Chicken Tortilla Soup/Chowder

I love cooking a big pot or pan of anything that we can get multiple meals out of. I also did this when I was single and living by myself back in Chicago. Cooking for one, at least for me, is hard. Now, cooking every evening for myself and JR is just impossible when I cook a different meal for the boys, while caring for Pepa AND squeezing in our nightly workout together (admittedly I haven’t worked out with JR in about a month!).

During the summer in The States I caught up on all of the TV we can’t get on AFN (American Forces Network a.k.a the only version of very basic cable we get). This primarily consisted of my guilty pleasure of anything on Bravo, but much more constructive was watching Food Network. During Trisha Yearwood’s show I saw an easy recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup, which I immediately looked up and pinned for later. 

Upon arrival back in Riyadh I started thinking about what I what meals I could cook and freeze to make my life easier. After having The Gents I hardly cooked. I was exhausted from working and nursing them, what felt like constantly. Back in Arlington, we had the luxury and convenience of countless dinner options outside our door, which is no longer the case.  Now that I’m not working and only have one baby to nurse, I guess I don’t have much of an excuse to not cook. HA!

So now it’s time for me to get a little more creative and plan even more. We try to eat relatively healthy, save for the the sweet treats my mother sends in her care packages. For weekly meal prep, and to get a number of different meals, I often make up a bag of mixed greens for salads, roast a tray of various veggies (with the cooler temps I don’t mind the oven being on), cook a protein and grain, and make a jar of salad dressing. Of course some nights JR comes home not feeling like veggies or pasta (which we often enjoy as well), so it’s nice to have options at the ready in the freezer. I usually have beef and bean chili, bolognese sauce, and recently added meatballs, as well as our favorite chicken enchiladas to the freezer menu. This soup would be a great addition to the freezer menu.

When I took a look at the Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe, although it’s really simple and all of these items can easily be found in any American grocery store, a number of items I actually can’t get at the local Saudi market. I could get them at the commissary, but that’s a 40 minute trek. It’s such an inconvenience for us to get out there that we only go once every two months to stock up. So on the fly I’d have to improvise a bit with this recipe.

The cooking lesson here, even if you’re not living half way across the world, is that recipes are mere guidelines. Unless I’m baking, I don’t measure anything precisely. I often omit ingredients I don’t have or care for and add others that suits our tastes. Like the other recipes I’ve posted here on MSTB, have fun with it and make it your own. I hope you enjoy this one as much as we do. It’s now one of JR’s favorites. Thanks Trisha! xo

CHICKEN TORTILLA SOUP/CHOWDER (MAKES 10, MEAL SIZE, SERVINGS)

To preface, this is not a traditional chicken tortilla soup. It’s so yummy, but with the cream base I think it’s much more like chowder. So the tortilla chips and sour cream are totally optional. Corn bread would be really good accompaniment to this.

INGREDIENTS

Chicken bouillon for 6 cups of water (or pre-made chicken broth)

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 whole roasted jalapeno, or whichever chili pepper you prefer, finely chopped (optional)

3 tablespoons butter

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups half-and-half

1 cup prepared salsa

8 ounces finely grated mixed cheddar cheeses

Two 15-ounce cans black beans, drained

Two 15-ounce cans kidney beans, drained

Two 15-ounce cans whole kernel corn, drained

Mexican seasoning (Lawry’s Carne Asada is now my favorite, but a fajita seasoning packet I’m sure is fine, too.)

One 16-ounce bag tortilla chips (optional)

1/2 cup sour cream (optional)

In a 3-quart pot, place the chicken breasts and bouillon. Cover with 6 cups of water and boil until cooked through, about 5 minutes (or longer depending on the size of the chicken breasts – Saudi chicken breasts are small). Take the chicken breasts out of the broth. Set the broth aside. Allow the chicken to cool and then shred. Set chicken aside. Side note – broth is hard to find here, but bouillon is much more common in KSA. You could just buy chicken broth, but since the chicken needs to be boiled it was easy enough to make the broth instead.

Roast the pepper on your stovetop (gas work better but electric is fine) turning it to get an even char. Remove from heat and use the blade of your knife to remove the skin. You can also cut it open to remove the seeds if you’d rather not have the soup too spicy.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until softened, 5 minutes. Add the garlic toward the end so not to burn. Add the flour and stir well, cooking for 1 minute more. Add the broth and the half-and-half. Stir in salsa, chicken, beans, corn, and roasted chili pepper. Add Mexican seasoning to taste (I eyeball about a tablespoon). Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Add more seasoning, or salt if needed. Continue to simmer for at least another 15 minutes to let the flavors meld together.

