If you had told me a year ago that I'd be completely into vegetable juicing, I probably would have laughed, then eaten a cheeseburger...
My love affair with vegetables began without the purest of intentions last summer in attempt to get skinny for my wedding. I had never been a fan of the green things and am now completely embarrassed of how little they were incorporated into my diet both growing up and as a young adult. I do recall my parents grilling zucchini and my mom cooking up pasta with fresh veggies but the combination of my limited exposure and my pickiness left me totally in the dark about the gloriousness of the greens!
So last summer I began experimenting. I learned how to roast broccoli, puree cauliflower, grill asparagus and so on. The more I experimented the more the wonderful world of vegetables opened up to me.
I soon realized that not only did vegetables help me slim down for the wedding but I also discovered something amazing when I realized not only does the food I eat effect my body but it effects my overall state of mind. It's not a coincidence that I feel physically and mentally depressed the monday after a cake-filled weekend. And that I feel light an energetic after a morning of fresh juice.
My food experiments continued as I began to delve deeper in the study of Ayurveda - a thousand year old Indian medical system (also the sister science to yoga). To sum it up, Ayurveda is all about bringing the individual self into balance through everything from how much we sleep, to what type of exercise we do, to lifestyle, to what we eat. I delved deeper into reading Ayurveda cookbooks, buying herbs and spices and began incorporating the principles into my own life. I've even done an Ayurvedic apple juice fast twice in the last few months, which literally worked wonders on my mood.
Nate and I started watching documentaries like Hungry for Change and Food Matters which quite honestly blew my mind and introduced me to the wonderful world of juicing. I started working at The Ranch in Malibu, a detox Retreat center with gourmet vegan food, where my mind has been further blown by what a profound impact that food we eat has on every area of our lives. It's encouraged me to ask where my food comes from, what's actually in it and how is it made? The more I learn about food the more fascinating the world becomes. It feels like I've opened up pandora's box.
Now I'm counting down the days until Nate and I can afford a house with a backyard so I can grow a garden that provides fresh organic fruits and vegetables for my family. I'm completely hooked on the idea of owning backyard chickens who lay us fresh farm eggs. It seems completely out there, it's actually just simplifying and getting back to our roots. It's astounding to me that ours is the first generation who literally has no idea where our food comes from. And it's even scarier that most people don't seem to care.
But for now, things are good. I invested in a Breville Juicer with part of our tax return, and I try to drink a fresh vegetable juice once a day. It helps tremendously that I get free, or close to free fruits and veggies from the Farmer's Market I teach at every Saturday. I learned about CSA programs - Community Supported Agriculture, where people invest in a local farm at the beginning of the season and then receive a box of fresh, in-season fruits and veggies on a weekly basis. This weekend at an Earth Day fair we found Farm Fresh To You and this morning we got our first box delivered at 8am! It felt like Christmas morning. I now need to learn how to cook with radish.
Of everything I've learned and am learning the most powerful message I've taken away is the idea that each of us innately holds the knowledge of how to bring our bodies into optimal health. No book, philosophy, or documentary is going to give the answers but instead going out and experimenting ourselves, discovering these things and slowing down enough so that we can, moment to moment, listen to what our bodies need. I feel completely empowered with this new food obsession. Now I just need to find a way to bridge the gap between everything I'm learning and my love for baking!
