Yesterday we had some friends over for dinner, so after I got home from work I pulled out the tomatoes and cucumber and lettuce and bell pepper for the salad, and the garlic, shrimp, tomatoes, and onions for the pasta, and started chopping, measuring, mixing, and sauteeing. It was a simple meal, but I felt happy and content to be preparing it.
If you know me, you know this has not always been the case.
Growing up, I used to hate cooking. I would hide in my room around mealtime hoping that I'd be out of sight, out of mind, and mom wouldn't call me down to help her cook. Cooking for 6 people is a big job! I especially hated peeling or cutting raw chicken and chopping onions. I really hoped I would someday marry a man who liked to cook, or one who was rich enough to let me hire a cook.
When I went off to college, cooking was low on the priority list. About half the time I went out or had dinner with my friends. The other half I cooked a LOT of chicken with boxed mashed potatoes and canned corn, boxed macaroni and cheese, and spaghetti. Mealtime was just a chore to get through.
Then I got married. My husband is neither a man who likes to cook, or rich enough to let me hire a cook. All of a sudden, I had to have food in the house! I may be happy with a baked potato for dinner every night, but my husband wanted a real meal. And he is definitely not a chef, although he is willing to help me out if I need it. So I began to plan out my meals so that I would only have to go to the grocery store once a week. Slowly I amassed a recipe collection and started trying new things.
And I found that it is fun to try something new and succeed! It's like a little adventure. And having someone appreciate your efforts isn't too bad either. After a while, I realized I couldn't say I hated cooking anymore. In fact, sometimes I even liked it!
In the past year, I have become very interested in organic and unprocessed, whole foods. I am slowly trying to cut out things like soda and refined carbohydrates. And I've found that working toward a goal of healthy eating habits makes me really happy. When I look at my grocery list and see that it is 80% produce and unprocessed foods, I get a sense of satisfaction, like I am meeting my goal. And when I manage to make a meal that is healthy AND delicious, I feel like I have accomplished something good. And although the daily necessity of cooking, especially after a long day at work, often feels like a chore, overall I don't hate it anymore. In fact, I am happy to say that sometimes I even enjoy it!
I'm having an identity crisis here. I'm not sure I recognize me anymore. WHO AM I?!!
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