Too tired to slice
Last week I was too tired to slice a zucchini, so I just dipped the whole thing in hummus and chowed down. This is when I realized I've gotten really lazy about food preparation.
When I get busy, cooking is one of the first things that gets thrown aside. Sadly, flossing is usually next, which is why I'm crossing my fingers before my next dentist's appointment. Recently I've been depending more on pre-packaged meals and the sushi at my Wild Oats Market. That's why I freaked out last weekend when I pulled into the Wild Oats parking lot and the sign over their building was missing. Dear God, I just lost The Sunflower Market. I'd barely started sowing my Wild Oats. Was I going to have to start my own garden to get some whole foods? Thankfully, they were just changing their signage because they were bought by Whole Foods. The receipts have had the Whole Foods logo on them for weeks and now the outside is just catching up.
However, I should really start cooking dinner again instead of just heating it up in the microwave. Last weekend I spent two hours preparing vegetables, which sounds like it should be really boring and mundane, but was actually calming in a meditative way. Spring has finally arrived in Indiana, so I opened up my windows, letting in the sunshine and a cool breeze as I puttered around my kitchen. I got a low hum of satisfaction from making my meals and doing simple work for myself and not stressing out trying to get a million things done like I've been prone to do in the past month.
The sad thing is, the zucchini and hummus tasted just fine, so I'm probably going to do it again. Thus begins my reputation as a zucchini-munching cat lady.
Earlier: Lick the Produce: Scraping the bottom of the barrel
Later: PastaQueen's Post-Race Book Release Party and other book stuff
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Posted by PastaQueen on April 9, 2008 at 8:14 AM | Tags: food, food preparation, hummus, zucchini
mmmm...hummus....mmmm. Want to hear something really sad? I have been known to eat hummus with a spoon right out of the tub (the hummus tub, not the bathtub). Now THAT is laziness at it's finest!!
*raises hand* I've done that too :) On a related note, I've read that roasted chickpeas are really good.
I'd probably eat a shoe if it had hummus on it.
I like the term vegetabel therapy. When life gets hectic and busy the first that that disappears from my life is cooking. When I get back on track I realize how much I missed it. I love to chop, saute, bake etc. I find it totally relaxing!
On a totally random side note, I am finally back on track with losing weight having lost 6 lbs in the last 3-4 weeks. I was holding at a plateau for a long time and had actually gained some. This whole spring thing is what does it for me! I had to share ecause i'm so happy :-)
Sprint TOTALLY helps. I was able to run on the trail two days ago without a jacket and it was great.
Zuchinni is a disgusting food... I don't know why anyone would even want to eat it. Yuck. I hate zuchinni. Hummus is great but zuchinni bleh. I hate it hot/cold, whole/sliced it doesn't matter....coooked raw. Ok sorry I'm over my whining now.
I've never had uncooked zuchinni... maybe I might like it that way. However, cucumbers are a yummy recent addition to my acceptable veggie list (took years to like them, not for lack of trying). They go well with hummus. I also recently made tuna salad and ate it by dipping cucumber and red peppers in it. Anyway...
Oh, and the best hummus I've ever had is they kind you can get at Costco, smooth and not too garlicy.
That's why I am a partial raw foodist. Laziness, and inability to wait for food to cook. Seriously. I ate a head of cauliflower last night, just chomped into it, and ate the pieces that fell off. More laziness than healthiness.
Also vegan is good if you are too lazy to put food away. Less chance of spoilage for plant foods. (It helps that my kitchen isn't much warmer than outside).
Guess what else is good on raw zucchini? Try that Alloute (I'm surely spelling that incorrectly) cheese spread - get the lite if you like. Yummo. And another fantastic raw veggie for hummus is sliced yellow peppers. They are surprisingly sweet.
And while I'm on a "I recommend...." streak - have you tried shopping at Fresh Market? This place's produce has now ruined me for Marsh or Target. My new favorite treat is to go to FM, buy a vine ripened tomato and a ball of fresh mozzarella and just slice them up for dinner. Tasty stuff.
They are building a Fresh Market right on my route home from work, so as soon as it opens I'm sure I'll be stopping there a lot.
Fresh Market here is even more expensive than Whole Paycheck, as we fondly refer to Whole Foods. I hardly ever shop there. Of course, if I would get my arse up early enough on the week-ends the farmer's market would be even cheaper.
I absolutely love Fresh Market. Most everything in there is highly over price (IMO), but you can find whatever your heart's content is in that store. So long as it's healthy. They have an AWESOME bakery too. OMG, some of the best pastries and pies you'll ever taste on this planet. They even have creme breulle (though I'm sure I've misspelled it). I LOVE that store!
