I spend a lot of time thinking about what it would feel like to not work. Everyone does this, right? Even if they love their job? I have to believe they do, because even if you are doing important work like clothing orphans or sending beehives to African villages, sometimes you just want to be lazy.
I don’t know if it is the sudden emergence of summer (Spring, why such an elusive vixen this year?) or just some listlessness I have been feeling about my current employment “situation”, but I spend far too much time fantasizing about what I would do with those empty days. Reading and volunteering would probably…happen. That would be a good thing. I would definitely be a better friend, keeping in touch more and hopefully figuring out a better way to parse up my time and still keep some for myself.
But the truth of the matter is this; I would become a lady who brunches. For me, brunch is a much better option than lunch. It is over the top and decadent; exactly how I do. I would order french toast drowned in rivers of maple syrup and slather scones in clotted cream. I would finally find the best hashbrowns in the city and locate the most fantastic cup of coffee. But really? It is all about the mimosas…glass after bottomless glass of worry erasing would greet me every morning. It would be glorious.
But for now, I work. I’ve yet to win the lottery or drop my ideals and allow myself to become a kept woman. Just the rushing to fit in the gym and return all those neglected hone calls. Though I am sad I cannot have those things, it probably is for the best I don’t eat all those brunches. One should not exceed their caloric intake for the day before noon. If I am stuck with something healthy, delicious and filling, I think I am doing ok. Those brunches can wait.
Breakfast Quinoa
Slightly adapted from 101 Cookbooks
1 cup skim milk
1 cup water
1 cup organic quinoa, rinsed
2 cups fresh berries–I used strawberries and blackberries
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
4 teaspoons honey
Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blackberries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave nectar over each serving.
Serves 4.
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{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh, to be a lady who lunches… although I agree, brunch is far better. I’m a crepe girl myself… there is nothing so decadent as a fresh crepe dusted with chocolaté (I think this is actually commonly known as Quik. I have no idea why my friends and I call it chocolaté… must have been the French school thing.)
As a lady of leisure, I would spend my time in a state of constant intoxication, sprawled on my kitchen floor and writing bad haikus in condiments across the linoleum.
I enjot a crepe with nutella as well…it is out of control good.
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I was a lady who lunches…mostly, it was all about shopping, daytime drinking, and paying the housekeeper $20 to get rid of a moth the size of my head that had taken up residence in the living room.
Wait? Is this a bad thing?
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Isn’t it really a lady who breakfasts but at a later hour? Aren’t the popular brunch things really breakfast things? Isn’t breakfast everyone’s favorite but at the least popular hour? Who isn’t happy eating a bowl of cereal or some eggs whatever the hour, but no one wakes up and says I really want chicken cacciatore.
There is a potential flaw in your scheme – if you no longer had to work to fund your daily needs and desires, then what worries would you have that necessitated a flood of mimosas washing down your throat? Then your biggest worry may be having to come up with a new rationale for imbibing said mimosas.
I am a professional worrier. Believe me, I would have something to stress about, such as “what the hell am I doing with my life?”
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Low sugar apple cinnamon oatmeal. Every day at my desk Monday thru Friday. How I look forward to brunch every weekend…
That is my default as well, though I actually just ate this for breakfast…it was pretty decent reheated.
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I fantasize about this all the time.
Quinoa–the one time I made it I tried to eat it and it had a grain part and then it had little ring parts that had separated from the grain and I kept thinking they were like ringworms if I knew what ringworms looked like and I couldn’t eat it. Is there a way to de-ring the quinoa?
Hm, I have never even noticed this. I don’t know. I am sorry.
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With free days, I think I’d rob banks or mug people.
Gotta get that money somehow.
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Mimosas!!! This post brought a tear to my eye… because I am at work…
You know, some people like bloody mary’s or red beer, some people like mimosas or screwdrivers… I’m definitely in the latter category. Orange juice: making alcohol better since the 50’s.
I had a mimosa with blood orange juice this weekend…crazy good.
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I’m prepared to become a kept woman if it means delicous hashbrowns for breakfast WHENEVER I WANT, rather than whenever I have the time, which is usually only on Saturday.
I think I am prepared too; the sacrifices we make, I tell you.
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I recently, through acquiantances, met a woman who’s fulltime job is to be a lady of leisure. Young, attractive, smart and foreign this woman juggles over a dozen sugar daddies that fund her lavish lifestyle and none of whom she sleeps with….or so she claims. She’s like a modern day western geisha. Brutally efficient with her time, she was perpetually on the phone talking to her benefactors via her wireless bluetooth earpiece. Neither myself or her friends could maintain a conversation with her for more than 5 minutes.
Not working sure takes a lot of work.
OK, the one downfall to this is the lack of sex. I mean…what is the point? I want some lazy days in bed, tangled up in someone.
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The only snag is that my favourite restaurants don’t serve brunch every day of the week.
I suppose I would just have to stay home and drink mimosas on my chaise longue, whilst admiring the pool boy(s).
