What a trooper!

My husband, that is.

Because I have the summer off, in between long bouts of lounging and lazing, I've been doing a bit of cooking. Specifically, I have been having fun with meat analogs (and watch out Vegandad, 'cause your concoctions are next on my list! Mwah-ha-ha!).

I made Snooty Joes with Yves soy crumbles, and let me tell you: Yves has become my new favorite fake meat vendor. I have stuck with Boca burgers alone for years and years, occasionally venturing into new waters, only to retreat, sadly beaten back by a strange texture or taste. But a vegetarian co-worker (really?? In Texas? In a public school that is in the 'burbs?? Bestill my heart, I thought I was alone!) alerted me to Yves The Good Dog and even shared one with me. I'm hooked! So, when I saw the crumbles on sale, I had to try them. Let me tell ya, they look like meat and taste like meat, it's so crazy! So, they might not be for you if you don't eat meat because it's icky, but if you like the taste/texture, just not the killing, dance in the streets!

The Snooty Joes were fabu, possibly because I used Isa's recipe from Veganomicon, and not scary Manwich sauce. Eek. What's in that stuff, anyway?

Next, I made Spaghetti with Bean Balls, also from the beloved Veganomicon (or V-con). These were great, although I discovered that they are better with a shorter cooking time than a longer one, since I tried one halfway through the recommended cooking time (starving, I was!), and nearly ate the whole pan and then was a little disappointed with the creamy texture (inside....outside was crispy) after cooking another 15 minutes, as suggested. J gamely tried them and said that although they tasted good, there was a texture issue. I wholeheartedly agree, and hope that he will give them another shot with a shorter cooking time. I'm pretty pleased about that, anyhow, since shorter cooking time equals quicker to my mouth.

Well, with my two experiments pretty darn successful, I decided to try making my own veggie burgers. I tried Black Bean burgers that are not only also in V-con, but actually on the same page as the 'Joe recipe! Seriously, folks. The laziness just doesn't end around here. Turn the page? No way, Jose! Not when I can take a sip of my margarita instead!

The black bean burgers were surprisingly easy to make, but I am a bit baffled by Isa's assertion that these would be "very firm" when cooked, since they weren't. Again with the texture!! Sheesh! J agreed with me on the texture once again, and yet that didn't keep him from rapidly inhaling a burger. Hooray!!

I'm doing happy dances, and you need to understand something about J: he is a meat and potatoes man to the core. Raised in the PNW by a working class single mom, meat is a source of joy and comfort. And although he fully supports me and eats primarily vegetarian (at least at home), he still loves meat and as you reformed meat-eaters know, meat analogs are best left alone until you haven't eaten meat in a while, since they generally fall just a bit short of what they are attempting to emulate. So, the fact that he is trying my experiments and even seems to be enjoying them somewhat makes me heart swell with happiness.

So, to reward him, I'm making him some Blueberry Boy Bait. Because if there is a boy I want to bait, it's one that eats fake meat happily!

I really shine when....

Yesterday I was a bit mean to myself. So, I'm going to give myself some hugs today!

I really shine when:

• I have just showered and my hair is still wet and I smell clean and look all sparkly.
• I have a classroom full of teenagers eagerly listening to what I'm teaching (unfortunately, this doesn't happen too often.)
• I'm making food! :D
• I read my baby boy stories before bed.
• I find something fun to do that costs nothing, or nearly nothing.
• Similarly, when I take my family on an outing that costs most people lots of money but I have planned it to cost us very little.
• I play dragons with my son.
• I let my husband sleep in and make sure he has coffee for when he wakes up.
• I check out a book that my husband loves, or (rarely) purchase one that he loves. (We don't share the same taste in books at all, so this IS a feat)
• I try something new that scares me, but I do it anyway and just love it.

That's all I can think of while my adorable child pesters me to play Nick Jr. games. Heehee!

When do YOU shine?

Admiration

For all SAHMs. Seriously.

