The Meaning of It All

It has been QUITE some time since I last wrote anything I felt remotely post-worthy on this here blog, but I guess I've been getting bit by the writing bug lately. I don't necessarily expect to have a big audience for the things I post, but that really isn't my goal anyway. I want to use this spot as a way to voice my thoughts and opinions on what I'm observing from the world, the things I'm learning and how I'm trying to apply that knowledge, and tidbits I find worth sharing with anyone who cares to read. My goal is to make myself get in the habit of writing more, because, as I've realized in the past few weeks, it's something I definitely have missed doing. I have a new poem that I wrote, but I won't post it until I've had the opportunity to give a hand-written copy to the person I wrote it for. Perhaps before then I'll have something new to post anyway.

On to some other things...

I've taken more of an interest in cooking lately. A large part of the reason why has to do with a personal quest to have a more personal connection to the food I'm eating. Back when I first moved out on my own, my freezer was stacked high with Lean Cuisines perfect for popping in the microwave at the end of a long day of work while I watched whatever version of Law & Order was currently airing on NBC that night. While they might have been a step in the right direction as far as portion control and getting more vegetables in my diet were concerned, thinking about the ingredient list and the amount of sodium contained in those little dishes had me thinking twice about going back to my grocer's freezer aisle.

Over time, I've let my grocery-buying habits evolve to include more fruits and vegetables and get myself motivated to consume them before they go bad. Sometimes it's not as easy as it looks! You know you should have some healthier-for-you snacks, but goshdarnit it's hard to resist the lure of Cheddar Cheese Pretzel Combos when they're sitting RIGHT there! And then, before you know it, your peppers have gone bad, the grapes are sour and squishy, and you don't even want to guess what the technical name is for what's growing on the strawberries. Nevertheless, I persisted, more aware of what I was buying and how long it'd last, and perhaps taking more time between trips to the store for Combos. It's really amazing how all the little steps add up over time until you realize that you're definitely not eating the same crap every day. I feel guilty some days for not having enough of my fruits or veggies now, and I try to make them a big part of every dinner I cook now. A dinner of all starch and fats is no longer my ideal meal. For anyone who knew me when I was a young Pattae, that's HUGE.

Lately, I've been going even more in-depth to try to find the healthy balance of buying locally-produced, organic, and conventional produce. I read up on what's suggested buying organic over conventional, and just this weekend I went to one of the local farmers' markets in the area to see what people from area farms are selling. I like having a better idea of what the growing seasons for various fruits and vegetables are around here. It makes me think a little bit more about what I might see stocked in the grocery store in six months' time and where that's actually coming from. But as far as the market is concerned, I picked up some local tomatoes, some fresh-baked bread, and some farmhouse cheddar. I haven't tried the cheddar just yet, but tonight I tried my hand at making a homemade bruschetta, and I think I had a successful run. It was fairly easy to prepare, and the taste was so fresh and delightful. I definitely plan on doing it again in the near future. I hope to post more about recipes I'm trying out with a little more detail in coming posts.

I haven't even gone on to talk about all the martial arts training I've been involved with over the past year and a half, but I guess I'll get to that next time, hopefully with some good examples of things I've been working on. Until then, goodnight!

Epitome of delicious

I'll freely admit that as a child I had very poor eating habits. It's really no fault of my parents--I made the wrong choices when given options of what to eat. And to paraphrase Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, I chose...poorly.

Thankfully by the time I got to college I worked on changing things around, and have only gotten better about it since then. Nowadays, I live a short walk away from a farmers' market that usually has some pretty tasty produce, and I've been getting in the habit of going there once a week to pick up some fresh fruit and veggies. I always get bell peppers. Usually, I pick up one red, one green, and one orange pepper. I'll cut parts of each to use in salads or fry up in a pan as part of dinner. A couple weeks ago I was at a different farmers' market in the city and procured myself a few peppers, unsure of exactly what I'd do with them. At least, I didn't think I'd do anything out of the ordinary.

Then my friend Matt suggested that I try roasting them. He gave me instructions on how he normally does it, and it didn't seem to be that hard of a thing to accomplish if you have the time to do it. Roasting peppers isn't a difficult task, but it does take a long time. I spent a rainy afternoon giving it my first go with a red pepper and parts of a green pepper, and while it wasn't perfect (I wasn't expecting perfection on the first go-round anyway), it was amazingly delicious. I've always been a fan of roasted peppers, but I think with most cooking, the taste of the fruits of your own labor winds up being that much better than anything you could just buy at a store. I ate everything I roasted in one sitting (along with a couple pierogies) without a complaint from my stomach. Yum!

I tried again last night with another green and a yellow pepper (yes, I gave in and bought a yellow!), this time with a better idea of what I was doing, and I have to say I was definitely satisfied with the final results. I only ate parts of each last night--cut in strips and thrown into a salad topped with chicken coated in an awesome mixture I made and pan fried up. My mouth loved every bit of it!

I'm really enjoying the foods I've been making for myself lately. Nothing has been too drastic a taste change for me, nor has it added significant difficulty to food I had already had a formula for, but I think the slight experimentation has been paying off. I'll be trying to keep up with the healthier eating, more fresh fruit and veggies, and posting any good finds here.

Filler or Filling?

It has to be said because, well, I've been moved to say it.

I...love...peanut butter!!!

I'm not about to slather any consumable with it. Not by any means. I know someone who eats a breakfast sandwich consisting of an english muffin, peanut butter, and a scrambled egg. For that person's sake, I'm not naming names, but I find the concept a bit disgusting. So, I have my limits with the spreadable peanut form, by my oh my, do I find peanut butter delicious.

And no, I don't mix the deliciousness with jelly or jam of any kind. That's just a travesty. You take away room for more peanut butter when you do that.

This has been your latest installment of Filler or Filling. Thanks, and have a full day!