Spicy Sesame Napa Cabbage with Soft Boiled Eggs

We are in, what feels like, the wind down to summer. I know there is still a good chunk of it left, but a lot of the big things we had planned for the summer have happened. There are some sports to play and out of town visitors to host, but generally we are riding the wave of late summer that seems to coax me into seeking out the simpler, summery things in life.

This morning, I found some Napa cabbage in my fridge from my farmshare box (I get mine weekly from The Good Acre- highly recommend). Yesterday, I had soft boiled a few eggs. So I set these two humble ingredients out on my counter, stared at them just long enough to spark some inspiration, and got to work.

I sautéed the cabbage with some sesame oil, fish sauce, and coconut aminos. Searching for some color contrast, I grabbed my red pepper flakes and tossed a healthy bit of them into the pan followed by some sesame seeds. I plopped it all onto a plate and added a soft boiled egg and I’m not joking when I say it was the most satisfying, lovely breakfast I’ve made in a long while.

Sometimes the simplest things can bring the most pleasure.

Remember that as we go through the long, hot, (sadly) dry days of late summer. Things don't have to be busy or complicated to be worthwhile.

Spicy Sesame Napa Cabbage with Soft Boiled Eggs

Makes 1 serving

• 1/2 small head Napa cabbage, washed, dried, roughly chopped

• 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1/4 teaspoon fish sauce

• 1 teaspoon coconut aminos

• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• soft boiled egg (directions below)

1. To make the soft boiled eggs: Fill a small saucepan about 2/3 full of water. Place over a medium high flame and bring to a strong simmer (not quite a boil). Carefully add one egg to the water. Set a timer for 6 minutes 30 seconds (less done) or 7 minutes (more done but still jammy). While the egg cooks, prepare an ice bath. When the timer goes off, carefully transfer the egg to the ice bath to cool completely before peeling.

2. Heat the neutral oil in a medium skillet of medium high heat. Add the cabbage and toss in the pan for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the sesame oil, fish sauce, coconut aminos, sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the cabbage is wilted and tender.

3. Transfer the cabbage to a plate. Add the soft boiled egg, cut in half, to the plate. Enjoy!

Date Night Grilled Steak Salad

I’ve tried sitting down to write this post several times. Inevitably, life gets in the way. The 4 year old needs me to put on his shoes (something he’s done with zero help approximately 147 times) or the 7 year old has a story to tell me (I realize this may not be the case forever so I try to drop everything and listen when I can). Other times, I get a phone call or someone comes to the door or the dogs are getting antsy and need some attention. Finding the quiet space in my day that I need to focus on writing is difficult right now. Sure, I could just sit down and write something for the sake of getting words on a page, but that’s not what makes me feel good about posting here for you all. I want my words to be thoughtful and meaningful and honest. That is something that only comes with the proper conditions.

Right now, I’m sitting at my kitchen counter. It is dreary outside as we await a late spring snow storm, which is allowing the kids to sleep in a little longer than usual. I have my coffee. The dogs are snuggled up on their beds and all is quiet. So here I am. Soaking up one of the last mornings I’ll have like this in our home in Colorado. In just over 6 weeks, I’ll be doing this in my new kitchen in Minnesota. I’ve been quiet about this here because I hate saying goodbye. It feels like everything has to change and change makes my heart hurt. I’m so excited to be going back to my home state. I’ve been waiting for this for nearly a decade. But transitions are hard for me. Are they hard for you, too? How do you cope?

 One of the ways I’ve been dealing with our impending move is by making time with my husband a top priority. Even more than usual. We’ve started going climbing together, and sometimes following that up with a happy hour date involving margaritas, chips and salsa. Other days, we stay home and cook together. Just a week or so ago, we made this delicious grilled steak salad. We went to the store together and picked out the ingredients that looked best. Then, we came home and brought it all together into something simple, beautiful, and full of flavor. Nothing complicated. But the perfect meal to eat on our back patio while playing a game of scrabble and drinking wine.

Nurturing our relationship is the main thing that makes me feel grounded in life. Brad and I have been together for nearly 15 years, married for nearly 12. And still, after all that time, my soul needs time with him to feel settled and safe. Both our date nights at home and our dates out and about, whether they happen weekly or only once a month, are something I am thankful for.

This grilled steak salad doesn’t exactly need a recipe, but I’ve written one anyway ;) Now, take this as a sign that you need to carve out some time for you and your partner to reconnect! This is not something to brush aside. Instead, make it a top priority and everything else will fall into place a little easier as a result.

Date Night Grilled Steak Salad

*to make this recipe Whole 30 friendly, simply skip the bread! Done and done.

