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what you really trippin’ on?

18 Apr

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I burned the soup last night.

I had planned out the meal, with a list taken to the grocery store.The white beans were soaked over night and brought to a boil with a few ham hocks. Salt and pepper and low heat. It is a meal everyone likes in our house, and with a few simple ingredients and planning ahead, it makes the mid-week hump easy to get over.

Then I left the house to pick up the kids from their 1/2 day at school, headed to the cafe where Grandma works to walk on the beach whilst eating apricot thumb-print cookies. Followed up by a stop at the library where we loaded my basket to the brim (mostly with Fox Trot comics – Moses is obsessed). I forgot my holds were at a different library (closer to my house), waiting for me, so we swung by there before headed home.

The whole time we had on auto-repeat the song Young Homie by Chris Renee who my 12 year-old daughter may be slightly crushing on. Hey, I don’t judge. I think I was mildly obsessed with Kid Rock slash Eminem at that age(who am I kidding, I still am). The thing about this song is that it’s lyrics are really good. It’s all about life and love and living for the things that matter. Oh yeah, also sobriety. But that is a good message, too.

Anyway, after our errands we walk in the house and it just smells gross. Like burnt soup. Apparently I remembered to stir the soup before I left the house, but the burner was still chilling at a steady 3-spot all afternoon. Yikes. I momentarily considered trying to salvage it by not scraping up the charred bits at the bottom, and forcing everyone else to eat it while I claimed ‘Not hungry’ and then eat a dinner’s worth of gelato later at night. But that is just mean. And also, Jer would see straight through that.

But see. I wasn’t even stressed about ruining EVERYTHING. And by everything, I mean dinner. I mean – I am basically streaming Chris Renee at the moment and was all, “Young Homie, what you really trippin’ on?” Definitely NOT burned soup, am I right?! I mean, that would not be cool.

So instead I told the kids they could watch Saved By the Bell IF they folded laundry while doing so, and I attempted to meet my word count goals until Jer came home.  I also called the brewery down the street to make sure they still had their Wednesday Wings special.

They did.

So we ate a lot of wings and we all laughed at dinner. Like, A LOT. It was like we had never eaten out before. Everyone was so happy (I mean Moses was reading Fox Trot and ignoring our laughing, like he did not get what was so funny) and we were all talking animatedly and smiling and no one peed their pants or spilled their water or complained about messy hands or anything. I don’t know why we were all so  punch-drunk. I also know I realized 1/2 way through my second beer (The wings I ordered were really hot. That’s my excuse.), that my beer was also 9% alcohol and that is, like, a lot more than my average Corona. So, I might not have been really punch-drunk as much as well, you get what I mean.

The point of this story is, and I realize I did an awful lot of chit-chat here, if you burn your dinner, don’t trip about it. Go get Wednesday Wings. And smile. A lot.

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vegan sweet potato tacos.

16 Jan

 

 

Here is a favorite recipe in our house! And maybe one of my very favorite comfort foods of all time. It is easy and quick to prepare, with only a few ingredients. One thing I like about this meal is it is vegan— but also gluten-free/dairy-free/soy-free. It is real food that can be enjoyed for even the most sensitive allergies.

First off peel and dice about 4 large sweet potatoes. Place on a  cookie sheet, toss  to coat in some olive oil and salt/pepper. Put in the oven at 400* for about thirty minutes, or until soft.

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Meanwhile, dice one large white onion and a half a head of garlic.
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The sweet potatoes should look like this when they are finished roasting:

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Put  a teaspoon-ish of olive oil in a large frying pan and saute the garlic and onion until golden and yummy and smelling delish.
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Then add in the roasted potatoes, and combine.

IMG_4220Next open two cans of black beans (or previously cooked dry beans) and add to the one pot-dish! There is so much natural flavor going on I don’t find the need to add any more seasoning.

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Once combined, start warming up corn tortillas over medium heat. Once toasty, fill with the potatoes/black bean mixture and serve! Easy, right? I like to toss in a bit of hot sauce on the top, but the rest of my family eats as-is.

IMG_4222Vegan Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos! (makes 20-ish tacos)

4 sweet potatoes: $2.50

2 Cans of black beans: $2.00

1 onion: ~$.50

1/2 head of garlic: ~$.25

Corn tortillas:~$1.10 for 20

= ~$6.35 for 20 tacos= approx. $.31 per taco

This usually feeds us, leaving enough tacos for me to eat for lunch the rest of the week! Lucky me!

 

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vegan lentil soup recipe.

