Flash Fried Brussels Sprouts & Pear and Caramel Ice Cream

September 8, 2016 | Leave a Comment

Yes, those were the two highlights of my labor day weekend; one savory and crunchy, the other indulgent and sweet. Where did I find such delights? Surprisingly in a little town called Guerneville two hours north of Berkeley known for the beautiful river running through it and the majestic redwoods surrounding it. Our first stop was Boon Eat & Drink which served up these amazing brussels sprouts. I know brussels sprouts have been all the rage in restaurants lately but these were something else. They had been flash fried and were crispy to perfection. There was a slight tang thanks to the lemon and a bit of a kick due to the chilli flakes. I can still taste it when I close my eyes.

After lunch we moved on to a hike in a forest with stunning redwoods. The tourist office gave us a “treasure map” for our toddler who happily tried to find the eleven “treasures” listed on our trail. Our one year old decided he wanted to ditch the stroller and try the hike himself but after discovering that his ten steps equaled one of our strides he finally succumbed to the stroller.

By the time we were done we were ready for some ice cream. We went back into town and discovered the Guerneville Bank Club, a bank built by a well known architect in 1921, beautifully restored, and now housing a selection of absolutely delicious and unusual ice creams. The original bank counters and flooring was still there. It was a lovely space and I went back twice just to have their pear and caramel flavor. An unusual but an absolutely delicious combination!

The next morning we spent lazily lounging near the river and Zain splashed in the water to his heart’s content until it was time to head home.

I haven’t attempted making the brussels sprouts as yet but I did look up the ingredients and will be trying them soon. In case you want to give it a go they are garlic, olive oil, lemon, lemon zest, and chilli flakes (and I suspect a bit of balsamic vinegar) If you’re in a healthy mood bake them in the oven otherwise fry away!

Buttery Salmon with Harissa Roasted Squash

August 13, 2016 | Leave a Comment

I’ve grown up eating cuisines from different cultures. My mother was an excellent cook and often tried out new recipes on her more than willing guinea pigs. We travelled extensively and holiday itineraries were always planned around food; from simple picnics in the park sourced from local farmer’s markets to three hour drives to posh Michelin star restaurants, we knew that our taste buds were in for a treat!

It’s no secret why I have a love of food but having eaten so many different cuisines, I really enjoy melding together different flavors. My most recent “experiment” was a simple butter salmon recipe from the New York Times to which I added my own recipe of roasted vegetables on toasted pita bread topped with a harissa sauce.

The buttery salmon recipe was as amazing as the 586 five-star ratings proclaimed. I used much less butter than the recipe called for (about 3 tbsp for two large fillets) and melted it with some dill to make a delicious sauce for the salmon. You can’t go wrong with a butter sauce and though you can use any herb, dill goes especially well with seafood.

In Berkeley, there’s a wonderful vegetable market called Monterey Market, next to my son’s preschool. This summer, squash has been on display in bold beautiful colors. I picked the vegetables based on their colors; green zucchini which I eat regularly, yellow squash to brighten up the dish, and red bell pepper for a punch of color! I cut them up, seasoned them with some salt and garlic, and sprinkled them with olive oil. While the vegetables were roasting in the oven, I created a harissa greek yogurt sauce by adding a generous teaspoon of harissa, and some salt. Harissa is a chilli pepper paste typically found in North African cuisines such as Morocco and Tunisia. It is a bright red color, has a lovely smokey pepper flavor, and has just the right amount of kick to brighten up a dish.

Roasted vegetables on pita bread with this spicy sauce is a great lunch dish in itself but if you’re doing dinner it’s great to pair with something that has a milder or more subtle flavor such as the salmon with butter sauce I made for dinner last night.

It’s a great summer dish; quick, simple, colorful, and packed with flavor!

Recipe for Roasted Vegetables & Harissa Recipe (for 2 ppl)

Ingredients

2 yellow squash
2 zucchini
1 Red Bell Pepper
3 Garlic cloves
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Greek Yogurt
Harissa paste (1 tsp)
Pita bread

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 C
Cut the squash, zucchini, and bell pepper into thin slices
Chop up the garlic cloves and add them to the squash in a bowl
Season with salt, pepper, and olive oil and give the mixture a good toss.
Lay the vegetables out on a baking sheet and leave in the oven for 30 mins or until the vegetables begin to crisp up.
In the mean time add a tsp of harissa paste and a bit of salt to the greek yogurt and give it a good stir. Add the harissa a little bit at a time until you achieve the spiciness you would like.
When the vegetables are almost done put the pita bread in the oven to toast.
Add the vegetables and top it with the harissa sauce.

