Steamed Veggies

 Dear Chick,

Okay, so you need a quick side for family meal, or you’re trying to get in your nine servings of vegetables per day (as our brother Dr. J recommends), or you just have nothing left in your fridge except produce…

I have learned a couple ways to do this easily. 1. Steaming in Microwave 2. Baking in Oven.

When I first learned to steam vegetables in the microwave it CHANGED MY LIFE. After a bit I did basically go back to my normal non-vegetable eating life, however when I was eating clean and had to eat produce, this was so useful. You don’t have to have one of those steamer things and boil water on the stove or anything. You just put the vegetables in a microwave safe container. Put a little bit of water in it, just about a quarter of an inch or so (that’s about I___I this much). Then get a paper towel and slightly dampen it. Lay it over the container and microwave for about one minute. Longer if it is thicker food. This is great for broccoli, cauliflauer, I guess carrots if you’re into that sort of thing, and whatever else is good steamed. Then you don’t have to eat raw vegetables every time! Throw some broccoli in the microwave, sprinkle some cheese, and there ya go!

Second method, spread it on a baking sheet, put olive oil and salt on it, and bake it. And Boom! You’re done. I mean, after you put it in the oven for 10-15 minutes on 350 degrees. That is it basically, though you can get more creative if you want. Good for asparagus, fresh green beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, …  I don’t know other kinds of veggies.

This second method is really good for Sunday family dinners! Put some garlic salt on it, and you appear to be an actual competent adult with regular skills that competent adults are supposed to have (but I’m not sure how they go those skills unless they also have an older sibling who wrote down tips like this for them…). Better yet, throw some bacon in there and just get ready to hear the compliments a-coming. Cheese is also a good thing.

So, chick, hopefully that is helpful when you are needing more veggies in your life that are not fresh ones dipped in ranch. Not to knock that, plus you can dip your steamed vegetables in ranch to if you want, no judgement here. But you can play around with combinations and make some pretty adult-worthy foods!

Remember I love you, mistakes mean you’re trying, and you are good enough.

Love, your sis

Blog Post 1 - Dear Chick:

 Dear Chick,

Well, I have decided that I can be one of those people who write on blogs. I will write things I think will help you in that transition to adulthood. Or just about things that I want to write, you know, for posterity. Probably Not my posterity but everyone else's.

You have validated my feelings about this, because about a month ago when we were hanging out I asked "If I had a blog, what should I write about?" And you answered, not in exact words, that I could write about my little life lessons I always mention. Just earlier that morning on I had found a way to bring up a life lesson from our car ride to my house. So, your wish is my command. Here you go, chick. Here you go.

I sometimes like to be a little philosophical, so I hope you don’t mind and can appreciate it some, or at least not roll your eyes. Actually its okay if you do in private. This blog might turn out to be “slightly” self indulgent - as in I get to choose what I’m writing and think all my ideas are pretty much genius. At least for me. You know how you can make connections in a split second and your thinking is really just an enlightening of feelings and emotions and concepts that just tweak your view of reality the tiniest bit into a new paradigm? Well, I’m not always the best of putting those into words. So sometimes I might try too hard. Though my first priority in this is to give you something of value and could help you in life.

I see you growing up as I did in an uncertain world, not just because of the societal and political chaos around us, but just because from teenagehood to adulthood there can be a lot of insecurities and decisions and pressure which can be overwhelming. And for sure your world is more uncertain than mine. We all have to make decisions of how we are going to live our lives, but I would hope I could shed some light on things that might make it a little better. Or I just like to hear myself talk - that is also a big thing. ;)