Diary of a Diet: Everyone is Different

Maybe you recall my post last week about my recent budding adventures on a "Pairing Diet", due to a decrease in my energy levels and an overall want to feel healthier in my day-to-day life. I also pointed out in that post that different people have different dietary needs, and sometimes certain approaches just don't work for some people. Well, this diet just wasn't doing it for me. Nope.

The lack of carbs in the majority of my meals left me clinging to a bowl of basmati rice while my internal voice screamed, "You'll never take me alive!"

I ended up even more drained of energy, and craving processed and sugary snacks, so I decided to nip this diet in the bud before I did more harm than good. It was a good jump start back into healthier eating, though, and made me more conscious of the balances of foods I had been eating (ie: wine, cheese, and red meat). I'm enjoying more of a lean-protein, veggie-centric meal style so far this week. Although there are no strict dietary guidelines to the way I'm eating, it's nice to get back to a style of cooking that I have preferred in the past. I'll admit, it's not easy to feed a meat-and-potatoes guy when you're trying to be mostly veg, but I think I've found a good balance and everyone is happy.

Some might argue that being forced into strict dietary guidelines actually makes one more likely to revert back to an unhealthy eating pattern; when food is seen as "bad" or "cheating", the temptation is there to, well, cheat. But when the food is simply purchased/prepared/served as the only option, and it has enough carbs/fat/yum to satisfy while remaining healthy, there is less of a chance of straying from the path.
So, while I did try to go on a two-week, supposedly energy-boosting diet, I decided that it wasn't working for me, and my long-held strategy of enjoying my food was the better option. Here's a little glimpse of what has made it onto my plate this week.

 This very veggie-laden stir fry with rice noodles is a lunchtime favorite

My "Border Patrol Breakfast Burrito" : Get the recipe here

This family dinner from last night: Tequila Lime Chicken. Om nom nom. This was definitely a crowd pleaser at the dinner table. Next time I make it, I'll be sure to post the recipe!

My favorite use for leftover chili: Taco salad! I'm beginning to sense a very southwest-heavy trend in my eating this week. Maybe a little bit of homesickness is manifesting itself in taco-themed everything. 

Which I am totally ok with. 

Diary of a Diet

Diets! Aaaah! Run! Is this another one of those juice cleanses?!

Nope. In fact, I hate diets that have a sole purpose of losing weight. Mind you, I've had a variety of types of diets over the years; I was gluten-free for almost 5 years, and I've been a vegetarian for a short 6-month stint, as well. But - and this is a big 'but' (no pun intended) - I've never been on one of those diets with the main priority to be weight loss. My dieting has usually stemmed from a desire to be healthier, or has been in response to a medical need to change my diet (as was the case when I abandoned gluten). 

This trans-oceanic move has taken a lot out of me, and I've found lately that my energy levels aren't quite what they used to be. I've also been bingeing on a lot of rich, fatty foods and consuming my fair share of this hemisphere's wine production since we've arrived, so it's high time to get myself back to a health-conscious state. Not to mention, cheese goes straight to the hips, so here goes: 

This time around, instead of "giving up" anything, per se, I am going to be giving a Food Pairing diet a test drive for two weeks. After that time, I'll evaluate how I'm feeling, how I've been eating, and see if I'd like to continue it, or try a different route. Let's break down the basics of food pairing, and feel free to follow along on the chart pictured above:

Concept: The body digests different foods in different ways, and by eating certain foods in combination, you can actually hinder the digestion process. This results in more waste contained instead of eliminated, lack of energy, and higher fat absorption from foods. By pairing (or not pairing) certain types of foods together, it is possible to optimize the processing of these foods for maximum nutritional value.

Basics of Pairing: This diet has a sort of bottom line - three points that pretty much sum up the details, and make it easy to choose what to eat. 

1. Most vegetables are neutral. They pair with anything, the only exception being fruit (see rule #3).

2. Meat and proteins, and starches/grains cannot be paired together. Meat/protein can be paired with vegetables, and starches/grains can be paired with vegetables, but not together. The body can only digest one at a time properly. 

3. Fruit needs to be eaten alone. In order to process the natural sugars properly, your stomach should be pretty much empty, and you should avoid eating anything for 1/2 an hour after consuming fruit.

So that's it, really! There are finer points, and nice little charts (like the I've pictured here) help to visualize it a little more. My husband is completely appalled by the concept of avoiding meat & potatoes together, but it's not really an issue for me. I love vegetation. I prefer to eat vegetables, and I always have. The truth is, when I had a short vegetarian stint, it was because I lived alone, didn't buy meat really, and was perfectly content eating vegetables and seafood, and soy proteins like tofu, and didn't think twice about it. So far, it's been easy and I haven't really noticed a difference in the way I eat, other than passing up the potatoes at the table for another helping of string beans. So far, so good this week, and I'm looking forward to seeing progress!

This might give you an idea of what I'd have for lunch: soba noodles with shredded cabbage, spring onion and cilantro (coriander) in a sesame soy vinaigrette. Super yum!

If you've tried this diet, or another one that you've got any advice about, feel free to comment below!

The Baked Omelet

Sounds complicated and fancy, right? Looks it, too. But it's not, I promise! Baking an omelet means you don't have to flip it on the stove, so whatever ingredients you pile on top can stay sittin' pretty. The recipe starts on a stove, then moves to the oven: they key is having a saucepan that handle it (metal handled pans work best!) If you saw my recipe post from yesterday, you know that there's smoked trout in the fridge right now. It's a real treat/obsession for me, so I'm basically incorporating it into everything I eat, until it's all gone. [insert sad face]

This technique works for any kind of omelet though, so you can use your traditional favorites (ham and cheese), or branch out with some really lovely ideas (asparagus and bacon?). It's a blank canvas!

Here's how I made mine: 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter or olive oil (or 1/2 butter & 1/2 olive oil, if you're feeling fancy and French)

2 medium eggs

1 tbsp milk

1/4 cup finely diced onion

3-4 basil leaves, sliced into 1/8" strips (chiffonade, for those of you in the culinary know)

1/2 fillet of smoked trout

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Add milk to the eggs and beat with a fork - **Do not add salt or pepper yet! Salt will dry out the eggs at this stage; save that for the last step**

Heat pan on the stove on medium heat, with butter or oil

When the butter/oil is fully melted and heated, tilt the pan to cover the entire bottom. This will ensure that your omelet slides out nicely at the end

Add the eggs, reducing heat to low, and add toppings of your choice

When the edges of the omelet are just beginning to firm up, add salt & pepper, and transfer the pan to the oven at 250 degrees (Farenheit. I don't know the conversion to Celsius yet, and I'm sorry.)

Keep an eye on it, and your omelet will be finished when the center is solid

Remove pan from the oven (remember that the handle will be hot!) and use a spatula to slide your omelet onto the plate

Garnish with fresh herbs or leftover ingredients. Voila! A fancy omelet made simple.