Thrive Boldly: A Healer’s Feast: Soup & Chocolate for the Brokenhearted

Some heartbreaks don’t need fixing—they require feeding.

This is for the ones who opened their hearts only to be met with silence. For those who showed up, time and time again, for someone who never truly saw them—who could not meet their kindness, their depth, their generosity. For the ones who loved with their whole heart, only to realize that love would never be returned in kind. And yet, they cared anyway. They loved anyway.

This is for the quiet warriors of the heart—the ones who gave, not for recognition, but because it was who they are.

This is for the ones whose gut screamed warnings but whose heart said, "I loved them anyway." For the ones whose head kept tallying the inconsistencies and dismissals but whose heart held on just a little longer. For the ones who now sit with the ache, knowing that no amount of Kintsugi gold lacquer will mend what was never whole to begin with. I see you. I get you. I lead with my heart, too.

But this isn’t just about loss. This is about alchemy—turning pain into wisdom, regret into gratitude, and grief into richness. The gut learns, the heart softens, and the head grows wiser.

So tonight, we make a soup so deep and red it looks like a wound but nourishes like a balm.

And after, a dark chocolate something so decadent it reminds us that even in sorrow, there is sweetness.

The Brain & Why This Recipe Heals 

This meal doesn’t deny the pain—it moves through it.

For the Heart Brain – Beets & tomatoes, rich in circulation-boosting compounds, help process deep emotions.

For the Head Brain – Dark chocolate & spices contain flavonoids that boost cognitive clarity, allowing the mind to make peace with what is.

For the Gut Brain – Camellia beans (or white beans) are packed with prebiotics and protein, grounding the nervous system and turning survival mode into renewal mode.

Recipe: Red Healer’s Soup

Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small red onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 medium beet, peeled & chopped

• 1 cup Camellia beans (or any white beans), cooked

• 3 cups vegetable broth

• 1 tsp smoked paprika (for warmth)

• ½ tsp cumin (for grounding)

• ½ tsp red chili flakes (for feeling)

• Salt & black pepper, to taste

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar (for depth & reflection)

• Fresh basil (for finishing, because we still believe in new beginnings)

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté onions until soft. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

2. Add cherry tomatoes & beets. Cook until the tomatoes start breaking down (about 5 min).

3. Stir in beans, broth, paprika, cumin, and chili flakes. Simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Blend until smooth, or leave chunky for texture. Stir in balsamic vinegar.

5. Garnish with fresh basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serve hot, letting each sip remind you: The heart still beats.

Dessert: Dark Chocolate Surrender

Ingredients (Makes 4 small portions)

• ½ cup coconut milk (or heavy cream)

• 3 oz dark chocolate (85% cacao or higher), chopped

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• ½ tsp cinnamon (for warmth)

• ¼ tsp sea salt (for contrast—because life is both bitter and sweet)

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Heat coconut milk in a small pot until warm (not boiling).

2. Remove from heat, add chopped chocolate, and let sit for 1 min.

3. Stir in maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla until smooth.

4. Pour into small bowls and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.

5. Top with cacao nibs or flaky salt before serving.

Each bite is a reminder: Some things melt into something richer. So do we.

Drink Pairing & Why

Red Wine or Hibiscus Tea – Something deep, red, and a little bold.

• Hibiscus tea cools the body & soothes the heart.

• Red wine (if you drink) mirrors the richness of the soup, grounding the experience.

Gratitude & Mantra (Rest & Digest)

Before eating, take a deep breath and whisper:

"I loved deeply, and that is enough. I release what wasn’t meant for me, and I take with me what was. I am wiser. I am whole."

Let the soup fill the gut with warmth, the heart with softness, and the mind with clarity.

Music to Listen to While Eating

• "To Build a Home" – The Cinematic Orchestra (melancholy & beautiful)

•  "Fix You" – Coldplay (because sometimes, music holds us when nothing else can)

• "I Am Light" – India.Arie (gentle, reminding us of inner strength)

Some heartbreaks don’t get stitched up—they get integrated. Let this meal be a thank you to the love that was, the lessons learned, and the you that is rising from it all.