Wednesday, June 24, 2009

The Treasure of Chaos

Creativity is the child of chaos. These are words I just happened across in a book. What does it mean? Creativity is not born out of order....hmmm makes sense (it certainly agrees with the appearance of my spice cabinet). According to the book I am now reading, chaos is embedded in all of nature (yes, even your mind is filled with the stuff). Chaos is what gives us the ability to respond to the constantly changing environment. A universe in perfect order would have no need for creativity. There would be no problems and therefore no need for solutions. Suppose that the mysteries of nutrition were answered. All of natures secretes unlocked, the recipe for life distilled, preserved and packaged for your convenience. There would be no need to stand over burners, sizzling red onion in curry, unlocking the intoxicating musk of this mysterious tincture. If we knew what our bodies needed from spinach we could encapsulate in gels or press into powders what now wilts eagerly into the bubbling yellow fragrant lava in your pan.
"Wait!" says the television commercial "Before you throw that orzo into the delicately brown, sweet red onion mixture and mix it with those crisp red peppers and crunchy apple bits, and shower it lightly with crystals of salt, try our new nutritionally balanced electrolyte enriched calorie free soda. You don't have to waste time on cooking and eating. You are too busy for that!" Natures secretes appear to be scattered among the proprietary files of nutrition scientists, and delivered to the public in food label format, and yet.. something is missing. Something is driving us to keep seeking nourishment. The food we are eating is not making us full. What could it be?
If I held out my hands and in one hand gave you the gift of time, creativity, the feel of fire in your cheeks, the inhalation of sweet vapors, a clear energized spirit and a belly filled with meaning, and in the other hand gave you a brown rectangle promising "your daily requirements" and "all you need" which would you choose?
Trust your creativity to tell you what you need. Your creativity is a wise guide. It helps you to catch the many bunnies of change, it has moved you to dream the lush and adventurous path you are living, it guides your perception and it will help you to imagine the meals that will nourish you.
This salad is dedicated to C and E in Arizona. Thank you for the inspiration.

The Treasure of Chaos Salad:
Boil a pot of water and cook 1/2 pkg orzo for about 8 min. Drain the pasta and toss it in a little olive oil and salt to prevent it from sticking.
Heat 3 Tbsp oilve oil in a pan and add 1/2 red onion diced and a sprinkle of salt and 1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder and 1 tsp cumin. Cook until onions begin to soften, then add a large bunch of spinach. Cook until spinach wilts. Remove from heat and toss mixture into orzo. Allow orzo to cool. Dice 1 red pepper, 1 yellow pepper and 1 green apple and mix into the orzo. Add 1 juicy lemon. Sprinkle with rice vinegar, salt and pepper.

Christina's vote: "Nice flavors, too many noodles"

2 comments:

  1. LOL @ Christina RE: Noodles!!! HAHAHAHA

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  2. THANK-YOU FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL SALAD! WE WILL LOVE IT!
    C AND E

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