I've been out of school for about a month now, and lemme tell ya....the moms who get up everyday and get themselves and their kids ready for the day, do interesting and educational activities, and keep a relatively clean house....well, they are just superheroes!

I've known this for a while, but it's time to make a formal declaration: I am not fit to be a SAHM. I am no good at getting us going in the morning (it's 12:40 p.m. and I just got dressed and my child is lying on the floor, half dressed, watching Spongebob), tend to forget about educational activities in favor of surfin' the net while my kid zones out to tv, and my house is a WRECK, which I attribute to us being here all the time.

P was in swim lessons a week or so ago and will be starting his next session next Monday. Thank goodness for that! Something that gets us out of the house gets us MOVING!

Maybe it's because we've had the hottest June EVER. (Seriously, folks. Since records have been kept, this has literally been the hottest June in Houston's history. Yeah. Lovely. Maybe it's because it's only been a month, and if I had more time, we'd create a routine (I'd like to think so, I would). Maybe it's because we are just a big bunch of couch potatoes who can only occasionally rouse ourselves from the sofa. Whatever the reason, it's fairly obvious: we are a big ole lazy family, unfit for home-schooling or even summer educational activities! The shame, the shame!

Now, that's not to say we do NOTHING. We spent the entire day at Sea World the other day and had a blast! We've been to the beach, and in an hour, we are off to the library to learn about sharks, skates, and rays! P is on a soccer team that practices 3 times a week (lucky for us, it's neighborhood kids, so it's FREE!). We have read a BUNCH of books, and have learned some anthropology and science, thanks to the NatGeo channel and especially to the Travel Channel!

However. I'll conclude this by saying that I am in full awe of all SAHMs and think that you guys ROCK! As for me, I'm going to let my kid play Nick, Jr. games and start mentally planning for the school year.

Deja Vu all over again

Why is it that we only fight about the same one or two things with our partners? You would think after having the same discussion over and over, it would get tired and we'd find new things to fight about.

Obviously, things are not being resolved, which is why we continue to have the same arguments. But how do you resolve those issues when you can't afford counseling, and all that you have tried is apparently not working?

Hurricane Preparedness

Sigh. It's that time of year again, folks. In the south, people that live near-ish the coast are getting ready for these lovely large storms that leave a swath of destruction in their wake. To me, the worst part about hurricane season (aside from the actual hurricanes) is trying to build up a stockpile of food.

Not eating meat complicates things, as most nonperishable entrees contain "meat" (or at least that is what we will call that stuff). Trying to eat healthy means that we don't eat a lot of canned veggies, preferring fresh, and in the absence of fresh, frozen.

We do eat canned beans (easier, faster, and honestly, BETTER than my attempts at cooking dried beans. And plus, they are still pretty economical), and canned tomatoes. We also have luxury canned goods such as olives, artichoke hearts, pesto, etc. Oh, to be an American during these times. It's great, I tell you!

(Ok, I have wiped the drool off my keyboard now).....

We don't have a grill (we did have one, and it exploded. Yeah. That was pretty scary.), so our only method of cooking is a camp stove. I'm thinking about making a solar cooker, but until that happens, let's not assume I would be able to cook with one.

What I learned from Ike is that a lot of people purchase chips and packaged bakery items (i.e. Hostess cupcakes). You know, I had honestly NEVER considered those as hurricane items. But they are nonperishables, eh? I don't think that chips would make it in this house. Hostess type snacks might not either, since it's something we literally NEVER have. But in a pinch, I'm going to remember that.

Here are the ideas I have so far:

-Instant oatmeal
-Couscous (fast cooking, and flavored if you want it)
-PB and J :D
-Bread (this would have to be purchased right before a storm)
-canned beans
-canned tomatoes
-canned fruit
-canned veggies
-those delish vacuum-packed dishes you find in the Indian section of the grocery store!
-Stovetop stuffing (I love this stuff, and it's comfort food....good after a scary storm)

I would plan on giving the veggies to a food bank after the season if we didn't use them.

But yeah. That's all I have. Not very good, is it?

