NICU team into action and whisked away my little boy. The agony waiting to hear that number… it felt like it took years. My incredible, strong little girl beat the mark by 104g. 104g meant that she could come back to my arms and would be assessed in room. She passed every single test beautifully and together we were admitted to the recovery wing. I took my first deep breath in months and held on to my littlest hero, knowing how close we'd come. All interventions and tests required were able to be performed in room next to me, and it wasn't until we were discharged a few days later that I could finally accept that one of the test results wouldn't return stating she'd have to be relocated to an isolette a floor down.<br />
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I know I’m one of the lucky ones. That both times I was able to eventually bring my children home. That their stays weren’t more complicated or life-threatening. I know that. I also know that the delivery room nurses were well meaning when they reiterated that if my daughter were to need the NICU, she would get the best care and it would be what she needed to grow well and thrive and we'd get through it.<br />
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I’m sure this isn’t what you expected as a NICU Awareness Month post. Part of me feels selfish that I’m not focusing on N. The fact that this was his experience, he was the one who battled, he was the one who deserves all of the attention and recognition, praise and awe. But I just wish I had come across one other perspective like this when I was pregnant with E. One other person whose experience standing by and advocating for their child in the NICU resonated with them in new ways long after the experience was over. I’ll be honest, in the years between Noam being born and this pregnancy, my fears of the hospital and NICU and everything from that experience hadn’t just disappeared. But with each passing day, they faded a little until they were a memory and not a nightmare. But when faced with the fact that this could once again be my reality, I didn’t know how to process it. You’ll see plenty of posts this month about what it means to be in the NICU, but I wanted to share my experience about what it means to be possibly facing the NICU after you’ve lived through it once before. It amazes me that new situations and experiences prompt new moments where I have to face what happened and get through it all over again in new ways, in a new context. Even after you’re discharged, you’re still in the club. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May 2015</td></tr>
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If you’re facing the reality of the NICU again, if you’re worried or feel like no one understands, know that you aren’t alone. I hope you have a medical team that cares for you totally and completely. I hope you have the support you need to go forward. I hope you have the strength to face each appointment and, ultimately, the delivery. And if you need someone to hear you out, with no judgement and from a place of some sort of understanding, please feel free to reach out. NICU Awareness Month is about the wonderful nurses and doctors, the miraculous babies, but it could also be about you - whether you’re sitting next to an isolette today or remembering back to when you did. Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-76246510335933598592019-09-19T11:11:00.000-04:002019-09-19T11:11:28.397-04:00What Is A Balebusta? <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: Lora, serif;">When I was going through the site, preparing to update it in the hopes of starting to write again, I realized what needed an update above everything else was the page describing the story and meaning behind <i>Itsy Bitsy Balebusta.</i></span><span style="font-family: Lora, serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxL-_Xs5kxRukgWuQ6t6_SzViVzLVLaMLEFkL3rXiwtuCOk55LgUYAOb9aTCzRGqFTdhzyvtperLFwn4thk8HrGtcNFVimDQpxGGFLVd6V8UNbT1dvZ7hNqG_a-lk3bUmfpVUYRj4AQGY/s1600/Itsy+Bitsy+Balebusta+Logo+2019+-+Grey+Pink-01+%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1423" data-original-width="1600" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxL-_Xs5kxRukgWuQ6t6_SzViVzLVLaMLEFkL3rXiwtuCOk55LgUYAOb9aTCzRGqFTdhzyvtperLFwn4thk8HrGtcNFVimDQpxGGFLVd6V8UNbT1dvZ7hNqG_a-lk3bUmfpVUYRj4AQGY/s320/Itsy+Bitsy+Balebusta+Logo+2019+-+Grey+Pink-01+%25281%2529.png" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 16px;">Honestly, I felt like a visitor to my own page, when I read what I had written there. It was as if I was reading about an old friend I had lost touch with. It really struck me how much has changed.<br /><br />Click <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/p/about.html" target="_blank">here</a> to go directly to the <b>What Is A Balebusta</b> page (also located in the menu bar above) and read what being a <i>balebusta </i>means to me today!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "lora" , serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span>Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-63699036154743934192019-09-08T08:24:00.001-04:002019-09-08T08:24:48.806-04:00You're Not Alone<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve thought about writing this out a thousand times.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve tried to, just about as often. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Writing is how I process and share. Over the past few years, reading the stories and experiences of others, whether through blog posts or Instagram captions, has changed my life. I know that sounds dramatic, but so be it. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At first, in the early days after his diagnosis, I couldn’t because it would make it too real. Not the endless assessments and specialist appointments and forms to fill out, but seeing my own words, my own experience written out - it was too much. I also struggled with the fact that this is my son’s story. I am a supporting cast member, one who will never be able to understand his daily struggles, the amount of work and effort required to do what others consider simple daily tasks. This is his story to share when, hopefully, he is one day able to. Who am I to broadcast his diagnosis and daily life to the world?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who am I?</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m his Mom.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His advocate.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His haven.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.olivephotography.ca/" target="_blank">Olive Photography</a></td></tr>
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</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The second I saw the positive on the pregnancy test. The first ultrasound where this little bean on the screen was floating around. The first flutter. The first second after the doctor placed him on my chest in the delivery room and I didn’t know what else to say but to introduce myself as his Mommy and tell him how much I absolutely love him. Twenty months later, I sat in the developmental pediatrician’s office, listening to her relay what I had been trying to bring to the attention of everyone for months. Then she spoke the words that confirmed everything I already knew. The first (and likely last) time I hated being proven right. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I told myself over and over again that just because he now had the diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder nothing changed. He was still the exact same amazing little boy that he was seconds before the doctor had said the word out loud. We stepped outside and the sky was still blue, people continued along their day and other than the fact that the questions in my heart now had answers and the doubt was replaced by fear, life continued on.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Four and a half years later and I’ve remained a spectator to the stories of others. I devour blog posts and articles, instagram accounts dedicated to the lives of other families going through similar journeys to ours and anything I can find. I crave community and the ability to say, “us too!” but never put myself out there. Recently in the middle of meltdowns or IEP meetings or while consulting with therapists, when I feel like no one else understands, I’ve come to discover it’s because of me. How could anyone else ever understand when I don’t share? When I don’t offer my story or my experiences? I’ve only been more than happy to sit back and benefit from those brave families who do. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So while this is his story and I will never, ever even attempt to speak for him, my brave and incredible son, who I am so in awe of every single day, and what it means to be him, it’s also a part of my story. For those Moms who just received their child’s diagnosis and aren’t ready to open up but desperately need to know they aren’t the only ones in the world with this new journey ahead of them? Add my voice to the ring and know you aren’t alone. While our children have endless people entering their lives now in the form of specialists, therapists, teachers, doctors and more, while the spotlight is rightfully shone on them as they begin to navigate their way through supports and programs with you by their side, the need for a community for us - the caregivers, parents and siblings, is just as important. Whether you find that community in your neighborhood, on Instagram or through posts like this one, find it and hold on to it. I won’t end this with one of the trillion things people always feel compelled to say upon learning of a diagnosis, I won’t even say I understand because my son’s Autism is not your child’s Autism. All I’ll say is that you’re not alone, because sometimes that’s really all we need to hear. </span></div>
Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-34370847220407249712018-04-04T22:49:00.000-04:002018-04-04T22:49:28.970-04:00A Taste of Pesach 2 Review<div style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 17.6px; text-align: center;">
<i>This cookbook was generously provided by Artscroll. </i><br /><i>The review, opinions expressed and photographs below are completely my own. </i></div>
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We're halfway through Pesach 2018 and I can’t believe it! This year’s Sedarim are behind us and Chol HaMoed outings are all but fond memories! It’s back to the kitchen now, with preparation for the second days well under way!</div>
<br />It’s easy to get overwhelmed when it comes to Pesach. Between all of the necessary cleaning, cooking and logistics of travelling, or welcoming friends and family from near and far, taking a deep breath and remembering the <i>why </i>helps to keep me in check. I strive to stay as happy and calm as possible throughout all of the preparation, which is not always an easy feat - for instance, when the kitchen still has to be turned over, which means you haven’t started cooking yet and everyone else is posting photos of their stocked freezers and oh there goes your two year old with a granola bar in to a room that he has proudly just labelled “Cleaned For Pesach”... just me? Okay… Moving on! I want my boys to look forward to Pesach, I don’t want the word to elicit sighs and images of mad cleaning and scrubbing and missing their favourite foods. I want them to be excited about the preparation, to see the joy and mitzvah in it and to look forward to the meals. I may be asking a lot?<br /><br />With a healthy helping of preparation, perspective and time management I’ve been able to achieve this the past few years. This year I was more nervous given that it was the first year that both boys were in school full days and I was working 40-hour weeks while my husband also worked full time. Previously, when I was home with my boys, I had cleaned here and there throughout the day over the course of a month. This year I had Sundays and evenings after long days, at most. We made it work though - with a cleaning schedule broken down into manageable and realistic goals and learning to be more purposeful in my cleaning - sticking to what was necessary, rather than taking the opportunity to clean out all of the closets and “spring clean”. When it came to menu creation, I looked back on all the menus and notes I save year to year in a little recipe box and tried to keep a good balance of past favourites and new recipes to infuse a little extra creativity!<br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgQba6Fdw6hvbIEHxxNcPB460QXaDR0IcEzZsZUbNyC3TquLUMD7Kn-dKvzUqclNAUxUOOGHVo_oYj-Zp_1c7EEY3Gye99zoc1Tljy0g9NMTwP5uDabOHaXsr7rHhKDR0IpBvyNe0_cQ/s1600/IMG_4032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjgQba6Fdw6hvbIEHxxNcPB460QXaDR0IcEzZsZUbNyC3TquLUMD7Kn-dKvzUqclNAUxUOOGHVo_oYj-Zp_1c7EEY3Gye99zoc1Tljy0g9NMTwP5uDabOHaXsr7rHhKDR0IpBvyNe0_cQ/s640/IMG_4032.jpg" width="480" /></a><br /><br />This year I added a <i>taste </i>of Pesach<i> </i>to our weekly dinner menu a couple of weeks ago, to gauge reactions. Having just received <i>A Taste of Pesach 2,</i> I was eager to try it out well before the kitchen was turned over and the grocery shopping done! With this being one of the busiest seasons of the year, I’m taking a slighting different approach to my review, and sharing a quick overview! Each minute during this yuntif - whether to prepare, enjoy time with family, or take a deep breath, is so immensely valuable, that I want to contribute both my perspective on this great book but also do so briefly so you can get back to doing all you need to! So here it goes! A <i>taste </i>of what I think! <br /><br /><ul>
<li>Upon first glance, there was no mistaking it’s simplicity, crisp and clear layout, and easy to navigate recipes. The ingredients are highlighted on each page, the directions are broken into simple, numbered steps and the designation of meat/ dairy/ pareve is clear, as is what the recipe yields (so important when cooking for large groups!).</li>
<li>The notes are short, concise and give you just enough information to add a personal element to the recipe and assure you that it’s well loved and more than worth trying out!</li>
<li>There is something for everyone’s taste. With 110 recipes, there is no shortage of creativity and variety! The recipes appear as if they require a ton of effort, but reading through the steps, you’ll be amazed at just how simple they are! The majority of recipes have less than 5 steps! The nature of their simplicity in no way compromises their quality and presentation of the final results. It’s a win-win, stunning dishes without having to spend days in the kitchen cooking! Some examples include potato knishes, spinach nests, gnocchi and even a recipe titled, “Brisket in a Bag” (p.141)! </li>
<li>Speaking of presentation, the very first chapter of the book is entitled “Plate It!” The authors state, “When I don’t want to invest too much energy in cooking, I dress up my plates so that my plain old food looks beautiful”. Umm...YES! Better yet she continues on to explain that she uses items she already has to achieve this! So to summarize, there’s an entire section dedicated to plating everything from gefilte fish to salads, crepes, soups and desserts, with items you already have to create dishes that are simple yet stunning! There’s even a tutorial on brushstrokes to really elevate your presentation! </li>
<li>Other thoughtful additions include: notes helping to explain how to plate the recipe as done so in the accompanying photo (of which there is one per recipe!), tips for the diet-conscious and tips on how to cut down on prep time. </li>
<li>As mentioned, there is one photo per recipe and it’s a fair representation of what to expect, which is so important! Often, I’ll make something and look back at the picture in sheer confusion of how exactly what I made was supposed to look like what was photographed? Here the photos are accurate, clear and when there is a little extra added, there are tips to help you achieve that as well! </li>
<li>The recipes themselves are current, flavourful and varied enough that there’s something for everyone! A few favourites include, Potato Stuffed Eggplant (p. 33), Cafe Salad (p. 81), Honey-Balsamic Mushroom Salad (p.91), Mushroom or Broccoli Quiche (p. 173) and Squash Mushroom Kugel (p. 177). There’s also Moroccan Fish, Osso Bucco, Chicken Chow Mein and so much more to add creativity and flair to your menu! </li>
<li>The recipes are all non-gebrokts with a section at the back comprised of a handful of gebrokts recipes! This is an ideal addition to an Pesach cookbook collection and even more so if you’re gluten-free throughout the year! Easily your new go-to! </li>
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<br />Overall, I appreciate so many different aspects of this book and how it contributes to a tasteful, simplified and delicious Pesach menu planning and cooking process! If you’re looking to treat yourself for second days after so much preparation already, or need to refresh your menu after so many meals, this cookbook is a great idea! It’s stunning in its simplicity and a wonderful resource! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdv66srKCXF7stvl0Cpp2sBtC7i6WLAgNqWezGnearVsbAl5k4eS0BEr83ow4kxZ069tHH7QAIHIUvVzIBLnvlCgMxZN7hvg4NJ35dXBWnLe4eqcBQv_dpxt0PcJM2-ZG-u45FxjTOE8/s1600/IMG_4760.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1117" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJdv66srKCXF7stvl0Cpp2sBtC7i6WLAgNqWezGnearVsbAl5k4eS0BEr83ow4kxZ069tHH7QAIHIUvVzIBLnvlCgMxZN7hvg4NJ35dXBWnLe4eqcBQv_dpxt0PcJM2-ZG-u45FxjTOE8/s640/IMG_4760.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />I’m excited to share one recipe with you (with permission) to help add some green and a light touch to meals that tend to be so heavy (so many potatoes!). I find it equally amazing and hilarious that my new favourite dishes in Toronto happen to be salads from two different restaurants - this coming from the person who would be happy living on chocolate chip cookies and donuts! When I saw there was a recipe for a Cafe Salad I knew it was the first thing I wanted to try! I liked the combination of spinach, with the sweetness of the plums and walnuts and tart dressing. Here’s a simple but beautiful contribution to your table! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGO3oU-q_6Ev69j1erQtRHFG693H1k77MZIx6VofbZKTfgp6PgXjP6TS3LT6Bp8H3GzrilU_Ztj9l56f2D1RfKabV5BHufoNLYc4ykDlaIUzNa1JGXxk919nTK2LTeZCUb5yJneWz2o8/s1600/IMG_4759.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="1118" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwGO3oU-q_6Ev69j1erQtRHFG693H1k77MZIx6VofbZKTfgp6PgXjP6TS3LT6Bp8H3GzrilU_Ztj9l56f2D1RfKabV5BHufoNLYc4ykDlaIUzNa1JGXxk919nTK2LTeZCUb5yJneWz2o8/s640/IMG_4759.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><b><u>Cafe Salad</u></b> <i>(Taste of Pesach 2, p. 81, Artscroll 2018).</i><br />Pareve || Yields 6 Servings<br /><br />1 (8 oz) bag baby spinach leaves<br />3 ounces shelled walnuts<br />3 plums, sliced<br /><br />Dressing:<br />⅓ cup oil<br />2 tablespoons red wine vinegar<br />2 tablespoons raspberry jam<br />½ teaspoon salt<br />dash of pepper<br /><br />Arrange the salad ingredients on individual plates or a platter.<br /><br /><b>Prepare the dressing:</b> Place dressing ingredients into a tall container; blend with an immersion blender.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1UuqOaW7_fRVS_AvfeV98O6TTxLzjzoT1x80jyjFb8sbNOZjm9RTIY6VfAflmiGr_W9s7ix312ZeRkQwcZQzsmCVXrePyGaZx_tEPMcwDumKTx8sg3YztGQ-SNKz9ktGRbelZAXv8FU/s1600/IMG_4761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="1115" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN1UuqOaW7_fRVS_AvfeV98O6TTxLzjzoT1x80jyjFb8sbNOZjm9RTIY6VfAflmiGr_W9s7ix312ZeRkQwcZQzsmCVXrePyGaZx_tEPMcwDumKTx8sg3YztGQ-SNKz9ktGRbelZAXv8FU/s640/IMG_4761.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><br />Drizzle dressing over salad just before serving. Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-63104190419780695262018-02-26T21:27:00.002-05:002018-02-26T21:27:54.403-05:00The Healthy Jewish Kitchen by Paula Shoyer<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>This cookbook was generously provided by Sterling Epicure. </i><br />
<i><i>The review and opinions expressed below are completely my own.</i></i></div>
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Beginning last Spring, we made a determined effort to start eating better. This goal took shape in a variety of ways, from actually creating a weekly menu (instead of getting home after a long day and resorting to easy snacks and frozen options) as well as really paying attention to portions. When I heard that Paula Shoyer, <i>The </i>Kosher Baker, was coming out with a healthy cookbook, I was immediately eager for the release date! While we’ve found ways to be creative with sides and mains, dessert has remained a challenge and knowing Paula was releasing <i>The Healthy Jewish Kitchen</i>, elicited much excitement!</div>
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Throughout the book, Paula uses natural ingredients with a contemporary spin. It’s not about adhering to one type of diet or another, it’s about wellness and creating a healthy kitchen. There’s no pressure and as Paula herself says, “this book is a way for you to <i>start</i> eating better.” I was personally happy to read that she still enjoys baked goods and restaurants on her travels and isn’t preaching ridding our menus of all treats! Rather, she stresses that “good nutrition is all about balance and finding a way to introduce into your diet more and more healthful food as often as possible.” Yes, you’ll still find sugar and flour in these recipes, but it was Paula’s goal to avoid sweeteners or anything artificial and when called for, use less than 1 cup of sugar or honey where possible. It’s a new experience to open up a kosher cookbook and not find puff pastry, margarine, stocks and jarred sauces! The recipes within, from ingredients to prep, truly reflect and embody the title of the book and guide you on your way to creating and maintaining a <i>Healthy Jewish Kitchen</i>!</div>
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The book is comprised of such a great variety, that there really is something for everyone! There are plenty of Gluten Free (and Pesach-friendly) recipes, as well as, Dairy Free and Vegan options, allowing this cookbook to appeal to a wide array of diets and dietary restrictions. On that note, the recipes also reflect Sephardic and Ashkenazi customs, as well as those of American and International cultures. This sounds like a lot to have in one book, but it’s done thoughtfully and well! You’ll find recipes for <i>Dal Curry </i>(page 76), <i>Feijoada (Brazilian Chulent with Collard Greens and Farofa)</i> (page 58),<i> Pasta Siciliana</i> (page 65) and more!</div>
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There are quite a few considerate touches here and there that help to make creating a healthy kitchen and lifestyle that much more attainable. The section comprised of menu suggestions is a great way to easily find the perfect healthy dish to add to your meal planning, whether it be for a holiday, Shabbos or a casual BBQ! Even picking just one option from her suggestions - swapping out a dip or side for a healthier version, is a great way to approach these new eating habits in a more accessible way. I’m not ready to radically change my Thanksgiving menu, but maybe this year, trading the fresh buns for a fresh <i>Rosemary Focaccia </i>instead seems doable (and delicious!). There’s also information regarding meal planning and, truthfully, on our journey to healthier eating, I personally feel that meal planning has played the most significant role. When you plan ahead and buy ingredients you need to cook specific (healthier) meals, the likelihood of having less healthy options available significantly decreases.</div>
