This is why I can't be single...

I really hope my wife doesn't leave me...ever

On Wednesdays, my lovely wife has class that goes until 10pm. Plus, she just started a new job with evening hours. I have lost my evening companion. I am too lazy to cook for myself...so I don't.

Last night, for dinner, I had microwave popcorn, fried hashbrowns, and pineapple straight out of the can. My wife got home and there was no food waiting for her. She asked what we were gonna have for lunch the next day (today). I said we could have leftover Rice and beets delight. that I made...Monday I think. And we're all tired of, especially her since she took it for lunch and for dinner.

So, we had to stop at the grocery store on the way to work. The plus side is, for 20 bucks, we got a TON of food. And, QFC is selling strawberries for a dollar a pound! We bought 5. I'm thinking of going to get another few pounds. I'm not sure if it'd be cheaper to buy that and then freeze them. But we don't have much freezer space, so I don't think that's a great plan. *Le Sigh* I can't wait to have a house, with a freezer!

On another note, we are very seriously considering moving to Austin. Apart from the fact that doing so will strip us of ALL rights that the WA domestic partnership gave us and the fact that our pacific NW behinds have never dealt with the kind of racism the rest of the country has, it sounds like a great idea

Austin is artistic, diverse, gay friendly, educated, and friendly town. I like that it's traditional and progressive at the same time. I generally forget that my interracial, lesbian marriage...isn't all that traditional. Ah well. I guess if it's bad, we can just move again.

Rice and beet salad

Things I learned yesterday:

1. If you have a giant pot of food that doesn’t taste good…add sour cream, cheese, and hot sauce

2. Beets are scrumptious! I’d like to try raw

3. My dog… doesn’t like beets.

4. I really like raw greens, salad style. Thanks to Gena, over at choosingraw, I had the courage to massage some greens and put my mixture on top. Yumm!

So, last night, I was inspired by a spotlessly clean kitchen to cook. Tonight was the first day of my wife’s new job. She is now working evenings, and sadly, I was bored at home alone. This is the stepping stone to what she wants to do, so it’s good, but I’m not a fan of the lack of time together. Oh well.

I was watching a Delicious TV video for a recipe called Edamame Rice Salad. It looked delicious and I definitely want to try it. But, I had only one of the items it called for, so I thought I’d try to make my own.

I cooked 2 cups of brown rice (I don’t know how much that made cooked) It was softer than I’d have liked. I’d probably use a tiny bit less water and cook it till just al dente-ish.

Dumped that in a bowl then added a can of corn, but up beets, garbanzo beans, and chili beans.

I would have liked some lime or cilantro…but I had none.

I put in onion powder, garlic, salt and pepper, lots of cumin, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sour cream and mozzarelly cheese. This makes a lot, so feel free to have a heavy hand. The ingredients have little flavor, so it’s hard to over season.

Mix very well. My biggest bowl wouldn’t hold it all, so I put it in my wok.

Then I took a bag of cut up greens (collard, mustard, etc), massaged them, and put them in a bowl and covered them with my rice. Again, cilantro, lime, oil and some sort of vinegar in a dressing would make this perfections, but I had none.


My finished product, half way through my meal:

Sorry about the midway photo. I forgot to take pictures before I dug in.

I was surprised at how good this is! The beets aren’t super small, so every now and again you get a sweet bite. The hot is barely noticeable, so I’ll put some more hot sauce on before I eat again. For those that aren’t big fans of hot, don’t skip the hot sauce. The sour cream and cheese kills the hot, but keeps the flavor. Yum!

This is RIDICULOUSLY filling. I put some in a tortilla and some on a small salad and I only got through half of both. When Mecca came home, I massaged some greens and put them in a tortilla with the rice and served it wrap style and she barely got through it. This is hefty food, start small! This also makes a ton of food, and I don’t know how well it’ll freeze. I’ll probably serve it a couple more times this week and use it as lunches.

I called it Rice and Beet Salad, Mecca calls it Rice and Beet Delight! Isn't she sweet?

Anyone have any suggestions on what else could be added? I think a long grain rice that doesn’t stick together would be good and you could skip the sour cream. Make it more salad-y. Or, if you are in to that kind of thing, those packets of taco seasonings would be good too. Not really my thing, but lot’s of people love them, so that’d be a quicker way to impart that flavor. I thought about seeds or nuts, but the only thing I have is flax, and I haven’t experimented with it yet to know if the flavor would go well.

I’m just now moving away from recipes and venturing out into making my own food. And, even when I have created my own thing, this is the start of me using real whole foods, and experimenting with vegetables. I’m really excited that this worked! Does anyone else have a hard time experimenting with foods they are unfamiliar with?

Have a great day!



Jessica

Homework, vegetarian dinners, losing resolve, and more complaining about my job

I'm in the finals week of school. For most of my classes that's not
too stressful, but for one... Ugh!

I am taking history of Africa. I was so excited to be taking it, it
sounded extremely interesting. However, two things worked against me.
First, the textbook is the driest, most difficult to read and retain
book that I've ever read. This book makes war and peace look like a
light poolside read. The second seemed like a blessing. There were no
assignments. Just four quizzes that had no deadline. Do you know what
happens when you have no deadlines and a book that the most learning
starved person would chuck in the ocean? You push it back and push it
back and push it back. So here I am, frantically trying to catch up.
It's my own fault, but knowing that doesn't help me now. My goal for
next quarter is to do assignments when they are assigned, not when
they are due.

Mecca and I have been eating out recently. I'd like to tell you that
we frequented vegetarian restaurants that showcase local organic food
in a palate sparkling sort of way. It wasn't. We've been to...
Mcdonalds. All that is wrong in food preparation and service. We both
have eaten meat a couple of times. I was upset about this for a while,
but realized that my brain doesn't stand a chance against the complex
chemicals that they put in their food. I don't crave hamburgers that I
make, only these lab created concoctions that are designed to make me
want more and more and more. So, we've given it up. Just like crack,
there's no acceptable amount of McDonalds.

Tonight, we will be having rice and beans with a side of green beans.
Nothing gourmet but some good old fashioned comfort food.

Work has been... Well, the same. My boss is scrutinizing my every move
to try to fire me because I told her boss just how bad our department
is. I think she may have compiled enough to fire me next month. I've
stopped stressing. I've made one or two mistakes a month out of the
hundreds of files I deal with, I can't change that. I'm not perfect. I
think she's trying to get me to quit by making my work life miserable
but until I have another job that won't happen. HR told me to quit
also. But they are going to have to fire me if I don't find something
else first. At least then, hopefully I'll get unemployment.


What about you guys? What's going on in your worlds?

Have you ever put off a whole semesters worth of homework?
 I never have before this and I wouldn't recommend it.

What about cravings? Do you crave things that you know are actively
bad for you? Do you give in? Do you get guilty?

What's your favorite comfort food? Vegetarian or not

Have you ever had a boss you thought hated you? Have you ever talked
to management and gotten no support? Or been told to quit?

Have a great night, I'll be studying about Africa!

Jessica