The Mothership

I’m sure this is super basic for a lot of you. But this was one of the first meals I perfected as a newlywed...so many moons ago. It’s super easy, no chopping besides garlic (or not if you decide to do powder). I prepared the fish in about 5 minutes, took a shower while it baked, and then sautéed the spinach in 5. This is perfect for a quick to the table dinner. Ingredients : 1&1/2 lbs. of Salmon (or steelhead trout, tilapia, or halibut) Avocado oil (or whatever oil you cook with) Lemon pepper 2 garlic cloves Salt 1 container of fresh spinach (about 6oz) 1/2 lemon Red pepper flakes Sea Salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place fish in a oven safe dish. Spread oil (about a tablespoon) over the top of the fish.  Sprinkle 1 minced clove, lemon pepper, and salt over the top of the fish.  Bake for 12 minutes (or until fish flakes). Let sit for one minute.  Last 5 minutes of fish cooking, heat up 1 tablespoon of oil over medium- low heat....

The turmoil a parent feels on any "first" that happens to their child is understandable...at least from my perspective. Your heart aches for them to stay little...for them to stay in the safety of your arms and your ever loving embrace...for them to never be jaded by the things of the world...for them to stay innocent in such a fast paced society...for them to just stay the way they are...for your role to stay the same and yet... your heart leaps for joy...at the thought of them making progress...that they won't be an enabled child...that with each step of independence the load for you is lightened by just a sliver of a hair...that THEY are excited to learn something new...at the face of accomplishment in your young one...and for your role to change a bit. My oldest just experienced another first.  This year he began first grade.  Which means it is the beginning of him spending more time away from me than with me for a long time.  Which I understand is part of...