cooking my own meals

I’ve re-appropreiated his NYC themed Q&A. Original found here.

What’s the best meal you’ve eaten in T?
Most recently: Yuki-no-hana. I’m a bit squeamish when it comes to raw food – but gah, best sashimi I’ve had so far!

In one sentence, what do you actually do all day?
Self-inflicted abuse of my senses:  eyes (reading and videos), ears (music and audiobooks), touch (writing calluses), smell (perfume), taste (food!)

What’s your drink?
coffee for most days, beer cider on summer afternoons

How often do you prepare your own meals?
no time to cook during the school year–but nearly everyday during the holidays

What’s your favorite medication?
ginger ale

What’s hanging above your sofa?
don’t have a sofa – but i just bought two giant posters. one is Raphael’s “School of Athens” and the other, predictably, is Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”

How much is too much to spend on a haircut?
i only get one hair cut per year-so i usually dole out $60. But if i had time for frequent trimmed, then $25

When’s bedtime?
when i’ve done the next couple days’ prep aka. 2am

Who is your mortal enemy?
my less proactive self

Times, Post, or Daily News?
I subscribe to the times.

Where do you go to be alone?
when i put on my earphones 

 

back in the saddle

I had to go to the library to renew my library card this morning. Like a fool, I forgot to bring IC with me, so the kind lady extended it till the end of Sept so I wouldn’t have to waste money on books.

That’s a lie. It’s not a waste, but it’s just money that I can’t spend.

Anyway, i got the RSC edition of Shakespeare’s plays. I am very very excited about that. I wasn’t too excited about it when I had to lug it and the Norton Anthology of Shakespeare (3000+ pages!) home (my right shoulder might still be aching). Ohhh, and i finally tracked down a copy of Laurence Olivier’s autobiography. GAH- cannot contain myself.

I’m doing good with one of my resolutions: be generous with friends. For the past year, I had to work on every single Saturday and this Saturday will be my last (my schedule changed). So I am buying breakfast for everyone. Granted, it’s only McD breakfast (it’s convenient – I’m not about to go anywhere else at 8:30am in the morning), but I think it shows my sincerity anyway.

On Friday, I am meeting up with a dear chum who is normally out of town. I have to teach at 7pm, so after a bit of juggling, we decided to do late lunch (involving more pastries than real food – I’m not sure how I feel about that, but she’s set on going to Pusateri’s).

I think this is a big improvement. I am usually so stingy with my time. I plan things so meticulously so that I don’t have to go out everyday (the travel time sucks). I like to stack things – is this terrible of me? Perhaps. But I am always scrambling from one thing to another.

It’s only a few more days before books and papers take over my life again. To avoid bingeing and being a fatty in general, I though I’d start charting my eating habits again. I’ll be doing this on the MyFitness app, but I’ll detail yesterday’s and today’s to get a head start:

TUESDAY

breakfast: Coffee

lunch: 2 microwave dinners (only like 250g each, so = bird food)

dinner: rice, steamed broccoli, one boiled egg, a slice of ham

WEDNESDAY

breakfast: Coffee

lunch: rice, eggplant and pork stirfry

dinner: ditto

snack: watermelon

I know, I know – it’s a tragedy! But at least the only way is up! And now that I have a somewhat solid schedule, I can return to my workout plan.

food experiments

I’ve been meaning to write-up an entry on my recent cooking experiments. So here:

BBQ Baked Chicken Ribs

These little darlings are delicious! I didn’t people ate chicken ribs – it simply isn’t offered at restaurants (except KFC, but they call it differently). I like to foil line my pans so I don’t have to scrub them to death later. I drizzle some EVO on the bottom, season the ribs, cover pan with foil and bake for 15min … and DONE!

SO EASY! I made a simply cucumber and tomato salad to balance out the protein.

all juicy and whatnot

a little veg never goes wrong

complete!

Salt and Pepper Rub Pork Sirloin

My Dad loves meat – so whenever he sees it on sale, he buys it and packs it in our freezer. I, of course, am handed the task of thinking up ways to cook the damn things. The problem is they are never pre-cut. In this case, I’m left with this giant slab of pork sirloin:

massive – i think it was 7lbs at least

Anyway, I left it to thaw for a couple hours and then rubbed a bunch of spices all over it (I’m always highly suspicious of “seasoned” raw meat) and left it to sit for a while more. I lined the pan as is my usual practice but didn’t use any EVO – pork is pretty fatty as a meat, so I didn’t see the need to make it any worse.

Making sure to turn the meat over at the half way point so it cooks evenly:

still pink – but nearly done

then:

all natural pork juicy goodness

next up: Simple Guacamole and Very Berry Pineapple Fro-Yo Shake

*All of the above images are my own.

awaiting

Emails are perishable, far more so than snail mail. They are not tangible items i have feel in my hands and yet they are so much more easily accessible. But we never do access them once their subject matters have been discussed and dealt with.

Sadly enough, the number of people who still write emails longer than a “I MISS YOU, LET’S HANG SOON” are quickly diminishing as well. People have elevated texting to a fast food type of art. Everything is condenses, so much is meant by those abbreviated words. People are too in tune now. No need to actually speak directly with others when your whole life is on display on facebook.