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The recipes themselves are approachable and can easily be substituted into your regular menus to make the transition to eating better a little easier. They're recipes you’re familiar with so the leap isn’t as great! Healthy eating doesn’t have to mean veggies and bland main dishes. There’s <i>Coq au Vin Blanc </i>(page 51), <i>Brisket Bourguignon</i> (page 56), <i>Fish Tacos with Cilantro Lime Rice</i> (page 68) and more! Next for sure on my list to make is the <i>French Onion Soup with Flanken</i> (page 38)! The Desserts and Breads (BREADS!) section blew me away! <i>Caramelized Apple Strudel</i> (page 123), 3 different types of Challah, scones, rugelach and more! Everything is accessible and with the swapping in of healthier ingredients, they are all great additions to top off a great meal! And when it comes to the ingredients themselves, they’re all readily available at your local supermarket and are fresh, and as natural and unprocessed as possible! If you’re hesitant about stocking your pantry with new ingredients you’re not sure you’re ready to commit to, there are plenty of options for substitutions or alternatives. For instance, there are a variety of oils used within different recipes, but more often than not options to use alternatives are available, so you don’t need to stock up on a ton of different varieties right away to successfully cook through the book. The little boxes added to the bottom of each page add additional information from background on ingredients (e.g. a history of sumac added to the <i>Chopped Salad with Lemon and Sumac Dressing</i> recipe) or food prep instructions (chopping onions, cleaning brussel sprouts etc!) and are also relevant to recipes elsewhere! Instructions are broken down into manageable, easy steps. The pages are very clear and straightforward. I love the addition of the “Prep Time,” “Cook Time,” “Advance Prep,” and “Equipment” designations that proceed each recipe, providing a quick summary of what lays ahead and what you need to have on hand, before even having to read through the recipe. It’s a thoughtful and significant addition! The short intro to each recipe provides background and a personalised touch while not being distracting or taking precedence away from the rest of the page and the recipe itself. The servings and dietary designation (gluten free, etc.) is also available clearly and from the beginning, right below the title. Additionally, the photography is crisp and clear, showcasing the dishes beautifully, realistically and in a manner that is attainable to the average home cook!</div>
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Naturally when I started looking for recipes to test out, the dessert section is where I turned to first. In other healthy cookbooks, the dessert section is frequently lacking. In <i>The Healthy Jewish Kitchen</i>, you’re presented with recipes for desserts you want to eat, that are still sweet and still considered treats! With Purim quickly approaching, I couldn’t resist testing out the <i>Pumpkin Hamantashen</i> (page 110). It’s honestly the best Hamantashen dough I’ve ever made! The consistency was incredible and it barely required any effort to assemble and hold together. For the first time ever, I took a tray of Hamantashen out of the oven and not a single one had opened! The flavour was slightly more savoury than sweet, resembling a mini pumpkin pie in a perfect dough also bearing a subtle pumpkin flavour. It’s an ideal cross between crunchy and soft and holds together beautifully, not crumbling apart at all! My husband, who isn’t the biggest fan of pumpkin, even enjoyed it, saying he wouldn’t mind them at our seudah!! Even my youngest tried one and responded with a, “yummy!” before resuming his search for the chocolate filled ones he’s become accustomed to!<br />
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We also tried the <i>Crudites With Red Pepper Tahini</i> (page 5). It was very easy to make and the flavours blended together seamlessly, really complementing each other well. It would be a great fit with our other Shabbos dips and appetizers, and I could also easily include it in a lunch or snack menu for the week with fresh veggies and whole wheat crackers! I love that the recipes are straightforward enough that you feel motivated to try them out, and versatile enough that they can be added to your menu planning for so many different meals, that it helps to make eating better throughout the day that much more attainable!<br />
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<br />Overall, it's a really great book if you're looking to start creating a healthier kitchen and home stocked with fresh ingredients, with dishes that are contemporary and so full of flavour and creativity that you're inspired to maintain a lifestyle geared towards wellness and nutrition!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;">As a special treat, Sterling Epicure has generously given us one copy to giveaway! In order to enter, visit our <a href="https://www.instagram.com/itsybitsybalebusta/" style="color: #bf9000; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Instagram page</a> and check out the giveaway post! For a bonus entry, leave a comment sharing your favourite healthy eating tip!</span></b></div>
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<i>The contest is open to US entrants (the cookbook will only be shipped to a US address). The contest will run from Monday, February 26th to Thursday, March 1st, 2018 at 8:00PM EST, when 1 (one) winner will be chosen. No purchase necessary. Paula Shoyer's The Healthy Jewish Kitchen will be shipped directly to the US address, Itsy Bitsy Balebusta assumes no responsibility for shipping. The winner will have 24 hours to respond before there is a re-draw for the prize. Good luck!</i></div>
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<b><i><u>Pumpkin Hamantashen (p. 110 The Healthy Jewish Kitchen, Paula Shoyer, 2017, Sterling Epicure)</u></i></b><br />
Shared with Permission<br />
Makes 3 Dozen Cookies || Pareve<br />
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<b>Dough</b><br />
3 large eggs<br />
1 cup (200g) sugar<br />
½ cup (120g) sunflower, safflower or canola oil<br />
½ cup (113g) pumpkin puree<br />
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract<br />
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg<br />
1 ¾ cup (220g) all-purpose four, plus extra for dusting<br />
1 ¼ cups (163g) whole-wheat flour<br />
Dash salt<br />
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<b>Filling</b><br />
1 cup (225g) pumpkin puree<br />
¼ cup light brown sugar<br />
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
1 teaspoon maple syrup<br />
1 large egg yolk<br />
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In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin puree, and vanilla and mix well. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, and salt and mix until the dough comes together. Form the dough into a round, then cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 1 hour or overnight to firm up.<br />
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Prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, place the pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, cinnamon, maple syrup, and egg yolk and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to roll out the dough.<br />
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Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Line 2 or 3 cookie sheets or jelly roll pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Divide the dough in half. <br />
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Cut off 2 pieces of parchment paper and sprinkle all-purpose flour on one. Place a dough half on top of the parchment paper, then sprinkle flour on top of the dough. Place the second piece of parchment paper on top of the dough and, using a rolling pin, roll over the top of the parchment paper. Roll out the dough until it is about ¼ inch (6mm) thick. After every few rolls, peel back the top parchment and sprinkle a little more flour on the dough. Once or twice, flip over the parchment-dough “package” and peel off the bottom parchment. Sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough, place the parchment back on top, and then flip it over. <br />
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Lift off the top parchment. Using a small drinking glass or a round cookie cutter, cut the dough into circles. Using a long metal flat-blade spatula to lift the cookie circles and place them on a piece of parchment paper sprinkled with a little flour. Place ¾ to 1 teaspoon of filling in the center of each dough circle, and then fold in the three sides toward the middle to form a triangle, leaving a small opening in the center. Pinch the three sides together very tightly. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat the process with the remaining dough. Roll and cut any extra dough scraps, making sure to sprinkle a little flour under and over the dough before you roll it out. <br />
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Bake the cookies for 14 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. These cookies taste best when they are crunchy. Slide the parchment and cookies onto wire cooling racks. <br />
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<br />Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-76625333286085472922018-01-16T21:24:00.001-05:002018-01-16T21:24:27.008-05:002017 Reading Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-align: start;"><br />If you follow along on Instagram, you’ll have seen this post recently… </span></div>
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<i>“Reading has always been a passion of mine! There is just nothing like immersing yourself in a book, and getting lost in a plot! Beauty & The Beast is to date, still my favourite film, and from the first time I watched it at three years old, I wanted the library Belle was gifted, almost as much as her gorgeous yellow gown! I majored in English in University, but since graduating and starting a family, taking the time to sit down and really devour a book has escaped me! In 2017 I decided to try again! It may not be the classics and deep literature I studied for years, but really, the small break from screens and setting an example for my boys that picking up a book is as good a hobby as any, was well worth it! …”</i></div>
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Last year I tried my best to reintroduce enjoyable and relaxing activities into my schedule. With two- and three-year-old boys and what seems like constant appointments, therapies, and schedules to attend to, it felt frivolous. The infamous <i>mom guilt </i>reared its ugly head and was strong. For years, a shower and sneaking a chocolate from the freezer were my opportunities for a deep breath (I’m not saying that to play the martyr card or ask for pity, it was my reality and I was exhausted). When 2017 came around, I decided to, very slowly, reintroduce ways to recharge. Two big ones included date nights (more on that in an upcoming post!) and reading again!<br />
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I know it sounds a little odd, but reading has truly always been a passion of mine. From preschool days, sitting on my bed sounding out words using <i>Hooked On Phonics</i>, to never leaving the house without a book well into my teenage years, it all eventually led to an Honours degree in English Lit! Reading has been a comfort, an escape and the opportunity to learn so much about the world and myself in the process. <br />
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Having two babies a little over fifteen months apart didn’t leave a whole lot of time for picking up a book. And truthfully, it wasn’t something I even considered. It took my husband and I longer than we expected to get to our wedding day and then under a year later we were blessed with our son and I completely immersed myself in being a Mommy. There was colic and laughter, sleepless nights and beaming smiles, and hobbies were replaced with everything baby and then everything baby again! Now that the boys are a little bit older and playing more independently, and with each other too (my favourite thing ever!!!) it’s still surreal that I can sit in the family room with them and pick up a book that isn’t of the board variety! <br />
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My husband introduced me to GoodReads and the idea of the Reading Challenge was enticing (by the way, other than using it as a resource, I am in no way affiliated with the site!). I chose 25 books since that would work out to one book every two weeks or so, and I felt that was the most realistic goal I could set. I still can’t believe I managed 34 (although having had surgery in February and being stuck in bed for a bit helped boost my total). I started reading on the bus on my way into work, in the evenings right before bed, and on Shabbos afternoons while the boys played or napped! <br />
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At first I was a little embarrassed to share my list above, given how for years Chaucer, Emerson, Beckett and the like were what I was reading, but this is what I enjoyed and these are the story-lines I escaped to here and there throughout the year! There are a lot written by the same author, since I didn’t put much research into which books to pick up and would just search for more of the same author if I enjoyed a certain book! Otherwise, books were chosen by what was easiest to grab in the library before my toddler decided it was time to leave!<br />
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Here are a few of my favourite books of 2017! <br />
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<b><i>My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella</i></b> - I love the Shopaholic series, but like the <i>Undomestic Goddess</i>, this break from the series was also fantastic! It was relevant with just that little bit of added adventure and suspension of belief to make it a great read to get lost in! It really shows how easy it is to curate your feed and create a whole other world outside of your reality, with a few creative photos on your Insta feed!<br />
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<b><i>The Choices We Make by Karma Brown</i></b> - This was the first book I read by Karma Brown and immediately requested her others from the library right away. Her writing is phenomenal and the characters truly come to life as you move from one chapter to the next. The story line is heavy and the tears flowed easily, given that the emotion packed into each chapter and the power of her writing were so incredible. Having read two others after this, it’s my favourite of her books! Here the story of two friends and families become intertwined as one friend helps the other realise a dream. The shocking twists and turns make it impossible to put this down.<br />
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<b><i>Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman </i></b>- This was the first book I read in almost one sitting in 2017. I couldn’t put it down! The prose, the voice of the main character, how she draws you in with her quirky and innocent observations, had me hooked right away!<br />
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<b><i>Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner</i></b> - There are lines that Erin wrote that hit so close to home, I could have written them myself. Her words brought comfort, understanding, a sensitivity and a fresh perspective on really thinking about your priorities and shifting your perspective to what matters most. It’s a combination of autobiography and self-help, and given that this is a kosher food blog, I do want to mention that there is a religious (Christian) element to it as well, as well as the next book I'll mention! A really great read and many quotes I still go back to! And on that note, I also absolutely loved <i style="font-weight: bold;">Grace Not Perfection by Emily Ley</i>! I’ll preempt this by saying that I am a huge fan of Emily Ley! After years of wanting one, I finally got myself a Simplified Planner for my birthday last year and I love, love, love it! I read this book on the bus the first couple of weeks after having returned to work. Having been a stay-at-home Mom since the day my oldest was born, it was a hard adjustment for me, filled with so many different emotions. Reading this book at the beginning of my day, after having left the house to babies who were still sleeping and not being the one there for breakfast for the first time, was like having a comforting friend with me! So much truth in this book and, again, so many quotes that I bookmarked and look back on frequently. I'm currently reading her recent book <i style="font-weight: bold;">A Simplified Life</i> and it's fantastic!<br />
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Other notable favourites include: <i>Between Sisters</i> by Cathy Kelly, <i>Big Little Lies </i>by Liane Moriarty, <i>Astor Place Village </i>by Stephanie Lehmann, <i>The Light of Paris</i> by Eleanor Brown<br />
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Let me know if you’ve read any and what you thought of them! Any suggestions for my 2018 list?<br />
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Happy Reading!Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-30594304316018584472018-01-08T19:53:00.000-05:002018-01-08T19:53:26.424-05:00Real Life Kosher Cooking {Cookbook Review & Giveaway!}<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i style="text-align: left;">This cookbook was generously provided by Artscroll. <br />The review and opinions expressed below are completely my own.</i></div>
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Real Life can mean different things to different people. Just 6 months ago, my definition of real life meant being a stay at home Mom with two toddlers attached to me basically all of the time, with the exception of a short afternoon preschool program for my oldest (which required a 20-minute walk with both boys, come rain or shine). Today, real life looks like working full time, while both boys are attending full-day preschool and after-school therapeutic programs. Regardless of how our routines and schedules have changed, one thing remains the same - it always seems like every minute of the day is accounted for and any spare minute here or there is valued beyond words. <br />
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When I read the title of Miriam Pascal’s latest cookbook, I couldn’t help but hope that the pages within really, truly reflected the promise of the title. <b style="font-style: italic;">Real Life Kosher Cooking</b><i>,</i> just seemed too good to be true. The best way I could imagine putting it to the test, was to incorporate it into our weekly menu planning - a week that looks like two parents working full time and two little boys spending 30+ hours a week in school with therapeutic supports as well as after school programming. Four schedules and just as many routines. Backpacks to pack, clothes to wash and a home to maintain. Cuddles, playing and outings. And y’know some sleep here and there! <br />
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We chose a handful of recipes and incorporated them into our weekday and Shabbos menu. These included:<br />
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Lemon Oregano Roasted Chicken p. 130<br />
Crispy Onion-Topped Potatoes p. 202<br />
Orange Dijon Salmon p. 179<br />
Mexican Omelette with Crispy Home Fries p.20<br />
Lemon Crumb Cake p.260<br />
Pecan Pie Bundt Cake p.258<br />
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They were all great but the omelette was by far my favourite! And with my husband prepping the potatoes before he left the house, the whole meal was able to be made quickly, after we all got home! My husband especially loved the Pecan Pie Bundt Cake! He isn't usually so enthusiastic about bundt cakes, but he remarked a few times over Shabbos how much he loved it! It was so easy to make, and the title really captures the flavour perfectly - it actually takes like a pecan pie, in all it's sticky, deliciousness, but in the form of a bundt cake! Just make sure you super prep the pan so that it comes out in one piece!<br />
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I love that the recipes in this book do not compromise on flavour or quality, while still ensuring they’re approachable enough to be made in a real life, kosher kitchen, with all the demands of a daily schedule. The variety is also worth noting - whether you’re looking for something for a weekday dinner, an addition to your Shabbos menu or even a great dessert to gift to a friend, you’ll find it all. We really appreciated the variety of chicken options, given it’s a staple in our home and our regular recipes tend to get a bit repetitive. While I’ve yet to make them, the first two recipes of the book had me hooked right away - Churro Waffles & Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes! Yesss! Having had success with so many of Miriam’s recipes from her blog, <a href="http://overtimecook.com/">OvertimeCook.com</a>, I approached the book confident in her directions and the combinations of flavours she presented, and I definitely wasn’t disappointed! <br />
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The style of the book is very similar to <i><a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2017/03/perfect-for-pesach-review.html" target="_blank">Perfect for Pesach</a></i>, which Miriam also photographed! It's very straightforward and the layout makes it very easy to navigate. Additions to recipes such as, <i>Notes, Variation, Plan Ahead</i> and more, give you the opportunity to take the recipes to new levels and shape them to accommodate your schedule. The only thing I found missing was an estimation of how much time each recipe takes. A quick overview of the recipe itself provides an idea, but it's always nice to have an estimate as well. I do like how the different sections of preparation are highlighted frequently within the directions for different recipes. When a dressing for instance is being prepared, it's highlighted to show you you're working on a different step, instead of it all being jumbled together. This is also helpful if you want to work on a specific aspect of the recipe first! There are also a variety of menus interspersed throughout the cookbook as well (<i>Yom Tov Lunch</i>, <i>Friday Night With Guests</i> etc). I love the ideas and combination of recipes included, the only downside is that they're presented at the beginning of each different chapter, and the first time I was slightly confused because I thought it was an index of the recipes in that chapter! Otherwise, it's another thoughtful, helpful addition!<br />
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If you're familiar with Miriam's website <a href="http://overtimecook.com/">OvertimeCook.com</a>, you'll know that her food photography is incredible! The images you'll find in the cookbook are just as crisp, and enticing. I especially love that they're so real! They are presented simply and cleanly, highlighting the dishes and making the recipes the focal point without distraction. They also feel doable! You see the image and not only do you want to immediately make everything because it looks so appetizing, but you also truly feel like you can plate it the same way and that the presentation will have all of the wow factor without any of the intimidation! It's a great representation of how the book is accessible and truly geared for everyday kosher cooking in a real life, kosher kitchen!<br />
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With a new year starting and all the hope for a fresh start, this book is an asset. Whether you're hoping to menu plan more consistently, eat out less and make quick and delicious meals at home, or simply change up your regular menu with options that are approachable and straightforward while still maintaining a wow factor result,<b><i> Real Life Kosher Cooking </i></b>is a great kitchen companion to get you through!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">As a special treat, Artscroll has generously given us one copy to giveaway! In order to enter, visit our <a href="https://www.instagram.com/itsybitsybalebusta/" target="_blank">Instagram page</a> and check out the giveaway post! For a bonus entry, leave a comment sharing your favourite "real life" weekday dinner!</span></b></div>
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<i>The contest is open to US entrants (the cookbook will only be shipped to a US address). The contest will run from Monday January 8th, 2018 to Thursday January 11th, 2018 at 8:00PM EST, when 1 (one) winner will be chosen. No purchase necessary. Miriam Pascal's Real Life Kosher Cooking will be shipped directly to the US address, Itsy Bitsy Balebusta assumes no responsibility for shipping. The winner will have 24 hours to respond before there is a re-draw for the prize. Good luck!<br /></i></div>
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<br />As another treat, here's the recipe for the Pecan Pie Bundt Cake that was such a hit here (reprinted with permission). Enjoy!</div>
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<b><i><u>Pecan Pie Bundt Cake (p. 258 Real Life Kosher Cooking, Miriam Pascal, 2017, Artscroll)</u></i></b><br />
Pareve<br />
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3/4 cup chopped pecans<br />
1/4 cup brown sugar<br />
2 Tablespoons oil<br />
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup<br />
4 eggs<br />
3/4 cup oil<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
2 cup brown sugar<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
1 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt<br />
2 cups flour<br />
3/4 cup soy milk<br />
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Preheat oven to 350F. Coat a standard (12-cup) Bundt pan well with floured baking spray, be sure to coat the pan very well, as the cake will be sticky. Set aside.<br />
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In a small bowl, mix together pecans, brown sugar, oil and corn syrup. Set aside.<br />
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, on medium speed, beat together eggs, oil, sugars, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until creamy.<br />
