Desperate to cook

The Bride explained that her decision was not about our friendship, but about her wedding. She was calm and steely in her resolve. I spilled a drink and cried loudly. She said we could still be friends. I wondered if we ever really had been.
- Bad Bridesmaid by Siri Agrell

I'm not naturally a very positive person and I tend to find I need certain things to keep me on track such as art, playing music, writing, cooking (yes, it can be highly therapeutic!) and sport. Unfortunately having broken my right arm and being highly un-ambidextrous means all those are out which has been driving me, and consequently J, a bit loopy.

I made it to work for the first time in over 3 weeks today only to find my computer had died and that we'd moved offices (across the hall but still, it's weird to come back and find everything changed). There wasn't much I could do so I went home again, managing to fall on the grass on the way...and putting my damn right arm out to stop myself. Lucky I've got a cast but still, more pain killers required.

I guess one of the most frustrating things day in, day out is not being able to cook (or prepare much either). There is nothing like a warm, home-cooked meal to brighten up the end of the day. I don't actually enjoy eating out all that much and when you've only got one hand and you're pretty unco with it you find food choices somewhat limited. Lately there's been a lot of eating out or takeaways though.

Below is a mixed salad from Kokako (well actually we picked it up from Harvest Wholefoods but they get it from the Kokako cafe). We've got Raw Power, Brown Rice Salad and Roasted Vegetable and Chickpea Salad with a basic dressing.

The other day on the way home from the hospital after the usual xrays I discovered a new health food store, Huckleberry Farm Wholefoods Supermarket. Well, it's not new but I'd never seen it before despite driving along that road many a time. Turns out they are run by the same people as Harvest Wholefoods, my usual health food store (although Harvest is completely vegetarian unlike Huckleberry Farm). They had a selection of food in the counter as well as aisles to browse so I picked up a curried tofu and lentil pie with mashed kumara topping to take home for dinner. Very tasty!

Lunch in town (during a rare moment of sunshine) to get away from being stuck in the apartment all day. I got a tofu and kumara sandwich from Raw Power ( I had to ask them to cut it up into several pieces but still mamaged to spill it all over myself: mental note not to eat sandwiches again until I have two hands again!). One very awesome sandwich!

Plus everyone deserves a treat every once and a while: a huge melting moment cookie from Raw Power (it's on a pretty tiny plate in case you were thinking it was dinner plate sized!).

J is a pretty good cook but he admits he doesn't enjoy it (I'm normally the cook round here) so we have been getting a lot of Thai take-out (thank goodness for the Thai place down below)! But last night J inspired himself enough to cook us dinner.

Here we have satay (Malaysian Satay Sauce out of a bottle...we were a bit grumpy to find all the real spicy ones had fish sauce so it was pretty bland) tofu and veges on rice.

I don't have a photo of the bean and pasta soup he's made a few times (a good old Alison Holst recipe from her Quick and Easy Vegetarian Cookbook) but that is perfect for the weather we've been having lately - rain, hail, cold, damp winds. Yep, winter has most definitely arrived.