Simple Sesame Noodles with Edamame & Asparagus

Last night, my girlfriends and I were discussing passion and being passionate about the things in our lives. Each of us around the table, share a passion about our kid's education and upbringing which, in a way, is one of the reasons we all became friends. But my friendship grows with these women because they are fun, strong, authentic women, who I simply like very much. They enrich my life and make me happy. :)
So our conversation touched on the fact that passion is a great thing to have because it motivates us to achieve and do the things that interest us. But on the other hand, as we sat there recapping some of the things that didn't go exactly as planned this week, it was easy to get swept up in the negative because we're all passionate about and invested in what we were talking about. I realized that talking about the set backs felt emotionally the same as when we talk about the victories. It comes with the territory, Ying and Yang and all that. That lead us to talk about balance. Oh that ever alluding catch-phrase...BALANCE. How to get it? How to maintain it in life? That's the question of a lifetime. 
If you can't strike a balance with passion, passion is often replaced with equally powerful negative emotions like anger and frustration that leads ultimately to unhappiness. That got me thinking this morning, that with passion comes an increased responsibility to self. Being in a heightened state of emotion like passion, I must be willing to prioritize and work to recognize when the passion I feel isn't passion but thinly guised unhappiness, clouded by a purpose that I've rationalized as passion.  

When I'm unhappy, it is easy to stay there. A torturous stasis that will continue if I don't spend deliberate energy to change it. It takes little or no work to stay unhappy. When I feel unhappy, I give the negative thoughts priority in my head and sometimes that leaves me feeling helpless in being able to change those feelings. Last night, I was reminded that I must spend the time and work to make conscious decisions about happiness. Sometimes it's merely making the decision to find something that makes me happy that frees me from the negative thoughts. Refocus and prioritize, seek balance. Get reacquainted with the things I like to do and make the time to do them.  Passion is great but I believe it must be spread out over many things in my life. Balance. I need to have multiple passions so that I can shift my priorities when they consume themselves or demand too much of my attention which leaves me out of balance. I need to recognize when passion changes and be okay with stepping way and saying no to the things that don't bring happiness even if I'm invested in them. 
One of my favorite phrases, "Sometimes you need to take a step back before you are able to move forward." 

Simple Sesame Noodles with Edamame & Asparagus
(adapted recipe from The Cutting Edge of Ordinary/Pioneer Woman)

10 oz. Chow Mein Noodles, cooked and drained
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 T brown sugar 
1 T honey
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 T rice wine vinegar
3 T toasted sesame oil
1 t garlic chili sauce (to taste or omit)
4 T canola oil
2 T hot water

1 lb asparagus spears, chopped and blanched
1 cup edamame, shelled
4 whole green onions, chopped
generous sprinkle of sesame seeds

Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, garlic chili sauce, canola oil and water and set sauce aside.  

Cook noodles according to package directions. 
In a large skillet, saute edamame and asparagus in 1 tablespoon of the sesame sauce for approximately 5 minutes until the asparagus is tender-crisp. Remove from heat and add to warm noodles. Add the remaining sesame sauce and toss to coat. This dish can be served warm, room temperature or cold. Top with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!