First Day of Spring

Tis the first day of Spring in Japan (though it’s snowing) and the first day of the Bahai Fast, a body, mind and soul detox, if you will.

For the duration of 19 days, Baha’is around the world fast (abstain from food and drink) from sunrise to sunset. Though a physical act, it’s important not to view fasting as a practice of asceticism nor as a means of penance. Instead, the physical fast is simply “an outer token of the spiritual fast; it is a symbol of self-restraint, the withholding of oneself from all appetites of the self, taking on the characteristics of the spirit, being carried away by the breathings of heaven and catching fire from the love of God.” This is why Baha’is are taught to use this time as a period of self-reflection, prayer and meditation.

HERE is a light-hearted article which I like, by Rain Wilson who plays Dwight on The Office about it.

Naturally, fasting is hard for everyone and especially food-bloggers (haha) who think of food always! In saying that… fasting might be a bit easier for me now seeing as at this time of year, the days are shorter in Japan than they are in NZ. HA-HA mom and dad! I kid, I kid! But in all truth, it is the difficulty of fasting which makes it so great and personally for me, the thought of millions of others from all walks of life, working on bettering themselves, together.

Now to stop thinking about/obsessing over what I’m going to have for dinner…!

Healthy hot chocolate

The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found? -J.B Priestley

The first snow is expected next weekend and frankly, I’m excited! She says that now, you say. Well, I don’t care about your opinion. For a literature loving, introvert foodie, winter is, well, SUMMER.

Instead of making my hot chocolates from instant powders (laden with additives and refined sugar) I make my hot cacao (that’s how fancy people say it) using wholesome ingredients. My Iranian taste-buds call for an extra pinch of sumthin’ sumthin’ to enhance the chocolate flavor, but if you prefer a classic taste, simply omit the spices.

1 cup almond milk
2 tsp raw cacao powder*
pinch of cinnamon
some orange zest
1-2 tsp coconut sugar

Simply warm the milk, cacao powder, cinnamon and orange zest in a small pot on medium heat.

Once hot, stir in the coconut sugar and serve.

*Raw cacao powder, dissimilar to processed cocoa powder contains a high concentration of antioxidants. In fact, higher than any other food we now know of today. Moreover,  in addition to calming our nervous systems, and regulating our heart rate, cacao is a feel-good food for it boosts our mood producing phenylalanine – this is the same chemical our bodies produce when we’re in love! No wonder we’re gaga over chocolate!