Can a girl let go of the food dogma that’s been literally and figuratively weighing her down? I hope so.
I get wrapped up in the what-is-healthy-eating? debate frequently (with myself). Should I eat more carbs, less carbs, which carbs, and what exactly is a carb again? heavy protein or low fat. Should I be a Vegan or a Paleo or a carb-cycler. A points counter or a calorie counter or full-on intuitive eater.
It’s maddening. It’s been maddening since I was a teenager, if not before.
Lately, I try to return as often as possible to the following questions:
- Is it real food (grew out of the ground or came from an animal)?
- Does it make me feel better or worse after eating it?
- Will it make a pretty photograph? Ha. this is only partially important to me.
Breaking up is never easy, amiright? Breaking up with food habits and food dogma is also super challenging. Like a lot of people, especially those who have dieted many times over many years, I can get very confused and worked up about what is the RIGHT WAY to eat. These days when I feel that stress building I try to shake if off quickly and go back to those first two questions. Does that mean I only eat something which answers those questions positively? My diet coke habit says ‘not-so-much’.
The bottom line is that this is all a work in progress for me. Finding a way to feed myself without judgment, or analysis or second guessing is no longer a natural process in my brain, but I’m hopeful.
Here is a little bit of what I’m been eating that I think goes in the right direction with those questions:
::Roasted potato tacos. My own recipe. potatoes, onions, avocado, salsa, corn tortillas, sour cream (not pictured) and lime.
:: Stuffed Zucchini. This is my favorite dish to order at Dave’s Italian Kitchen in town. Decided to make it myself. 3 zucchinis with the center scooped out and reserved to be sauteed with garlic and olive oil then added to, ricotta, walnuts and a little cheddar over the top, some spices. Add all back into the hollowed out Zucchinis. Bake until the cheese melts and gets all browny on top. Serve with a tomato sauce of your choosing.
:: Spinach and Italian sausage pizza. Homemade dough topped with mozzarella, garlic, spinach and Italian sausage
:: Plum and kiwi Galette (adapted from this recipe). Holy cow did this need more sugar. Tart-city
:: Bibimbop ( adapted from this recipe). I’ve never made Bibimbop before and this was a surprise hit in my mouth and my belly. I swapped the mustard greens for kale and added the fried egg. not pictured: a few shakes of siracha.
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so there you go. That’s where I’m at now. Where are you at? Do you have any recipes to share with me of your favorite homemade eats? please share!
