This is my inspirational photo for the day because I've been doing quite a lot of cooking lately, thanks to Rachel Ray and my cute little apron. I purchased one of her latest cookbooks and started whipping up all of these fancy dishes in '30 minutes or less', my husband has been loving it. So much so, that he said this weekend he wants to fast, drink green tea, and relax his body from all the food I've been pumping into him. I guess he's right, we have been eating like we're about to hibernate or something. Must put down fork. Engage treadmill. I am excited that I'm cooking again though, albeit a little too much lately. I was missing days there for awhile, baking a quick flat bread pizza or throwing together a moztom sandwich on french baguette or a simple avocado salad with lemon and capers. Coming from a family where cooking is a 3 hour process, with everyone engaged, chopping, slicing, boiling, yelling across the room for this and that spice, playing very loud music... you'd think I would have grown into this major cooking diva. Nope. I'm not. That's why I need Rachel Ray to coach me with her 30 minute meals. It's too easy to press "start" and make 30 second meals instead, ala lean cuisine. Then again, perhaps the lean cuisine is the direction I need to be taking after all these homemade casseroles, greek food, and thai dishes I've been making...

(photo from lotta jansdotter - isn't it so natural and pretty?)