Crumble the tortilla chips into individual bowls and top with a couple ladles of soup. Add a dollop of sour cream and serve.

Storing and reheating

I let the remaining soup cool and then I divide it amongst 4 plastic containers, essentially 4 full ladles in each container, and freeze. One container is one dinner for me and JR. When it’s time to reheat I put the frozen block in a 3-quart pot and let it thaw on a low simmer so it doesn’t burn. This usually takes about 30 minutes to thaw and warm through.

You Can't Take It With You

When Pepa arrived I was able to nurse her immediately. Like I was on the operating room table being sown up, immediately. Despite a proper latching struggle, that I quickly rectified, my milk came in and she’s a great eater. I quickly developed a nice reserve of milk for her. In the first week I started giving her bottles so JR could feed her. He asked me, “Are you sure you want to be dipping into the reserve already?” To which I replied, “It’s not as if I can take it back to Riyadh with me.”

After JR came back to Saudi Arabia I nursed her for nearly every feeding. There was never a time we were separated. I began nursing her even when we went out. I didn’t have that luxury with The Gents when we had to take bottles everywhere. How could I possibly nurse two kids in public? (Yes, I’ve read that some women who have accomplished it.) As quickly as I built a reserve for Pepa, I quickly didn’t need it.

This now begged the question - what am I going to do with all of this liquid gold?! I worked hard to pump it and I did not want my efforts to be in vain. I was reading through a bunch of literature that I got while in hospital and came across some information on Bronson Mothers’ Milk Bank in Kalamazoo.

I then remembered, when The Gents were in the Georgetown University NICU the staff informing us of the option to use donor milk, in case my milk didn’t come in. We never had to use donor milk, but how great that it was available in case The Gents did need it. I didn’t give donor milk another thought, until I had more than Pepa needed.

Bronson Mothers’ Milk Bank is one of only 26 milk banks in the country and the only one in Michigan. It supplies milk to neonatal units throughout Michigan and the U.S. I was thinking this was done directly with hospitals, but I quickly learned that the hospitals don’t have the equipment to pasteurize the milk. Plus there is a massive screening process for each donor, which would be an undertaking for individual hospitals to oversee

Now after experiencing the NICU and having gone through almost a year of nursing C&R, this got me thinking about the struggles mothers and newborns face, like milk not coming in or problems latching or sick babies who need the benefits of breast milk. And with maternal mortality rates increasing in the U.S. there are children who won’t be able to have their mother’s milk. This was a no-brainer. I would gladly donate what I had - 270 ounces.

I had to undergo extensive health screening, fill out a bunch of paperwork and provide a blood sample to ensure I was fit to donate. The sacrifice pales in comparison to what it provides others. Bronson made the process for shipping the milk really easy. I was sent a Styrofoam container with a prepaid shipping label. I filled the container with the bagged frozen milk and off it went. I just feel bad that I could only donate once. Had we stayed in the U.S. I would gladly have continued. Hopefully other mothers learn of this service. It’s a wonderful way to give, if you have an abundance of milk of course. :)

Breastfeeding Is NOT Easy For Everyone

I touched on my recent challenges with nursing Baby J in my last post. This morning I checked in with a friend who also just had a baby, her first. Coincidentally, she opened up about the difficulty she’s having nursing her son and the guilt of exclusively pumping due to the pain of nursing. I completely empathized with her. For solidarity’s sake, for her and any other Mama that’s struggling and might come across the post, I felt the need to be more transparent about my struggles.

Even though I nursed The Gents for nearly a year, I somehow forgot the latching techniques I learned 2.5 years ago. It was probably a mixture of post c-section fog, exhaustion, and over confidence (I mean c’mon, nursed twins! I got this.) I just kept dealing with the excruciating pain for Pepa’s sake, but when she spit up milk with blood in it (thankfully a friend told me a while ago about this happening to her so I didn’t freak out) I knew I needed to stop and reset the whole process for us.

I was in so much pain from not nursing properly that I had to exclusively pump for a few days until I healed. I was fortunate to have the support of J, Pepa’s pediatrician, and the home nurse that came to check on me after we left the hospital. I did some research and actually came across some articles I had read before! How did I forget this?! MOM BRAIN.

After a few days break and continued application of breastmilk, I healed. (Sidebar - breastmilk does wonders for your and your babe’s skin issues!) We eased back into it and before I knew it we were in sync and a couple of champs at breastfeeding. I do still give her a bottle when I need to or when I want to make sure she eats a specific amount. She has a tendency to fall asleep nursing and I can’t always wake her up to eat more. I get her nice and full in the evenings so she sleeps better.

