How do you spend time in the kitchen? Is it calm and serene? Is it stressed, time consuming and frustrating?
Learning to cook in the moment and be present rather than cooking mindlessly or haphazardly is a huge step forward to become kinder to yourself and having a positive mindset. I know it sounds a bit odd, especially if this concept is new to you..but just keep reading and give it a go.
Food can really, and I mean REALLY help and benefit your mindset and your wellbeing. When you allow your senses to take over and you rely on touch, taste, smell and being present in the moment no matter how short that moment is, it alleviates the other things going on in your life. This action is basically being mindful and mindfully cooking. To immerse positive energy into your cooking and the food you are using literally can transfer to the person receiving it and eating it. Being free of distraction and mental disturbance, to allow you to be free and focus fully on the meal you are creating.
Let me take you through a few tips to get you started and that help and benefit me – especially when I am full, overflowing with anxiety and can see no way through.
Step 1 – Breathe! Take 6 very slow, very deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth, counting in for 4 and out for 6. It calms the nervous system down and gets you in a head space that is calmer. It prepares the mind for a positive energy to begin with.
Step 2 – Shop with intention. Feel the quality of the produce. Notice where it’s from. Appreciate the people that have grown it (if its not yourself) and be present in the shop. This is a great starting point of preparing your mind for a good outcome. It makes you focus and start to get excited about making something good.
Step 3 – See how the ingredients you are using changes through the cooking stages. The textures and flavours will change over the time you are in the kitchen. The value of each ingredient changes over the cooking period as well.
Step 4 – Notice the smell. As these flavours come together so do the smells. They are bring us into the present if our mind has wondered off and also can spark a renewed memory of a space in time we enjoyed. For me cutting and cooking chorizo takes me back to a precious memory with my husband in Granada that I always think about when using it in cooking. Chopping onions and the smell always reminds me of teaching my teens how to chop and what to do when their eyes were streaming with tears. These good thoughts help us to stay calm and enjoy the cooking process without feeling stressed or anxious about getting things right or wrong.
Step 5 – Eating slowly. The positive energy builds as the food and ingredients come together to form the dish being created. Having the expectation of a positive outcome and sharing it with others is really key to this stage. Eating slowly improves digestion and allows you time to be present in the moment and enjoy the dish in full and to go over all the good actions you made in the process of making the meal. Eating slowly encourages appreciation and allows you to focus in the moment.
If you follow these steps – or at least practice following these steps you are on your way to enjoying a more mindful way of cooking. In time you won’t even notice your are doing it as the habit is formed and you naturally flow into each step and method as you cook.
If you would like to know more about mindful cooking or would like to join in to one of my classes please click below and find a class that suits you. Or get in touch via email to find out more and receive our monthly newsletter with up to date class dates along with tips and recipes to enjoy.
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