I consider myself very responsible.

I’m organized, make to-do lists just to cross things off, am always on time, look both ways before crossing the road, etc. The pillars of responsibility!

So at my pal’s bachelorette party this weekend, I obvio offered to be a designated driver.

I didn’t have a car on this trip, so I drove my friend’s. I was also the keeper of one of our AirBNB keys. See, responsibility is my middle name! Everything went well. I didn’t crash my friend’s car and we all got to our destinations safely. I made sure the AirBNB was locked at all times even when we were inside for 5 minutes – I’m sorry, I trust no one. So a safe and lovely time was had by all. I’m in the airport Sunday sipping on a smoothie, reading my book. I’m really just living my best airport life when I get a text asking where I put my friend’s keys. I mentally retrace my steps. I parked and locked the car. I fished out the AirBNB key. We walked in the house. I set the AirBNB key down, but not the car keys. Where would I have put them???? ………..No, no, no, no, no! I open my purse and there they are, neatly placed in a side pocket where my own car keys usually go. The best part is I’m in Baltimore and 900 miles away from my friend and her car at this point. *Face palm*

Big shouts to Andre at the BWI UPS for helping a girl out and making me feel a lot better by sharing he ships keys every day. It’s always nice to know you’re not alone in this idiotic world.

 

 

Time: 1 hour (prep + cooking) | Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 2 red peppers, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tbsp. of garlic, minced
• 1 cup of red lentils, uncooked
• 1/2 cup of brown rice, uncooked
• 3 tbsp. of tomato paste
• 1 15 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp. of cumin
• 1 tsp. of chili powder
• 1 tsp. of smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. of oregano
• 1 container of vegetable broth
• 2 cups of spinach
• 1 tbsp. of olive oil
• Cilantro, for serving
• Avocado, for serving

How to:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat
• Add onion + S+P, cook 3-4 minutes
• Add garlic, cook another minute
• Add red peppers, cook 3-4 minutes
• Add lentils + rice, coat to combine + toast for 2 minutes
• Add tomato paste + crushed tomatoes + seasonings + S+P, cook another minutes
• Add vegetable broth, bring to boil, lower heat + simmer for 30 minutes
• Add spinach + adjust seasonings to taste
• Serve warm with cilantro + avocado
• Sit outside in the 100 degree summer weather with your hot bowl of soup + pretend you are at a spa in a really nice sauna allowing all the toxins to sweat out of your body

 

Adapted from here!