Vegetable Lentil Soup The benefits of language school

For YK, who enjoys with me all the side benefits of Korean School

Every Saturday, I rouse the kids up early, get them changed and washed up, feed them breakfast, and load them in the car so that I can drive 30 minutes to their Korean school.  Its a lot of work and the whining and general unhappiness that accompanies this trip down is not entirely easy but I carry on and push through and get Children to Korean school without fail, every single Saturday.  This isnt even counting the stress I undergo receiving countless emails regarding homework (three different kids in three different classes just means a lot of emails) and having to actually SUPERVISE and have Children COMPLETE the homework.   A lesser mother might quit taking their kids, given the sheer resistance that Children put up, but I cant give up Korean school and its not for the reasons that you think.

Of course there are tremendous benefits to Children in learning a foreign language and the mother tongue that both Husband and I speak.  We want Children to be able to read and write in Korean and be able to communicate with Grandparents easily in Korean.  We wish and hope for them to be bilingual and comfortable speaking more than one language.  Thats a compelling reason to send Children to Korean school, but on many days, like today, its not the driving force behind why I get behind the wheel and grit my teeth against the complaints and get Children to Korean school.

On a day, like today, the reason I could bear all the noise on the way to Korean school is because I knew that once they were in Korean school, I would have time.  FOR ME.  And while time for me can look like a variety of things like time in front of the computer, or time blogging, or time organizing the house and cooking, time for me on Korean school days is different;  Im far enough away from home that going back doesnt make sense, which means that for almost three hours I HAVE to find something to do.  Something that I want to do.  Something for me.

Sometimes best friend YK (whose child also receives the tremendous benefits of Korean school) and I get a pedicure.  Sometimes we grab brunch.  Sometimes we get errands done, but today was not about any of those things.  Today was about time for us.  We went to a cafe, got a coffee, cozied down on a table; she on her laptop, I with my book and we settled in for two and a half hours of uninterrupted quiet time.  I did not answer the phone; I did not look at the computer. I actually had time to sit and read straight through a novel Im planning on teaching my students next.  I took notes, had time to reflect, and I got to enjoy sitting outside in the sun with best friend and not having to talk or do anything except just be.

Now, Ill never let Children know that I send them to Korean school so that I can benefit, but I assure you, if you dont have your kids in some sort of Saturday language program, they (ahem - YOU) are really missing out.

After Korean school today, after Childrens torture and my mini-vacation, I came home and fed Children this soup, steaming and perfectly in line with fall.  With crusty pieces of bread, or a warm sandwich, it signaled the end of both their schooling and my respite.

Vegetable Lentil Soup

Serves 8

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups diced onions
3 cups diced carrots
3 cups diced celery
½ cup white wine (optional)
14 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes
2 quarts chicken stock or vegetable stock
? cup dried lentils (I used red split lentils from Trader Joes)
1 cup chopped basil
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese for sprinkling as garnish (optional)

Method
Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium high heat.  Add onions, carrots, and celery all at once.  Add a good pinch of salt and pepper to season the vegetables.  Saute until onions are translucent and carrots and celery are beginning to become tender, about 6 minutes.  Add wine and cook for an additional minute until wine has evaporated.  Add tomatoes, chicken stock and lentils all at once.  Bring to a simmer and reduce heat, cooking until lentils are tender.  The tenderness of the lentils WILL depend on the type of lentils you use.  Split lentils cook the fastest, and will be tender in about 20 minutes.  Whole lentils will take much longer to become tender, closer to 40 minutes.

Printable recipe

And with a bite of this, Im thinking about next weeks class.

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Countdown End of school year preparations and Momento App Giveaway!

If youre like me, youre counting down the days until the end of the school year, not necessarily because youre looking forward to it (heh) but maybe because, like me, youre looking for a hot air balloon to whisk you away before things become too intense.