Serves 2 (maybe with leftovers)

• 1 ribeye steak (16 oz)

• 1 medium head of butter lettuce (or your favorite greens)

• cherry tomatoes on the vine (if you can find them)

• 1 ripe avocado, halved and pit removed

• 2 spring onions, trimmed and halved lengthwise

• Sourdough bread, cut into 1 inch slices

• Favorite dressing- we went with this store-bought dressing but we also love making our own!

1. Prepare your grill by bringing it to high heat. While you wait, season the steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Drizzle the tomatoes, bread slices, onions and avocado with olive oil. Wash the lettuce and tear into preferred size.

2. Begin by grilling the steak to desired doneness. We like medium rare, which takes about 3-4 minutes per side. Don’t move the steak once you place it on the grill. You’ll get a nicer crust and it will not stick it you let it be. Remove the steak and let rest for 10 minutes.

3. Add the tomatoes on the vine, the avocado slices, the spring onions, and the bread to the grill. Grill until just cooked and charred in places, being careful not to let anything burn (i.e. don’t multitask). Remove everything from the grill.

4. To assemble the salad, arrange the lettuce on a large platter. Slice the steak and arrange on top of the lettuce along with the remaining ingredients. Drizzle with dressing and serve with a nice (but affordable) red wine.

Everything Bagel Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Oh, February. You are such a tease.

I feel like this is the month when Spring starts to creep into my mind. I listen for birds, search for a reason to go without socks, and squint to see if I can find any buds sprouting from the trees. I’m always too early with all of these things, but I try anyway. As ‘blah’ as things can get this time of year, I find that if I focus on putting nutrient rich foods in my body and sticking to a solid workout routine, everything rolls along a little more smoothly.

What do I mean by “nutrient rich foods”? I look for produce that is brightly colored and, ideally, filling. Color often equals flavor in food, but it can also mean nutrients. Sweet potatoes, for example, are filled with beta-carotene, which may help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease. It also comes packed with vitamins A, C, B16. Helloooooo goodness!

I often buy a bag of sweet potatoes at the beginning of the week and ‘bake’ them in my Instant Pot. That way, I have an easy and healthy grab-and-go food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or even a hearty snack. My current favorite way to eat these right now? Smashed, roasted, and sprinkled with Everything But the Bagel seasoning from Trader Joe’s.

Served next to a hefty handful of greens, a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice, and a tall ice water, this is a perfect meal to get you through the doldrums of winter.

Everything Bagel Smashed Sweet Potatoes

Makes 3-4 servings

Recipe inspired by this one from The Kitchen

• 2-3 medium sweet potatoes*

• olive oil

• 2-3 tablespoons Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Seasoning (or another similar seasoning mix)

• Salt

• Hot Sauce (options but not really)

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment and set aside.

2. Wash and slice your sweet potatoes in 1 1/2 inch slices. Drop the slices in your boiling water and cook until very tender. Carefully drain the potatoes and lay them in a single layer on your parchment lined baking sheet.

3. Grease the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass with a bit of olive oil, then use it to smash each potato slice, being careful not to press all the way through to the parchment. Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and crispy around the edges.

4. Sprinkle with Everything But the Bagel Seasoning and drizzle with hot sauce. Enjoy immediately!

Homemade Toasted Cashew Milk

I'm obsessed with making my own cashew milk. It is so creamy and deliciously satisfying in coffee, tea, or even cereal. And the accomplishment I feel from making my own cashew milk is a little ridiculous. But we find our joy wherever we can, am I right? One of the best discoveries I've made is using toasted cashews. The flavor boost is amazing!

You don't need a bunch of fancy supplies to make your own nut milk, but I would suggest having the following:

• a good blender
• a nut milk bag like this (you can use the code setthetable or 10% off!) 

I've also found that soaking the cashews overnight is not 100% necessary. It does result in a creamier cashew milk, but tossing them in the blender without presoaking works perfectly well! 

Homemade Toasted Cashew Milk

Makes 3-3 1/2 cups

• 1/2 cup cashews
• 3 1/2 cups water
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spread the cashews on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer and toast until golden brown and fragrant, about 7-9 minutes. 
2. Transfer the cashews to your blender and top with the water. Add salt and cinnamon, then blend until smooth, 2-3 minutes. 
3. Set your nut milk bag over a large (4 cup size) liquid measuring cup (this helps for transferring the milk to your storage container). Pour the milk from the blender through the bag. Carefully lift the bag out of the measuring cup and squeeze the pulp to release as much liquid as possible. Discard the pulp. 
4. Pour the finished cashew milk into a container with an airtight lid and keep in the fridge for up to one week. 

*Note: seperation is natural! Just give the milk a few shakes before using and you're good to go!