...Tastiness (CSA Style) - Swiss Chard Pasta

A lifetime ago, when H was a tiny baby, after watching Food Inc., B and I decided that we wanted to keep his life as preservative free as possible.  We didn't realize how difficult this task could actually be - especially when H turned out to be the world's pickiest child.  

Fast forward to the present.  H is now a much better eater.  After more than our fair share of dinner table stand-offs, there are very few items H will not eat, and L hasn't met a food she doesn't like.  Just like her mommy.  

We had heard of CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture) and wanted to get involved.  After a ridiculous amount of research, we were able to find a farmer who delivered to the suburbs near our house.  As excited as can be, we emailed Farmer Bob, and were informed that he didn't have any more availability for the year.  And so we were wait-listed.  But this year, we got in!  After sending a check in November for 20 weeks worth of produce this summer, I became even more excited.  My favorite part of the CSA delivery is that we don't know what will be in the box until the day (or day before) we pick it up.  Then, I get to plan our meals around its contents - some of which I've never used.

This week, B picked up our box on Saturday when I was on a girls' trip to Michigan.  When I got home on Tuesday, I saw that he put the swiss chard on the top shelf of the fridge, and it was beginning to be a little damaged from being too cold.  So swiss chard was the first item to be used, and I had never cooked with it before.  So I headed to Pinterest to see what I could find, and pretty much everything I saw needed ingredients I didn't have on hand.  The fridge was fairly empty, as B had been home alone for 4 days fending for himself.  It was time to improvise. And thus the cleverly named "Swiss Chard Pasta" was born.

First, in pictures:

Swiss Chard - Bright Lights Variety
You can see the frosty damage 

Everything you need (except the chicken and parmesan)
Lemons, Onion, Garlic Chives, Olive Oil, Chard,
Whole Wheat Spaghetti,Crushed Red Pepper,
Montreal Steak Seasoning

Chicken
B doesn't always love a meatless meal.

Garlic, Onion, Swiss Chard, Garlic Chives, and Lemon Zest
sauteing in olive oil

Putting the finishing touches on with freshly grated parmesan

L looking forward to dinner.
Yes, they eat the lemons.  Freaks.

H cheesing over his plate.
He informed me that he doesn't eat swiss chard, so I told him I made his with spinach, which he loves.
Oh the lies we tell...

Swiss Chard Pasta

• Chicken Breast (totally optional - unless you're B)
• Olive Oil (I didn't measure)
• Montreal Steak Seasoning (or similar)
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 Bunch Swiss Chard (Bright Lights Variety - but any variety would do), tough stems removed then sliced
• 2-3 Tablespoons Garlic Chives (you could skip this, but they were in the box so I thought I'd throw them in)
• 2 Lemons (you'll use the zest and the juice)
• Crushed Red Pepper
• 1/2 lb Whole Wheat Spaghetti

1. Bring pot of water to a boil.  While this is boiling, get started on the rest of the meal.
2. Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet.  Add chicken breasts and season liberally with Montreal Steak Seasoning.  Depending on the thickness of the chicken, heat 4-6 minutes on each side until cooked through.  Remove chicken from skillet.
3. Add spaghetti noodles to boiling water and cook according to package directions.
4. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel if it got brown from the chicken - or just use a fresh one.  Add 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil and bring to a medium heat.  Add garlic and onion and saute until onion is translucent - about 3-5 minutes.
5. Add swiss chard to skillet and continue stirring until wilted.
6. Add zest of lemons, garlic chives, and a pinch of crushed red pepper.
7. While this is simmering (you know, I don't really know the difference between simmering, sauteing and all that), slice up the chicken breast and add it to the skillet.
8. When the pasta is finished, add it to the skillet.  I didn't drain the pasta, but rather transferred it using tongs so a little bit of the pasta water came with it into the skillet.
9. Squeeze the juice of both lemons onto the pasta and chard mixture and toss.
10. Grate some fresh parmesan onto your pasta - to taste.  And...enjoy!!!

...The Brink of Retirement

Is that redundant?  Being on the edge of the brink?  Regardless.  It is what it is.  And this is going to be long.  Brace yourself.

One month ago (sheesh), in the thick of the training for my first half marathon, I ran the Soldier Field 10 Miler with Anne. And it felt AMAZING!  The best run of my career!

