The Plan, or "Dieting"

I will be the first to tell you, I don't diet.

I'm of healthy weight and like to eat.  General concepts like "everything in moderation" and "eat food, not too much, mostly plants" work better for me than psyllium husks; non-fat, food-like products; and fake sugar.  I find the forced limitations of dieting to be damaging in more ways than beneficial.  Not to mention that the latest new thing will be negated in a few days or years and replaced by the next, with equal and exhausting enthusiasm.

On the other hand, I'm not too fond of my poor complexion or dry eyes or other discomforts that bother me from time to time.  And I have allowed myself to be convinced that if I find which foods might be causing these reactions in my body, I might just be able to clear them up.  How great would that be?

Well, perhaps not so great if it is determined that I react negatively to foods I love.  Like any member of the nightshade family or mushrooms or dairy.  Or wheat.  But, I already do not eat the foods I dislike, so I suppose that the culprits must be ones I enjoy.

Taking in all the factors, I have decided to complete a three-week regimen that is something like a modified elimination diet.  I repeat, I am not interested in losing weight.  I want to reiterate this fact, because I do not have a weight problem and have shocked at least four (well-rounded, intelligent, open-minded) people by stating that I do not have an innate "female" desire to be über-thin and consequentially well-liked by all.  I simply want to be healthy and feel good.

Luckily, the food I am eating throughout the regimen is satisfying.  Whole and low-reactive foods can still be delicious and, well, pretty!  Making my meals look good makes a huge difference when I'm missing lattes and pastries.  Or any of the celebratory LaMar Donuts that my coworkers brought into work last week (they're so good!).  It also helps that if I feel fine after eating wheat and dairy products this week, lattes and pastries are in my near future.  Woo-hoo!

It is somehow comforting that I did not feel fine after eating copious amounts of flax seeds last week.  Ugh.  I am supposed to start my day with a bowlful of "flax granola" (above), which is a morning routine I quickly came to dread...even the prettiness of it couldn't save that one for me.  Then I realized that me practically gagging on the stuff was some sort of a negative reaction and that I should probably eliminate this "fabulous" health food.  Since cutting this part out and replacing it with tasty things, like fruit and Silk Coconut milk, I feel so much better emotionally about breakfast that I feel better physically, too.  Yay!  First "diet" lesson learned.

Everything else has been satisfying and fulfilling.  It feels wonderful to have eaten 99% whole foods for several days, but to also feel full and eat good-tasting meals. It's nice to discover that recipes that sound boring, like julienned carrots and a shredded raw beet (above, with a candy stripe beet from my garden), are actually really great.

I'm learning to put together common-sense, balanced meals and am looking forward to the end of the trial period, when I can start developing my own recipes that are based on a solid, balanced theory of eating.  I think it will lead to some brand-new, delicious recipes for Omnivora!

Most importantly, figuring out what doesn't really work for me doesn't mean that anything is out of my life forever.  I can learn how to manage problematic foods in a way that allows me to enjoy them if I love them.  And that is what eating well is all about, right?



MANGO CUCUMBER SALSA
Adapted from The Plan, by Lyn-Genet Recitas*

• 1 mango, small dice
• 1 pickling or English cucumber, small dice
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 jalapeño
• sea salt
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

If you have a gas range (and I hope you do!), roast jalapeño over open flame, until well-blistered.  Set aside to cool.

Combine mango, cucumber, and lime juice in a bowl.  Mince jalapeño and stir into salsa, along with cilantro, if using.  Salt to taste and serve with anything you can think of...like fish or other meat, or tortilla chips, or broiled tofu.  It's delicious and you will love it.  I will be making it for an upcoming salsa party.


*The dietary plan I am following is The Plan, by Lyn-Genet Recitas.  I really am having a great time with it and I hope to learn about the foods I don't handle well.  The book is an interesting read, but could use a cookbook editor - planning for The Plan can get out of control.  The website offers shopping lists and alternate menu plans, based on previously held dietary restrictions.  It definitely helps if you like to make spreadsheets and are generally analytical like I am.

