KITCHEN CREATIVITY

Alfalfa sprouts and pear crisp. Yum! One I bought, the other I recently made. This is significant because: I don't usually buy alfalfa sprouts, and I hardly ever bake. But when I was on our recent round-the-world trip, I discovered that creativity in the kitchen can actually be fun, and I resolved to come home and try something new in my own kitchen.

A few years ago, I commented to my stepfather, who is a whiz in the kitchen, "I just don't see how it could be any fun to get creative with food." Shortsighted, I know, but such an attitude came, I think, from decades of having to prepare meal after meal for a large family on a tiny budget. Which really isn't a whole lot of fun. Creative, yes, but not the fun kind of creativity, resulting in mouth-watering delectables like you go out and pay for at fancy restaurants. But now that I can afford alfalfa sprouts and brown sugar, and now that there are only four of us living in the house, I'm beginning to view creativity in the kitchen differently.

I love good food! And good health. I love the new trend toward healthy, whole-food cooking.
My lawyer friend, Donna Kelly, loves to cook and is creating a whole new second life for herself as a cookbook writer. I don't foresee that I will ever enjoy more than an hour at a time in the kitchen, but I did enjoy making that pear crisp. And tomorrow, I'm having alfalfa sprouts on my tuna sandwich. Today, however, I'm going to try out a new bistro in Camas for lunch. A creative cook needs inspiration, you know.