Invisible in Plain Sight

I’m starting to think that I have a black cloud that has been following me around for a while. There was the accident in 2015, and the really slow recovery that followed. The accepting that things would be ok, but very different from how they had been. The seeing a path forward and hope that there would be a future. That sort of hope hurts now and feels like a disappointment every time that I let myself believe that it might be possible.

I, like many other people, caught covid in January of 2022 and was unlucky in what followed. By March of that year it become clear that something was very wrong - it is very not normal to have a heart rate of 180 just because I stood up - I wasn’t seriously out of shape, I still walked my very old (read slow) dog every day for at least 30 minutes, but here I was struggling at times to walk to the kitchen or washroom…and don’t get me started on standing long enough to cook properly. A Cardiologist diagnosed me with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) shortly after. I felt hope slipping away and that my time of life being on hold wasn’t ending, but starting over again.

It’s been 18months. Medication and a ridiculous amount of salt help, but I struggle every day to try and get simple tasks done (why is showering so freaking hard now? Why!). There are very few people who know what I am going through - not because I am embarrassed, or that I don’t want to share, but because the reaction I get from people when they learn that this happened because of covid is a real mixed bag of emotional heaviness that I can’t take on. There’s the people who are sure that it must have been the vaccine even when I tell them that the symptoms happened after covid, but months after the vaccine. There’s the people who are sure that it happened because when I had covid I didn’t do some magical thing that they read about on facebook that would have saved me. And then there is the worst of the worst - the people who outright call me a liar, tell me that I am just lazy, that I am not trying, and that I “seem fine” in that moment.

That is why I am invisible in plain sight. I go through days when I don’t leave my condo - when I’ve either passed out or almost passed out so many times before noon that I worry about it happening if I go to get groceries. There’s the days that just staying on my feet long enough to make soup takes so much out of me that eating feels too hard. The days I get so worn out that getting words out seems impossible. The days I sit on my floor trying to muster enough energy to get up and not pass out but hear people walk by in the hall going about their lives. People see me on good days forgetting that they used to see me every day.

The end of virtual doctor’s appointments were cheered by some but loathed by people like me. Transit is hard. Will I get a seat or have to struggle to stand? If I use the accessible seating is someone going to start screaming at me because I “don’t look like I deserve it”- I’ve seen it happen to others and worry about the day it will happen to me. Multiple days worth of energy getting to one appointment where no one had to physically touch me. But I push forward and get there and try thing after thing hoping for things not to get better, but just get easier. The most simple task of medical care takes so much and ends with very little gain.

All this I say not for sympathy, but to let people know, when you look at me, you don’t really see me. There are a lot more of us than anyone wants to admit so I ask this - be open to seeing people. Know people. Accept people. Let go of the fix and the blame and just see us.

Ice cube trays - not just for ice

A couple years ago, this slight craze in the food world happened when people started talking about how great it was to use an ice cube tray to freeze pesto. At the time, I thought, really - who makes that much pesto? Since then, I’ve realized that the concept of using ice cube trays was brilliant, even if I was not going to be making tons of pesto.

    Many of my recipes involved chicken broth and single serving chicken broth just really does not exist. In my freezer you will find a ziplock bag full of chicken broth cubes - just pour in whatever is left in the tetra box/can/whatever and freeze over night - the next day - simple stick them in the bag until you need them.

    Have a craving for indian food but barely used even half the jar of sauce? into the ice cube tray it goes! Same goes for pasta sauce.

    The one tip I have - LABEL THE BAGS - after about a week - everything looks the same - and it’s really not good if you accidentally add left over vindaloo sauce to your penne (although, maybe it is).

    Now, back to pesto, it is actually really simple to make (who would have known) and if you do want to make it from scratch, and there is just one of you, you may end up with extra. So, to make it you will need, fresh basil (look for the smallest bunch - or grow your own in a pot), 1-2 cloves of garlic, enough oil olive that it covers the basil leaves half way up whatever you are blending it in, and a small handful of some sort of toast nut/seed (you can leave it out if there are allergies). Blend everything together and use it on pasta, to marinade chicken, in rice, or some other grain (pearl barely worked out nicely for me). One tip - add parmesan cheese when you are serving - when you freeze it it gets a weird texture - and really, who doesn’t love sprinkling cheese on at the table anyways.

