The Healthiest Thing I've Ever Made

So, I started this new organic food delivery service called SPUD this week, and consequently have a lot of fresh organic vegetables filling up my fridge. Here's what I made tonight:

Rainbow Polenta

Polenta layer:

1/2 cup polenta
approx. 1 cup water
1 vegi boullion cube
random spices (thyme, herbs de province)

Boil water with spices and vegi cube. Add polenta. Stir and take off of heat. (*warning! Polenta will solidify, so if you want to be able to spoon it out easily, do this part last. I, unfortunately, did this part first, but it still worked out ok.)

Red/Orange Layer:

4 tbsp orange lentils
1/2 sweet potato, cubed small
3 organic carrots, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
organic vegi broth

Heat pan with some olive oil. Add carrots, garlic, sweet potato and cook for a few minutes. Add some broth and the lentils. Keep adding broth until vegis and lentils are tender. (sweet potatos are soft, lentils are fally-aparty) Set aside.

Green Layer:

5 asparagus spears
handful of snow peas
handful of "braising greens" (mini kale and chard leaves, part of the organic mix)
6-8 basil leaves, chiffonaded (make a pile of leaves, roll them up, cut very thin slices)

Chop up everything, and saute with some more vegi broth. Add basil chiffonade at the last minute, to keep flavor.

Layer with polenta on the bottom, greens in the middle, and orange/red layer on the top. Add some alfalfa sprouts if you want.

This seems like it was completely laborous and time consuming, but it really wasn't. And it was tasty too!!!

Who am I?

Clearly, I am both a rockstar (but only to preschoolers) as well as a French superhero (ok, I speak French, but am, sadly, American). I am in the middle of a huge bout of self-rediscovery... and thought that starting a blog about it was the most obvious step; because who wants to just sit around, doing this on their own anymore? You can only spend so many nights watching re-runs of Grey's Anatomy or The Office before you start questioning your own job experience.

A year ago, I decided I wanted to become a librarian. I've always owned way too many books, and after working with kids for half of my life, it seemed like an obvious step. I worked my ass off studying for the GRE, pestered people relentlessly for recommendations, and applied to school. It seemed like the easiest thing of all... until I didn't get in. My first response was different than I expected though; more of a sadness about my future monetary situation by staying a teacher than an urgency to apply again- or apply somewhere else. Was being a librarian what I really wanted to do? Or was it just an easy way out?

So, now I'm continuing on the search for what I really want to do. It seems like I always have way too many choices and ideas; I blame this on being an Aquarius. I could... start a public access cooking show.... write a book.... really make some art.... travel... buy a house... keep teaching... go back to teaching in public school.... Right now, I have no idea. (well, after last week's review of next year's benefits, I'll be staying at my job for at least another 2 years... FREE TRIP TO FRANCE!!)

The good news? I keep cooking, and writing. This is nice for you, my devoted readers (I'm assuming there will be some, someday...) because you can read about my culinary foibles and triumphs, and make the same things at home if you like. I thought about starting up my college zine again, but this is much faster!(although maybe not as cool-looking, but I digress)

Enjoy!