Boy, do I have some Tales to Tell...
When it comes to food, I wonder why a lot of people just have no clue about how to prepare a meal. I don't really expect most people to cook an elaborate meal. But I do think that you should have an inkling of how to open a can of tuna and a can of white beans, how to chop some herbs, and how to mix that all together, season with salt & pepper, add some lime juice and olive oil to taste, and serve on a green salad or with a crusty loaf of bread.
While sampling some tuna and white bean salad today, a few people asked me where I sold the salad. I had stacked cans of the tuna we used and cans of the the white beans we used next to a bottle of the olive oil we used. I told them that they could make it themselves using the ingredients in front of them. Most of them declined to make the salad because they did not know how to cook.
HOW TO COOK?!?!?!?!? There is no cooking involved. There's some can opening. Some mixing. There's also some tasting and seasoning. But true cooking? Not so much. How can anyone not know how to throw a bunch of things together to make a meal? You claim that you love food but you have no fucking idea as to how to put food together? How do you fucking survive since you can't think enough to add?
My friend Samara said that most people have no idea when it comes to food. I told her that it irks me that people say they love to eat. No you don't. Eating involves having some interest in the food you put in your system. You don't even know where half that stuff comes from or how it is produced. You love to consume. But you don't love to eat.
Since I do teach some cooking classes, I often wonder what people expect by coming to these classes. There is a very large percentage of attendees that have little to no experience in a kitchen. And by that I mean, their home kitchens. I sometimes look at the recipes we are going to prepare and second-guess myself because of their simplicity. Then, I remember that some of these people can barely open a can. I wonder if they will go home and even try to prepare the recipes they received. Or if they just came for what is being termed "edutainment".
How can anyone get by in life without ever having to cook a meal. Warming up prepared foods does not count. I mean cook a meal from "raw" ingredients. I stare at these people who openly say that to me sometimes and wonder how exactly they plan on living the rest of their lives. Are you going to constantly order in? Are you hoping that you meet a partner who knows how to cook? How does it work? I wonder.
I think cooking is so simple and visceral. You have to eat to survive. In order to eat, you have to prepare food. How can you not know anything about food preparation? And claim that you love food? You don't. You love consuming. You have no idea about food. As a matter of fact, you are kind of a food idiot. Maybe not. Maybe just an idiot. Later.
We say it always but stress is really a downer. This weekend feels like it has gone on and on... in a good way. Even though I work both Sunday and Monday, I still feel rested. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I am leaving my current work situation and moving to another one next Monday. I feel great about this move. I can't wait to leave my current situation. I just realized that I would have spent exactly three months in this job. To the day. Wow.
So, this weekend has been nothing but fun. Friday, I met some fun folks; the last post says it all. I stayed in Saturday night and played Xbox 360 Virtua Tennis for hours. I went to work Sunday morning. Met my friend Janice for some delicious
Asian tapas after work. Played more Virtua Tennis. Had half a watermelon and an ear of corn.
Not sure I would suggest the last one. But I would suggest having
Asian tapas and finding a friend like Janice. God, she's my second longest friendship I have. My first one, Joy, works for the Pentagon. Random. But hey, their my thoughts. Anyway, I hope everyone else's weekend is going well. I think as I am getting older, Memorial Day is much more fun because it's really the start of summer. Yay. Later.
It's Memorial Day weekend and almost everyone I want to spend time with is out of town or not yet back in. I had Friday off, so I had lunch with
Kelli and dinner with my sister. If you have not been yet, go to
Fatty Crab immediately. The food was OUT OF THIS WORLD!!!! I am going back tomorrow to get some lunch before I go get my sister's mail.
I am missing my husband immensely because he is out of town, so catching up with some friends was nice. After dinner, I met up with my friend Samara and headed out to
a bar where one of my fellow bloggers works. Here's what I ADORE about New York City:
It's Memorial Day weekend, so most of NYC has left for other shores.
There's always a friend around who is more than willing to go drinking with you.
You can go to a bar,
meet someone who you have always wanted to meet, have a few drinks, get fabulously tipsy, and go home content.
Hey g8s, I didn't say it out loud but if you need me to sit for you, I would be honored. Later.
