![\"One](\"https:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/IMG_2886-e1589749080869.jpg\")
<\/a>One of the few salads I made. It was far from basic–just look at all the fun items I included! Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the big one at the top of this page, of a black bean burrito buffet.<\/p><\/div>\n
Now I\u2019ve been in the house for almost ten<\/em> weeks, so I figure that it\u2019s time to discuss my worst cooking disaster ever<\/em> in a new YouTube video. Here\u2019s that link: www.youtube.com\/watch?v=RqZEk2DNVts<\/a>.<\/p>\n As far as celebrating that today is National Eat What You Want Day, isn\u2019t this what we\u2019ve all been doing during our basic house arrests? Shockingly, I\u2019ve gained only half a pound\u00a0in all these weeks! I can\u2019t believe that\u2019s to be considered a triumph<\/em> these days. (I have one friend who has actually lost sixteen pounds<\/em>! Maybe I should be quarantining with her<\/em> instead of the candy-gobbling, soda-guzzling, bad influence, Mr. X!)<\/p>\n But I do have to admit that I\u2019m not being as careful about what I eat as I\u2019ve been for the past four and a half years, ever since my mini-stroke. Being contained for so long feels kind-of like we\u2019re living in a doomsday bunker, so I\u2019ve occasionally just been going for it. I\u2019ve even been drinking some soda, an awful-for-you substance I gave up back then. But thank goodness I\u2019m still not eating ice cream or red meat, (except for the small bit of pepperoni on a frozen pizza, or the one day Mr. X and I broke down and grilled hot dogs.)<\/p>\n Karen Salkin’s Brown Rice Pilaf. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n The weirdest thing is that this<\/em> restaurant critic, (who\u2019s been going out<\/em> to eat for probably 95% of my adult life,) has been cooking up a storm! Almost non-stop! In all these weeks, (and, actually, months,) we ordered pizza twice, a friend brought us a homemade casserole once, and we drove-thru a fast food joint the three times that we went out for supplies. And that is it! I\u2019ve made all of our meals for the rest of the entirety of the quarantine!!! OMG\u2014that concept just boggled my mind! I may have to get a job in a restaurant after this! [Note: I have<\/em> cooked on several TV shows over the years, to much success. Well, the cooking itself wasn\u2019t great, which meant my segments<\/em> were funny, which is all the producers and viewers really cared about.]<\/p>\n And here\u2019s the best news\u2014most of what I\u2019ve cooked has been downright healthful<\/em>! (I know that last week, I promised to tell you guys about all<\/em> my dishes, but that would be waaay too long, so I\u2019m just giving you the highlights. And lowlights, too, of course. And then, maybe one day, I\u2019ll publish the extensive Isolation Food Diary<\/em> I\u2019ve been meticulously keeping for all these months!)<\/p>\n Karen Salkin’s Raspberry and Chia Pudding Parfaits. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n There have been some hits and some misses, as well, which, as always, I own up to. The hits include my quartet of perennial dishes: checca with whole wheat pasta, brown rice pilaf, vegetarian casserole, and healthful banana-peanut-butter-chocolate-chip pancakes. And some new faves, such as raspberry and chia pudding parfaits, cheesy potato pancakes, homemade guacamole, and the surprisingly delicious Tower of Matzah cake.\u00a0(In case you missed them when originally published, links to some of the \u201chits\u201d recipes is at the bottom of this article.)<\/p>\n The misses were, sadly, a tad more plentiful, including vomititious ricotta cheese chocolate mousse, chocolate \u201cwater cake,\u201d (which Mr. X couldn\u2019t even choke down even one slice of,) and the worst one\u2014I tried making a banana sauce for a fruit salad, and suffered not one<\/em>, but two<\/em> mishaps! Well, the first<\/em> one was a mishap; the second was a disaster<\/em>. (Hint: They both involved the blender. Don\u2019t ask.)<\/p>\n But my efforts in the kitchen will continue for the foreseeable future. That\u2019s because I definitely do not recommend going out soon, which I explain in that latest foodie YouTube video of mine, right here: www.youtube.com\/watch?v=RqZEk2DNVts<\/a>.<\/p>\n Karen Salkin’s Cinco de Mayo foodfest! Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n As we should all know by now, especially in Los Angles and New York, (where I was due to be right now,) it\u2019s still not really safe to spend time outside of our homes. But when it is<\/em> safe to live our normal lives again, the first two places I\u2019m heading to are the restaurants Back on the Beach in Santa Monica and Westwood\u2019s Emporium Thai. There will be no more cooking for me! At this point, I cannot wait to stop.<\/p>\n And please, everyone, stay home to stay safe.<\/strong><\/p>\n Now, as promised, here are those recipe links:<\/p>\n Karen Salkin’s Healthful Pancakes. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n Checca: itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/recipe-karens-checca-pasta-recipe-with-a-lot-of-choices<\/a><\/p>\n Tower of Matzahs: itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/recipe-tower-of-matzahs-recipe<\/a><\/p>\n Banana-Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Pancakes: itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/recipe-a-healthful-recipe-for-national-pancake-day<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>