Cauliflower is such a good substitute for rice, I find it indistinguishable. And I have been so antsy to share this recipe with you, best dolmas I’ve ever had! No joke. I don’t joke about food. I often feel like Winnie the Pooh, when trying to come up with some of these #fakepregnancy food ideas. Think. Think. Think.

Cause there’s rules. So many rules. Oh, all good rules though. Plus it keeps it more creative. So when the lightbulb went off to make dolmas with cauliflower I was ecstatic. Knowing that you do enjoy a good dolma, but there’s the rice, so I’m excited for you to try these.

How versatile is the cauliflower? Let me count the ways! Not only can it be eaten raw or roasted; it’s now quite popular as a pizza crust, made into mashed “potatoes” or as a rice, like in these dolmas. Of course, you can make your own cauliflower rice at home, just grating fresh cauliflower. But, now it’s so easy and economical to just buy it already “riced” in the frozen section, and after my search I was pleased to find a shelf-stable option!

Did you know that cauliflower contains choline? Say what?!? Haha, me neither! Thought it was an interesting and timely fun fact because choline helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning, and memory. All so relevant! And as an added bonus fact, Jeopardy are you listening? Peanuts are another food high in choline.

25 week babies are 13.6 inches long and weigh 1.5 lbs! Their new trick this week is sticking their tongue out, according to babylist.com. Moms may be starting to experience a hard time sleeping, so pretty fitting that the cauliflower contains the choline, aiding in sleep!

Following this recipe, just making an easy switch of rice for cauliflower.

www.ethicspoon.com – Dolmas

Cauliflower Dolmas (when I see this I read it as California Dreams, but I digress)

Ingredients:

Directions:

• To make the sauce: Mix olive oil, sugar and lemon juice together. Set aside.

• In a bowl place cauliflower, raisins, mint, parsley, and allspice and mix well.

  

• In a small skillet saute the onions and pine nuts in the olive oil until onions are translucent.

  

  • Remove from skillet and add to cauliflower mixture. Mix well.

• Place a heaping teaspoon of the cauliflower mixture near the bottom of the leaf.

  

• Fold the bottom of the leaf over the rice, and bring the sides inwards following the guide you created.

• Roll tightly to form a cigar shape.

• Place seam side down in a skillet lined with the grape leaves.

  

Cantaloupe. One of the foods I craved when I was for real pregnant with Maya. Well, actually, it wasn’t just cantaloupe, it was all the fresh, summer melons, thanks to those third trimester summer pregnancies. And by that, I mean all summer, the whole hot summer. And once was so fun, I did it again. Finally got a little smarter and only had to spend half of the summer pregnant my third time. The final, third time is a charm, time. Boy, I’m sure glad our #fakebabies are due May 31 and we won’t be pregnant over the summer, for so many reasons! What a drag it’d be being pregnant on the Danube!😉

According to the Google, cantaloupes are the most popular melon in the US, originating from Cantalupo, Italy and first brought here by Christopher Columbus. Their vines can grow to be 5 feet long. That’s nearly as tall as us, says Captain Obvious. In Australia they’re referred to as rock melons. Which, now that I think about it, they do kinda look like rocks. Edible, nutrient-filled rocks.

24 week babies are 11.8 inches long and weigh about 1.3 pounds. This is also considered the point of viability, when they can survive (with a lot of help from the NICU) outside the womb.

By the way, I can’t believe this is #6 of packages, all just piling up waiting for a clear day for the mail plane to head your way! Ha, I think I just made a poem. Speaking of delayed #fakepregnancy food packages; from our phone chat, the last one(s) you received were the avocado/onion/sweet potato trifecta. Does that mean our #fakebabies are now different sizes? I hope you feel sorry for me at delivery when mine is similar to an uncontrolled diabetic mom and weighs 14 pounds, but yours on the other hand will be suffering from IUGR (intrauterine growth restriction) and you’ll have a petite little thang. Oh dear, do you think they will look like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny Devito from Twins? Do you remember this movie? Speaking of twins, will we be able to tell them apart?

Okay back to the cantaloupe. And feet. Wait, what do feet have to do with anything? Well, at 24 weeks moms-to-be may start to experience foot swelling. So this is the perfect time for the Cantaloupe Foot Soak. Thanks Camp 36 Soapery!

And if this isn’t a sign, I don’t know what is! Remember that day I ran home from the high school? On purpose, with no wild animals chasing me, in case anyone is wondering. February 1st to be exact, the same day I started writing this. Anyway, just as I was approaching the bridge, you’ll never believe what I spied laying in front of me… One lonely, cut up piece of cantaloupe, just lying there on the bridge sidewalk. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen cantaloupe chunk(s) on my running path, or for that matter, any other sort of path.

And now after all my running and your snowy adventures; which when you also sent me a message today, still February 1st, about needing an Epsom salt bath, I almost died. Okay, we’re listening universe!

