Foods Update

I had been ragging on Nica cuisine but its quality has been stepped up quite a bit.  So it’s only fair to write a redemption post.  I have started eating meat with some regularity.  This is probably due in part to my Oscar-pending acting performances (“Is this chicken?  It’s so tasty!  My mom used to make me chicken like this back home!  It’s so rich!”).  Of course one of those “meats” was sardines so maybe I only deserve an Emmy.  Regardless, my rice, beans and salty cheese combination has been cut down to twice a day.  On the other hand, I have been eating so much corn I’m pretty sure I’m secreting ethanol.  Now that harvest season is in full swing, I’m putting other corn products ON my corn tortillas.  Still no sign of fruits or vegetables being incorporated into the weekly menu (which is frustrating because they’re in abundance and they’re cheap).  On the bright side, I found a “store” that sells a lot of familiar products.  Last week I bought: salsa (added to the rice and beans it’s quite tolerable), ranch dressing (for the veggies that I promised myself that I’ll start eating), pineapple yogurt (supplement the protein and calcium I’m not consuming) and cornflakes (great source of artificially added iron).

I know I talk about food kind of a lot but it’s a big deal.  It’s just one of those things you can’t understand how much it impacts your mood/health.  For example, try spending less than $6/day on food and beverages then let me know how you’re feeling.  Some volunteers get physically ill not due to malnutrition but because the thought of eating rice and beans again literally sickens them.  Overall, minus my “severe bacterial infection”, I’ve been great.  My hair has thinned a little due the lack of protein and iron but it’s not noticeable (I promise!  I think it is blonder though so, bonus?).  Long story short, I will be gorging myself when I come home so please join me!

*UPDATE  So I bought a carrot and a cucumber from the market (people standing by the parking selling stuff) for $0.18 total.  I peeled, sliced and ate them with my newly purchased ranch dressing.  Of course my family was perplexed by this (the fact that a gingo man is in the kitchen AND he’s eating raw veggies is a double whammy) so I shared.  They LOVED ranch dressing.  7 year old sister Maria has now asked me numerous times if I can make it for dinner.  Punto para Pedro!