Spicy White Chicken Soup

Hey Guys!

This is a recipe I modified.  I love White Chicken Chili but it is so heavy and fattening, hence the "white" part!  Here it is...this serves about 4. 

2 large chicken breasts, shredded
1 onion, diced
1 cup of corn
1 can cannelini beans
1 can of diced chiles
Jalapenos-to taste, I put 1 small one
2 tbsp oregano- dried or fresh
2 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp garlic powder, or 2 cloves fresh
1 carton (28oz) chicken stock
1/2 cup cheese (cheddar or monterey jack)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 to 1 cup of cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil or grill chicken separately, cool and shred.  Sweat onion and garlic in 1 tbsp of oil.  Add all ingredients except stock, saute for two minutes. Add stock and bring to a boil.  Let soup simmer for about 20 minutes, take off heat and let cool for 5 minutes.  Then add 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup cheese (cheddar, jack, or both!), and 1/2 to 1 cup of cream 

You do not have to strictly follow the amounts, if you love oregano, add another tablespoon!  These are just guidelines! 

Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, and a sprig of parsley or cilantro!

Bon Appetit!

My Birth Experience

As some of you know, when I became pregnant I immersed myself in literature about pregnancy nutrition and natural childbirth.  I was fanatic about it; I bought chia seeds for their omega three fatty acids, I took an extra 200mg of DHA because doctors now recommend 400-600mg per day, and made sure I was getting enough protein.  I made up my mind in the first trimester that I wanted to try to have the baby naturally, without any drugs. 

As I read and learned I became very against induction which is mainly done through the use of Pitocin.  Pitocin dilates your cervix and speeds up labor, but this also makes your contractions more intense...who wants that?!  If your body is not ready for labor, Pitocin will just be the beginning of the interventions; cesarian, vacuum, etc. 

I found a great DVD called the Business of Being Born.  While there are some aspects of the movie that do not apply to me...I am not really into home birth, the overall message is really good "your body was meant to do this". 

I went into labor in the early evening on a Friday and on October 30th at 12:53am Logan arrived.  The labor was fast and my contractions were back to back with no rest.  I am not going to lie, there were times where I doubted my ability and I was seriously considering getting an epidural.  My Husband, Mom, and Sister were there to help me stay on course!

First post!

Hello All!

This is my first official post as a new blogger!  I thought I should get this first one done while the baby naps! 

I have been thinking about blogging for quite some time now but I never knew what to write about until now.  A little bundle of joy named Logan came into our lives and everything has changed!

This blog will be about motherhood and living a healthy, natural lifestyle. 

Of course, the most talked about subject will be Logan!  He is a little over five weeks old now and he rules the household already! 

Well he is starting to fuss...gotta go!