Before the race with Team Awesome:
Anne, Me and Amee

Anne and I started out together, at right around a 12:00min/mile pace.  And it felt good.  I had been training a little faster than that, but Anne was constantly preaching me the importance of negative splits so as not to tire too early in the run.  So it was good.  Around mile 4, or a little before, I lost Anne.  Like legit turned around and she was gone.  And so I was on my own.  As much as I LOVE running with a partner, I was ready to push myself.  I had run 10 miles before, and was ready to see what I could do.  And so I did, and finished in 1:55:32.  At the end, as I saw myself on the jumbotron crossing the finish on the 50 yard line, I wanted to cry but knew it would be an ugly cry, and there I was on the jumbotron, and obviously hundreds of people were focusing on just me on that jumbotron, but didn't.

Obviously not hating seeing myself on the Jumbotron

Finishing!

I looked up into the stands, and of course didn't recognize anyone.  I just walked off the field.  I was high on my accomplishment, and bummed to have reached it alone.  Sure, Anne would be there in a few minutes, and her husband finished long before us, and our friend Amee was there somewhere, too, but in the moment, I was alone.  A soldier named Sherman put my medal around my neck, I jammed out with a 312 to some Soul Asylum, and headed home - feeling pretty good.

With my first real medal

My half marathon was a mere two weeks away.  So I did what every good runner slacker/busy mom/teacher at the end of the school year would do:  I quit running.  Like not a mile.  Not an inch.  Until June 6th, 2 days before the half marathon.  Wearing new clothes on race day isn't recommended, so I convinced Anne to do a quick 3 miles with me to break in the adorable matching shirts I got for Natalie and I to wear.  And it felt good.  And I wondered why I quit running for 2 weeks.

Fast forward to race day.  Natalie and her husband showed up bright and early, and B drove us down to the South Shore Cultural Center.  The weather was PERFECT - partly cloudy, a little cool (like mid 50s - only reaching about 65 by the end of the race).  Gorgeous.  B had NEVER come and supported me at a race, so I was beyond thrilled to have him there.

With the sign H made for me

I don't set goals, well, other than to not finish last, but Nat and I both said that our only goal was to finish without walking, and I secretly had the time of 2 hours and 30 minutes in my head as a not-really-a-goal-but-it-would-be-nice.  We corralled up (is that a word?) and the race began.

Might I note that race photographers love matching outfits

Pre-Start Selfie

We were quick.  Really quick.  Natalie and I were talking and enjoying the gorgeous weather and scenery.  Our first 4 or 5 miles were each between 9:30 and 10:30.  Looking back, I know it was TOO FAST.  I could hear Anne's voice in my ears talking about negative splits, but instead I was just enjoying the time with my best friend of 27 years.

Hmmm...only one of us looks like we're enjoying this

Enjoying.  I just said I was enjoying it.  I NEVER thought I'd ever say this about running - let alone running 13.1 miles.  And then mile 9 passed.  And we both decided that we'd do better if we'd stop and use the bathroom.  So we did.  And I really think this is where I just completely lost my momentum.  We continued running.  Then mile 11 hit - right around an overpass that felt like a mountain.  And it was hard.  I told Natalie I was going to walk and she told me I was going to do no such thing - that we'd just slow down.  But the mind games I was playing with myself began to take over.  I didn't want to quit or anything, but I was hurting.  Badly.  My legs were cashed.  So I sent her off, promising that I wasn't done running, but I just needed a short walk break.  I walked off and on from mile 11 to mile 12.  And it was HARD.  I felt defeated.  I was mad at myself for walking.  I was mad at myself for sending her ahead.  I wanted to be at the finish line together.  And then I saw the chute.  Had I been paying attention to anything other than my own survival (alright, that's more than a little dramatic), I'd have realized that we still had like a half a mile to go.  But that chute did it for me.  I started RUNNING.  And RUNNING.  Some guy held out his medal to me and said, "You've got this Melanie!  You're almost to your medal!"  And I started to ugly cry.  But stopped.  There were going to be cameras at the finish, duh.  And B.  And Natalie and her husband.  And darn it, I was too mad at myself and too proud of myself to cry.

Finally crossing the finish line

I finished, running as hard as I could in that moment.  My official time 2:37:21.  Only 7 minutes from my not-really-a-goal, and it included a bathroom break and some walking.  Nothing to sneeze at, really.  All along I said it was my first and last half marathon.  But now, looking back, I don't know.  While I've never been prouder of myself for accomplishing something so great, I also know in my heart of hearts that I didn't train as well as I could have, and I know I could have pushed myself past the mental bullshit, but I didn't.  So maybe it won't be my last.  Who knows?  There's this half in Ft. Wayne in September that I'm kind of keeping my eye on.  A hometown race might be kind of fun...

