I think us foodies tend to think of cravings as a bad thing. But last night, as I listened to the Two Fit Chicks and a Microphone podcast, I was eating the big green salad that I had committed to eat earlier in the day. And I realized that this was an example of feeding my cravings. Even though it was cold and stormy outside, I didn’t change my mind about the salad, because that is what I had been wanting for a few days. I made it a little heartier by roasting two beets and using them in the salad, along with a lot of other good stuff. I didn’t feel deprived, like I had wanted something ‘comforting’ and ‘settled’ for a salad. This was actually what I wanted. It was something I had been ‘craving’ for several days. (Not sure, but maybe I had been a little low on my veggie intake…)
This was a fantastic salad. I will be making this one again.
Another example of recent cravings is the fish that I occasionally really want to eat. Sometimes I just want something that is relatively light but more meat, and the white fish comes to mind. I’m glad I have the packages of red snapper in my freezer. Not sure where I picked this up, but I love that the fillets are individually wrapped and frozen–very convenient. Of course if you buy your fish fresh, you can request the butcher wrap it this way for you. I do that sometimes too. Other great white fish is dover sole, petrale sole, halibut, whiting.
So listen closely to what your body is asking for. Maybe you will discover that it doesn’t ALWAYS ask for a cookie. Maybe it is asking for something that is actually good for you, and something your body needs for optimal function.
So yesterday I stuck with my plan. I switched a piece of pizza bread and some grapes for the edemame tofu salad at lunch–both were Vicky creations, and had comparable calories. I got a little hungry before I went to bed and hit the walnuts a couple of times (walnuts are my auto go-to snack whether or not I am hungry. Not sure this is perfect, but they are healthy at least, and I am not eating some stupid non-nutritious processed snack instead.) I wonder if I had had a small piece of chicken or fish with the salad if the snacking could have been avoided.
THE SALAD
Gotta share this salad with you. It was so good! First, I roasted beets a la Lynn (peel and cut beets into bite sized chunks. Spray a cookie sheet with pam, salt, put beets on sheet, spray with pam, salt. Roast at 350-375 for 30 minutes or more, to desired doneness, turning once.) I used one romaine heart (they come in packs of three, and one is just right for a big salad.) I knock the end off of the heart, and stand the leaves in water for at least an hour. This makes them really crispy. Chopped the romaine, put in big bowl, topped with the beets, walnuts, one laughing cow wedge cut up, some fat free feta cheese, and a bit of crumbled bacon. Topped with homemade salad dressing: equal parts honey, mustard, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Although my Cooking Light magazine has a recipe for Spring Vinaigrette that I really want to try on this salad.
More spring photos:
Even the weeds declare the glory of God!
The path down to the little stream.
The little stream is extra full from all this rain.
And a few more daffodils.
debby weighs in 
great pics! – it is very green there!
I had a frozen layer of ice on one of my bird baths this morning!
Salad sounds very yummy. (I have a migraine problem with Feta and have been thinking about trying goat cheese instead.)
I have had a salad with goat cheese, and it was fantastic. Hope it works for you.
Yes, it has rained so much here that it is almost like Oregon.
My sister loves a beet salad and goat cheese. I cannot stand beets. blech!
Happened to wonder over here from another blog and thought I would check things out. Like what I see so now I’m following you. Look forward to reading your blog in the future.
If you get a chance swing by my blog and say hello.
Thanks for the great recipe and, especially, for the thinking about staying with the plan. It’s so easy for me to switch to something not-so-healthy and allow the weather or other immediate circumstances to divert me from my plan.
Found you from your comment on PJs blog… I’ll be back!
“So listen closely to what your body is asking for. Maybe you will discover that it doesn’t ALWAYS ask for a cookie. Maybe it is asking for something that is actually good for you, and something your body needs for optimal function.” I really needed to see this right now. I am in a scavenger mood – and yes, I am hungry, but if I don’t watch it, I will eat crap and not the good nourishing food that my body needs. Thank you for this reminder.
P.S. Your salad looks wonderful except for the beets. 😉
That is hilarious to me how opinionated people are about beets. What’s not to like–sweet and a beautiful color LOL!
Hmmmm…. beets. LOL.
I will go with cravings when they are really strong, because I feel like my body is trying to tell me something. If it is a nibbly craving, I try to eat something clean and healthy, because that means my body (or mind) is being .
I listened to that same podcast yesterday – twins!!
Not sure my 1st post went thru , so replay….I LOVE beets and walnuts and goat cheese and salad and light vinagrette type dressings….Oh when My tummy gets better…
You live in Paradise..and with Sophie, Mr Monk, and Noah. lucky.
I just read Geneen Roth’s book “Women, Food, and God” ..thought you might like it.
Love the photos! Your area reminds me of the forest around my kids’ school. Right now, everywhere I look there are drifts of blue forget-me-nots! Like the earth put out a huge Earth Day reminder or something.
Glad I made you laugh yesterday! Yes, we definitely need to have a meet-up.
Oh, and I love beets, except canned beets, which I’ve never liked. Love them roasted or in a good borscht. I also found that they make a nice salad topper raw–our Whole Foods salad bar has them that way. Must be a royal pain, though, cleaning up shredded beets. (Although they probably have an excellent food processor.) Cravings-wise, my comfort food is steel cut oats (or oat bran) and flax with peanut butter and sugar-free maple syrup. I cooked up 4 servings on Sunday and ate some each day. So tasty!
Love roasted beets. Something else I love about them is the color. Every time I see that deep magenta I think about God mixing these beautiful colors on his paint palette.