Food shall be thy medicine. And thy plastic surgery.

Thanks for all of your texts/calls/comments about my back.  Even though there are people with many more problems than me, back injuries just make you an emotional mess.  I got my x-rays and even requested that I drop them off at my doctor so I could see them first.  Expecting to see a broken vertebrae (really) and not finding anything obvious was relieving.  But then again, this was my first time ever seeing an x-ray, and a windshield probably does not provide optimum conditions to find hairline fractures.

My aunt suggested that I try one of those Thermacare stickers and I picked some up at Target last night.  It definitely relieves some of the sharp pains and takes my mind off of it.

The first dinner of this week was tomato arrabiata sauce again.  I have a friend that told me that she eats lots of tomatoes before a big event because she thinks that they make her skin glow and look better.  Maybe this is just wishful thinking on my part but I think it's true.  I wake up feeling prettier after eating tomatoes.  This sauce should have had me waking up looking like Gisele.

1.) roast four tomatoes and one red bell pepper (I broiled them for 20 minutes in a toaster oven)
2.) slice half of a big onion
3.) chop lots of garlic (I think I used 7 cloves)
4.) saute in some water until soft
5.) add one tablespoon of red chili flakes to onion saute (less if you prefer your mouth not flame up)
6.) Add tomato/bell pepper mixture to onion/garlic
7.) cook on high for one minute and turn to low; add one packet of stevia or other sweetener
8.) cover and cook on low while your pasta cooks
9.) add tomato "sauce" to pasta

We added some kale to the pasta cause that's how we roll.  Also fresh basil is excellent on top.  This would probably serve three people but we ate it all.  Sooooo good.  We don't eat pasta much but I always buy the same brand.  It is 100% whole grain and not a blend (though still a processed food) and you can get it pretty regularly at Publix for a buy one get one type deal.  The tomatoes were $2, the bell pepper was $.45, the box of pasta was $2 (we used half, so $1), the onion/garlic were probably around $.30 for what I used and spices I don't count because I just get big tubs of them at Sam's so they are practically free.

Dinner for two?  $3.75

Waking up looking like Gisele?  Priceless.