    I own 4 ice cube trays - and the last time I had someone over and they asked for ice, none.

Brunch for One

Fruit Plate

Although the plate of fruit above would make an amazing breakfast - there are days when you just really have a  craving for something like pancakes. But here lies the problem - recipe that makes enough pancakes for four people...ok 1/4 the flour, 1/4 the milk, 1/4 the baking powder....ummm...how to 1/4 an egg? There are two options that one has. First, buy a box of the just add water type - it takes a little playing around to figure out how much water vs powder to use - but it’s easy. Second (and one of my new favourite Saturday morning treats) is to make pancakes without eggs! I know, i never would have thought this possible - but I’ve done it, and they taste good! So here’s what to do:

Mix all these dry ingredients together

• 1/3 cup of flour

• 1tbsp of sugar

• 1 tbsp of rolled oats/oatmeal (fibre is important)

• 1/2 tbsp of baking powder

• sprinkle of salt

• sprinkle of cinnamon

Separate bowl mix together the wet

• 1/4 - 1/2 a cup of milk (depends on the the time of year and how you like your pancakes - less milk=more fluffy)

• 1 tsp of vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp of ricotta cheese (or just a big spoonful)

• 1/2 tbsp of olive or canola oil

Once everything in both bowls is mixed together - add the wet to the dry and stir until most of the big lumps are gone (the ricotta will leave little lumps, but it is ok). Heat a pan to medium (use a cast iron pan if you have it) pour half the mix into the pan - wait for a couple bubbles to come through and then flip - leave the second side for about 2 minutes then plate. Repeat with the remaining mix. Serve with maple syrup, blueberries, chocolate chips, nuts or anything else you can think of.

Fridge Clean Out Day

    By the time that Sunday rolls around my fridge is looking pretty pathetic. Small end pieces of cucumbers, a small cube of cheese, the very end of a bag of ready made salad mix,  a mushroom or two, and maybe some left over chicken or some other meat.

    In the past, Sunday use to be fridge clean out day. A chance to make room for whatever I thought I would need in the upcoming week. These days, it’s a challenge - what to do with what is in the fridge? - what can I create?

    Take this week for example - I have half a can of tuna, half a can of kidney beans, some cream cheese, a cucumber, some feta, and half an onion.

    My idea is a two parter - a salad and a pasta dish. So, everyone most likely has pasta in the cupboard (if not, the next time it goes on sale, stock up - it keeps pretty much forever - and will make easy food when needed). 

    So lets start with the pasta dish because that will take the longest. Half cook the pasta (you will need about 3/4-1 cup of dry - if you leave it uncooked it sometimes stays too crunchy, and if you cook it all the way it will literally dissolve in the dish). Once that is done - save some of the pasta water, take the cream cheese and mix it into the pasta - then mix in some of the pasta water until it is creamy and a little runny. Add in the tuna and the kidney beans and some of the onion (maybe a half of the half chopped up) and the chopped up mushrooms. Add a little salt and pepper (or hot sauce) and place everything into an oven proof dish (in a pinch I’ve just used a bowl, but if you have a small casserole dish, use that) The oven should be at 350-375 and depending on how thick the casserole is, it can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes - it’s done when it gets bubbly and kinda crusty looking on the top.

    Now onto the salad. Slice the cucumber as thinly as you can. Slice the onion up the same way. Crumble some feta onto the top - then add some salt, pepper, and equal parts olive oil and either lemon juice or white vinegar. This is also a good time to use up any fresh spices that you might have (basil leaves or oregano work really well and so does parsley). Let everything sit at least 10 minutes (which works out well because you need to wait for the casserole anyways).

    So my point is, make one day a week a use up everything day - experiment and have fun - some of my best dishes came out of using everything.

