Food Diaries I

I like to cook. I like to eat.

This is what I’ve made and ate.

I really upped my cooking game during the spring y’all. I also ate at some good eats nearby, so it’s been a good couple of months. As someone who used to starve my body, learning how to make healthy food that didn’t make me feel sick, especially with my health conditions, really had me actually eating properly for the first time in my life. I thought to share my food diaries as a representative of my healing the relationship I have as food, as well as to share some good dishes I’ve been eating!

Now, I could’ve included so many dishes, but I thought to narrow it down to not bore y’all. So here are some highlights.

Cream Donuts

Bought these babies from Tous Le Jours, and they were delicious. They were a bit sugary, so definitely a one-in-awhile treat.

Tomato Egg Stir Fry (家常菜)

A classic Chinese dish. I didn’t have a wine that this recipe traditionally calls for, but it was pretty good! It was a unique dish that I’d never had, but I’d eat it again.

Huli Huli Chicken

A Hawaiian staple, but I added my own twist. I added corn as I cooked the meat, then made pineapple veggie kabobs in the oven. While waiting for those to cook, I made a salad with apple and strawberries, and guacamole with jalapeno and mango. Getting all of this onto one bite was glorious, an explosion of flavor.

Birthday Cake Macaron

Looked better than it tasted. From a local bakery my family frequents. That bakery also has a very good selection of cheesecakes. I had the Oreo cheesecake there this season too, but I wasn’t impressed. Cheesecake Factory turned me into a snob.

Tomato Tortellini Soup

This has quickly become a family favorite. I made it with the San Marzano tomatoes, the ones that come from a can, and with spices and whipping cream. We don’t even need a side dish, it’s that filling. If you have a Lidl near you, they sell these perfect tomato Mediterranean flutes (seen here) that accompany tomato soups perfectly.

Khachapuri

A Georgian staple. I figured out that it was easy to make, had some yeast sitting around, so I decided to make khachapuri. I stuffed the crust with feta and mozzarella, then topped the canoe with egg, cayenne, and pepper. My family LOVED it. I’m slowly introducing culture into our house.

Yukgaejang &

Tteokbokki

Finally found a Korean restaurant near me while I was coming home from my COVID vaccine. I ordered tteokbokki and yookgaejang, and it was really good! I want to go back and get the mandu guk. I wanted the pajeon as my appetizer, not the tteokbokki, but made a last minute impulse decision since I have the mix to make my own yachae pajeon at home.