January (Inward) Journeys
Lately I have been thinking about the connectedness of this world we live in. Nothing exists in a vacuum, but instead in a context and a construct, affecting and affected by others. I have made some social connections lately that remind me how truly small the world is. In my professional life as a physical therapist in critical care, I have recently been reminded of how the lives of individuals from the same place can follow very opposite trajectories based on the circumstances, and that life is valuable and fragile.
I think winter is naturally a time for turning inward, a time for refection and setting intentions, and a time for comfort and appreciation. I went to a yoga class last night after a long hiatus. It felt good to get into a warm and flowing vinyasa and to tune into my body, but I have such a hard time with meditation these days. I can't seem to clear my mind or prevent myself from thinking about all the other things I could be doing. I understand the value of meditation in terms of turning inward and becoming more receptive to what the universe has to offer, and I know that people can achieve things and open themselves up to new experiences when they allow meditation to become part of their routine; I just haven't had that experience yet. I practice self-reflection on a regular basis, constantly working to better myself and to achieve the things I set out to do, but I have not yet been successful with meditation. I'm sure that it's a lifelong journey, and one that is more about the process than the destination. It's something I want to keep working on. I think that meditation could be beneficial for me, especially working in a challenging area of healthcare in which many practitioners suffer from compassion fatigue and caregiver burnout. I hope to keep working on connecting with myself so that I may more greatly impact others.
Speaking of connectedness, I have read a number of books this month that are all incredibly related. My perception of a book is often influenced by other books I read previously, or ones I am reading simultaneously. I coincidentally spent the end of December and beginning of January reading a handful books about WWII. I had been working my way through The Boys in the Boat (Daniel James Brown) since our Hawaii vacation, I re-read All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr) for my book club this month, and I listened to The Book Thief (Markus Zusak) on audiobook, one of my favorite books of all time, because it happened to be available from the library when I was looking for something to listen to. All of these stories we so different from one another, and each unique and brilliant in their own way, and yet all were very much connected. Ambition, growth, trauma, and the impact of WWII on very different groups of people in separate parts of the world were all common themes. Then I finished our next book club book, The Green Glass Sea (Ellen Klages), about the Manhattan Project and the building of the Atomic Bomb, obviously another pivotal aspect of WWII. At the same time, the audiobook Hidden Figures (Margot Lee Shetterly) became available from the library, and while it isn't about WWII specifically but more focused on the discoveries and contributions in the following decades, it was nonetheless very relevant to Klages' story in terms of the scientific advancements. I just feel like I've been immersed in all these interconnected stories about people whose lives impact others'.
Another way I love to celebrate connectedness, diversity, and our shared humanity is through food! My best friend gifted me this beautiful cookbook a few years ago, and I am slowly making my way through it. This week I tried this easy and light recipe for Basbosa, a Middle Eastern sweet cake that originated in Egypt. The dried coconut, lemony syrup, and chopped pistachios provided the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. Enjoy!
Basbosa
From Share: The Cookbook that Celebrates Our Common Humanity
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups cornstarch
1/2 cup dried coconut
2/3 cup almonds or pistachio nuts, chopped
For the syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x10 inch cake pan.
2. Pour the melted butter into a mixing bowl and add the eggs, sugar, milk, cream, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Beat until mixture is smooth.
3. Fold in the cornstarch and coconut, and mix until evenly combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 mnutes, or until golden. Allow to cook in the pan until lukewarm.
4. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Place the sugar and lemon juice in a pan with 1/2 cup water. Place over low-medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until it is of a good syrupy consistency. Set aside to cool.
5. Drizzle the syrup over the lukewarm Basbosa, sprinkle with the chopped nuts, and serve.
I also found this list of yummy-sounding and flavorful recipes that I can't wait to try: World Cuisine: African Recipes
Happy January! Stay tuned in a few days as well reflect on the one year anniversary of the Women's March!
I think winter is naturally a time for turning inward, a time for refection and setting intentions, and a time for comfort and appreciation. I went to a yoga class last night after a long hiatus. It felt good to get into a warm and flowing vinyasa and to tune into my body, but I have such a hard time with meditation these days. I can't seem to clear my mind or prevent myself from thinking about all the other things I could be doing. I understand the value of meditation in terms of turning inward and becoming more receptive to what the universe has to offer, and I know that people can achieve things and open themselves up to new experiences when they allow meditation to become part of their routine; I just haven't had that experience yet. I practice self-reflection on a regular basis, constantly working to better myself and to achieve the things I set out to do, but I have not yet been successful with meditation. I'm sure that it's a lifelong journey, and one that is more about the process than the destination. It's something I want to keep working on. I think that meditation could be beneficial for me, especially working in a challenging area of healthcare in which many practitioners suffer from compassion fatigue and caregiver burnout. I hope to keep working on connecting with myself so that I may more greatly impact others.
Speaking of connectedness, I have read a number of books this month that are all incredibly related. My perception of a book is often influenced by other books I read previously, or ones I am reading simultaneously. I coincidentally spent the end of December and beginning of January reading a handful books about WWII. I had been working my way through The Boys in the Boat (Daniel James Brown) since our Hawaii vacation, I re-read All the Light We Cannot See (Anthony Doerr) for my book club this month, and I listened to The Book Thief (Markus Zusak) on audiobook, one of my favorite books of all time, because it happened to be available from the library when I was looking for something to listen to. All of these stories we so different from one another, and each unique and brilliant in their own way, and yet all were very much connected. Ambition, growth, trauma, and the impact of WWII on very different groups of people in separate parts of the world were all common themes. Then I finished our next book club book, The Green Glass Sea (Ellen Klages), about the Manhattan Project and the building of the Atomic Bomb, obviously another pivotal aspect of WWII. At the same time, the audiobook Hidden Figures (Margot Lee Shetterly) became available from the library, and while it isn't about WWII specifically but more focused on the discoveries and contributions in the following decades, it was nonetheless very relevant to Klages' story in terms of the scientific advancements. I just feel like I've been immersed in all these interconnected stories about people whose lives impact others'.
Another way I love to celebrate connectedness, diversity, and our shared humanity is through food! My best friend gifted me this beautiful cookbook a few years ago, and I am slowly making my way through it. This week I tried this easy and light recipe for Basbosa, a Middle Eastern sweet cake that originated in Egypt. The dried coconut, lemony syrup, and chopped pistachios provided the perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. Enjoy!
 |
| Basbosa! From the Share cookbook. |
Basbosa
From Share: The Cookbook that Celebrates Our Common Humanity
Ingredients:
8 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups cornstarch
1/2 cup dried coconut
2/3 cup almonds or pistachio nuts, chopped
For the syrup:
1 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x10 inch cake pan.
2. Pour the melted butter into a mixing bowl and add the eggs, sugar, milk, cream, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Beat until mixture is smooth.
3. Fold in the cornstarch and coconut, and mix until evenly combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 mnutes, or until golden. Allow to cook in the pan until lukewarm.
4. Meanwhile, make the syrup. Place the sugar and lemon juice in a pan with 1/2 cup water. Place over low-medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until it is of a good syrupy consistency. Set aside to cool.
5. Drizzle the syrup over the lukewarm Basbosa, sprinkle with the chopped nuts, and serve.
I also found this list of yummy-sounding and flavorful recipes that I can't wait to try: World Cuisine: African Recipes
Happy January! Stay tuned in a few days as well reflect on the one year anniversary of the Women's March!
Comments
Post a Comment