And we're done

...An Update - Just Kidding. It's Coming Soon

It's been over a month since I've last written.  A month!

• The End of the School Year
• 1st (and more than likely, last) Half Marathon

  

  I'll tease you with this beauty that I stole

• Mini Vacation
• Out of Town Wedding
• 2 Kids, 2 Birthdays, in 2 days -- and for fun, we threw in B's birthday and Father's Day that week, too
• Prepping for New House
• Thank God it's summer!

To be continued...

Tastiness - Greekish Quinoa a.k.a That Time When Quinoa Cheered Me

Who does this title think it's kidding?  This is just ONE of those times quinoa has cheered me.  I freaking love this stuff.  And I only call it "Greekish" because the dressing is the same I use when I make Greek salad.

Anywho...Today has been one of those days where things just didn't go right.  One of my students broke her arm at recess, a planned 5 mile run turned into the complete lack of a run, I realized that I STILL haven't printed invites for the kids' 2nd/5th birthday party when their birthdays are one month away, the grill ran out of gas as we were preparing dinner, and on and on and on.  Every have one of THOSE days?  The combination of these events (and more) was turning me into a grumpy, moody, b.

And then I started chopping up the veggies for this quinoa salad to go along with the hanger steaks I'd marinated all day.  Something about the colors just made me so happy.

Dressing whisked with red onion, cucumber, kalamata olives

As I kept chopping and adding to the bowl, I was more and more cheered.

With tomatoes and green pepper added

Once the quinoa and the feta were in, I was pretty much cured.  Or maybe just really, really hungry.

Mmmmm...

By this point, the grill was back in action, and we were ready to eat.  With a gorgeous Chicagoish day happening outside the kitchen window, I couldn't help but move dinner outdoors.  

The people at A-1 should really have paid me for this adorable ad.

A close up on the dinner - Hanger Steak and Asparagus with the Quinoa Goodness
B's Milk.  Yuck.

Bon Apetit

The day was saved.  The meal was delicious.  The company?  Perfect.  See?

Like a fat kid loves cake

Passionate about her quinoa stubble

Greekish Quinoa

**There is no reason to stick to this recipe exactly.  Adjust according to taste.  It makes A LOT as written.  

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (I think.  I didn't actually measure it because at this point, I didn't know I was going to blog this recipe.) 
• 2-3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Again with the lack of measuring)
• Juice of 3 lemons
• Red Onion, diced small (1/2 is probably enough)
• 1 English Cucumber, diced small
• 1 jar Kalamata Olives, cut in half - I used these from Trader Joe's
• Cherry or Grape Tomatoes, halved or quartered - I used these
• 2 green peppers, diced small
• 8 oz. (or more or less to taste) feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed (I used 1/2 cup of red quinoa and 1 cup of white quinoa)
• 3 cups vegetable broth (This is what I had on hand.  Chicken broth or just water would work, too.)

1. Bring broth to a boil.  Add quinoa and return to a boil.  Cover and simmer on low for 20-25 minutes, or until the water is absorbed.
2. Add garlic, oregano, lemon juice and olive oil to large bowl and whisk together.
3. Add veggies and mix well.
4. When quinoa is finished, add it to the bowl.  Now it's decision time.  Do you want to serve this warm or cold?  It's great both ways. 
5. If serving warm, add feta and serve.
6. If serving cold, put in refrigerator until ready to serve, or at least until B gets back with the gas for the grill.  Just before serving, add feta.
7. Enjoy!

...Bursting

My celebration cup runneth over.  As I said before, I absolutely LOVE my birthday - like a 5 year old.  And this year did not disappoint.  

Friday was the kind of day at work that I hope everyone in any profession can experience at some point.  I don't know how it is possible to have a better day.  Our third graders put on their big program for their parents and loved ones, and I just don't know that I could have been more proud of each and every one of them.  Not only were they so stinking cute, but the big show went off without a hitch.  Days like Friday are how I know I've chosen the right career.  And did I mention it was my birthday?  My desk looked like a funeral home, as it was covered in many bouquets of flowers.  And when I got home from work, we had NO plans.  None.  Not one thing to do.  And it was glorious.  B picked up sushi from my current favorite place, and we had a date at our table.

