Hello, from the messy middle of summertime. I haven’t had too much to say recently, mainly because my days have been jam-packed with the comings and goings of summer and the many details that go into weekends outside of the city. Let me tell you, the logistics of two small children in the summer are very far from a joke. And squeezing myself into a compact SUV between two fat cars eats twice a week is my new form of exercise. I wouldn’t be surprised if I qualified for an audition with Cirque Du Soleil.
To be able to have places to go and people to see, a sweet little baby on my hip, and a very big girl holding my hand is a privilege. But even still, it is hard. And I feel like the minute I write that, I have to specify that I love my children. Why do we do that to ourselves? Of course, I love my children and of course, it is hard. The two are not in any kind of opposition.
It is hard because, at the current moment, there is not much time for my personal creativity to flourish. My days are triple-decker club sandwich stacks of childcare and work, with a bisele of free time in the evening, but even that has been disappearing as of late. Reva has been staying up until close to 9, delaying bedtime by asking for the 11th snack or cup of water or story.
In the quiet moments, my brain always goes back to food and writing. Do I have time to whip up something that will perk up my taste buds? Can I find a moment to focus and jot down a few words? Those are my outlets, at least the healthy ones. There is also online shopping and scrolling on Instagram, but I’m well aware that those are not actually good for me.
Recently, feeling particularly in a rut, I sent myself to roam the aisles of the local grocery store. Can you imagine such a thing? As someone who has been shopping on FreshDirect for the better part of a decade, going to the actual store is a treat. And I only buy things that spark joy, as Marie would say. Because when I’m online food shopping, I add the same twenty things to my cart and checkout. Who wants to roam the virtual aisles for an hour? Not me.
Walking through the aisles, I remembered a feeling that is uniquely summerish. You’re barely dressed, scantily clad in a wet bathing suit and a crochet cover-up, and you pop into the supermarket for something to make dinner with. You walk into the produce aisle and suddenly you are in a cold plunge of air-conditioning and vegetable mist. And the little hairs on your arms stands, the goosebumps arise, maybe even the teeth begin to chatter. You grab the biggest watermelon you can find and place it in the child seat of your too-large shopping cart, and it wibbles and wobbles around. And you grab your peaches and cherries and strawberries, and maybe some fresh corn for the grill, all the splendor of summer that your arms can hold, and you rush on out of that produce aisle to make it into the warmth of the nearby shelf-stable aisles, returning to equilibrium for a but moment, until back out into the sun you go.
Anyways, after my field trip, I was feeling particularly inspired and I made a sundried tomato and walnut “pesto” or tapenade depending on where you’re from and what you call these things. There isn’t a recipe per se, but it was really good, so make it.
Dump a half pound of drained sundried tomatoes in the food processer with 3/4 cup of walnuts (store these in the fridge), big pinch of s&p, 3-4 tbsp of olive oil, 1-2 tbsp of white wine vinegar, a pinch of dried rosemary and 1/4 cup or so of nutritional yeast. This is similar to the red pepper pesto we used to make at Scraps, the frozen pizza company that I ran way back when I was a food entrepreneur.
My god, now I’m down a rabbit hole and just remembering those good old days of running my own business. I felt such a zest for life, such a zap with every little step of progress that we made. My days were consumed with building, building, building, my little business. And now I realize that my days are filled with building, but instead of slinging frozen pizza pies, I am slinging babies (on my hips). It looks different, it feels different, and it certainly weighs on my shoulders differently.
But back to the topic at hand, the pesto, the tapenade. Blitz that together and give it a taste. It should be unctuous, with lots of umami flavor. Notes of sweet, salty, spicy, and almost cheesy from the nutritional yeast. If it’s too thick, add more oil or vinegar. If it’s too thin, add more tomatoes or nuts. It’s really quite good. You’ll have no trouble figuring out what to do with it, but if you need ideas, spread it lavishly over toast with goat cheese, stir it into hot pasta with a handful of sauteed zucchini, or smooth over fresh mozzarella and top with a slice of basil for caprese with a twist, won’t you?
