Today I search for peace and quieting of the mind. Cooking is that place for me. The decision of what to make, the gathering of ingredients, the chopping, the smell of the spices freshly ground, the flavors harmonizing, and the first taste is a truly blessed ritual for me.
Life will continually challenge you, it is how you respond to it that determines how we grow, move forward or remain stuck. A challenge will continue to show up in your life until the lesson has been learned.
I have never dealt well with stress and when Darek was diagnosed with cancer I remember being strong for him as he cried and the protective walls around my heart started to form and over the years became thicker. Everything changed that day, we both were grieving the loss of our carefree lives as we knew it.
Even as I write this my memories of this time are surrounded by a fog and not truly present. The body responds to stress in extraordinary ways. To look at me from the outside I was a highly functioning Mom, wife, and member of the community, when in reality I was feeding the emptiness with processed foods and wine. We all cope the best we can with the tools we have. I have forgiven myself.
Acceptance means, for now, this is what this situation, this moment, requires me to do, and so I do it willingly___ Eckhart Tolle
Along with changing my relationship with food, I began practicing yoga, SUP daily, cooking, journaling, and laughing. Find joy in the smallest moments and be present in them. Believe in yourself and make the choice to move forward with joy.
In the past when I thought of sweet potato, joy did not come to mind. My experience with sweet potato was in the form of fries and the mush served at Thanksgiving, not the greatest introduction.
Here is a sweet flavorful sweet potato curry.
Chicken Sweet Potato and Kale Curry
3 lbs Chicken Thighs (organic thighs are comparable in price to non)
2 large Sweet Potatoes cubed
1 bunch Kale, stalk removed and ripped into pieces
3 inch piece Fresh Ginger grated
3 cloves Garlic minced
1 large Onion
2 cans organic Coconut Milk
1 cup Chicken Stock
1 Tbsp Tumeric
3 Tbsp Cumin/Coriander seeds freshly ground
1 Tbsp South African Curry
Salt Pepper to taste
Method
Salt and pepper the chicken thighs
Heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil or Ghee in skillet
Once browned on both sides set aside to rest
In the same pan add garlic, onion and cook until soft 3-4 minutes
Add ginger for 1 minute
Add ground cumin, coriander and let bloom for 2 minutes, breathe in the fragrance
Add tumeric and curry
Add sweet potatoes and mix the glorious aromas together
Taste and add more curry for more zip
Salt and pepper to taste
Add chicken stock and coconut milk and bring to boil
Simmer until sweet potatoes can be pierced with knife 5 minutes
Add kale, turn heat off and cover
Kale will soften and turn a beautifully vibrant green
Spoon into your favorite bowls and enjoy
Watch out, second helpings go without saying
The above photo was taken in 2013 while I visited the Lawai International Center on Kauai.
On this land 88 Buddhist Shrines were discovered and restored. This is a truly spiritual place which brought peace and calm to me the moment I set foot there.
Here is some history from the website Lawai International Center
“In ancient times, Hawaiians built heiau in the Lawai Valley only to be followed by
the Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese and Filipinos and their structures of worship. In this valley, are the remains of the prayers of all ethnicities and religions. And it is to this valley that for the past fifty years, grandma has continued their legacy.”
I recommend visiting this beautiful sacred place.
Much Aloha…..
Redefining Grief 
sweet potatoes are called kumara in NZ
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