Inspiration

My 9-5 involves a tremendous amount of interaction with "all kinds of people in all kinds of places" (yes, that's a part of my job description!). While the outward-facing part of my position is quite fulfilling and entertaining, I also find that my work colleagues bring a tremendous amount of insight and creativity into my day.

My office is composed of people who all reside in the western half of the District. On staff we have an electric cellist with a penchant for history and philosophy of science, an astronomer who has lived in Antarctica, two attorneys with aspirations in civil rights litigation, a professional actor, two authors, a volunteer beekeeper, a former Army officer who now has aspirations to teach middle school social studies, a sculptor, a former Marine interrogator, a bartender who wants to be a social worker, a teacher who has traveled around the world to educate, a sports and entertainment entrepreneur, and two foodies who are launching their own company (hopefully soon!). As much as their backgrounds and talents are impressive, I am continually amazed by the positive spirits my colleagues release to the world.

Recently, one of my friends at work mentioned a challenge he is taking on in order to become a healthier person. For him, health is defined as creating a living space which serves as a sanctuary, and tackling activities that will help him overcome obstacles. Specifically, he is taking on a thirty day Ashtanga yoga challenge. After hearing about his plans for the summer, I began to think about what types of summer goals I would like to pursue. Given that it is summer and this is a food blog, I have settled on a couple of types of dishes I will develop over the next few months.

First up, grain-based salads. Like many people, I have often felt disappointed by traditional salads. Despite the nutritional benefits of raw vegetables, simple salads are simply too healthy-tasting and never quite suffice to serve as a meal on their own. So, after a quick trip to Trader Joe's and gaining some inspiration from Kimberly Boyce's Good to the Grain, I've stocked up on brown jasmine rice, couscous, orzo, Israeli couscous, quinoa, wild rice, and barley, as well as a few types of lentils, beans, cheeses, and dried fruits. Additionally, I will spend this summer perfecting some salad dressing recipes to match with these grains.

Next up, ice creams. I have blogged a little earlier about making frozen yogurts, and this summer I will be working on some exciting, innovative ice cream flavors as well. Stay tuned!