THE EXPERIENCE BEGINS

After 5 consecutive nights of dining out, I finally exhausted my bank account and my stomach of convenient eating. Don’t get me wrong–I wasn’t throwing back milkshakes and burgers or Trader Joes’ frozen enchiladas (yum); I was having good quality cooked food at reputable restaurants known for using local and organic ingredients. But by the end of the week, all I had to show for a week of splurging on dinner was belly bloat and an embarrassingly sparse checking account. The over-glugging of olive oil and over-sprinkling of salt resulted in a sluggish, bloated version of me.

Since then, I've decided that I need to upgrade my eating habits. I want to know what goes into everything I put in my body! Also, it's important to become better acquainted with LA’s vibrant farmer’s market scene. And, it’s an excellent opportunity for me to have dinner parties with friends. After all, I don’t think I’d be able to eat a whole roast pig on my own… although, if you give me some Sriracha…

With guidance from Brit-born locavore and formerly very “naked” chef Jamie Oliver, I will be translating his recipes into real life, edible eats during the weekdays (ugh, after work) for one month. This means that I will not be engaging in any restaurant or store-bought activities. I'm not exactly sure what this will mean for my mental well-being, but I know I will feel physically rejuvenated (side note: Jamie uses a lot of garden-fresh greens and lemon juice in his recipes).