Yesterday, I had an interview for what I feel is a position that I can really sink my teeth into. I would still be working for my current place of employ. The job is something that I know I can do well at. It's similar to my current position but much more internal. After the interview, I headed back to my job because I had to teach a class on Southeast Asian Cooking. As I entered the store, people began asking me how I did.
I get tired of people asking how I did on an interview. Can you honestly tell? Isn't the true judge of that the people who are interviewing you? I guess what people want to know is if I was at all nervous during the interview. To be frank, I don't get nervous during an interview. I think of them as a chance to sell myself to someone. Who better to than me. I actually think of it as "performance space". I have this fantasy of going into an interview and saying, "I would like to open with Eponine's song of longing,
'On My Own', from the musical
Les Miserables". It would kill, I tell you. Anyway, whether you get the job or not, it really is not about what you can sell. Of course, it helps that you know how to sell yourself. And I do. And if I had to judge if I sold myself well. I did.
But that isn't what I really want to write about. I was more excited about something else. As I was thinking about what to wear to the interview, I remembered that I had some collared short-sleeve shirts in my closet. The issue is that the last time I wore one of them, they were a bit too tight. But I felt that I had to put something on with a collar and I did not want it to be something long-sleeved. So, I pulled out the short-sleeve shirts, steamed them to eliminate some of the wrinkles and tried one one. You see, I have the same shirt in four different colors.
Not only did they fit, but they actually were a little baggy. Even if I don't get the job, knowing that the shirts that used to be so tight on me now fit is enough of a gift. Later.
Vegan Cleanse Day 7 Menu
Protein Shake
1 cup of fruit and nut granola
1 cup of jasmine rice
2 cups of seitan, chickpea, and carrot curry
1/2 cup of cucumber salsa
2 cups jasmine rice
1 cup of seitan, chickpea, and carrot curry
3 cups of garden salad with lemon
1/2 cup of dried bananas
I had to finish off that seitan curry before I leave for a couple of days of visiting family in Delaware. I'm surprisingly not hungry. Maybe that third day is really the hump. Tomorrow, I feast on seafood.
Vegan Cleanse Day 6 menu
Protein shake
2 cups of fruit and nut granola
1 medium soy latte
1 cup of jasmine rice
1.5 cups of stir-fried broccoli, red peppers, baby corn, and shitake mushrooms
1/2 cup of pickled daikon and carrot
2 vegan chocolate chip cookies
handful of marinated mushrooms
1 cup of french fries
1/2 cup of baked tempeh
1/2 cup of baked cauliflower
1 glass pinot noir
Not much eaten today but for some reason I feel fine. Had a lot of work to do but didn't feel dizzy. I find that interesting.
Vegan Cleanse Menu Day 5
Protein shake
2 cups of whole wheat penne with mushroom, pepper, and pea sauce
1 vegan brownie
1 raw granola bar
2 cups of french fries with alder-smoked salt
1 can of coconut water with pulp
1.5 cups of jasmine rice
1.5 cups of tumeric-tomato roasted cauliflower
1/2 cup of cucumber, tomato, cilantro salsa
1 bottle of root beer green tea soda
2 cups of jasmine rice
1.5 cups of seitan, chickpea, and carrot curry
1 piece of vegan chocolate cake
I just kept eating and eating today. I finally realized that I had done 25 minutes of cardio and did a shoulder workout. And I went to work. But I think that I have gotten a good hold of making sure my caloric intake is substantial for what I do. It is quite the advantage to be working for a grocery store. I plan on making some new stuff tomorrow.
Vegan Cleanse Menu Day 4
Protein shake
1/2 bag of lightly salted popcorn
2 cups of green matcha tea
2 cups of salad greens with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper
1.5 cups of jasmine rice
1.5 cups of ratatouille
1/2 cup of pickled carrot and daikon (my own recipe)
Rice noodles with sesame oil, rice vinegar, gomasio, and nori
cucumbers
pickled carrot and daikon
1 pound of marinated roasted tofu
1/2 pound of marinated tempeh
1/2 cup of dried bananas
I finally reached a comfortable caloric intake. The thing with vegetables is that you get so filled up and then 30 minutes later, you are hungry again. I may try a day of raw meals.
