For when you can’t eat.
Two pains I cannot fathom or explain – heartbreak and toothache.
Are they really necessary for life, growth, healing?
I wonder.
I had an impacted wisdom tooth extracted last Monday.
It’s not something I’d like to repeat. Or wish on my worst enemy.
Now I understand what my friend Joy told me once, when I was much younger about being hurt and hurting.
She said ‘…because I know how much it hurts to be treated like this, I don’t want even my worst enemy to go through it (the same kind of pain) so I’ll never ‘revenge’ or do the same back.’
That shocked me.
I’d have thought that you’d want your enemy or friend-turned-enemy to go through the pain, to feel the hurt so they could understand just how they’d rocked your world. But… no…..she said.
Her reasoning made absolute sense.
Makes absolute sense. Still. All these years on.
I can’t say how many times its pushed me to forgiveness but its caused me ‘pause’, times without number.
I wouldn’t wish the toothache I had on anyone.
It gets to your very core, touches your nerves.
And in my case, stops you from eating solid food.
Enter this smoothie. Made with a variety of beta-carotene rich fruits and vegetables, all in season and a wonderful companion at breakfasts and lunches all week.
What goes in varies. Sometimes, it’s the not so-sweet ends of pineapples…
Isn’t it cool that the heads are fashioned into ‘flowers’?
Other times, its watermelons. Purchased from my ‘customers’. Who see no harm in ‘posing’ for a photo or two. Trust. That’s what these photos are about.
I marvel at their stall – how it changes throughout the year depending on what is in season.
How their creature comforts are nestled in the midst of their wares. The transistor radio, which keeps them linked to the world, while they remain fixed for hours on end, all day and everyday.
I like that I can get almost everything I need from them, in one go.
I like how beauty and order too is important to them. In how they display the fruit. Though I never buy cut-up fruit because I’m not sure of where and how it’s been prepared, I still admire it greatly.
All I need for my smoothie.
A smoothie that can be whipped up in mere minutes and satisfies my cravings for fresh and smooth and easy-to-eat- food.
I treat it like gazpacho. Like a soup. I need the feeling of ‘being full’. It is not the time to suck on a straw any way so scooping spoonfuls from bowl or cup to mouth is exactly what is required.
Smoothies are not an exact science – they are a personal thing, from the flavour combination to the final texture – you call the shots.
I like mine thick and cold but not watered down.
And so I freeze left-over pawpaw, papaya and use them as ice cubes. Fruit cubes.
I like a bit of sweetness, so I drizzle in some agave nectar. Just enough to enhance the natural sugars in the carrots. And other fruits.
I don’t mind…in fact I like the crunch from the broken up passion fruit seeds, and so I don’t bother extracting the passion fruit essence before I make the smoothie.
I could go on and on but I don’t need to.
This is my sustenance till chewing gets back to normal.
And I’m fine with it.
For now.
Sigh. And much love. X X X
And if you need a recipe, here is my rough guide: 1 cup papaya/pawpaw (preferably frozen), 1 cup chopped carrots, 1/2 a cup guava chunks, 1 – 2 tablespoons of agave nectar, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger chunks and 1/4 cup water.
Peace.
[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Passion Fruit, Carrot, Ginger & Papaya Smoothie – – – [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
[…] And I hate and curse them for how they sneak into nooks and crannies, how they find mouth cavities…and fill them. Leaving me in pain. For now. Till I extract the damned wisdom tooth. […]
[…] see enamel trays laden with wedges of watermelon and pineapple; wheelbarrows full of carrots, yams and oranges; and low, wooden tables laden with white garden eggs and tubs of Okwu-Oji, spicy […]
WOW….I bet this was super delicious. Sorry you had to have your teeth yanked to come up with it!
:-). Everything works together for good…
It was really nice.
Poor amiga…feel better. I know all about toothaches…etc…
Thanks dear. I’m so much better now. Love XXX
I had not one but two impacted wisdom teeth removed a few years ago they had to be surgically removed so I understand your pain and I too would not wish it on my worst enemy. The doctor had to prescribe Valium to help me sleep on the first night after surgery and boy was i glad he did because once the anesthesia wore off it was pain like I had never felt before. I survived on soups (heavy broth type soups), rice pudding, mash, mince meat and ice cream for the entire week before I could bring myself to chew on anything. I was literally swallowing my food without chewing the whole time. Terrible experience I tell you! Quick recovery Ozoz!
You know the drill exactly….thank you. I’m so much better.
I love your menu :-), including the rice pudding and ice cream!
Oh my goodness! Hoping you are much better! The vibrant smoothies are so full of seasonal flavor they will keep you nourished as you heal. The passion fruit is so lush!
They’ve made all the difference dear. And pretty good for my waistline it appears 🙂
Hope you have relief from the pain soon Ozoz.
Thanks dear. I’m a whole lot better.
Ouch! Sorry you’re in pain. Yeah, I wouldn’t wish the pain of toothache on anyone either. Your smoothie looks very very lovely – hope it’s helping 🙂
Its making all the difference – I feel clean, not to mention full!
And I don’t have to chew 🙂
Dental woes are the worst. I just had a root canal yesterday, lucky me. 🙁 But an impacted root wisdom tooth has to be much worse.
They are the absolute worst.
I’m glad yours went well…
And glad too to say I’m on the mend.
This is a good recipe for people with braces too. Especially with all the crunchy fruits. I would love love love a camera like yours. Xx
It’s good for so many people and things – you’re right.
You can always get a camera like mine….Nikon D5100.
Stay well dear.
Eyah!!! I had the same surgery over a year ago and I looked like a square pumpkin from the swelling, lol. I wish I took a picture. But the pain…I don’t like medicine but I had to – no posing. Pele again.
The smoothie sounds good – I think the guava at home tastes better than what I’ve had in the US.
Thanks ID. You made me smile a big one.
The guavas aren’t really living up to my childhood memories but I’ll have them all the same 🙂
I – the one who always forgets that painkillers exist when I’m in pain…had to embrace them. Hard.
Ah but which is worse? The pain before or after the removal? I still tremble when I remember mine…
Excellent question dear. The pain before was something else………boy. *shakes head violently*.
I think the pain before was worse. It kept me up at night.