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Turn mixer speed to low; add half the flour, followed by half the soy milk, then the remaining flour and remaining soy milk, beating each time until just combined.<br />
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Pour about half the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Top with the pecan mixture; add remaining batter.<br />
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Bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.<br />
<br />Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-45102202071222602442017-07-19T10:23:00.000-04:002017-07-19T10:23:21.661-04:00It All Begins with Food {Cookbook Review!}<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>This cookbook was kindly provided by Appetite Random House. The review and opinions expressed below, are completely my own.</i></div>
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Leah Garrad-Cole’s, It All Begins with Food, is so much more than a cookbook! Personally speaking, it has been a wonderful reference guide and source of support (and inspiration!) when it comes to creating our weekly menus. When I was kindly offered this book to review a couple of weeks into our recent endeavours to eat better, I was hoping it would be exactly what I needed to give us some sort of direction. Not only are the recipes fantastic, but the method, steps and information are all presented in an approachable manner - not demanding diets be this way or that, or instilling any guilt. Too often the conversation around what we feed our family (and young children in particular!) takes heated and controversial tones. It seems everyone’s paediatrician or doctor has a different opinion and, in my perspective at least, it feels like the guidelines change month to month! My boys are 15 months apart, and when it came time to discuss starting our youngest on solids the advice was completely different from that of our oldest (only a year earlier!). Searching the terms “Baby cereal” and “baby lead weaning” spark threads that go on for pages with countless different views. And I’m not even going near the formula vs breastfeeding debate. Feeding your family is stressful from so many different angles. From the amount of criticism and opinions openly offered, to the ingredients available, time with which to prepare meals and throw in allergies and picky eaters and you’ve got a recipe for disaster!<br />
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Looking back on it now, I didn’t appreciate nearly enough how well Y ate as a baby. Anything we’d give him he’d eat. By the time he was one and a half, he had tried foods that even I hadn’t tried before (hello liver?!). Fruits, cheese, cut up veggies, chicken, you name it the kid ate it! While we did endure colic and sleeping issues, at least mealtime was the one area where everything flowed easily. And then we welcomed N. So many people told me about how their second child was completely opposite to their first from birth. I didn’t know what to expect with N, but I can tell you I have never met two people as opposite as my boys! While N had his own slew of health issues, he was a fantastic sleeper from day one and regardless of all of the medical issues we faced his first year, he had the happiest disposition ever (and I’m not being biased – nurses, doctors and specialists all remarked on it!) . But when it came time to eat. Oh my…<br />
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Initially, in the NICU N started out with an NG tube. That was followed by a specialized high-calorie formula to help our tiny little guy grow! We must have switched formula brands over 5 times (with countless different varieties within in each brand attempted as well). Then came the months of OT for feeding issues. And today? Getting him to eat more than a couple of bites of anything is my mission at every mealtime.<br />
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It isn’t only N whose meals could use some tweaking. I will admit, my meals throughout the day are rarely ever planned and function more around convenience and what I can grab between cleaning up, nap time, trying to get some work done, organizing our schedule and school/camp pickup. More often than not that means a quick bowl of cereal or whatever is left over from the kids' meals. Pretty glamorous for a supposed food blogger right? At the end of April, with the encouragement of my husband, we decided to change that. We wanted healthier meals throughout the week, and options that were easy enough to prepare that we wouldn’t feel discouraged and jump back into our diets of bagels and cereal.<br />
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This book literally arrived within three days of this new adventure. I love that Leah chose a direction for the book that is so approachable and warm while still being informative and unwavering from her intention to help those looking for a route to clean eating and healthy living. She understands that life is busy and hectic, and that sometimes it’s easier to just grab something and go (she actually started Love Child Organics, which makes organic, nutritious purees among other products, that are free from preservatives, fillers, refined sugars, pesticides, GMOs and anything artificial!). She understands that making (and feeding our kids!) tasty, healthy food isn’t always easy. This cookbook is now my textbook. It’s what I refer to when I find other recipes to see how I can make them healthier, or what Leah has swapped in or out of her recipes and how I can apply that elsewhere as well! Leah has the experience from a wide breadth of areas, from coming from a family of women who love cooking to being a teacher and administrator with children who often dealt with issues of food security, as well as having worked in a respite school. Having kids of her own now, it’s clear that this book is the result of firsthand knowledge and experience. Too often I’ve felt books of this genre are unattainable and flipping through them has left me discouraged. As I flipped through the beginning of this book however, one quote was highlighted that made me feel right away that this was going to be different. Just nine pages into the book, Leah openly spoke about the pressure to cook homemade food and make one meal for everyone to eat together every night, how we don’t have 48 hours in a day to get everything done, and sometimes we need to rely on prepared food. Above all, it’s written for parents – and from one parent to another. </div>
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The key is easy to understand, and provides insight into which recipes can be frozen, which are gluten free, plant based, dairy free, egg free and more! There's also a chart for basic substitutions to help make recipes healthier or conform to certain diets (i.e. substitutions for egg replacement). I love that Leah encourages creativity and adapting recipes to suit personal tastes, rather than sticking to what’s laid out in front of you regardless of whether one simple addition or substitution would make it work better for your family! </div>
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For those who are looking for more information and details specifically concerning organic food, there’s an entire chapter including definitions and comprehensive information. There are also sections on stocking a “clean” kitchen and pantry (prettily colour coded, which caught my attention right away and helped ease some of the overwhelmed feelings when looking at all of the alternatives and information provided!). There is so much information that this really serves as the only guide you need to not only start you on your way to healthy eating, but also help you maintain your goals and expand on them once you achieve a level of comfort and familiarity with the ingredients and options available to you!<br />
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The information portion of the book concludes with meal planning tips as well as tips on nurturing adventurous eaters and finally a guide on starting your baby on solid food! There are countless guides, troubleshooting information, allergy guidelines and help, tips and an abundance of support to get you started on this exciting chapter! I cannot do justice to the amount of information and resources the book provides parents with, other than to say that the first full recipe doesn’t arrive until page 84! Everything before that is getting you set up to approach this journey with the utmost knowledge, confidence and support possible!<br />
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I love that the book begins with baby’s first foods and takes you straight into family meals. It's the book you NEED when beginning solids, but one which will also carry you well into the future of everyone around the table for family dinner! The recipes are straightforward, the directions are clear and concise, and they are all approachable and not intimidating. For the most part, the beginner recipes have a handful of ingredients, all clean, healthy and readily available. Recipes progress to finger foods (which honestly make great snacks for any age – who doesn’t love sweet potato fries?!) and I love that they’re freezable! The smoothie section is fantastic with a whole chart on how to create your own combinations while ensuring the most nutritious outcome. The “Superhero Breakfasts” and lunch sections provide endless meal inspiration, basing recipes on familiar dishes with healthier ingredients (lasagnas, quesadillas, soups and dips!). Yes, the ingredients are healthier, but they’re incorporated into familiar dishes, not asking you to leap too far our of your comfort zone. </div>
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The family dinner section has to be my favourite! One-pan roast chicken, tacos, shepherds pie and ALL HEALTHY! My absolute favourite is the “Best Ever Turkey Chili Soup”. Yes, it has kale. Yes, it is the middle of the summer. Yes, we have it weekly! I make one batch, freeze half and two dinners are taken care of! And it is soooo good! Honestly, one of my favourite dinners now! I love that it’s not only easy to prepare, and so healthy, but it’s actually really, really delicious!</div>
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Like I said at the beginning, feeding your family can be a very challenging experience. Add in allergies, or any other complications and the stress level sky rockets. Try to make it all healthy and homemade on top of that and you’re rapidly approaching territory which feels absolutely impossible. I hope this review has helped to show you that it isn’t and that there is a guidebook out there for people like us who have for too long relied on breakfast for dinner, bagels and cereal while maintaining that tomorrow will be different. All those times I’ve bought lettuce and vegetables only to throw out before heading to the grocery store the following week. All those misguided attempts at eating healthy without having a true understanding of what that even means. Pick up this book. You’ll get so much more than recipes from it (although, seriously, try the turkey chili soup!). The knowledge and support within its pages will carry you though the beginning of your path to clean eating and healthy living, and well beyond that!</div>
Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-89973881164501040172017-03-26T11:33:00.000-04:002017-03-26T11:33:22.454-04:00Perfect for Pesach Review!<div>
There is so much to say about Naomi Nachman’s new cookbook, <i>Perfect for Pesach</i>. SO MUCH. Given that we’re in the midst of Pesach preparations, if you want to save some time (although, there is a surprise coming up!) I can summarize my review for you in one line:</div>
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Go and buy this book ASAP! </div>
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Now for all the details… </div>
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I love this holiday! I can’t help but feel, when you put your maximum effort into something, and work so hard, the rewards reaped are so much greater. And what better example than <a href="http://www.aish.com/h/pes/">Pesach</a>? Our home is cleaned and prepared meticulously, and menus and grocery lists are made with the greatest attention to detail, culminating in the seder to begin the yuntif - the most elaborate meal of the year! I’m not going to sit here and pretend that the entire process is a completely stress-free event – yes, turning over the kitchen is difficult, as is clearing the apartment of chametz when you have two kids under three who are rarely without animal crackers, cereal or cookies in their little hands. This will be my FIFTH year making Pesach and each year I’ve learned more and more to help make everything come together smoothly. I’ll forever be grateful to all of the families that opened their doors and seder tables to me, year after year, despite having family in town and all of the additional expenses this holiday brings. I was thrilled to be able to bring Y to their houses for his first two Passovers, and as we now host our own meals, their recipes, stories and traditions have seamlessly blended into ours - forever a part of our story.</div>
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When it comes to cooking for Pesach, the pressure is on. I’m always hesitant to try new things given that if it’s a fail, the expense put into the ingredients is tougher to bear than a mishap the rest of the year. At the same time, rotating the same potato kugel, butternut squash kugel or chicken dishes becomes tiresome. I want Pesach to be something my husband and kids also look forward to. I don’t want it to be associated with the stress of cleaning or bland food. I do my best to keep as calm and organized as possible, to keep stress at a minimum and anticipation high. All this to say that encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone with recipes for Pesach is not an easy feat.</div>
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Until now.<br />
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If you want an authority on Pesach cooking, Naomi is about as close as it gets. Her family ran a Pesach hotel program for 28 years. TWENTY EIGHT. This is coupled with her extensive catering and teaching resume. Her knowledge, experience and expertise makes this a stand out cookbook and not one that you’ll only invest in to refer to for eight days a year. The tag line, “Passover recipes you’ll want to make all year,” is more than just a fun idea, it’s a fact. I tested this out by making Shabbos using a handful of recipes from this book - a month before Pesach - and it was a success! I didn’t once hear, “pesachdik” in reference to any of the dishes! We’ve already made four recipes from the book and my Pesach menu is filled with another six, everything ranging from soup to salads, appetizers to mains. </div>
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The ingredients listed are generally found in your local supermarket – something that is super important to me! I try to keep my grocery list filled with as many fruits and vegetables as possible and limit my spending on kosher l’pesach items to necessities – potato starch, oil etc. This book is completely in line with that! The majority of the recipes feature ingredients you’d find year-round! And if you do invest in a certain sauce or vinegar for one dish, you can find others in the book to make use of it as well! The whole goal of this cookbook is to avoid complicating matters. You’re set up for success with a very clear introductory section, outlining everything from which salt, eggs and more to use, as well as information about the variety of oil available, basic kitchen equipment, and freezer tips – especially handy if you’re looking to begin preparations early! There’s also a how-to section which details preparing basics such as crepes and zoodles that can then be incorporated into a variety of different recipes.</div>
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The layout is crisp and clean, and organized efficiently and effectively. Recipes are often accompanied by a, “Cook's Tip” gleaned from her years of professional experience. These tips cover topics such as making a recipe pareve, alternate methods of preparation, complimentary sides or how to approach preparation overall, among other matters. There are also “Prepare Ahead” boxes with information to help you begin cooking as early as possible, and “Year-Round,” providing options to adapt the recipe to one that can incorporate chametz (pretty much the opposite of my other cookbooks!). The instructions are concise and broken down into steps to make putting everything together as straightforward as possible.<br />
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The photos in the book (photographed by the awesome <a href="http://overtimecook.com/">Miriam Pascal)</a> capture each dish clearly and pleasantly, providing the final little push, if needed, to try it out. </div>
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As for the food itself, there are so many new flavourful, affordable options that don’t require a thousand ingredients and that are sure to elevate your menu this year. We’ve already tried:</div>
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Zucchini Mushroom Soup</div>
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Coke Chicken</div>
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Roasted Root Vegetables with Spiced Pecan Crunch</div>
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Vanilla Cupcakes</div>
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Yes. Cupcakes. Non-Gebrokts, gluten-free, cupcakes! Everything was fresh, delicious and almost more importantly, easy to prepare!<br />
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This year we’ll have ten meals, (two Sedarim, two dinners, four lunches and Shabbos) and that’s not taking into account Chol HaMoed. With all of that on our plate (haha!) standing in the kitchen cooking for days on end isn’t how I’d like to spend my yuntif and with this cookbook, I won’t have to! On our menu as of now, from this cookbook specifically: </div>
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Ultimate Pesach Chulent</div>
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Bobby's Stuffed Cabbage</div>
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Eggplant Parmesan</div>
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Mum's Marinated Eggplant</div>
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Guacamole</div>
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South Western Chicken Egg Rolls</div>
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Shepherd's Pie Potato Skins</div>
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None of these recipes drew the word, “pesachdik” from my husband. None of these recipes require me having to run to speciality stores to find ingredients. Not one of these recipes require me to set aside a large portion of time to prepare and assemble dishes. They’re innovative, creative, delicious and encourage me to add new flavours to our menu. </div>
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I'm so excited to try out the chulent, and the South Western Chicken Egg Rolls are the perfect creative way to use up whatever leftovers we'll have from the Roast Chicken I have on our menu. The Shepherd's Pie Potato Skins sound so great, I just know they'll be a year-round staple as well! </div>
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Honestly, when I wrote out the recipes that I knew I'd both be willing to make and would be well received here, upon a quick glance, my list had over 21 titles! The more time I spent flipping through the pages, the longer the list grew. The Roasted Tomato Soup will be added to my weekday dinner rotation, while the Zucchini Ravoli looks too awesome not to try out right away too! There are more than 125 recipes in this book, and I know this will be an important consideration to many - 120 of them are non-gebrokts and gluten-free (If you're gluten free than this cookbook is a definite must!). It really is fantastic and a cookbook you'll be referring to for meals outside of Pesach as well. It's a worthwhile investment and will not only elevate your menu, introducing new flavours and creative dishes, you also won't have to spend weeks in the kitchen to work it all out! </div>
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Whether you’re making Pesach for the first time or twenty-ninth, whether you have your go-to recipes or are trying to compile fresh ideas, this cookbook has something for everyone. It will take the guesswork and stress out of planning your menu and cooking, and give you a safe and flavourful base to stand on. </div>
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I’m so excited to share a recipe with you today (with permission). The Zucchini Potato Soup really has it all. It’s rich and creamy, perfect for all year round, healthy, relatively low in calories and you won’t have to run around looking for a ton of ingredients! As Naomi suggests in the “Cook's Tip” section, you can garnish with fried mushrooms for an extra special touch! </div>
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And while I’m excited to share this recipe with you, I’m even more excited to share this BOOK with you!! Artscroll has generously provided one (1) copy of Naomi Nachman's <i>Perfect for Pesach </i>to give away! Head over to my <a href="https://www.instagram.com/itsybitsybalebusta/">Instagram</a> account to enter, and for a bonus entry you can leave a comment here telling me what your favourite Pesach memory is! There always seems to be so much stress around cleaning, cooking and budgeting, let's put it all into perspective and remember the moments that made it even more worthwhile! </div>
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The contest is open to US entrants (the cookbook will only be shipped to a US address). The contest will run from Sunday, March 26th, 2017 to Wednesday, March 29th, 2017 at 8pm EST, when 1 (one) winner will be chosen. No purchase necessary. Naomi Nachman's <i>Perfect for Pesach</i> will be shipped directly to the US address, Itsy Bitsy Balebusta assumes no responsibility for shipping. The winner will have 24 hours to respond before there is a re-draw for the prize. Good luck!</div>
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Here’s wishing you the smoothest of preparations, beautiful memories to make it all even more worthwhile and a Chag Kasher v’Sameach! </div>
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<i>This cookbook was provided as a review copy from the publisher. All opinions and ideas expressed in my review, are solely my own. </i></div>
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<u>Zucchini Mushroom Soup </u></div>
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Pareve - Yields 10-12 servings - Freezer Friendly</div>
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(Naomi Nachman, <i>Perfect for Pesach</i>, p. 72, Artscroll 2017). </div>
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1 large onion, diced</div>
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2 tablespoons olive oil</div>
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5-6 cups cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced</div>
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4-6 medium zucchini, washed with peel, cut into chunks<br />
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks</div>
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Water or vegetable stock</div>
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1 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste</div>
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1/4 teaspoon white pepper or to taste</div>
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1. In a large (10-quart) soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onions; sauté for a few minutes until they begin to soften.</div>
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2. Add mushrooms; sauté for a few more minutes. Add zucchini and potatoes. </div>
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3. Add enough water to fill pot to just under vegetables. Don't add too much liquid, or soup will be too watery. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until vegetables are soft, approximately 45 minutes.</div>
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4. Use an immersion blender to process soup for a full 3 minutes, until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. </div>
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Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-84699054203195280612017-03-13T22:19:00.002-04:002017-03-13T22:19:29.348-04:00IUGR Awareness Day 2017Today is IUGR Awareness Day. <div>
