Dancing in the Kitchen

Always, always remember that this is your life. There is no judge or jury here, no one who has an expectation of what your journey should look like. Allow your healing to unfold according to what works for you. The recipes I share here are just ideas and suggestions that have worked well for me. My hope is that my journey will provide some inspiration for you on your journey.

Your process will be your own. If life is hectic, and you don't have time to cook beans or grains, there are plenty of canned beans or quick-cooking grains available to you. If you are unable to get the vegetables that are in my recipes, use the ones that you find in your local market. You can use frozen vegetables for your soups and dried herbs instead of fresh, too! Remember, you can add any type of meat or dairy to many of the dishes as well. If you can't find organic or some other food specified in a recipe, make it with what you can find. What sounds good to you? What's within reach?

This dance isn't about rules and being rigid. It is about adapting and changing, flowing with life. Each of us has different financial obligations and time constraints, so your dance in the kitchen must fit your life. And, when you are ready, try something new, and see how it works for you.

This is the beginning of your journey-a time of transformation and taking care of yourself. It's the beginning of a new and healthy relationship with food. So go ahead, take that first step. In no time, you will be dancing in your kitchen, and the richness and beauty of what that creates will nourish not just your body but also your soul!

And that secret I mentioned earlier? My Zen practice. I had to give up the need for control to find the peace and contentment I was trying to provide for myself with control. In the process of letting go, I found what I needed. I found out that life isn't about the "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts" I had created for myself. It's about balance. My life had been made up of so many rules to keep myself safe that I'd become deathly afraid of breaking any of them. It wasn't until I was able to let go of the need for control and all of my rigid, inflexible rules that I was able to recover completely.

Once I set aside my armor, with no rules to follow, I freed myself. I was free to try out new ideas, and if they didn't work, I tried something else. Control shifted to present-moment awareness, and I connected my emotional, physical, and mental parts into a whole me. I recognized that life really is about the journey, not the arrival. Our lives are worth celebrating every day, and what better way to celebrate than by cooking good food and sharing it with family and friends? I have created a beautiful dance in my kitchen, and it is a joyous dance.

After all is said and done, what would I like you to walk away with after reading the story of my journey? I'd love for you to feel a sense of calm. Take a breath. I'd like you to believe that you can do anything, even though it may take time and hard work. My father-in-law, who was born in Baghdad, used to always say, "All good things come to those with wait and faith." Every word of this book was written with patience and faith. I hope that my story and my recipes inspire you to start dancing down the road toward a peaceful relationship with food, leaving behind anything that doesn't serve you. Can you hear the music? Let's start dancing.