Cucumber/Cantaloupe Milk Bath & Foot Soak

Ingredients:

• 1 silver bag
• 1 bag Epsom salt and dead sea salt
• 1 bag of powder milk, baking soda and citric acid
• 1 bottle of oil and fragrance oil
• Body safe mica color
• Lavender buds

Directions:

• Add one bag of mica color to the bag of salt. Close the bag and squish it around to mix the color in with the salts.

• Add fragrance and oil to the salt bag, make sure to close the top and do the mixing dance again. (I think this requires music..maybe ‘Push It’ by Salt-N-Pepa, okay that’s better, MUSIC!)

• Once mixed, add this salt mixture to the milk, baking soda and citric acid. And repeat.. Turn up the music, seal the baggie and mix!

Once all mixed, pour everything into the silver bag!

• Now it’s ready for your feet!
• Add 1 Tbsp for just a foot bath
• Add 1/4 cup to a whole warm bath
• Sprinkle with the lavender buds!

I thought I had a brilliant idea and went to look up the German word for grapefruit and you’ll never guess what the German word for grapefruit is? Yup, grapefruit! How’s that for a letdown? Don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll find more just as useful German words 😉.

Grapefruit, a cross between a pomelo and an orange; a sour, sometimes bitter fruit. This was all news to me (well, not the sour part) seeing as how I’ve never been much of a grapefruit fan, hence not a lot of research has been done. But, does anyone really research the history of the grapefruit, I digress. But, now that I’m such an adult, the adultiest of adults, I am slightly obsessed with them and haven’t been able to stop eating them. Can’t believe I’ve missed out on them for so long! Don’t worry, I’m making up for it now😉

Making a smorgasbord of these citrus fruits was quite tasty! And a fun perk of “my job.” 😂

Our week 23 #fakebabies are 11 inches long and just over a pound. This is when they start to pack on the pounds with some serious weight gain, doubling their weight over the next 4 weeks, all while listening to what’s going on outside the womb.

This week we’re steering off of the food train again, “All aboard the crazy train,” using one of Camp 36 Soapery recipes, Grapefruit Lip Balm. Sorry, I didn’t mean to trick you with the fresh fruit pictures.

Coconut Grapefruit Lip Balm

Ingredients:

• Beeswax and 1 cocoa butter wafer
• 1 bottle of sweet almond oil, coconut grapefruit fragrance oil and grapefruit essential oil
• 1 lip balm tube

Directions :

Place beeswax and cocoa wafer in a glass microwave safe container, preferably a measuring cup with a pour spout.

Melt these 2 ingredients together in 15 second bursts, mixing in between. It took me 2 minutes to accomplish this.

Once melted, add the oils and fragrance from the glass bottle. Stir to combine. If it hardens from the oils being cold, just pop it back in the microwave for 10 seconds.

Now, it’s time to pour the mixture into the lip balm tube.

Once it’s full, set aside to harden, with the lid off. Will take a few hours.

And look at how great it looks on your lips…. #childishantic#11

Did you know that we like to call Maya, Maya-Papaya? And she isn’t a fan of this nickname. So this week reminds me of her.

Who knew there were so many ways to fill your papaya quota? From the fruit flesh, to the leaves, seeds and flowers. Papaya is widely used in many culinary and therapeutic purposes.

Okay, confession time. Now already being at week 22 and reading about the health benefits of all these different foods (what is that 18 so far?)… it’s beginning to sound a bit like the teacher in Charlie Brown, wah wah wah.

Which fun fact, did you know that it was actually a trombone that did the teacher’s “voice?” Actually all the adults in The Peanuts. A trombone. Spoiler alert. Wow, how is that for veering off topic? Rest assured your students will never think that you sound like that- cause you’re way too fun!

So yes, eat papayas, long story short, they’re good for you! Also, if a real pregnant lady is actually reading this, this is in no way all that you should be eating- as Michael Pollan says, “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.”

Our 22 week #fakebabies are 11 inches long and just under 1 lb! They’re growing more hair on their head and eyebrows, nails are growing to the ends of their fingers and the lips and eyelids are becoming more distinct.

Well, this is a lovely recipe, mainly because I am enjoying it while I am typing this. The only thing that would make it better, is if we were sharing the cuppa tea together.

www.thewholeserving.com – Papaya Leaf Tea

Ingredients:

• Papaya leaf tea
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3/4 cup milk ( I used Trader Joe’s Almond Cashew with Macadamia Nut milk) #allthenuts
• 1/2 tsp coconut oil (optional)
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• Cinnamon

Method:

• Steep tea
• While tea is steeping- combine milk and coconut oil in small saucepan and bring to a low boil
• Transfer milk and tea into blender and add in the honey and vanilla
• Blend until creamy and frothy
• Pour into mug and serve (I sprinkled some cinnamon on top too)