We arrived at the airport a safe two hours early on the morning of our winter flight to the Big Island for a pre-Christmas vacation and were feeling quite smug about the whole thing until I heard my husband’s voice asking for my passport – His voice was muffled, distant and slow. Were my ears plugged? ”Your passport please? I will go check us in.” My passport? My passport? I absolutely do not have my passport with me – I replied, with that voice that borders on horror and sheepishness. You know the one. My first thought was “why didn’t you ask me for that at home? I knew it wasn’t his fault but he ALWAYS reminds me about the passports (the tickets, the money, the keys, the bills, the gift, the food, the addresses etc. before we leave home.) I’ve had problems in this area before.

I had been packed for days. I arose before my alarm on this particular morning and was ready ahead of the appointed time. I had packed everything I could possibly squeeze into my 7lb piece of luggage maxing it out at exactly 49.5lbs…. but no passport. NO PASSPORT. 6 ½ bathing suits, 5 pairs of flip flops, 3 sun hats, 2 pairs of sunglasses, 3 beach bags, every piece of jewelry I owned, 10 coverups (just in case), 60 SPF, 30 SPF, 15 SPF, SPF for faces only, after tan lotion, Aloe vera, sparkling tan lotion, 6 books, 9 magazines, every pair of shorts I owned (that fit) and all the sundresses and a partridge and a pear tree but no passport.

Our daughter had driven us to the airport and stood there on the departure sidewalk as dumbfounded as my husband. Mom…the master minder reminder and organizer – has arrived at the airport with no passport? Who are you and what have you done with my mother? I know they were both waiting for me to blurt out – Just kidding! But I didn’t because – well – I wasn’t.

My absolutely stoic husband made the split second decision to return home (when I say home I mean the other end of the world) to fetch my passport. What other choice did we have? Everyone on the North American continent knows you are not going anywhere without your passport. Now dash away, dash away, dash away all. With a little old driver so lively and quick I knew in a moment he’d accomplish this trick. More rapid than eagles he cruised down the freeway as I prayed he return leaving us needed leeway.

My daughter and I remained at the airport and kept a prayer vigil going. My major concern at this point was my husband’s safety as I know he can get a little crazy under this kind of stress. I was wracking my brain trying to figure out why this happened? What was the point? What was the lesson? How could I have done this? Maybe I did, indeed, have early onset Alzheimer’s.

Everyone knows you are supposed to be at the airport and checked in, at the absolute, 1 hour before departure? I regret to inform you, that didn’t happen. By the time Mike arrived back at the airport 65 minutes had passed and so had our window to board. Mike clawed his way through the irrate passengers involved in a Houston flight crisis in a valiant effort to get us on the flight but when the agent realized I was checking my 49.5lbs of luggage she shook her head – ‘No way this is happening”. At this point, I might mention that Mike had no baggage to check and was in possession of a viable boarding pass.

I’ve never seriously considered divorce (much). But the look on the top of Mike’s head (his face was parallel to the ground) told me all I needed to know. It was over. Not only wasn’t I going to Hawaii but this Christmas was going to be much colder than I had ever known. The wind chill was rising.

I sat on the railing as I watched all the travelers laughing and talking and checking in successfully (with passports) and sentiments of ‘Happy Holidays”…please? I turned my face upward, “Lord, you know my marriage is on the line here and I’ve grown pretty used to being married” How much does this man love me?….he could actually go on to Hawaii right now without me. He certainly could but he is walking back towards me resigned that because I can’t board neither will he. Thank you Lord. “ Don’t misunderstand… I can still see smoke rising out of his ears…but he IS sitting beside me, waiting for the Houston crowd to disperse so he can approach a different agent and see what can be worked out. If anything.

Off he goes and I find myself in prayer once again. My husband was pretty stoked about the great deal he got on the original tickets and the car rental (I might add). Will he fork over for additional tickets? And how much? Anyone that knows my husband besides admiring him for his resourcefulness, humor and compassion, knows that there is no one cheaper – I mean, more frugal – I mean more practical. Will I have to reimburse him for my holiday menopause dementia blunder? Maybe I could get my Health Benefits plan to cover it?

But Mike found a new agent and told him our tale, he was a much more accommodating male. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon led me to know I had nothing to dread. He spoke very few words but went straight to his work, and in moments we had new (free) boarding passes and smirks. And I heard him exclaim as we walked out of sight… Merry Christmas to all and to all a good flight.

The poem I wrote while we waited 7 hours in the airport for the next available flight.

