I spent the day cooking! First cooking dried beans from a mix we sell at Great Harvest, then the soup that followed. I have two mom friends who just had babies, and I’m taking them both dinner! 1 big pot of soup, 3 families to feed. I’m so glad to take dinner to new moms – it makes me so happy to think about how much we appreciated it during the first few weeks and paying it forward.
Chicken + Bean Curry Soup and Spinach Salad plus Great Harvest Rolls and GH cookies!
I also roasted some squash for the fun of it. And you know butternut – it takes 30 minutes to just prep for the oven. A very time intensive kitchen day.
Luckily breakfast was a heat-n-eat affair!
Leftover baked pumpkin oatmeal with hot apple on top.
I just microwaved the apple to save washing a pot. Sprinkled with cinnamon and sunflower butter.
For lunch I took bits of what I was cooking to eat.
A little chicken breast, some squash, spinach salad, chopped apple, raisins and almonds. Since all the ingredients were prepped, it took no time to assemble lunch.
I went out to deliver to mom #1 today – Rosie and baby L! Baby L was so cute and tiny and slept sweetly the whole visit. Maze on the other hand was rambunctious in my arms! Drooling and snorting. But also very cute : ) Mom #2 delivery is tomorrow 
Afternoon snack of yogurt + cereal. Photographed one handed with baby in the other.
This evening, I went with my friend Kirsten to a Pure Barre class! Valerie, who I walked with yesterday, opened the studio here in Cville and invited me to try a class. Kirsten and I drove out to the 5:30 class.
I loved the studio and liked the class. It was hard – especially the first 5 minutes of solid abs. My abs are completely gone after baby stretched them out, and 5 minutes was a bit much for my first ab workout postpartum. I just barely kept up! Thankfully the workout got a little easier after that when we moved on to other parts of the body. I sort of wished the class was more ballet barre and less Pilates-style floor moves, but maybe I just caught a more mat-centric class. But it was a good muscle workout. I’ll tell you this: I will be sore tomorrow. And if you did this workout regularly you would definitely have a rock solid core! It was a really fun change. I’m so excited to get back into FITNESS of all kinds!
Karen and Matt watched Maze together and had a bottle on hand, but he didn’t need it because he slept on his KK the whole time!
The soup was delish – I loved the chicken.
Hiiiiiigh Fiiiiiive. Toasted with some butter.
I had a peppermint patty from Valentine’s Day for dessert. Imagine that.
{ 71 comments… read them below or add one }
What do you usually add to the bean soup to spice it up a little? Or you just stick with salt?
Well this one had a spice pack, but normally salt, pepper, some herbs
I love making huge pots of soup to have all week (or to bring for others, or to serve at home for others!).
Love the idea of adding hot apple to baked oatmeal or regular oatmeal, or even yogurt. Need to get on that.
I love the idea of bringing new moms food. I, for one, can’t imagine having to worry about dinner and food after having a baby. So thoughtful of you!
Valentine’s Day! Girl, that’s control, lol. How nice to take new moms delicious meals! I hope to have someone to do that for one day. It’s a great idea!
I definitely want to try a Pure Barre class sometime, it sounds fun and like a good change to my usual workouts!
I’ve always heard awesome things about Barre classes. I would definitely go if it was more focused on bar work than mat work. Pilates isn’t my favorite but when I was younger I used to love doing ballet at the bar!
What a precious picture of Maze with … is that grandma? Very cute!
We don’t have anyplace that offers barre classes here but the idea of a rock solid core sounds worthy of the pain. Plus, for whatever reason, ab muscle pain is a pain I like. Leg pain after a workout? Not so much. But I like knowing all that hard work is working to strip and rebuild muscle!
It’s great that you’re cooking for other new moms. I can’t wait to be able to do that for my friends.
Aww, so good of you to return the favor to new mamas! I’m sure they appreciated it!
I love days when I feel this way, eager to cook!
I love taking food to new moms. It’s also a great excuse to sneak a quick pick at the new bebe!
I just started going to Pure Barre 3x week about 3 weeks ago and the results I’m already seeing are insane! Definitely a great motivator to keep it up! My classes does a lot of barre work, so I bet you just caught an off class.
I’ve always been curious about the barre classes but in my area they are few, far between, and also very far-flung!
