I went on strike this week, mentally. I said no to obligations. I didn’t work out. I gave the bare-minimum effort on all work-related projects. No blog photography, no recipe development. When I cooked it was purely for the joy of cooking, without any thought to a resulting blog post. Over the weekend I read Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, then I watched the movie for the first time with my family (wow is all I can say about that!). We cracked open a great bottle of red wine that we’ve been saving for a special occasion. I daydreamed about a novel I started a few years ago, before I began writing this blog. Last night, I felt like eating macaroni and cheese and watching Game of Thrones, so I did. I could have cleaned my desk. I could have gotten a head start on my next writing deadline. I could have finished reading that research book I checked out at the library. I could have answered all of those emails and comments and questions waiting in my inbox. Instead, I indulged on creamy cheesy pasta and caught up with Khaleesi.
I think sometimes we just need to pause and breathe and be in the moment. It’s really tough to commit to taking a break, especially with work piling up, family obligations, and multiple deadlines breathing down your neck. Once in a while, we have to force ourselves not to care. I’m not talking about a vacation where you travel– I mean a mental vacation. Do you ever have those weeks?
I’m feeling back to normal today. I got an early start on the work day. I cleaned my desk, had a healthy smoothie for breakfast, put on my workout clothes (whether I actually work out or not remains to be seen… fingers crossed!). I also photographed this sweet, tart and tasty Persian-inspired Pomegranate Mocktail, a result of my mental vacation kitchen experimentation. I’m keeping this one non-alcoholic and family friendly, but if you add a splash of vodka I won’t judge. It is Friday, after all. TGIF, Shabbat Shalom, L’chaim!
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Pomegranate Mocktail
Ingredients
- 2 cups pomegranate juice
- 2 cups ice cubes, or more if needed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- Sweetener to taste - I use stevia, you can use sugar or agave if you prefer
Instructions
- Combine the pomegranate juice, ice cubes, lime juice and orange blossom water in a blender and blend till smooth. Continue to add ice and blend till the texture seems slushy and right (you want a texture similar to a margarita).
- Add sweetener to taste and blend again. Pour into chilled margarita glasses and serve.
Nutrition
For pomegranate mocktail, what is Orange Blossom Water and where do you get it?
It’s typically found in Middle Eastern markets, you can also find it on Amazon. It’s distilled water made from the petals of orange blossoms (the blossoms of the trees that bear orange fruit). It has a lovely floral essence.