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I cannot believe it's been an entire year since I stepped out of my comfort zone and shared our experience with <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/iugr-diagnosis.html" target="_blank">IUGR</a>! The response from our series last year, was so overwhelming and has provided such a community on this journey, that I want to share where we are now, another year later!<br /><br />I don't even know where to begin or how to describe the past twelve months. Sometimes I look at N, (who is now only two and a half months away from his second birthday!) and even though the memory of the NICU is still fresh - trying to reconcile the baby whose incubator I sat next to, whose preemie diaper covered his entire torso, and the little hurricane of love and chaos that's running around my living room - well, I just can't believe it could possibly be the same kid!<div>
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<br />Where once his photos were marked by the glare of an incubator, they're now just one giant blur of a little boy running around, trying to take in and discover as much as possible before his Mommy catches him.<br /><br />Where I once sat sobbing, wondering how I'd be able to protect this frail, tiny, 3-pound bundle, I now sit holding my breath watching him go down the "big kids" slide laughing hysterically, calling out for me to watch his escapades!<br /><br />N is wild and full of energy, love and life. He lives to make us laugh, and walking into his room first thing in the morning to the most enthusiastic "HIIIIIIII MOMMY!" anyone could ever muster at 6am, makes the early wake time bearable. He's hilarious and a hurricane. He knows what he wants and if he doesn't get it immediately... well watch out! He's so social that the librarian at the library we visit a few times a week knows him so well that she has Paw Patrol colouring sheets lined up and Nick Bland books on display. <br /><br />Being a parent is nothing how I imagined it would be. The emotion, fear and love it has drawn out of me is astronomically greater than I could have ever imagined it'd be. There are days where diagnoses, lack there of, appointments and doctors/ specialists/ therapists, become so normal and routine, that when I stop to think about what our schedule and life would look like without them all, I just can't picture it. Months relate to appointments. I know July means a yearly follow-up at one hospital. I know that every three months there are follow-up appointments at another hospital. I know more doctors and specialists than I ever had an interest in knowing.<br /><br />But now I also know resilience. I know gratitude. I know hope and strength and appreciating things that people take for granted. I watch N amaze not just family and friends, but doctors who have been practicing for a very long time. I watch therapists stand back and say, "Wow," in complete awe, when my little boy, the same little boy whose bones were so fragile a year ago, climbs to the top of the structure in the therapeutic gym, calls out and waves at us from the top, slides down the slide and then happily says, "again!" and is off before anyone can stop him! I watch him light up rooms, waving at and befriending the children with special needs around him, so easily, full of sensitivity and understanding that is well beyond his years. I've seen him figure out how to reach his goals despite his tiny stature. In the twenty two months I've been Mommy to this superhero, I have watched first-hand what it means to let nothing, NOTHING, hold you back. Not your size, your health, even your well-meaning Mommy.<br /><br />I'm learning to give N his space. I spent a <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/an-iugr-pregnancy.html" target="_blank">pregnancy</a> worrying about <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/an-iugr-delivery.html" target="_blank">delivery</a>, delivery worrying about the<a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/iugr-and-nicu.html" target="_blank"> NICU</a>, the NICU worrying about the world and then the <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/9-months-later.html" target="_blank">first year of his life</a> worrying about all the ways he could hurt himself or compromise his health. Everything from a fever to someone holding him incorrectly. I have watched this boy overcome so much in so short a time. <br /><br />Today N is as healthy and rambunctious a toddler as any you've seen. While his size does set him apart - below the third percentile (to put that in to perspective, imagine an almost two year old in 9 month old clothing) it does not stop him.<br /><br />If you've just received your diagnosis, or have just met your (very) little one, I want to give you something not too many people gave me. I want to give you a little bit of hope. Not every story is written the same way, and thank Gd, because I wouldn't have N if they all were. But I can offer you our story. I can offer you the fact that this little boy who started at three pounds, endured two surgeries his first year, who now in his second year has been discharged from a few specialists but still has an endocrinologist, paediatric orthopaedic surgeon, paediatric developmentalist and neonatologist, that THIS boy is thriving. This boy is meeting and tearing down milestones on his mission to make "Tiny but Mighty" more than just a catch phrase. This amazing, exhausting little boy is going to change the world. <br /><br />You can do this. You can go to the appointments. You can hear the skeptics and then you can look at your baby and know that for every question mark your left with, your baby has an answer. Their very own answer. One full of life and a strength that is greater than their size. They are feisty, they are strong and they are capable. And they are this way because they're a reflection of their greatest advocate - <i>you</i>.<br /><br />They'll hear percentiles and diagnoses and endless jargon from their doctors, but they'll hear the encouragement and the knowledge that none of that is written in stone from <i>you</i>.<br /><br />The next time we attend our routine hospital appointments there will be a new set of foot steps running down the halls. N will, for the first time, be able to walk up to doctors and to his NICU nurses. He'll be able to speak to them. He'll be able to show them that Mommy's no longer carrying him around, but that he is now the one doing the carrying. He's carrying a lifetime of hope and lessons that he's instilled in everyone that's ever met him. He's carrying so much life and love and energy that I just want to go back to the first NICU nurses with horrible images of his future, and say LOOK. Don't think, don't worry, don't tell me what "usually" or "statistically" is likely to happen but to just stay quiet and look.<br /><br />Look at my tiny, little boy who's making everyone around him smile.<br /><br />Look at my little boy who's pointing out things in the room no one would otherwise notice.<br /><br />Look at my little boy who looks up to his brother with all his heart, who loves Paw Patrol, bears, cookies and milk, and making everyone laugh. <br /><br />Look at my little boy who continues to spend his days conquering his size, the stares and questions, and the path lined up for him in the limited knowledge and information available on IUGR.<br /><div>
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Look at my little boy whose only restriction he wasn't able to tear down was that of the intrauterine variety.</div>
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IUGR. NICU. It's amazing the weight of guilt, trepidation and anxiety those four letter combinations can induce. But what's also amazing is what those four letters produce as well - namely the little, feisty bundles of strength and courage. </div>
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Take their little hand in yours (when you can catch them!) and give yourself the gift of stepping away from all the charts and skeptics and fear, and immerse yourself in their adventure and wonder instead. They may be small, but the difference they're going to make in this world is anything but.</div>
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Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-67203311706997911282017-03-07T18:52:00.002-05:002017-03-07T19:08:29.392-05:00Simple Elegance Review & GIVEAWAY! <div>
<i>Simple Elegance.</i> </div>
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The title of Daniella Silver's latest cookbook alone is enough to draw in this Mommy of two toddler boys. Simple? Elegant? Not words you hear around here very often, given that our days are filled to the brim with Paw Patrol, toy cars, cheese sandwiches, bananas and the occasional toddler tantrum… #reallife</div>
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I was fortunate to have the chance to preview Daniella’s newest cookbook, <i>Simple Elegance,</i> and from those two glimpses I was hooked! I had the exciting opportunity to test a handful of her recipes while the book was being put together! Then, as luck would have it, the launch party was a couple of blocks away from my home and I was able to attend! You couldn’t help but describe the evening as completely elegant! The simplicity in the stations set up around the room, with different dishes to taste right from the pages of the cookbook, was a fun and wonderful way to not only get the crowd excited about the book, but to also start compiling favourites and dinner menus for the rest of the week! The soups were incredible, but as far as I’m concerned, the Pulled BBQ Beef Nachos were definitely the winner! Similar to the book itself, the details in the décor elevated the event to another level. Picture a giant tea cup with flowers cascading from it, a variety of spatulas and whisks hidden throughout flower arrangements, streetlights with enlarged photos next to them; making you feel as if your were walking through the pages of the book, able to reach out and try different recipes every few feet! It was a beautiful evening to celebrate a truly elegant book and author! </div>
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Now for the cookbook itself…<br />
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If you loved <i>The Silver Platter</i>, then there’s no question that this cookbook is a MUST. There’s a clear continuity throughout the layout, style and types of recipes included. So much so that there are a few recipes that are almost natural progressions from the first book. For instance, the Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies in <i>Silver Platter</i> were a huge hit. I honestly don’t know anyone who has the cookbook who hasn’t tried them out! I love my chocolate chip cookies plain and simple, and any additional texture (or fruit?!) is usually a big no-no, but even I made them weekly for a while there! In <i>Simple Elegance,</i> there’s a Cranberry Chocolate Chip cake that captures the same fan-favourite flavour combination, but has been developed into the perfect loaf cake! I made it as both muffins and mini loaves for my son’s nursery school bake sale and everyone loved them! This continuity brings with it a familiarity that encourages you to try out recipes before moving on to completely new ideas! When I saw the Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cake, given the experience with the cookies from the first book, I already trusted it and was willing to try it out immediately! Same with the Ultimate Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies! I will admit, I’m a huge fan of the Flourless Fudgy-Wudgy Cookies from the first book and was curious about these. Given that the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies in the first book were such a hit here, I trusted their chocolate brownie counterpart would be too! Not only were they fantastic, my husband immediately loved them and they, too, were sent off to the bake sale! These parallel flavours and recipes were a good starting point when diving into this book for the first time! </div>
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The style of <i>Silver Platter</i> is also carried throughout, however it has been updated to provide an elegant and classic base for the theme and recipes found within the pages of the cookbook. The cursive titles are a notable detail that helps to elevate this edition, while the layout maintains its clear, concise and easy-to-follow style. The intro page to each chapter features an elegant place setting maintaining a cohesive and conspicuous theme seamlessly throughout the book. The photos capture the dishes, clearly and crisply. The styling is beautifully done, with the colours and textures of the props showcasing the recipes excellently (i.e. the gold and silver tones of the dinnerware complimenting the Mushroom Cauliflower Soup perfectly). The images are simple and classic, perfectly arranged, and place the ingredients and visible freshness, colour and appeal of the recipes above all else. </div>
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Daniella’s fun, warm, knowledgeable voice is clear throughout all of the anecdotes she shares. You can easily sense the love and commitment she pours into providing meals that are healthy, elegant and easy to prepare for her family, while also serving to meet their dietary restrictions. Any Mom will do whatever it takes for her kids, and I admire how far Daniella has taken that fact and also channelled it into something that she is not only very talented at, but that also speaks to so many other people! The anecdotes she shares are comparable to reading notes from a friend, jotted down in the margins of your cookbook, and helps the overall theme of “elegance” seem more approachable and attainable to, y’know a Mom tripping over toy cars while rushing to confirm that, yes, Netflix we are still watching Paw Patrol, thankyouverymuch.</div>
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Norene Gilletz’s contribution and notes add an additional dimension to the cookbook as well. I value her tips and advice, as they always make prep that much easier or teach me how to be more efficient and effective with my time in the kitchen! Her “notes” cover everything from substitutions, simplifying prep work, alternative methods of preparation, variations, and my personal favourite – helpful notes describing what, to some, may be considered unfamiliar ingredients! For instance, for the Watermelon Radish and Cucumber Salad on page 12, Norene goes into detail describing watermelon radishes, their texture, seasonal availability and more! And it doesn’t end with the familiar ingredients either! You’re bound to learn something on each page, from the best type of sweet potato to use in a soup to nutritional information and how to keep ingredients as fresh as possible. The thoughtful, informative and knowledgable “Norene’s Notes” section, provides greater clarity and encourages readers to try out new recipes, rather than simply sticking to those with familiar flavours and ingredients. </div>
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Having said all this, in the end, what it really all comes down to is the quality and variety of recipes, and this cookbook definitely lives up to its name. I don’t have a lot of time to cook. I have two boys - a three year old and an (almost) two year old, and my schedule revolves around them, from school drop-off and pickup, to errands, appointments, and balancing everything else at home as well. I’ll be the first to admit that more often than not “breakfast for dinner” is my out, leaving simple, elegant meals pushed down my to list. I’ve tried to make better dinners a priority this year, and while our weekday dinners have definitely improved, I do sometimes feel guilt at the lack of “elegance,” especially when compared to an endless Instagram feed of creative and tasteful #whatsfordinner. This cookbook changes that. I don’t need to stand in the kitchen for hours to create healthy, pretty dishes, nor do I have to go store to store or searching down aisles for new ingredients. To date we have tried:</div>
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Squash Leek Soup</div>
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Roasted Cauliflower & Chickpea Soup</div>
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Maple Cinnamon Chicken</div>
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One-Pot Mushroom & Rice</div>
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Cauliflower & Chickpeas</div>
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Roasted Vegetables with Terra Chips</div>
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The Ultimate Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies</div>
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Orange-Infused Chocolate Chip Muffins</div>
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Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cake</div>
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Pulled BBQ Beef Nachos</div>
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Mushroom Cauliflower Soup</div>
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I made the Squash Leek Soup post-surgery you guys. Post-surgery! It was that easy and I had a warm, pretty, healthy meal on the table with barely any effort! The One-Pot Mushroom & Rice is a staple on our Shabbos menu and I’ve also included it as a side in meals to new mommies in the community too! The Cauliflower and Chickpeas were brimming with flavour and another new favourite Shabbos side dish! And you know how sometimes you see recipes for citrus cakes and muffins, and can’t wait for that burst of fresh, tart flavour and then… meh? Well not with the Orange-Infused Chocolate Chip Muffins! Chocolate + orange is my favourite flavour combination and other than my go to cheesecake, this recipe is the only one I’ve tried that does the combination justice! </div>
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The recipes are healthy, gluten-free (and those that aren’t, in the dessert section for instance, have “gluten-free options” included). It’s a cookbook you’ll be able to use year round, from the Light and Fluffy Chiffon Cake at your Pesach table to Crumb Topped Pumpkin Cake in the Sukkah! </div>
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This is definitely the cookbook for you if you’re looking to create simply elegant dishes that are flavourful and filled with fresh and healthy ingredients! </div>
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As a special treat, with permission, I’m so excited to share the recipe for the Orange-Infused Chocolate Chip Muffins with you! These are so versatile - they're great on the go, or as dessert and would make a great addition to <a href="http://www.aish.com/h/pur/m/48968806.html" target="_blank">misloach manos</a> this week as well!<br />
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...And one more surprise! <br />
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Our generous friends at Artscroll have provided one copy of Daniella Silver's <i>Simple Elegance</i> to give away! To enter, leave a comment below letting me know what your favourite flavour combination is! You can also head over to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/itsybitsybalebusta/" target="_blank">@ItsyBitsyBalebusta</a> on Instagram to be entered as well!</div>
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The contest is open to US entrants (the cookbook will only be shipped to a US address). The contest will run from Tuesday, March 7th to Sunday, March 12th, 2017 at noon EST, when 1 (one) winner will be chosen (Happy Purim!). No purchase necessary. Daniella Silver's <i>Simple Elegance</i> will be shipped directly to the US address, Itsy Bitsy Balebusta assumes no responsibility for shipping, The winner will have 24 hours to respond, before there is a re-draw for the prize. Good luck!</div>
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<b><u>Orange-Infused Chocolate Chip Muffins</u></b><br />
(Daneilla Silver's <i>Simple Elegance</i> p. 284, Artscroll 2016. Reprinted with permission.)<br />
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<i>Pareve | Gluten-Free Option | Freezes Well | Yields ~ 18 Muffins</i><br />
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3 eggs<br />
1 cup vegetable oil<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
1 1/2 tbsp fresh orange zest<br />
6 tbsp orange juice (preferably fresh)<br />
1 1/2 cups of flour (or gluten-free flour with xanthan gum)<br />
1 1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp baking soda<br />
pinch of salt<br />
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips<br />
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1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line muffin pans with paper liners<br />
2. In a large bowl, combine eggs, oil and sugar. Whisk together until light, about 2 minutes. Stir in orange zest and juice.<br />
3. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; whisk together just until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.<br />
4. Scoop batter into paper-lined muffin pans, filling them 3/4-full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden.<br />
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Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-52390150106226993772016-11-20T13:18:00.002-05:002016-11-20T13:18:47.121-05:00Our Table Review!<div>
Our table was a place where my siblings, parents and grandparents would gather around on a Sunday afternoon. The menu rarely wavered, but no one complained because the roasted chicken, potatoes, peas and carrots, and fresh bread still warm from the bakery were as much a part of the experience as the stories and laughter shared week after week during the meals. I’d sit directly across from my grandfather and always opted to stay at the table with the grown-ups instead of running to play. </div>
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On alternating Sundays we’d visit my paternal grandparents and spend the afternoon with my grandparents, aunt, uncle, cousins, and even great aunt and uncle! The table would, again, be set with all of our favourites and my grandmother would have her famous carrot cake waiting in the fridge in its Pyrex dish covered with plastic wrap, ensuring no grandchild tasted the incredible cream cheese frosting before it was on the table for dessert.</div>
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Our tables were places where we grew up, where we spent time with family, where we laughed and made the memories that we share <i>now </i>on Sundays at my parents house – who have themselves graduated to grandparents.</div>
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These memories all came rushing back the second I opened Renee Muller’s cookbook, <i><a href="http://www.artscroll.com/Books/9781422617601.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Our Table</a></i>. It is more than a cookbook. It is a window into the importance of setting aside time to create memories with family. From the day I started this blog, I’ve always believed that there’s no better place to do that than around the table sharing a meal together. When my Dad picks up the bread from the bakery before the meal or my Mom brings the carrot cake to the table on Sundays now, the line drawn from the past to the present is almost tangible. </div>
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First and foremost, this cookbook cannot begin to be discussed without mention of the photography. Absolutely stunning. I can honestly say that the photographs in this cookbook far surpass that of any others I’ve seen (and I love cookbooks). Daniel Lailah’s work is excellent. The images are bold, raw and crisp. The spills, drips and imperfections add the perfect balance to the impeccable dishes serving as the focal point. Having earned a degree in Art History (a.k.a. having spent years studying composition and the finest of details) I couldn’t look at the images without thinking of the countless pieces by Caravaggio I devoted my final year to, and the use of darkness and chiaroscuro. The dark background, raw presentation and use of light to highlight the main dish, are executed perfectly. Renee is not only the author of the cookbook, but also served as the food and prop stylist, and there is no questioning her talent. </div>
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The images draw you in and not only encourage you to attempt the recipes, but serve as snapshots of the table. The cutlery strewed about, the spills and imperfections, the hands slicing fruit or meat or reaching out, you can all but hear the memories being made. The unconventional images are also riveting. Two in particular stand out: the cabbage roll recipe has two full page pictures, one a head of cabbage against a dark background with the page next to it the finished baked rolls, as well as the cabbage salad recipe with the ingredients laid out across the page. This is as much a work of art as it is a kitchen companion. </div>
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This is a cookbook that I would read not only for the content of the recipes, but for Renee’s voice in the notes accompanying each page. The memories and moments shared with her family and children are often casual, as if you’re shopping <i>with </i>them at Costco and coming across the brownie brittle for the first time. The honest, open and comfortable discourse throughout the book is notable. From the intros to each chapter, to the very beginning where she delves into the meaning of a tavola as where, “life and food meet.” Having also grown up in a traditional European family, I can easily relate to the stories and values peppered ever so naturally throughout the book. </div>