There are worse things in life, for sure.
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Agreed. Brunch is a much more appealing option than lunch. Although, having said that, I do also adore lunch. Tough call!
I mean, let’s be honest…I will eat just about anything.
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I wonder if I can find someone willing to have a kept man. Ad on Craigslist perhaps?
Welcome Kendall…I think you can find anything on CL.
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I just started working at a restaurant that has a Saturday and Sunday bottomless Mimosas and a Bloody Mary bar. And cute(but gay) boys of all shapes and sizes. You must visit!
I can still look at them–of course!
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If my lady would hurry up and win the lotto or invent something that can be sold on TV, I would be a kept man. But she seems to think we should both work hard or something. Nonsense.
Now that is just silly.
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I would turn into such a lush if I had the ability to brunch every day.
For seriously.
Once again I ask: is this bad?
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Something about even one mimosa makes me go back to bed for the rest of the day.
I like the drunky naps, though.
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Sending beehives to African villages wouldn’t necessarily be a good thing. What if they are those African killer bees?
Peter
Good point…not my problem, though.
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Men strive for that life of leisure as well. I did for a full two weeks. Quit my job and stayed at home. Unfortunately I itched to work after that, got interviews and was working less than 4 weeks after I vowed not work for one year. I had 2 years of savings. I’ll die at work.
What does Quinoa taste like? I’ve heard it the rage for grains, but have never tried it.
Hm, well, kinda like a softer barley…nutty.
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I want to be a lady of leisure. It is all I have ever aspired to be. You see how well that worked out, right?
And I have never tried breakfast quinoa. I’ve always made it savory.
It was a first for me and I loved it.
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I am all about the yogurt and apple breakfast. With a gallon size black coffee. That looks good.
How healthy of you…you would probably like this a ton.
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i would do something very similar to you, brunching, drinking, drinking, brunching.
and for the record, i think about winning mega millions far more than any normal person should.
You can’t win if you don’t play.
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I would cut off a toe for a mimosa right now.
Actually, I’d probably make that deal almost any time.
I was gonna say…
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I love quinoa, even though it seems a little feminine. That’s probably just me.
Nah, it is really manly me thinks.
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I like to think that I’d be super productive and social if I had the luxury of not working. I think that only works, though, if I have other un- or self-employed friends…
Yeah, you would probably spend a lot of time in front of the TV.
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Being unemployed is not bad…until your money runs out.
And there lies the rub.
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In between brunches you could fly to third world countries and adopt children.
How would I pay for these children?
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I’m unemployed and I fantastize more about winning the lotto than actually getting a job just because I despise working and one more interview and I will shoot myself or someone else-um jk…SOOO yes.
In general: I would do all the things I do now like write, read, watch every movie known to mankind on my free movie site (yea yeaaaa baby I see all the theater movies for free), sing, dance, be a creative freak who has no one to tell me not to be….but I do all this AT HOME.
Like I am 15.
If I had money and no work, I’d do all that AND:
I’d be a travel fiend. Staying at posh resorts with my man and friends….visiting people and actually having money to buy new outfits for the occasions (I hate shopping but love fashion so Id have a PA to get all my stuff I picked out for me or just be completely addicted to shopbop.com) and getmy hair done once a week.
TWICE a week.
And sleep. Mama loves to sleep.
So yes…continue to indulge in all creative activites, be the best dressed lady in town, and always, I repeat always, have amazing hair.
Life of leisure. I would never get bored. Not for a second.
Oh man–professional blow outs all the time would be such an over the top girly indulgence.
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Oh and besides travel–I’d take MANY, many Cabo style resort vacations. You know, to unwind.
You need to rest from all that resting.
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Ooh, yum! I love quinoa, but I’ve only had it in savory dishes. Yum!
This was so good…the texture and the slight sweetness and the warm cinnamon.
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Am I seriously the only person who doesn’t really know what quinoa is? I know I’m from Kentucky and all, but I thought I had a few smarts. I’ve never heard of that once in my entire life. Or is it perhaps pronounced differently than it’s spelled? Is it the DC spelling of “grits”? I feel dumb.
It is an artsy, fatsy whole grain.
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I just got back from NYC last night (lived there for almost 7 years, was showing the boy around).
You guys HAVE to try the best french toast I’ve ever had in this little restaurant in the lower east side. It’s called “Frankie’s 17″ and brunch opens at 11am (it’s on 17 Clifton St.). It’s a tiny little place, so definitely not for a big group, but should fit you girls in (get there when it opens to make sure!
You should also go to the best falafel place ever on MacDoughal St: http://www.mamounsfalafel.com/
This is my favorite restaurant: http://www.garagerest.com/ the stuffed chicken breast is awesome (and I’m not even a fan of chicken!)
French toast! You have said enough. I want french toast.
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“How would I pay for these children?”
Third World Children can be purchased with your Diners Club card.
That is probably the only place I can use that thing…in Zambia.
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Don’t ask me. You’re the one who’s brunching and no longer employed.