21 Dec

If you are like me you are trying to scrimp and save your extra pennies this month to go towards fun gifts for the kiddos. Or maybe you just want some extra cash freed up so you can buy a bottle of whisky for your Christmas morning coffee. Not that I would know anything about that. One easy way to save money for me is to cut back on groceries. A lot of our bills don’t fluctuate each month, but what we choose to do with grocery money does. Here is a great recipe we make a lot around here. My kids love it, my husband loves it, I love it. WinWinWin.

And easy.

And super cheap.

And vegan/gluten-free/dairy-free

Here we go:

Vegan Lentil Soup!

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Take four large carrots and chop ‘em up. Do the same to one yellow onion and a 1/2 a head of garlic. Throw in a large stock pan with a few teaspoons of oil.  On medium heat let them get nice and golden.

IMG_4201Next take 2 pounds of lentils and add them to the pot. You can get nicer organic ones, or cheaper ones like I have here. Stir them up and toast with  the veggies.

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At this point add in one teaspoon of salt.

IMG_4203And a teaspoon of pepper!

IMG_4208Next add 12 cups of water. Yup. No stock. No cubes of glorified salt. Nothing. Bring to a boil. Once boiling lower to a simmer and cook for an hour-ish with a lid. If you have more time, let it cook longer. If you have less keep the boil going stronger.

IMG_4227The final result is a yummy, nourishing, inexpensive bowl of lentil soup. Actually, it will make 16 bowls of lentil soup. So it lasts us for 2 meals. I usually throw the second half in quart jars and put them in the freezer for a quick meal the night I don’t want to cook. A friend of mine, who lives alone, puts one serving of soup in a smaller jar and stores them in her freezer. Before she leaves for work in the morning she can grab a jar and know she is having a great mid-day meal!

Price of Vegan Lentil Soup:

4 chopped carrots (.50)

1 chopped onion (.50)

1/2 head garlic (.25)

2 pounds lentils ($3.00)

12 cups water (free)

                                

$4.25 / 16 servings= .26 per bowl!

Look at all that cash you have saved:) Now go buy yourself something nice.

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the last week-ish.

14 Aug

The summer is flying by and it is pretty much breaking my heart. This past week-ish was crazy-good and crazy-full and I have decided to stay at home all.week.long. to recover. You now how that goes, don’t you?

-Jerbear and I took Moses to Card Kingdom in Seattle for his 8th birthday gift. It was Magic. Seriously so. much. fun.{this may be because we are super into gaming}

-I spent Sunday doing writing sprints for 1 2 3 4 hours. This is where I meet up with my writing girls and we write hard for 45 minutes and then take 15 minutes to breathe. Very fun!

-Then I cleaned like a lunatic because my dear friend Pamela {friends since 8th grade, people!}was flying in from San Francisco on Monday for 7 days! So exciting, but it also meant, you know, that I needed to clean the bathroom.

-We drank coffee till noon then switched to wine at about 6 everyday. I’m not sure what we did in between.

-Well, I guess we sometimes drank beer in between.

-And then Wednesday, 8/8 was Moses’ officially 8th {golden!} birthday! Pamela got him the Pokemon card.

-Doesn’t get much better than that!

-And here is where Maisey took a picture before she threw up everywhere, like, 5 minutes later.

-And then it went from 1 who threw up to 2 3 4 who threw up daily for the next four days. Fun!

-So Jerbear and I decided to celebrate our anniversary {11!}at home to avoid making Pamela deal with vomit.

-I was given these lovely flowers and super good thai takeout.

-We are really fancy

-Then Pamela and I took the kids to my parents where they celebrated Grandpa’s birthday{!},played, threw-up {more.}, went to a music festival and did a 75 foot slip-n-slide!

-Lucky kids, right?

-Pamela and I exchanged the mini-van for my Mom’s Prias and headed to Portland to play with my sister who just moved down to the best west coast city. {yes, I am a *bit* jealous!}

-We ate amazing raw food, went to Powell’s, and had tacos.

-We went to stores with weird stuff for sale:

-We also got sister tattoo’s!

-Some people thought they were a joke but we think they are awesome.amazing.beautful.true.perfect.us. and a treasure for always.

 

-After that Pamela and I hopped into the car, grabbed Jerbear, and headed to Julie’s 30th Birthday party. But somehow I have no pictures:(

-Yesterday Pamela and I went through 1 2 3 4 5 dressers of clothing and did all the laundry and sorted out everything that was super stained and gross, too small or redundant and pared the kids clothes wayyyyy down. We even bagged 1 2 3 4 bags for the Goodwill!

-She’s a good friend, right?

-I was very sad to say good-bye, but I am sure she will be okay because a week of vomit isn’t as cool as, you know, a week with-OUT vomit. Generally speaking, of course.

-And I read the book Penelope by Rebecca Harrington.

-It’s about a freshman girl, Penelope, at Harvard and it is the funniest book I have ever read. It is seriously funny people.

