Saroja's Profile

I love mornings but I also love sleep... and as a surgical resident (think 130 hour weeks at the hospital), sleep is in short supply and my workday starts at 6 am, 7 days a week.

I would love to wake up earli(er) and do some sun salutations or turn on some sweet music while I sip a cup of tea but (a) my husband sleeps later than I do and (b) I need to maximize how much sleep I get whenever possible.

To this end, I try to go to bed a little earlier and spend some time beforehand reading something non-work related with a scented candle burning. The smell tells my body that it's ok to relax and the book takes my mind off work before I sleep.

Currently, my morning routine is a mad dash from bed to shower to work. It would be lovely to start my day with the same peace and mindfulness that I use to end it. I'm going to spend the next week making those sun salutations happen. Thanks for the encouragement to do so.

I listen to music on 8tracks or grooveshark.

As I was finishing medical school, my mentor gave me this advice when I told him I was applying to surgery: "Surgery is a man's world. Unless you drink whiskey, drive stick, and smoke cigars you'll never make it".

I didn't start drinking whiskey just so I'd be accepted by my peers, I drank it for the taste (and the weight-to-alcohol ratio on camping trips)... but I'd like to say that in our year there are 5 surgical residents: 4 of us are women; I'm the only one who drinks whiskey (the boy does not!); we all drive stick; and none of us smoke cigars unless it's a wedding or someone has a baby.

Three cheers for whiskey and three cheers for reclaiming gender neutrality. You don't have to be a manly woman to make it in surgery, or life for that matter, you just have to be yourself.

Yikes. I can't imagine salting my pasta like this... I usually don't put any salt in at all! Instead, I use my pepper grinder to add flavor to the finished dish.

I really think it's not just you - this time of year can be tough: your cellar is empty and you're sick of root veggies but it's not quite spring yet and fresh veg isn't there to tempt you into the kitchen.

My trick has always been to plan some very low-investment but healthy "snack"-type meals. For instance, dinner can easily be a variety of cheese (brie, cheddar, havarti) with crackers, apples, and grapes. Lunch can be a pre-made soup from the freezer. Breakfast is typically granola. As soon as the fresh veg starts coming in, your fridge will perk up and so will you! Good luck!

I have also come to the realization that cheap chicken is not the way to go... here's a link to my experience: http://murphyandhoyle.blogspot.com/2010/09/difference-between-involvement-and.html

Sometimes, it's very difficult to continually find good, ethically raised, meat. It takes planning and preparation. It means- for me at least - eating vegetarian at most restaurants. But, in the end, I'm certain that I'm healthier for it.

I'm very happy to hear that I'm not the only one on a crazy mission in demanding happy, healthy livestock. Hooray!

I never peel!!! The peels add fibre, nutrients, and flavor -- and not eating them is just plain wasteful. This goes for carrots, parsnips, apples, peaches, and even kiwis! Just give'em a good wash and munch away.

Why do the vast majority of these quick weeknight meals have shrimp? I'm a little disappointed since I think that this is a great idea for a contest but I'm allergic to seafood. I'd like to see more diversity in these recipe ingredients.