Smug Marrieds: The Price of Beauty

Winter is known around our house as "The Season of the Blair." The man can put off some serious body heat. You only have to hold your hand up to within maybe 4 inches of him and you can literally feel the heat radiating off him. Since my body temperature hovers somewhere around 30 degrees even in the summer, I love it. I I follow him from room to room and it's like having my own portable heater.

Except something has changed. We've both noticed it. Often times lately we'll hold hands and I'll remark how cold his hand is or--and this is Twilight Zone weird--he'll comment on how warm my hand feels to him. 

We were eating dinner the other night and Blair asked if the heat was on because he was freezing. 

"What's up with that?" I asked. "Where did thermonuclear man go?"

"I don't know," said Blair.

"I bet I know what it is. You lost all that weight this year (he lost 25 lbs in Jan/Feb) plus you eat mainly a vegetarian diet because of me. Vegetarians are known to have lower body temps than meat eaters."

"So what you're saying is this is your fault," said Blair.

"I'm saying a cold body temp is the price you have to pay for looking hot," I said, winking. 

Blair muttered something. "What?" I asked. 

"I said I think I liked it better when I was fat and warm," said Blair. 

Cheers,

Dena

One-Dish Vegetarian Meals

I was watching an episode of The Biggest Loser and one of the trainers was showing the contestants how to make a simple quinoa dish. I was thrilled. Finally, mainstream TV is catching up to my way of eating. Then the trainer said, "This makes a wonderful side dish to any meal."

Wha--? The dish had quinoa, veggies, and beans, a complete meal in and of itself. Do we have to stick in a side of chicken with that?

I think, however, the one-dish meal is a big adjustment for anyone looking to switch over to a vegetarian lifestyle. My mom mentioned the other day that while she enjoys many of the meals I make, she misses having several things on her plate to choose from -- green beans at two o'clock, mashed potatoes at four, salad, meat, etc. 

I hadn't thought about it, but it's true. Most of what I make are one-dish meals. The vegetarian recipes I use usually contain beans, greens, and a grain so it doesn't seem worth it to--I don't know--dump a can of corn or some other vegetable on the plate as a side. Not that I couldn't; it just never occurs to me to do so. 

It's not always that way. This week for example we had veggie burgers with a side of roasted brussel sprouts. But last night I made a big spinach salad and after carmelizing the onions, toasting the walnuts, and broiling my own homemade bread crumbs, hell if I was going to put any effort into making a side dish. 

How do you eat at home? Vegetarian or not, do you prepare a main course and side dishes for each meal or do you trend, as I do, toward more one-dish wonders?

Cheers,

Dena