I cooked and I liked it.

I recently became very inspired to cook. I would like to say someone cooked me something wonderful, or I saw how happy cooking made my friends…but those things have been happening for years and have never really affected me.

As you all know, I really feel strong about the message behind Food Inc. Not only that documentary, but the message behind how we eat in general. Something you do 3-6 times a day should be valued. Other than breathing and sleeping, it the best thing we can do for our well being-to eat right.

I have always known to shop the perimeter of the grocery store. I know to buy organic whenever possible. I know to not eat fast food regularly. All those things are common sense. Maybe this one is too…but I recently read that the key to eating healthy is to prepare it yourself.

What a concept. It makes perfect sense. If I left the preparation to Lean Cuisine, I’m going to end up unsatisfied with a sodium level through the roof. If I leave it to a restaurant, who knows what I’ll end up with? If I prepare it myself, not in a can, not from a box, but from scratch…(well scratch-ish, I won’t be making my own pasta anytime soon) then imagine how much healthier I could be eating.

I also watched Julie & Julia…the movie was good and while I’ll never eat or make most of the stuff that was in that movie...I saw the joy of cooking and how it can be more than just what you eat. It can be a hobby.

Tonight I cooked. I actually cooked. Up until tonight (and this is not an exaggeration) cooking for me consisted of “eating at home”. I would make spaghetti and Texas toast. I could make rice and warm up some peas from a can. I’d get a frozen stir-fry thing and heat it up. I’ve never bought fresh produce for anything other than to eat alone or put in salad…maybe on a sandwich. When it came to cooking something that didn’t come in a box or a can, I was clueless. I also thought since I don’t touch meat, cooking couldn’t possibly be that much fun.

Well it is fun. Cooking is fun. I cooked and not only did I enjoy doing it, but I liked what I made! Now, this was probably one of the most basic recipes to ever begin with and you might laugh and say it’s not even hard. That’s the beauty of it. I was able to buy everything I needed for $20 at Trader Joe’s (almost all organic produce). $20 sounds like a lot to cook one meal, but it really was two servings. Not only do I have leftovers from the meal, but I also have leftover produce, which I am going to buy tortillas and will be making wraps and quesadillas for lunch and dinner tomorrow.

I feel like a whole new world just opened up to me. I can’t wait to try another recipe soon! Cheers!

Here was the recipe that I found on veg-world.com

* 4 tbsp. olive oil
* 1 large zucchini (courgette)
* 1 or 2 red peppers
* A few mushrooms
* 2 large tomatoes
* 1 clove garlic
* 2 tbsp. wine vinegar
* Juice of a small lemon
* 1 14-oz. (400 g) pack of gnocchi

Oven: Pre-heat to 375F, 190C.

Use half the olive oil to coat a large roasting tin. Then clean and slice the zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes and garlic, and place in the tin. Mix the remaining oil with the vinegar and lemon juice, and sprinkle this on the vegetables.

Roast the vegetables in the oven for about half an hour or until cooked, turning occasionally.

During the last five minutes that the vegetables are cooking, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the gnocchi and bring back to the boil. After two to three minutes, the gnocchi will rise to the surface, at which point it is cooked. Remove from the heat, drain, add to the vegetables and serve.