I. Love. Food. Like, alot. I like health food, I like comfort food, I like exotic food, I like food. I am that person that doesn’t think food photos on social media are stupid… I am very interested in what you are eating because I might want to eat it too! With that said, I am always trying to figure out a balance with my cooking. I love trying out new recipes and experimenting with new ingredients. In a way cooking soothes me.
Food is a touchy subject in my household. My husband and I are always trying to eat “right.” For him the food we eat deeply affects how he feels both physically and mentally. For me the balance is difficult when I feel like we have been doing too much of one thing… I am a girl who likes to mix my food up. It is with this in mind that I strive to blend health and comfort in positive ways. This tends to be harder as we enter into the colder months… I want warm food… yet I don’t want heavy food. Warm and heavy sort of go hand in hand in a beautiful, delicious, winter coat kind of way. I try to make really fresh and seasonal salads but let’s get real… I want a warm casserole with lots of cheese on a 36 degree day… or steaming hot bowl of my homemade beef stew. I don’t want a cranberry and orange salad with champagne vinaigrette (which is a great accompaniment to your winter meals). So, as my family and I head into this cold and beautiful season, my mind is racing with food ideas and questions.
I already know that I need to get some fun winter food prep ideas. Thank goodness for Lisa at Downshiftology. She has compiled seasonal food prep lists (fall foods in link) that are a game changer for me. Not only do I get to keep food exciting, but I am learning how to cook with different ingredients. AND I am keeping it clean and healthy for my partner. This is a win/win! My husband has a healthy appetite… he also works out every single day doing incredibly intense weight lifting and cardio… yet people always comment on what he eats like it’s a display at the carnival. It’s annoying and a little insulting to me after a while. Issy is driven by the food he eats. It works for him. If I were to look at the food the way he does, it would not be good for me, personally. If he were to look at food the way I do, it would discourage him. Thus, balance is key in our household. That and leniency. We love to cheat! And we love to push ourselves with our fasting. This dynamic works for us. One of my closest girlfriends thrives on counting calories… she is a super healthy person and enjoys food… is she wrong to count? Nah. It works for her! Is it wrong that Issy and I fast? Definitely not! It works for us.
I am a firm believer in balance. Food is something that makes me happy and, as such, I always want to have fun with it. I have seen a lot of people go through really unhealthy relationships with food… these experiences range from friends having eating disorders to other people straight up hating food. Our culture makes it really easy for us to hate ourselves because of what we put in our mouth… and that’s just a load of crap. Food is also something that we end up judging each other by. “So and so ate 3 plates of dinner!” Or, “He Who Must Not Be Named didn’t touch anything on his plate.” Food has become the OTHER “F” word; a forbidden, dirty, and gluttonous thing that we should avoid at all costs. It has the ability to ruin people’s days and create resentment in one’s soul.
Food has been on my mind a lot lately. I want warm and yummy foods on cold evenings. But I know I need to be responsible not only for my husband and I but for Rosemary! I want her to enjoy autumn vegetable dishes AND that hearty bowl of homemade mac and cheese. But inside my heart, I am constantly eating hot pasta, pumpkin bread, and hearty stews… just so you know- that’s the desire of my food heart. But instead, I am making a delicious taco salad tonight that is guaranteed to help me with my energy tomorrow AND ensure a good night sleep tonight. I refuse to look at food as forbidden fruit. I am going to be eating it for the rest of my life- so it’s best to just accept and respect not only how it tastes but what food can do for my body in a positive way. What is your favorite dish these days? How do you feel about food?
The Salty Exchange 