Simple Matcha Bundt Cake!

For our recent wedding anniversary (#4!), I decided to bake a cake. And, in the spirit of saving $, I used ingredients we already had at home. Fortunately, husband is a big fan of matcha so we always have it on hand. 

Here it goes...

For the cake:

-1 box of yellow cake mix (follow instructions on the box to make the batter...instead of vegetable oil, I used coconut oil).

-1 heaping tablespoon of matcha powder 

For the glaze:

-2 cups *sifted* powdered sugar (sifting makes a HUGE difference, keeps the icing nice and light).

-4 tablespoons melted butter

-3 tablespoons milk

-1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees for 9 inch non-stick metal bundt pan.

2) Thoroughly mix matcha powder into cake batter.

3) Add cake batter to oiled bundt pan (I used a non-stick pan but really wanted to make sure the cake came out of the mold without problems).

4) Bake for 40-43 minutes.

5) Let cake cool on cooling rack until at least room temperature.

*Once cake is cooled...*

6) Mix all wet glaze ingredients together.

7) Slowly hand whisk wet ingredients into sifted powdered sugar.

8) Add glaze to top of the bundt cake.

9) Try not to eat it all at once. 

Let me know if you've given this recipe a try! HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK :)

39

Today is my brother's birthday and although we lost him 7 years ago, I still think about him every day. It's strange to think that he's been gone for so long, that I've seen more birthdays than him. In my mind, he will forever look like a young man but hold the respect of being my elder. Since it was just the two of us, we were very close and always had each other's back. If it wasn't for his encouragement, I would not have followed my passion for social services.

I'm sad that he missed so many milestones- my engagement, wedding...BABY. I'm sad that he won't have his own engagement, wedding, baby. I'm sad that he'll never get to hold E and watch her laugh at his funny faces (my brother was a silly guy)!

My brother was one of the main reasons why I decided to move to NY with S. Losing him was a lesson that life could be cut short at any minute so take advantage of the opportunities before it's too late. If it wasn't for my brother, I wouldn't have the beautiful family that I have now. In a way, he continues to look out for me.

Happy Birthday, Kuya J. Wherever you are, I hope they're serving chocolate cake.

Currently...

...celebrating baby sleeping almost a full 8 hours in a row by putting her back to bed and drinking a cup of coffee. quietly. alone. in the dark...We really don't have to start our day for another hour or 2.

It's the little things.

We Need Better Maternity Leave Options

*GRUMBLE GRUMBLE*

It's almost the end of summer and in about a month, my maternity leave is ending. I feel like I'm just getting to know baby and now I have to leave her so we can keep the roof over our heads and food in her mouth!

Crazy, right? 

In NY, we get 10 weeks Paid Family Medical Leave (which maxes out to about $750/week in one of the most expensive cities in America) and luckily I've been able to supplement finances with accrued sick/vacation time from work. 

Twelve weeks is just not enough time to be with baby. If you follow Dr. Karp (of the 5 S's fame), you understand the importance of the "4th Trimester" which is the 3 months after baby is born. It's a term used to describe the first 3 months of baby's life while she adjusts to the world outside of your womb. 

Three months doesn't feel like enough time to get adjusted to being earth side but like I mentioned before, I can't afford to be a stay at home mom and we live thousands of miles away from family who could help with childcare. 

I'm not trying to make this a 'poor me' post and I don't think I should be criticized for not staying at home or having a baby I can't afford. The reality is many families survive on less and struggle more. Most families want the best for their children and that means having to return to work in order to provide for them. 

It's disappointing that in the USA, parents are forced to make the choice of going back to work too soon. We often hear about children being our future and the importance of nurturing to their development but when will we practice what we preach? Baby girl, Mama's gonna try to do her best for you. 

I'll miss morning walks with my sweet baldy!

3 Ingredient Banana Bread

I've been a fan of Pinterest for a long while and one of my favorite things to search for are easy recipes. I'm not exactly a professional chef!

One recipe that I've enjoyed baking many times over is this easy banana bread recipe from stockpilingmoms.com. Not only is this an amazing website name, it's also an amazing recipe!

Here it goes:

Ingredients- 3-4 over ripe bananas (for my latest batch, I used 2 big ones), 1 box of cake mix (I used Betty Crocker's Yellow Mix), 2 eggs. 

1) Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

2) Mix bananas with eggs

3) Add dry cake mix to the banana-egg mixture*

4) Bake the completed mix for 35-40 minutes depending on the size of your pan (I used a 6.5"x8.5" glass pyrex and needed 50 minutes...)

5) Let cool (or not) and enjoy!

*...and because there's no such thing as too much chocolate, I added a generous cup of chocolate chips to the mixture before baking... 

Ta-da! So good, I couldn't wait and take a decent picture. *Shrug*

Make A Run For It

I hate to admit it but physical activity- exercise- really does improve mental and physical health. As a self-proclaimed couch potato, I've always managed to avoid looking totally out of shape thanks to genetics.

After gaining over 40lbs while pregnant, I knew it was important for me to focus on weight loss as part of a healthier lifestyle for myself and my child. Every body is different so it's important not to compare yourselves to others. Recently, I've started jogging and it has been great! Not only am I get some *me* time while S watches E, I'm feeling better about the way I look and feel which is great motivation to continue my workout journey. What motivates you to take care of yourself?

Have Your Cake...

S enjoying delicious cake while E naps!

As per my previous post, it's good to get out of the house. When E was fresh out of the oven, we were anxious to venture out into the real world. Now that we've gotten to know her a little better, we've been getting back to the swing of things. Recently, we took a trip to Mia's Bakery. I also enjoyed chatting with my husband- something that doesn't happen too often now that we're always so focused on baby. It was a nice treat and a great way to feel 'normal' again. 

Wanting to spend more time with your partner doesn't make you a bad parent. It's actually a good reminder that nurturing our bond will only help us be better parents for our sweet girl.