Being back in my hometown after so many years is verystrange. While some of the streets, stores, and faces are of course familiar, there has been A LOT which has changed. The city has definitely been in growth mode over the past 10+ years and my once or twice annual pilgrimages hardly gave me the opportunity to see all that was new each year, not to mention the cumulative effect. Everything is familiar, but little is the same. Grand Rapids is all grown up now. And although I kind ofknow where things are, in my daily adventures around town I can’t help but compare how things used to be with how they are now. And this constant juxtaposition got me thinking about comparison in general.
I know many people get hung up on the negative aspects when they compare how things used to be with how they are now, but the reality is that no place or point in time has been without its pros and cons. The same, I would argue is probably true for the various stages and seasons of life that we go through. Of course, conventional wisdom and painful personal experiences tell us that comparison is the thief of joywhen it comes to evaluating ourselves in relation to others. Whether it’s upward or downward in nature, comparing ourselves to others is generally a recipe for disaster or at least dissatisfaction. However, when it comes to comparing ourselves with how we used to be, it can often be a gratifying exercise.
When I think about myself when I lived in Grand Rapids last compared with who I am now – there is no comparison from my perspective. Just like my environment, there are qualities about me which are of course similar to that girl back then but oh-so-much has changed. And I would argue for the better. Although there is no value in my displaying hubris here for you, I think that you may also be pleasantly surprised if you spend even just 5 minutes contemplating one area of your life that you’ve improved over the last 5 – 10 years. There is truth in the ubiquitous #fitspo : it is “you vs. you” and I find it quite motivating to compare how things used to be with how they are now whenever I start to feel that my progress is slow or stalled. Living in the day-to-day, it can be challenging to recognize growth and change, so It really helps to take a step back and celebrate how far you’ve come.
I know one area of serious improvement for me personally has been in my taking control of my health and fitness. Not so long ago I was quite the fast food fiend with a gym membership card collecting dust, but as time has passed I have not only gotten more serious about this aspect of life, but also passionate about it. As I have learned more, it’s become much less effortful to maintain. And compared with how things used to be – much more delicious! Sometimes when you look back, you’re amazed with how far you’ve come and other times you might wonder in disbelief how you ever lived without trying this fabulous Whole30 Swordfish Salmoriglio!
Whole30 Swordfish Salmoriglio
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Ingredients:
- Swordfish Steaks 4 each
- Coconut Oil 1 TBSP
- Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil .25 cup (60 ml)
- Fresh Oregano (de-stemmed and chopped) 3 TBSP
- Fresh Parsley (de-stemmed and chopped) 2 TBSP
- Garlic Cloves, Minced 3 each
- Capers 3 TBSP
- Black Pepper .25 TSP
- Sea Salt .5 TSP
- Cooked Cauliflower Rice 12 oz (400 g)
- Sun-dried Tomatoes, chopped .25 cup (15 g)
- Artichokes, chopped 1 cup (168 g)
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375 F / 190 C and then heat the coconut oil in a cast iron skillet or other oven safe pan over medium-high heat.
- Sear the swordfish steaks, about 30 seconds to 1 minute per side and then place in the oven to bake for about 10 minutes or to desired doneness depending upon thickness.
- In the meantime, in a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine all the remaining salmoriglio ingredients (lemon juice and zest, olive oil, oregano, parsley, capers, garlic, salt and pepper) and shake well to combine.
- Once the swordfish is done, I place it atop a bed of cauliflower rice with sundried tomatoes and artichokes and then drizzle the salmoriglio sauce over the top and around the sides of the fish as a delicious garnish.
