Archive for the ‘Parenting’ Category:

For my looming 40th birthday, my husband gave me a romantic night at the Chambers Le Meridien. For me and the baby. Sure, my first choice would have been a night alone with my husband, but we’re not in a position to do that given our three-year-old. He offered to keep both kids and send me alone, but I didn’t really want to pump or be away from the baby for that matter.

Here’s my confession. To my health-nut husband’s horror, I love McDonald’s. For someone who cares about food, this is almost as bad as my embarrassing preference for flavored coffee. I grew up with the occasional McDonald’s on a Saturday with my dad, or on our summer drives from Ohio to South Carolina, or on any road trip since. For many years, I stopped going to McDonald’s altogether. But then I fell off the wagon, and lately, I swing by the drive-through from time to time for two hamburgers and small fries. Or for my favorite, a caramel sundae, which tastes even better at McDonald’s in Paris.

I was skeptical when I saw a recipe for chocolate pudding made with avocados instead of eggs and milk. Desserts without wheat, dairy, or eggs rarely feel that satisfying. But then we made it. It took five minutes, and it was divine. Before you say “gross,” try it. It’s crazy, but it works. Behold, the recipe for easy, healthful, rich, ingenious, delicious chocolate pudding.

I haven’t been able to explore the Twin Cities as much as I’d like to with the arrival of first a baby and then winter, but as a follow up to the last post, here are some things I love about Minneapolis:

My three-year-old daughter has life-threatening food allergies. But I don’t want food to be a source of fear for her. So this winter, stuck inside most days, we cook together. Our favorite thing to make? Coconut cookies. We all actually choose to eat them. How is it possible to make a good cookie without eggs, butter, and regular flour? See for yourself.

Mothers and Daughters explores three generations of women, daughters and mothers. Some of the anxieties I felt when my first daughter was born were channeled into the character of Sam, a new mother who has lost herself in that first crazy year. At a glance, Sam might seem to fit snuggly into the mold of Read the Rest…