Think about one meal, one really great meal. What made it special?
I was celebrating a very special birthday. So we headed to one of my very favorite restaurants.
The elevator whisked us up to the rooftop entrance. The door opened … whoosh … and we stepped out into cool air, light music, and a smell that was simply divine.
We were seated at our table. Out in front of us was a view of the skyline. The sun dipping down into the horizon cast a red-orange-yellow glow.
The menu made it hard to choose. Luckily, my favorite restaurant happens to take vegan Asian fusion very seriously. All dishes are small and meant to be shared. “I’ll have one of these, and one of those. And I’ll try this as well.”
Wild mushrooms, kabocha squash, steam buns with crispy tempeh, cauliflower wings.
Every dish was a feast to the eyes, carefully plated with lots of design.
And ohhh, the flavors! A true chef who understands plant-based foods can do miracles with mere vegetables.
Then came dessert.
A small chocolate dream cake just for me, with a tiny sparkler saying, “Be happy” and “Celebrate!” So, I did. Every bite, mmm … (Yes, I shared. Of course, I did.)
But that wasn't all. Because I can’t say no to their tiramisu, with lemon ladyfingers and whipped cashew mascarpone.
Dessert wine? Don’t mind if I do.
And maybe, just a spot of tea before we leave. To let it all settle. To enjoy the music. And breathe in one more ounce of perfection, with twinkling city lights below.
“People who love to eat are always the best people.” ~Julia Child
What truly is joy?
According to Ingrid Fetell Lee, Joyful isn’t about seeking joy in the far-flung corners of the world. It’s about finding more joy right where you are.
And for many, that can feel difficult, almost overwhelming. The world is crashing down upon us. Politics. Careers. The economy.
How do we find joy? What would it feel like to feel good every day?
Ultimately, I believe it comes down to one thing:
This ability isn’t something we’re born with. Unfortunately, it’s not something we’re taught. Emotional management is learned. When you wake up, you choose how your day will go.
Feeling down? Wear a bright, cheery color. Listen to an upbeat song and dance. Take the circumstances into your own hands, and turn your day around.
Easy? Definitely not. Think back to learning to ride a bike. Or working your way through algebra class. You didn’t instantly get it. Instead, you worked on it daily. You got there a little at a time. Once you feel proficient, it takes work to stay there. To get good at it, you have to do it repeatedly.
Brene Brown defines Joy as: an intense feeling of deep spiritual connection, pleasure, and appreciation. In her book Atlas of the Heart, she states:
“we don’t lose ourselves, we become more truly ourselves. … with joy, colors seem brighter, physical movements feel freer and easier, and smiling happens involuntarily.”
I’ve noticed that. Joy is something to work at. It’s something you choose. When you feel it, it changes everything about your life. It changes you within your life.
For me, it changes the way I approach everyday tasks. It makes me want to do the simple things, like making my bed, wearing “real” clothes even when I’m sitting at my desk at home, and making my surroundings beautiful because it matters to me.
“To be a good cook you have to have a love of the good, a love of hard work, and a love of creating.” ~Julia Child
Finding joy in the kitchen
“I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate.” ~Julia Child
Schools have all but given up on teaching cooking. I remember one semester of cooking when I was in the sixth grade. That’s it. It’s worse today.
I think schools are missing out. There is so much to learn from cooking. Math skills galore - have a student cut a recipe in half, or double it. Real-life fraction skills, with benefits.
Today, we live in a world where most of us live by Julia Child’s analogy. We “just’ eat, with little thought about what goes into food. We “eat” without caring about quality.
Cooking was a chore for the first part of my life. I was busy conquering the world. I had battles to fight. Degrees to get. A family to build. I truly believed I could do it all just by staying busy throughout my days. Seven days of the week. Twenty hours a day.
I didn’t have time for cooking. Restaurants were so much easier. Plus, I could meet friends there, have meetings there - that’s where connections really happened.
Looking back, it’s also when I started losing my own connection to me.
Anxiety. Stress. At some point, you can’t ignore it anymore. I was there.
That’s when I discovered the kitchen.
The kitchen is calling. And it’s easy to find joy in the kitchen simply by following your senses.
Sense #1: Sight
In a sea of white, color kicks in. It’s well-documented that color impacts mood, and I know from personal experience it’s quite powerful. Yet at the same time, color is deeply personal.
Do you love passionate purples? Crisp greens? Or fiery reds?
When I first started Roots!, I brought in bright colors. I imagined stepping into a garden, dotted with pink, orange, yellow, and green. You won’t find muted or boring colors in a garden. They are purposely designed for attraction, to make you come in and stay for a while.
Pick your favorites. Enjoy the bounty. Beautiful imagery is designed for a hands-on experience. (That’s why cookbooks can be so motivating!)
