New Beginnings

I distinctly remember being about five years old and sitting across from my Mom and my Uncle in Laguna Beach at Johnny Rockets.

I’ll never forget my fascination with the do-it-yourself jukebox and the straws that twisted their way out of the container. I have always enjoyed new experiences but this particular trip had a profound “California” influence on me. 

When it came time to order, I asked for French fries and a soft-serve vanilla ice cream.  My Mom looked at me as if I had two heads and asked if I was sure that’s all I would be wanting for lunch. I assured her with a very large smile that would be all. This was long before Johnny Rockets became the nationwide chain it is today.

As I learned early on in my childhood, a fresh burst of sunshine has always helped maintain my sanity.

When the waitress eventually brought out our lunch, I began dipping my French fries into the ice cream. To my surprise and theirs, it was a rather delicious combination. On our way out, my Mom noticed a few older teenage girls at the bar dipping their French fries into ice cream. It was at that moment that she realized where my “out of the ordinary” lunch choice may have come from.

That moment may well have marked my first explorative moment with food, albeit not the healthiest one.

From that moment on, I could always be found in the kitchen. It started with baking and graduated to cuisine, of all sorts. I was a foodie in the making.

As I grew older, I learned more about my Uncle; including the fact that he was HIV positive. Initially the doctors gave him one year to live after his live AIDS diagnosis, but he defied their odds and lived fifteen years longer than expected. He chose to eat of the earth, making a shift towards a Macrobiotic diet.

He discovered that with the profound healing power of the mind, along with the restorative effect of healthy foods he was able to reawaken the life within him.  I was already attuned to experimenting while cooking, but his experience motivated me to look further into having a more mindful approach to eating.

This began with organic food and the Macrobiotic diet. From there, I discovered the importance of eating seasonally. Eventually, my curious palate found its way into Ayurveda.

My friends and family became interested in my journey with food and healing, asking me to share a few recipes with them here and there. That’s when I began to notice more and more people’s habits and behaviors towards their food.

Some had learned behaviors from childhood that, along with the influence of the media on trend “diets” put a negative slant on their association with food. Food became the enemy; causing erratic eating patterns. When food becomes the enemy, we often forget the very essence of what food actually is; energy and nourishment.

So, I decided to share my ongoing journey with an audience beyond my friends and family in the hope that my journey would help and inspire others along theirs.

I have been debating with myself for days about the particular date I should begin blogging. I ultimately decided to fall somewhere in between the first of the month and Independence day. Today, July 3rd, will be the beginning. I hope you enjoy it.