This week M+K sits across the table with Susan Verde, NY Times Bestselling Author, Yoga + Mindfulness Teacher. She talks with us about helping the community during the pandemic, the routines that keep her grounded and how her parents inspired her love of cooking.
1. My cooking inspiration…
Both of my parents were wonderful cooks. They made simple but incredibly flavorful meals that were healthy and delicious. There best meals were always in the summer when we would leave New York City and go to our home by the beach. They took me to farmers’ markets and we went fishing together and they would make fresh, beautiful food with local ingredients. We always seemed to have friends at the table and would sit outside lingering over food and conversation until the sun went down.
2. A meal that reminds me of home…
Ziti and wild salmon. This was one of my favourite meals my mother made. So simple. Penne pasta tossed with chunks of wild salmon and fresh parmesan cheese, olive oil and salt. It was one of the first things she taught me to make and it always makes me feel nourished on many levels.
3. A life lesson cooking has taught me…
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Add your own pinches of this and that because the end result will either teach you something or be better than you expected.
4. When I want to be creative I…
Just go for it. When the mood hits to write, sing, dance, I let it happen. If I want to make space in my brain for creativity, meditation helps to clear my mind.
5. The most transformational book I’ve read is…
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara. There are so many amazing books out there both inspirational and fun reads but this one made me feel something deep. It is tragic and beautiful. It’s about friendship and self-acceptance and love. I could cry just talking about it.
6. The routines that keep me grounded are…
Yoga, exercise, meditation, and a GIANT cup of coffee while I work. I set aside time each day for all of these starting bright and early in the morning so by the time I am needed by my kids and the world is spinning I can face it all.
7. I recently learnt…
How to repost things on IG!
8. Favourite random act of kindness…
Kind words and smiles. These days, with masks and social distancing I have perfected the “smize” and I am always thinking about the fact that almost everyone is feeling as strange and uncertain as I am so any kind words of support are helpful for all of us.
9. To make a difference in my community I…
I am doing my best to support the teachers and kids who are facing the challenges of the time through readings and meditations. I am very involved in my children’s school and the local teacher community having been a teacher myself.
10. Right now, I’m grateful for…
My three children who are always my support and my entertainment and my loves. Also, my mother, who is close by and makes me laugh and is my comfort. I am grateful for my work and the other creators in the world, the roof over my head, the nature all around me and the people in the world spreading love and positivity and wearing their masks.
Susan lives by the sea in East Hampton, New York with her three children, their dog, Gizmo and a menagerie of other creatures. Here, she writes books for children of all ages and teaches kids yoga and mindfulness. Her best-selling, award-winning stories range from explorations of music, art and museum visits to the concepts of serendipitous friendships, environmental issues, empathy and humanity with an emphasis on yoga and mindfulness. Susan’s stories celebrate the unique voices and experiences of kids and inspire adults to let their own inner child out. Susan’s books have been translated into multiple languages. For more info about her books, including her New York Times bestselling ‘I Am’ series click here.
This month Susan Verde released her latest book, I am One: A Book of Action. In reading this book comes a powerful call to action, encouraging each reader to raise their voice, extend a hand, and take that one first step to start something beautiful and move toward a better world.
To connect visit:
Website: https://www.susanverde.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/susanverdeauthor
Instagram: http://instagram.com/susanverde
Twitter: https://twitter.com/susanverde
