More Blogging!

Why, hello there.

I'm back.

Actually, I didn't go anywhere. I've been here in Houston all summer, working at my organization's summer teacher training institute. Because I worked 12-hour days for much of the summer (and had a blast doing it), I decided to take some time off from blogging. And to be completely honest, dear reader, I felt like I needed to figure out the place blogging has in my life right now. 

Turns out, I was constantly thinking of blog posts as I was going about my day-to-day of training amazing young teachers. You should probably be glad you were spared the World-Cup-themed rant about how sports mania contributes to a culture of war.  But I found that I have a lot that I still want to say.  I'm still not 100% sure how often I'll be blogging (more on that below) but I'm not giving it up or anything.

I thought to get back in the groove, I'd update you on this year's theme: the year of MORE. I had three things I wanted to focus on:
1) eating MORE whole foods
2) spending MORE time outside
3) fitting in MORE time to write 

So how did those things fit into my crazy summer schedule?

1) More Whole Foods

I made these in my garden.

I gave myself a lot of grace when it came to cooking this summer, but I had two main commitments. I cooked on the weekend so that I could bring my own lunches to the institute, and I made a green smoothie every day. The lunches weren't always whole foods - I made burritos and Thai peanut chicken over rice - but at least it was home cooking and I could choose ingredients that were low in salt and preservatives and didn't have high fructose corn syrup.

A lot of people asked me throughout the summer how I had so much energy, given those 12-hour work days. I owe that to drinking a cup of kale or spinach every day in the form of a smoothie. I don't think it's magic or anything, but having a green smoothie just kept me going throughout the day. 

Spontaneous day trip to the beach!

2) More Outside Time
OK, I'll be completely frank here: I don't like to spend time outside in the summer in Houston. When I lived up north, we stayed inside much of the winter. That's how I treat summer in Houston.  Really, I don't even try to go outside. There are giant mosquitoes! Flying cockroaches! Alligators! (I've never seen an alligator in Houston, but there are definitely signs by the bayou telling you to watch out for them.)

I have managed to keep a slightly successful garden going. I say "slightly" because by most standards, it would be pretty pathetic, but it's been my most successful foray into green-thumbing it. I've gotten some tiny tomatoes and jalapenos, and my basil plant is going nuts. It's the first time I've kept a garden this long with ALL the plants surviving. I call that a win. 

3) More Writing Time
I've actually managed to make this a priority. I thought about what held me back from writing as much as I want to, and I found that I'm tired of the computer at the end of the day. I decided to start writing by hand, and on the weekend type up what I created. This has worked like a charm, and has allowed me to sustain my creativity through sketching, making notes, and otherwise being the stationery nerd that I am at heart.

However, this is not a great solution when it comes to blogging. (Blog by mail anyone?). I'll continue to think through my relationship to my computer and what that will mean for writing.

What's coming up?
You want to know more about how I've fit more leafy greens into my diet, right? Especially since I break my mother's heart by not eating a salad every day with dinner.

I'm also planning posts on fangirling, a summer pop-culture round up, and some thoughts on White privilege at the liquor store.

I'm glad to be back!

Recipe: Shamrock Shimmy Smoothie

Mid-morning snack attack at work!
Shamrock shimmy smoothie!

Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm always ahead of the trends.

Exhibit A: Before most people had heard of Nirvana, I had already decided I didn't like them. Billy Joel, people. That's where it's at.

Exhibit B: Prior to "boho chic" being a major trend, I was sporting hippie threads that I dug out of the drama closet at summer camp.

Exhibit C: Prior to knitting becoming a trend, I taught myself knitting from a kit called "I Taught Myself Knitting!"

(Hmm... I'm beginning to realize I may not be as cool as I thought...)

One trend that I just haven't been able to get behind, though, is KALE. Seriously. Why would I want a salad that's made out of wadded up paper towels? My nightmare is being forced to eat a kale quinoa salad at a pop-up restaurant while watching Girls and listening to EDM. I imagine that in ten years, people are going to wake up and be all: why did I eat that? And why did we think that stuff was cool?

Even more baffling to me: putting KALE in a smoothie. A smoothie is supposed to be a bait-and-switch so that you can drink milkshakes and feel healthy about it. Peanut butter, banana, Hershey's. That's a smoothie.

Do you sense that I'm about to eat my words?

