Cooking Philosophy
In my experience, there are different seasons within our kitchen lives. In my thirties, I was in my mom stage. Everything was about creating easy but nutritious meals for myself and my family. These were the years when I learned the secrets of traditional cooking methods (like why to soak grains and beans) as well as how to best entice my boys to eat a large variety of foods. These are some of the lessons that I’d like to pass on, in my coaching, to newer moms, or to those who are peering into this stage and are getting themselves womb-ready for their babes.
As my boys grew into teens, and we were out and about much more, I got burned out on grinding grains from scratch, and making our bread, sauerkraut and kefir. I have the tendency to go to extremes, so I went the other way for a while, throwing together the same 4-5 meals, often with a bit more resentment than love at the end of the day. I understand burn-out.
Now, I am increasingly convinced of how important it is to cook nurturing, delicious meals for ourselves, and our families. I was re-inspired about this a year ago when I watched a friend lovingly prepare a meal. I wrote about it here. We can’t always be generous service when cooking our fifth healthy meal of the week. But it is a good goal. And, there are ways to make life easier.
Once a week, try to prepare a few healthy staples, like a pot of brown rice and/or quinoa, and (if you tolerate them well) one of beans. I use rice or quinoa as the base for stir-fries, soups and gluten free burritos/bowls. Having the grain ready to go makes a huge difference.
I also have an Instapot and use it to make perfect rice (use the same amount of rice as water, no matter how much, and no matter what kind! Times will change though. For all kinds of brown rice - 22 minutes.) I have an Instapot Indian cookbook that I use often. Heating up coriander, cinnamon, turmeric together… smelling their unique flavor, hearing the cumin seeds POP - cooking Indian food is a sensual experience, way before the first bite. There are also instapot cookbooks for Paleos, Vegans, and everything in between, as well as recipes on online.
Shaking up your routine with new recipes keeps things fresh and interesting.
This one is maybe the most important - Cook enough for two meals at least. Then you have another one ready to go later in the week, or you can freeze it.
About Meat: I buy a large variety of vegetables and fruits and experiment with different sauces and flavors. Organic, free-range meat and wild fish have mostly become flavors to the meal rather than the main attraction. We eat it several nights but only a (generous) palm-sized amount for each of us, per meal. There are so very many reasons to not eat conventional meat or farmed fish. I could write a book. But others already have! I never eat meat out unless they use pasture-raised organic.
A note about restaurants. I love eating out, or did before Covid-19. Now, I love ordering occasionally from a trusted caterer who emphasizes sustainability along with great flavor, and from an amazing Thai place that uses local food. I worked in the restaurant business (as my side gig while acting) for a long time. It is important to choose wisely when eating out. Read Kitchen Confidential, by Anthony Bourdain, for some elaboration. It’s a very entertaining read. Here is a preview.
Unfortunately, I am not conscious enough to light a candle every time I cook a meal, but I do take a second to breathe and remember why I am cooking. I also take note, when I think of it, of how lucky I am to have the amazing ingredients we have in our kitchen. I completely believe that the state of mind of the cook has a huge influence on the way the meal tastes and on how much it nurtures. I do whatever it takes to get myself to joy. Putting on some good music helps.
Just rubbing a sprig of rosemary between my fingers can re-ground me as a person who is serving myself and loved ones through food. The fresher the ingredients (as in from my local farmers’ market last Saturday,) the easier it is to take in the sight of multi-colored swiss chard, or the taste of a fresh ripe strawberry, or the smell of thyme. The more alive the ingredients are, the more cooking becomes a sensual experience rather than just a chore.
