I used to bake...

Once upon a time, I loved to cook. I loved recipes, cookbooks, cooking magazines. I experimented, my family complained, I experimented some more, my family learned to buck up or starve. I even won a cookie competition at a California fair.

During the past seven years, I lost my creative edge. More accurately, I lost my creative time. I make what’s easy now, what everyone will eat, what can be eaten in shifts.

My kids are happier with this arrangement—they prefer chicken wraps to baked chicken and vegetables. They also love living on tacos and their dad’s grilled hamburgers. But I miss the days when one meal item didn’t include all necessary vitamins, minerals, protein and fiber.

I used to cook to relieve stress, often baking late at night during trying times. Now cooking, associated menu planning, shopping and prep work cause stress. Isn’t life just one interesting turn after another??

I’m ready for someone to market Willy Wonka’s multi-course chewing gum. Think of the time saved…no cooking, no dishes, virtually no shopping. The dessert course would have to be resolved though, turning into blueberries would interfere with all the reasons I don’t have time to cook.