"Pregnancy Cravings"

Let's start out with the title of this post. If you know me, you know I have an extreme disdain for inappropriate, misplaced, and/or overused quotation marks. You know, like, "Congratulations" on your graduation! What, are you mocking me?! Is it a false salutation, or are you quoting a friend??

My natural tendency to notice these things coupled with my journalism studies in college puts me into somewhat of an overdrive. It gets pretty complicated. My mom and I actually text each other pictures of signs and etc. that misuse quotes...yeah...I am easily amused these days :)

All that to say, the reason I am using quotation marks in this post is that I want to share with you the select foods and drinks I've been devouring lately. I'm calling them pregnancy cravings, but if I tell the truth, it's not much of a compulsion (the way I've felt it before) to eat anything specific. It's just because they taste good on my tongue and feel good in my tummy.

Blame it on the baby. So...these are my current "pregnancy cravings" :)

Clementine Oranges
Such a perfect little snack, all wrapped up and ready to transport. And from nature (not a lot of my - ahem - cravings are that close to nature right now). All 3 kids love them and they make the house smell delicious. We're on our third box in two weeks.

Texas Toast Croutons
I know, I know. I have professed my love for these little bites of heaven on this blog before. But I cannot stay away. You must find them and try them immediately. They will change your outlook on salad forever, and then you will start eating them by the handful. Then by the bagful. Then buying them several bags at a time. Ok...maybe you won't. But I might have...

Egg Nog
The perfect ending to my day. Don't need a lot of it, just a swig. Like ice cream in a glass. And, on a related note, what is lite egg nog? I don't acknowledge its significance in the realm of holiday drinks. Not a viable alternative. Duct tape over the nutrition facts on the full fat nog is sufficient.

Cranberry Juice
100 percent. No cocktails, no cran-raspberry, cran-grape, or cran-mango tango. Straight, borderline bitter, cranberry juice. A great pick-me-up to be enjoyed in trimesters 1 & 2 when heartburn is not in play :)

Shrimp Cocktail
No need to call your friendly neighborhood OB - I know I cannot have massive amounts of seafood while pregnant. And I would say that this "craving" is the closest I have to an actual craving at this point. I have only eaten shrimp cocktail once this holiday season, and I only consume cocktail from trusted sources. But yum...I think about eating it a lot. What nutritional value does shrimp contain? Need some more of it in my diet...

White Rice
(with soy sauce and whatever else presents itself)
Why hello, Carby McCarberson. Could there be anything more full of carbohydrates and water-retaining sodium than white rice and soy sauce? YUM. Yes, there are usually protein and veggie sources involved in my recipes...but I'll eat rice with anything. My favorite? My sister-in-law's Costa Rican pasta salad (will share another day), rice and black beans...oh my.

That about wraps it up. My stomach is growling now, and pretty sure I can find one of these tasty treats just around the corner in the kitchen. "For baby," of course ;)