Another Kitchen Sink Salad

I have talked about "kitchen sink salads" before. The general idea is to put in as many ingredients, colors, and flavors as possible, with equal parts lettuce and everything else.

This may have been the most elaborate (and biggest) one I have ever done. I was inspired by the bag of fresh black kale my wonderful husband picked up at the farm shop, and by this recipe I found on my sister's pinterest board.

First, I tossed some mini chicken breast filets in chinese five spice, smoked paprika, honey, olive oil, and sea salt, cooked them up in a griddle pan, sliced them, and set them aside to cool. 

Then, I blanched the kale for about 30 seconds in boiling water, soaked it in ice water to stop it from cooking further, spun it dry, and chopped it.

To the kale, I added lettuce, finely grated sharp cheddar cheese, chopped spring onion, quartered cherry tomatoes, avocado, yellow bell pepper, sliced clementine (skins removed), dried cranberries, and the cooled chicken.

Finally, I dressed my salad with sea salt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a bit of Tabasco.

It was huge and it was delicious. Now that it's gone, I wish I'd made more!

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A Delicious Ray of Sunshine

It's the time of year when apples get a bit mealy, and I start to crave all things citrus. Why is it that these little guys, straight from the fridge, are so satisfying? They're desert-level delicious.

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Moving to the UK: Some Tips

The other day I read a post on one of my favourite sites—Animals Talking in all Caps—describing the author's pain and incredible stress at waiting to hear from the UK Border Agency (UKBA) on a visa request so he could join his wife.

Let's just say, I could feel his pain. I have definitely been there. And, this inspired me to write down a few things that would have made my life much easier had someone told me:

1) If there is an option to expedite, expedite. Always. Especially with the UKBA. Yes, it's far more expensive. But, it will cost you far more money, time, and stress in the long run if you don't.

Remember, you won't have any of your important documents (i.e. the ones you need to get a job, get a driving license, travel, etc.) until they're done with your application; which could take months.

2) If you're thinking of changing your name (i.e. marriage) and you already have a Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) consider the following:

a) You have to change your name on your passport first (no big deal). However, b) the names on your passport and BRP must match for you to be allowed to travel. There is no guarantee that you'll get back in the country if they don't. c) There is no option to expedite getting a replacement BRP, for name change or otherwise. d) You can not check on the status of this type of application unless it has been more than 6 months and they are clearly not given priority. Meaning, you will have no idea whether your application and documents are actively being processed, stuck on someone's desk, or simply lost.

When I did mine, the UKBA had my documents for 5 months. I couldn't get a job or a driving license (you need your passport and BRP for these) and since I couldn't travel, I missed my honeymoon, a funeral, and a wedding. We finally had to contact our MP to help speed the process.



3) Do not, under any circumstances, lose your BRP. Refer back to tips #2c and d.

4) If you have an American driving license, you can drive in the UK using only your passport for a limited time. Then, you have to get a British driving license. This means one day you will be considered an experienced and capable driver, and the next it will be like you're 16 again.

You have to start from scratch and take the written test, then the road test. That's right. I recommend doing this as early as possible, and taking a few lessons so you know what they expect to see. It's not hard, but it is a process.

5) If you are American, you must file a US tax return reporting your worldwide income every year, forever. You won't necessarily have to pay US taxes, but you will have to file and report. Got to love the IRS! I recommend getting some advice and assistance come tax time.

That's everything I can think of at the moment...

Life in the UK is amazing; I absolutely love it. But, I have learned that life in America can instill a certain—rather high—level of expectation when it comes to service, efficiency, and speed of delivery. Thus, the speed of British life can come at a bit of a shock.

Just remember: Brits don't mind calmly standing in queues, don't expect anything service-related to happen quickly, and really aren't all that worried about it. You know, keep calm, carry on, stiff upper lip, and so on.

Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Eventually, you might even come to appreciate it.

PS: These tips are based on my personal experiences and the requirements in place at the time. They are only meant to make you aware of possible issues. You'll need to do your own research.

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Decidedly Spring-ish

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Banana Yogurt Muffins

I found this recipe last week on Hungry Girl por Vida and had to make it immediately. Good thing I did. They were amazing; very moist, not too sweet, with just enough banana flavor. I highly recommend it.

Notes: I 1) substituted my favourite gluten free flour mix; 2) did not use sunflower seeds; 3) used non-fat plain yogurt; and 4) for something extra indulgent on day 3, I gave them the day-old Krispy Kreme treatment—cut in half, butter both sides, toast in toaster oven.

These banana yogurt muffins are easy to make and delicious; definitely worth a try.

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There's a baby in there!

...is what I said at our first ultrasound. That's right. For those of you who don't know already, I'm pregnant. And, as we've just passed the eight month mark, I thought it would be a good time to illustrate how US and UK approaches to pregnancy differ.

As you would expect, the American approach is very American: lots of joy, exclamation points, empathy, and pain management. And the British approach is of course, very British: stiff upper lip, no big deal, and just get on with it—I mean, it's only a baby.

For example, we initially discovered we were pregnant in the usual way—by peeing on a stick. Assuming we needed immediate medical intervention, confirmation by blood tests, and advice, we made an appointment with the doctor:
Me: We think I'm pregnant.
Doc: Ok. Did you wee on a stick and it said you were pregnant?
Me: Yes.
Doc: Then, you're pregnant.
Me: Ummmm...ok...now what?
Doc: Now what, what? Go home and be pregnant. Congratulations.

Yeah. Let's just say, I've said "What?!" a lot.

PS: Happy Valentine's Day!

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