by Lisa Cybaniak
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Have you ever practised mindful cooking? Are you even sure you understand what the term ‘mindful’ means, especially in relation to cooking?
To me, being mindful means we bring awareness to our thoughts, actions and reactions, without judgement; to really be in the here and now rather than thinking about everything else on our to-do list. So, mindful cooking then is our ability to cook with a higher conscious awareness, appreciating each step of the process.
Today we’re talking about the connection between cooking and our emotions, the attitudes of mindfulness, and how we can bring these together to allow ourselves to feel safe and loved, especially during the pandemic.
Adamantia Velonis is the founder of Marmalade + Kindness, a UK mindful cooking journal that encourages readers to find moments of mindfulness and creativity through cooking. By sharing tried and tested recipes, featuring organic, seasonal produce, Marmalade and Kindness aims to inspire us to develop a daily cooking habit.
Meet Adamantia Velonis
Being of Greek descent, food has always played a prominent role in practising Ada’s culture and shaping her identity. Her fondest food memories are those she spent learning traditional holiday recipes under the wing of her beloved grandmother. Because of these memories, Ada understands that connection between scent, cooking, and emotion, and she uses that connection in her toughest times to help her feel comforted and loved.
Ada decided to create Marmalade + Kindness as a way to share her food journey with loved ones in Australia, where she was born and raised, and to encourage others worldwide to practice mindful cooking.
And she’s with us today sharing her top tips on how we can begin exploring mindful cooking, and how mindful cooking can be used to help our mental health during the lockdown and pandemic as a whole.
So, let’s dive right in!
For ‘Mindful’ Cooking, Set an Intention
Are you even aware of what you think of while you’re cooking? I know most of the meals I cook are spent in a dream land, projected into the future, thinking about how I’ll handle this or that, or the next item on my to-do list.
Of course, sometimes I spend my time mulling over the past – something I wish I said or did differently. You know what I mean, right?
Adamantia reminds us to take the time to set an intention before we begin cooking to bring awareness to our energy. By recalling who we’re cooking for, or simply experiencing gratitude for the ingredients we’re cooking with, we can manage our energy and bring our awareness to the present moment.
That’s the point of mindfulness, after all – staying present in this moment, not the last or the next. And taking that moment to set an intention is a great way to pull us into the here and now.
Mindful Cooking Awakens the Senses
To be in this present moment, we need to build awareness of what is going on inside our body and approach these sensations with curiosity and acceptance, says Adamantia.
Rather than feeling numb, our senses are awakened. Mindful cooking also offers this opportunity as we can use all five senses to cook and to check in with our breath.
Again, being present in this moment right here, aware of our thoughts, actions and reactions, without judgement.
Of course, awakening all five senses takes the intention to do so. Allow yourself to really see your food – the colours, for example. What is their texture? Can you focus on the sounds coming from chopping or cooking the food? And how about any scents the food is giving off as you prepare the meal?
Finally, what is the taste of your food? Really take the time to focus on the bite of food you’ve placed in your mouth. Savour it as there is no need to rush.
Keep a Mindful Cooking Journal
We’ve all heard of a food journal, or diary, before, right? This is what you’d do to try to source out a food sensitivity, for example, keeping track of all the ingredients you’re eating and your reactions to them.
Adamantia recommends upping this several notches with a mindful cooking journal. This should include observations about the seasons, foods you’ve enjoyed eating and their impact on your mood and digestion, as well as the memories that have been awakened during the cooking or eating process.
I think we’ve all had those experiences of a certain scent bringing us right back to a memory of a time or place, with all the emotions that poured through us at that time. We can use this when we’re feeling fearful, like during the pandemic, by choosing to cook and eat foods that stir a memory of us being safe, secure and loved, for example.
Your mindful cooking journal can also include the joy of other people enjoying your food, and skills you’ve mastered. All of these observations can help you see cooking as a journey and can act as a lens by which to observe your reactions to other areas of your life. It also allows you to start developing a conscious understanding of your relationship with food, and the connection between food and the environment.
More from this episode
Adamantia shares so much more in this episode, such as the seven attitudes of mindfulness, how cooking can be a way for connection, and developing an awareness of your body. Of course, no conversation about mindfulness would be complete without discussing mindset, so that’s in here too!
Press play on the episode above to get all the details!
Follow Adamantia Velonis
Find out more about Adamantia and Marmalade + Kindness through her website. You can also follow Adamantia on Twitter and Instagram.
Want to help this podcast? Follow us, subscribe, and leave a comment on this, or any other episode!
Resources
Join the Mindfulness Mastermind!
Get my 3 Steps to Shifting your Mindset with Workbook!
Join my free 30-day Challenge for emotional wellbeing!
Voice over credit: Shari Vandermolen. Shari is offering a free download of one of her songs to the fans of the Life Like You Mean It podcast! Just visit www.GiftFromShari.com and tell her where to send it. Shari’s debut album is available for streaming on all the major platforms including Spotify and iTunes.
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