Sight Action Step
Pinterest can be a feast for the eyes. Instagram can give you a never-ending supply of visual appeal. Visit your pleasure, and start searching for food. What draws you in? What motivates you? Find a recipe or two, and start cooking. Focus on the colors. Plate it with a colorful perfection. Make it uniquely yours, while adding your own form of delightfulness.
Sense #2: Touch
Skip buying veggies that are sliced and diced. They aren’t as healthy for you, and they lose their flavor. (I hate seeing those bags of tiny carrots. They’re merely leftovers from the scraps they gain by using them elsewhere.)
Instead, head to a farmer’s market and select produce picked recently. Then spend some time getting to know your food by handling, chopping, and prepping.
I will say, if you don’t have a good knife, invest in one. 🔪 You don’t need an entire kit - just one made for chopping. Then get started - I find the meal prep phase instantly lowers my blood pressure and puts me in an almost meditative state. Angry? Nothing feels as good as chopping!
Of course, you can participate in “touch” in so many ways. Dig in the soil and pull up a radish. Chop and stir to make dinner. Carefully place a spoonful in your mouth and feel the consistency. Is it flavored well? Does it feel right on the tongue?
Touch Action Step
This is an easy one - get personal with your food! Don’t buy for convenience; touch instead.
Start with my favorite kale salad. You can chop up the veggies, and then go a step further. In this recipe, you’ll use your hands to massage an avocado into the kale leaves. It makes a Gorgeous dressing that’s good for you too!
Sense #3: Smell
Kitchens and smells go hand in hand - you can’t have one without the other. With one word, your nose instantly goes into action.
How about cinnamon? It might evoke holidays and warmth, like baking cookies with your grandmother. How about lemon? 🍋 It might wake you up, invigorate you, and remind you of cleaning in action.
Want to change your day around? Play with smell. I recently posted an article about how just a few ingredients can transform your kitchen.
Smell Action Step
Let your nose lead you on a tour through your kitchen. If you love wine, crack open a bottle, pour a glass, and stick your nose in to take a whiff. Do you smell fruit? Earth? Spice? If you don’t have any wine nearby, you can pay attention to flavors with every meal you cook. Open each spice as you add it and breathe it in. (If it has zero scent, it’s time to invest in new spices.) And if you choose to change your surroundings, try my simmer pots - I love them, and hope you do too!
Sense #4: Sound
Imagine yourself at a party, toasting the bride and groom. POP! 🍾 The cork explodes from the bottle, alerting you to the flavors waiting inside.
Or maybe you’re out with friends, celebrating another week together. It’s Mexican food - yum! The sizzling sound of fajitas makes its way into the room.
Part of the experience of good eating is listening to all the sounds around you.
Isn’t that why we love to eat out? The sounds in the kitchen, laughter between good friends. And what about the music in the background …
I rarely cook without tunes in my kitchen. Why not try out my playlist (or make one yourself!)
Sound Action Step
While even these simple actions may sound simple at first, I promise you they grow and change over time. This is about becoming more aware of every point in the cooking process. Realizing that every sense is needed to truly fall in love with your kitchen.
But it happens … one meal (and maybe one song) at a time. 🎶
Sense #5: Taste
Think smell is the key to changing your mood? Then wait until you discover taste. Because nothing is as Gorgeous as putting something sweet on your tongue, or noticing a savory flavor in a way you’ve never done before.
I love the book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. She has a Netflix documentary built around the same concept. (I highly recommend it!) According to Samin Nosrat, the author, if you master these four elements, you’ll master the kitchen.
We all have cravings. I do believe some are more addictive than others. If you’re depressed or feeling blue, do you reach for fatty, sugary comfort foods? Then maybe the key to mood-busting is to create your own comfort foods that feature fresh, vibrant, seasonal ingredients that are a thrill to work with, and even more scrumptious to enjoy.
Taste Action Step
What are your favorite comfort foods? Find a way to make it healthier. You can do it easily just by Googling it. Here’s how. Add words like vegan, plant-based, or even healthier version. Have fun with it, try new foods, and discover new favorites. You’ll be surprised at where this journey takes you. (And it tastes so good!)
“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook - try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun.” ~Julia Child
Here’s to your senses!
And living a Gorgeous Life!
p.s. Did you like this message? It would mean a lot to me if you’d press the ❤️ below if you liked it, left a comment 💬, or shared it with a friend. I’m trying to grow this publication, and I depend on people like you to do so!
And if you’re new here, Welcome! 💐 I’d love to start sharing my message with you if you’re interested in all things plant-powered, proaging, or finding kitchen joy. Subscribe … and then explore my entire archive! Glad to share with you! 🙋🏼♀️