A Burnt-Out Case

[qwertyy]

At some point this summer, I got burned out in the kitchen. Cold-cut sandwiches and frozen dinners for weeks. Last night I dredged a soup of rotten farmers' market nectarines, green beans, cucumbers, and others from my produce drawers. Not coincidentally, I've been feeling tired and rundown.

How do I get my mojo back? I'm going to stop at Whole Foods after work and try to cook up this lemon lentil soup this weekend. So, I could buy out the produce department, pick up anything that looks good. But I'm not sure it wouldn't rot in my fridge just like the last batch as I lazily order delivery again.

How do I get back in the game?

[lperry]

Something new and different usually does it for me. Need a new gadget? Been thinking about a new food you want to try? Seen a cookbook that looked interesting?

[sheldman]

I hear you. Don't know your life situation, but it happens to me when I feel like "damn, cooking for my family has become obligation rather than creativity, and every week the grocery stores just have the same things."

All I can suggest is changing a facet of "how/why/when I cook," to get away from old routine. Could be drinking more while I cook, or less. Could be "start smoking a lot of stuff" (food, not tobacco or pot) or "start quick-pickling a lot of stuff" or "go raw for two days" or "make bread" or "no bread for a week." Could be "get another family member or friend to cook with me or at least talk with me while I cook" or "watch all episodes of Dr. Who, on netflix while I cook." Could be "have a dinner party on Saturday night and spend all day making complicated fancy things."

If you have the $, and don't have a Vitamix, then there's your answer. Lots of fun to be had by making things ridiculously smooth.

Good luck, and please share the answer that works for you when you find it.

[zoramargolis]

I think that your impulse for the lemon lentil soup is a good one: make something simple that is intensely flavorful. My self, I'd go with a frittata, with a base of onion and garlic, bacon or pancetta, peppers/chiles, and other veg like spinach, chard or summer squash, topped with parmesan before being put into the oven to get lightly browned, and served with some good bread and hot sauce if the chiles don't already make it super spicy.

[FunnyJohn]

Or perhaps pasta and some kind of sauce -- either cream based, or use some of the end of summer tomatoes that are still kicking around. Otherwise you could walk away -- take a kitchen vacation and let the family eat Stouffers and scrambled eggs for a couple of weeks.

[qwertyy]

Good luck, and please share the answer that works for you when you find it.

Day one: fail

The desire to go to the store had disappeared by the end of the work day, so inspiration was reduced to butt + bar stool + beer + dry, tasteless takeout chicken sandwich.

Thanks for all the ideas, everyone, and the understanding!

I splurged on a Vitamix a couple of months ago; I still love it, but smooth is no longer quite the revelation. And I'm cooking for one, so I don't have the pressure of preparing daily family dinners, but I also don't HAVE to cook for anyone.

But I have been coveting Ottolenghi's Plenty for a few days now so, since I usually cook veggie at home, that could give me a boost (when it arrives in a week...). In the meantime, maybe if I could find something labor-intensive to cook this weekend that turns out great, that might do it. I love spending a day in the kitchen, but it just sucks when the result ends up, well, sucking and sapping inspiration.

Day two: try again!

[KMango]

Assuming what you can make at home is exponentially tastier than what you can procure via takeout, perhaps your palate has burned out?

Could be that allergens are doing a number on your taste buds. That happens to me, and many, in early Spring and Fall.

Insofar as not having to cook for anyone...how about teaching someone? Grab a college student, favored niece, or other aspiring home chef and book one teaching session a week. They bring the ingredients, you rock your skills and teach them a lifelong technique. As you narrate and guide your student, you'll remember why you love this stuff in the first place.

Instant Re-Kindle.

[weezy]

Invite a friend over to eat with you and fix something simple but delightful -- breakfast for dinner, lentils with caramelized onions, etc. Enjoy the company and don't make yourself crazy with the food. Sounds like eating alone / no one to cook for is sapping your enthusiasm.

