“The human body has an enormous capacity for adjusting to trying circumstances. I have found that one can bear the unbearable if one can keep one’s spirits strong even when one’s body is being tested. Strong convictions are the secret of surviving deprivation; your spirit can be full even when your stomach is empty.” — Nelson Mandela
This quote so had me. Yes, that’s my life. No sugar for a month! No wine! And, not that I’ve really missed it, but no fried food, either. Trying circumstances, body being tested, strong convictions, surviving deprivation. I can so relate.
And then I get to the name of the person to whom the quote belongs. Well crap. I guess if Mandela can survive 27 years in a South African prison, I can clearly suck it up for another sugar- and wine-free week. Perspective is such a pisser sometimes.
And so, armed said perspective, new conviction, and a long list of produce from this weekend’s co-op pickup (sweet potatoes, broccoli, sweet peppers, avocados, apples, pears, cauliflower, potatoes, and two leeks), here’s this week’s meal plan:
Sunday: Had a grocery list and was headed to Whole Foods when free and delicious food started falling into my lap. On the way to take Noah to youth group, my friend Andrea called. She teaches an essay prep course for kids taking the SAT/ACT. She does the half-day class at Maggiano’s at NorthPark Mall, getting the room for free if she buys a certain amount of food. Would I like some chicken pesto linguini? Why sure! When I get to church, a friend has brought an extra beer-can chicken he’d just smoked it. Anyone want it? Why sure! We invited a few friends over, sauteed some broccoli, and voila — a delicious and practically free meal in 15 minutes or less. Not sure where all this food karma came from, but I’m just appreciating it.
Our favorite easy Indian. We get it at the Indo-Pak grocery in Richardson.
Monday: Clyde is picking up from rock climbing practice tonight, so a late dinner. The bonus, though, is lots of time to cook on my part. Noah has been craving an Indian feast so we’ll have a few items from our Shan selection from our last trip to the Indo Pak Market in Richardson (cheap, yummy, fairly easy spice mixes — only hitch is the high sodium): chana masala (curry chickpeas), tandoori chicken, and aaloo bhaji (curry potatoes). We’ll also have the cauliflower I got in Saturday’s co-op.
Tuesday: Unexpected meeting with some church folks on immigration reform means I’m out for dinner. So family breakfast it is. That meal whips me — and I’m not even in charge of it. Poor Clyde tries his best, but the kids get tired of breakfast food so quickly. Luckily, they’re on a sausage kick — fake sausage for Noah and Whole Foods’ blueberry, maple sausage for Sawyer. Toss a little fruit on the plate, and they’re good to go. Indian leftovers for my crew for dinner while I eat at Olive Garden (I remember when I used to think those breadsticks were the best ever. Ah, the taste buds of a 20-something).
Wednesday: This weekend, Noah’s rock climbing team has its first local competition of the season, this one at Summit, the coach’s gym in Grapevine. We’re volunteering at the comp, which I don’t mind at all. What I hate is tonight’s 7 pm volunteer meeting at the gym, 30 minutes and a lot of traffic away. The kids have standardized testing this week at school, so I’m thinking one of us will go unless we can get out of it entirely. Should we do another family breakfast or a quick and early dinner before one of us heads off at 6:30? I prefer dinner — fajitas are fast, easy, and will use up lots of that produce I got in Saturday’s co-op.
Thursday: I’ll be up at the gym with Noah for practice. Making a potato leek soup in the afternoon that Clyde can just heat up, add a salad to and be done. If I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll bake some bread in the bread machine.
Cheesy sweet potato crisps
Friday: Our February African feast! We’ll be dining with a lovely woman I recently met, who serves on the board of Congo Restoration with me, and her husband, who is from Ghana. Still working on the menu. I have so many sweet potatoes from the past two co-ops. And I’m determined to use them. Problem is Sawyer hates them (spat them out the first time he tried them at 6 months old), and Noah is lukewarm on them. Instead of our usual mashed sweet potatoes (with a little orange juice and maple syrup), I’m going to try these cheesy sweet potato crisps. If Sawyer doesn’t like this, I’m giving up. I will start here and assume inspiration will come.
Saturday: After a very nice break in sports — although you wouldn’t know it from our rock climbing practice schedule — we’re back at it this weekend. Noah’s first local comp is Saturday (pretty much a day-long affair), and Sawyer is going to give competitive tennis a try. (That boy’s gotta move between football and baseball!) Not sure how this is all going to work timing-wise, but at the end of the day, we have a lovely evening with friends and paella awaiting us. Paella without red wine or sangria, you ask? So do I. We’ll see how my Kelly Challenge resolve holds out. At this point, I’m not making any promises. Paella sans alcohol just seems wrong. And I’m sure it’s illegal in respectable parts of Europe. Mandela would understand, wouldn’t he?
