2 + 1

Written by Pervaiz, a journalist and trained chef, and Laena, a food entrepreneur. We're expecting our first child in October 2015. 2 + 1 is a food, cooking and lifestyle blog, providing recipes and cooking inspiration to home cooks. Our 2 + 1 mantra is easy, healthy, creative cooking, influenced by urban living and a simple, sustainable ethos.

[twoplusonecooking]

GOOD GRAINS GRANOLA Organic oats from Maine // maple syrup // turmeric // coconut // peanuts // coconut oil // raisins // cardamom // ginger Mix & bake 30 min @ 300 degrees. "Maine Grains" are the best. So good, and supports small grain farmers.

[twoplusonecooking]

Pork Dumplings // Home-Cured Salmon // Arugula & Avocado Salad

Wonderful friends made dumplings with us before the baby was born (we froze them!), Pervaiz cured this salmon, and we tossed together a simple arugula and avocado salad with a lemon vinaigrette. 

[breastfeedingsupport]

Lactation Cookies recipe!

Ingredients :

4 tablespoons of water

2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal**

1 cup of butter

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of brown sugar

1 cup of creamy peanut butter (i like to use just a little bit more than that but it’s up to you)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 cups of flour

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

3 cups of oats, thick rolled is best but normal oats will do just fine

2 tablespoons of brewer’s yeast*** (you can throw in 3 if you really want to, you won’t be able to taste it)

optional: 1 cup of chocolate chips (i don’t like chocolate chip cookies so i forgo these)

**can be found at any local health food store.  ***NOTE* IT MUST BE BREWERS YEAST, NO SUBSTITUTIONS.

Directions: Preheat oven at 375 degrees F. Mix together 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water, set aside for 3-5 minutes. Cream (beat well) butter, peanut butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mix well. Stir flaxseed mixture and add with vanilla to the butter mix. Beat until blended. Sift together dry ingredients, except oats and chips. Add to butter mixture. Stir in oats then chips. Scoop or drop onto baking sheet, preferably lined with parchment or silpat. The dough is a little crumbly, so it helps to use a scoop. Bake 8-12 minutes, depending on size of cookies. If you add more peanut butter than the recipe calls for like I do, you may wanna leave them in just a few minutes longer. Serves: 6 dozen cookies Preparation time: 15 minutes 

These really do work especially if you throw in the extra tablespoon of brewer’s yeast. They can help fix under-supply problems or just give you a boost if you like to pump a lot :)

- Emily

[twoplusonecooking]

Another sweet lactation cookie recipe.

[book-baby]

I had seen recipes for lactation cookies before but never made them because I didn’t know if it would really work and also because some of the ingredients were kind of difficult to track down (I ended up going to three different stores to get everything but thats bc I live in Smalltown, Bamaland) and I thought they would probably taste gross. But yesterday at the breastfeeding support group I went to, they had this recipe out on the table. I heard the nurse recommend it to one of the moms who was having a lot of trouble with her flow and then another mom spoke up and said to be careful though because they tasted delicious so she ate a bunch of them and became engorged. So, after hearing this exchange I knew they not only worked but tasted good. So, I made them today and OMG YUM I want to eat a million but I have to limit myself. And I think they are working too which is good. My plan is to pump twice a day in addition to Julian’s feedings and have a really good supply built up in the freezer for my upcoming trip to Athens.

I did all the recommended changes to the recipe for added benefits except the coconut oil. I used both chocolate and peanut butter chips. I cooked them at 370 degrees (because my oven runs a smidge hot) for 13 minutes. And I made them pretty big as you can see. Even with big cookies, the recipe still yielded nearly 3 dozen cookies. So, in my opinion, these cookies are well worth the effort!

Lactation Cookies Recipe:

1 cup butter (or coconut oil for added health benefits)

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons of water

2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal (found at most grocery stores)

2 large eggs (with omega for added health benefits)

1 teaspoon of vanilla

2 cups of flour (whole wheat flour for added health benefits)

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 teaspoon of salt

3 cups of oats (not instant: thick cut or old fashioned)

1 cup or more of chocolate chips, peanut butter or anything you like

2-4 tablespoons of brewers yeast, it MUST be brewers (found at most health or herb shops)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix flaxseed meal and water, set aside

Combine butter and sugars well

Add in eggs and mix

Stir in flaxseed mix and vanilla

Mix well

Sift together flour, brewers yeast, salt and baking soda

Add to butter mix

Stir in oats and chips

Scoop or drop onto ungreased cookie sheet

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes

[twoplusonecooking]

Another recipe for milk makers! A fun alternative to mine. I weirdly don’t like chocolate chips with oats (I know, what?!), but most people love this combo.

