We met at a Shins show of all places. He was so cute, trying not to get caught looking at me. And of course I was playing the same coy game. Who knew we’d fall in love?  (Side note: the image above is of a print that Eric tracked down and gave to me for Christmas this year. He got it at Signed and Numbered. Yay!)

photo by B. Elenor Photography

Oh, remember how exhilarating everything is in the beginning of a relationship? Your body is making nearly toxic amounts of endorphins,  you don’t sleep, every touch is electric. But that ends guys, and in the past, for me, when the intense physiological stuff died down I lost interest. Honestly, I was the queen of the six-week relationship. Not this time though! Yeah, the endorphin induced love-fest ended, the “romantic love” as it’s called began to fade a bit (though I’m lucky to report that he is still a very romantic man.) But our bond held tight! Because we had more than love or infatuation, we had a partnership! We even got married!

photo by B. Elenor Photography (what can I say? We love her!)

And things have changed a lot. We’ve gotten to know and understand and accept each other. We know and love every flaw the other has. I’m more comfortable with him than any other person in the world. I really do adore this man. Even when he makes me crazy. Maybe especially when he makes me crazy… I feel that we’re growing together, and I love this little life we’re making.

Two of the people I love.

And maybe it’s nice to settle down, and have replace that initial replacement with something more calm and steady. Maybe it’s good that I can fart in front of him ( and do… a lot) or that he loves me even though I look like a Monster in the morning.  I like that the man who swept me off my feet is also the man who takes turns holding the screaming baby. And even though things have gotten comfortable, he still buys me flowers.

His gift to me.

And even though our lives sometimes feel chaotic, what with the children and all that, we still acknowledge a special day with a special meal. Because I firmly believe in the bonding power of the ritual of shared meals. We had homemade brown-rice sushi and crab claws.

My gift to him.

Little Miss Gentry *

I know, just look at her! She’s so cute. And you may be thinking, “What an evil person Natalie must be. How could anyone want to end their relationship with that slobber-faced cutie?” Ah well, yes, I am somewhat evil. That is to say that I am certainly okay with being the villain here. Someone has to, right?

So here’s the deal, we have to find  new home for our dog. It’s not her fault. It’s not because her farts are lethal, or because she barks at racoons in the middle of the night, or pulls on her leash, jumps on our guests, or drools on my clean pants. Those things (and more I’m certain) drive me to near insanity. I have cursed at that dog countless times for said offenses. And it’s probably because if our history of annoyances that I am the bad guy here. But I have my reasons:

Our little allergy man.

And there it is. She is hurting my baby. It’s not like she bit him or anything. No, that would be too simple. A clear-cut decision. But she’s an innocent victimizer, if you will. She hurts him just by existing within  our home. But she’s not actually doing anything wrong! She is  a good dog, but a dog nonetheless.

For me this is somewhat easy- Oliver is allergic to the doggy, so the doggy must go. But it’s not so easy for the boys. Sebastian will need therapy to recover from this. Eric has come around, but only after a week or so of serious denial. Remarkable denial really. The kind that causes fighting between spouses that don’t normally fight.

So yeah, this has been pretty traumatic for our little family. We have to find Gentry a new home, post haste. Yet we don’t want to get rid of her completely. We want to visit her, and maybe take her on hikes, give her presents and such. An open-ended adoption of sorts.

And so Reader, please let us know if you’d be into such an arrangement. She is a sweet girl, and she deserves to live with someone who won’t resent her for things that are out of her control (existing and whatnot.) I could write for days about qualities. She’s like a great friend who love no matter what her flaws are. Sure, she farts a lot, but so does everyone else I love…

* Photo by B. Elenor Photography. Check her out, she’s the bestest in the Westest.

We’ll catch up on things that have happened!

Eggplant and Asparagus

Tuesday night Sister Sarah joined us for a Harry Potter night. It’s a bit of a tradition, you see. Normally Sarah will read a volume of Harry Potter to Sebastian, and then once they finish, they watch the movie together and have dinner. But part way through the reading of Book Five, Sebastian decided he had outgrown being read to. So he finished the book on his own, but we still gathered to discuss it, watch the film, and break bread.

I don’t know if he’s really outgrown it, or if he just got tired of waiting around while Sister had her adventures around the globe. He’s eight, so you can’t really blame him for being impatient. And Sarah is young as well, so you can’t really blame her for seeing the world while she has the chance. But not to fret, they have a bond that is not easily broken.

What did we eat? Well, I adapted a Mario Batali recipe for Eggplant Caponata, but the result was not very Italian. We’ll call it Moroccan-Italian fusion. Not what we expected, but absolutely delightful. Next time I’ll substitute pearl couscous for the pasta. Side note, Eric always calls couscous “goose-goose.” Always. It’s very cute.

