Welcome!

So, through the magic of the internet, you've found your way to my blog. Well, welcome! I hope that you will find your time here helpful, if not entertaining. I wanted to take a minute to let you know a little about myself, so that you know exactly what you are getting yourself into!

I am not, in anyway, a professional chef, nor do I have any training. Most of what I've learned about cooking I've picked up from cookbooks, TV shows, and friends and family. I cook because I love food and I love to provide the ones I love with a delicious and nutritious meal. I love to try new recipes and taste new kinds of food. I love, love, love to eat which is the biggest reason why I love to cook.

I called this blog "A Wooden Spatula" because it is my absolute favorite kitchen tool. Simple and versatile. I've been using the same bamboo spatula since I started cooking for myself, my first year living off-campus in college. We've been through a lot, my wooden spatula and I. Through terrible disasters and impossibly delicious triumphs, my wooden spatula has been there.

My husband and I with our dog, Gus, on a cold day at the beach.

My day to day life consists of working as an elementary school teacher, exercising, and spending time with my wonderful husband and our dog Gus. My husband is an extremely active scientist who trains for cycling, running, and triathlon races throughout the year. With his training, comes requests for specific dietary meals. In the most simple of terms, we eat healthy. This is my largest challenge in finding, modifying, and cooking meals each night of the week: each ingredient must serve not only for taste, but more importantly, it must provide nutritional benefit. My husband loves to tell me that he'd be fine eating plain baked chicken and salad every night of the week, but with my love of food and TASTE, I shudder at the thought. So, in compromise, we take time each week to write a menu before venturing to the grocery store. This helps in several ways, as we have a plan for each night of the week, we stick to a budget, we refrain from buying unnecessary ingredients, and we cut down on trips to the grocery store. Typically, I ask my husband what he needs to eat this week to compliment his training. For example, if he has a hard training day, he'll need a protein-focused meal, or if he's prepping for a race, he'll need a carb-heavy meal, and of course, my favorite, the meal AFTER a race, an anything goes meal! As with most things, balance and moderation are always key.

I'm hoping that this blog will chronicle my successes in the kitchen. I hope that the recipes will serve to help you bring some delicious into your kitchen, too! Now...let's eat.

-Carly