B and the kids horsing around

A few of the 90+ gems I found on my phone

No clue where H's love of a selfie comes from

Saturday we had big plans with friends - a little rail riding for cocktails and dinner.  We took the train a few 'burbs to the west.  And there was some celebrating to be had.  A lot of it.  The best part?  My parents came to town and kept H and L at the hotel with them overnight.  This momma knew I wouldn't have to be up at the crack of dawn.  And so...I celebrated a little more.

LOVE these ladies!  There were boys, too, but who needs pictures of our boys?

When my eyes fluttered open at 8:13 this morning, they promptly slammed shut until B not so gently reminded me that we had 10:00 reservations in the city and I had to be presentable.  It's my day, after all.  

Pulled together.
Pink Pants (finally!) - Ann Taylor
Top - Target
Shoes - Fossil
Watch - Charming Charlie
Hair - last night's, thanks to Suave dry shampoo

And it was the perfect day.  My parents arrived with the kids, and we headed to the city.

H and L with Grana and Papa
Yes, Anne, we went to Glen's

My favorites

And nothing says Mother's Day like a little shopping.  B got me a cute purse from a little boutique near the restaurant - the second bag of the weekend.  It's like he gets me or something.  And the shopping continued.

Nothing says Happy Mother's Day like shopping for meat.
Sausages and Brats, to be specific.

Unfortunately, over the past six months, I've been reminded too many times of how short this life really is.  Each tomorrow isn't guaranteed.  Living in and loving these moments makes my heart so full.  Almost filled to bursting.  

Snack Sausage
And he ate it.  All.
My boy.

Taking the time to blow the dandelion fluff.
Mom of the Year forgot to tell her not to eat it.

...Getting My Feet Wet

Actually, I got a lot more than just my feet wet.

This is my favorite week of the year.  Every year.  It's my birthweek (that's a word, no?), teacher appreciation week, and Mother's Day all rolled into the same 7 days.  I'm like a 5 year old when my birthday rolls around.  I can't wait.  It doesn't matter whether or not I have plans to celebrate.  I don't need presents (but I don't hate them, so shop if you must), and Lord knows I don't need cake.  But I just love my birthday.  Lucky for me, 2 of my best girls also have May birthdays, so we tend to make a big deal of ourselves together.  And yes, I'm the oldest by 11 days.  Prepare yourselves.  Celebration pictures are sure to follow.

Today was just the icing on my "my favorite week" cake.  It was gorgeous.  That's all there is to it.  Maybe my whining about the miserable weather has paid off.  And to top it all off, after a day of teaching followed by a long meeting, I joined my family and friends in our friend's pool.  That's right.  In the pool.  On May 8th.  This was L's first real pool experience.  Last summer, she spent pool time in a little raft that one of us always held onto.  Today she was free, wearing H's old arm floaties, as he's now a strong enough swimmer without them, and she showed no fear in the water - which terrifies me.  We all loved every second of it.  I hope I can remember the feeling of wonder and awe I felt watching my kiddos tomorrow when I'm sure they'll be absolute monsters because we kept them out well past their bedtimes so they could enjoy the moment.  It's worth it.

This is where I would post a picture of H and L being adorable in the water, or eating hot dogs poolside in their jammies with wet hair and those fresh from the pool eyelashes that I can't get enough of.  But, alas...  Instead of taking pictures, I was living in the moment.

And since it feels like summer is really on it's way, I just can't do another drab outfit.  Today I broke out the green skirt again, but this time with some color blocking.  So much color used to be way outside of my comfort zone, but I'm really starting to like it.  Luckily, the outfit includes a cardigan, which is the definition of my comfort zone.  And I still haven't cleaned the mirror.  I do think of it every time I take a picture.  I obviously don't have time to dry my hair in the morning, let alone break out the Windex.

Skirt - Banana Republic outlet
Cardigan and T - Target
Bracelet (the gold one, not the rubberband) - Limited
Monogram Necklace - Personalized Me to You
Sandals - Madewell

 

...Extreme Highs and Lows - aka a Stream of Consciousness Dump

It's been an entire month since I've posted.  Frankly, life has been busy.  And amazing.  And frustrating.  And exciting.  And a bummer.  And really, just wonderful.  See what I mean by extreme highs and lows?  This ride has been full of peaks and valleys lately, but luckily the ride's still rolling.