Mine isn’t, my life – that is.

Maybe I am greedy, want some REAL connection/interaction.

[Another deadline on May 14th – GAHHHHHHHH!! My screenplay is going well. I have to do a lot of research, but it’s quite fun – and I like to be historically accurate.]

I’ve decided to embark on my first baking adventure since high school. I am going to make a chocolate cake for my mother when she comes to visit. It won’t be very fancy, but I’m still looking forward to it.

THURSDAY: Pizza, tomato egg zucchini soup, rice, steamed salmon, decaf americano

FRIDAY: mexican fries, apple pie, decaf coffee (I needed some sort of stimulant, but still want to sleep)

 

pause

I haven’t had any physical exercise (save for that 3 km walk the other day) for the past week and my body is feeling icky. I’ve just been so consumed in critical analysis and readings- God, endless readings…

Anyhow, i fully intend to revert back to my active self once this haze is over. I’ll focus mainly on cardio (because I don’t wish to be a body builder and my thighs are chunky enough, thanks): tennis, biking, running, etc.

Here’s my food log so far:

MONDAY: Grapes, string beans and pork, butter chicken, rice, orange juice

TUESDAY: Fish (Haddock) and coleslaw, coffee, chicken strips, oreo cakesters

WEDNESDAY: Mango juice, steamed salmon, cucumbers, rice, pear

THURSDAY: Timbits, coffee, steamed salmon, rice…

[ETA] I have a deadline on April 23. I have a poetry launch on April 25. And after that, I will be working 24/7 and my mom is coming for a visit and I want to go shopping for shoes and clothes (a whim I rarely entertain) and GAH i want to do so much. TO EXPLORE TO KNOW TO LOVE. Also, during this moment of unavoidable procrastination, I will create a workout schedule for May.

Tenacity

A friend and I were conversing over our eating habits lately and we both noticed how shoddily we nourish ourselves during this time of year. She’s been dining on a combination of sugar pastries and espresso drinks whereas I…

Where do I begin? My appetite has lessened considerably since my teens and I find myself more or less confused as what I want to eat. I think a huge part of this is due to my budget. Good food that’s easily prepared just doesn’t come cheap – no matter what the frugal gurus out there proclaim. Also, I simply don’t have the time to scoot for bargains… anyway, here’s what I’ve eat in the past week:

MONDAY it all began so well~

Breakfast: scrambled eggs (3), bacon (2 strips), toast (with whipped butter and jam), coffee (3-4 cups with cream and sugar) Lunch: Chicken caesar salad (300g with bacon bits and ranch dressing) Dinner: steamed broccoli (2 cups), orange juice (1 glass)

TUESDAY damn those chicken strips, they were on sale at the store so I bought a bunch and now I can’t stop eating them because they’re so easy to prepare! but gahhh-MUST STOP!

Breafast: Coffee (3 cups) Lunch: Chicken Caesar Salad (with bacon bits and ranch dressing) Dinner: Chicken tenders (4 small strips)

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast: Coffee (2 cups with cream and sugar) Lunch: BK Whopper, orange juice, Dinner: Chicken tenders, octopus stir fry with cabbage

THURSDAY

Breakfast: NOTHING Lunch: Korean Pork Bone Soup w/ rice and salad, lemon tea Dinner: NOTHING

FRIDAY

Breakfast: soft boiled eggs (2), ham Lunch: Chicken strips, broccoli, rice, orange juice Dinner: NOTHING

SATURDAY

Breakfast: Coffee (2 cups), chocolate cookie Lunch: naan, chilli chicken Dinner: naan, chili chicken, radish soup

SUNDAY

Breakfast: orange juice Lunch: naan, lamb curry, orange juice Dinner: NOT THERE YET!

slothing

Had a thoroughly enjoyable breakfast with a chum and am feeling strangely hungry. Granted, I was too busy talking to finish my food but most days I don’t touch edibles until late noon so WHY THE SUDDEN CRAVING? Crikey, can I hold on for 2 more hours and then get my chicken salad?

Anyway, I managed to catch some shut eye on Sunday and am as ready to face the week as I ever will be. The weather’s wisely decided to behave normally and I get to get away with not waxing my legs for another two weeks~ (The only reason I feel unashamed of this fact is because, well, you’re all strangers who probably don’t get a toss.)

I definitely need a real good slothing day though. A day when I can de-clutter my flat, light them candles and sort out my closet (now that spring’s upon us). It’s be nice, I’ll get up at a nice, comfortable 9am, make a smoothy (NO COFFEE ON NON-EARLY DAYS!!), maybe have soft-boiled eggs. Vaccum and do laundry, blast some music and just lounge.

But to do that would seem sinful when I have so much left on my TO-DO LIST.

Le sigh, maybe one day soon.

PS. Got them salads. They don’t come with salad dressing though, only lemon juice, bacon bits, cheese and croutons. What gives?

PPS. I was an idiot and forgot to pick up the complimentary dressing packets. I chose sweet onion and buttermilk ranch. HENCE, am munching delightfully on my salad. It’s advertised to serve 3-5 people, but yesterday, I finished mine in one sitting. I didn’t feel a bit bad about it as it’s 3/5 greens.