A shot at Healthy

Are you familiar with those bursts of inspiration, where you decide that ' from tomorrow' you shall start eating healthy food? Only to find that the day after the fated 'from tomorrow' creates hunger pangs that can only be filled with unhealthy junk? Welcome to my life! But the fact of the matter is, that despite this happening, I throw myself in with all my heart, and do what it takes, even if it is to make that one healthy meal. The added advantage being, that it ends up amazingly tasty and good for the soul! Especially if it is something new and really blows your mind, when you realise that you can create magic, by just believing, and being present in the moment.

I don't need a new reason to turn healthy, because my being truly believes in putting good stuff in there; and I love attempts at this. That being said, my slightly increasing girth was becoming a cause for concern, and I had unrealistic hopes to get back in shape in no time. Shopping for exciting and healthy ingredients gets me giddy with happiness, and that's just what we did that day, when we decided that we would make healthy food choices 'from tomorrow onward'.

As we walked into our home with the shopping bags full, I mentally put on my armour of roasted pumpkin, sunflower and flax seeds (with cranberries!), wholesome peanut and almond butter, fresh leeks, broccoli and fruits, and all my salad ingredients. I felt healthier already! When it was time to cook, I spent a while browsing online on how I would tackle the soup. The idea was to put together a new recipe for dinner, which would make us look and feel on top of the world. All in the added hope that it would taste great as well.

My husband turned into the best form of the angel he is, and helped chop up all the ingredients that I would need. To bear the sting of the white onion is no joke, and he was indeed the knight in shining armour. I was initially a little flustered at how to go about the whole thing, as cooking leeks was new to me. And I was also unsure if the proposed leek and potato soup would be as easy to make, as they made it look in videos. Either way, one had to start at some point, so I lay my inhibitions aside, and started to tackle it like a pro. Or so I thought. I was soon faced with confused and blank moments in between, trying to sort through my foggy brain, what two tasks I could club together to save cooking time. Or which task I should get started with. Why had I not begun already?

The first step is always the hardest, and once I got the chicken bones ready for making the broth, I felt more at ease. I added in some oil and salt to the pan on the flame, to flavour the chicken that was boiling away with water. Though my academic knowledge on broth-making was strong, I was still hesitant and felt a bit lost while trying to make it this time. I added in some cubed potatoes too, for the only reason that I felt I should. While that happened, I added on the salad ingredients to the heap that my husband was tackling, often getting mean about how to cut them, due to the frustration that came with aforementioned blank moments. I decided I would stop being a pain in the backside and instead concentrate on making the salad dressing. I love experimenting with this, and since this was a basic Greek salad dressing I was aiming at, I got down to doing this like I was born for it. With no particular measure, I put in a generous amount of olive oil, a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, one more of apple cider vinegar, a good dash of oregano and half a lemon, squeezed. I added in the required salt, a teaspoon of fine brown sugar, and felt adventurous enough to add some whole grain mustard. It tasted quite alright, though the final result would have to speak for itself when mixed with the salad ingredients. By now, Mr husband had ticked off all the checklist points, and proudly handed over to me the wonderfully chopped lettuce, onions, cherry tomatoes and cucumber. I used a handful of tomatoes and a small cucumber for this, considering that the lettuce quantity was not too much. I finished off the box of black olives, which often go unnoticed in my fridge, and did so quite happily, with the pressure off me to use them before they went bad. My heart was in the game by now, and I added in pomegranate into this salad, though no Greek recipe calls for it. I was particularly pleased with this addition, and loved the colour in the bowl. I made a quick stop by the stove to turn off the flame, as the broth was done by now, and then got to adding the dressing over the salad. While my husband transferred the broth into a separate pan, I got out my new packet of roasted seeds, and sprinkled a generous amount into the salad, along with a teaspoon of chia seeds. My system was bubbling with health by just looking at all of it while tossing through. Though Greek no more, the salad looked great, with the crunch of the seed, cranberry and pomegranate, which I knew would add that special touch. I did not spare the crumbled feta cheese as the last bit of topping, before popping it into the fridge, for the flavours to come together well, in time for dinner.

It was time now for the new, and I was a tad bit nervous. Salads were a thing from the past, despite the new inspiration each time, but the soup?- this was new territory. I maintained an exterior of a seasoned chef, while my insides judged myself from a distance, criticising every step before it happened. I started with four cubes of butter into the pan (the same pan I had used earlier to cook the broth), and added in some onions I had reserved from the salad. This was immediately followed by the two leeks, which were kept washed and chopped. As soon as this step in the process happened, I felt different inside. I felt like I was home again, in my own skin, and I finally felt the pleasure waves take over, as I began the real cooking. The fear melted away like the butter on the pan, and was replaced by a sense of accomplishment at the success of a dish that was yet to be made. I was born anew in the kitchen this time, and felt the higher forces guiding my every step. I could feel the peace settle in, I could feel the confidence rising and the happiness surging. I was back in the game and on my turf, and nothing could shake me now. I finally felt at ease, and looked forward to the rest of the process. And with this as my shield, I allowed myself to forget the world around, and take in the moment. To be present in the now, and enjoy the new. In went the two cubed potatoes (skinned), once the onions were a bit translucent, mixing them well with the leeks. I added the broth into this, to just about cover all the ingredients in the pan. I let it boil for a wee bit, and then allowed the inner goddess to add her magic, as she felt best. A spoonful of paprika powder, a small bay leaf, and a sprig of rosemary. I was at my peak of joy by now, and was going through the motions with great pleasure. The high was so elating, that I made multi-tasked decisions such as frying some salami to go by the side. The concoction was taking time to cook, but the aroma that started to fill the kitchen was a pleasant surprise. It smelled new and refreshing, healthy and blissful.

I used the time to clean up the kitchen, leaving room only for my blender which I would have to use in a while. I couldn't help breaking into some dance moves, and marvelling at the calling that took over the scared and helpless me, just a few minutes ago. I was close to mastering this, and thereby conquering my fears and re-affirming faith in myself. My husband came by in between to ensure that the salami slices were equally divided among us (one of his many quirks, my take on which I can't describe), and left me to continue riding my high. I switched off the flame once the potatoes were well cooked, and I mashed a few up with the ladle just to double check. I took out the leaf seasonings, as was advised, and transferred the heavenly dish into the blender. By now, the aroma had wafted into the entire house, and my dance moves were intensifying. I blended all of it into a smooth paste, adding a little water to get it thinner. The result was a thick beautiful soup, with a dash of the paprika, which looked healthy to the core, and was difficult to not lick off straight from the blender.

I got down to serving it, and was continually surprised at every turn, how well it came out in the end. I did not need to garnish it, since all the flavours were in there, and needed no more visual appeal. It was lip smacking-ly good, and even now as I write this, I can't wait to go back home to have the leftovers. What an experience! It was mixing the known and the unknown; making the salad while holding off on the new challenge. It was the first time I felt such nervous pleasures through me, knowing deep inside that the soup might be a disaster after all, and yet taking that first step to facing it. It helped me realise that I could do great things, if only I have the courage to get started. And then, let instinct take over; go through the motions while submitting to that calling. I relished each bit of that soup, with the salad and salami, and I know this is one of the biggest I have taken on till date. It was daunting and terrifying, and I can still recognise those feelings that had gone through me last night when I hesitated to begin. But look at me now; this is no longer a new experience, but something I now know how to do. I tackled it, I made it happen, and I am wiser and stronger for that. What started as a shot towards creating healthy food, resulted in a new experience and a dish that tasted like it was made for the Gods.