What did you do this week?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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this weekend.

21 May

{self portrait. backside.}

This weekend my aunt and my dad came over for breakfast and we sat at the table, the kids being silly and ridiculous, trying to one up each other on stories of glory and we were drinking coffee and eating scones with home made jam and it was good.

This weekend Jer and I had a stay at home date night that involved tucking kids into bed much to early, but still plenty worth it and pizza and salad and wine and laughter and love.

This weekend I wandered my very  favorite store for much to long and bought one very cute dress and felt like I was indulging because it was $7.99 but oh-so-perfect.

This weekend I wrote words on a page and shared the words aloud on a stool in my living room to ears who asked to hear verses and I felt validated.

This weekend I called my dear friend and talked and caught up and made plans and laughed about latin lovers and smiled.

This weekend I yelled and cried and felt like things were in despair and then I remembered to breathe and I was okay after a bit.

This weekend I didn’t feel like making breakfast when my husband was gone for the day so we went grocery shopping early enough to buy donuts and the kids ate as mom shopped and it was perfect because it kept them quiet and happy.

This weekend I went to the store to buy yogurt and left with chocolate covered raisins and chocolate covered pretzels and m&m’s and dark chocolate and then I brought them to my writing group and shared my loot.

This weekend I felt good in my own skin and my own heart and remembered to be gentle with myself.

xoxo.

 

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friday five spot.

23 Mar

1. I got a new BFF!

I watched the documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead last week and am on the juicing band wagon. I know several other families are as well, like  this one and this one. I get why after a week of drinking this yummy stuff! This is my favorite blend:

beets+carrots+lemon+apple=:)

Truly though, it is much better then the V8 I tried to make yesterday. Maybe it was too much red onion, maybe too many tomatoes, all I know is it was seriously gross. I find this much more energizing then my green smoothies. Jer and I did a 30 day juice fast about 6 years ago. And I lost 24 pounds! But I was also a psycho *bleep* to be around so I am not going to do that again.

So what are we doing? This week I have been making Jer a 20 oz. bottles of juice for breakfast and lunch and I have been *mostly* doing the same. So we are meal replacing with amazing micronutrients! I am also *trying* to not eat or drink after 7pm. Sad right? But I will be much happier when I go to Jamaica this summer, just sayin’…I am not being hard core about it. I have cheated a few times (both were so worth it!), and that brings us to #2:

2. I saw these on Tuesday afternoon and on an impulse I stopped at the store on the way home from school for the ingredients. My kids thought I was magical.

So crappy picture aside, what is this?! It is an oreo topped with peanut butter, topped with an oreo topped with peanut butter baked inside a brownie. Um. Yeah. I also did a variation using cream cheese for the layers since I have one kiddo who dislikes peanuts. Basically a sugar coma- but oh so worth it.

3. Speaking of food, I have been really into making this apple cake. I have been making it once a week or so because it stores well and the kids love it. Also- so easy with the things I have on hand. Including the dozen canned apple quarts I don’t know what to do with. Fresh apples would work too. 

In a bowl mix:

3 cups flour

1 cup any sort of sugar

4 eggs

1 cup oil

1 tablespoon baking soda

1/2 cup apple juice or in my case the syrup from my canned apples

Then spread half the batter on the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Lay apple slice (however many you have) and sprinkle with brown sugaer, nutmeg, cinnamon, whatever you have around.

Then spread the 2nd half of the batter and bake for an hour on 350*

Smells good. Tastes good. Every piece is always eaten up. I tweaked a recipe I found on cooks.com and like this more. Less sugar, no oranges. Easy breakfast for us!

4.Also on the food wagon…Lincoln turned !5! yesterday (post and pics to come after his party tomorrow) but for breakfast I made some yummy,easy donuts.

Combine:

1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder

Drop by teaspoonfulls into a pan of hot oil and turn when one side is brown. When cooked through and golden throw them in powder sugar or cinnamon and sugar and dig in. this recipe makes like, 40. And the whole plate will be devoured. MAke this for breakfast tomorrow!

5. I promise ONE ‘spot’ un-food related:) I turned of my facebook account, again. I know. I did the same thing last year and I realize I am not the only person with a never ending inner struggle with, well, everything. It came down, for me, the fact that last year when I was without fb I completed a novel. I want to do that again. So it is time to take a step back from that social outlet. I am hoping to continue to use this little space, but if I am here less, know that I am working hard at finding the ever precarious tight rope of a dance called Balance.

Happy Weekend Friends!

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v-day & sugar highs & and why happy <3′s are the best.

14 Feb

I know breakfast has barely finished, but I just got back from dropping off the kids at school and I am on a bit of a sugar high and must get out some energy! I started the morning with sticker books and candy on the table for the kids to find- and yep, that was a great plan- because chores never got done so quickly!

