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I love living in Hawaii, it’s HOME. But I miss the change of seasons, especially the Fall. I experienced my first Autumn during my freshman year of College in Utah. Wow. I was not prepared for the distinct and clear-cut changes that came with it. Oh! The crispness in the air, the stunning array of colors in the trees, fresh pressed apple juice, rosy cheeks, oh my!! My heart aches for the sense of wonder, joy, and magic of Fall.
In a sincere attempt to bring some semblance of excitement for Autumn, I decorate my home with fall colors, splashed with pumpkins and “Happy Harvest” signs. Alas, the dip in temperature to a cool 71 degrees and the almost imperceptible change in weather doesn’t bring the same depth of magic. What does help is making pumpkin soup on a cold (cold for Hawaii) and rainy night. Here is my recipe for pumpkin soup. May it bring magic to your mind, a hip in your hop, and satisfaction to your spirit. Pumpkin Soup
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I love to cook because there are so many things you can create - you can never run out of recipes or ideas. How cool is that?
A few days ago, I rummaged through my fridge and took stock of what was in there and I had an idea come to me of what to make. It came out great. Infact, my husband called it a home run and then said, nope - you hit this one out of the park! Here is my “recipe” of sorts. ½ purple onion sliced thin 3 oyster mushrooms, sliced ½ Okinawan sweet potato, already boiled and cut up 3 chicken thighs, with the meat mostly gone (meat used for another recipe) Cilantro lime crema that I’ve been ignoring Smoked paprika and smoked salt. Flour tortillas Cheese (Mexican 4 cheese grated blend) Grape tomatoes Cilantro I sauted the onions in a little olive oil until they were soft. I added the mushrooms, sweet potato and a healthy amount of cilantro lime crema. I removed the remaining meat from the chicken bones (not much left!) and added that to the pan with the smoked paprika and salt, and let it simmer for just a few minutes. I put the above creation, about 2 Tbsp, into a flour tortilla. I folded the tortilla, added cheese and microwaved it for 30 seconds. I topped it with more crema, cut up grape tomatoes and cilantro. It was so good! I wish I took a picture! I’m going to recreate it soon and will add it to my “cooking without a recipe” file. If you have been following me for a while, you’ll know that this recipe would not be complete without a Life Lesson gleaned from this experience. So here it is, it’s one that pops up often - we all have everything we need to create masterpieces. It’s in the joy of exploring what we have. in our fridge and within ourselves, that gives birth to something delicious. Another lesson here is that I only had a little of this and a little of that, but created 4 delicious enchiladas to feed us both dinner - there is always enough! I hope you have enjoyed this and would be delighted if it sparks some creative juices flowing for you. We are all born with innate gifts. One of mine is cooking. As with all gifts, they are meant to be shared. So if you are a friend or neighbor of mine, you will be given good food!
The wonderful thing about gifts is the joy experienced in the giving. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “givers gain”. It’s kind of a paradox, right? But when you know someone truly enjoyed what you gave, it brings you happiness. I have a wall hanging on happiness that says:” It’s not so much in having as sharing. We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” I love that! Whenever I’m in the kitchen, I get in the creation zone. I think whenever we are in a space of using our gifts to create something, we are closest to our Creator. That’s one gift that cooking offers. The other is the opportunity to “play”. I love to throw things together to see how they come out. It’s fun! I especially like cooking Indian and Thai food because the alchemy of all the spices added in one dish takes food to a celestial level that feeds my body, mind, and spirit. Another gift of cooking is being able to make it “me time”, or “zen time”. If you are a working mom, you are probably calling me crazy for saying that, but it’s a choice! It’s a chance to slow down, be present, enjoy the “sense-ual” experience of the food; taste, smell, texture, color. It can be a time of gratitude and peace. Get your partner, or a friend, or a babysitter to watch the kids while you spend time with YOU. Think about it. Make it happen, give yourself that gift! Here is one of my favorite Thai recipes: Video: Pad Thai Noodles Recipe: Pad Thai Noodles |
AuthorSpiritual Foodie, Chef, Holistic RN, Healer Archives
August 2024
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