tofu and self-nurturing

The past month has been 100% crazytown for me. Sarah came home to Massachusetts, so I took the week of Martin Luther King day to fly back there to visit for a week. Not content just to see my sister after a year and a half, I also managed to dart down to New Haven to see Grace, and from there we went to NYC to see Ted and meet up with Chris and Zach too. I returned to Ann Arbor for five days, only to leave again the following Saturday for the National Health Policy Conference in Washington DC.

That's a whole lot of awesome life experience packed into one month, especially if that month also happens to be the first month of a new semester. And while I value those experiences, all that activity left me feeling very drained and like my head was just spinning all the time.

Last semester I often stayed on campus until 7, 8, or 9 pm to study or work. I am definitely more productive when I just keep plugging away on campus, but a certain level of stress brings on rapidly diminishing returns in the form of me needing to sit around and do nothing for a while (an evening, a weekend, the whole of winter break) to recover. So I've settled on a gentler approach. When I'm done with classes/committments most days, I come home. I continue to work here, but I feel much more relaxed in my own home, changed into loungey clothes, in a comfy chair.

With all of this lounging, it's tempting to pop a Lean Cuisine into the microwave and keep reading. But as I mentioned in my last post, I've been cooking dinner. Real food. It's glorious. Tonight I made a Garam Masala Tofu Scramble from 101 Cookbooks, and it has reminded me the extent to which simple vegetarian food is my comfort food. I've been out of the cooking swing of things for so long, the concept of weeknight meals had begun to elude me. Now that I'm doing it again, I remember how much cooking relaxes me. Chopping vegetables is meditative, sauteeing is magical, and relaxing with the result is deeply satisfying. Mmmmmmm, tofu.

warm chickpea and broccoli salad

I've been craving vegetables for several days now. Not just like "I could use a salad". Elaborate fantasies about roasted beets and fennel salads.

I've really enjoyed reading the New York Times series recipes for health. This past week was broccoli, and although broccoli isn't something I really need a recipe for, new ideas are always good. I made the warm chickpea and broccoli salad. It came out nicely, although I would caution you that shaking the covered bowl to distribute the dressing might make the broccoli crumble a bit. I'd probably add a little more broccoli next time, although I have no idea if I used the amount called for in the recipe.

I've decided to make time in my day for cooking dinner. It helps me to feel less rushed, and more in touch with what I need to be balanced and healthy and calm. After dinner tonight (and last night) I took the time to get coffee ready to go for the morning and throw smoothie ingredients together too.

Sleeeeeepy! Night!