To Eat

Eating and I have a complicated relationship. On one hand, I enjoy tasty, wholesome food. On the other hand, I also enjoy tempting, unwholesome food. I know, intellectually that wholesome food is the smart choice, and that it is actually more delicious than unwholesome food. However, unwholesome food is an affordable, yummy, legal vice.

Thankfully, the supermarket where I most often shop, is configured with the fresh produce department located directly adjacent to the main entrance doors.

There is a display cooler straight ahead that contains tempting varieties of fruits that I normally don’t buy. For instance, a couple of weeks ago, there were several dozen bags of unfamiliar grapes. The fruit has a tubular instead of a globular shape. They were priced lower than the grapes I usually purchase, so I impulsively bought a bag of them.

After returning home and putting away the rest of my groceries, I rinsed the “sapphire” grapes, plucked one off the large bunch, and bit it in half. While evaluating the flavor, I studied the appearance of the other half. The grape has a pleasant sweetness and crispness, but not quite up to that of my usual favorites. I soon snipped a small cluster and placed it in a bowl to savor. I knew I wanted to buy more sapphire grapes in the future.

The grapes come to mind because today is “Eat What You Want Day”. The sapphire grapes would certainly be on today’s menu except that the supermarket’s supply is sold out. I’ll compromise with a green seedless variety instead.

To properly celebrate today’s commemoration I need to choose my absolute favorite dishes, regardless of guilt-factor. I’m a big fan of spaghetti, but I’m not craving it right now. The dish that appeals most is Thai style fried rice. My late step-mom, Tippy, used to prepare this as a special one-dish meal for family and other visitors who stopped by on short notice.

Tippy taught me how to prepare fried rice according to her rural Thai tradition. It’s surprisingly easy to prepare. Stir-fry rice is my choice for the main course today. I only need to decide which variation to prepare. If you wish to try this, there are recipes on the Web and how-to videos on YouTube you can consult.

What else would I consider today? Probably a toasted, grilled cheese sandwich. Mom taught me how to prepare this simple, tasty treat by heating the sandwich in a skillet. My variation is heated in a waffle iron that has interchangeable griddle plates that replace the waffle grids. I’ll have some grapes on the side.

How about the dinner’s dessert? I very rarely eat desserts because of health issues. That said, sometimes I purchase a small carton of “Ben and Jerry’s” ice cream. I can make a pint stretch an entire week because I can only safely eat a few spoonfuls at a time.

However, I’m going to pass on the ice cream today. A more appealing choice is a small plate of apple slices. This will be a good finishing touch after the stir-fry main course.

What about snacks? For those, I prefer a small bowl of mixed nuts. I buy them in bulk so I never run out. When my blood sugar threatens to become erratic, nibbling a few nuts stabilizes my metabolism. If I feel indulgent, a small bowl full of cashews is in order. If there is such a place as paradise, there will be an ample supply of cashews.

The beverage of choice is a no-brainer. Coffee is it. Today, I’ll have cafe con leche. I prepare it with half a cup of brewed espresso and half a cup of heated milk. I never take the option of added sugar. Cafe con leche is my happiness pleasure.

Now that I’ve reminded you that today is Eat What You Want Day, I hope you’ll take time to enjoy your favorite treats today, too.

Ciao
The Blue Jay of Happiness quotes French chef, author, and media personality, Éric Ripert. “A lot of foreign people say, when asking about eating habits, ‘What is your guilty pleasure?’ I have no guilt. Whatever I do, I enjoy and it’s the point. I think if you start to feel guilty about it, that’s a problem. So, no guilty pleasures. I have pleasure and no guilt at all.”