“I cannot believe I over-cooked the turkey! And those green beans! I forgot to reheat them in the oven and had to use the microwave so they lost their slightly crispy bite. OMG, those rolls are not quite done…”

That sort of self-critical talk is not a particularly mindful way to cook or enjoy a meal. Fortunately before I said those words out loud, I remembered to pause and breathe.

Breathe and cook for peaceful deliciousness.

Breathe and eat to prevent digestive and emotional upsets.

When you cook and eat in a non-judgmental way, culinary perfection can still happen, but if it doesn’t – it’s ok.

This breathing and non-judging stuff doesn’t mean you stop trying to improve your cooking skills or that you won’t take action to correct something that is going awry. It just means that you are staying calmly in the moment of cooking. Not predicting disaster or reliving earlier errors in cookery.

I did not start the green beans in time and there you are. I fixed it with the microwave. No apologies needed. In fact, nobody else noticed the imperfect beans. I even got a thumbs up for the under-cooked rolls by a family member who adored the slightly doughy goodness. A deliciously fun time was had by all.

When stress tries to derail the joy in your kitchen, take the time to pause, notice, and regain composure. Find the flower rising from the cactus spines, happily blooming right where it is.

Peace,

Janice