Fall Y’all and the Process of it All

I just completed my fall cleanse and am appreciative of the opportunity to tune in and (in some ways) tune out. I’ve appreciated the connection to my kitchen and the fresh meals prepared each day. The process of selecting ingredients based on what feels good and choosing what tastes go well together is something I relish. I sometimes become disconnected from this engagement with my food. I mean, who wouldn’t? Thinking of and cooking three meals a day from scratch, every day. Sometimes a grab n’ go option feels way better. But during a cleanse, it’s truly an opportunity to get out of that convenience mindset and be so present that you actually find yourself appreciative of the process – and consequently, finding your simply-prepared food so delicious. Lunch the other day was a steamed purple sweet potato with spiced yellow mung dal and a lime cilantro avocado mash. It’s absolutely one of my favorite meals, and I love bringing it in for a cleanse. All six tastes represented, nourishing, filling, just right.

Inevitably, at the end of a cleanse, there is something I want to take with me going forward. A ritual, a release, an ingredient, a different routine. And believe it or not, there’s usually a new thing that comes up for me each time. Having done this at least 10 times over the past six years, it’s kind of wild that this process continues to unravel and evolve. Acknowledging the change of season in the spring and fall, makes the transition more easeful, less combative.

I spent part of my cleanse week processing 25 pounds of San Marzano tomatoes into nine jars of tomato sauce. Took me several hours. I came up against frustration with the process – forgetting what steps I took last year. I was impatient – shouldn’t this only take a couple hours, not five? I got a delightful pinch in between my shoulders – ouch! But I also (eventually) got in a groove. I found myself in a sort of dance between sink, and compost can, and stove top. Washing, blanching, peeling, milling, simmering, canning, boiling, cooling. And now I have a finished product to enjoy over the cool months, likely over several servings of pasta and whatever else hits.

Easing into a weekend of beautiful weather to tend to some garden cleanup and mulching. Another chance to embrace this transition and, eventually, welcome the next.