Resolutions: Michelle Walrath

"Do you remember feeling great as a kid? That feeling of brightness, and energy and free spiritedness? If you grew up in a home where food was prepared with love, from fresh, whole nutritious ingredients – you know what it feels like to have your body and spirit fulfilled by a connection to your food. In my house, food was love and it nourished the body and the spirit. The dinner table was the center of the home, and the food that was set upon it was simple, honest food made from the best ingredients available – and as a kid the simplicity and blessing of a world where we ate, played, learned and slept served our bodies and our spirits. 

 

Like many, as an adult – that simplicity became harder to capture. When life becomes more complex, and busier it naturally becomes harder to control the choices we make – for ourselves and those who count on us. The pressures of fitting it all in and making the time to shop, prepare, and savor nutritious food becomes nearly impossible. That spiritual connection we have to food when we are blessed to be raised in a house that provides it daily, becomes harder and harder to hold– and bit by bit we can lose it in the natural demands of running a busy household. When that happens, we need to search for a way to reconnect to our food in a meaningful way.

When my 4 kids were young, feeling like I needed a reset, I embarked on a vegan meal plan and detox, led by my local yoga studio on Long Island. For 7 days ~ for my husband and I ~ I juiced, cooked, roasted, sauteed and hydrated, using the power of vegetables and light grains to fuel our week. No coffee, no alcohol, no gluten, no dairy. Just simple real organic food, hydration, and deep sleep. After those 7 days we felt incredible. I would describe it as buzzing with energy and positivity.

Knowing what a privilege it is to have the time and resources to focus on the food that sustained our family - that feeling became a piece of my drive to open a restaurant grounded in our deep spiritual and biological connection to our food - and offer others a chance to live life at their most amazing. 

I grew up in a household that prioritized health and homeopathic medicine in addition to wholesome food. When the focus is on organic food and exercise, you learn as an individual to make the time daily to include those building blocks of a healthy life. What a gift! We've carried that spirit into our own home, teaching our kids at an early age to commit to exercise, vitamin supplementation, cooking their own food (kids can learn to cook and make smoothies as early as 5 years old), making sure to get enough sleep, and hydrating. 

Speaking of smoothies, they've become a tool in my home and work tool kit, because they allow for the addition of so many beneficial boosters. At least 3x a week, I'll mix up various smoothies, including one inspired by the Medical Medium, with oranges, cilantro, spirulina, and seaweed for metal detox. Other go-to's in my house are smoothies made with bananas plus cacao (high in magnesium and antioxidants), hemp seeds (omega 3's), vegan protein powder, collagen, handfuls of spinach and almond butter. The kids drink these regularly which makes me feel great about their hefty weekly dose of nutrients. 

Spiritual Sunday has special meaning to me. This is the day I take out the note pads and calendars and map out the week's groceries and meal plan. For the last 20 years (my kids are now 11, 16, 18, & 20 years old), I've absolutely loved cooking and planning recipes in my home, for breakfast lunch and dinner. While I'm not a restaurant chef, I can make a mean stir- fry (caramelize those onions!), vegetable coconut curry, and gluten-free burritos filled with every left over in the fridge.

I balance out my meal planning with meatless Monday (often veggie fried rice or frittata's), taco Tuesdays and then a whole host of salads, soups, grilled organic proteins, even crepes for dinner one night a week! The amount of garlic lemon chicken soup, my grandmother's meatballs, and vegetable-laden stir fries I've served over the years has solidified my health and my families health. This is what drives me in my business and my home. Healthy habits shouldn't be complicated but they should be consistent, delicious and whole lot of fun!! 

My goal is simple: create family time around the table, centered around food that makes you feel amazing and nourishes your heart and soul as well as your body. Food heals, food nourishes, food carries a message of love and satiation, and that is a gift I want to offer the world for the rest of my time here on this sacred planet!"