I mentioned that we have a new home in Washington. What I didn’t mention is where we live. In my parent’s basement.
I know. For any self-respecting adult, married, with four children, this would be a point of shame. But we are choosing to live with my parents. We figure our kids need to have as much exposure to extended family while they can before we join the ranks of military life.
My parents house is a kid’s paradise. No, it’s not jam packed full of toys. But it does have a pool & hot tub, trampoline, large fenced back yard, & is right next to a park. They also have a large driveway that we can fence off & the kids ride bikes. We didn’t bring any toys with us other than legos & books, but the kids haven’t noticed the lack at all.
Living with my mom is interesting. She is always making things. Not like craft things. Oh no, that is not my mother. She is so not the crafty type. She’s the fix-it & build-it type. Funny, I didn’t get any of those genes. I can hammer a nail in the wall to hang up a photo frame, but please, don’t ask me to cut wood or be precise. That’s not my thing. But it is for my mom.
Today, for example, she decided we needed a few benches for the kitchen table instead of chairs, so of course, she did the obvious, and made them herself.
Another perk to living with my mother is her cooking. She & my dad are mostly vegan & she throws together some remarkable delicious, fresh vegan dishes. She never uses recipes. Even when she makes my favorite gluten-free brownies. Her style is shoot-from-the-hip & see what turns out. I guess you could say I did inherit a bit of that.
Last night my mom made an asparagus-stir-fry, sweet potato “chips,” & shredded cabbage slaw for dinner. I mixed them all together & made this:
And for dessert, what else? Strawberries.
I’m not complaining.
A warm summer salad perfect for the month of May & June when asparagus is in season.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 lb. asparagus (about 15 medium spears)
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 5-7 mushroooms, washed & sliced
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 TBS. organic no-salt seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. mild chili powder
- 1/4 head green cabbage
- 1/4 head red cabbage
Instructions
For the sweet potatoes:
- Preheat the oven to 400 F.
- Peel & thinly slice sweet potatoes into rounds.
- Bake the sweets on a non-stick cookie sheet for 10 minutes.
- Flip rounds over & cook for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked & slightly crispy. I like 'em slightly crispy, but cook longer if you want yours real crispy-like.
For the salad:
- Get your onions & red pepper ready for cooking.
- Wash the asparagus, then snap off the ends (the tough white part). Chop those beauties into 1 inch pieces.
- Heat a non-stick wok or cast-iron skillet on medium-high heat. I like both my wok & my skillet, & either works here. Woks are essential for stir-fries & since this isn't a traditional stirfry, you a cast iron skillet will do. You don't need to add oil, because cast iron is naturally non-stick (if it's well seasoned) & if you have non-stick wok, you're also covered. That said, have a little cup of water nearby & add small amounts as needed if you find the onion sticking. Be sure not to drench though--you're not boiling, you're sauteing.
- Saute onions for 2-3 minutes, then add the asparagus, peppers, & shrooms. This is where it gets fun. Use a wooden spatula if possible, just works better with sauteing. Continue to stir the veggies for an additional 3-5 minutes. Asparagus is tricky. You don't want to under cook, but you definitely don't want to over cook. Who wants to eat mushy asparagus? Not me, & I'm pretty sure you don't either. So eyeball it, & taste the asparagus as you go along. If you do this, you'll know when it's done. You might notice the veggies are sticking to the pan. Super easy to fix--just add a tablespoon of water at a time.
- Now's time to add some flavor. Add salt, garlic powder, & chili powder.
- Make sure there's enough water in the pan to prevent sticking or burning & cover the pan with a lid. You're going to let that sit for another 2-3 minutes on medium/high heat.
- In the meantime, thinly shred the cabbage.
- Check on your veggies & take a test bite. If it's cooked but not crunchy, yet firm, you're done cooking, so remove from heat & allow to cool (about 15 minutes) or you can serve hot.
- Add shredded cabbage & sweet potatoes. You can layer or toss. Really it's up to you. Either way, now you've got a colorful, nutrient-dense seasonal warm salad to enjoy.
- And for the record, as with most things, I doused this baby in lots of Tapatio hot sauce.
Notes
Per Serving: 6 g protein, 30 g carbs, 8 g fiber, 210 mg sodium.
2.0
Welcome to rainy Washington. I recently moved from Washington to the central coast of California, but I do miss the rain.
I like the graphic design you do on your photos, and I like the photos, as well.
The Asparagus Salad looks delicous, too bad my wild aspargus patch down the road is done producing right now! LOL
I love the extended generations living together, my adult daughter lives with us and now my adult son is moving in with us today for a little while. It is a great way for them to get to know their younger brother and sister as I put a whole generation gap between the 2 sets of children. We get so much flack though it upsets my eldest daughter. People are forever asking her when she plans to move out so she can get independance. It drives her crazy.
Personally I dont feel independance comes from moving out from your parents house. Independance comes from learning to be your own person and make your own decisions……which they have plenty of room to do…….after all they are adults! In other cultures this arrangement is perfectly normal but Americans seem to think as soon as a child turns 18 they must leave.
Well anyways, multi-generational living arrangements are a beautiful thing!
Yes, it’s an interesting cultural perspective. It’s commonplace in many countries around the world where they don’t have the luxury of living in their own place because rents are too high & home ownership is expensive.
Here in the US, home ownership traditionally has been attainable for a lot of people, so in the last 50 years or so, it seems we’ve become a one generation society.
I will miss not having my kids grow up around their grandparents, aunts, uncles, & cousins, but we’re committed to spending as much time as possible with them when we can (like right now).
Thanks for the insight!
lol I love the shots of your mom making a bench… So cool that she is handy and resourceful!
Yes, she very much has a masculine brain that way. Always scheming ways to fix & build things. My dad has never been the one to fix & build. It’s always been my mom. Definitely rockin’ the gender stereo-types in my parent’s household!
oh wow that sounds so delicious!! and looks beautiful too! moms are the greatest:)
I love the idea of moving in with another generation. My hubby was raised with his grandparents living on the floor below him, and it really helped shape him into a compassionate person. Sounds like a wonderful summer! XO, MJ
Yes, I think the multi-generational family thing is not as common among middle & upper class whites in America, but among my husband’s side of the family (hispanic), it’s much more common. Also, as you point out, there are a lot of benefits for kids & parents. For one, I have an extra set of arms & ears to help watch after & love my kids. So necessary these days–I’m realizing it does take a community of caring family & friends to raise children. No one replaces parents, but we can use all the support we can get!