Sharing with you... No. 18
A lunch made with love and giggles
Bismillah…
I open the refrigerator scanning for a quick and delicious lunch but all the jars and whole foods aren’t sparking any ideas. A quick scroll after the words “easy fresh lunch” on Youtube leads to a smoked salmon sandwich shorts video and I’m sold. Back at the freezer, I grab my smoked salmon, bend down to get a tomato, cucumber, red onion, cream cheese, and fresh parsley from the fridge. My eyes dart over to the bread box wondering if my already-full hands can add on a loaf of sourdough bread. I decide “nope” and plop everything on our snug corner counter space where I’ve prepped our meals for the last 6 years. Between the utensils, oils, vinegars, za’tar, butter dish, honey pot and little glass shakers of Trader Joe’s spices I keep visible just for joy, the space is starting to swell but I can never decide what needs to go.
“Waliya, will you have smoked salmon sandwiches with me?”
“Yes, mama! Those are soooo good!”
“Alright, let’s start!”
I put a knob of butter into my pan, watch it bubble, sizzle and froth before adding slices of toast. A quick flip before I scratch the top to hear the satisfying crust. “That’s how you know it’s ready,” I tell her.
Yahya’s footsteps enter the kitchen, followed by his small mighty self pushing a dining chair to stand with us at the counter.
I offer him his cutting board and small butter knife with a cucumber to keep his little hands out of the way as we prep what Waliya and I both know will be a scrumptious lunch.
Back to the bread, I spread on lightly whipped cream cheese on each toast with a dash of dried chives and dill. The video showed ribboned cucumber and for the first time, I use my potato peeler to make the thinnest possible cucumber ribbons, followed by thicker slices of tomato and red onion. I open the packet and smell the salty salmony goodness, deciding to place extra on mine and leave just a little bit in the packet for tomorrow or another day. A sudden discomfort with using up all of something – the one quirk in myself I’ve never quite understood. Making aloo keema? I’ll leave 1/4 of a potato for no reason aside from what my family now calls “ratio problems”. Pasta for the kids? A full jar of sauce would be fine in the dish but I’ll leave just a little. Maybe it’s the hope that I can make the same thing next week, or the comfort of knowing this simple ingredient won’t need to make it on the grocery list again just yet. Maybe I’m just no good at estimation? Or too precise and overthink the smallest decisions? Who knows.
On goes the pinky salmon, cucumber, tomato topped with sea salt flakes. I pick up the red onion but I’m stopped with a loud, “No, no onion on mine mamaaa,” I smile and add it to mine instead.
Yahya’s eaten the cucumber he was tasked with cutting while we made the sandwiches in peace. Mission accomplished.
“Yahya, lunch is ready baaboo, let’s move the chair back please,” I say.
We sit with our plates, water, and say Bismillah as I slice each one in half and offer the first bite to Yahya. He looks a bit too closely at the salmon, and says,
“No… gusting…”
“We don’t say that Yahya,” I reproach him while fighting back my laughter.
He nibbles on tomatoes and warm brown bread while Waliya and I joyfully enjoy our gourmet sandwiches. We take turns asking Yahya other foods he likes or dislikes.
"What about broccoli, Yahya?” asks Waliya
“bwaccowi… nummy,” he says decidedly as we giggle, secretly knowing we’ll be crushed when he realizes the correct pronunciation of broccoli.
“What about apples,” I ask.
“apples….nummy,” he confirms.
We look down at empty plates speckled with breadcrumbs before washing our dishes and getting on with the day.
What else is new?
I opened doors for more sisters to join Refresh Sisterhood until May 10th. I was hoping to fill 10 spots before the 10th and have already filled 80% alhumdulillah. Do join us if creativity, writing, journaling, and virtual hangouts with like-minded moms is your thing. We’d love to have you!! (Just send me a direct message to join). Doors close until the Fall enrolment after May 10th.
Homeschooling is in full swing with pods, co-ops, nature school, and our own studies. If you’re looking for support on homeschooling, I’ve been offering consult calls for parents in getting clear on goals/mindset/and general support. More details here if you or someone you know would be interested.
I’ll be going on a ladies retreat soon inshaAllah and leading a needle felting workshop there for the first time. This is what we’re going to make below. A whimsical matchbox night scene. Planning to do more of these in-person creative workshops in my town inshaAllah, or maybe even in my basement. We’ll see!
.
Thanks so much for reading!
Till next time,
Asma