About Heather

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Heather Diamond, M.Ed & Certified Integrative Health Coach, has 22 years of experience leading effective change in small and large educational systems, in her own life of continuous improvement opportunities, and as a graduate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, NYC. The purpose of Heather's work, Heather Diamond Health (HDH), is to help identify and make changes you desire across the five interrelated domains of healthy living: physical, mental, social, emotional and spiritual. The ultimate vision is that ALL people are empowered to make changes for a healthier, happier life.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Precious Things

It seems to me that sometimes the most precious, symbolic and meaningful things find their way into my kitchen. Like no other room in the house, the kitchen holds the most sentimental gifts and reminders. 
Literally...Sunshine in My Kitchen
The item that inspires my awareness of this fact at the moment is a small jar of seasoning called Florida Sunshine made by The Spice and Tea Exchange. It arrived via FedEx yesterday in a package from a very beautiful friend who also happens to be an incredibly awesome travel agent. This gift was selected and sent to me as a thoughtful gesture of gratitude for my reconnection with her after about 15 years and my trust in her company's ability to expertly plan my family's upcoming vacation. 

 This small dispenser of sunshine (sea salt, orange zest, green peppercorn, ginger, lemon zest, lime zest and rose petals) will brighten my meals and my heart for several months. When I used it last night to season strips of turkey breast simply pan fried over medium heat with olive oil and ghee in the iron skillet, I was amazed at how a meaningful addition can make a very simple meal taste like it's full of love and new life.  Thank you, Korrine, for both the Sunshine in a jar and the remarkable travel service. 

Other examples of precious things in my kitchen are:

  • The orange, brown, and avocado green crockpot from the 70's passed along from my friend Martha, who was a young inspiring woman during that era and has in more recent years taught me about independence and self possession.
  • The exotic chives that came in bundles throughout the season from my husband's Chinese co-worker's garden, because he recalls my fascination with his family's Chinese-American kitchen culture.
  • My two glass olive oil bottles that both stand full and ready for service next to the stove. One was given to me as a birthday present from my sweet daughter and the other as a Christmas present from my long-time friend, Cyndy, who knows how to jack up a person's coolness factor with household relics.
  • The jar of Harissa sauce with blue duck tape servicing as a date label in the fridge right now, recently given to me as a homemade gift from a friend, SaraKeith, during a 7 Day Cleanse we went through together.
    • The BEST Packaging
    Recycle/Trash Cabinet
  • One of the original microwave cabinets that my Mom, Aunt and Nanny all bought when microwaves were just becoming affordable additions to the modern kitchen (in the early 1980's), at least in our family. I acquired Mom's years ago, and it has been painted every color and served every purpose you can imagine in my kitchen, except as a microwave cabinet!

I could go on because so many things in my kitchen have precious memories and gratitude attached, even the half a cucumber that my neighbor, Sue, "loaned" me on a recent stormy day right after my daughter and I spent an hour running around in the summer rain laughing so hard... 

But...here's the point:
I am CONVINCED that acknowledging and honoring these connections to people, memories and feelings makes our food taste better and our time in the kitchen more FUN.

Take a moment to browse your kitchen. Lay your eyes and hands on a thing or two that triggers a thought, memory, connection, or feeling. Consider how personal and deeply connected to you and your family your kitchen is compared to a restaurant kitchen. Send a silent (or wildly loud) expression of gratitude to your kitchen and it's contents for being there to nurture and nourish you when you choose take advantage of all it has to offer.

...the can opener that I found a duplicate of when I was housesitting for a friend and stole as a joke on her tendency toward clutter...

...the small spatula I use EVERY day that my aunt gave me after I became so enthusiastic about hers when I spent a weekend visiting and "guest cooking" in her kitchen...

...the coffee mug...that sexy Indonesian bowl...MUST STOP SHARING!


My work, HDH, exists to help you embrace desired or required changes for healthier living. Coming soon...

  • Work-life Balance
  • The shocking ease, nutrition and yumminess of sprouting lentils
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2 comments:

  1. Bethany MathersJuly 13, 2016 at 6:18 AM

    Mine would probably be:
    1) A very unattractive, but highly functional, mustard yellow pot that I learned to make a proper curry in. I bought it for .50 cents at a Goodwill and it has served me well. I can't throw it out even though I now have a better pot (even Marie Kondo can't get it away from me yet).
    2) Bragg's liquid aminos. My uncle Barry taught me it's many uses when I was a fledgling cook and now I treasure its presence in my cabinet.

    I love my kitchen... The soul of a home resides in the kitchen. :-)

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    1. Heather Diamond, M.Ed., Certified Health CoachJuly 13, 2016 at 7:03 AM

      YES! I love that you honor your Uncle and your self as a fledgling every time you use Bragg's. The yellow pot sounds wonderful too...thank you for sharing!

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