The warmth and glow of a home kitchen after a chilly late-fall venture to the farmer's market can turn one to more inward thoughts. At the market, the shopping experience is usually quicker and less connected with not as much socializing than it is in warmer months.  For this reason, restoring a feeling of centeredness can be beneficial when returning home with your market fare.

Food is the essence of my social life, profession, and health. This time of year, each week is organized around trips to the farmer’s markets and farms located in my area. For myself and many others, this routine is not just a hobby—it’s a lifestyle. Just recently I read a real estate article that explained the trendy concept of marketing residences for “foodies.” Some homes are being advertised not only for their kitchens, but also for their proximity to the best farmer’s markets and grocery stores!

LET’S HAVE A TASTE of mindfulness.

Take an apple out of your refrigerator. Any apple will do. Wash it. Dry it. Before taking a bite, pause for a moment. Look at the apple in your palm and ask yourself: When I eat an apple, am I really enjoying eating it? Or am I so preoccupied with other thoughts that I miss the delights that the apple offers me?

Food knowledge is not just trendy these days but a form of social, physical, and personal empowerment. My acupuncturist states that “food is your first medicine” as it gives one the nutrition essentials for health maintenance. In my next few blog offerings I am going to share with you some of my personal tips on changing your kitchen into a place of education, contemplation, and personal development.

By Susan Guillory

Mushrooms are often referred to as vegetables, but did you know that technically they are a fungus? They grow from spores rather than seeds and are parasites that feed off of decaying vegetable matter like tree stumps. Ancient cultures have long understood the medicinal qualities of mushrooms, and they are now popular in our Western dishes for their savory taste, due to the naturally occurring flavoring agent, monosodium glutamate.

“Choose whole grains instead of refined grains.”

Take a moment to think about cooking with your favorite herb. Are its leaves small and round, or are they broad and jagged? What scent does it leave as it brushes against your fingertips, and how does that aroma change as the herb is crushed, sliced, and chopped?