Lovely Meals Lately: February 2023

Hey friends! How are ya? The cat's out of the bag...we're expecting another baby boy July 4th! Hence the lack of exciting Lovely Meals content November and December when I was majorly on the sickness struggle bus....

I'm now 21 weeks and so immensely grateful to be able to eat more than frozen burritos, Trader Joe's mac and cheese (SO good), and spicy pad Thai takeout.

In fact, my diet is pretty much totally back to normal (besides being super hungry), hooray!

Lovely Meals

I usually have oatmeal with berries and nut butter for breakfast early on then I crave fried eggs and toast around 10am. All the avocado, please!

Chia pudding is my jam lately for a snack, especially given the pregnancy constipation. Chia and magnesium have been game changers for me. To make, I whisk 1 ½ cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk with 6 tbsp chia seeds and 1 tbsp maple syrup.

Let is sit for 10 minutes and whisk again, then refrigerate overnight. Top a portion with berries, peanut butter, and cacao nibs for crunch. I get these chia seeds (best deal) and store extras in the freezer.

Rosenberg's LEO (lox, egg and onion) on an everything bagel with cream cheese...dreams really do come true.

I made a version of my 10-Minute Tuna and Chickpea Salad using what I had on hand, which was kidney beans and cilantro. I added cabbage, chipotle chili pepper and cumin and it was delish for easy lunches with crackers.

Nothing better than a mid-day salted Banana Brownie, am I right?!

My Sweet Potato Kale Salad tastes so incredible now that I can enjoy lots of veggies again!

Have you made my Roasted Veggie Bowl with Tahini Honey Mustard? The flavors of this one knock my socks off every time. And everything is good dipped in the dressing!

I made the most random clean-out-the-fridge concoction that ended up being amazing. Leftover Banza pasta shells, roasted potatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, my tahini honey mustard, leftover cheese stick, and hot sauce all warmed in this gorg pan.

I forgot how amazing my Lemon Chickpea and Rice Soup is. Sooo flavorful and satisfying!

My friend Jamie's recipes never disappoint. She's a total wizard with global flavors and fun textures. Be sure to add her Cauliflower Shawarma Bowls to your list!

These Shrimp Tacos were definitely a favorite dinner of the month that'll be going into the regular rotation. Multiple people told me they're the best tacos they've made!

Quesadilla night! I love these whole wheat tortillas with plenty of cheddar plus Greek yogurt and salsa for dipping.

We had leftover Mediterranean's food from Max's birthday party and it really hit the spot for lunches. I actually got the grape leaves from Costco and they were delish!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal Cups for simple grab-and-go snacking.

Stuff I'm Loving Lately

1. I just finished Lessons In Chemistry and can honestly say it may be my favorite book ever (I listened to the audio book). It was incredibly empowering, quirky, funny, unique, and endlessly entertaining. I couldn't recommend it more!
2. This 40oz insulated travel mug with straw is giving me life lately for water intake. It's going to be a game changer for breastfeeding thirst, too.
3. These leggings are the best thing ever. I can't get over how buttery soft they are and my belly really appreciates them.
4. UNMEASURED, my favorite virtual barre membership celebrating all bodies, has an amazing sale happening! I'm obsessed with the new prenatal classes and meditations. Now through 2/28, you get an annual UNMEASURED membership, 2 months FREE ($50 off), and 10x monthly group coaching sessions (think body image, intuitive eating, etc) with renowned coach Simi Botic all for $250. That's less than $21 a month for incredible workout classes and so much more!
5. Max is obsessed with sitting at his Play Kit and coloring with the awesome table-sized coloring sheets! He'll sit there for 20 minutes and happily color. He likes to eat there now, too. We have these non-toxic paint sticks and they're a big hit. They come right out of everything so no mess!
6. These Chelsea platform ankle boots are adorable and super comfortable. Size down a half size!
7. Shrinking on Apple TV is super cute and entertaining. We've been loving it as an easy wind down show.
8. I've live in these Vuori joggers, which I bought in size S pre-pregnancy. They're my #1 maternity recommendation because you can wear them post-baby and they're beyond comfortable. The waistband stretches so much to accommodate my growing belly without feeling any tightness. I have three pairs and I didn't need to size up!

What's new in your life? What's something delish you ate this week? Thanks for being here!