This is what worked/works for us. Me writing this is by no means to shame anyone for not breastfeeding, but to encourage women to find the right approach and balance that works for them and their babe. Nursing is physically and mentally exhausting. You’re literally keeping another human being live. It’s work! At the end of the day your health is what’s most important to be your best self for you and your family. Remember, no one knows better than you how to take care of you. xo

Evolving My Yoga Practice

I wasn’t planning on writing a post this week. Cramming three-plus months of necessities into TWO suitcases, amongst other things I need to do before we leave at zero-dark-thirty, literally, Friday morning has me busy and anxious. And then I started feeling how tight my body was becoming.

I’m 31 weeks tomorrow and I’ve been doing really well at keeping up with yoga and my workouts, but my body is just SO achy. Baby girl does not like me laying on my back though and side sleeping is pulling everything out of whack. Neck, shoulders, chest, hips, glutes; you should hear my deep breathing exercises as I settle into bed each evening! J is always asking, "Are you OK?"

This last week I noticed some particular new muscle tightness in my chest, to the point it’s actually sore to the touch. My sternum often cracks when I stretch my chest. I haven’t been doing any out of the ordinary exercises so I did a quick search to find out this is pretty common among pregnant women when their rib cage starts expanding. I didn’t have this sensation with The Gents though. I’m guessing because C&R took up more space so my rib cage was probably slowly expanding during the pregnancy, versus baby girl who has been sitting low on my abdomen and now I’m feeling the movement of my ribs as she’s growing bigger. At least that’s my logic. Bottom line, it hurts! 

So I started augmenting my core power and prenatal workouts with hatha sessions. And they’re wonderful, so wonderful that I felt compelled to share. As amazing as a good HIIT or core power workout is itself, we often push ourselves to the point that we don’t recover as quickly and make our subsequent workouts even harder than necessary. Or the general stresses and strains from everyday life create a lot of tension in our bodies, creating a vicious cycle of constant soreness. Hatha has been a great addition to my practice given the recent strains on my body.

There are a lot of different apps, YouTube channels and sites where you can find yoga workouts. I’ve been collecting my favorites on Pinterest, here and here. My favorite site for video classes is Do Yoga With Me. Most of the classes are free!

If you’re a complete novice I do recommend taking a few classes, with a good instructor, to ensure you’re doing the poses correctly. Some online instructors are so good though that they’ll talk you through the poses so that you’re mindful of how you’re positioning your body. I also place a mirror on the floor along the long side of my mat so I can check myself. Once you start getting in the habit it’s so easy to maintain your practice at home.

Here's to my keeping up with it for the rest of this pregnancy! Namaste. :) xo

How Do You Define Self-Care?

Self-care has become a very popular term and topic in the last two years. There are 5.7MM hashtag posts on Instagram alone. We get it. Taking care of ourselves, physically and emotionally, is important. It’s not just for Mamas either. Although I believe that Mothers probably need to work harder at it because we take care of everyone else, mainly our children and husbands, before us. The important thing is prioritizing YOU. Do what makes you happy and feel like a better person. Everyone should have their own personal definition of self-care.

For me, there are two aspects. A big part is working out. Emotionally and physically, I feel better for doing it. The other part is my creative outlet – this blog, my drawing, even cooking. No one else may read it, see it, or taste it other than me, but when I produce something and grow a bit in the process I’m feel like a better version of myself.

A few weeks ago I got down. I didn’t have the energy to workout and part of me was feeling like a failure for not working. Sure I was producing things, but for whom? I thought, I’m not making any money off my efforts so what’s the point? I know, that’s such a ridiculous criticism. But when you go from having a pretty successful and lucrative career where you are paid for your work, it’s hard to change that mindset.

I had to talk myself into a new headspace. I have never cared what anyone has thought of me. I don’t let conventional notions define me, or my successes. What’s most important is what makes me happy right now. And at this point in my life I have this wonderful gift of time to cultivate my passions! I have fantasized about having this time just for me and I’m taking advantage of it. Even if I’m not conventionally "successful", I’m happy and that’s a success itself. I can’t put a price on that.

Earlier this week I was chatting with a group of women and the self-care subject came up. Someone defined it as taking time out for herself to binge watch her favorite show, but that it made her feel anxious after because she hadn’t gotten any of her meal prep done for the week. She’s a meal prep queen. She actually does brown bag sessions at the Embassy on the topic. It’s a struggle – to balance what you need to decompress with what also makes you feel good. So I shared my perspective of how I think about self-care and someone else chimed in on theirs. Everyone's it different. Sure, some days we just need some mindless TV. Admittedly, this was my definition of self-care when I was on maternity leave with The Gents because it allowed me to shut my mind off for a bit.

