Super Yummy Vegan Risotto

A funny thing about becoming a mom, is that all of the sudden, you are so aware of everything you put into your body and into the teeny body of that little being you made.  For a long time, I've had a love/hate relationship with dairy products (My brain loved it; my body hated it), and I've suspected that it might not be so good for me.  I've cut it out of my diet halfheartedly a number of times, but once I had Eleanor, I finally gave it a real go.  And you know what.......I really do feel a lot better.  I have less headaches.  And stomach aches.  And clearer skin. And more energy.  And I've finally found ways around eating it and still feeling satisfied (NOT easy for me to do!).  I've also read so much research about how totally awful dairy is for you.  (Read the China Study!! Did you know that regular to high consumption of dairy can DOUBLE your risk of prostate cancer?  No thanks. Especially not with a family history of it.)  So, we are doing our best to be as dairy free as possible.  I'd say we are about 95% there.  The only dairy I buy on a very rare occasion is feta cheese.  The amount of dairy we do consume usually comes from eating out, or eating at other people's homes, or a small treat here and there.  I only buy almond or coconut milk (my favorite is the Almond Breeze that is a mix of those two milks and is unsweetened).  We sparingly use Earth's Balance vegan spread (soy free version) in place of butter, but mostly we substitute with coconut oil. And we do funny things like eat cheese-less pizza.  It's not for everybody, but it't a change we've been willing to make and one we are glad we have.

So, now to the recipe.  It's a liberal take on a delicious recipe from Moosewood Restaurant.  The cookbook is one we've had for years and it is EXCELLENT.  If you need some fresh cooking ideas, go pick this up! Here is a link to the original recipe, and my version is below.  Also, a quick note on risotto in general.  I used to be terrified of this stuff.  I loved eating it, but thought it looked so complicated to make, so I only ever ordered it in restaurants.  This recipe is so easy and delicious, that if you're like me, you'll wonder why you waited so long to try your hand at it.

Enjoy!

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or coconut oil)
• 1½ cups Arborio rice*
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered**
• 1 tablespoon dried dill (2 tablespoons chopped fresh)
• 10 ounces baby spinach, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup chopped scallions
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  
  *I've also made this with short grain brown rice.  It just takes longer to get the rice softened.  I would use another cup or 2 of stock and cook it at a lower temperature.
  **I've also substituted with other, similar ingredients, like grilled & marinated eggplant or zucchini and it has a different falor profile, but is also wonderful.

Process:

In a small saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a boil and then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer.  Grab a one cup measure to have handy for transferring the broth to the risotto pan.  Also, make your life easier by using adjoining burners--less of a mess!

In a large, heavy saucepan on medium-high heat, cook the onion for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook just a minute, until golden. Add the rice, stirring to coat each grain with oil. Stir in the wine, artichoke hearts, and dill if using dried. Cook, stirring often, until the wine is absorbed. Ladle in the hot broth a cup at a time, stirring frequently. After each addition, cook until the rice has absorbed most of the broth before adding the next ladleful.

When most of the broth is absorbed add in the Dijon mustard. The mustard will add a creamy element to the recipe in place of the cheese. When the rice is tender but still al dente, stir in the spinach, in batches. The goal is to have the spinach wilte,d but still bright green. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the scallions, and dill if using fresh. Serve at once.

Happy Father's Day!

This past Sunday we celebrated our favorite Dad back in our old hometown of Chicago! It was Matthew's first real Father's Day and we set out to show him how much his love, support and care means to Eleanor and me.

Watching Matthew become a father has been such a wonderful gift. He has so much love and patience for our sweet girl, and he know just how to make her dissolve into a fit of giggles which is my absolute favorite thing! I couldn't be prouder to stand next to this man and share in our journey together as a family. Happy Father's Day Matthew!

Eleanor & Matthew on Father's Day, opening his cards and gift.

I sure love these two!

Out to brunch; Daddy and sleeping beauty

Matthew in front of Q; brunch at a great BBQ joint was a Father's Day win!

Goodbye Tour

A few pictures from our last days in Chicago:

A last play date with my cousin's daughter Fiona. As you can see Fiona was not a fan.

Our little family at a dinner thrown by our closest friends: Melissa, Jeff & Thomas. I wish we had a group picture! :(

Our friend Katie's Memorial Day BBQ

A few pictures of Foster's last play date with his girlfriend Mila:

And one last look at our empty apartment:

Chicago, we miss you already!

Goodbye Chicago....