I have been a crazy slacker with my fruits & veggies lately. The crazy sick has made me want to eat nothing but crap. The scale would like to register a complaint about that.
actually that sounds fab. hummus doesn't exist here and that makes me sad. also I've never eaten a zuchinni raw, is that a normal thing to do?
I don't know if it's normal or not, but people usually slice them up first or grate them. I like the crunchy texture they have raw.
I've never really been a fan of hummus. But the other day I tried Trader Joe's Spicy Hummus, and it was the most delicious dip I had ever tasted. Even my husband, who is anti-veggies and anything remotely healthy, is addicted to it now. I suggest baking tortillas in the oven for a few minutes, then breaking them up and dipping the pieces into the hummus. Such a treat!
Heh. This is making my husband's habit of using whole carrots as scoops for sambal oelek* look positively sophisticated.
Actually, I am terrible myself at preparing food properly if I'm on my own. So long as it tastes OK and is reasonably nutritious what's the point of worrying about it?
*Indonesian chilli paste, which for some reason is stocked at our local bargain supermarket.
Blech, zucchini! (Unless it's in sugary, delicious zucchini bread.)
I'm notorious for being too lazy (and yes, even unable) to cook. That's why I live off of Lean Cuisines. :)
hmmm, roasted chickpeas you say? I enjoy chickpeas straight out of the can, but roasted? Now that's something I can get on board with! Actually I can get on board with anything roasted. Yum!
Vegetable therapy my foot! Chopping veggies is soulless. ;)
I feel the same way about the calming effect of veggie preparing.. Sad but true!
I do this with a bag of those small carrots and humus.
And Chihuahuas.
I've done it with carrots too. Never with Chihuahuas though :)
For some reason, preparing meals for my husband soothes me. Preparing meals for myself is just tedious. Co-dependency, anyone?
I feel the same way. I consider it my giving side that enjoys making food for others more than for myself.
I hear ya!
When I get too busy or my feet hurt after a long day, the cooking is the first thing to go. I do so enjoy the mindless meditation of peeling and chopping though.
Jicama is an awesome veggie to use in place of chips. It's already round so all you have to do is peel it and slice real thin. Sabra is my favorite brand of hummus when I'm too lazy to make my own. But I'm spoiled with my own tabbouleh - nobody makes it as well as I do. *grin*
Love that cool, spring weather - glad you're getting yours! We're quickly passing that season here in Florida and are heading into the 90's which drives me inside to my treadmill with the fan on high.
I've been known to slice a hunk off some cabbage, spread it with mustard and munch.
One of these days, I'm going to do that Iron Chef thing, where the chairman bites into a bell pepper like it was an apple. I just know it.
I don't mind chopping vegetables too badly though.
When I've been slack with vegies, I either make or buy a fresh vegie juice. Then I don't feel so guilty and I'm sure it makes my body happy.
When I have time to cook (which I do really enjoy), I cook a lot and then freeze most of it. That's the only way of avoiding pre-packaged meals when I have a busy week/I feel lazy. Ok, microwave-defrozen food doesn't taste as good... but it's still better than pre-packaged meals (and you control every single ingredient)!
PQ -
Are you going to post your 04/04 weight? Inquiring minds want to know.
Thanks
Ugh, I've been weighing in at about 181 lately. I've been leaving it off the sidebar until my 15K when I'll update it with my time and hopefully a lower weight.
yummm Hummus...I think I would have done the same. lol Now you have got me craving it. Good thing I am heading into town today. lol
I am not actually commenting about the post today but rather my shout of glee when i opened my daily news paper and saw YOU!!! And I exclaimed to my coworker omg i know her but not like for real but her blog!!
I sounded just like a crazy internet stalker person!! lol
If you guys like hummus you'd probably like tzatziki as well... I've started using it as a salad dressing because I love the cucumber/garlic flavour and its lower in fat and calories than a lot of the low fat dressings. Its also great to dip carrots in.
I'm so hungry. Is it lunch time yet?!?!?!
I agree with Sher, tzatziki is dee-lish as is baba ganoush my other fave. I dip carrots and jicama. yum!
I've never tried hummus, but I LOVE zucchini. Especially boiled with butter and sweet onions. MMMMmmm.
BTW, thanks for the comment on my blog. I feel so special. And I can't WAIT for your book to come out. I keep telling everyone about your book!!
I have been known to eat cold baked beans straight from the tin when I'm hungry and can't be bothered to cook. After that cutting up zucchini (courgette) to dip into houmous is positively gourmet :-)
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My friend the vegetarian calls all the cutting and chopping "vegetable therapy" because it is calming after a long day.
Unless you're really hungry and want to eat now.