kale, black bean and sweet potato quinoa salad

Sometimes I have a problem saying, "thank you,"particularly when it comes to clothes and food.

About two years ago, I purchased a pair of boots that I am still borderline obsessed with to this day. Not too casual, not too dressy, very comfortable. They go with almost everything.

I decided to wear them on the road trip home from college for winter break. My sister and her friend Kelly were with me. Along the way we pulled up to a rest stop and we all hopped out. I was reaching for the door and Kelly said, "Katie I really like your boots!"

My response - "I know, right?!"

Seriously, who says that?

My twisted rationale is that I felt like I was taking credit for the boots. She and I are agreeing that they're fantastic. They did the fantastic part all on their own. All I did was put them on my stupid feet.

But the proper response is, "thank you," and despite my rudeness, Kelly hasn't written me off as a human being yet. At least as far as I know.

Since I had an untraditional Thanksgiving this year, I decided to make an untraditional side dish for the newsroom potluck. I am a huge fan of this salad, and I wanted to make something comparable but a bit more seasonal.

Take out the sweet corn, avocado, and grapefruit. Swap in some kale and sweet potatoes, you catch my drift.

The sweet potatoes and kale give the salad that heartiness you look for in a fall dish, but I kept the flavors light with some red pepper flakes and cilantro.

The woman who sits across from me at work sat down with her plate of food and was excitedly deciphering the dish. "Black beans, sweet potatoes, and yeah, it has a little kick too!"

I decided to chime in. "It's red pepper flakes."

"Did you make this? It's really delicious."

The words "I know, right!" Flashed through my head. All I wanted to say was that it was so easy to make and I just kind of threw everything into a bowl and it's healthy and yada yada yada..."

And then like a real adult person who knows how to accept a compliment, I said, "thank you."

Kale, Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad
serves 8 as a side dish, 4 as an main dish

1 cup quinoa, uncooked
6 leaves lacinato or dinosaur kale (about half of a bunch)
1 sweet potato, cubed
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 red onion, chopped finely
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup water
4 Tbsp olive oil, separated
2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tsp cumin
1 pinch red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook quinoa according to package directions (2:1 ratio liquid to quinoa; I like to use half vegetable stock to give it a little extra flavor).

While the quinoa cooks, cube sweet potato and spread out on a baking sheet. Drizzle 1 Tbsp olive oil and chili powder on sweet potatoes and toss. Bake at 400ºF for about 20 minutes, stirring the potatoes halfway through.

Once the sweet potatoes are in the oven, chop kale and onion. I take the stems out of the kale because they can be tough and bitter. Sautee kale with onion and a tablespoon of olive oil until tender but with a bit of a bite - about 12 minutes.

Once quinoa, sweet potatoes, and kale are done, combine in a large bowl with black beans. To make the dressing, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil with apple cider vinegar, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Toss in with salad and sprinkle with cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

single lady Thanksgiving

I was kind of dreading this Thanksgiving. No family time, full day of work, no vineyard tours, just a regular Thursday really. But when I stopped and thought about what the day is about, I decided that my day was pretty indicative of thankfulness. I have a job I enjoy, I have my health, I have a family that missed me (supposedly), and I have a gnome with whom I share a desk.Yeah, not so bad. 

I hope everyone had a fun a restful day. There's a lot to be thankful for.

Real Thoughts I've Had Since Moving to Florida

If there's one thing I love about St. Pete, it's that all of the traffic lights are impeccably well-timed.

Do more people smoke in Florida because they didn't see the same PSAs I saw as a kid or because it's not a miserable experience to step outside between the months of November and April?

Where are my corduroys? I'll need them for how cold it is. Inside.

Year-round bathing suit season kind of makes me reconsider all of the baked goods I was planning on eating this holiday season. Just one more piece of that pumpkin bread...

Maybe I'll see a manatee during my run this morning!

For a landmass that is almost completely surrounded by water, it's surprisingly difficult to find good sushi.

Damn you, Wisconsin with your round "o's" and "oh yaahs!" No one believes me when I tell them I'm from D.C.