”Twas 3 weeks before Christmas and all thru the airport not a creature was stirring except mike and Geri stewart.
They picked out their couches for sleeping with care, in hopes by tomorrow they soon would be there.
While visions of beaches and sand filled their heads, their major concern was to find better beds.
With my feet on the table and purse on my lap I’d just settled down for a pre-Kona nap.
When deep in my dreams my teeth started to chatter and I bolted upright wondering what was the matter.
When what to my wondering eyes did appear? I’d forgotten my passport and broke out in a fear.
Mike raced home to get it, sweat washing his brow, while I lingered behind wondering how? How? How?
With a little old driver so lively and quick I knew in a moment I was going to be sick.
More rapid than eagles to the house Michael came and I’m sure at that point he started calling me names,
Back to the airport he came in a blur, and the United agent looked at him and said ‘so sorry sir’
She was angry and grumpy, not a jolly old elf, and I cried when I heard her inspite of myself.
So mike found a new agent and told him our tale, he was a much more accommodating male.
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon led me to know I had nothing to dread.
He spoke very few words but went straight to his work, and in moments we had new boarding passes and smirks.
And I heard him exclaim as we walked out of sight… merry Christmas to all and to all a good flight.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS STEW.  IT’S ACTUALLY MORE LIKE SOUP BUT WHEN I TAKE IT FOR LUNCH I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO LUNCH ALL MORNING.  THE SPICES JUST MAKE IT SO TASTY. AND I FEEL GOOD AFTER I HAVE EATEN IT.  NOT ALL DRAGGY AND FULL AND LETHARGIC.  I FEEL LIKE I DID SOMETHING GOOD FOR MY BODY AND SOUL.

Nothing is more inviting that a warm bowl of stew on a chilly night.  In this dish a variety of herbs boosts the flavor and aroma as well as the nutritional value in every spoonful.

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

3 skinless bone-in chicken breasts (I always use boneless)

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, cut into one inch pieces

1 quart low-sodium vegetable stock of chicken stock

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I do not care for turnips so I just leave them out but you could replace with almost any other vegetable if you too do not care for turnips)

3 medium potatoes peeled and quartered (I usually put more potatoes in since I leave out the turnips)

1/2 Tsp fresh thyme

1/2 Tsp chopped fresh basil

1/2 Tsp fresh tarragon

Sea salt and black pepper

METHOD:

1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium high heat.
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper on both sides.  Place chicken pieces, meat side down, in oil and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side.
3. Add the onions, celery, and stock.  Bring to a simmer, lower heat, cover, and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, until chicken is done.
4. Add the rest of the vegetables and the herbs.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a gently simmer for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are almost fork tender.
5. Remove chicken pieces, cool slightly and pull meat from the bones.  Break meat into large pieces.  Return meat to pot and cook uncovered until vegetables are very tender about 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

 

 

 

 

I love to cook.  I love to bake.  I guess that would be because I love to eat.  I really do.  OK – there I’ve said it.  I love to eat.  So sue me.  So throw me in Weight Watchers jail.  So mock me and gasp at this reveal.  I’ve declared, in public, I like to eat.  I always have.  Im a food junky. And I’m pretty sure if you were being totally honest you love to eat too.  It can be our little secret.  Because I am aware that in our world,  loving to eat is considered a weakness, a fault, a faux pas , a character flaw, a loss of self control, something to be ashamed of.  But no matter,  I love food (most of it).

God created food when he created the earth and he created our bodies to need to food to survive.  He put vitamins and nutrients into natural foods that our body needs for health and to flourish.  Hear me please.  Eating and loving to eat is not shameful. It is, in fact, quite normal and expected.   But a lot of us have grown up in an environment where the concept that ‘food is bad’ haunts us –  in our sleep and every time we get on the scale or visit the gym with its many gawkers and judgers.  Hey…we are at the gym.  Give us points for effort at least.

Of course, if we were living in a nation where the people are starving this would not be an issue.  I guess there in lies the problem,  we have too much.  Food shaming and body shaming is a first world problem.,We create our own problems. I like to think of food and its abundance over here in North America as a blessing.  Food is essential and food is inherently good.  The reason we love food is because it is meeting at basic human need.  There is not one human being on this earth, in any culture, in any geographic location, in any demographic that doesn’t rely on food to stay alive.  That is why a person can starve to death in 46 – 73 days days without food.  Hello?

So lets enjoy food the way it was meant to be enjoyed.  In its natural state, in moderation.  Lets cook our food with our own hands and lets share our food.  Lets enjoy our food and lets savor our food.  Lets talk about food with relish because food is a blessing.  Lets sit around the table and share our lives over food.  The reason why the natural inclination to take food to those grieving and suffering loss or taking food to those dealing with economic constraints or even to a baby shower or a bridal shower, to serving food at a wedding…having food at the office Lunch and Learn is because food meets a basic need for all humans and if that need is taken care  and food is shared it sends out a message of compassion and caring and sharing and sustenance and people are far more amicable when they are not hangry.