Salmon Roasted in Butter Recipe

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/5703-salmon-roasted-in-butter

Trip to Tahoe

August 3, 2016 | Leave a Comment

Sand, sunshine, sunscreen; it’s time to pack up the bags and go on a road trip! Lake Tahoe was the destination this past weekend. We threw in our swim gear with a few pairs of clothes (and four grocery bags of snacks) and we were off to enjoy the summer.

As we approached Lake Tahoe we came across beautiful hills covered by green foliage. Glistening deep blue bodies of water peaked out at us from between the mountains. Surrounded by this natural beauty I felt myself relaxing and eased into summer mode.

Lake Tahoe itself was massive. We couldn’t see the other side which gave the illusion that we were in a very calm ocean. Large expanses of beach stretched out on both sides which eventually gave way to forests in the distance. We pitched our umbrella, plunged into the water, built sandcastles, played frisbee, went on a boat and did pretty much everything you should do outdoors in the summer. Zain played nonstop with his cousins while Adil, the younger one, took a more chilled out approach; snoozing lazily in the summer sun.

We made our way back to the house late afternoon where we celebrated Adil’s first birthday with an appropriately beach themed party. Thick rich slices of homemade chocolate cake were the perfect remedy for the tanned and famished kids (and adults!).

The next day we made our way back to Berkeley. Though it was just a few days, it was the perfect dose of fun and relaxation to break up the summer.

Bringing Fashion Back

July 11, 2016 | Leave a Comment

Handbag shopping with my adorable sidekick.

I open up my instagram and there’s Jessica Alba dressed in a chic ensemble trailed by her two daughters wearing adorable outfits. They all look like they have stepped out of a clothing catalogue. I gaze down with a sigh at my stained t-shirt and wonder if we are in fact part of the same universe.

I realize celebrities have stylists and are prepared to be photographed when they leave the house, but I also know that I had never resorted to living in track pants, that is, until I had a baby. When Adil was born, all of my nice clothes quickly gathered permanent stains and mysterious rips. I made an emergency trip to GAP and bought ten generic tshirts in different colors. Sadly, it made up the bulk of my wardrobe for the first eight months of his life.

Now that Adil’s approaching the one year mark, I actually have some time to consider my appearance and I am trying to bring fashion back into my life. The track pants have been folded next to the workout t-shirts where they belong and I’ve ventured out on a few shopping trips to try and remedy the sad situation of my closet.

The key to a busy mom’s wardrobe is for it to be practical and comfortable yet still stylish. I’m having fun with colorful pants this summer. My latest one is a pair of bright red chinos which I wear with a basic tshirt or sometimes dress up with a nicer top. I’ve found that the great thing about a bold pant is that you can wear it with a generic top and still feel stylish with very little effort

Post Adil I discovered that my jeans were just not flattering anymore. Unless you go back to the same exact shape you were before having children, it’s worth getting a few new pairs.

Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. It’s so easy to throw on a scarf, colorful bag, or a necklace to change things up a little. The best thing is that it only takes a few seconds and you can pair it with any of the basics in your wardrobe.

Shoes! I need them to be functional and comfortable because I do a lot of walking with the kids in my daily life. Toms have become my new favorite shoes this summer. They’re so comfortable, go with everything, and now can be found in almost every color. I have an unusual grey tweed pair which I love. I alternate these with ballerina flats; my pink Cole Haans add a nice pop of color when I head out.

A lot of mothers, myself included, find themselves in a rut after having a child. It’s quite normal, because after all if you barely have time to shower, fashion seems like a distant luxury. After the haze clears, it’s worth taking stock of the situation, going on a few trips to the mall (WITHOUT the kids), and picking out clothes that you feel good in. If I look good, I feel good.

The last time I dressed up to go out my son, Zain, was watching me intently. Before I left he exclaimed

“Oh wow Mimi, oh wow! You’re so style (stylish)!”

I broke into a grin. It was so worth it.

