By Nicole Yong

Six years ago… Being married and in my early 30’s, I was not so good at cooking. I always thought cooking was a hassle. I was very busy with a full-time job and Sunday was just a good time to rest. I strongly believed cooking was a chore and not more — with a dirtied kitchen and lots of pots and pans to be washed! Thus I had opted to eat out with my husband. Was I lazy? No. The only thing in my mind was “work, work and work”. And my focus was not on a healthy lifestyle that involved eating healthy food, exercising and relaxing.

Towards the end of 2012, I had become overweight and not able to fit into my old clothes! The doctor said I had hormone issues. That was a wake-up call for me.

I decided that it was time to do what was best for myself. The doctor advised me to follow a healthy diet and suggested that I take up some form of gentle exercise routine. I took up his advice and decided to join healthy cooking workshops, attend nutrition courses and also follow a proper exercise programme. Later, I found that home cooking was a great way to give me and my husband a sense of control over our well-being. Yes, gradually, both of us lost weight.

From that moment, the kitchen became my laboratory. My husband was very supportive and didn’t have expectations of elaborately-prepared dishes. He told me simple food was acceptable. Hmm…. that was very sweet of him. So, in the beginning, we had home-cooked food at least once a week. Then, occasionally, I’d invite my sisters to join us. It really makes my day when I see their faces light up after the meals. I discovered that it was a great way to bond with family. And this was how I started my simple cooking journey.

As I cook, I say a silent thank you to my family members. The more I cook the lesser the frequency of making mistakes, which meant slightly better food served to my loved ones.

What is simple eating? Not overeating. That was what our great, great grandparents did. And what are the main reasons to practice simple eating? It is about eating lightly cooked (not over-cooked) food that has not been over-processed, preserved or loaded with artificial ingredients. Healthy real food is whole food such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruits, kitchen herbs, nuts and seeds.

No doubt, it is easier to dine out or to find pre-packaged delicacies in the supermarket. However, all these processed foods such as hotdog, bacon, pizza, canned foods and burger come at a cost. In a bid to expand the shelf-life of these chemically-processed foods, they are most likely induced with higher amounts of sodium, sugars and trans fat (hydrogenated oil). They may also contain artificial colouring, MSG and preservatives. Too much of these additives could grow inches to our waistline and have a negative impact on health. We are, in fact, exposing ourselves to high risk of chronic diseases, especially increased levels of the harmful cholesterol. High sugar content food is also associated with the risk of modern killers such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

If we do not want to place our health in jeopardy, then this is one of the most convincing reasons to start eating simple and real food. By learning how to cook simple nutritious meals from real food, I learnt to stop buying all those processed products, especially instant Ramen. Initially, I just threw in a few types of vegetables and legumes into a pot and cooked that for a meal. Later, I started cooking whole grain rice to go with it. Yup, it is very simple, saves time and is balanced.

The main function of real food in the human body is to maintain health, growth and development; provide energy, repair and maintain cells, and prevent diseases. I learnt that the food I prepare for family members contain very powerful substances such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, fibre, phytonutrients and so on. These play an important role in the human body. For example, in controlling inflammation levels, regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels, balancing blood sugar, improving the digestive system, eliminating waste (detoxification), regulating the hormones in the body, slowing down the effects of ageing and the list goes on.

In the Taittiriya Upanishad, one of the most important scriptures of the yoga tradition, Annamaya kosha (the food sheath), is described thus:

There are five Koshas (sheaths) in the body. Annamaya kosha is the outer layer, or the physical body, and it needs nourishment to survive. Taittiriya Upanishad says that the important link between humans and the environment is “food”. Food is made of plants, which grow on earth, the environment that produces our food. For that reason, food is a form of medicine and is eaten to maintain life. We need to respect the food we eat.

Food not only has influence on our physical health, but also on consciousness. Bhagavad Gita says: “Every human being is born with inherent in their nature Sattvic (pure in nature), Rajasic (passionate in nature) and Tamasic (ignorance in nature) qualities. (Bhagavad Gita 17.2).

Choice of food can have a reflection on the individual nature as well. According to Bhagavad Gita 17.8-10, food with Sattvic (pure in nature) quality increases the duration of life, energy, strength, well-being, mental clarity, joy and happiness. Food that is too bitter, sour, salty, hot, spicy and dry can cause pain, stress and diseases. It is known as Rajasic food. Food that is overcooked, rotten or unclean can cause laziness and disease. It is called Tamasic food. These lightly-cooked vegetarian diets, coming from grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, honey, legumes and so on, have a peaceable impact on our mind.

There is a saying: “By eating pure food, our mind becomes pure.” And vice versa.

Learning to value… The role of the one who prepares the food at home is very important. Many people are ignorant about the fundamental things in life. As mature adults, we need to lead by example and be part of a healthy solution for family members. Sometimes I share nutrition information with them so that they understand how food works for them. Then, slowly, over a two-year period, little by little I introduced healthier diet at home. The changes took place gradually. Now they take multi-grain rice instead of white rice, have reduced cravings for deep fried food, drink plain water and not soft drink after dinner, accept more vegetables instead of meat, and consume white meat instead of red meat. These changes are very encouraging. Occasionally, my husband helps me prepare dinner.

When I look back, I am thankful for all my previous experiences that have led to this path of simple living, with a simplified approach to cooking for family members. I’m still on this simple cooking journey and have so much still to learn and explore.

We live in a modern world where everyone claims to be tied up with a busy schedule. But I believe we will love cooking when we begin by learning to value and appreciate it. I’m positive that all family would benefit from it. Although it may take time to get used to the slow pace of food preparation, in the end it is so worth it. It offers us loads of health benefits that provide our body and mind with similar nourishment that real food does.

Finally, to all who fear cooking, I’d have to say that the kitchen is not a scary place at all.

Cooking is not a special talent. Good food should always be cooked with real ingredients.

I always stick to simple recipes. I leave complicated recipes to restaurant gourmet chefs. I follow this simple step for food preparation — one staple food (rice /pasta), one protein food (simmer legumes soup for me/steamed or pan fry fish for my husband), pan fry/steamed 2-3 types of vegetables, and family-friendly meals, and that’s it! And I’m sharing some of my cooking photos here. Wish everyone an abundant of physical, mental and emotional health. Thank you and Namaskar.