Back In Black - Day 4...

To everything turn, turn, turn…

As our family enters this new, expanded phase, a year of three unique meals a day most days, nearly all of them photographed, must come to an end.

I think it’s actually a good progression. I spent that year becoming a more agile, adaptable, and economical cook - learning my way around new culinary territory, figuring out how to sub ingredients that were easily accessible for others that weren’t, and fitting lots of what I think were pretty delicious and varied food experiments into a pretty reasonable budget.

And budget aside, it really was a wonderfully indulgent year in the kitchen. To be able to wake up every morning knowing that I could cook whatever my ingredients would allow to my heart’s content; to relax, cue my music, and take my time; and to know that I had someone who would share my dishes both with gusto and a critical palate.

But cooking isn’t the safest thing to do while wearing a baby in a sling. So this next phase is going to be a little more about being deliciously efficient – more quick and easy meal ideas and a greater focus on dishes designed for repurposing. But no less of an eye to good health, balance, variety, and satisfaction.

In some ways, I think and hope this will make my approach more relevant and helpful for more people. It’ll probably also give me just a little more time to write and further flush out my business plan. There are no dishes to wash after you write.

I’ve been quite blissfully aware just how much of a luxury my time in the kitchen has been for the past year, and I loved just about every minute of it.

Now I’m switching that luxury for another – the opportunity to watch this little one grow, to be as fully present as I can be, and to savor every moment of it.

Just like the song goes – a time to every purpose.

Now to carve out just a little more time for working out... :P

BREAKFAST

was a bowl of overcooked oatmeal with raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar. I don't remember what else I was doing that prevented me from taking that crap off the stove on time, but it was bordering gross how overcooked it was. We both choked down breakfast with our coffee, mine without milk, and looked forward to a better lunch.

I go back and forth between milk and sugar and just sugar in my coffee, but I'm cutting the milk out these days because it really isn't giving me any additional satisfaction. The omitted calories are negligible by the day, perhaps slightly more meaningful by the week, but it's more about that whole mindfulness thing and really thinking about cutting out the things that exceed the point of diminishing returns, whether in terms of fueling my body or sating my palate.

LUNCH

was a fridge cleanout udon-ramen dealie with tofu, zucchini, carrots, and onion. I get asked from time to time if I use the whole seasoning packet with my instant noodles, given that they're usually such salt bombs. And the answer to that question is no. 

It's been a while now that we've taken to using maybe 60 to 70 percent of the packet. And initially the decision wasn't about the flavor as much as the feeling of it - we both were finding that we felt generally parched and bloated from using the entire packet. And that discomfort was outweighing any marginal extra flavor we might have been getting from the remainder, so we just started using less - not so much less that it felt like we were eating diet or hospital food, but enough to make the difference in the way we felt after eating - and our palates followed suit shortly thereafter. We don't miss the rest at all.

SNACK

was a handful of raisins and candied pecans.

DINNER

was another fridge cleanout dealie. A salad topped with the last of the skirt steak I seasoned for the Greek salad we had earlier in the week, the last of the strawberries, just about the last of the salad mix, Feta, and the last of the raspberry vinaigrette.

EXERCISE

was a no-go. 

No good excuse. (There usually isn't.) I just. didn't. But where I might have done this in the past, I'm not beating myself up for the failure. I've done a few things righter so far this week than I did the week before, and I'll strive to do even better next week.

Over the last 6 years, I've increasingly shed the notion that it has to be all or nothing, and that has been one of the best things I've ever done for myself.

I'm a day behind this journal, so off to write up Day 5...

shinae