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Now, for the food itself! The recipes are not your typical kosher cookbook fare. They are rich in variety and flavours from <i>Creamy Mozzarella Balls with Sugo Della Nonna</i> to <i>Kaas Potjes</i>, each page encourages you to try new, fresh flavours and dishes. We’ve enjoyed the Lemony Dill Salmon, Meat Manicotti, Cabbage Rolls, Tampenade, Brownie Brittle and more! The recipes are accompanied by helpful notes, from which recipes are freezer friendly, to how to prepare that certain dish on Yom Tov to links to videos with further tutorials, and even tips on how to make certain dishes low-carb etc. There’s a Pesach guide at the very beginning, ensuring this is a cookbook able to be used year round, (I was surprised to find a Pesach cake slipped right in to the cake chapter!). On that note, plenty of the recipes bare a gluten-free distinction, appealing to a wider audience! The directions are straight forward and broken down to make the process of preparing each dish as simple as possible. </div>
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This is a wonderful cookbook that you’ll want to keep on your coffee table rather than on the cookbook shelf. Its beauty is matched with its freshness in terms of voice and recipes. If you’re looking for a new dish to shake up your menu look no further! You’ll find endless inspiration from the flavour combinations to the gorgeous images in <i>Our Table</i>.</div>
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I’m so excited to share the Brownie Brittle recipe, (reproduced with permission from the copyright holder, Artscroll Publications, October 2016). I can already see this recipe being included with other homemade goodies in Chanukah gift baskets, or as the perfect addition to Mishloach Manos! They’re simple and quick to prepare and can be adapted to your taste! We added chips and white chocolate chips as well as pretzels to our batch! </div>
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<u><b>Brownie Brittle </b></u></div>
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<b>Renee Muller's <i>Our Table </i>p.228</b></div>
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<i>Pareve/ Dairy/ Freezer-Friendly/ 20 Servings</i></div>
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2 cups sugar</div>
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2 teaspoons vanilla sugar</div>
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1 ½ cups flour</div>
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¾ cup cocoa</div>
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½ teaspoon baking powder</div>
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1 1/3 cups oil</div>
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4 eggs</div>
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2 tablespoons corn syrup</div>
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About 1 cup brown salted pretzels OR other topping, such as nuts, chocolate chips, etc., optional</div>
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1.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.</div>
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2.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, on low speed, combine sugars, flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Add oil, eggs, and corn syrup. Mix until just combined, scraping down the sides as needed.</div>
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3.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Divide the batter between the two baking sheets; using an offset spatula, spread into an even layer. Scatter broken pretzels over the batter. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely; then break into pieces. Store in an airtight container or freeze until ready to serve.</div>
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Dairy Option:</div>
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Use 2 (3.5- ounce bars white almond chocolate, chopped, for the topping (Renee suggests Schmerling’s). </div>
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<i>This cookbook was generously provided by Artscroll. The opinions and perspective provided in this review are my own. </i></div>
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Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-91554385911134093652016-07-24T16:25:00.001-04:002016-07-24T17:58:28.472-04:00Summer 2016!<div>
I was the weird kid in school, who dreaded summer vacation. I absolutely loved going to school, from the routine, to the lessons and just about everything. I would seriously cry on the last day of school, and start a countdown for September. Yup. </div>
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Having said that, today I'm so grateful for the memories I have of summers at my grandparents' house. I will admit, during those endless days of going back and forth between playing teacher, jumping rope and eating our body weight in fruit salad and ice cream, I often complained about being bored or wishing our summers looked more like those of my friends who were traveling or going to Wonderland or malls everyday...</div>
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What I'd give for a quiet afternoon with my grandparents now! They went out of their way to put down a carpet in their garage and put up a chalkboard, where my sister and I would sit for hours playing. My grandfather made us skipping ropes out of rope and duct tape and they were awesome. We'd have spontaneous trips to the park or out to eat that were so special! The amount of excitement infused into a walk down the street to go to the wading pool was incredible.</div>
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This is our first summer with two toddlers! Two years ago Y was only 4-7 months old for his first summer, and last year N was a newborn. Y's first summer saw plenty of trips to the park, long walks and even an incredible Disney World vacation, courtesy of my parents! N's first summer was very different… It kicked off with the NICU and was followed by hospital visits and surgical wait lists. Summer was lost somewhere between reflux and feeding clusters and sleep regressions. We did manage to get in one or two outings, but for the most part it was a blur. Out of that fog and on the other side now, our days seem to alternate between, "don't climb that!" and all the cuddles and giggles and exploring and songs possible. </div>
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I'm determined to live it up this summer, after all of our struggles last year. While a part of me misses the silent walks through the park with a sleeping infant or laying our little guy on a swaddle blanket on the grass and watching his eyes light up at the passing clouds, leaves and birds, there's something about watching our oldest go down the slide over and over again or our youngest taking tentative steps on the grass, or watching them both pump their legs on the swings, laughing, that feels liberating (& terrifying too!). Time just keeps moving *insert weeping emoji here*. </div>
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Now that summer is well underway, I’m so happy to report that we’ve really been making the most of it! Since I stay home with our 1 and 2 year old boys, year-round, the term "summer vacation," doesn't exactly apply to us, other than the opportunity to get out a bit more thanks to the weather. We’re incredibly fortunate that M doesn’t work on Fridays, which opens up a whole day for family outings! We’re especially taking advantage of all of our opportunities, given that this fall our 2 year old will be starting in a preschool program (ahh!) so our flexibility and freedom will begin to shift a bit.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_BPKyoyhBVTFvZf6k67NodgZkROiuaX976LDGeI5-7Z1W7kO9FC2YicOeYHP-l3BM6AGXQGpfZ_rMYEvO_IHgeien4EfVig7vYo7p_iGQJKy8wOOGnzYreKj40De9c7nB2awk_G0iFw/s640/blogger-image-1562794535.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI_BPKyoyhBVTFvZf6k67NodgZkROiuaX976LDGeI5-7Z1W7kO9FC2YicOeYHP-l3BM6AGXQGpfZ_rMYEvO_IHgeien4EfVig7vYo7p_iGQJKy8wOOGnzYreKj40De9c7nB2awk_G0iFw/s640/blogger-image-1562794535.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Created our Summer List using my new favorite app from <a href="http://www.rhonnadesigns.com/" target="_blank">Rhonna Designs</a></td></tr>
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Our list isn’t comprised of the most extraordinary activities. As the Mommy to two toddlers, I have to be realistic about how long we can expect to be out before meltdowns happen, nap time gets disrupted or it’s just too much for them altogether. After all, for every car ride or walk to an activity, there’s an equal one back with super tired toddlers (and that’s if you don’t hit dreaded traffic). Distance, cost, weather (taking into account too hot or rainy days), and stroller-friendly are all factors that I took into consideration. </div>
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I’ll be doing my best to share posts with our experiences at each place and any tips that made the day easier or things I’ve noted for the next time! </div>
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Hope this inspires a few ideas if you’re looking to get out with the kids this summer! </div>
Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-14161408552701175652016-07-14T13:30:00.001-04:002016-07-14T13:33:58.820-04:00Simple Lemon Salmon<div>
I have a confession to make, and as a self-proclaimed, “food blogger,” this is going to be a bit shocking.</div>
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I really despise making dinner.</div>
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There I said it.</div>
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As wonderful and sensitive as my husband is to the fact that I spend sun-up to sun-down chasing and pouring all of my energy and love into our two toddlers, the topic of dinner is still unavoidable. But these days, if I had the time to stand in the kitchen and cook a gourmet meal, I’d probably opt to nap instead! Apart from creating breakfast and lunch and snack menus for the boys each day, and making sure everyone is getting all the milk and fruit (and let's be real, veggie straws) that they need, our schedule is absolutely packed. There’s speech therapy and play groups, camp, doctors appointments, hospital visits and more. By the time dinner rolls around this Mama just wants to go to sleep.</div>
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Just sounds like a ton of complaining and excuses right? * insert sad emoji here *</div>
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I know, I’m constantly posting food pics on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/itsybitsybalebusta/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, so what’s with this new revelation? I love to bake and use it as my outlet. Some people run, some just need some alone time, but I relax by kneading dough and shaping challahs or getting a tray of muffins or cookies into the oven and filling the apartment with the smell of homemade goods. And Shabbos almost feels magical. I can create and prepare the entire menu, without feeling any dread at all. But, weekday dinners… Ugh!</div>
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But, what can you do? Everyone’s gotta eat. In the end, we eat “breakfast for dinner” way more than I care to admit and there’s always pasta, homemade pizza or crock pot dinners that save the day. But recently I’ve started to up my game a bit.</div>
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We’re at this weird point now, where for the first time in two years there isn’t a baby to tend to. The boys are beginning to test independence and are actually able to sit and play or flip through books, or keep busy with Play-Doh and the like on their own! I’m never far and for the most part right there, taking part with them, but this ability to sit back and watch them grow has been both mesmerizing and bittersweet. It's given me the opportunity to step back into the kitchen and produce more than purees. </div>
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With our busy schedules and life moving at a million miles a minute, I’m always looking for something quick and simple. By quick and simple I mean, what we have in the pantry, what requires the least amount of bowls/prep work and dirty dishes in the end, and what can be accomplished in the span of one Paw Patrol episode #reallife. </div>
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This salmon recipe has answered the, "what's for dinner?" question countless times now. I feel weird even calling it a recipe. I will say though, that the day I made a broccoli quiche and this salmon for dinner I legit felt like a rockstar. I’m pretty sure I was glowing as I brought it to the table AND it was ready before my husband got home. * cue confetti * </div>
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The spice blend I use here is my new go-to ingredient in the kitchen. It’s graced chicken, veggies, meatballs and more. I found it at Costco and now can't imagine not having it in the pantry. I even keep a ziplock bag of it at my parents' house! We buy the large bag of individually packed salmon fillets, also at Costco, which defrost super quickly and are great to keep in the freezer to have on hand for simple dinners. Can you tell we’re huge fans of Costco?</div>
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So here it is! I’ve prepared this for both the oven and the barbecue. For the latter, I place the fillet of salmon on a sheet of aluminum foil, prepare it the same way, wrap it up, and my husband leaves it on the top rack of a propane BBQ for approximately 20 minutes while grilling the rest of dinner on the bottom. Effortless and delicious, just make sure it’s completely sealed so it doesn’t leak or burn! You can also use <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2014/10/barbecue-veggies.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a> and add a handful of vegetables to the grill for a complete meal (maybe with some pasta and bread added too, because carbs).<br />
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I've also swapped out the lemons for limes, and have made this over tilapia as well as salmon! The combinations of flavours compliment fish perfectly!</div>
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What I’ve posted here is for two 230g fillets of salmon. Also, our oven is a little temperamental, so adjust the baking time/ temperature to how you best like your fish prepared!</div>
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Hope those of you who also have difficulty getting up the energy to make dinner will find this helpful, and it gets everyone fed and happy… Until you have to do it all over again tomorrow!</div>
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<u><b>Lemon Garlic Pepper Salmon </b></u></div>
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<i>Serves 2-3</i></div>
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2 fillets of salmon, 230g each</div>
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2 lemons</div>
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4 TBSP olive oil</div>
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4-6 TBSP Roasted Garlic and Peppers spice blend (for this recipe I used the Club House Signature </div>
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Blends mix) </div>
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If necessary, defrost salmon fillets.</div>
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Slice lemons into approximately 1/2-inch wide slices.</div>
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Place fillets on a lined baking sheet (or on aluminum foil, if barbequing)</div>
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Drizzle 2 TBSP of oil over each fillet.</div>
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Sprinkle 2-3 TBSP of roasted garlic and peppers spice blend over fillets, until there is a thick coat covering the fillet.</div>
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Arrange one layer of lemon slices over spice blend.</div>
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Pierce lemon slices once or twice each to release a bit of lemon juice.</div>
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Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until done and flakey. </div>
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Enjoy! </div>
Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-44119291580107419042016-07-12T08:23:00.001-04:002016-07-12T08:23:02.741-04:00I'm Back... And N is 1!<div>
I can't believe how much time has passed since I shared our IUGR story. It was never my intention to let this amount of time lapse between posts, but something about chasing around 1 and 2 year old boys all day, leaves very little energy after the battle of bedtime has been won (or at least I like to think has been won, and that they'll be asleep for the night!). </div>
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Something changed with our IUGR series. For the first time I really felt like my writing meant something. It was difficult to open up about such a private and trying time in our life, but I'm so grateful that I did. The response to this day has been an overwhelming confirmation that sharing our story was something more important than even I initially realized. I'll admit, my intentions were slightly selfish, using this space as a way to finally organize my thoughts on the experience and give them a new home in written words, rather than just memories following us day to day. </div>
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So where are we now? If you've done the math you'll realize that N is now 13 months old! That's right, at the end of May we celebrated his very first birthday! </div>
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Six days before he turned one, we found out he no longer required monthly nutritionist/ dietician appointments and that he was thriving! Three days after he turned one he was discharged from OT! And I know one day he isn’t going to be so thrilled that his Mama screams his weight from the roof tops, but the week of his first birthday my baby weighed in at… </div>
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Wait for it…</div>
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17.5 lbs!!!</div>
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SEVENTEEN AND A HALF POUNDS!</div>
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He’s literally over four times his birth weight! My tiny three pound baby is this adventurous, curious, non-stop (like legit NON.STOP.) little boy!</div>
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If you follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/itsybitsybalebusta/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, you may have seen a photo I shared leading up to his birthday. 6 days before he turned 1, we had our monthly routine appointment with a few members of his NICU team. I had only been able to bring myself to visit the actual NICU once throughout his first year. It was too traumatizing to walk those halls again, but we did visit once, close to his surgery near the end of last year, and I just wanted to see the place where he had fought his first battles and won, as a reminder of exactly what he was capable of facing. It was hard and there were tears, but it was also so great to see our nurses again and nothing compares to the feeling of “just visiting” and not having to go through the whole sanitization process and taking up a seat, days post partum, next to an incubator, hoping that, that day brought good news.</div>
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This time was different though.</div>
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This was a milestone. This was a celebration.</div>
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It still wasn't easy for me and for that I felt guilty. This was supposed to be N’s day, a celebration of his first year and everything that he had overcome during it. I have this problem of overthinking and getting anxious. For months leading up to his birthday, the thoughts just kept spiraling and I’ll admit they were self-centered. With each decoration I chose for the party or each detail I organized, I couldn’t help but think, “how am I going to get through this day?” Weird, right? But to me, N’s birthday marked the day my body failed him. It marked him coming into the world where he was better out than in. Where a NICU staff had to pick up where my body had stopped and get N to where he had to be. I couldn’t help but dread the arrival of this anniversary. I barely got to see N on his actual <i>birth</i>day. He was born late at night and taken to the NICU while I stayed behind in recovery. It was a traumatic day. </div>
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So I worked myself up. I was sure I would be a mess the day of. I had overthought so much about how hard it was going to be, there just wasn’t any other choice.</div>
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And then the week leading up to his birthday came around. </div>
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Being super Type A, I had a list with everything that needed to get done each day leading up to our little guy’s special day! This kept everything in check, made sure nothing (or at least very little) was forgotten, and that I wouldn’t be stuck doing everything the night before the party! The very first thing on the list? </div>
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NICU Appreciation Day!</div>
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So back to that <a href="https://www.instagram.com/itsybitsybalebusta/" target="_blank">Instagram</a> post.. Six days before N’s birthday, we headed down to the hospital for his appointment. But the magic started the day before!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nGLqPU0HnjnaW9qu5UGCFIypEbsMDdy0r8vgx5L3nBq9Fjt0d3G-mAdd_2y15RgZ_TIbKZ7X55CxzlwgT_AhAl7nD8ArRqovfJQ8P1Aq9YTs4QqiA60FtE666Qwh7YQfQUWWowpFkRk/s640/blogger-image--1639925639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1nGLqPU0HnjnaW9qu5UGCFIypEbsMDdy0r8vgx5L3nBq9Fjt0d3G-mAdd_2y15RgZ_TIbKZ7X55CxzlwgT_AhAl7nD8ArRqovfJQ8P1Aq9YTs4QqiA60FtE666Qwh7YQfQUWWowpFkRk/s640/blogger-image--1639925639.jpg" /></a></div>
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Countless cups of flour and oatmeal, so many blueberries and chocolate chips, and even more flour to top it all off! I didn’t know how I was going to walk into that NICU and say thank you to the nurses and staff who got my baby home in thirteen days when initial estimates were in the months range. Having finally just gotten my feelings in order through writing out our experience for our IUGR series, everything seemed so fresh. The more I thought about it and the more forums I asked, one suggestion came up again and again. And not only was it clearly the answer, it couldn’t have been a more fitting one for this “food blogger” Mommy…</div>
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Baked goods!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KHCOu9Xf_kbWxGbjbn2T0I0FsLUtIhWDL1-PcPmz16CSd3lqX-hzdJghmiErL7eDjGYJ8lOdacgipYyLh8SSpItSOi2QspeVkjoBXbTtuWw5bDagasbqeHlZGZMvBxOdBU69Bodu-fc/s640/blogger-image-2105808623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1KHCOu9Xf_kbWxGbjbn2T0I0FsLUtIhWDL1-PcPmz16CSd3lqX-hzdJghmiErL7eDjGYJ8lOdacgipYyLh8SSpItSOi2QspeVkjoBXbTtuWw5bDagasbqeHlZGZMvBxOdBU69Bodu-fc/s640/blogger-image-2105808623.jpg" /></a></div>
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So for almost a full day, the oven, mixer and cooling racks were at capacity. I know what it means to bake with love. To infuse so much excitement and love into a first birthday cake or your baby’s first chocolate chip cookie and feel their excitement and your pride with their every bite. But to bake out of sheer gratitude? This was a whole new ball game. I wanted each muffin to be perfect, each cookie exactly as soft or crispy as it was supposed to be. I wanted our nurses who seemed to never eat, or ever get a break, to feel the warmth and comfort specific to a homemade baked good and know that while they’re running around on their endless shifts, they’re thought of, remembered and appreciated. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIn3gspUuv_o-3tsvCsi1SpbIgnRBew-7kEPRl4TwNgVqgP8S8PiDKfD7Oai5T6_xbN9fZE34GNLPgTX5Or6sHvoTcIsYIWyrkh5ZrBaPI6KxWWsNJ47j1SyIKyI1XiemfiI7sqGlczqw/s640/blogger-image--738225761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIn3gspUuv_o-3tsvCsi1SpbIgnRBew-7kEPRl4TwNgVqgP8S8PiDKfD7Oai5T6_xbN9fZE34GNLPgTX5Or6sHvoTcIsYIWyrkh5ZrBaPI6KxWWsNJ47j1SyIKyI1XiemfiI7sqGlczqw/s640/blogger-image--738225761.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the greatest tips I received on my search for how to thank the NICU, was to split up the gift! Bring boxes for the day staff and separate boxes for the night staff to ensure they get to partake in the fun and know they're remembered and appreciated too!</td></tr>