House Stuff

This is not a secret.  We're outgrowing our house.  And by "we're outgrowing," I really mean we've outgrown our house.  Already.  Like almost 2 years ago.  2 bedrooms in less than 1100 square feet is less than ideal for our family of 4.  We've made it work, and things aren't terrible, but we would really LOVE some more space.  And so began the house hunt.  We've only been at it for about a month (see the timeline since my last posting), and it's been up and down like crazy.  In the specific area where we are looking, any house that is remotely decent inside and even close to reasonably price has been sold in 2-3 days after being on the market.  So we do a lot of looking, getting excited, and being let down.  So 2 weeks ago when our offer in the PERFECT location (less than perfect house) was accepted, we were thrilled!

The house that wasn't meant to be

The answer to the kindergarten question.  Walking distance to the train and downtown area (read Dairy Queen) of the suburb.  And then came the inspection.  Everything that could possibly be wrong with a house other than termites and water damage was present.  And we were devastated.  After a lot of soul searching and tears, we decided that it would be best to walk away, and we backed out of the contract.  And so continues the house search...  Peak.  And now valley.  But this valley is kind of a peak.  The home inspection was the best money we've ever spent.  Headaches saved.

Training

June 8th - the day of the Half Marathon - is rapidly approaching.  And by rapidly, I mean it'll be here before I'm ready.  I'm really doing my best to prepare for this thing!  What I'm finding is that this is hard.  No shit?!  What's crazy is that physically, it's not all that bad.  It's my head that struggles.  Luckily, I've got some pretty incredible friends who are also either training or willing to run right along with me.  And I don't think I could make it through these long runs without them.  Here are a few shots from recent training sessions.  You'll note that my mileage doesn't match what I'm telling you.  For some reason the Nike app that I use and the MapMyRun app that both of my partners use aren't quite aligned to each other.  MapMyRun is right on with what the Prairie Path mileage and the actual map mileage were for these runs, so it's what I'm sticking to.

April 27th - 9 Miles with Logan
Running the streets of Tinley Park - How can they call it a suburb?
Total 1:43:11

May 5th - 10 Miles with Meeshie
Prairie Path run from her house to Wheaton
Total 1:48:08

So my friend, Amee, asked me if I've ever had a bad run.  She said it's important to get a really bad one out of the way.  But I haven't.  I really LOVE running with friends.  I certainly could never find nearly 2 hours to chat these ladies up on the telephone - or even in person, for that matter - without one of our kids needing something.  These long runs have been the most selfish and wonderful uses of my weekend mornings.  That's a lie.  The 10 miler was not wonderful.  I had my first experience of nearly shitting myself.  I've heard of this - like some kind of runner's urban legend.  And if one of my girlfriends lived 3 houses east of where she lives, and if her back door hadn't been opened exactly 3 seconds after I pounded on it, and had I needed to explain why I was bursting into her quiet house at 9:00 on a Saturday morning dripping in sweat, I would have experienced it.  But now I know I can do 10 miles.  What's a 5K more?  So far...the runs are extreme highs.  And...I'm getting faster.  I didn't think to pause the Nike app while having my little experience - so that time should be subtracted from this!

Here's the end of that run, including a little cool down!
Only 9 minutes longer than the week before.

This post is getting to be too long!

I fell asleep during Mad Men last night.  Thanks 10 miles and then Sesame Street Live.  I've got priorities, and Don Draper is waiting.  So I'll leave you with a few shots of what I've been wearing over the last month.  Nothing special.  For the most part, the weather has been dismal, and therefore I've been trying my best to think spring!

Night out of Whirlyball with B
Celebrating Logan's fiance's birthday
Cardigan, shirt, and tank all Target
Jeans - Express
Boots - old
Necklace - Loft outlet

I think it was a high of 60 this day.
Sometimes you've just got to break out the sandals.
Long-sleeve striped t - Target
Gray T - Limited
Pants - Ann Taylor
Sandals - Rainbow
Dove Necklace - Tiffany

Shirt that I probably should have tucked in - Old Navy
Skirt and gray tights - Target
Necklace - Loft outlet
Boots - old
Crazy Eyes - all mine

And the extreme high - Flowers at work from B
We've just begun our 14th year together
I can count on one hand the times I've received flowers - and these were "just because"