I still don't want a kale salad or a big plate of kale or a kale cupcake. My mom got me the Oh She Glows cookbook for my birthday, though, and it has several recipes for green smoothies in it.  Oh She Glows is a blog of vegan, whole foods recipes (when you Google it, the first search that comes up is "Oh She Glows kale salad"). The blog and the cookbook are great because lot of vegan recipes are heavy on soy products and processed fake-meat-like foods, which I try to avoid, particularly because it's the "Year of More" and that means more whole foods. 

For some reason, I thought I'd give green smoothies a try after every blogger in the world had already decided they were God's gifts to moms who give their kids cute nicknames on the internet. Guess what? 

Reader, I loved it.

So let's come around to the recipe, shall we?

A few days after this revelation, I was cruising on that great recipe-box-in-the-cloud, Pinterest, and there was a recipe for "healthy Shamrock shake - with mint!" I have never had a Shamrock shake, but that sounded pretty good.

For some reason, I pictured "mint" as being, you know ... mint. Like leaves, and stuff. I always forget that a lot of people don't eat natural things. The recipe was made with milk (I'm cutting way back on dairy), chocolate chips (didn't have those), and peppermint extract. Since I have a bunch of mint growing in my garden, I decided that I could make a "Shamrock" smoothie that would actually be healthy.

Below is the recipe my first stab at making my own green smoothie. I think it is SO delicious. At least to me, and I'm the one drinking it. 

A few notes:

• I've made it with both baby kale and baby spinach, but if you're making it for kids and you want them to forget there are greens involved, I'd go with the spinach.
• I used honey in this recipe, but if you want it to be completely vegan, then substitute a plant-based sweetener.
• This is not a cute color.

Shamrock Shimmy Smoothie

Ingredients

1 c. non-dairy milk (I like hemp milk)

3/4-1 c. baby kale or baby spinach, de-stemmed and torn

1 banana, sliced and frozen

6-10 fresh mint leaves

1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp. honey

Step 1) put everything in a blender and blend it and drink it. 

More Whole Foods Means Less White Flour (sob!)

More whole foods.

That's part of my focus this January as I begin the Year of More. Here's the problem: I don't always like whole foods - especially whole grains. I mean, just give me a fluffy white flour tortilla, OK? A whole wheat tortilla is like an insult to all tortillas, like a tough, chewy middle finger to the whole idea of a tortilla. And don't get me started on a whole grain English muffin. Why? Why? For the love of Queen Elizabeth II and all that's holy, an English muffin should not have seeds in it!

In the words of Mindy Kaling: "Gluten is my favorite food."

I decided that if I was going to persist in eating whole foods, than I was going to have to give up the idea of eating "healthy" whole grain versions of foods that I only really like when they are made with white flour. I've cut way back on things like tortillas and English muffins, but I'm not substituting anything for them. I'd rather eat a delicious white flour tortilla rarely, than eat a dirty-sock-tasting whole wheat tortilla every day. 

That's left a few holes in my diet, though. What have I been eating instead? And what can you put in your cupboard to replace white flour goodness? (Check out the Whole Grains Council for even more info on whole grains like millet, spelt, teff, kamut ... the list goes on and on!)

Bulgur: When I was a kid we ate a lot of bulgur. It can be substituted for rice, or used in Middle Eastern salads. Bulgur is wheat that's been pre-cooked and cracked, and it has a short cooking time so it's easy to use and convenient. In the U.S., all bulgur is supposed to be whole grain. You can buy it in the bulk area of stores that still have a bulk section, or in the Middle Eastern section of the grocery store.

Wheat berries: Wheat berries are whole wheat kernels. They cook for a long time - 45-60 minutes in water - so they aren't as convenient as bulgur. However, they have a nice nutty flavor and are a great base for salads.

Whole grain rye crisps: There are are several brands of rye crisps, so make sure you look for some that say whole grain on them. These are a great vehicle for avocado or hummus, or can be eaten plain. (They are pretty dry, though, so if you eat them plain, have a glass of water handy).

Popcorn: Yum! I like popcorn that only has sea salt on it. None of that fake butter for me. 

Corn tortillas: As I mentioned, I don't think there's any true substitute for a good flour tortilla, but some things (like fish tacos) are good with a corn tortilla. Corn tortillas are also good for enchiladas, huevos rancheros, and anything else made with eggs.

Lentils: Lentils aren't a grain, but they can be good for giving you a protein boost, and you can put sauces and toppings on them just like rice. They also cook quickly, like bulgur, and go well with many of the same Middle Eastern flavors.

