Cooking

One of the things that I wanted to do with my new found freedom was to focus on food - making sure that the family was eating better. And, maybe, using food as a means to heal or improve my health.

It took a week or so before I was feeling good enough to start cooking - that first week off I ended up getting sick and ended up in urgent care two days in a row. But, as soon as I started feeling better, I started in the kitchen.

I had been preparing for this the last 6 months that I was working by using pinterest and following several different pages on facebook that I considered healthy food. I would pin all the recipies that I wanted to try as soon as I quit even though I wasn't sure that was a possibility

{I was full of hope}

The first thing to make was something for Emma that she could eat in the morning on the way to school but something that I could make ahead. I had pinned a recipe for this before hand and was looking forward to trying it:

Mini Frittatas
from spoonful.com

These were super easy. Mix the eggs, milk {didn't have half-n-half} and salt. Pour into the muffin pan and then add whatever you want. We added shredded cheese and salami. They are tiny and Emma eats two each morning, so I now double the recipe for the week.

This definitely is a winner!

Baked Potatoes
My own creation

I bought the bag of fingerling potatoes from Costco. It comes with three colors of potatoes. The first time I made them, I just used olive oil and salt and baked them. It wasn't that impressive.

The second time, I cut them up and used olive oil, salt, pepper, and some fresh thyme that I had left over from something else. Oh my! This is the secret to cooking. My next task is to start an herb garden because fresh herbs are wonderful. You can see how much was left when I took the picture. Even less was left when I put dinner away. They were divine. I've made them again and this will become a staple dish in our house.

Another winner {if I may say so myself}

Chocolate Pudding
from girlmeetsnourishment.com

This is gluten free, dairy free.

And, it made Justin cry.

Anything that makes Justin cry is a winner in my book.

The secret ingredient in this pudding is avocado. And when you are making it, you think you can taste it. But, let it sit in the fridge to chill and then eat it after dinner and you will not be tasting avocado but just pure chocolate yumminess.

It was a bit too sweet in my book, so the next time I make it, I might dial back on the honey, but other than that, this is a delish recipe.

Strawberry Cucumber Salad
from ohsweetbasil.com

This is a wonderful salad. I recently discovered that I loved stawberries and balsamic vinegar and this salad adds to this beautiful tryst cucumbers and honey. Of course, the picture for the pin has a much better presentation and I just cut up the strawberries/cucumbers and threw them together but the flavor is the same - delish.

Another winner in my book.

Once, during Prohibition,
I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water.
~ W. C. Fields