Fuller-bodied, Strong and Intense.

Truly the only way.

I like my coffee roasted medium-dark, French press or espresso-machine made. Dunkin Donuts will never do, not even when traveling. I’ll take tea instead, if coffee at friends’ is sub par. Just don’t microwave the water. Yuck!

I like my red wine fruity and flavorful. Full bodied, from any region. Just don’t serve it with fish! For that, a selection of whites will satisfy, thank you.

Dark and intense is my passion for chocolate. Milk and white varieties will get left behind, Lindt or otherwise. Checkout-line varieties will never do, although in my past I loved Peppermint Patties, (although those hardly count as chocolates).

Okay, call me a food snob. I’m the first to admit it.

But it’s like this. If I’m going to eat something, and eat it mindfully, I’m going to taste it. And if I taste my food, I surely want to love what I’m eating. I want to savor the flavors and the textures. 

Every bite should be a pleasure.

A quick fix for dark chocolate, Petit Ecolier, LU France

For me, there is no compromising. I’d rather not eat out, unless the food is superb. Superb generally comes at a price, so I don’t eat out all that often. My husband and I tend to enjoy our own cooking more than the food at most places.

That said, my all time favorite restaurant in the Boston area is Oleana and I would gladly accept an invitation or a gift certificate there any day of the week! Their food is aromatic, texturally interesting, and full of flavorful blends of spices.  The experience is so satisfying, that even if the meals are more substantial (calorie-wise) than I usually prepare, a little goes a long way. Yes, in spite of a multi course meal there Sunday (including a shared Baked Alaska to die for), I was able to comfortably walk out, feeling quite good, I might add.

I believe we have a right to have foods taste the way we want them to. Trying to lose weight? Assuming you need to, ask for modifications to meet your goals—but only if they will also please your palate. If the resulting dish is bland, it will fail to satisfy. And if you only order what you think you should eat, you’ll do fine while out. But once you return home, you’ll be seeking out what you truly yearn for. At a local Chinese food restaurant our family orders everything “light on the oil”. Such cuisines don’t suffer with lower fat modification, given their rich flavor from ginger, garlic, soy sauce, to name a few.

Recipe for the greatest carrot and spice appetizer inside!

But at Oleana, I’d rather have a richer prep of an exotic entrée, eat it mindfully, and stop when I’ve had just enough. Then I get to enjoy the leftovers another day. (This does require asking for a second plate when ordering your food. Otherwise, the delicious meal before you will be consumed in no time, before you’ve thought to put some aside.)

If you are struggling with anorexia, just eating out may be a great accomplishment. Order foods however you need to, to be able to enjoy the meal and not be anxious. Regardless of what others may think. Just be sure to meet your nutritional needs when you get home, if necessary. Ultimately, though, wouldn’t it be nice to be flexible and have foods without analyzing their content?

Look closely. It's made of roses! MFA, Boston, MA.

The message here? Be assertive. Ask for what you need, and what you want. Not just regarding dining, but in life, I might add. And work on choosing foods you really enjoy, not simply foods you think you should be eating. You can't simply cross your fingers and hope all will go well.

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Hope you enjoy whatever you’re eating tonight.

Note: if you are following a special diet for medical reasons follow the recommendations of your medical team. 

Please, Refer Sandra For Much Needed Help!

This is not a planned post. But feeling sickened reading today’s NY Time’s article by Sandra Tsing Loh, entitled Taking a Leap of Faith Onto the Scale, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/09/fashion/09MIRROR.html?_r=1&ref=health

I simply couldn’t remain silent. The damaging content just can’t go without a corrective response.

I was drawn in by the promising first line, which ended with “…I can say I am at least one of the few American women who is not obsessed with her weight.” Really? Dear readers, is it me that needs a reality check? Please read this article and confirm that I haven’t missed a bad joke.

After cleverly acknowledging her healthy relationship with her scale, suggesting a healthy relationship with her weight and body, I was horrified to read what follows. That she’s crafted an eating regimen for weight control from a variety of sources—Pritikin, Atkins, Zone, etcetera. And that, (brace yourself eating disordered readers, for what follows can be triggering),”the secret is to eat just one meal a day. I…ingest nothing but coffee starting from the time I get up until…the magical time of 5”(as in PM). And yes, she acknowledges, she’s “pretty hungry” by then.

