Oh my aching back and wooden spoon…

The discomfort hit me as we were walking toward the checkout line. The nerves and muscles around my sacral and lumbar vertebrae decided to twinge and then ache with low-to mid-level pain. I was bummed because today is Sunday, and on Sundays, I cook. I cook all day because I love to cook and because we then have dinners for the rest of the week, making those work days easier.

Today is a stormy Sunday, and the weather forecast says rain all week, so that calls for soup.  Having read something about lentils being brain food, the husband and I decided on our favorite Lentil Minestrone from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. He also wanted to get some of the frozen tomato sauce (from our summer tomatoes) out of the freezer, so we made a simple sauce and some homemade pasta. Trying to finish out the week with something different and eat some nice winter veggies, we chose the Smoky Frittata (from Plenty) to provide a lower carb (yet still delicious) option.

Some stretching and foam-roller action provided a little relief between making the soup and the frittata, but not for long. The kneading ministrations of the fat tuxedo cat purring on my belly probably didn’t maximize the benefit of the stretches, but I enjoyed her presence. Since I am taller than the average American, all sinks and countertops require me to slightly slouch as I wash, chop, stir, simmer, and sauté, further provoking the backache. Shifting from right leg to left leg provides some respite as I worked to prepare our nourishment for the week.

Still, I know that having a beautiful kitchen with pots and pans enough to make an abundance of food makes me a fortunate woman. And I will be grateful every evening this week when I can get home and warm up something yummy for supper as I take some painkillers for my back.  Have a good week!  Bon Appetit!