Healthy Art

Healthy eating doesn't have to revolve around specialty diets, calorie counting and earning points. Those are all good and I couldn't have changed my culinary lifestyle had it not been for all those years of learning, acknowledging, and discovering the nutritional (non-nutritional) value of the foods I consumed. I spent most of my adult life yo-yo dieting, not understanding where I kept failing. I tried so hard to apply a healthy menu to a unhealthy mindset and the two just didn't get along. When my resolve broke down, my patience wore out, and my taste buds revolted, like an addict (because I had yet to change my mindset) I reverted back to what was comfortable, what was familiar, and alas - what was detrimental to my health and fitness. Feeling like a failure is our biggest adversary in the battle for our health. I developed a love/hate relationship with food.

I am still on my journey and will never fully achieve my ultimate health goal, because I understand now that this battle isn't a temporary fight, but a livelong adventure. I had to switch gears and begin to look at the whole picture with new eyes, new understanding, and a new perspective. I stopped setting goals for myself and threw out all my diet plans and started from scratch. I took an inventory and made a list of what were 'healthy' foods and what were 'trigger foods' that led to my temptation to over-indulge, binge, or consume to feed my emotions. I did not make a list of “good” or “bad” foods, because I'm beginning to understand there really aren't good or bad foods, just good or bad preparations and portions of the foods we eat.

I stopped seeing food as the enemy. “I” was the enemy. How I ate, prepared, and used food led to my unhealthy eating practices. So, I made an honest assessment of how I used and reacted to food, and those were the things I changed. Then I started dating food, looking at it with new eyes, seeing it's possibilities, understanding it's function, and then allowing my creativity to take over, thinking of ways how I can turn it into something beautiful, artistic, and fun . I experiment with color, texture, and flavor. Other than a few dietary allergies, there's now NOTHING I can't have or can't use to make a good meal. 

I don't diet – I create healthy art, and I love every delicious morsel.

Till next time,

~T.L. Gray

The Art of Cooking & Plating

I’ve picked up a new hobby, one that really brings me joy and also something I take pride in learning …and that’s gourmet cooking and plating. 

I love food, but not in the addictive sort of way.  I’ve never been controlled by fare, but I have grown to appreciate good flavors.  I have also learned the hard way that some foods just don’t mix well with others and some are better for me health-wise.  But when you discover the right mixture, the right portions, the right textures, the right consistency, and the right nutritional value, food can be quite enjoyable.   I’m building quite a list of unique recipes, though I’ve yet to write any of them down.

That brings me to plating, which is really a new form of art. I love art of all kinds: paintings, photography, music, sculptures, natural exhibits, nature reserves, literature, dance, design and film.  Creating a beautiful piece of art with the plating of food brings a smile to my face.  It makes the process of preparing, cooking and eating so much more enjoyable. My focus becomes more on the presentation and taste than the idea of eating.   

The last thing that makes cooking and plating dinner more enjoyable is the company.  Dinnertime seems to be something that once was the center of family communication, enjoyment and social interaction.  In today’s fast-paced world, dinner is often rushed, filled with processed fast food, or consumed on the run in our busy lives.  In most ‘family’ restaurants the volume of food seems to be more important than the quality or display.  While raising my children, dinnertime was an important part of our day, and it was the place I built the intimate relationships most with my family.  Now I’m alone and often eat in solitary silence.  However, I still cook most nights and now I’ve found the enjoyable art of plating. 

I lift my glass to the hope that one day I will find that special someone to share my new gift and a great meal.  Until then, I’m determined to enjoy the beauty of the art of cooking and plating on my own.

Till next time,

~T.L. Gray

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