One look at the raw food part of the food line, and I knew there was no way I could eat that. So, I took the advice of others who saw me struggle with eating and ate intuitively what seemed good. I didn’t go wild, but I added some cooked veggies: roasted broccolini and acorn squash this morning. I went slowly with this and finished with fresh fruit salad. I was feeling weak this morning, so I hoped that adding some cooked veggies would add more calories to get my energy back up.
After lunch, I returned to my room and met with the rounding provider. I told him I was eating the cooked veggies, and he said that was fine as there wasn’t much difference, just no grains or beans.
This morning’s cooking class was with Chef Bravo, and I can eat for the first time. He does not cook with a recipe but is more about teaching us cooking concepts to pair flavor combinations to make great-tasting food. Today’s class was on cooking greens. Eating greens daily is important for heart health, keeping our blood vessels nice and elastic, and brain health.
The greens here are steamed. He states that to make flavorful greens, they must have a depth of flavor (onion, garlic, ginger, mushrooms, chilis), be fresh, and have a fun flavor. To steam them, you only add a small amount of liquid to the pan after adding all the ingredients and then cover them. He made three different flavors for us, and they were all delicious.
- Onion and garlic with red pepper flakes and balsamic
- Yellow curry, onion, ginger and pineapple
- Onion, garlic, lion main mushroom, tomato, and fresh basil at the end
After the cooking class, I felt like a new person. Eating the cooked veggies gave me much-needed energy, so I walked through the cemetery again and spotted a trail I might explore tomorrow, as it would be a cooler day.
