5 to 7 servings a day...

The last few days I have been diligently forcing myself to eat more fruits and vegetables. I had been doing so well for months and then suddenly I lost my taste for them. A week went by where I was eating maybe 1-2 servings a day. But I am happy to report I am back on the Vegetable Wagon. My saviors, sweet salads, savory soups and Greek yogurt. The sweet salads are great for my sweet tooth, but sweetness thanks to strawberries and balsamic vinegar. The savory soups have tons of vegetables and thanks to mashed white kidney beans, the soups have a creamy texture. And finally Greek Yogurt... if you have never had it, go to the store right now!!!! Flavored with honey, the texture is like a smooth pudding with a soft and soothing flavor. Add berries or fruit and you are in heaven..

When food becomes the enemy

At some point in your life, food will become your enemy. The things that once made you salivate and sigh will cause, upset stomach, weight gain and gastric distress. You will approach each meal with trepidation, not sure what is friend and what is foe. You will over eat unsatisfying bowls of tasteless goo, trying to quench some imaginary hunger; Finally hungry, malnourished and defeated you will give up, eating what you know to be bad simply because it stays down and taste vaguely satisfying.

There is a great quote from Batman Begins, which goes something like, “Why do we fall, so we can learn to pick ourselves up” and thus, it is the same with food. You spend a few days or maybe even weeks feeling sorry for yourself and eating poorly. Suddenly you remember that when one door closes another one opens. And then you discover… Balsamic Vinegar, Organic Frozen Peaches, Duck Fat, Fresh Fennel, Lemon Olive Oil, Green Beans, Quinoa, Wild Salmon, Fresh Parsley, Chicken apple sausage and so on…

When food becomes the enemy, whether it is from food allergies or medical conditions, the important thing to do is vary your routine.

• This week, I hit the Pike Place Market, our year round farmers market,
• I visited Chef Shop, a local gourmet food warehouse, where I purchased heavenly lemon olive oil and to die for balsamic vinegar,
• Purchased meat I generally ignore, in this case chicken sausage,
• Found some good cook books, Gluten Free Girl and Pure Flavor,
• And finally cooked for myself as if I were a guest…

The result food and I are on speaking terms once again.