"To New Beginnings!"

To be honest this whole project is the result of my incessant Food Network watching while Carey was in Florida over NYE. I have to admit, I think that Alton Brown is a goofball but at the same time, a fountain of food information. If you are a Food Network watcher, you probably have noticed that he has shed more than a few pounds over the past several months. I did some research of my own and applied that information to his 'lifestyle plan' (NOT A DIET!!!).

Armed with my new dietary road map to wellness, I started thinking about how to pack our bodies with Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, whole grains, fruits high in antioxidants, and of course more leafy greens than you can shake a stick at. Step one was to purge our house of all of the delicious leftover holiday treats (my co-workers loved all of the cookies and cakes!) and re-stock with nutrient-rich, rather than energy-rich, delights.

Thanks to Carey's sister-in-law, I now have a membership to Restaurant Depot, which is an INCREDIBLE resource for buying in bulk. I was able to pick up a 10lb. case of fresh-frozen line caught wild salmon fillets for about $60. Sure, it's a little costly but the wild Alaskan variety is much better for regular consumption as it does not contain the elevated levels of mercury found in its Atlantic counterpart (not to mention the taste alone is worth the extra expense). Restaurant Depot also sells herbs at ridiculously low prices, allowing for great flavors without adding unnecessary fat.

The rest of the shopping list was fulfilled between The Pennsylvania Macaroni Company and Stan's Market (two of my favorite places in the Strip). For around $35 I filled a large box with greens, sweet potatoes, onions, peppers, mushrooms, carrots, etc. At Penn Mac I picked up some interesting vinegars, my favorite Novello Bono extra virgin olive oil, and (YELP!) sardines, which are extremely high in Omega-3s and great for adding flavor to pastas or for a quick meal with minimal preparation.

As you will soon learn, I don't believe in closely following recipes when cooking (baking is another story and I am admittedly terrible at it). Hopefully with some culinary creativity I'll be able to turn out some delicious, nutrient-rich meals. I have a feeling that this is going to be a challenging (yet rewarding) month in the kitchen while I develop an understanding of unfamiliar flavor profiles.

“Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live.” -Socrates