| I love food. I don't mean that I love it a little, I | | | | think about are more things that are making me |
| mean I LOVE it a lot. And, over the years, I have | | | | unhappy, then that is what I am putting into my |
| realized how something seemingly as simple as | | | | meal. Have you ever wondered why when two |
| cooking can make all the difference in a meal and | | | | people make the exact same recipe, it tastes |
| in your environment. | | | | different? Consider the idea that both people, |
| Thinking back to when I was a young girl, I have | | | | though following the same recipe, were in two |
| the fondest memories of cooking with my | | | | different emotional places when they made it. |
| parents, both of who were great cooks, and still | | | | So how can you work with this idea? Let me |
| are. My Mom was a great cook and baker. She | | | | suggest a few things below to try the next time |
| made everything from home-made bread, to | | | | you are making a meal because remember that |
| cookies and pies, as well as hearty salads and | | | | cooking is also an act of creativity. |
| soups that would warm you from the inside out. | | | | Make sure you are in a good mood when you're |
| There wasn't anything she couldn't do in the | | | | cooking. Even if all you are doing is cutting up |
| kitchen, and she always did it with the most | | | | vegetables for a salad, do it from a good place, |
| organic, healthy, herbal ingredients she could get | | | | think positive thoughts, focus on something you |
| her hands on. My Dad was the expert at Italian | | | | feel good about or play your favorite music. |
| and Armenian food. Taught by his parents who | | | | Create a sense of beauty while you eat. Whether |
| had a restaurant when he was a boy, he could | | | | you live alone or have many people in your |
| make a spaghetti dish or Koofta that would make | | | | family, you can always create a beautiful table. |
| your taste buds sing. | | | | Instead of eating out of a to-go box, eat your |
| I always wanted to help them cook, and they | | | | food on a pretty plate, put a flower on the table, |
| always let me. At an early age I began learning | | | | light a candle, use nice glassware. Play calming |
| the techniques of cooking, for example knowing | | | | music while you eat and give a word of thanks |
| when to knead the dough, how long to let it rise, | | | | prior to eating. Practice thinking about positive |
| and how to be gentle so that the yeast would | | | | things while you eat or talking about positive |
| respond. I learned that slow cooking would | | | | things with those you are eating with. Allow your |
| enhance the flavor of a tomato sauce and that | | | | meal to be an intentional and enjoyable event. |
| overcooking things would remove all the good | | | | Slow down. We are all used to eating so quickly |
| enzymes. | | | | that our bodies don't even get a chance to digest |
| But most valuable, was learning the importance of | | | | our food properly. Practice taking your time while |
| cooking with a particular mindset. What I mean is | | | | eating. |
| that when a person cooks with love, the food | | | | Eat healthy, organic food whenever possible, in |
| tastes differently than when it's prepared out of a | | | | order to avoid any sprays or pesticides as these |
| feeling of unhappiness or resentment. I decided | | | | too have a negative affect on the body. |
| early on to cook when I was in a better mood, | | | | Avoid fast food and microwaving. By the time |
| because the food carried the energy of my | | | | either of these end up in your mouth, all the |
| thinking, feeling self. Now this might sound strange, | | | | enzymes and life of the food is gone. |
| but let me explain a little further. Gregg Braden, a | | | | Energetically, this is nowhere near as healing as |
| New York Times best selling author who is | | | | non-processed food. |
| internationally renowned as a pioneer in bridging | | | | Eat live food whenever possible. Eating fresh fruits |
| science and spirituality, discusses the now scientific | | | | and vegetables is like eating sunlight when it |
| fact that we all have an electro-magnetic field | | | | comes to healthy eating. |
| around our hearts. And very simply stated, what | | | | Most of all, enjoy your meal. Food is one of the |
| this means is that however we are feeling, | | | | gifts we get to enjoy while we are here in the |
| whatever our emotions or state of mind, that | | | | physical body, so use it to honor your body, |
| feeling is emanated out through our hearts and | | | | choose wisely what you put into your mouth as |
| into our environment. This has been able to be | | | | well as how much you eat. Remember that "your |
| measured, and I'm sure that we all know the | | | | stomach is the size of your fist, not a wheel |
| feeling of being around someone and immediately | | | | barrel" as Wayne Dyer says. |
| getting a sense about them. | | | | Drink a lot of water. It works to cleanse the |
| As it relates to food as shown in the movie, Like | | | | body. Remember that we are made up of |
| Water for Chocolat, our emotions have a direct | | | | 75-80% water. |
| effect on that which we are cooking with our | | | | Remember, how we do anything is how we do |
| own hands. If I cook a pie from scratch, and I | | | | everything. This is a practice in mindfulness, and it |
| have beautiful music playing and I am happy | | | | can be applied to every area of your life. When |
| about cooking, knowing I will get to share this pie | | | | we come from a place of intention, love and |
| with people I care about, then I am putting | | | | kindness, our hearts expand, and our lives |
| positive energy into my cooking. If I am preparing | | | | become more rich and full. |
| a meal but I'm in an unhappy mood and all I can | | | | |