Crockpot Madras Lentils

As of today, I am not longer a partner in my chiropractic office. It has been a hard transition. Since I was in middle school, I wanted to be a chiropractor with her own office. In 2004, with a partner who was also my husband, I achieved that dream. It was not a small task for two people with no real experience. We had the backing of a local bank that believed in us and family support, but other than that we were very much Newbies! It was a grand endeavor and something that I am still proud to say I was part of.  At the beginning of any adventure, there is a lot of adrenaline and excitement. This and the great people of Greenville made us a success in business for many years. The problem was that there was no relationship in my marriage except business. No personal life. Work was 24 hours per day. This was felt very deeply in 2008-2011, when health care began to change, the housing market collapsed and banks suffered. Our business was affected. All of this work stress was brought home every day and it crushed the last inkling of any kind of personal life that was left. Despite my best efforts to stop this pattern, it worsened. It was taking everything out of me as a person, a chiropractor and a wife.

In 2011, I finally made a change. In 2013, I divorced my partner and put into works the ability to leave the practice that in the past years had caused me so much pain. February 27, 2015 was my last day seeing patients. Today, at a meeting, I officially signed over my shares of my business and resigned as corporate president. It was bittersweet.  In these past 2 months, I have felt at peace with my decision and have even looked forward to my last day. Today, signing those papers took a huge weight off my shoulders. I am happy! For the first time in probably 5 years, I am happy!

So where does that leave me? That is still up in the air. I will always be a chiropractor and I am currently an instructor at local universities. But overall, right now, I am celebrating my decision and strength. I am taking some time to nurture ME! I know that can not last forever and I don't want it to. I will be back in some large way soon. I am not sure what capacity that will be or in what city, but I know that I have learned a lot and will use all my experiences to take the next big step.

Crockpot Madras Lentils

Whew! That was a lot of sharing. Probably more than I have ever done about myself on this blog. We all come from somewhere, and still have so far to go. In honest terms, I wanted to let some of you know where I have been.

I think these types of comfort foods are good for the soul.  I also thought after some of the decadent recipes that I have been making, something healthy and simple was necessary.  This recipe is a great veggie entree that is filling and super easy. It is also warming in these last days of winter. Enjoy!

 2 cups red lentils (if you can not find red lentils, green will work but might need to be cooked longer)
10 ounces spinach (fresh and chopped or frozen and thawed)
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth if you want to go vegetarian/vegan)
1 tablespoon curry powder or paste
 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime
Handful of chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish if desired

Combine all ingredients except for the lemon (or lime) juice and cilantro in the pot of a crockpot. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours (or bring to a boil on the stove top and then simmer, covered, on low for 1 hour). Before serving, add the lemon juice and cilantro.