Do you have that one recipe that brings back all the good memories from your childhood and pleases your palate as well as your soul?

Burmese fish chowder is my #1 comfort food for the soul that satisfies my taste-buds and lifts my spirit.

Growing up, I used to see cooking as a chore but now I enjoy every moment I get to cook for myself and my loved ones. I lived on fast food diet during my college years and didn’t know how to find that satisfaction factor to calm down the sense of deprivation. To be satisfying, a meal includes food that you enjoy and that ‘hit the spot’. Having a smoothie when you want a comforting curry will not lead to satisfaction. Our gut always talks to our brain and food can have huge effects on our mood and the emotions we experience.

When it comes to healthy living, food plays a very important role. It took many years before I started seeing food as a powerful healing modality for my body and soul.

🍲 I eat when I am not overly hungry: when I eat a delicious meal when I am moderately hungry, I am more likely to find that I am comfortable full and feel content. If I wait till I am extremely hungry, my taste buds will barely have a chance to register the exquisite tastes before I chow down the entire meal.

🥗 I put my focus on eating healthy food instead of avoiding unhealthy food. It is as simple as increasing the proportion of healthy foods I eat, while continuing to eat some of my favorites, but less healthy foods in smaller portions.

🥘 I cook once and eat 2-3 times: making food that my family likes in large batches have been a huge time-saver. I rotate the leftovers throughout the week so that we’re not eating the same meal every day.

🍱 While we have our family favorites, I try adding a few new recipes every month to add more variety to our family meals. Studies done by American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who eat a wide variety of foods are less likely to suffer from damaging inflammation, and they also have better levels of cholesterol and omega-3s and a lower risk of diabetes and heart disease, compared with those who are less willing to try new dishes and ingredients.

So what kind of food is speaking to you today? What food are you imagining on your plate that will satisfy your soul? I would love to hear from you!