i grew up as one of those kids who insisted an cheese pizza and pasta with butter. No color for me. But now that I'm on my own, stocking my own fridge,i can't get enough color. I love vegetables to an almost alarming degree and am always trying to create a healthy version of my favorite comfort foods. I try to make a meal from an intriguing recipe at least once or twice a week. I am happy to share my passion for food with my boyfriend who helps me with many such meals. having worked in a sushi restaurant these past 6 months has opened my eyes to a whole new world of food from delectable fish to un-pronounceable plants and roots. I devour tea and get giddy over kim-chee. My favorite thing to cook is anything new and different. One of my tried and true favorite meals is what I have dubbed my "dank salad." People may not consider making a salad cooking, but one look at my home made salads will make anyone understand why it is such a satisfying meal. I prepare dozens of veggies, each in a distinctive fashion - romaine hearts and baby spinach tossed with sauteed garlic, onions and bell pepper, steamed broccoli and asparagus, diced tomatoes and zucchini, cooked chicken, as well as an ever changing assortment of veggies (artichokes to baby corn) depending on availability, topped with croutons, dried cranberries, almonds and fat free ranch dressing. Its quite a production, and I'm sure my roommates hate the mess I make in the kitchen, but with every mouthful I experience a delightful new flavor. every ingredient combines uniquely yet perfectly, making the meal both nourishing and fun. My whole life, I've always looked forward to Sunday breakfast. I'll always remember my dad's mickey mouse oatmeal pancakes and syrup drenched waffles or french toast. Whenever possible, i treat myself to these late Sunday morning indulgences. And i love any opportunity to find a recipe that puts a new twist on an old classic. I'm pretty proud of anything that tastes great after a hard trial in the kitchen. I loved it when i made the pie that made me like pie from wild picked blackberries and crisp apples this summer. I loved it when i made a stuffed pepper/meatloaf recipe from a cooking show and it came out tasting and looking as good as it did on the TV. I was so proud when i brought home a new broccoli recipe home for thanksgiving and it was the hit of the night. There have been many kitchen failures in my day but one big disappointment was when i spent hours slaving over - and creating a giant mess from a butternut squash soup recipe only to have it come out as one of the worst tasting soups i ever had. No fun