This recipe is inspired by both the Financial and Emotional dimensions of wellness.
Financial wellness is about spending. It’s not about how much money you have but how you manage your money. Research shows that no matter what your financial status is, if you manage your money well, you will live a happier life. Indeed, the happiest of people are those who live within their means.
Emotional wellness is about feeling and being in touch with your emotions. It is about managing your emotions so that your life doesn’t fall apart each time something doesn’t go your way. It involves controlling your reactions when disaster strikes and learning that your response is a choice you make but one that takes time to develop.
“The self is not something that one finds. It is something that one creates.” - Thomas Szasz
We all get to a point in our lives where we are at a crossroads, whether it be divorce, death, retirement, or any similar event. You may be surprised that I have lumped retirement with experiences such as divorce and death when many would assume it'd be the most amazing time in your life. I am here to tell you that it can be, but from my experience, the transition from working full-time, where your identity is wrapped around, can be equally as hard as the death of a loved one or divorce. By no means do I mean to downplay the death of a loved one as it can be the most painful experience. Rather, I mean to compare how retirement can be considered a death of your entire life’s work and something you’ve based your self-worth around. And, like anyone who has experienced grieving a loved one will tell you, it's something that gets easier with time.
“Retirement is not the end of the road. It's a beginning of the open highway.” - Unknown
Recently, after working for the same company over 30+ years, my husband retired! If you’ve ever met him, you know that he is an amazing, charismatic individual. He’s one of those guys that is very successful (to put it mildly) but you would never know it by merely hanging out with him. My husband is a rather large muscular man full of life and he’s not one to be impressed by clothing or attire. In fact, if you see him out and about, he will be wearing 80’s gym shorts and t-shirts he’s worn from that same time period. Now, I am not poking fun at him by setting the stage with his fashion sense. I am only explaining the simple, unassuming man that he is! He’s one of those guys who will hang out at the bar with the simplest of individuals, one who will bring someone home who has had life knock them down, and one who will help people get their feet back on the ground. This is the man that I know…
However, what I've witnessed since my husband has retired is his transition from someone who has tied his whole life to work to someone who is now realizing what’s important in life. For the first time, I get to witness him lounging at the pool on weekdays, having real conversations with friends about meaningful experiences, like how proud he is of our kids and how having grandkids might be his biggest accomplishment to date.
So, what I am learning by watching my husband embrace retirement is how you are never too old to grow, change, fall in love with new ideas, and fall out of love with old ones. Allowing yourself the opportunity to go through that process isn't a betrayal of your true identity. Instead, it is an opportunity to find a new version of yourself you never knew was there. Surely, on the other side of this difficult process is an opportunity for you to live a more fulfilling and free life!
"You are never too old to grow, change, fall in love with new ideas, and fall out of love with old ones." - Quotable Chef
Recipe of the Day: Crispy Korean Tofu*
INGREDIENTS
1 Block (15oz.) Extra Firm Tofu
1/2 Cup Tomato Sauce, canned
1/4 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Sugar
2 Teaspoons Gochujang Paste**
1 Small Apple, finely grated
2 Cloves Garlic, finely grated
1 inch piece Fresh Ginger, finely grated
1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds
1/2 Cup Corn Starch
1 Teaspoon Salt
Oil for frying
Scallions for serving
* Best served on a bed of my Asian Cauliflower Rice!
** If you have never worked with Gochujang before, it is a Korean chili paste. If you can't find it, your favorite chili sauce or paste will work!
INSTRUCTIONS
Start by drying out your tofu. Cut the block in half and press each side with a kitchen towel to soak up the liquid. Place on a wire rack to dry for at least 2 hours - the drier it is, the crispier it will be. You can even do it in the morning before you plan to make it.
Prepare the Korean BBQ sauce. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the tomato sauce, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, agave, Gochujang, finely grated apple, garlic, ginger, and the sesame seeds. Whisk until combined and set aside.
Take your pressed block of tofu and cut into cubes or thinner rectangles - whichever you prefer. Add the tofu to a large mixing bowl, then sprinkle with corn starch and salt. Toss to coat all of the tofu.
Heat a little bit of oil at the bottom of a non stick pan on medium high. Add the tofu to the pan without overcrowding it. If the pan is too small to fit all of it, do it in two batches.
Brown the tofu on all sides, reducing heat as needed. It will take a few minutes on each side to get the tofu nice and crispy. Remove all of the tofu from the pan and place in a bowl.
Wipe away any leftover oil in the pan. Then return the pan to the heat and add about half of the Korean BBQ sauce. Heat on low for a minute and add all of the tofu back to the pan.
Toss to coat the tofu, and cook for a minute. Remove from heat and serve immediately with my amazing cauliflower rice and veggies. Drizzle the remaining sauce over the top, garnish with scallions or chives, and enjoy!
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