Navigating my new world as a working mama has brought lessons in juggling on a level I never knew existed. It’s gone in stages kind of like this…

Stage 1 Child Birth: holy shit I just had a baby
Stage 2 Postpartum : omg will I ever figure this out/barely functioning/so tired need coffee/is this normal? (RE: boobs)
Stage 3 Recovery: ok I’m ready, time to feel like myself again
Stage 4 Back to Work: mmmk, same expectations to be everything to everyone, less than half the time to do it in…here goes nothin

I think the juggling act starts somewhere in stage 3. At least for me, that’s the time when I was ready to start trying to claw my way back to my body, mind and lifestyle that made me feel like me. I realize I will never truly be the same person I was before having a kiddo – your perspective truly does shift, way fewer shits given – but the feeling of getting back to the familiar felt important because I needed to find my little joys again. My daily touches of lovely if you will. Haha!

For me, that meant cooking. Good food. The stuff that got my foodie heart excited but also helped nourish my still healing body. I repeat, same expectations less than half the time. It wasn’t gonna work for me to spend an hour cooking every day or even an hour at the grocery store every week. And to be honest, I still don’t have this piece even remotely figured out because I really get so much joy from being creative in the kitchen and I just don’t have time for it right now. But the good news is I have slowly but surely managed to discover a few little shortcuts helping to get me back. This salmon bowl is everything I love about food. Nutritious, warming, umami perfection and takes less than 20 minutes to throw together. A necessary component of the juggling act that is life right now.

Umami Salmon Bowl
inspired by my most favorite egg jar from Samovar Tea Lounge in SF

1 bag Trader Joe’s frozen brown rice (or quinoa or any other grain you prefer)
1 bag frozen broccoli
1 bag fresh spinach
2-3 tbsp sesame oil (or to taste)
3-4 tbsp tamari (or to taste)
1 piece dry smoked salmon flaked into pieces
Large scoop kraut, the game changer
Furikake or Gomashio (not all created equal as many have MSG, make sure you get a clean one like this)

Throw your bag of rice and broccoli in a large pan with a splash of water on medium heat.* Cover with lid and let steam until thawed. Uncover and drizzle in sesame oil. Sauté until rice gets a bit sticky on bottom of pan and add spinach and tamari. Give a good stir and let cook a few minutes longer until everything is well incorporated and spinach is wilted. Scoop into serving bowls and top with salmon, a generous scoop (trust me, this makes it) of kraut and a dusting of furikake. If you feel inclined to go crazy add a soft boiled egg.

*This is a one pot meal for me because I can’t handle lots of dishes right now but in a non time constrained world I would steam the broccoli separately.