When you read about self-care it’s usually defined by some form of enhancement, improvement, or growth. I agree to an extent, but it’s also problematic because it lends a whole new pressure to the idea of self-care. We’re being told that we should take the time to take care of ourselves, but it has to be within certain parameters? I get it, downing a bottle of wine isn’t a glowing example of self-care.  Maybe watching a few episodes of whatever mindless TV show gives you enough time to recharge and tackle whatever is next. Or even a few minutes of me time to do a face mask while your kiddos are napping or watching their favorite show. Some days, walking Wally over to the garden is the only time I leave the house and have a moment for myself, but feeling the sunshine and warm air is enough for me. 

Everyone has different needs, whether they seem trivial or complex. Whatever they are, I think it’s important to figure out what self-care means for you. At different points in your life your definition will change, as it should because we’re constantly evolving as individuals. I know mine will change drastically come September when this new addition arrives.  You’re not being judged on it. And if someone is judging you, screw ‘em. Do it for you and no one else. You know what you need to be a better version of yourself. Don’t let anyone tell you different. xo

Toasted Coconut Rum Cake

I had been meaning to make this cake for sometime. In fact, I wanted to make it for J’s birthday. If you recall I was in London for my 12-week appointment the day of his birthday. And when I got back to Riyadh I was still wasn’t feeling 100%, then life happened, excuses, excuses, blah, blah, blah. 

After we got back from the Maldives I got a burst of energy. I guess I was a bit invigorated from our gorgeous week away, so I decided to make the cake. And it was horrible. A new and different recipe that didn’t require baking powder and I had to fold in the dry ingredients so that the batter wouldn’t fall. I inevitably messed it up. So I decided to make another go at it, but adapt it from a couple different Food52 recipes that I've tried previously and to make this cake my own.

It’s moist and light and, well, wonderful. Without further delay, the recipe…

Toasted Coconut Rum CakE

10-12 servings, depending on your sweet tooth ;)

Cake

1            cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 ½         cups sugar

4            large eggs

2            tablespoons vanilla extract

6            tablespoons coconut oil

2 ½         cups cake flour, sifted

2 ¼         teaspoons baking powder

¾            teaspoon salt

1             cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease two 8 or 9-inch cake pans. Cut out circles of parchment paper and line the bottom of the pans.

With an electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one. Mix in the vanilla and oil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With your mixer running on low, add these dry ingedients to the butter mixture, in a few batches, alternating with the milk.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans. Bake the cakes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, around 25 minutes.

Let the cakes cool a bit before turning over and removing the paper. Transfer to a cooling rack or individual plates. Allow to cool completely before cutting each layer evenly, in half, horizontally. Note: you don’t have to cut the cake layers, but the extra layers make it look fancier when you cut into it.

Rum Syrup

1/2         cup water

1/2         cup sugar

4            tablespoons rum (whatever brand you like)

Buttercream Frosting

5            egg whites

1 ¼         cups sugar

1            pound unsalted butter, room temperature

2            teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ½        cups flaked coconut, toasted

For the syrup: Combine the ½ cup water and ½ cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves then stir in the rum. Let the mixture cool completely before using.

For the buttercream: Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and evenly distribute coconut flakes on the pan. Place in oven for about 15 minutes, checking every five minutes and moving the flakes around to brown evenly. Allow coconut to cool.

Combine the egg whites and 1 1/4 cups sugar in a glass or stainless steel bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the mixture constantly until the sugar dissolves and is warm/hot to the touch. Remove from the heat and whip on high speed until light and fluffy and the meringue has cooled to room temperature.

Turn the mixer down to medium and add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, until all of the butter is incorporated. Add the extract and a pinch of salt. Turn the mixer up to high to give the frosting a good whip. Reserve ½ cup of frosting. Add 1 ½ cups of the toasted coconut to the remaining buttercream and mix with a spatula.

To assemble: Place one cake layer on a serving plate or pedestal. Brush with, or carefully spoon over, a quarter of the rum syrup and spread a quarter of the toasted coconut frosting over. Repeat with two cake layers. Then top with the final layer, brush with remaining rum syrup and the reserved plain buttercream. Spread the remaining coconut frosting on the side of the cake, and press the reserved toasted coconut flakes around the cake.

