KISS

It has been too long since I posted.  I find it hard sometimes to figure out what I'm going to focus on during the day.  One thing is constant, though.  Cooking lunches and dinner.   Although I haven't been posting, I've certainly been cooking.

One of my goals while on this maternity leave has been to learn how to cook more things.  Little by little I think I'm learning.  I joined a CSA which has been FANTASTIC.  I've learned how to cook beets and beet greens for example, and am trying to figure out what to do with the red kohlrabi that came in our box this week.  I pickled garlic scapes yesterday.  I'm figuring it out.  Not going to lie, as excited as I am to pick up that CSA box on Wednesdays I'm also a little scared about learning how to cook the stuff.  It takes time.  Lots of time.  It is hard work with a 4.5 month old baby.  Especially when her 14.5 pound self wants to be held in the carrier while I'm prepping everything.  But I'm doing it!  These days will seem easy when I return to work.

Speaking of returning to work, I went to the office on Tuesday and left feeling overwhelmed and anxious.  I know what I'm in for when I return.  I was messaging a good friend from work about my anxiety and how I was concerned about how I would do it all.  He gave me good advice.  Simplify.  For dinners, have a simple protein, a vegetable, and for the kids and Shao either rice or a simple pasta.  Good advice, and while even that can be a lot of work, maybe I can handle it if I really stick to keeping it that simple.  It reminded me of what helped me when I used to feel overwhelmed in my days as a trader.  My old risk manager used to say "Upton, KISS!"  Keep it simple, stupid.  

The CSA, while a lot of work, will eventually help with keeping it simple.  Hopefully next year I will be in a rhythm with it and will know how to cook everything.  One night a week with beef, one with chicken, one with pork, one with fish.  Leftovers a couple of nights. Sounds easy and looks easy on paper, but executing is just so damn tough....here come the overwhelming feelings again.


Working parents, how are you doing it?  I don't want to throw in the towel on sending my kids to school with a lunch from home.  I can't throw in the towel on bringing my own lunch given my dietary restrictions in order to remain healthy.  How are you keeping it simple???

Contents from the CSA box this week.  Red cabbage, strawberries, radishes, romaine lettuce, red leaf lettuce, bunch yellow onions, swiss chard, golden beets, red kohlrabi, garlic scapes, rainbow chard.

Lemon and herb roasted golden beets and beet greens.

A typical day of cooking:  pastured ground pork cooked with ginger powder (that my MIL makes herself) , coconut aminos, black pepper, olive oil that we eat in lettuce wraps with hot sauce; yellow squash, broccoli, beef with cucumber stir fry, tri-color carrots.

Typical snack box that I send Shao to work with on a daily basis.  My MIL and I think his skin is looking better; part of me thinks it's all of the fruit he's been eating.

Potatoes are important for me while breastfeeding on paleo.  I really loved these tri-colored potatoes that I roasted with olive oil and salt and pepper.

Ella's birthday dinner. Simple grilled meats and lots of green veggies.

The first CSA box we received.  Radishes, romaine lettuce, onions, spinach, asparagus, cilantro, tomatoes, popcorn, green leaf lettuce.

This picture makes me hungry/happy.  Typical Moy family weekend breakfast.

Typical CSA box.  I asked for extra radishes since Ella will literally eat the whole bunch herself in one sitting.

Who knew the kids and I would like radishes so much.  I slice them and pickle them - learned from my MIL.  Let me know if you want the recipe.  It's just oil, rice vinegar, garlic, bit of sugar, and in the radishes we add cilantro.

The swiss chard is SO good.