When in Rome ...

Written by Robin Glowa
Tuesday, 31 August 2010 23:00

“ No man is lonely eating spaghetti; it requires so much attention.”

— Christopher Morley

In the film version of Elizabeth Gilbert’s novel Eat Pray Love, Julia Roberts (portraying Ms. Gilbert) travels to Italy, the first destination of a journey to reconnect with herself.

As she describes the voids she is feeling in her life, she proclaims how much she wants to taste again. If you have ever lost your way, become mired in sadness, experienced great loss, or felt burdened by guilt and disappointment, then perhaps this book and film will resonate with you. Everyone loses their footing from time to time. The journey back to a place of balance can be both extremely difficult and incredibly liberating.

When in Rome, Julia Roberts/Liz Gilbert begins to feed her battered soul by eating incredible, native Italian foods. She grins while spooning gelato into her mouth as she sits next to a pair of nuns. At an outdoor cafe, she gazes at a couple lost in each other. As she contemplates the display of intimacy only a few feet away, a waiter places a perfect plate of pasta in front of her, glistening with scarlet marinara and crowned with a big sprig of basil. One bite and her eyes light up from within. With a huge smile, she slurps up every strand, reveling in the miracle of truly tasting sweet simplicity.

In Naples, she admonishes her friend Sophie to embrace the here and now, by eating the magnificent pizza that the city is so renowned for. She describes her obsessive control of every calorie she has eaten for years and proclaims that for once, she is going to fully enjoy the incredible flavor before her.

Enjoying the gifts that life presents, opening our hearts to the many tastes of contentment and learning to love ourselves, these are the joyful ingredients of preparing a delicious life.

Soulful Spaghetti

Serves 4 to 6

1 lb. thick spaghetti or whatever pasta you prefer (I prefer Barilla)

2 to 3 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes, chopped (hopefully from your local farmer’s market)

2-3 cloves garlic (very thinly sliced)

Extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of fresh hot pepper

Fresh basil (some thinly sliced and several nice sprigs reserved for garnish)

Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

In a sauce pan, coat bottom with a thin layer of olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until just turning golden. Add tomatoes and cook until slightly broken down and warmed through. Add hot pepper if desired and basil. Stir and cook for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Divide pasta amongst four to six bowls. Top with tomato sauce, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and garnish with basil spring.

Robin Glowa, HHC, AADP, is a food and wellness enthusiast who earned her certification in holistic health counseling from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and Columbia University Teachers College.

She specializes in teaching healthy cooking classes for children and adults, as well as cooking presentations and wellness workshops for many local organizations.

For more information go to theconsciouscook.net , call 203-393-1037, or http://confessionsofaconsciouscook.blogspot.com.