It’s January.
For some of us Canadians, that means we are just heading into the depths of winter and all it’s depressing greyness, cold and damp dark days. Fortunately for me, my parents happened to settle on the west coast, particularly, Vancouver Island. Even better than that, I had the fortuitous idea to move to the capitol after high school and settle in the warmest climate in Canada. My garden is budding already, there are flowers shooting up from under all the trees and the house sparrows have returned to the birdhouse outside my kitchen window to create their nest and have 16,986 chicks before the next winter settles in.
January also means that people are into their annual health kicks. Gym passes, yoga mats, weight sets and ab machines have been bought, grocery lists have been decluttered of “chips, chocolate bars, cheezies and instant noodles”. Deals and pacts have been made with ourselves to be different this year.
Our new attitudes shall prevail over our previous incarnations. And who’s to say that this can’t happen?
Ten years ago I was an overweight, unhappy and unhealthy teenager. I made a decision. I decided I wasn’t going to be fat and unhappy. I decided I wasn’t going to out of breath after walking up the stairs to the second floor. I decided I was going to be fit and healthy and fast and strong. I set about changing every facet of my life. Going from no exercise to daily 10 km rollerblade trips and walks around the block. I ate salad every day for dinner. I stopped eating salad dressing on my salad, instead dipping my fork into the dressing as it sat in a ramekin on the side of my plate. I gave up fast food and junk food. I stopped buying those dollar bags of candy and I started being me.
This is the me I know now. A healthy, fit and strong woman who will let no person, sickness, injury, vacation or attitude get in the way of my goals.
I work out every week day and try to fit some in on our busy family weekends. I eat healthy as often as possible, but hey, I’m a food blogger and sometimes work gets in the way. Also, I have a husband who enjoys junk food and sometimes I just can’t help myself. So what to do when confronted with all this temptation? I give in. But only so much that I am comfortable with. I will never deprive myself of the wonderful sensation of a dark chocolate truffle melting in my mouth or the bubbly fizz of a glass of champagne. I will not let anyone get in between me and a cheese plate.
So what of Kate Moss and her notorious quote: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.”? At some point in my life I agreed. Being skinny feels good. But why? Is it a societal influence? A primal urge to to be smallish in stature to be able to run faster to escape predation? But then I became a real lover of food. Someone who appreciates a crusty loaf of sourdough, a stinky, creamy cheese, a cured slab of pork jowl, a salty olive, a dry martini served ice cold, a moist cake covered in delectable buttercream frosting, a body warming stew made by good friends, a crisp and refreshing salad in summer. And then I felt sorry for Kate Moss. If nothing tastes as good as skinny feels, then she has not lived nearly the life that could be.
We are such a society of eaters. Everywhere in the world, every celebration is based around consumption. Drinking and noshing. It is our real primal urge. This is why the most calorie dense food taste the best. Our caveman ancestors would kill (literally) to eat the foods we have access to now. And yet we fight it.
Instead this year, I plan to embrace every urge I have. To exercise as hard as I can. To eat amazing food I’ve never tried. To concoct cocktails from the deepest parts of my cranium and drink them with uninhibited fervour (in moderation, except on weekends…). To take more pictures. To challenge myself to be more creative. To work harder. To play harder. Live. Breathe. I’m embracing it.
As for Kate Moss….I hope someone bakes her an amazing cake and she learns that food can be just as pleasurable as one’s own physique.
Or maybe she can just have a plate full of this salad. This healthy concoction is a great vegetarian meal. Brown rice to fill you up, chick peas to offer protein and roasted cauliflower as a fantastically sweet vegetable. All coated in a seemingly indulgent dressing that is, in actual fact, quite low in calories and fat. So dig in friends. Let’s welcome this new year with fervour and intensity. Let’s do all the things we’ve wanted to do but haven’t done. What’s stopping you?
One year ago: Beef Stroganoff with Homemade Egg Noodles
Two years ago: Soft Polenta, Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms and a Poached Egg
Roasted Cauliflower Salad
Yield: Two entrée sized servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minsFor the Rice:
1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 tsp saltFor the Roasted Cauliflower:
1.5 lbs cauliflower, cut into florets.
2 tsp grapeseed oil
sea salt
fresh cracked pepperFor the Dressing:
1/2 cup 0% Green yogurt, plain
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp Dijon mustard
35g blue cheese
juice of 1 Meyer lemon
zest of 1/2 a Meyer lemon
1 tsp honey
1 clove garlic, grated or minced
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
a few drops of white truffle oil (optional)To Assemble the Salad:
1 cup chick peas, drained and rinsed
1 cup cooked brown rice (recipe follows)
1.2 cup green onions, chopped1. For the Rice: Place rice in a medium sized saucepan and rinse under cold water three times, draining each time (this keeps the rice from becoming sticky and mushy).
2. Place the water in the pot with the rinsed rice and add the salt.
3. Bring the water to a boil, then cover and lower to a bare simmer. Cook, covered, for 50-60 minutes. Check for doneness after 50 minutes.4. For the Roasted Cauliflower: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Toss cauliflower with oil and salt and pepper to taste. Lay in a single layer on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes or until slightly golden in colour and cooked through with a touch of crispness.
5. Remove from oven and set aside to cool a bit.6. For the Dressing: Place yogurt in a small bowl. Slowly add olive oil while stirring (this is to avoid a clumpy dressing). Once the oil is added, add in the remaining ingredients and set aside.
7. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to let the flavours develop a bit.8. To Assemble the Salads: On two large plates, arrange a small pile of rice. Top with cauliflower, chick peas and green onions.