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The large boxes layered with warm homemade blueberry and chocolate chip muffins, as well as oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and gift cards for coffee for the entire NICU, kept me grounded and calm walking through the halls again that morning. The same halls I’d run through in the morning to get to N and sob through walking as slowly as possible when I had to leave every evening. The halls where I would stand and wait for rounds to be done. The halls where I would put on my sunglasses so new Mom’s doing laps around the floor holding their new babies wouldn’t see my tears of sheer jealousy, as shameful as they were. The halls that saw me walk in 23 ½ hours post-labour, terrified and disoriented and thirteen days later, saw me carry out our little boy. Those halls. Oh, those halls.</div>
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But that day, those halls brought us to a celebration. The shouts of “NICU Grad” when we walked in followed by a rush of nurses to the door were overwhelming. The love and support from this incredible group of people, even a year later, had only grown. How many children do they see come in and out of those doors? But they remembered <i>our baby</i>. They remembered how feisty he was and our little inside jokes. They played such a huge role in our family that I know they’ll always be unforgettable to us, and we’ll do this every year to instill an appreciation in our son for his first team, but to think that they also remembered <i>us</i>? Amazing.</div>
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We spent a fair amount of time there. N’s nurse, the one who was there the night he was admitted, was on shift and I was thrilled. She held him from the second we walked in until it was time to leave. She smiled at N, and looked right at me and said, “I told you you’d make it to the other side.” I had no words. All I could offer, was that I hope next year N runs in and jumps into her arms, instead of having to be carried!</div>
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It was a day that changed everything. I stopped worrying about how I was going to feel on his birthday. I stopped seeing that room as one of nightmares and for a split second I saw it for what it is, only to those on the outside. A room full of so much love and LIFE. A room where every breath, every note and every movement is done to help these new, tiny little beings thrive. I wish I could somehow work it out that everywhere our boys go in life, they’ll have the same overwhelmingly supportive, warm, strong atmosphere pushing them and cheering them on. I can say this “from the other side.” I couldn’t say this from that rocking chair. But it’s been a year, and so much happens. You survive days you’ll never think you’ll be able to and go on to face better and sometimes harder, and sometimes super impossible things. And somehow those days pass too. And before you know it it’s time to put on a party hat, bring out the cake and celebrate. </div>
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I walked into N's room on the morning of his birthday, to find him standing in his crib smiling. All the worry, all the anxiety about how I’d feel that day evaporated. We went for ice cream and to a play place (which the four of us got to enjoy to ourselves, since it was completely empty!) and we had pizza for dinner and we celebrated and spent time together and really enjoyed the day. I will admit, his Hebrew birthday was difficult. As Shavuos wound down I couldn’t stop thinking about how a year before I was on my way to the hospital, ending the holiday with a 22 minute terrifying labour. It felt more real and scary and difficult than I had expected it to, but thankfully the feelings passed just as quickly as they arrived.</div>
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So now we’re in to year two. N is crawling at what feels like lightening speed, pulling himself up and walking along furniture. He's babbling endlessly, has a bunch of words and loves to sing and dance all day long. He pretty much never stops and hasn’t shed his feistiness from those NICU days one bit.</div>
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So now that you’re caught up, what’s to come? Well it’s been a busy few months here and I have plenty to share, from posts about the boys' birthdays this year, to our summer bucket list and quick and simple recipes to help get dinner on the table without taking time away from enjoying the beautiful weather!</div>
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I hope you’ll come back soon and continue to share in our adventures!</div>
Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-56623132555141454362016-03-15T12:54:00.002-04:002016-03-15T12:54:32.437-04:009 Months Later<div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">I'm purposefully posting this last installment of the series today.</span></div>
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A few days after IUGR Awareness Day. </div>
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Because long after the 5k Walk ends and the spotlight on the diagnosis dims once again, the reality of IUGR continues for so many families. </div>
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So where are we today, almost 10 months later?</div>
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I am so happy to share that today N is thriving, thank Gd. </div>
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He has had quite the year, including one surgery, a surgical procedure and a working diagnosis. </div>
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N has an endocrinologist, a bone health nurse, an occupational therapist, a general surgeon, an orthopedic surgeon, a dietitian/ nutritionist, developmentalist, neonatologist and a fantastic family doctor, all who closely monitor and follow him. </div>
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A week doesn't go by where he doesn't have an appointment. </div>
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When we were given the diagnosis we weren't given a prognosis. All we were told is he'll be little. Today, for sure, tomorrow, who knows? Besides that there was nothing.</div>
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And that's not good enough.</div>
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Today, IUGR is still an unknown. I've actually had a doctor roll their eyes when I've brought it up. When I clarified that my full-term baby was 1774g, he had nothing to say. It isn't taken seriously. Until you're standing in the ER clutching your baby, terrified and listening to doctors trying to decide if surgery should take place tonight or can wait, it's ignored. </div>
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There's no preparation. There's no consideration. Maybe I was just naive, but throughout my pregnancy and all the talk of our baby being, "too small," not once was the NICU mentioned. Not once did someone offer to show me what the NICU looked like or even where it was in the hospital. Not once did someone explain to me that babies born at a low birth weight were at increased risk for so many issues that N has had to face. </div>
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As per the advice of our incredible cousin, who I mentioned a <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/iugr-and-nicu.html" target="_blank">post back</a>, I joined an IUGR Support group. While there is something incredibly comforting about finding a community in this chaos, there is also something so frustrating and infuriating; that we aren't taken seriously. That we're seen as parents who just have small kids.</div>
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And then there's this fear. This fear that lives in the back of our minds, that few say aloud and no one can ignore.</div>
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Will it happen again?</div>
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We've been told (& to a degree we know, as hard as it is to digest) that we were incredibly lucky with N. That our 13 days in the NICU and the fact that he was born at full-term, are amazing feats. But what about next time? If we have another baby, will it be as "lucky"? Is it at an increased risk for IUGR? Is there anything we can do to prevent it?</div>
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I insisted on a placenta pathology work-up and follow-up. I underwent voluntary tests, appointments and reached out to others who have experience, to find out if there was anything else I could do. In Hebrew there's a term, "hishtadlus," which essentially means putting in your maximum effort. I'm doing my hishtadlus and I know at the end of the day it's in Hashem's hands, but I need to know. I need to know I've done what I can.</div>
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And the results? </div>
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Just like during our pregnancy and just like N's first few months, it's all inconclusive. It seems, "placental insufficiency," is what we're going with now. </div>
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40-60% of IUGR cases go unexplained. So the questions I whispered when I walked into the NICU...</div>
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"Why did this happen?"</div>
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"Why did my body fail him?"</div>
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They never get answered.</div>
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And it could happen again.</div>
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If they can't find answers they at least need to find a way to support families. Say the word NICU during pregnancy, because having it thrown at you as a possibility 5 minutes before you <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/an-iugr-delivery.html" target="_blank">deliver</a> is not right. Explain to us what having a low birth weight baby means. Don't roll your eyes when we ask about milestones or if his IUGR diagnosis could be related to the reason he needs surgery. </div>
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Spoiler alert: it was. </div>
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Both times.</div>
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Like I said in my first post, I wrote this as the series I would have wanted to read. I wrote this from the parents' perspective, from my perspective first sitting in the OB's office, and then through delivery and finally the NICU. There's a lot that hasn't been said and so much that I haven't accepted enough yet to share. </div>
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But at the end of the day it isn't about me.</div>
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It's about N.</div>
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We need these awareness days and these spotlights, so as parents we can find answers and help our children.</div>
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N is remarkable. He's a bundle of energy and noise and chaos and love and was so obviously always meant to be a part of our family. He amazes me at how he really, really believes he can do things. He believes he can stand and crawl and push past any obstacle in his way. And he has! Today N is 5 times his birth weight. FIVE times. He's conquered surgery, surgical procedures, reflux and more. He's meeting milestones. He's succeeding and making us all smile ear to ear (& exhausted...) while at it. His personality is approximately a million times his size. </div>
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So this is it. The end of the series. Thank you, to everyone who's commented, emailed, messaged and been in touch one way or another. Thank you for reading about our experience and sharing in the emotion and chaos of it all.</div>
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And to those who can relate. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. And I won't say that I understand, because I don't have your baby and I'm not in your shoes. But I offer you my story and my experience. I want to give you hope and possibility when I tell you that my now 15lb, 9 month old, says Mama and Dada and crawls faster than I can catch him. That your baby is so strong. </div>
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And so are you. </div>
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And above all, you're not alone. It doesn't matter how many people don't understand your diagnosis or how many doctors roll their eyes, there are people and doctors out there that do understand! And you'll find them! They're out there! </div>
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And there's this tiny baby, your baby, who's stronger than you can even imagine right now, who's ready for whatever comes their way and needs to know you are too. </div>
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You CAN do this.</div>
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You WILL do it.</div>
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You both will.<br />
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If you'd like to read the full series, you can find the links below!<br />
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<a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/iugr-diagnosis.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNp9F_DFRXVrYG03Vg3jTzwZgCqRmvubBEQpZwBl2JgBclMHLMaXJZJc5X2O4s0Tiv6WJlyR1CntakT5QqFslhMhZfBXNC3BczcWM8Ns4_wAgodR807QIZf-AbfxM2fUjP01MSdsiWiao/s200/blogger-image-1826774736.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/an-iugr-pregnancy.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif63oeeLLZ3TU1UX7Nm-rO1xX8CTPDFKbz7dfq2GUZYULpg15KjEYuO8lcUC3gj3BX4Z3X9c_pp4hXqQ9IJENnlpbhjxcRxRF0sOA5IGGoSZEuHS5au6d81cXUFFj_-isSFh4lmuZDhZc/s200/blogger-image-291979455.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/an-iugr-delivery.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixNGdPhuNZgytngkcHCGHxLoTuDfWyPnZOutFUQTMNpUbitbnisi6mu8ELend9NZSy4SNJvl7Lqplwcjr4oR5oE5pkZB-MaunNW-9-8kbaDXbHXi0kR-5uq37wWF7tMp3Q_3KT7uWoAzE/s200/blogger-image--6882241.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-34565809847395924882016-03-13T12:56:00.000-04:002016-03-15T12:57:07.577-04:00IUGR and the NICU<div>
It was over.</div>
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Our baby boy had arrived.</div>
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No more wondering when we'd be induced, if he was growing well enough, or what was happening, period.</div>
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Now it was time to face the other side.</div>
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He had arrived and he needed help.</div>
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When I was finally wheeled into his private room in the NICU, the confusion, pain and sheer terror of the past two months hit me full force. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvXU9d3nXqw81vL4aBcuO_jfVHXjiVhu8zQ6hN63Qwe4KePVD8xFGBrfeot3QvoxjPb0K1Vyvvnnc3RjGReBIQ8OnypkdAs3qHFUEqHOjHtz3IsXArJEKqK-WjVBlMQ53eM73fdho15M/s640/blogger-image--792981141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvXU9d3nXqw81vL4aBcuO_jfVHXjiVhu8zQ6hN63Qwe4KePVD8xFGBrfeot3QvoxjPb0K1Vyvvnnc3RjGReBIQ8OnypkdAs3qHFUEqHOjHtz3IsXArJEKqK-WjVBlMQ53eM73fdho15M/s640/blogger-image--792981141.jpg" /></a></div>
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There were machines everywhere. Monitors were going off. I couldn't even see him through everything that was attached to him in one way or another.</div>
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I cried. </div>
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The tears poured and I couldn't stop them and I didn't want to.</div>
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Why hadn't I been able to help him?</div>
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Why had my body failed?</div>
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Why had I failed him?</div>
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And now, he was stuck in this clear box, attached to wires and monitors, with a whole team around him and I was a spectator.</div>
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I, who had done my best, who had carried him for 37 weeks 1 day, who had just given birth.</div>
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I can't describe that pain. </div>
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I had been separated from him for two hours. The nurses and M had a routine down. They were sharing information and he knew exactly what syringes to pass over and what he was doing. </div>
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And I was sitting in a wheelchair, on the edge of the action, numb, thanks to the late onset of the epidural, and useless. </div>
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So I cried.</div>
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After a few minutes, everyone noticed and asked me if I wanted to hold my baby. </div>
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I couldn't even speak and I didn't feel worthy, but I nodded.</div>
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They opened the isolette and this tiny bundle of blankets, with a handful of wires dragging on the floor beneath him, was placed on my chest.</div>
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I said hi, and told him I was his Mommy.</div>
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And as the tears poured down onto him, he looked up at me. In that moment I knew that he was stronger than I'd ever be. Those eyes, the mischief and love and strength in those eyes, it was clear as day.</div>
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The NICU sucks. I could use a hundred more eloquent words, I could go on and on about the quality of care and how lucky we were to have it, but I don't want to.</div>
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Because the NICU sucks.</div>
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My dreams of Y running into my hospital room to meet his brother had been unceremoniously slashed. No visitors, no walking through the hall with the new baby, no quietly staring at him preparing to go home.</div>
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Instead there were rounds and specialists. Heel pricks and medication. IVs, monitors, wires and hand washing. So much hand washing. </div>
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And then he started choking. And I begged, I begged to switch places. That whatever he was going through I would take it. I would take it times a million and I would not complain. </div>
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But it doesn't work that way.</div>
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In went the tube and out came the air and everything he had been trying to get out. In went IV's and in came the specialists. Arguing right in front of us about what to do. </div>
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Let me tell you, when you're lost, when your baby is struggling and when doctors STILL can't get on the same page, Mama Bear comes out. </div>
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Forget that I was numb, forget that I had given birth two hours ago. It was done.</div>
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Mama Bear had arrived.</div>
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I somehow stood up and spoke up. I got my strength from my baby boy and I knew I could do this. As that day went on I made myself heard. I asked questions at rounds, I stood at that incubator and insisted I did as much as I was allowed. When everyone would leave I'd open his little isolette door and I'd hold his hand. I'd run upstairs to have my vitals checked every few hours and then return right to his side. I walked the halls and no one would have ever known I had just delivered. I cried and didn't even know I was crying through most of that day. My postpartum "healing" lasted approximately two and a half hours and then I was up and dressed and ready to do my part. </div>
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Because that's the NICU.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">By the way, any doctors out there reading this, here's something you don't want to do, FYI... When a NICU Mom leaves her baby for 15 minutes to get vitals checked and eat an apple she's being forced to eat since she hasn't eaten in 24 hours and that apple is taking precious minutes away from being with her baby, you don't walk into the room and loudly announce, "I have bad news." </span></div>
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NO.</div>
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The thoughts that ran through my head... </div>
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Turns out the "bad news" was that there was an emergency and our baby had to be transferred to another hospital because he was deemed one of the most stable. </div>
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Let's just say that doctor didn't deliver any more news or even whisper one more word to me for the rest of our time in that hospital. </div>
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I made it very clear that I wouldn't be staying and allow my baby to be discharged alone, so after a lot of confusion and one more check of vitals, I signed whatever I needed to and was on my way. I remember walking behind N's stretcher through the halls of the hospital. I remember sobbing, and whispering that his first carride shouldn't be in a transport ambulance. I remember the looks of the people in the hospital foyer, whispering and staring at the incubator strapped to a stretcher.</div>
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I remember M driving slowly behind the ambulance, and my heart in my throat the entire time.</div>
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We arrived a few minutes before N did. I walked into our new NICU and I'll be honest... I wasn't happy. We were now in a large room, with over 20 incubators, a handful of nurses walking around and zero privacy. We had come from a private room with our own nurse around the clock. I was scared that his care was being compromised. I recognized that there was an emergency and another baby needed his private room, but my baby needed it too.</div>
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I was wrong. And I've never been happier to be wrong.</div>
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Our new NICU was the greatest thing that could have happened to us given the situation. From the minute we walked in, we weren't spectators anymore. Even though it was 11:23pm, our nurse was full of love and energy. She offered to let me take N's temperature. She showed me how to change his diaper through two small holes in the isolette. And every time she addressed me, it was, "Mom." For the first time, medical staff recognized me as his Mom! They let me be in charge of my baby as much as I could be. </div>
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And they were amazing. They walked me through everything. They taught me the medical jargon and in a day I was holding N's chart and could understand it perfectly. </div>
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And then they told me I had to go home. The second full day there, I had noticed that by the time evening rounds came, the parents would leave. They were kind enough to give me a rocking chair that first night to stay by his side, but then they insisted I went home, showered and slept. </div>
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After hours of back and forth, I stood up, placed my hand on our little boy's head, whispered our little pep talk phrase to him, and closed the isolette door. </div>
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I sobbed through the hallway, and down the elevator. I screamed in the parking lot, when I saw his car seat in the car, empty.</div>
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I had a 15 month old at home who needed me. I couldn't stay and they didn't want me to. I knew he was safe and taken care of and that I would be back in a few hours for morning rounds, but that day I physically felt the pain of my heart being torn. Half of it was in the hospital, a hospital that was a 40 minute drive away, and the other half was at my parents' house, with no semblance of normalcy and waiting for his Mommy too.</div>
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Speaking of, our incredible 15 month old. He handled everything beautifully. Even though he spent almost 2 weeks napping in hospital hallways, or having lunch with Daddy at the Eaton Centre and dinner with Mommy in Yonge Dundas Square, <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">he smiled, he enjoyed all the bonus Paw Patrol and he stepped into his role of big brother, seamlessly.</span></div>