I think of the manna that God sent down from heaven to the Israelites.  He knew they would die without food so He provided nourishment for them.  I’m sure that Dr. Bertstein or Dr. Atkins or Dr. Hymen or the Mayo Clinic would attest to manna being far too many carbs to be taking in on a daily basis but that is what God provided and what God provides is not only good, its the best. And what God provided us with, since the beginning of time, is pure natural food to sustain us and to energize us. Its OK to enjoy food.  Its something we have to do 3 times a day…or 6 times a day according to so called experts.  So why not enjoy it and share it and have fun with it.

Back to my love of cooking. Actually we were talking about my love of eating but I also love to cook. You don’t need to love to cook to love to eat.  But I just happen to enjoy  both, immensely.  For me, to spend a day in my kitchen cooking is my idea of recreation.  Especially in this segment of my journey, I am constantly testing new recipes because first of all, I want to cook my own food.  If I cook my own food then I know exactly whats in it and I can modify ingredients to make sure I am cooking, baking and serving the healthiest version of that food.  In fact, I need to retrain myself as most of my default recipes are full of unhealthy fat, gluten, refined sugar and we have used a lot of processed food in the past.  It was easy and convenient and as addictive as cocaine. Too often I have found myself at home alone, sitting by the fireplace after a long day at work and a long drive, with my music in the background and a family size bag of Miss Vicki’s potatoe chips- Just savoring every salty crunch, eating slow and deliberate because gloriously, I have no one to share with.  Free from shame unless my husband discovers the empty bag in the trash.  (He wouldn’t be upset that I ate chips, he would be upset that he didn’t get any).  Same with popcorn.  Hot buttery popcorn.    If feels so decadently comforting and blissful. But with age comes wisdom and maturity.  And now I want to eat food that heals my body and eliminate food that impairs it with poison.  This is  going to involve a retraining in the way I cook (and eat).  I have taken it upon myself to embark on this self education.  In fact I have dedicated this year to learning to cook again.  Learning to cook for health and nutrition but also to cook for community.

I have been collecting cookbooks for a couple of years now.  I go to the discount table in the dark recesses of the book store (OK Chapters) and find all sorts of great cook books for $5 and $10.  At this price they can be less expensive than a foody magazine filled with adds. Cookbooks that I lusted over when they were $35  – $40 have found their way to clearance and into my hands and now I have a great collection to work with.  I’m always scouring the bookstore for new cookbooks.  I love looking at food and I love reading the recipes and I love to hear the authors stories of food inspiration.  I think I have garnered my own views about food from these lovers of food.  I have found affinity with these famous cooks. I recently read a book called Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist and she tells of her addiction to cookbooks.  She reads them like novels.  She says if she’s had a bad day her husband will find her in bed reading a cookbook from cover to cover so I have started to do that.  It is so gratifying.  I still need something by the Barefoot Contessa and Nigella Lawson.  I will scour the discount section once again. I will do it this long weekend.

Most of my life I have eaten food for nourishment but more so because I love food and I have to admit that I can be, in my worst version of myself, an emotional eater.  Eating for the wrong reasons.  But in actuality we are all emotional eaters because sharing food for the right reasons and enjoying community around sustenance is still an emotional need. I mean whats better than sharing good comfort food with your girlfriends?  Turning on a great chic flick and sinking  your teeth into a gooey, stringy, cheesy, tomatoey delicious pizza and just savoring each bite in-between the laughter and the comraderie? Follow this up with fresh out of the oven chocolate chip cookies downed with sugary, flavorful latte rich with foam and toppings.  Is there anything more emotionally healing?  Of course you are in your pajamas and uggs.

And what is it about the smell of toast?  Even burnt toast – I am draw to it as if in a trance.  If I smell it I want it. When I smell it I am home again wherever I am. I think I’ll go make some right now!

Did I mention I love to entertain?  I do.  And I can’t think of one incidence of entertaining where food was not involved.   I thrive on cooking for others.  Heaven forbid – if I only cooked for myself I’d be a house.  I love to cook for others and more recently, I love to be able to tell them that what they are eating is made of all natural ingredients and is good for them.  That its good for their health.  Why would I want to serve poison to people I love. You know I love you if I invite you over for dinner.  That being said – if I don’t invite you its not because I don’t love you its because I only have so much time.   Confession:  sometimes I DO still make food that contains unhealthy fat, refined sugar and lots of sticky yummy gluten and that’s because I believe in – all things in moderation.  And sometimes something bad for you is just SO good.   Plus I believe that eaten once in a while its not bad for you, its when you have a constant diet of poisonous food where the harm is done.   Often I will just bake for the sake of baking and my family will say…whose going to eat that?  I tell them I’m taking it into work – it will be gone by 10:00 am. (When you work with a lot of single, young, ravenous male engineers…)

I truly believe in the practice of cooking your own food.  At least when you cook your own food – whether it be a pie, a birthday cake, lasagna, taco’s, pasta, pizza – you know what’s being put into it and you can make better choices as far as the ingredients go and serve food without additives and preservatives and chemicals that the FDA would never approve of in a prescription form.