USELESS. You are useless.
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i don’t even EAT breakfast on week days (i know, i know) so my weekend brunches are decadent, even if they’re just scrambled eggs and bacon.
wait, that came out a little sadder than i meant it to be. i mean, hooray! i love brunch no matter what!
Oh you should–most important meal of the day and all this.
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I like french toast for dinner. I don’t know if that has anything to do with this but thats what brunch makes me think of.
An idea has been launched…breakfast for dinner will happen sometime soon.
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I love quinoa (thanks to my Peruvian roots) but never considered it prepared as a sweet dish. Intriguing!
Great, now I’m craving quinoa…. Mmmmm….. with avocado and garlic and crunchy red peppers…. mmmmmm….
Holy crap–that sounds awesome. Yes, please.
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Hey – this is exactly along the lines of what I was looking for when I came here to ask you a question. But I’m gonna ask anyway since I am desperate – the ravenous eating machine we have recently required is driving me nuts – please please please make me some suggestions of EASY INEXPENSIVE recapies with loads of fresh veggies and fruits. Bonus points if you can include cabbage since my mom bought me a head of it and I have never in my life prepared cabbage.
Please help – I’ve been reduced to just chopping up and throwing raw veggies at him to keep up.
Wow, ok. Well as far as cabbage goes, have you tried gwumpkies? They are a fav of my Polish brethren and easy…maybe swap in turkey for something a bit more healthful.
Man, and the other stuff, I don’t know if I am really qualified to answer…I don’t have kids so I feel weird giving my opinion on this. I know my friend adopted a baby girl who was the same kind of eating machine when she got to the states…my friend always had hard boiled eggs, string cheese, yogurt and other healthy stuff like berries, cherry tomatoes and grapes on hand for her to eat. I don’t really believe in “kid food”…it saddens me when I see parents only shoving chicken nuggets and pizza at their kids. Sure, they may be inclined to eat this and it is hard to control when they get to school–they want what their friends want–but I think I will basically feed my kids whatever I am eating. I have seen plenty of my friends kids eat seafood, tofu, chinese food…whatever.
But that is just me and I could totally be full of shit.
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Brunch is a fabulous way to remember what day of the week it is. When you retire (in about 30+ years) you can do what I am doing tomorrow: I’m meeting The Lunch Bunch for a tour of the Botanical Gardens followed by lunch at the American Indian Museum. Sounds like an interesting and delicious way to spend part of Tuesday, yes?
Sounds pretty dang perfect.
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I don’t mind brunch but I am actually beginning to enjoy getting up early so I can tackle the day- does this mean I’m getting older?
I’ve actually been really curious of quinoa, where can I get some here in DC?
Welcome Patrick. It is pretty common; Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s carries it…and I think I grabbed this packet at Giant.
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Lem -
You are an angel! Or to be more accurate a food goddess. You hit where I am coming from dead on when you said “I don’t really believe in “kid food”…it saddens me when I see parents only shoving chicken nuggets and pizza at their kids” My step daughter is going to turn into a chicken nugget or maybe a slice of pizza and I find that very sad. Little man LOVES veggies and fruit and I want to keep him on a healthy diet as long as possible – including whole grains and lots of veggies. I know he’ss see and get the other stuff once he starts school but I think you develop your preferences well before then so I’m trying to insure good grounding there.
The Quinoa recipie looks perfect as do the veggie gwumpkies. I plan to try both this week. I’ve also taken to “cheating” for suppers by starting with some packaged stuff that I try to pump more healthy stuff into – for example – one of those chicken, pasta and veggie frozens skillet packs as a starter – throw out about half the sauce since its loaded with salt, add in a bunch more veggies and some cooked buckwheat or other grain etc. The biggest problem is affording the volume, between little man and my husband they are going to eat me out of house and home, and managing the time it takes to cook healthy. Little man was accustomed to “smell or see food – eat food” no prep time or waiting because at the orphanage they just carried the prepared food into the childrens’ room for meals. He has zero patience waiting on me to cook. If he can see or smell it he thinks he should be able to eat. so if you see any other cheap / fast but healthy ideas in your culinary wanderings – keep me in mind!!
That is a great idea–when I am in a pinch and eat a lean cuisine (yes, of course I eat them too) I always add a handful of frozen peas or some such. And I am sure over time the little guy will get more patient.
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Since you are being so very good it would, then, be highly unfair of me to mention the waffle sandwich with gruyere and prosciutto with honey vinaigrette on the brunch menu at Matchbox on 8th & I.
WHY WOULD YOU SAY THIS?!
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Wow! Thank you! I always wanted to write in my site something like that. Can I take part of your post to my blog?
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I have recently been searching all over for this post. Good thing I came across it on Msn.
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Sometimes I resent how many hours I spend glued to this screen. And so far I haven’t even given in to Facebook or Twitter. But I do like the looks of that recipe. The food here always makes it worth the trip…
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I have recently been searching all over for this post. Good thing I came across it on Msn.
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