Oh, nostalgia, you do it again

Green beans have a special place in my heart. Not only because they are nutritious and delicious and grown vastly in this area, but they epitomize the flavors of summer for me.

In my first months @ culinary school, I had a plate- I actually cannot remember what the entree was- and on it were blanched green beans with butter and a hint of lemon. While sitting in my chair in the Hudson Valley in the dead of winter I was instantaneously on the porch of 29th street looking over the bay. This was not just a side, it was a summer memory...like the favorite song that brings us back to the very same place. Steamed lobster, baked potato, and green beans slathered in the remnants of lemon and butter from the sweet shellfish are a staple at the Jersey Shore, a place I called home for many summers.

It is moments like this that propel me to love what I love, do what I do, and be who I am. And now, as green beans are in abundant supply I stop at the farm stand on my way home from work to make this moment happen all over again.

Who's the Smart One now?

Now that I work in a professional setting and lunch has not only become a meal, but a much desired break during the day, it is interesting to see what others eat. Funny thing is, that to make conversation people will even ask what's for lunch today...I get a kick out of it. I was worried when I saw the amount of "healthful" meals in the fridge though. I know that there is no way a roast beef and mashed potato meal could possibly be 260 calories- unless it's mostly chemicals as opposed to food. Sure enough, upon doing more research I found a dedicated individual that deciphers the meals @ http://www.foodfacts.com/

Sure enough, there's about 130 ingredients in said meal. What could possibly make up something so simple? Excellent question...ask it more often.

P.S. Just eat a salad.