I'm going to be thinking and stockpiling, and I'll continue to update if I have any ideas. In the meantime, leave me any comments you may have about what I should add to the list.

Quick....Get shopping!

Hanna Andersson is having their Twice Yearly Sale. Seriously, folks. Get your kids some high quality, organic clothing at Big Box Store prices. But get it NOW.

Sale Sale Sale!

FYI....I don't get money or anything from them. Just awesome clothes. That I pay for. But at a discount. :)

Hippie happenings

Hippies get busy in the summer. Oh yeah.

What are they busy doing? Well....

Mama Duck's Dream Deserves an Oscar!

In My Crazy Life is seeking...herself?

Fashion, Evolved interviews Juliane Camposano of Roselwear.

Join us in a round of Electric Kool-Aid at Hippymom.com!

Melia Lore has a Vulva Skirt. No, I'm not kidding.

She's not sad...she's A Hippy Chick.

Gray Gaia invites you to Embrace the Goddess Soleil!

Happy reading, and enjoy! Now get busy yourself!

Delicious Asian Pasta with Spicy Tempeh and strange salty asparagus

I really like tempeh. I'm always sad when I meet veggies who do not like tempeh. It hurts me, somehow. Or maybe offends me. How can you NOT love the strange flavor and texture that is tempeh? Yum. If you haven't tried it, go get some: I prefer mixed-grain or three grain or some sort of grain tempeh. But there are different kinds. I really ought to branch out.

Anyhoo, I made this great pasta last night:

Asian Pasta with Spicy Tempeh

It was lovely and spicy indeed. I put in 2 tsp. of the chili paste (I get that stuff that has the rooster on the label. Not only do they make a lovely hot sauce (the large squeeze bottle) their chili sauce is fantastically spicy and tasty. Cheap, too. What's not to like?) and it was SPICY, brotha. Hoo. Admittedly, I made the teaspoons heaping, but still. Next time I make this (and there will definitely be a next time) I will probably ease up a bit on the chili sauce.

I don't like peas and didn't have shelled edamame (my pea substitute of choice....and notice that I said I didn't have SHELLED edamame. I totally have the stuff in the pods, but I was feeling WAY too lazy to cook it and shell it) so I just left it out. I made this strange asparagus as a side dish, so I felt like I didn't really need to peas, anyway. And honestly, I didn't miss the bulk they would have added. However, those little yummy baby peas in the pod (the ONLY peas I like) would be quite nice, as would the aforementioned shelled edamame. Which I enjoy saying. Edamame. Satisfying.

The sauce seems like it won't be enough, but it's the perfect amount. The flavor is ALL OVER the noodles, but this isn't a saucy dish. It's amazing. I highly encourage you to try it.

If you don't have the various seasonings called for, you should. They take your cooking to a whole new level and keep you from wanting to eat out, which ends up being frugal in the long run. Or so I tell myself.

Let me close by mentioning that strange asparagus. I got the recipe from Vegetarian Times, and it calls for miso and tahini. I make this wonderful salad dressing that I found in Veganomicom (thanks, Isa!) that calls for equal parts miso and tahini thinned with water. The salad dressing is shockingly good, but although this recipe calls for similar ingredients, it was just salty and thick and strange. I'm sad, because there's a half pound of asparagus in the fridge that no one will eat. J ate one stalk and said yuck, and P won't eat anything green, despite it being his favorite color. I ate my fair share, but I just don't want anymore. Any suggestions on using this stuff up? Maybe if I put it in unseasoned eggs, maybe it would be better. Hmm.....

I hate to end on a down note like too-salty asparagus, so have a laugh before you go:

Ready for summer

I'm all detailed and ready to go! Take me to the beach, the pool, the bar, you name it, I'm there! Whee!

I've got painted toenails, hair's trimmed up EVERYWHERE, I've been working out and eating (Relatively) healthy. Hee-hee! I'm looking good and feeling good.

