I know it has only been 4 days, but it has been an eventful four days. I have cooked in the last few days more than I have cooked in the last 12 weeks. I have already learned new recipes, fed my family food from scratch, and spent a small fortune on ingredients I didn't even have (we are talking basics here people- flour, sugar, baking soda, vanilla extract). Important lessons have already been learned in the kitchen; the focal point of our journey.
2. It is really not that difficult to take out ingredients, measure them, chop vegetables, combine, stir, follow a recipe, etc. It is actually kind of enjoyable knowing that I am cooking real, wholesome food for my family. I can even whip up a mean pico de gallo at a moment's notice...I have done it twice already!
3. Being in the kitchen gives me a new sense of purpose and well-being. Before "change day", I had avoided the kitchen, almost like I didn't belong there. I would dash in, make a meal, get a drink, eat with kids, dash out. Now I feel like I can hang out, do some dishes (shocking, I know), and sit down and do homework with the kids.
4. I can and will do dishes. Many of you know I do not do dishes. It has always been the job of my husband. However, cooking and feeding seven people creates a LOT of dishes. If this is going to work, I am, *sigh*, going to have to break down and help clean the kitchen from time to time.
5. Meal planning and ingredient gathering is going to be my biggest challenge. I, obviously, lack a lot of basic meal preparation "things". A lot of recipes require me to go out and buy not only the ingredients, but the things to make them in and with. For example, I didn't own a cheese grater. I had always bought graded cheese. Everyone should have a cheese grater, but I had become so dependent of processed foods I didn't even feel this was necessary!
This is all I have time to type for now...motherhood calls!
I am so not at an organic place at this point, but I am excited for you. In the last year I have cooked for my family more than in the previous seven combined. I have thought EXACTLY what you typed in this post many times. I even did the dishes tonight! I actually enjoy cooking. It is so satisfying to feed my family things that I created. I'm excited to read more!
ReplyDeleteHave you looked through this website? http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/
ReplyDeleteIt shows which products are safe and which are potentially dangerous ... I wish I could only buy the safe items, but we're on a very tight budget right now so I have to choose some cheaper items.