It’s that time of year again! Although it’s almost too late to start a batch of sauerkraut in order for it to be ready in time for gift-giving (or perhaps to mail a tea set to you niece in Amsterdam), it’s perfect timing to start thinking about most other gifts.
Last year we made bath salts for the people we love. The recipe is here along with a big list of other thoughtful ideas for people who may (or may not) be going through cancer treatment. We have a fresh new list of ideas this year too.
My husband makes the world’s best oatmeal. He makes it about once a year, and I’ve never paid attention to or asked how he makes it. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m afraid if I look too closely it will disappear (like a rainbow?) or if I’m just into mysteries. Maybe both.
Usually, I’m not really an oatmeal person. I know that it is a good option at the greasy spoon and that oats are good at keeping us warm and are high in protein and fiber, but has anything ever been more boring than oatmeal? If it takes brown sugar or maple syrup to make you go ‘mmmmmmm’, I don’t think that oatmeal can really take the credit.
There are certain foods that we don’t consider good for our bodies, which are actually very good for our souls. They are different for everybody, they are the foods that give us warm, nostalgic feelings. They are the foods whose aromas waft out from the kitchen and immediately make us feel safe and loved. Those are the feelings we all need to feel more often and are just as important as healthy food and clean air.
The not-so-great part of this equation is that those same foods that give us all of the deep and delicious soul food are often the same foods that are full of sugar and refined carbs. What’s worse is that the more we learn about which foods we ‘should’ be eating (or when, let’s say your daughter obsessively researches the foods you should be eating based on your recent cancer diagnosis), we begin to feel guilty about these comforting soul food experiences, an emotion that cancels out all of the health benefits of the good stuff that you may have been feeling from those old familiar smells and tastes.
My Mom had a kids clothing store when we were growing up, and beside it was (maybe still is) a cute little Italian deli. Besides the fact that this meant my sisters and I got first crack at the new West Beach sweatshirts, it also meant a humongous, crusty, ciabatta loaf and a fresh block of parmesan cheese with grater joined us for dinner many nights of the week. Thanks Italian deli, it was fun, I’m glad we broke up but I still miss you sometimes.
This parmesan cheese doesn’t really resemble the mighty king of cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano –I’m not totally delusional. In fact it might be closer to the scary plastic shaker of parmesan that sat in the door of the fridge or at the by-the-slice pizza joint. It is infinitely better for you though, as it is not only dairy-free but it is actually made out of real food. Nuts actually, and seeds, the stuff you are encouraged to add to your meals anyway.
