What I Ate Wednesday [Getting Out of a Slump]

I’ll admit, my appetite has been very “off” lately, and that’s unusual for me.  Normally I wake up hungry, have interesting ideas for what to cook, always have baked goods on hand, am inspired for what to make for dinner, etc.  Not so lately.  I’ve been very blah about my food and eating in the past week.  Sad, given that it was Thanksgiving!  But luckily for us we were invited to a friend’s house for our Thanksgiving feast, so my lack of enthusiasm in the kitchen went largely unnoticed.  Phew!

I guess we all go through that every now and then, a slump in the kitchen.  I just think I’m not “supposed to” because of my profession.  I’m a dietitian, after all!!  A foodie!!  I should always be whipping up something yummy!  Right?  Well, sometimes I just lose my appetite, or rather my inspiration.  Cooking becomes a chore. Anybody relate?  Please??

If I didn’t have a husband and 3 children to provide “real meals” for, you might find me wandering around the kitchen, randomly opening and closing the fridge, hoping something good will magically appear.  And then I would eat peanut butter off a spoon.  Studded with chocolate chips.  Of course!  But I don’t, because I do have them and I would be appalled to feed them peanut butter and chocolate chips three times a day.  Though I’m sure they wouldn’t mind…

So I thank God for my family, in so many ways!  They do keep me inspired, in so many ways!  Regardless of whether I’m a dietitian, a foodie, a blogger, or whatever title makes me think I “should” always be inspired in the kitchen, the fact is that I continue to cook because I want them to be healthy. And happy.  And that keeps me going.

I think we’re never alone in our desire to nourish those around us, whether we’re providing for our families, our friends, our roommates, etc.  When I feel uninspired, I find myself falling back on my favourite recipes, the ones I know well and love most.  And then I troll my favourite blogs for inspiration to try something new.  Yes!  Let’s all help each other, hey?

I read the “What I Ate Wednesdays,” and I scan the recipe sections.  I know that I must not be the only one that goes through cooking slumps.  But I think we just keep cooking through them.  And that helps.  “Just keep swimming… swimming… swimming…”  Right??

Today I made Hummusapien’s Fudgey Black Bean Zucchini Cookies and they are absolutely amazing!  I ate more than a few  chocolate chips as I made them, and more than one cookie after dinner.

I think my slump might be over.