Tara Duggan
San Francisco ChronicleA couple of months ago I injured my back. The actual cause is a little unclear, but it probably had something to do with a day I tried out a couple of ambitious yoga moves I hadn't attempted in about 12 years.
A couple of doctor visits and an MRI later, I found out I had a herniated disk. Though it has certainly been painful, what's been almost as hard is not being able to do much of anything, including cooking.
Since being injured, I've cooked a few times and realized that most kitchens are designed to ruin a back.
I don't have many cabinets in my kitchen, and my heavy pans and bowls are stacked on low shelves that require awkward bending. The fridge is the standard kind, with the freezer on top, which means most of the time I have to lean over to find things. And now I understand why some people choose to install their oven in the wall rather than having one under the range, which leads to awkward maneuvers to check on things or move pans around.
I'm sure I look ridiculous waddling between the sink and the counter with my back brace on, kicking the oven door open and shut to prevent bending at the waist, but I miss cooking terribly. Since I've had to keep things very simple when I do cook, I've come up with some recipes that are especially efficient.
One night I tossed some chicken legs with what I could find within an arm's reach: an open bottle of red wine, olive oil, salt and pepper. I added some sliced onions and herbs, and put the pan in the oven at moderate heat so I wouldn't have to check it often.
In the cupboard, I found a little bit of whole-grain barley and simmered it with some broth made from dried porcini mushrooms. That type of barley takes about an hour to cook through, so it was done about the same time as the chicken. I added some toasted almonds to enhance the earthy quality of the barley.
The next day, we made a salad from some of the leftover chicken. The barley turned out to be delicious tossed in to the lightly dressed greens with more almonds and apples, adding heft and a wholesome starch element to the salad.
My doctor says that my back should get better soon. In the meantime, I've found that a few satisfying cooking sessions and plenty of fresh, delicious food can help get you through almost anything. And I'm going to find a new place to put those pots and pans.