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During the NICU experience I was pulled in a thousand directions. I would get home in the evenings so exhausted I couldn't think. I would call our baby's nurse throughout the night when I'd wake up because my body was telling me it was time for a feeding. I'd celebrate on the phone with the nurse when she'd tell me that he took 50cc or when she told me his umbilical cord fell out or that he'd had a great bath. And then I'd hang up and sob. Because I was his Mom. I was supposed to be there doing those things, experiencing those things.</div>
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I sat there day after day, doing shifts with M so we could both spend time with our baby. I sat there watching other babies be admitted for a few days and then discharged and hated and was ashamed of the jealousy I felt. I stopped saying the, "H" word. It was hard to watch the nurses redirect their eyes the first few times I asked when they thought we'd be going home. The first hospital had given estimates between a couple of days and over a month. Here they'd just say the same thing, "he's very small..." </div>
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So I stopped asking. I put all of my love and energy into those days. Some days were great and I'd keep it together until I got to the elevators. Then I'd put on my sunglasses and cry all the way to the car. Other days I'd cry at the isolette when a random doctor would show up and causally say, "just here to do an ultrasound and check for any brain bleeds." </div>
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Yeah.</div>
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I can't say enough about the nurses. They'd make M & I laugh, actually laugh. They'd pull up a rocking chair on their break and sit there and talk to us about the world outside, a world I was angry at, that just kept spinning. They would tell me about their kids and their experiences. They'd tell me I had a feisty baby and that he was doing great. They'd tell us we were doing great. They took care of our heart and they did it so gracefully and with such sensitivity. They'd meet me at the door and excitedly rush me over to our baby, to show me how they'd put him in an, "I love my Mommy," onesie. They made it okay. </div>
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At this point, I also absolutely need to mention my husband's cousin (someone I had never met or spoken to, someone who lives on the other side of the world) who changed that NICU experience</div>
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for M & I. She gave us hope, advice, and a sense of understanding that touched us so deeply and carried us through our time in the NICU. I still go back and read her initial messages, reaching out, full of advice I still hang on to. She is one of the ultimate examples of strength and courage, and even though we still haven't met, I consider her both a hero and a great friend.</div>
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And then the day came... </div>
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I walked into the NICU and couldn't find his isolette and subsequently couldn't find my breath. And then I looked a little <span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">closer and realized our baby was laying in a bassinet, on room air, attempting to regulate his temperature and successfully doing so. The first step to going home! Still no one said the H word, but later that day it was suggested I bring in the car seat to run his car seat probe. I called M immediately and we both knew this was the step we needed to get him disconnected from all monitors and IV's. Within a couple of hours M had arrived with the car seat and the next day they ran the probe. I had to leave in the middle, I couldn't watch the numbers fluctuating, that if 89 appeared on the screen it would mean he wasn't sufficiently maintaining his oxygen in his car seat and couldn't go home yet. An hour later I got the message from M on my phone...</span></div>
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"He did it!" </div>
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No more wires, no more monitors! The next morning for the first time since he was born, we held our baby and just our baby. </div>
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We were set to go home Sunday. </div>
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I'm so grateful to my parents, that they gave us the ability to stay in a hotel near his hospital for Shabbos. I couldn't fathom leaving him for 25 hours, so for two weeks I'd go for Shabbos morning, go back and join M & Y for Shabbos lunch in our hotel room and then M would join him for the afternoon. Sunday morning we woke up super early, laid out his coming home outfit (that I had actually brought with me everyday to the hospital) and got ready to bring our baby home.</div>
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Turns out the preemie outfit was way too big, but nothing could put a damper on that day. We dressed him and took pictures, collected everything we had kept in the hospital, filled out forms, made follow-up appointments, put our baby in his car seat, all 4lbs of him now, and made our way to the NICU doors. </div>
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That's when I heard the Mom next to our now empty isolette tell her baby boy, "one day you're going to be big like him." </div>
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"Big" like our 4lb baby.</div>
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I will always remember that whisper.</div>
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It will always take me back to that room, the buzzing and humming, the lights and hand washing and rounds. </div>
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The only place in the<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;"> world where my baby was "big" at 4lbs. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">Previous Posts in the Series: </span><br />
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Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-36659337362173787172016-03-10T20:07:00.001-05:002016-03-10T20:07:47.581-05:00An IUGR Delivery"Well if the baby's as small as they say, labour will be a breeze."<br />
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File that under more comments not to say to someone navigating their way through an IUGR diagnosis. </div>
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15 months before I went into labour with N, I had delivered Y.</div>
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That was a <i>twenty-six hour</i> production. And I didn't even know I was in labour! I got to the hospital for a regular OB appointment and the receptionist kindly pointed out that the sharp stabbing pains I kept having at regular intervals, were actually contractions. Who knew?</div>
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Not the case this time around.</div>
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I ended the last post, 3 hours away from the end of Shavuos and on my way to the hospital.</div>
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I have at times been called stubborn, I'll admit it. And most of those times, maybe I was being stubborn... But I was so determined to make it to the end of Chag that no one was going to tell me I was in labour. I had seen the OB and had a full scan Friday afternoon, hours before lighting and all was well - or as "well" as it could have been, given the diagnosis of IUGR. Baby was still deemed better in than out. I don't know what it was about Shavuos. I was well aware that I was allowed to make my way to the hospital, regardless of the fact that it was a holiday. I just felt like we had run there so many times, that so much had been thrown into chaos since our diagnosis, that all I wanted was a quiet, drama free yuntif.</div>
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Alas, baby did not agree.</div>
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We arrived at the hospital and M and I were totally ready for another 26 hour drawn out experience. Honestly, the contractions weren't bad at all, and I was fully capable of walking around and talking, but I just knew something was going on and I knew I had to go in. </div>
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We were admitted pretty quickly, and apart from declining filling out the questionnaire on our triage experience, it wasn't as complicated as I thought it would be, given that it was Shavuos. </div>
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We got into the delivery room and got comfortable. I walked around and we laughed and wondered if we'd actually be having the baby today. After having to prepare so many times, and having one false go, we just weren't sure. </div>
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But I had made it. And not just to 37 weeks, but to 37 weeks ONE day! If labour stopped again, I knew that the OB was planning the induction for that week anyway, so I was as calm as I could have been. I had read about so many women making it to 25 weeks, or 30 or 32. I knew it was a big deal that we had made it to <i>over </i>37 although I was still terrified that we may have pushed the baby too far.</div>
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And then the nurse walked in. She explained, that if the baby was under 2000g it would be taken to the NICU immediately. I asked what the last estimate was from our most recent ultrasound, but the information was unavailable. I did the math. 2000g... That's over 4 pounds. Obviously, now at "full-term," my baby was going to be at least 4lbs... Right?</div>
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The next hour or so was pretty peaceful. The contractions were completely manageable. I was informed that the anistheisologist would be heading into a complicated c-section shortly and if I wanted an epidural my window was closing. I wasn't in pain but figured better safe than sorry. I was at about 6cm with regular contractions. The anistheisologist came in and asked if I was in to be induced today. She was shocked when she found out how far I was, given how little discomfort I was in.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ha.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
So I got the "walking epidural" and got into bed to rest for a bit.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Ha.</div>
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My total active labour was 22 minutes. The epidural never had a chance. Truthfully I never clicked the button because I thought I had all the time in the world, because...</div>
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Y = 26 HOURS</div>
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N = 22 MINUTES</div>
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Out of nowhere I had a contraction that seriously had me convinced I was dying. Within seconds I was screaming that I was about to deliver. Everyone assumed it was just hitting me that I was in labour. My OB was actually on-call and he had just checked on me and let me know it would be a couple of hours still. When the nurse called him asking him to come back in, he was reluctant.</div>
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He barely made it. </div>
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In 22 minutes and with four pushes, and the most vividly excruciating pain I've ever experienced, I went from laughing and walking around to silence in the room.</div>
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The cord was wrapped around our baby's neck twice. And they were all staring at him.</div>
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M told me that it was a boy, but I wanted to know what else was going on. </div>
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And then they passed him to me and I knew.</div>
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<div>
<b>IUGR was in my arms.</b></div>
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Growth restriction, my restricted baby, was in my arms.</div>
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I held him as tightly as I could because I did not want him to be weighed. I didn't want that number to enter the room and ruin the moment. </div>
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<br /></div>
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My beautiful baby. I could see the strength in his eyes, but there was no mistaking the struggle in his size.</div>
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He fit in my hands. Not my arms, but my hands.</div>
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<br /></div>
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And the nurse, with the most understanding and compassionate eyes, held out her hands and I passed him over to her. </div>
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And a minute later the number entered the room.</div>
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1774g.</div>
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I had given birth to a full-term, 3lb 14oz baby. </div>
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You just don't know what a 3lb baby will look like until you've held one. I've had people say, that so and so was so tiny, when now I was realizing, they were basically double my baby.</div>
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1774g. A number I will never forget. </div>
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And with that number, my beautiful baby boy, who I had held for far too shortly, was on his way to the NICU.</div>
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I begged M to go with him and insisted I would be fine. The second he was rushed out and the door closed I cried.</div>
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And cried. And cried.</div>
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The nurse, our incredible, incredible nurse held me. </div>
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I asked if my baby was going to be okay and she told me that I had to make sure I was so that I could be there for him.</div>
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She stayed with me until I was transferred to a room. She brought me to my room and settled me in. She was there during one of my most difficult hours. </div>
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And then she left.</div>
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I had to stay in recovery for at least an hour. The second the hour mark hit, I pushed that nurse button repeatedly. Finally someone came and within two hours of giving birth, I was up and on my way to the NICU.</div>
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And then the epidural finally kicked in. Because, obviously right?</div>
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So into the wheel chair I went. NOTHING was keeping me away from my baby for another second.</div>
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And with that, physically numb but emotionally raw, I received my welcome to the NICU.</div>
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Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-78935865834575305402016-03-09T20:35:00.000-05:002016-03-09T20:35:28.566-05:00An IUGR Pregnancy<a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2016/03/iugr-diagnosis.html" target="_blank">Intrauterine Growth Restriction.</a><br />
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There are a lot of fancy and scary definitions out there, but let me just lay it out for you:<br />
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The baby isn't growing at a healthy pace. It's small, <i>too </i>small. It's not getting the nutrients it needs, it often isn't getting the oxygen or blood flow that it needs. It's restricted in all sense of the word.<br />
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I personally feel, "uncertainty," best defines an IUGR pregnancy. No one was ever sure about anything. From why growth had stalled to what to do about it.</div>
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After the diagnosis, I was very closely monitored. Twice-a-week I was sent for a biophysical profile ultrasounds and dopplers and every second week they'd add on an anatomical one. You know the long ultrasound you get at 20 weeks? Yeah, every two weeks. After each ultrasound I'd walk down the hallway to my OB's office and wait for his decision.<br />
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Let me explain. Every time we went to the hospital for these ultrasounds, we went with the knowledge that our baby could be born that day. That means twice-a-week I grabbed my hospital bag and baby's, made sure my parents were aware so they could come and pick up our toddler, M had to let work know that the baby may be coming today so he may not be in tomorrow and I had to mentally prepare myself that today could be the day this baby came into the world. Over a month early.<br />
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Twice a week.<br />
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So, I'd go through the ultrasound, beg the technician to tell me if there was any growth, anything promising whatsoever and then walk down that hallway to await the decision.<br />
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So many times I saw the struggle painted on my OB's face. The flow is looking okay, not great but okay. There's no significant growth from 72 hours ago. MCA, dopplers, cord flow - all of these were terms I had learned and terms, whose numbers that day, were determining factors in our story.<br />
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And it always ended the same way.<br />
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"Let's wait."<br />
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So we'd get back in the car, call everyone and let them know that baby was staying in a little longer (at least another 72 hours) and we'd try to calm down from the adrenaline and go home.<br />
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After taking off so many days, M couldn't make it to one appointment so my Mom came with me. I remember her asking why all this talk of induction and why they couldn't just wait and let the baby come naturally.<br />
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In all the chaos I had never thought to ask.<br />
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And that's when the OB we saw that day explained why. Because IUGR babies have a difficult time handling labour. That the rate of still birth was higher (for many reasons, from the condition not being detected, from the baby not being delivered soon enough or from stress during delivery, which is why they had decided on a c-section etc).<br />
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This new knowledge plagued me. Now I didn't know if I wanted to insist on them delivering our baby immediately or if every day we waited, maybe the baby would grow. If we could just make it to 37 weeks, outside of the "premature" time frame it could mean one less fight for our baby. But could the baby make it in there, not growing? Not thriving?</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Susanne Remic said it best. "From the moment you're told your baby is not growing well, you feel a little like a ticking time bomb." </span></div>
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I'd stare at the OB's face every appointment as he contemplated the facts before him. The confusion and struggle was clear as day. It wasn't until that appointment that I understood this was essentially a life or death decision. What was better, an IUGR 32-weeker or an IUGR baby left in-utero until 37 weeks, potentially not getting what it needed?<br />
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I'd ask what I could do. "Take it easy and keep eating and come in the second you feel something isn't right."<br />
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I never wanted to leave. What if I missed something that wasn't right. The kicks were never strong to begin with, I rarely felt movement. I had enough guilt that my body wasn't helping my baby to grow sufficiently that the added responsibility of being sent home for 72 hours at a time was overwhelming. </div>
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The goal was 37 weeks. If we could just get to 37 weeks we'd be out of the premature time frame. At 36 weeks I went into labour. It was like my body just wouldn't get on the same page. Induction had been pushed off to 37 weeks but baby was having none of that, apparently.</div>
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We headed to the hospital where a nurse, unfamiliar with the situation, excitedly informed us, "you'll be having a baby tonight!" M and I tried to make the most of our first outing since the birth of Y, 15 months earlier, and tried to laugh through the craziness. 13 hours later contractions significantly slowed down and after even more ultrasounds, I was sent home and told not to go too far since delivery was imminent. </div>
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I spent that week like the ones before. Two doctor's appointments, more BPPs and dopplers. More waiting. More worrying. </div>
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I made Shavuos, (which happened to be a 3-day-Chag) and headed into the holiday hoping for rest, quiet and minimal drama. </div>
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At 37 weeks 1 day, 3 hours before Shavous was over, I was on my way to the hospital.<br />
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Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-10933858060726525762016-03-08T20:05:00.001-05:002016-03-09T06:51:08.014-05:00IUG... What?A year ago, I had no idea that IUGR Awareness Day coming up, on March 13th, was a thing.<br />
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A year ago, I had no idea IUGR was a thing.</div>
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Intrauterine Growth Restriction.<br />
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Three words that changed my pregnancy, my delivery and my life. </div>
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Forgive me if that sounds dramatic, but it's the truth.</div>
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I don't know how to share what IUGR has meant to our family. I don't know how to put into words the fear, uncertainty, chaos and isolation that comes along with it. </div>
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But I do know that if there was someone out there that could have reached out and understood that my baby wasn't going to be little just because I am, then I wouldn't have felt so alone. That just because I'm all of 4' 11" a 3lb baby wasn't something I should have just expected. I actually had an ultrasound technician tell me, "In my country we say big dog, big puppy; little dog, little puppy." </div>
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Yeah.<br />
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So here it is. Here's the series I would have wanted to read. And if someone out there, going through this diagnosis, this uncertainty, right now could, at the very least, not feel alone and at best, feel comforted, then it's worth putting it all out there...</div>
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At 30 weeks pregnant with my second baby, I went for a routine ultrasound. Our hospital policy includes a late pregnancy ultrasound, and thank Gd it did. I knew right away that something wasn't right. I saw the look of confusion on the technician's face. <i>Four</i> times I answered what my due date and LMP was but she just didn't seem satisfied with it. I smiled at our little moving bundle on the screen, wiped up the gel and walked over to my OB down the hall for my appointment.</div>
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That's where he told me that our baby was measuring small. And not just small but "<i>too </i>small". For 26 years I had dealt with being called small, short etc. But this time no one was laughing it off. This time words like "induction," "at high risk," "closely monitor," "low birth weight," were being thrown around. Something was wrong and it wasn't even something that people could understand. </div>
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I would say, "They're concerned, the baby is measuring too small." </div>
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Everyone else would say, "Well look at you!" or "Ultrasounds aren't accurate!" or "I bet it's going to be 8lbs!"</div>
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People would ask how far along I was, and when I'd respond they'd look shocked and tell me how lucky I was to be so small.</div>
