Does Absence Make The Heart Grow Fonder?

Or in my case, my stomach?

I never remember to take photos post-cooking. That’s because I eat it all! The cake’s baked though. (credit: Monica Ray)

We all need a little time away from things, even things we love. That’s the purpose of a vacation, a short break, a retreat.

But I’ve missed my writer and reader friends, so I thought I’d check back in after quite a hiatus.

It’s coming up to eight years in NYC for me. Sometimes I can’t believe I’ve survived the noise, chaos, and unpredictability. In these eight years, I’ve eaten out in every borough of the city and continue to discover new flavors from all across the world.

But eating out has both a financial and a health cost. Several of my friends are starting to experience health issues, and it’s making me think about nutrition carefully. The older I get, the more I realize that there’s a lot that we can do to manage our health outcomes if we eat well and exercise consistently.

By eating well, I don’t just mean buying salads. I mean preparing everything from scratch as much as possible. I’ve always been a good cook but NYC’s a tempting seductress when it comes to eating out. The range of restaurants is mind-blowing and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t indulge once or twice each weekend.

But as far as weekdays go, I’m making a gargantuan effort. This year, I’ve been hitting the grocery stores more…