Wedding Wonder

I just looked at my wedding website and it says that there are 19 days left until my wedding.  My wedding.  The one where I will officially be the girl that I pretended to be a million times as a little girl.  The bride.  The one in white.  I am picking songs.  I am emailing musicians I am looking for cellist.  I have done this multiple times for friends, and it’s hard to believe that I am doing this for me.

I am so in love with Justin, but I find myself picking a bit at him and feeling frustrated for no reasonable reason.  He is patient and kind and loving in response.  How is that.

I know that these days will fly by faster than I could imagine and that they will also creep along.  Isn’t that weird?  How life does that?

I’ll be quiet until then.  You know that.  But just wanted you to know that I won’t be gone forever.

Quinoa Black Bean Tacos with Z Tejas Spicy Jalepeno Mayonnaise

This has become a standard for Justin and me.  It is one of the meals that I cooked to ease him into meatless eating.  Two things to note.  I keep a jar of his fresh homemade salsa in the fridge.  I also keep a batch of this mayo in the fridge.  I half the recipe, and it’s still PLENTY.  So, serve ‘em with lime, corn and flour tortillas and a good mexican beer.  They are as good as any fish tacos I’ve ever eaten and FANTASTIC heated up.  You can also throw some guacamole in to add some extra fat and flavor!

Black Bean Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups cold water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups cooked black beans. If using canned beans, drain and rinse well
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• Optional: 1 carrot, peeled, halfed lengthwise, sliced thin diagonally
• Optional: 1 cup chopped fresh yellow or green beans
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced, OR 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 red pepper, sliced thin
• 1 green pepper, sliced thin
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro or basil
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• Optional: 1 large ripe tomato
• Optional: 1/2 cup sliced olives
• Dressing:
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• Pinch cayenne or chili powder

1. The quinoa can be made ahead of time and refridgerated
2. Soak the quinoa 1/2 hour in cold water
3. Rinse very thoroughly in water several times. For each rinse, pour off most of the water and finish draining through a large fine mesh strainer
4. Place in 2 qt pot with 1 1/2 c. water and 1/2 tsp salt
5. Bring to a boil, turn down to low, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes
6. Remove from heat and allow to sit 5 minutes covered
7. Fluff gently with a fork and set aside to cool
8. Sauté jalapeno, fresh garlic, in 2 Tbsp oil until garlic is browned, pepper and celery are softened
9. Add the green and red peppers and sauté briefly
10. Add the cumin and coriander, cook and stir 5 minutes
11. Blend dressing ingredients with a whisk or shake in a jar
12. Gently combine sautéed veggies, tomatoes, black beans, quinoa and dressing in a large bowl
13. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cilantro and scallions, and serve warm or cover and chill

• Quinoa has high oil content, so should be stored in the fridge or freezer to avoid becoming rancid
• A tight fitting lid is essential for even cooking
• Quinoa is coated with saponin, which will give it a bitter taste unless you rinse it – those tiny flaky bits in the rinse water are the saponin
• Because of it’s high protein and oil content, quinoa is a satisfying meal with a few nuts or beans and veggies added (see recipes below)

Jalapeno Mayonnaise use 1 tablespoon

1 large jalapeno, diced
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce (or similar red pepper sauce of your choice)
1 tablespoon cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic, chopped
1/4 cup herdez chipotle pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 quart mayonnaise

Red Cabbage ColeSlaw

Equal parts of grated red cabbage, cucumber and carrots.  Mix all together and squeeze half of a lime on top.  This will add an incredible texture and flavor to your tacos.

Where I’ve Been

For the last month I have been subbing everyday.  The last two days my phone has not had it’s normal 6:15 a.m. call.  Bummer.  However.  I have gotten in some great work outs, did a little extra work for the family that I nanny for, and I am currently avoiding wedding activities like narrowing guest lists and thinking about showers to update my blog.  Mmmmmm.  Not my best plan.  Also, I am avoiding stressing about what the financial factor of not working is.  So… I blog.  Next, I am going to catch up on Blip.

I am also reading Eat To Live, which Diane sent me about forever ago, but I am thinking a lot about what and how Justin and I are eating.  As we have both been obese, we are aware that we are walking a fine line of over obsessing about fitness and health, and ignoring it.  So, Eat to Live has been really encouraging.  It follows a lot of my instinctive thoughts on health, eating as naturally as possible.