Vegetables as a Side Dish

    If you have taken time to browse through some of my recipes, you will notice that many of them incorporate veggies, beans, pasta etc into one dish - very rarely will I suggest side dishes and the reason is a simple one - vegetable shopping for one is a chore! Not only because many things these days are pre-bunched or pre-packaged, but also because there is a lure to buy that whole bag of potatoes or bag of corn on the cob for $2.99 because it simply sounds like such a better deal than buying 2-3 each for $2...but take it from me, not only do potatoes grow eyes that peer out the bag at you screaming “cook me!” but after a while - they will liquify into a smelly mess (don’t forget that both potatoes and corn can make alcohol - so think smell of alcohol mixed with rotting-moldiness...it just isn’t pretty)

    So what to do? Change your mind set - think in terms of use - not in terms of value and change ideas on what you want to buy. Green beans are a good option - if you wanted to, you could just buy one (the check out person will give you looks - but you could if you wanted to). The other option that i’ve mentioned before is using the salad bar - yes it is more expensive, but AGAIN you will end up spending the same amount if you throw out more than half that head of broccoli. 

    Frozen? it works - the one tip I have for frozen veggies - DO NOT BUY MORE THAN 1-2 AT A TIME. Frozen veggies are a great idea, but after a while they freeze into this rock hard clump that will taste more like freezer than the vegetable that they are suppose to be.

    Side dish veggies can be done - just change how you buy - and how you think.

Left Overs from Eating Out

    Eating out is a great way to make sure that you eat something balanced - even if you don’t take my advice and you have been eating cereal at dinner time for days on end - eating out can create two days worth of balanced meals easily.

    I have two dishes that work really well if you have left over meat - the first is in the beans and lentils section of my page - the chicken, black bean, corn dish (any left over chicken works) and the second is making a wrap from either left over steak or chicken. There are many different variations on this idea - but two stand out as my favs. First is a cold wrap - mixed with spinach and cheese. I usually change up the cheese depending on if it was chicken or beef or even pork. Chicken really works with goat cheese, beef either with a cheddar or a pepper-jack cheese, and pork goes well with gouda. It is your simple every day wrap, put in meat, spinach, and cheese of choice, and wrap it up. Nothing special - but great for left overs. The second is a hot wrap that involve re-inventing the food a little bit. It is a way to make fajita’s in a cheating-type way. Basically, you take whatever meat you have left over, add to a hot pan (about medium heat) add in some salsa, chopped up peppers and onions (or whatever veggie you might have in the fridge) then put in a wrap. 

    Both of these are really simple, but great ways to make one meal you didn’t have to cook into a second that you barely have to.

But I Don’t Want to Cook...

    I’ve personally said this one more than once. You are tired, have a headache, or just plan too lazy one day to do something for dinner. I’ve even had days when the thought of figuring out which type of take out food I want and calling to order it is just not worth the bother. One such day recently, I couldn’t even do the cereal thing because I realized that I had no milk.

    So what to do on days like this (and you realize that claiming you had a big lunch and should just skip dinner is not really an option)? You can take my advice of previous days, figure out what you have as left overs and just mix things up (tonight I took spinach, put some left over black bean tex-mex stuff, added my new favourite hot sauce (Tabasco Chipotle) and it was seriously amazing). But if even that is too much why not consider pita, with hummus and some cucumber? or cheese and crackers? peanut butter and toast?

    The one tip that has got me through days when you just can’t really be bothered...think snack, on a big scale.

Find of the Week!

    One of the things that I rarely get a chance to make and eat anymore is squash. Sure it comes close with summer squashes like zucchini, but sometimes, you just want something more squash like.

    Today, I found a new love in patty pan squash. It is like a single serving squash! Wonderful taste - easy too cook (I just sauteed in a little olive oil).

    Got to love when nature develops its own single servings!

Food Alternatives

    I had an interesting conversation this week - anyone that knows me knows that I am allergic to EVERYTHING, and then because of some different medical issues, have to limit my diet even more...the recipes are some of my favourites, but, many of them I can no longer eat.

    It is frustrating to say the least. There are times when I even take the risk of eating something that I am allergic to just because I miss the flavour so much. It is something that I regret each time...seriously regret.

    So, this week I went in search of alternatives - they aren’t perfect - but they do somewhat work.

