Day 4: Time for recipes.

Aside from random attacks of hunger (in the middle of the night, or half an hour after breakfast) and getting up at 2 a.m. every night to pee, I can't say I have been overwhelmed by reassuring symptoms. I wish there was something more definitive. Even my bbs don't hurt very much right now, and haven't since about 13dpIUI.

Yesterday we went up to a Harriman State Park for a lovely celebratory hike. Speedy kept shouting at random intervals, "You're pregnant!" "WE'RE pregnant!" We only had room for one dog in the car, but we thought it was a nice time to make our 'special' dog (read: the biter) feel special. We walked a moderately challenging 7 miles over a leisurely 4 hours in perfect hiking weather. Thanks to Jesus, there were very few other irreligious miscreants to be found on the trails :)





I am taking Adventures' advice and going in tomorrow just to find out what is going on with my numbers. At least I can gain some reassurance that way. I also have to find out about progesterone. Fucking Aetna doesn't cover that, either. So, at $3 each suppository and 2 suppositories a day, I'm looking at close to $300 to fill the scrip. It's not that I don't have the money, but c'mon! What exactly am I paying Aetna to do other than deny every freaking claim I have made since Jan 1? It is really time to raise hell with my HR department over this bogus health insurance they have us on. Did I mention that I work at a medical association?

Anyway, I promised recipes, and here is the first installment: cous cous tagine with turnips and dried apricots, adapted from Jack Bishop's A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen (one of our most well-thumbed cookbooks). Speedy has made this twice now-- it is a great recipe for us because while I enjoy cooking elaborate time-consuming things, I don't always have the energy, and on a weeknight I don't have the time. If we're both getting hungry and there are 18 things left on our to-do list, this is a lovely alternative to our other quick stand-by of pasta, leafy greens and parmesan. I do not include photos because it is rather unlovely to look at (beige, with chunks of apricot) but trust me it is delicious.

2 T extra virgin oil
1 Medium onion, finely chopped
3/4 lb turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 teaspoon (++) cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 1/2 C water
salt & pepper
1 1/4 C cous cous
3/4 C chopped dried aprocots
2 T minced parsley or cilantro
juice of one lemon

Heat oil in a large saute pan over med-hi heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook for about 2 minutes until softened. Add turnips and cook until lightly browned (stir occasionally to prevent burning but not too much! The browning takes place while they are undisturbed in the pan.)
Add the cumin (I think Bishop is a pussy about spices. I go light on cinnamon because a little goes a long way, but I double up everything else. Bishop omits the cayenne, but Speedy and I think it is absolutely mandatory.) Cook until fragrant, stirring to coat the veggies. Add tomatoes & salt & pepper with the water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer about 10 minutes.
Stir in the cous cous, apricots and parsley or cilantro. Remove the pan from heat, cover and let sit until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes, add lemon (Bishop also omits this, but Speedy and I found that it lifts the flavors of everything.)

Serve immediately with lemon wedges and/or yogurt for garnish.

Next up: Speedy's Birthday Leek Tart.

But now we have the week's deep cleaning to do.