I think it's obvious that when you change jobs, move or stop doing the same thing you've been doing for the last several years, your priorities change.
When you do all three, you might feel a little lost.
When we first moved to northern California I had a difficult time adjusting to not being home in time to cook or eat dinner with my love. I grew up cooking dinner with my stepmom and eating dinner with the entire family at the table. As soon as I met my fiance, I tried winning him over with home-cooked meals to show my affection for him much like I've grown up seeing.
It's a southern thing and Korean culture to cook for your husband. Cooking for him has always been important to me.
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I no longer work 12 hours a day and am home now to cook and eat dinner with my man.
It's awesome!
It's no surprise that California is one of the most expensive states to live in in the U.S.
So when we first moved here and a loaf of bread cost nearly $3 and organic milk is $6.50, my priorities had to change.
I was like a child that didn't get my way. When we first went into the store with insane prices and hardly any organic options, I panicked.
What are we going to eat?!?!
I wanted to make mushroom ragout like we did at my old job..
I need red wine, herbs, five different types of mushrooms, garlic, heavy cream, I need to make beef stock.. Where are the beef bones???
I stood there horrified.. I started going around picking up any vegetable that said organic and putting it in my basket with my bottom lip so far out you'd trip over it.
My world revolved around cooking and eating. It was all I could think about. What am I going to make, what are we going to eat this weekend, what do I need to buy to make this or that?
I'd spend $50 on ingredients for one meal.
It got expensive because I was cooking like I was on Iron Chef.
When we got home from the store I realized I couldn't make big, elaborate dinners like before, every single night. We can't afford to. Spending $20 to make a sauce for one or two nights isn't smart. Not for us anyway.
The slow realization came over me and it actually made me feel a sense of relief.
There is more to life than cooking and eating. There is more to life than food.
Yes, we need it to survive. It brings people together, it varies from culture to culture and is a beautiful thing we share with our loved ones. Trust me, I know.
But it consumed my mind, ego and bank account.
When my family back home comes to town or it's Thanksgiving at our house, of course I'm going to cook my heart out. I love it.
Making simple food is still pleasing to both me and my fiance. No one is at a loss, if anything, more of a financial and healthy gain.
It's a give and take.
Of course, it's easier for us because we are a party of two. I know that one day this will no longer apply and we'll have to buy a little more but the principle remains the same.
Don't get so worked up when you have to change your routine and a lifestyle you've become accustomed to. It's okay.
It took me weeks to figure out which grocery store I could go to for certain things. Thankfully I found a CSA that delivers in my neighborhood. It costs the same price as a grocery store, it's local, organic and is delivered right to my doorstep.
This week we got:
red leaf lettuce
asparagus
tokyo turnips
king richard leeks
kiwis
a bag of valencia oranges
a bag of fuji apples
enough for 4 people in this box.
Cost: $33
What I like about this is that it's seasonal, local and organic. Seasonal fruits and vegetables vary region-to-region. So far, this works for us. We get a delivery every week and can add or take off whatever we want. You can even add honey, coffee, trail mix, apple juice and eggs!
The price varies on size and you can have it delivered every week, every other, every three weeks or every four weeks.
I still go to the store for dog food, milk, coffee, etc. The point of a CSA isn't to cut out the trip to the store but to give us seasonal and organic options we can't exactly find in our local grocery stores.
With this I try and stretch as many simple meals as I can.. I always have things like quinoa, brown rice, lentils, english muffins, dry beans, frozen vegetables and homemade vegetable stock I make with an on-going collection of vegetable scraps from cooking. Simmer vegetable stock for 30 minutes.
Not being so focused on what I'm going to cook every night frees up my time. I took on yoga two months ago and am so glad I did. It has changed my body physically and mentally.
I used to spend an hour in the store and hours cooking in my kitchen. Before I knew it my night was half gone. Although I know my fiance appreciated the elaborate meals, he appreciates me spending time with him more and so do I.
It's been a lot of give and take and a fun learning experience for us both.
I'm at that fun point in my adult life where shit is getting real. I'm 27, I'm planning a wedding, working a new job I'm not used to, living somewhere new, our rent is higher than I ever imagined, I have baby fever and am homesick.
I'm thankful for my fiance every single second of every single day.
He is everything to me.
This blog keeps me going and I like sharing my experiences with you.
Whoever you are.
I'm so happy it's Friday.
I can taste the beer now...
Happy Friday everyone!
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