Want to hear another (and far more hilarious) side of this story? Click here!

Also, the other day my dad came up to SLC and we had breakfast at my place.

Isaac the Viking-Wizard came to explore some bacon!

Sister Nikki joined us with her cute kiddos, as did Brother Sam. Good times were had by all, take a look:

Sister's looking mighty fine for 9am

Brothers makin' creepy look, well, creepy...

Poppa Marty read stories and played with the grandsons while us the “kids” occupied the kitchen and had all the real fun. Which is to say we made inappropriate jokes, and ate most of the bacon before anyone else had a chance. Ha!

How could you not love those boys?

We ate fried egg sandwiches and drank coffee. PS Thanks for the coffee Dad!

Ripe tomatoes and gooey yolk. Heaven in between bread.

In other news, I’ve used my Blendtec blender over 100 times!

See, I have proof. Evidence if you will.

To celebrate the centennial use of this very fancy gadget, I made a delicious Chocolate Greens Smoothie. It’s the boys favorite. I’ve been making green smoothies for a while now, but they are SOOOO much better when you make them in a Blendtec. It’s like VitaMix, which you may have heard of, but they’re made locally and apparently fit better under the counter. Anyway, I love it. Thanks Don and Eileen!

I got a package!

Another time I received a package addressed to “Mrs. Eric Jensen.” That always cracks me up. They could just address it “To the Property of Eric Jensen.” Ah, well…

It was a Valentine!

The boys at the shop have been working crazy hours lately, so the company sent chocolates to all their wives so they wouldn’t divorce them. Unfortunately I can’t eat them, so Eric and I are splitting up. No, we’re not. Not even close. I love him even when he works he works hard to support his family. Silly people. If our marriage ever is in trouble, they’d better send some champagne. Just sayin’.

The key to sprouting beans.

I’m 99% sure that this green plastic is cut out of a strawberry box, or something of the like. So, you’d just cut it to fit whatever jar you plan to use. I used a widemouth mason, well a “Kerr” to be precise. It doesn’t matter, though I will quickly inform you that I actually prefer Ball Mason Jars. Apparently Kerr is made by Ball, but it just isn’t the same! Actually, the best kind of jar is the one that is given to you by a friend, filled with something the made with love.

So, you’re going to take your recycled jar, and fit into the lid a recycled bit of plastic. Easy peasy. Now, add about 1/2 cup of dried beans. I’ve used garbanzos, lentils, and mung, all successfully. Jan uses a mix of several different beans. I think any will work, so try them all!

Day One, Mung beans getting their soak on

Next you’ll fill the jar with water, and let the beans soak overnight, of for most of the day. When they’re done soaking, you’ll drain them and leave the jar inverted in a sunny spot. I like to put mine in a bowl in the windowsill. Jan has a dishrack in a sunny spot that works great too.

Day Two, Sunbathing

Now each morning and evening you simply rinse the beans, drain, and set back in their sunny little home. It really is so so simple. Sprouts appear sooner than you’d expect. Look!

Day Three, maybe Four.

Look how much they grow! And they aren’t even finished just yet. I mean, you could start eating them when they look like that, but I like to wait a little bit longer. It always makes way more than I need, but I like that. This way I always have something to send home with my guests. This is the finished product:

Day, umm Seven or so. They're finished!!

See? So many sprouts, so little time. And they’re actually sort of beautiful. Green, white and purple. Who knew that would happen?

Such pretty little things.

You may wonder what you would do with sprouts, and so I will tell you. I use them in salads, stir-fry, on sandwiches (they are fabulous on Black Bean Burgers,) and by the handful as a snack. Jan also showed me how she likes them for breakfast mixed with dried fruit and nuts. Don’t knock it, it’s surprisingly yummy. And why would one want to eat sprouts? Well, aside from their beauty, they’re crunchy and fresh, and very nutritious.

Now go try it out Reader, and tell me what you think.

First let me tell you what a Bountiful Basket is: A large quantity of fresh, mostly local (or as local as possible,) produce for $15. Half veggies, half fruit, organic optional (for $10 extra dollars.) You order/pay on Monday, then pick up on Saturday.  What’s in the basket is a surprise, and also you don’t get a basket, you bring your own. You can add on extras like granola, bread, and extra “packs” of fruits and vegetables. It’s also a co-op, and is run entirely by volunteers. If you participate you’re asked to come early and volunteer from time to time. Awesome, right? What a perfect and interesting subject for today’s post.