What are these gecko/lizard things scurrying around on the sidewalk and why are they not scared of me?

Hold on - you are the grocery store cashier and you don't want to know my entire life story? I guess I'm not in Madison anymore...

I'm not nearly as tan as I bragged about being before I moved here.

Meal planning

"You're never really settled until you have your food organized." -  Mom, to me, about me.

And yeah, she's right. I'm not really talking about physically organized in the pantry and the refrigerator (while I do appreciate a neat spice cabinet). I'm talking about knowing that when I am hungry, there is food that I can eat, that will fill me up, and that isn't pizza delivery to a bar at 10pm.

Which was my low point on Saturday.

In the midst of moving, adjusting to a new schedule (later nights, full days on the weekends), and figuring out other pieces of my routine, my food organization had fallen by the wayside. After almost two weeks of scrounged together meals of quinoa, pita chips and hummus, greek yogurt, and Jimmy John's #6 on wheat bread (So. Many. Sandwiches.), I realized I needed to take my meals into my own hands.

More like make my meals with my own hands. 

So naturally, I made a list. I picked recipes that would keep well, were relatively healthy, and I could throw in my lunch bag easily. 

Then I took inventory of the things I already had in the house (spinach, lots of spices) and made a grocery list.

The keys to shopping: Eat before, have a list. It's amazing how much easier it is to stick to the list when you're not trying to stuff your face with trail mix while you're shopping and then sheepishly paying for an empty bag at the checkout line. 

By the way, Above scenario = me, one week ago, at Target.

Gray sky = Wisconsin.

Blue sky = Florida

Other fun fact - I'm a geek about my grocery stores. I understand that Publix is the pride and joy of the southeast region, but I had heard about a natural foods store down here called Rollin' Oats and I wanted to check it out and see if it compared to my beloved Co-op. 

Rollin' Oats is my new favorite grocery store. It's close to my house, everything is reasonably priced, most - if not all - of their produce and other stock is organic, and I can buy everything I need at one store, which is a huge novelty for me.

Trader Joe's - Why can I only buy kale pre-shredded? Why are you always out of chocolate chips?
Willy Street Co-op - Why no beer? WHY????

When I got home, I decided to tackle the black beans and kale and the freezer breakfast burritos since they would take the longest. I started making the rice and then did my vegetable prep.

Then I sautéed the onions and garlic, poured a big can of black beans in with their juices, added some spices, let that stew for a while, and then tossed in the kale and cilantro.

Once the black beans and rice were done, I packaged them separately and stuck them in the fridge.

Then I moved on to the freezer breakfast burritos. I sautéed some zucchini, onion, red pepper and garlic, then scrambled eight eggs right in the same pan after a quick wipe-down.

I had a little assembly line action happening in the kitchen, and wrapped up six hearty breakfasts to stick right in the freezer.

It's such a relief to know that I have real meals that I can eat waiting for me in my house when I get home late or that I can take with me to the office. No more desperate late night pizza deliveries!

Now I'm off to tackle the chickpea spinach salad and lemon poppyseed muffins. Hopefully all this prep will ward off the dreaded state of hangry that I have been particularly privy to recently...

Do you ever make your meals in advance? What are your favorite take-and-go meals and snacks?

The Move

I'm here! I made it! And I have a place to call home! 

Talk about a whirlwind - a week ago I was still working in Madison by day, and organizing my belongings by "Keep", "Sell", "Donate", and "Trash" by night. 

I decided that the twenty-two-plus hours that I would be spending in the car to drive from Madison to St. Pete was more valuable to me spent in St. Pete looking for places to live than spent in the car, so I decided to ship my car and then fly down to meet it.

This was only day 1 of car packing. I stuffed pillows, shoes, cookbooks, and other odds and ends into the nooks and crannies. The stuff in my car could not budge. 

I harnessed my Tetris skillz and made sure there was not a square inch of empty space in that car.

Baking sheets, pizza stone, and front wheel of my bike all stuck behind the driver's seat. A synthesis of my priorities, really.

