Today I took time to slow down — to breathe, cook, and simply be in the liminal space before surgery. I made one of my favourite comfort meals full of nutrients to enhance wound healing and immune boosting: a scotch fillet steak with Porree (the northern German word for leeks), snow peas, broccolini, and mushrooms, all tossed in a honey, garlic, and pepper sauce.
Porree have been one of my favourite vegetables since childhood (dad grew them in the vegetable gardens)— I can never get enough of them. There’s something about their gentle sweetness and resilience that feels symbolic: they thrive quietly in the soil, weathering the seasons, always ready to flavour what comes next.
There’s something deeply grounding about cooking when life feels uncertain. The act of stirring, searing, tasting — it brings me back to myself. Outside, spring rain whispered against the window while the kitchen filled with warmth and the scent of caramelised leeks.
I plated my meal beside a photograph of my younger self — confident, smiling, dreaming. Looking at her, I felt a soft wave of gratitude. I think she’d tell me I’m doing just fine… that healing isn’t about rushing forward but about tending the small embers that keep hope alive.
Sometimes soul food isn’t just what’s on the plate — it’s the act of nourishing yourself, body and spirit, as you prepare for what’s next.
Jenn Barfield - Holistic Clarity Coaching 