Sunday in the Kitchen with My iPod...

One of my favorite things to do is cook and sing along with my iPod.

I used to go home from school and sing at the top of my lungs until my parents came home from work. Back then it was mostly show tunes (I went through a Broadway phase at 15) and The Beatles. The Beatles are always in my heart.

I've noticed that a lot of things I became interested in at 15 are permanent parts of me to this day. At 30...a lot of things have come full circle...and Sunday I found myself singing along in my kitchen to Les Miserables, The Beatles, Paul McCartney...among some newer musical loves (The Waterboys, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Nikka Costa, Rasputina, Leonard Cohen, The White Stripes, Depeche Mode, Dave Matthews Band, NoCrows, Josh Groban, Maroon 5 [yes, Maroon 5], various Celtic folk songs, etc). These all accumulated from friends and random stages I've gone through...every musical revelation coming at exactly the right time and adding to the woman I am now. I have no doubt that music will shape me throughout my lifetime.

In the morning I was mellow and bleary-eyed in the kitchen, humming along while making eggs, home fries and pan-cooked apples with butter, cinnamon and ginger...and Cappuccino!

Homefries: potatoes, garlic, fennel seeds, cumin, chile powder, salt and pepper


I'm totally in love with my Mukka cappuccino maker, by Bialetti...


In the evening, after knitting and a nap, I bopped around and sang along while making almond butter balls (mmm), washed numerous dishes and lettuce for a salad, made some cumin and chile-powdered zucchini with butter, peeled and chopped veggies, pruned my basil plant, made a Stinging Nettle infusion...drank some beer :)

Almond butter balls: 4T almond butter, 4T butter, 1 cup crushed cereal (I used honey rice puffins), a drizzle of agave nectar (no corn syrup!!), and about a half cup confectioners sugar. Mix all ingredients, form into 1 inch balls and chill. YUMMY!


Zucchini: Steamed and then tossed with a little butter, chile powder, cumin and celtic sea salt.


Carrot and Potato "Stew:" Cut up all the veggies (potatoes, carrot, onion and celery) and throw it in a pot with olive oil, 1 clove minced garlic, Worcestershire pepper, and Celtic sea salt. Toss it a bit and then add half a carton of organic chicken stock, about 1/4 cup soy sauce, a sprinkle of chives and ground ginger and onion powder. Cover and simmer until potatoes are cooked through but not mushy. Serve with a veggie burger patty!



All of this is so much more fun with the music on...I decided it was a sign to close up shop at around midnight when my PM Chakra meditation music came on... :) And as I was preparing to close down, Krissy started e-mailing me more music to listen to in the kitchen (Conspiracy of Beards, from the day before...see previous blog :) Krissy is responsible for exposing me to a lot of the bands I mentioned above.

I find that I'm in a better mood throughout the day when I sing a bit in the mornings too...I'm not sure why I don't make more of a point to work this into my morning routine...have to slow down more in the morning, I guess. I certainly could have used the singing today!

Yesterday, I made a yummy breakfast of scrambled eggs and smoked (Scottish) salmon with spiced apples and a little salad.


After that I had the lovely soundtrack of a new find, Freddie Stevenson, going while I got ready for work and then on the subway. Today I waited until the walk to the train to put on some Waterboys...but it was a bit late by then! I'm currently blogging to re-gain my center. It seems to be doing the trick...although it's making me want to run home for one of those almond butter balls!

I could have used a morning in the kitchen with my iPod! Maybe tomorrow. X