And then my baby got loaded onto a semi and locked down for the long trip!

All snuggled in for the long trip!

I must have been feeling particularly accomplished at this point, because the next day I managed to hoist my upholstered headboard onto the top of a car and strap in down for the drive over to the UPS store. 

If you have any heavy lifting needs, clearly I'm your girl.

On Friday I flew down with three stuffed suitcases and met my dad in St. Pete. He didn't arrive until later, so we decided to post up someplace where we could watch the Nats and get a bite to eat before we began our search for a roof for me to sleep under. 

 

The Guinness was delightful, the game was heart-wrenching.  Ate some of the best sweet potato fries ever. It's a double-edged sword that this place is so close to my new digs.

Next morning - bayfront run, quick shower, then House Hunters - St. Pete begins! Seriously, how did people ever do this without Zillow and Craigslist?

We tooled around checking out complexes and different neighborhoods, but it seems the real estate market takes their weekends seriously down here, and only one of five places was able to show me an apartment.

Luckily I already had a lead on a house from another person working at the paper, so we went over to check it out. The house is in a great neighborhood right downtown and it came with built-in roommates/friends, which is nice when you're moving someplace where you don't really know anyone. 

Then my baby arrived!

I know it looks exactly like the photos fro Madison, but clearly I'm in Florida. Note the palm trees.

I made sure that everything was safely intact in the car, and then we got a call confirming that the house was going to work out. Hooray! How should we celebrate? Bloody Mary's of course.

With that weight off our shoulders, we headed over to the neighborhood sports bar to watch the Notre Dame game. Dad got to hang out with one of his college roommates who lives in St. Pete, so we were all pretty happy.

On Sunday we took care of the business aspects of my new digs. Sublease signing, hand shaking, and bag unpacking. We had a little downtime before Dad had to get on his flight, so we drove over to the beach.

It's a little surreal that I'm just a short drive to my happy place. To realistically wake up on a Saturday and read on the beach for a couple hours kind of blows my mind. Granted, it's nerve-wracking to think of all the new things that are heading my way, but I'm also excited to take on the challenge.

CFL will return to normal soon - anything sound particularly delicious? 

Blog Vomit

Let's real talk, friends.

I've been mulling about this post and brainstorming poor poetic titles for the better part of a week, and the most poignant thing I can come up with is "Blog Vomit".

Thank you Mean Girls for adding that to my vernacular.

So here's what's up - I did what everyone says you should avoid at all costs.

Yup. That's me. Single lady, moving from Madison, Wisconsin to St. Petersburg, Florida. I quit a secure, well-paying job for a somewhat less secure, somewhat less-paying job with which I believe I'll be completely enamored. And I couldn't be more happy, excited, nervous, and thrilled.

This is me, really getting along with Florida.

Let's take a couple steps back, shall we? Let's go back to our last coffee date.

I was kind of in dire need of a hug right about then. I was having an out-of-body experience of stress, confusion, exhaustion. And all I could do to keep from melting down was bow my head to my heart.

Along with a hug, I also needed a solid dose of perspective. I couldn't understand why I was so unhappy when everything in my life seemed to be on track. So I took a vacation, had a few cocktails, and went for a few long walks.

My grandfather, who is always a good source of both hugs and perspective, told me to remember a quote from Marcel Proust's Remembrance of Things Past:

"Always try to keep a patch of sky above your life. You have a soul in you of rare quality, an artist's nature. Never let it starve for lack of what it needs."

Keep a patch of sky above your life. When he said that something clicked for me. Surrounded by ocean, sky, and seemingly endless beaches, I realized that I felt unhappy because I didn't feel like I had that sense of both peace and potential on a daily basis.

And then that patch of sky opened up for me. I got an opportunity to go down to St. Pete and work for the Tampa Bay Times. An opportunity to work with a creative team in a new, exciting place and in a collaborative environment.

Needless to say, I took it.

Now I'm in the midst of piles, packing, moving across the country, finding a new place to live, and selling my belongings on Craigslist.

