THE JEWISH PEOPLE have a rich history filled with miracles. The Maccabees defeated the Greeks; the oil burnt for eight nights; we were released from slavery under Pharaoh’s rule; the miracles of Exodus included pillars of fire and a splitting sea… the list goes on.
I’d like to share a modern day miracle, which is as unbelievable to me as the plague of locusts were to the Egyptians. I’ve been married for seven months, and a miracle has occurred in our Jewish household. My beautiful wife Kelly is an incredible chef, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu, and each week we have a glutenous and gourmet Shabbat meal. Yet somehow, after the incessant consumption of delicious courses over numerous holidays, Shabbat meals and daily dinners, I miraculously still haven’t gained a pound since my wedding day!
I’m aware that comparing my weight maintenance to Jewish miracles like G-d revealing himself at Mount Sinai and giving the Jews the Torah is a tad hyperbolic… but you haven’t met my wife. In all honesty, I expected to look like a slightly slimmer, less-green version of Shrek by my six-month anniversary. In fact, my wedding ring was loose for five months before I finally got it resized. The reason I waited so long for a quick jewelry fix was because I figured I’d fill the ring in no time, after a few good meals and some lack of exercise.
To give you a better understanding of what it’s like living with a chef and why I foresaw a rapid weight jump, it may help to disclose that food is by far the most frequently discussed topic in our home; more than politics, sports, religion, or anything else that may provide noteworthy conversation. To put this into context, our dinnertime conversations include what we’re going to be eating for breakfast the following morning, and our Shabbat and holiday meals are a family affair in which all extended family members are involved in some capacity. There’s literally a weekly Shabbat “menu” that is discussed amongst all parties until a consensus is made, at which point a sheet of paper is posted onto everybody’s respective refrigerators with their cooking responsibilities. Sometimes, I feel like they’re confusing the importance of that conversation with whether or not we should be having children, moving countries, or going to war.
Most people think of cooking as something you do to maintain sustenance for other activities. My wife, however, looks at all other activities as things you do in order to make your way back into the kitchen and create another culinary masterpiece.
So how has my miracle occurred? Well, I frequent the gym and enjoy long-distance runs, but the true credit goes to my wife’s emphasis on healthy cooking. Kelly always turns the most flavorful and decadent ingredients into the healthiest and unique dishes. For example, instead of heavy creams and butter that are typical of French cuisine, she’ll use non-dairy alternatives such as cashews and avocados. I’m still getting the delicious flavor, but with all the health benefits, and it’s simply glorious! Each meal contains more vegetables than I consumed in the entirety of my childhood, and I’ve never felt better. She’s also looking out for my health, reducing my meat consumption, (which breaks my heart) and I feel like a
new man!
The biggest miracle in my life is undoubtedly my wife. Perhaps her looking out for my health and full belly will keep me around long enough to continue experiencing all the miracles of life.
Adam Chester lives in Los Angeles with his wife Kelly and is in graduate school working towards his Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Contact the author:Adamzchester@gmail.com.