Summer Travel

June 28, 2016 | Leave a Comment

It’s summer time. Glorious sunshine, decadent chocolate gelato, and travel. This is the time when your friends without kids post photos of parties in Ibiza, villas in Croatia, and beaches in Bali. Every shot looks like a Kodak moment and everybody looks totally and utterly relaxed.

Many people with young children tell me about the places they would like to visit but end their sentences with “when the kids are older” or “when I can leave them with my parents.”

I think that’s the wrong approach. If you have young children travel, travel, travel. Take them along but be smart about planning your trip.

My husband and I traveled to London this summer with our two children, both who are under four, for two weeks. Though I’ve traveled with Zain, my older one, many times, this was the first time we were traveling with two, and we weren’t sure how relaxing it was actually going to be. It turned out to be a terrific trip and we came back having explored the city but also getting some much needed time to relax and unwind.

There were a few places we wanted to show the kids but for the most part we avoided the touristy sites. We knew that standing in lines was going to be miserable for everyone so we walked around neighborhoods, had delicious scones at cafes, and picnicked in many of the beautiful parks the city had to offer.

Here are a few things that helped us enjoy our vacation.

Pick one or two places to travel to

If you’re traveling with young children pick one or two places to visit so you can spend a significant amount of time there. Save the five country Europe trip for another time!

Go for a significant amount of time

As a rule of thumb if you travel far try to go for at least a week and if possible longer. Otherwise by the time the over their kids are jetlag and ready to explore it will be time to head back.

Stay somewhere that has a kitchen

Airbnb has made this option much more viable. Having a place where you can have breakfast or prep the kids’ food makes life much easier.

Plan things that you enjoy but make sure there is something for the children as well.

I enjoy walking around areas and exploring neighborhoods when I travel. Sometimes Zain gets tired so before we head out we make sure to look up an ice cream shop or scout out a park nearby to incentivize him. Other times I’m in the mood to shop so we find a toy section in the department store we’re in or a toy store nearby where the kids will also be entertained.

Manage your expectations

Pre-kids I would have probably gone out for some nice dinners in the evenings and met up with friends on vacation. With the baby, we knew that after a full day out, we would be home in the evenings. We were able to catch up with friends and cousins during the day or over the weekends and enjoyed some nice lunches out.

Enjoy seeing things through your children’s eyes

Traveling with kids may have some limitations but it also brings enjoyment that you haven’t previously experienced. Seeing Zain’s excitement when he was riding in the double decker, going on the tube, eating that huge chocolate ice cream in the park, was a joy for us to see.

All in all it’s been a good summer; glorious sunshine, delicious gelato, and travel. Three for three…

Slow Down

June 12, 2016 | Leave a Comment

My morning alarm, Adil my ten month old, goes off around 6am in the morning. About ten minutes later Zain my 3 year old jumps on top of me with enough energy to fuel a monster truck. Incidentally, somehow a toy truck has ended up under the duvet! And so the day begins. Breakfasts are made, diapers are changed, nap times, groceries, cooking, laundry, and mental to do lists. As a parent of two children under four, it’s a continuous treadmill until 7pm when all goes quiet and I collapse on the couch trying to figure out where the day went and what exactly I accomplished!

My brother, Omar, is visiting us these days and is helping to appease the daily chaos. He has just graduated from university and when I look at him I can’t believe how fast time has gone by. Twelve years my junior, and six years younger than my middle sibling, he’s always been the baby of our family. Now, he’s a foot taller than me, about to start his first job, and it doesn’t seem all that long ago that he was riding his scooter around my parents’ home or ruining my mothers plants in his quest to be the next Imran Khan.

Feeling like this about a younger sibling, I can only imagine what my parents must be going through to see their last child graduate after parenting us for the majority of their lives. I look at Zain and Adil and realize that I need to slow down and enjoy this because if Omar is any indication of how fast time flies, soon I’ll be looking back through the rosy lens of nostalgia missing this hectic but adorable phase.

Definitely easier said than done. How exactly do you slow down when you’re daily routine revolves around their survival? The key is to accept that life as a parent of young children is going to be exhausting but when you do have a chance to take them to the park, sit down and play a game with them, or build a magnatile rocket, be a hundred percent in the moment. Don’t be thinking of the number of minutes left on the timer so you can get them changed or fed. Don’t be playing distractedly with your iphone or checking FB status of people you barely know. Don’t be making plans of the things you need to get done the following day. The beauty and sometimes frustrating thing about young children is they don’t have any concept of time. They’re in the moment and if you can make a conscious effort to tear yourself away from all those distractions, parenthood becomes a lot more enjoyable. Those ten or fifteen minutes interspersed through the day can make a huge difference.

