Nourished

“Eating well is a skill. We learn it. Or not. It’s something we can work on at any age. Sugar is not love. But it can feel like it.” ― Bee Wilson, "First Bite: How We Learn to Eat"

Food is everywhere. We make so many choices about what to eat and what not to eat. Food connects us. Who hasn’t enjoyed a good meal with friends, deep in conversation, over a glass of wine and finished of course with a sweet desert? Food is part of celebration, part of daily habits, and also it can be part of disconnection (the grab-and-go convenience in a busy world makes us less aware of the actual experience of enjoying food). It can be a comfort when we’re sad – that pint of ice cream after a breakup that we see in movies doesn’t stretch too far from the truth for a lot of people (I’ve been there). But over food choices, here we always have the power to begin again.

Food – what you eat - can impact your energy, your mood and the way you feel about your body. That’s been my experience in recent years since moving to a mainly plant-based diet and whole foods. It’s become a hot topic we all know. And it can have a huge impact on health - food can be used as one way of reducing your chance of getting various diseases. With more vegan cookbook authors and blogs like Angela Liddon’s “Oh she glows” becoming the blog and cookbook many health-conscious friends of mine are turning to for recipes, to restaurants opening up across Ottawa that cater to those wanting to make smart food choices. One of my favorites is Pure Kitchen, with locations downtown and in Westboro, with a menu that is ever changing and delicious.

Changing the way we eat is nothing but easy. I tried quitting chocolate at the beginning of my pregnancy and realized I was extremely moody. To be healthy, it doesn’t mean you need to quit everything. Quitting chocolate didn’t last long – I realized I wanted to have chocolate and loved it too much to give it up. With everything, it’s been a question of balance for me and trying to pick healthier options of things I always loved. With any type of change, if you’re considering eating healthier start with one small step like having a homemade smoothie in the mornings with no added sugar (adding in spinach or kale makes it extra good and you’ll hardly notice the taste if you add a bit more every time). Or chose to have one meal that is focused only on whole foods. Or adding a healthy salad to your meals. Changing what you eat can be very empowering.

What is your favorite whole foods recipe?