[LauraB]

I can so relate! Cooking can become drudgery, day after day after day, particularly when you're only cooking for one. Back when I was living on my own dinner often consisted of cheese and crackers. I'm cooking for two now, but there are days when I think, "I cannot spend another minute in this kitchen!" Those days are especially frequent when I'm reading a good book and I'd rather be doing that than chopping onions.

To get back in the swing, I think it's best to keep it simple: one-pot meals (soup or stew), the fewer ingredients the better. The Lemon Lentil soup is perfect; in fact, I'm planning to make that for lunch today. I'd recommend making way more than you can consume in a day or two and dividing the leftovers into serving sizes and freezing them. That way, when the inspiration for cooking is absent, you've got something much better and healthier on hand and don't have to resort to carry-out.

[Pat]

But I have been coveting Ottolenghi's Plenty for a few days now so, since I usually cook veggie at home, that could give me a boost (when it arrives in a week...). In the meantime, maybe if I could find something labor-intensive to cook this weekend that turns out great, that might do it. I love spending a day in the kitchen, but it just sucks when the result ends up, well, sucking and sapping inspiration.

I started to answer yesterday, asking if there was a particular time or day you liked to cook or an activity that you liked to do at the same time (listen to music, watch tv), but I never finished writing it...Cooking something labor-intensive on the weekend answers that question. I like having a project that requires a lot of the day in the kitchen too. I'm not sure if I can think of too many things that are vegetarian that I cook all day, though. You could combine a few things in your project, including something sweet. Foods I can think of: stock, tomato sauce, lasagna, moussaka, pot pie (with a long-simmered filling). The excess from all of those can be frozen, which is a bonus. Next time you hit a spell when you don't want to cook, you can pull those things out of the freezer.

What about baking a lot of cookies? You can keep a limited number if you don't want to eat them all and give the rest away. Pies?

[goldenticket]

Boy, qwertyy, can I ever relate - I've been feeling (and acting) the same way myself. I love the looks of that lentil soup recipe and am going to give it a try in the next few days. What have you used your VitaMix for that you like? I got one several months back, but haven't been using it like I should.

My favorite gadget, that will be going back into use with the return of cooler weather, is my pressure cooker. It's a great way to put together a flavorful meal in a pretty quick, low-effort way - perfect for after work when you're not real motivated. Lorna Sass' "Great Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure" has provided me with a lot of great information and recipes.

The Mark Bittman "How to Cook Everything" app is another tool that's a big help for me when I might have an ingredient I need to use, but am lacking in ideas. A lot of his recipes are quick and easy and can be adapted to what you have on hand.

Good luck, I'm right there with you in trying to get out my lazy rut and back in the kitchen!

[DC Deb]

I'm cooking for one, so I don't have the pressure of preparing daily family dinners, but I also don't HAVE to cook for anyone.

Have you checked out Joe Yonan's book? Serve Yourself, Nightly Adventures in Cooking http://www.amazon.co...g/dp/158008513X There are some great ideas on making something, storing some then resusing it later. The portions are good for one or two eaters.

[astrid]

If the prospect of shopping and cooking is too much after a hard day's work, maybe you can buy some frozen veggies from Trader Joe's (they seem to have a really good selection including frozen leeks and pearl onions) and keep them in the freezer. That way, you can find something to cook when the spirit hits you, without worrying about spoilage in the meantime.

If you like pickled foods, vinegar refrigerator pickles are easy to make and are delicious with cold cut sandwiches. My old standby is curried cauliflower pickles, made with raw cauliflower florets, salt, a few cloves of crushed garlic, curry powder, chili powder, and Heinz vinegar/water (50/50). I recycle old spaghetti sauce jars or use IKEA glass jars with wire clutches.

For cookbooks, I think you might like Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen. The recipes are fast and easy, the ingredient lists are interesting but not fussy, and she includes a drinks pairing with each dish.

[zoramargolis]

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