Taking Back the Kitchen!

Hubby has been letting me cook lately. It's not that I'm a bad cook or anything. It's just that he loves to cook - it's kind of like a hobby for him ~ and being a bachelor for the past 20 years he's gotten into a groove about what he likes and how he likes it done.

It's been a challenge...meshing two lives together that have had many years to cement themselves in their ways. Late hubby was a meat & potatoes man. He didn't give a hoot about presentation and wouldn't have been caught dead watching Emril. As long as we had salt and pepper in the spice cabinet he figured we were well stocked. Present hubby has a whole cache of spices - some I've never even heard of. He even makes his own blend of seasoning that people ask for.

Sooo...he's been doing the cooking and I've been doing the eating. Until recently. With all the busyness of building the addition to the house - he's been coming home dog-tired and more than willing to eat whatever I serve him. And he's been pleasantly surprised. I can cook.

Where the two of us diverge in our culinary thinking is that I prefer to follow a recipe and he prefers to follow his instincts (which are pretty darn good) but he's slowing learning not to be so anti-recipe. When he first met me he was appalled at the number of cookbooks I own. He bragged that he'd never used one.

Now when he sees me with one propped open he doesn't cringe. Because I've made some pretty tasty things! The neatest part is that when he's not looking I've been able to substitute some ingredients to make things healthier and less toxic to the waistline. Not that I can always fool him. He does have pretty keen sense of taste. But sometimes I can!

He also knows how hard I've been struggling to take off this weight and he's behind me 100%.

Which brings me to last night's meal. I grilled some salmon on a cedar plank and it was so tasty! I topped it with some whole grain Dijon mustard and a sprinkling of brown sugar. Yeah I know. Some people are very anti-sugar. But my feeling is - all is fine in moderation. When God led the Israelites out of Egypt He told them He'd give them a land flowing with milk and honey. So....I'm thinking some brown sugar once in a while isn't such a bad thing!

We also had Brussels sprouts sauteed with some onion and slivered almonds (and a splash of fresh squeezed lemon juice) and some couscous flavored with olive oil and garlic. It was a good meal. And he ate it up and had seconds. It might not have been the lowest-cal fare I could dish up - but it was made with healthy ingredients and I ate a normal portion and was satisfied.

If I can slowly take back my kitchen I may have a shot here! So far it's working. And I'm down a pound today!