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Never in my life, have I hated being told that more. </div>
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All I wanted was to be big. I wanted that jump, that huge weight gain which would mean my baby was growing, was thriving and was getting bigger. </div>
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Instead I stayed small. </div>
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I left that appointment feeling a horrible combination of confusion and guilt. I had already been doing everything I possibly could to have a healthy pregnancy. I had cut out fried eggs, deli, caffeine, anything even semi-questionable. I was eating as healthy as possible. I was chasing a 14-month-old and going for walks and keeping active. I never missed a doctor's appointment, and I rested as much as I was able to.</div>
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So why had my body stopped helping the baby? Why wasn't it growing?</div>
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You get pregnant, you get bigger, the baby grows, you deliver.</div>
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Why was my story stalling on the second part?</div>
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After being "small," for 26 years, why couldn't just this once, I move passed that? </div>
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I went home, cried and waited for our next doctor's appointment the following week.</div>
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Next, I'll share what an IUGR pregnancy looks like. </div>
Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-8136872306605004472016-03-02T18:06:00.001-05:002016-03-02T18:16:18.047-05:00Celebrate & Simply The Best Babka Ever!<div>
I<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">f you read my <a href="http://www.itsybitsybalebusta.com/2015/12/celebrate-joy-hope.html" target="_blank">post</a> at the very end of last year, you'll know that one of the words I'm focusing on this year is Celebrate. Celebrating the big, small and everyday moments with our family. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">So it's absolutely appropriate that my new favourite cookbook is Elizabeth Kurtz's book aptly entitled, <i>Celebrate: Food. Family. Shabbos</i>.</span></div>
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If I had a nickel for every time I told my husband I <i>need</i> a cookbook, well... I'd be able to afford a ton more cookbooks!</div>
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Speaking of, you <i>need</i> this cookbook.</div>
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And if my husband agrees that it's fantastic and worthwhile, when I have more shelves than I'd like to admit, packed with them, you know this is a big deal. </div>
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Even though I'm quick to profess my love for cookbooks, I have a select few that are well worn and used meal after meal, week after week. Pages are splattered with various ingredients, there are notes neatly written in the margins and coloured tabs to make flipping to tried-and-true recipes quicker. The recipes made are family favourites, evoking memories of meals and connections. Otherwise, I turn to the remaining endless shelves of cookbooks, simply for leisurely reading and inspiration.</div>
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<i>Celebrate</i> is one of those very rare cookbooks, that satisfies both. I've spent quite a bit of time flipping through pages, bookmarking recipes, reading through the anecdotes and gaining inspiration. I've spent even more time in the kitchen preparing fantastic dishes from its pages! If you follow me on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/itsybitsybalebusta/" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, you'll have already seen a bunch of dishes I've prepared and shared with followers. </div>
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I'm not kidding, in the short span of time we've had it, we've made:</div>
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Sweet Challah</div>
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Roasted Red Pepper & Jalapeño Dip</div>
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Zesty Caribbean Chicken</div>
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Roasted Garlic Potatoes</div>
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Yellow Tumeric Rice</div>
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Pumpkin Soufflé</div>
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Easy Creamy Lemon Tart</div>
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Shaved Chocolate Pound Cake</div>
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Simply the Best Babka Ever</div>
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Berry Custard Tart</div>
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Like I said, it's become a staple.</div>
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The book is clear, concise and very user friendly. The recipes are laid out cleanly and very easy to follow. The added tips within the steps, such as the one included for poofing yeast in the Challah recipe, help ensure that each dish you choose to make is a success. </div>
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Additionally, recipes come with directions for freezing and storing, as well as, for a vast majority, directions on how to make them Pesachdik! There's even a troubleshooting chart in the cookie section, to help solve any baking issues you may have had before. Rarely is there a cookbook that wants you to succeed so much in making its dishes! It's a comprehensive collection that leaves you feeling 100% confident that not only is Elizabeth Kurtz fantastic in the kitchen, but also completely knowledgeable and trustworthy. She is the blogger behind <a href="http://www.gourmetkoshercooking.com/" target="_blank">Gourmet Kosher Cooking</a>, which has had millions of impressions and recipe downloads. Incredibly impressive and after trying a recipe you'll see, not surprising at all!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">And like I said, you can completely trust her! Her recipes have been no fail here so far and I'll even go as far as to say, are replacing classics!</span></div>
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For instance, my husband was very particular about the Challah recipe I make every Shabbos. The few times I ventured out and experimented, were unfortunately met with disappointment and, "back to the regular next week?" I decided to test out the Sweet Challah, and I can happily say that I've now taken Challah twice using the recipe and our freezer has a steady supply built up!</div>
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Maybe this isn't the biggest deal to, y'know, most people, but the addition of two ribbon bookmarks was just another example of the consideration shown to readers throughout the book! It's so rare that I'm making one thing at a time in the kitchen, so the luxury of being able to bookmark more than one recipe and flip back and forth with minimal work is an added bonus!</div>
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Trying to prep Shabbos (or any meal really) while trying to keep my eye on a non-stop 2-year-old, while simultaneously keeping a 9-month-old entertained, is quite the juggling act. The fact that I can cook from this book, with (to date) no errors and great results, is a testament to how straight-forward and clear the directions and recipes are. </div>
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The recipes themselves are sure to be family favourites. New flavours are embedded in dishes seamlessly, so that even the pickiest of eaters won't hesitate to give it a try. The flavours came together beautifully in the Zesty Caribbean Chicken and despite the fact that there were a few we'd be hesitant to try otherwise, altogether it was great! There are classics and new takes on classics. The Pumpkin Soufflé is light, flavourful and so easy to whip up! We've made the Yellow Tumeric Rice, more times than I can keep track of. After trying the Roasted Red Pepper and Jalepeno dip for Shabbos, my husband also added it to his fish tacos and sandwiches during the week - an example of the opportunities for versatility you'll find within these pages! The recipes are fresh, make use of ingredients you very likely already have stocked in your pantry and bring new dishes to your table while retaining a familiar and classic feel and flavour! </div>
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And the desserts. Oh my, the desserts! The Berry Custard Tart was so simple to make and absolutely fantastic! I can't even relay how much I loved the Creamy Lemon Tart - simple, quick, tart with such a perfectly smooth consistency!</div>
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And finally, the babka. I'm always weary of any recipe that includes the word, "best" in its title, but this one truly deserves it. I made this during the boys nap and it was so fantastic we had one of the loaves fresh from the oven that evening, and I just had to share one with my sister-in-law, the next day! </div>
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A few features making it worthy of its title: </div>
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The dough does not dry out at all </div>
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The filling is perfectly creamy and chocolatey, without any hint of a crumbly texture</div>
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It freezes and reheats beautifully</div>
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It is SO simple to make (re: successfully accomplished with 2 boys under 2)</div>
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It makes 4-5 loaves in one shot, perfect for the freezer/ gifting etc </div>
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And once you taste it, none of these reasons will matter because it'll simply taste like the best babka you've ever had!</div>
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I've very kindly been granted permission to share the recipe with you, so go make it asap, have one loaf fresh from the oven because it's just gotta happen (& you just made homemade babka, so you deserve a treat!) and then once you realize it really is the best babka ever, go out and get this cookbook and discover all the other amazing recipes within it!</div>
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And if you needed just one more reason to consider it (reallllly?!) the cookbook benefits <a href="https://www.emunah.org/" target="_blank">Emunah of America</a>, an organization that, "is all about caring for those who need extra care." They work to restore children and families in distress, back to health, have homes for children in dangerous situations, daycares, counselling and programs for the elderly as well. Throughout the pages of the cookbook, you're given a glimpse into their work and the children and adults they help each and everyday. <i>The purchase of this cookbook will touch the life of a child or adult who relies on Emunah for help.</i></div>
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Now go!!</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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<u><b>Simply The Best Babka Ever</b></u></div>
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Initially appeared in the Emunah Cookbook, Chef's Confidential. Reprinted with permission from Celebrate.<br>
(Makes 4 Loaves) </div>
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Babka:</div>
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7 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 additional cup, as needed, divided</div>
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6 (1/4 ounce) packages or 4 1/2 tablespoons instant or rapid rise yeast</div>
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3/4 cup granulated sugar </div>
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1 tablespoon vanilla sugar</div>
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1 1/2 cups margarine, melted</div>
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1 3/4 cups warm water</div>
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2 eggs</div>
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2 egg yolks</div>
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2 teaspoons salt</div>
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Crumb Topping</div>
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4 tablespoons margarine, at room temperature </div>
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1 cup all-purpose flour</div>
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3/4 cup granulated sugar</div>
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To make the babka:</div>
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Combine flour, yeast, sugar, vanilla sugar, margarine, water, eggs, egg yolks, and salt in a large bowl. Turn out on floured board and knead 5 minutes, adding up to 1 cup of flour if dough is sticky. Allow to rise in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap for 1 1/2 hours.</div>
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For the crumb topping:<br>
Crumble margarine with flour and sugar in a small bowl, using fingertips.</div>
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Make babka filling (below)</div>
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Spray 4 (10 inch) loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. </div>
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Divide dough into 8 pieces. Using a rolling pin, roll each piece into a 1/2 inch thick rectangle, the length of the loaf pan. Spread filling onto each rectangle, within 1 inch of borders. Roll from long side, like a jelly roll. Twist 2 rolls around each other and place a twist in each pan. Using all the crumbs, sprinkle a quarter of the crumb topping on top of each babka. Let rise for 30 minutes.</div>
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.</div>
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Bake for 30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes in pan, then remove and cool completely on wire rack. </div>
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This freezes well. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in freezer. Defrost in the refrigerator and serve at room temperature.</div>
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For the Chocolate Babka Filling</div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">(enough for 4 babkas)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue light" , , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">1 cup margarine, melted</span></div>
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1 (4.1-ounce) box instant chocolate pudding</div>
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1 egg</div>
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1/2 cup water</div>
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2 cups sugar</div>
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1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder</div>
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In a small bowl, combine margarine, chocolate pudding, egg, water, sugar and cocoa. Use an eighth of this recipe for each section of dough.</div>
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<i>Disclaimer: This a review copy of this cookbook was generously sent to me. The ideas and opinions expressed within this post are completely mine, and are the product of truly cooking my way through the book and using it in our home. </i></div>
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Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-14256185909186715682016-01-03T08:56:00.001-05:002016-01-03T18:18:45.440-05:00Cook, Pray, Eat Kosher<div>
There are cookbooks that you simply cook from, return to the shelf, and then go about enjoying your meal.</div>
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And then there are cookbooks that leave a lasting impact, whether it's a new technique, flavour combination or piece of knowledge, that carries on. </div>
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Mia Adler Ozair's cookbook, <i>Cook, Pray, Eat Kosher </i>is definitely the latter. It nourishes more than just your appetite. While it offers recipes to satisfy both Ashkenazic and Sephardic cuisine, it also satisfies a thirst for knowledge and insight into Judaism itself. It's multi-dimensional, in the sense that it is a cookbook, with a layer of in depth Torah thought, as well as Mia's very own insights and personal story.</div>
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I love that our initial approach to cooking was very similar! She had her favorite dishes and her Mom's recipes and while she knew the basics, didn't venture out too much - until she met her husband! I can definitely relate! Seriously, I hadn't even tried an avocado before meeting M! I love that the cookbook is another example of how her and her husband joined forces, since it was he who helped to incorporate the, "golden nuggets of Torah," found throughout the book.</div>
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This isn't just a kosher cookbook for meal planning purposes. As the subtitle makes clear, it's a cookbook for the soul. If you're looking to pick up a book to flip through and find a recipe here or there, this isn't it. If you're looking for a cookbook that is brimming with Torah and recipes from a variety of traditions, infused with history and meaning, than look no further. The detail included to connect the spirituality of taking part in a meal, and how eating helps to elevate our connection with Gd, with recipes to encourage you to do so, is intricate and in depth. The book is brimming with discussions around, "Food and the Neshama," "Food and Mussar," Kashrus and more. Again, it is as much a spiritual journey as a culinary one! </div>
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I will admit that the layout at first, wasn't what I'd usually expect from a cookbook. The recipes are split into two columns on most pages, with pages often having titles, which makes it easy to sometimes miss the recipe you're looking for if you're quickly flipping through (i.e the Pumpkin Bread recipe is found in the Dessert section but the title on the page is, "Coffee And..." with the recipe listed below).</div>
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The recipes vary with different cuisines and cultures infused into their ingredients and presentation. They all however, have a common thread tying them together. They are simple, flavorful and require ingredients you most likely already have. Having access to recipes that are simple with familiar ingredients, when preparing Shabbos with two under two, is definitely a win!</div>
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The simplicity in terms of both preparation and ingredients, urges you to want to try everything! I'll be honest, I usually skip right over the salad recipes in most cookbooks. Unless it's hummus or a caesar salad I'm generally not <i>that</i> interested. It doesn't help that I have little luck making dressings and that raw veggies are hit and miss! </div>
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So, when I tell you that not only did I make two salads from this cookbook, but that they're basically Shabbos staples now, you know there's something big here!<br>
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The cucumber salad is simple, flavorful and refreshing! It took barely any time or ingredients and was a great addition to our first course!</div>
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The corn salad is now one of my favorites and a staple on our menu! The ingredients are basic and friendly to even the pickiest of veggie eaters! It takes little effort to make, is a colorful addition to the table and a perfect combination of sweet and tart! I love it with the fish course, but it also fits in seamlessly throughout the rest of the meal!</div>
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If you're looking for a cookbook that will inspire you both in Torah thought as well as trying recipes you'd previously skim over before, <i>Cook, Pray, Eat Kosher</i> is the perfect resource!<br><br><u>Simple Corn Salad</u> <br>Serves 4 to 6 (<i>Cook, Pray, Eat Kosher page 130)</i><br>
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1 can sweet corn, drained<br>
3 heaping tablespoons mayonnaise<br>
2 or 3 large pickles (sweet or sour as desired), chopped<br>
1 small red pepper, chopped<br>
Salt and black pepper, to taste<br>
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Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste.<br>
Serve chilled and stir just prior to serving.<br>
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<i>This cookbook was generously provided for this review, however all thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own. Recipe has been reproduced with permission. </i></div>
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Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8995895739519502806.post-68730364105602924172015-12-31T10:17:00.001-05:002015-12-31T10:38:50.312-05:00Celebrate. Joy. Hope.<div>
There's something magical about New Year's Eve. I mean once you get past the stress of making plans, having no plans and ending up in your pjs on the couch eating a box of chocolates, watching Taylor Swift perform a song you're pretty sure is brand new but in reality is probably two years old...</div>
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Just me?</div>
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Okay.</div>
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Anyway, New Years Eve... And yes, while I'm aware that Rosh HaShanah marks the beginning of the new year, there is something powerful and moving about December 31st. The world seems full of hope, full of promise, full of ambition for the coming year. And whether that carries well into the year or ends at 12:01, it doesn't matter.</div>
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2015 was hard for our family. Like really hard. There were challenges and obstacles around almost every corner. From pregnancy complications to the NICU, medical emergencies, surgery and working diagnoses for both of our boys, it was real and harsh and raw. We did our best to keep things as positive and normal, as we could, for the boys. We had a first birthday party, went to the zoo and play places. We had pj days and Paw Patrol days, running in the park, cuddles, laughs and smiles. And it got us through. </div>
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But today. Today is December 31st. And tomorrow this year will be gone. It'll be another chapter in our lives. A chapter that broke us down a little so that we could become even stronger.</div>
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There are three words I want to focus on this year. </div>
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Celebrate.</div>
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Hope.</div>
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Joy.</div>
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I want to celebrate. I want to celebrate everything. Every inch of progress our boys make. Every smile. Every milestone, big or small. I want to celebrate Monday and Wednesday and birthdays and good weather. I want a calendar filled with more than medical appointments and with more family fun days. I want to celebrate it all. I want to find the good and make happy memories and live.</div>
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I want our lives to be filled with hope. Hope for progress and therapies and that every day will be a good day, that everything will be okay. Will there be sleep regressions and teething, silly arguments over nothing and toddler tantrums? Yes, yes there will be. But there will be hope too. And if those are the worst things we'll have to face, then I welcome them with open arms.</div>
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Joy. I want there to be so much joy. The kind of joy that is all encompassing and overwhelming. The kind of joy that takes your breath away and leaves you awash in gratitude and wonder. The kind of joy when Y learns something new or N beats the odds. The kind of joy that melts mommy guilt and bickering and tantrums. Joy and laughter and smiles. Everyday. To find a reason for joy every. single. day.</div>
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Do we always get what we want? No, no we don't. But we can hope. We can be joyful through it all. And when we do get what we want? When we get what we so desperately need? We celebrate.</div>
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Happy 2016!</div>
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Victoria Rosenberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00250881695753420335noreply@blogger.com0