An adorable cabbage

What’s missing from this post are pictures of the scene this morning, and the reason for this is that it was not what I expected. Not at all. I expected some camaraderie with my fellow early morning co-opers. So I hopped out of my car and hustled over join the line filing out of  the green and white “building” (more like giant shed) I was told to go to. I smiled at the first person who’s eyes met mine and silently said to them, “Look at us! Doing this wonderful thing! Strangers united by a common love for fresh produce and good deals. This is the beginning of a beautiful thing. We’re changing the world, I can just feel it!” And in return this person turned away and silently replied, “It’s early and it’s cold, and it’s only goddamned produce. You’re an idiot.”

And so I lost my confidence in  an instant, and therefore took no pictures. But I wish I had so you could see just how glum this lot was, and maybe I could’ve gotten someone to take my picture so you could see that moment of letdown. Also, the moment of hope! Because I had a moment of hope when I overheard one of the volunteers enthusiastically asking someone “Did you see the Asian themed veggie pack? Look at this! All of this is only $8.50!” And I thought, “Yes, I know! Amazing!” Then the woman behind me mocked him. OUT LOUD. My heart sunk.

So no, apparently we were not united after all. Just some people getting fruits and vegetables. Nothing more, nothing less. I lugged my goods to the car for the cold but brief drive home. And thankfully I received a warm welcome, and my gloomy morning turned sunny, just like that.

Sick little Sebastian, so so sweet.

Sebastian is an early riser, so he kept me company while I sorted through our new purchases. He drank hot cocoa and told me all about last nights fever dreams. Fascinating and insane. I love spending time with sick children. They’re so sweet and calm and loving and cuddly. It’s weird I know, and always makes people think of that lady in the Sixth Sense that poisons her daughter. But I promise, I’m not that crazy! And who doesn’t have a guilty pleasure or two?

Right now you’re thinking, “How nice to know that Natalie is crazy, but look at that basket overflowing with fruits and vegetables. Is she going to tell us what she got? Was it worth facing a hostile crowd? Should I start getting into this thing?”  Yes, yes and yes. Let me tell you all about it. What I ordered was this: 1 Conventional Basket, 1 Veggie Lovers Pack (Asian theme) and 1 Tropical Pack (fruit.) Here’s what I got:

• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1 head green cabbage (above)
• 1 head Napa cabbage
• 1 head (or bunch?) bok choy
• 1 bundle spinach
• 1 thing of celery (you tell me what it’s called!)
• 2 bunches asparagus
• 3 green bell peppers
• 1 large package green onions (about 3x what you normally get at the store)
• 3 lbs. small red potatoes
• 1 package snow peas
• 1 package green beans
• 1 eggplant
• 6 yellow onions
• 1 head garlic
• 6 fresh water chestnuts- I’d never seen these before. Look how cute they are

Exciting new things!

• 1 good sized package basil
• 1 package mint (a lot of mint)
• 4 lemons
• 8 tomatoes
• 5 kiwi
• 2 mangoes
• 8 apples
• 5 oranges
• 2 grapefruit
• 2 boxes blueberries
• 1 pineapple
• 1 coconut
• 1 plantain
• 2 fresh vanilla beans that smell amazing

Oliver had fun regarding, and then throwing, a lemon.

(PS I was turned on to this by my dear friend Kim, who just started her own blog! You must read it, you won’t regret it. Click here!)

Oh come on! Did you really think it was strictly veggies in this kitchen? It’s not, not at all. Oh sure, we eat well, and we are focusing on more of a plant based diet, especially since Little Oli can’t tolerate dairy. But sometimes you’ve just got to have a little of what I call “Fat Girl Surprise.” And that’s exactly what’s for dinner- Bacon & Greens Risotto! I adore risotto, but how to make it without the butter and cheese? Try bacon and bacon. Dairy-free, yes. Heart healthy, no. Here’s how we did it:

Good bacon

Start with good bacon, this is crucial. If you’re going to eat bacon at all, you’ve got to eat the good stuff. None of that cheap paper thin crap, each slice should be about as thick as a leather belt. Otherwise you’re wasting your time. And money. And you’re insulting the poor pig that gave his life for this meal!

So, yeah, get the good stuff… About eight slices, cut into one inch chunks and fried in a large pot until chewy (or crispy if you’re my dad.) Then set aside on some paper towels for later. Leave the grease in the pot (not a healthy choice, but a tasty one,) and add one  chopped yellow onion- cook over medium until soft. Then add one cup arborio rice and two minced cloves of garlic. Cook until rice is translucent, the add one cup dry white wine. It will look like this:

The beginning of a beautiful dish.

