Getting My Act Together, Finally

​Last night I had a dinner that felt good to my body and that I felt proud of.
It took days and lots of preparation to have this simple, wholesome meal.
 
Last week, I made a new batch of fermented vegetables, which took about three days to ferment to the point of having a tasty, tangy bite due to the freshly squeezed lemon juice, grated garlic and ginger I added.
 
Six days ago, I started soaking my quinoa for fermented quinoa, to which I added some of the brine from the fermented vegetables.

​Four days ago I cooked a batch of bone broth from local, free-range and naturally fed cows.
 
Three days ago I grated a head of cauliflower to have a stash of riced cauliflower to serve as a rice-subsitute bed for vegetable dishes.
 
Two days ago, I ground white and black mustard seeds and let them soak in spring water that I had collected that morning outside my home. Later I added some pineapple vinegar, which I had made in the Fall. I added some organic turmeric and sea salt from the region and soon  had a homemade mustard condiment.

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Rainbow veggies ready to ferment

​So last night, I cooked the fermented quinoa in the bone broth. I pan fried a piece of wild caught Alaskan salmon till the skin was crispy and topped it with mustard. 

Salad was local organic red curly leaf lettuce over which I drizzled cold pressed olive oil made regionally, and a sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper and sea salt.

On top of the quinoa, a dollop of fermented vegetables.

For dessert, I put little pieces of pure dark chocolate on top of thick sweet potato slices I had pressure cooked in the morning. Yummy.
 
It all felt good going in and down as I sat on my terrace taking in the golden light slowly turning orange on the mountains. I had been getting all the pieces together for incorporating low lectin foods into the way I eat day by day and all at once, I had the pieces to assemble a nice, simple meal.
 
Proud and satisfied I complimented myself on finally getting my act together. Immediately my smile faded as I cocked my head wondering, “Is this how life is? We work hard for a long time at all the many pieces and then one day, all of a sudden, we have everything prepared and in place for us to be and live how we have been wanting?” I remained at this landing spot for a moment. “Wow, am I there?” I thought, hopefully. I nodded “No.” Experience has shown me there are moments of culmination and perceived “perfection”, where we have a glorious view from where we’ve been climbing and unexpectedly find ourselves. Then, life moves on. Soon it will be cold or dark. Something runs out, goes bad, or we realize new needs that require our work to satisfy.

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I got it together for one meal. I’m going to enjoy the view from the mountain while I’m  here. Tomorrow I’ll chop more vegetables for fermenting, roast cocao beans and grind them in a mortar and pestle for chocolate avocado truffles to share with friends, and cook the lentils that are sprouting in a bowl on my counter.

Photo Credits: sheknows.com, TedTreks.com, livestrong.com, learningherbs.com, thecuriouscoconut.com