Monday, 14 September 2015

Finding Self, in the Kitchen!

Whenever I statrted cooking up a storm in the kitchen I would think of the Irish novelist Marian Keyes and how she cooked to overcome depression. Interestingly enough I am lately finding myself as in therapeutically in the kitchen. 

My food journey or should I say food adventure begun almost a year ago. I had put on a lot of weight and was batling with out of control food cravings due to the hormonal treatment I had to have because of illness (think Menapause at 28 years old for real!) Anyhow I had walked through the treatment for some time and after my 30th birthday I visited the homepath I had seen a few years earlier. She is always nice to go and see and I was brought up on strict natural medication, no chemicals and radical junk, my mom always whipped us off to their friend a homeopath whenever we were sick. So I learned about natural medication from a very young age. Anyhow, this homeopath put me on a strict sugar - free, gluten - free detox for 6 weeks. Strangely enough I knew that God was calling me to do this, to put aside all sugar and all gluten from my diet. Boy the first 3 weeks were hard, my chocolate addiction hit me hard and I was freaking out so I started to investigate the world of natural, sugar free eating. The world opened up to me in a way that was startling! I found myself exclaiming - wow this is possible! To live life this way was totally possible, so when my detox was over I committed mentally and emotionally to a sugar free, gluten free lifestyle.

Its amazing how Father had already positioned me for it. In 2011 we had hosted a raw food chef down here in South Africa and we were already cooking with coconut oil and juicing everyday. My husband and I have a modest food budget every month so we make it work, but I can honestly say I have never been happier. My food cravings went away, my weight dropped, my skin started to shine and I felt happier. Yip, I will still pinch a piece of hubbys choccie every few months and then when my throat burns and I realise how happy I am without it I try and steer clear of it.


But recently, through the dips of neck injury and much reflection, silence and this quite peaceful place I am finding myself, finding me and this gigantic creativity in the kitchen. I have had people suggest I start selling goods but after some thought I realise that to sell what I want to enjoy takes the enjoyment out of it. Unfortunately or fortunately for me, I cant do both when it comes to food. I dont consider myself a culinary chef, I consider myself someone who loves to eat healthily and is enjoying the new things I never made before!
This weekend I made falaffel from broad beans, yummy stuffed chicken with a healthy raw chili tomato sauce and this evening I made a raw basil pesto (from brocolli) layered some yummy fish in it with hone glazed carrots and mashed potato. Tomorrow I may just try out this recipe for raw strawberry cheesecake made from cashew nuts, that has been calling my name for a while! 



The point of my post is almost like a journal - I remember this moment and how it feels. To love standing in the kitchen and creating. Each new dish is a creation, its not cooking and as I turn the batter round and round in the bowl its done in rest and in reflection. I am so grateful. I dont want to box this and sell it, I want to enjoy this awakening and to do what I am doing right here, to find myself. To find and enjoy Yeshua in everything I make, in between the dishes and soft chocolate, guten free batter that makes muffins. In the yummy fishy basil pesto that cascades over the house, in the dance of the kitchen. Its become a holy place, a holy space where its just us, a peace so deep, its rest. Its a sacred space....where I see His smile and know how much He loves me and how pleased He is to know me. Eighteen months ago I started art classes and through these classes I found a different side of myself I never knew existed, and now outside of art class, the artist in me is deepening. I told my art teacher - I am not an artist! I am just here for fun! But now it is as though I need to stop running and just enjoy the undiscovered awakened places that blossom like trees in the springtime. 

I am having fun and heres to some more adventures and lots more treats, yum!

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