Pump the heat up to med-high and stir like crazy until most of the liquid is absorbed. Get used to stirring, you’ll be doing it almost constantly in order to coax the rice into creaminess. So worth it.

In a separate pot heat about six cups low sodium vegetable stock (I like to use Better Than Bouillon because it’s easy and delicous)  along with the juice of half a lemon and 1/4 cup nutritional yeast until hot. Add one or two ladle-fulls of the stock to rice mixture and stir until absorbed.

Ladling the stock.

Next, add about three ladle-fulls along with a bunch of chopped greens. I used a mix of kale and Swiss chard. Stir until the greens have softened a bit, and (again) most of the liquid is absorbed.

It's looking like this about now. Almost done!

Then just keep on adding stock and stirring until the rice is al dente and everything is nice and creamy. Then add back in the cooked bacon (what’s left after everyone stealing nibbles) and half a cup chopped fresh basil.

Amazing.

Give it one last stir, and serve it up. Dinner is served my friends!

Sebastian approves.

Bash said something like “Risotto is  good, and bacon is great. Together it’s epic.” I completely agree.

Oliver is shocked.

Beets, in their virgin form

I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit that I’ve only recently tried beets, and until this meal, had never cooked them. I mean I’d had canned beets, but, like all canned veggies, they are a very poor representation of a beet. Yet somehow I instinctively knew I would enjoy beets. Perhaps because I like nearly all vegetables if they’re prepared properly, or perhaps because they are sweet and I have a mad sweet tooth. They truly are the candy of the tuber world.

So decided to conquer beets, in all their glory. The menu: Roasted Beets in Balsamic Reduction with Beet Green Soup.

After preheating the oven to 400, I started by removing the greens, which I soaked for later use, scrubbing and trimming the beets, and placing them in a foil lined baking dish.

Nearly ready for roasting

I then sealed them off with another sheet of foil, and set into the oven to ignore for about an hour. Meanwhile, I zested an orange, and reduced 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar to a thick syrup.

Then I got to the soup. Thoroughly cleaned greens were sliced into ribbons. An onion was chopped, along with some garlic and six small red potatoes. I sauteed them together like this:

and added about a teaspoon red pepper flakes and some wild garlic salt crystals

A crispy and amazing salt so glorious it deserves its own post. Stay tuned.

add the greens

Then add three cups water, and simmer fifteen minutes.  Done.

The result?

Warm beets drizzled with balsamic reduction and sprinkled with orange zest

A hearty earthy soup.

Delicious! And cheap. And healthy. Perfect for a cold night. A little heavy on potatoes to be honest. Next time I’d halve the tatoes. Oh, and I didn’t remove the skins from the beets. There was no need to- they had carmalized and were delightful. Mmm.

At first I was just so happy to hear that I could have gluten again. I came home and made toast with Earth Balance Original. It was so delightful! I love toast- toast made with good bread. Not that squishy bread my husband likes. I like dense, chewy, grainy bread. I like bread that can take a punch. What a wonderful reunion I had with bread today. Then I realized that the Earth Balance had soy… at least the bread didn’t.

I’ve been dairy-free for a couple of months, so I’ve gotten used to checking labels for hidden dairy (it’s hiding in everything.) But soy? I wasn’t prepared for that one. It’s seriously in f*cking everything. Especially all the dairy-free things I’ve filled the kitchen with. Ah, well, at least I got to pass a lot of this weeks groceries on to my newly vegetarian sister in law. But I’m going to have one last farewell bowl of vegan ice cream before I dive into this new culinary adventure.

I love picking someone up from a trip, and hearing their tales as I drive them home. Regardless of how it was for them, it’s always great for me. Like good book; even if it’s a tragedy, it’s great to hear the story. I rarely travel, so these little trips to the airport give me a chance to live vicariously through my friends and relatives. And anyway, it’s cheaper than actually flying!

When I have guests in my home, I try to be as hospitable as possible. I love to play hostess and entertain guests. But that doesn’t translate so easily to guests of my car. Until yesterday! Because yesterday, this happened:

A little bundle from my kitchen.

It’s a take-home bag from my kitchen! A little home cooked meal for a travel-weary soul. As if doing someone a favor is not enough, I know. But how nice to have something yummy to come home to. And anyway, it was for my Sister Sarah who I love, and who happened to be coming home from Spain. This particular trip had her in and out of airports and planes for 20 hours, so she deserved it.

The contents?

Tuscan Cabbage & Bean Soup

Tuscan cabbage and bean soup (which is vegan and gluten free) and a ciabatta roll (full of wheat and probably other things I can’t eat.) Delicious!