Four Years Later… And Ready to Cook Again!

I can hardly believe my last post was over four years ago. Holy cow! Part of me wonders what happened, but if I stop and think about it, I know exactly why.

I wrote that last post right before starting a new teaching job—in the middle of a pandemic (you might have heard about it?). It wasn’t just any new job either; it involved opening a brand-new campus and building a classroom from scratch. It was a thrilling challenge, and I loved every bit of it!

By spring 2021, I was ready for my next adventure: going back to school for my Master’s Degree. At the time, the idea of four to five years of evening classes, endless readings, and paper writing felt like an eternity. The finish line seemed sofar away. And yet, here I am—I wrapped up my last class in December 2024 and am now counting down to graduation this June!

As I finally caught my breath, I had a realization: in the whirlwind of the past few years, I had lost touch with my love for cooking. Sure, I still meal-prepped and enjoyed good food, but I had started relying more on shortcuts—choosing fast and easy options over meals that truly made me happy. I lost the joy of grocery shopping, opting for online orders just to save time. Cooking, something I once loved, became just another chore on my Sunday to-do list.

But then, in January 2025, a few things aligned that rekindled my interest in cooking. First, a beautiful new grocery store opened just a short walk from home, making shopping enjoyable again. With no more classes to juggle, I finally had the time to think carefully about what I wanted to cook and eat. Unfortunately, there was also some not-so-great news—my latest blood test showed high cholesterol and elevated sugar levels. Nothing life-threatening, but definitely a wake-up call. Determined to get things back on track, I had a chat with my new friend ChatGPT and put together a meal plan that supports my health without sacrificing creativity in the kitchen.

So, here starts my new era. One where I focus on nourishing my body with good, wholesome food while still making room for some controlled indulgence—because let’s be real, I’m not giving up the joy of food, especially in NYC!

If any of this resonates with you, stick around and follow my journey. Expect a mix of fun and nutritious meal experiments, plus the return of some of my favorite cooking series from the past. (Retro Cooking, anyone? Because I definitely stumbled upon some vintage cookbooks lately!)

Let’s see where this takes us…