My Diet-Friendly Apple Tartlets and the Joys of Snacking While Working

My apple tartlets, out of the muffin pan, and
off to the fridge.

I have a deadline to meet, and a paper to finish for an important conference.  I'm two weeks into my Cohen Program, and I was wondering how I can survive long hours of sitting, reading, and writing, without resorting to my usual practice of munching as I mull over my ideas and compose my thoughts.   I decided to surf the net for a recipe for a snack I could work on, while I worked on my paper.  And I found this recipe for making apple tartlets out of the usual cracker and fruit allowance. I was excited to embark on a Cohen kitchen adventure.  So here's how it went...

The main ingredients: Jacob's crackers and apples.

I started by reading a book.  I sat quietly for a bit until I stumbled into a very exciting idea that was useful for the main argument of my paper.  I was excited!  I scribbled notes, and put the book down. I had to stand up and do something with my hands while I tried to find ways to articulate in words the connection I was making in my head, between the idea I read, and my own topic.  I stood up, and started slicing apples into wedges, peeling off the skin, cutting and dicing, and putting them in a pot of water. I added some splenda, and a stick of cinnamon, and turned on the stove.  I went back to my seat. Wrote a sentence, one all important sentence that contained a major argument. As the apples stewed in the pot, I let my argument simmer for a bit.  I continued reading, quietly, until I stumbled into another exciting passage.  I scribbled down a quote. I got excited again. Stood up, and started pounding some crackers, 2 pieces of Jacob's Hi-Cal Original at a time.  I moistened the crumbs with some diet soda so they would adhere,  I sprayed some Pam on my muffin pan, and spooned the crumb-mixture evenly.  I popped them in the oven to let them bake for a bit.  I sat down, and scribbled a sentence. A second all-important sentence in my developing outline.  The scent of apples and cinnamon created such an invitingly warm atmosphere in the kitchen.  I was happy to be stationed on the dining table, with all my books and papers before me. I started to read, again.

Freshly baked apple tartlets right out of the pan!

I stumbled into another great idea from yet another book, and had to stand up again, to compose my thoughts, and carefully word yet another argument.   I busied my hands with draining the stewed apples from the pot, and spooning them into the cups of the muffin pan, then popping them into the oven.  As my apple tartlets baked, I spoke to myself, trying out different ways to phrase, as precisely as I can, the idea I can see clearly in my head but couldn't quite convey in words just yet.  I was muttering as I worked my way from the stove, to the sink, to the kitchen counter, cleaning up the mess I made as I attempted to de-clutter my brain and focus my thoughts.  I sat down, got a clean sheet of paper, and looked at all the notes I've scribbled... I began writing a fresh, new outline.  And there it was. An outline. A skeletal structure to be fleshed out in detail in the hours and days to come.  It's best to take a break, to let my ideas bake.  I packed up my pad, and closed my books, and prepared my placemat for a sacred ritual - it was time for my rewarding snack.  

My rewarding coffee break.

I heated some water, and scooped some freshly ground coffee into my Bodum single-serve/in-cup French coffee press (my new best friend!!).   As my coffee steeped, I carefully lifted two, piping hot apple tartlets out of the muffin pan, and lay them tenderly on my plate.  The rest, I transfered into a Lock and Lock container so I could store them for my writing sessions tomorrow.  Then, I finally sat down, took a tiny desert fork, and cut into my warm tartlet, and had a very rewarding moment.  It felt like cutting into a piece of apple pie.  The act of slicing, and scooping up, and smelling the scent of apples and cinnamon - it was divine!   And I was happy to eat only two tiny tartlets, flavored subtly. It reminds me of the new lifestyle I wish to embrace - the Cohen way...  the joys of snacking need not involve huge quantities of food and copious amounts of sugar.  I cut the tartlets into quarters, and had 8, fully-savored mouthfuls of stewed apples on a warm crust.  Partnered with coffee, it was sheer bliss.

I had a great afternoon.  I got my work done, and managed to incorporate food in my thinking process in a healthier way.  To top it off, my daughter Narra, saw me working and baking, and she copied me. She sat down and scribbled with her pen and crayons, and shadowed me in the kitchen...and when the snack was done, she asked me for a piece - ha!!! My picky little eater has been asking me for food since I started the Cohen program and paid attention to my own food, more than to hers.  It's been hard concentrating on writing papers when the kids were running around the house, but with my apple tartlet project anchoring me to the kitchen, I found the focus my work badly required and deserved.  I think the discipline required by the Cohen program has unlocked my hidden reserves of will power - allowing me to become disciplined in other aspects of my life, such as my academic writing.

I'm looking forward to writing again tomorrow.  I decided not to write throughout the night, the way I used to. I need to sleep (part of the Cohen prescription). And midnight work often involves midnight snacks, and I'm not going to set myself up for failure by staying up late, and working up an appetite. Nope. Discipline. I will sleep at night, and work in the morning. And I know some nice apple tartlets are waiting for me when I earn my morning coffee break.