I deleted the words I was struggling through to sum up the responsibility I feel to Curran after listening to my cousins talk about their mom at my aunt's memorial last weekend. I'm not talking making baby food and reading him books, but the big stuff, or the in-between. I have the most intense dislike for the word "supermom" because it always seems to be used in a context which dumbs down the job of being a mother to sewing the best Halloween costumes or having the most crafts at your kids' birthday party while encouraging competition and comparing and blech. I listened to how her boys' spoke of how much she taught them through gracious discipline, humbled generosity, taking them on adventures and quiet listening. If the phrase existed before my generation of parenting, my Aunt actually would have been a textbook supermom, but her boys didn't praise her sewing or baking or gardening or crafts. They spoke of how she made them feel - how she built them up and encouraged them to find a way that made them truly happy. Our parenting is so much more relational than we see in the small picture. To nurture that is a role you don't read about in a baby book, you get a clear picture when you hear young men describe the sort of mother they knew. The honor is mine.
“You will learn a lot about yourself if you stretch in the direction of goodness, of bigness, of kindness, of forgiveness, of emotional bravery. Be a warrior for love.”
- Cheryl Strayed
It's been warm here this week and all the plans of stews and roasted this and that don't sound right. I have a salad in our new book that is full of all my favorite green things, and this is similar. It looks gorgeous in all it's monochromatic colors while still having contrast of texture and flavor. The chickpeas are like a teeny crouton and with the snap of the seeds, this is almost closer to a slaw with all it's crunch. Anyway, it's nice to change up the routine I've been in of roasted squash and see spring around the corner.
GREENY SALAD WITH CRISPY CHICKPEAS + ROASTED JALAPENO // Serves 4
The smoky chickpeas adapted from The First Mess
This should yield enough dressing for a second salad. When I ate the leftovers of this, I added on some pom seeds and sheeps feta (my staples) and they work so well here. If you want a little color, sweetness and salty cheese, they're a welcomed addition.
- / smoky chickpeas /
- 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, rinsed and towel dried
- 1/2 tsp. maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- few pinches of sea salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400'. On a parchment lined baking sheet, toss the chickpeas with the maple, oil, paprika and a few picnhes of salt and pepper. Spread in a single later and bake for 20 minutes until crispy. Set aside while you prepare the rest of your salad.
- / roasted jalapeno dressing /
- 1 roasted jalapeno*
- 1 Tbsp. chopped shallot
- 1/2 cup (a handful) roughly chopped cilantro
- juice of one lime (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp. agave nectar or honey
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp. sea salt
Stem the jalapeno and remove all, half or none of the seeds depending on your spice preference (I used half and found it plenty spicy). Into a blender or food processor, combine the roasted jalapeno, shallot, cilantro, lime juice, white wine vinegar, agave, olive oil and salt. Blend until well combined.
* To roast the jalapeno, coat the outside in oil and roast at 400' for 20 minutes. This can be done while you're baking the chickpeas.
- 4 packed cups baby kale
- 2 cups shredded brussels sprouts
- 3 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
- 1 cup finely diced cucumber
- 1/3 cup toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1 avocado, peeled and quartered
In a large salad bowl, combine the baby kale, shredded brussels, green onions, cucumber and half of the pumpkin seeds. Toss with desired amount of dressing and top with the remaining seeds, crispy chickpeas and avocado.
