A Culinary Adventure + Cooking in boots.

At the beginning of the year I embarked on a culinary adventure.

& what an adventure its been! 

Taken me so many places-  from Sauces, reductions, emulsifications to bisques, chowders & cheese soufflés.  Eggs florentine. Eggs benedict. Poached eggs.  Loafs of bread made from scratch. Challah bread, walnut bread, biscuits, scones,  quiche. Then there were- the plated desserts. ohmygod. chocolate ganache, caramel sauce, creme brûlée, a glorious lemon tart, creme anglaise, sponge cake roulade . . . scallops, oysters, duck, Coq au vin, lamb, veal, filet mignon. stocks. broths. Charcuterie. (aka making my own sausage, including grinding the meat, seasoning it, and stuffing into sheep intestine casings). Braising, Resting, Blanching. Oven roast. Pan Roast.  Polenta, Risotto, Steamed clams in wine with Pancetta. Scallop Meunière.....holy shit. seriously.
 the list goes on. 

The adventure also took me from- my "happy weight" 

to my- 

"wow. Been a little TOOoo happy weight"

haha. eek! 

yep. not kidding. I acquired an awesome new skill set! along with  a couple of pounds.

(i mean HELLO did you read the list above and see these pictures!?!) but let me tell you.

 it was all worth it.

 I chose to ENJOY 

and fully EMBRACE this rich (and calorie dense. lol) experience. 

 & Even, indulge a little.
(ok . a lot. haha)

 In-dulge (inˈdəlj). v. Allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of. 

What did I learn?

1. Cooking is an art. 

2. Food is to be Enjoyed. 

3. What i eat is MY choice.

 Custom. Individualized. To suit my particular needs, goals, and desires. 

No one will make those rules for me,  but me. 

(in other words F- "diets".  this is not a one size fits all situation)

and those decisions will vary depending on whats going on and where i am in my life. 

i.e.

 - culinary school. 

Its been six months now, and this particular guided tour portion of the journey comes to an end, 

as I complete my culinary program. 

But as far as the adventure, this is only a part of it. I have so much more to explore. 

I'm completely exhilarated and looking forward to sharing the skills I've learned & my love for the art of cooking, along with my passion for empowering individuals with the knowledge and tools to make food/lifestyle choices that are not only be delicious and satisfying but also- Invigorating. Nourishing. 

In·vig·or·ate ( n-v g -r t ). v.  To impart vigor, strength, or vitality

Nour·ish· (nûr ish). v. To provide with food or other substances necessary for life, health, and growth.

***Lookout. Classes coming very soon! and my website should be up and running by September 1st! ***

www.livebeautifull.com

And no worries!  I have, in the meantime, also developed a new habit- 
cooking in my bathing suit + thigh high boots. hahaha! no joke. I swear Its virtually impossible to NOT feel sexy and bad ass. even if there is a bit more 'junk in the trunk' :p 

The ability to enjoy with pleasure not only applies to the food we cook and eat, but how we feel in our own skin. No 'diet' can do, what a simple (yet oh-so-challenging) chosen mind set can do-
 The choice to feel sexy.
 BE confident. 
Unapologetic. 
and perfectly beautiful in the present moment. 

Its all about choices. 
empower yourself to make your own. the food you eat. how you feel. 

-to enjoy. the here. the now. each experience. culinary. or not. 

Bon-apetite my friends! 
& happy cooking.

Throw on something that makes you feel amazing. (yea for me i guess its thigh high boots + bathing suit. lol) and put together a fun fresh summer salad (see recipe below,  following pictures) or a sinfully rich raspberry chocolate soufflé. . .

 & regardless of your selection-

 ENJOY.

Kale, Date, Almond Salad

1 bunch curly Kale, washed, stemmed, and cut into chiffonade.
1/3 cup almonds, toasted and chopped.
1 apple, Julienned and tossed with lemon juice.
1/2 cup of dates, pitted and sliced.

Dressing
1/8 cup Honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt

Blend all the dressing ingredients. Place Kale in bowl and pour dressing over the Kale. Massage the Kale with dressing for about two minutes. The Kale will darken in color and reduce in size by about one half. (Massaging makes this cruciferous veggie not only taste less bitter, but also easier to digest). 

Toss with almonds, apples and dates. 

Serve. 
ENjoy.