Greetings from the Land of Enchantment

The Eating Season

We're entering the 'eating season' and it's bringing up issues that I've struggled with my entire life, it seems. I recently went on an intense food protocol and lost 15 pounds, which is a good start; but I've got a long way to go. And today, at 41, it's more about not returning to that cycle of boom and bust, emotional eating and deprivation dieting. I'm done. But part of being truly done is recognizing why I eat the way I eat--and how those patterns came to be--so that I can change them. But another part of it is imply deciding. It's almost exactly the same sensation I had when my teacher challenged me about being vegetarian, she said simply, "it's just a decision." But it takes what it takes to get to that decision and I've had years and years of struggle with depression and sugar-addiction. Now free of sugar for 28 days, I realize how much of a contributor it was and is to my depression cycles. So, if I want to be free of the cycles and no longer be a slave to my eating patterns, I simply had to decide that my relationship with sugar is negative and detrimental. I'm still working out what that will look like in the long-run. Never having sugar again? or playing with fire and occasionally allowing myself a treat?

But for now, it's been an exploration of me, my cooking habits, and real food. Here's my first successful new recipe:

Faux French Onion Soup (that tastes like the real thing!)

3-4 onions
Olive Oil
1-2 Tbs Balsamic Vinegar
3 Heaping Tbls Dark Barley Miso paste (more or less to taste)
Water
Salt or Shoyu to taste

Chop the onions into slices; brown on medium heat with olive oil until carmelized (10-15 minutes). Splash or two of Balsamic Vinegar. Deglaze the pan with water and then add more water to cover the onions and produce a broth-like texture. Simmer. Just before serving, add the miso paste. Once the miso has been added, don't bring to a boil. Serve with Swiss or Gruyere cheese melted on top and toasted, whole-grain bread. Serves 4-6. Enjoy!

posted by Sat Purkh Kaur Khalsa @ 10:40 AM