A TASTY VALENTINE

- Bonnie Stoilkovich, zumaorganic.com

I will begin this article by stating everyday in my house is Valentine’s Day…OK, I know…after you’re done rolling your eyes and saying “ya, right”, just know, I really do mean it!  Not in the sense that I get flowers, cards, breakfast in bed, a romantic night alone with my husband or even a moments peace, but mainly because I try very, very hard to express my love & gratitude to my husband and daughter in most everything I do.  Because I am a cook by trade, this is usually done through food.  

In return for my thoughtful (and sometimes last minute) meals, I receive hugs, kisses, thank you’s and moments of sheer pleasure.  I will admit, it didn’t happen over night.  There were many nights (and mornings and afternoons) I spent slaving over a hot stove only to be greeted with an “I’m not hungry” or “I don’t like that”.  With patience and sometimes insistence, I kept fine tuning my weekly family meal plans and finally, I got it together.  You would think that since I have spent the last 15 years working with food in some capacity, that I would have the meal thing dialed…what to cook would just come easily and I would magically whip up some fabulous meal every night. Of course, that’s just not how it happens…not with a pre-schooler, a new business and a house to run.  One of the most popular items on my website (www.zumaorganic.com) are my Weekly Meal Plans.  It seemed other new moms were having the same dilemma.

A week or two before Valentine’s Day, I get inundated with emails and phone calls.  Most want to know what to cook or where to go.  This year (and every year for that matter) my motto is …Keep it Simple.  To me, the most thoughtful and romantic thing you can do is to cook a meal from your heart and never complain about having to do so.

The Tastiest Valentine’s Day is but a meal away…and why not include your children?  I think this special day is not exclusive to the couple, but extends to the entire family.  Last year, my then three year old daughter set the table with red heart plates from Michael’s and picked flowers from our Camellia Tree.  I cooked our favorite meal (tacos!) and served up a strawberry pound cake with whipped cream.  We sat as a family with candles lit and enjoyed the feast.  I will never forget it.  No, I didn’t have two hours alone with my husband at a busy restaurant or a Tiffany box wrapped with my name on it, but what I did have was a memory forever engraved in my mind that made me smile and appreciate all that I have in my life.

Why not spread the love with a simple tasty Valentine meal that is healthy, easy and delicious? Get the menu and recipes of what I will be making my family on Valentine’s Day on my website and visit me often for new ideas and classes that I offer.  Happy Cooking!

Cook Simply - Simply Cook

Bonnie Stoilkovich
www.zumaorganic.com