For some reason, none of the posts that I had scheduled for last week automatically posted. Not only that, they seem to have disappeared completely from my blog draft line-up. I do apologize for that and will be better at checking my own blog to make sure that content is up to date. I am now going to retype all the missing recipes and post each item on the appropriate date. I hope to have this finished by the end of today so please check back for recipes promised over the course of the past week or so.
I received 2 emails from subscribers this morning about this problem - one, a nice one, just stating that the subscriber had not received my usual Sunday or Monday weekly menu email and another, less nice, saying that the subscriber felt that my kind of menu and eating were not sustainable and that she felt that I had probably stopped posting because I couldn't maintain this pretense any more.
Once I recovered from feeling a bit cross (let's call it that), I thought it was an interesting point to address, if only to say that - actually - L. and I do eat like this. Are there days when I decide not to make what I had planned and order takeout instead? Of course. Do I very occasionally get side-tracked and end up eating an entire bag of Doritos for dinner with a glass of wine? Shameful but, oh, yes. Will I streamline meals when I go back to full-time work? Probably, to a certain extent.
But the fact remains that this is something that I love to do - both eating and cooking - and I don't see that I am setting myself impossible standards. Cooking can be, among many things, a source of joy and creativity, a form of meditation, a contribution to one's physical health and mental wellbeing, a demonstration of love for one's family, not to mention simply delicious and spirit-lifting at the end of the day (when who knows what has been thrown at you and your kid).
My type of cooking is sustainable because I make it a priority. And I have a proven track record of this because I have been cooking this way - for family and friends - for 30 years now.
Monday [New Recipe]
Parmesan Turbot *
Steamed Cabbage with Caraway
Fingerling Potatoes
Tuesday [Pasta]
Caesar Salad
My Mac and Cheese *
Wednesday ["Ethnic" Food]
Green Salad
Homemade Kimchi Omelette with Sriracha Syrup *
Thursday [Soup and Homemade Bread]
B̶i̶t̶t̶e̶r̶ ̶G̶r̶e̶e̶n̶ ̶S̶a̶l̶a̶d̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶P̶e̶r̶s̶i̶m̶m̶o̶n̶ ̶P̶u̶m̶p̶k̶i̶n̶ ̶S̶o̶u̶p̶ ̶f̶r̶o̶m̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶r̶e̶e̶z̶e̶r̶ ̶G̶o̶a̶t̶ ̶C̶h̶e̶e̶s̶e̶ ̶S̶c̶o̶n̶e̶s̶ ̶*̶ ̶Friends unexpectedly came to town! We are evenly split between dimsum and Mexican vegan takeout, with cocktails for all.
Friday [Vegetarian but L.'s friend is visiting for the weekend so I am ramping up meat]
Mixed Salad
Fried Chicken Sandwiches on Homemade Soft Buns *
Zucchini Chips
Saturday ["Picnic" Dinner - see Friday for reasons for changes]
Pork Rib Tacos with Almond Butter-Sriracha Sauce and All the Trimmings *
Sunday [Proper Family Meal AKA Valentine's Day dinner with similarly single friends]
"Heart Beet" Salad *
Roasted Ribeye Steaks
Fingerling Potatoes with Mint
Green Beans with Marjoram
No Machine Lemon Meringue Ice Cream *