The holidays are meant for joy, laughter and catching up with loved ones over delicious meals, but let’s be honest—it can also be a challenging time of year, marked by anxiety, stress and even depression. As the pressures of preparation and social expectations mount, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed! No wonder many of us feel more frazzled than festive. But here’s a secret: Cooking mindfully could be your holiday sanity saver. Instead of letting the chaos simmer, why not let the process of chopping, stirring and tasting be your own oasis of calm? Mindful cooking is a chance to feed your soul and keep holiday stress on a low boil.
When you cook from a place of serenity, the food almost naturally tastes better because it’s made with love, not stress. So, instead of mastering every detail, focus on bringing positive energy into the kitchen. Trust me, it’ll make everything—from basting the turkey to baking cookies—a lot more satisfying and a lot more fun.
Cooking is my life. One might say I’m obsessed, but I say I am pretty passionate about it. I choose that word because I owe the act of cooking mad honor. Food and the ability to transform it into something incredible and delicious saved me from years of uncertainty and the lack of self-identity and purpose. This past year, life has had a funny way of throwing what felt like insurmountable obstacles in my direction. But the art of cooking gave me a creative outlet to help me navigate my way out of a dead forest of trauma.
The How and the Why
To cook mindfully is to cook with awareness. For most of my life, I never saw myself as someone who deserved to feel healthy or revel in being alive. Those limiting beliefs kept me from healing childhood trauma. Then, when I had the opportunity to switch that mindset, I became anxious. Anxiety morphed into depression because I could never see my self-worth.
But the act of preparing a meal became a beautiful way for me to be present, conscious and aware instead of stressed or overwhelmed. I learned to appreciate the food available to me and stay present in the moment. That is how I fell in love with cooking; it was there for me in more ways than one. It soothed stress and anxiety by shrinking my world to just the task in front of me. It gave me control and focus as I prepped, chopped, stirred, tasted and adjusted seasoning. It allowed me to share the love I put into each dish with those who mattered to me.
1. Mindful cooking can be a creative outlet.
It took me years to realize I could make art through food. I needed to SEE, HEAR, SMELL, TASTE and FEEL my medium of choice; I needed to connect with my art in the most intense, physical way. I didn’t have to wait for the paint to dry, and I got to eat what I made. That gave me so much peace.
2. Mindful cooking can be your culinary therapist.
I grew up in a home where food was a threat, an apology, and a form of unhealthy comfort. Hence, it was ultra-rewarding as an adult to learn how food and cooking could enhance life and allow me to connect with others.
There’s something oddly satisfying about following a recipe and turning chaos (aka your ingredients) into something beautiful and delicious. Plus, the act of cooking forces you to be present; it’s hard to spiral into holiday stress when you’re focused on not burning the garlic! In the end, cooking gives you control, creativity and a kitchen that smells amazing—which is just as rewarding as any therapy session, if you ask me. No amount of dirty dishes will ever take that away from me.
3. Mindful cooking can help reduce stress.
No matter what annoying stressors I had on my “life plate,” I knew I would feel better by spending a little time in the kitchen. A magical mood transformation would always take place with just a few flicks of a whisk. It activated beautiful memories of my mother’s cooking. The ability to slow down and reminisce immediately relieved tension and boosted my mood.
Cooking should never feel like a chore. Rather than saying, “Damn, I have to cook something for dinner,” try saying, “I GET to cook tonight.” Cooking doesn’t have to be perfect. If you don’t like following a recipe, don’t. Deviate from those recipes! Give yourself the freedom to make your own decisions.
Still feel like cooking isn’t your thing? Find one Saturday afternoon, step into your kitchen, and just cook. Connect with the food you make. Connect with who you are, what you want and how you want it. Here’s the secret: Holiday cooking doesn’t have to be stressful! It can actually be your secret weapon against anxiety and the winter blues. As you simmer, stir and season, you’re not just creating a meal; you’re creating calm amidst the chaos. So, throw on an apron, embrace the imperfections, and let your kitchen become the ultimate therapy room.
If you’re like me and like to go with a non-traditional holiday meal for Christmas, this recipe for Tofu Ricotta Lasagna Rolls is perfect for preparing this season. It’s a great dish to practice what I call creating a “slow meal,” and it’s gorgeous in presentation and taste!
TOFU RICOTTA LASAGNA ROLLS
9 lasagna pasta sheets (I use Barilla brand)
3 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
1 cup Cashew Cream Sauce (recipe below)
1 block extra-firm tofu, water pressed out
2 tablespoons tahini
2 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons shallot, finely diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, finely diced
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
VEGAN PARM
½ cup raw cashews
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Cook lasagna pasta sheets according to the package instructions. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
To make the vegan parmesan, combine cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a food processor or spice grinder and blend until the mixture resembles grated parmesan. Set aside.
While noodles are cooking, break up tofu into a large mixing bowl. Add tahini, nutritional yeast, shallots, garlic, nutmeg, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper. Mash together with your hand until fully incorporated. Set aside.
Ladle a cup of marinara sauce into a large baking dish. Spread sauce to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside.
Once the pasta is par-cooked, lay it out on a cutting board in batches of 2 to 3. Press about ⅔ cup tofu ricotta mixture onto each lasagna sheet, leaving a bit of bare space at one end. Slowly roll each sheet and place it on top of the marinara in a baking dish. Repeat with the remainder of the pasta sheets. Drizzle cashew cream sauce over lasagna rolls and sprinkle with vegan parm.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 8 to 10 minutes before serving.
CASHEW CREAM SAUCE
2 cups raw cashews
5 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, diced
3 cloves fresh garlic
1 ½ cups vegetable stock
½ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon onion powder
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
Soak cashews in water for 2 to 3 hours to soften. You can also boil in water for about 30 minutes if you’re in a hurry.
Once cashews have been soaked or boiled, drain and set aside.
Heat skillet over medium heat and sweat the onions in olive oil for 5 minutes, or until slightly translucent. Add garlic and sweat a few more minutes.
Add onion-and-garlic mixture to a high speed blender (I love my Vitamix). Add soaked cashews, stock, white wine, nutritional yeast and onion powder. Cover with lid and blend on the lowest speed, then increase to a higher speed. Blend until sauce is smooth and creamy. Pour into a large bowl and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
The mixture can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to 6 months.
