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On our wedding day, I had promised the Guy-I-Dig that I would learn to cook – it was written down on the little index card that was clutched tightly in my joyfully, nervous hand – my vows {in addition to traditional vows} that I read to him like a laundry list: I promise to always cheer for Florida State, I promise to laugh at all your jokes, I promise to learn to cook for you...
At that moment I think I heard a chuckle rise in unison from those sitting in the church who knew me too well, as if saying , “yeah, like that will ever happen”.
But let me clarify, I really did KNOW how to cook.
For the most part.
My mother was a great cook and had taught me a thing or two in the kitchen, my brother is also a self-trained chef and I picked up some tips from him along the way. And I love cooking.
Until I HATE it.
So skip ahead a decade from that day to four weeks ago today. I came home from a long day at the office - tired, with no plan for dinner, no back-up… and NOTHING in the freezer to fall back on in a pinch. An all too-common phenomenon in recent months.
I was in a bad way.
I served up a nice heaping on the self-loathing, guilt and shame for myself; but that doesn’t feed the family. Although a quick trip to Del Taco by the hubby did. {But let’s NOT go there.}
You see, I STINK at meal planning… and forget it if I don’t have a recipe in front of me for anything other then spaghetti! I’m a rules girl – give me EXACT measurements, please!
So as I sat down and got online that Friday evening, over-stuffed from Del Taco burritos - I stumbled onto a blog, that led me to another blog that led me to a website that moved me to a different website and that’s when I discovered it… The Fresh 20. [insert angels singing here]
I really wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said the Fresh 20 saved my life! (Okay maybe just a little… but not much.)
I had checked out other meal planning services in the past, but they just didn’t capture me. I either didn’t want to pay the large fee or I didn’t like the how the planning was laid out. Then I would forget about the whole idea of pre-planning meals for the week and continue my fantasy of winning the lottery and paying a person to cook dinner every night.
But let me tell you when I got to this website, they had me at Fresh. It’s a clean, inviting website with pictures of beautiful food in the home page. [I LOVE pictures of beautiful food!] They offer Classic plans, Gluten Free and Vegetarian Meal plans. I love the convenience of the shopping list that breaks down the items by what day they are used and an estimated price. The menu page includes a prep guide that can be done ahead of time and then the recipes for 5 days. All this for a great LOW price! Best of all, REAL ingredients, REAL food, no short cuts.
I had been CRAVING, I mean CRAVING!, more vegetables in our {my} diet. We had become so sloppy in recent months with our eating – not UN-healthy, just not healthy enough. And with the exception of an occasional roasted asparagus, vegetables had been reduced frozen green beans or corn.
![20110908-IMG_2954](http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6172/6178803506_5e316a5499_b.jpg)
We have moved into our fourth week of planned dinners, the Guy-I-Dig darts into the kitchen excitedly asking, “what’s for dinner tonight!?” Harrison has tasted everything, complained less and eaten more plus I have been completely stressed-free in the kitchen, even enjoying the process of shopping for and preparing my fresh ingredients for dinner.
In fact,
I think I LOVE cooking!{again}
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