{Make} Pancakes!

Oh how I love you, with your soft, oozy butter, and sinfully sweet maple syrup. The breakfast, lunch, or dinner of champs. Or, just me.

{Food} This Post is Going No Where.

Yesterday marked 7 days of eating sugar/grain/starch free.  Meaning no booze, either.  I'm at the halfway point.  And I've never felt better.  Really.  My head feels clear.  My body feels energized (except in the morning. normal.)  I'm amazed.

I've never really disclosed this on the blog, but for years I've struggled with major stomach issues.  Something along the lines of Crohn's disease meets IBS.  They became friends and decided to wreck my gastronomic life; meaning I can't eat anything good (pizza, pasta, fried anything, fatty meats, cheese, etc) without feeling awful.  The upside is, over the past 7 days I've noticed that I don't feel awful.  At all.  I feel great.  I've realized that I actually forgot what normal feels like.  I haven't felt like this since I was 19. (I'm 28, now.) The downside to all of this?  One or more of the things that I really enjoy is triggering the insane stomach pain.  Total bummer.

I love food and wine.  I love dining.  I love trying new things.  I know that feeling healthy is far more important than being a hedonistic food snob.  I know this.  But living off of grilled chicken breasts and steamed veg is not my idea of gastronomic heaven.  I don't want to be that girl at the restaurant that has to order everything on the side (I am not Sally.  You know, from When Harry Met Sally?).  I don't want to be a "dish modifier" kind of person.  I like trying things as they are, as the chef intended.  If the dish has stuff that I think sucks, like goat cheese or sea urchin, I just don't order it.

I realize this all sounds a bit dramatic.  My health is more important.  I'll figure it all out.  I need to focus on the positive.  The positive being that I feel great.

Blog.  Thank you for letting me vent.  I really needed that.

So this is what I've been eating lately.  Simple and tasty.  Why am I even whining?  Sorrrryyyyyyyy, y'all.

{Garlic lemon shrimp, grilled squash, & cauliflower mash.}

{This mash taste very similar to mashed potatoes.  I was happily surprised.}

Tapas for two

It was getting late last night and dinner wasn't even remotely prepared.  I was craving a bit of everything.  Indecision is unfortunately something I encounter frequently.

And then i realized that most of my favorite meals are tapas, of sorts.  Trying and sharing a little bit of everything.

This meal satisfied my craving for variety.

{Gambas al ajillo, garlic shrimp}

{Asparagus, cream cheese, and Prosciutto}

{Patatas bravas, crispy potatoes}

{Pan con tomate, garlic bread with tomato}

{The asparagus, nice and crispy}