I should be in bed but instead I'll tell youwhat happened today, Sep. 10

Today I continued my temp assignment at the fabulous Bloomberg NYC headquarters. There is lots of natural light, open spaces where co-workers gather to buzz, technology and news themed art, and--best of all--unlimited snacks--many of which are accidentally vegan. Terra Gold chips in all varieties, plantain chips, cassava chips, pita chips, kiwis, green apples, bananas, coffee, iced coffee, fancy syrup for coffe and soda, Poland Spring bottles (or Dasani, for folks who prefer tap), Oreos, Cinnamania, and Chicken Style Cup of Noodle (which I haven't tried yet because I'm not sure if it's safe to eat peroxide). My previous employer is rumored to have used the expression "All she does is eat and gossip" to describe my work ethic, so you can imagine how Bloomberg is like a wet dream come true for me. I actually don't hate my assignment either. I'm working in Ad Traffic in Web Publishing area--helping them transition from one server to another. It's pretty quiet and low key and, best of all, I do not have to use anything related to Microsoft Office, Lotus Notes, or a phone. Sweet relief.

Today, my amazing chef/ caterer friend Yoli and I filmed the pilot for our potential cooking show. We had a blast and I actually learned a lot--like how to correctly chop an onion and the difference between curly and flat leaf parsley. Hopefully, things look good after editing.

Inspired by my day of cooking with Yoli, I prepared a cook-up of Okra and Plantains for dinner, along with oven roasted corn and quinoa.

Here's the recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put corn directly on the wire rack. Don't remove husk! Set timer for 20 minutes.
3. Start preparing quinoa according to box instructions. I usually add about 1 tsp of Spike seasoning.
   
4. Meanwhile on the stove: Saute 2 cloves garlic, 1 half small onion, 1 small tomato, and about 1/3 cup diced green pepper in canola oil over medium heat until green pepper is soft. Be sure to push it around a bit, so it doesn't burn.
5. Add a handful of okra that's been cut into little wheels and one ripe plantain that's cut into bite size pieces. Cook for about 7 minutes or so. (Honestly, I don't remember how long I cooked it, but 7 minutes sounds good. Just make sure the plantain isn't raw or else you won't be able to digest it--if you know what I mean.)
6. Add 1 TBS lemon juice and pepper, salt, cumin, coriander, and paprika to taste. (I used about 1/4-1/2 tsp of each.)
7. Cook for another 3-5 minutes to let the flavors meld, then remove from heat.
8. Remove corn from oven once timer goes off.
9. Put everything in a bowl and enjoy with a cold beer--you deserve it!