Our Hike

My fiancé and I took a trip to Big Bear over the weekend. It was a lovely trip -- we stayed in a cozy log cabin, cooked all of our meals, went on a beautiful hike, and it was both of our first times mountain biking. 

During our Saturday hike, I realized early on that Joshua and I weren't always aligned on which path to take up the mountain. (There was no set trail, it was paths we were choosing and creating along the way.) He would think one way was the "better" option and would motion for me to follow him, and I would feel an other direction was the best route and wanted him to follow me. 

You see, Joshua and I are both leaders. We've separately played this role with our friends and family since we were young, and are also good at it. It's an honor to be blessed with this talent, and I believe it should be embraced and cherished as it is an empowering quality rooted in personal confidence and trust from others. It's one of the sexiest qualities in Joshua, and what drew me to him when we first met at eighteen years old.

When I realized we had conflicting views of which direction was the smartest (and most fun) option to get us to the top of the mountain, I didn't argue with him or try to convince him that my idea was better. I just said to him, "OK if you think that's better, you go that way and I'll go this way."

This was the style we hiked for the rest of that afternoon. We would be one behind the other and when his gut was pulling him left and mine right, we would separate again...often losing each other for longer than anticipated. But we would always end up crossing paths again. 

To me, this was a beautiful and accurate representation of us as a couple, and as partners through life. One of the most precious things about marriage is agreeing to spend the rest of your life with someone. But this does not mean you have to walk identical paths, that there is an obligation to convince your spouse to always walk the same path as you. You are two distinct individuals and neither should feel their perspective or desires are less valuable than the other's because they are not the same.

The rest of our lives together is a long time (we hope) and both of us will evolve as humans. Personal growth is a sign that you are living, receiving, feeling, reflecting, learning, accepting, and growing. This is healthy. And in experiencing this, it is our responsibility as a lifelong partner to honor their journey. Put all judgements aside, support their goals, encourage them to follow their hearts, and welcome their improved selves with open arms.

And if our hike that afternoon is a true metaphor of our future together, walking separate paths from time to time will certainly bring lots of laughter and storytelling to the relationship too. 


Sincerely,
Sahra

Lemon-Thyme Chicken

Hello! 

Another recipe I made last night and it turned out phenomenal! My boyfriend's mom introduced me to this website and I believe all the recipes are this simple, quick, healthy, and delicious. Here it is, with some of my personal twist:

- 2 pounds chicken cutlets 
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Flour for dredging (whole wheat pastry flour is what I used) 
- Unrefined, cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion, halved and sliced thinly 
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
- 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup chicken stock
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme

Step 1:

Season the chicken cutlets on both sides with sea salt and black pepper. Dredge them with flour and shake off the excess.

Step 2:

Warm about ¼ cup olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the chicken cutlets and sauté on both sides until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Step 3:

Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and season with sea salt and pepper.  Sauté until tender, about 8 minutes.  Pour the lemon juice into the pan and scrape any brown bits on the bottom.  Add the chicken stock and thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer.  Transfer the chicken back to the pan with any accumulated juices.  Simmer until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Step 4:

Remove thyme sprigs and serve immediately. 

Serve with (my twist):

- Rice, made in a Persian-style rice cooker

- Plain yogurt

- Raw radishes

That's it! Enjoy!

Sincerely,
Sahra

http://pamelasalzman.com/lemon-thyme-chicken/

Tasty Turkey Kabobs

I started cooking, everybody! I've finally started cooking on the regular and I love it.

I've been asking my mom for her recipes for years and she always says it's difficult for her to tell me over the phone because she doesn't use measurements (we've lived in different cities since I was 18 years old... I know, it's devastating). 

But now that I've been playing my own version of catch-up by looking up recipes, getting creative in the kitchen (and making plenty of mistakes), I have a better idea of ratios when I'm preparing a dish. (Ratios are key, friends). This, in turn, has helped me comfortably take direction from mom sans specific measurements. 

That said, I did exactly this and my mom's Persian-inspired turkey kabobs turned out perfect! Here is the direction I was given, including my own personal tweaks:

- 1 pound ground turkey 
- 2 medium-sized white onions, finely chopped
- Tumeric
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1/2 cup of dried parsley
- 3 garlic cloves
- Worcester sauce
- Olive oil
- One Egg

- Two tomatoes
- Lemon pepper
- Rice
- Plain yogurt
- Raw onions
- Cilantro
- Sumac (pronounced Somagh: http://www.kalamala.com/products/sumac-ground-4-oz)

Step 1:
Set oven on Bake, 500 degrees

Step 2:
Mix the first ten ingredients in a big bowl (wear gloves and massage well with your hands)
Add as much olive oil necessary to keep the mixture moist

Step 3:
Put foil on a cooking tray and spray with non-stick oil 

Step 4:
Make little patties (whatever shape and size you prefer) and lay them on the tray

Step 5:
Place in oven once heated to 500 degrees

Step 6:
Let bake for about 6-8 minutes (check on it and you will know when it's cooked)

Step 7:
Flip the patties, and add two whole tomatoes on the side of the cooking tray. Shake some lemon pepper and some olive oil on the tomatoes. Let cook again for 6-8 minutes.

Serve with:
- Rice. I make the rice with a Persian-style rice cooker (very easy).
- Plain yogurt
- Raw onions
- Cilantro
- And, of course, the warm tomatoes you just made with the kabob
- Sprinkle sumac on the rice, kabob, and tomatoes.


That's it! And it's pretty darn healthy too. Good luck!


Sincerely,
Sahra