 Potato Alternative

    If one more person tells me to eat sweet potatoes i am going to scream.  Don’t get me wrong, I like them, but at the same time - they taste NOTHING like potatoes. I have yet to find a good alternative to whole potatoes, but i have something that will work for mashed. It is a combination of white beans, and parsnip. So, you need to cook the parsnips (boil them) until they are really soft. The rinse and drain a can of white beans, add in the parsnips, milk, butter, and anything else you like putting in mashed potatoes (chives, sour cream, garlic) and then mash (or use a hand mixer. It isn’t perfect, but it works.

Tomato Sauce Alternative 

    Again, can’t really use it as fresh tomatoes on salad, but if you are looking for tomato sauce for pasta, lasagna etc this will work. Hubbard squash - kinda looks like a pumpkin - but a very dark orange. So, what you need to do (and it is a bit of a pain) is peel, seed and cut it up into about one inch chunks. Then you need to place it in a pot and cover with water and boil it until it is pretty much falling apart. But, there is the whole issue of flavour. So, while it is boiling you need to add in oregano, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, and a little salt (or add in italian herb/spice mix) you will need a good palmful of it. Another really important thing to add in is the rind from a piece of parmesan (if you have the fresh stuff, the rind works great in things like this, or soup, just to add flavour) if you don’t have the fresh stuff, then just add in about 1/4 of the grated stuff near the end. Once the squash is really really cooked, drain most of the liquid and begin blending it. Add in a little red wine (or beef stock) until it is about the right consistency. After you have the basic sauce done, you can add in other veggies or meat like you would regular tomato sauce.

Sausage Alternative.

    This was one of my great finds. Because a lot of times I use to use sausage without the casing, I thought, “what if i  could make ground turkey or chicken taste the same?”. It is actually WAY easier than you would think. Basically, you brown up the turkey/chicken and add in the same spices you would find in sausage (fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, and anything else that you think would taste “sausage like”). It works great especially if you are cooking with it, and not just wanting a grilled sausage. But even if you do want a grilled sausage - think sausage like hamburger instead.

    So, as angry and frustrated as I get, and as much as I know that these are not the same - they do work as reasonable alternatives.

Summery Skillet

    There is something about this time of year when you walk into a grocery store and see basket after basket of locally grown produce. Something about vegetables that have minor imperfections, and even dirt on them that makes them feel more real than the wax covered stuff that is around throughout the winter.

    Today was one of those days when  vegetables took over for the main part of the meal. Zucchini was the main event.

    I took one zucchini, sautéed in a little olive oil, with a little garlic, and once it was 3/4 cooked, added a couple spoonfuls of ricotta for some protein. It was so simple, yet so summery, fresh, an absolutely delicious.

Bread

    I was at a family gathering today, and one of my cousins came up to me complaining that I had no blog entry about what to do for bread when you are single (she’s not single, but currently her husband is the only person not on the no carb kick). She mentioned that he only goes through half a loaf in a week, and she finds herself throwing out the other half a loaf either because it has gone stale or mouldy. My comment to her was, “why don’t you just freeze half”. Apparently, this does not occur to everyone as an option, but let me tell you - it is rare that i don’t have my bread frozen. (and as a side note - no it does not get all soggy - freezers are actually really dry places - if there is no moisture in things you freeze - it will not create it when you defrost)

    Depending on the loaf, and how fast you go through it, and how you use it, there are differing amounts that you want to freeze. For instance, i you use your bread mostly for toast in the morning, freeze the whole thing (this also works well with breakfast pitas) why risk things going stale or mouldy if when you put it into the toaster it will defrost anyways! For sandwiches, it is a little tricker. Personally now, I keep out enough for 2-3 sandwiches and freeze the rest - truthfully, because I am not always the best at remembering to take out two slices the night before! But! if you work or go to school somewhere that you don’t have a fridge - consider making your sandwich on frozen bread - it will defrost by lunch - and at the same time will keep the stuff in your sandwich cold.

    I also freeze buns and rolls - it is usually a lot cheaper to buy them six at a time, and although I do frequently tell people that it isn’t always smart to buy more to save - if you plan on freezing it - then go for it.

    So freezing bread - great way to keep it fresh and avoid the first thing in the morning go to make toast and find the blue-green fuzzies gross out.

Salad Dressing

    This one really surprises me sometimes. People still have this concept that making your own salad dressing is difficult, but honestly, it is probably one of the easiest things in the world to do, that is, once you understand the ratio.

