Two nights ago I had my first scary parenting moment. I heard something weird in the baby monitor and just had a bad feeling. I ran up the stairs to check on Cullen, and found him throwing up in his sleep. I had no idea so much liquid could come from a body so small. Poor little guy is not feeling well.
Last night, I tossed and turned with body aches, chills, and a fever. I’m currently trying to take care of Cullen, pack the house, ignore a pounding headache, and figure out why my boobs are insanely sore. Hoping and praying this is not another round of mastitis. So needless to say, we are a little down in the dumps over here.
I have all these things I want to tell you about, but life is happening, so the stories will have to wait. So instead, I thought I’d share my final recipe from my little Fremont kitchen (we’re moving into our big beautiful new kitchen on Saturday!). Now that I’ve talked about boobs and baby puke, don’t you want to hear about food? Sorry about that.
I am on a major asparagus kick right now. I’ve been roasting it for dinners almost every night. This salad takes roasted asparagus to a new level. Combined with earthy beets, it’s a delicious and rustic dish.
Wild Rice Harvest Vegetable Salad
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
Ingredients (4 servings)
For the Salad
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1.5 cups Lundburg brown rice mix
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3 cups water
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3 large beets
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2 bunches asparagus
For the Dressing
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2 tablespoons olive oil
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1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
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1 tablespoon orange juice
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pinch of salt
Instructions
Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees. In a sauce pan or rice cooker, combine the wild rice mix and water, and cook until tender and fluffy. If you don’t have wild rice (or prefer another variety), feel free to sub in your preference. While the rice cooks, you can get your veggies ready!
Trim the woody ends off the asparagus, and lay in a single layer across a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and salt, and slide into the oven. Roast for 35-40 minutes. They key to really good roasted asparagus is to roast long enough that the stalks are flimsy and the tips are slightly charred. In my opinion, there is nothing better!
While the asparagus roasts, peel the beets and then slice thin – I used a mandolin to get mine to an even thickness.
Heat a grill pan over medium high heat (or you can use a real grill if you are feeling ambitious!). Lightly oil and then lay beets across the pan. Grill on each side for 10 minutes or so, until beets are tender and slightly charred.
In a small dish, combine all dressing ingredients and whisk to combine. Once the veggies and rice are ready, combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix into a salad. Serve immediately or at room temp, and enjoy!
I always hesitate to buy beets because they seem complicated and messy to deal with, but I never seem to regret it when I do. I have stopped eating dairy for a while (while I’m breastfeeding), but I can’t help but think that some goat cheese crumbles would be a nice addition to this plate.
It felt kind of bittersweet to cook what I knew was my last recipe in a kitchen that has been very good to me. As excited as I am for our new home and new adventure, I’m a little sad to leave our old neighborhood behind. We spent this year living right in the heart of the city, and I’ll miss my photography balcony overlooking the chocolate factory and the taco truck.
I’m always weird about change, even when the changes are good. I have a hard time letting go and moving on. Comfort food most definitely helps, and this recipe is most definitely comforting.
Enjoy!
37 Comments so far
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Looks incredible!!! Loving asparagus at the moment…how the hell are you finding time to cook and move?! Superwoman!
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So sorry to hear you are both under the weather. Having a sick child makes you feel so helpless, anxious, scared, you name it (at least it does me). Just snuggle up and this too shall pass. Good luck with everything on your figurative plate (and what’s cooking on your literal plate looks pretty darn good too!). Take care!
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I’m so sorry to hear you are both sick. I hope you get better soon and can imagine how much harder being sick makes moving (let alone just life with a baby). Feel better soon!!
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This sounds delicious – especially the grilled beets and the addition of orange juice!
I hope you both feel much better soon.
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Oh no! Hope you and Cullen feel better soon. Good luck with the house move.
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Oh no! I hope you feel better soon! Poor Cullen and Poor You! I hope your move is uneventful and quick!
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Oh no! Nothing is worse than a vomiting baby. For them and us. Poor guy! I hope you are feeling better, too.
Thanks for the asparagus recipe. I’m loving it roasted simply with olive oil and sea salt right now. The salad looks delicious!
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Hope you & Cullen are back to feeling 100% real soon. You have too much going on to be sick, bless your heart. By the way, I loooove his little baby back rolls in that first picture. He is so cute.
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This recipe has some of my favorite things!
But the more important stuff…get well soon. I am SO sorry you are dealing with a move in the middle of this!
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I hope you both feel better soon!
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I hope both you & Cullen are feeling better ASAP! On a brighter note, congratulations on the new house – we’ll all be waiting for some fun photos of the new place (especially that awesome kitchen!) :)
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What terrible timing for an illness! Hoping things get better quickly!
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I’m so sorry you aren’t feeling well. :(
Hope you guys are feeling better soon!
