Be prepared

This morning, I had no milk for my cereal, no cream for my coffee, no eggs in my refrigerator, and no inclination to go grocery shopping before breakfast. I worked 40 hours in four days this weekend doing catering, and the last thing I want to do this morning is cook. So I walked down to Coffee Cottage, grabbed a snowdrift scone and a drip coffee, and sat down at Hoover Park for breakfast with a view. This kind of unplanned meal indulgence happens rarely in my world, and I must say, I enjoy it quite a bit because it is such a special treat.

A friend asked me recently, "What's your best advice for busy people trying to eat well on a budget?" I have several tips but my number one will always be to prepare.

Professional kitchens are menu driven. Menus are made in advance by chefs. As the day of service draws closer, the chef checks to make sure all the ingredients needed for each menued item are in the kitchen or can be obtained in enough time to prepare the dish. Some items are best when they are served a day or two after they are made; some must be served immediately. And some can be prepped in stages and then served.

So my advice to you is to take your cues from the pros. Plan what you and your family want to eat a week at a time. Go grocery shopping for items to make your food, and then prep items that you can as far in advance as you can to save you time and money throughout the rest of the week. Pre cut your vegetables when possible, freeze dinners if need be, and marinade you meats a day or two in advance. That way it's not, "I have to figure dinner out because I am so hungry I could eat a horse," but instead, "Let's get this baby in the oven, and celebrate life over dinner."

Until next time, happy eating!

The sea and me

It's amazing how when I finally make a commitment in my heart to love everyone, how easily peace flows in. Suddenly, I am unafraid to be myself, to let my heart follow its desires. For so long, I have been afraid that my desires are evil. Now I find that they were really put in my heart to guide me to my best life possible.
Community does not have to be painful. It can simply be the ebb and flow of the tide of love on my heart. There are times to give away when I am so full I could not receive any more. There are times to receive, when I am dry and barren and thirsty for love's embrace. And then there are the between moments, when I am caught in the dance and I don't know who is giving and who is receiving, just that we both are in this moment. This is what love, what family, what community means to me. I open my heart because I am unafraid of being hurt even while I find myself scared at times of what the future may hold.
I have to trust the other and trust myself to know when to give, when to receive, when to dance, and when to walk away or simply wait. But I am finding I can trust myself, and I can trust others. It's just one move at a time. The sea knows. She whispers to me that all these desires will bud into a tree of life. So I watch the tide go out knowing that it's just a matter of time before it comes in again and brings you to me on these shores of hope. I am watching and waiting.

Fiercely Female

"Hello, lady bros," came the greeting through the screen door. Another male popped his head into the bi-weekly meeting of the Firey Feminists last night as a bunch of twenty somethings sat in a large circle of an apartment living room sharing wine, food, and conversation. Last night was my first time attending the meeting, and what I found there was as unexpected as all the men checking in to see if they could join the conversation later in the evening.

I wasn't expecting the outpouring of love, acceptance, and worth that was bestowed on me. I wasn't expecting the overlooking of my foux pas of bringing bread into a gluten free home. When asked about my past, I was not expecting the grace, interest and understanding. The Firey group felt more like love than anything else.

By the end of the night, I found myself laughing like an old friend and genuinely wanting to spend the next evening with the group. To be honest, I was expecting to find a group of bitter, judgmental women. Instead, I found the warm glow of friends. Maybe I am the judgmental one. Maybe I need to learn the art of acceptance of myself and others.

One thing is for sure: I made some wonderful new friends. They are strong working women like me who love life and have so much to offer the world around them. They aren't content sitting on the sidelines either. They want to change their world and be a force for good in it. They want to be seen for people, beautiful individuals that they are. Who could fail to see the beauty in this fiery bunch of friends?