It's been a while since I've shared a recipe or an essay about food. For a couple of years, I simply didn't cook... except on rare occasions. You see, I lived in a small rented room. I had kitchen privileges but I didn't want to interfere with my landlord's family life. So, I kept it simple by consuming mostly Trader Joe's prepared salads (one favorite was the Italian Country Salad) or tossing together my own veggies purchased from a local farmers market. Breakfast and lunch were eaten at my desk while at work. But, I missed being the mistress of my own culinary space.
Circumstances changed. I moved in with my sweetheart and have been slowing transforming his utilitarian, functional and selfishly convenient kitchen into a place I can call mostly mine. (Plus, it was quite homely.) You would think the previous adjectives would imply a highly organized space. You would be mistaken. I will grant there is a peculiar logic to his unusual method of storing foods, cookware and utensils, but multiplicity and saving every single plastic food container doesn't work in mine. Multiples of the same tool, measuring cup or spice, for example, could be found tucked away in numerous drawers or cabinets in the east, north, south and west quadrants of the kitchen. I surmised this was so no matter where he's working (prepping bread for the bread machine--that's another story!--or making his personal version of hot cocoa), he would find what he's looking for. Sometimes he did; but, sometimes he didn't. So, I've been organizing, consolidating, discarding rusty utensils, replacing old plastic containers with glass for food storage, alphabetizing the spice cabinet after trashing huge bottles of spices dating from another century, updating, and simply beautifying our kitchen. Yes, it's ours... but it's becoming mostly mine!
I am slowing returning to cooking on a regular basis. It's a slow process. First, I'm still a working gal who doesn't get home until about six. When I get home, we'll have a simple meals, such as a fresh salad or sautéed vegetables to serve along with a selection from the amazing array of fish he caught from his kayak off the Malibu coast. The main reason the process is slow is because some aspects of our eating habits don't jibe. I am learning to coalesce the fine line between accommodating his idiosyncrasies and remaining true to my style of cooking and philosophy of eating and preparing good food. We generally agree that healthy eating good eating. However, in some specifics we don't quite agree. And, that, holds me back from fully expressing my culinary palette. It's a challenge, but a welcome one. It's an opportunity for personal growth. Who knew?!
I hope you will join me as I continue my journey in discovering and sharing the joys and benefits of cooking good food!
Here's a little something to share with you right now:
Simple Salad for One
A couple handfuls of organic arugula
A half dozen cherry tomatoes or one medium tomato, cut into cubes
1/4 peeled cucumber, thinly sliced (I prefer the good, old-fashioned variety for salad; not the English or increasingly popular Persian cucumbers)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Bragg's Aminos (I like the spray bottle. It's quite convenient.)
1 to 2 tablespoons of one or a combination of raw pepitas, raw sunflower seeds, walnuts, raw pine nuts
Toss the arugula and vegetables in a medium bowl. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over the salad and gently toss. Spray lightly with a couple pumps of the Aminos. Sprinkle with seed/nut mixture.
A nice lunch, perhaps with a sliced of toasted whole wheat bread. (Next recipe!)
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