Graduation

This was a big weekend for me and my classmates. Our graduation from La Follette was yesterday in the Assembly Chambers of the State Capitol building. The last two weeks have been a little hectic for me because I was a graduation coordinator and had a lot of things to get ready for our ceremony and reception. The weather was beautiful for our class photo and overall everything went well (although those hoods were a little warm!). 

It was wonderful to be surrounded by family and classmates and I think it was a very proud day for everyone. I also received the Director's Award, which was very exciting because it was a surprise. It is easy to forget about your accomplishments when you are surrounded by such smart and driven people, so I was honored and humbled to be singled out.

Walking back to my seat after accepting the Director's Award. 

We had lots of delicious meals (Sardine for brunch AND dinner, El Dorado, Roman Candle) and drank a lot of champagne. It was an awesome weekend with lots of sun and no homework involved!

Brunch at Sardine.

Brunch at Sardine.

Although I still have a group presentation in DC this week, everything for graduate school is basically done. In a few weeks I'll be back to learning something new at a full-time job, which got me thinking about the past few years in Madison.



A little over two years ago we had just moved to Madison and I had just confirmed my attendance in my Master's program. I didn't really know what I was getting myself into... at all. Graduate school at La Follette was way more challenging than I anticipated, but it was also more rewarding and more fun than I expected, too.

Graduating!

My capstone professor and the chosen faculty speaker, Prof. Manion.

I have often thought that I could have benefitted from an MBA or some other type of Master's degree, but I would have missed out on being surrounded by classmates and professors with the same interests and value of public service as me. The focus was always on how we could succeed at designing better policies and analyzing problems to help others. And it was all done through teamwork and helping each other out, instead of competing.

Post ceremony picture with Kelsey. My classic hungry graduation face.

Friends!

The full-time job I have accepted doesn't require a Master's degree, but I have come to see the value in that past two years beyond what they could do for my career. I'm sure that my degree will help me a lot in the future, but what I appreciate the most has been the chance to learn, struggle, and stretch myself in ways that I didn't know were possible, all the while surrounded by great friends who were in the same boat (we also had a lot of fun, too). I have become a more mature thinker and am much more confident in my abilities to succeed in tough environments, which is invaluable to me no matter what I do with the rest of my life.

Policy Solutions group with our advisor, Prof. Weimer (missing Andrew!)

Of course I didn't do this on my own and want to give a special thank you to my mom and sister, who edited many papers, and to my friends and classmates who spent long hours working with me on stats and econ homework and dedicating themselves to our group projects (you guys know who you are). Plus the certain professors and staff at La Follette who believed in me enough to give me a fellowship and push me to work harder. Also, all of my parents, including my step-mom and in-laws, who pursued higher education and set a great example. And most importantly to Aaron, who picked me up from classes and meetings, cooked and cleaned, sat on the couch quietly while my groups met for hours in our apartment, and generally put up with me. Not to mention spent last summer without me. I'm ready to support you whenever you want to get another degree, Aaron!

Dinner at El Dorado

Can't graduate from UW without taking a picture at the Union.

Lakefront Brewery

On Saturday Aaron and I drove to Milwaukee to go on a tour at Lakefront Brewery. We've heard good things about the tour from our friends and enjoy Lakefront beer, so it was time to check it out.

At $7 each, the tours are extremely affordable considering they include four 6-ounce samples of beer and a pint glass. On top of that you get a coupon for a free Lakefront beer at nearby restaurants and the 6-ounce samples are really more than 6 ounces. Plus the tour lasted almost an hour. It was a good deal, even adding on the gas money to drive there.

We learned a lot about Lakefront and beer from our very entertaining tour guide and furthered Aaron's desire to start brewing our own beer. I'm not too sure, it was pretty stinky in there. My favorite beer by far was the mystery beer, which was (big surprise) an IPA. Aaron traded me for it when I didn't pick it during the tour because he is nice like that.

My only complaint would be if your tour was full (60 people) it is kind-of a lot of people. Luckily ours wasn't and we had a great time! We also saw a wedding reception being set up. Jealous. We will definitely go back to Lakefront if we are in Milwaukee (Saturday was my first time there).

Spring + Allergy Remedy

It is mid-May and we finally have our spring. Although it is raining and in the 50's today, the past few days of warmth and sun mean it is safe to say my favorite half of the year has started (the warmer half!).  I can't wait for summer, although I'm hoping it is not as hot as last summer was here (well, I missed last summer because I was in rainy Mexico City so I will welcome warm weather). We signed up for a CSA box and I can't wait to start getting some vegetables. A full share was recommended for vegetarians, but we went with an every other week box (half share) since we are new to a CSA (ours was cancelled last summer due to the heat) and we like to shop at the Farmer's Market.

Unfortunately all of the flowers and green things seem to be giving me my first ever spring allergies. I was always the one in our family who proudly had no allergies, which I liked to rub in. A lot. But as I got older they started to get me too. First the cat allergy, then the end of summer hay fever, and apparently now whatever happens during spring.



