day#30: in closing

woah, i bit off more than i could chew. was i crazy trying to shoot for 1,000,000 hits this month? probably. would i do it again? yup. there's something to be said for aiming high. going vegan has taught me so much about myself, my relationship with food, kindness towards animals, the environment, and what it means to truly nourish myself. i hope that by sharing my eats with all of you and some of the stories about the truly beautiful people i've met at the post punk kitchen, you'll want to stop by some time and take a gander.
this post is dedicated to all of you future post punk kitchen members. it would be awesome to hear my children make an informed decision by telling me that they also want to pursue veganism. i will not force the issue, though. when the time is right, i'll have a conversation with them about how food gets to their plate and see how they feel about it. for now, i have two awesome children that are really good vegetarians. my son can't stand eggs, cheese, and meat. he also hates veggies. but he loves fruit, grains, peanut butter, and most sweets. my daughter has blown me away by eating anything i put in front of her: avocado, kale, peas, bananas, sweet potato, squash, oatmeal, and has shown that she does NOT care for chocolate. weird, huh? the other day she started signing "more" at the dinner table, and is trying to feed herself. how awesome is that?
regardless of how you choose to eat, please take a moment and pause. what can you do to be more connected with your body? how often do you eat in a rush?are most of your meals from prepackaged foods or a number on a value menu? when was the last time you sat down in a chair in the kitchen and enjoyed a home cooked meal? are there smells in the kitchen that make you feel at peace? what are they?

cooking something for someone is one of many ways to express love to others. i cook for myself because i love me. i cook for other people and share food because i love the people close to me. think about it: you have to find out what someone likes, find a special recipe or come up with one on your own, take the time to find the perfect ingredients, make the food, present the food, watch them eat, and clean up after wards. it's a process we take for granted.
sea turtle sammies for my son!

so--schmaltzy as this ending may be, i thank you for stopping by and visiting my blog. i look forward to seeing the end numbers at foodbuzz and writing a check to my local food bank. i couldn't have done this without everyone's support.

eat well, be well, and don't forget that someone out there needs you.

xo jen