How to Make an (Awesome) Salad

July 30th, 2010 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (15 Comments)

A dear reader named Kenzie left a comment the other day asking me to do a post about how I make my salads and what I put in them. Turns out I just so happen to have “Big Giant Salad” on the dinner menu tonight! Here’s how I make a salad that will knock your (and maybe even someone else’s!) socks off.

Step 1: Start with a beautiful head of lettuce. Something OTHER than iceberg for crying out loud please. Red leaf is typically my head of choice, but green leaf or romaine work nicely.  Don’t be afraid to throw in spinach, arugula, dandelion or other mixed field greens too if you’ve got ’em.  Read more...

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Life Goes On

January 21st, 2010 | Posted by Alison Spath in Motivation - (14 Comments)

If I could sum up in one word what I’ve learned over the course of the last couple of weeks here, that word would be:

Balance.  Read more...

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Not Thanksgiving

December 19th, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Morning Craziness - (18 Comments)

It’s not Thanksgiving, but that doesn’t mean I can’t give some thought to all the things I’m thankful for these days.

I’m thankful for kids that are too big to fit down the laundry chute.

laundry chute

I’m grateful that the little one who I worry COULD possibly fit down there played at the downstairs laundry chute location that is three feet off the floor.

found

I’d like to give thanks for salad and what a portable meal it can be. Thank you Gladware for making lunch possible at my new home away from home, while taking a little unpacking break before heading home to get ready for an evening out.  Read more...

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I De Clare War

December 17th, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (14 Comments)

After what seems like the 100th day in a row of packing and hauling toys and household items to the new house, I found myself blanking once again when it was time to figure out what on earth I was going to make for dinner tonight. I think I made 6 trips back and forth between the cupboards and the fridge with one hand glued to my cheek due to pure puzzlement. I finally waved the white flag and made giant salads of green leaf lettuce, the last of the spinach that expired two days ago, grape tomatoes, carrots, red bell pepper slices, hemp seeds and Annie’s Goddess Dressing.  Read more...

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May or May Not

December 15th, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Late Night Craziness - (12 Comments)

We may or may not have shopped for produce at the little Wegmans in the Museum of Play today.

Fake Produce

She may or may not be more gentle with the fake produce than the paid store cashiers can be with the real stuff.

Play

This may or may not be the most ironic picture considering the girl eats practically NO vegetables. And has never eaten a banana in her entire life – except unknowingly in fruit smoothies.

We may or may not have broken the “Only 5 Items at a Time” shopping rule.  Read more...

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Catch Up

December 13th, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Life - (6 Comments)

It feels like a week has gone by in the span of about 48 hours. The last couple of days have been filled the disassembly of our current household to be packed and driven to our the new house about 20 minutes away. It’s felt a lot like putting together a puzzle that’s missing all sorts of pieces, including crucial corner and edge pieces like couches, beds, tables, dressers and bookcases.

We have made countless (ok, maybe 5) trips to the new house in the last two days. Anything non-essential (read: anything that is not mine) is subject to being packed up and shipped off to the new Weeds Family Urban Compound.  Read more...

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Say What You Mean To Say

December 5th, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Life - (12 Comments)

I was scheduled to work at the fundraiser today and my shift at our homeschooling table began at 9:30 AM. I was off on my run as soon as it was light out because I didn’t have much time to spare.

I was back about 45 minutes later with what I believed would be enough time to shower and have a quick breakfast.

Except when I say “quick breakfast”, I apparently mean throw in my bag and eat there because I am fairly consistent at underestimating how long it takes me to do something.  Read more...

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Not Chili

November 30th, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (9 Comments)

Where’s the place to be on a cold, dreary day?

Dreary Day

The beach of course!

Cold Splash

We met up with our “Get These Kids Outside Or Bust” homeschooling group and today was a true test of our pledge to get outside even in the crummiest of weather.

It was cold. It was rainy. There was whining.

Walk in the Park

Ava happily played with her friends but Maxine clung to me like a marsupial and said “I want to go home” about 100x in my ear, throwing in the occassional “I’m hungry” despite having just eaten breakfast 30 minutes earlier.  Read more...

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There’s Always a Silver Lining

November 20th, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time - (17 Comments)

Tonight, in the history of cooking in my own kitchen, I had an EPIC FAIL dinner. It was a disaster – completely to blame on a new ingredient that I’ve never cooked with before: Polenta.

I will attempt this meal again next week and will share more details on tonight’s disaster then. Until that time I’m going to be annoyingly cryptic.

Fortunately though, there’s always a silver lining.

Like a giant salad? Thank goodness there’s always a Plan B.

Salad Makes It All Better

Packages from sweet friends named Whitney would be part of tonight’s silver lining as well.  Read more...

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Do Over

November 15th, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Late Night Craziness - (20 Comments)

I felt much better this morning after my some green juice and a family walk to the playground. I definitely was up for a trail run when Shawn, my running partner in crime, showed up and we headed out to a large park just down the road to hit the trails.

I need a do over of this picture because it would be much more interesting if me and/or Shawn were in this shot – but alas, I didn’t think about that until I was home, photo op lost.

Trail Run

Oh wait, there I am.

There I Am  Read more...

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