My First Zoom Cooking Class

I joined a friend from across the county in a cooking class this evening - both of us on either coast (me outside of Albany, NY and her in Seattle, WA). The class was based out of Minneapolis, MI with the instructor logging in from Mexico. We could hear the roosters crowing in the background of her video. Time zones factored in, I cooked in prep for dinner the following night and my friend finished prepping her meal with time to kill before dinner. While the spices, whole and ground, chilies, fresh and dried and leaves (bay and lemon - I used key lime!) created a fabulous aroma in the kitchen, the best part of it all was the mindfulness that the instructor brought in throughout the class. At the very start, she encouraged us to take a moment to get grounded and take some deep breaths. This is not a new concepts for me but while cooking, WOW, mind blowing. I had never put the two together but why not! Then a few times while in the thick of it, she reminded us to stop and breath. It was so powerful and valuable for me. I love cooking, but I do it in an efficient and intense way and while there is a high in that, there is also a relief in reaching out to the opposite, slowing it down, being present in it and aware, not just in the flow. Finding that balance as always with all things. So now I have learned something new and powerful, how to bring breath and mindfulness into cooking, two things that are so near and dear to my heart yet had never been connected. And I will let you know how that pumpkin curry actually came out tomorrow night.

Yeah so the curry was just okay, below I'm sharing a pic of fried tempeh with chimichurri sauce, SO delicious!!!