Method to the semi-madness

There are two secondary reasons I chose vegetable consumption as a goal this year, in addition to the need to eat more veggies/try new things reasons.

The first reason is my salad-spinner. I started watching food network almost cultishly about 10 years ago. As soon as we had cable that offered it as a network, I started watching. That's back in the good ole days when they still showed cooking shows and everything wasn't a reality/competition/pastry show. Those just get old fast. So, for a few years, I became very immersed in that show-y food culture. I wanted a microplane and a good cast iron skillet and a salad spinner. Salad spinners aren't expensive, but I couldn't bring myself to buy one. Instead, I asked for it as a present.

The first Christmas I asked for it, I didn't get one. Followed by an unfilled birthday wish, another unfulfilled Christmas, and one more birthday. I really should have just gone to bed, bath, and beyond and picked one up, but it suddenly seemed more important than just the salad spinner. It was a test of how much my friends were listening. I began to get defensive about it. I didn't throw dinner parties or the like, so I couldn't do anything subtle and passive-aggressive like serve unwashed arugula for the first course, but I wanted someone, anyone, to give me a damn salad spinner.

So, finally, 3 years after asking, I opened my christmas presents with the hesitation of someone who's known disappointment. Instead, I got three. People finally felt so guilty about the salad spinner debacle that everyone bought me one. Triumph!

Sadly, 6 years later, I've used it maybe ten times and always to wash romaine lettuce. For all of the exotic greens I thought I would be preparing when I asked for it, I've really only graduated one step above iceberg. So, the salad spinner, mocking me on the shelf, was part of the inspiration for the veggie project.

I'll tell the other story another time. The chard went well this week. I sauteed it in olive oil and garlic with salt and pepper, and it's hard to go wrong with that. I served it with some more red potatoes and a mini meatloaf I had made a month ago and frozen. Next week: Turnips. For now, here are some pictures.

I'm determined to get better at this photography thing, too.