Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad


Does anyone who owns pets have days that they really wish they didn't have pets?  Even though you might really love your pets?  Seriously, I would like to know.  

The dog, Angus the black lab, that we are babysitting (see more here) is still at our house.  He could be here for up to a month more.  So right now we're trying to decide what we really want; do the good things about having a dog outweigh the bad things?  If we want to, we can keep him.  Or he could go home or find a new home.

When you have kids, you know it will be hard, but they're your kids and you love them.  Don't mind the vomit in your hands, the poop on your clothes, the screaming, sleepless nights, dirty windows, back-talking, and messes everywhere.  On the flip side you have cuddles galore, lots of entertainment, someone(s) who want to hold your hand (obviously I have small children), phrases like "Mom, you're my friend forever," endless lego imagination, wonder at every small thing, a viewpoint from somewhere your unaccustomed to seeing from, and an opportunity to serve small human beings who happen to be your family.



So I'm just trying to get to the backbone of the dog thing.  Please help me.  

Cons: Angus is an indoor dog = lots of hair in the house.  He's always trying to sit on the furniture, but getting better (although I caught him trying out my bed this morning, not cool).  Picking up poop in our yard and on walks.  Having a dog crate in our living space.  I love our open area.  I tried putting him in the garage in his crate but he just barked until we moved him back inside.  He's 7-years-old and used to a certain way.  My almost 2-year-old boy dumping out his food all over the floor.  Licking himself...so gross.  Bolting from the front door if he happens to sneak out, like he did this morning.  I had a quick jog all around our neighborhood, but thanks to a neighbor we were able to corner him about 3 streets away.  Or also today, Angus discovering that our rabbit is still here and he was digging frantically in the mud to get under the fence to Pinky the rabbit.  We had to give him a bath in the tub, mud and hair everywhere.

Pros: The kids love to play with him.  Angus is very patient, except for hiding from 1-year-old hitter, yes I have one of those.  Yesterday 6 children had him as the center of his play.  At one point he had a cape, his leash, and a gold medal hanging off him.  He just looked at my like "what's happening?"  The kids talk about getting a black dog after he leaves, my 5-year-old said we could even name that dog "Anus" after "Angus"!  I made sure to explain that "anus" was a real thing, and probably not something we wanted to name a dog.  She agreed!  They love to pet him and love him.  They love to compete with who can make him sit or not.  They like to take him for walks, and it's fun to walk with them as they talk our ears off.  It's the best to hear their little voices.  

I need your input.  Is it worth it?


Now for some food!  I love this combo and look forward to eating more of it already.  I've seen lots of recipes for black bean burritos and was going to attempt one with squash, but this is what it became.  Solid comfort food to me.  If you want to wrap it in a tortilla, that would be good too.

Sweet Potato Black Bean Salad

1 onion, diced
1 large sweet potato, diced to 1/4" cubes
1 15.25 ounce can corn, drained
1 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 4 ounce can diced green chilies
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

Saute onion and sweet potato until the onions are translucent and sweet potatoes tender.  Add the corn, black beans, green chilies, and garlic and cook until all heated through.  Add cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve on a bed of mixed greens.  Mine were romaine, spinach, kale, and sprouts.

15 comments:

  1. sis
    You know what it is to have pets.. and you have 3 kids.. The hardest part is getting used to having it, and you have pretty well passed that point.

    Pros: Dog is 7. Won't live prob for another 4 years, meaning if you really hate having him, he won't be around that long. If you still like dogs, then you get another one after angus dies. You have a 2 year old child, so add 4 years of dog life makes him 6. Then Angus dies and you get a new dog that lives 8-11 years which means your now 2-year old will be leaving the house and you won't be left to tend doggy on your own, as it will die.

    Cons: Dog is 7. Won't live prob for another 4 years (yes I mean to type this twice). If he is purebred, you will be soon (if not already) facing hip dysplasia and added costs of arthritis medicine.

    I would say keep the dog. If you really love having him by the time he does die, then those long and arduous nights of tending a puppy will have a known benefit. Animals are a proven method of mental/social health to people, esp youth/teens. Also, you live in the suburbs, drive 2 fords, and would then have a dog, completing the American dream :)





    Keep him, you would miss him if you had to give him back now.

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    1. You make me laugh, Nos! The American Dream? Hilarious comment. I think YOU want a dog...I'll talk to Alisa. I heard your future baby boy got some carharts already. So cute.

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  2. Christina (Ramirez)February 01, 2013

    Bonnie, I can see the struggle. :) My husband & I do not have kids (yet) but we have two labs that are our babies. One is a black lab, raised from puppy by my husband - & raised very well with very good manners. The other is a chocolate lab, adopted later in life from the pound, but knew (mostly) good manners...with some gentle reinforcement after we adopted him. They're not perfect & I sometimes struggle with the hair & dirt they drag in the house. The anxiety over the dog hair melts away when I realize these boys give me more love than I ever imagined possible. Dogs, especially a breed like the lab, are wonderful companions for both kids & adults. They've certainly taught me to not take life so seriously with their silly antics. I'd like to think I'll look back on my life someday & be happy that I didn't worry (so) much about (a bit of) dog hair & instead enjoyed an active life with my four-legged companions enjoying it right beside me. They go with us running, snowshoeing, skiing, camping, boating, swimming, hunting - it's tough to be lazy when you have a dog giving you sad eyes because they want to run & play.

