Memetic Desire

We are expected to make resolutions when ushering in the New Year.  Many of us resolve to lose weight and/or "get healthy".  Please don't bother if you desire this because you aspire to look as good as someone else deemed beautiful or handsome, or so you can bore the rest of us by talking endlessly about your superior-hopefully-impossible-to-achieve-by-the-likes-of-you weight loss "journey".  A journey implies more of a trip than from your home to the gym, and looking like Scarlett Johansson should be the desire of young Scarlett alone (She just might transcend desire come to think of it.  We all do.  Maybe.  And yes I am digressing.  Get used to it.  I digress hither and yon, here, there, and everywhere, even up one side and down the other at times) you shouldn't borrow your desires from others, follow a path not your own.  If true healthy beauty is your desire (that's a lot of "desires" I know, but then I'm quite fond of desire, just not the memetic kind), that honest "glow" is attained by learning what it is you want for yourself (that is good for you) and then pursuing it by whatever path comes naturally to you.

It's not natural to eat pre-made, boxed up food shot with whatever scary things necessary to survive the shipping process because some celebrity sold you on it.  It's not natural or "cleansing" to consume only liquids to achieve health.  Resolutions should involve making things clearer.  How can anything become clearer to you if you don't make your own good choices?  How can you possibly gain clarification when you're about to keel over or slap someone silly because of deprivation?

Eating and preparing food that makes you feel healthy provides a kind of never ending goodness that is rewarding to you and can expand to those you love, your community, your world.

So let's resolve to celebrate our daily sustenance.  Enjoy it.  Infuse it with our own style of goodness, our own desires.  And yes, that may sometimes involve a little candy.  For me anyway.

 I desire these carrots because I read in a magazine that Scarlett Johansson likes them.  Just kidding.  I love this recipe because the outer skin of these carrots is peeled away to reveal ribbons, ribbons wrapped in a rich, silky, spiced sauce.  Oh yeah, and because carrots contain vitamins B and C, are high in fiber,contain thiamine, potassium and manganese and I hear you can never get enough manganese.  The fact that they are also naturally high in sugar doesn't hurt.  Also it's easy.  Also I think cardamom pods are sexy.

I clipped this recipe from a Country Living magazine some years ago.

Carrot Ribbons with Cashews
Serves 8

1 1/2 pounds large carrots
1/2 C unsalted whole cashews (or any nut you desire- one lower in fat, perhaps)
3 T butter
3/4 C finely chopped yellow onion
2 t minced fresh ginger
1 T sugar
1/2 t salt
1/8 t cinnamon, plus one stick
1/4 t cardamom, plus 4 pods

Cut the carrots into ribbons using a peeler down the length of the carrot.  Toast the cashews in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until golden brown- about 2 min.  Remove and set aside.  Add the butter, onion, ginger, and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent - about 10 min.  Add the carrots, remaining spices, and 1 T water.  Cook, covered, for 5 minutes.  Remove whole spices, toss in the cashews, and serve hot.