This recipe looks fantastic — I love asparagus but I’ve never cooked with beets! Maybe now is the time?
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Sending good health dust your way! Hope you are both feeling better soon!
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Oh Emily, I am so sorry to hear about you and Cullen! Sending hugs and get better vibes to the west coast!
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Certainly hope you and Cullen get back on the mend ASAP! A sick baby is never fun – even less so when you’re not feeling 100% and have a laundry list of stuff to do. Hang in there.
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baby vomit + boobs + beets = awesome post/reading material :)
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Oh Emily…I would have been terrified. I’m beyond words at how you must have felt…poor Baba – I will send good energy your way. Everything will be good girl…don’t apologize to any of us for anything! Your most important role is that of Cullens Momma, and YOU.
Rest and thank you for all of your delights. Love to you and your boys
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I hope you all feel better soon. Being sick is no fun, but seeing a child or especially a baby sick is so sad!
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Aww, hope you both feel better!
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Your salad looks divine. I hope you feel better and the best of luck with the move.
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Sorry to hear your little guy (and you) aren’t feeling well. I think that is so scary when they are sick like that. I hope you are all well soon. Isn’t it nice how they love to share when they aren’t well. Be well all of you – guess Dad will be next.
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Where I live, Lundburg brown rice mix is unknown, but I am suspecting there are some herbs in it. Can you suggest what I should add in it’s place? Right now there is so much asparagus around; I love it and this looks gobble up good.Good luck with the move and I trust by now the little fella is feeling better.
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I am SOOO sorry you guys are sick and having to deal with all that other stuff!!! If I were there I would come help you pack and move! I lived in Seattle for many years. I’m moving back in a few years. I miss that city!!
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Oh my goodness that is scary. After hearing Avery have a seizure over the monitor I can completely relate with the fear associated with any weird noise. I hope you’re all feeling better and I’m SO sorry you’re experience mastitis again:( I never had it but one of my close friends was hospitalized (forcing the weaning of her ten month old) and I know that it can be so so rough.
You’re a strong mama.
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I’m sorry you guys aren’t feeling well :( (The salad looks delicious by the way!)
Are you having breast pain or nipple pain? If it’s breast pain, you might have thrush. Check your breasts and his mouth for white spots. If you do have thrush, it will make a big difference in your pain once you start treatment. The hallmark of thrush (other than the presence of the yeast on the skin and in his mouth) is an otherwise normally nursing mom complaining of breast pain that continues throughout the feeding.
I’m sorry you’re so busy and feeling so crappy. You’re doing a great job of holding it together.
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Sending healthy thoughts your way. Change is always tough, I usually have to keep a mantra in my head for those freak out moments that are bound to happen periodically. Remember…its not forever, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.
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I haven’t thought to combine asparagus and beets, but they are two of my favorite foods :).
I hope you and Cullen both feel better. Rest up and hydrate!
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So scary about Cullen. I hope you are doing ok :)
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Hope you both feel better soon. I can imagine how scary that was to find Cullen throwing up. Thank goodness for baby monitors!
This salad looks incredible and I love how the beets turn the rice a lovely shade of pink! I’m sure it’s also good when feeling under the weather. That Lundberg mix is one of my favs.
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Antonia Reply:
May 1st, 2012 at 4:08 am
Can you tell me what is in the Lunberg mix?
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Oh Emily- a sick and throwing up baby could possibly make my top 3 worst baby/mom moments. I am pretty sure its the scariest thing ever…although head injuries also make the list :) BUT to have you be sick on top of it all IS the WORST thing ever. I know you dont have family in the area- and we did not either. I have such a heart for you. Hang in there. Rest and everything else can wait. You are not alone even if it feels like it some times. I LOVE your blog and your sweet, sweet ways.
Sending big hugs from Chicago,
AmyW, mom of 4 kiddos
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Thanks for the great recipe. I made it last night with one of your kale recipes. They were both awesome.
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Good morning. I was just thinking of you guys this morning and I hope the move went well and more importantly everyone is feeling better. I keep thinking how hard it must be to care for another sick little being while being so sick yourself!
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Awllll – it’s bad enough having a sick little one, but when mommy is sick – it’s make it really hard!! Hope you feel better soon!!! If your boobs are really sore/sensative – could you possibly be pregnant? I know that was always one of my first signs. At any rate – hope you feel better and Cullen too, and hope the move goes smooth!!!!
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The first time Ella threw up, I was so freaked out! Hopefully Cullen gets better soon.
Speaking of Ella, she would totally LOVE this salad. Beets and asparagus are two of her favorite foods. Yes, she’s a really weird 10 month old.
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Glad to hear from your most recent post that you are both on the mend.
Made the salad last night with regular brown rice because there s no hope of finding brown rice blends round my parts. It was fantastic. I might now be cooking your entire site.
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