Live. Love. Learn. Be All You Can Be. Now. Not Later...

Nearing two decades, I've worked with food in many arenas... restaurants, catering, TV, magazines, R&D, test kitchens, from private to corporate with the humblest to the gourmet of ingredients, and in the most-detailed and adrenalin-pumped of pace... but you know what? The satisfaction and rewards does not compare to part of what I do today-- simply serving lunch of wholesome yummy real food to school kids. Seeing a child try something new, a kid enjoy a food they couldn't stand before and just hearty happily-fed smiles all around... that is my joy! The kids here have special learning challenges which makes it even more special.

“So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.” -- Morrie Schwartz

-- Author Mitch Albom, Tuesdays with Morrie (An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson)

On-site lunch club coaches are hired to serve the prepared food at each of the participating schools and impart food education as well as encourage the kids to try new foods. I am one of those lucky lunch club coaches and I absolutely love engaging my young students on what they are about to eat. The monthly-changing menu offers an array of globally-inspired dishes that focus on whole grain products, in-season fruits, vegetables and products grown & produced locally. Wholesome, hearty and energy-sustaining. "Seconds please!"... :D

Enjoying lunch leftovers brought home-- Chili Chili Bang Bang over whole wheat couscous balls and Carrot Slaw with savoury sweet Samurai Sauce. And sliced oranges for dessert.

Too often I hear many say they are counting down the years to retire so they could finally get to do what they enjoy or love. But really, who knows ten years when we don't even know what happens tomorrow right? Should we not be enjoying in the here and now? If you love what you do, it's not work and the word 'retirement' may sound foreign. I mean, sure we could go on sacrificing our inner passions and minds of fulfilling nourishment... We will continue to be, but at the end of it all, have we truly lived? #lifeistobelivednow #makeeverydaycount

“Everybody knows they’re going to die, but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently. There’s a better approach. To know you’re going to die and be prepared for it at any time. That’s better. That way you can actually be more involved in your life while you’re living. . . Every day, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, ‘Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?... The truth is, once you learn how to die, you learn how to live… " -- Morrie Schwartz

Live. Love. Learn. Be All You Can Be. Not Later. Now..