Everything in moderation. This is my general philosophy when it comes to food. But I didn't always think this way...it took a long time for me to feel this way about eating. I like to eat (who doesn't, really?), and I think most of us battle with a daily internal struggle of eating what we want to eat and what we should eat. In the past, there were times when I followed an "all or nothing" philosophy, which I discovered was neither sustainable nor enjoyable. I've eaten at both extremes, at one time cutting out all fat from my diet (and obsessing about it) and another time eating WAY too much ice cream and sweets (I blame that on graduate school stress!). Neither was a healthy way to eat. Although now I make an effort to eat a variety of healthy foods, in general I don't obsess over food anymore.
I've found that if I deprive myself of something, I only want it more... and, well, we all know what happens then... we overindulge and then feel guilty about it. So now I allow myself what I want, but in the proper portions. Even when I eat something that isn't quite so healthy but is really rich and delicious, I find that I don't need to eat very much of it to feel satisfied. Eating "real food" made with fresh, quality ingredients means more flavor. Haven't you ever craved something, then eaten a reduced-fat, flavorless version of what you want? It never truly satisfies you and you end up eating more of the "substitute" than you should and are still craving the real thing. Why not instead eat a little bit of the real thing? It's so much better.
It's also about compensation (not the monetary version, although that would be nice). It's about compensating for the pastry you had for breakfast, the ice cream after lunch, or the heavy meal you're having for dinner. For example, if I know I'm going to have a big dinner, then I scale back and eat a smaller lunch that day. If I have a sticky bun for breakfast (kind of random I know, but I've been craving one since watching a show about them), then I make a point to eat lighter the rest of the day. And of course there are days I eat crap all day (holidays are both my best friend and my enemy), so I'll eat healthy the next day.
I'm reading a book right now, French Women Don't Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano, which basically describes the healthy relationship that French women have with food. They don't obsess over food, don't deprive themselves, and they compensate when they eat certain foods. (And apparently, according to the author, they don't really exercise, but they do walk a lot of places to stay active.) For them, it's about eating a variety of foods for a "diet" that is sustainable. I think sustainability is key, since depriving yourself of certain foods all the time is not a sustainable way to eat for life.
So if you want to know why this so-called healthy eating blog includes recipes for foods like biscuits, blueberry muffins and mac & cheese, it's because I believe that the secret to healthy eating is enjoying all good food in moderation. Everyone has their own feelings about food and what they eat, but this is just what I've found works for me.
I thought I'd end with one of my favorite new recipes... one that seems appropriate for this post since it's based on a dish from France. Ina Garten's Country French Omelet is inspired by one that she enjoys often at Cafe Varenne in Paris. Although this is traditionally a breakfast dish, we often have it for dinner. The first time I made it with the bacon, and the rest of the times without it. It's great both ways, and very simple. Last week we had Simply Steamed Asparagus (seasoned with a little kosher salt & pepper at the end) as a side with it, and it was "one of the best meals" I've ever made, according to my husband. (I never would've imagined getting that kind of reaction from eggs and asparagus). It really was good though. And so simple, who would've thought?
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon good olive oil
- 3 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup (1-inch-diced) unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes (I like to make the potatoes a little smaller)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 5 extra-large eggs
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped chives
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat the olive oil in a 10-inch ovenproof omelet pan (a stainless steel skillet works fine) over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook for 3 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is browned but not crisp. Take the bacon out of the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
- Place the potatoes in the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue to cook over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until very tender and browned, tossing occasionally to brown evenly. Removed with a slotted spoon to the same plate with the bacon.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together with a fork. After the potatoes are removed, pour the fat out of the pan and discard. Add the butter, lower the heat to low, and pour the eggs into the hot pan. Sprinkle the bacon, potatoes, and chives evenly over the top and place the pan in the oven for about 8 minutes, just until the eggs are set. Slide onto a plate, divide in half, and serve hot.
