I Am This Woman

(13 of 50)

While waiting to reach Nirvana, one must stay busy with everyday chores. “Chop wood, carry water” is the teaching that humbles even those on the verge of enlightenment.

The utter necessity of handwork is at the heart of enlightenment and creativity. Having finished up my little movie project, and having watched it a few more times until I was a bit embarrassed of its tone, tired of finding little quibbles that I could have fixed but won’t because it’s too late… I turned my attention to the dirty kitchen. Time to do the dishes, and then do something about those tomatoes that are going to rot.

I made corn tomato salsa in the style of pico de gallo. With spring onions, cilantro and fresh jalapeño. With garlic of course. It was delicious on my humble black bean tacos tonight.

But for me, it was the simplicity of chopping tomatoes, onions, jalapenos. Cutting out the almost woody tomatoey insides, putting the little black bits in the Mother Earth bowl along with the limp and slimy bits of spring onions – taking great care to deal with the seeds and pith of the peppers so that I wouldn’t give myself “the treatment” … it was all sheer pleasure while my mind happily babbled along.

Two thoughts came out of the chopping: 1) cooking from scratch engages all five senses and the mind, and 2) compost is nothing short of a miracle. (The Mother Earth bowl is the designated spot for compost scraps and gets dumped out there almost every day. Almost.) More on these later.

As for carrying laundry, thank Maude for a good washer and dryer because such mod-cons elevate the drudgery of hauling and heating water, hauling and wringing wet clothing to a near-scientific and aesthetically pleasing task.

(Plus when the child(ren) get(s) home, you can point to the folded stacks and say, “Put those away, or I’ll nag you.”)

I am pursuing a nationally renowned weight loss plan that has Points and meetings and suchlike. In their online tools, they have a recipe builder which says that the following recipe is 3 points per serving. I always eat more than a “serving” which is approximately 1-2 tablespoons. However, I make no claim that this is an approved Plan recipe, um, you know, in case the recipe police are out today.

By combining the nationally renowned weight loss plan’s recipe with that of Deceptively Delicious, and my infamous Killer Pesto (now archived offline, probably 6 pts per serving), I came up with this recipe with far less fat from olive oil and parmesan cheese, which my son said, “tastes the same.” This recipe also works in sneaking vegetables into my kid, with his permission. HUZZAH!

Pesto Schmesto

2 oz. pinoles (pine nuts)

2 oz. hard parmesan cheese, grated (reduce points further by using reduced fat or fake parmesan cheese, but I’d rather eat Real Food and count the points)

1 c. fresh basil leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil (use less to reduce points further; one recipe replaces the oil completely with chicken broth eyes warily)

1/2 c. pureed cauliflower (yellow squash or zucchini puree will work as well)

3-5 garlic cloves, depending on your tolerance and desire for garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in the food processor and blend well. Place in pasta bowl and then add boiled, drained hot pasta (rotini, capellini or farfalle are great; whole wheat pasta means you can eat more!). Toss and eat.

Can be frozen ahead. Also good as an additive to eggs, cream cheese or salad dressing, or used as a cracker spread.

The garlic and basil leaves are wonderful as warding off upper respiratory crud and sore throats in this house.