    Here’s the deal, most commercial salad dressing are 3 parts oil to one part acid (vinegar, lemon juice, etc). Depending on how you like your salad (personally I like it more sour) you can actually go to a one to one ratio.

    Here’s some of my favourite, easy, salad dressing recipes:

Basic Vinaigrette

- 1/2 tbsp olive oil

- 1/4-1/2 tbsp vinegar (try, white, apple cider, sherry)

- 1 garlic clove (crushed and chopped, or put through a garlic press)

- salt and pepper to taste (or chilli flakes)

Mix everything together (or put in a little jar and shake).

Creamy Balsamic Vinaigrette

- 1/2 tbsp olive oil

- 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 tbsp dijon mustard

Mix together with a fork, whisking until everything emulsifies (doesn’t separate)

Yogurt and Feta

• 1 tbsp yogurt

• about a spoonful of feta (just eye ball it)

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 clove of garlic (minced or garlic pressed)

• pinch of oregano

• pinch of rosemary

• pinch of basil

Mix together mashing up the feta with your spoon. This one needs to sit for a little while so that the herbs soften up a bit (about half an hour is fine. This one is also a really good marinade for chicken, pork or lamb.

All are fairly simple, and most ingredients most people have around the home. So next time, instead of buying that bottle of salad dressing that will take you months to finish - think about just making some fresh as you need it. 

Coffee for Breakfast

    So this is a little off topic - but honestly, by the end you will understand where I am going with this one. Until a year ago (and more realistically until about 6 months ago) I rarely ate breakfast. It was something I stopped doing when I was in grade one - when I first realized that I was not a morning person - and eating at 7:30am was just something that my stomach was not going to want to handle.

    Things progressed, I did fine in my mind without breakfast, until about third year university when I discovered the wonders of coffee. From that point on, depending on your definition, I was either a true Canadian, or a coffee addict (or both). My mornings began with coffee, and the drinking continued way beyond when I would first eat something. Probably not the healthiest of habits (just ask my dentist, my doctor, traditional medicine peeps, and my dietician who all ganged up on me this year) but it was one that ultimately lead me to start enjoying breakfast.

    It all started when I tried to convince someone that coffee is a complete breakfast in and of itself - it didn’t go over well - but here was my rationing. Coffee comes from beans - so it must be a legume, therefore, it is a protein source, so add in milk (dairy) and sugar, which comes from plants and therefore can be a vegetable - and it’s a complete breakfast? no? Although I did get a “nice try” for my very logical (yet highly irrational) insight, it just was not enough proof that coffee was a) a food, and b) an acceptable breakfast substitute.

    So how does this tie in with the idea that one should be able to make something more than cereal for dinner? Although I am not saying that cereal is a bad choice when in a pinch for dinner (for the most part, as long as you put milk on it, and it is not some sugary-food-colouring-rich thing posing as food, it’s quite acceptable and completely balanced) but here’s the thing. Do you really want to be eating the same thing for breakfast that you do for dinner?

    The one thing that the last two years has taught me more than anything is that boredom with food leads to poor eating. Plan, simple, fact. If you don’t get excited about what you are going to eat, chances are, that skipping it won’t matter to you. Almost every busy working female I know has been in the position where when there is a choice between going to sleep early after a really hectic day, and trying to make something for dinner, they have chosen the sleep. It’s a bad habit for many reasons. But if dinner is something that you enjoy, you find passion in food, joy in being able to make something that you will truly look forward to, then the choice isn’t that obvious.

    Back to the coffee - the reason that it became acceptable had more to do with my dinner choices than it did with my breakfast ones. I didn’t want to eat the same thing in the morning that I had the night before - coffee was the only quick thing I could find that helped me get going in the morning. As much as I understood that it was a poor choice - it got me through the morning. So for those of you that didn’t understand why I was against cereal for dinner, there you have it. It wasn’t against the cereal itself - it was against the fact that when people lose passion for food, they also lose perspective on what it is to actually nourish oneself, and for me, that meant that coffee (or more than 20 cups a day of it) somehow became an acceptable food substitute.

