Anyone can cook

Disney Pixar’s Ratatouille is one of the best stories of our generation. It’s a story about possibility and pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable, what is normal. In the movie, the great Gusteau’s famous saying was, “Anyone can cook!” This is powerful.

Anyone can cook. My grandmother has always said, “if you can read, you can cook!” But Gusteau simplifies it further. Anyone. No hidden knowledge, no impressive resume, and no prior experience. All one needs is the willingness to create and the courage to learn along the journey.

If a humble rat can cook high French cuisine, then maybe I can do something remarkable with my life, too. But Remy never dreamed of making a difference. All he did was follow his curious nose, a nose which lead him on a path towards unconventional excellence.

I’m going to take a page from Remy’s book: be curious, and don’t worry about what’s to come. Just get obsessed with learning and creating. The rest will work itself out.

Peace in Small Matters

Life has been hectic lately. Camille is moving out of her apartment, and that whole ordeal came with a lot of stressful breakdowns and challenging conversations. Track hasn’t been going as planned, so I’m having to work extra hard to get to where I want to be. School isn’t terribly busy yet, but it’ll get busy in a matter of weeks. Life is moving fast. That’s why I’ve been slowing down to savor the mundane.

Cooking and washing dishes are two of my favorite activities. I love trying new meals, blending flavors, and feeling the gratitude of each bite that I helped to create. Practical things like learning how to cook with spaghetti squash (and no red sauce) as well as what to eat with shrimp make me excited. And then, when the kitchen is messy, I like manifesting order out of chaos and clean every dish with soapy fervor, setting each in its rightful place on the drying rack.

I find tremendous joy in these simple matters. Slowing down to feel the suds pass through my fingers and the steam rise up my forearm turn me into a poet. They bring me peace in hectic times, and they will always be there for me when I want to experience them. Whenever I worry about school or fear running a race, I can place myself in the moment and scrub: cups first, then forks and knives, then the big stuff…slow and orderly — make it last.

Make it last.

Chocolate Popcorn

First, get a large pot. Next, poor organic popcorn kernels and cover the bottom. Third—drizzle some olive oil over the kernels and sift them around to coat every one. The next step is important: throw some grass fed butter in. After the butter, turn in high heat. They will stay popping soon. When they do, lower the temperature and throw in a handful of chocolate chips. No more popping means no more heat. Throw in some more butter and chocolate chips. Shake. Dazzle with sea salt. Serve immediately. Peace indefinitely.

Pumpkin French Toast

I made French Toast for the first time this morning. Many don’t know this, but pumpkin spice is one of my favorite flavors. It’s my guilty pleasure. With some canned pumpkin and sprouted Sesame Ezekiel Bread laying around, I decided to try my hand at an American class, but with a healthy, fall twist.

Here’s my Pumpkin French Toast recipe:

The Batter:

  • 1/2 cup coconut cream
  • 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 eggs
  • ground cinnamon
  • maple syrup
  • sea salt

The Process

  • mix batter ingredients together
  • put coconut oil in a medium saucepan
  • turn on medium heat
  • dunk both sides of bread into batter and place on warmed pan
  • cook until brown on both sides
  • serve with whatever you want (maple syrup is a good idea)

And voilà. There you have it. A not-too-sweet, not-too-savory Pumpkin Breakfast treat for these cooler fall months.

I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as Camille and I did.