Blessings on the Blossoms...
“Food for us comes from our relatives, whether they have wings or fins or roots. That is how we consider food. Food has a culture. It has a history. It has a story. It has relationships.” – Winona LaDuke
Cooking, for me, is therapy. It's an art form in its own right. No, I'm not a chef. I'm just a mom, taking care of my family, raised with an appreciation and gratitude for the simple pleasure of gathering around a table with loved ones. There's something special about sharing a meal that's been prepped and cooked from scratch, made with love by hands that care enough to go the extra mile.
I have been cooking since I was 11 years old and as I sit here now as a 43 year old woman, I have yet to grow tired of it. No, I don't always blog about the things which I make, but the passion I hold for my "office" (aka the kitchen) will never die!
“Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” – Alan D. Wolfelt
A little while ago, Jude made a request at the dinner table whilst eating. He was eating the last leftovers from the spaghetti bolognaise I made one evening (his favourite) and he asked "mom, I need you to write down the ingredients for your bolognaise and how to make it before I am 21" to which I responded, no - I will teach you how to make it, then you will make it and it will be in your mind forever! He agreed.
A simple moment, but it made my heart smile! I look around me these days and so few people know how to cook for themselves and even fewer seem to hold any value in the importance of this. Everything is "instant this" and "ready made" that. If they simply took a moment to read the labels of their healthy convenience meals - they may possibly choose a different direction for their dinner that night. Then again, so much today is about convenience that the "consequence" has pretty much become an adaptation of the lifestyle itself.
“I watch cooking change the cook, just as it transforms the food.” – Laura Esquivel
In a world which is overrun with stress, we should make an effort to find time (or create it) for the therapy that is food. For me it is a process - therapy. Put the music on, pour a glass of wine and start prepping. I love every SINGLE step of it! I am very much a "rustic" foodie in the prep department and I like to leave things as close to "just as they were" as I can get.
I grow things so that I have the blessing of adding them to the things I cook. There is something special about grabbing things straight from the garden and adding them to your culinary adventures. My "little" delve into paganism as a young teen has left with me the habit of vocally expressing thanks to the plants I cut as and when I use them - a "ritual" I have deep appreciation for... much like the grace we say (or should say) at the table every night before we consume the meal in front of us.
“I know once people get connected to real food, they never change back.” – Alice Waters
As much as we are living breathing beings, so is everything we eat. No, I am not vegetarian nor vegan - but that does not mean I don't hold a great appreciation and thanks for ALL that I consume on a daily basis. The preparation of food and the consumption of such is therapy in itself if you choose to stop for a moment and envelope yourself in the experience.
My son learned a "grace" at pre-school many years ago and it has been a constant at our dinner table ever since. I thought I would share it with you too..
Blessings on the blossoms, blessings on the fruit. Blessings on the leaves and stems and blessings on the roots - Amen.
My passion for creating meals from scratch has only deepened over the years. Cooking isn't just a chore; it's therapy and also my way of expressing love for my family. Let's not forget to pause and embrace the blessing that is the food we eat. From the first chop of a vegetable to the last bite of a delicious meal.
“Food brings people together on many different levels. It’s nourishment of the soul and body; it’s truly love.” – Giada De Laurentiis
❤❤❤
Until next time...
Much Love from Country Bumpkinland, South Africa xxx
Jaynielea
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Many thanks @joslud :)
Approval from someone who also appreciates good, conscious eating and the way to get there ;-))
I cooked and baked a lot with my children. The boys don't let me fool them in the kitchen these days... My daughter has switched back and forth a bit with her eating habits. She currently feels like a raw food vegan. I can't say for sure whether she still enjoys cooking and savouring food...
I think it is good to experiment and explore - if that is what you are drawn to do I suppose :) No doubt she will will eventually settle into whatever works best for her... even if that ends up being a little bit of this and a little bit of that :D
Why thank you :) xxx
It looks very appetizing!
Thanks :)