Multiple Meals, One Pot

    Sometimes when the weather gets cooler, there are just certain comfort foods that one craves. For me, the fall weather (and yes i know it isn’t fall, but I am wearing a sweater, so close enough) brings along with it cravings for chilli, and unfortunately, chilli is not one of those things that you can make single servings of very easily.

    I’ve found a way to make a smaller batches, but you still end up with leftovers - so, this is one of those cook once, reinvent meals a couple times.

    So first is the chilli:

• one can of mixed beans

• one onion

• 2-3 cloves of garlic

• 2 tbsp of chipotle sauce

• salt and pepper to taste

    Heat a little olive oil in a pan and add in the onion chopped up. Cook until the onion starts to soften, then add in the garlic and stir so that the garlic does not brown. Add in the mixed beans and about half a cup of water. Cover the pot and let simmer a couple hours, stirring every 25-30 minutes. Add in the chipotle sauce, and salt and pepper (if wanted) and cook for another 10-15 minutes uncovered until it gets thick. Serve with things like yogurt/sour cream, green onions, and cheddar cheese.

    Next day:

    Reheat about 3/4 a cup of the chilli and place it inside a wrap. Add Cheese and maybe some green onions. Enjoy a bean burrito.

    Day Three:

    By now you should be almost out of the chilli so these are two ideas and you can choose your favourite. First, get some tortilla chips, heat them in the oven at about 375 for about 3 minutes. Place the chilli on top and put back into the oven for another 5 minutes. Grate some cheese, sprinkle on top, and back into the oven for another 2-3 minutes. 

    Second idea, heat chilli, make a salad, dump the chilli onto the salad, top with things like onions, salsa, yogurt/sour cream and enjoy.

    Although they are all chilli based, they are different enough to avoid being bored. However, if you aren’t into the cook once, eat three times thing, chilli does freeze really well.

Soup: Same problem as Cereal?

    I was speaking to some of the older woman who live in my building regarding my site the other day. One of the things that came up, which surprised me slightly, was that widows don’t seem to eat cereal for dinner, instead, they can run into a rut of eating soup - and not the kind they cook themselves - but the boxed or canned stuff. It got me thinking, maybe it isn’t just cereal for dinner that single people seem to turn to when time and effort to cook for one seem too much?

    Again, it’s not that the soup is all that bad - or the most part people will get vegetables, some protein (maybe) and at least it is warm (I won’t rant about the salt content of most prepared soups just now). But there is something about food that comes out of a box that just makes me wonder if it really can be dinner? Has our society really made a world where things that you pour out of a box become the norm?

    If you read my “coffee for breakfast” post, you might understand my point about boredom with food, and my conversations regarding soup lead me to the same conclusion - most of the woman i spoke with said that they didn’t like eating dinner most nights - most just did it because they were hungry (or were diabetic or needed to take pills and had to eat).

    So people, what do you think? is the problem more that people are bored with food? bored with the quick fix meals? are people eating soup and cereal for dinner not because they don’t have the time, but because they are honestly so bored with food that what they eat has more to do with the have tos than the want tos?

Mac and Cheese

      One of my guilty pleasures is mac and cheese. There is something about food you ate as a kid that will make even the worst of days so much better. I go two different ways when i want it. I either make it from scratch, or i take the boxed stuff and add some things to it to make it healthier.

    So first, making it from scratch. It is actually not as complicated as i use to think that it was. You need to take equal parts of butter and flour (i’ve used margarine and whole wheat flour before - not as good - but works) first melt the butter in a pan, then add the flour and stir until the flour kinda melts into the butter. Then start adding milk (and keep stirring) it will start getting thick. At that point, take some cheese (1/4 cup or less works) and stir it in. Turn off the heat, add in maybe some pepper (or cayenne) add cooked pasta, and you are good to go. (Full recipe to follow in a couple days).

    Second, the cheat way. Make a box of mac and cheese as per the instructions. Add in a can of tuna, and a can of kidney beans. Divide the pot into two (save one half for lunch)

    Comfort food for one, completely doable!

