What's for dinner?
If you even remotely know me chances are that I've annoyed with you this question before. If you know me decently well you probably cringe when you see me sometimes, wondering when this question may be coming. If you are very close to me I annoy the bejesus out of you with this question and you are either really excited or really dreading the fact that I started this blog.
So, what's for dinner? Some background. I grew up in a house where 95% of the time my Mom cooked us a homemade dinner. I loved it. I remember the smells coming from the kitchen every night, and on weeknights while we were waiting for my Dad to come home from work those smells would torment me. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the food. I remember sneaking into the kitchen to "make sure it isn't poisonous" as I used to tell my Mom when getting caught sampling the fare. I'de say we ate a better than average Standard American Diet, and we were far from sad about it.
Fast forward to when I was a young adult and living alone. Dinner was pretty much either cereal, lean cuisine, takeout, or Lipton noodles. Who wants to cook for one? Then I started dating Shao and realized I needed to impress him so would cook a sad piece of fish or chicken once in awhile. I did make a good beef stew and macaroni and cheese that he still likes. But really, what's for dinner was a question I would've rolled my eyes at.
Fast forward further to when I met Shao's parents. The first time I met them we were in Chinatown, and his Mom was grocery shopping at all of the little shops. No lie - the first thing his Father asked me was "Do you like Chinese food?" followed by his Mom giving me a bag of groceries to hold. Much to my surprise the bag was moving - a live fish. Over the years I came to realize that my now Mother-in-Law is focused on food and what she and the family will eat. I will be straight forward here. It used to drive me a little nuts, and I would wonder why she was always a bit crazy about it. My Mom can be the same way, too.
Fast forward to present day. I now understand Mrs. Moy Senior's and Mrs. Upton's focus on food. I've become them. I even shop at the local indoor farmers market like Mrs. Moy and find myself talking to the other ladies shopping there about vegetables. I catch myself doing that and laugh, thinking about the times I would dread going to the farmers market with her since she would be telling me what vegetables and fruits to grab and people used to think I worked for her. Honestly, though, having three kids that I want to be well fed, a husband who is used to being well fed, and an autoimmune disease have made me into a junior version of them. Over the past year, I've discovered the importance of the source of the food we eat as well as the necessity for me to eat wholesome/unprocessed foods in order to feel healthy. I feel best while on a Paleo type of diet, so much of my cooking since giving birth to Maddie has refocused on this type of food.
A lot of people ask me how I cook ~90% of our three meals a day while having three kids now. It helps that I'm home on leave, but even when I'm not I've always sent my kids to school with homemade lunch and most days bring my own lunch as well (also with the help from Mrs. Moy Senior). It isn't easy when I'm working, but it's my priority. I understand if others don't do the same, but hope that through this blog I can share with you my answer to one of my favorite questions and have you comment with yours. We have to eat to survive, and for a long time I dreaded cooking and found people who were overly focused on it annoying. Now I embrace the responsibility that I feel and am trying new things, and would love help from others in learning how to cook better/differently. I love that I can publicly ask everyone "What's for dinner?"
So, what's for dinner? Some background. I grew up in a house where 95% of the time my Mom cooked us a homemade dinner. I loved it. I remember the smells coming from the kitchen every night, and on weeknights while we were waiting for my Dad to come home from work those smells would torment me. I couldn't wait to get my hands on the food. I remember sneaking into the kitchen to "make sure it isn't poisonous" as I used to tell my Mom when getting caught sampling the fare. I'de say we ate a better than average Standard American Diet, and we were far from sad about it.
Fast forward to when I was a young adult and living alone. Dinner was pretty much either cereal, lean cuisine, takeout, or Lipton noodles. Who wants to cook for one? Then I started dating Shao and realized I needed to impress him so would cook a sad piece of fish or chicken once in awhile. I did make a good beef stew and macaroni and cheese that he still likes. But really, what's for dinner was a question I would've rolled my eyes at.
Fast forward further to when I met Shao's parents. The first time I met them we were in Chinatown, and his Mom was grocery shopping at all of the little shops. No lie - the first thing his Father asked me was "Do you like Chinese food?" followed by his Mom giving me a bag of groceries to hold. Much to my surprise the bag was moving - a live fish. Over the years I came to realize that my now Mother-in-Law is focused on food and what she and the family will eat. I will be straight forward here. It used to drive me a little nuts, and I would wonder why she was always a bit crazy about it. My Mom can be the same way, too.
Fast forward to present day. I now understand Mrs. Moy Senior's and Mrs. Upton's focus on food. I've become them. I even shop at the local indoor farmers market like Mrs. Moy and find myself talking to the other ladies shopping there about vegetables. I catch myself doing that and laugh, thinking about the times I would dread going to the farmers market with her since she would be telling me what vegetables and fruits to grab and people used to think I worked for her. Honestly, though, having three kids that I want to be well fed, a husband who is used to being well fed, and an autoimmune disease have made me into a junior version of them. Over the past year, I've discovered the importance of the source of the food we eat as well as the necessity for me to eat wholesome/unprocessed foods in order to feel healthy. I feel best while on a Paleo type of diet, so much of my cooking since giving birth to Maddie has refocused on this type of food.
A lot of people ask me how I cook ~90% of our three meals a day while having three kids now. It helps that I'm home on leave, but even when I'm not I've always sent my kids to school with homemade lunch and most days bring my own lunch as well (also with the help from Mrs. Moy Senior). It isn't easy when I'm working, but it's my priority. I understand if others don't do the same, but hope that through this blog I can share with you my answer to one of my favorite questions and have you comment with yours. We have to eat to survive, and for a long time I dreaded cooking and found people who were overly focused on it annoying. Now I embrace the responsibility that I feel and am trying new things, and would love help from others in learning how to cook better/differently. I love that I can publicly ask everyone "What's for dinner?"
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