Working Out During My Pregnancies

We all know that diet and exercise is integral to leading a healthy life. I really started taking better care of myself in my thirties. I really didn’t have to workout much in my twenties. I did, but it was more on a whim of “I feel like going for a run today”. In my thirties I started getting a little more consistent, but it wasn’t until my mid-thirties when my Brother talked me into my first Tough Mudder when I got serious about running AND strength conditioning. By the time I met J I was really strong. He bought me a 20 pound GoRuck sand bag. Me with my 20 and he with his 40, we’d run a quick 3 miles along Lake Michigan. Seriously. Workouts quickly became a part of our daily routine.

With my first pregnancy I had some really high expectations of what I’d be doing – pre and post. I fully intended to continue running. I remember J and I going out for a run when I was about three months pregnant. We made it from our place in Rosslyn, over Key Bridge into Georgetown and proceeded along the canal. It was the strangest sensation. It felt like my belly was already bobbing up and down. It was not comfortable. And that was my last run that I remember outside during that pregnancy.

I decided to keep my workouts to our apartment and the gym in our building. Runs were on the treadmill so I was close to home in case I didn’t feel well (I was nauseous all the time), but I mainly stuck to strength conditioning/HIIT workouts. I kept with it as best I could, getting in three to four workouts a week. This lasted until week 24 when I became so exhausted from all the work my body was doing to forge these two lives. At that point I had gained about 25 pounds. Not terrible for twins, but it really was taxing on my body. By the time they arrived I had gained about 35 pounds.

When The Gents arrived I made all sorts of efforts to get back to the gym. I’d purposely get dressed in workout gear in the morning. If you’re a mother you can relate to this being a feat in itself! I was nursing them, but since they were preemies we had a tough time getting the tandem feed down. And because I was nursing one at a time it felt like feeding them was a full-time job in itself. Nursing is wonderful for them, but it’s also pretty amazing because it helps burn so many calories. As a result, it’s exhausting! I would sometimes fall asleep with one on them on me or immediately curl up on the sofa or into bed after a feeding. Thank God for our amazing nanny. She took care of me, too.

From the all the nursing and not working out regularly, I lost a lot of my muscle. I lost my booty and obviously the girls did not look nearly as good as they used to. I was so thin. We went to Chicago for Thanksgiving and even a good friend said she’s never seen me with so little muscle on my body. I knew I needed to do something for myself physically and mentally, but I was beat down. I had been back to work six months already and even though we had gotten into a good routine with The Gents, I had no energy for myself. My mental health was approaching an all-time low.

Fast-forward to moving to Riyadh. If you’ve been following my story you know that I started working out again soon after our arrival, after an 18-month hiatus! We ended up living a couple houses down from where a group meets to workout three times a week in the evenings. As I always say, everything happens for a reason. Our nanny had moved in at this point so there was no way I wasn’t taking advantage of this, just steps away. And I started regularly practicing yoga as well, thanks to a friend who teaches classes at the Embassy. It’s been a blessing to get back into it all this past year.

And then I got pregnant and had to deal with all of the fun that comes from the first trimester. This time around I know my body better. What it needs and when the best times of the day are to get things done. Evening workouts with the group rarely work with my schedule now. I have the most energy in the mornings, after breakfast. If I’m feeling up for it, which I do most days, I get a 30-minute HIIT workout in or an hour of yoga. Most weeks I’m able to workout 5 days.

Here I am approaching 24 weeks and I feel pretty good, save for my odd sleeping patterns as of late. I've gained about 15 pounds. I know things could change drastically once I hit the third trimester, but for now I’m moving forward and continuing with what’s been working for me. I’ve certainly had to alter my workouts a bit, but most important is that I’m continuing to do them. Not only will they make a huge difference during my labor, recovery and getting back into shape post-partum, but it helps me mentally. I had a tough day yesterday and was feeling really down on myself. Lack of sleep, raging hormones and not working for the last four months got the best of me. I knew if I did a quick workout I’d feel better, but I just couldn’t muster the energy. I took a two-hour nap instead because my body really needed the rest. I promised myself I’d get back after it in the morning, which I did and I feel all the better for it. Always remember, tomorrow is another day.