Hollandaise Magic

I am not much of a breakfast fan, but brunch... brunch is perfect.

When I go out for brunch, I usually opt for savory dishes.  Any menu item with hollandaise sauce gets priority at ordering time. Think about hollandaise for a minute.  It's buttery, creamy, and if I get my preference, quite lemony.  And while the traditional Eggs Benedict is a great choice, if that's the only way you have had hollandaise, you might not know how great it is with greens.

Yesterday, I was unable to decide whether I wanted to make brunch or go out.  I just could not make the decision, but I had known that I required hollandaise sauce either way.  As I was working and chatting with coworkers and trying to make up my mind about brunch, I eventually realized that I had planned an entire homemade brunch menu.  Love it when my subconscious helps me out like that.

I hadn't made hollandaise sauce in a while and I felt up to the challenge.  Turns out that it's no challenge at all - especially when you use a "cheater" blender recipe that isn't really cheating at all!  The only things that are missing from the process is a lot of whisking and a sore arm.  The result is brilliant - in flavor, texture, and ease.

If you wish to try out my very own version of Eggs Benedict, hmmm... let's call it the Cole Benedict... swap the English Muffins for home fries, the Canadian bacon for sautéed greens (kale always seems to be on sale), and poached eggs for fried eggs.  Serve with a side of (good ol' American) bacon and with plate of fresh fruit.  The strawberries we had yesterday were the best in months! Drain off and save the bacon fat (for something like maple-bacon caramels) and use what's left in the pan for the eggs.

And the hollandaise-greens combo is seriously a perfect pairing. If you just sauté some greens and top it with hollandaise sauce, you have a very good plan.  And maybe just a little bit of magic.


CHEATER'S HOLLANDAISE
(adapted from Eric Ripert's Blender Hollandaise)

• 10 T. butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 medium lemon
• pinch salt

Melt butter over medium low heat in a small saucepan.  Swirl to melt thoroughly.  You may skim off the milk solids if you are so inclined, but it's not necessary.

If your kitchen is cold and the egg yolk is straight from the fridge, you may want to pre-warm the blender pitcher with hot water.  Dump water and dry pitcher.  Blend together egg yolk and the juice of one half lemon.  With the blender running, remove the center of the lid and slowly pour in the melted butter in a thin stream.

Once combined, taste sauce.  It will probably be very thick and I will always want more lemon.  Add a pinch of salt and lemon juice to taste.  Blend again and taste to adjust salt.  Pour all over everything on your plate.

This recipe will serve four well, but will generously serve three.  As a rule, hollandaise does not keep well, but yesterday's third serving is miraculously still in the fridge intact.  Don't use any metal ever when working with lemon juice and eggs.

Easiest, Quickest Drop Biscuits

Seriously, you can make the batter in less time than it takes to preheat the oven.

Now, I grew up in a small mountain town in Colorado and biscuits were not a common addition to our meals.  But when I am craving a little snack or quick dessert, drop biscuits have become a go-to dish.  They are great warm with butter.  And with jam or apple butter for a sweeter note.

They are not fancy, but they are just what you might want when you start thinking about it.  All warm from the oven, with butter melting into the crumb... so good!  And all in about the time you can brew a cup of tea to go with them.

QUICK DROP BISCUITS

• 2 cups flour
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/2 cup butter, cold
• 1 1/4 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Set out two baking sheets, line with parchment paper or foil.

In a medium bowl, whisk flour, powder, and salt together with a pastry blender (or fork).  Cut in cold butter with the pastry blender (or fork), until butter is cut into pieces the size of peas.  Measure out milk, but leave in measuring cup.

Once the oven reaches temperature, stir milk into flour mixture.  Once well combined, scoop large spoonfuls onto the baking sheets.  You can use two spoons for less mess.  Measure out about six on each sheet and bake for 10-14 minutes, until edges start to turn golden.  Let cool slightly and dive right in.  It's that simple.  Really.