I don’t want to talk about my job, the weather or what I had for lunch. I don’t want to talk about the things we’ve missed out on in the last two years apart.

I don’t want the small talk.

I want to take late night trips to the ocean, and feel the sand in my eyes after 3 hours of sleep. I want to share a bottle of whiskey on a random rooftop, in a sparkling city. I want to go dig for clams, and share the fruits of my labor, as I have no intention of eating them. I want to ride my bicycle on roads I shouldn’t, taking evening routes where the silence seeps up from the pavement, like a secret. I want to shake off formality and the awkwardness that is first dates, old lovers, and the pain that comes with patching up old wounds.

I want to get into the messy stuff. The messy people. The ones that don’t know the meaning of mundane conversations, that laugh off normalcy, and find joy in the bizarre. These people freak me out. These are the people who are out of my comfort zone. I am risk averse, I am calculated, and I find that my type A personality can be suffocating at times.

But I want to shake the dust. What’s the point of this big, beautiful life if we color in the lines? My time away from home pushed me to grow. It nudged me to let go, if only just a little. I will still always want to plan out my life, I will still make lists. These are things I can’t, won’t and don’t want to deny.

So here’s to those big moments. Living spontaneously. Just living.

Vegan Quinoa Bowl with Grapefruit Slaw

Quinoa Bowl

• 1 cup quinoa

• ½ red onion

• ½ sweet potato

• 1 cup mushrooms

• ½ red pepper

• Salt and pepper

• Dash of cumin

• 3 green onion stalks

• 1 can black beans

• 1 cup sweet corn

• ¼ cup chopped cilantro

• Avocado

Grapefruit Slaw

• ½ small red cabbage, cored and shredded

• 1 small carrot, grated

• Juice of 1 grapefruit

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 3 green onions, sliced thinly

• 4 sprigs of mint, leaves sliced thinly

• Salt and pepper

First things first. Make your quinoa. Bring 2.5 cups water to a boil, and add in your quinoa. Cook for 20 minutes until water is evaporated, and the quinoa is cooked fully. While the quinoa is cooking, chop up your veggies (onions, sweet potato, mushrooms and bell pepper) and saute  in a dash of olive oil for 5 minutes. Sprinkle on salt, pepper and cumin. Continue to saute until everything is cooked. While the vegetables are cooking, heat up the black beans. Once everything is done cooking, warming up, etc. mix it all together– yum. Squeeze on lime juice and mix together.

Set aside and then make some slaw. All you have to do is combine the slaw ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning, adjust and you’re done! And now all you have to do is combine the two over a handful of arugula, and you’re SET! It’s 100% delicious. Oh! And make sure you top it with avocado. Because what’s a dish without avocado?

I have been back in Seattle for a few weeks now, and life has been a whirlwind. Family, friends, the flu (I wish it upon no one… it was the worst), and a brand new job. It’s funny how in one month my entire life looks different… But somehow things stay the same. I still keep my sanity by spending copious amounts of time in the kitchen, I’m still always followed around by a big, stinky hound dog, I still, and will always, spend too much time (and money) at the grocery store. 

Instead of cacti and sun, I am surrounded by evergreens and thick, heavy clouds. To be surrounded by mountains is like magic, and I’m already itching to strap on my snowshoes and rediscover the silence of snow. There is so much to love about the Pacific Northwest. The damp streets, the cold mornings, drinking cup after cup of the most DELICIOUS coffee. Sometimes it feels like I’m living in Fern Gully. Oh! And have I mentioned the beards? The flannel? The farmers markets? Yes, I was born and raised in this part of the world, and while I have left so much of my heart in Texas, this place is where I belong. 

And to top if off, I started running again (which is the reason that I started writing this blog). While my leg muscles are still moaning, it feels so good to lace up my shoes and run through the sweet, green air. Needless to say, my transition back home has been smooth, and wonderful and exciting. I am happy to be back here. So happy to be near the people I love. And so happy to replant myself back into this beautiful soil. 

Kale, Farro & Butternut Squash Salad

• 1 head dino kale, de-stemmed and chopped
• 1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
• 2 cups farro
• 5 cups water

Dressing

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees F. Peel and cube your butternut squash, toss with olive oil and salt and pepper. Once the oven is warm, cook the squash for 40-45 minutes, until soft. While that is cooking, cook your farro! Ideally, you’ll want to soak the farro overnight. I didn’t, and it turned out just fine. Put farro and water in a pot with a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 40-45 minutes. Once cooked, drain excess water and set aside to cool. 

While the farro and butternut squash is cooking, prep your kale and dressing. I chopped up the kale, massaged it with salt and then whipped up the dressing. After whisking together all the dressing ingredients, pour over the kale and let it soak up the flavors. Once your farro and squash is done cooking, toss with the kale, cranberries and walnuts. Done and done. I had about 3/4 cup of farro left over, which I will toss with some spinach or something in the near future. 

Delicious. Just so delicious.