Day: December 12, 2010

The Tate Test

4 Comments

I love it when my food passes the Tate Test.  It’s not that he’s hard to feed (the man will eat just about anything) but when he’s really pleased or impressed with something he let’s you know it.  Big time.  If he says “it’s good” than I know he could take it or leave it.  If he really likes it than he will praise it at least 5 times and probably mention it again later that day.  And it’s always nice to have your efforts appreciated and praised :).

Today’s lunch was a winner in his book.

For some reason this dish came into my head before I even got out of bed this morning.  I think it started by wondering how to incorporate the gorgonzola from the fridge into lunch (because it sounded so damn good).

I started with half of a chopped onion, a little bit of olive oil, and an apple.

A few minutes later in went handfuls of ripped kale and a few splashes of water.

All the while a big pot of garbanzo beans simmered on the back burner.

Once the kale was soft and the water cooked out I added a cup of said beans, salt, and red pepper flakes.

And it went from this ↑

To this ↓

A super satisfying bowl rich in filling fiber from the apple, beans, and kale, protein from the beans, cheese, and nuts, heart healthy fat from the oil and nuts, and energizing carbs from the veggies and beans.  A beautiful balance between nutrition and indulgence, just the way I like it.

Speaking of indulgence, Tate and I are headed out on a walk with dessert as the destination.  We are currently discussing the pros and cons of each yogurt shop ;).

 

Serving Says

7 Comments

I need you to help me with something.

Something I have been milling over ever since a conversation Tate and I had weeks ago.

Here goes…

If you eat whole, real food at every meal and you are, and always have been, at  a healthy and happy weight, is it important to be aware of potion size?

It’s not important because

  • it’s the ultimate intuitive eating!  Fill your body with what you want and feel you need, nothing more, nothing less.
  • portion “control” is mostly about caloric intake, if your weight is a complete non-issue than so is portion control.
  • many portion sizes are built in (a piece of bread, an apple) so you are going to eat “a portion” anyway.

It is important because

  • although portion awareness is mostly about calories, it’s also important for understanding your intake of fats, proteins, and micronutrients.
  • you can make informed decisions about how and where to get your calories and nutrients.
  • even if you are at a healthy weight it’s important to understand how quickly calories add up, especially with high-fat food.

I have had more than one client who claimed they ate whatever they wanted, and how much they wanted, for years without gaining weight.  They were at a total lose when, seemingly all of a sudden, the pounds started piling on.  Even if they ate quality, whole food, the balance was off.

As a volume eater myself (low calorie foods in generous quantity is my preferred “diet”), I would teach these clients about finding a balance between appetite, nutrition, and quantity (portion size).  I firmly believe that had my clients had this information and awareness throughout their life they would have had an easier time maintaining healthy weights.

“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”
–Hippocrates

Even good medicine in the wrong dose can become detrimental to your health.

Thoughts?