Every Wednesday we watch the garbage or recycling  truck from the front window - conveniently we have been reading Digger, Dozer, Dumper, an amazingly fun and wonderful board book with a couple pages focused on a garbage truck.  When we hear the familiar rumble of the waste disposal truck  -  my son looked at me, and I looked at him, and I suggested we go look out the window at what they were doing. He ran to the front window, and stood on his tip toes to peek at them and their big truck. I put him on my shoulders and he was thrilled to see the trucks driving around and the workers picking up our boxes.

As the truck drove away, the Beeboo waved bye bye.

Our next topic was Owls. We have two primary owl books on rotation over here - Owls from Usborne Books, and Owls from National Geographic. Right now the Usborne Owl Book is winning. It has a great overview of Owl body parts, methods of eating, finding a mate, different types of owls, and more. There is a lot of overlap in the information in early reader books about owls, so I know I’m learning a lot just by repetition. More than I ever knew I wanted to know.

His interests have now made me pay attention to owl news and events - there was a Raptor of High Park event with the High Park Nature Centre not too long ago, but had to miss it because it’s during prime nap time - but just knowing that they do these kinds of things makes me expect we will catch one of them one day (assuming the Beeboo continues his Owl fandom beyond toddlerhood.)

We are thinking about signing up fro the Nature Centre’s Waddlers program. I wonder how we will respond to the structure of it all. Because we love running through the forest on our own, but more of a free form wandering. I feel optimistic. Cautiously optimistic.

I started my planning process earlier this time around, so there is no scramble to make a plan and also it gave a little time to go along and comment on the week as things happened.

How did we do with last week’s plan?

I think it’s worth analyzing how last weeks meal plan worked out as I create this new one. I probably had too many ambitious dishes on the roster for last week, especially when we also had too much stuff on the go with non-food life related things. That will change over the next few weeks, but easier options would be a better idea. We loved the overnight oats/make ahead breakfast options and I loved having prepared jarred lunches to grab for after our son’s early afternoon nap.

We have added a wildcard to our week in the form of a CSA. We have some idea of what we’re getting earlier in the week, but the resulting meals after delivery might be more impromptu or side dishes.

I did follow through with bagels this morning and they were absolutely excellent, but I think I’m going to aim to do them 1-2 a month rather than every week. Though I’ve considered the overlap between challah making and other baking - so we’ll play that by ear.

The other nice thing about having a plan or just planning some of our meals ahead is that cooking in the evening or early in the morning controls our temperature a little bit - especially as our summer heats up a bit more for the season.

Without further ado, this is what we’re planning on making this week;

Breakfast

Monday - Basil Asparagus Fritatta Apricot ginger overnight zucchini oats Wildberry Overnight Zucchini Oats Tofu Scramble and Hashbrowns Savoury mung bean congee

Lunch

Make ahead

• Lemon ginger jar

  • Lemon Ginger Dressing (olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, Dijon mustard, Soy), Millet, lentils, celery root, Edamame, kale, Corn, Carrots, Sweet Bell Peppers, Seeds, Unsalted dry roasted sunflower seed, Green Onions

• Moroccan Tagine jar

  • Chickpeas, lemon ginger dressing, millet, sweet potato, celery root, carrots,  various greens, rehydrated apricots and raisins, parsley

• Deconstructed falafel jar

  • chopped up tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion

  • pickled turnips

  • chickpeas

  • lemon lentil salad

  • sesame seeds

  • a tahini parsley dressing on the side

• Burrito Jar

Dinner

Monday or Tuesday. Lentil Loaf - some lentil loaf recipes can be really fussy and full of steps and work - Im hoping to find one that is straightforward and easy to put together. This one might just be that recipe. But only time will tell if it’s delicious too. With a side of mashed potatoes and a mixed vegetable salad. Make lots of lentils for other dishes throughout the week. Leftover loaf could make a great quick lunch later in the week as well.

Tofu Cacchitori with Rigatoni pasta

Lentil Loaf Leftovers or Zucchini Pad Thai

Thursday

Great Chefs Cook Vegan - Gabriel Kreuther PG 122

• Yukon Gold Potato “Linguini” and Fresh Sprouts Salad with a Sorrel-Arugula Emulsion

• Warm Watermelon Salad with Tomatoes, Crushed Pistachios, and aged Balsamic Vinegar

• Seasonal Vegetable Medley with Sautéed Tofu and Horseradish Broth

• Chilled White and Yellow Peach Soup, Poached with Beer and Lemon Verbena

Friday Crunchy Cucumber salad, challah, matzo ball soup, seitan brisket, leftover lemon lentil parsley salad from lunches

Snacks

Red Pepper Hummus and Pita Bread and/or sweetpeas Zaa’tar baked olive oil pita and tomato Fresh fruit Whatever we find at the farmers market

Other - Pie

I’m planning to make a strawberry rhubarb pie this week. This crust from smitten kitchen looks lovely, but despite her proclamations of the superiority of butter, I will still (obviously) be using Earth Balance.

