Hello! And happy Sunday…from the hospital postpartum room!

We have a new, adorable addition (I’ll share more soon), and after a very long weekend and labor, mom, dad, and baby are doing well (but sleepy). We’re already in love; he’s absolutely perfect (stubborn, too!).

I’ll admit this post has been scheduled since early in the week. Being unsure of Baby M’s arrival, I didn’t want to leave you guys hanging. Content may be sparse in the next couple of weeks, but I’ll try. Hope you enjoy some weekend reading for the time-being.

.Recipes.

Autumn Kale Salad with Fennel and Honeycrisp via Cooke + Kate

This salad is everything I’ve ever dreamed of in a salad. It’s on the menu this fall, for sure.

Barbacoa via Gimme Some Oven

I’ve never actually had barbacoa (to my knowledge), but this looks delicious and the soon-to-be-mother to a newborn loves that it’s a slow cooker recipe!

Snickerdoodle Bread via Averie Cooks

I love snickerdoodles and all things cinnamon, and this looks like a perfect fall breakfast (of the indulgent variety). Yum!

Crispy Kale Grilled Cheese with Fried Eggs via How Sweet It Is

I don’t like screwing around with traditional grilled cheese, but I’d make an exception for this. Plus I can’t wait to eat runny eggs again!

Buffalo Chicken Pasta via Chocolate & Carrots

Yum! I’ve only recently discovered the awesomeness of buffalo chicken dip, but his pasta version sounds easy and delicious.

.Food & Nutrition.

Eating Comfort Foods May Not Be So Comforting After All via NPR

Hmm, I’ve always called them “comfort foods” because they bring me comfort while I’m eating them, not because they act as anti-depressants. Sometimes you just need to indulge and enjoy the moment while not thinking about the science or health of it all.

.Health & Fitness.

Can You Be Fat & Fit? via Refinery 29

There needs to be more attention paid to the “health at every size” mindset/movement. Not everybody had the same body type; a petite person may never exercise but remain extremely thin (but maybe not healthy) whereas a bigger person may do all the right things (eat well, exercise, etc.) and remain the same size. As long as you feel great, that’s all that matters.

.Body Image & Mental Health.

A Body Image Monopoly? via Snack Therapy

Like usual, I agree with everything Carly has to say. Body image sure is tricky…

Foreign Body via Rookie

“Rather than seeing my body as an enemy, I am trying to consider it a part of a beloved whole that serves me in everything I wanna do.” A good way of thinking…

.Pregnancy & Parenting.

Why Most Pregnancy Guides Are a Total Turnoff via Time

This is pretty much why I haven’t finished reading “What To Expect” and have found I prefer blogs from actual pregnant women or mothers, my weekly updates from various websites, and answers from both my doctor and childbirth/breastfeeding instructor to these infantilizing and fear-inducing books.

6 Reasons You Really Need Your Kids via Huffington Post

Haha. I’ll remember these when the time comes!

Why Are America’s Postpartum Practices So Rough on New Mothers? via The Daily Beast

While I don’t feel like pregnant and/or postpartum women need to be treated as disabled or helpless and would go mad with some of these cultural practices, I certainly believe that the US lags behind other countries regarding maternity leave, postpartum care, etc. We have it backwards, really: we micromanage pregnancy and then expect new mothers to jump right back into their previous “normal” as soon as the baby is born. Reading things like this makes me glad I chose to take my full 12 weeks for leave.