3/9/11

Menu: Chili Rubbed Tequila Shrimp & Sauteed Kale (Canyon Ranch, Nourish cookbook), Brown Rice
Music: Urban Cowboy (vinyl)


I had forgotten how much I loved this album! Upon listening as an adult, ok, maybe it's not a classic but it always will be in my mind because I have so many fond memories attached to it. I still know all the words to most of the songs, especially "Love the World Away", "Lookin' for Love (In all the Wrong Places), and of course "Lyin' Eyes" and "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." My (quite a bit younger) boyfriend looked at me like I was slightly insane and wasn't too thrilled about playing all four sides of the double-album, but we did anyway.

These two recipes from my new Canyon Ranch Nourish cookbook were easy and satisfying. Each one only takes about 10 minutes to prepare but it's a little hard to coordinate the two to finish around the same time. I'd suggest washing and tearing your kale, washing and deshelling/deveining your shrimp, and getting all the spices out and ready before you start any portion of the process. Sidenote: I also made Green Chile Scrambled Eggs from this cookbook this morning and they were also really easy, healthy and stupendously filling and tasty. I had all of the ingredients for these recipes already on hand and they're all in season.

I feel like I've come a long way from "I don't know whether I'm supposed to rinse poultry before cooking" and "Oops, I accidentally spent three hours making homemade soup and didn't notice the tiny bugs on the chard until they were floating in our bowls." I'm, frankly, shocked that I find cooking as soothing as I do- I didn't come from a household that did a lot of it. We always ate healthy meals and I grew up knowing that sugar, refined carbs, and processed foods weren't the best choices but my parents didn't spend a lot of time and energy cooking elaborate meals. I suppose that won't be something I'll continue to do if/when I have kiddos either... juggling life can sometimes be hard. Which is why I think it's even more important to take simple moments and make them sacred.

I'm not one bit religious but I find myself saying a silent prayer of thanks every time I sit down to food that nourishes my body and soul.