If you’re interested to know what kind of workouts I’m doing, most are on my Pinterest page. (Don’t forget the yoga and stretching!) Total body workouts, with some cardio mixed in, to get the heart pumping are key. All areas of the body are still important, even when you’re pregnant. I do make some modifications though – no sit-ups, putting my hands under my bum for all lower abs exercises, no heavy overhead weight lifting, push-ups on my knees, doing sprawls sometimes when the bouncing from burpees is too much, etc. Some days I don’t use weights at all since my extra body weight is enough. Hell, I feel the burn just going up and down the stairs in our house throughout the day. I rarely follow one workout exactly, especially since I’m making modifications or switching out certain exercises that are better for me. I often combine some of my favorite exercises to make any entirely new workout. Have fun. Make it your own. Take care! xo

Disclaimer: I stress, I’m not a doctor, nor a trainer. These workouts are probably more suited for someone who’s worked out regularly before their pregnancy. You know your body better than anyone, so listen to it and slow down/stop when you feel it or your baby is telling you. Mine’s told me a few times to cool it! :)

Truffle (Christmas) Risotto

Let me first preface that I don't really do recipes. I think it's genetic. My paternal grandmother never used them, except for the occasional baking episode. And even though I never had the chance to cook with her, I'm pretty sure my maternal grandmother didn't either. My paternal grandmother taught my mother how to cook a number of Mexican dishes based on smell, taste, touch and texture. Same for myself. This particularly frustrates JR as he's asked for recipes so he'd could cook something while I was traveling. Sorry Love.

I often start with a recipe, when I see something that I like or have the idea of what I want to make. That becomes the launching pad to make in my own and then the initial recipe goes completely out the window. So here we are. I've made this for the past five Christmases, that Jeff and I have been together. Christmas risotto is a hybrid of two recipes and then further adapted to make it really special...truffle special.

The thing that makes this dish a little more special at Christmas, or anything else you might be celebrating, are the ingredients. If you’re making this during the week maybe you don’t add the truffle salt and oil or leave out the pancetta and you use a cheaper wine. And maybe you have ingredients that are more special to you than what I’ve made mine with. Go ahead and make it your own! I hope it’s given you some culinary inspiration. xo

Truffled Christmas Risotto

Total prep and cooking time 1 hour. Serves 4 hungry adults as a main course, or 8-10 as a first course/side dish

Ingredients:

1 large head of curly kale

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt

Ground pepper

1-pound pancetta or American bacon

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small sweet onion

2 cloves minced garlic

2 cups Arborio rice

1.5 cups white wine

8 cups of low sodium chicken broth, heated

Truffle salt or sea salt

Ground pepper

1.5 cups fine grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons truffle oil or butter

Crispy Kale

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse and de-rib the curly kale. Rip into smaller pieces, approximate 2-inch squares. Dry the kale well and place on a lipped baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and use your hands to make sure all of the kale is evenly coated. Add a more little oil, if needed. Make sure the kale is a nice even layer on the pan. It will look like a lot of kale, but it will cook down considerably in the oven. Salt and pepper. Place in oven. After 15 minutes remove and give the sheet a good shake so that nothing is sticking. You’ll notice that some pieces are starting to crisp and others are limp. Place back the oven. After 5 minutes take another look at the kale. Timing and a watchful eye are important here. By now all of the kale should be dark green and crispy, save for a few pieces that may be starting to brown. 20 minutes total is usually the sweet spot. Depending on your oven and the baking sheet you may need +/- a minute or two. When it looks perfect, remove from the oven to cool.  Note: You can also make the kale ahead of time. It will keep in an airtight container for a few days. Just make sure it’s completely cooled before storing. I also like to add this salads and pasta dishes.

Into the oven...

And out of the oven

Pancetta/Bacon Bits

Cut the pancetta or bacon into small approximate quarter-inch pieces or strips. Place a couple sheets of paper towel, quarter folded on a small plate and set aside. Put all of the bacon in a large skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Evenly distribute and allow to sit over the heat until the bacon fat starts to cook off. Start stirring so nothing sticks to the skillet. Once there is a good amount of fat cooked off I tilt the skillet, so that all of the bacon and the cooked fat is on one end of the pan, keeping it over the heat and creating almost a mini deep fryer. This helps cook the bits quickly and evenly. Plus you won’t have deal with splatter burns. Keep stirring and cook until very well done, about 5 minutes. You want the bacon extra crispy, like bacon bits. If they are soft they will be really soggy in the risotto. Once crispy, not burned, turn off the heat. Keep the pan tilted and use a spoon to move the bacon bits out of the cooked fat and drain a bit. Spoon the bacon onto the paper towel. Allow the bacon to sit so the paper towel can absorb the excess fat. Dispose of the fat from the skillet. After the skillet has cooled a bit, wipe it down with paper towel. You don’t have to wash the pan since you’ll be cooking the risotto in this pan well. Note: The bacon can also be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.