Food For Life 7 Sprouted Grains bread: I don't enjoy whole wheat bread, but I love Food For Life bread. It makes a nice, firm toast. Since I haven't been buying flour tortillas (you can probably tell by now how traumatized I am by this), this toast has become my primary vehicle for peanut butter. And I just learned they make a cinnamon raisin bread! It's also an excellent avocado toast (Make toast. Smash avocado onto said toast. If desired, sprinkle with a pinch of salt or chili powder.)

Hopefully, these foods will help keep The Year of More from feeling like this:

Recipe: Breakfast Brown Rice with Fruit and Nuts

At your work, do you always start meetings with "whip-arounds?" Probably not.

 If you've never heard of a whip-around (I know, the name is vaguely S&M), it's where someone asks a get-to-know-you type question and then the question "whips" around the table, answered by each person in turn. It's kind of like an ice breaker, except everyone knows each other already, so the ice is long since melted. 

Of course, many of this week's whip-arounds have been about New Year's Resolutions. So when I said that eating "more whole foods" was one of my goals, many "who's-on-first?"ish conversations ensued, when folks thought I said I'd eat "at Whole Foods" instead of  "eat whole foods."

(I'm sure that you've by now developed a mental image of the type of workplace I inhabit. Yes, we are a bunch of lovable nerds.)

THIS.......................................................NOT THIS

Anyhoos, one way to incorporate more whole foods is by bringing them into breakfast. I've never been a fan of brown rice, but cooked with spices, it makes a great hot breakfast cereal.

You can cook the rice on the weekend, refrigerate it, and then serve it up throughout the week.

Many people say they "can't" cook rice, so the idea of cooking up a pot and banking your future breakfasts on it might feel a little daunting.  A few tips:

• I always set a timer for a few minutes less than recommended. 
• When you put the pot lid on, very slowly bring the stove top temperature down to low. If you do it too quickly, the water can stop simmering.
• When the timer goes off, slowly lift the lid of the pot, and see - does the rice have a flat surface with several holes in it? If yes, push some of the rice to the side and see if there is water on the bottom of the pot, underneath the rice. If there is, it's not done. Give it a few more minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.
•  If some rice burns and sticks to the bottom, don't try to scrape it up and serve it. Just let it die. Gently fluff the rice on top with a fork so you don't get the burned pieces.

I usually get nice fluffy rice when I follow these tips.

Breakfast Brown Rice

Ingredients for the brown rice:

2 tsp. olive oil

1 c. brown rice

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. cardamom or nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

2 c. water

To serve:

1/3 c. vanilla soy, hemp, or almond milk or 1/3 c. skim milk

your favorite dried fruits or berries (like apricots, cherries, raisins, or blueberries)

slivered toasted almonds or other nuts that you like

To make rice:

Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Pour in the rice, and the spices, and stir. Cook, stirring, until the grains begin to become opaque and the spices are fragrant - 2-3 minutes. Pour in the water and stir once or twice. Heat water until boiling, then put the lid on the pot and gently lower temperature. Cook for 38-40 minutes before checking for doneness.

If you're not serving right away, refrigerate rice.

To serve:

Put about 2/3 c. of the cooked rice into a bowl and pour in the milk or milk-like beverage. Add the dried fruits. If the rice is coming out of the fridge, microwave for about 1 min. 30 sec. Sprinkle on the nuts after heating.

The Year of More

I've been reflecting on what I want for the year ahead, like most people. 2013 ended on a bit of a rough note for my extended family (or a few rough notes) and so I wasn't digging the idea of imposing upon myself extra rigor, abstinence or challenge. Seems like life serves those things up unasked.

Originally, I was considering that this might be the "year of re-commitment" - to many of the principles that I've espoused on this blog. I've gotten a little sloppy in some of my green practices over the past year as I've been incredibly busy. 

Frankly, "the year of re-commitment" just didn't sound that inspiring to me.

As I thought more about what I wanted the year to be like, I thought about the things I really want to commit myself to: things that make me happy like cooking, writing, and being outside. Unlike most resolutions, these wouldn't be taking fun out of life, but adding it. I thought about the "year of abundance", but that reminds me too much of those churches that say you'll make more money if you pray about it.

So I settled on "the year of more." 

I want to focus on three things to start:

• more writing time
• more whole foods (not Whole Foods)
• more outside time

I think these things will have positive side effects on my health and well-being, but that's not my main focus currently. Really, I'm just trying to enjoy life more (see what I did there?)