So, starting tomorrow, I embark on my first great food adventure – Japanese cuisine. My goal is fairly simple: for two weeks, I will eat only authentic Japanese food prepared with Japanese ingredients by me, in my kitchen, using traditional methods. I intend to use food that is as unprocessed as possible; this means I will look for organic and natural ingredients and use fresh fruits and vegetables for most of my dishes.
Well…maybe it’s not all that simple. ^_^ And, you may ask yourself, why would someone who loves cheese and potatoes and instant, throw-it-in-the-oven-and-wait lasagna do something like this?
It’s so simple:
1. I was recently diagnosed with lactose intolerance and IBS. But, I’m in love with cheese. Like, if a block of cheddar had tried to steal me away from Husband back when we were dating, I’d have done it. But love hurts, and so do I when I eat cheese. So, I need cheese-free recipe options, and Asian cuisine seemed the obvious choice.
2. I have a family history of colon cancer, as well as several other ailments that can be connected to weight, health, and eating habits—over-consumption of red meat and under-consumption of vegetables being a major problem. Japanese cuisine incorporates a low-fat fat, smaller portion, higher-quality approach to eating that focuses on the seasonality of food products.
3. I want to see if two weeks of eating unprocessed, healthy food has an impact on my energy levels and my overall health.
4. I’m bored, and my husband demanded I find a project. Demanded. He threatened to force me into a craft group or a sewing circle if I did not find something to do with my spare time.
All these things considered, I chose Japanese cuisine over other Asian possibilities because I didn’t want to fall into the trap of ordering Chinese takeout for dinner (that’s what cheaters do!), and because I love sushi. I want to really work hard and cook for this food adventure. And I want sushi. Lots and lots of sushi.
For your reading pleasure, I will update this blog with pictures and thoughtful posts about my adventure each day for the next two weeks. I plan to talk about the recipes I’m making and show off my amateur technique as I go. Honestly, I’ve been very excited about this project, and I hope to share some of that excitement!
Project starts tomorrow, and so I’m dragging Husband down to Indy. I want to visit the One World Market, one of the closer Asian markets recommended by Wu, a Chinese student in Husband’s graduate program. I’ve begun planning out my meals (because, I mean, I hear udon noodles and nori wrap can be hard to come by in a pinch), and I’m going to stock up on some authentic essentials.
Leave comments, questions, or suggestions about something you’d like to see me try. Suggestions are the best. In fact, I suggest you leave a suggestion. ^_^
-- AlyBear
