I had a bit of a down day today. I keep lunging towards deadline after deadline and not quite getting there in the way that I want. There’s too much going on. I keep telling myself: how much luckier could you be? You’re going on a great trip next week! But that reminds me of all the things I have to get done in the next few days: laundry, packing, call Visa, book the last hotel, print out maps, addresses, pick up toiletries, etc…etc. It’s making me anxious, because I can’t do that stuff right now. Other things have to get done first.

It ended up with me having mini meltdown in my kitchen today, trying to keep it all together and feeling like my mind is a place of chaos that I contributed to but can’t get cleared out.

Then I remembered I can focus my mind on some of the things that add up to be way more than this cloudy big ball of stress.

Hot Yoga with a good friend
A gorgeous, glowing sunset out the car window
Bumping into an old friend at the grocery store
Fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and chickpeas with gobs of pesto
A happy, sweet dog to lick my face and make me walk and breathe in the fresh evening air
A husband who will drive all the way to Kettlemen’s so I can have a chocolate chip bagel with cream cheese.

I can’t deny that life is good, and I know that soon it will be back to normal.

I think I’ve mentioned on here before how much I enjoy my in-laws. Tyler’s family is very large, very close, and always make me feel like I’m a part of the family – an important thread in the laughter, warmth, and genuine friendship that makes up their family fabric. We all gathered this weekend to celebrate Tyler’s sister’s 21st birthday, and to wish her well on her summer job/ adventure in Fort McMurray.

A few hallmarks of a Kealey family get together include: assorted drinks of all sizes and flavours, lot of story telling, kids running around happily, great food in large amounts, laughter, music, and ring toss.

Besides the spread of roast beef, meatballs, salads, pasta, bread, casseroles, and veggies, the birthday girl had her own bright yellow cake – and all of the May babies (family members born in May) had a cute cupcake with their name on it. We talked, joked around, ate and drank, listened to and played music, and generally just enjoyed each other til the sun went down. After being cooped up in the house so much lately, it was a welcome breath of fresh air, an infusion of happy spirits, and picked up my mood incredibly well.

Thursday was a gloomy day. The temperatures fogged into mildly pleasing spring weather, and bleak rain drizzled down all day. After the last week or so of working hard to accomplish some goals, I’ve barely been out of the house and our meal consumption has sagged sadly into takeout and quick cans of food. To make up for this, I picked up a sackful of fresh produce mid-week that I vowed to eat to try to keep feeling good.

I decided to take a good break after work and tried out this recipe for quinoa cakes I found online at Canadian Living. It was light and uber-healthy paired with a nice greek salad, and although making the dish was a bit time consuming, we agreed that it was a nice change and filling enough to make a great meat-free dinner any night of the week.

After this burst of energy turned into cooking, eating and washing up, Tyler went out to play a gig and I collapsed into bed with Criminals minds on my laptop and a mug of tea, meaning to catch up on sleep but ended up tossing and turning all night. One week to go!

Quinoa Cakes with Lemon Yogurt Sauce, adapted from Canadian Living

Ingredients
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) quinoa
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) vegetable broth
1/2 cup (125 mL) olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
3 cups (750 mL) trimmed fresh spinach
3 eggs
1/4 cup (60 mL) grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp (30 mL) all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) grated lemon rind
1 tbsp (15 mL) toasted sesame seeds or pine nuts or sliced almonds

Lemon Yogurt Sauce:
1-1/2 cups (375 mL) Balkan-style plain yogurt (I used sour cream)
1/3 cup (75 mL) thinly sliced green onions
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper

Preparation
In fine sieve, rinse quinoa under cold water; drain. In saucepan, bring quinoa, broth and 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) water to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Drain in fine sieve; let cool completely in sieve.

Meanwhile, in skillet, heat 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil over medium heat; fry onion, garlic, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Add spinach; cook, stirring, until wilted and no liquid remains, about 3 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop.

Lemon Yogurt Sauce: Stir together yogurt, onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside in refrigerator.

In large bowl, whisk together eggs, Parmesan cheese, flour, baking powder and lemon rind; fold in quinoa and spinach mixture. With wet hands, form into 16 cakes; transfer to waxed paper–lined tray. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

In nonstick skillet, heat half of the remaining oil over medium-high heat; fry half of the cakes, turning once with 2 spatulas, until golden, about 8 minutes. Keep warm on baking sheet in 200°F (100°C) oven. Repeat with remaining oil and cakes. Serve drizzled with Lemon Yogurt Sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Source : Canadian Living Magazine: September 2010