Day 40: Prepare Yummy Food And Take Time To Eat It Slowly

I'm really loving food right now. From last week's cleanse, to Sunday's cooking with Miles, and yesterday's junk food +my bed,  I've been doing lots of food related self-care. Today is no different. My friend Vanna's self care includes, "preparing yummy food and taking time to eat it slowly." I asked her to elaborate a bit more and tell me what kind of food she would normally prepare and she gave me gold: 

On the food front, I usually prepare anything that is yummy and will make my body feel good and nurtured after I eat it.  My favorite things are stews and curries with veggies on the side.  I have pasted a recipe for lamb/beef stew that I make for friends postpartum, that I find very nurturing for myself as well.  You can also make it veggie by substituting extra beans and dried apricots for the meat.

The recipe she sent me was a Marrakesh Lamb Stew Recipe that I've included below. I got up early and decided to make the stew in the morning so that I wouldn't: 1.) rush the process when I come home from work/yoga and 2.) could enjoy the act of chopping, measuring, and cooking in my home. Man-oh-man. My apartment smelled good this morning but it was especially nice entering after having been gone all day; it felt like stepping into a hug. In order to spend time eating slowly I decided to cut out the typical distractions: no computer, no cell, no book, no television. Just me, my bowl, and my chewing. While the process of cooking was meditative in itself the eating sans distraction allowed it all to come full circle. For my body and senses to feel all the particularities: the textures of the stew (those potatoes are so perfectly done); the color of the stew (the perfect shade of orange and reds); and what I was tasting/in need of (the sweetness of the dried fruits; it could use some salt). I'm having a foodie moment. 

Marrakesh Lamb Stew Recipe (as told by Vanna):

*Vanna used ground lamb so I did as well. You can substitute extra beans or dried apricots for meat. I had 1lbs of ground meat and added apricots for the rest.

 

1.5 lbs boneless lamb, beef or venison chopped ()

Brown in batches in soup pot.  Set aside

     

1 large onion (chopped)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

Stir into drippings and cook until translucent and tender.  Return meat to pot.

 

5 med carrots chopped

2 cups stewed tomatoes (Vanna+I used fire roasted)

2 med turnips or 1 rutabaga chopped

1 med potato chopped

1 cup broth, water or tomato juice (Vanna+I used beef broth)

1 cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon each ground cumin, coriander, cloves, turmeric (I went light on the cloves)

1/4 teaspoon crushed hot chilies or more to taste

I pinch allspice or nutmeg

Add and bring to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes.  (Vanna added more broth during this time and said you can see how it goes, I added all my broth in the beginning because my "med" turnips ended up being not-so-medium).

 

2 cups cooked chickpeas

1/2 cup pitted prunes

1/2 cup raisins

Stir in and cook until vegetables are tender, an additional 10 minutes

 

Serve with parsley, rice and/or slivered almonds if desired

Some  Ingredients (my computer is acting up and I can't send you the final picture.....but the stew is PRETTY!)