Something even worse than going smell blind

The cold rain took my health, but these berries
 lost everything.

Last Thursday, I accidentally left myself out in the rain and caught a cold, which augmented the ferocity of my allergies, cost me a couple days of work and has left my most prized senses debilitated. I'm no blood hound, but if there's a lingering smell left on you from yesterday, I'll usually able to track it. A voracious taster, spicy foods burn me easily, upsetting the delicate palate I rely on to taste the deep, hidden flavors I stay hungry for. I have always had a talent for tasting, but for the last week, I have nearly given up eating, as my taste buds have only been able to detect sweet, salty, and sad, save for a few strange days. I've traded dining out for driving thru, and even then for sustenance only. I was weak and dizzy this morning, and had to take a hard look at what I've been chewing on these past few dismal days.

Since nothing in my kitchen has made sense, I've been skipping my usual balanced nourishment and opting for Ikea breakfasts, fish sandwiches from McDonald's and Jack in the Box, small servings of leftovers, and light handfuls of nuts and oranges. I've been playing the hunger games solo, but without my tasting tools, I've got no fight left. We had a friend stay over the weekend, and finally visited Buddha Ruska, something I've been looking forward to since we moved to West Seattle, but I only sensed far-away flavors and promising textures while the rest of the table cooed and chewed.

Vegetarian field roast pile, w/ grilled biscuits at
Luna Park Cafe. Thank you, Universe.

 The next morning we hit up Luna Park Cafe, where I foreswore my usual Espresso milkshake for water and split a Vegetarian Field Roast Pile. This was not in vain, my 'buds were back, (for a limited time), and were awake and transmitting long enough for me to enjoy the feta, mushroom, tomato, spinach and vegetarian field roast sausage on a bed of hashbrowns topped with two fried eggs. I've mentioned this before, here, but go get their biscuits. Ask for them grilled, wait patiently, and when they arrive,  go get 'em. Forget about that old "America's bread basket needs more roughage" adage*, and fill yourself with starch, carbs and lingering grill marks.

*DO NOT forget this. America is stupid for bread. Put the hoagie down, get dressed, and go fill up your basket at the farmer's market. And wear something trendy - you'll shop with more dignity and adventure.

I've been blowing my nose overtime, trying to purge this curse, and I think I'm finally coming around. Today I cleaned out the fridge on a quest to nourish myself, and I did a bang up job. Veggie burger with hummus, bell pepper and spinach, beans and rice, hearty cereal and a garbage pale smoothie. Wait, how do you get one of those?
Gather all the fruits and veggies in your kitchen that have that not-so-fresh pallor, and combine with milk, yogurt and that protein powder you can't seem to work into your diet. I like (to gag on) Designer Whey's Double Chocolate. Alone, it tastes like cardboard made out of wood chips, crushed aspirin and generic hot chocolate mix. I learned that when added to strawberries and spinach, the taste is muted by the overpowering earthiness of the greens, but the smooth creaminess can shine through, gathering mild sweetness from the fruit. I always throw in a frozen banana - one that grew too many spots on the counter (xtra sweet) - and some barely still alive berries. What? Of course throw in some flax seeds! Avoid melon, which tends to sour even the trashiest garbage pale smoothie. I blend until well mixed, then add more spinach. Because it can't hurt.

Do not microwave this.

Too Disgruntled to Dine Out

Disgruntled means many things on this blog, and today we'll let it sub for "under house arrest."

These last weeks I've spent some time mourning meals like the one you see here. In Texas, you end up eating a lot of Tex Mex because a.) it's the reason you're there or b.) wherever you go you're never more than five minutes from a lovable taqueria or cantina. We've tried a few different "Tex Mex" eateries here in Washington, and they just seem to be missing something. The Tex, maybe?

When the weather turns, then turns again, and you can't take your summer spirits outside lest they get broken by the clouds, take your woes to the store and buy ingredients for an indoor fiesta. These party favors are quick, fresh, healthy and require minimum clean up.

First, set your oven to broil.

What you'll need for quesadillas:

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1/2 cup fresh shredded cheddar
1 small mango, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
tortillas
cooking spray or butter
salt

plus 

1 poblano pepper,

1 T dried oregano and 

about a cup of chopped onion. Sweat those together over medium high heat until onion is transparent. Combine with mango/avocado.

Plant some cheddar on half of the tortillas, top with mix and then more cheese, for adhesion & prosperity & extra fat. For love, really. Fold in half, spray lightly with cooking spray and give it up to the broiler til' melty.

 If you can't bring yourself to turn on your oven, crisp them up on the stove on medium high.

Look what's left! It's just you and the pan, now. Don't be shy. Grab a spoon and get in there. Or...

Focus, think about what you can make without cheese, since you so cavalierly ate the rest of it while cooking, and create a cool, refreshing Tex-Mex salad.

What you'll need:

Red Bell pepper, chopped

4 radishes, sliced thin

3 scallions, chopped

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained

for the dressing:

1/4 c chopped cilantro

2 t coarse grain mustard (brown deli mustard will do)

1 t red wine vinegar

1 T lime juice

3 t olive oil

Whisk together your dressing and combine with chopped veggies & beans. Marvel briefly at the colors, grab a Modelo and eat.