When I came home from Mexico last August I got hit really hard with allergies. I tried taking a Claritin and almost passed out at work from how drowsy and drugged I felt. Not the answer for me. After talking with some friends and doing some research I tried a combination of ground flax seed and local honey every morning (flax meal in my smoothie or granola and honey in my tea). This is actually difficult for me because I prefer unsweetened tea, but I was desperate.



And guess what? It worked. Within two days I felt totally better and continued the flax meal and honey regime throughout fall until I felt it was sufficiently cold and I thought the offending pollen had to be dead. Even though I don't like sweet tea, it was way less painful than taking allergy medicine.



I started again this morning and am hoping it works on spring allergies as well. If allergy medicine makes you feel gross then I suggest you try this combination for a week and see how it goes. (It is important that the honey is local so the bees were pollinating the plants in your area.) Hopefully it lets you enjoy being outside without feeling like a medicated monster.

Diet Variety: Ramps

Sometimes there are seasonal greens and things I want to try, but I hesitate to put them on my grocery list because I'm not sure if the store or Farmer's Market will be carrying them. If I put a recipe on my menu and the main ingredient isn't available, it is often difficult to re-orgranize mid-grocery trip, since all of the meals are blended together on the grocery list. Especially when my mental capacity is taken over by school and graduation, I don't want to add any stress of unknown ingredient availability (this is what has stopped me from making spring rolls... does Whole Foods have rice paper wrappers?).

I wish stores would post on their websites when they are carrying a seasonal ingredient. I know our Co-op puts this info on their Facebook page, but we almost never get the bulk of our groceries there.

Anyway, on to the topic of this post: ramps. I've heard about ramps, but they are one of THOSE seasonal things. I saw a great looking recipe for a ramp pizza on Smitten Kitchen and did not save the recipe, but kept it in my mind when we went grocery shopping. As luck would have it, last week was super busy and I had not yet made a grocery list when we went to the Farmer's Market. While this would be impossible at the grocery store, there are so few things at the Farmer's Market right now that we could grab what we wanted, limited by the amount of cash we had.

Given the scarcity of food beyond cheese, bread, and cookies at the Farmer's Market in April, I was very happy to see that one of my favorite vendors had ramps. I grabbed a bunch and planned to make the pizza (Ramp Pizza from Smitten Kitchen). I have never cooked with ramps before and maybe have never had them (unless it was at a fancy restaurant).

I was excited to make this pizza sans mozzarella. I love pizza with only a little cheese, and the pecorino romano is just enough cheesy-ness to satisfy without being greasy. Plus, fresh mozzarella is expensive and the pre-shredded stuff has cardboard and weird stuff in it to keep it from sticking together (don't buy it! unless you like to eat cardboard). AND less cheese means you can eat more of the pizza because it has a lot less calories.

Couldn't wait to take a bite!

So what was the verdict? This pizza was pretty amazing (ok I added a little too many red pepper flakes but it was a nice sinus clearing experience). We couldn't get enough of it and plan to make it again if we are lucky enough to find ramps at the Farmer's Market this Saturday. The cheese and pre-made dough were pricey, but we have enough left for another batch. Plus, the sauce was amazingly easy and delicious.

If you can't find ramps, try the suggestions for green onions or leeks. I think the combo of sauce/salty cheese/and green veggie would be great even without the ramps.

Another successful week of trying something new! This week we'll be trying to get ramps again and buying some romaine lettuce. I know, romaine lettuce is not exciting, but it is something we rarely purchase or eat and its good for you!

Gotta go, the one leftover slice of pizza is calling my name.

Mangos and Knives

It is mango season and mangos (mangoes?) have been extremely cheap at Whole Foods for the past few weeks (only $1!). I ate tons of mangoes last summer in Mexico, but I still pretend I don't know how to cut them at home so Aaron will do it. Also we recently bought a knife sharpener and I cut my thumb this morning, so I think I should steer clear of the knives for a while. I kept telling Aaron how dangerous dull knives are and then we finally sharpened them and I cut myself, of course.

Luckily some of my favorite blogs noticed the mango sales and posted some great recipes to use them up. Fresh salsa is so delicious, but its one of those things I'm always too lazy to make. The mango salsa recipe available here is awesome and can be used in two great recipes: a salad and tacos. We did both and they were perfect for the warmer weather we've been having.

Aaron took this picture with his new iPhone 5.

Happy Birthday, Aaron!

Today was Aaron's 27th birthday. We celebrated all weekend long (in between paper writing sessions). The weather was FINALLY spring like. It even got up to 70 on Sunday and we went for our first bike ride around the lake. Aaron had a tough time with how fast I was going. Someone hasn't been working out enough over the winter.

The outdoor Farmer's Market has started up again and Saturday was a huge race in downtown Madison to benefit the UW athletic program (it is called crazy legs and 17,000 people participated!).

Happy birthday, Aaron! Hope 27 is a good year! With me graduating and plans to buy a puppy, I think it will be.