Efficiently cooking in its' own fat

Risotto

Grate Parmesan and set aside. Yes, I suppose you can buy grated Parm to save some time. We always have a block of it in our refrigerator though so I grate it. Plus, I like the take of freshly grated so much better. Note: there just is no substitute for REAL Parmesan (made in Parma) aged for two years. When you can find it, use it.

Begin warming the chicken stock. In the US I would normally buy in the container, but it’s impossible to find here so I use bouillon now. The important thing is to use LOW sodium broth because you’re going to salt risotto as you cook it. In a medium stockpot pour the liquid. I usually put it a mid-high heat to warm it quickly and then turn the heat to the lowest setting just to keep it warm while the rice cooks. Before you start toasting the rice make sure the broth is ready.

In the same pan you cooked the bacon, turn the heat up to medium/medium-high. Once the skillet is warm add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom, about 2-3 tablespoons. Add onion and stir to coat with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add garlic and stir.

Toasting rice

Now it’s time to toast the rice. Add the rice to onion and garlic mixture, stir so the rice is coated with oil, evenly distribute in skillet and let it sit for about 30 seconds. Stir and let the rice sit again. Toasting is the key here, not burning. Stir, sit. Stir, sit. The rice will look like it’s browning but be sure to smell the rice. It has a distinct warm and earthiness once it’s toasting. Let is toast for maybe another minute or two. Add the wine. Another note: use a good DRY wine and something with a little more body. Sauvignon blanc is fine, but I prefer white burgundy or chardonnay.

Let the wine/alcohol cook out completely. You’ll definitely smell the wine once the liquid is gone and it will be ever so slight in the flavor once it’s done. Now you can start adding the chicken stock, about a cup, and stir. With a light hand, add salt and pepper to season. Continue to stir. Let the chicken stock cook down. Add another cup of broth. Stir. Lightly add more salt and pepper. Continue this process two more times. You should have gone through around 4 cups of broth. Give the rice a taste. It will still be pretty firm, but you’ll be able to tell if you’re adding the right about of salt. If you’re over salting, that’s okay. The additional broth that’s still needed to cook the rice will dilute any excess salt. Remember, the Parmesan to be added at the end will also add a bit of salt to the risotto. Keep adding broth, one cup at a time, stirring and seasoning as needed.

By now, from all the stirring, the starch from the rice and the broth is blending to create a creamy sauce for the rice. Once the rice is cooked you’ll know because it should be a little al dente, meaning you’ll feel the slightest resistance when you bit into it. Once the rice is al dente, and the risotto is a nice creamy consistency, turn the heat to LOW. Remember that the rice will continue to cook a bit in the pan. At this point I usually have about 2 cups of the broth left. Leave it for a moment.

Risotto with Parm and truffle oil

Add the Parmesan, saving a bit for garnish, and stir so that it’s completely incorporated. Add about a tablespoon or more of truffle oil (or butter). The truffle oil will add more truffle flavor, plus it gives the risotto a nice sheen (same for the butter). Carefully fold in the crispy kale and the bacon bits. You’ll notice that there isn’t much sauce now, from adding all of that lovely accoutrement. Now add some of the remaining chicken broth, getting back the creamy sauce consistency and it’s ready to serve.

This also makes for great leftovers. Just add some some broth or water as the risotto will dry out a bit after it's been refrigerated.

Keep Calm and Eat Clean...As Possible

Maybe I’m really late to the party on this one, but I had no idea about the poor air quality in Riyadh before moving here. Having just delivered the Gents when J submitted his bid list of posts for us to relocate, I probably should have done some research. He’d been here before and never complained or mentioned anything significant to be concerned about, compared to his time spent in Jakarta. Between the Gents, work, move prep, the concerns of being a woman living here, etc. I think I know why this wasn’t top of mind.

Fast forward to now, let me give you a quick rundown of stats that I recently learned…

• In 2016 the World Health Organization released a list of the cities in the world with the worst air pollution, in which Riyadh ranks #4 with 156 µg/m3 of PM 2.5. 
• What does this mean? In the air in Riyadh, there are 156 micrograms of ultra-fine particles per cubic meter or air. These particles are the size of 2.5 microns or less.
• Particles the size of 2.5 microns is concerning because their microscopic size allows them to travel deeper into the cardiopulmonary system. The WHO’s air quality guidelines recommend that the annual mean concentrations of PM2.5 should not exceed 10 µm/m3. Which means Riyadh’s level is 15 times what the recommended level should be!
• The city attributes the high pollution in part to sulfur dioxide (SO2) in the air, which comes from industrial activity - automobiles, power stations, oil refinery and cement plants.
• In 2014, Riyadh province had 4.8 million registered vehicles accounting for 30% of the total vehicles registered in KSA, compared to only being 20% of kingdom’s 30 million population.
• If my math is right that’s 800 cars per thousand people just in Riyadh, which is on par with the entire US. The big difference being that the US has emissions standards, whereas KSA really doesn’t.