I should start thinking about the weeks ahead during the week before, but we get to Sunday and I remember it’s time to put our grocery order in. Grocery order? Well - our local grocer has an online option so someone else picks our groceries for us and we load it into our car.

We just pick them up. This still usually involves a quick run through for items we might have forgotten or to pick up some beer or cider, but generally, it keeps our time there as short as possible. Our little one does not like shopping carts, so one of us ends up carrying him around or occasionally letting him roam the less breakable aisles for a while, which adds to our desire to get in and get out sooner rather than later.

The following are recipes we’re planning on making in the coming week, starting on Monday for 2 hungry adults and 1 not-so-picky toddler. Some lunches are for my husband to take to work, but if we can prepare  a few lunches ahead of time all of us will win.

To be honest, many of these aren’t all reasonable or simple meals, but many or parts of them can be prepared in advance.

I’m starting the weekend feeling more enthusiastic about savoury items but I like having a few different options in mind. I find having an idea of what we’re going to have during the week, makes it a lot easier to make things, and saves me a lot of time searching for the one thing

Breakfasts

• Monday - Overnight Zucchini oats

• Smoothie Bowl - In the smoothie: Frozen strawberry, soy yogurt, soy milk, maple syrup or agave, vanilla. On Top:  granola, chia seeds, hemp seeds, fresh sliced strawberries, blueberries, almonds slivers, more non-dairy yogurt.

• Tofu Scramble, Greens, and diced potatoes/hashbrowns.

• Museli Breakfast Rounds with fresh fruit and peanut butter

• Weekend

  • Minimalist Baker’s 1 Pot Chickpea Shakshuka with Cauliflower rice

  • Bagels and Carrot Lox (and maybe cream cheese from Ceara’s Kitchen, or this one from Cupcakes and Kale)

Lunches (3 on the go)

• Monday - (Make ahead) - Orzo Salad in a jar with beans and tofu cubes - (minty dressing for me, a dill olive oil dressing for J) - celery, red peppers, orzo pasta, kale/radicchio or whatever greens come in our CSA this week, green onions, olives, walnuts, dill.) Dressings: 3 tsp mustard, 6tbsp white vinegar, 9 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Separate, 1 tsp of mint in mine, 1 tsp of dill in his.

• Tuesday: Black bean mixed vegetable mushroom stir-fry with rice noodles. (ended up making a potato linguine to go with this instead of rice noodles)

• Wednesday: (Make ahead) Oh She Glows  - Orange Maple Miso Noodle Bowl. Ended up doing something different - with a sesame maple dressing.

• Baked beans (canned or this recipe from Serious Eats), rigatoni pasta, and baked peanut tofu fingers.

• (Make ahead) Bryant Terry’s - Jamaican Veggie Patties from Afro Vegan pg.  (the plan is to use the recipe for the crust, but make my own lentil TVP filling based more on this recipe from Serious Eats)

Dinner

• Monday: Great Chefs Cook Vegan Night: Pg 43 - Cat Cora Curried Cauliflower Salad, Basque veggie kabobs with key lime chimichurri sauce, Kiwi Parfait

• Tuesday: One Pan Pasta - Martha Stewart, with added borlotti beans.

• Seitan en Croute, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy, Mixed Veggies. (1000 Vegan Recipes - Robin Robertson) (make extra seitan, for Friday Cholent)

• Grill days:  Corn on the Cob, Asparagus, and Mushrooms, Maple Bourbon Tofu, Potato Salad

• Friday Sorta Shabbat Dinner. Basically whatever we feel like making, but am looking to slow cook a Vegan Cholent during the day (using a bit of extra), Challah, Wild Mushroom Pate

Snacks

Banana bread muffins Hummus Snackworthy Cereal Bars out of DIY Vegan p90

Somehow I’ve gotten a bit obsessed with the idea of a She Sheds. Or just, having a tiny shed in the garden to escape and read or craft or write in. It’s part of a large effort to simplify things in the house, and make the house as safe as possible for our little one, but also, just symbolic of my need to have something that is mine. All mine.