Cooking for new parents does feel amazing!!!
Mazen is getting so big! he is adorable
How did you peel the butternut squash?
With a peeler : )
Big batch soups are perfect for sharing. I am sure the new moms will appreciate the time you put in to create such a feast for them. Why is it that ‘bits and bats’ taste so good together? I love my ‘this and that’ salads every day…especially if I have some leftover roasted veggies like brussel sprouts, brocolli, cauliflower and squash.
Your toast at the end made me think of this. I caught a part of Dr. Oz the other day and it sounded interesting so I hit record. What had my attention was that he was talking about chia seeds, but he also did a whole segment on coconut oil. Do you use it? I love it, but the TJ’s brand I got is so coconutty tasting that I don’t use it for stuff like eggs or certain veggies. Anyhow, he recommended putting it toast just like butter and I tried it…Delicious! Try it if you get the chance and especially if your coconut oil really tastes like coconut.
I do use it! Love everything coconut
glad you came to try Pure Barre. Every class and instructor is a bit different, though all PB classes follow the same format of 14 segments, so come try other classes out! The core part is a killer !
Oh, I’m glad you shared your experience of barre class! I’ve always been curious…will probably try to check one out if I hear of one in my area. And, Valentine’s Day????! Haha.
your baby is so so cute!! He looks like such a mix of your and your husband.
i love that blanket too on him.. love reading you and daily garnish and getting to see your handsome babies. they are just too cute! i hope they meet
Oh gosh, I have a butternut squash sitting in my kitchen because I’ve been avoiding cutting it up!
Wow, that’s ambitious that you’re making meals for other new moms while still a new mom yourself. I took me until just a couple of weeks ago (when my little guy was 15 months old) to venture into making a meal for someone else territory!
I’m seriously impressed that you have any kind of sweet leftover from Valentine’s Day. I’m lucky if chocolate lasts a week in my house!
I noticed your fridge is one with the freezer on the bottom. We are thinking of upgrading to one lik that. Do you like yours?
Yes, definitely!!! It’s a bit hard to organize the freezer being so low, but it’s worth it to have the whole fridge at eye level.
That soup looks so good – I hope you post the recipe soon! And I’ve tried Pure Barre and it’s definitely a great workout! The format is basically the same during each class, so you should expect the same if you go back.
And you are too sweet to take meals over to that new mom! Is Mazen still sick though? I hope her newborn doesn’t catch anything, especially if she hasn’t gotten any shots yet!
There wasn’t a recipe since it was a mix – but it was by Frontier Soup.
He’s not sick anymore! He’s been over his cold for quite a few days.
Oh, that’s good he’s not sick. But I thought since you posted about his stuffy nose yesterday morning on Twitter, he still might be getting over something. Sometimes baby colds take a while to clear up!
See my response to Alyssa. Even healthy I wouldnt let him near a new baby.
Sorry, I guess I’m confused. So you didn’t take Mazen then? I’m assuming you didn’t let him grab the baby’s face, but if you brought him over with you, then he was near the baby since he was in the house (unless you sat on the opposite side of the room during your visit! LOL). It’s not a problem, especially since he’s healthy now, but I was just confused since you said you wouldn’t let him near a baby, even when healthy.
I just mean we weren’t going to put them side-by-side for a baby photograph on the couch or let them touch hands or anything.
If he’s not sick, why are you asking for help with saline on Twitter? Is there a reason to use it other than illness?
It just arrived in the mail yesterday. (delayed Amazon…) I wanted to know how best to test it out. It’s not a medicine so there’s no harm in trying it on everyday nose gunk.
How long did you microwave the apple?
About a minute
Go KK! And that’s some cute baby you have there and lovely baby blanket!
Yay for soup season! That is so sweet of you to take the new moms food. It really does help just having that one meal ready for you.
I have really been interested in trying a barre class but unfortunately we don’t have any studios nearby! I have heard that it really is such a great way to strengthen your core. Is the ballet bar largely incorporated or was there a lot you could do without one? (I know you said it was pretty mat-centric). Maybe I could just do my own classes here at home
Hey Jordan- I teach Pure Barre classes, so I figured I’d answer your question. The Barre is used for balance in a number of exercises. Some you can improvise at home and use a chair but there are a few exercises that the barre is used to support your body weight, which won’t work with a chair. Pure Barre does have dvds, which give a great core workout. Obviously I’m biased, since I love PB and teach!
