MIA

Alright, it’s been awhile. And while I’m sure all my loyal followers have missed me (Hi mom), there hasn’t been too much to report back on. Why? Because for a good solid 2 weeks I lost interest in food. Gasp! I know! I was knocked flat on my ass by the semitruck of all sicknesses: walking pneumonia. I spent a good 4 days laying pathetically on my couch unable to move, while I took inventory of all my worldly possessions and started to formulate a will (Lynda gets dibbs on all my cookware). When I finally got out of the fever delusions and the haze of my daily cocktail of antibiotics, pain meds and antivirals, a week and half had gone by and my appetite was gone. However, I stole indefinitely borrowed my moms blender and started to get crafty with smoothies, and now I’m hooked. I keep it simple– some frozen fruit, a half a banana and unsweetened coconut water, and a ton of kale. I have to admit, I’ve always been weary of anything green that you can drink (besides margaritas of course!) but you honestly can’t even taste the kale in these smoothies! If I had $900 to spend on a blender, (which lets face it, if you do have that kind of money, would you really spend it on a blender?) I’d get a Vitamix, which are incredible for blending even the toughest ingredients into perfection. However, I like to think my blender keeps it real, albeit little chunky, and I am a-ok with that.

I’m still not 100% better yet, and my desire to cook is ever so slowly creeping back in, along with my stamina and my tattered immune system. I’ve been a fan of checking the local farms and roadside stands for fresh, in-season produce when the mood strikes, but I definitely went straight to quick and took a left turn at easy and put way too much money back into my company by purchasing salad bar multiple times a day. Besides being sick, I had my first real quarter life crisis (the other ones were just practice I’m sure), and so when I wasn’t watching re-runs of Ally McBeal with a pint of coconut bliss on my lap, or throwing back glasses of red wine through tears (and laughter) with my girlfriends, I really haven’t had the interest, nor desire to cook. It’s like writers block, but in the kitchen! Weird, because I seemed to not be the only one out there feeling this way. But I can assure you that I am back with vengeance, and have even in my weakest moments of dinner distraught (no food in fridge, no desire to cook), dug deep for inspiration and turned a borderline Miss Lonelyhearts Club dinner (popcorn) into something fabulous (popcorn with truffle butter, grated peccorino, salt and pepper)!

I’ve got quite a few recipes marinating (oh the culinary humor), in my mind and will be heavily experimenting in the kitchen this week, in addition to planning my garden for the backyard, and starting to use my dehydrator again. Onwards and Upwards!