Before I go any further, I want stress that I'm not trying to be an alarmist. I don’t believe we’re going to contract a respiratory condition or something horribly worse while living in Riyadh. There doesn’t seem to be much documented on the long term effects of ambient SO2. Note, there is a big difference between ambient and direct exposure. Based on a couple studies I found, in cities that were measured, ambient SO2 levels have decreased significantly over the last few decades in some cities. This may due to environmental standards in place. Because the decrease it seems difficult to determine any long term effects. Based on my personal experience though, and I'll admit that I'm probably more sensitive that others, I firmly believe that ambient levels of pollutants will make you feel like crap.

Soon after we arrived in June I just wasn’t feeling 100% - nausea, headaches, physically weak, lightheaded, constantly tired. Initially I attributed this to jet lag, dehydration, and the heat. It wasn’t constant. It just sort of came and went. I noticed the worst bouts were when I took Wally out for a walk or was in one of the motor pool vehicles. I drank more water, which is bottled because tap water isn't suitable to drink or use for cooking, and made sure I was eating more given our HIIT workouts. I didn’t say anything about it because J wasn’t complaining, but after 4-5 weeks it was still persisting. I asked J how he felt, running through my symptoms. He felt nothing, other than the occasional allergy annoyances. I felt so off that I actually thought I may be pregnant.

One of our neighbors went back to D.C. for a few weeks. After her return she was talking about how much better she felt back in the States and another person chimed in about how he always feels better when he leaves Riyadh. She said she hasn’t felt right since arriving here two years ago, basically saying she believes the air is just gross and it affects everyone differently. Hmmmmmm, so I wasn’t the only one dealing with this.

Coincidentally after that conversation, we started eating even more healthy. J and I both have gotten in good habits with our workouts but his lunches at the Embassy aren’t as clean as mine. He was really wanting something healthier for dinner. I switched to preparing all protein and veggies, mostly raw. If we have any carbs it’s limited to quinoa or whole grain bread that’s baked locally with no preservatives. Yes, we still get out for pizza and steak nights at the Embassy, as well our weekly date or dinner with friends. For the most part we eat relatively healthy.

I have my morning fruit and veggie smoothie, and my lunches are pretty much raw now. Since I’ve slightly altered my diet I’ve noticed a HUGE difference in how I feel. I may get nauseous from time to time, mainly on my rides home from work and I think that’s truly related to the number of vehicles on the road. Some days I can I smell the exhaust on me. It’s gross. Otherwise, I feel great. It’s amazing what a difference good, healthy food makes! On the days we don't eat as healthy I definitely feel sluggish.

What’s a little scary for me is the Gents. One of our neighbor's children has had a lot of EN&T issues since arriving and has been hospitalized a few times. His mother believes it's the air that's causing it. I know, everyone is different and some kids are more prone to getting sick. Since it’s so hot right now C&R haven’t spent much time outside this summer anyway. The weather will cool down though, they’re getting bigger, and we will be here for two years; inevitably they will be playing outside quite a bit. J has always joked that they eat healthier than us because of what I cook for them. They barely eat any processed food and what is processed is mostly organic. Hopefully the air quality won’t affect them much because they are eating so well, but I'm definitely conscious of it now.

The pollution issue is something being addressed in Vision 2030 under the tenant of Achieving Environmental Sustainability. I know the Metro is under construction here to help get some cars off the road and reduce the traffic issues. What else exactly is planned to be accomplished and when, who knows? I’ve tried finding some documentation on the topic, but all I have been able to find is an Arab News article from earlier this year stating that research is being commissioned to study greenhouse gas emissions, abnormal climate conditions and the carbon emissions’ increase in Riyadh. This is disappointing because Riyadh and KSA is way beyond studies being done, especially when this one was already done in 2014 assessing the air quality.  Some action needs to be taken.

I'm so glad to gain this knowledge though. Every week in Riyadh I’m learning something new and I hope you are too from my sharing. For the most part, we in the first world are removed from experiencing what’s truly impacting the global environment because we aren’t living IN the major polluted or problem areas. Being in Riyadh has forced me to think about what I can be doing to better take care of myself and our family, inside and out, so the local environment doesn’t adversely affect us. With some mindful changes we’ll be even healthier for of it.