The joy of cooking

Today I want to write something about cooking, because it is something that I really begin to love over the last months and which gives me so much satisfaction! I have to admit that I've never been a great cook ;-) I did not have the pacience or the confidence to prepare something more challenging then pasta. I was too nervous and scared around boiling water and hot oil and although I would say that I am multitasking, just monitoring two different pans was way beyond my skills! But staying some time abroad, you have to learn how to cook or at least to try to take care of yourself  ;-) thats when I lost the fear of doing something wrong in the kitchen and learned how to prepare a meal. But I also have to admit that preparing something just for yourself isnt that amusing! So when I got back from Switzerland I really started cooking for me and my family. I always wanted to try so many recipes which seemed delicious but too time-consuming to me. But when I began to watch what I eat, I tried some easy and quick recipes and was so surprised, how easy it is to prepare something healthy and delicious! And nothing gives you so much satisfaction as a meal which was prepared by yourself! I also started to buy the ingredients with my mom and to accompany her every time. So everytime I cook something, I know exactly which ingredient I bought where and how much it cost.

But now something about the emotional part of cooking. :-) Eating makes me happy...it satisfies me in a way how only food can! But preparing it satisfies me even more! For me it is a very ruminant and sensual process.... cooking allows us to combine all our senses in one activity! For example when I prepare my favorite olive-oregano bread, I begin to sweat the onions and the whole room is full of that aromatic onion smell mixed with fresh olives and oregano spices! Hmmmmm.....you can hear how the onions are fizzling in the pan and the rhythmic sound of cutting the olives calms you down and clears your head! No joking! Doing it with my hands, it is the best time for me to think and relax! Then you combine all the different ingredients in one big bowl and you start to knead the mass until you have a smooth dough....great feeling! And then you put everything in the stove and watch it grow! Uhmmm...the room is full of the ensnaring smell of warm, fresh bread, how great is that!!

In fact I think that it is great if you can enjoy food and the process of preparing it! I like to eat concious and healthy, but I think the right balance is the most important thing! Why should I only eat salad when there are so many delicious cakes out there? I want to enjoy the whole range of food there is, because it would be just a waste to chasten yourself all the time if you can not savor some little sins! Like this fabulous chocolate cake with cerry jam that I prepared the other day! :-)

And I think Harriet Van Horne totally right: "Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all."

The little things in life that make us happy

In this post I want to write about something I consider to be really important...the little things in life, that make us/me happy. For me it is actually quiet simple, but as I spoke to a friend of mine three days ago, I understood, that it is obviously not that simple for most of the people I know. My friend is having a rough time during the last years and I always tried to motivate her and to show her the good things in life that are behind every corner...but she said, that for her it not easy to see these good things every day. That's when I started thinking about it and questioning myself, why does not everyone see the good things, the little things? So I just thought with this post, I may help some persons to see the world from the shiny side of the coin.

For me it is really simple to be happy and to enjoy every day. There are hundrets of small moments and things that are making me sooooo happy, make me laugh, sing and enjoying my life! Ok, so that you can visualise what I mean, I will describe a day which has all those things I can imagine. First, to wake up and to know that you do not have to get up quiet yet...that you can just turn around once more and feel the warm blanket and the cosyness of your bed! Stretching and imagining the things you have planned or not planned today! You see, I am still in bed and happy already! Ok, but know I have to get up...next great moment: I can already see the light trickle through the curtain and drawing them just proves it: the sun is shining and the sky is sooooo blue...not one cloud!! Unbelievable how the sun can push your energy from the first minute of your day on! Actually I do not really care what kind of weather it is. I also like the rain in the summer, when you can let the window open and smell the rain..smell the earthy ground and the wet grass...or thunder and lightening when you can stay at home feeling safe and watching this incredible show...and I love snow!! When everything is so bright and shiny!!! And in the sun all this glitter!!!!! It always looks like some stuff from a fairy... ;-) just special and really perfect! Ok..next step...opening the window! Now you may think: Is she stupid?? How can opening a window makes a person happy??? Well, with opening the window the air comes in, and I just love how the air smells sometimes! In summer it smells of fresh trimmed grass or flowers or just the heat of a hot summer day...as you see...I just began the day and already I have experienced so many moments that make my a day a good day. And it is so easy! You just have to "see" all these things that are around us all the time! Most of the time we are just walking....not seeing anything that surrounds us...but you are missing so much! So many of my friends are unhappy so often...waiting for big things to happen...to make them happy...but those big things are only a plus for me..I don't need them to be happy! I am feeling so great reading a great book, that makes me laugh, cry or wish to be in another country...hearing a good song...laughing with friends....to change the bed sheets and enjoy the smell....watching a really good movie!

 

 I know that I did not finish this day...but there are soooo many things....they would not fit in one post ;-) Just go out there and enjoy all those things that are given to us for free!!