PEARS!

One of the great things about having a kid is that she unearths things that I forgot I had. I don't know where she finds the stuff -- I think there must be a secret fairy world where children are allowed to go and fetch the things that the fairies took. Anyway, yesterday Ariel found an old sketchbook of mine, and she colored on all the pages. As I leafed through the book myself, I found a couple of recipes that I had jotted down, probably from watching a cooking show on TV. I drew a little picture with it.

We've been eating a lot of pears lately, because my acupuncturist says they are good for my lungs. Also, the organic pears taste like flowers right now, like lilacs or other spring blossoms. This recipe was just perfect, especially because it includes blue cheese.

PEAR SALAD OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN
Ingredients:
pears
thyme
honey
salad greens
blue cheese
vinaigrette dressing

Directions:
In a medium size baking dish, slice pears and fan them over thyme sprigs. Drizzle with honey. Bake for about 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees F. When cool, combine with fresh spring greens and blue cheese. I also add toasted walnuts to this salad.

This recipe called for a vinaigrette made from white grape juice, grape seed oil, and shallots. I say you should always use your favorite homemade vinaigrette. I don't usually stock shallots. For this I found that the Eden organic apple cider vinegar was a good match. After tasting the Eden vinegar, I will never buy generic cider vinegar again. Pear vinegar would be super tasty with this salad. Have you ever tried blood orange vinegar? Maybe I should do a post on vinegar some day.

Spanish Cooking Made Easy

Check out this link from my amiga, Carmen, in Spain.

Brava Carmen!

It's a New Age

Folks, you are watching me change before your very eyes! Spending so much time at 3 Treasures Community Acupuncture has me developing a taste for New Age music. Yup, you heard me. NEW AGE MUSIC. I find myself shopping on iTunes for the best stuff. I know it sounds crazy, but let me tell you a little bit about myself.

I went to college at the University of California Santa Cruz. If you know anything about the school, enough said. But if you don't, here's some tidbits:

1) No grades.
2) Big Environmental Studies program (back in '86 this was unheard of).
3) Shirt & shoes optional in class.
4) It's in the redwood forest overlooking Monterey Bay.
5) Longhairs, longhairs, longhairs.

Also, the town of Santa Cruz is THE hippie 60's throwback town. At least until the earthquake. Of course, now it's probably rivaled by Burlington, VT, or some place like that. But I digress.

I eat well. I eat whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. I used to be a vegetarian. Then I was "vegetarian-like." Now I'm an omnivore. I love meat! (But of course, I buy only the most responsible meat, because I just can't stand the thought of factory farming.) I bring my own bags to the grocery store. I shop at farmers' markets.

OK. None of this no big deal, right? I'm not special. I've always leaned towards the recycle, reuse, compost. And now I like New Age music. My acupuncturist has me off coffee and sugar. Yikes!

What's happening? I am scared. What if I want to do some crackpot diet like Only Lemon Juice for 10 Days? I once knew a woman in SC who only ate tomatoes. Exclusively. I am really scared I might be losing my mind. So if you catch me wanting to change my diet (or my daughter's) to some crazy shit like that, please put a stop to it.

But, there's probably no real danger here. After all, I still swear publicly. Also, I shave my legs if they are going to show. And while Ariel was napping today, I spent about 20 minutes plucking my eyebrows. So I think I'm safe from becoming a total naturalist freak.

Neighbors, if you see me naked in the yard, call the police!

Gruel Gets a Bad Rap

I'm taking back the word "gruel." Gruel has such negative connotations. It's not fair to gruel. Gruel is a very good food, even if it is associated with poverty. All hail gruel!

Popcorn for Dinner

I haven't published a post in a month. I feel kind of bad about it, because I don't have anything to write. I lost my inspiration for food. What happened? I finally realized it last night, after I ate an entire bag of microwave popcorn for dinner (which for some reason needed a half a stick of butter on it), and then while I was taking a long, hot, relaxing bath, I realized why I have been unwell for most of the winter. I realized why I can't fight a cold when I get one, or get over it in a timely manner. I realized this: I am STARVING.

I may have mentioned before that I lost a lot of weight in the first year of raising Ariel. I wasn't ever able to eat because she always took my food. I willingly gave it to her. Sometimes meal times were a little stressful, as my DH and I worked out what table manners were expected of our child. That sometimes ruined my appetite. I was nervous a lot, which makes me kind of nauseated. Eventually, I think I just gave up food.

I was kept alive for weeks on congee. My diet has lately consisted of that wonderful, smooth rice porridge. (Maybe I was subconsciously trying to relate to the kids in the orphanage.) Sometimes we would have a free-range rotisserie chicken, and I would inhale it so fast I felt sick. Also I ate cheese. By itself.

It feels really good to get this off my chest. I don't know if this is interesting to you, but it does feel good to write it. I heretofore resolve to start eating again, regularly. I would like to share a recipe with you that is just ridiculous, and so good. Great for sharing with kids. I don't have a name for it; perhaps you can help?

Directions:

Warm a flour tortilla. Spread peanut butter on tortilla. Add a row of cooked chicken, some crunchy pears, and lettuce. Fold up into a wrap, and slice into cute little wheels. Chow down!