She then describes how full she felt on her Spa vacation, eating prawns and jicama (trust me, hardly calorie dense), feeling the need to get home to be able to slim down. Did I mention this was a healthy, fitness focused SPA vacation?

Throughout the article, this “not-obsessed-with-my-weight” writer obsessively describes her weight, describing numbers as “depressing” and “terrifying” that are within the range for any healthy, 5’8” female. She further describes herself as a "...circus-elephant-like 147 1/2 pounds..." And she ends with her New Year’s Resolution—“Back to black coffee!”

So why spend my Sunday afternoon ranting about this? Because if you are at a vulnerable place and happen to stumble upon this (or other such pieces), it is very likely to set you back. Seeing things in print somehow makes them trustworthy, even if the content if outrageous, unhealthy, disordered, distorted.

So question what you read. And get angry, please! But direct that anger not against yourself, but in a rebuttal to the source. 

Please feel free to share your reactions here as well. I truly welcome your comments! Thanks for hearing me out! I needed to vent!

Chili In a Storm.

Easy soups you can feel good about eating.


Maybe it was the two feet of snow, and rather frigid temperature leaving me housebound Monday. The result was a hearty vegetarian chili (and cornbread, of course). By today, with the temperatures balmy in the 50’s (F) you might be expecting gazpacho. But instead, a favorite, unusual, tangy, spicy winter squash and chickpea delight was prepared. And in between, were a pureed root vegetable comfort soup and my Friday tradition of chicken soup with matzah balls.

It’s hard to decide which to cover in this post, and upcoming, posts. They are each so unique, and post worthy!

Okay, I suppose I’ll start with the chili, (though not technically a soup given how thick it is) because of its great taste and nutritional value. And, it’s a great excuse to  make cornbread.

The recipe was adapted (it’s hard to not add my own touches, you realize) from an old favorite vegetarian cookbook, Moosewood, by Mollie Katzen. It’s tattered, stained, with broken spine, having been used since I was 19! Perhaps my first cookbook ever, thanks to Rebecca who gave it to me in college, with whom I’m still friends!

What’s so great about chili?

Where shall I start?

It’s quick. It’s easy. It’s cheap. High fiber. Vegetarian. Virtually no saturated fat. And did I mention it tastes good, too? And it’s quite satisfying, especially topped with some shredded cheese (and accompanied by a slice of cornbread). It also freezes well, so for those of you who are cooking for one or two, portion the leftovers into containers and serve it another day. Unlike the soups mentioned above, this recipe is more modest in size, making only 5-6 portions. Living alone? Just the two of you? It’s the perfect dish to freeze for another meal, with leftovers for lunch as well. (Thanks to RHA who requested "simple to prep, without exotic ingredients, to serve under 6 people". Sure hope you joined as a follower now!)

Chili in the Storm (serves 5-6)

Ingredients

2-3 Tbsps. oil (to sauté)

4 cloves garlic, crushed

1 ½ cups chopped onion (2 large should do it)

1 cup chopped peppers (any color)

3 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup raw bulgur wheat

1 cup water (or more if you prefer chili less thick)

1 can tomato paste

2 cans diced tomatoes, drained

4 large carrots, cut in thick slices

4 tsps. chili powder

3 ½ tsps cumin

4 tsps. oregano

cayenne to taste (beware—hot stuff!)

3 tbsps. red wine



In a large pot, heat oil and sauté onion and garlic until translucent.

Add carrots and peppers and cook until tender.

Add all remaining ingredients, stir, and cover.
Cook about 45 mins. Add additional water if desired.

Top with goat or shredded cheese, and serve with cornbread or a few tortilla chips.

Note: Chili can be made with low salt canned tomato products and beans, as well as dry beans to dramatically reduce the sodium. I use the canned strictly for a quick and easy meal, but if you are home on a stormy day, consider cooking dried beans according to package directions (use about 2 ½ cups dry beans, cooked, for this recipe). Texturally, it’s a whole other beast—but tastes just fine without!

Enjoy!


Followers: Please email me along with your screen name for cornbread recipe!