If you’ve never heard of a She Shed, it’s often just a repurposed shed or garden potting house, which can be designated for whatever a She wants - often crafting, reading, socializing, or whatever. Think of it as a tree or play house for adults.

After going down a pinterest rabbit hole last night, I am now at least partially convinced I could build one for myself. But I think I’ll try and be reasonable, and roll that back a bit to reality. There is also a local company (and one of several) that makes shed build kits and even installs them if folks are so inclined.

I have my eye on one of the barn shed kits from ShedInADay, but we’ll see what will happen. The last time I built anything was with Habitat for Humanity about 10 years ago. (dang)

No matter what, it’s a lot of fun to think about and imagine.

My baby is one year old.

While obviously, this is a significant milestone for him - I’m trying to find a balance between telling my story, and not telling his. The often forgotten part of birthday’s are parents - and I know I never gave my parents much thought when I was growing up and it was my birthday. It was just me. Now I feel like I should have at least gotten my mom a card…

I’m very sentimental - moments in time are meaningful to me, and I cling to a memory and repeat it in my mind over and over again (occasionally to my detriment). How do you mark one of the most life altering moments? How do you celebrate something/someone so tangible and intangible?

With cake of course.

We didn’t plan a big theme, or a party. I had considered it, but then realized the party would have just been for me (and to be honest, 95% of the time I don’t care for parties either) and would have been overwhelming for my little one. A few people (family) came over anyway, and as expected, it was a little overwhelming for the little one. So I felt good about not organizing “a thing” this year.

The three of us went and played in a nearby park for a little while until it was time to go home and nap.

One of my presents (to myself) for the Beeboo’s birthday was this cute happy crabby onesie from Beb and Ooo. (also, was excited to grab something from them because of our kiddo’s nickname!) I picked it up at the Baby Show from Modern Rascals.

Illustrated dark red large and small crabs on a golden yellow onesie. The collar is lined with a similar colour. Here is a close up of the Beb and Ooo Happy Crabs onesie. It makes me so happy!

What has changed for me in a year?

Time

I realized just how much time I used to have. Time to myself. Time to watch tv. Time to do absolutely nothing. I’ve become more efficient with my time - while still completely wasting it somedays. I’ve come to accept that there is value in “wasting” time - the first few months while the Beeboo napped I cleaned and did useful things.

Now I’m chilling out for a few hours while he sleeps, and then I will do all the things while he’s awake. I think there is a lot of value in him seeing me do things that need doing in the house, because it’s less of a magical process, and more of a process with actions involved.

Body

My body is not what I remember pre baby. Even while pregnant, things were quite different. It’s hard some days. I feel pain where I didn’t feel pain before, but slowly I can feel myself moving and feeling a bit better again so there is light at the end of this tunnel.

I’m trying to stay away from the negativity of others, and accept that healthy comes at every size. One of my favourite discoveries has been the Healthy Habits Happy Mom’s community on Facebook. It’s a friendly encouraging place that supports self care, positive self-esteem, and listening to your body.

I’m planning on finally signing up for their postnatal work out series now that my pelvis feels more aligned.

Love

I have a greater appreciation for my partner. I appreciated him before, I think, but now I really see how incredible he is. He is encouraging, supportive, and a great father, and a great husband. I value the time we get to spend one-on-one all the more now.

Friends

I’ve lost friends. This one is tough. People I used to be friends with for years, have disappeared. Some because of me, some because of them. Maybe we will find our way back to some kind of friendship again, or not.

On the bright side,** I’ve found new friends and found new community**. This one is huge. The friendships I’ve made this year have been significant. I’ve gotten closer to acquaintances I used to know, and have met a lot of really lovely people (usually people that are parents) and while we don’t have everything in common, we do have a few things that matter.

Finding myself

I’m acutely aware of needing something that differentiates me as an individual, as well as a mother. Since I’m in the process of shutting down a business that acted as part of my identity for the last few years, I’m entering a space where I feel adrift without an alternate anchor.

I feel more confident for the future. I feel like a capable parent and like I can handle what comes next (I might regret saying this in a few months/weeks/days/hours, but right now it’s totally true.)

Ultimately, I’m trying to make sure that I’m enjoying the present, but also looking forward to the future. We have a lot of fun everyday, lots of laughs, and lots of books. I’m excited to share the things I love with the ones I love, and I’m looking forward to the years ahead.

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