9. Drizzle dressing over and serve immediately.
Similarly delicious recipes from other fabulous food blogs:
Lemon Roasted Cauliflower with Cumin and Sumac from Everybody Likes Sandwiches
Pickled Cauliflower from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
Cauliflower and Kale Salad from Steamy Kitchen
Paleo Dirty Rice from Elana’s Pantry
Breaded Cauliflower in Lemony Tomato Sauce from Herbivoracious
This is gorgeous. Just gorgeous. And I shall try it soon.
dana @ my little celebration recently posted..Black Bean Hummus.
Goodness gracious, I. have. died.
Bev Weidner recently posted..Dinosaur Kale, Tomato and White Bean Soup
it looks quite easy to make, your recipes are always great!
beti recently posted..Cut Out Cookies
Thank you so much!
This will be perfect for lunch tomorrow. I could never pass it off as dinner to my family, but lunch for myself will work.
My family is big into snacks, so meals are always a bit small around here…:)
this sounds amazing!
Alyce@culinarythymes.com recently posted..BCS: Blue Cheese Spread, a dip for the National Championship
I agree that one should embrace every urge they have. The author of a book I read about weight loss said that you should always keep your body in confidence of what you plan to eat. If you tell it- ‘no, I am going to diet and not eat at all’, the brain signals the body to go on survival mode. And then, as is the case for most of us, we do not follow our resolve and end up eating junk, as a result of which all that you eat gets stored as fat. But, if you tell your body that, ‘hey, its the holidays I plan to indulge so get your digestive tract working’ the brain signals the stomach to exactly do that. So instead of fighting with your body, get its confidence and eat. And then exercise that much hard. Seriously what’s the fun if you have to deprive yourself of all the good things in life. I too feel bad for Kate Moss. As for this recipe, I think you got the best of both worlds in it! Thanks for sharing!
Shumaila recently posted..January Recipe Swap: Crepes with Lemon Curd Whipped Cream
This is a great philosophy and I plan to implement it with earnest. Thank you mentioning it. It totally makes sense. My body does everything I physically tell it to, so why not in the manner of thoughts to my stomach? Same thing right? So I plan on telling my body that Mon-Fri is healthy goodness and controlled portions (to a point) and the weekend is a good old fashioned free for all. You think that will work? 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that your garden is blooming! That means that Spring is one it’s way here to Ontario…LOL
The roasted cauliflower not only looks healthy but delicious this coming from a *do I have to eat it* cauliflower person. Enjoy your year of embracing your urges and embracing all that life has to offer.
BTW, I disagree with Kate Moss. I have been *skinny* all my life…no matter what I eat or do. It’s partly my metabolism and partly genetics (thanks Mom…I think). Nothing would make me happier than to put on and keep on 10 extra pounds but it’s just not to be and as much as people say *lucky you* I just don’t feel it (in the weight department).
Paula recently posted..Tin Tin…the Cookies
I wouldn’t say the garden is blooming just yet, I still have a lot of work to do out there!
This made me smile–I just finished writing a veggie-packed post for all the resolutioners out there! I couldn’t agree with yo more; food is about togetherness, nourishment, pleasure, excitement. And as I’ve gotten fitter and enjoy feeling healthy, eating is actually a heck of a lot more satisfying. Learning to eat foods that taste great and are also nutrient-dense has been key for me and I think this recipe darn well fits the bill!
I couldn’t have said it better myself!
I love your idea Elizabeth. I know we chatted about this in passing, but seeing it in writing almost adds more umpf to it. Balance is key, and I am looking forward to walking that path with you!
So when are you getting that tattoo??? You keep talking about it??
This weekend?
Ooo, ooo, what are you going to get tattooed? Are you still thinking about the fig? Love the philosophy Dear, I seem to be living it without actually verbalizing it.
Hi Mom! Food sleeve with photography additions and a wrist tattoo that says “breathe.” Yay!
Cheers to drinking & noshing! Cheers to savoring life and every. single. delicious. moment. of it. Happy belated 2012, love!
This cauliflower salad looks simply heavenly.
I think you’ve got a great outlook.
Barry and I went for a 5-mile hike yesterday with the dogs… we started with another couple, but somewhere in the first mile, we left them in the dust. In that moment I realized I was in a lot better shape than I had been in a long time (the last 60 days of toning up, working out and eating right are helping). THE FEELING ROCKS! But not enough for me to AVOID eating the things I love. To reward myself for an awesome hike, I indulged in roasted bone marrow with onion jam last night. Was it rich and high in calories? YEP, but the portion was small and I enjoyed every. single. bite.
And right after I finish writing this to you, I’m going on another 2-mile run with the dogs.
Cheers!
[K]
P.S. And I’ll be trying this recipe, too. 🙂
Kim recently posted..Tangerines with Pomegranate Seeds and Orange Blossom Water | Shadowing Others
I like this recipe a lot, it is one of my favourites. I`ve tried it yesterday and it was very good, my husband just loves it, thanks a lot for sharing.
I recently tried this as a quick dinner at home and it was absolutely phenomenal. I used barley as it was all I had and *possibly* a lot more truffle oil, but my goodness. Incredibly healthy for something so indulgent, or incredibly indulgent for something so healthy?
I love it Kelly, and I won’t judge you on your truffle oil usage. I love it and I don’t care what anyone says about it.
Your story is inspiring, and so is your recipe! Although I’ll never be able to give up all the rich, sinful foods and focus on salads, I believe in eating healthy and exercise – there’s no eating all those foods and just wishing & hoping to stay trim! Great attitude towards life and definitely shows in you as a person!
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