Don't worry - Jared hasn't left me yet. He's just been working really late this week (like, unreasonably late - midnight and beyond). This has its upside, and its downside. The upside: It's been a 'Say Yes to the Dress' and 'Real Housewives of Whatever' marathon over here. The downside: I have no one to cook for. I love cooking for Jared after a long day. I love being able to sit down together and have dinner (cheesy? yes, but it's true. Also we don't always 'sit down together' sometimes we watch tv...does that make it less cheesy?).
To be honest with you, I don't like cooking for myself. To me, cooking is about sharing with the people that I love and care about. I cook because I like to feed people...and I love the feeling of sitting at a big table, eating, drinking and talking. Food is best when shared... in my opinion.
Last year I read an amazing and thoughtful book on this very topic. Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant examines the eating habits and thought process of people who are hungry....and alone. I think that when we're by ourselves - the comforting aspect behind the food that we eat really comes through. I think that we make choices based on what is going to make us feel good, and there's nothing wrong (or unhealthy-ish) about that.
When I'm alone, I usually turn to greek salad. Store bought or homemade it doesn't matter - as long as it's huge. I generally toss in some raw broccoli (gross? yes, it is - but who cares, it's MY dinner) and then completely overdress it in red wine vinegar (the feta cheese usually melts into it, turning it into a creamy salad dressing - and I swear to you, I love red wine vinegar so much I could probably drink it straight), add a tiny splash of olive oil and then I cover it in red pepper flakes. I eat it out of an enormous plastic bowl. It's not pretty folks, but it feels so right.
Other times when I find myself hungry and alone - I turn to one of my favorite foods of all time. Sauteed spinach. I saute a pound (yes a pound, but it wilts) with about 4-5 cloves of garlic, good olive oil and (you guessed it) red pepper flakes. Sometimes I toss that with rice, sometimes I don't - whatever I'm in the mood for.
I also love eating rice with with a handful of shredded reduced-fat cheese and fresh cracked black pepper.
And I call myself a foodie.
I'm curious - what do you eat when there's no one around? Why do you eat what you eat? Is there a recipe for it? Should I try making it and write about it here?
Leave your thoughts in the comments or email me
To be honest with you, I don't like cooking for myself. To me, cooking is about sharing with the people that I love and care about. I cook because I like to feed people...and I love the feeling of sitting at a big table, eating, drinking and talking. Food is best when shared... in my opinion.
Last year I read an amazing and thoughtful book on this very topic. Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant examines the eating habits and thought process of people who are hungry....and alone. I think that when we're by ourselves - the comforting aspect behind the food that we eat really comes through. I think that we make choices based on what is going to make us feel good, and there's nothing wrong (or unhealthy-ish) about that.
When I'm alone, I usually turn to greek salad. Store bought or homemade it doesn't matter - as long as it's huge. I generally toss in some raw broccoli (gross? yes, it is - but who cares, it's MY dinner) and then completely overdress it in red wine vinegar (the feta cheese usually melts into it, turning it into a creamy salad dressing - and I swear to you, I love red wine vinegar so much I could probably drink it straight), add a tiny splash of olive oil and then I cover it in red pepper flakes. I eat it out of an enormous plastic bowl. It's not pretty folks, but it feels so right.
Other times when I find myself hungry and alone - I turn to one of my favorite foods of all time. Sauteed spinach. I saute a pound (yes a pound, but it wilts) with about 4-5 cloves of garlic, good olive oil and (you guessed it) red pepper flakes. Sometimes I toss that with rice, sometimes I don't - whatever I'm in the mood for.
I also love eating rice with with a handful of shredded reduced-fat cheese and fresh cracked black pepper.
And I call myself a foodie.
I'm curious - what do you eat when there's no one around? Why do you eat what you eat? Is there a recipe for it? Should I try making it and write about it here?
Leave your thoughts in the comments or email me
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