Having always lived by the motto, everything in moderation, I far prefer to be hyper-aware of what I eat and the ingredients that I include in my food than to “diet.” Plainly put, Jacob and I both love food, and love to indulge – but we do so with caution and planning (if I eat x now, I will not only be sure to not have x later, but to have y instead). For someone entirely obsessed with food and the culinary arts, being a thoughtful cook and eater is a hobby, not a task.
For the second year running (womp, womp), I am using Jacob’s triathlon training as an opportunity to integrate more nutritious and wholesome foods into our diet. While we generally eat healthfully – lots of lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables – triathlon training season is a chance to make an extra conscious effort to stay away from sweets, snacks and most unfortunately, beer.
Using the brand new the “food pyramid” as a guide, this year I am taking it a step further and working to reduce “main ingredient carbs” like whole grain pasta, rice and bread, and focus on adding even more vegetables to our plates. This renewed sense of purpose has forced me to become more creative with our meals, concocting side dishes like chunky roasted summer vegetables (recipe below), cannelloni bean ragu, and of course, lots of homemade salads and slaws.
For me, the most challenging part of planning and executing wholesome meals is incorporating a sufficient amount of protein. It would be cost prohibitive (and also maddening) to go to the supermarket each day to buy fresh fish and poultry. Instead, we have integrated various beans and legumes, tofu and vegetable stir fries, homemade lentil veggie burgers, and even a light alfredo sauce (a whopping protein monster made with 1% fat whipped cottage cheese, egg whites and skim milk) into our meal plans.
This year, we have also developed healthier habits, like bringing lunch to work and school (usually arugula and goat cheese salad with a few toasted almonds and a light vinaigrette) and eating dinner early in the evening. We still have plenty of hurdles to tackle, like dining out, portion size and drinking more water all day long.
Wish us luck and stay tuned for more food ruminations as we approach the big race on August 7th. Happy and healthy eating to all!
Roasted Summer Vegetables (serves 2)
2 large zucchini, cut into thick, 1 ½ inch chunks
3 plum tomatoes, quartered and seeded
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed
½ yellow onion, thickly sliced
6 fresh basil leaves, torn
Juice of 1 lemon, divided in halves
1 teaspoon olive oil
pinch of salt
lot of fresh ground black pepper
