Home Cooking

Lately my daily eating schedule has looked something like this: 

8am- Oatmeal or cereal with fruit; coffee

8:45- vanilla yogurt on the way to school

11:50- a Luna Bar

1:50- an apple or a handful of almonds

3:45- a spinach salad or vegetable melt

5:30- soy latte

somewhere between 7-9- dinner; this could be chickpeas on a salad, grilled cheese with tomato and avacado, or something from the restaurant I work at depending on how lazy I'm feeling.

The problem is not (for the most part) with the food that I'm eating, but rather when I'm eating it. On most days I'm at school from 9a-6p, often going close to non-stop during this time. I have these big windows of time when I just forget about eating. By the end of the school day I'm so exhausted that people start asking me if I'm all right! Too many of my calories are being consumed after the most demanding part of my day (between 8-2) and I think that's what's causing my early evening exhaustion. So today, being the rare day of relative freedom from obligation, I decided to cook. There is something so peaceful, so healing, about being in the kitchen with food; real food that then becomes a healthy meal. 

So here's what I made today with things that were just lying around the kitchen waiting to be transformed: 

Sweet Potato Tofu Soup (vegan friendly)

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 block silken tofu (12 oz)

1 cup vegetable broth

1 cup water

1/2-3/4 c. soy milk

cinnamon, nutmeg, curry, sea salt, pepper

Chop the sweet potatoes into small chunks and put in a pot of water. Bring to a boil and let cook until potatoes are easily stuck with a fork. Meanwhile, sautee the onion and garlic with olive oil in a skillet. Combine softened potatoes, onion/garlic, and the silken tofu in a blender and puree (carefully! don't put the lid on lest it explode). Add soy milk as needed to aid in easier blending (I used about 1/2 a cup).

Transfer the pureed mixture into a pot. Add vegetable broth, water, and spices. I didn't follow a recipe for this (!) so I can't really recommend exact amounts for the spices. However, I'd suggest starting with more cinnamon and curry and less nutmeg, pepper and salt. You can always add more later to taste. Let simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes. 

Skillet Cornbread

1/2 cup corn kernels

3 tbsp butter (not margarine)

1 1/4 cup cornmeal

3/4 cup flour

2-3 tbsp sugar 

1 egg 

2/3 cup soy milk

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

Melt 1 tbsp butter in an iron skillet over low heat. Meanwhile combine the flour, cornmeal, corn kernels egg, sugar, baking powder, and the remaining butter (2 tbsp, melted) in a mixing bowl. Add enough soy milk to moisten the mixture. Spread the mix into the iron skillet, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes on the stove top. (medium heat) Stick a toothpick in it to make sure it's done. 

Both of these recipes where experiments with big payoffs. I'm so psyched for dinner tonight! Home cooking is so rewarding and vital to keeping us in good health. I resolve to pack more lunches for the rest of the semester. This meal is a good starter. 

Enjoy!