Thanks! It sounds like a great class, I am really interested in trying one out if I ever get an opportunity
Mazen and Karen look a lot alike!
Yum yum! How do you manage to make such beautiful food?! I don’t have a kid and I struggle to find the time! You are Super Mom! : )
I’m on my way to a barre class right now! It’s called Yoga Barre, but it’s pretty mat-centric, too. I agree – wish it was more ballet-focused, but it’s still fun to do something different. And the little moves you make work your muscles too, which is funny to me, but fun.
“Someone’s in the kitchen with Mazen” Cute! Now I’m humming that tune
How on Earth do you come up with so many titles for your posts without repeating?! haha
I do repeat sometimes
Ok, first of all, that pic of Mazen and Karen together is adorable. Sigh.
Second, you have got me worried. If the barre class kicked your butt (or abs, as the case may be), I am so scared about to think about what working out after the baby is gonna be like for me. I have been active during this pregnancy, but I don’t think nearly as much as you were. I mean, you did body sculpt for goodness sakes. Yikes!
It mostly just kicked my abs!
Kath, do you use a mandoline slicer to cut the squash or do you cut it by hand with a knife? It is so hard to cut
By hand – I microwaved it a bit first to soften!
Thanks
They were nicely cut.
It’s amazing how patient you are to peel the butternut squash. I def. don’t have the patience in me but I should try it because it’s a pain to peel it after it’s roasted!!
Soup looks delicious! So nice of you to cook for others while you’re a busy new mom yourself! The barre class sounds fun. I have one going in near my house and was considering giving it a try for something different. I bet Karen doesn’t mind a long cuddle nap from Mazen.
Very cute picture.
Glad the soup was a hit and the squash looks great.
And the Barre class- glad you were able to go and enjoyed the burn
I love peppermint chocolate after a meal. SO delicious!
Had to check out Rosie’s baby…so cute! You’re all so good each other, having such great friends makes having a new baby and your whole life turned on it’s head, for the better of course
, so much easier!
That soup looks so delicious! I have been wanting to try a pure barre class…it’s always good to hear other people’s feedback about classes to know what to expect! Your baby is adorable
Enjoyed the soup for dinner AND lunch today…SO good! So were the sweets!
Thank you for the food and for the visit
So glad! Lets walk soon!
Remember the 2 day rule… it won’t hurt tomorrow it will be the day after!
Just to back you up Kath, my son Rowan was stuffy as a small baby last year so i used Saline spray regularly… he was not ill he was just stuffy – I think the central heating caused it as he is starting to get stuffy again this year! But other than that he is a very healthy boy
Oh looks great! Which flavor was it and how many packs did you use?
I linked to the flavor – it was celebration I think with sausage and apple but I used chicken instead
a peppermint patty from Valentine’s Day???!!!
that was nine months ago…how on earth do you manage that? (especially since they are readily available year-round)
I have a chocolate stash that I forget about in the pantry. This patty was heart shaped!
I love the idea of one big pot of soup feeding the neighborhood. I make soup (and chili) all winter long and randomly bring it to my coworkers, which is so fun. I love to share and they love to have lunch!
I LOVE pumpkin anything….especially oats! All the bread from the bakery looks so good, wish I was close by!
I love barre classes but there are none nearby so I do Physique 57 DVDs and a Cathe Barre workout DVD. Don’t know if I’m getting the same awesome results but at least I’m trying. I wish I loved cooking and was more confident about the results, I don’t offer to take meals because I don’t feel that it is really a gift they want to receive.
I read through the comments looking for other’s suggestions and ideas about barre classes and I was distressed by the comments that question your choices. I wish people didn’t feel they need to mention everything that they might think. You must be really strong to take the criticism. I think you are doing a great job of mothering, blogging and having an active life with Mazen. Enjoy this time.
That’s so nice of you to make food to bring over to new moms. I’m sure they appreciated that greatly!
The soup looks tasty!
I’ve never tried Pure Barre, but I love Barre3. I haven’t been to the studio, but they have a website with videos that you can do from home. http://www.mybarre3.com/ It’s $15 a month and totally worth it. If you use the promo code b3friendsandfamily you can get a free month!