Saturday, October 2, 2010

The Joys of Cooking

In the past two weeks I have developed a passion for cooking that would give Betty Crocker a run for her money.

I've baked cookies, cooked various Persian dishes and pasta dishes, and I even cooked a butternut squash soup and shrimp dinner last night- from SCRATCH!

I don't know why this chef light has been ignited within me, but I like it!  Since I lived alone and battled with ED, I'd never really been one to make big meals that take time to prepare.  I almost always gravitated toward meals that were easy and fast and low in calories-- and unfulfilling, most of the time!

However; since J and I have gotten married, I feel this urge to prepare a nice dinner for our little family.  I actually *want* to cook, and it's really fun.  Yes, I still think of the nutritional value of what I'm cooking.  But I have broken out of the whole "I'll have 1 serving of pasta with 2 spoonfuls of pasta sauce because that's roughly 300 calories".  

With the stuff I'm cooking, I can't really count the calories--because I don't know them.  And it's so wonderfully freeing.  I can cook for the sheer love of making that specific meal and knowing that J and I will share it together.  I can cook because it's fun to create something from scratch and present it to someone with a "Ta-Da!  Look what I made!  It's from scratch.".  

It's as if concocting delicious meals has been a part of my therapy.  Food therapy.  I like it.  

And the amount of pride that I have when presenting these meals to J (and to myself, haha).  It's as if I'm birthing a baby-- "It's so beautiful!", "Uh-huh, I created that!",  "I have never been more proud!"

It's a bit ridiculous, really.  But, hey, whatever butters your bread, right? ;)

Here's a pic of me baking J's favorite cookies: Peanut butter chocolate chip.  They were crazy delicious and were gone in 2 days!  Hehe.






P.S.  I highly recommend cooking a 'winter squash soup'.  It's honestly one of the healthiest, most delicious, and comforting soups I've ever had!  And it's pretty easy =)




5 comments:

  1. I LOVE baking/cooking. There's nothing like the simple joy of making a beautiful creation, and then getting to EAT it!

    Don't worry about how fattening/caloric the food is...it is so much easier to make food healthier by making it yourself. I almost always try to make things lower in fat or lower in calories...however, there are times when it doesn't pay to cut corners. Tonight I am making homemade Mac' and Cheese. Full of fat, but so good in moderation.

    P.S. If you feel the need to share, I know two hungry graduate students in St. Louis. ;)

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  2. I love cooking as well. It is my therapy. It is much healthier most of the time because I know what is going in the food yet I am not worried about how many calories are in it. I enuoy my food more this way! And I know Stu (my finace) absolutely loves my cooking as well! So that's a bonus! :)

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  3. LoveLoveLove this!

    How funny that we are both finding ourselves so culinarily inspired. (0:
    I am not quite up to your level yet (still measuring the sauce...etc) BUT with time....

    Problem is...I am thinking about food ALL the TIME! I worry, but I am convinced this is OK because I am not focusing on what I can't eat...but all the things I can! "Hmmm...wonder if I could make a dip out of....wonder what would happen if I roasted this....etc."

    Hope you share more of your culinary experiences but don't forget to have the hubby make you dinner every once in a while (you gotta train them early on, I hear...lol)
    ~Missy

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  4. I love baking/cooking too. I think it's almost like an art and it's a way of me letting go of frustration and making perfect things. I'll have to make the squash soup sometime!

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  5. Hi Yasi,
    Found your Blog on Zaras GypsyVillage.
    This cookies looks so much jummy! Maybe you want to share how to do it?
    Greetings,
    Melle

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