i have always loved sunday. i mean don’t get me wrong, i love saturday, too, but there’s just something about having a productive sunday that i relish in week after week. and maybe it’s because these days, sundays have become synonymous with time in the kitchen. actually, they’ve really become synonymous with food in general as sunday is the day where i not only venture into trader joe’s and sprouts to do my weekly fridge re-stocking, but also the day i dedicate to meal preparation for the work week. there’s just something soothing about spending the final moments of my weekend huddled over a saucepan clad in an apron and an oven-mit. i feel so domestic. and not only that, when i finally sit down at the end of the evening to take in the latest episode of real housewives of new jersey and a big summer salad, i feel accomplished, too.

i mean take this past sunday as an example. after i got home from the lb flea, i stocked up on fresh veggies, meats, and fruit at tj’s and sprouts before coming home to make a fresh batch of paleo granola (because i hoovered through last week’s supply), two servings of paleo pumpkin pancakes (before my left-over pumpkin went bad), cook up some roasted butternut squash, and make myself a veggie-filled dinner with a side of sauteed shrimp. when i later found traces of pancake batter on my wrist and a rogue pecan on the counter top, i knew it had been a sunday afternoon well-spent. not to mention the fact that my whole house smelled like an intoxicating mixture of maple syrup and pumpkin puree. if i wasn’t already anxious for fall’s arrival…

now that the paleo lifestyle has encouraged me to take more of an active role in the kitchen, i’m discovering what chefs everywhere have probably known for hundreds of years. it’s in the kitchen where the true magic happens (i suppose magic happens other places too, like the bedroom. oh snap!). it’s like this little factory where raw foods enter in and beautiful culinary creations come out. well at least most of the time. i have definitely had my fair share of cooking misses (lest i remind you of the avocado pudding disaster of 2013?) of late. but maybe only in experiencing the cooking fails, can i learn to appreciate the kitchen wins all the more. i mean, i’m not gonna lie, i want to give myself a little standing ovation every time a batch of crustless quiche comes out golden brown or when i successfully turn out a serving of perfectly whipped banana soft serve. okay let’s be honest, i get pumped if my chicken is cooked all the way through.

anyway, what i’m trying to get at is that big or small, successes in the kitchen are tangible victories for all of the senses. not only are these little triumphs the reason for my recent love affair with all things culinary, but they’ve contributed to my new appreciation for the seventh (or first, depending on how you view the calendar) day of the week.

dear sunday,

want to spend the day together in the kitchen? perfect, i’ll meet you there. i’ll be the one in the messy bun and over-sized sweatpants with olive oil on her face.

xoxo,
shawna