Ideas from Travels

    Notebooks - something that all of us usually have hanging around - weather it be at work or home, most people will have some sort of notebook there just incase you need to keep track of something. When i travel, especially for business, notebooks become my saving grace. From keeping track of people i meet that i need to follow up with, to jotting down notes regarding ideas that come up in meetings, notebooks save me. But this trip, i used my notebook in a way that i normally save for my kitchen - keeping track of what food ideas worked and which did not. Having a week where one eats out, three meals a day (ok mostly only twice with all the running around, but still) gives me a great time to come up with new recipe ideas, and new twists on recipes that i already do.

    This trip was great for that - i do have to say that there are places in Texas that do food in ways i never would have though of (green chillies in spinach! great taste - i never would have thought of it!). It might take me a week or so to try out making some of these recipes for just one person - but stay tuned, because some of them are great!

    Take the time to try new things when traveling, you never know what new exciting twist you will learn that you can take home with you and add to your own food adventures in cooking for one!

This Evil Cold

    It is that time of year again, kids go back to school, and parents bring to work the germs that the kids bring home. I am not sure who exactly gave me this evil cold, but i am sure it was someone who just loves “sharing”. Anyways, i’ve been in bed, not think about food for three days now, but it is time that i remind myself that eating is important, and really, to get better my body is going to need energy right?

    So, what to make when you feel really nasty? Chicken soup comes to mind, and really, there are some really really simple ways to make something that is eatable and less chemically derived than that stuff that comes out of packets. So, take some chicken broth, bring it to a boil, add in some sliced up ginger (also a great thing to put into tea when you are sick), add in garlic (chopped up finely), and then add in some pasta (spaghetti broken up works well). Boil until the pasta is cooked, add a little bit of lemon if you have it, maybe some parsley, and you have a way better than packet soup, in almost the same amount of time.

Slow Cooking

    It is probably one of the things that i actually look forward to when the weather starts getting cooler - pulling out my Crock Pot to make slow cooked dinners that are ready the minute that i walk through the door. While i fully admit that it was much easier to make meals this way when i was living with my parents and was cooking  for 4 or 5 people, and not just one, i have figured out a couple different meals that do work when cooking for one person.

    First thing you need to do, if you do not already have a slow cooker - go find out - BUT - and this is a big but, don’t get that big one that looks like it would hold a turkey. Find one that is on the smaller side (even if it is one of those ones meant for making dips and sauces - it will work when it is only you that you are cooking for.

    Second, you need to find recipes that will work - the general rule is, if you like something to be crispy, not for slow cooking. However, if you like it to be fall apart barely have to chew - slow cooking it is.

    Ok, so recipes:

• Chicken and Olives

        In this recipe i would suggest browning the chicken first - it adds         flavour.

• Chipotle Beef Wrap

        Cook the stuffing ingredients in the slow cooking - you will probably need to add extra chipotle in the end (for some reason slow cooking makes things sweeter)

• Curried Lentil Soup

        This one works without really having to change anything - just stick all the ingredients into the pot

• Chilli

        Enough said - this is a slow cooker staple! if you plan on adding meat  i would brown it up first (think ground turkey, chicken, beef).

    Other tips - most slow cookers have inserts - to save time - put everything into the insert, then into the fridge the night before. That way, in the morning you just pop it in and turn it on. Don’t add as much liquid as you think - not sure how exactly it happens - but slow cookers make lots of liquid. Finally, add more spice than you normally would (with the exception of salt), when things cook slowly, flavour mellows.

    So, although the cooler weather is not something i look forward to - the smell of great food when walking in after a long day is something amazing, especially when cooking for one.

Turkey Leftovers

    If you were lucky enough to be the proud owner of a turkey doggie bag, you are probably thinking that you have enough turkey for a week, but turkey salad sandwiches get old fast!

    The leftovers are great though, because it cuts down on what you need to do to make a lot of really great dinners that are more than cereal.

    Here are just a few of my ideas:

• Use turkey instead of the chicken in the black bean - corn - Tex-Mex dish

• The honey mustard sauce pairs nicely with turkey instead of the chicken

• Add in 1/3 cup of chopped up turkey into the Chickpea salad to increase the protein content

• Substitute turkey for the tuna in the Kidney Bean and Tuna Salad

And if you still have turkey after all of that, then there is nothing like turkey soup (just use the chicken soup recipe)