Happy Easter to those of you that celebrate, and Happy Just-another-Sunday to those of you that don’t!
So, guess what I did yesterday? You give up? I cooked a big batch of wild-caught cod.
Who cares, right? Well, I cooked the fish in our dishwasher if that interests you.
Hi, I cook your food and wash what you eat it on!
No, its not taking the “clean eating” fad literally (hmm, or maybe it is….), its simply as it sounds. Take your fish, put in dishwasher, and run a cycle.
This was my first time to cook with the dishwasher and I was unsure of how things would turn out. So, I obviously had my concerns. Will my washer smell like fish forever, will the fish just get shred to pieces, and will it even be fully cooked?
But, the end result was perfectly cooked fish! Tender, moist, and still intact; awesome! The dishwasher did smell a little like fish, but nothing overwhelming and it went away after a while.
The prep was quick and easy, and cleanup was a wash! Ha ha, I love laughing at my own corny puns!
Anyway, even Going Mom tried and approved of the dishwashed (steamed or poached?) fish. Good thing since it will be in her meals I prepare for her work lunches!
Why cook food in the dishwasher? No good reason, just because you can and it’s fun to say you did. Will I do again? Maybe, but not anytime soon.
That said, give it a shot and join the dishwashed food club. You could cook with a washer full of dirty dishes as long as your tightly seal your foil pouches, but I prefer not to.
You see this compartment to fill with dishwashing fluid?
Don’t!
Here’s what you need:
fish of choice (I used cod but heard salmon works well too)
salt and pepper
herbs and spices (this is optional, but I used paprika, cumin, basil, and dill)
I didn’t use any, but you could add a little olive oil and lemon juice inside the foil.
aluminum foil
a dishwasher
Here’s what you do:
Pre-heat your oven to 350°F.
Place your fish on a piece of foil large enough to fold over and seal tight.
Season fish with salt and pepper and any additional seasonings you prefer.
Turn off your oven since you don’t even need to use it and I just wanted to annoy you. Sorry…
Tightly seal the foil around your fish.
Place foil pouches in the top rack of your dishwasher and run on normal cycle with the sanitize option if you have it.
Sealed tight and ready for a wash!
Let your dishwasher do its thing and do not open until the full cycle, including the drying cycle, is complete.
Remove fish from dishwasher and enjoy your “clean eating” fish with a side of quinoa and roasted Brussels sprouts….or whatever sides you like.
Have you ever cooked anything in your dishwasher? If not, would you?
Ever cooked food using another unconventional method?
Before Avery, my daughter, was born, I knew I wanted to wear her in a carrier. But, I was uninformed about the actual benefits of babywearing, I just thought it would be a cool way to get some extra exercise! Do you know anyone who tries to turn anything into some form of exercise? Well, meet one more….me!
With zero research, my wife and I bought a Baby Bjorn and thought we were all set. Once Avery was born, I was wearing her in the Bjorn at two weeks as we went on and did chores around the house.
Like most new parents these days, I proudly posted pictures of myself wearing Avery on Facebook and Twitter.
In one of my posts, I mentioned how I had sore shoulders after a long walk and another dad commented saying to ditch the Bjorn and get an Ergo. Then several other dads chimed in giving full support of getting a better carrier. Thus, my baby carrier research began.
For days, I read and re-read fact sheets on baby carriers and reviews by other parents. I was surprised at how detailed and passionate so many parents are about babywearing. I finally concluded that I had been doing it all wrong; letting my baby’s legs dangle and even having her face outward! According to the International Hip Dysplasia Institute, dangling legs put your baby at a high risk of developing hip dysplasia.
Needless to say, I had to find a high quality carrier that would allow both Avery and me to be safe and comfortable wherever our adventures take us. Trying to figure out which one would be best was difficult; you’d think I was buying a new car! Then, I came across a review on Onya Baby and was drawn to their carriers. I know the other dads mentioned Ergo, but I had to make sure I didn’t rush into things like I did with the Bjorn.
I e-mailed Onya about possibly allowing me the opportunity to try one of their carriers and write a review on my blog. I received an upbeat response from Diana, who, after we spoke on the phone, kindly agreed to send their Outback model. Oh my gosh, I felt like I was getting a new car! I have since posted my review on our Onya Baby Outback carrier and am happily using it almost every day.
Ready to go on our first hike.
I say almost because Ergobaby recently sent me the Ventus carrier from their performance line to review and I use that as well. So far, Going Mom and I both enjoy it and it’s a good option for store trips. Having use several carriers now, I realize that there are many great choices out there and the best choice will vary depending on each individuals’ preferences.
