sunloveair:

Tropical Gazpacho. It’s one of my favorite dishes, as it satisfies me at any time of the day, and it has also taught me an important lesson. I used to think I had to have all the right ingredients in order for it to taste right, but I’ve learned that I can make it without cucumbers, avocado, cilantro, or peppers and it can still be delicious. I don’t have to be right and the soup doesn’t have any right ingredients. It’s flexible.

Today, I had a little bit of pineapple and two mangos, some romaine and spinach, and one red pepper and one chipotle pepper. I also added a shallot and some garlic powder—and bam! It’s amazing. 

This soup requires three flexible ingredients: sweet fruit, greens, and something spicy. That’s it. Sure, it’s good with added fat (avocado, hemp seeds, etc.), but it doesn’t need it. It’s fantastic with some cilantro, but it’s fantastic without it, too. 

The take-away: Be flexible with yourself and your recipes. I’ve had periods in my life when I’ve been terribly unloving and rigid with myself. Sure, I’m a plant-eater, which may be terribly rigid for some, but I love this lifestyle, because it’s adventurous and abundant. I read in Jonathan Safran Foer’s Eating Animals that Americans eat less than 5% of the available food, but I’m always trying new things. I have fun with food.

Sometime I have a little chocolate, some bread, or a drink. Sometimes I even have coffee—gasp! Yep, I had coffee two times in January and a little more in February. I’ve always had a tendency to be extreme, so it’s easy for me to give things up, but now I can do things in moderation. And I’m increasingly more happy, joyous, and free.