A day in my kitchen involves turning on some smooth jazz or a crooner of choice and pouring myself a glass of perrier (or tonic water with quinine for my nightly leg cramps) or even a glass of wine if I am making risotto.  I always don my favorite red plaid apron (I have far too many white tops with permanent tomatoe stains on them to forget to wear an apron.  In fact that’s why I picked red.).  Over the past couple of years I have also outfitted my kitchen with all the ‘make cooking fun and easy’ gadgets I could avail myself of and more recently had my husband remodel our two tiered island into a flat surface providing me with oodles of space to roll-out pie and cookie dough and to unload groceries.  Not to mention its where everyone gathers and leans in to visit and snack when they are over.  They watch me cook and I feel part of everything.  Often they jump in and help.  Very often my daughter is home and we both pull out our Kitchen Aids (which we now have much more space for) and we start cooking.  My daughter makes the most exquisite, artist, delicious sugar cookies for her friends and family.   And I am still trying to fulfill my obligation of pies once a month for some silent auction winners .

If I am by myself, I will sing or pray and reflect and solve a lot of my problems (its kind of like a good walk for me).  This is my down time, my me time.  Even though, very often, at the end of the day – after being on my feet the entire day I am exhausted but its a good exhausted.  So I’ll relieve my tiredness with a lovely, hot bubble bath accompanied by candles and dim lighting and soft music and an ice cold beverage since it gets very hot in there. Very often rose petals are involved (which my daughter brings home from her job at the floral shop).

I’ve gotten into the habit, since I am trying to eat cleaner and purer for optimum health, to cook a week’s worth of meals in one day.  Typically I will cook two dinner entree’s and one breakfast option along with various containers of chopped up raw veggies for salad.  I also like to make something sweet in case I get that craving for sweetness.  I feel its better to eat something homemade sweet than something processed.  I have replaced cows milk with almond milk. I have replaced refined sugar with raw organic sugar.  I have replaced white eggs with organic brown Omega 3 eggs. I often crush up flaxseed for its health properties and its virtually undetectable.  I’ve started to play with gluten free flour and almond flower or ½ and ½ and many loaves and muffins taste great with fresh cranberries or blueberries in them.  I also feel whole wheat flour is superior so I will play with that.  I only ever use real butter in anything.  I have replaced vegetable oil with coconut oil in all my baking.  And the results have been delectable.  Yes I’ve tossed out several flops but that is to be expected.  I did say I was experimenting.

So the cooking is done and now I am just waiting for my guests.  The candles are lit, the wine is chilling (white), the table is set with the finest I can rustle up (who am I kidding?  I have a Homesense store in my basement). These guests might be my mom coming over for her ritual Sunday afternoons and dinners or it could be our home group coming over on Wednesday night.  It could be any assortment of other couples we are privileged to call friends coming for dinner or a game night or a party.  On rare occasions it’s my kids friends. It could be my son coming home for Christmas (I need to resist the urge to go out and buy him all the junk food he craves – but hey that’s what moms do.  I have to remind myself that this could likely be the only 2 weeks of the year that he isn’t eating processed food).   It could be my kids coming home from from anywhere.  I do have to remind myself that this is not a show,  this is down home hospitality.  We are gathering to connect, to share, to eat good food, to linger around the table and laugh and cry together – to celebrate life and we do it with life’s sustenance – good food made with love.

DANIEL PLAN – TURKEY BEAN CHILI

1 tablespoon Extra-virgin Olive Oil

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 cup fine chopped carrots

1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground turkey

1 Tbsp mild chilli powder

1 Tsp cumin

2 Tsp dried oregano

1/2 Tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (15 ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 ounce) can Cannellini or white Navy beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

METHOD:

1.) In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add celery, carrot, bell pepper and onion.  Cook until soft, stirring occasionally.

2) Add tomato paste, and cook 2 minutes stirring continuously.  Add garlic and cook 1 more minute.

3) Add turkey to the pot.  Break up turkey with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula while it cooks.  Cook until turkey is no longer pink.  Add chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt and pepper.  Cook 2 minutes, allowing spices to release their flavors.  Stir once or twice.

4) Add the tomatoes, beans, and broth.  Cover and heat util chili is not and bubbly.

THIS IS THE ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD.

How Shauna Niequist became successful by not trying to be