Vegan Cleanse Menu Day 3
Protein shake
Polenta cereal with mixed berry compote
4 cups of salad greens with extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper
1/2 bunch of roasted asparagus
2 glasses of Beaujolais Chardonnay
2 cups of garden salad
2 cups of whole wheat penne with mushroom, pepper, and pea sauce
1/2 cup of tumeric-tomato roasted cauliflower
1/2 cup of dried bananas
Still nowhere near what I should be eating calorically. The wine got me so dizzy. I should never drink on an empty stomach.
Vegan Cleanse Day 2 Menu
Protein shake
Eggplant, string bean, & tomato stir-fry with brown rice and white beans
Mint tea with lemon & Stevia
Whole grain vegan bread with honey roasted peanut butter (1.5 sandwiches)
1/2 cup of mixed roasted nuts
1 cup of roasted cauliflower with tomatoes, tumeric, and mustard seeds
1/2 cup steamed broccoli
Whole wheat penne with mushroom, pepper, and peas sauce
1/2 cup of dried bananas
I was feeling a bit weak and out-of-sorts. Slightly more than normal. Even with a cough. Then after looking at the above menu, I realized that I have not even consumed anywhere near the amount of calories that I normally do. I need to bump up my intake for the amount of output I tend to have.
Vegan Cleanse Day 1 MenuProtein Shake with Spirulina - 1.5 cups rice milk, 1/2 banana, 1/3 cup soy protein w/ spirulina
12 oz. bottle of orange juice
vegan bread roll
1 cup of mixed roasted salted nuts
1 cup of dried banana pieces
handful of whole wheat pasta shells (egg-free)
1 cup rice noodles with sesame oil and salt
Seitan, chickpea, and carrot curry
jasmine rice
cucumber, tomato, & cilantro salsa
1/2 cup of dried banana pieces
2 Tbsp. honey roasted peanut butter
Lately, I haven't really felt like I have had a day off. It seems that there is always something going on: parents in town, loads of laundry to do, waiting for workmen to arrive in apartment, researching work stuff (albeit sideline work), cleaning the house, finishing up projects. It's been one continuous energy output. And what happens when you don't take time off? Your body breaks down. Hence this cough I am having a hard time getting rid off. So, I start a vegan cleanse today.
Mike asked me what I wanted to do this Saturday. I said, "Absolutely nothing." Okay. Maybe go see Spiderman 3. But really, nothing. Today is my first day of my "weekend". I have a dental cleaning in about an hour and a half. After that, I think I will head to the gym for some weight training and cardio. Then, I think I want a new pair of shoes. NO. I am getting a new pair of shoes. I just got my tax refund and I am treating myself to something pretty.
I wonder if the fact that I feel like I need an entire day of doing nothing to recover is a function of me getting older? And as I age, will I continue to need more down time to recover for my work week? Old friends just emailed me asking me to go to the Pier Dance for Pride. I said yes. I think I will start resting now. I remember when we used to go out every night of Pride weekend. My back hurts just thinking about it. I would need an entire week of doing nothing to recover if I did that. That actually sounds good though.
I guess it does not help that work is not the most "comfortable" place right now. I am trying to get through this rough patch. I will. It just sucks. But I have the next two days to really do nothing. Which I will. Later.
Sometimes I don't think there is anything cuter than my cat dreaming. Her meows say it all. Then, she wakes up, re-curls up in my armpit and reaches her paw to my face. And, I think I have found something even cuter. Later.
My parents have been in town for the past couple of weeks. But, since I cannot take time off from work, I have had limited time to hang with them. Not that they do much. They are older and tire easily, so most of the time we spend together is just hanging out at the apartment or some cute restaurant having a small snack. Tonight, Mike and I took them to see
Mary Poppins. My mother loved it. I think my Dad did too.
I also loved it. It was a tad bit long and the kids in the audience got on my nerves. I hate children but I knew I had to endure them for a Disney show. Nonetheless, there were some great moments:
- The actor Matthew Gumley who played the boy was amazing. Better voice than the girl.
- Ashley Brown played Mary Poppins; Ashley Brown is a goddess.
- Bert walking and tap-dancing upside-down is AMAZING! The actor who played Bert, Gavin Lee, was AMAZING!
- Supercalifragalisticxpialidocious, even though the sound if it is something quite atrocious. If you say it loud enough, you'll always sound precocious... I have to learn that choreography, if it's the last thing I do in my life.
- My mom having a great time.
That made my night. Later.
