I have a confession. I love food. Really love food. And not just in the ravenous, eat to satiate hunger type of love. I love all aspects of it - the creativity, innovation, spontaneity, preparation, smells, sounds, textures, tastes, and sharing of food. I could spend an hour in a grocery store roaming aisle by aisle, dreaming up creations and new recipes (I think it drives Paras crazy). Sometimes I leave with only a couple items in my hand, but feel relaxed nonetheless. I can roam through a farmer's market and marvel at the deep purple shine of a beautiful eggplant and swim in the scents of fresh bunches of basil, mint and cilantro. I probably spend more time on food blogs than studying pediatrics on my time off (which may need to change prior to my board exams in October). But again, it brings me joy. I gift myself spices, cookbooks, slow cookers and cast iron skillets. I occasionally splurge on random ingredients that I may use, sometime, for some reason, in some space, just because. I am sure if we had more than bunny ears on our television, I would be watching Food Network all the time. I love mixing flavors, adding spices, taste testing, adding different colors, tweaking recipes here and there. I cannot follow a recipe exactly without adding my own twist (which often means things taste different every time I prepare them, and also makes it hard for me to share exactly how I made some dish). I cook to relax. I take my time and improvise as I go along. And it brings such joy to know I created something that others too can gain nourishment from and enjoy. Ah, for the love of food...
I read this article about how the entire process of preparing and eating food can be sacred in the Hindu tradition, and that it's nutrition and purity is based on three things: pathra shuddhi, the cleanliness of the cooking vessels, paka shuddhi, the purity and mental attitude of the chef, and pachaka shuddhi, the quality of the ingredients. And since we are what we eat, the purity of these three components affects the nutrition and purity of our food. For me, this means cooking in a loving environment, not just physically clean, but clean from negative thoughts. It means cooking with a clean soul, not because you have to cook, but because you find joy in providing sustenance for yourself and for others. It means cooking with ingredients that were created and obtained through fair, pure means. It means cooking with ingredients where you know what the ingredients are in the first place, instead of those that are manufactured in some plant far away by a faceless machine.
Which brings me to my Local Flavor of the day....
Local Flavor: Luna's Living Kitchen
http://www.lunaslivingkitchen.com/Home.html
2192 South Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28203
LYNX Light Rail, CATS Bus #12
(704)333-0008
Mon-Thurs 11am-7pm
Fri-Sat 8am-3pm; Sun closed
This place embraces the above principles of good food, pure food, healthy food, lovingly prepared food. The culinary team members (shout outs to Juli, Randy, Andy and Koichi) are such compassionate, loving, energetic and positive souls and those qualities are felt in the food they create. Juli, the creative genius of the menu, is this beautiful Colombian woman who radiates unconditional love into their creations and the room. The plates are painted with beautiful colors, fresh and largely local ingredients and artistic presentations. The flavors just tickle your palate...subtle sweetness, an unexpected tanginess, bursts of herbal goodness, and a refreshing crispness. And everything is vegan or raw (do not fear this if you've never had it...just give it a try!). You will leave feeling full and satisfied but not in that overly stuffed uncomfortable way.
My personal fave: the quinoa-kamut burger paired with any one of their lovely smoothies!! Try it! And tell them I say hello!
I read this article about how the entire process of preparing and eating food can be sacred in the Hindu tradition, and that it's nutrition and purity is based on three things: pathra shuddhi, the cleanliness of the cooking vessels, paka shuddhi, the purity and mental attitude of the chef, and pachaka shuddhi, the quality of the ingredients. And since we are what we eat, the purity of these three components affects the nutrition and purity of our food. For me, this means cooking in a loving environment, not just physically clean, but clean from negative thoughts. It means cooking with a clean soul, not because you have to cook, but because you find joy in providing sustenance for yourself and for others. It means cooking with ingredients that were created and obtained through fair, pure means. It means cooking with ingredients where you know what the ingredients are in the first place, instead of those that are manufactured in some plant far away by a faceless machine.
Which brings me to my Local Flavor of the day....
Local Flavor: Luna's Living Kitchen
http://www.lunaslivingkitchen.com/Home.html
2192 South Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28203
LYNX Light Rail, CATS Bus #12
(704)333-0008
Mon-Thurs 11am-7pm
Fri-Sat 8am-3pm; Sun closed
This place embraces the above principles of good food, pure food, healthy food, lovingly prepared food. The culinary team members (shout outs to Juli, Randy, Andy and Koichi) are such compassionate, loving, energetic and positive souls and those qualities are felt in the food they create. Juli, the creative genius of the menu, is this beautiful Colombian woman who radiates unconditional love into their creations and the room. The plates are painted with beautiful colors, fresh and largely local ingredients and artistic presentations. The flavors just tickle your palate...subtle sweetness, an unexpected tanginess, bursts of herbal goodness, and a refreshing crispness. And everything is vegan or raw (do not fear this if you've never had it...just give it a try!). You will leave feeling full and satisfied but not in that overly stuffed uncomfortable way.
My personal fave: the quinoa-kamut burger paired with any one of their lovely smoothies!! Try it! And tell them I say hello!
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