Conscious Cooking and Eating!
I'm so happy to be sharing with you my approach to cooking and food that I am slowly bringing into my routine.
It is a daily effort that brings loads of benefits in the long term.
Cooking can become a meditative practice!
Nowadays life is busy, fast paced and distressing! We are constantly being bombarded with all sorts of info all the time.
Slowing down is very important to allow body, mind and spirit to unwind.
Most of us are not aware of the direct yet subtle effect food has on us... We rush and skip meals, eat on the go and lose touch with the simple action of chewing! Digestion issues are a trend in modern society and convenient food is considered a treat.
Food does have a power and the intentions we have when cooking bring the dish together. Bringing awareness and and taking the time to cook a meal works wonders, I took my time to cook these amazing paratha and they tasted like bliss!
Parathas originated on the Indian subcontinent. It is a flat bread that can be done plain or stuffed. There are all sorts of recipes out there from unhealthy, (using highly processed white flour and hydrogenated oils) to really healthy recipes. A simple paratha made with whole grain flour and healthy oils can nourish your whole body, mind and spirit.
This recipe is a vegan attempt because...
I don't agree with dairy industry practices. They are more distressing than those of meat production. A mother cow only produces milk when she gets pregnant. So, starting from the age of 15 months, she will usually be artificially inseminated. Farmers mechanically draw semen from a bull, and then force the female cow into a narrow trap known as a “cattle crush”, where they will impregnate her. When she gives birth, her calf will typically be removed within 36 hours.
I believe that going back to basics is a solution, where forcing pregnancy and separation is not a necessary practice to get some milk and cheese to the table. It is all about sharing some of that dairy when a cow naturally gets pregnant. This solution would ruin mass produced dairy business' if people would take full responsibility when sourcing their dairy.
There is no wrong or right when talking about diet as everyone has different constitutions, taste buds, diets, culture… But being aware of the background of the food you eat will determine how food is produced in the future.
Dough:
1 cup whole grain wheat
1 tablespoon millet
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
water (slowly poor warm water until the dough comes together)
Kneading is a very important part of bringing the ingredients together .
Let the dough rest minimum 30min.
Stuffing:
Mashed potato
Sautée onion and garlic in spice blend
Mix the mash with the rest
Spiced Blend:
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
1/4 teaspoon of cumin
1/4 teaspoon of mustard seeds
1 pinch of cayenne pepper
I hope you feel inspired to slow down, allow yourself to fully experience the stillness and quiet when you bring awareness to your cooking!