The countdown to the last day of school is typically so insane, filled with end of school year activities, parties, celebrations, and last minute scheduling of EVERYTHING before kids are fully yours for the summer.  Our countdown happens to be longer than 30 days, but were at a year round school, so Im guessing that most of you are at fewer than 30 days.  (In case any of you are wondering how I created that cool countdown above - I found a super fun app called "MOMENTO" and it allows you to create fun little countdowns.)

It becomes the time of year that we begin thinking about how we honor our teachers, and believe me Im thinking the same thing.  Ive got a little plan in works with my friend over at Sillie Smile, and hopefully in a few days well have a fun and neat project for you to do for your teachers.  Im thinking some yummy cookies (if I could only perfect my popcorn cookie) as well as some movie tickets or coffee gift cards.  For me, the most important thing that teachers do (this includes me of course) is RELAX and not think of students and just rest their brains after a grueling school year. I like to give them things that will allow them to do this - hence this years idea of movie tickets and coffee.  (If only I could guarantee they arent going to run into students at the theater - because when I was teaching, I always ran into mine.)

 This was the first round of something I tried, and it is going in the direction I wanted, but isnt complete.  Ill come up with something a bit cuter I think in the coming week or so.

Giveaway details!
And for a little bit of fun - the creators behind Momento are allowing me to give away 4 free apps! In the essence of time, Im just going to give them to the first four people who leave a comment below.  Be advised, Momento is currently ONLY for iOS, so if youre not on an iphone, its not as useful.  In the comments, please let me know what is one thing youre counting down right now!  The first four commenters, Ill be emailing you a redemption code and instructions!

If you want to buy the app, after I have my first four winners, click here.

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Asian Chicken Salad Similarities between Sunday School and urban school teaching

To all the Sunday school teachers I know -  your work, sacrifice, and effort is amazing, and blessed by our Father above.  To my beautiful Sunday School kids - thank you for your smile every single week.

Last week, as I sat in my sweltering Sunday School classroom and tried to get my class of 16 three to five year olds under control, I was instantly aware of how my years teaching in an urban school (which served the most under served communities of San Francisco) and my suburban Sunday school classroom had in common.  I do believe God used my years as a high school English teacher to prepare me for my challenges with three to five year olds in Sunday school.

This is what I realized.  In both my urban school and Sunday school...

Kids like to put their feet up on their desks.  Sometimes they like to take their socks off too.

Its hard to get everyone to pay attention to you.  Sometimes you have to resort to some unusual tactics.  Humor generally goes very far in grabbing attention.  So does making crazy faces.

Kids know when you care and respond to your caring.  Compliments on their clothing always make them smile.

When kids dont get their way, there is often times pouting, throwing of objects, or a child lying on the ground having a fit.  (This happened often in high school believe it or not.)

Well-rested children make better students.  Students that did not sleep well the night before often disrupt the lesson or will fall asleep right in class.

When kids are bored, they go to the bathroom.  This is just as disruptive in high school as it is in Sunday school.

Students love their teachers to bits and pieces. 

Im exhausted at the end of a lesson.

There is oftentimes a lack of appreciation by parents for the efforts of teachers.

And finally, teachers arent teaching for the fabulously high pay or the prestige - theyre teaching because they believe that kids can be taught and there is wisdom that they have to impart to the students.

God uses all things for the benefit of His kingdom.  My crazy years teaching high school trained me for teaching my 3 to 5 year olds.  And even though Im tired out, tuckered out, and oftentimes VERY sweaty after class, Im grateful for the opportunity to use my training to serve my beautiful students and God.

After my teaching is over, the first thing I often think about is lunch.  Im usually starving and last week, during the crazy-heatwave-with-no-air-conditioning-day, I wanted a cold salad.  I wanted something refreshing and reviving, and had I had the ability, this is what I would have made.

As it is, I ate it three times today.  Once for my lunch, once for snack, and once for dinner.  I just love all the textures, flavors, and overall crunchity crunch of the salad.  If you are looking for your typical, sweeter Asian chicken salad, this is not it.  This has more complex notes with the lime juice and fish sauce, and is a bit of a nod towards a Vietnamese salad.  

