A few days ago, I gave my four month old food for the first time. We got approval from our pediatrician last week, so I made some cream of wheat and watered it down. My daughter Aurora wasn’t sure what to make of it at first and was simply moving it around in her mouth.
After a few minutes, she was laughing every time I got the spoon closer, which was making both me and my husband Ryan laugh. She thought it was simply hilarious. And in the process of getting cream of wheat all over her face, bib, and hands, she actually ate some, too!
Of course I thought it was adorable, but it also got me thinking about the joy of food and how gardening, cooking, and eating are such a simple way to embrace the present.
A few years ago when Ryan and I moved to Spain, our tiny apartment only had two burners. Our fridge was barely bigger than a mini-fridge. So, we had to get creative, and fortunately, groceries in Spain were so inexpensive. Ryan and I made a lot of grilled chicken, spaghetti, and steamed vegetables. While there, I perfected this five ingredient pancake recipe.
When we were back home and got a new apartment, I still had a small kitchen, but I was just happy to have an oven again. I visited Allrecipes and Budget Bytes all the time to experiment with making new foods. I fell in love with the habit of cutting vegetables, the sound of sizzling stir fry, and the smell of something baking in the oven.
I liked cooking when I was younger, but honestly, it just seemed like a lot of work to me. I had to change my way of thinking about it. It may be work, but it was work that was necessary if I wanted to eat well, and it could be joyful work.
The process of preparing a meal is a chance for me to pause in the day and intentionally do something to nourish myself and my family. And to watch it all come together in the end is so satisfying — well, usually. But even when something doesn’t come out, I can use it as a learning experience for the next time. Every meal is a reminder that the earth and its animals are here for me, as I am here for them.
We recently got chickens, and each day, we gather two or three eggs from their coop. I always try to pet them and say, “Thanks for the eggs, ladies!” We always have fresh, light brown eggs in the fridge.
In the last months, we’ve been harvesting from our garden. (I currently have more zucchini and kale than I know what to do with.) I’ve enjoyed watching two empty beds of dirt slowly become an overflowing garden that fills our bellies. We hope to add a third bed and grow potatoes and onions in big tubs.
In America, we don’t have a very healthy relationship with food. Many of us either over eat or don’t eat enough in an attempt to look a certain way. Processed food and fast food are too readily available and typically much cheaper and easier than healthy food. Plus, much of our meat is raised and killed in factory farms, packaged in plastic and styrofoam. and shipped across the country. We’ve become disconnected from our food.
I hope through more gardening, cooking, baking, and other ways to be intentional with our food, we can use it to connect with the earth and our bodies. I hope with the habits I have in my life, Aurora can hold onto that joy from her first few bites of food.
Some of my favorite recipes:
I am having to go outside today and work while it is relatively cool . After, when I am inside the house again, I plan to return to your post and read your recipes. What a thrill it was to read about your chickens and garden! Yay for you! The story of Aurora’s intro to Cream of Wheat brought back a memory of finding my first baby in her high chair wearing a hat . The hat was a cereal bowl turned upside down. Yes, the bowl had been full of Cream of Wheat. Congratulations on your new blog.