I love having some time off, and being able to think and contemplate and even miss my job a little (ok, not the job, but some of the kids). I love being able to go to the park and the museum with my son, preparing healthy meals (I'm thinking asparagus, peach-walnut pilaf, and something tempeh or stir fry for dinner, how's THAT for rock-your-socks delish and healthy!), and reading books. I just re-read Blue Shoe by Anne Lamott, and highly recommend it. She writes about normal people beautifully. The book makes me celebrate ME, even with all my faults.

Tonight, my family is heading off to see .38 Special, Styx, and REO Speedwagon! What fun! I only know one song by each band (that I know of, anyway), but I can't wait to put on a skimpy sundress and lounge on the grass while we rock out! Hopefully, I can make a buck or two today and buy one of those margaritas by the yard! If not, that's ok too....they're awfully high in calories and low on alcohol. :)

Food for camping

My boys are going camping next weekend so that an out of town friend and I can catch up sans interruptions. Hooray! I have challenged the hubster to NOT eat at any restaurants along the way, only stopping at grocery stores if necessary. This is going to be a MAJOR challenge for my lovable yet lazy hubby, so I'm helping (of course).

They will be gone from Friday afternoon through Monday. So, that's 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners, and numerous snacks.

Breakfast:
Pancakes (those just add water mixes are PERFECT for camping)
Eggs (crack the eggs into a heavy ziploc bag so they are ready for scrambles or omelets)
They might try this because it sounds like fun:
http://www.scoutorama.com/recipe/rec_display.cfm?rec_id=155

Lunch:
Sandwiches
Pasta Salad
Fruit
Chips

Dinner:
Chicken leg quarters (bought on sale)
Hotdogs (you gotta, right?)
Nachos, using leftover chicken
http://www.scoutorama.com/recipe/rec_display.cfm?rec_id=266

We are limited not only by funds, but by the fact that my child doesn't like casseroles or other "mixed" dishes. He does, however, LOVE nachos, and I like that you can make these in a skillet.

Snacks:
Chips (must have junk food for us....we don't get them often because we all LOVE chips)
Pasta salad
fruit
crackers
cereal bars (aka Nutrigrain bars)
s'mores fixins
hummus

What else do they need to take for food?

Hey! Here I am!

Ok, it happened again. Life grabbed me, and I stopped blogging. For shame. Although, given my track record, I knew it was going to happen sooner or later.

However, it's nearly summer, which means more time! Hooray for some TIME! I'm on a 3 day weekend already, which is "summer lite".

I took a peek at my 101 goals in 101 days list, and I have some updates to make. Since that list was the reason for starting the blog, it seems fitting to resume contact via the list. Here we go:

101 in 1001
Start Date: January 2, 2009
End Date: September 29, 2011
Legend:
Not Started
In Progress
Completed

Health and Fitness
1. Eat vegan 1x/week for 2 months
2. Take a prenatal vitamin nightly for 2 months
3. Do yoga 2x/week for 2 months
4. Get pregnant
5. Lose 20 lbs before getting pregnant (5/20)
6. Complete Body & Soul’s healthy challenge
7. Set a new fitness goal—and meet it—for 12 months (not necessarily consecutively)
8. Record all food eaten daily for 3 months
9. Drink 6-8 glasses of water daily for 1 month
10. Private :)
11. Floss daily for 4 consecutive months
12. Reduce coffee to 1 cup/day
13. Eliminate coffee from diet
14. Add tea to diet
15. Track my monthly cycle
16. Use that information to better understand my moods and cravings
17. Perform monthly breast exams (3/32)
18. Find a naturopathic doctor (I have found a D.O. It remains to be seen, however, if he will stick as my doctor. He may just need a bit of training ::wink::)
19. Eat nothing after 8 p.m. for 2 consecutive months
20. Private :)
21. Get braces
22. Reward myself with something sensual each months that I meet a fitness/nutrition goal (ex: pedicure, manicure, massage)
23. Learn CPR
24. Private :)


