Back to the Kitchen

June 14, 2026

When I started this blog, my intention and inspiration were to select and savor what each season had to offer. Growing up in an area that had four seasons, I learned to enjoy and appreciate each one differently. The change of seasons was and is especially fascinating to me. 

The seasons of the earth have shown me how to navigate the seasons of my life, to remember that nothing is permanent, and to look beyond appearances for a larger glimpse of reality. In every season, the kitchen calls me to find nourishment and comfort. Here I experience sensory pleasures, try new things, and feed body and soul. 

Summertime brings a bounty of garden delights, and the awareness of earth’s abundance. This is important at a time when we may be feeling a sense of anxiety or scarcity. When life feels hard, return to the kitchen. “In a world that is frequently out of kilter, the kitchen is as mystical as a monastery” (Sarah Ban Breathnach, Simple Abundance). Gather some fresh produce and herbs. Slice, chop, saute, savor. Breathe in the aromas. Give thanks for the fruit of the earth. 

No matter what is happening out in the world, we can create a haven of peace, nourishment, and contentment right where we are. Day in and day out, our minds, bodies, and souls need to be fed. When we make this task important and sacred, we experience greater well-being and wholeness. 

This is a good time to make extra food and share with our neighbors. Prices are high, and we all need to stretch. My Garden Pasta Salad recipe (in Soul Salsa and on the blog) is easy and inexpensive to make, and it yields a very large bowl which can be shared and eaten for days. When I make a pot of charro beans, we get multiple meals by adding rice or fideo (sopa de fideo) and quesadillas or chalupas. It feels good to combine fresh produce and pantry staples to create a delicious meal.

The kitchen actually reminds me a lot of the garden. You put your hands to work and tend to it, and when the harvest comes, it gives back to you a hundredfold. There is a reward that comes from working with your hands - whether it’s in your home, garden, or kitchen.- Joanna Gaines, Magnolia Table.

Lately I have noticed a renewed sense of comfort, gratitude, and joy from being in the kitchen. As prices continue to rise and food insecurity increases in our communities, I take nothing for granted. I give thanks when I grind the coffee beans, chop the vegetables, slice fresh bread, and toss the salad. Simple abundance is all around us, and where we have more than enough, we can find ways to share. Fear would lead us to stockpile goods for ourselves; love leads us to give freely with confidence that our needs will be met.

Gratitude, generosity, and grace are ours to practice in our daily round. Consider how you can feed your body and soul this summer as the world takes its toll. Return to the kitchen or the garden and savor earth’s gifts. Donate to your local food pantry; summertime is especially hard for families with children and limited resources. Check in with your neighbors and take them some pasta salad or homemade cookies. Giving keeps us in the flow of abundance. 

Finally, I am working on staying grounded in the present. The things I see and hear in the news each day make my head spin. Peace can feel out of reach. Writing and cooking help me focus on the now and feel the presence of a greater truth. And so I keep returning to my journal and my kitchen, day after day, for nourishment, discovery, and wholeness. 

Grace & Gratitude,

ej

Elisa J. Juarez