Pumpkin & Raisin Bread

I can't believe we are into the 3rd week of October already. Life seems to be just passing me by and I feel like 24 hours a day is just not enough. Juggling work and family is definitely not easy as I thought it would be.

And it definitely does not get easier when someone or the other keeps falling sick in your household. Both R and I have used up all of our sick leave in the past couple of months as it seems out of the three of us, someone is always sick, the usual culprits being me and Issac. :(

I guess I should be thankful that my workplace is a family friendly environment or else I don't know what I would have done. At times when I think about it, I feel that I would have fired me with the amount of days I've been off work! But lucky for me, my manager doesn't feel the same way and I'm glad that they are flexible enough to let me work from home to make up hours now and then.

Every woman I know who has a job and is a parent has to deal every day with making enough time for both. I never really am able to do it. I just keep stealing from one part of my life to give to the other. (I figure by the time my son is in college, I'll be caught up.) Balancing it all is definitely one of the biggest sources of stress in my life.

Of late I feel that Issac has been missing out on a lot of motherly care. With the new job and additional responsibilities, I just can’t seem to find the time or the energy to cook proper homemade meals for him like I used to when I was a stay-at-home mom. And with the added minus of the sickness rotation we are on, he definitely is in dire need of showers of affection and care.

I struggle mightily in my role as a full-time working mother. A role I feel I've never quite come to fully balance, resulting in the unsettling sense that I’m juggling two extremely volatile balls, either of which I’m in constant danger of dropping at any given moment.

Furthermore, it’s a role that only allows me to spend, on average, three quality hours each day with Issac throughout a five-day work week. Weekends aside, that amounts to a mere 15 hours per week - barely a part-time job. And not always the fun kind when you stop to consider that most of those hours occur at the end of the day, when we’re both tired and cranky and not exactly the most ideal versions of ourselves.

I realize, of course, that this isn't necessarily an issue for some working moms – namely, those who derive a great deal of personal identity and satisfaction through their chosen professions. Unfortunately, I am not one of those women.

In truth, I have always worked more out of necessity than to fulfill any real calling in life. With a fair amount of shame, I will admit that I simply never quite figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up. And so I've spent my adult life wandering rather aimlessly down a meandering career path, with no real sense of where I've been or where I’m going.

So, it’s only natural that I should feel a certain amount of envy for the stay-at-home moms who spend their days with their children, while I in turn sit chained to a desk.

You can guess where I’m going with this… Yes, I think I've got a case of the Working Mom’s Guilt. So, what do I do to make myself feel better? 

I've promised myself that from now on, no matter how stressful or busy my work day has been I wouldn't take my work home with me as I've been doing of late. Even if I get only few measly hours of quality time with Issac on a week day, I’m going to make the most of it. Even if I’m tired and exhausted beyond thought, I’d still find the energy to run around the house playing peek a boo or roll on the floor with him pretending to be a puppy!!

Today’s recipe is a result of my guilt as well. I've been pretty slack in making Issac more of my homemade meals and he’s been thriving mainly on instant oats and rice and veges and yogurt for a while now. L

So I've finally got my act together again and so you can be darn sure to see more interesting toddler recipes coming your way soon! J Now onto today’s special- Pumpkin and Raisin Bread. It’s very straightforward to make (a simple process of mixing wet and dry ingredients) and the slightly dense texture is perfect for little ones as it’s very soft and ‘squidgy’.

It’s suitable for babies who are already confident with finger foods and it’s a painless way to get them to eat up their veggies.

I wouldn't say it was a super duper hit at home, but my picky eater did definitely eat most of it. And he most certainly did not just turn his nose up at it  instantly and totally ignore it, so that's always a plus in my book.

And what do you know, I've actually got step by step pics for this one (not that it was really needed!). But I had my phone on hand and I just clicked away. Since I took the pics on my phone, the clarity ain't that great but you'll get the picture :)

Pumpkin & Raisin Bread
Recipe adapted from : AllRecipes.com

DRY INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup light brown sugar
big pinch baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
big pinch allspice
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

WET INGREDIENTS

1 egg
few drops vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade) Refer Notes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tbsp raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

2. Thoroughly mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. In a second bowl, stir together all the wet ingredients.

4. Combine the contents of both bowls and stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon until everything is well mixed (the mixture will be quite ‘wet’).

5.  Empty into a small, greased cake tin and bake for 40 to 50 mins until firm and golden. You can use a loaf tin here but I just used what I had on hand.

6.  Serve warm with some honey or golden syrup (optional).

Notes:

To make your own pumpkin puree:

Peel the pumpkin, cut into dice and place into a saucepan. Just cover with water.
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender (approximately 5 to 10 min).
Drain and mash well.