Finances
25. Build up $1000 mini-emergency fund ($800/1000)
26. Pay off debt (2 of 6 cc's paid off.....still have student loans, car notes, and mortgage :sigh)
27. Build a 3 month cushion
28. Put all extra $$ (bonuses, raises, gifts, etc) towards financial goals
29. Eat out on special occasions only (birthdays, anniversaries, last day of school, etc)
30. Sell this house
31. Have a monthly finance meeting with J
32. See a financial planner
33. Open retirement accounts for J and myself
34. Make a Christmas budget
35. Keep the Christmas budget!
36. Live on one income for a year to simulate the actual experience
37. Use a cash economy
38. Add to P’s college fund monthly ($5/month is ok!)
39. Donate $2 per each goal NOT met to a charity of my choice
40. Set aside $5 per goal MET to do something fun at the end of the 1001 days


Love Life
41. Have a date night with J once/month
42. Private ;)
43. Private ;)
44. Private ;)

Social Life
45. Have a potluck dinner
46. Throw a dinner party

Travel
47. Take a cruise
48. Go on 5 day trips alone (1/5) I'm counting Dallas since I went by myself, and it's a drive!
49. Visit 5 Texas attractions
50. Camp for a weekend at the Ren Fest
51. Go to Las Vegas for my 30th birthday!
52. Take 3 day trips with P
53. Take 2 overnight trips with P
54. Leave the country!
55. Visit Galveston 4x/year (2/10)


Getting the stuff you want….priceless
56. Get a tattoo (A cool hippie star on the back of my neck, under my hair)
57. Find the most perfect pair of black boots and buy them, no matter the cost.
58. Find the perfect Little Black Dress
59. Get a vitamix


Being a good person
60. Make 2 positive parent phone calls/month for 4 months—2 now, 2 next year
61. Explore volunteer opportunities for P and I
62. Volunteer with P once/week during the summer
63. Give blood 6 times
64. Give 10 compliments to strangers
65. Pay for the person behind me at a drive-thru
66. Obtain no new plastic bags for 3 non-consecutive months

Spirituality
67. Buy one book about paganism and one about Wicca and read them both!
68. Meditate 30 min, 3x/week for 12 non-consecutive months

The House
69. Replace carpet in house with wood floors
70. Complete 6 home improvement projects (1/6)
71. Create a “work-week home management plan”
72. Follow said plan for 3 months!
73. Set a new household goal for 12 non-consecutive months

So Creative!
74. Update blog 2x/week for 3 months
75. Practice guitar 3x/week for 3 months
76. Knit a scarf
77. Make 3 things using my sewing machine
78. Create an altar
79. Create a gift book for J
80. Make all handmade gifts for one Xmas
81. Dress up for the Ren Fest
82. Create a wardrobe that I adore—no “meh” clothes allowed!
83. Create a family cookbook
84. Finish t-shirt quilt or throw t-shirts away!
85. Do a craft project 4x/year with P


Foodie Love
86. Make one new bread machine recipe per month for 6 months (1/6)
87. Learn to make sushi
88. Make one new recipe each month (5/32)


Miscellaneous
89. List those things in my life that I do out of a sense of duty, not love or desire.
90. Reduce that list by half
91. Make “sucks/rocks” lists every 6 months (1/5)
92. SAH w/ my kids
93. Develop a homeschool curriculum for P
94. Meet with a life coach
95. Get life insurance
96. Read 101 books
97. Complete “Brenda’s Wardrobe Companion”
98. Take a class (I'm taking a bellydance class!)
99. Write my will
100. Turn off computer nightly for 2 consecutive months
101. Be fitted for a bra and only own bras that FIT!

Well, clearly I have my work cut out for me. In some cases, I need to start setting aside the money for charity since it ain't gonna happen, like the Body and Soul Challenge. But in other cases, I'm bettering my life and can set aside $5 per goal to have a blast! Whee!

Back to reality

I just spent the most magical weekend at a hippymom retreat in Dallas, where the food and drink were abundant, a smoky haze filled the air, a crazy artist sang opera and painted my portrait, and amazing women came together to talk, laugh (so much laughter), cry (just a little), dance (one amazing dancer and her loving admirers!), meditate and basically just plot to take over the world!

