Guilty Pleasures

I bought a forbidden treat last week and I have to confess, I loved every savory bite. Over Super Bowl weekend I've convinced myself that gluttony is ok and that processed foods and additives don't matter; an American tradition I'm not willing to give up. So last Sunday on my counter there sat bags and bags of chips alongside of pre-made salsas, tortillas, bean & cheese dips and gooey, greasy satisfying chicken wings. But among all of these yummy snacks there sat - in all of its glory - an orange bag housing my favorite crunchy edible treat. Upon seeing the bag, saliva seeped from my mouth and dripped down my shirt. I set my plate of food onto the table and then ripped open the bag and took one - not wanting to seem greedy - of the orange crunchy miracles and placed it onto my tongue.

When I have a bag of Cheetos(R) in my hands my self-control lands somewhere outside of the window. Everyday until the bag is gone I minimize lunch and dinner, leaving more room for artificial cheesy puffiness. Now, I'm a relatively healthy person. I cook from whole foods, minimize meat consumption, am conscious of food labels announcements of sodium, ugly ingredients I can't pronounce and those superfluous calories. But when I have an orange bag of crunchies sitting on my lap, health awareness of pushed into a place I cannot consciously go.

In the past year, I switched from the orange bag with Chester Cheetah to buying the "healthy baked cheese puffs," thinking to myself that I can eat twice as much because they are made from organic processed powder cheese and disodium phosphate. Seemingly disgusting, right? My taste buds thought so too at first, but they quickly settled. Any kid - in their right frame of mind - would throw down baked cheese puffs and spit out what does not stick in their teeth and shout, "Gross!" Perhaps its my grown-up sophisticated taste buds that help me to imagine that baked cheese snacks are an exotic twist on the original Cheeto. At least that's what I have to tell myself. I mean disodium phosphate has got to be healthier when the claim "organic" is slapped next to the label.

But, then the unthinkable happened. I was sitting on the couch, innocently eating baked cheese puffs when my eye started to itch. I went to the mirror and saw a hive forming. Strange, I thought. So, I took an anti-histamine and went to sleep. A few days later the same thing happened after eating baked cheese puffs. I cried.

I live in a land of health consciousness; a land where people sneer if you don't bring your own sacks to the grocery store and spending extra money on organics is expected. Not that I disagree with that, but you can imagine what people would say about my Cheeto secret. (My embarrassment amongst fellow health-conscious Coloradoans was the other reason I switched to baked cheese puffs.) When in the store, before I switched to the organic version, I'd tuck the forbidden treasure under my bulk organically dried black beans, broccoli, and eggs produced from cage free, whole grain-grass fed chickens. I'd hide the orange bag and dart to the flax seed department trying to avoid any stink eyes given to me from other shoppers. And now, because of my allergy to baked cheese puffs, I'm resigned to endure this again.

Perhaps you're wondering why I've devoted an entire blog post to Cheetos. The truth is that this blog is about things that I love and well, Cheetos made the cut.

But in all seriousness, I've learned a good lesson from this situation. To me, what gives life its quality needs careful consideration and devotion. And if that means indulging in a handful of Cheetos from time to time in order for life to have a little more happiness, then changing that may not be worth the trouble.

Cheers to Cheetos and to a life of happiness!

The end.

And then, Winter Came

It's cold in Denver. Very Cold! I walked 10 blocks to the grocery store and had a snot cube when I got there. Gross, I know - but that's how cold it is.


Other than a grocery trip, I've stayed nestled in my home, away from the cruel, unforgiving air. The white snow seems playful and is pretty from behind my window, but after my walk I decided it's best enjoyed from my couch while sipping a cup of coffee. That was a good decision. The coffee is scrumptious -warming my frostbitten limbs -as it trickles down to my stomach. I'll keep snow at a distance today.




I went to sleep last night, knowing that I wouldn't leave my house today. Last night was bitter outside too. Most of the schools in the Denver area already announced closure by the 5pm news. Despite a city used to snow, it shut down. I think everyone was looking for an excuse to stay home. I was.


Today turned into a productive day. I practiced yoga, wrote in my journal, looked through recipes, read, made a good lunch, read some more. I baked 4 loaves of bread and the sweet smell of yeast is looming over my head. It's been a good day - I'm planning on a movie later.

Aside from coffee, I crave soup on this kind of wintry day. I can't think of anything else I'd rather have. This is what forced me to walk to the store. I would have driven, but my car wouldn't start. There are not many things I'd walk 10 blocks in negative degree weather for. My stomach is a bit controlling.

I came across this soup recipe last autumn in a cookbook entitled EatingWell in Season: The Farmer's Market Cookbook. The recipe has everything good purred into a soup. It's rich, flavorful and creamy. Mmm... I love creamy! But, believe it or not, the soup contains no cream. Nothing against cream - we are inseparable friends and a bit possessive of each other's company - but my winter thighs need their distance. This recipe is a delightful compromise between maintaining flavor while keeping the fat content down. So, instead of cream giving this soup its richness, it is the vegetables that do it. Imagine that.




The recipe - Roaster Pear-Butternut Soup - is simple and to the point. There is not much brain-work that goes into it and the measurements can easily be adjusted to your liking. Amazing things can happen when the smell of pear, butternut squash and leeks are roasting in your home - like your neighbors might come knocking on your door to forgive you of the 10ft statue in your front yard just for a taste. It might be wise to indulge them.

It is a filling soup as all the good fiber expands in the belly. So, be conscious if you're saving room for dessert. It will leave you feeling good and full, not fat and lethargic. It might even give you a little energy to get outside and shovel the snow; or at least stay awake for a movie.


I've altered this recipe slightly. I typically use either blue or Gorgonzola cheese. The cheese is such a nice compliment that I strongly encourage it. Also, I use 1 can of diced tomatoes instead-for simplicity sake. Like I said, the measurements of each vegetable/fruit are up to you, but here is a guideline.

Roasted Pear-Butternut Soup with Crumbled Stilton

2 ripe pears, peeled, quartered and cored
2lbs butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-3 inch chunks
2 medium tomatoes, cored and quartered or 1 can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 leek, pale green and white parts only, halved and lengthwise, sliced and washed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teas salt, divided
fresh ground pepper to taste
4cups vegetable broth
1/2cup blue cheese, Gorgonzola or Stilton or any other blue-veined cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Combine pears, squash, tomatoes, leek, garlic, oil, 1/4 teas salt and pepper into a roasting pan; tossing to coat. Spread evenly onto pan and roast until vegetables are tender. apx. 45-55min. Let cool a bit.

Place 1 cup of roasted veggies into a blender and then 1 cup broth. Puree until smooth and then pour into large saucepan. Do this until both vegetables and broth are gone.

Once everything is blended, cook soup another 10 min on medium-high heat in saucepan or until warm throughout.

Separate into bowls and then garnish with cheese. Enjoy with some warm bread!