Through all of this, I learned a great deal on the benefits of babywearing for both parents and their babies. For instance, if your baby simply hates “tummy time”, babywearing is said to eliminate the need for this exercise. Avery was part of the “tummy time” hate club, but she eventually learned to roll over without much time spent on her stomach. Was it from being worn in a baby carrier? I’m not sure, but I bet it definitely had a big role in her success.
Roll over success!
Babywearing offers a myriad of benefits over alternatives like strollers and car seats; here are several just to list a few:
It aids the baby in developing balance, motor skills, and mobility in general.
Babies who are worn are less likely to cry as much during the day and even at night!
Parents and their babies have a stronger bond when worn or carried and it will last all the way into adulthood.
Carried babies are happier and healthier.
Babies get a better view of the world around them when worn. Poor babies in strollers or car seats only know a world of knees and shins!
Babywearing parents also enjoy the freedom of both hands and to move around safely with baby happily close to you. Plus, my original reason for wanting to wear my baby, it really is great exercise!
I found these benefits of babywearing and much more on Boba’s website, Mark’s Daily Apple, and Onya’s blog. All sites are packed with useful information to answer all of your babywearing questions along with cites and sources to back it up.
The benefits listed above and on the websites add up to why I wear my baby, and can be explained in one word; love. Yes, I wear my baby because I love her more than I ever knew possible.
Skin to skin with dad!
The feeling that overwhelmed me as I watched Avery come into the world for the first time was a feeling of unconditional love. I only felt it one other time as I watched Going Mom walk down the aisle in her wedding dress. The air escapes from my lungs and I feel my heart stop in awe as happiness flows through my body; that’s true love!
As a dad, I will never be able to duplicate what my wife shares maternally with Avery, so I count on babywearing to get as close as I can. I wear my baby to help her grow into a happy, strong, confident, and loving daughter.
Heading out for a walk.
I am proud to have her close to me as I shop at the store, go on long walks, mow the lawn, or just move around the house. Everything we do and see, I tell what’s going on and I know she’s absorbing all of it in her constantly growing brain.
So, when asked why I wear my baby, I could pull out a list and go over the slew of reasons, but I will just say it’s because I love her. And, according to The Beatles, “All You Need Is Love”! I’m a proud dad to the most adorable girl and happy husband to the most amazing wife, and love is what makes us a happy, healthy family. Okay, and good food and exercise!
I want to express my deep gratitude to Onya Baby for giving me the chance to see what a real baby carrier is like which has turned me into a major advocate for babywearing!
We’ve all heard of high intensity interval training (HIIT) as a great way to workout in a short amount of time. The most common form of HIIT is sprinting, and for good reason, it will get your blood flowing and lungs burning fast. This equates to an efficient calorie burning, do anywhere exercise anyone can utilize.
I’ve been into long distance running for years, and the hours spent running high miles is rewarding, but there’s not always time to fit in a long run. Lately, I do more sprinting, mostly up a hill, and keep going until my legs and lungs are begging me to stop.
Now that we have Avery, being able to run for over an hour is scarce, and if I do, I have her in the B.O.B. and our dog, Abby, in tow. Not the most comfortable, but it’s not that bad…..unless it’s windy, that stroller is like running with an umbrella!
Luckily, I have a Fiskars Reel Mower to lend a helping hand at accomplishing chores and a workout all at once! Just mowing with a reel mower like the Fiskars provides more cardiovascular activity than the gas-powered alternative, but why not up the ante?
How, you ask? By combining HIIT sprints with reel mowing of course! In the Fiskars StaySharp Max Owner’s Manual, they provide a useful outline of how to mow your lawn with their reel mower. I’ve provided the picture below:
Use this as a great way to plan your sprint mowing workout. I like to get the edging out of the way first as my “warm up” and then proceed to sprint back and forth across the lawn with as little rest as possible.
Yes, corny pose, I know, lets just try and look past that…mmmmkay?
I enjoy making things hard on myself, so as you see, I’m wearing a weight vest. This just adds another level of difficulty and helps keep me primed for when I mow wearing Avery and she doubles in weight.
Caution: DO NOT sprint while wearing your baby!!
To help you out, I put together a little video of me sprint mowing in action. This was during Avery’s naptime which is why I have a hurried look on my face.
Again, you do not need to wear a weight vest, sprint mowing is already a great workout.
This is just another way I am enjoying our Fiskars Reel Mower and plan on keeping fit by mowing while wearing Avery in the Onya or by sprinting with a weight vest. It’s a great form of exercise while tending to your household duties, and I recommend you give it a spin.
Do you have any fun ways to fit in a workout and accomplish household tasks? Please share if you do!
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