However, I'm home now. Back to reality and all the myriad little annoyances that come with reality. Sigh. Things like a broken car (but I'm told it should be a minor repair), a dead battery in a rental car and a husband who is slow to take back said car and gets charged an extra day at DOUBLE the rate I rented it for. Plus, there's the stress of work, a messy house, and never enough money.

However, even though these little annoyances seem quite abundant at the moment, I have decided to approach them with a new outlook. I know that they are little things that are stressful NOW but are hardly worth remembering a year from now.

Compare that to the smile of my son, or the look on a teenager's face when she gets the right answer 3 times in a row, or seeing an amazing sunset. Those are things that I will remember, that I want to remember. I suppose I need to not "sweat the little things" or whatever the title of that book is. :)

For a while, I thought that it would be enough to cultivate gratitude in my heart and life. And it works wonders, believe me! But it's not enough. Just because I am grateful to be healthy and have a roof over my head, enough to eat, a loving family, etc etc etc (and I could definitely go on!) doesn't mean that I won't get worked up over a dang car. I have been known to overreact. Yes! Me! Shocking.

The thing is, because I have this tendency (I think many of us do) to get so annoyed, I have to start laughing at those annoyances, and consciously focusing on the fact that they are minor setbacks. Even if it costs money, money is only a tool, free to flow wherever it needs to go.

It won't be easy. I'm not good at NOT being Type A, and I don't have a lot of practice. But maybe with a new mindset I can be free to Type A on the things that DO matter, and relax about the things that just don't.

I'm a muse!

I am the subject of a gorgeous portrait. That I will be buying at a later date and paying for for the rest of my life. Hooray!

"Free" time?

You'd think that I'd have some free time this week to update, but it doesn't look like that was in the cards.

I've been really busy this week! I rented my regalia for the Doctoral Hooding Ceremony (yes, they are REALLY on this....it's only March! But it worked well for me, since I was able to take care of this during my spring break!), got my cat fixed and also discovered that my gorgeous girl kitty is actually a handsome BOY kitty! Oops! It was all the fluff! (giggle)

I've been working out this week, which feels great! My goal is to keep this nonsense up when school starts, and actually LOSE SOME WEIGHT! Crazy ideas, I know.

I'm also getting ready to drive to Dallas for a retreat with some amazing Hippymoms! If you haven't met the Hippymoms yet, head on over and holla! Unfortunately, my car is acting all wonky. Look, it's even a relatively common problem! Boo-hoo-hoo! So, I'm taking J's car. Except that the inspection expired in.....JULY. So that needs to be fixed. The Universe has been trying to tell him this and he's been blatantly ignoring the message, so yesterday he got a ticket. Gah. That man irritates me. He redeems himself by being handy and nice, but honestly, the irritation to pleased ratio is highly skewed towards irritation.

So, I'm off to try to clean myself up a bit, and hopefully I'll have some really awesome stories about crazy hippymoms! Hee-hee!

Oh, remind me to tell y'all about how my phone was stolen by my kiddos at school. You know, some inspiration for the aspiring teachers out there. Snicker.

Spring Break!

Oh, hallelujah!!!! Thank goodness it's finally here! I was going nuts!

I'll be back soon with updates, but the past few days have included a trip to Chuck E. Cheese that left me trembling and the theft of my cell phone.

And I made cupcakes, too!

A bad influence

Resides in my house. This one is sneaky, making it harder to resist her charms. Usually, when I see Nutella at the grocery store I am able to resist. It's the #1 reason why I eat a snack before going grocery shopping, after all. But on those rare weak occasions, when Nutella whispers from an end cap so invitingly, "Hey, let's have some fun...." I find that she has snuck into my grocery cart.

When we get home, I try to hide her in the cupboard, but she always ends up near Peanut Butter. After PB wants to be Nutella when she grows up. All silky and smooth, with chocolatey whispers and hazelnut dreams, poor PB just can't compete.

