adventuresofasuperwoman

Particularly Mad Season

Before you read and take to heart anything that I’ve written in this week’s blog entry, it is vital that you understand that I am not a doctor or medical professional of any kind. In fact, what I know about medicine or the human body or anything related to it is frighteningly dangerous! It’s just that for about one to two weeks of the month my psyche undergoes some strange change that makes it unbearable for anyone to get close to me (that includes me). I decided to do a little research on the matter and consequently I’m sharing it with you…

As you may have guessed, I’m speaking of the particularly mad season that occurs approximately once a month, more commonly known as PMS.  For us ladies this is really a crappy time, physically we don’t feel so good and emotionally we’re doing even less good. Where before I was worried about global warming, during this time, it now deserves a one-hour crying session accompanied by slight paranoid hysteria. Little things like the dishes, choosing new eyeliner or deciding what’s for dinner just becomes impossible tasks that drains the life right out of me… it’s a bitch, really!

It kills me that I can’t fully explain it, but I guess it’s a bit like asking a guy to explain why he just can’t put the toilet seat down! And on this point, NO, us ladies shouldn’t just be thankful that guys lift the seat in the first place – that would be like us expecting you boys to be thankful that we don’t actually murder you during the mad season! Oh by the way, did I mention I have PMS?  And while I’m talking to the guys, here’s a tip: When us ladies do have PMS, we’re usually pretty calm and in control until someone utters the following words: “Jeez! Do you have PMS?” Believe me, these tiny little words are all that’s needed to start a world war! So, tread lightly, gents!

The problem with this particularly mad season, is no one can really explain in layman’s terms exactly what’s going on and how to make it go away – and that is sort of what this blog is all about: finding a solution. In this case, a solution for the never-ending cramping, bloating and mood-swinging that even makes the devil twitch. But if we can’t make it go away, we can certainly try and make it better, according to http://www.womenshealth.gov/FAQ/premenstrual-syndrome.cfm and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premenstrual_syndrome, here’s what we need to do to ease the eina:

• First, cut down on the fags! Nicotine is bad.

• Less alcohol, inebriation will not numb the pain.

• More veggies, healthy food is your friend.

• Apparently the healing powers of certain Vitamins should also not be forgotten – ask your doc!

• And then the ever-faithful warmwater bottle accompanied by a tummy rub and a big old helping of my Mediterranean pasta will do wonders (I promised food for this week)!

El’s Mediterranean chicken pasta

You’ll need:

Couple of drops of olive oil for frying

Half a teaspoon freshly crushed garlic

About 4 spring onions, chopped

2 teaspoons lemon/lime juice

2 chicken breasts cut into pieces

Any chicken spice

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tin tomatoes

1 teaspoon tomato paste

Half a glass of red wine

As many baby marrows as your heart desires, chopped up

Mushrooms, sliced (if you like!)

As much pasta as you like, I use approximately 3 cups of dry shells

What to do:

Heat the olive oil in a pot/pan and add the chopped spring onions (I use a lot because I simply love the taste). Then add the garlic and continue frying. When you start smelling the wonderful aroma of the spring onions fusing with the garlic, add the chicken pieces, chicken spice, salt and pepper, as well as the lemon juice, and continue cooking until the chicken becomes a nice brownish kind of colour. Now add the red wine and let it simmer for about a minute before adding the tinned tomatoes and tomato paste. Add the baby marrows and mushrooms and let it simmer for about another 5 – 7 minutes. If the sauce becomes too thick, you may add a little water or some more wine – all depending on how brave you are!

Cook your pasta in whichever way that blows your skirt up, dish up and then lavishly spread the sauce on top, finish off with a couple of sprinkles of a light-coloured, strong, hard cheese (like parmesan or dutch Belegen). Big time yummy!

Ok superpeople, that’s me for now! Hope you enjoy this dish as much as I did. Best thing about it is it’s mostly stuff you already have at home! As for the PMS situation, just keep the faith and soldier on!