Asian Chicken Cabbage Salad

Serves 6

Ingredients

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon honey

2 teaspoons (or less) sambal oelek (chili sauce - this controls the heat)

1 teaspoon fish sauce 

1 teaspoon grated peeled ginger

Kosher salt

6 cups of shredded cabbage

3 medium carrots, peeled, shredded

3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken

2 cups baby spinach, thinly sliced (roll up leaves and julienne)

6 scallions, chopped

½  cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

½ cup sliced almonds (optional)

2  tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Method

Whisk together vegetable oil, lime juice, sauce, honey, sambal, fish sauce and ginger.  Taste and add salt if desired.

In a large bowl, add cabbage, carrots, chicken, baby spinach, scallions, cilantro, almonds, and sesame seeds.  Pour dressing over and toss.  Serve immediately.  

Printable recipe

Definitely a favorite kitchen tool of mine.  Been using it to whisk dressings.

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Spinach Feta Roasted Peppers Pasta Salad Back to school routines

Our summer is over.  Daughters school started and once again, Im in the throes of early wakeups, lunch packing, snack packing, school supply shopping, massive form filling, and general breathlessness as I try to keep up with the pace that always accompanies back to school.

But in the midst of it all, I remember my time as a classroom teacher; "Back-to-school" was a time filled with excitement, anxiety, stress, joy, trepidation, and more stress.  Its not an easy time to be a teacher; parents come up to you with a million questions, some students may burst out crying in your class (kindergarten issue), others still may announce in a stage whisper, "This is boring" while all the time you keep that smile plastered on your face.  I make no comparison - as hard as my life is as a parent with back to school, I know the life of a teacher is that much harder.  Im dealing with three children, theyre dealing with over 20.

I always go out of my way, at the beginning of the school year, to do small, quiet things to show teachers that I appreciate what they are going through.  I actually really DO appreciate it, and I dont like to make a lot of noise about it, but I like to do something small for them.  One thing Ive made it a tradition to do is to feed them.  I know that the last thing that a teacher wants to do during their first or second weeks of school is cook - its too harried, too stressful, and the push and shove of many children in and out of your space is hard.  I quietly try and give something nourishing to the teachers after school so that they can enjoy a bit of peace and have some peace of mind, if only for the 15 minutes they eat.

Usually I do the tomato orzo salad, mostly because it holds up well, can be eaten the day after, and I have yet to find a person who doesnt love it.  But I wanted to try something new this time as well, since I had it in my head, a pasta salad that used spinach, bell peppers and feta.  I recruited friend SH, who is usually my partner in crime for food related experiments, and together we set out to make a bunch of pasta salads for different teachers at our school.

The end result was lovely, a pasta salad that was bright, colorful, nutty, sweet, salty, all at the same time.  The teachers got two pasta salads, a few cookies, all packed with a few nice touches for them to enjoy.  Friend SH and I were a bit tired by the time we got to school, but no matter, the smiles on the teachers as well as the squeal of glee from one made it all worth it.  I even got a lovely handwritten note thanking me.  How that teacher managed to do that after her two days, is beyond me.

Spinach, Feta, Roasted Bell Peppers Pasta Salad
Serves 8

Ingredients
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 cup olive oil

1 pound penne, or your choice of pasta salad shape (Bear in mind that baby spinach takes up some space, so you want a shape that isn’t too small that will get overwhelmed)

6 oz bag, baby spinach
1 7-ounce package feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 cup chopped fresh basil
12 oz jar (drained about 7 to 8 ounces) roasted red pepper (Trader Joes has a very lovely one)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (or pine nuts if you prefer)

Method
Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)

Bring water to boil in pot. Salt water and cook pasta according to package directions. Wash and drain pasta.

Mix together spinach, feta, red onion, basil, roasted red peppers, pasta. . Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Add almonds; toss. Serve at room temperature.

Printable recipe

packed up, almost ready to go

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