Ok, so- how does this sound? Lightly toasted and buttered muffins, with a thick slice of spicy harissa grilled chicken in between, accompanied by the token lettuce leaves and dollops of sour cream and mustard to go with it. On the side, there’s a plate of golden potato wedges, fried to perfection and sprinkled with paprika, crunchy crisp on the outside and crumbly soft within. To finish off, you have a panna cotta that’s mildly sweet with a tinge of bitter coffee. It’s smooth as silk and light as air. The macaroons are a must- they’re nutty but melt in the mouth and the coffee flavoured ganache within is just right. All this washed down with sips of cinnamon coffee. Yes, I had (rather shared) all this last evening and it was a most enjoyable, guilt-free indulgence.
Whenever I try to go on a diet and cut out all sugary, fried and starchy carb-laden food stuffs from my ‘must-eat’ list, I fail miserably. Because no amount of nutritious, healthy options can make up for even one bite of a fried potato or a gloriously sweet dessert.
Before all the health conscious weight-watchers start baying for my blood, let me make it very clear that I’m all for eating sensibly and I do know the harm that too much of spice, sugar and fats can cause. Yes, yes, ‘Nothing tastes as good as being slim feels’. Or being healthy, for that matter. But why can’t we aim at both? Why do we go from one extreme to the other?
We spend years bingeing on all the unsuitable, wrong foods and then, after the inevitable wake-up call given by our beleaguered bodies, we go healthy with a vengeance and eliminate from our lives anything that has taste, flavour or pleases the palate. Then we have to content ourselves with occasional sips and nibbles from the forbidden foods; while we plough our way through the raw, the roasted and the steamed. All topped with select fruits and nuts.
Life’s not all that great that we can get through it by denying ourselves the pleasures that it has to offer. And food is definitely one of them. Be it comfort food like hot dal-rice drizzled with ghee or just plain soup and and sandwiches; be it the sinful gluttony of junk food in a gooey, cheezy pizza or a plate full of spicy ‘chaat’, or choice gourmet dishes in a pricey restaurant, food is what makes us happy!! It brings people together because to eat is a great reason to meet, it’s a part of any celebration, no festival would be complete without it’s trademark special dish, it’s an excellent ice-breaker and conversation-maker (unless it’s taken off a particular quadruped- in which case it can be a ‘killer’). It makes life better!
So, let’s live to eat. But, let’s do so wisely and in moderation, so that we can live longer and eat more!
P.S I should practise what I preach!😛
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