Craving

I’m craving a beach, massages, an amazing partner to share it with and…a big bag of chips. I know what you’re thinking…how unsexy of you Melissa! I know, but the other day, the little demon inside of me wanted salt and vinegar Kettle chips so bad I can swear it was threatening a painful death if I didn’t follow its wishes. On top of it all, I’ve been surrounded by beautiful men who I then realize are accompanied by female accessories. [Melissa slams on the breaks] I’m craving having someone to spoon with, make dinners with and curl up to watch a flicky and drink a little vino with…and maybe a bag of chips. Oh damn you Kettle Chips! All these cravings make me wonder, what does it all mean?

Now I’m not asking for the meaning of life here folks, I’m just asking for a little clarity. Unfortunately with 16 hours worth of sleep over the course of four days, my idea of clarity is seen through a murky window…brutal. I mean I don’t have a thing against sleep, I’ve just had to distance myself from my once sleepy time lover. Sometimes, certain things are out of our control and this certainly is one of those times. The new Sexy Food Therapy site is set to launch on January 27 and I’ve recently been asked by The Women’s Post to speak at their swanky Courage to Lead event at Banana Republic. So I’ve been working away, shooting the media kit video, writing content and press releases and planning events. I’ve cancelled social events with friends and 3:30am and numerous amounts of black tea has become my new friend. Yes, I know, how lame. But I’m almost there Mamasita Smurf…almost at the point where I can hop back onto my normal routine of running, having a social life again and yes…sleep.

So I realize my body is hating me right now. In fact, it’s developed a mind of its own and took it upon itself to turn off both alarm clocks I have and make me late for work at the store…twice. It’s fighting me and again, I think I’m beginning to hear trickles of threats some of which have been put into action already. My eyes are beet red and friends keep telling me I look tired (what you really mean is I look like shit) and my legs decided to walk me right into a tree as a form of punishment (thankfully, no cute Mr. Potentials around).

My cravings are intensifying and the answer is beginning to come to me. Salty cravings = adrenal burn out. Salt pertains to the kidneys and our adrenal glands which pump out our stress hormones sit right on top of them. Okay, so maybe I’m more burnt out than I thought. I swear the only thing that’s keeping me afloat and sedating any irritability I would normally have are my greens. Otherwise, I have to take care of this craving and give it the kind of salt that’s going to nourish me instead of deplete me and add a dimple to my cheek (and I don’t mean the kind of dimple you get when you smile either).

SEXY O-NIGIRI BALLS WITH UMEBOSHI PLUM
1 cup cooked white sushi rice (left to cool)
4 umeboshi plums
Eden Shake (Sesame and Sea Vegetable Seasoning)
nori sheets (optional)

With wet hands, take a small portion of rice and make into a ball. Stick your thumb into the centre to make an indent.

Tear a small piece of umeboshi plum and add into the indent and cover with rice.

Roll ball in Eden Shake seasoning and serve or wrap with nori sheet.

I love these little balls of love. I love it even more so that Melody Gardot, a favourite jazz singer of mine loves them too. I’ll make a ton of them, pack them in a container and bring them with me to work as a snack or on the road when I know

I won’t have time. I know some Nutritionists will scoff at the fact I’m using white rice, but in Chinese Medicine and in Macrobiotics white rice is quite healing and can be tonifying to the spleen (which governs digestion) in varying situations and moderation. It’s all about balance folks.

However the main reason I love these bad boys right now is that they take away my salty cravings and fill me right up. The seaweed nourishes my kidneys, provides minerals for my thyroid function and with the rice, sesame mixture and umeboshi plum, I’m grounded. Coming home late from running around all day, I made the pot of rice and the next day when it cooled, I rolled a bunch of these little suckers. Yum.

So with my salty craving gone, I have to wonder about my love craving. Tall, dark and handsome with strong arms and a good sense of humor that can provide damn good hugs. Um ya, that sounds good. Although, to be honest, I know that right now I don’t even have time for myself let alone a relationship. So maybe I got this love craving all wrong, because the love I’m looking for can’t be found externally at this crazy point in my life, but only from within.

Time to set alarm clock #3 as a last ditch effort and dream of the massage I’m going to book myself the day after the site launches.

Goodnight…or should I say good morning?