Baby Sprinkle in Honor of Expected Baby Number Two

I recently heard the term “baby sprinkle”, as a reference to a baby shower for mothers expecting baby number two or beyond. It sounds adorable!

Although we live in Nevada, we traveled back to the Bay Area where my mother in law and sister in law hosted a beautiful “sprinkle” for me. I was surrounded by loved ones, friends and family. It reminded me how blessed my family truly is. We have some genuine, positive people surrounding us. No matter what was going on in their own lives, they made an effort to be present for the sake of myself, our future addition and my sweet in laws. What more could I ask for?

As I mentioned in a previous post, we didn’t find out the sex of the baby, so the theme was tropical – Bikini or Boardshorts. The beautiful Sonoma County weather allowed us to enjoy the outdoors for the sprinkle, while the cousins ran around, played and wore themselves out. It was perfect.

Aside from the decor, beautiful scenery and amazing guests, what else would one find important? The food. Come on, don’t forget I’m pregnant. I have to eat! So what is served at a party when the guest of honor (is that what I was considered?!), is plant based? Fortunately, most, if not all, attendees are food conscious as well.

Here’s a breakdown of the menu:

Strawberry Pistachio (Green) Salad
Balsamic Potato Salad
Quinoa Salad with Corn, Currants & Avocado
Fruit Salad
Chips and Don’s Salsa
Dessert, albeit not pictured, consisted of vegan chocolate and vegan carrot cake from Whole Foods – as my daughter would say, “yummy in tummy!” Now when someone who is not familiar with a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet looks at what is listed above, they may think to themselves, “wow, that is a lot of carbs.”

You’re right, and that’s what a plant based (PB) diet primarily consists of (see Forks Over Knives as a great reference). What you won’t find are animal products. On a PB diet, about 80% of your meals are carbohydrates (starch based foods and fruit). When eating balanced foods like fruits, vegetables, tubers, whole grains, and legumes, you don’t have to track carbs. Now doesn’t that sound much more relaxing than tracking calories, cutting carbs, and counting macros?! This is how I think a lifestyle should be. The focus should be on foods that are going to positively contribute to your overall health, and in turn if you need to lose weight, it will come off naturally.

(Below are the adorable party favors my sister in law put together for the winners of the games we played throughout the shower.)Here are a few recipes from the list above. If you are looking for further meal plans and how you can made the gradual shift to a WFPB lifestyle please contact me. I’d love to assist you in any way I can!

Strawberry Pistachio Salad
INGREDIENTS:

• ¼ cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ small red onion, chopped or sliced
• 2 cups cooked grains (such as barley), cooled
• 2 cups strawberries, chopped
• 1½ cups cooked cannellini beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 to 6 ounces mixed baby greens (about 6 cups)
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ cup roasted, shelled pistachios, chopped
• ½ avocado, diced
• High-quality balsamic vinegar

Quinoa Salad
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2 teaspoons chile powder, such as Gebhardt’s
• 1 cup domestic quinoa
• 1/2 cup dried currants
• Boiling water
• 3 ears of corn, shucked
• 6 scallions, white and tender green parts, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro or Italian parsley
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• Pinch of cayenne pepper or chipotle powder
• Black pepper in a mill
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 to 3 avocados (half an avocado per serving), halved and peeled