    However, I will note, a well-trained dog is a must. Our dogs do not reside on our furniture, they walk & run well on leash, they listen to commands (...usually...), they are house-trained, etc etc. We do not have to crate our dogs but we have a small house & use baby gates to keep them sequestered to an area that they can't get into anything. Our black lab is 7 years old & has slowed down quite a bit. He likes to play on occasion & loves a good run, but we've noticed he can't go on runs longer than 3ish miles & he sleeps most of the day. Our chocolate lab is approximately 6 years old but he will be an eternal puppy. If you've seen the movie "UP" with the Golden Retriever named Doug - well, our chocolate lab is our "Doug."

    You'll know in your heart what's best for your family. But it sounds like you'll have a pretty tough time giving away the pooch. ;)

    (If you do keep the dog, consider doggy training classes. It's never too late & a good way for everyone - family & dog - to learn boundaries, proper commands, etc.)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. You're awesome for sharing so many insights! I love the idea of taking him on outdoor adventures with us, but I would like to do some more training classes as well. I'll have to look into the gentle leader, too. Angus is more like your 7-year-old black lab, anything longer than a 3 mile run he would be wiped. I do think he would be a good dog to have around and I think we're leaning that way, so we'll see.

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  3. Also, get a shock collar. They work wonders for obedience. One or two zaps and the dog knows not to get on the couch/bed.
    And if anyone comments that this is "inhumane" or "why don't you shock yourself with it"- I have. It really is harmless and can prevent the headache of a disobedient dog.

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    1. Christina (Ramirez)February 02, 2013

      Yes on the shock collar. We have two & my husband uses them mostly for hunting season but they come with us if we're going somewhere they don't need leashes but we want to remind them to listen. Another great tool is the gentle leader - looks like a muzzle but is NOT. The dog can still open it's mouth but the gentle leader is super effective for when the dog is on leash to not pull (and labs can be known for pulling ;)).

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    2. Great idea. I think I need more info on helping him be trained.

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  4. I think having pets is a wonderful part of growing up. The kids learn to care for and love something basically helpless. Not only do the kids gain responsibility and have a constant playmate, but as their bond grows dogs become even more loyal and protective. We keep a dog brush outside so our girls can brush our dog everyday, helps keep fur out of the house. We also take him to the groomer that has a self cleaning station. Dogs do like to have a space that is theirs and they are caves dwellers by nature. Having the crate inside helps as long as you train him that that is his home. Otherwise he will take over whatever you allow him to. If you decide that having a dog in not a right match for your family but still want a pet, I highly recommend getting a breaded dragon. No, they are not cuddly, but very patient and resilient. We had a couple (we got them when they were 15yrs old and near the end of their lives) the kids could put them on their shoulders and go anywhere with them. Coolest things ever.

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    1. That's awesome that you had a bearded dragon! I bet the kids loved carrying it all around. I know my kids would. I should also get a brush for Angus, great idea. Thanks for your insight.

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  5. Christina pretty much said it all. Now our Winston is a one year old, he is so wonderful! No I didn't like puppy training so you skipped that and that is the hard part! So that's a PRO. Yes,it bothers me the dog hair and such but seeing my kids LOVE having a dog to walk, cuddle take care of and share life with.I even enjoy him hes trained. Winston knows when the kids are sad or sick and stays at their side. I have found a trainer that is AWESOME and will come to your home and give you a "plan" for training. Hailey and Winston are in a training class at the Fairgrounds right now to sharpen his skills. I also have gates and an easy walk leash we got at Orenco Station pet store. Which helps a lot with walks and keeping him out of trouble.

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    1. YES to knowing you your trainer is! Great idea. I agree that skipping puppy stage was a more doable thing for us right now.

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  6. Hey Bonnie, Love the recipe. I will definitely be trying it. Sweet potatoes an black beans are two of my favorite "good for you" foods. In regards to the dog, we have had several when the kids were small like yours. Also older, like 9 years on up. When the kids are young, no matter how much they promise, the dog will be yours to take care of. Little kids lose interest easily and helping to clean up poop and walking them gets old. This is hard, as your kids get more and more involved and you will be too. I think the dog suffers for it. When they get older, I think they are more responsible and can take the dog on walks themselves,etc. Again though their lives will be so full, it's hard. Also it's a pain if you want to go on vacation unless you have someone that will babysit. Believe me, not everyone opens there arms to your dog, no matter how wonderful they are. There are also a lot of people with allergies.
    That being said, dogs offers unconditional love that is so hard to beat. The black labs are wonderful dogs for children. The fact it isn't a puppy is a huge plus and you can definitely still train an older dog. If you decide to keep him he will forever be a part of your family with fond memories. Please don't name any of your dogs Anus though! Love ya, Tammy

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    1. Hi Tammy! Thanks for a very honest reply. I think we might have made up our minds, but we'll see. Love you, too! It's been forever since I've seen you. :)

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  7. wonderwomen is at it again! you are one amazing women bonnie! such delicious recipies!! yummy! :)

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