Keep It Simple. Make Some Soup
The world is too loud and too much. As I write this, I see the sticky note on my computer, “Keep it Simple,” and that’s what I’m doing.
I’m making a lot of soup. It grounds and nourishes me. And it suits my cooking style, which one of my sons calls "throw and pray!" Soup is exactly what I need right now.
I protect my time and sanity by saying "no," maybe more often than I should, and I say "yes" to what is essential, and to what brings me more contentment, joy and peace.
I do my very best to remember how many good humans there are in the world, and how much it matters that we stand up for each other and that we stand together. As my heart breaks, watching our democracy attacked daily by a corrupt, wannabe king, I will remember that on No King’s Day, I marched with 100 other folks in a tiny seaside town on the North Coast. We did so peacefully, with strength and joy, and love. And we were joined by five million other Americans doing the same.
I will remember sitting in a circle the other week at a yoga retreat at Green Gulch Zen Center, led by the amazing Ada Lusardi. We went around the circle and spoke briefly about ourselves. One woman told us she was from Iran, and she began to cry. She wanted to know was if her family was ok. She wanted to understand why, as an American citizen, her taxes were paying for an unconstitutional war. Eyes watered all around. There were no grand gestures. Instead, we shared a common recognition of suffering, and gave her unspoken, unwavering support.
At both events, we came together and created something bigger than any one human. Something wonderful, and deeply necessary. We created a community based on a shared sense of justice and care.
Please take care of yourself. I make soup. It's nourishing, satisfying, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Just like us. And say yes to joy! It's an act of faith, an antidote to cynicism, and the fuel we need to keep moving forward.
New circles start in September. Until then, find quiet where you can. Embrace joy. Keep it simple. Here’s my recipe for Tomato Soup —it’s delicious.
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Recipe: Roasted Tomato Soup with Olives and Basil from my memoir “Ravenous: A Food Lover’s Journey from Obsession to Freedom”
Serves 4
Ingredients:
6 large ripe tomatoes, chopped in half (about 3 pounds)
1 large onion, peeled and chopped into 6 wedges
1/4 cup good-quality extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1/4 cup basil, washed and cut into chiffonades
Salt and pepper to taste
12 green olives, pitted and quartered (optional, though everything is better with olives)
Preheat oven to 350 F. Gently toss tomatoes and onion wedges in large bowl with olive oil. On a parchment lined baking sheet, place tomatoes and onions cut side down and drizzle with remaining olive oil from bowl. Bake until both tomatoes an onions are soft, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
When tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove skins and place tomatoes in medium size stockpot. Add onions as well as all drippings and oil remaining on baking sheet. Puree with hand blender. Add vinegar and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes. Add a small amount of water if soup is too thick.
Season with salt and pepper. Serve in bowls, topped with a sprinkling of basil and olives, if using.