Now, Nutella isn't brass and bold, like some of the other characters I hang out with. That's why she's invited around more often than, say, Chocolate Cake. Chocolate Cake just chills on the counter, yelling "Hey! I'm in here! I'm lonely and lovely. Come eat me, baby! There's cold milk in the fridge. We can do it nice and slow!" Rawr. That's nice when you're younger, but as you mature, you want friends who are more refined. This is why Nutella is so sneaky. She pretends to be refined and Ooh-La-La French, but really she's just a slut in a beret. Not that there's anything wrong with that, since she does clean up nicely.

Whenever I open the cupboard, she's there, peeking out at me from behind PB, who's giggling at my gaping mouth. She flirts and reminds me of her charms, and how great she would be on a piece of multigrain bread. I tell her I've just eaten a delicious meal that was filling and balanced, and she tells me that NOTHING is balanced without chocolate. Point taken.





Mmmm. Yummy.

The Zen of Silence and Lentil Stew

I've been silent all day. It's been strange and peaceful and slightly surreal, but I attribute that to the fact that I've got some weird snoozy kind of cold.

I wanted to make a yummy dinner using only what I have on hand, since I don't have a car (mine is currently broken. Sigh) and didn't want to venture out into the world, anyway. Plus, my texting skills are rudimentary, at best, so I don't like texting J a big ole grocery list.

Whic leads me to my lentil stew: zippy yet healthful, vibrant and alive, it allowed me to use up kale that was valiantly holding onto whatever life force it still had in vain hopes that I would eat it. Thank you, lovely kale. Thank you. While the little green lovelies bubbled away on the stove, I sauteed red onion, added crushed tomatoes and jazzed things up by adding 1 cup of red wine and 1 cup water, instead of 2 cups of water. I added the softened lentils, and the chopped kale (that had revived nicely after being cleaned, de-ribbed and soaked in cold water). That's it! Crazy!!

To really make it sing, I made the saffron cream included in the recipe, but I used sour cream, since I didn't have yogurt. It was lovely and makes me feel rich, since I have SAFFRON!

I served this with slices of grain and seed bread spread with real butter. Oh, yummo.

Lively Lentil Stew

No voice.....

I've lost my voice! I have no voice at all (well, a little today, but nothing yesterday and I'm not talking today to give my sad vocal cords a chance to rest), and I've been sick since Tuesday. I think losing my voice is a result of me pushing forward and taking DayQuil to be able to teach when really, I should rest. But at my school, we get berated for having subs. Sigh. I'm definitely a firm believer of the idea that when you are sick, you should stay home and rest, but that's really not a part of the American psyche, unfortunately. I have received a lot of flack for this my whole life, and as a teacher, it seems like you are a "bad teacher" for taking a day off when you are sick. So, now I'm being punished by having no voice.

This is excruciating for me, since I love talking. I definitely feel like I have a disability, since I don't want to go anywhere public, as I feel rude by not talking to people, and have to write out notes to communicate. I can understand why people who use ASL (that's American Sign Language to you, bub) often prefer to stay within small communities, where communicating is easy because everyone speaks the same language, so to speak. Oh, the puns are not intentional, and man, are they bad! Sheesh! Sorry about that.

Fortunately, J and P are dealing with this remarkably well, probably because I don't have to care for P all alone right now. If I did, I can imagine that the poor kid would be irritated with me.

St. Patrick's Day without meat

I want to make some traditional Irish food for St. Patty's day, being half Irish and loving a holiday that celebrates green, Spring, my son's birthday (well, his birthday is on St. Patrick's day, so they are forever linked to me), and beer! I also love corned beef. But, I don't really eat meat anymore.

I want to make colcannon and soda bread, but have never made either. I'm looking to you, dear readers (yes, all four of you!), to help me out here. Sure, I could turn to allrecipes, and looking for the recipes with high ratings and reading reviews usually steers me in the right direction. But if you, important reader, can provide me with a recipe that you know to be delicious, I would appreciate it ever so much. And I will take pictures, too!

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