OK.  Enough procrastinating.  I really am going to try to be better at posting. To catch you up; here’s a little breakdown of lately.  Wedding planning in Texas, I’ve been doing a lot of traveling.  Texas twice last month, once for the wedding, once for Jordan’s birthday.

Showers.  We are headed to Arkansas this weekend for our first round of showers.

Communication.  We are talking a lot.  We’ve just started attending a church we love, Church of the Cross.  It’s Anglican, a bit of a return to our roots.  Pre-Marital counseling.  Eek.  That stimulates some conversations.  Also, occasionally something happens which send me into hysterical fits of crying.  I retract every judgement I ever made about any bride I have ever known.  Poor Justin.

Moving.  Out of my house at the end of the month.  WEIRD.

Working.  Full time last month at Park Street.  Two or three nights a week with the family that I am nannying for… I am so tired.

Loving.  Justin.  My family.  What a sweet time of life.

Lessons I Am Desperate To Learn

“To live content with small means;
to seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion;
to be worthy, not respectable; and
wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think
quietly, talk gently, act frankly…to
listen to stars and buds, to babes and
sages, with open heart; await occasions,
hurry never…this is my symphony.”
~ William Henry Channing

OK Go – This Too Shall Pass, Rube Goldberg Machine version.

Engagement Pictures – A preview

How to Help Haiti

This is an unashamed rip off from one of my favorite blogs of a roommate from long ago, and a dear friend Emily.  She led us to this link whose proceeds go 100% to Partners in Health who have dedicated their site to helping Haiti.  So, beyond being trendy, you can help in a manageable way.  So, for a cool $15, make a difference.

Planning

I feel a little bit like a girl playing a grown up game.  Planning my wedding is a little bit like playing dress up.  I am talking about throwing the party of my life, mostly at the expense and pain of someone else, I just wear a pretty dress??? Something seems very off about all of this.  I am not going to lie, it’s been an intense 10 days of conversation, compromise and negotiation, mixed with squeals, moments of absolute disbelief and surrounded by a humble overwhelmedness that I am getting to marry someone that I feel like I absolutely do not deserve.

We’ve been calling people and asking them if they are free a certain weekend and then asking them to be in the wedding.  And by we’ve, I mostly mean I… I am not sure what Justin’s deal is, but he’s kind of running a little slow on it, I am not really sure why, but as people keep telling me.  It will all happen and there’s really nothing to worry about.

I can see why couples don’t make it through this.  It’s a lot.  And we have to take it from such different directions.  And we have different paces and different priorities.  Not the easiest thing to navigate.  I guess that’s the point of this time though.  I am sure we’ll be bigger stronger people after all of it…

So that’s your post today from a girl who has spent no less that 20 hours on the phone in the last three days and spent 12 of her hours today with humans under the age of 10.  And now I am supposed to play dress up and plan a wedding.  Right.  I am going to listen to Taylor Swift and practice my awkward dancing.

Marc Bernstein and Boston Shopping

So I found these at Mint Julep at Coolidge Corner the other day and thought they were beautiful. He’s a designer out of NYC, and they are relatively reasonable priced. If you’re a Boston reader… check them out. Also Mint Julep, who is having their annual sale. As well, if you’re into much more reasonably priced clothes 2nd Time Around is having their winter sale and they have some great winter stuff on sale at the Newbury stores, I’d pass up the Harvard Sq store… but that’s just my opinion. If you’re wondering why I am such an expert, I’ve just started writing for Haute Boston, a Boston fashion blog, and if you’ve been to Boston, you know how desperately they need a fashion blog. OK, back to the kiddos, iPod time is almost over.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes and Taylor Swift

So yesterday the family that I have started working on Thursdays for called me and asked if I could do the whole day. I agreed, and ended up curled up in bed with one of the sweetest little girls I have ever encountered. We watched Taylor Swift, we talked flour girl dresses. She was precious.

Today, her brother, my favorite child from the 2nd grade crew at my school asked to stay home and we just finished a sock matching party, followed by a sock shoot off where we shot over 60 unmatched socks into a bag… This was after chocolate chip pancakes. What a sweet life!

OK, gotta go work on a challenge assignment and math drills.