Zain is currently flying his rocket around the living room. I’m taking it in with a smile. He’s going too fast and it’s about to ram into a wall. I tell him to slow down. “No, not slowing down, faster, faster, faster!” he shouts.

Yes, faster he will go, it’s me that needs to slow down…

Being the “No” Mom

December 19, 2015 | Leave a Comment

“No Zain you can’t watch cartoons right now.” “No, don’t play the drums during Adil’s nap time.” “No, you can’t just wear a tshirt, it’s freezing outside.”

I spend a lot of time saying “no” to my three year old. Every time I say “no,” he digs in his heels and a battle of wills ensues leaving me exhausted and feeling like I should have given in and let him wear his pajamas to school or eat chocolates for breakfast.

I recently read an article called How to Stop Saying NO in Parents magazine that resonated with me. A mother’s three daughters were coming to her every two minutes with a new request and she said “no” barely listening. One daughter turned to her friend and said “my mom says ‘no’ all the time” which is when she realized she was a 24/7 “no” mom.

I realized that I was doing the same thing with Zain and I’ve made a conscious effort to change a few things. Here’s what’s worked for me.

When it comes to safety stand firm. I will always say ‘no’ when it comes to keeping Zain and Adil (my 4 month baby) safe. If Zain wants to jump off chairs, use sharp scissors, or go near the stove he knows that certain things will just simply not be tolerated. If explanations don’t work, many times I’ve had to physically remove him from the source of temptation. There should be no compromise when a situation can be potentially dangerous.

State the chronology of events: Zain is obsessed with Sesame Street and would watch it all the time if he was allowed to but his viewing is limited to an hour each day. Last Sunday, he demanded an episode before swim class. I quickly reiterated a few times that he would be able to watch his program. It’s important to emphasize to the child first that he will get what he wants, otherwise he may tune out and go into tantrum mode. Once I had Zain’s attention I explained the chronology of events. First breakfast, then swim class, and as soon as he came home he could watch an episode. There were a few demanding “ I want to watch it right now,” but I managed to get through to him and got him out the door. When he returned, he promptly asked for Sesame Street. Success!

A sense of control- Sometimes choices are the key to getting what you want. Even if your toddler is not in control they want to feel like they are. If Zain wears the same two tshirts every week and I want him to wear the other ten gathering dust in his closet, I’ll put them on a higher shelf so he can’t see them and let him pick out whatever he wants to wear from the others. Usually this works because it’s not really about the tshirt. He wants the power to make the decision.

Participation – I often end up telling Zain he can’t do things because I’m trying to get things done around the house. My solution now is to get him to participate in almost everything I do and once he’s part of the activity I face a lot less resistance. I need to get dinner on the table daily so whenever possible I try to get him to help. Sometimes there’s more of a mess or it takes a longer time but he enjoys helping out and we’re both happier at the end of it. For example, last week I was making homemade chicken nuggets and baked fries. He was allowed to help peel the potatoes, season the fries, and then put them on a baking sheet one by one. Yes, thrilling I know. Surprisingly, he was actually excited to do it.

Another challenging task was Adil’s bath time. Zain would always run off with his towel or try to pour water on Adil’s head. Now I’ve assigned him tasks. He’s responsible for helping to pick out Adil’s clothes, diapers, and during bath time to wash his legs and feet. As a result bath time is no longer chaotic and there’s a lot less shouting. These may seem like small things but because I have my toddler ‘helping’ with a lot of the housework, I say ‘no’ a lot less, and he feels a sense of accomplishment as well.

Obviously this isn’t a foolproof plan but there is really no magic manual that works for every child. When you’re working with adults, no matter how difficult they are, for the most part you can try to talk things out rationally. I’ve found it much more challenging to figure out the best way to channel the energy of my toddler who feels new emotions daily and doesn’t know how to cope with them yet. He’s also at the developmental stage where he is pushing boundaries so implementing a few simple strategies makes a world of difference. There are days where I still say “no” a lot but I’m happy that for the most part I can say “yes” much more.