Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Cookies: Eating Habits and Meditation

I believe that ones eating habits tells a great deal about an individual. Suffering from yet another bout of insomnia the other night, I sat there in bed, unable to take a break from my ever-relentless racing thoughts. My thoughts went through every possible topic I could possibly have conceived of, and then some.

At one point, I noticed that I was smiling widely and almost laughing out loud during one specific ?thought-stream?. Yes, of course it involved food.I was reminiscing about a friend of mine, whom I had met while doing an internship at an organisation in Washington D.C. some time ago. Someone had sent me a mail insisting that I meet this woman, as she thought that we would get along very well.

Within minutes of our meeting, we certainly did get along and were exchanging stories and laughing. We even discovered that we had

1. attended the same primary school

2. that our fathers are often mistaken for one another as they held similar posts in the diplomatic core

3. Both had similar boyfriend-drama with German men

4. Both went to the same Uni in Canada ( I went for a term)

5. Both were completing of doctoral studies a the same uni

6. Both LOVE food!!!

Needless-to say, this meeting was the beginning of a dear friendship which I have continued to cherish since that day.

As our relationship has evolved, I have also notice terribly striking differences between us. One of these gaping differences involves the manner in which we both approach food. As far as I am concerned, M. has some of the most interesting eating habits I have ever seen in anyone.

I remember going over to her house and watching her prepare her lunch, and being captivated by the even her preparation strategy.

Watching her eat, is like being in a meditation session. M. would always examine her food thoroughly before placing it into her mouth. She would, for example, hold the sandwich in her hands and examine it from side to side, top, bottom and eventually something would click. As if something inside of her is saying “its OK to take a bite”, and she would. She always takes small bites and chews slowly, as if she was clearly savoring each bite, and honouring each and every single ingredient within that culinary object. Regardless of how full I was when watching her eat, this mere spectacle always made me desperately hungry.

While this meditative culinary experience was occurring, I began to notice that she would always do this ?thing? with her feet. Of course, this all depended on exactly how she was seated. If she was sitting on a chair that was high enough to elevate her legs from the ground, then they would do a light swing and dangle them a bit, as if keeping rhythm to the song of her culinary creation.

If she was sitting on a regular chair, she would stretch her legs out and her feet would just move, as if dancing to the composition of her meal. If it was hot and she was wearing sandals I would see her toes wiggle.

She has this wonderful way of making any meal seem like a moment of sheer bliss and one could just tell from the look in her eyes, from the sure-but-slow bites into her meal that she was thoroughly enjoying the ceremony at-hand.

I always admired that.

Coupled with that meditative act, she possesses an admirable and enviable skill of willpower when it comes to food. The extent to which she is able to excerzise this will power is far and beyond anything than I am capable of doing. She always knows when it is enough-when it is time to stop-when that moment of satisfaction is over and its time to move on.

I, on the other hand, am always pushing the limits, testing new boundaries…to the point of no return and often feeling sick to the stomach. M. certainly has a healthy, calm, sensical attitude towards eating, that I can only dream of attaining. Yes, and all that despite the fact that she loves food just as much as I do!

I called her via skype sometime ago and she told about a batch of oatmeal cookies that she had baked some days before. N.B, yes, I said some days before! She spoke about how amazing her cookies had turned out, perfectly chewy and moist, tasted to perfection.

She showed them to me via skype video and they did indeed look delectable! I quite frankly could not understand how they could possibly have lasted so long. As she showed them to me, she mentioned how hungry she was and could very well do with one. I was like ?then eat one, or three… or all!?

She looked at the cookie, pondered, and decided that she will wait to eat the cookie until after her dinner.

WHAT?!?!?

Saving?! Dinner?! After?! Those three words, I simply could not comprehend in this context?!

She had planned on eating ONE after her meal. Not before. I looked at her and just nodded my head…because I just could not relate!  Those cookies would have been soooooo gone, in my case! But alas….I admire the willpower..the control and the poise with which my friend is able to savour her food.

As I wondered if this skill and my utmost lack thereof, had any spill-over effects into our lives in general…it became obvious that this was clearly the reflection of a very dominant character trait.

In my pursuit towards instant gratification, and whimsical (often) impulsive action, I perhaps loose out on soo sooo much. Perhaps I dont even enjoy things to the same degree as my more self-contained friend.

Upon this realisation, I decided the following morning to sign up for meditation classes. You know, something to give me a bit more peace of mind, serenity-something to calm my impulses. And maybe, just maybe I, too, can turn my culinary experiences into meditative practices, savouring, fully engaging and becoming one with my meal!

I made a batch of oatmeal cookies myself a couple of days after to commence this process….I think that this is going to take a very very very long while!!! But in the meantime, here is the recipe, which was taken from Cooks Illustrated.

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