Day 11: Stuffed Mushrooms

"I have been enjoying watching you eat" said the self proclaimed food addict.

"I'm sorry, what?" I replied, in a sleepy yet caught off guard daze.

"Your apple, and peanut butter. You take these tiny little bites, spreading just a little peanut butter on each one. You savored that apple over the course of an entire hour." To this, I thought to myself

'I cannot wait to tell Christina'.

It's not that the woman's comment was out of line. This morning, while she was watching me eat, I was having coffee with a group of women. The conversation was interesting, and I wanted to be prepared in case I felt compelled to blurt something out. I wanted to keep my mouth free, in case such an occasion were to arise. I also was feeling self conscious about the fact that I had chosen to eat such a loud and juicy snack in front of a bunch of other people, who were not themselves eating. So on this occasion, I was, in fact, eating in exactly the way she had described. However, this particular occasion is by no means representative of the way I eat.

I know this to be true, because I have watched myself.

Let me explain.

Christina is in the habit of documenting our everyday lives on film. She imagines that one day our nieces and nephews will want to be able to make up a nice batch of popcorn, hunker down in front of the TV, and watch the two of us perform normal day to day tasks. It is because of this hobby of hers that I have been afforded the opportunity to watch myself eating (which is apparently an activity that I am nearly always engaging in). I therefore cannot help but laugh when Christina teases me about it.

"Do you have to always take such man sized bites?" she asks me. Then she does her imitation of me, turning the food over and over in my hands, looking at every corner, and finally taking a gigantic bite and smacking my lips after I swallow.

"Yes I do," I reply "so that I can feel it..."

"I know, I know, so you can taste the bite on your whole palate" Christina says with a chuckle.

This is one of the few things that she can tease me about without me getting overly sensitive. Turn to the section on "relationships" in nearly any astrology book and you will find that Aquarius (Christina) and Leo (myself) are doomed to battle due to the terribly sensitive nature of Leo, and the overly critical nature of Aquarius. What makes our relationship work, is that we are both willing to watch ourselves, and each other, from a loving perspective.

"see, right here. That is where I started to feel angry, and listen to me deny it" I said as we huddled in front of the computer watching an argument accidentally caught on film.

"I could so tell you were angry, look at how you are itching your head. You always itch your head when you are mad."

I reached for the popcorn dish, took a man-sized handful of popcorn, and we both started to laugh.

Stuffed mushrooms with edamame salad

In a small saucepan, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1/4 tsp salt. Add 1 small yellow onion, diced. When the onion starts getting clear, add 1 cup short grain brown rice.

Toast the rice briefly until a nutty aroma is released. Then add 2 cups water and an additional 1/4 tsp salt.

Bring to a boil and cover (mostly), reducing the heat to low. In about 5 min, come back to the rice and place the cover firmly on, so that no steam can escape. Cook the rice for about 30 min, checking it and stirring occasionally.

Pre heat the oven to 350.

Rehydrate (using boiling water) about 1 cup sun-dried tomato halves (this will take about 10-15 min)

While you are waiting for the rice to cook, heat about 1 cup of frozen shelled edamame on the stovetop (boil some water, add the edamame and cook for about 2-3 min, drain and rinse with cold water immediately). Dice some small sweet peppers (about 1/2 cup). Wash some mache (about 2-3 cups). Toss the greens, edamame and peppers together and dress with 1/2 Tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp ume plum vinegar, 1/2 lemon juice, 1/2 lemon zest, and 1 tsp soy sauce.

When the rice is done, allow it to sit, covered for 10 min off the heat. Then add 1 cup chopped parsley, the sun-dried tomato halves (diced into small pieces), 1 tsp black pepper, and the zest from 1/2 lemon. Fill 6 portabello stuffing mushrooms with the rice mixture and place in a baking dish greased with toasted walnut oil (or olive oil) bake for 20 min in the oven.

Christina's vote: "Enjoyed every big mouthful"