Diet Variety: Black Eyed Peas

I have been thinking about black eyed peas since January 1st, when everyone was posting recipes of black eyed peas and greens (for good luck in the new year). I remember the same thing happening last year: I contemplated black eyed peas for months, but I never made anything with. I have really been craving beans and lentils lately, so I decided it was time to actually buy some black eyed peas and fulfill my belated New Year's good luck.

I'm happy to say I have pretty much broken the habit of using canned beans. It is cheaper and less wasteful to buy dried beans, especially in bulk. When I want to make beans I buy a big bag of dried beans from the bulk containers and cook them over the weekend in my slow cooker (which is actually a pretty fast and hot cooker). Once they are cooked, I use the beans in multiple recipes during the week and usually freeze some, too.

The black eyed peas have been a nice change from the beans and lentils we typically eat. The recipe I originally planned for the black eyed peas was a soup with collard greens, but I decided to use them up in burritos as well. They are a lot like pinto beans and go great in Mexican themed dishes.

I have avoided almost all Mexican food since spending last summer in Mexico. I think we bought corn tortillas once and they were just sooo stale tasting I never used them up. I don't recommend (or normally consume) the super big, white flour, processed tortillas because they have weird ingredients and aren't half as good as fresh tortillas. BUT sometimes I make exceptions because big delicious burritos are lacking around Madison and you have to make them for yourself!

Now please enjoy this out of focus intragram of my black eyed pea/kale/sweet potato/mango salsa burrito (searing the outside of the burrito in a hot pan is the key to deliciousness).

Easter Hike at UW Arboretum

Happy Easter and happy spring! We are finally getting some nice-ish weather in Madison. It rained last night but the sun was out today. Our gym is closed on Easter, so it is a good day to do something outside to get some exercise. When we first moved to Madison we took a hike at picnic point on Easter. I can't remember what we did last year, but lets just say going on hikes is becoming an Easter tradition for us.

We decided to go to the University of Wisconsin Arboretum, which is free and has tons of trails to explore. With all the snow melting, I told Aaron he should probably wear some boots, but he didn't listen. When we came upon little rivers running over the trails he had to jump over.

It was a great day to be outside. We saw a rabbit, sandhill cranes, and some wild turkeys.

Didn't make it over this one. 

Diet Variety: Radicchio and Fennel Salad

Our time in D.C. was filled with a lot of eating out. It was fun and we had a lot of good food, but I missed my green smoothies and was definitely feeling weighed down by all of the oil and richness of the restaurant food.

Going into the trip I was expecting I wouldn't feel so great eating out for every meal, so I made sure the days before we left were filled with tons of raw veggies. This radicchio and fennel salad was perfect because the two main ingredients are foods that we rarely eat (well radicchio is often included in our salad mixes, but we eat those less and less lately). I love mixed greens and spinach, but its nice to change things up once in a while.

I keep a draft email with our grocery list and weekly meals. At the bottom I have a list that says "Eat more of these" followed by a bunch of greens and salad things I obviously read in an article a long time ago. Radicchio is on that list, so it must be good for you. Its bright purple color gives a hint that it probably has lots of antioxidants. 

Fennel is a great source of fiber, folate, and vitamin C. We typically only eat it in its seed form, but the bulb is delicious, soft but crunchy, and a little sweet. It was a nice contrast to the bitter radicchio. 

Another great thing about this salad is the radicchio and fennel are hearty enough to stay crunchy and fresh days later, so you can enjoy the leftovers (the lemon in the dressing kept the apple from browning). 

Get the recipe: Radicchio and Fennel Salad with Toasted Pecans

**The recipe says to use a mandolin to slice the fennel "paper thin." We don't own one, so Aaron just sliced it thinly with a knife. 

Policy Solutions Nationals- Washington, D.C.

For the past few days Aaron and I have been in Washington D.C. with the rest of my team competing in the Policy Solutions Challenge Nationals. Aaron came along for the ride because he hadn't been to D.C. before and wanted to check it out.

After the months of preparation we put into our paper and policy recommendations, I'm happy to say that my team took first place. I was confident in our ability to win and am happy the judges noticed our hard work and quantitative analysis!

Trophy in a bag.

We really enjoyed getting to compete and meeting students from other policy schools. The judges at the competition were important actors in obesity policy and asked great questions.

Although we spent a lot of our trip at the competition and working on our presentation, we were also able to see some of D.C. and of course, celebrate our win!

Aaron and I stayed at the W Hotel. The lobby is pretty sweet!

We were right across from the Treasury Department...

...and the White House.

Doesn't Aaron look like he loves D.C.?

Practicing!

American University Campus (they hosted the competition)

Cherry Blossoms

Air and Space Museum

No big deal, just some drones.

Mr. Lincoln

                                   

Korean War Memorial

Vietnam Memorial 

We ate a lot.

Motorcade leaving the White House.

Celebrating with La Follette alums who came to watch our presentation.

For more information about the competition and our policy suggestions, check out the La Follette School article.