Perhaps one of the hardest things about this entire process is that I have been in a constant state of limbo. Being without of any semblance of a routine has resulted in sporadic runs, bike rides, or morning workouts with Jillian. I have also been alternating between a well-balanced diet of quinoa and green beans and avocado smashed on toast and kale chips. Not exactly the most thrilling dinners in the world.

All of my creative energy and been focused on moving myself and my belongings from point A to point B. Not as easy as it may look...

On the note of major life choices, I also succumbed to an intense craving when I was tailgating with my family in South Bend a couple weeks ago.

Yup. I ate ribs. And you know what? They were delightful.

Liza was very pleased that I decided to have a carnivorous day.

I won't lie - it is already fall in Madison and I'm feeling a bit nostalgic about the crunch of fallen leaves and that crisp, woody smell in the air. I packed most of my boots, coats, and sweaters and shipped them back to my house in Virginia. I love the seasons, and I think it will be a huge shock to my system to realistically lay on the beach next week.

And lay on the beach Christmas Eve. No snowy strolls this year.

But there is so much potential too. When the sun sets on one experience, a patch of sky opens up for another. I've seen the good, the delicious, and the tired/drunk/teary times in the Delta Sky Lounge while traveling around the country for work. I've loved eating at new restaurants, and exploring new cities, and meeting new people.

I've loved learning to ride my road bike here in Madison, and it has been a great addition to my exercise rotation.

But now I'm excited to cook more, since I'll be home for longer than three days at a time, and I'm looking forward to finding a network of people that will meet for a drink after a late night at the  office, since now those people are strangers in the Marriott bar.

Now I'm hoping that living near the ocean will give me a chance to learn how to swim in open water. Maybe then I can do that triathlon I've been talking about for the past two years.

The bottom line is that I'm really happy. Sure, I'm nervous about uprooting the life that I have established here, but I'm beyond lucky to have such a supportive network of friends and family. They've made this process unbelievable manageable, and I'm truly grateful.

So begins a new chapter - bring on the sunscreen.

Grilled Summer Squash and Orzo Salad

So I promised you a salad like, forever ago.

Sorry 'bout that.

But things happen for a reason.

You see, I took a slew of photos for this salad when I was at home in Madison. Unfortunately, I don't have a grill or a grill pan in Madison, so I decided to improvise by just roasting the veggies. It tasted great, but it felt like it was missing something.

Oh yeah, that's it - grill marks.

There we go.

Also, when I requested this dish during my vacation, my mother managed to find organic, whole wheat orzo.

I didn't even know that existed. But she found it, which is great because she knew it would make me happy, but also really weird since it made me as happy as it did...

This salad is light enough to be a side dish, but hearty enough to stand alone as a main dish. It's a great option if you're cooking for a crowd and you have a vegetarian to account for. Your meat eaters will be thrilled with a delicious and thoughtful side dish, and your vegetarians will not feel slighted in the least.

Oh, and did I mention that it is CRAZY EASY to make? Orzo is pasta - it just looks like overgrown rice. Cook it like pasta. Throw your squash on the grill, toast your pine nuts, and toss everything together.

Might I add that it's the perfect time of year to make this salad? It's the perfect temperature to do some grilling, and if you make enough for leftovers, it's good cold or reheated.

Or for breakfast. With a fried egg on the side.

Yeah that happened - I dare you to not like it.

Grilled Summer Squash and Orzo Salad
adapted from Eat Well
serves 4 generously

2 lb mixed yellow squash and zucchini
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 lb orzo
3 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp champagne or white wine vinegar
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup shavings Parmesan cheese

Trim and cut squash lengthwise, about 1/3 inch thick. Put in a bowl with 1/2 Tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Mix to coat.

Heat a grill to medium-high, and oil rack. Grill squash, turning once, until tender, 5-8 minutes total. Close the lid if you are using a gas grill. Cool and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces, and put in a large bowl.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and rise with cold water (to stop the cooking process). Add orzo and squash along with remaining 1 Tbsp oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and pine nuts. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Just before serving, stir in Parmesan shavings.