Before I go, I wanted to share a few other things, namely a parenting tip that worked for me recently, and some items that have made life lovelier/easier/tastier/healthier and what have you.
The other day, Reva was frustrated and said she wanted to punch something. I’m assuming that she learned this terminology from school, but I wanted to find a way to let her release that frustration but also not promote violence or punching. So I asked her how she would feel about “strong tickles” instead of punches, and it worked like a charm. I laid down on the living room and told her to have at it. She aggressively tickled me for a few minutes and I think it helped her feel better! Funny enough, I thought about this because Brandon and I were talking about those places people go to smash furniture recently and I understood the cathartic feeling that comes with a physical release of pent-up energy. Give it a try!
And now, some things I have loved in no particular order:
I’m trying to consume less gluten at home and I’ve found three items so far that have been hits. Keep in mind, I am someone who loves and lives for carbs, and my standard is high, so you can be sure that these are actually satisfying, not only healthy.
Gluten-free pasta made from only one ingredient: yellow peas. I tried the rotini, boiled it for 9 minutes, rinsed with cold water and then mixed with the pesto mentioned above and it was a really hearty + satisfying meal! Perfect for a weeknight dinner.
Gonanas banana bread mix which is somehow free of most common allergens like dairy, nuts, eggs, and gluten, and is absolutely delicious. You just mash bananas, alt milk and coconut oil into the mix and bake. We devoured this in 3 days. Really, really good!
Simple Kneads sourdough gluten-free bread, which comes frozen and is reasonably priced at $7 a loaf. It’s a small loaf, but again, the ingredients list is short and composed of things you can pronounce. The bread is tangy, makes good toast with butter, and is perfect for a sandwich.
Joseph is 6.5 months old and we’re starting solids! I am excited to share a full article with pediatric nutritionist Dahlia Rimmon soon answering lots of questions I had about starting food, but in the meantime, here’s what he is loving:
this Haaka baby feeder is excellent for itching teeth. I stuff it with fruit and let him suck the juice out (especially fun with summer peaches) or you can make breast milk popsicles (lol) for especially drooly days.
Without getting into too many details, I suspect that Joseph may have allergies, so I was pretty excited to discover tiny health. You can read more about their mission and why gut health is so important on their website. I already ordered a kit and tested Joseph’s stool, and am now waiting for the results. I will keep you posted, but if your baby has eczema or food allergies, you may also want to look into their kits. If you have questions or insights, reach out!
Most of the teething toys we bought have gone into the garbage because he won’t actually use them, and the frozen ones often seem too cold, but as the name says, these Frida baby silicone teethers are just right. He loves them.
Our apartment is a constant loading zone these days, but these items have made it a little nicer to be in:
Made the switch from chemical stainless steel spray/wipes to this nano towel for steel. I have absolutely no idea how it works which makes sense bc I’m not a scientist but you just add water and wipe. It’s so cool!
My absolute favorite candle that smells like something you can’t quite put your finger on but is intoxicating nonetheless. The packaging is gorgeous so this also makes a great gift. I usually buy two and keep one for when I need a present in a pinch.
And finally, I’m not doing too much “self-care” or “beauty routines” these days, but these three things made me happy:
These Bottega dupe earrings are so light and comfortable, and I have worn both the gold and the silver all summer long. If you’re only going with one, I prefer silver! I saw my friend Alina wearing them and needed them immediately.
First foray into K-beauty and of course, it’s gotta be snail mucin. This serum is super hydrating, especially on hot summer days, and weirdly also helps pimples or mosquito bites go away fast. Love.
Just restocked my fave brow gel, the ultimate tool for the “no-makeup” makeup look, especially if you’re like me and have light brows that get even lighter in the summer.
Alright friends, that’s my cue. I hear the little one rustling around in his stroller. I’m draining the bottom of my coffee mug and gearing up for a Friday at work and then for a restful Shabbat. Sending you all the biggest hugs.
Jane
Loved this issue! My daughter has celiac so our house is mostly gluten-free! We love the brand Tolerant for gluten free pastas! Made out of beans and lentils for extra protein!