My Life Without Garlic

Have I mentioned how this baby does not like garlic?  Really this baby doesn't like much, except bar-b-que, fried okra, and cookies.  But ninja-baby really does not like garlic.

Pretty much it comes right back up, but if I'm lucky it just makes me sick for several days and Carlin gets to listen to me moan and groan about how wretched my life is and how I'm never getting pregnant again.  Ever.

You would be surprised how many foods garlic shows up in - it's like people put garlic in everything.  At first I was just miserable.  I wasn't up for much cooking and all my favorite soups and store-bought, pre-made foods had garlic in them.

But now I cook more and an interesting thing has happened.  I've realized how other herbs and spices taste WITHOUT garlic.  Suddenly basil is sweet and charming, thyme has a kick to it I didn't know that little spice could have, cumin has a wonderful smoky flavor that can save my lame attempts at taco seasoning.

I also have a new view on restaurants.  Are they really good or are they just hiding behind a hideous amount of butter, cheese and garlic?  For example, Carlin took me out to Zio's the other day and I ordered a shrimp in lemon butter sauce except I had to omit the sauce and ask for no seasoning on the shrimp.

The dish came out with angel hair pasta, shrimp, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and mushrooms in a plain butter sauce.  And guess what?  I could taste the dish.  The juicy shrimp, the bitter artichoke, the out-of-season-lackluster tomatoes, and the always wonderful sauteed mushrooms.

Now instead of adding an extra dash of garlic to my dishes I'm discovering new spices and use of old spices and loving it.

Oh - and ninja-baby is the official name of this baby because it is seriously trying to karate chop its way out of my stomach.  It even startles Carlin it kicks so hard and has almost made me pee my pants on several occasions when using my bladder as a punching bag.