Monthly Feature
Lyndi knows what it’s like living without certain foods due to allergies, sensitivities, and conscience.
The funny thing about food and eating is that it is constantly changing. We eat to live and some of us love to eat. Most of us manage that love with proper balance or else we know it can easily have it lead us down a path of destruction.
Life is bursting with ups and downs. We eat to celebrate. We eat to comfort.
Somewhere in the middle is balance.
Too many celebrations can lead to excess if we aren’t careful. Too many stresses can do the same.
A few days ago a posted I comment on facebook about comfort foods. I asked, “…what’s your poison?” The choice of “poison” was purposeful. After all, it is comfort food that we were talking about. It’s how we self medicate.
The answers took the expected route: ice cream, chips, whiskey (that one cracked me up), fried chicken, you know, all the tasty stuff we all love to indulge in. Yet, there were two things I was curious to see in the answers: (1) who would list something actually healthy and (2) who would call me out because I didn’t list my answer.
It made me wonder…
Why is comfort food usually something you should not consume in excess… or even in small doses?
Why couldn’t I come up with answer to my own question?
A small seed of an idea is planted within me.
Why can’t we rethink the definition of comfort foods? Why don’t we ignore conventional wisdom and step out from the crowds. Think about how much sensory pleasure you get when creating a simple dish with clean foods that celebrate its unique flavors. Think about how great it feels to sit down with a beautiful dish of just ripe avocado, with sliced Vidalia onions, cherry tomatoes, lime juice, and heart of palm. Most of the time these types of dishes take less time to prepare than it does to heat up or run out and buy our traditional bowls of calories.
Who wants to join me in this revolution?
Lyndi
Please check out Lyndi’s blog, as well as follow her on Facebook and Twitter!
9 Comments
I love that this post is tagged with “fried chicken,” “ice cream,” and “Vidalia onions.” Thanks Kevin!
I’ll join you! Per usual, we are on a similar page! Fred and I have taken a plunge to redefine what we eat recently. I’ll share that post soon.
Love all the undertones of your post here, too, my friend. XO!
We are so aligned it’s uncanny!
Can’t wait for the article… on foodadventuress or thelittlemagpie?
Woot over here, too! I have a wonderful physician friend who really believes in food as medicine. She asks frequently, how can we make healthy food craveable?
I’m not sure it’s possible after our palates have been acclimated to fat, salt and sugar that the body can quickly digest (read: processed food), but it’s worth a try.
Now that’s a physician I would like to get to know, seriously!
It’s true. The more junk we eat the more we want it. I’m willing to give the good stuff a try for the long run.
Hey Lyndi, I equate comfort food with good cooking from scratch. A meal with fresh veggies or a wonderful stew beef like my mom used to make. Keep up the good work of encouraging good wholesome eating, my friend.
Hey Jackie, why am I surprised? Of course you are already all over this! I am in awe of you… constantly!
Today I made a orzo, chicken, squash soup and Dennis and I enjoyed it after a hard days work. We thought it was extremely “comforting” yet realized it was extra special because it was already done. If I didn’t have it ready, we would’ve just ate what was easier because we were tired. We determined planning and pre prep makes a huge difference!
Thanks for your encouragement!
Two words: crock pot. I know a lot of comfort food crock pot recipes are unhealthy (ie chicken n dumplings), but they don’t all have to be. Example…a wonderful veggie chili.
Thanks for your time for writing “You Are What You Eat:
Redefining
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