Batch Cooking

I have had a fair few people tell me that batch cooking is an absolute life saver once baby is here as it seems that you essentially forget how to function - whether that be due to the lack of sleep, working out how to be with a brand new person and routine, or just to make life a little bit easier. Either way, get cooking and freezing, pal.

So that's what I've done!

Have only made three meals this week, might squeeze in one more before bab comes. But below are the recipes I used as inspiration in case you want to make any of them. I like to go off on a tangent every now and then, but also because I don't like anchovies, so just no. They are not included in anything. Tailor the below to your own tastebuds and I'm sure you'll have a lovely time.

Pea & Mint Soup
This recipe is from BBC Good Food and was so surprisingly easy I think I'll make a couple more soups. But yes, not much more to say as, well...it's a soup.

Chilli Con Carne
Enjoy cooking recipes from Jamie Oliver as he's so slap dash and when I first started cooking his approach was the best for me. This is super tasty though and a good one for those meals when you need to use up what's in your cupboard. Thrifty.

Shepherd's Pie
Got to have a Winter Warmer in there, haven't you? This one is from BBC Food and I most definitely did not include the optional anchovy - I'm not a fool. Freezer tip for this one being to freeze the mash and the mince filling separately. Then when it comes to eating, once defrosted just build the pie as you would if cooking fresh and then whack in the oven.

When all meals were cooked I split them into indiviudual portions in freezer bags; dated and labelled, of course. As if you won't know what 'mashed potato' is without the label (what type of nester have I become?!)

But hopefully my crazy nesting has made it all that little bit easier as we adjust to life with our tiny new person to look after...

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The Age of the Potato

It's happened. I've become a human spud in the torso.

Had a christening over the weekend and despite feeling all sorts of lovely in my dress, looking back at photos I can see that yes - my body has become one big potato. My bump is very out now. And I've learnt that from this point forward, it's where I put on 1 to 2lbs/week as part of pregnancy. Let the expansion continue! It's also easier for me to get through gaps head on rather than turning sideways and knocking everything with the bab bump.

Here's my week 32 #bumpingalong (trying to stay on top of it!) and I am wearing maternity leggings from ASOS with a non-maternity tunic type dress from last year's Topshop in a size 12. The dress was a go-to when I was Crohn's bloated - 'tis nice and roomy in the middle and the pattern is also great camouflage.

Baby has been a regular hiccupper for a good few weeks; I read somewhere the other day that says if baby is hiccupping too much after 32 weeks that it's something to talk to the midwife about? Has anyone else heard this? I believe it's because it could mean the cord is around the small person's neck. Keeping an eye on that fo' sho. Although my first-time-parent anxiety is somewhat alleviated now we've reached a point in pregnancy where if baby arrives, we're medically kind of ok. Ish.

The movement from this baby though! It's incredible, albeit painful at times, how much they move around. And to feel an actual body not just seeing my belly wobble. The moving is making my other half oh so excited to meet our baby...it makes my heart swell seeing him like this. I can't wait!

Don't get me wrong I am still panicking about everything else that being a parent involves as there's only so much prep you can do before they're here. It's 45 days until this baby is definitely out of my womb and into my arms.

And this is my last full week at work.

HOLY SHITBALLS.

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Dietician Time

Got the hospital tomorrow morning to see my gastro dietician. It's a scheduled appointment from the end of last year for Crohn's, but has actually come at the perfect time in my pregnancy. This is because I want to put my mind at rest and make sure that I would be able to put on the required weight for baby and me.

I say this based on how my body can drop weight so quickly when flaring and generally how hard it can be to put weight on with Crohn's (unless you're on steroids - hello swollen moon). Over the last few weeks my weight generally hasn't changed. Like to the decimal hasn't changed, at times. But now it's creeping in the right direction which is good!

As I mentioned in a previous post, my Crohn's is as calm as it's been in years. But being pregnant has played havoc with my eating; I've completely gone off meat, and in the first trimester I was feeling nauseous all the time so eating was tricky. Despite taking the pregnancy supplements, I want to know that I am eating all the right things for a good healthy development of the little human.

Being in the glorious second trimester I have my appetite back now so I'm excited to see what recipes I can come up with that tick all the nutritional boxes for the two of us (!) based on my catch up tomorrow with my gastro dietician.

I'm making a conscious effort to eat well with these new culinary cravings and it's given me an opportunity to explore the vegetarian world a little bit - my favourite being a vegetarian chilli con carne with all the beans that I rustled up. So good!

Will post a few of my favourite recipes for any of you foodies out there as I get more adventurous with the ingredients.

But as it stands, bring me all the food. I'm ready.

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Stranger Danger

I know. It's like you've forgotten who I am, as it has been so long since I last posted. SORRY GUYS!

The last few months have been a whirlwind of new job loveliness and quite frankly, time has ran away from me on a daily basis!!

I do however still have a long list of FODMAP recipes to post. Be good to let me know what one you'd like to see first? Your choices are...

• FODMAP Nibbles
• Mexican Meatballs with Red Rice and Salsa
• Moroccan Lamb and Warm Couscous Salad
• Homemade Chicken Tikka Masala
• Winter Vegetable Pasta
• Easy Fish Pie (no sauce required!)
• Butternut Squash and Red Pesto Pasta

Will try and get my technological brain on and create an official poll. Oh aye.

In other news...

Crohn's is relatively settled. Had a few hiccups from the nether regions and I'm waiting to be referred to the Rectal Bleeding Clinic. I'm sure you can fill in the gaps there. No one wants to read about bleeding bums and recipes in the same post!

Got the dietician on December 23rd so will make sure I do an update after that. As it stands, to be honest the FODMAP hasn't done a great deal with the bloat. But I was told it may help, may not help, may take 2 weeks to notice a difference, may take 6 months.

Good ol' trial and error Crohn's at its best!

But for now I shall bid you farewell (not for as long as last time!) as I have the BIG REUNION to look forward to tomorrow *10yr old self screams*

Oh and some Christmas shopping. As I haven't done any yet. Cripes.

See what I mean about time running away from me?!

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