And then crepes were made. With homemade strawberry jam filling. Warmed on the stove top made for scrumptious bites or oozing perfection.

And fancy milk was poured and I must say, these are the best kind of mornings. When everyone is just, simply, Happy. It feels good. It feels right. It is the kinda morning that should happen much more often. 

And sitting down with coffee and crepes and giggling children and Pandora in the background playing “Love Songs”, I smiled, wide.

These are the moments, the ones that matter. The ones that are etched in our hearts because they are full of goodness. And stickers. And sticky fingers.

And ridiculously perfect toddlers. The toddler who yesterday I was so frustrated with, who’s hands grab for everything, who’s favorite word is No, who’s always wishing he was bigger. But somehow today I managed to squeak out a Yes as he dove into his candy and ate an entire box. And you know what, it is okay.

And this picture says it all. That these are the good days. The to-good-to-stop-for-a-napkin-kinda-days. And if crepes and .25 boxes of sweethearts was all it took, perhaps, there should be more of that at our home.

Happy heart-day friends.

You Are Lovely.

xoxo, anya

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friday five spot.

16 Dec

1. Today is the last day of school till the new year! I am so looking forward to having the next 16 days off as a family. We have some things planned, next week we are going on ‘vacation’ over night in Seattle. We will stay with my sister and brother in law and do all the fun big city Christmas things. Oh, and see this movie with the kids!

2. Jeremy has been working so many long days this week. I try not to complain, I am so thankful for a job! But when you string together a handful of 15 hour work days you are ready for a break! Last night when he crawled in the door at 9pm I had dinner and wine ready. It was so nice to reconnect after a long few days. But, to emphasis my excitement over #1- He now has 16 days off:)

3. In my effort to continue being a Dream Giver- Not Dream Killer, I have no idea what my 3 youngest are doing in the kitchen right now. It looks like this though:

There is lots of laughter and lots crashes, but worse case scenario is sprinkles on the floor. I can handle that!

4. What food should I make for Christmas Day?I host eat my house and there will be 8 adults and 5 kids. I feel like a sit down affair is just to much, it is what we usually do, but it creates so many dishes, so much work that i am thinking more of a buffet style brunch this year. I will most assuredly be making the bread pudding {for breakfast, yes} but I want a hearty savory dish as well. With eggs, veggies, maybe sausage? Does anyone have an amazing recipe for this?

Also, I am trying to decide on easy all-day munching food. I know we will just be lounging around playing games and what have you, but I would really like SIMPLE food prepared. I know I will make my favorite pie in the world {I have the past few years!}, but maybe a ham? What do you do for Christmas Day?

5. I woke up to this post in my google reader. I appreciate the honesty that the writer shows and also it is just a good reminder that we are not alone. Any of us, in any of this. 

Happy Weekend Lovelies!

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morning joy.

22 Nov

And when things need to get done because company is coming for morning fun,

don’t forget to pick up the end of the day donuts on sale, when you make that late night run.

Why donuts you may ask? You already have the coffee, the pumpkin pie and whipped cream.

Oh, they are not for the company- they are for the children.

Because I guarantee you this my friends- morning chores and routines happen much more quickly when donuts are on the line.

And the tasks are done by the children with a much happier outlook. Try it!

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celebrate.

30 Oct

Birthdays are for celebrating. And my beautiful mother just had her’s. And my house was full of love and laughter, as thirteen gathered around the table to say to her, ‘Happy Day’.

No stress around here, because we choose to embrace the good, the lovely. So food was made, and such yummy things too. Sister brings apricots and sage wrapped proscuitto, and a cheese plate of goodness, where the kids learn about pairing the chocolate with the cheese and apples. Brother brought a delectable box of hand crafted individual cheesecakes from a bakery in the city. Coconut Chocolate Cherry anyone? Perhaps you prefer seasonal pumpkin? Well, my dear, your wish is my command!

And we spent the night sipping Hendricks Cucumber Martini’s, ginger beer for the kiddos and a lovely assortment of growlers and wine.

How did I get all this goodness in my house, at one time?

And charades were played, which the little ones love. Where miming Black-Eyed-Peas and obscure US cities make for difficult guessing, but easy to laugh with, because that’s the reason games should be played. For fun. For joy.

And the kids were tucked into bed and the coffee is made as we sink in deep in the couches and think about love and life and the purpose of it all. I love how my family can get deep and heavy and the tears, well they come, and so do the tough questions and that is beautiful. Because that is real.

And soon ferry boats need to be caught and presents loaded in the car and hugs were given, generously.

These are the moments we live for, the ones where the lighting is dim and the only thing you can see is the good.

 

 

 

 

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