I love to eat with friends and family. I love to mmm and sigh along with fellow foodie companions at the dinner table. I love to ask “how is your hummus wrap?” and I love to be asked the same in return.
I love it.
However, there’s also something special to be said for dining solo. The pleasure of not having to cook for anyone but yourself. The joy of adding your favorite ingredients without a care for what anyone else would think. The sheer giddiness of going against the rules and mixing together ingredients that food critics would scoff at. And seeing the result of your imagination (which, by the way, doesn’t have to look pretty unless of course you want it to).
Step #1: I felt like a kid in the kitchen today, as I threw random ingredients together into a pan, not entirely knowing what the end result would come out to be.
1/4 cabbage + 1 carrot, shredded…tossed in a frying pan with a splash of water to aid in the steaming process
Step #2: I had some leftovers that were in dire need of being used, as they were officially on their last leg two days ago. They joined the pan after the cabbage had been adequately wilted down.
1 c. leftover brown rice + frozen peas, 1/2 c. black beans, 2 egg whites, cumin, and lots of garlic powder
Step #3: I let the egg white bind together the ingredients and cooked the mix for a good 5 minutes or so. Then I plated it and ate it at my own pace while sitting on the floor of the deck. Because that’s a perfectly legitimate thing to do when you’re dining solo.
I wouldn’t expect you to recreate this meal, but I would love it if you’d take the time to dine solo at least once within the next week. Take your time. Make whatever suits your fancy. Eat wherever you want to eat. Have fun in your kitchen and don’t take it too seriously. And, of course, if you have family that requires that you really can’t dine solo, deem one night as experimental night. It’s okay if your family has the pizza barn’s number close at hand as they peek cautiously over your shoulder. Just have fun experimenting in your kitchen!
Question: Do you enjoy dining solo once in a while? Do you like to experiment in the kitchen?
Running To Slow Things Down 
I actually dine solo pretty much every single night. I get to cook what I want 🙂
Glad you were able to enojoy a fun, experimental meal 🙂 I love the idea, and if I was a cabbage fan I bet I would love it, too!!
I love experimenting in the kitchen – but I do it so much, that sometimes I love to just follow a recipe and cook for someone! I am more often just cooking for myself anyways, so it’s fun to cook for others 🙂
I LOVE dining solo! I see it as my time to eat whatever I want and experiment 🙂 Tonight I made a random omelet with cherry tomatoes, a leftover baked potato, squash, leftover goat cheese, etc. It was really good! Not the most complicated dish, but I love just throwing a random dinner together with no one to please but myself. What you made looks excellent…I honestly want to try it out!
I’m the queen of random dinners!! lol I agree that dining solo is so freeing. =)
I eat breakfast alone when my husband is still sleeping or working. It’s lonely, but a lot less work! lol
Jenn
Couldn’t agree with you more! I love the contrast between eating solo and eating with others!
xxx Julia (Taste of Living)
I really don’t ever dine solo, but I imagine that it’s a great time to experiment. Maybe I’ll kick Nate out one night so that I can try it. Ha, ha!!
I don’t really like dining solo that much… I just enjoy having company! But I do love playing around in the kitchen! It’s fun experimenting… especially with egg dishes!
So weird. I just finished blogging about this. I’ve had solo meals all week. And that’s probably why they’re not my favorite – I have to eat solo a lot so I really appreciate cooking for others.
I actually really don’t like dining solo. Especially when it is something really tasty. I feel like I “wasted a meal” on just myself.
Wow, that’s really creative! I bet it was good!
I enjoy some one on one time with my dinner, definitely (breakfast and lunch are every man for himself – it gets busy around here!), but I’m always too scared to experiment! Oatmeal or an omelette is fine with me (I love breakfast for dinner, obviously!) 🙂
YES! going out to eat is one of my FAVORITE things to do – i love to bring a good book, sit, enjoy my meal, read and just relax. it’s amazing for the soul!
I agree with you – it can be very nice to sometimes just sit with yourself and eat the food you like regardless of everyone elses taste buds 🙂
I really need to try cabbage – can you believe I have never had it!? yours looks fab.
Mmm…you should give it a try! It’s one of the simplest veggies to prepare too. It’s especially delicious when cooked and browned in a bit of olive oil and a dash of sea salt. 😀