Monday Adulting Attempt
I went to Whole Foods (quick flex) this week to pick up my favorite protein powder for smoothies. While I was there, I saw they had a dinner deal. So, I got an entrée and two sides for $10 (which is a steal in Whole Foods and the entire state of California). I got home and remembered I don’t have a microwave to warm up (or as my Dad calls it “zapping”) my gourmet meal in my temporary rented beach shack. I do realize a microwave isn’t the only appliance capable of reheating food. But I was tired and below explains the logistical struggle that is my oven and stove. (I do use them frequently, I just was not in the mood this evening)
My oven is what southerners would describe as charming. Others might call it an easy bake oven. When I want to use the oven, I have to plug it in and remember to unplug after. The closest outlet is across the room. Luckily for me, my home is only 400 sqft but I have to weave the cord through my kitchen table and chairs in order for it to get power. Once it’s plugged in, I turn the knob to my desired temperature. But the knob is breaking off and the written temperatures around it are faded, so I have no idea what temperature it is at, but I guess that is part of the fun.
I could use the stove, but it is gas and has to be manually lit. My long hand lighter just broke so I only have my small one. I can’t light a candle without burning myself with this lighter so you can imagine the outcome if used over gas. Just like the oven most of the stove knobs are broken as well. I read a recent study about how most people have a favorite burner. The clear champ of my four burners, bottom left, is purely because it is the only one I trust most of the time. I used to panic the gas would not be fully turned off and I seriously thought the best way to get my answer was to just light a candle next to the stove and if there was an explosion then I would know it was on. Lucky for me and my landlord no explosion has occurred.
One positive about my appliances or lack thereof is no clocks. As a result, I didn’t have to change any clocks for daylight savings this past weekend…. TAKE THAT.
Anyways, I just decided to eat my chicken, Brussels sprouts (and yes, the B is supposed to be capitalized… the more you know), and butternut squash cold.
I transferred the meal from the to-go box onto my plate, because I am fancy like that. I sat at my kitchen table with no oven cord in the way, watching what would have been the sunset over the ocean from my window if there was no daylight savings, while eating my cold precooked meal. I had a moment where I thought wow this is nice. I think my exact words were “I kind of popped off with this meal.” There is something about having good food, even if it was cold, on my own plate where for a solid second, I was proud of the meal as if I cooked it. But in reality, not only did I not cook it, I didn’t even heat it up. But I am going to let myself call this a win.
Some might call this whole situation just being lazy. I call it this week’s Monday dinner. Some days my attempts at adulting include less excuses. But I don’t think anything says adulting quite like putting cold food I bought from Whole Foods on a plate to make it feel like I cooked it. And being genuinely proud of the outcome. In fact, so proud I am going to share it with the world in case someone needs a dinner idea for tonight, hopefully those people have microwaves or appliances that aren’t death traps. If that is you, good for you. If not, speaking from experience it is fine cold.
Sincerely,
an “adult”