[twoplusonecooking]

Lactation Cookies // Milk Makers // Energy Bars

Not the prettiest cookies, but really, truly so good.

I noticed my milk supply dropping the last few weeks, so I whipped up a batch of handy “milk maker” lactation cookies. My sweet friend Steph gave me her recipe and I tweaked it based on my taste preference and things I had in the pantry. 

This looks like a long list of ingredients, but don’t be intimidated. The first 9 are essential and the rest is for flavor, so feel free to substitute or minimize.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 cup of honey or maple syrup 1 cup of seed/nut butter (like peanut, almond, cashew) 1 cup coconut oil splash of vanilla extract 2 eggs 2 cups oats 1 cup whole wheat flour/almond/rye or other healthy flour 2 tablespoons brewers yeast 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek, ground to a powder 1 inch fresh ginger, minced 1 cup dried fruit (like cherries, raisins, dates) 1/4 cup dried coconut 2 tablespoons flax seed 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS

Warm wet ingredients in saucepan on stove or 40 seconds in a microwave, until mixed, cool slightly and beat in eggs. Mix together with dry ingredients. 

Portion about 1/4 cup each with spoon onto baking tray (I use Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet, because it's eco and not toxic), press lightly with back of spoon to flatten. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 8-10 min. 

Or, for energy bar style, press mix into parchment paper lined baking dish, bake 10 minutes. Cut into squares when cool.

[arealmotherblogger]

This is the real life. Cooking up a 5 ingredient dinner (ground turkey, onion, zucchini, tortilla, cheese; recipe in bio jk) while son sleeps. Accidentally startle son awake by dropping a pizza pan, which you weren’t even using to cook, then breastfeeding him while you shove food in your pie hole because u are always hungry OMG. And I’ve never been happier.

[twoplusonecooking]

As a new mother trying to eat healthy, breastfeed and stay sane, I wanted to reblog this post. I feel you.

[twoplusonecooking]

Salmon with Avocado, Grapefruit, Citrus Salad

Laena participates in a salmon CSF every year. Our friends at Iliamna Fish Co. in Brooklyn drive up to Alaska every year to catch wild sockeye salmon and bring it back in the fall for their lucky members. Every year, Laena splits a ”share” with her good friend; each share is flash-frozen, sashimi-grade, 12 lbs, roughly 6 to 8 whole fillets. It’s so amazingly good. Plus, salmon is chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, essential for baby brains, protein and vitamin B. 

Pervaiz’s favorite way to cook it is super simple: seared and paired with a citrusy salad, in this case a winter salad of avocado and grapefruit. 

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 8 min | Total Time: 18 min | serves 4

INGREDIENTS

1 large grapefruit 1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced 1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 (roughly 5-ounce) wild salmon fillets (skin on) 1/4 cup fresh thyme

Peel and supreme grapefruit with a sharp knife (I love my Global G-2 - 8 inch, 20cm Chef's Knife, but any sharp chef’s knife will work) on a cutting board; reserve juice in a bowl. Arrange avocado and grapefruit among 4 serving plates. In a small bowl, whisk together reserved grapefruit juice, 1/2 tablespoon of the oil, lemon juice, fresh thyme, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad.

Pat salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Increase heat to high and sear salmon, skin sides up, until well browned, about 4 minutes. Turn fish over and sear until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more. 

amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "twopluonecoof-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_title = "My Amazon Picks"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B00004SBI7,B00005OL44,B0040DRE2U,B00MW8NBW2"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "715bd5799b10cad211f87e4ae65f120c";

[twoplusonecooking]

Shrimp Curry with Peas and Red Rice

A quick and easy curry, with bright color and flavor, aromatic herbs and a warm heat. We served it here over red rice, but you can use brown or white instead.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup frozen peas 3 fresh curry leaves 2 kaffir lime leaves 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro 2/3 cup coarsely chopped shallots ¼ cup coarsely chopped seeded jalapeño chiles 2 tablespoons green curry paste 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil plus sliced leaves ¼ cup water 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk 2 ½ pounds uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined Lime wedges

[twoplusonecooking]

[twoplusonecooking]

[twoplusonecooking]

[twoplusonecooking]

[twoplusonecooking]

[twoplusonecooking]

[twoplusonecooking]

[twoplusonecooking]

[twoplusonecooking]