In the begining...

The answer to this varies but more often then not it's "I don't know yet!" I've decided to share a few cooking recipes that I've come to cherish over the years and through my experimentation in the kitchen.

Makin' me a Sammich!

So, here's the first installment! I'll be talking about produce, food selections, balanced diets, and of course some easy home cooking from scratch. Please feel welcome to also share your recipes or if you try mine, let me know how you liked them. Questions will be answered if you have any. <3

I've been taking a lot of food to work for lunches. Not only is it cheaper than going out to get food from various establishments, but it's healthier. The key to this is planning. Making a list of groceries prior to going to the store is always a smart idea. I usually do this for the basics. Don't get defeated when you variate from the list while shopping because you are bound to find something you might want to try using! Personally, I've cut out most meat from my diet. This is a personal choice based on health reasons. I've also cut out most dairy for the time being. If you do want to add meats to your dishes, try poultry or fish. Substituting ground turkey for ground beef is a healthier choice. Skip the butter and use something like Smart Balance.. for sautes and breads, try olive oil. And always use fresh produce! (no frozen or canned fruits or veggies.

So about produce.. so many veggies to choose from! Choose a veggie a week to learn about it. Learn how to prepare it or cook it- only takes 5 mins to google a veggie and read. Same goes for fruits. While frozen or canned may feel like it's more convenient, it doesn't take that much longer to wash, cut, and prepare fresh veggies! Fresh tastes better too ^.^ Check out the food Pyramid of today:

Food Pyramid (most recent change since 2005)

See how small the section for meats and beans are? Sometimes I think the grains should be smaller as well.. try to choose whole grains.. but veggies and fruits.. should be the staple of a diet. (and of course you need your dairy.. I use calcium supplements due to lactose intolerance.)

But produce is expensive.. -.- If you're shopping at your local grocers, (Vons, Albertsons, Ralphs, Stater Bros...) you might find the prices and the selection of produce to be.. expensive and crap. Who the hell wants to buy oranges imported from Australia when you live in Southern California. That is just stupid. Find your local farmer's markets. You can find good deals on local produce! I shop at Value +, the produce department is HUGE! and for prices.. this past week 6lbs of oranges for $0.99. Yeah, seriously! Be picky! Find a place that suits your wallet and support your local farmers.

Enough with the lectures... onto the recipes!

Split Pea Soup!

Mmm.. Split Pea Soup! I just made this tonight. This will take at least 2 hours to cook, but only 15 mins to prep. (If you want to use a crock-pot, you can start this in the morning, leave it all day and everything will be slow-cooked by the time you get home for work.)

What you need:
- 1lbs dry split peas
- 6-8 cups of water
- 3 medium sized potatoes
- 1/2 onion (yellow or white)
- 2 medium sized carrots (1 cup of baby carrots)
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1-1/2 tbs ground pepper
- 1 tbs salt
- 1/2 tbs Filé powder (This is ground sassafras leaves. It's got a very delicate taste to it but is a great thickener, if you're unable to find this in your local store, you can add 1/2 cup of milk.)
- Optional: thyme, rosemary, sage, cubed bits of ham or bacon.
- Stock Pot (must hold up to 8 cups of water.)
- Stirring spoon

What to do: Pour the 1lbs bag of dried split peas into your stock pot. Add 6 cups of water. Set stove top heat to high until the water is at a boil. Once the water is at a boil, you'll be dropping the heat to medium. This will soften the peas and rehydrate them. This process can take between 30 mins to an hour. Cover with a lid, but keep the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape while simmering.

Time to prep those veggies! Peel the three potatoes completely. Make sure you give them a quick rinse before you cut them. Dice the potatoes into small 1/4 inch cubes. Dice 1/2 onion into small bits. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr1ZQ94E-YA (easy way to dice an onion.) Peel and slice the carrots into small bits.

(if you are adding Ham, you're going to want to use precooked ham diced into cubes)

Set aside your veggies (and ham) until you are ready to place them into the stock pot with your peas. Check on your peas, give them a stir.. go clean something, do an instance in WoW... relax.. in about 30 mins since you put the peas on the stove, check on them.. you're going to need to test how cooked the peas are. If they are tender enough to break apart when stirring, you're in business. If not, give it another 20 to 30 mins.. Honestly, you really can't over cook the peas, it's nearly impossible. You may want to add another cup or 2 of water.

Peas good and smooshy? Time to throw in your veggies! Just toss them in along with the pepper, salt, olive oil, any other spices or herbs (except for the filé powder or milk) and cover over medium heat. Give the veggies about 10-15 mins to cook. Once they've become tender as well, you can add your thickening agent.. stir in the filé (or milk). Let that set on low heat for a min or two.. then let cool off before serving.

Best fresh Split Pea Soup I've ever had! And it's all from scratch. You can make this in large batches on the weekends to have throughout the week. You'll want to have more than one bowl.

This soup is good hot for the winter time... or chilled during the summers. Pure vegetable goodness! (save for any ham you want to add ^.~)