After nine very full, exciting, scary, life-changing, wonderful years in Chicago, we are leaving for the proverbial greener pastures.  Since having Eleanor, we've long discussed the merits of living in a smaller town versus the big city.  In the end, the terrible state of public schools (and the horrible expense of private ones!), the lack of our own home and yard, the hour plus commute for Matthew and the general frustrations of the city have gotten the best of us.  We had been looking at new jobs for Matthew for a number of months before anything came along, and then it all happened so fast.  We looked in both Iowa and Michigan, near our two families.  The best job for our family was in Iowa City, so we made the decision and now we're on our way!  Along with being a fantastic professional opportunity for Matthew, it will also give our family a much better quality of life and the ability to enjoy simple pleasures like weeknight dinners with Matthew, family bike rides, lounging in a hammock in our own backyard, and a home with no shared walls!

Without question, one of the toughest parts of leaving the city is saying goodbye to this chapter of our lives, and to packing up the memories of all the things we've been through in this city.  There are so many good memories: meeting one of my best friends, Matthew N., and the hundreds of silly, drunk nights we had together in this city making memories.  Living with so many wonderful roommates, Katie, Teresa, Matthew N, Melissa and then finally my husband.  Living in so many wonderful neighborhoods: 2 apartments in Boystown, then Andersonville, then Wrigleyville, then back to Andersonville and finally over to Lincoln Square.  Bringing home a sweet boxer puppy with Matthew N that we named Foster, who has grown into the gentlest, kindest most well-adjusted city dog.  Getting engaged at the Art Institute, to the best partner I could imagine.  Living out our newlywed days in a teeny tiny apartment full of so much happiness. Giving birth to the most beautiful baby girl who has changed our lives in every imaginable way, but somehow has left intact our sense of humor.

We'll also be leaving behind some tougher chapters, ones which we are grateful for in retrospect as they shaped us into the people we are today, but ones we are nevertheless happy to leave in the past.  Things like Matthew's illness and treatment, a fluctuating economy that often made the job market difficult to negotiate, certain friendships and relationships lost and the inevitable fallout that follows those, and of course the loss of our first baby.  But, we are proud to have been given those burdens...to have carried them and moved past them.

We know that there will be both good times and hard times where we are headed, and we are sailing into them with joy, wonder, excitement, and endless hope.  Chicago, we salute you to a wonderful (almost) decade of life.  Thank you for the memories................we'll be seeing you.

The Littlest Patient

Our cutie pie went in for a minor surgery last week! She had a small, extra piece of skin on her ear that needed to be removed. It was a simple procedure but my heart was doing flip-flops because she had to go under general anesthesia. As my mother-in-law put it, "The procedure may be routine for the doctor's, but it's not for you."

Despite the significant worrying I did, Eleanor did fantastically. Every aspect of the surgery, and so far the recovery, has been great. She is such a trooper. All the prayers and good thoughts from family and friends definitely helped us through that tough morning. The cliché of parents saying that they wish they could do it so their child didn't have to feel the pain, is a cliche for a reason! 

We are so thankful to have a happy & healthy Ellie!

My First Mother's Day

It's a pretty incredible feeling to be a mom. Last year on Mother's Day we were moving into our new apartment and I was about 7 months pregnant. I already felt like a mom in some ways, but wondered how different I would feel this year; after having some real "mom experience" under my belt. I can honestly say that nothing could have prepared me for what it feels like to be a mother. It is so joyful, rewarding, overwhelming, scary, intense, and beautiful. It has been such a gift to love and care for my sweet girl. I'm thankful each day for her health, her joyful spirit, her smile. I'm thankful for all that she has asked of me and brought out in me. She has challenged me to be a different & better person in ways I didn't think I was quite capable of. No matter how tired or frustrated I am, her sweet face makes me fall deeper in love with her. I can only hope that as the years wear on, my love and gratitude for all that she is will always grow. I hope that I am able to change and learn and adapt to her changing world; that I'll always be able to provide comfort, guidance, and love in just the way she needs most.

It seems fitting now that Eleanor is going through a "Mommy" phase. She grips me so tightly around the neck when I hold her & she never wants me to put her down. How lucky I am to have someone who loves me so much and whom I'd give anything for.

Thanks for giving me the chance to enter the ranks of motherhood, Eleanor. I'm the luckiest lady to have you with me to take this path together.

Slow Down Time!

This little baby is getting so big, so fast. She's developed this sweet, sassy personality what feels like overnight. It is incredibly fun to play with her and see this new side of her, but it makes me acutely aware of just how fast time is going. I'm so blessed to be her Momma.